A/N: So I think I started this in January and then the time got away from me. And it got kind of long. Did not start out that way…but I went overboard. I'm not one hundred percent happy about it either but, well, enjoy. Poor jokes and inept depiction of flirting ahead. Oy.
Disclaimer: Not mine. Tite Kubo and co.
"Happy Birthday"
Byakuya could not say that he was entirely surprised to see Matsumoto Rangiku sauntering into his office that morning. It was, after all, his birthday and Rukia had no talent for concealing things from him. Not to mention that Renji had been sneaking awkward glances at the door since he came in. Clearly, Rangiku was expected to keep him busy while the others made the final arrangements at the hall Rukia had rented. What was surprising was that of all people, they had chosen Matsumoto Rangiku to distract him.
Returning his gaze to the report he was finishing, Byakuya said, "I know why you are here, Lieutenant Matsumoto and the answer is 'no'."
She walked right up to his desk and replied, "I have the authority of your sister and the Captain Commander behind me."
He looked back up at her again with a blank stare. She flashed a pearly-white grin, and then presented a small white scroll. He took it from her, still giving no indication of his surprise and quickly scanned the contents. Just as she said and signed with a tiny graphic of a smiling sake bottle by the man who was in charge of the most important army of the Afterlife, the letter ordered him to spend the day with Rangiku until time for the party. He sighed, rolled and resealed it and presenting it back to her, said, "No."
He released a little of his reiatsu to add impact to his statement. She did not even blink but folded her arms under her generous bosom and said, "That's a direct order from the Captain Commander. Are you going to ignore it?"
He started writing again. A moment later slim fingers descended on his hand and plucked his pen from his grasp. Stunned, he looked back up at her just as Rangiku tossed the pen over her shoulder and said, "Well, while you are prepared to live with the consequences, as I'm sure a day or two in the holding cells of the First may be an exciting diversion from your daily life, I'm not. For one, the Captain Commander may throw me in there with you and the last thing I want is to spend so much more time in your company. And two, your sister hates to be disappointed, you should ask Ichigo-kun about that some time."
He regarded her statement for a moment in silence and then said, "There is no need for me to leave the division today, and in fact this is the best place for me to be to keep out of your way."
"Maybe so," said Rangiku with a shrug. "But your sister wants you out of here too. Something about you needing a break and who better to help with that than me?" She punctuated this with a smile that would have rendered a lesser man putty in her hands: all teeth and a saucy wink.
It was a close call but Byakuya was made of sterner stuff. Besides, he had already made up his mind. He returned the unfinished report to the "in" tray and stood, saying to Renji, "You know what to do."
Renji, who had been staring wide-eyed and open-mouthed at Rangiku since she came in, apparently having not expected the Tenth Division Lieutenant, gave an absent nod. Then Byakuya said to Rangiku, "Since you are obligated to keep me away from the party hall, my division and I suspect my home as well for the day, I expect that you will be able to keep up." And with that he promptly disappeared in a burst of shunpo to gods-knew-where.
Rangiku blinked. Then her mouth fell open as she stared at the spot where he had just occupied for a moment before turning to Renji and asking, "Did he just…?"
Renji nodded, and then asked, "They sent you? How did that happen?"
She waved away his question, replying, "Everyone else is busy and no one can find Lieutenant Kusajishi for some reason."
"B-but don't you have work at the Tenth?" asked Renji, thinking of Captain Hitsugaya's daily trouble keeping his lieutenant at her desk. He could not imagine ducking out on work with Captain Kuchiki. The lightest punishment would have been a sentence to fifty lashes.
Again, Rangiku waved off his question and said, "Captain's handling it. Listen, I can't sense your captain's reiatsu anywhere, where do you think he might have gone?"
Right, the party, Rukia's promise of pain if Byakuya showed up at any point before they were ready and Rangiku was looking at him with that pout that was more than a little difficult to resist. Come to think of it, Renji could not pick up anything either and he had spent decades practically bathing in his captain's reiatsu. That snapped him back to his senses and he replied, "Um… well, I don't know… Captain usually comes here or stays at the manor or, well, it's cold out, that kind of narrows the possibilities… hey, maybe he went to the Thirteenth. Some days he takes tea there with Captain Ukitake."
She barely waited for him to finish before vanishing as well, hot on his captain's trail. Renji took a moment to revel in the scent of her perfume, something sharp, warm, like sunlight on skin and then shook his head to clear it. It had been proclaimed many times that there was not a man in the whole of Soul Society who could resist Matsumoto Rangiku, not even her captain and he had yet to grow into his uniform. But Kuchiki Byakuya did not have his stone cold reputation, in spite of his lady-killer looks for nothing. Someone had just met their match.
Renji had a vision then of the two locked in an intimate embrace, Rangiku loud and expressive, his captain as unmoved as granite and shuddered. Unstoppable force meets an unmovable object, no way that was going to happen. Then he wondered where the idea even came from and decided then and there that he really needed to stay away from Lieutenant Iba's hentai collection.
0o0
Renji was right on two counts. It was freezing outside, so cold that Rangiku had to cover her girls to stop herself from getting pneumonia, and Captain Kuchiki had indeed gone to visit Captain Ukitake. But not at the Thirteenth Division, no, that was too easy; he had gone instead to the Ukitake family estate, Ugendo.
This Rangiku discovered only after going to the Thirteenth first, practically on the other side of the Seireitei from the Sixth, and sitting through no less than three arguments between Third Seats Kotsubaki and Kotetsu. Luckily, they had caught on that she was thisclose to smashing their heads together and spilled the information before launching into the fourth. Even better, Rangiku knew exactly where Ugendo was, having spent many a night there in the company of Nanao while Captain Kyouraku visited his recuperating friend. The problem was that this was in the fine residential area of the Seireitei which just happened to lay halfway back to the Sixth Division to the north.
Kuchiki Byakuya was very lucky that Rangiku was a woman who did not go back on her word and that he was a captain or he would be in for pain when she found him, and not the nice kind.
As it was, he and Captain Ukitake were having tea when she was finally admitted to the estate. There had been a minor scuffle with the staff as she had arrived both unannounced and looking very put out and it was only cleared up when word was sent in to the captains. Not one to forgo etiquette despite her mood, Rangiku greeted the convalescing captain first as she entered the room.
"Good morning, Captain Ukitake, Captain Kuchiki. Captain Ukitake, how are you doing today?"
He gave her a gentle smile that looked a little pained and replied, "Wonderful now that a beautiful woman has come to visit me."
She flashed a coquettish grin and asked, "Oh, are you saying Captain Kuchiki here has been boring you to death?"
The man himself made no reaction to this, she knew because she had been watching for one, but Captain Ukitake replied, "Oh, no, never, Byakuya-kun is hardly boring. He only seems that way because he keeps himself to himself… so to speak. In fact, he was just telling me this amusing little story about his sister arranging for him to be out of the house and the division today for his birthday. I can hardly fault Rukia-chan for doing such a thing, I have always told the good captain that he needs a break and I take it that your appearance here is to facilitate it?"
"Not that the good captain is making it easy for me," said Rangiku with a wearied sigh, settling onto a cushion beside them. She immediately divested herself of her cloak as she began to thaw in the warm room and snatched up a proffered cup of tea with a happy sigh. Then she realised who had offered it and turned to Byakuya with a lifted brow, "A peace offering?"
He took a sip of his own before replying, "You looked a little chilly."
She tried not to but could not help scowling at him. Captain Ukitake burst out laughing and said, "Now, now, Byakuya-kun, Lieutenant Matsumoto has given up her precious time to keep your company for the day, surely you could be more accommodating?"
Byakuya grunted and replied, "It is hardly my fault that she cannot keep up."
"You concealed your reiatsu," said Rangiku with her signature pout. "How's a girl supposed to keep up if you're hiding?"
"Hiding? Nonsense, you just need to practice more at shunpo. Should I schedule a lesson?" he replied, taking a sip of his tea, expression serene.
Here Captain Ukitake said, "You should take him up on the offer, Rangiku-chan. Byakuya-kun here was trained by Shihouin Yoruichi, who also trained Ichigo-kun and Captain Sui-Feng. And only one of those two is faster than him."
Byakuya wrinkled his nose at that and said, "Kurosaki Ichigo is aided by a Hollow. That almost constitutes cheating."
Smirking, Rangiku said, "So what you're saying is, you're being bested by a Hollow… you know, the things we kill for a living?"
It was faint but she swore for a moment that he had frowned, but then he said, "Drink your tea, Lieutenant. It has wonderful restorative properties; certainly the extra fortitude will improve your speed."
Smiling broadly now, Rangiku said, "Is that your secret, Captain Kuchiki? In place of Ichigo-kun's Hollow you drink fortifying tea? I mean, I know he's technically eighteen and you're like nearly two hundred years older, but to need this kind of thing already…" She took up her cup again and blew on it gently before taking a sip.
A moment later she nearly choked on it when he said, "You are mistaken. This is Ukitake-senpai's tea. The only effect it will have on me is to keep me up longer."
Captain Ukitake did choke on his and started coughing while his face, neck and ears went bright red. But another sip suppressed that and he said, "I was told that the party would go on late into the night."
"Oh? I thought it would last all weekend, I best stop drinking this tea then," said Byakuya, setting down his cup.
Rangiku lifted an eyebrow and asked, "All weekend? Is this how you nobles do it? Well, there was a lot of sake on that list but I don't remember seeing Rukia buy any tea. How would the rest of us manage?"
"Well we have limited time, with enough preparation the festivities could continue for a week," he replied. "However, I do not think that your captain would appreciate your absence for that long. How did you manage to get the time off today?"
He lifted an eyebrow of his own at her, amusement shining in his dark grey eyes. Rangiku set down her tea as well, clasped her hands together and declared, "I was told to bring you to the party promptly at sunset, which means we now have eight hours left. I can see that you can keep yourself entertained but Captain Ukitake here needs his rest."
"And you presume to be able to provide a suitable distraction to take me away from the good captain's company?" he asked, eyebrow still lifted.
"I'm all distraction," said Rangiku. She certainly looked the part, what with the low neck of her shihakusho and that mole on her chin.
"You certainly seem to have that effect on your peers but I can assure you that you will have no such luck with me," he replied, straightening his haori.
"I doubt that myself. You don't seem like the lucky type," she said.
"I don't need luck. I'm one of the wealthiest men in the Seireitei," he replied, not looking at her. "I am also not unaware of the fact that others find me attractive."
"Right up until the moment you open your mouth, that is, but I guess the money helps," said Rangiku.
Captain Ukitake, who had been quietly observing this exchange with increasing amusement let his jaw drop, stunned. Byakuya too seemed surprised and this time did look over at Rangiku, but she was engrossed in straightening the bow she had made with her scarf. He grunted and said, "I speak the truth. If it offends it is no fault of mine and I will not apologise for it."
Rangiku ignored him completely. Turning to Captain Ukitake she said, "You look a little pale. Do you want us to leave?"
Byakuya replied for him, "Ukitake-senpai has informed me that Captain Unohana has deemed him fit enough for visitors and even to join the party later. Besides, I cannot imagine that anything you may find entertaining would be of any interest to me and I have far better sake at the manor than any establishment you frequent."
She gave him a sharp look and said, "Do not presume that you know everything about me based off of what you hear… though you seem to be living up to your reputation quite well."
"There is nothing in my reputation to worry about," he said.
Captain Ukitake spoke up then, cutting off Rangiku's angry retort, saying, "Actually, I do feel a little tired at the moment. I'm sorry, Byakuya-kun, but I think that if I am to make your party this evening that I need to get some rest now."
Rangiku took a deep breath and then released it slowly. This was supposed to be fun, no matter how irritating Captain Kuchiki was proving to be, and she could have fun anywhere, even with him. Standing, she said to their host, "Well in that case, I'm afraid that I'm going to take my leave. But on a happy note for you, I'll be taking this one with me."
She pointed to where Byakuya had been sitting but at Captain Ukitake's chuckle she turned to find the seat vacant. He had disappeared again. Rangiku could not contain her angry shriek.
"Now, now, don't let Byakuya-kun get to you; he's just being a little rascal today. He's always been mischievous actually, since he was a little boy," said Captain Ukitake.
That gave Rangiku an idea. She asked, "Well then, he's gone and concealed his reiatsu again so do you have any idea where he may be going now?"
The sickly captain took a moment to ponder this, brows deeply furrowed. A moment later his face lit up as he seized on an idea. Smiling brightly, he said, "Ah! Yes, on his days off he likes to practice his calligraphy… but I take it the manor is off-limits?" Rangiku nodded. "Well… I cannot think of any other place, that manor is like a little town, he could want for nothing for entertainment there…"
Rangiku sighed and he gave her an apologetic smile. She shrugged it off with a smile of her own and said, "Nevertheless, thank you for your hospitality. I apologise for showing up unannounced. It won't happen again."
The captain gave her a gentle smile and said, "It was my pleasure to have you here. And about Byakuya-kun… well, a little patience helps. Also, since Hisana-chan died he has lost interest in a lot of things, like his birthday for instance but if there is anyone who can get him to loosen up I'm sure it is you. You do have a reputation for being a breath of fresh air. He may be difficult but not impossible to deal with."
Rangiku scowled a little at the thought of dealing with him for the rest of the day and said, "Someone is going to treat me for a week after this."
She made to leave but just as she got to the door, Captain Ukitake called out, "Oh! I know of a place where Byakuya might go next. Don't worry it's in the Seireitei and not too far from here." She turned to find him already halfway to her with a sheet of paper in a pale, bony hand. As she took it from him he said, "It's a tea house typically frequented by the high nobility, not necessarily by shinigami but I don't think you'll have any trouble getting in as a lieutenant. They have private rooms for some guests too, which is most likely where he would be."
Rangiku read the address and then gave him a broad smile. "Thanks a lot, Captain Ukitake! You're a dear."
He smiled back at her and said, "So are you, good luck."
0o0
The tea had only just arrived moments before Rangiku did looking much more furious than she had when she got to Ugendo. Byakuya put the finishing stroke on the kanji for "play" with a flourish and set aside his brush. He lifted the paper, pretending to inspect it while she settled, fuming silently, and then placed the paper where he knew she would see it and took up his tea cup. A moment later she said, "Are you always this fast? That can't be fun, a girl can't keep up."
It was not the reaction he was going for, but he said, "Then you should devote more of your free time to training and less of it towards drinking yourself into a stupor."
Rangiku had divested herself of her cloak again and was now pouring two cups of tea with all the ceremony of a noble woman trained since childhood. As she did so, she said, "You should try it sometime, might help with that sti—"
"—is that you, Kuchiki Byakuya?" asked someone, ducking their head into the open door. The serving girl must have forgotten to slide it all the way closed on her way out. Still, Byakuya betrayed no irritation at the interruption as he looked up to the person who was now peering in at Rangiku with great interest.
No points for guessing where most of his attention lay.
"Sakurajin Kaito," said Byakuya with a slight nod.
Kaito smiled and asked, "What are you doing here today? Aren't you usually at work at this hour?" Then his gaze slid back to Rangiku and he feigned surprise as if just noticing her sitting there. Byakuya decided to pretend too that he had not noticed the man ogling the lieutenant; it was not as if she did not invite it anyway. "And who is this? Your reason for missing work today I suppose?" asked Kaito with a conspiratorial wink.
"In a manner of speaking," said Byakuya before Rangiku could respond. "This is Matsumoto Rangiku, Lieutenant of the Tenth Division under Captain Hitsugaya Toshiro."
Rangiku smiled at the man in turn, that is until he said, "Oh… and since I suspect she should be at work as well, I guess you're trying to get her under you? Perfectly understandable, her charms are being wasted on that boy."
Byakuya grasped her hand just as she made to get her zanpakuto. She flashed him an angry look which he responded to with a cold glare of his own, a warning, and said to Kaito, "You are mistaken. Lieutenant Matsumoto has been tasked with keeping me away from my home and the office while my sister arranges my birthday party… and I'm afraid you have just offended her."
Kaito did not look convinced or ashamed of what he had just said, but still managed to sound sincere as he said, "Oh? Then please forgive me, Lieutenant-san. Byakuya-san here can tell you that I often make silly mistakes like that because I'm an incurable pervert. My wife has been trying to beat it out of me to no avail."
For a moment it looked as if Rangiku was going to shake off Byakuya's hand and take Kaito's head anyway, but then she took a deep breath and replied with a smile, "No offence taken. It was an honest mistake. I know it must be so long since anyone has seen Kuchiki-sama in the company of a woman."
She did not mean it as an insult, or to bring up the whole issue of his dead wife, but Byakuya could not help the increase of pressure on her arm where his still lay before he abruptly released her. She glanced at him, flashing a slightly apologetic smile but his expression was controlled, blank, betraying nothing. It did not hurt, not as much as it once did, but he was irritated that she had chosen to bring that up. Thankfully Kaito was there to rescue the situation with his usual annoying perversions.
Smirking at Rangiku, he said, "Now you are the one who is mistaken, fair Lieutenant-san. Byakuya-san is very rarely without the company of a beautiful woman, though none of them are quite as exquisite as you. Why just last month he appeared at three different events and at each one he had a different companion."
"Oh really?" asked Rangiku, eyes wide in childlike astonishment, then she leaned to Kaito and said, "Are you saying that the good captain is in fact a notorious womaniser? But he always appears so proper and disinterested and, well, chaste."
Kaito took this as an invitation and let himself into the room, taking a place at the table. Rangiku slipped Byakuya's calligraphy off the table out of sight just before he did so, covering the action as if smoothing her shihakusho. Kaito did not notice, too busy getting himself a cup of tea, and when he was settled with it, he said, "You don't know the half of it, my dear. That is why, I'm afraid, I made my assumption when I saw you two together. Rumour has it that he is looking for the next Lady Kuchiki."
Rangiku gasped and exclaimed, "Really? I had no idea! And you thoughtI am in the running?"
Kaito nodded, and said, "You would certainly look lovely in some dark blue silk… in fact I may have just the fabric. My family have been in the business almost since the Seireitei came into being. We supplied the fabric for that shihakusho you're wearing right now… though I must say; I should speak to the captain commander about getting you a change of uniform. This one does your beauty no justice."
On cue, Rangiku gave a pretty blush and looked away, saying, "That is not necessary. I'm a soldier; I don't have the time to look for nice things."
Byakuya suppressed a snort with a cough and a sip of his tea. The woman took assignments to the Living World for shopping trips.
"Nonsense!" said Kaito, grinning. "A beautiful woman such as yourself should be celebrated in fine silk and royal jewellery, don't you agree Byakuya?"
They both turned to him but Byakuya ignored them. He refused to be pulled into their gossiping. It was bad enough that Kaito had just let slip that information about his family to Matsumoto Rangiku, the biggest gossip in the Gotei Thirteen. By the end of the evening he was sure that he was going to have the measurements and room numbers of many of the female shinigami present. Again.
Rangiku dismissed him with a wave of her hand and turned back to Kaito, asking, "What else can you tell me about Captain Kuchiki away from work? Have you heard of the Shinigami Women's Association?"
At this, Byakuya decided that he had had enough. He interrupted, asking, "Sakurajin-san, while I am sure that you would be more than happy to join us for lunch, this is a private one. Perhaps you and Lieutenant Matsumoto would prefer to go somewhere else?"
"Hey, that's rude," said Rangiku, frowning at him.
Kaito merely lifted an eyebrow, then smirked again and said, "Oh, I see what's going on here. You do want some private time with Lieutenant-san. I cannot say I blame you. If I was not married I would steal her away from you right now. Alas, I am and my lunch grows colder by the minute. I best be on my way before it is my bed that is cold too. Good day to you, lovely, lovely Lieutenant-san, Byakuya-san." With that, he took Rangiku's hand, kissed it, grinned at her blush and promptly left, this time taking care to shut the door properly behind him.
Byakuya released a breath he did not realise he was holding and said, "I would prefer it if you did not try to gather your gossip in front of me. It would be asking too much for you not to involve me in it at all, but you could give me this one courtesy."
Rangiku scoffed, folded her arms across her ample bosom, turned her nose up at him and said, "It's not like he was telling me anything useful anyway. The whole Seireitei knows that your family is pushing for you to get remarried or Rukia to marry Ichigo-kun now that he's been confirmed as a Shiba. Besides, for a man who constantly mentions his wife, he spent an awful lot of time looking at my breasts. I know that they're lovely to look at but you could practically smell the excitement on him, that and the sake. The wife would not have left him if he had spent less time doing both and more time on her."
Before he could stop himself, Byakuya asked, "What?"
She replied without looking at him, "He stank of sake and sweat and that yukata is both stale and wrinkled. No wife would let her husband out of the house like that, at least not one that loved him."
He lifted an eyebrow. She added, "He's probably not good with the family either, and he kept fishing for information about Rukia-chan. If he thinks he'll get past Ichigo-kun and Renji-kun he has another thing coming."
"You got all of that from speaking with him for less than twenty minutes?" asked Byakuya, now definitely curious.
She shrugged and replied, "It's the same way anyone looking at you can tell that you're madly in love with Rukia-chan." She giggled when both of his eyebrows went up and said, "Your whole look. The scarf is gone. Some would say you're trying a new look, I think you do not need it anymore because you have Rukia, she's your family too, the new Kuchiki clan who are not afraid to be 'rebels'. Same thing with that tiara you used to wear all the time… oh, and the cut of your haori. You're trying to be yourself instead of that walking statue you used to be and it makes her warm up to you because you don't look as imposing and forbidding… It also does not hurt that it makes you look your age for once. It's so cute I almost brought you to the boobs for a moment, but you're not Captain and between you and me I do not think that he would be happy with sharing."
Byakuya had to take a moment to process this, decided that it was not worth arguing and said instead, "You have a good eye. How come you were passed over for captaincy of the Tenth when Shiba Isshin disappeared?"
She grinned and said, "I hate paperwork. Now then, since you're treating me to lunch, what's good?"
Byakuya stared at her in silence for a time, during which she pored over the menu scroll, hoping for sake, and then he said, "Do you like spicy food? I'm afraid that's all I can recommend."
0o0
To Rangiku's great pleasure, they left together this time and off to a place of her choosing. So of course she took the nobleman to the Third District of the Rukongai.
A bar, a bathhouse, a brothel, all of these things he expected, but a theatre house? No, from the look on his face, the slightly-widened eyes and opened mouth it was clear to Rangiku that he was not expecting this. Not at all attempting to conceal the smile on her face, she set off for the entrance, calling over her shoulder as she went, "They're having a special performance today of an old classic: Kanahedon Chushingura, the abridged version, of course."
"How did you find this place, lieutenant?" asked Byakuya, following, moving so quietly she could barely hear his footsteps. But the surprise in his voice was clear…and mildly insulting. Then again, given everything they had said to each other so far it was practically a compliment.
She turned to him with a finger to her lips, winked and said, "Now, now, you can't expect a girl to give up all her secrets on the first date. What do you take me for?"
"First date?" asked Byakuya, eyebrow raised.
"Details," said Rangiku, waving away his question. "Now, this is going to cost us a little but it is worth it."
Byakuya stopped walking. "You expect me to pay...on my birthday?"
Rangiku turned back to him and grinned again, then replied, "You expect me to pay for you after all the running around you made me do this morning? Any idiot can see you're loaded. Besides, it's for a good cause. This theatre is run by children."
Byakuya's eyes went wider. "What?"
As if on cue, right then a group of children went running past them dressed in full costume, masked faces white as snow, little bodies practically ghosting past the two as if they were not there. Rangiku's grin grew. "See, they all have some spirit energy but none of them are strong enough to become shinigami so in order to survive out here they put on plays for other souls and shinigami who can afford it. But the rent in the First District is a little too steep for them so they have to keep their performances all the way out here. It's a shame really, they're very good."
Byakuya looked ahead to the little theatre house which was actually a one-room shack but that did nothing to deter any of the other patrons already gathering outside. And the line was quite long, made up of well-to-do souls, some members of the low nobility and a handful of shinigami. One or two of the shinigami ducked their heads when they caught him looking, though he recognised none. Byakuya was not in the mood to chastise any one else's officers. He was more concerned about their number. Clearly they were not going to all fit without some kind of kido.
"Oh come on, it's not that bad," said Rangiku, setting off again. "We're early anyway. The rowdy group don't get here until evening and they would not think twice about mouthing off to a shinigami, captain or no"
"But the performers are children," said Byakuya.
"Yes," said Rangiku, stopping. "You just saw them. Small souls about so high who like to play, eat candy and get into your koi garden."
"And they have assembled an audience of this size...consistently?" asked Byakuya, indicating the crowd.
"Yes," said Rangiku, turning to look at him with a raised eyebrow. "You should not be surprised with what children can accomplish after Lieutenant Kusajishi and Ichigo-kun...or your sister."
"And we are all expected to fit in there?" he asked, indicating the building now.
Rangiku smiled at him and said, "Don't worry, captain, if there isn't enough room I'll let you sit on my lap. Now come on, the longer we take the fewer seats that are going to be available and I just might have to." Then she turned again and headed off for the building.
Byakuya exhaled heavily and followed.
Inside the little theatre, they were indeed tightly packed but everyone made as much room as possible for the captain and lieutenant. Byakuya and Rangiku sat two rows back from the little stage with a full three feet around them on all sides for which the captain was most grateful. The smell of unwashed bodies, poppy smoke, old cooking oil and mould was almost too much. At least the lieutenant smelled lovely, something sharp and sunny, like summer, but Byakuya would rather fall on the one of the dull prop blades than shift any closer than he already was. Then the curtains went up and she shifted closer anyway to whisper, "The lead, Kiyoshi, is very good. He actually has more power than the others but he prefers acting to hunting Hollows and he doesn't want to leave them."
Byakuya looked up at the stage and easily found the lead; he was the tallest and did emit an impressive reiatsu. He whispered back, "He is a fool. They would benefit more if he became a shinigami."
Rangiku shrugged and replied, "The last member of their group who thought that way died his first day in his division. Can you blame him for being a little more cautious?"
"If you live your life worrying more for the danger of a situation rather than the possible benefits, then you shall not live at all," said Byakuya.
Rangiku said nothing for a time, and then, "Or you might die anyway and gain nothing."
Now it was Byakuya's turn to be silent. He was not the only one who had lost someone. The play was in progress anyway and while their voices were low, the theatre was too small for the others not to be bothered, though they probably would not mention it, by their conversation. And yet he could not leave it like that. When he could stand it no longer he leaned to her and whispered, "But you're alive."
She turned to look at him but said nothing.
The children's troupe put on a fine performance, not quite the quality that Byakuya was used to, but good enough that he could concur with the general assessment. More surprising was the control they exhibited over their natural tendency to fidgeting and disorder, whoever trained these children would be highly valuable among the noble families of the Seireitei. As well as a few playhouses. Almost as soon as the play was over, he said to Rangiku, "That was quite pleasant, lieutenant. I half-expected a repeat of Lieutenant Kusajishi's last recital."
"I told you they were good," she replied, nudging him in the shoulder before she could stop herself. They had been getting along so well since lunch that Rangiku forgot who she was dealing with. Instead of recoiling in horror though, he said, "Can you get me a few minutes with the lead?"
She lifted an eyebrow, shrugged and then went off to go find the boy. Most of the audience had cleared out by the time they returned, the boy still wearing his seppuku costume, a simple white kimono with a red obi and a red necktie.
"Kiyoshi-kun, this is Captain Kuchiki Byakuya," said Rangiku.
Kiyoshi greeted him with a formal bow, to the waist, and said, "Good day, captain, Kuchiki-dono. Rangiku-san said that you wished to speak with me?"
He was a tall, slim, brown-haired boy, with light brown skin and dark eyes. With a little more food, he would grow into a fine man, but he would get none of that if he remained in the forest with his friends. Byakuya said, "The lieutenant introduced me by one title, my other title is head of the Kuchiki clan."
Without lifting from his bow, Kiyoshi said, "I know, Kuchiki-dono. Everyone has been talking about you since before you came in."
Byakuya expected as much, and that there was going to be talk for days after this about his birthday "date" with the lieutenant of the Tenth. Suppressing a sigh, he said, "Since you know who I am, then you know that my family has many holdings inside the Seireitei and out here in the Rukongai. One recent acquisition was a theatre house in the First District meant to cater to those shinigami whose families cannot enter the Seireitei. Your performance today, considering that, as I was informed and have seen, your cast is made up of children was quite impressive. As such, I would like to see your troupe there, under contract of course, on terms that are agreeable to us both, for the next year."
Kiyoshi's and Rangiku's eyes went wide. Then they turned to each other, Kiyoshi's eyebrows climbing his forehead to his hairline, and then he took Rangiku by the arm and dragged her off a little way for a moment's anxious whispered conversation. Byakuya waited quietly, looking at the other children now peering out of the theatre-house doors at them. Then finally Kiyoshi returned and said, "Kuchiki-sama, I am honoured by your offer, but…but the First District…we could—"
Byakuya cut him off. "Refusing my offer would be foolish and," his gaze flicked over to the children behind at the house, "fatal, I suspect, for some of you. Perhaps you did not hear the part where I said you would be under contract on terms agreeable to us both. That includes rooms, food, a production budget and access to a larger audience to keep you in all three, as well as to pay the rent which would be no greater than what is reasonable. The contract is for one year. During that time you will be introduced to experienced performers, playwrights and productions that may positively influence your own. There are other issues to be dealt with, of course, but these can be discussed later with lawyers and, I suspect, the lieutenant here to advise you."
Kiyoshi looked back at Rangiku, who merely shrugged and so he turned back to the captain and replied, "It will be a great honour to work with you. We will be forever in your debt sir, for your kindness."
"It is not kindness, it is business," said Byakuya, turning to leave. "And besides, as the lieutenant will tell you, I have a habit of picking up strays."
0o0
As they made their way back to the Seireitei in a light snowfall, the hour growing late and the sky darkening to a deep navy, Rangiku said, "You do realise that taking them out of the forest is no guarantee of success."
They were taking the scenic route, after using shunpo from the Third to the First. The walls of the Seireitei were just visible ahead and somewhere beyond it the guests were probably just beginning to assemble for Byakuya's birthday party. At Rangiku's statement, he grunted and said, "Remaining here is no guarantee either."
"Your sister and lieutenant survived the Seventy-Eighth District," she said.
"And now they live in the Seireitei, as do you and many others," said Byakuya. "As I said before, nothing is guaranteed but that does not mean that one should not attempt it. I respect the efforts of those who would go on even in the face of certain failure. I do not believe in luck but sometimes the odds are in your favour."
Rangiku stopped walking and said, "It certainly helps if you are a stray and get picked up by Captain Kuchiki Byakuya."
Byakuya stopped as well and turned his head towards her. The snowflakes in her hair glinted like sequins. She continued, "You know what, you walk around like you've got a stick somewhere and usually give off this air that you are made of ice or stone or something that no one can get to, but it's just a ploy. On the inside you're really soft."
Byakuya turned away, and said, "I would hope so, otherwise one would have a serious medical condition."
Rangiku's mouth fell open a little, and then she walked over to stand before him and said, "If I told anyone this they would never believe me: Captain Kuchiki can make jokes and laugh and be kind, well, sorry, has a 'soft spot' for strays."
"Don't you dare," said Byakuya, softly, looking her in the eyes. "I have a reputation to uphold."
Rangiku went still, momentarily trapped in his gaze, feeling her heart rate begin to pick up. The look in his eyes…it was…curious. Then she sneezed, breaking the contact and turned her back to him to walk again. As she went she replied in her most casual tone, "I don't see how this would harm your reputation. Do you know how many letters the SWA gets each month begging us to do an issue on you? Well, my captain gets a lot too, but he's adorable so that's to be expected. Oh, and Captain Ukitake, but then he's very kind, like everyone's favourite uncle."
She lifted a hand and began counting through the others, still trying to distract herself. "Renji-kun and Hisagi-kun are supposed to be bad boys so of course they're popular. Kira-kun is the brooding type which makes them want to hug him. No one's sure what they think about Captains Hirako, Muguruma and Otoribashi, but Lieutenant Omaeda is a slob so he's at the bottom of every list. The Captain Commander too, not so popular because everyone just think he's a cad. And Captain Zaraki is downright scary…though that doesn't stop some people, ugh. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone…oh nevermind, there's Ichigo-kun. He's very popular now."
"I do not care about the lists. I don't do these things for the attention," said Byakuya. "I am well aware of the fact that I was fortunate to be born to the Kuchiki clan, and that this has afforded me to live very well and comfortably. But it would be dishonourable of me not to do something with all that I have."
Rangiku nodded and replied, "Yes, and see, that's what they like about you. So what if you can be stubborn, arrogant and outright rude, they just have a feeling that you're not like that all the time. And you're not. They're curious and I think that it would be very…charitable of you if you allowed the SWA to interview you on your softer side some time. No reason that all that should be reserved for Rukia-chan alone. Who knows, it might help score you a few dates."
Byakuya snorted, nearly causing Rangiku to trip over her own feet because goodness knows that was the last sound she expected to hear from him, and said, "I do not require your or the SWA's help in courtship. If I were so inclined I am sure that there is any number of young women willing to spend an evening with me."
Rangiku stopped again, just in case he did anything unexpected, and said, "Please note that I had to be ordered to spend time with you."
He walked past her before stopping and turning to her as well, and replying, "Noted. But I am sure that you could have easily gotten out of it, yet here we are, and you even thought of a place that I might actually want to go to."
She lifted an eyebrow, then smirking, said, "That you wanted to go to? You must be confused; I was the one who wanted to see the play. I'm just babysitting you for your sister."
His expression blanked but that just made her grin wider, and she twirled away to continue to the gate. He moved then to grab her, just to stop her dancing, or at least to wipe the happy grin off her face, when they heard the roar. There was a Hollow loose somewhere nearby and from the sound of it…and just by the feel of its reiatsu, it was a big one. Rangiku stopped dancing immediately and drew her zanpakuto. Byakuya did the same. They both took a moment to gauge its location and then with a nod of acknowledgement vanished in shunpo on its trail.
0o0
"Oh well, I wasn't planning on wearing this to your party anyway," said Rangiku, looking down at her shihakusho. It was covered in icy bits of grass, mud and Hollow blood. Her hair was wild about her head too, with tiny sticks and leaves entangled in strands, and her skin glistened with sweat. She had taken quite a tumble. Stupid Hollow. Honestly, nobody gave her any respect. She wiped the blood off her zanpakuto on the leg of her hakama and looked over at Byakuya. Annoyingly, he was spotless. She said, "Well, at least one of us is good to go."
He gave her a sweeping glance from head to toe and then said, "If you spent more time training and less time drinking my subordinate under the table, you would not be in that condition. You need a bath."
"Yes, I do…a nice long hot soak…" said Rangiku absently, now trying to shake off the debris. She paused, and then said louder, "Yes, I need a bath! So, to the baths!"
Without waiting for his reply, she grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him off with her.
The bathhouse she chose to take them to was back in the Seireitei, for which Byakuya was grateful as he had no desire to try the fare in the Rukongai. The receptionist looked them over as they entered, he in his immaculate uniform and Rangiku covered in the remnants of her tumble, and then back at him again and said, smiling brightly, "Good evening, sir, would you like some tea while you wait?"
Rangiku grabbed him by the arm and dragged him to the counter with her, smiling just as brightly, "Actually, we're together. Now, I heard that you have the loveliest shared baths?"
Byakuya began to protest. "Lieutenant, I will remind you that I—"
"Don't be silly, I share a bath with captain all the time and he doesn't mind," said Rangiku, cutting him off. So not true, but he did not need to know that. Then to the receptionist again, she said, "The shared baths?"
The receptionist flicked her gaze over to Byakuya once more and replied, "I'm afraid they're currently down for repairs."
"Oh?" said Rangiku. "Well never mind that then, I want a private bath. We've been out all day, we're both cold and tired and filthy and," here she leaned in closer and whispered, "it's his birthday."
"Lieutenant," said Byakuya again, his tone a warning.
Rangiku sighed, pouted and said, "Fine, separate baths. Let's go."
Byakuya had just settled in for a soak, albeit a brief one for it was almost time for the party, when the door to his supposedly private room slid open and of course Rangiku bustled in. She quickly shut the door behind her again, and then turned to face him with a wide grin. "Hello!" she greeted him, cheerfully.
"What are you doing here, lieutenant?" he asked, trying to sound as bored and unconcerned as possible. She was dressed in only a towel, a very short towel. Her skin glistened wet under the torch light and her hair was slicked back and dripping from her shower. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. Of course, this woman...
"Going for a soak," she replied, apparently oblivious, and without further preamble, walked over to the soaking pool and stepped in. She did not remove her towel but settled in across from him with her hands behind her head, sighing happily. For a moment he was tempted to get up and toss her out anyway, but that would cause even more of a scene. Fine, if that was how she wanted to play...
For a time they sat together in the pool and then, saucy smirk firmly in place, she asked, "What, you thought I was going to try to seduce you?"
He said nothing, but she grinned at him and said, "It might be your birthday, but I'm not that kind of girl." A pause and then, "However, if you're interested I could take you to this place I know in Rukongai. Very discreet and very professional, or so I've heard…though the Commander's recommendation is something to be wary of…"
"That won't be necessary," said Byakuya.
Rangiku lifted an eyebrow, smirk disappearing as her expression became one of wide-eyed innocence and she asked, "What, you have your own harem?"
He did not reply and a mischievous twinkle appeared in her eyes and this time she glided across the bath to settle beside him. Then she turned sideways to face him, one arm propped on the bath wall, and she asked, "Where do you keep this harem? Is Kuchiki Manor that big? Does Rukia-chan know?"
When he still refused to speak she rolled her eyes and turned back, throwing her arms up over her head. She sighed loudly and said, "It's nothing to be ashamed of, you know. No one really expects that you've been celibate all these years…" A side-eye gaze and she asked, "Or have you?"
The silence continued and Rangiku glided around until she faced him. He looked her directly in the eyes and waited. He did not expect her to try to seduce him but she would not be herself if she did not tease. Then she said, "I think I have figured you out."
There was the slightest shift of an eyebrow. She smiled and continued, "You're just like me."
Now the eyebrow went up and her smile became a grin. "Yes, you are. People look at me, see the obvious bits and just write me off as being stupid. People underestimate me so I can get away with murder. Now you, nobody underestimates you, but when they look at you they see this man of stone and they keep their distance which allows you to get away with all sorts of secrets. Like your big softie heart."
The eyebrow descended and he kept his expression blank, but she laughed and said, "Any man who can tolerate Yachiru-chan as well as you can is not nearly as terrible as he seems."
Finally, Byakuya asked, "Is that what you think?"
"Yes," said Rangiku, running a hand through her wet hair. "You and me, we could be friends."
"Friends?" asked Byakuya. He said the word as if pronouncing something from a foreign language, drawing it out. Then he said, "I do not see how we could be friends. You and I inhabit different circles, have different interests and despite your belief, we are not at all alike. I am not a 'softie', I tolerate Lieutenant Kusajishi because she cannot help that she is a child being raised by barbarians. I can only hope that she receives some proper instruction from Captain Unohana and the other members of the SWA. I helped that boy because it is my duty as a shinigami and a Kuchiki. I—"
She cut him off by gliding over to him and up into his lap, hands down around his neck. He was not wearing a towel. If she was willing to pretend otherwise though, then so would he.
"You know, this is nothing like having a bath with captain. For one, I could never sit with him like this," she said, grinning. He leaned his head back a little then, and her grin widened and she said, "You are a very passionate man. You care deeply about the things you get involved with. If you were really a cold man you would not have taken in Rukia-chan in the first place. And yes, you are just like me even if you don't like the things I do because we do the same things in different ways. Didn't I just explain?"
"I would think then that such similarities would cause friction," said Byakuya. "Surely we would be irritated by the fact that we are constantly masking our true natures?"
"Perhaps," said Rangiku. "But then we would not have to mask anything with each other. And it could be good friction." She leaned in closer, eyes still twinkling.
He saw the exact moment that she realised that he was not going to stop her. The twinkle in her eyes vanished, her eyes widened slightly and he could swear that he heard her breath hitch. He was slightly disappointed. He had hoped that she would have figured out by then that he did not tease.
She released him at once and went to the edge of the bath. When she looked back over her shoulder at him, he let her see his smile. She climbed out of the bath and headed for the door, wringing her hair dry, and said, "Time to go. It's show-time."
0o0
The hall had been decorated to reflect a moonlight viewing party, but indoors, so there was turf and flowering trees strung with lights for the guests to settle on. The birthday boy was to sit at the head of the room on a small "hill" so that the assembled guests would look up to him as if at the moon. When he and Rangiku entered, the lights were dimmed and guests stood holding lanterns lighting his way to the head of the room where Rukia, dressed in an elaborate heirloom kimono, stood to greet him, smiling from ear to ear.
Rangiku slipped away to let him go to his sister alone. He took Rukia's hands as he got to her and she said, "Happy Birthday, Nii-sama."
"Thank you, Rukia," he said to her, then turning to the others, "and thank you all."
This prompted cheers and applause, and then music began to play and Rukia said, "Without further ado, let's get this party moving."
"It's 'started'," Ichigo whispered loudly. She ignored him to hand her brother a cup of sake and the guests began to form a line to greet him. Rangiku took advantage of the opportunity to slip over to the bar to get a large, very alcoholic drink. After the day she had just had, she guessed that she would need at least three to get to that happy place she needed to be for this party. And then…
"Lieutenant-san, I just knew I would find you here!" someone called out. She did not have to look to know who it was.
Kaito Sakurajin, this time dressed in a much finer kimono than the one he had worn earlier, one that did not look quite so used but nevertheless not quite as lovely for a man whose family produced fabric for a living, was making a beeline for her place at the bar. She had no time to flee before he was right beside her and beaming. She smiled back and he said, "You managed to get him here right on time: late enough that I was beginning to wonder if you two had just decided to ditch us and have a party of your own."
A memory of the bathhouse, what the hell had she been thinking to do something like that, Rangiku drained her cup and ordered another before replying, "Unlikely. We are nothing alike. In fact, we barely know each other."
Kaito downed his drink too before saying, "Sometimes anonymity makes it more exciting."
Rangiku shrugged and said, "Sometimes. But he's not the type into that kind of stuff. He looks like the type to want to get to know his partner first, even if she's some street-walker."
"And are you the other kind?" asked Kaito, eyebrows lifted suggestively.
Rangiku wanted to wrinkle her nose at that, but then had another drink and said, "You should know, you're his friend. What kind of man is he? Today was the most time I have ever spent in his company and all I got is that he would prefer to be alone."
Kaito could not hide his disappointment at that and Rangiku gave herself an imaginary high-five for thinking it up. He wanted gossip not confirmation of what he already knew. No way was he getting anything out of her. Then he said, "That is a lovely kimono, Lieutenant-san, you weren't wearing it earlier."
Byakuya had been obliged to wait for her at the Tenth while she changed, and she in turn at the Sixth while he was dressed with the help of Kuchiki servants. She had been gifted the red furisode for her own birthday one year by Ichimaru Gin, chosen, he said, for he liked the pattern of spreading chrysanthemums. It was an old thing, but still as beautiful as the day she had received it for the care she took in putting it away. She had a feeling though, that Kaito's eyes had not left her breasts again. She had two options then, stick around and get this man so drunk he ended flat on his back and butt naked in the front yard…or go find Nanao. And Byakuya might not be pleased to find his friend lying naked in his front yard where his sister could see.
Taking her last drink to go, Rangiku turned to find her friend and walked right into Byakuya.
He was doing that thing where he looked her straight in the eyes again and all that she could get from his was curiosity. She had taken it as a challenge to get into his lap at the bathhouse, again, bad idea, that did not turn out anything like she thought it would. She did not know what she had been hoping for but they had been getting along. Then he said, "Lieutenant Matsumoto, I was looking for you. I must thank you for accompanying me today."
She made to back up a little, just grateful that she had not doused them both with her drink, his blue-grey kimono looked almost as expensive as his scarf, but he held her by one elbow as if steadying her. "Thank you," he said.
She pasted on her cheeriest smile and said, "It was fun. We should do it again sometime."
He did not let go of her arm. Instead he said, "Yes." His gaze seemed to search her face for a moment, and then, in a lower voice, "Your new friend seems not to have his eye on my sister at all."
This was familiar. She smiled again and said, "Ichigo-kun and Renji-kun are here. He's looking for an easier target."
"Yes," said Byakuya, and then began guiding her away from the bar and Kaito.
She went with him but said, "I did not need to be rescued."
Byakuya looked down at her. "Is that what you think I'm doing?" They walked away from the bar, then the head table where a number of guests were still gathered waiting to talk to him. Captain Ukitake actually turned his head to watch them go.
"Where are we going then?" she asked.
"I've been thinking about what you said earlier, about our compatibility," he replied. Rangiku felt her heart rate pick up again.
She was proud of the amount of oblivious cheer she poured into her voice as she replied, "I'm the best kind of friend for you. You need to loosen up."
"Friend," he said in that odd voice again.
The doors to one side of the hall had been opened slightly to reveal a small frozen garden. Lanterns and fairy lights had been strung up here too, along with a series of tiny plaques on which the guests had written various prayers for good fortune and other messages for the Kuchiki lord and captain. Rangiku stepped away from Byakuya to read a few of them. One was from someone who she guessed to be an employee, wishing "our lord, Byakuya-sama, good health and fortune in the year to come". Another was from a subordinate: "Thank you for allowing me to join your squad, Captain Kuchiki. Best wishes on your birthday." Another still from a hopeful admirer: "Each day I look at you I pray for the day that you will turn my way. You have a beautiful soul."
She looked back at him over her shoulder and said, "You are a very fortunate man. See, you don't have to be cold and nasty to everyone all the time.
He said nothing, so she turned back to continue reading. Someone had written a haiku comparing Byakuya to a tree. As she leaned closer to read the plaque, his hand came over her shoulder and plucked it off for her to see. She turned her head a little to him and then fully so that his arms almost encircled her. This time his expression was not blank.
Behind him the doors were open and the guests were carrying on, oblivious. But she could see his sister looking around for him with his lieutenant and Kurosaki Ichigo in tow. Rangiku refocused on his face as his other hand went around her back and drew her in even closer. Then she whispered, "Your sister is looking for you."
"Is that so?" he asked, not turning away from her.
"She went through a lot to put this together so you should probably be in there appreciating it," she replied, taking hold of the collar of his haori.
"Ah, but I am appreciative. In fact, I think I'm going to appreciate something she arranged right now," he said. He leaned forward and kissed her and she let him. But when she opened her eyes again, it was to find that Rukia and the others had now come to the door. They would not be clearly able to see what was going on, but they could guess. "We have an audience." Another kiss and this time when she looked she saw Nanao and her captain. "They look confused." There was Kaito next, and he looked neither pleased nor upset by the sight. She put her hands around his neck, drawing him closer still. "Your lieutenant and Ichigo are grinning like idiots."
"Stop looking at them, it's my birthday," he said and the next kiss made sure of it.
Fin