The restaurant's sign was a neon orange in the night, unmistakably loud in the otherwise quiet suburb. The Laughing Dragon.

'I wonder if it's too late now to go back home,' Chessebelle thought to herself as she stared at the light, people moving into the building and giving a glimpse into the mysterious world of human interaction. She could make out the red interior for only a moment as the doors swung open and closed, women giggling with groups of men as they went on their double dates and team-building exercises. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, everyone smiling and delighting in each other's company. She wondered if she would be able to feel something-anything-even remotely close to what they were experiencing.

"I was starting to wonder if you would show up!"

The twelfth division member bristled as she heard Ikkaku's voice from behind her, glancing over her shoulder and trying not to grimace as he joined her with a bright smile. He actually looked… quite cleaned up.

The maroon button-up he wore accented his red eye makeup nicely, the slim black pants he wore making him look even taller. He looked down at her with a soft expression, seeming to look her over in the same way she was doing to him, albeit a little less analytical.

Chessebelle was embarrassed, frankly, with what she had worn. Anything even resembling a dress had been exorcised from her wardrobe years ago, and Rangiku's clothes were much too big for her to fit into. Ultimately she had opted for a black turtleneck that clung to her body, the bones of her shoulders poking through awkwardly, and a pair of dark jeans. The only color coming from the splash of plum flats she wore and the contrasting white of her hair. It was agony waiting for his pleasant expression to twitch, to give away that he was disgusted with the way she looked, at the lack of endowments she had to offer as a woman.

But… it never came.

"You look very nice tonight, Chiyoko."

She was taken aback by the reaction he had to her outfit, holding the clutch Rangiku had given her closer to her stomach, an attempt to hide away from the compliment.

"Come on, I have reservations, I hear this place is really great," Ikkaku presented his elbow to Chessebelle, the woman too shocked by the chivalrous act to question it and instead took it gingerly. They walked across the street to the brick building, stepping inside and entering the bubbly, magical world.

Humans always seemed to think of the spiritual realm to be whimsical, melodical, a place of wonder and excitement but the true paradise was right before their eyes. It was these small worlds the humans created within their communities, these pockets of fun hiding within their otherwise mundane lives.

Chessebelle absorbed everything; the way the red interior contrasted with the dim lighting, the otherwise quiet ambient music complementing the din of conversations between parties, giggles dancing with the wafting smell of tasty food being crafted from the kitchen. The woman followed Ikkaku and the hostess blindly as she took everything in, her hand moving more comfortably into the man's elbow as she let her body unwind.

The couple were led to a booth near the middle of the restaurant, across from the full bar and in between other couples and families. The hostess was bubbly as she placed the menus on the table and clasped her hands together, looking between the two.

"Good evening, you guys! My name is Kiyomi and I'll be helping you out this evening. Have you been to the Laughing Dragon before?"

"No ma'am, this will be our first time." Ikkaku smiled pleasantly at Kiyomi, glancing at Chessebelle from across the table and throwing a wink her way. The woman, again, shocked by his public displays of affection, but this time felt her skin beginning to get hot. Was he really making her blush already? Instead of looking at the bald man, she opted to pull the menu up in front of her face and examine it thoroughly.

Kiyomi found the two a bit odd, especially as a couple, but kept her cheery smile as she nodded in response.

"Well let's get you guys started with some drinks! What would you like? We have water, soda, tea, sake, tons of cocktails-my favorite is our signature Laughing Dragon, a ginger vodka mixed with ginger ale, lychee, and tangerine."

Ikkaku glanced over the drink menu, Chessebelle still hiding behind her own. He wasn't sure if she wasn't enjoying herself or if she was just nervous, instead opting to ask for a couple minutes and two waters.

"Whaddya think?" The woman finally lowered the tall menu, looking at Ikkaku's expectant eyes, twinkling with excitement. He looked so ecstatic to be here with her, it was all just such a jarring experience from being so alone for a century.

"It's very nice, Ikkaku." Despite the flatness of her voice, she was softer with her words, the corners of her lips pulling into the tiniest of smiles.

Ikkaku's face broke into a grin, reaching over the table and pointing out a couple of the drinks she may like, gushing about which food he wanted to try while they were here, having heard from the others that the sushi was out of this world.

Most of the night was Ikkaku talking with Chessebelle listening intently, albeit often avoiding eye contact as he spoke. He shared with her stories from when he first joined the Gotei 13, following in Kenpachi's footsteps. The way he had to survive in the Rukongai with Yumichika pulling at her own hardened heart as she thought of Gigi and her family. Despite the rather dreary anecdotes, the eleventh division member was constantly smiling, reminiscing on the memories giving him a nostalgia trip he hadn't realized would be so enjoyable.

Chessebelle tried more foods than she ever had before, Ikkaku continually ushering her to try different types of sushi, as well as the appetizer sampler they had ordered. Edamame, white rice, japanese karaage, steamed broccoli, fried pork dumplings, and spring rolls adorned the table in small plates, bites and chunks from each as the two shared what they had. Cocktail glasses were beginning to pile up on the edge from Ikkaku's side, Chessebelle even adding one or two as the night wore on.

She felt so warm, so loved, so… happy. Even as the tables began to dwindle and the restaurant staff started to give them grimaces as they started to clean up, Chessebelle couldn't help but feel such an overwhelming positivity wash over her, wishing to stay in this restaurant, at this point in time, forever. She had let her guard down, the tension in her body drifting away with her worries and insecurities from earlier that night, smiling more freely and even laughing at some of the jokes Ikkaku was offering to her, her inhibitions lessened not only from the alcohol but the infectious enjoyment that this man was giving her.

"Could we get the check and… just one more thing?"

Kiyomi was still patient, despite her annoyance. Her smile dropped immediately as she turned away from their table, moving to check them out as quickly as possible and add the dessert Ikkaku had requested of her, hoping he had the money to back up not only the check itself but the tip it would imply.

She came back shortly, a small plate with a green triangle accompanied by a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. Placing it down ceremoniously, Kiyomi gave a curt bow to the two and a warning of the restaurant being closed in the next ten minutes.

"You're easy to talk to, Chiyoko," Ikkaku's face was flushed from the alcohol, smiling as he took a bite from the cake, his lips gliding on the fork.

"You're easy to listen to, Madarame," Chessebelle smiled over the plate, mimicking her date's actions as she delicately sliced the cake with the side of the fork. It was smooth and creamy, a matcha tiramisu cake that would pair nicely with the plain ice cream.

The two finished their dessert and paid their bill, Chessebelle's arm nestled comfortably within the crook of Ikkaku's as they left their restaurant paradise and met the brisk night air of Karakura. They walked in a comfortable silence, the shorter woman looking down at her shoes and thinking to herself while Ikkaku spotted a vacant park bench across the street for the two to sit at.

"I had a lot of fun with you tonight," Ikkaku finally said as they sat on the cold metal, looking up at the stars to avoid Chessebelle's face-partially because he was nervous of her response and partially because he was nervous she would see his flushed face start to glow red. A soft grunt of agreement was all that he was given, the woman mimicking him and looking towards the sky as well. She smiled.

It was strange, the way he affected her mood like this. She didn't let anyone in, she didn't waste her time with the intricacies of socialization with anyone in the Soul Society, and yet here she was going on a date. Without even sharing anything to him, Chessebelle felt like she had let Ikkaku catch a glimpse of her without all the brooding rain clouds about her head. Just letting herself laugh, letting herself be happy around someone was incredibly liberating. It felt like she could breathe again.

It felt like she was with Shinji again.

Suddenly, as if all the alcohol hit her at once, her stomach turned and flopped aggressively.

"Oh, fuck," She suddenly blurted, standing from the bench and looking around the empty park, Ikkaku following her with a concerned look on his face.

"Are you ok?"

Chessebelle didn't answer as she found what she wanted, darting to the nearest trashcan and vomited into it, her wild hair shadowing her face. Ikkaku stared at her, his eyes saucers as he watched this tiny woman puke into a park trashcan, unsure of whether he should hold her hair or pat her back or just keep his distance. He finally opted to move to her side, giving her back a couple of half-hearted pats as she stopped retching.

"Ikkaku?"

"Yes?"

"I can't stand sushi."