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Kenpachi had seen that look before.
The first time, it had been weird, Byakuya, usually so collected, suddenly small and shaken, trapped in his own head.
Kenpachi hadn’t known what the hell to do back then, so he just waited it out, let him chill out until he pulled himself together.
But this time?
This time, they were on a mission.
And that meant Kenpachi didn’t have time to sit around and figure things out the slow way.
They had been tracking down some nasty Hollow activity, cutting through the thick, overgrown forest at the far edge of the Rukongai, the place was quiet now, but Kenpachi could still smell blood in the air, feel the tension in the wind.
And then, just as he was about to push forward.
Byakuya stopped moving.
Kenpachi didn’t notice at first, he was already ahead, scanning the area, making sure nothing was about to jump them.
But then he felt it.
The shift.
The air around Byakuya changed, his spiritual pressure tightening, his entire presence going small.
Kenpachi turned.
And there it was.
That look.
Wide, glassy eyes.
Breathing too quick.
Shoulders drawn tight like he was waiting to get hit.
Kenpachi sighed.
"Oh, hell no, not now."
Byakuya’s fingers twitched on his sword hilt, like he was still trying to stay present.
But Kenpachi knew better.
He was already slipping.
"Oi."
Byakuya didn’t react.
Kenpachi tried again, sharper this time.
"Byakuya."
Still nothing.
Byakuya’s fingers were loose on Senbonzakura now, his breath coming out in tiny, uneven huffs.
Kenpachi had about five seconds before byakuya completely checked out.
Shit.
With zero hesitation, Kenpachi closed the distance, grabbed Byakuya by the front of his kosode, and hauled him forward.
Byakuya yelped softly, his entire body jerking at the sudden contact.
Kenpachi kept his grip steady. "Hey. Look at me."
Byakuya’s breath stuttered, his gaze flickering up, just barely.
Kenpachi saw it.
It was panic.
Something was playing in his head, something bigger than this moment, bigger than this mission.
Kenpachi scowled.
Not happening.
Without thinking, he did the only thing he could.
He grabbed the back of Byakuya’s head and pressed their foreheads together.
Firm, solid, grounding.
Byakuya sucked in a sharp breath.
“Focus on me.”
A tiny tremor ran through him.
Kenpachi didn’t move.
Didn’t pull back.
Just kept his hold steady, keeping Byakuya here, focused on the moment.
“You with me, kid?”
Byakuya’s fingers tensed in his sleeves.
Then, after a long moment.a
A tiny, uncertain nod.
Kenpachi let out a slow breath. "Good, keep breathin’."
Byakuya obeyed.
The shaking lessened.
His hands stopped twitching.
His shoulders loosened.
Kenpachi pulled back, watching him carefully.
Byakuya looked exhausted.
But he was here again.
Kenpachi smirked. "You always this much trouble?"
Byakuya huffed weakly, the ghost of a glare in his tired eyes.
Kenpachi snorted.
"C’mon, kid, let’s get this mission over with."
And with that, he steered Byakuya forward, making sure he didn’t fall behind again.
---
Kenpachi wasn’t gonna say it out loud, but.
Byakuya looked wrecked.
Even after he’d snapped back, even after they’d kept moving, the kid was still too quiet.
Not his usual stoic quiet.
This was exhausted, drained quiet.
Kenpachi wasn’t dumb, he knew pushing him any further was a bad idea.
So when they stumbled across an abandoned cabin deep in the woods, Kenpachi made a split-second decision.
"Alright, we’re stoppin’ for the night."
Byakuya frowned. "But we should keep moving"
Kenpachi gave him a look.
Byakuya closed his mouth.
Smart choice.
The cabin was small, barely more than four walls and a roof, but it was solid.
Kenpachi tossed his haori on the floor and stretched.
“Not bad, could use a bed, though.”
Byakuya stood near the door, arms folded, looking like he wanted to argue.
Kenpachi rolled his eyes. "Quit thinking so hard, kid, you’re dead on your feet."
Byakuya huffed. "I am fine."
Kenpachi snorted. "Yeah? Then why’re you swayin’ like you’re about to fall over?"
Byakuya immediately stood straighter. "I am not"
Kenpachi walked over, grabbed him by the back of his kosode, and pulled him toward the improvised blanket he’d thrown down.
Byakuya let out a small, indignant noise.
Kenpachi ignored him.
“Sit.”
Byakuya glared.
Kenpachi stared back.
Eventually, Byakuya sighed and sat down.
Victory.
They stayed like that, just sat in silence.
Byakuya wasn’t talking.
Kenpachi wasn’t gonna make him.
But then.
Kenpachi noticed something.
Byakuya’s hands were twitching again.
Fingers pressing and releasing, pressing and releasing, against the fabric of his kosode.
Kenpachi frowned. "You cold?"
Byakuya shook his head.
Kenpachi tilted his head. “You sure? You’re all fidgety.”
Byakuya stilled immediately. "...I am fine."
Kenpachi narrowed his eyes.
Then, with zero hesitation, he reached over and yanked Byakuya closer.
Byakuya startled, trying to pull back, but Kenpachi had already decided.
He tucked Byakuya right against his side, keeping an arm firm around him.
Byakuya went stiff as a board.
Kenpachi sighed. “You’re terrible at this.”
Byakuya huffed. "At what?"
"Relaxing."
Byakuya glared. "I do not need to relax"
Kenpachi ruffled his hair.
Byakuya froze.
Kenpachi grinned. "Tch, there ya go, that shut you up."
Byakuya looked absolutely scandalized.
Kenpachi just chuckled, keeping a lazy grip on his shoulder.
“Quit actin’ like I’m strappin’ you down for torture, just lean back, kid, you need the rest.”
Byakuya hesitated.
Then, slowly, he let himself relax.
Kenpachi smirked. "Yeah, that’s way better."
And with that, the night stretched on.
And Byakuya let himself rest.
And Kenpachi could feel it.
The way Byakuya’s body lost tension little by little, how his breathing evened out, how his fingers stopped twitching as he finally settled.
Good.
But Kenpachi wasn’t dumb.
He knew Byakuya was still lingering at the edge of something soft.
Something small.
Not fully regressed.
But close.
Kenpachi smirked, squeezing his shoulder lightly. “Tch, see? Wasn’t so hard, huh?”
Byakuya huffed quietly.
Kenpachi chuckled. "Knew you were tired, you get all grumpy when you're tired."
Byakuya blinked sleepily, his brows furrowing just a little. “Do not.”
Kenpachi grinned. "Do too, you were poutin’ like a baby earlier."
Byakuya stiffened. “…Was not.”
Oh, this was too easy.
Kenpachi leaned in, voice low, teasing. "Were so."
Byakuya's cheeks flushed, but instead of answering, he just let out a tiny, annoyed whine.
Kenpachi laughed. "Aw, c'mon, kid, you gonna throw a tantrum about it?"
Byakuya whined again, turning his face into Kenpachi’s haori like that would somehow make him disappear.
Kenpachi grinned.
And then, justbbecause he could.
He reached up and patted Byakuya’s head.
Slow.
Solid.
Just a little condescending.
Byakuya let out the smallest, tiniest, grumbliest noise Kenpachi had ever heard.
Kenpachi snickered. "You act all high and mighty, but you're just a fussy little thing when you're sleepy, huh?"
Byakuya mumbled something incoherent, still hiding his face.
Kenpachi smirked. "That so?"
Byakuya made a tiny, defeated sound.
Kenpachi let out a soft huff, running a slow, lazy hand through Byakuya’s hair.
“Yeah, yeah, you’ll live, little one.”
Byakuya sighed, deep and heavy.
Kenpachi just kept rubbing slow circles against his back.
And after a few minutes, Byakuya’s breathing evened out completely.
Out cold.
Kenpachi chuckled. "Tch. Finally."
And with that, he let the kid sleep.
---
Byakuya woke up slowly.
His mind felt soft, hazy, like he was floating.
For a moment, he didn’t remember where he was.
Didn’t care.
He was warm.
Safe.
Pressed against something solid.
Something huge.
Something breathing.
…Wait.
His eyes fluttered open.
He was still curled up against Kenpachi.
Kenpachi, who was very much awake, sitting lazily against the wall, arms still wrapped around him like it was the most normal thing in the world.
Byakuya blinked.
Then, reality hit.
Oh.
He had fallen asleep like this.
And worse, he still felt small.
Byakuya froze.
Kenpachi felt it instantly.
"Mornin', kid."
Byakuya stiffened further.
Kenpachi chuckled.
"Ohhh, still little, huh?"
Byakuya scowled. "I-"
But the words wouldn’t come out right.
His voice felt wrong.
His body felt wrong.
Everything was too big, too much.
Kenpachi hummed, rubbing a lazy hand up and down Byakuya’s back. “Yeah, yeah, I gotcha.”
Byakuya’s cheeks burned. "I am fine."
Kenpachi grinned. "Oh yeah? That why you're still holdin’ onto me?"
Byakuya immediately let go.
Or at least, that's what he tried.
But his fingers didn’t move.
Kenpachi smirked. "Thought so."
Byakuya huffed.
Kenpachi ruffled his hair. "Tch, grumpy little thing."
Byakuya whined softly.
Kenpachi raised a brow. "Oh? You whinin’ now?"
Byakuya refused to answer.
Kenpachi just laughed. "Yeah, you’re still small, alright."
Byakuya pouted, turning his face into Kenpachi’s haori. "Shut up."
Kenpachi snickered. "Yeah, yeah, go back to sleep, kid."
And after a few minutes.
Byakuya actually did.