Party

Part 1

After the Aizen disaster, the captains of the gotei-13 decided that there was need for more cohesion within at least the upper seated shinigami, to set an example. Perhaps if those men had been known better, they would not have sworn themselves to the destruction of Seireitei.

Kenpachi suggested a tournament. This was met with almost universal disapproval, mostly because it was an almost universal opinion that only he would suggest that after this.

Mayuri said that they should send all the shinigami to the 12th to be test sub- er, upgraded. This was greeted with several very bad mental images, an abundance of 'hell no' looks, and a muttered "Stupid old geezer."

Temporary 5th division captain Hinamori Momo timidly ventured that they could um, have a party, maybe? Just for the upper seated shinigami, like the 5th seats up?

Every single captain swung their heads around to stare at the tiny little girl sitting next to Hitsugaya-taichou with her hand partially raised.

That…wasn't such a bad idea, said Yamamoto-soutaichou. Hinamori blushed.

Soi Fong concurred. It would not be too annoying. (anything was better than Mayuri's 'upgrades', or the sudden betrayal of her imagination at the word, 'telematch'.)

We can make it couples! had exclaimed Shunsui, beginning to blabber on about morale.

Mayuri drew breath to shout that it was the stupidest idea he'd ever heard, but then looked at the specter of green-eyed death holding Hinamori's hand from where he'd brought it down. No one was ever going to have enough scientific curiosity to risk insulting his precious girlfriend in front of Hitsugaya-taichou, who was not so pint-sized anymore and very, very easily annoyed.

Besides, Mayuri could always have test subjects with the drinks.

.0.

a sake party. That man- that man was going to throw a damn sake party and invite the first to fifth seats of every single division.

All Kyouraku-taichou would say was that, Yama-jii thinks it'll be good for morale.

Nanao simply thought it would be bad for everyone's liver.

.0.

"A party, Hitsugaya-taichou?" inquired Matsumoto.

Her captain shrugged. "It was Hinamori's idea and everyone else just ran with it."

"Ohh," she purred, never one to pass up a good taichou-torture session. "Then was it also her idea to have dates? Ne, taichou, maybe she's throwing you a hint, huh?"

Hitsugaya colored. "That was just Kyouraku's contribution," he muttered.

Matsumoto took pity. "She'd probably go with you, if you asked."

He pinked even more. "You think…?"

Matsumoto grinned evilly. "You just have to ask her."

He slumped onto his desk. "Ah, the catch."

How the hell was he supposed to ask her?

.0.

the (relevant) members of the 11th were not so disappointed about the lack of fighting as would have been expected, since Shunsui had volunteered to do the party and thus there would lots of free food and alcohol, which was an acceptable substitute.

Yachiru had bullied several members of the 11th to bring her shopping in Rukongai for clothes (she'd reached that age, the age of the prissy little pink girl) and candy (but not yet out of the candy age, given that it was Yachiru, she probably never would), and Yumichika had gone with her.

The other two were engaged in internal brawls. (What, you think Ikkaku and Kenpachi debate? Not in this lifetime, I assure you.)

Kenpachi was thinking about how to ask the woman he had in mind. He didn't think she would refuse him, and if anyone else even so much as tried asking her they'd be looking for their heads on the ground. But it was probably better to ask her first. She'd get upset if he had to kill a lot of idiots in front of her.

The only thing there was a question of how.

Ikkaku was having a no-holds-barred match between his common sense and the immensely hardy part of the brain that dealt with hope.

On one hand, she could refuse him, saying she was very sorry, but she liked someone else, but on the other, she could accept, but be barred from going with him (or at all) by her asshole father.

On an entirely different body altogether, she might not even know he existed besides being the 3rd seat of the 11th.

Ikkaku smashed his head against a nearby stone wall. His captain, on his way out, decided not comment.

Such thoughts would not make it any easier to ask Kurotsuchi Nemu to be his date to the party.

.0.

Rukia inhaled, then choked on her mouthful of water.

She fell to the ground, coughing like crazy and dribbling a thin stream of water out her nose.

Renji hit her on the back a few times. He figured it was more than she deserved, because even after she'd practically hacked up a lung, she was still- bloody- laughing-.

"It's. Not. Fucking. Funny." He ground out for the fifth time.

"Yes it is!" she gasped out, still giggling like a loon.

"The idea of you- you!- agonizing over asking a date to the party- the idea of you having a date at all…" at a loss for words, she sank down onto the grass shaking with mirth.

Renji twitched. If he'd known she was going to be like this, he wouldn't have asked her. She'd just been the first person he'd thought of.

"Look," he snarled. "It's a simple question. Yes or no?"

Rukia snorted. "Duh."

"Duh what? Gimme a straight answer!"

"Yes, you idiot."

Renji brightened. "You're sure?"

"You're deaf? Of course I'm sure."

"Great!" called Renji, already running away. "Thanks!"

Rukia chuckled to her self.

He was such an idiot.

But a cute one.

-tbc-

There is a cookie in for anyone who figures out all five couples before the next chapter, which is going to give it all away. Clue: 4 het, 1 slash.