Cherry blossom viewing on the Kuchiki estate: Hisana had hosted such events years ago, one day when all the shinigami of the Gotei were welcome within the grounds of the greatest house of Soul Society, but no one was surprised when Byakuya had not continued the practice. The surprise was when it was suddenly announced that Rukia would be continuing the late Lady Kuchiki's practice.
Ranguki's was ecstatic. Cherry blossom viewing contained all her favorite things, family and friends, picnic food and sake, and an excuse to wear something beautiful. She'd bought everyone new kimonos to wear-well, not Gin, as he wouldn't dress up for anything since he'd gotten his captain's haori; Rangiku promised him no one was going to forget he was a captain, but he wouldn't budge.
Toshiro wished he could have done the same. He was glad to find he could still look masculine, even in a kimono decorated with pink flowers, but he was very concerned that his mother wasn't the only person who was going to call him 'beautiful' during the course of the day. Poor Kinta was in a pink kimono that matched his mother's so it could have been worse, but there was just no way he could stop scowling, even as he followed his parents through a rain of cherry blossoms to find a place to lay out a picnic blanket among their friends.
Lieutenant Hisagi was the first friend they ran across-everyone continued to call him Hisagi despite being an adopted Kyoraku because there was only one Kyoraku in the Gotei, and everyone knew it. He was carrying his daughter, Aiko, over one shoulder, as she screamed, "No change!" And hit his back with her tiny fists. Over his other shoulder was a pretty pink diaper bag decorated with embroidered hearts.
"Having a good morning, Shuhei-kun?" Rangiku couldn't help asking. She grinned hugely at his distressed and almost panicked expression.
"What is an appropriate place to change a diaper at a cherry blossom viewing?" Hisagi asked, ignoring the baby's continued screams.
"Appropriate?" Rangiku repeated. "Why didn't you change her where you were?"
"Nanao thought it might bother the others," Hisagi answered, speaking a little loudly because of the screaming. "And you never know, Captain Kuchiki might take it as an insult."
"Oh, good grief! Hand her over and I'll change her," Rangiku said. "I'm not afraid of upsetting Byakuya."
"Have fun, Ran-chan," Gin said before Hisagi could even answer her. "I'll find you the perfect place to get drunk under the cherry trees."
Rangiku glared after him and the two boys, running from diapers like they might be toxic. "Nanao is lucky to have you, Shuhei-kun," Rangiku said. "I don't think I can remember Gin changing a single diaper."
"Never?" Hisagi said, sounding envious.
"You're the better man; don't you forget it."
Rangiku found Gin easily, as she walked with Hisagi back to Nanao, carrying a now deliriously happy Aiko, who kept reaching out trying to catch the falling petals in her pudgy little hands.
Gin had stopped to talk to Captains Kyoraku and Ukitake rather than going on to find their own place. He had sat down with them and was accepting a cup of tea from Nemu as he listened to Kyoraku explain to him how sake was the traditional drink for cherry blossom viewing.
Rangiku froze in place when Nemu sat back and Ukitake was suddenly visible. She hadn't seen him in over a year. Somehow the time had slipped by and she hadn't wanted to be a bother; after all, she had heard his illness was growing worse. She hadn't imagined it anything like this. The captain had always been a bit thin and pale, but now he looked positively skeletal, and his skin was not white but a deathly gray. She had wondered before why Nemu could never be bothered to socialize anymore, now she wondered how Nemu could force herself to leave him for an instant, even to go to work.
"It's a shock every time," Hisagi said softly, lifting Aiko from her arms. "Believe it or not, today is better than usual. Do your best to smile; it helps."
He set Aiko on the ground and she toddled a few steps before falling down and crawling the rest of way to the captains saying, "Jii, Jii, Jii!"
"Well, hello there, Miss Aiko-chan!" Kyoraku exclaimed, scooping the girl up and setting her on his knee. "And how are you feeling now?"
Aiko grabbed his nose and burst into laughter.
Captain Kyoraku was probably the happiest grandfather on the planet. Rangiku was pretty sure that's why he'd been so helpful about making Hisagi his son. He wanted to make sure Nanao couldn't run off and have a family without him in it. He wanted to be Jii-chan, and a year in he was already spoiling Aiko to within an inch of her life. That child was always going to have everything she ever wanted, including infinite love and affection.
Rangiku smiled at that, but it was hard to keep smiling when she noticed the sadness that Captain Ukitake could not quite hide in the gentle smile he turned on Aiko when she noticed him beside his friend and decided to lunge for his hair. He caught hold of the baby just as she tumbled over with a handful of his hair and lifted her into the air with hands that were not as steady as they had always been before.
Rangiku's eyes went to Nemu, watching her husband speak to the baby, requesting the release of his hair. She too was smiling with a sadness that echoed his. They'd had that dream for such a short time. Nemu had never even imagined having a family before and Ukitake probably hadn't dared to in centuries, and now, when they'd both gotten so close, that dream was just one more thing they were losing. It wasn't fair.
Nemu seemed to notice Rangiku's eyes on her. She raised her head and forced a bright smile that was too big to ever be natural on her face. "Please join us, Rangiku-san," she said. "We have plenty of space, and Shiro-chan says our view is without compare."
Rangiku noticed Captain Ukitake's cheeks turned just slightly pink at her words, and she wondered if he'd been describing a different view than the beauty that encircled them.
"Well, if you don't mind a little chaos," Rangiku said, glancing around to spot Kinta running through the falling petals with his arms flung back, leaping over picnic blankets and baskets and at least one napping shinigami. Toshiro had vanished for the moment but he'd, no doubt, be back for food.
"We love chaos," Nemu answered.
"Speak for yourself," Nanao said. She pulled three sake glasses and a bottle from one of the baskets and said, "Do sit down, Rangiku. The chaos is unavoidable. These men cause at least as much as your children."
She didn't need to be asked twice. Rangiku immediately sat down with the other two and took a glass. "Bless you, Nanao," she declared after a sip. "Gin wouldn't bring any sake. He said I could beg it off my friends if I wanted it that badly, and I was terribly afraid no one would offer."
Nanao frowned. "Why wouldn't he-"
"He's cheap, but he likes to imply I'm a drunk," Rangiku said, turning to frown at her husband. "Which I am not. I simply enjoy a sharing a drink or two with my friends from time to time!"
"Good for you, Ran-chan," Kyoraku declared, raising his own glass in salute.
"Thank you, Captain," she answered before turning back to Nanao and Nemu and adding just a little loudly. "At least I'm not a boring teetotaler."
"I don't know, Rangiku," Nanao said, "I think it is probably best for all of Soul Society if your husband stays sober. The only time I've seen him drunk he seemed a little too prone to over sharing, and I've no doubt he knows a great many more very private secrets than he did then."
"There's nothing for you to worry about, Nanao-chan," Gin answered her from across the entire group. "Everyone already knows about you and Hisagi and your years of sex trysts, and you haven't got any other good secrets."
"Not quite everyone," Hisagi said, suddenly backing away from Kyoraku, his eyes on the captain's face as his expression slowly shifted away from his easy smile.
"Shun," Ukitake said suddenly. "Aiko's about to get your drink."
And the storm was gone. "Oh, no you don't!" Kyoraku declared, raising his hand and saucer-like cup out of her reach. "Would you like to try some tea instead?"
Aiko continued to reach for his cup. "Jink!" She demanded in annoyance. "Jink!"
"Shuhei, get the girl some tea!" Kyoraku directed. "A sip of green tea won't hurt her."
"Yes, sir," Hisagi agreed, scrambling to find another cup for his daughter.
Watching him, Rangiku thought that maybe it wasn't so bad that she and Gin were orphans. At least they'd never had to worry about terrifying in-laws. Hisagi may have been the one officially adopted into the Kyoraku family, but he knew as well as anyone that if he ever hurt Nanao he would die a quick and painful death at the hand of his adopted father.
Toshiro returned nearly an hour later with a crowd that included younger lieutenants and the day's hostess, Rukia. She looked like she was having a great deal of fun and had completely forgotten her position and duties. She was arguing with Renji about whose shunpo was faster and when Hinamori said Toshiro was faster than either of them she got seriously annoyed.
"What would Ichimaru-chibi know about shunpo?" She demanded.
"Oi," Toshiro said. "You're barely taller than me. At least I can still grow."
"Exactly," Rukia said, turning to face him. "You are a child. Don't start thinking you can defeat grown-ups. You'll only embarrass yourself."
Toshiro's eyes narrowed. He preferred to keep any real knowledge of his abilities within a small group. It was alright for the Gotei to know he'd learned shunpo, but if they really saw what he could do they might start paying a little more attention than he wanted.
Renji laughed out loud. He'd seen Toshiro fight Yachiru; Rukia had no idea what she was getting herself into. "I'll buy you dinner if you can beat the chibi," he said, then he blushed scarlet, realizing he'd offered to buy Rukia a meal. It was a common bet among his broke friends, but Rukia was different.
"You can't be serious!" Rukia demanded, turning on her friend. "He's barely four feet tall! If I can't beat him I'll buy you dinner for a week!"
Gin spoke up suddenly. "I think you should have a race. Go to that tower and back-we'll be able to see you if you wave from the roof. Whoever makes it back first is officially fastest."
"You'll let Shiro-kun climb all the way up there?" Captain Kyoraku said doubtfully, just as Rangiku's mouth fell open.
She didn't have any particular objection, but did Gin really think Toshiro should be racing seated officers?
Gin's smile only grew. "You'd better win, Shiro-chan, or you'll be doing all the division exercises for a week."
Toshiro rolled his eyes.
"And, Kira, try to remember you're my lieutenant. Don't embarrass me."
Kira, who'd been doing his best to stay invisible at the rear of the group, straightened up and said, "Yes, sir!"
"Then who all is racing?" Rangiku asked. "Not me, obviously. Are all the kids going to try? Should we make Shuhei-kun?" She turned and saw he had a baby asleep on his shoulder and turned back to the others. "Just the five of you then."
"But I know I can't beat Shiro-kun," Hinamori protested immediately. "And I don't see how we're supposed to shunpo wearing kimonos."
"If Captain Kyoraku can keep his hat at that nice jaunty angle I'm sure you can handle a kimono," Rangiku answered. "Everyone line up on the edge of this blanket. You can go on the count of three-oh, and if you run into anyone you're disqualified-Nanao, you'd better be the judge; you're impartial-ready? One, two, three, go!"
She wave happily after them, although they'd all already vanished.
"Do you really think Shiro-chan can win?" She asked, her smile fading slightly.
"There he is on the tower!" Nanao exclaimed. "And Hinamori, and there are the others. He already has an amazing lead. I had no idea-"
"I'm not practicing with the division," Toshiro said, suddenly appearing before them.
"Oh, well done!" Kyoraku declared, clapping loudly, and setting Aiko crying again.
Rangiku jumped to her feet and hugged Toshiro tight against her chest.
At that moment Kira appeared, and then Renji and Rukia an instant later, tripping over each other in their desperation to beat each other. Renji's foot caught on the edge of the picnic blanket, and Nanao barely avoided being crushed as they both tumbled to the ground.
"Get off me, you idiot!" Rukia shouted.
"Sorry, sorry," Renji said as he sat up, dodging a blow she aimed at his head. "I tripped! I'm sorry!"
"You're the biggest klutz in the Gotei,' Rukia told him. "They should throw you out. And you're stupid."
"Hey, who won, anyway?" Renji asked, in an attempt to distract her.
They all looked at Nanao, but she'd gone over to take the crying baby from Hisagi and was no longer interested in them.
"Toshiro did," Kira announced. "He was ahead of me for the entire race, sorry, Captain."
Gin smiled. "I'm sure we'll find some sort of training to bring you up to speed," he said.
"Toshiro should be at the Academy, Captain Ichimaru," Hinamori said, stepping forward and meeting Gin's eyes with as much boldness as she could manage. "I'm sure he's strong enough now."
Gin shrugged. "Perhaps, but, as he's not even old enough to be allowed to cut vegetables for dinner, I doubt he's ready to be playing with a zanpakuto of his own."
"But Captain-"
Ukitake interrupted her then. "Toshiro will grow up soon enough, Lieutenant. Allow him a few more years of hope and happiness before he must face the dark realities of a shinigami's existence."
Everyone turned to the gentle captain in surprise. Not one of them had ever heard him voice any thought so grim.
"Forgive me," he said quickly. "We are here spending a beautiful day under the cherry blossoms with our friends and family. I'm afraid I've grown a little melancholy, having spent all winter long in bed-but isn't today's perfect day to wash all that darkness away?"
"We've seen who's fastest. Now let's see who's mastered stealth with a game of kakurenbo; Shiro, you'd better be the oni so the others have a chance to show off their skills," Gin said, cheerfully, and no one but Rangiku could have noticed the slight strain to his fox smile.
"Or their complete lack of skill," Rukia said, looking pointedly at Renji. "Have you ever managed to hide your reiatsu?"
"Oi, I've moved up to Sixth Seat," Renji protested. "I'm not completely incompetent!"
"I'll count to ten," Shiro announced. "You can hide wherever you want."
"You mean on the estate?" Kira asked.
"If you want," Toshiro agreed. The last time he'd played against Gin the only limit had been the city walls. That had taken a while.
"Ok," Hinamori said. "We're ready!"
"One, two, three..."
It was an altogether perfect day, Rangiku decided as she climbed into bed that night. Everyone had been together and happy, and the boys had had so much fun. Toshiro had a few more skills than she'd realized, but she'd never been so stupid as to think Gin wasn't teaching him anything. It had been a nice day, and they should make an effort to get out more.
"I won't be home tomorrow night," Gin said, suddenly.
Rangiku turned around quickly. "What did you say?"
"I won't be home tomorrow night, probably not the next either," he said. "You're always wanting warning, aren't you?"
That was new. She knew his work schedule inside and out, and knew when he would be out at night for the division, but tomorrow night was not one of those days. He was actually warning her before he disappeared.
She grinned. "Are you trying to be considerate?"
"Never hurts to try something new."
"No," she agreed, still smiling. "It doesn't."
"There are a few things though," he said, raising one hand to her cheek. He drew her close and kissed her briefly. "That should always stay the same."
That she couldn't argue with either.