A/N: This is more for my birthday, which was on the fifteenth, than for Rukia's. Woo – go dedicating chapters to yourself. I know this chapter is really late. I was trying to get it edited but I think dinem died...(?)

Yea, I probably could have had this chapter out earlier but I had my birthday last weekend so I was distracted. We went to see 'Sweeney Todd', which is now my new favourite movie!

---

Twenty-first Collected:

Ignorance

---

Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows in concentration, reading over his literature paper for any typos or mistakes, as he walked up the stairs slowly. When he stepped onto the top step and paused to made a mental note to change the spelling mistake on the third page, he grunted in acknowledgment towards Renji who past by him and his way down the stairs.

Continuing his way up the stairs, the fifteen year old plopped himself down in his desk chair and leaned back with a frustrated sigh. Homework just loved piling up, especially when hollow activity was at a maximum, and semester finals were nearing making anything else virtually impossible to do. He rubbed his eyes, which had dark bags under them, and attempted to rest his mind and sort everything out going through his day. Exams... hollow patrol... culminating assignments... Renji's over... sleep...

Ichigo shot up in his chair and frowned deeply. Renji's here...? Wait – what?

Stomping into the kitchen, Ichigo stood with arms crossed and glared as Renji who had made himself feel at home by making a sandwich for himself. Renji looked up through the shadow Ichigo was making by looming over him.

"Uhh... hey, Ichigo." he said, more a question than a greeting.

"Renji," Ichigo growled. "What are you doing in my house?"

Renji topped off his sandwich and stood up, backing away from the serious teen. "I'm here for--" Renji suddenly looked past Ichigo and beamed happily. "Rukia's birthday!"

The redhead swerved around the table and Ichigo, and walked to a confused-looking Rukia who had just walked into the kitchen, engulfing her in a bear hug. Rukia's eyes seemed to be bulging out of her head from being crushed.

"Renji," she wheezed so pitifully that Ichigo felt sorry for her. "I-can't-breath."

Even though his back was towards him, Ichigo could hear the grin in Renji's voice as he spoke. "Sorry," he backed off but rested his large hands on her shoulders. "Byakuya-taichou said I could come for the day and spend time with you. He also wishes you a happy birthday too – maybe not in those exact words but you get the idea." Ichigo snorted from the background of the two. That's Byakuya for you – can't wish his sister a proper happy birthday. In fact, Ichigo felt a bit hurt he hadn't been informed it was her birthday...

Speaking of which...

"So," he drawled. "Why wasn't I told it was your birthday, Rukia?"

After a moments pause, Rukia shrugged off Renji and went to the fridge to grab a juice box. Renji followed Ichigo's example and sat himself down at the small kitchen table as well.

"I dunno," she sighed as she shifted bottles around in the fridge. "I just didn't think it was that big a deal." Finally finding a drink, she too sat down, across from the two guys. Renji smirked evilly and leaned over to Ichigo.

"She's embarrassed about her age." he explained. "She won't even tell me!" Both heads swiveled to Rukia who was 'busy' opening her juice.

"No," she denied hotly. "I really don't think celebrating living a year longer is such a big deal." Ichigo took note of how she crinkled her nose cutely at the obvious lie, keeping her gaze down.

"Liar," Ichigo pointed out bluntly. "You made such a big deal of Inoue's birthday I was surprised the world didn't end afterwards." An uncharacteristic blush of embarrassment came onto Rukia's face.

"What does it even matter to you two, anyways?" she defended on her behalf. "It's my birthday; whoopy!" she rolled her eyes sarcastically and shrunk in her seat.

Ichigo and Renji stared at each other. "Ichigo?" Renji asked in a fake manner. "doesn't your father make very big deals out of birthdays in your house?"

Rukia choked on her drink when Ichigo started to play along.

"Why, Renji! You're right!" Both turned away from each other and grinned slyly at Rukia who had paled in her seat.

"Please, don't." she mumbled pathetically. "Your dad--"

"Is annoying?" Ichigo finished. "Doesn't know when to shut up? Needs to act his own age?"

"I was going to say 'can go over the top at times'." Rukia deadpanned. "Just don't tell him. I know you both expect me to milk this birthday thing like a child would," she glared at them accusingly. "but it really means nothing. So, keep it to yourselves; as a present to me, I guess." The legs of her chair scrapped against the tiles beneath them as the short woman stood. "I have to report back to Ukitake-taichou today for a fill-in." And with that she walked out the door.

Ichigo looked over at Renji who was still grinning like a kid who pulled a prank. "You got Ukitake to throw a party, didn't you?" Ichigo guessed, supporting his head in one hand.

Renji's grin grew more, if possible. "Hell yea."

Word Count: 820

A/N: Rukia strikes me at someone who'd prefer to throw a party than receive one. By the way, a chapter probably won't come out next week since I'm swamped with exams for the first time in my life...

WHO GIVES A GYM EXAM?! Sorry... had to get that off my chest.