Save Me A Dance.

Chapter 1

"You're all welcome!" Orihime said happily.

"Do you really think it's a good idea to invite them?" Ichigo said and frowned. He looked at the six shinigami people who were standing in his room save from Rukia who was sitting in her bed in his closet. Renji, Rangiku, Ikkaku, Yumichika and Hitsugaya they had all gathered together because Orihime had called for them because the shingami seemed to be off duty.

"What's with that tone? You should watch your mouth in the presence of a captain", the snow-haired boy said, irritated.

"Yeah, how rude of you, Ichigo", Rangiku told him. "Poor captain." She hugged Hitsugaya and squeezed him against her chest. A miserable muffled sound escaped from the boy.

"A ball?" Ikkaku asked, slightly confused.

Yumichika sighed. "It's something humans arrange. You dress up beautifully and attend the ball. I'm coming 'cause without me there would be no beauty."

"Abarai? Matsumoto?" Orihime asked hopefully.

"Yeah, yeah, someone is gotta babysit that orange head." As soon as the last words left his mouth he dodged a punch from Ichigo.

"I'm coming and captain too", Rangiku said happily and the guys in the room sighed.

"Sure, but no sake," Ichigo warned her. "And is Toshiro even old enough? He's still looks like an elementary student to me." Ichigo pointed at the boy.

Hitsugaya, who finally shook his lieutenant off, snapped: "I'm not an elementary student! And how many times do I need to tell you that it is Captain Hitsugaya for you!"

"Yeah, yeah then you can help my little sister. I think she will be helping with the preparations in the gymnasium."

The Captain didn't reply but shoot Ichigo a death glare.


Why I'm here? Hitsugaya thought while he helped Ichigo's younger sister to carry some of the decorations that would soon be nicely placed in the gymnasium. He was walking a few feet ahead of her.

"Hey! Toshiro, why are you here?" Karin quickly caught up to him and kept his pace.

Hitsugaya actually didn't know himself why he was there. But it was certainly not because the Kurosaki brat had told him so. Damn, that guy! Acting like he's the older one. I'm way older than him.

"I could ask you the same", he replied shortly.

His lieutenant was currently at Orihime's home and prepared for the ball. They were probably doing a whole lot of girly stuff right now. When Rangiku was in her party mood it was best for a guy to avoid her. So he couldn't be there.

Well, to be honest he was here because he didn't have anywhere else to go and he kind of enjoyed Ichigo's little sister company. She wasn't the annoying girly type, she was a little of a tomboy and he found himself liking it. But still it would be too much of a bother to explain.

Karin shrugged. "Dad is one of the adults who are responsible for this year school ball. If I help him out both before and after the ball he would give me some money."

"I see. But what will you during the ball?" Hitsugaya asked.

"I'll probably just be somewhere in the backgrounds making sure everything goes smoothly." She said with a little bored voice.

One thing Karin was proud was her ability to mask her feelings. Even with a broken leg she could discipline herself not to cry. Fighting the blush that wanted to show wasn't that hard. Her heart skipping beats…that was unfortunately something she couldn't do anything about.

"Oh, well you have quite the spiritual pressure. You could attract hollows. I'll guess I can stay with you this evening." The corner of his mouth turned upwards into a little smile.

Karin looked a bit surprised for a second and then gave him one of the rare sincere smiles. "Thank you Toshiro."


Rangiku loved parties. Well, she loved everything that had to do with partying and having fun especially when it made her forget about all the deadlines. The ball had already begun an hour ago and she had already been asked several times for a dance by many high school boys. There were all just too cute but too bad they weren't any good dancers. She had been stepped on her feet more than one time.

But for the moment she wasn't on the dance floor. She was standing outside the gymnasium looking up at the stars. She just wanted to breathe for a moment before she went back in.

The party had been going on smoothly and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Ichigo had asked Rukia fora dance which wasn't so much of a surprise. The orange haired boy was obviously interested in the shinigami from the 13th division. She wished them all happiness in the world.

She had seen Hitsugaya with Ichigo's little sister. Rangiku couldn't believe what she saw when her captain smiled at Karin. Had the icy captain melted for someone?

Rangiku couldn't help but giggle a bit in the chilly evening. Even if nobody ever would suspect it, Rangiku secretly longed to be loved. But that was a forbidden thought right now. He was gone. He was the enemy. But she knew deep in her heart that her love for him hadn't died. But that was something she would never speak of. She would take her love with her down in the grave.

Gin…Where are you going? She had had enough of watching his back ahead of her slowly fading away. It's so like you. You don't ever tell me where you're going, don't you?

Rangiku mentally slapped herself. She shouldn't waste any time thinking of him. It would only make her feel sad and confused. Like a dumped girlfriend. No, she was not that weak. He was the enemy not her childhood friend who had saved her life a long time ago. The boy she had spent so much time with in the past had faded away and changed into something she didn't even recognized. Something dangerous.

She was about to head inside again, because it was getting a little bit too chilly in the air, when she felt like she was being watched. The feeling disappeared almost immediately.

The lieutenant of the 10th division knew better than to drop her guard so easily. Even if I'm off duty I'll be on my watch.

Waltz was such a beautiful dance. Rangiku found herself liking the music. Everybody seemed to have calmed down and those who had partners for the evening were dancing peacefully. They looked like they were in a different world. In the corner of her eye she could see Ichigo and Rukia dancing. Both of their faces were a bit flushed but there was no mistaking the sincere smiles they gave to each other.

Rangiku had just finished a waltz with a high school student who seemed to have gotten a slight crush on her. She saw one of his friends approach her, he was probably going to ask her for a dance. Rangiku jerked back a little. She didn't really want to dance with the guy because she had danced with him before and let's just say she had lost count of how many times the boy had stepped on her feet. And besides he had held her hands way too low on her hips.

Rangiku directly started to search for an escape on the spot. She swiftly turned around only to brutally bump into a person.

"Ah! Sorry for that", she said without looking up. She wondered if the boy was still on his way towards her. Suddenly a strong arm had wrapped itself around her waist and at the same time another hand had taken on of her own hands in a firm hold, pulling her smoothly into a waltz position.

"Hey-", she began to say but stopped when see looked up. She was staring with wide eyes into ice blue ones which belonged to no other than Gin Ichimaru. The soul society's number one ranked enemy after Sosuke Aizen.

"Not so loud Rangiku", he purred with a dangerous voice. "We have a lot to catch up to. How about we start off with a greeting kiss? "