Disclaimer: I do not own any of Tite Kubo's work. If you see a name you do not recognize it is an OC.
Chapter 2
Two Years Earlier
As Renji allowed the warm water to run down his body, he got the feeling he wasn't the only one in his room. Turning the water off he stood there listening, hearing young voices.
Earlier that morning, two pairs of eyes watched from the doorway as Renji walked to the bathroom and closed the door. Opening the door revealed two little girls of four years old. They had black hair with white on the bottom. Leaning in they looked around to make sure Renjni had gone for good.
Looking at each other they giggled quietly. The two girls trotted over to Renji's closet and pulled out his clothes, headband, and lieutenant's badge, putting them on. One girl put on the haori and headband while the other put on the hakama and badge. The girl who put the on the hakama rolled the legs up and tied it really tight around her waist. The other girl just held her hands in the sleeves.
Wrapping a towel around his waist after drying off, Renji walked over to the door. Hearing the two girls he slid the door open and glareddown at them. The two girls looked up at him in surprise.
The girl with the badge told the girl with the headband, "I think we need to go Captain Harumi."
Harumi agreed, "I quite agree with you Lieutenant Ayame." And with that the two girls turned and ran out the door with Renji not to far behind them.
"Get back here you brats!" Renji yelled at their retreating backs.
The ran around the barracks, causing some of the woman from other squads to see Renji wrapped in a towel. When the woman caught sight of Renji, they squealed and ran after him. Ukitake stepped out of his room just as the two girls were running by squad thirteen's barracks.
Ukitake seeing them chuckled, "What are you two doing?"
Harumi and Ayame hid behind him as Harumi answered, "We're hiding."
Renji came running up at that moment, out of breath and as mad as the girls had ever seen him. Pointing to the two girls, Renji's eye twitched, "You two are in big trouble."
Ukitake placed his hands on the girl's heads, looking at Renji he asked calmly, "What did they do this time, Renji?"
"They...took my clothes! Now I'm late for my meeting with Byakuya!" Renji said as he shook his finger at the girls as he held the towel in place around his waist.
Ukitake looked down at the girls, "Is that true?" he still thought their eyes looked funny. Harumi he knew had a left golden eye while Ayame had a right golden eye, leaving the other one black.
Harumi looked down in shame, she knew Ukitake was angry at her even if he didn't show it. "Yes, uncle Ukitake."
Ayame looked down also when Ukitake looked at her, "We just wanted to know how it felt to be lieutenant and captain."
Ukitake shook his head. "I wonder how Shuhei and Yuizoran ever keep up with these two."
Shuhei seeing the crowd pushed his way through, getting to the front he saw Renji wrapped in a towel. "What's going on here Renji?" Shuhei asked as he walked up to him.
Renji turning to Shuhei said as he pointed to Ukitake, "Your brats have taken my clothes and won't return them."
Shuhei's jaw tightened. Opening his mouth he was about to tell Renji to never call his children brats, but then decided it wasn't worth it. Turning to Ukitake, he saw the two girls peeking out from behind him. Sighing he walked over and asked, "Did you girls really take Renji's clothes?"
Harumi stepped out from behind Ukitake. She held her arms out so that he could see them she answered, "Yes Daddy, we took Renji's clothes."
Ayame stepped out and crossing her hands in front of her waist she said quietly, "We were going to return them."
Shuhei crossed his arms and looked down at them, "What do you need to do then?"
Ayame took the hakama off along with the badge and handed it to Renji. Harumi begrudgingly followed her lead. Taking his stuff from the girls Renji almost felt sorry for them. Shaking his head, he turned to head back to his room. The crowd of women split apart, allowing Renji through. When Renji got to the end, he noticed one beautiful woman looking at him in contempt. Smiling, he waved at her. Seeing him waving at her she crossed her arms and walked away.
Shuhei turned back to the two girls and uncrossing his arms said, "Why don't I take you home."
As Shuhei took their hands Ukitake spoke up, "Can they stay with me for now?" Shuhei looked at him. "At least until you go home or until Yuizoran comes to get them."
Shuhei looked down at Harumi and Ayame. They looked at each other pleadingly. Sighing, Shuhei ran his hand through his hair, "All right," looking at them sternly, "You have to stay out of trouble."
Harumi grabbed his legs as they squealed in delight. Then running over to Ukitake they took his outstretched hands. Turning to Ukitake, she asked, "You're sure they won't be any trouble?"
Ukitake smiled, "They won't be any trouble at all." looking at the girls he asked, "Will you?"
Harumi and Ayame gigled, "No Uncle Ukitake, we won't be any trouble at all."
Ukitake turned back to Shuhei, "There you see, we'll get along fashionably." Ukitake turned the two girls and they head to his quarters.
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Walking back to squad nine's barracks, Shuhei shut the door, and turned to face the replacement captain to squad nine, Kensei Muguruma
Kensei looked up from the paper he was writing on, "So did you find out what the disturbance was about?"
"Well apparently my two daughters had taken Lieutenant Renji's clothes." Shuhei placed his hand on his forehead.
Kensei smiled, "Which ones?"
Shuhei looked at him, "Which ones do you think?"
Kensei shook his head as he bent over his work.
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Renji walked back to his room. Throwing his towel into the bathroom, he hurriedly got dressed and went to meet Captain Byakuya. When Byakuya saw him, he looked at him sternly.
"You're late." Byakuya said as he continued writing.
Renji bowed, "i'm sorry, but my clothes were stolen by two little brats."
Byakuya looked up at him questioningly. Renji explained that Ayame and Harumi had taken his clothes and badge, leaving him to run after them wrapped in a towel.
Byakuya said with a straight face as he wrote, "Next time, let me know you are going to be late. I don't care if you show up in a towel or not. You are to be here on time."
Renji's jaw dropped in surprise. He couldn't believe Captain Byakuya would say something like that. But then recovering from his shock he bowed and said, "I'll try to remember that next time."
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Lieutenant Isane Kotetsu of squad four watched as a black haired woman stomped around squad four's barracks. Walking up to the woman, Isane laid her hand on the woman's shoulder.
"Are you all right Isha?" Isane asked with concern.
Isha turned to look at Isane with black eyes blazing, "No, I'm not all right!" Isha turned back to the task she was working at. "Urrgh, I can't believe he would do something like that!" Isane pulled back in surprise. Isha apologized, "Sorry, I'm not upset at you."
"Well then who are you angry at?" Unohana asked as she walked into the room with a jar.
Isha bowed quickly, "Oh Captain Unohana, I didn't know you were there."
Unohana smiled, "So?"
Isha turned red, "It's just that Harumi and Ayame had taken Renji's clothes."
"Oh, is that what caused the disturbance this morning?" Unohana asked pleasently.
"Yes, Renji had run after them wrapped in a towel and all the woman followed him." Isha said.
Isane smiled, "So you're jealous of him."
Unohana gave Isha medicine to deliver to Ukitake. Turning to Isane, Isha said through clenched teeth, "I...am not jealous of them. He can flaunt his muscles for all I care." She then turned to the door and left.
Walking down the road to squad thirteen's barracks, Isha saw Byakuya and Renji heading her way. As they got closer, Byakuya said, "Good day, Isha."
Isha smiled and responded pleasently, "Good day, Captain Kuchiki."
Renji smiled but Isha frowned and turned her head to continue walking down the road. Byakuya watched the exchange with amusement.
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Knocking on Ukitake's door, Isha waited until she heard voices inside. Seeing Harumi and Ayame with Ukitake after the door was opened, she asked, "Weren't you the two who took Renji's clothes this morning?"
Harumi crossed her arms, "It wasn't intentional."
Ayame placed her hands on her hips, "We were going to return them, but he got out of the shower sooner than we expected."
Isha laughed to herself mentally. Seeing the two girls standing the way they were reminded her of what Shuhei and Yuizoran do. Extending the jar that was in her hand to Ukitake, she said, "Captain Unohana sent this for you."
Ukitake took it and placed it on the table near the door.
"Do you want to join us?" Harumi asked as she dropped her arms.
Isha bent down, "Sorry, not today because I have to get back to my quarters."
Ayame took Isha's hand, "When will you be able to join us?"
Isha placed her hand on Ayame's head, "Soon I hope." she said with a smile. Isha stood up and waving at them she walked back to her work.
Ayame turned to Ukitake, "When do you think Mama or Dad will come?"
Ukitake laughed, "When they get finished they'll pick you up. Don't worry Ayame, even if they forget you, you are welcome to stay here." Ukitake took them out to the meadow behind his house so they could play in the flowers.
Yuizoran found them later that evening, leaning against a tree. All three of them fast aslepp. Smiling, she walked over and bending down she took her cloak off and laid it over them. Ukitake woke up as she was leaving. Looking down, he realized the two girls were still with him. Smiling, he knew Yuizoran had given him the okay for them to stay there. Closing his eyes, he fell back to sleep.
Getting home, Yuizoran shut the door as Shuhei walked out of the kitchen. "Where's the girls?"
Yuizoran smiled, "I left them with Ukitake for tonight. They were already asleep and looked so peaceful."
Shuhei chuckled as he walked over and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. "At least we won't have to deal with them tonight."
Yuizoran tilted her head as she said, "No, we have tonight all to ourselves. Yuzuki is at Isha's house while Chisaki is at a friend's house."
Shuhei took Yuizoran into his arms and kissed her. Walking into their room, they got undressed and slid under the covers. Falling asleep in each other's arms.