When
the blossoms opened
Your heart showed,
Marred by thorns,
So
tender in my hands
-X-
"Kira, Abarai, can you please stay sober tonight?" Hinamori pleaded as the three walked into the restaurant. "I really don't want a repeat of last time."
"Hm? What happened last time, Momo?" Kira asked. Renji Abarai snorted.
"You don't freaking remember? You jumped on the table and stripped. I think you made some cash, too." Renji elbowed his friend and winked roguishly. Kira blushed.
"Renji, you were shoving the most money down his robes." The trio turned to see Shuuhei already sitting at a table, looking impatient. He jerked his head towards the seats. "Sit down, will ya? I already ordered your drinks." They sat down.
Ever since the hollow incident that occurred at the Soul Reaper Academy, the four shinigami ate dinner together once a month. At first, the younger three were simply thrilled to be with and seen with the prodigious Shuuhei, but quickly learned that Shuuhei's fame was well-deserved. If they came to him for academic help, he would aid them and then push them to do more. If they sparred with him, they would find themselves quickly defeated, with a grinning Shuuhei offering a rough hand to help them back up. He was always their biggest supporter, buying them drinks and offering advice when they joined him in the rank of Vice- Captain.
They were all orphans, as many in the Soul Society are. Though their monthly dinners began as a sign of Shuuhei's thanks, but they began to bond as a surrogate family. Shuuhei, Renji, and Kira were fiercely protective of Hinamori, who took every opportunity to embarrass her 'brothers.' Renji and Kira blamed many of their doomed relationships on Hinamori, who in turned bemoaned her lack of romance because of the two. Shuuhei would always smirk and busy himself with his tea. To have something constant in their life, such as it was, was reassuring to them all.
"So, kids," Shuuhei started. He always referred to the others as 'kids,' despite their protests. "Report."
Renji sighed. "There ain't nothing to report. Captain is still Captain, I still have to tail Rukia and keep her safe-" Hinamori stifled a giggle at this. "And there ain't any Hollows in my patrol area. Life just ain't exciting right now."
Kira thanked the waiter as their drinks were set down and plate of calamari Shuuhei had ordered was placed in the center of the round table. "Weren't you offered a Captain's position, though?" he asked Renji after they had all given their orders.
Renji snorted as he reached for some of the food. "I can't be a Captain if I can't defeat my own Captain."
"Will you please stop saying that word!" All three males turned towards Hinamori, whose face was beginning to flush with embarrassment and shame. "I-I'm…I apologize…for that." She looked down into her cup, absentmindedly turning it around. "I shouldn't have said that. I am sorry," she apologized again.
"Momo …" Kira said quietly, reaching out and taking her hand between his own. The look of concern on his face only emphasized his usually downcast demeanor. 'She still thinks about Aizen in that way, doesn't she?' he thought. "It's okay. Don't worry about."
"Kira, I heard you're doing some work with the Fourth Division again. How's Captain Unohana doing?" Shuuhei segued, taking a sip of his tea as Kira answered his question. 'They're still too young to hide their scars,' he thought, his right hand unconsciously tracing the three vertical scars on his face. Renji looked uncomfortable with the situation, and Momo was trying to recompose herself. The arrival of their food was a welcome distraction, and Shuuhei managed to bring the others to lighter conversation.
-X-
"It seems like ages since we've been here!" Rangiku exclaimed as she and Hitsugaya walked into one of the smaller grills in the Seiretai.
Hitsugaya looked at her dryly. "That's because it has been ages." He was silent as he and Rangiku were led to their table sat down. Rangiku, to his surprise, ordered a bottle of wine instead of sake for her drink.
"I figured a classy drink for a rare occasion," she said after the waitress left. A smirk almost crept its way onto his face. "Anyway," she continued, "What's with the sudden dinner invitation? You haven't succumbed to my dazzling beauty, have you?"
"What do you mean?! There's no way I would, I mean, why would you even think that?!"
She shrugged. "Well, you are reaching that age. I would be surprised if you weren't curious." She paused, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. "Are you curious?" She thought the reddening of his face answered her question. "Is that why you wanted to have dinner? Do you need love advice? Is it about Momo?"
Hitsugaya fought to regain his composure, hating the heat radiating unbidden from his face. "Now I know why I try to spend as little time around you as possible," he said through clenched teeth. She smiled sweetly at him.
"Now now, don't be that way. Auntie Rangiku will answer all your questions. However," Her smile widened. "Private lessons will cost extra, but I might give you a discount."
"I can't stand you."
"You love me, or you wouldn't have taken me out."
"Shut up."
"You hate it when I'm right, don't you, Toushiro?"
"That's Captain Hitsugaya!" He was halfway out of his seat in his frustration.
"Quiet down, you're making a scene." Matsumoto took a calm sip from her glass. "I guess I have to be the responsible one, like always, and salvage the credibility of our division." He glowered at her. "Look, here comes our waitress. Be a big boy and use your words, not your voice, to order."
"My loathing for you knows no bounds."
-X-
Shuuhei and the three younger shinigami left their restaurant the same time Hitsugaya and Matsumoto left theirs. The latter group was still bickering, while Shuuhei and Momo were occupied with getting their two drunken companions home.
"Come on, Kira, just a little bit further," Momo said as she struggled to keep Izuru's weight up. "And then you can go to sleep. You remember that, right? Glorious, glorious sleep that I probably won't have tonight because I'm lugging your drunken butt home."
"Nn," he replied, eyes half-open.
"I swear to the spirits, if you fall asleep before we get to the Third, I will leave you outside and you will get raped," she threatened angrily.
"Be glad you don't have Renji," Shuuhei grumbled, shifting Renji's limp body on his back. The older man was bent over, holding on to the red-haired shinigami's arms wrapped that were about his chest. "How he managed to pass out before Kira is a mystery to me."
"Kira must be practicing during his free time." Momo grunted as she adjusted his weight then stopped moving. "This is the Third Division. Do you think it would be alright for me to just leave him out here?" Shuuhei just stared at her. "Fine, I'll take him to his room." She rolled her eyes and started into the Division. "I'll take the shortcut back to the Fifth. Don't wait up."
-X-
"Matsumoto, you surprised me tonight," Hitsugaya said, arms crossed and hands hidden in the sleeves of his robe.
"Oh? How so, captain?"
"Normally, I would be lugging you back to the Division right now."
"I drank wine tonight."
"…"
"Trust me, it makes a difference."
"Are you drunk?"
"Not as bad as Renji is." Rangiku pointed at toward the ever-shrinking form of Shuuhei, who was beginning to crumble underneath Renji's bulk. Hitsugaya's eyes snapped to attention.
"Hisagi, do you need help?" he asked, running over to the older man.
"Nah…I'm…almost…there…" Shuuhei panted. Matsumoto hurried over to the two men and helped Hitsugaya take Renji off of Shuuhei's back. Shuuhei rested on his hands and knees for a moment before standing up, breathing heavily.
"Thanks," he said. "It's a good thing I took Renji. I don't think Momo could have handled him."
"You could barely handle him," Matsumoto remarked dryly before Hitsugaya butted in with, "Momo was with you?" He glared at Shuuhei.
"She didn't have anything to drink," Shuuhei said, holding up his hands in defense. "It was our monthly dinner."
"Still," Hitsugaya said, calming slightly. "Where is she now?"
"Third Division, then heading back to the Fifth."
"I'm going to make sure she gets home alright. Matsumoto, you help Shuuhei take Renji back."
"But, Captain -" she started.
"You already said it yourself: Shuuhei couldn't last much longer." He stared at the lazy woman and ignored Shuuhei's indignant snort. "If you come in late tomorrow, I won't give you extra paperwork."
"Hurry after Momo, Captain," she said briskly. The young captain nodded and ran off into the night.
Shuuhei and Matsumoto both looked at Renji for awhile, trying to decide on the proper course of action.
"I'll take this side, you take the other," Shuuhei said, placing Renji's right arm over his shoulders. Matsumoto did the same with Renji's left arm.
"On three, we stand," he said. She nodded. "One…two…three." In perfect unison, they stood up and balanced Renji between them.
"Good thing we're about the same height, huh?" she said, smiling over at Shuuhei. He grinned back as they started walking towards the Sixth Division.
"Yeah, I guess so."
They walked in silence for several minutes, though Renji would sometimes make stirring noises then promptly fall silent again.
"What were you doing with Toushiro tonight?" Shuuhei asked after awhile, tired of the only sound being their footsteps.
"Toushiro?" She asked, arching an eyebrow. "You dare call him that?"
"Only when he's not in earshot." She giggled at that.
"We were having dinner. When I was first assigned to Hitsugaya's division, he took me out to dinner each week to get to know me better."
"'To get to know you better?'" he repeated, grinning cheekily. She rolled her eyes.
"You know what I mean. It's like what you do with those three every month."
"Yeah, I guess so. Hey, it's the Sixth." He waved with his free hand to some of the shinigami in the Division that were still up. They knew him from Renji's past drunken antics. "C'mon, his room is this way."
Normal shinigami lived in barracks in the Division, but Captains and Vice-Captains had special quarters. A front door opened into a sitting room with an adjacent kitchen. A short hallway in the middle of the room led to a bedroom on the left and a bathroom directly across on the right. Though not substantial by any means, they were nice and a place to call home. Captain Kuchiki, as a member of one of the noble families, had other living arrangements but occasionally stayed the night in his division.
Renji's quarters looked precisely as one thought they would - messy. Clothes and empty bottles were strewn all over the place, and there was a pile of dirty dishes in the sink. Matsumoto shuddered to think of the bathroom. Even though smells were not as pungent in her inebriated state, she held her breath as she and Shuuhei settled Renji in his bed and didn't dare breath again until they were outside.
"First time at Renji's?" Shuuhei chuckled.
"Last time at Renji's," she said firmly. They started walking out of the Division. "How can he live like that?"
"By getting drunk. A lot. Speaking of which…" He turned to look at her.
"Hm? What is it? Did my top come undone?"
"You aren't drunk."
"I had wine."
"How much?"
"A bottle."
"By yourself?"
"I finish what I start."
"Ah."
"… Do you want my top undone?"
Shuuhei blushed. "Now you're just acting."
"No, seriously. I can make it happen."
'So can I' Shuuhei thought. He stole a glance down her neckline. "No, I'm too…sober," he said lamely, hoping their conversation from earlier in the day would stop any further questions.
"I've booze back in my place."
"Matsumoto –"
"Hisagi." They were standing outside of the Tenth Division. She leaned against the open doors, gray eyes challenging him.
He hesitated. She grabbed his arm and led him to her quarters.
She had made the most of the little space. Plush chairs were in the sitting room and a pot of lilies sat in the windowsill above the sink. Magazines littered a table where a coffee cup from the morning stood. Her hands trailed down from his arm to his waist, fumbling with the sash there.
"Rangiku, no." He bit back a small moan as her hands brushed a sensitive spot below his waist.
"Shuuhei, will you stop -"
"Will you stop?!" His hands enveloped hers and pushed them away from his clothing.
Her mouth closed and her eyes looked hurt. "I'm sorry, Shuuhei. I didn't think you would mind."
"I don't! I mean, I do. Where's your kettle, I'm making some tea." She pointed towards the stove and then sat down in one of the chairs, curling her legs into her chest.
Silence fell and hung in the room. They didn't look at each other. She stayed in the chair with her head buried in her body and he stayed in the kitchen, standing over the stove until the kettle screamed that it was done. He poured two cups and walked into the sitting room, setting one on the table in front of her.
"Why?" He asked, sitting carefully down on the table.
"I didn't want to be alone tonight." She lifted her head but wouldn't look at him.
"Why?"
"Because Orhime is coming soon."
"Why does that matter?"
"I…I don't want her…to see…" Her voice sounded watery, as if she was holding back tears.
"To see what?
"To see how lonely I've been."
"Lonely? You have your friends, and Hitsugaya, and-"
"And she'll see how lonely I've been and feel bad. And then she'll do whatever she can to cheer me up, because that's who Orihime is!"
"Rangiku…"
"Even when she's been through so much, and she's hurting, I know she is, but she won't stop seeing the pain everyone else has and she'll want to heal them! She'll want to heal me when all I want to do is help her!"
Matsumoto refused to cry, and still would not meet Shuuhei's gaze.
Shuuhei walked over to her and wrapped one arm around her. "I'll stay with you tonight," he whispered. "But your top stays on."
I am a slow updater. I have school, applications, and a coffeehouse to manage. Expect updates, but do not expect them regularly. I'll edit this chapter someday.
Constructive criticism, please.
August 3, 2009 – Edited to clarify the layout of the houses, add some dialog and description, and clean up/tighten some areas.
