He carried a large box into his office, waving off anyone who questioned, "Captain, do you need help?" The truth was, he did need help... but he needed people he could trust. And he knew the perfect person for this job.

He placed the large cardboard box on top of his desk, pushing photos and a half-finished cup of tea to the side, and placed the box, this one empty, next to it. With that, he sat down and picked up his phone, dialing a number.

"Hello? This is Captain Kurosaki. Can you send the 8th seat down here, I need to speak with him, it's a very important matter...his name is Asuya. Yes, him. ...What? Yeah I'm sure...yes. Asuya. The 8th seat... ok thanks."

With that, he stood, bringing a video camera with a camera stand and setting it up so that it sat in front of desk. The truth was, today was a very, very important day. A day that he had known was going to happen, and had prepared everything for it. This young, blue-eyed, brown haired Asuya was to be his trusted accomplice- he was a person Ichigo felt would be right for this job, because he was quiet, not a blabbermouth, knew how to keep a secret. He wouldn't ask questions.

Anyways, today was indeed a very extremely important day. Today was the day that Rukia Kuchiki, also known as Vice captain Kuchiki, also known as Rukia, also known as the Gotei 13's alien (to him, anyway), also known as a living, breathing angel (totally not his thoughts) was either going to be single... or taken.

The bad part about this? If she was taken, it wouldn't be him taking her. An automatic scowl graced Ichigo's features at the idea of Renji and Rukia going out on a date. Renji and Rukia sitting across a tiny table in the candlight laughing about something. Renji and Rukia holding hands. Renji and Rukia kissing. Renji and his bug-eyed alien. The thought was unfathomable!

Yes. Renji Abarai, Vice captain of division 6, was going to ask Rukia out. On a date. Renji had told Ikkaku that today was the day he was going to do it, Ikkaku had told Yumichika because Ikkaku always told Yumichika, and Yumichika had burst into Ichigo's office yesterday in a very dramatic way and stated, "You're losing, Ichigo-san!"

This was the reason he had chosen Asuya to help him with this. At the end of today, he was either going to very happy or very depressed. Asuya would help him, not ask questions, not pity him and try to talk to him like a baby. He was young with a baby face, and all he wanted to do was please his captain. In truth, Asuya looked up to Ichigo the way a younger brother would his older brother.

Besides, even IF Rukia did say yes to Renji, it wasn't like Ichigo was going to just sit down and do nothing. He would fight to the death! He was convinced, Rukia and he were destined for each other (again, NOT his words!) like black and white, the were opposite and yet similar. Rukia was the moon of his life, for goodness sake! And he was ready and willing to fight for her, any time, any day. Renji was not going to take that away from him.

Unless it was what Rukia wanted.

Was he overreacting? If he had asked anyone other than Asuya, they would have said yes. But Ichigo didn't think he was overreacting, or acting strangely.

After all, this was important.

"Captain, you called me?" There was a knock at the door, and then Asuya opened it, sticking his head inside with a confused expression. Ichigo nodded.

"I didn't interupt anything did I? You have time?"

He nodded.

"Good. I need your help to sort this stuff out." Just in case, he added, "You can't tell anyone."

"Ok." Asuya crossed the room, looking into the box, "...What is all this?"

"This book has a happy face on it," Ichigo pointed at the empty box, "And this other one has a sad face on it. I need you to sort all this into these two boxes."

Asuya reached into the box, pulling out the first item as Ichigo leaned back in his chair casually, "Confetti."

"Happy."

Asuya placed the container of confetti into the happy-face box, "Bottle of sake."

"Happy."

"Box of tissues."

"Sad."

"Sponge?"

"Sad." When he saw Asuya's questioning face, he added dramatically, "To soak up my tears."

"Ichigo-san... what is all this for?" Asuya looked up at him in curiosity.

Ichigo sighed softly, "At the end of today, Rukia is either going to be single or... not single." He noted the way his eyes grew very big in surprise- and maybe a little worry, "And I need all this to get through it. Or I might start attacking people."

"Oh... Spirited Away?"

"Sad."

"..A party kuzoo?"

"Happy."

Asuya pulled out a silver CD with the words 'the best party song ever' on it, "CD?"

"Happy."

"Jar of.. nu..tella?"

"Sad."

"A very large photo of.. Vice captain Abarai?"

"Sad. Something to vandalize without hurting him."

"Smart. Two boxes of chocolate?"

"One for the sad box. One for you, for doing a good job."

"Oh, thank you!" He set the box on the desk, aside."A ukalele?"

"Sad. Something to destroy."

"Ok...that's it."

"Good. Now to the video camera."

"Camera?"

"Regardless of today's outcome... I will probably need some talking down." Ichigo gestured to the camera, "And who's better at talking to me then myself? So I need you to tape me."

"Ok..." Asuya went behind the camera, "What should I do?"

"There's a green button, press it to start filming. Tell me when. When you're done, press it again."

"Ok... start." Asuya pressed the green button. Ichigo folded his hands on his desk seriously.

"Now listen Ichigo... Rukia is dating Renji. And I know you want to kill yourself. Or him. ...Or both. Maybe even burn the 6th division down. But listen, if Rukia is happy, you have to suck it up and deal with it, man. At least for her sake, if not your own. Besides, Byakuya will be angry if you do that. And you can't make him any more annoyed with you than he already is. Again, this is for Rukia's sake."

"Ok." Asuya pressed the button again, "Now for the good one."

"Ichigo, why are you- is that music playing in the background?" Ichigo chuckled to himself, "Oh, Rukia is still single? Ok then, have fun just this once. But don't let anybody find out about this. Especially the sake. Captain Kyoraku will be mad that you didn't invite him. Maybe Rangiku-san, too."

"Ok." Asuya pressed the button to stop the recording, "How are you going to find out?"

"That's where you come in... I need you to do some stalking. Follow Renji, and don't let yourself be found out. You can handle it right?"

"Yes sir!"

-3 HOURS LATER-

Ichigo had been pacing back and forth in his office worriedly when Asuya returned, sticking his head inside, "Captain?"

His head shot up immediately, "Yeah? Lock the door!"

Asuya entered the room, his face pink (probably from running), shutting and locking the door quickly as he answered almost breathlessly, "She said no."

Ichigo's voice was barely a squeak, "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Yes!" Ichigo ran over to his desk and pulled the happy box onto the top of his desk, pressing play on his computer, he opened the container of confetti and threw the entire contents up, up into the air.

"LIFE IS A PARTY PARTYYYY, GARAGE TO SUIT ROOM!
ANY TIME YOU GO BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!"

"Yeah!" Asuya danced his butt off in front of the desk, "This is great! What song is this!"

"I don't know, my sister gave it to me! 8th seat Asuya!"

"Yes Captain!"

"You can't tell anyone about this ever!"

"Yes sir!"

Ichigo pulled the bottle of sake out of the box, "You're of age, right!"

"Yes sir!"

"Good!" He pulled to cups that were meant for tea out, filling them, "Here!"

"Thank you!"

Asuya had just gulped his drink in one go when there was a knock at the door. Ichigo stopped the music quickly, looking at the 8th seat, who looked back at him, both with shiny, alert eyes and pink cheeks.

Ichigo spoke carefully, "...Who is it?"

"Ichigo?" Rukia's voice was muffled through the door, "...Can I come in?"

Ichigo swiped the sake off the desk and put it underneath, ushering to Asuya to open the door, "Yeah, 'course, what's up?" Watching as Asuya opened the door, Rukia stepped in, "I just wanted to..." she paused, glancing at Asuya uncertainly. Ichigo looked in her direction, "Asuya, can you give us a moment alone?"

"Excuse me, Captain." He bowed quickly and walked out, closing the door behind him. With that Ichigo pointed a chair out to Rukia, "Sit."

She sat. Folded her hands in her lap, she was quiet as she let his reiatsu run over her. Regardless of how uncontrolled and crazy it was (and she had to give him SOME credit, he was much better at controlling it now then he had been at 15) it was always a means of comfort to her, especially now- it had been a year since the end of the war against the Stern Ritter, and 5 months since Head captain Kyoraku had requested Captain Ukitake to take the place as Captain of the 8th division. Sentaro and Kiyone had gone with him, as he currently did not have a vice captain, and Ichigo- rash, young, strong-hearted Ichigo- had been chosen to be Ukitake's replacement as Captain. Which meant she was to be Ichigo's vice captain. So it was done, Ichigo because Captain Kurosaki, and Rukia had to admit that she was very, very happy, as well as proud of him. And though he had only been serving for 5 months, it already felt as if this was how it had been for a long, long time. Ichigo was meant to be a captain.

Her captain.

She let her eyes close, taking a deep breath. Her throat ached; she fought very hard to keep the tears from falling. And still, her eyes filled with tears as she bit her lip to keep from making noise.

Meanwhile, Ichigo went back around his desk, pushing the sake bottle carefully with his foot to hide it further under his desk, looking up in surprise when he heard a sniff and seeing Rukia with her eyes full of tears, "Hey..."

She sniffed again, and he frowned, "Are you crying?"

"No." her voice came out in a high pitch, betraying her answer. Ichigo stood for a moment, his brow knitted in concern, before turning and reaching into the sad box and grabbing the box of tissues. Tearing the seal off, he pulled one out and walked around his desk to Rukia, kneeling at her side and put the box in her lap, his other hand find hers and pressing the tissue into it gently, his voice grew unusually soft, "What happened, Rukia?"

She shook her head, but Ichigo raised his eyebrows at her, "Come on Rukia, you can't expect me to believe you of all people would be crying for no reason." as she had not bothered to remove her hand from his, he gripped it a little tighter.

Rukia sniffed again, meeting his eyes but not speaking. But Ichigo did not move an inch- nope, if something bothered her enough to make her cry he was going to remain like this until he found out what.

She bit her lip for a moment before she spoke, her voice quiet and a little raw, "Renji asked me on a date," she teared again, her head tilting forward so her hair spilled forward and she sniffed, "And I said no."

Her words stunned Ichigo for a moment, who's eyes widened momentarily, before he remembered to keep his cool. He stayed that way for a moment, but when Rukia did not say anything further, he spoke, keeping his voice quiet, "Did you not want to say no?"

She shook her head, looking back up, "It's just..." she paused again, looking up past him, not meeting his gaze as she remained quiet for a moment. "He's... he's like a brother to me. I never imagined he felt something else... siblings grow up together don't they? I grew up with Renji, and the others... were all like my siblings."

Then suddenly she seemed to snap out of a trance, and looked down at him again, her lips trembling, "I feel like I just ruined everything, again."

Again. He had felt she would mention this- how she 'ruined' her friendship with Renji before when she got adopted into the Kuchiki clan. Ichigo shook his head, smiling softly at her, "You're not capable of ruining anything, Rukia... except maybe artwork-" he smiled when her mouth fell open, but she did not retort, "But I'm serious. You are too important to Renji for him to stop being your friend because you said no. Trust him, Rukia."

She sighed softly. "...You're right..."

He smirked at this, "Wow, finally admitting that I'm right for once."

"It's the only time you will be, so savor it." She smiled softly then, "Thank you, Ichigo."

"You're welcome. Don't cry anymore alright? Give Renji a day or two to get over it. It'll be fine." he knocked her forehead gently.

"Yes sir." she saluted him, "I'll be going now."

"See ya." he watched as she walked out, suddenly stopping in the door entrance and looking over at her shoulder at him. Their eyes met, and for a few moments they just stood that way, staring silently. Finally, Rukia smiled softly at him before closing the door. Once she had gone, Ichigo picked up his phone and pressed redial as he reached down under his desk and grabbed the bottle of sake.

"Hello? It's me again. Captain Kurosaki. Can you call Asuya down here for a minute? Sorry, we have some unfinished business."