A/N: I THOUGHT I POSTED THIS ALREADY, FFFFF. "OTL This was meant to be your CHristmas present, I thought I posted it up! ;____; Sorry it's late guys! Dx I hope you like it anyway, I worked super hard on it!
I dunno when Chapter 6 will be up, as I'm having troubles with it, but I'll post it as soon as I can! :D
This chapter was beta'd by Desert(dot)Moon, kthx.
Life is a Deception – Chapter 5
"Rukia!" The shout was followed by the clatter of a chair. Renji was on his feet, a look of shocked happiness on his face. All traces of weariness from soccer practice were gone.
The raven-haired girl averted her eyes. "Don't make a scene, idiot."
"Watch who yer callin' idiot, idiot!" Renji exclaimed loudly.
"Please lower your voice, Abarai-kun," Aizen admonished lightly, beating Sasakibe to the reprimand.
Byakuya Kuchiki frowned. "Really. Aizen-san, Chojiro-san, I leave my sister in your capable hands. Abarai, keep your jaw off the ground; you know your assignment." With those words, the millionaire swept from the classroom, leaving something close to a stunned silence in his wake.
"Assignment?!" Rukia screeched as the end-of-period bell rang. The room was chaotic as the students gathered books and materials before racing from the classroom.
"What do you think Kuchiki-sama meant by 'assignment?'" Momo asked as she fell into step next to Hitsugaya.
The white-haired boy shrugged. "I don't know, and frankly, it's none of my business."
"Aw, you're being a spoilsport again, 'Shiro-chan!" Momo whined. "There's no harm in wondering!"
Toshiro sighed. "First off, curiosity killed the cat, Momo. Secondly, how many times do I have to tell you? It's not 'Shiro-chan,' it's Toshiro!"
Momo giggled before saying, "'Shiro-chan, 'Shiro-chan~!" in a teasing tone. She ran ahead of her friend and grinned broadly. "Whitey~!"
"Momo," Hitsugaya growled, tone dangerous.
Hinamori grinned and waited for him to catch up. "Sorry, but you're just so cute when you're angry!"
Hitsugaya's face burned. "Sh-Shut up, Bed Wetter!" He quickened his pace, desperately willing his red face to fade back to normal.
The white-haired teenager blew into Akon-sensei's science lab at top speed and found his assigned seat at a lab table. Momo followed quickly, sitting down at her seat next to him.
"What's with you, 'Shiro-chan?" she asked Hitsugaya as he took out his science notebook and began copying the warm-up.
"Nothing," he lied, keeping his eyes on his notebook.
Momo opened her mouth to say something but thought better of it as they were joined by Hanataro and the class narcissist, Yumichika Ayasegawa. The raven-haired teenager was obsessed to an almost unhealthy extent with beauty. He was also the class rumor mill, and would make mountains out of the smallest of molehills.
"That's a very unflattering face you've got there, Hitsugaya-san," said rumor mill quipped as he sat down opposite Momo. "However, you are exceptionally beautiful today, Hinamori-chan."
Momo giggled while Toshiro scowled. Hanataro managed to trip while he was sitting down and sent his books, papers, and binders flying everywhere. The small teenager scrambled around on the floor, trying desperately to pick things up before people stood on them. He wasn't having much luck, and most of his classmates (like Yumichika) were to busy snickering to help.
"Are you okay, Yamada-san?" a kind voice asked suddenly. Hanataro looked up to see Isane leaning over him, looking concerned.
Hanataro nodded hesitantly. Isane set her books down before crouching beside the black-haired klutz and helping him pick his things up. Hanataro stuttered his thanks.
Isane stood and handed him the books she had retrieved. "Be careful, Yamada-san." She smiled gently, then went to sit down. Hanataro flushed and once again thanked her, although it was lost. The raven-haired boy slipped into his seat next to the smirking Yumichika.
"Good going, Yamada-san," the narcissist gibed, adjusting his bracelets. "That was a great way to make yourself seem ugly." Hanataro's blush deepened, this time from shame.
"Leave him alone, Ayasegawa," Rikichi growled from behind Yumichika. "Or you'll find your pretty face nice and bruised, which is hardly attractive." The narcissist rolled his eyes but quieted down and opened his folder.
"Alright, everyone, settle down," Akon-sensei instructed as he walked into his classroom, adjusting his lab coat. "Rin, candy away! Maybe if you didn't eat in my class your grades would be better!"
Rin, who was sitting across from Rikichi, blushed and swallowed whatever sweet he'd been snacking on. "S-Sorry, Akon-sensei."
The black-haired teacher sighed and tapped the blackboard with a piece of chalk. "Warm-ups. Get started if you haven't."
Notebooks opened, papers rustled, and pens and pencils scribbled. Rukia and Renji snuck in about ten minutes later. Akon glared at them before Renji wordless handed the teacher a pass and a note.
"I see," Akon muttered after he read the note. "Some rearranging is in order, then. Renji, Rukia, you'll be sitting with Ikkaku at the back table. Don't make me regret my decision, Renji."
The red-haired teenager nodded and moved to sit across from Ikkaku Madaremare, whose bald head shone in the florescent lighting. Akon handed Rukia a textbook, a textbook slip, and a couple of papers before signing her slip and sending her to sit down.
"Now that that matter is resolved," Akon said as if nothing had really happened, "Hitsugaya, please bring your notebook up to the visualizer and show the class your answers." Hitsugaya sighed and stood, picking up his warm-up notebook and carrying it to the visual. With another sigh, he began to explain.
A period and a half later, Hitsugaya, Renji, Rukia, Ikkaku, Momo, Hanataro, Rin, and Rikichi were all sitting outside, eating lunch. Yumichika and Ikkaku had insisted on sitting with them, but the whole table knew the only reason the narcissist would sit with them. He was there to get the information on where Rukia had been so he could spread it to the four corners of the Earth. Ikkaku just followed Yumichika.
Rukia was quiet for the entire lunch period, not eating anything. She hadn't brought any lunch or money to buy it. She had turned down all offerings and had taken to either staring off into space or glaring at Renji in turn. Finally, Yumichika decided that he wouldn't get any information and left in a flurry of Yumichika-ness, followed by a scowling Ikkaku. After the two were out of earshot, conversation started. No one felt like talking when Yumichika was around, lest what they said be interpreted the wrong way and spread throughout the school.
"I wonder why Aizen-sensei gave us that paper," Izuru asked, reminding the soccer players of the pains from that morning.
"Maybe he was makin' a statement," Renji replied as he finished his sub. "Tellin' us to leave enough energy not to die in his class."
"First intelligent thing you've said today," Rukia said acidly. "Stop making yourself look intelligent when you're not." The entire table burst out laughing—save Renji, who had turned a nasty purple color.
"Look—" Renji growled, but Hitsugaya cut him off before he could raise his voice.
"Unohana!" the white-haired teenager hissed, yanking the red head back into his seat at the picnic table. Sure enough, the raven-haired nurse glided up to their table moments later, a serene smile at her lips.
"Trouble?" she asked, looking at each teen individually. Eight heads shook simultaneously.
Retsu smiled. "That's good. Keep it that way, hmm?"
"Yes, Unohana-sensei," the teenagers chorused.
"Lunch is almost over. If you don't hurry and finish, you'll be late to class, and we wouldn't want you to get in trouble with your teachers, right?"
"No, Unohana-sensei."
The nurse smiled and nodded before continuing on. As soon as she was gone, the entire table breathed a collective sigh of relief.
"Dude," Rikichi muttered to Hitsugaya loud enough for everyone to hear, "if your dad does end up marrying her, you're screwed, man." The entire table, Renji included, laughed.
"She's not too bad," Hitsugaya said. "Once you get to know her. She's not as imposing."
"Liar," Renji said. "You're scared stiff she'll rat you out to Ukitake if ya do somethin' wrong."
"I am not!" Hitsugaya yelped, coloring a little. Renji smirked.
"Whatever you say, Toshi." He smirked and stood, picking up his empty tray. He grabbed Rukia by one arm and dragged her with him as he went to go throw his trash away.
"Hey!" Rukia yelled. "Let go of me, you tattooed ape!"
"No can do, Rukia!" The teenaged girl said something very unladylike and rather colorful. The rest of the table laughed and quickly finished eating. Hitsugaya quietly dumped his tray and snuck after Renji and his companion.
". . . follow me!" he heard Rukia saying in a done of deep irritation. "Didn't he?! Don't lie!"
"So what if he did?"
"I don't need a babysitter!" Rukia snarled. "I can't take care of myself, so just leave me alone!" She stomped hard on Renji's food before turning and raging right past Hitsugaya.
The red-haired teenager turned and saw his teammate. He glared at Hitsugaya as if were his fault that Rukia was mad at him before running after his erstwhile companion. Hitsugaya stared after hm.
"'Shiro-chan!" Momo chirped, coming up behind him. "If we don't hurry, we're gonna be . . . what's wrong?"
Hitsugaya shook his head. "Nothing. Let's get to class."
A/N: The trio of dorks are fun to write, and YUMICHIKA. *heart* I love him so much. :3 So, kinda filler chapter, but not.
I'll update as soon as possible! My life might make that update sometime in late January, but I WILL update!!!
-Toasty