Bleached: Ep. 26

Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own Bleach. Airi and Zezuri are ours.

Note: Hey, since I'm working on this right now, have another chapter! -Airi

A few days later, Zezuri woke up to find the weather to be quite pleasant. It looks like summer outside, she thought, it's been a long while since I've looked at a calendar, I wonder what today is?

Zezuri went down stairs and saw Renji and Byakuya discussing some light topics. "Um… I don't mean to be rude, but what day is it?" she asked.

"Err…" Renji thought about it.

"June 20," Byakuya quickly responded.

Zezuri paused to think a moment.

"Wh—" Renji was suddenly interrupted.

"It's my birthday!" Zezuri burst forth with excitement.

This was the first time either of the shinigami had seen her so enthused about something.

"How old does that make you?" asked Renji, recovering from shock.

"18."

Should I be doing something for her? Wondered Renji, he looked to his captain as if for support.

Byakuya however, was occupied with the stack of paperwork on his desk.

Renji looked back at the girl to see her silently crying. "Wait… why are you crying?" Renji asked.

"I-I've been away from home for longer than I thought. I-I'd be out of school for the summer."

"Renji," Byakuya spoke.

"Yes, taicho?"

"You have my permission to take the day off and to take Zezuri somewhere nice."

Renji's jaw dropped. "Thank you taicho!" he gave a formal bow and escorted Zezuri from the office.

--

Airi was getting really irritated; she'd been in the same room for four days now. Looking back, she almost preferred her room in Las Noches to this place. Isane, Hanataro, and Unohana paid her the occasional visit, mainly to check on the condition of her shoulder, which was healing much faster than Airi thought possible. It has something to do with being an arrancar, Airi thought. Arrancar. Hollow. Airi was aware she was losing herself bit by bit to another part of herself. It wasn't another consciousness that she was fighting for control; just odd instincts that she knew weren't hers… Zezuri had been in a few times to see her, but never got to stay long. Airi hadn't heard any news of Grimmjow since she'd been brought here. He must still be hanging in there, she thought, I know I would have heard if something happened. Also, as Airi had predicted, nothing suggested a rescue attempt was going to happen for her, Grimmjow, or Zezuri. It angered her that the lowly shinigami who had done so much to her would just abandon her and even the sixth strongest espada.

"Airi?" came a voice from the doorway; it was Zezuri, followed by Renji.

"Zezuri, good morning." Airi faked a smile.

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"Today's my birthday!"

A look of surprise crossed the blonde's face. "Happy Birthday!" she told her friend, "Uh… that would make today the…" Airi's voice trailed off as she attempted to consult her mental calendar.

"It's the 20th of June." Renji informed her.

"Right," Airi said a little depressed that she had forgotten her friend's birthday.

Zezuri looked at Airi silently. "Airi… you'll be okay, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm always okay, aren't I?" Airi faked another smile.

Zezuri began tearing up again; she knew her friend was lying.

"Don't worry about it, it's your birthday, you should have to cry," Airi consoled her friend. Zezuri rusher over and embraced Airi before Renji could stop her.

"We should be going…" Renji said and led Zezuri out.

--

Zezuri stood just outside the building, remembering the one other person she would like to spend her birthday with.

Suddenly, Momo rushed over dragging Toshiro with her. "I came as soon as I could, you weren't at 6th division and Captain Kuchki said it was Zezuri's birthday… so Toshiro and I got you a little something!" Momo said while catching her breath as she handed a box to Zezuri.

"Y-you didn't have too…"

"Just open it…" Toshiro ordered.

Zezuri opened the box without further hesitation. In the long, small, blue box was a silver butterfly clip. "W-why…" Zezuri was stunned at how thoughtful her shinigami friends were.

"Well, we got Matsumoto to pitch in a little too, so think of it as a present from all of us!" Hinarmori smiled.

Zezuri took the clip out of the box and changed the one in her hair. She put the green clip in the pocket of her sleeve of her kimono.

The group of five was exiting fourth division when Retsu Unohana emerged from a room along the corridor. "Did I hear it was someone's birthday today?" she asked looking at Zezuri.

The brunette girl nodded, "It's my 18th birthday."

"I see," replied Unohana with a smile, "Come by again later, we'll have a party here."

"Y-you don't have to do that!" stuttered Zezuri, shocked.

Retsu smiled, "Don't worry about it, birthdays only come once a year, so why not have a party?"

"T-thank you!" Zezuri was taken aback by the captain's display of kindness. Zezuri looked at the floor again; being around this captain also reminded her of her want to be with Grimmjow.

Noticing her downcast gaze, the captain spoke again. "You can come with me today on my trip to the cell," Unohana had been tending to Grimmjow's wounds on a daily basis, she did' think this was all that good of an idea, but nothing else would make Zezuri as happy. "I was just about to go, so if the four of you want to wait here for us, feel free to help out Hanataro and Isane with preparations."

The four shinigami caught the hint in Retsu's suggestion.

Hitsugaya muttered something about paper work, but Momo was already dragging him off to help.

Renji followed them, at a complete loss for what else to do.

--

Zezuri and Unohana were let into the second division's cell without much protest from Soi-Fon.

Grimmjow was once again slumped against the bars with his back to any who entered.

"Grimmjow, I've brought you a visitor," Unohana said opening the door to his cell. Grimmjow remained unresponsive.

"Grimmjow?" asked Zezuri, she entered his cell slowly.

He looked up and she flung herself at him in an embrace.

Grimmjow winced in pain as Zezuri hit some sore spots.

"Opps… sorry…" she muttered blushing. Zezuri stood up, stepped back and cast a healing spell. "T-today's my birthday…" she started, unsure if arrancars had birthdays.

"Happy birthday," Grimmjow managed a crooked smile, something about the human's presence made it possible for him to do so.

"L-look what I got!" she pointed at the silver butterfly clip in her hair.

"It, it looks nice on you," the blue haired espada felt strange giving a complement. He could count on one hand how many times he'd ever done so.

"Zezuri, I'm sorry, we need to leave now," Unohana had sense Mayuri's presence on the move.

"Shinigami," stated Grimmjow.

Unohana winced at his rudeness, "Yes, Grimmjow?"

"Make sure she has a good day. I won't forgive you if she's not happy."

Unohana smiled at the espada who looked away in self-disgust.

"Don't worry, I guarantee she'll have a good day," with that, she and Zezuri exited the prisons.

Grimmjow looked at the floor. "Tch, I've gone soft," he muttered, "What's this?" Something green was on the floor next to him. Picking it up, he realized it was Zezuri's old hair clip, the green one she'd always worn, until today. After fidgeting with the odd plastic object, he placed it in his pocket.

Thanks for reading! Comment or review please!