This fic came about in a most random way. Seriously. This takes place after Good Omens and can be thought of as its sequel. But I think it stands well as its own.
Standard disclaimers apply
Do forgive any errors spotted because this would most likely not have been beta read.
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To say that Soul Society was a place for the dead would be interpreting it the place too literally. It is for the dead people alright but with style. The annual Soul Society dinner and dance was around the corner (this usually occurred at the end of the year). It is meant as an opportunity for all shinigamis, especially the captains to set aside their differences, mingle with one another and well get drunk. Thanks to this ridiculous aim it meant one thing – compulsory dates (at least for the 13 captains).
It is believed that most powerful men had no problems getting dates – women threw themselves at their feet and in some cases literally. Somehow, this did not hold true for Hitsugaya Toushiro, 10th Squad Captain, master of the powerful Hyourinmaru and boy genius. Seriously, being a boy genius meant that most women were in fact older than him and did not dare quite approach him in the same manner for fear of being called a pedophile. Also, there was a matter of strong competition (KUCHIKI TAI-CHO!!).
Last year, he went with Matsumoto, beating thousands of hopefuls (including Kira and Hisagi) but ended with disaster. Matsumoto had gotten herself drunk (no surprises there) and promptly announced which types of cartoons and characters he likes before everyone with embarrassing detail. She was wondering why she woke up in the 4th division healing area and 2 months worth of paper work after that. This year, he should declare himself sick or maybe grit his teeth and invite someone with him to the ball. Filling up a form to authorize the opening of the gateway to Karakura Town he sighed. He had chosen the latter because the former had been attempted 2 years ago and failed miserably. (a memory that under no circumstances would be revisited)
This is what he needed, no forced, no coerced to do. He chanted it over and over again under his breath as he crossed into Karakura Town in a few minutes. All he had to do was to grit his teeth, spill the words, accept her answer and the problem will be solved. Assuming of course she said yes. Urgh, he mentally banged his head against a mental wall.
--
Something was coming to her room, Kurosaki Karin could feel it. Ichi-ni had gone hollow fighting thankfully because the being coming would have Ichi-ni going BANKAI.
"Toushiro! What is it?" asked Karin as she opened her window to let the silver haired youth in.
"Complicated…" he murmured as he climbed in through the window, settling his feet on the floor of her room.
"Hmmm?"
Toushiro let out a sigh and opened his mouth, drats, why was this so much harder than beating Hyourinmaru into submission to attain bankai? Right, it is now or never.
"Wangoballwime?" he babbled.
"What?"
"D..do you want to g-go to the b-ball with me?" he fairly whispered looking down at his shifting feet. Yes, his face was probably as red as Renji's hair now.
"Ball?"
"Soul Society's dinner and dance party…all captains must have partners" he explained with a flush. He had by now been able to look her in the eye and take in her bemused expression. Slowly her face broke into an unmistakable smile which gave way to laughter.
Toushiro's face contorted beyond description as he watched Karin burst into laughter. Honestly, did she know how hard it is for him to do this?
"Look, if you don't want to go it is fine…I'll just get someone else" he mumbled, cheeks burning with embarrassment. Turning he headed towards the window, readying himself for the jump to the ground below.
"W-wait!" cried Karin as she controlled her laughter to a full stop. Smiling once it the laughter died out she replied, "I will go."
Toushiro let out a sigh of relief and turned to face her.
"When is it?" she enquired
"Tonight" came the stoic reply.
"What?! And you ask me only now?"
"I was busy!" defended Toushiro. Truthfully he was – busy wondering how the heck he was going to ask her. He had memorized a few cliché almost guaranteed success lines from his trusty dating guide book. He did not use it evidently. Let's just say reality strikes unexpectedly. Oh yes, he was also dealing with the line of prospective guys queuing before the 10th Squad office for an opportunity to ask the woman with the best assets to the ball.
"I am not the last choice option right" asked Karin, her question snapping him out of his temporary daze.
"NO!" came the strong reply.
She smiled at that and briefly wondered if Toushiro knew that his facial expression gives him away if he lies.
"I have nothing to wear!" whined Karin
"Er…" came Toushiro's reply. Yes, he has heard Matsumoto complain umpteen times about this but somehow he had overlooked it.
"Well it is a formal ball…so perhaps the green dress you wore the last time?" he suggested.
"Good idea" replied Karin as she proceeded to raid her wardrobe for that green dress.
"I'll come and pick you up here at 8pm?"
"Ok" she replied without facing him and soon he was gone. It was then it hit her … I HAVE NEVE BEEN TO A BALL BEFORE! Fortunately, the remedy was but a phone call away.
Matsumoto Rangiku is a comrade in arms, friend and confidante. When she received Karin's call for help through Rukia (whilst Ichigo was enthusiastically fighting off some hollow), she came immediately and whisked Karin off to Soul Society. (Of course, she left a note to her beloved tai-cho of what she did, along with an extended list if compliments he could use).
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Everyone was to be dressed in accordance to the formality of the place – in formal suits and dresses. Captains were to bring their zanpakutou with them to distinguish them from the others. Karin felt slightly out of place, she was wearing a distinctly different styled dress in a distinctly different colour. It was an empire cut dress of cherry blossom pink with long sleeves. The front hem of the dress fell to her knees and was distinctly shorter than its back which fell to her ankles, giving it a trial effect. With a matching coloured ribbon tied around her neck to form a bow on the left, she nervously waited by the 10th Squad office by herself for Toushiro to come. Matsumoto had gone with Hisagi.
When the familiar icy reiatsu approached, she immediately stood up from her sitting position on the sofa to meet the suit wearing youth with an initial annoyed expression which was shifting into a dazed blank expression upon seeing her.
She blushed slightly during the awkward silence and decided to break it with her usual outburst consisting of: can we go already, I have a curfew at midnight by dad, I hate these stupid shoes (points at the high heeled strapped shoes Hinamori had lent her) which does not allow flexibility of movement and strong desire to remove the light make up which Matsumoto had put on her.
"Hai…" he murmured extending his right hand to her in a gentlemanly gesture. He was wearing a pair of black pants, a white shirt with a black tie along with a black vest over it. The suit jacket he wore over the top was unbuttoned and he held his zanpakutou in his left hand, its back sling was gone. Karin's blush remained on her face as she took his hand and allowed him to lead them out of the 10th Squad building to the Ball's venue – Kuchiki Manor. Spying along the way of course were 10th Squad members who wished nothing more than for their Captain's happiness.
--
Hitsugaya Toushiro would do anything to have that orange head removed from the Ball, and he was certain that Kuchiki Tai-cho felt the same way but that stupid shinigami representative had to be around because of the following reasons:
he had made contributions
the ball was about setting aside differences between one another
Hence he had to deal with this: "What are you doing here with HIM?"
While Ichigo was preparing to charge at the young couple and helpfully restrained by many, Karin hissed to Toushiro, "You didn't tell me Ichi-ni will be here!"
"You never asked", came the cool annoyed reply.
"Toushiro!" she hissed.
"Come on" he murmured pulling her away towards the drinks are to get juice and settle down by their table of ten consisting of Kuchiki Tai-cho, Commander Yamamoto, his vice-captain and their wives, Kenpachi and Yachiru and Ukitake Tai-cho. Of course, by now the entire Soul Society (or at least the shinigamis present) knew of the relations between the Ice Price and the Strawberry. Ichigo had quieted down after the glowering glares from Commander Yamamoto and Kuchiki Tai-cho but still shot threatening glances at Toushiro who responded with equal or greater ferocity. He was a Captain after all.
It was traditional that the Captains would open the ball with their partners. No sooner had Toushiro's hand touched Karin's waist for the first waltz, Ichigo's reiatsu flared to an all time high. Zaraki Kenpachi took this as a cue to charge at Ichigo in preparation for a fight with Yachiru on his back to be taken outside under Kuchiki Tai-cho's well honed glare. It was his manor after all, which was obtained as a venue in exchange for not having to bring a dance partner to the ball and several other advantages. Ichigo had to run for dear life.
In all aspects Hitsugaya Toushiro was brilliant, but he can't for the life of him dance. They did not have lessons for this in the shinigami academy and well he skipped the dance lessons available because he was:
Busy
Thought it was foolish
Could not fathom actually holding a female's waist and tip-toeing to look her in the eye.
Was he regretting it now? Oh yes! (The year before, Matsumoto had led). Karin too had no experience whatsoever and while she initially thought Toushiro knew what he was doing, she was quickly proven wrong the moment the music began. The both of them froze in that position whilst others began to sway to the music.
"So…erm…" stuttered Karin
"I suppose I should have told you I can't dance" muttered Toushiro under his breath, his eyes kept carefully blank.
"Neither can I" she replied and silence fell.
There were left with 2 options:
Go back to their table secretly now that the other shinigamis were beginning to join in the first dance and
Mimic the movements of the couples on the dance floor to give the appearance of dancing
Being adventurous, they chose the 2nd option. Besides, Commander Yamamoto would not let Hitsugaya Tai-cho off until he had danced at least once.
The result was an invention of a new waltz – one that did not follow the rhythm of the song, involved complicated twist and turns and in general required the surrounding couples to back out of the way for their own safety. Thank goodness the first dance was not the tango.
Matsumoto was holding back her laughter with great difficulty while Hinamori looked astonished. Everyone else looked on with amusement with the exception of Madaram Ikkaku who laughed loudly. This earned him a sharp icy glare from Hitsugaya Tai-cho whilst doing a complicated turn, promising more to come. One thins was agreed though, next time Hitsugaya Tai-cho said he would not dance/attend the Ball, no one would press on the issue.
By the end of the music, both Karin and Toushiro were exhausted (mainly thanks to the many laughs they shared during the dance). Returning to the table to rest, Toushiro then picked up his zanpakutou which he had left on his seat and stalked towards the table where Madarame sat. Karin decided to sit this one out.
When Ichigo had finally returned after running his marathon all over Seireitei to lose Zaraki Kenpachi, everyone was settling down to have the meal served. He was assured by the people at his table (which consisted of Rukia, Matsumoto, Hinamori, Yumichika, Hisagi, Kira and Ikkaku – Ikkaku was currently treated by Vice-captain Kotesu Isane for severe frost bite) that Hitsugaya Tai-cho won't be dancing with Karin again.
--
Once the meal was completed, several performances followed before the dance music began to play again. Toushiro touched Karin's hand as an indication for her to stand up and follow him. Everyone including Karin held their breath as the young couple stood and crossed the dance floor to the doors. A sigh of relief followed their departure.
"Toushiro, where are we going?" she asked after letting her breath go. For a second back there, she was certain she was going to end up dancing again. Now, he was dragging her throw various hallways.
"Away from Ichigo", he reply
"Oh"
At that moment, Ichigo was being helpfully restrained by the people at his table and their progress was carefully noted with interest by Kuchiki Byakuya. It had been a long time since he saw that smile of pure happiness on Rukia's face.
When Toushiro and Karin reached the garden within the Kuchiki Manor, it had been lighted with candle lights and graced by a few fire flies thanks to the nearby pond. The stars were twinkling brightly from a distance, enhancing the beauty of the night.
"Wow" whispered Karin as she took in the sight, "I didn't know Rukia's place was this big"
Toushiro murmured his agreement as he followed behind her steps into the garden. Kuchiki Tai-cho truly did have a nice place. It was by chance that he found the garden when he had came over before with regards to the Ball planning.
"Karin" he whispered, halting her movement by the pond. She looked beautiful standing there with the moonlight shining down on her features.
"Yes?" she replied softly, her brown eyes meeting his blue-green ones.
Closing the distance between the both of them he dropped his zanpakutou which he had carried out on the floor and pulled her in to a hug; his arms forming a protective circle around her waist.
"Toushiro!" gasped Karin, finding herself staring at his shoulder.
"I like you" he whispered into her ear, blushing various shades of red at that statement.
"Toushiro…" she began but was quickly silenced by a finger to her lips.
"Hush" he whispered as he pulled back a little, looking her in the eyes. The right hand whose finger rested in her lips moved to cradle her head as he dipped down so that his lips brushed against hers in a chaste kiss.
When he pulled back, her face was bright red and he smiled. "Time to go home, is it not?" he murmured releasing her from his embrace and picking up his zanpakutou from the ground.
Karin merely nodded, unable to speak after what had happened. She took his offered hand and allowed him to lead her back home.
"Toushiro" she whispered softly as they reached the door of her home.
"Hmmm?"
"I like you too"
He smiled and gave her a good night kiss. He watched her enter her house and back into her room before he departed for Soul Society. No Ichigo in sight and the long awaited confession was done. For once in his life, things were going smoothly.
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A/N: Yay! This is done. With regards to the 'I like you' confessions, for those of you who read Good Omens carefully, you would have realised that I did not slip it in there though it is a date fic. This is because their romantic relationship at that time was still in its budding stage with neither ready to confess nor certain of their true feelings. Good Omens was their first official date which was arranged by Matsumoto instead of their own initiative (which before were mere casual meetings). So there! I trust that it is a truly long awaited confession, no? P