Psychic Chick
Part Two: The Rising Threat
Chapter Fifty Three: Officer Club
Main POV
The short, stubby little 4th seat of Squad 10 was coming towards me as I stood in the hall talking to a few other seated officers. We'd been discussing the current renovations on the officer's barracks. Almost everything had been completed and it was just the final touches left to be done. Everyone seemed to be pretty happy with the work and it wouldn't be long before we were all able to get back in our rooms full time. Soon the temporary quarters would be open for the non seated officers to move in to and we'd start work on their barracks. Not that the Captain would be particularly happy about spending more of the budget, but once he saw the figures I'd done, he'd be less mad.
"Kawamaru Kadeki," I smiled as I greeted the much less salty officer. "How are you?"
"Well thank you, Kurodo-san," he returned. "The officers and I, we're all going out to celebrate the finishing of the project, bar hopping in the Rukon district. It seems only right, since you started all this, that you come along as well. Please join us, it would be an honour."
"Bar hopping?" I raised a brow. I thought back to the alcohol poisoning I got when I'd hung out with Lieutenants Hisagi, Kira and Matsumoto-Kuchiki, I shuddered.
"What?"
"Thanks Kadeki but there's no way," I told him. "Last time I drank I got horrible alcohol poisoning, I was drinking with Lieutenant Matsumoto-Kuchiki and I drank too much, I'm not much of a drinker, I'd never done it before and things didn't go too well. I respectfully decline."
"No don't, believe me, I understand. The first rule of Officer Club is don't go drinking with the Lieutenant. Come out with us, we'll keep you safe, make sure nothing happens to you, it won't be like what happened with the Lieutenant, trust me. We've all made that mistake once, she's not invited on purpose, come with us," he replied.
"I don't want you to think I dislike the Lieutenant in anyway, I just don't feel comfortable drinking," I explained.
"That's alright, you don't have to have a drink if you don't want to, we're still going out, you should come with us and just dance or party," he said. "There's no pressure on you to drink if you don't want to, we just want to hang. So long as you don't mind us drinking."
"No, I don't mind, Renji and all his friends drink in front of me, I don't fear alcohol, I just don't want to," I explained.
"Well it's settled then," he smiled. "This weekend, we'll all leave from here."
"Hey," I climbed onto Renji's lap, swinging a leg over his thighs. "Guess what?"
"I already know," he sighed. "The work is almost done on the dorms so you're moving back in."
"Not what I was going to say, but yes," I agreed. "And I only come here to shower anyway so I have no idea why you're upset."
"I was just super close on winning you over," he replied.
"Oh really?" I raised an amused eyebrow. I rested my hands on his shoulders and stared into his eyes, smirking.
"Yeah," he agreed. "No, what were you going to tell me?"
"Remember all those months ago how the 4th seat of my squad hated me?" I asked.
"Yeah," Renji replied, holding my hips.
"Well, ever since I started that maintenance project he's been super nice to me," I explained. "And now the whole team of officers wants to go out bar hopping this weekend and asked me to come."
"Bar hopping? You don't even drink, are you sure you want to go after what happened last time?" He asked.
"Well that's the beauty of it," I beamed. "I raised these concerns when I was invited. I've been assured I don't have to drink if I don't want to, they invited me because they wanted to hang out."
"You're really excited about this, aren't you?" He asked.
"Yeah!" I laughed. "This is the first time I've been invited to something like this, and it proves the squad really likes me, I've been hoping all this time I was doing a good job but up until now I didn't know. But they're all super happy, they're bringing me along to thank me."
"If you wanna go, you should go," Renji told me.
"You don't sound that thrilled," I frowned.
"It's just, after last time, you know I worry about you," he said.
"I was 17 then," I rolled my eyes. "And also Kadeki said the first rule of Officer Club is you don't go drinking with Rangiku, apparently the whole squad has had a bad experience like that. Anyway, I didn't come here to ask your permission. You don't need to worry, I can take care of myself. In fact if you're that worried, perhaps you should come with me this time instead of leaving me alone with a bunch of drunks."
"Tina I.." Renji started as I pulled myself off his lap.
"Forget it," I told him. I headed for the door to his apartment. "I'm late for work anyway."
I was staring at the pile of paperwork in front of me as I perched on the floor by the couch and rested my chin on my palm. I wasn't really reading any of this or giving it my full attention. I sighed and rubbed my face with my hand.
"Alright, what's with you? You've been acting weird all morning," Hitsugaya demanded, putting down his pen. "What, did things not go well with Byakuya when you went to speak to him?"
"I never actually got around to talking to him, I'm actually bothered by something different," I explained.
"Oh?" He raised a brow. "Nothing is ever dull with you. What's it this time?"
"Don't tell Rangiku," I started, getting up off the floor to sit on the side of his desk.
"This must be serious if you're keeping her out of it," he commented.
"The rest of the officers in the squad invited me out for drinks in celebration of the dorms being done, this weekend. They're going bar hopping in the Rukon district and asked if I'd come as a thank you," I explained. "I rejected them at first, for fear of what happened last time happening again but they explained they hadn't invited Rangiku because they've also all had a similar experience with her. Kadeki said the first rule of Officer Club is don't drink with the Lieutenant."
"So you're conflicted about going because you don't want to drink or you don't want to hide it from Rangiku?" He asked.
"Neither," I replied. "When they told me I didn't have to drink if I didn't want to I was excited, I've never been invited to something like this. I mean, I barely had any friends at all in the world of the living, you know what kind of a social leper I was back then, it was just exciting being invited to anything at all. They like me Captain, they treat my like I'm a friend. I didn't even have that here in the academy."
"So what's the problem?" He asked me, giving me his concerned white eyebrows.
"Well, I went over to Renji's this morning to tell him about it, I was super excited," I explained. "But when I mentioned it, he got all funny about it. He didn't want me to go because he was worried I wouldn't be able to control myself and didn't want me going out and drinking. I told him if he was that worried he should actually be there this time instead of leaving me all by myself. I'm concerned that I might have been a bit harsh, but I'm also concerned that he's.. I don't know, what I do isn't really his decision. I wasn't asking for his permission."
"I think you did the right thing, Kiseki," Hitsugaya said. "Maybe not getting as upset as you did, but, you're right, he's your boyfriend not your father. You don't need his permission to go out with your friends. Although, you may need your Captain's permission if you're taking half the squad out to bars in the Rukon district."
"You think that's why they invited me, so I'd get the permission from you and they could go party?" I asked. "You think that's the reason they want me to come? You think they even want me?"
"Woah." He put his hands up. "Stop second guessing yourself, Kadeki likes you, I've seen it, he used to be 4th seat when I was in your position and he hated me. I was surprised you actually managed a smile out of him. If he's inviting you it's because he actually likes you, he doesn't make friends of his enemies. He's very black and white that way."
"So they do want me to come?" I asked.
"They do," he confirmed. "And if you're worried about drinking for the first time since the incident.." he looked like he was in pain for a moment. "I'll come with you."
"Hitsugaya, you don't have to do that for me, I-I can handle it," I stuttered out. "Especially because you like it physically hurt to make that offer." He chuckled.
"No, I don't mind," he told me. "I might not enjoy nights out like those, or I haven't in the past, you're my friend, friends do things like that. And, maybe this time I'll have a good time too."
"If you're sure," I beamed at him. "It'll be lots of fun, you'll see."
Main POV
"You think I overstepped the line?" I asked Ikkaku as I sat beside him on the deck.
"Absolutely not man," Ikkaku told me. "If what you said happened last time, you've got no reason to trust she knows what she's doing when it comes to alcohol."
"I mean, she was under the influence of Rangiku, so she can't be blamed for all of that," Yumichikia reasoned.
"Yeah but still, Yumi, she has no idea of her limits, I mean that was her first experience with alcohol," Ikkaku argued.
"And it taught her a valuable lesson," he replied. "She has to figure out her limits on her own. She shouldn't need to bring her father out drinking with her. Remember just because you're older Renji, you're not her keeper, her guardian. You love her but she's got to have her own life experiences."
"I suppose you're right," I agreed, Yumichika was making sense. "Maybe I was a little harsh. Plus, it's been a long time since then, she's older now."
"It wasn't that long ago she was getting into fights at the academy," Ikkaku sighed. "Or even when she was fighting hollows with her fists in the human world."
"And getting cornered in the stairwell," I shuddered. "Damn it, I can't be apart from her for a second without worrying something is going to happen. I don't want her going tonight, I wish there was some way I could stop it."
"Renji," Yumichika said firmly. "She has a bankai, the strength of a Captain. She's also going out with 16 other officers from her squad. There's nothing you can do there, that none of them can do. She can protect herself. She's not the little girl you once knew. And even then, she had promise and skill. You can worry, but you can't keep her locked away from the world. She has to live her life."
"You're right," I sighed. I was growing a little too attached. Maybe it was good she was moving back into the dorms. I love her, I was going to marry her one day, I just didn't want to be to obsessed with her. I just got so used to being the strong one.
"Alright, everyone's here, let's head out," Kadeki said as I walked out of my dorm room and over to the group.
"Not quite," I told them. "I hope you don't mind, I invited someone else as well. They'll be here soon."
"Oh, did you invite your boyfriend?" Kadeki asked. "We don't mind, we like Lieutenant Abari, he's an alright guy."
"No actually I invited the Captain," I replied.
"You what?" Kōkichirō Takezoe, 7th seat of our squad scoffed.
"You invited the Captain?" The 10th seat asked in shock.
"I think the real issue here is that you expect him to come," Kadeki commented and I laughed.
"He actually seemed pretty excited about it, but don't worry, I made sure Lieutenant Matsumoto-Kuchiki is preoccupied tonight with her husband. They're going on a date miles away in the East Rukon district and will be away for several days," I explained.
"So that's why Captain Kuchiki submitted a request for Rangiku's leave so hastily," Hitsugaya said from behind me. I turned to smile at him. "He normally does these things months in advance. I should have known you had something to do with it."
"C-captain.." Kadeki stuttered.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Hitsugaya asked.
I glanced down at his clothes. He, like everyone else here, had opted for civilian clothes. I couldn't help but admire the grey slacks and the light blue button down on him, it made him look more grown up and less like a teenager. He seemed to have grown a little, since I'd met him too. He'd rolled up the sleeves of the shirt too, giving himself a casual look instead of the stuffy, rule abiding Captain that he was.
"Hai," everyone agreed. The Captain and I walked a few paces behind the large group, getting a bit of freedom to talk.
"You look nice," he commented. I looked down at my outfit. I was wearing the wedge heeled Nikes I'd bought with Rangiku a couple of years ago with Rangiku in Springdale. I had ripped, black sheer stockings on and some distressed denim shorties on with studded black leather jacket on. Red bra present but no top on, and the zipper to my jacket half done up.
"Thanks," I grinned. "You clean up nice yourself."
"Implying I'm not normally clean," he scoffed and I giggled.
"Oh yeah, Captain Hitsugaya is always covered in muck. Outside fighting all the time, uniform in disarray," I joked.
"This is what the Squad's really going out for, isn't it? It's an intervention," he replied.
"Don't be upset with us Captain, we love you, we want what's best for you," I laughed.
"You've betrayed me," he laughed as well. It was nice hearing him actually laugh instead of a light chuckle. Maybe he did need a night out. It was nice to be going out, with a friend instead of my boyfriend and his crew or my stepmom. Don't get me wrong, I loved them, but I wanted some outside interests, some friends rather than family.
