Heh heh! Another potential disaster which only results in Mint and Ukitake getting closer.
Mint looked up from stuffing her empty sandwich casing back into the bag as the topper finally made it to the cluster of boats. She saw Di park next to Renji and ask for the lunches.
"What?!" Di glared at Renji. "What do you mean you ate our lunches?! You damn freeloader! How could you?! I can't believe you!"
"Ah come on I was hungry. You got back so late...I thought you weren't hungry." Di hissed at him in annoyance. Mint noticed that Di had changed from her t shirt and tracksuit bottoms to her bikini top and shorts.
I wonder what happened. Mint thought as Di dumped her wet clothes in the powerboat without a glance at Renji. Raiden looks a lot happier as well. I guess they must have made up. Mint smiled at Ukitake who was chewing slowly so as not to aggravate his headache.
"Getting there Jyuushirou-san?" Ukitake gave her a thumbs up and continued concentrating on chewing his sandwich. Mint looked across at the other boats where several people were napping. Matsumoto was asleep in the bow section of her boat and Jai was curled up on one of the benches. Kyoraku was dozing with his hat over his face in his boat. Mint stretched and yawned.
It would be great to just have a nap here. She checked her watch and groaned. No such luck. We're due to sail back to the pier and get the kayaks in a few minutes. She glanced across at Di who had given up on yelling at Renji. She was using Raiden's stomach as a makeshift pillow and staring at her watch.
She picked up Ukitake's cold compress, realising that the ice in it had turned to water and warm water at that. "Don't worry, we'll find you another one when we get back to shore." Ukitake smiled.
"I'm alright now. It's just a bit sore. " He sighed. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to help more during the race. I was more dead weight than anything else." Mint shook her head, smiling.
"Don't say that, you were my moral support."
Ukitake beamed at her and she heard Kira and Shuuhei say, "Awww." She flushed a little and turned to look elsewhere. Di gave her a thumbs up from the topper. Mint shook her head, a grin on her face.
Di finally stirred herself reluctantly and shouted over to the quiet boats. "Hey guys! Time to get these back to the pier! We have to pick up the kayaks!" There was muted muttering from the direction of the boats before figures started stirring. Di sighed to herself as she nudged Raiden to move over. "Come on. Move. I need to get this boat back as soon as possible." Raiden smiled at her. "I'm not going anywhere, babe." Di sat down and ran a hand through her hair as the sail billowed out on Mint's boat.
"Fine. Sit there and don't touch anything. Just move when I say, OK?"
Baka Rice. It is nice to have him here though.
Finally, all boats were back at the pier and properly dismantled. Di threw her wet clothes in the mobile home's bathroom with a sigh before rejoining everyone on the shore. "Right. We've got two-man kayaks by the looks of things. Everyone pair up, grab a kayak and let's get going." Mint immediately clutched Ukitake's arm and smiled up at him. Di gasped as Raiden grabbed her from behind. She looked back to see him grinning at her.
"I said grab a kayak not your partner!" She looked longing at the Pyranha one-man kayaks lining the shoreline a few metres down. Nanao shook her head.
"No Di-san we've rented out the two-man kayaks to make life easier." Kyoraku rubbed his hands together.
"Oh good, I can nap." Nanao threw him a warning look but he'd already taken off back to the mobile homes.
"Taicho..." She shook her head in disapproval before getting in the nearest kayak, Isane following. Renji and Nat were already having difficulties.
"Push the damn kayak out!" Nat commanded, grinning back at Renji with the knowledge that he wouldn't get anywhere fast.
"I can't if you sit in it, you lump!" Renji snapped. "Let me get it further out!" Di rolled her eyes and put her hands on the stern of the kayak, preparing to push it out.
"Hey, what are ya doing? I'll do that. Get in." Di looked back at Raiden and shrugged, fighting a smile.
"Sure. Why not." Mint smiled back at Ukitake as he prepared to push off.
"Are you sure you're feeling up to this, Jyuushirou-san?" she asked. Ukitake nodded and beamed.
"See, I can nod just fine now. It aches a bit, that's all." Matsumoto looked around for a partner and realised that everyone had been taken apart from Jai, who was giving her puppy dog eyes. She sighed and gave a rueful smile.
"Fine. It looks like it's you and me, Jai-kun." Jai grinned.
"Yay! Rangiku-san!"
Mint swept the paddle round in a wide stroke and tried to keep up with the pace Ukitake was setting at the back. He's too fast! And too strong! She cursed the fact she was in her gigai. If only I could leave the gigai for a bit...oh well...I guess we'll just have to compensate. Di snorted with laughter as she watched Mint's boat spin round in circles as Ukitake overcompensated in the back. She began to back paddle, steering them away from Jai and Matsumoto's kayak. Raiden copied but overcompensated as well so they shot backwards into Nat and Renji's boat. Di felt the impact and cursed, sticking her paddle flat in the water to stop them. She turned back to see who they'd hit and groaned.
"Be careful next time, Rice. I'm not as strong as you in a gigai." Raiden grinned at her.
"I know. I just felt like reversing into them." Renji grinned at him.
"How did I guess it would be you two." Nat smiled evilly.
"Yeah. You're going down today, Di." Di raised an eyebrow.
"I doubt that somehow." She reached out and pushed the other kayak away with her paddle sending Renji's spinning into Kira and Shuuhei's with a bump. Mint sighed in annoyance.
"Will you guys behave! Honestly...!" Di grinned at her.
"Yes, mum!" Jai laughed.
"Aww, Mint's acting like someone's mother. That's cute." Matsumoto smiled. Mint flushed.
"Isn't!" Ukitake smiled at her.
I think it is.
Di finally got the kayaks lined up. "Right we're having a race to finish. The first ones to that tree over there wins." Mint looked back at Ukitake, still flushed with the success of winning the sailing.
"Come on, Jyuushirou-san! Let's win this!" Ukitake nodded determinedly.
"Of course!"
Nanao shouted from the end, "GO!" Mint and Ukitake paddled hard and made good progress.
Hurray! We've got the hang of this! Mint crowed. Her heart sank as both Renji and Di's kayaks broke free from the rest of the pack. Damn it!
Di paddled as hard as she could, relieved that Raiden wasn't overcompensating anymore. She could see Renji's kayak out of the corner of her eye and concentrated on avoiding it. We're so close! Suddenly she felt a bump and whirled her head to look. Renji grinned at her.
"Sorry. You're in the way, Di. Move it!" Di glared at him.
"You'll pay for that, freeloader!" She dipped her paddle in the water and began splashing him furiously. Nat and Renji spluttered and yelled before retaliating. Mint watched in dismay.
Oh dear. In the distance, Nanao and Isane's boat slipped to victory. Matsumoto and Jai were still determined to get to the finish line.
"Come on, Jai-kun! We can do this!" Matsumoto said, driving the paddle in and swinging it back up wildly, spray flying. Jai tried to look round her to see what was happening with the other kayaks when he felt the paddle impact with his forehead. Mint looked round when she heard Jai's yell of pain.
"Oh no! Jai-kun! Are you alright?!" Matsumoto gasped, dropping the paddle and turning to see whether he was alright. Jai nodded mutely, hand clamped over his forehead where a purplish bruise was forming rapidly. Di stopped splashing Renji and Nat when she saw what had happened to Jai. To avoid any such incident happening where she was, she changed track and came up with a new challenge.
"I bet you two couldn't capsize that if you tried." Renji smirked at her.
"Quicker than you could!" Di smiled.
"Bring it then." Nat gave a yell of shock as Renji started rocking the kayak furiously.
"Damn it! Stop it Renji! I don't want to go in!" Renji completely ignored him and kept going. Di laughed as the kayak tipped over spilling Nat and Renji into the water. Renji came to the surface spluttering as Nat clung to the upturned kayak.
"Your turn!" Di turned to Raiden who shook his head.
"I don't want to go in. It's cold in there. Good luck trying to overturn this by yourself." Di sniffed and began to throw her weight from side to side in vain. Raiden smirked at her. "You're too tiny to do this. Give it up!" Di glared at him.
"Well if you think you're so great, you try rocking it then!" Raiden laughed at her.
"Piece of cake." He started rocking the boat, ignoring Di's smirk of triumph. Without warning, Di threw her weight to the same side of the kayak as him. Raiden swore. "Oh sh-!" The kayak capsized.
Renji and Nat laughed hard as Di and Raiden resurfaced. "Di!" Raiden yelled, shivering. Di laughed hard.
"Too easy." She smiled at the expression on his face. "Sorry. I know you don't like cold water...but the sun's shining!" Nat grinned.
"Yeah. Stop being a baby!" Raiden splashed him in the face making him splutter. Mint saw the four of them in the water and sighed in exasperation.
Honestly...those four... To her surprise, Ukitake was beaming.
"It's been a good day, hasn't it Mint?" Mint blinked at him.
"But...your head...?" Ukitake smiled gently at her.
"It's nothing. I've had a brilliant day. Doing all these activities with you and everyone else has been wonderful. I don't get much time in gensei like this, you know." Mint found her mouth curving into a smile. She leaned forward, ignoring Di's shrieks as Renji tried to duck her.
"I think so too." She knew that Jai was being escorted to the medical centre by Matsumoto, Kira and Shuuhei. Nanao and Isane were paddling around the area talking and Di, Renji, Raiden and Nat seemed to be too preoccupied. She pressed her lips against Ukitake's hearing him give a sharp intake of breath at her spontaneity. His mouth felt as warm as the sunlight.
Definitely a good day.
Di felt herself nodding at the steering wheel as she pulled onto a grassy verge overlooking Karekare beach. She finished the rest of her lukewarm coffee and turned the radio off. Glancing back she saw that the others were fast asleep in the back. She smiled and suppressed a yawn. What a day. It seems a shame to wake them. She cleared her throat.
"Guys! We have to get out and start putting the tents up! Come on, rise and shine!" Mint twitched and woke, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"Do we have to?" Di nodded.
"Afraid so." She opened the driver's door and slid out as Isane opened the side door with a loud bang. Nat and Jai were offloading people from their mobile homes along with tents. Most of the group looked as though they'd only just woken up. Nat yawned and stretched, waking up slightly as the fresh sea air hit his face. Di rubbed her face, trying to stay alert. Despite the coffee washing about in her system, she was still quite tired. Mint managed to stumble out of the mobile home with a bundle of tent poles clutched under her arm. She scanned around for Ukitake and saw him stepping off Jai's mobile home, yawning. He saw she was carrying equipment and quickly made his way over.
"Here Mint, I'll carry that." Mint gave it to him gratefully.
"Thanks, Jyuushirou-san. Does your head feel better after having a nap?" Ukitake smiled sleepily and gently touched his head.
"Yes. It doesn't hurt that much, just throbs a bit." Di walked over to Jai who was offloading tents.
"How's your head?" Jai gave her a small smile.
"Hurts a bit. It's better than a few hours ago. I guess I got lucky that she didn't hit me with the edge of the paddle." Di smiled.
"Yeah. You would've needed stitches if that had been the case. Here, I'll carry something." Jai passed her a two-man tent. Di hugged it to her chest and turned to go and put it down on the green area. She almost banged into Raiden.
"Hey babe, I'll take that." Di smiled.
"It's OK. I got it. I need to wake myself up anyway." She walked over to the verge, feeling the sunlight warm the back of her neck. After setting the tent down, she surveyed the area as Ukitake and Mint came wandering over. "The beach looks pretty amazing." Di said. Ukitake looked out.
"It looks quite rough." he commented, looking slightly worried as white waves crashed onto dark rocks. Di smiled at him.
"Nah. Don't worry about it Ukitake-san. We'll be fine." Mint found the eight-man tent and began to put it up beside Di's three-man. Suddenly she heard Di squeal.
"Huh? What the-?" She poked her head around the side of the tent. Di was on her knees, eagerly patting a stray dog on the head which had bounded over.
"Oh. Cute." Mint commented as the dog gave Di's cheek a lick.
"Isn't he?" Di replied, beaming, all trace of tiredness gone. Ukitake looked up from hammering the tent pegs in and smiled.
"Di likes dogs does she?" Mint sighed.
"I guess. Maybe because she never had one."
She heard Di say, "Aren't you cute? Yes you are!" and suppressed a grin. Jai and Nat saw the dog frolicking around Di's legs and grinned.
"Aww, Di made a new friend." Jai put his hand out, trying to entice the dog over. Raiden looked up from putting another two-man tent down and sighed hard.
"Di, leave the damn dog alone and help me put the tent up!" Di pouted and continued stroking the dog and making a fuss over it.
"But, it's cute!" She finally gave it a pat and walked over to the other side of Mint's tent. The dog followed to Mint's amusement.
Hehe. Raiden's not going to be happy. Di hammered the tent pegs in enthusiastically, stopping every so often to stroke the dog which was frisking around her. Raiden finished putting the guy rope out on the left side of the tent and came to help.
"Why's that dog still here? Shoo!" He aimed a kick at it.
"Don't!" Di snapped as the dog shied away with a yelp.
"Babe, if ya want a dog so badly, we can get one in Soul Society." Di looked at him and then smiled.
"Nah. You'd get jealous of it." Raiden grinned at her.
"If it takes up this much of your attention, then yeah." Di rolled her eyes at him and continued pegging.
"It was nice of you to suggest anyway." She knew he was still grinning as she turned her back on him. The dog crept back and gave her puppy eyes.
"You know, I've never seen you blush." Di said, rubbing the dog's ears.
"Huh? You've never said anything that would make me." he replied. Di turned around to give him a look.
"I swear you blushed when I told you I loved you." Raiden laughed.
"Your imagination, babe." Di narrowed her eyes at him.
"Any normal guy would have blushed at some of the things I say." Raiden grinned.
"Prove it."
"Fine!" Di stood up and brushed herself off. She stalked off towards Mint's tent, the dog following as Raiden watched in amusement. Ukitake was checking that the mainframe of the tent was secure when Di pounced on him, dog in tow.
"Ah, Di. What's up?" Di smiled at him coyly.
"I just thought that you should know something which Mint told me earlier." Mint looked up in confusion.
I told her what? The entire Snoop gang and Raiden stopped what they were doing to watch. Ukitake smiled cheerfully.
"Which was?"
"Oh...well....she happened to mention that she found your eyebrows very sexual." Mint almost choked.
The hell?! What's she doing?! Is this a joke?! Ukitake turned a very bright shade of pale pink. Mint shot a glance behind her and saw Raiden trying not to laugh. Did he put her up to this? She realised that the rest of the snoop gang were smirking. Did THEY put her up to this?!
"Really?" Ukitake finally managed to say. Di smiled at him encouragingly.
"Of course. Would I lie to you?" Mint had to stop herself from screaming.
"Di! I never said any such thing!" Di watched as her friend emerged from behind the tent, nearly the same shade as Ukitake.
"Oh? Really?" Ukitake flushed a shade darker as Mint appeared.
Argh! Jyuushirou-san! I didn't say any such thing!
"I didn't!" Di folded her arms in mock concern.
"So...you don't think that Ukitake's eyebrows are sexual?" Mint spluttered.
"No! I mean, yes...I mean-"
God dammit Di! You've put me in a corner! Nat burst out laughing followed closely by Jai and Matsumoto. Di smiled at her innocently.
"Poor Ukitake-san. Mint clearly doesn't know whether she finds you sexy or not." Kyoraku put his wrist in his mouth to muffle any sounds. Mint glared at Di.
"I do know! I just don't-"
Ah damn...I can't say that! DIIIII!!!!! Di was smirking.
"Oh yeah. She also told me that she finds that cough of yours very appealing too." Ukitake flushed a shade darker and said nothing. Mint felt horrified.
"Stop it! What did I ever do to you?!" Di realised she'd gone slightly too far.
"Nothing. I'm just trying to ascertain your relationship with him." Mint raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really? In that case do you find Raiden sexy?" Di folded her arms as the dog gave a whine. "Yes." She gave Mint a look which clearly said, 'And what are you going to do about it?' as Raiden's face split into a grin. Mint laughed.
"Oh I see. Still, Jyuushirou-san knows that I'll tell him in my own time!" Di grinned at her.
"Why don't I tell him for you then?" She went up on tiptoe and began whispering in Ukitake's ear. Mint looked on with a vague sense of horror.
What on earth is she saying? Jyuushirou-san looks shocked. Di finally pulled back and started when Ukitake fainted.
Oh dear. Maybe I went too far. Mint gasped.
"Jyuushirou-san! What the hell did you say to him?!" Di shrugged.
"I only said that you fantasise about him. I didn't know he'd take it so literally. I'm sorry." She looked ruefully at Ukitake's supine form as the Snoop gang howled with laughter.
"Oh my god! This is quality entertainment!" Nat gasped. "Why didn't I turn on the video camera?!" Mint stared at her, gobsmacked.
"DIII!!!!" she screamed, making the dog whimper and hide behind Di's legs. Di looked completely unfazed.
"Jeez. I said I was sorry OK?! My true objective was to make another guy blush because Rice seems to be pretty blush-proof." Mint looked shell-shocked.
"You traumatised my boyfriend for that?!" Di held up her hands with a rueful smile.
"Traumatised is a bit of a strong word don't you think?" Mint finally made up her mind. She gave Di an evil grin.
"I'll fix you. Raiden come here a minute." Di raised an eyebrow.
What's she up to?
"Whatever you do don't listen to her!" Di warned as Mint began to whisper in his ear. Di heard Ukitake give a groan and saw that he was awake and looking dazed and confused.
Ah good, he's awake. she thought as Mint continued whispering. Di watched as Raiden's grin grew wider and wider. What in the world is she doing? What's she saying? I have a bad feeling. Mint finished and grinned at Di.
"Let me end that with: if us lot weren't here, you'd do him on the spot!" Di stared at her, shocked.
The hell?! Where did that come from?
"Right, everyone leave!" said Raiden. Di was speechless for a minute.
"No! No! No one go anywhere! What the hell did you say to him?!" Mint smiled at her.
"I told him that...no means yes with you...and that you like it when he sleeps in the raw...that you really enjoyed the frolicking in the surf....and that you have sexual fantasies about him. Enjoy!" She ran over to Ukitake and began trying to drag him away. Di stared after her as she left, speechless.
"The hell?! I don't understand! How does that make any difference?" She realised too late that Raiden had sidled up beside her.
"What?!" she asked.
"Would you really do me on the spot if no one else was here?" Di glared at him.
"Hell no!"
"I thought no meant yes!" Nat yelled from the Snoop gang's vantage point.
Oh shit. Di realised. Before she realised what was happening, Raiden had picked her up and was running down to the beach with her. Mint sniggered to herself as she heard her friend scream, "Miiiiinnnnttt!!!!"
She heard Matsumoto yell, "Quick where's the camera?!" There was a stampede as the rest of the group left to go after them.
Mint turned to look at Ukitake and felt the silence stretch between them. "Umm...Jyuushirou-san...what Di said wasn't true!" she burst out, surprising him. "I don't find your eyebrows sexual. They're just nice eyebrows. Normal eyebrows. I'm not an eyebrow person..." she trailed off on seeing his face. "However, I do find you...on the whole....I find you...." she found herself trailing off again.
Damn...I can't say he's sexy! Why? Ukitake waited calmly for her to finish.
"I do find you...." she swallowed hard.
Damn it. Mental block again.
"Yes?" Ukitake asked encouragingly. Mint took a deep breath.
Right, pull yourself together. You're telling him the truth. You can do this.
"I find you sexy." She immediately flushed and looked at the floor. Across from her, Ukitake was also flushing but, unknown to her, he also had a smile on his face.
"I'm glad. For a moment I thought you didn't find me attractive." Mint looked horrified.
"When?!"
"When Di said that you didn't know whether I was sexy or not." Mint made a sound in the back of her throat.
"Not true. Di also knows that's not true. I know exactly how I feel about you, Jyuushirou-san." Ukitake, still a little flushed, beamed at her.
"As do I. I know that I love you." Mint felt heat rise to her face again.
Jyuushirou-san...
She heard herself say, "For the record, you are very attractive, cough or no cough." Ukitake laughed quietly before leaning forward and kissing her.
