Author's note: Hey, everyone! I'm sorry it's taking me so long to update. I've run into severe case of writer's block with "I like my men blonde and pierced!" I promise I'll try to have something up soon! So, until then, here's a one shot I wrote a few weeks ago.

A Brightly colored accident

Oh, God. Shinji was going to kill me. And it wasn't going to be quick either. No, he was going to kill me slow and enjoy every minute of it. And over what, really? An accident. Okay, a brightly colored accident over one of his hats. Yes, in the process of working on an art project, I spilled yellow paint over one of his hats. And when he finds out, I'm probably going to die, but it's not completely me fault because he left it out. Okay, yes it was my fault. Now for damage control, Reiko-style.

I shoved the hat under the bed. I'd deal with it later. He wouldn't need it. Soon. I cleaned up the paint and took the trash downstairs. Kensei was on the couch taping his knuckles, again, and Mashiro was rolling around on the floor whining about rice balls. I must have looked a little suspicious.

"What are you up to?" Kensei asked.

I held up the trash bag. "Trash, see."

He narrowed his eyes. "Is that yellow paint?"

I gave a nervous laugh. "Of course not! I know I'm not suppose to have anything up there." I slunk through the kitchen and hurled the bag through the back door.

As I was about to come out of the kitchen, I heard Shinji come in the front entrance.

"Where's Rei?" he asked. He could've picked up on me if he'd wanted to, but he was to freakin' lazy.

"She went into the kitchen a minute ago," Kensei answered back.

"Okay." I heard him walk up the stairs and when his steps faded, I hightailed it out of the warehouse. As I was speeding around the corner on my bike, I felt a heavy reiatsu and heard a primeval scream of "Reiko!"

I made it to Urahara's and started banging on the door.

"Sanctuary! Sanctuary!" I screamed. The door opened to find a very bewildered looking Urahara.

"Hide me!" I yelled. Not that would've done much good, but he nodded and flew past him into the kitchen and climbed into a cupboard. There was a pounding on the front door. Urahara answered.

"Where is she kisuke? I know she's here. Tell me, or do I have to play reiatsu detector?" Shinji said.

"That would be option B because I'm not telling you."

I heard Shinji come into the kitchen, walk over to my cupboard and fling it open. I thought I was going to be incinerated on the spot. He hauled me out and tossed me over his shoulder. I started to sob those loud wailing cries that turn people into teary, snotty messes. As Shinji walked us out the door, Urahara waved goodbye to me. I waved back. Hell, it was probably the last time I was gonna see him. I imagine I looked especially pitiful being carried out the door like a sack of grain.

By the time we were half way home, Shinji's reiatsu was leaking so bad I felt like I was choking and started to give barking coughs. He finally set me down as I continued to cough and wheeze. I couldn't look at him. He must've realized how badly he was scaring me because he clamped down on his reiatsu and tilted my head up.

"I'm sorry. I overreacted," he said softly.

"I-It's okay," I choked out.

"No, it's not. It's just a hat. It was an accident," he said, pulling me into his chest. I clung to him.

"I know how much your hats mean to you…"

He jerked me back and looked into my eyes. "But you mean more."

"Really?"

"Duh. I love you. You think I'd say something that sappy to just anyone."

"Good point."

"Let's go home, okay?"

I nodded and we started to walk back.

"Now, what've we learned from all this?" Shinji asked.

"You're really scary," I said.

He sighed. "What else?"

"Hiding just delays the inevitable and makes it worse."

"And?"

"When you say nothing messy, you mean it."

"Exactly. Now, let's go home and make up," he said and the leer was back.

"Forget it. You made me cry. You're sleeping on the floor," I said.

"You ruined my hat!"

"It was an accident. And besides, you can get a new hat. You can't undo emotional distress."

"You little…"

"Darling? I know. But on the bright side, you're cooking me dinner tomorrow, so all shall be forgiven."

He growled.

I stood on my toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Aww, I love you, too."

He sighed. "You own my ass." I took his hand we continued home.