If you are pressing for time, I suggest you just skip to the last bit where it gets exciting (;
Namiko was flustered.
Kazumi, the soon to be Lady Kuchiki had asked to have dinner with her, Renji and Byakuya. Apparently, it was her way of 'practicing' the duties of the Lady of the house - she had to learn how to throw parties or events to entertain guests. Technically, Namiko wasn't a guest as she wasn't staying at the Kuchiki household, but Kazumi deliberately or not, saw staying at the Sixth Division to be the same. Out of courtesy, Kazumi had arranged a dinner 'session' for Namiko and Renji to attend. Renji was obviously asked to tag along so that the male-male ratio would be the same. Secretly, it was because the Kuchiki family wanted to match make Renji and Namiko to put the Kishins at ease.
However, Renji and Namiko did not share the same sentiments. They did not agree whatsoever to the matchmaking but had agreed to go as friends. Renji knew better than to piss the Kuchikis off by not attending but he had made it clear with Namiko that they were on no uncertain terms going on a 'date'. Obviously, it was not in Renji's interest as well to tick off the current Kuchiki head by going on a date with his childhood sweetheart.
Right now, Namiko was pacing about her/Renji's room, wondering what on earth she was supposed to wear. She wished that Momo or some sort of female help was here to get her through the process of dressing up for the dinner appointment. According to the Kuchiki's Edition of the Book on Nobility, anyone gracing a mealtime event was to dress appropriately (and in Kuchiki terms, formally) for the meal. She had gone for meals at the Kuchiki Manor long before Kazumi ever did when Byakuya's father was still alive but right now she was supposed to go over to the Kuchiki house for a formal meal, a meal to welcome her, a meal to remind her that she was a stranger.
Just as Namiko was about to decide between making a trip down to the world of the living to do some shopping or robbing Momo's closet, she heard a knock on the door.
It turned out that Rukia had heard from Renji about Namiko's mental block about fashion and clothes. On any other day, Rukia would have presented her Limited Edition Chappy Kimono for Namiko to wear out of humor. However, today didn't seem like the day to tease or make fun of the Fifth Division Captain. Namiko was thinking so hard that Rukia wondered how long Namiko took to decide between leaving her hair long or cutting it short. Luckily for Namiko, Rukia was now able to engage in using the servants of the Kuchiki family and she had arranged for a seamstress to design a dress for Namiko to wear. Rukia remembered that Namiko had told her about her dislike towards kimonos when she was still the Lieutenant of the Thirteenth Division. Rukia had remembered and Namiko would be glad she did.
"So the dress should be done by this evening. I'm not sure how they did it but the Kuchiki seamstresses had a way to get your measurements so don't worry about the size. Enjoy your evening although I do think there is little to be happy about." Rukia smiled as she left the room to deliver the information.
Namiko sighed. She knew there was nothing worth celebrating in this time of war. Unfortunately, the Kuchiki's custom seemed to hold little regard for the state that Seireitei was in. Now that she knew that Koharu was after her, Namiko couldn't sit still. She had been overcautious everywhere she went. She made sure to look back whenever she turned a corner to make sure that no one was following her. Her movements was restricted of course. Namiko was confined to the Sixth Division barracks but somehow Namiko knew that confining her to an area wasn't going to stop Koharu from finding her. He would be able to get to her somehow. She might even be kidnapped before anyone realised it. Despite that being an unappealing idea, Namiko felt that she might actually be better off being in Koharu's hideout than suffer in a place where Byakuya was engaged to someone else.
While staying at the Sixth Division, she had found Byakuya to be less tolerable than usual. He hadn't done anything that was out of the ordinary and she wasn't so sure why she was so damn irritated at him. When she used to pop in and sleep in the Kuchiki manor long ago, she hadn't been this annoyed at Byakuya. Namiko couldn't put her finger to it but she wondered if it was because of what Koharu did to her mind when they were trapped in the cave.
Namiko had let Unohana run some tests on her but the Healing Lady had found that the device in her head wasn't affecting any biological processes in her body. Even though there seemed to be nothing wrong with her, Namiko could tell that something extremely important in her head was forgotten. It was as though her memories of something or someone were altered or erased. Hopefully it was not as important as Namiko acutely felt it to be. Maybe she should have gone to Kurotsuchi.
Then you may not even be able to return back alive or mentally well.
Namiko silently agreed and then headed off to the Sixth Division Office to complete her paperwork before the 'dinner party'.
"Tell me why I have to stand outside MY room to wait for you to get changed again?"
"That's because I'm your guest and it's your responsibility to keep your guests comfortable and let them feel good about themselves." Namiko replied comically to Renji's 100th complaint. She was taking a long time to get dressed for the dinner appointment. The dress that Rukia had prepared for her to wear to the dinner turned out to be one which teased the people around her. It was a thinly strapped figure hugging one which proved to be something Namiko detested to wear with all her might. She didn't have large breasts like the 10th Division Lieutenant or her Zanpaktou so if she wore that dress it would seem rather pointless. Furthermore, it was a sleeveless one which showed off her flabby arms that were always well hidden under the robes of her Shinigami uniform.
It wasn't that Namiko was chubby or obese. And it wasn't that she was tall and slender either.
She was a short captain with slightly more fleshy due to her love for food. She wasn't fat till the point where she would look like a rolling ball in a dress but rather she would look better in dresses with longer sleeves. As such, the dress that Rukia had prepared was the kind which Namiko had sworn to never wear ever since she got laughed at during her graduation ceremony at the Soul Reaper Academy.
Namiko paced up and down the room trying to think of a solution. She didn't want to keep Renji as well as Byakuya and Kazumi waiting. As soon as she was about to leave the room, she saw the rubber tight black gloves and boots that she had taken off together with her Shinigami uniform lying on the floor and that gave her an idea.
"Damn it, are you done yet? Just because you aren't scared of the captain doesn't mean that the rest of us doesn't need to do our best to get off the Captain's blacklist. I swear women are such a-"
"Such a what?" Namiko asked as she opened the door.
The word 'pain' was dancing on Renji's lips. But when he saw his room mate exit the room he was unable to say anything else. He was stunned speechless. Renji almost blushed before he reminded himself that his death would be painful if he continued his train of thought. He didn't want to die early and so he said, "Never mind. You look great. Let's go show the Captain why he shouldn't be marrying that annoying woman."
Namiko smiled, she wasn't sure if Renji's reaction was what she was aiming for but it was way better than all the mocking she got in the Academy. She had slipped on the rubber tight gloves which went all the way up to half of her back arm. Her exposed shoulders were covered with a translucent white shift which she tore from her uniform and tied in a knot, resting right on Namiko's chest. The dress which ended slightly above her knees was matched with the rubber tight boots that she wore with her standard Shinigami uniform and Captain's Haori. She wasn't sure why she dressed so stylishly, it wasn't as if she cared very much about her appearances, but just for that night, she didn't want to lose to another woman, especially Kazumi.
"Let's go," she said, "we won't want to keep Byakuya waiting."
Renji very much wanted to rebut that she was the one who took up most of the time dressing up but he knew better than to provoke the woman in front of him. He silently prayed that Byakuya would not kill him for showing up with Namiko all dolled up for the dinner. Renji also hoped that Byakuya would not assume that both he and Namiko had planned to attend the dinner as though they were on a date. If he incurred the wrath of Byakuya Kuchiki, it would be a complete game over for him as a lieutenant.
Byakuya Kuchiki sat at the dining table, eyes closed as he patiently waited for his guests.
They were late.
Even if he felt that the dinner arrangement was meaningless and a complete waste of time, he had showed up. Not because of his duties though. He had agreed to wear fancy clothes for this dinner appointment but it wasn't because he was the Head or anything. He had remembered that it had been a long time since he ate with Namiko. Byakuya could hardly recall the last time they ever sat down to eat a meal together. It was probably when Hisana was still around. Namiko had fled to Hueco Mundo after that and she hadn't eaten at the manor even after she didn't-quite-confess to him at the hospital.
Knowing his childhood friend, Byakuya was expecting her to come in her Shinigami uniform and nothing more since she never ever had any interest in dressing up or in fashion for that matter.
The door slid open and behind the door stood a big surprise for the Kuchiki head.
Behind Renji stood a girl who was not Namiko wearing her shinigami uniform but donning a tight black dress instead. Even with his fiance wearing a splendidly woven kimono with elaborate embroidery, Byakuya found his breath taken away by his childhood friend standing by the door. The moment he thought that she was beautiful was when he knew he lost it. He had lost the war within his heart to deny his slowly developing feelings for the only girl he had known for the longest time. He could even hear Senbonzakura snort.
Unfortunately for Byakuya, Kazumi did not miss that two seconds he let his control slip and his emotions to flow to his face before regaining his usual serene look. She smiled inwardly to herself, her family's plan in soiling the Kuchiki reputation was going to be a success. They just needed the final war to begin and it will be all over.
"Come inside, dinner will be served shortly." Kazumi flashed her welcoming smile as Renji and Namiko got into the room. The table had been set up in a way that Renji was facing Namiko while Byakuya was facing Kazumi during the meal. Looking at the situation she was in, Namiko wondered why she even agreed to come for the dinner anyway.
"You look gorgeous tonight, Captain Namiko. The lieutenant must be really fortunate to have a date as beautiful as you are." Kazumi praised her, exercising the glib tongue that all Nobles were supposed to have.
At that statement, both Renji and Namiko laughed a little. They laughed at how absurd it sounded. Both of them knew that they weren't on a date whatsoever but it was fine if Kazumi thought that way. It would be easier to leave it as it was than to explain the ten million reasons why Renji and Namiko would ever get together. "Thank you for your compliment, I'm flattered. You look really pretty yourself." Namiko replied, even though she was unsure of what to say.
The servants started bringing the food into the dining hall and Namiko convinced herself that she just needed to stay in that ridiculous dress for an hour more or so and she could relax. Formal events never sat well with her. She looked over to Renji and both of them smirked, knowing they shared the same sentiments. Once the servants left the room, Kazumi welcomed them to dig in and said that they could chat as they ate.
She sprung Namiko with a long chain of her own 'practice' questions, asking her how her stay was so far and whether it was good enough. All throughout the dinner, Renji was rolling his eyeballs which made Namiko want to smack him because she wanted to do it too but she couldn't. Namiko couldn't help but suffocate at the how fake Kazumi was acting. It wasn't not long ago that Namiko was sure the Kishin Head hated her. Now she was simply behaving as though she didn't mind Namiko's presence, welcoming her with open arms into her fiance's division.
Finally the meal was consumed and the two friends were about to leave. Kazumi had other plans.
She got the Kuchiki servants to bring out some sake to end off the 'party' on a good note. Unfortunately or fortunately, Namiko didn't drink so she simply sat there watching the men sip the alcohol in. She wasn't surprised that Byakuya drank like Kazumi was. She had seen Byakuya hold his own with regards to alcohol at parties, especially at his engagement party with Hisana. Renji, on the other hand, had already turned red and wasn't talking much sense within 5 cups of sake.
Kazumi smirked and teased, "Well, I think you should get the Lieutenant back. He doesn't look very good. Besides, you can practice how to deal with him since this probably won't be the only time."
Namiko was too astounded by the foolishness of the idea of her and Renji being together to reply back. She grabbed one of Renji's arm and slung it over her shoulder while trying to balance their weights out. She whispered a soft 'goodbye and thank you' before heading for the door. Namiko was about to tip over with the drunk Renji's weight falling over her shoulders when she felt a force holding both her and Renji back.
"I'll lend you a hand. He is after all, my lieutenant and my responsibility since it was a party at my manor." Byakuya told her in his matter-of-fact voice while stabilizing his knocked out Lieutenant. Byakuya had every right to get his servants to help his Lieutenant back to the baracks but for some reasons, the Kuchiki head was suddenly very interested in what Renji's room was like. He never had any reason to go there but since Namiko was now living there, he wanted to make sure that the place was actually livable.
Namiko knew that she wouldn't make it halfway with Renji towering over her shoulder so she obliged reluctantly. As the trio left the room, Kazumi grinned inwardly. Her plan had worked out well. The Kuchiki house would be down and perhaps the house of Kishin might finally find their way into the Seireitei.
The walk back to Renji's room was a quiet one except for Renji's drunken speech about his victory over Ichigo in the world of the living. It was refreshing for the two captains to see someone running their mouth off with nonsense without a care in the world. Byakuya was slightly tipsy but he could hold his own like Namiko said and it was probably because Renji had forced his captain to "Drink Up! Drink Up!" in the midst of his own drunken state.
Namiko opened the door and Byakuya instantly scanned the room. Renji's room was one of the largest ones in the Division due to him being Lieutenant and all. The cabinet by the side of the room was threatening to spill out all the files and documents which contained all of Renji's mission details, reports and evaluations as he rose from a member to a seated officer in various squads and then finally a Lieutenant in the Sixth Division. A distance away sat a low table with surrounding cushion seats for either guests or for Renji himself to sit at. Considering it to be just a room, it was rather spacious. Not that Byakuya Kuchiki would know since he never lived in the Sixth Division himself when he was Lieutenant or otherwise.
Namiko took Renji from Byakuya and tossed him the best she could on the mattress at the other side of the room, much to the amusement of the Kuchiki head. "This is why I don't drink. Now, Renji Abarai, stop rolling around," she said as she tried to push Renji closer towards the side with a wall. "You're not supposed to cross into my side of the mattress, remember?" She yelled at him as she kicked him back a bit to his side.
"What is the meaning of this?" Byakuya icily asked.
"What? Oh! No, no. No, no, no, no. We don't share a mattress, that's absurd." Namiko replied, shocked at herself for saying something that anyone would have gotten the wrong idea of. "Renji has two mattresses," she smiled and continued as she laid the second (softer) mattress next to Renji's bulky one, "I use one and he uses half of his because I tend to roll about when I sleep and, well, more often than not I will end up on his side of the 'bed'." She chuckled as she threw a blanket over her Lieutenant friend. Somehow for some reason, she could feel the atmosphere turn cold.
Byakuya's eyes narrowed and whether it was the influence of alcohol or not, he inched closer to Namiko. Namiko panicked and in her anxiety, tripped over her own blanket, bringing Byakuya down on the mattress of doom she had laid out for herself.
HI Y'ALL!
Sorry for the lack of updates. I actually marked May 25th for my 25th Chapter but it seems the workload from school got the better of me. Thank you for all your concerns about school, I really appreciate them :)
Term break is here and I finished my first round of Mid-Semester Tests. Not sure I wanna know how I fared but oh well.
I'm sorry that I took so long to update, I promise I will get the next chapter out before my second term of school starts (I have two weeks of holidays!) Sadly, I will be away next week in Genting to get a break from school.
This chapter was rather fun to write, especially the last bit. I can't wait to write the chapter, don't worry we will get back to the plot about Koharu and Hiashi soon.
Oh yes, here's an idea that I've been playing with in my head recently: What would you guys think if Namiko died?
BREATHE.
It's just a thought, I just want to know your reactions if that happened. Thanks for reading!