Undertones
By: WhisperedSilvers
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These are the moments in time that we've been waiting our whole life to find
That we've been searching for all through the night
Just tell me it will be alright
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get caught in the moment with you
"The Tenth Division and the Sixth Division will be stationed in Karakura Town," Head-Captain Yamamoto announced, "With the exception of Rukia Kuchiki of the Thirteenth Division who will be taking her Lieutenant Exam all the while patrolling the town."
Captain Ukitake did not look surprised, he nodded thoughtfully to himself before asking, "And what shall we do about Kōga Kuchiki?"
Head-Captain Yamamoto fixed the sickly man a look – as one could look behind sagging eyelids and wrinkles – and rumbled, "We will have to leave that with Captain Kuchiki, who will be leading that investigation. We will have to wait until he attacks, I am not sending any more shinigami into Hueco Mundo."
A repeat of an Espada and Arrancar duel wasn't productive.
Ichigo shot Rukia a look.
Rukia wanted to stick her tongue out at the carrot-head, but she refrained her ire and narrowed her eyes with mock contempt. Hitsugaya caught the exchange and brushed her lower back with the back of his sleeve. Sode no Shirayuki giggled into her ear in response.
"Lieutenant Matsumoto will administer and proctor the exam in the presence of Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Abarai," Head-Captain Yamamoto announced, "Those two will evaluate her performance based on her assignment. Once the verdict has been reached, Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Abarai will write separate reports, send them to the capital and the proceedings will follow as routine."
"Lieutenant Matsumoto," The fire-user continued, "You will write up the exam by the end of this week, it will receive authorization and then the administration will start one week from approval. Dismissed."
Rukia used Flash Steps to get to the compound quicker, her brother in front of her and Ichigo and Renji hot on her heels. They were supposed to leave before sundown, the rotating shinigami had reported a zenpo near the school and most of the unseated officers have yet to release their shikai, some did not even their zanpakuto's name.
Hitsugaya didn't follow her she noticed – of course, he wouldn't follow her, he had his squad to give orders to, grab supplies, and address Captain stuff – she mentally berated herself for being so selfish, of course, he wouldn't follow her.
They had their own duties and responsibilities; it was just that she was so used to having him in her orbit.
That when he's not around, it felt almost empty.
Ichigo followed Renji into the supply unit and her Nii-sama had to inform to elders of their departure. Rukia didn't have much to pack, other than her zanpakuto and a few miscellaneous items that could fit into a small pocketbook. Nearly all of her human things were at Ichigo's house – well she hoped they were at Ichigo's house – she wasn't sure if he had kept her things in his closet since his hiatus.
She would meet the rest of her group at the gate, as soon as she left the complex – she could still feel her Nii-sama in the Great Hall – she saw Hitsugaya waiting for her on a tree branch near her sister's plum tree.
"Captain Hitsugaya?" Rukia blinked, his hair melted into the moon and aqua-colored orbs turned to take her in, "I thought we were meeting at the gate?"
"We are," Hitsugaya said easily enough, he used Flash Steps to reach her in record time, "But we need to talk."
Well, that didn't sound good.
She frowned at that, she didn't even think before accepting his arms as they walked to the fountain a good amount of distance from the gate. She took a seat on the edge of the marble and looked at him expectantly.
Hitsugaya and Rukia both thrived underneath the moonlight. The waning and waxing of crescents, the sharp bite of ozone, allowed their ice to drop to dangerous temperatures, and if they looked close enough—their breaths could be seen. The wind itself was more of a caress than a reprimand and it Rukia's hair fluttered teasingly under her jawline.
"I," Hitsugaya cleared his throat uncomfortably, "I was trying to figure out how to broach this topic with you. I don't have much experience in this type of area. I tried to make my intentions obvious, but it was later explained to me that you need more than just suggestions and body language to understand my actions," he continued dryly, "The SWA has been more than—"
"Intentions?" Rukia interrupted suddenly, her eyes widened, "What intentions? And the SWA? What do they have to do—"
"—I'm getting to that," he waved off with frustration. He inhaled deeply, patience was not his strongest trait, but he had to practice, "What I'm trying to say is—I see you as more than a friend."
She stared at him, "I know that."
Teal orbs widened and he stared at her with disbelief, "Y-You do?"
"Well yeah, I mean Captain Ukitake addresses you as my partner, even though I have more history with Ichigo—"
"No!" Hitsugaya exclaimed immediately, ran a hand through his hair and exhaled sharply, "That is not what—"
"You're rambling," she pointed out with confusion.
"Be blunt," Rangiku told him when they were back in the office, "Don't allow her to think too much or you won't get anywhere."
"Let me court you," he said suddenly, intensely, and purposefully. His eyes were ocean waves, they crashed into the deep edges of algae and swam in the current. Hitsugaya repeated, "Let me court you. This shinsei sainou made me realize how compatible we are. How alike we are. How good we could be together. How easy it is to be with you," his fingers caught the edges of her jaw and his eyes burned, "But then Kōga hurt you and tried to take you with him and I couldn't—can't," he ran his thumb down her bone and leaned closer, "I cannot imagine myself being without you."
Rukia could hardly breathe, for the ocean of his eyes had taken all the air in her lungs and drowned out all thought.
"Let me court you, Rukia—"
Perhaps it was the sound of his voice, the way he held her with strong capable hands, the teal of his iris, or maybe it was the way he spoke with the single-minded purpose of persuading her into accepting – is that what he was doing or was she anticipating? she didn't know – his suit.
Still, she knew her answer even before he asked.
Rukia leaned in and kissed him.
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You better freeze the moment, seize it, own it
Focus is on it, our time to go in
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A month in, Rukia came to the realization that there were very few things that she would willingly give up for a man. One of these things was Ichigo's closet. A part of her whined and scowled at the thought of giving up that closet. It was small and cute, comfortable and more importantly—comfy. It had all the things she wanted in a room. Yet, the more logical, practical and empathetic part of her understood that Captain Hitsugaya would not be comfortable with the idea of her staying with another man while they were courting.
After all, if he had to bunk with Momo she'd be pretty peeved.
She still had to talk to him about stuff, things, details—pesky, intimate things that made her want to squirm.
Momo is one of them.
Hitsugaya had a quad about ten minutes away from Ichigo's house. Matsumoto had a room, he had a room and she had a room. He had told her that people from his squad were allowed to use the quad as temporary housing if, and when they venture to the World of the Living.
Rukia had told that she wasn't part of his squad.
But then he leaned down, kissed her and said, "You are a part of me, therefore we are an us and so my things are yours."
And that was the end of that.
She was both irritatingly dazed and sulky after that kiss.
She would permanently lose her brain cells if he kept kissing her life that, sooner or later she'd end up like Ichigo or worse; Renji. Then she would really be in trouble.
They have unanimously – mostly Hitsugaya if she had to point fingers – decided to take this courtship—relationship slow.
Slow being the word that started Rukia's frustration and ended her confusion.
"So," Renji started off too casual to even be called casual, he dropped on the school bench beside her, "How's it going?"
"I'm drinking juice out of a box," Rukia raised a brow and asked sarcastically, "How do you think it's going?"
He scowled, "I was trying to be polite."
"No. You were beating around the bush," she sniffed and popped a cracker into her mouth, "So talk."
"You're not staying at Ichigo's place anymore," Renji stated.
"An astute observation, you know Renji, I was starting—"
"Where are you staying?" he interrupted her monologue, which no doubt, would end up in insult and abuse towards his person.
"With Rangiku," she answered immediately, it technically wasn't a lie. Rukia still hadn't discussed the parameters of her and Hitsugaya's relationship. She wasn't sure if he wanted to keep it a secret until her exam was over or if, he actually wanted to tell people. She was sure Nii-sama knew.
Byakuya had to stay a few extra days in the Soul Society to take care of some business, he had told her that when they met at the gate, that day. He told her to take care of herself and glanced at Hitsugaya discreetly.
The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced.
"Why aren't you staying with Ichigo," Renji asked confusedly, "You always stay with Ichigo."
"His sisters," Rukia started off slowly, "I, they should see me first. I don't want them to you know be confused or something."
It was a lame excuse, but a valid one.
She didn't know what Ichigo's sisters thought of her after he lost his powers, the fact that they could see her and he couldn't, made it that much harder. So she didn't visit, even though she wanted to.
"Uh-huh,"
"What?" a tick in her brow became more and more pronounced as the silence rang.
"Nothing," Renji shrugged innocently, "I just thought it was strange."
Rukia glared at him.
"Oi!" Ichigo's voice called out from the stairs, he made his way to them, Hitsugaya and Rangiku at his back, "There you are."
"I told you to work on your kido," she shook her head, "You could find us much easier if you just—"
"Yeah, yeah," he waved it off and dodged her sudden kick, "Are you coming over for dinner? Yuzu is cooking."
Rukia blinked at the question, a quiet heat burned the back of her neck at the sudden glance Renji threw her and she swallowed, "Uh—"
"Rukia said she didn't know if your sisters wanted to see her," Renji interjected for her, he thought she felt guilty, and she did! But it was the context of the question that caused her to feel so.
"Why would they not—they love you, Rukia!" Ichigo frowned.
"I just didn't visit, when I came," she said softly, "I didn't want to make things harder."
Rangiku exhaled gently.
"Well forget it," he huffed, "They asked to see you. Does that seem like—"
Ichigo's voice cut off when an unmanly yelp left his throat at her kick, that did, in fact, land on his shin. She smiled triumphantly, she decided to test her luck and glanced at Hitsugaya who looked at her with thinly veiled amusement. The snowy-haired captain took a seat next to her and grabbed one of her crackers sitting in her lap.
Renji's jaw dropped to the ground.
"When—"
Rangiku grabbed Renji's elbow and tugged, "Oh look Renji, there's a festival near the pool. Let's go!"
Matsumoto put her Flash Steps to good use.
Unfortunately, she was left to Ichigo's antics and Hitsugaya's scrutiny.
Ichigo just stared at the scene in front of him, but then, unexpectedly, he smirked, "So that's what was going on. No wonder you two were acting so weird."
Hitsugaya scoffed, "Weird?"
The carrot-head snorted and crossed his arms behind his head, "You're suited for each other, you know? Anyway, dinner is at seven, Toushiro, Rukia."
Ichigo left the rooftop with a limp, curtsey of Rukia.
"So, you were nervous about meeting Ichigo's sisters again?" Hitsugaya quirked that stupid brow of his and took a sip of her juice, then grimaced in distaste, "I hate grape."
Rukia snorted, "That was part of it, but I didn't know if we were telling people about…us."
"What does that have to do with—"
"Renji asked where I was staying," she shrugged, "I told him with Rangiku, but then he kept asking me why I wasn't staying with Ichigo so I told him about Ichigo's sisters – which is true – I didn't visit them when I came to the World of the Living, so I feel sort of guilty," she looked at him, "But we still have a lot to discuss."
Hitsugaya nodded in acceptance, then brushed the edges of her cheekbone with his hand and answered, "Yes, we do," he inhaled, "I'd like to keep our relationship under wraps until your Lieutenant's exam is over. I don't want to be—
She finished for him with a grin, "Biased?"
He chuckled and kissed the corner of her mouth, "Yes. But I won't hide what I feel for you from the world. At least not verbally."
"So like before?"
Rukia shrieked when he pulled her onto his lap, fingers digging into her ribs and teeth against her neck, "Captain Hitsugaya—"
"—and that," Hitsugaya paused his assault and sighed in exasperation, "You will cease this Captain Hitsugaya and this Hitsugaya name-calling," he pulled her until she straddled his thighs, her school-skirt scandalously short in response to his stretch, teeth catching her bottom lip and he breathed into her mouth, "Toushiro. Call me Toushiro."
Rukia licked her bottom lip on instinct and Hitsugaya took the opportunity to capture her mouth in a sudden kiss that her heart and blood tripping. The heat of his skin and the firmness of his chest caused her reiatsu to sparkle at her fingertips.
She pulled back with a breath, "But no one uses—"
"You are my equal, Rukia," Hitsugaya vowed with a kiss underneath her ear, hands stroking the expanse of her back, "My partner and my companion. Can't you feel our reiatsu, wanting, reacting, desiring, each other?"
He kissed her again and this time she felt the sparks of ice, like velvet kisses at her fingertips and knuckles.
Hitsugaya brought his right hand to the back of her neck and pulled her until his lips swallowed hers. The heat from his body and the sweet taste of mint burnt her taste buds. She melted into him, fingers scraping his scalp, a soft groan escaping his lips and she could feel him tense when she nipped at him.
His free hand settled into the middle of her back, then pushed her down. Chest to chest, he pressed her so tightly against him that she felt the hardlines of his pectorals through the thin material of her blouse. She groaned softly when his tongue curled inside her cheek, her brain heady with the feel of him, the thought of him and the taste.
"Toushiro," Rukia inhaled when she should've exhaled because she didn't need air to drown.
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Lose yourself and find something you won't let escape the moment, yeah
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"Rukia-nee!" Yuzu wrapped her arms around her, Karin following suit after Rukia smiled, "We missed you!"
"I missed you guys, too," Rukia breathed, "I'm sorry I didn't visit, I didn't want to—"
"We know, Nii-san told us," Karin interrupted her explanation with a faint smile and a simple shrug.
"Third daughter!" Isshin exclaimed with exaggerated tears, he leaped out of his seat and then Ichigo's foot planted itself into his stomach.
Ichigo, who came in from the window – he obviously took a page out of Rukia's book – pushed his father until he collided with the sofa. "You're going to squeeze her to death, old man!"
Rukia giggled nervously, "It's nice to see you again, Kurosaki-san."
"Tou-san, Rukia," he sobbed and grabbed her hands, "Tou-san."
"Rukia, did you happen to see—" Hitsugaya paused, his eyes widened in disbelief as he took in the scene before, and he gaped, "Captain?"
Rukia stared at him, "C-Captain? Kurosaki—er, Tou-san, you're what? What—?"
"Your father is Captain Shiba?" Hitsugaya demanded with blatant incredulity that it made him dizzy.
Ichigo, scratched the back of his head, "Uh, well—"
"I see you've hit that growth spurt, Toushiro!" Isshin beamed like it was an everyday thing and dropped Rukia's hand to slap Hitsugaya on the back, "I told you, you would!"
Rukia rubbed her eyes, a headache pulsing behind her left pupil, "I think I need to sit down."
Dinner was full of memories, arguments, fondness, and explanations. One that Isshin sat down sheepishly and enlightened his former subordinates and children seriously. By attachment and convenience, did Ichigo's house become the base of all operations that regarded Karakura town and well, the world.
And his room.
"I can't believe your father is Captain Shiba," Matsumoto exclaimed with delight, she took a seat at his desk and twirled in the chair, "I mean it does make sense."
"I can't believe I didn't notice," Rukia grumbled and buried her face into his pillow.
"You wouldn't know Captain Shiba because you were in the Academy, remember," Hitsugaya rolled his eyes and tangled his hand in her hair.
"But Ichigo looks just like Kaien!"
"Kaien is actually my cousin," Ichigo snorted, "Of course he would look like me."
"This is beyond weird," Renji's lips curled in disgust at the snow-captain's display of affection, "Even you Ichigo?"
"What?"
The closet slammed open, a bouncy, plush lion then leaped across the air and a voice, whiney and sad called out, "Nee-san!"
The lion rubbed his head against Rukia's ankle.
"Kon," Rukia greeted dryly and sat up until her shoulder brushed Hitsugaya's chest. She lifted her foot up and wiggled it, "You can get off, now."
Kon pouted – in the way plush dolls pout – climbed up the milky expanse of her leg and – damn she should've really changed before walking over here – rubbed his head against her thigh, "But I missed you," he sniffed, "And your legs!"
The air hummed, followed by a squeak and a weight crashing against the door.
Hitsugaya's scowl was dark and ferocious as he stared at the plush, "Control your mod soul, Ichigo."
"Don't you think I've tried?" he snorted.
"He never learns," Rukia sighed.
"He's done that before?" Hitsugaya asked outraged.
"To me, to Inoue and all the girls, really," Rukia huffed, "He reminds me of Keigo."
Ichigo made a sound of disgust.
"We've decided to take turns patrolling the area," Renji stopped their banter with a sigh, "Captain Hitsugaya told us that it wasn't necessary for all of us to attend the school together. It would be better for us to cover my ground if we were in different locations."
Rangiku added in, "Since your school is a hotspot, only you, Rukia and Captain would attend. Renji and I will cover the local spots. When Captain Kuchiki arrives he will take over the wealthier districts and the urban areas."
"It'll make more sense to have one or two people in densely crowded areas," Hitsugaya explained, "We won't know where the zenpo will show up, we can only anticipate."
"I feel like we had this conversation before," Ichigo scratched the back of his head.
"That's because we did," Rukia answered with a tick in her brow, "When we had the meeting with Head-Captain Yamamoto."
"I wasn't exactly paying attention,"
"And it shows," Hitsugaya said coolly.
Rolling amber eyes, he interjected, "All I remember is Rukia needing to take her Lieutenant's Exam."
"Yes," Matsumoto nodded, "I'm actually waiting for approval to go ahead with the test. I sent a mockup and a rubric. Once I get the okay and all reapers are in their stations, I can go ahead with the exam."
"How long is the exam?" Rukia asked curiously.
"It depends, it can range from a few hours to a week," she shrugged and then winked, "Based on your assignment, of course."
"You make it sound like an assassination," Renji narrowed his eyes.
"Well…" Rangiku's eyes sparkled in a way that Rukia came to be wary of, "It's not, I mean, we are Soul Reapers, we purify, not kill."
Hitsugaya raked his fingers down Rukia's neck and she hid her shiver with a sigh.
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Hey, the past, that's history
The future, that's a mystery
The present, that's a gift, that's why they call it the present
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"Rukia," Rangiku almost laughed at her exasperation, "You've been what, dating Captain for what, three months? And you still haven't you know," she tried to soften the blow of her next few words, "Done the deed."
Rukia scowled, "He wants to take it slow."
"Captain may be thick-headed, but he is no monk," Matsumoto snorted and then digested her words, "We've been in Karakura Town for a whole season, and nothing?"
"We've kissed like a lot, and sometimes it gets heated," she said honestly, "But then he just stops."
"I think he doesn't want to scare you off,"
"But it's not like I'm a virgin," Rukia scoffed, then she paused, "Is he?"
Rangiku thought about it for a minute, "I don't think so. There was this one time I found a girl's top in his office and it wasn't mine."
"He's not…waiting for us to get married right?" she gaped in horror, "I think I might combust if he kisses me again."
Matsumoto giggled at her face of terror. Rukia had come out of her – what Captain Hitsugaya called – her perfectly carved Kuchiki mask, and started to act more comfortable around them. She was grateful to the change of course, but she couldn't help but wonder if her Captain had something to do with it.
Because Rukia changed.
Or maybe she didn't really change, maybe she just stopped hiding.
"Do you want me to talk to him?" she asked with amusement.
"Uh…" Rukia blanched, "No—No, it's fine. I just, I don't know what to do."
"About him?"
"About this—taking it slow, thing," she tried to elucidate but it sounded like she was mumbling, "I don't even know where that came from."
"Have you tried asking him?"
"I tried, but things just kept happening," Rukia sighed, "Remember there was the zenpo in the mall? Then Keigo got hurt. Then Chad—we haven't exactly, you know gotten to that talking thing."
"And the two of you are sleeping in separate beds," Rangiku groaned, "It's like a badly written romantic comedy, but don't worry I have a plan."
"What plan?"
"It starts with your Lieutenant's Exam and ends in Captain losing his damn mind," Matsumoto declared proudly.
"Should I leave or?" Renji stopped mid-step from the door of their living room, a painful grimace plastered on his face.
"It's operation get Rukia Laid—mph!" Rangiku's mouth was covered by a petite, fair hand. A furious scowl painted on her adorable, pink lips and her eyes blazed amethyst.
"We don't have to name it!"
"I am out of here!" Renji laughed in a nervous squeaky, screech and nearly made his way out of the room, until, Rangiku, who removed herself from Rukia's person and grabbed Renji by the shoulders.
"Oh no," Grey-sky orbs glittered, "You're going to help us."
"Why do I—"
"I didn't hear you complaining when watched them down at the barracks!"
Rukia gasped, "You were watching?"
Renji had the nerve to look abashed and then huffed, "I can't believe it took this long for Hitsugaya to act."
"How long did you—"
"Since then!"
"Am I missing something?" Matsumoto frowned, she loved a good gossip, especially when concerning her captain.
"Captain Hitsugaya declared his intentions towards Rukia to her brother a few months ago," Renji said abruptly, "I wasn't in the room, but it wasn't hard to put two and two together. Especially since he's been flirting with you since you started training with him."
"He wasn't flirting with me, Renji!" Rukia exclaimed, she narrowed her eyes and then paused to look at Lieutenant Matsumoto, "Was he?"
Rangiku nodded solemnly, "Provoking you was his way of flirting."
"Since then?" she asked weakly.
Renji snorted, "And you call Ichigo an idiot."
Rukia threw her pillow at his face, "How was I supposed to know? It's not like I've had regular conversations with him before. If my reiatsu didn't start leaking then, I wouldn't have even bothered."
"You know," Matsumoto lifted her hand to her face, she cupped her chin, a thoughtful expression playing on her face and then she frowned, "There is still one thing bothering me."
Renji took a seat on the floor, propped his knees up until his chin rested directly on top the cap – since he was obviously not going anywhere, less Rangiku chopped off his hair – and droned, "What is it now?"
Rukia slapped his shoulder.
"The zenpo," she said, then she looked at Rukia rather intently – it seemed like she inherited Hitsugaya's intensity for certain situations – and demanded, "You said you saw your son? But you didn't tell us who the father was."
Rukia stared at her.
"I know you wouldn't entire a relationship with anyone, unless, of course, you were one hundred percent sure about that person. Plus, you wouldn't—" Rangiku paused to squeak, recognition and triumph flooded her entire system, she grabbed Rukia in a bear hug and squeezed, "It was Captain! In the flash, that's why you were so nervous to be around him! That's why you were all stuffy and Kuchiki about it! That's why you did your best to avoid him!" she released the small soul reaper to smack herself on the forehead, "It was so obvious!"
"So obvious that none of us figured it out," Renji looked at her with wide eyes and then gaped, "So when Captain Hitsugaya declared his intentions you were okay with it—"
"First of all, I didn't mind dating Captain, er, Toushiro—"
Renji snapped his head to look at Rangiku in disbelief.
"Once I got over that whole hogyoku, uncle wanting to kidnap me, and zenpo appearing fiasco," Rukia said to defend herself and then snapped, "There were lots of things happening, okay!"
Renji huffed.
"Then, once my uncle disappeared back into Hueco Mundo, Toushiro got all growly and aggressive," she said.
"Captain only gets like that when the people close to him are hurt," Rangiku interrupted the cute Kuchiki's rant – she could just pinch those pink cheeks of hers! – and finished, "You should've seen him when Gin stabbed me on my side, I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel!"
"I realize that now," Rukia sighed, "So I needed to get some space and once I did, Hinamori-san came into the picture and I didn't want to separate them or cause confusion," she grabbed her hair and pulled, "I didn't want to get caught in the middle of that, so I started to pull back and give him some space. But then there was the invasion and—and he started acting different."
"A good different?" Renji wondered.
"Yes, I didn't know what caused it, but I wasn't going to question it," she mused, "He was much more…patient and he didn't push me. He waited for me to come to my own conclusions and was considerate."
"All in a day's work," Rangiku laughed, "He came to the SWA for advice."
Renji sputtered.
"He said something like that," Rukia tried to think back, "Wait. Wait. He wanted advice on—?"
"Courting," Matsumoto shrugged, "I guess once he figured out that you were all that he wanted, he came up with a plan to seal the deal."
"And this thing about Momo?"
"I thought they had something," she replied apologetically, "They've been friends for years and she's always with him, so I didn't want to intrude on that."
"Even if you know he'll end up with you?" Matsumoto stared at her incredulously.
"I didn't say it made sense," Rukia scowled and then crossed her arms under her chest, "Anyway, we've been courting – as Nii-sama would say – for almost four months and—"
"—and he still won't put out," Renji whistled, "I envy the man's patience."
"He said he didn't want our relationship to be obvious until I finished the Lieutenant's exam. He didn't want to cause any issues if he were to be biased in my evaluation—to prevent subjection."
"Well at least he's logical in that," Matsumoto hummed, "Don't worry, Rukia. I have a plan."
"So you say," Renji indicated, "But what is this plan?"
"Oh, now you want to know!"
"I didn't want to hear about the sex talk bit!"
"Rangiku, what are you planning?" Rukia cut off their next argument with the twist in her voice, she was both curious and wary of the Lieutenant when it came to these plans.
"Actually—"
A Hell's butterfly flew in the room, it fluttered in from the open window of Rukia's bedroom, black and mauve it rested on Matsumoto's forearm. The blonde waited until the butterfly relayed her the entire message before she poked the insect with a speck of reiatsu. She grinned with teeth and mischief, "Your Lieutenant's exam has been approved! That means we have a week of prep," she smirked, grey ice glinting in the sunlight, "After all, the best-laid plans are paved with good intentions."
Rukia felt herself shiver.
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Everything you need to be contented is right here
Right in this minute
You can have it when you understand that all that matters is right here
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footnote1: who am I, three updates in less than one week? Bored? Perhaps. Too much time on her hands? Mostly.
footnote2: guys, this is just going to snowball from here. The slow-burn has been ignited with kerosene and we're gonna BLAZE.
footnote3: Song used — Jhene Aiko: Moments
As always, please review.