A/N: Thank you to LoveIsThePainInside, marshmellowtime, vampire13princess, and Jazzcat1231, Hell'sAngel'sQueen, redsnow4, Girl With The Wolves, and xXxbreezyannxXx. You guys rock~!

So, I feel like an apology should just be regular thing now in my author notes.

I'M SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG.

Shit happens, okay?

Alright, so my bestie MaxRide14 wrote a new story called "The End Of The Soul Society" and you should all go check it out~! Max, Meridian, and Zane are the main characters, but that story line has absolutely nothing to do with this one.

AND DON'T YELL AT HER FOR USING THOSE CHARACTERS BECAUSE I GAVE HER PERMISSION TO USE THOSE CHARACTERS ALL SHE WANTS. SO NI~!

The story is amazing and I really think y'all should go read it!

But, since you're here anyway, read this and enjoy~!

Toshiro stared at me with a mild WTF look.

I laughed and grabbed his arm, dragging him out on the dance floor. "Come on! Don't tell me you don't know how?"

I knew how to dance formally. Thank you gym class!

"Of course I know how!" He snapped. "It was just such a random question, I wasn't expecting it."

"Always expect the unexpected." I said with a smile.

"But doesn't that make the unexpected, expected?" He countered.

"Of course not! The unexpected will always remain the unexpected until you expect it, in which case it becomes the expected unexpected. But it's still unexpected. Now you're just expecting it." I replied like it was the most obvious answer ever.

Toshiro just stared. "Ya know, I haven't been this confused since Rangiku tried to explain to me why Momo suddenly gets very pissy and moody once a month."

I stared at him, not quite sure how to react to that. Didn't he know...?

We assumed the position (no, not THAT position, you sickos. The dancing position) while I tried to figure out how to phrase my question right.

"You do understand what a girl's period is, right?" I asked hesitantly as we started dancing.

I honestly don't think I should have asked.

I thought I saw his face turn a little red underneath his mask as he looked away from me. "...Not entirely, no." he mumbled.

Wow. This just got really awkward, really fast.

My mouth flopped open. "B-b-b-but...how! ?" I stammered. "You're an effing Captain, no one bothered to explain this to you! ? NO ONE! ?"

His face turned even redder and he refused to look me in the eye, instead staring at his feet. "Everyone assumed I already knew." he said. "But I don't. When Rangiku heard this, she freaked out and started trying to explain. But she did a horrible job, and I was just even more confused."

I stared at him, mouth open, eyes wide, face red. I had no problem explaining this to Zane, but to Toshiro? He wasn't my little brother, this would just be awkward!

I finally regained my composure and took a deep breath. "Toshiro, you do know that this is something you will eventually need to know, right? Which means either I can explain it now, or Captain Kyoraku can explain it just as well, among other 'things', when you get back to the Black Void."

Toshiro looked as uncomfortable as I felt. Damn you, universe! Damn you!

"I'd rather you do it, as that would be less painful." he muttered.

"Don't say it like that!" I hissed as 'that's what she said' popped into my head.

"Why?" he asked, confused.

"Because that was a perfect 'that's what she said' moment, and that's so not helping the situation!" I explained.

"That's what she said? I don't get it."

"FUCK."

Max ran through the glass double doors leading to the garden. She took a deep breath to calm herself, still red from laughing so hard.

It was such a shock to hear BYAKUYA KUCHIKI giggle.

Like the Damn-I-Think-Hell-Just-Froze-Over kind of shock.

Max stopped in the middle of the garden, searching for him. It was a beautiful summer night; there was a gentle breeze blowing, a full moon, and no clouds to block out the stars. She wasn't alone in the garden, either. There were plenty of people out enjoying a romantic night under the stars, surrounded by the beautiful flowers.

She started walking, following the path through said flowers. She passed several couples, usually going in the opposite direction, but no sign of Byakuya.

The path was twisted, and it branched out in several places. Max always took the path with the less amount of people on it; she was looking for Byakuya, and she doubted he would be in a place with lots of people right now.

"Jeez, how big is this garden?" she mumbled. "It's like a freaking jungle."

Eventually, she found him. The path opened up into a clearing with a small pond, the still water reflecting the moon. Byakuya sat on the path beside, on a random ass bench, staring up at the moon.

"Byakuya!" Max said with a smile. "Finally! I thought I'd never find you."

He tore his eyes away from the moon to shoot her an icy glare.

Which she ignored. Completely.

She skipped over to sit next to him, and he abruptly stood up, ready to leave. Max pouted. "Aw, come on, was it really that big of a deal? I poked you and you giggled, so what?"

Byakuya sent her another glare.

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, look. Since I apparently offended you that much, I'm sorry. I'll even let you do something to me as payback, alright?"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them. Why the hell did she say that? Byakuya could Senbonzakura her ass! OR WORSE.

Byakuya's gaze went back to the moon. "I accept your apology." he said.

"Good." Max nodded, hiding the fact that she was damn terrified of his stupid Zanpakuto.

He looked back at her, and Max noticed that this time, he didn't glare. He started to leave, and as he passed her he stopped.

And the next thing he did made Max's heart stop beating and her breath catch in her throat, sending shivers down her spine.

He leaned down and kissed her.

It was very quick, but gentle, and she didn't even have time to respond to it before he was done.

Her face heated up, turning a bright scarlet. "Y-you, I, but...h-huh?" was all she could stammer out.

Byakuya smirked a little. "Now we have both had embarrassing reactions to unexpected actions tonight."

And with that he walked away.

Max stared after him, her eyes wide and her heart pounding furiously.

She was so shocked she couldn't even form a complete thought in her head.

But, damn was she happy.

Toshiro held my back in a low dip, ending the song we were dancing to.

I stood back up and looked at Toshiro. His expression was pretty damn funny.

It was a cross of disgust, mental scarring, and that look you get when you learn something new and understand it. Like the Ah-I-Get-It-Now type of look.

For the last 5 dances, I had been explaining things to this poor boy that I never thought I would have to explain. And it was fucking awkward. To say the least.

"You understand now?" I said.

He quickly shook his head. "Yes! Please, don't say anything more on the subject. I'm begging you."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, trust me. I wouldn't have even if you tied me up and tortured me."

We both walked off the dance floor, having quite enough of that. We walked towards the refreshments.

I was fucking thirsty

I filled a cup with the punch and offered it to Toshiro, who took it with a quick "Thanks" before filling one up for me.

I downed the contents of my cup in 10 seconds flat, while Toshiro just took a small swig.

Which he immediately spat back out.

I raised an eyebrow. "What the hell, man?"

He sniffed the liquid in his cup, and his eyes widened a bit. "Meridian, this punch is spiked! There's alcohol in it!"

"That's what spiked means, Captain Obvious." I replied, ruffling his hair.

He smacked my hand away angrily. "Did you know this was spiked before you drank it?" he demanded.

I shrugged. "Nope." Then I refilled my cup and took another swig.

What? I was thirsty, dammit!

"Meridian!" He yelled.

"What?" I yelled back.

"Don't drink this, you're underage!" he yelled back.

"So is everyone at this party! Except you and Byakuya, and you don't look old enough so it doesn't count." I replied, drinking some more of the spiked punch.

Honestly, I knew I shouldn't drink it. I'd never liked drunks, but here I was, drinking at a party.

How hypocritical of me.

But I was already starting to feel what I assumed to be the affects of the alcohol. I had never been drunk before in my life, so this was a completely new experience for me.

Hell, I'd never even held any alcohol.

"Eh, just loosed up a bit!" I said with a giggle.

Toshiro sent me a glare, and I laughed some more. "Okay, okay, I'm putting the punch down. See?" I said as I set the cup down on the table and took a big step away.

I'd already had about 3 cups during out conversation, so I was a little buzzed at the moment.

"Oh!" I yelled suddenly. "I should find Max! I wonder how she's doing?"

"I saw her walk out into the garden as we were dancing." Toshiro said.

"Come on then! Let's go find her!" I yelled, grabbing Toshiro and dragging him along with me as I ran out to the garden.

"Why do need me?" he yelled.

I laughed. "I don't! I just figured you would get pissed if I forced you along, which is why I am!"

Toshiro's temple throbbed, and I laughed.

Max walked slowly along the path back towards the party. She was still in complete shock.

This shock was worse than when he giggled.

He effing kissed her!

Not that she was complaining or anything, but damn it was unexpected!

As she turned another corner, she heard familiar voices right before Meridian appeared and tackled her with a glomp.

"Hi Max-chaan~!" she said with a giggle.

Max noticed Meridian's face was a little red, and she continued to giggle.

She looked to see Toshiro standing there as well, looking annoyed as hell.

Max raised an eyebrow. "How much sugar did you let her have?"

Toshiro's temple throbbed. "I didn't! She drank the punch!"

"And...?"

"The punch is spiked."

"As in with alcohol?"

"No, with unicorns and glitter. Yes with alcohol!" Toshiro snapped.

Max giggled. "How much did she have?"

Toshiro sighed. "About 3 cups. But she's not completely wasted, just buzzed."

Meridian nodded enthusiastically. "Yup! But I'm sober enough to know that I'm buzzed and that I should most definitely not drive!"

Then she turned to the imaginary audience and yelled, "DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE. EVAH! EVEN IF YOU'RE JUST BUZZED!"

Max sweat dropped. "Way to break the fourth wall," she muttered.

Meridian smiled widely and laughed. "Don't worry, I have a feeling it's not the first time it's happened in this story!"

"You think Zane broke it too?" Max asked.

But Meridian shook her head, her hair flying around. "Noooo~! But someone in the Black Void did, I just know it!"

"How?"

"BECAUSE I'M FUCKING PSYCHIC."

Cue another sweat drop. "No, you aren't."

"I AM NOW, DAMMIT."

A/N: I would just like to say that, for the record, I never have and never will consume any alcohol. Especially not enough to get drunk or even buzzed. I wrote that part purely for comic purposes, so DON'T DRINK. IT'S BAD.

Haha, and that scene at the beginning with Meridian and Toshiro? Ha, so I did not plan for it to be that awkward. I just sat down and starting typing, and that's what came out. Which makes me worry about my mental well-being, but then again I did that before too, so...*shrug*

MaxRide14: You. Are. So. Welcome. I did that just for you. You may now bow down to my epic awesomeness ^.^

PLEASE REVIEW~! I'LL GET THE NEXT CHAPTER UP FASTER IF I HAVE MORE REVIEWS!

...MAYBE! (stupid fucking procrastination issues...)