Dedicated to the bookstore that finally restocked on Bleach. Finally, I get Vol. 17!
And OMG? 450 reviews. I'm appalled.
Spring Break is here, and the editing may begin! Author's Note on the bottom, sankyuu.
FIFTEENTH CHAPTER: THE DATING GAME
Of Kissy Faces and Jealousy
"Would you... would you ever... kiss me?"
Rukia froze, the pen slowly dropping from her nose in shock.
Pause. "Excuse me?"
Her eyes widened as she glanced at the man seated next to her, his face serious. "My p- pen!" she stuttered with her words, shakily trying to find the pen on the floor, blindly using her hands to find it. "I- I gotta go find it!" Renji sighed, bending down, eye-to-eye, face-to-face with Rukia.
"Rukia, you're avoiding the subject." He lightly grabbed her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "Don't," he spoke quietly. Her face was swept away by a wave of red. She could feel his breath on her lips.
"I..." I don't like you like that. She wanted to say that...
... but didn't that sentence itself break her own heart?
"Not right now, Renji!" Rukia hastily pushed him away, falling back. "I- I mean... you know, we've got to do something else!" Renji raised his brow curiously.
"Something else?" What in the world can they be doing? Alone? In an office at the corner of the city, where no one will hear anything?
Well, he didn't know.
"You've argued with Rukia-san today," Orihime pointed out randomly, causing Ichigo's back to shudder. He eyed the orange-haired girl, eyes in shock. How did she...?
"How did you know?" He inquired closely, stealing a glance from the big-bosomed girl. "... I don't think I told ya... eeto... did I?" Ichigo was in the state of shock. Orihime put a finger to her lips.
"Ehh... I don't think so," she replied, a cheesy smile on her face. "Ohh, maybe I can read your mind, Kurosaki-kun! Sugoi!" she cheered, grabbing his hands and jumping up and down.
"Maybe... ?" He shrugged casually. Maybe she did read his mind, or something close to that.
"Well," Orihime suggested, tugging on his arm overprotectively, like a mother guarding her baby. "You should go apologize! We're going to Rukia-san to ask for forgiveness!" Ichigo shook his head, stealing his hand away from the girl.
"What makes you think I have to apologize?! Who are you to tell me that I started it?" he yelled, annoyed. "It could be Rukia who started it!"
"Either way," the orange-haired girl replied, "You were the one who ended it, Kurosaki-kun," Orihime pointed out proudly-- usually, she didn't get so much correct. "Now, let's go!" Re-grabbing his hands, she tugged him towards the Thirteenth Division. Again.
What were Renji and Rukia both doing alone?
"I win again!" Rukia announced in accomplishment, winning yet another hand in arm wrestling. "You lose, Renji! What happened, vice-captain of the Sixth? Did a lowly shinigami like me just beat you for the umpteenth time?" Renji rolled his eyes.
"Like I want to beat a girl and make her cry."
"Hey!" Rukia scolded, walking up to him and bonking him on the head with her fist. "U-so-tsu-ki, Renji! Don't make excuses." She pronounced the syllables clearly.
"Oh yeah?" Renji lifted his arms up, and Rukia guarded her body, waiting for him to at least punch her or something, instead of being a wuss. Instead, she felt something far from hurt.
Renji had snaked his arms around Rukia.
"Re- Renji?"
He ignored her. "You never did answer my question. Do you love me?"
Ichigo and Orihime had finally gotten to their stop, the Thirteenth Division. Again. Ichigo rushed to the door, sliding it open with great force.
"Rukia! I'd like to... huh..." This scene unfolded in front of his eyes. He slowly paused, and stepped back. "Well, I guess... you need 'sum time alone... so... uhm..." Rukia immediately jumped from her position.
"Renji did it!" She pointed to the scowling man, who in turn glared at her.
"Hey!" Renji scowled at the shorter woman; "It's not my fault!" He stood up and went next to the violet-eyed girl. "It- It's your fault too!"
"How is it my fault, Renji?!"
Orihime sweat-dropped. "No need to argue now... right, Kurosaki-kun?" She glanced at the boy, who, right about now, was fuming.
"R- Right." Ichigo hissed through his teeth. "You don't have to argue. I'm leaving." He stomped out of the division. "Told'ya I shouldn't have come here, Orihime."
"I- Ichigo, matte!" Rukia called out, but he was already gone.
Hitsugaya walked off, headed to the Fourth Division. "Unohana-taichou... ?" He was going to get to the bottom of this. After Matsumoto had told him about her bet, Hitsugaya was down right furious.
"Who the hell would want to bet on me and Hinamori?" he hissed to himself-- obviously, he really never listened to the other shinigamis' gossip. Today, he heard enough.
"I heard Unohana-taichou say she's giving the money she wins to help build homes in Rukongai!" one shinigami he passed by gossipped with another. "And they're going to be really nice houses. Lucky."
"Aww..." Another sighed in sadness. "If I were betting too, I would've bet it all on Hinamori-fukutaichou of the 5th and Hitsugaya-taichou of the 10th. We should be glad for her, neh?" He sweat-dropped cluelessly.
"Lucky... for what?" Hitsugaya randomly appeared from behind, the shinigami squealing in surprise. They stepped back a few steps, the bowed. "Hi- Hi- Hitsugaya-taichou! What- What brings you here to the Fourth Division?!" They were ecstatic and terrified at the same time.
"... Where's your captain?" he mumbled, not in the mood today, crossing his arms impatiently. "I need to have a word with her."
"Oh, Unohana-taichou is busy with Hinamori right now."
Twitch.
Twitch.
Twitch.
Twitch.
Twitch.
Twitch.
Hitsugaya almost screamed. "Where... where are they?" He regained his composure slowly, breathing in and out.
Both shinigami shrugged. "I think they were... in her office... but you shouldn't bother Uno-" He said, but it was three seconds too late. Hitsugaya was already heading to the office.
"H- Hey!" The one of the shinigami, named Iemura called out. "I don't think you should go in there, Hitsugaya-taichou!" Iemura tried to pursuade him to come back, but Hitsugaya was gone by then. "Hitsugaya-taichou! Hitsugaya-taichouuu!"
"Iemura-sempai, he's gone," Hanatarou, the less dramatic one, whispered in his ear. "You can stop now."
"E- Eh?" He lifted his glasses Ishida-style, seeing the tenth captain not there. "I- I knew that, Hanatarou! Go back to your work!"
Hanatarou blinked. "Na- Nani?!" he responded in surprise. "You just gave me the day off!"
"JUST GET TO WORK!" Embarrassment was Iemura's excuse.
"Oh, Unohana-taichou, it's wonderful!"
"Hinamori!"
step step
"Unohana-taichou!"
run run
stop halt freeze
Hitsugaya crashed the door open. "Unohana-taichou, I'd like a word with-- ARGH!" he quickly shrieked, proceeding to cover his eyes with his hands subconsciously.
He had come in at the wrong time.
The situation was: Unohana had invited Hinamori to try on this wonderful pink dress she had bought for Isane, but it was way too small. So Hinamori accepted. And Hitsugaya... well, he came right when she was changing.
"Aah!" Hinamori squealed, embarrassed at her current position. "Hitsugaya-kun, get OUT!" She quickly grabbed her dress and covered it over her. "... OUT!" Hitsugaya couldn't help but agree, rushing out the door frame, for the door had been broken by Hitsugaya himself. "I'm sorry, Hinamori!" His face was covered in red.
Unohana couldn't help but laugh. "Ohoho, it seems Hitsugaya-taichou is starting to grow up."
Unohana's Plan: Trick Matsumoto into telling Hitsugaya about the bet (she knew he didn't know yet), and bring him to the Fourth Division full of questions.
Unohana's Plan? Check.
"Come now, Hinamori-fukutaichou, let's finish getting that dress on." She smiled sweetly. No one would ever know of her devious side.
"Bleh." Ishida clenched his neck tightly, spitting out anything in his mouth that tasted of wasabi. "That's enough for the year," he joked to himself, walking around to cool himself off.
Although it seemed as if Ishida knew what he was doing, he was totally, completely, utterly lost. "What a nice day..."
"Excuse me." A low voice rumbled from a stranger who came up to him. Ishida spun around and looked at him in surprise. "... ? You're... !"
The stranger nodded. "I am." His black hair was frighteningly stiff. "You seem to be lost." His green eyes stared straight at the Quincy, causing him to flinch in fear.
"I... am." Ishida nodded quickly.
The man sighed, raising his hand and pointing northward. "Go there."
"Huh?"
"Just go."
Ishida had to comply. The man just looked so sad. Standing up straight and proud, he followed the man's instruction and walked northbound, wondering if he had done the right thing.
Oh boy. This felt like a filler.
Well, the Spring Break has caused me to end this pretty terribly, the chapter, I mean. I've gotten a bad case of writer's block. Nyahhh. Anyways, I think I'll be writing a lot of one-shots this month or so. Dunno why, I just feel it. I mean, really! In two days, I've written two one-shots that seemed pretty okay in my standards. And ideas that aren't part of the story are filling in my head. Hm. Fanfiction is my catalyst.
Please review, you don't know how much it means to get a bunch of reviews when I check in the morning! Hehe.
-Tsukia, tma.