Renji was snickering with self satisfaction as he made his way down the icy side walk towards Inoue's house. Since they had all been stuck in Karakura the weather had turned from cool autumn to cold winter. In Seireitei, where decades seemed to pass like years, months stopped meaning a whole lot. Back in the human world, however, December seemed to be a big deal.

He could not remember celebrating Christmas during his living life, but in the long time since his death, much of Japan had come to adopt the Westernized holiday. Inoue was throwing a Christmas party and Renji knew that parties meant free food so he was more than happy to go. Beyond that, was idea of gift giving, and thus the reason for his smug grin has he hurried along, holding the best possible present for Rukia in his arms.

When Ichigo had explained the concept to him, like he was complete and total idiot for not knowing, Renji resolved that he would definitely beat his human friend, and get Rukia the best gift. Ichigo had called him a dumb ass and said that it was about the thought and wanting to give someone something, not competing. Renji was sure that the brat was just trying to throw him off.

"Nothing can beat you, nothing!" He said holding up the present. It was a little white bunny with small straight ears and large fluffy feet. A ridiculously large red ribbon was tied around its neck with a simple tag that said "for Rukia." He'd tried writing a dozen other, much cornier things that confessed his feelings, but tossed them all away. He didn't need to tell her how he felt, seeing her joy at getting a real life Chappy would be more than enough for now… that and creaming whatever pitiful thing Ichigo (or any other guy) gave her.

He was just approaching Inoue's door step when he heard Rukia's voice come from inside. She gasped happily, "Chappy!" Renji cracked open the door to peer inside. The sight that met him made his stomach turn in a mix of negative emotions. Rukia had just actually hugged Ichigo (has she ever hugged him?) for giving her an adorable plush version of Chappy Rabbit. The teen looked irritated (Renji missed the good natured, brotherly grin) and pushed her off (which pissed him off even more). From there they got the idea to put her soul candy into the thing and thus the Chappy toy was Pyon-ing around the room and it was just so fucking adorable.

Renji, fighting his urge to slam the door, managed to slide it closed quietly as he slinked away, back towards Uruhara's. Halfway there he got irritated and brought the bunny back out of his jacket. He held its face up to his so he could glare it in the eye. "You were a stupid idea! Stupid stupid stupid. Why would she want a rabbit that eats and shits and bites when she could have an actual Chappy?" He sighed heavily and could almost swear that the rabbit whimpered sadly too. "We don't have time for pets… I'll take you back to Soul Society, give you to Yachiru."

Once again burying the bunny into the warmth of his coat, he continued on his way, at least grateful that the Uruhara-household was empty for the time being. He wanted to be left alone.

It was only a few hours later, Renji having dozed off on the floor promptly after returning, when he heard the sliding of a door and her voice calling out to him. "Renji, are you here?"

"Rukia?" He asked, startled. He quickly tried to make himself presentable, his red hair going every which way and there were red lines on his face from the texture of the carpet.

"Renji?…" She came into the room, having found him. "Why weren't you at the party?" She asked, roughly shoving a covered plate with cake and cookies from Inoue on it.

"Who cares about that Christmas crap?" He replied, trying to be nonchalant as he stuffed himself with cookies, not caring that they with chocolate chip broccoli.

"You never turn down a party."

"It was a kid's party," he reasoned, what was a party without some social lubrication anyway?

"It still might have been fun."

"I was tired-"

"I wanted you to come."

Hearing that line, delivered more morosely than anything he'd heard come out of her in a while (usually when she wanted something of him she had no trouble telling him so, with force when necessary), he looked up to see her frowning face.

"Rukia-"

"Here," she handed him a gift wrapped in purple paper (most the Shinigami didn't quite get the Christmas color scheme right off the bat).

"What is it?"

"It's a present you idiot." That was more like it, Renji thought and couldn't help but smile at her scowl.

Tearing away the paper revealed a framed picture of two crudely drawn bunnies, obviously one was a Renji-bunny and the other a Rukia-bunny, together in a field of flowers and butterflies. It may just have been her odd style, but it almost looked as though the two rabbits were holding paws. Both looked very happy. Again Renji smiled.

"Thanks Rukia… I… didn't get you anything." No way was she getting that crap factory after having given him such a sweet present. Renji was one of the very few people who genuinely appreciated her artwork.

"That's okay." Both sat there a moment, a little awkwardly. "Renji?"

"Hmm?"

"What's with all the ribbon?"

Looking around, Renji realized that he hadn't cleaned up the mess he'd made trying to get the bow onto the damn bunny. The thing had gotten away from him and scrambled about the whole house, one end of the ribbon tied to it, the other still connected to the spool, thus the entire place was strung in red.

"Well, uh," it was at that point that the bunny, still snuggled in his coat, decided to crawl up and pop its head out. Seeing Rukia's eyes widen at the rabbit, Renji conceded that'd he'd been caught. "We kind of made a mess… It's not my rabbit, it's uh…"

"How cute!" Renji's coat was ripped off of him in a flash (though not in the manner that he would have liked it to have been) and the little rabbit was in Rukia's arms. Happily she giggled and smiled as the small thing sweetly licked her cheek. "Oh my God, I love you!" She exclaimed, to the rabbit (unfortunately), as she held up to place a kiss on its wiggling pink nose.

"You like it?" Renji's confidence was quickly returning to him as he saw her joy.

"Like it, I love it!" Her eyes caught sight of the tag. "It's for me?!" Her happiness dampened a little as she asked, "Why did you say you didn't get me anything? I love her!"

"Well… I, uh, it was a surprise! Yeah, so surprise!" Rukia knew that there was more to it that he was hiding behind that dorky grin of his, but she decided to let it go. The present was so thoughtful and sweet, it was the nicest thing that anyone had ever given to her. The last gift she could remember having been so touched by was the bouquet of wild flowers that Renji threw at her feet when they were little before he stomped off, blushing like a whore in church.

Smiling wickedly to herself, Rukia set the bunny down for the time being and grabbed a length of red ribbon. Quickly, before Renji knew what hit him, she'd lassoed him in the stuff and pulled him to her, their faces close. "Thank you Renji," she said, as she leaned in and kissed his nose as she'd kissed the bunny's.

As she began to pull away, content to leave it at that, Renji grabbed up the other end of the ribbon and used it to pull her flat against him. "You're welcome," he breathed then crushed his mouth down upon hers. Their kiss was passionate, yet sweet and slow, both having waited long enough for such a moment to treasure it when it came along.

Their moment was disturbed as the rabbit came to settle itself atop of Renji's head, wiggling its nose happily. When they both reached to remove the thing, they realized, with horror, that they'd become tied together in a tangle of ribbon. When Uruhara and company found them a few hours later, still intertwined in an embrace, they blamed on the rabbit.