Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or anything associated with it. I do, however, own everybody you don't recognize.
Chapter Two: Of Dancing and Unusual Confessions
"Got it!" Senzo yelled out. "This is perfect!" He jumped up, knocking the papers on his lap to the floor, walked over to where his senpais were studying, and slammed the pamphlet he was holding down on the table between them.
"Oi, Senzo, calm down. This is the library, remember? We've gotta be quiet or they'll throw us out." Shunsui advised, startled by Senzo's sudden enthusiasm.
"Who cares about that? Check it out! I think I found the perfect chance!" the younger student blurted. "There's going to be a start-of-the-year dance that we're all obliged to attend. You guys can get dates! Girl dates!"
Juushiro suddenly looked interested. "Where'd you find that? I haven't heard about anything like that yet. When is it?"
"I got it from Kusajiro-sensei last week. You know, the kido teacher? I think he's really into the club activities and all that. Anyway, I found it when I was going through all my papers just now." Senzo replied, looking happy with himself.
Shunsui pulled the pamphlet over to his side and skimmed through it. "It says here that it's in a week and it'll take place in the Banquet Hall. 'Every student third through sixth year is required to attend. Every student must bring a date. Take this opportunity to extend your connections and get in touch with your classmates outside of your area of study. Have fun and be safe! Note that this event is formal. Do not wear your academy uniform.'" He paused. "God, sounds like a business opportunity. Seriously, 'extend your connections'? Great, I'm going to be besieged just because I'm a Kyouraku. You get all the luck, Juushiro-Nobody-san. You're going to get jumped too, Senzo. The Kuchiki name, remember? And they're making us dress up." He paused again. "On the bright side, think there'll be sake?"
Both Juushiro and Senzo whacked him over the head with their textbooks.
It was going to be a mad rush the day before the dance; that much Senzo knew for certain. Which was why he'd been pressuring the two roommates to pick out dates for the event and ask them by tomorrow. That way, all the smart, beautiful, clearly straight girls would still be available.
He walked through the halls, inconspicuous in his surveying of the girls but extremely conspicuous in his appearance. How often was it that you saw a teenager with waist-length white hair, after all? Especially if that aforementioned teen was male? And especially if that teen was a hot, gay guy? Because everyone knows that it's the gay guys that are the cutest - they're usually the ones to take the most care with their appearance, after all.
Juushiro, oblivious to all of this, walked on amidst the exhilarated whispers, trying to pinpoint the girl he was looking for - one Izuko Tesusai. He was interested in her - ever since his second year, actually. She was cute, she was smart, and she had the most beautiful blond hair. It wound down to her waist, just like his, and curled up at the bottom in the most delightful way. So, naturally, it was her who he would ask.
"Ha ha HA!" Juushiro rounded on his friend. "Beat that, Shunsui! I got a date! On my first try, too!"
"Wow, Ukitake-senpai, really?" Senzo asked, surprised. "I seriously thought Kyouraku-senpai would score a girl first. I didn't think you had any experience in this kind of thing, being from a poor district and all."
"Listen, Senzo, just because I'm from one of the poorer districts of Rukongai doesn't mean I've never asked a girl out. And I have had five years in the Academy to do the daring deed, too, you know." Ukitake explained.
"But I thought you'd been acting out a relationship with Kyouraku-senpai since first year? So you did it with him then?" Senzo wondered with almost childish curiousity.
"I don't think that's exactly what he meant by 'daring deed', Senzo. But who knows? He's certainly held back from having sex with me. The stickler. What do I care whether it's a guy or a girl? Pleasure is all that matters." Shunsui interjected, grinning.
Juushiro was about to retort but decided not to dig himself any deeper into the hole and changed the subject. "Aren't you wondering who I asked to the dance?"
"Oh, sure, Juu. I'll bite. Who'd you ask?" Shunsui replied.
"Izuko Tesusai. You know, the cute blond? It was kind of funny, actually; she wanted to know whether 'my boyfriend' would mind. I told her that we were going to cater to the girls during the dance and branch out a little. She seemed happy enough, so I took that for a yes." Juushiro answered.
"You do realize that she's one of your fangirls, right Ukitake-senpai? That was kinda dangerous there. Saying that you'll 'cater to the girls' by 'branching out a little'. She's gonna tell the rest of their little fanclub and they're going to interpret it as 'We are going to try some new, interesting things with our relationship tonight for you girls'. And by 'new and interesting' I mean 'gay and gayer'. Get it? You might want to pick your words more carefully next time, senpai." Senzo explained.
"What? Gah, no! That's not what I meant!" Juushiro slapped his hand to his forehead in realization. "Damn!"
"Well, you're going to have to put up with it now, Juushiro. Just bear with it." Shunsui soothed his friend.
"But Kyouraku-senpai, their fanclub is for both of you. Not just Ukitake-senpai. You're going to experience the effects too," smirked Senzo, watching the black-haired student's face take on a horrified look. "Good luck to you both!"
It was the night of the dance, and so far everything had gone right. Of course, so far didn't include picking up their dates. They hadn't managed to cringe their way through that laborious process yet. They were still mustering up the last ounces of their courage.
Senzo laughed, slapping his friends on their backs and pushed them toward the girls' dorms. "Go get 'em! Prove that you're straight once and for all!" The two winced and then straightened up with new determination, setting off at a brisk pace toward the girls' rooms.
Once there, Shunsui knocked on the door twice and then paused, waiting for their dates within to answer. He had managed to find a suitable date at the last minute - it had been hard searching for a girl who didn't have ties to the Kyouraku/Ukitake fanclub. Her name was Akiyo Fujiwara and she was…in a word? Plain. But she was straight, and that was all that mattered. So here he was, knocking on the door of a girl's room, waiting to see that door open and reveal the luscious paradise within.
The door creaked open and revealed a blond, buxom girl wielding a small jeweled purse. "Oh! Kyouraku-san! And Ukitake-san! You're here!" She turned around and yelled into the room, "Akiyo-san! Our dates are here! Are you ready?" Her eyes widened when she was pulled aside to reveal her roommate.
"I am so ready! Kyouraku-san, here I come! And I expect you to fill me in on all the details of your past relationships, dear!" she seductively whispered, dragging Shunsui away toward the dance hall.
'Is it just me or did she just slyly tell him to cough up all the intimate details of his doings with Ukitake-senpai?' thought Senzo, watching from the other end of the hallway with his date.
Juushiro and Izuko stared after the two. "You'll have to excuse her," Izuko tucked her bangs to the side. "She's a little…forceful…sometimes. But I know we are going to have a great time, aren't we! I can't wait to dance with one of the famed Kyouraku/Ukitake couple! This is such a golden chance!" she squealed, unaware of the small grimace her date featured on his face.
She whirled around - the hair he had at first found so pleasing floating around her back in a thick golden halo as if taunting him, 'I'm too good for you!' - and ran away, clearly pleased by her ability to confess her true feelings. Juushiro was stunned.
And he was still stunned when Senzo found him standing stock-still a half-hour later, staring after the memory of Izuko running away happily.
"Ukitake-senpai? You alright? What happened? I saw Izuko-san blushing and giggling with her friends a couple of minutes ago. What'd you tell her? Hello? Senpai?" Senzo waved his hand in front of his friend's glazed eyes.
"I…I got rejected." Juushiro whispered. "She said she liked me gay. With Shunsui. Gay. With Shunsui. Gay. Shunsui. Gay…"
"You can stop repeating it now, Juu. I heard it too," called Shunsui, walking over to the two. "Except in Akiyo's version it was 'gay with Ukitake-sama'. And she told me that the only reason she didn't join our fanclub was because she was archenemies with their leader. My searching was fruitless. I think they've developed an idol-complex for our relationship, old friend. Not even the little kids in your district call you '-sama', and they're mesmerized by your attending the Academy and training to become a Shinigami."
Juushiro looked up, still dazed. "Kids…gay…Ukitake…idol?"
Senzo snorted. "I think we've got a long way to go, my friends."