A/N: Hey, everyone, a faster update this time, IT'S A MIRACLE! I'm really sick today, so this probably isn't very good, but I tried to make it a slightly longer one so ya'll know I'm not slacking off! Oh, and by the way, I know this is a faster update than normal, so you guys don't have as much time to review/favourite/whatever, but really, I got so few reviews, or anything really, for the last chapter, that I'm wondering if anyone cares at all. I do write this for the fun of it, but if I'm not getting any reviews, there's no point, is there, and I may discontinue. Right, now that's off my chest, I have to thank the beautiful lovely amazing fantastic people who did review, thanks all you guys, you make my day! xx
These are those said people:
chesxca
splitheart1120
and dragonballzlover2499! They're brill, but ONLY THREE? Really? I know there's more people than that reading this, I CHECKED! ME! THE COMPUTER-MORON!
Disclaimer: (spoiler in this, latest chapter of the manga!) I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. All credit goes to the ABSOLUTELY FANTABULOUS KUBO TITE! WHO I LOVE SOOOO MUCH, AS YUKIO LIVES! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! *ahem* Sorry. I also do not own the amazing song Grenade by Bruno Mars.
Grenade
"But darling, I'll still catch a grenade for ya,
Throw my hand on a blade for ya,
I'd jump in front of a train for ya,
You know I'd do anything for ya."
Gin and Rangiku were right in the middle of the town central, busking their hearts out. Unfortunately, the public seemed to be in a rush today and weren't stopping to listen.
After about another ten more minutes of earning two yen an hour, Rangiku threw her hands up and exclaimed to gin, "This is pointless! What is wrong with these people!"
"I dunno…I think we're pretty good."
"I know we're more than pretty good, but obviously these bastards don't!" Rangiku was getting slightly worked up.
Gin hurriedly dropped his guitar and put an arm round her before she started beating up a random passer-by for not listening to them. "Hey, hey, calm down Ran-chan. Ya know, we are here quite a lot these days. Maybe everyone's got a little bit bored."
"What? We've been working our butts off, and this is a good spot! We can't just move!"
"Yeah, I know, but we could try something different, like—"
"But we do loads of different genres! We even tried—"
"That's not what I mean, Ran-chan. I mean, yer guitar-playin's pretty good now, since I started teachin' ya, and though my voice ain't half as good as yours, I can still carry a tune."
Rangiku raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow. "So you're saying we should swap roles."
"Yeah, only for a bit, though. I don't think my vocal chords can take too much strain." Gin shrugged.
"O…kay…but my guitar-playing's not that good. I can only do simple chords!"
"You'll be fine, Ran-chan. I usually do chords anyway." Gin reassured her.
Rangiku was not reassured. "But that's because you're a lazy bum."
"Fair point, well made."
…
"No, Ran-chan! Your fingers go here for G minor." Gin corrected Rangiku's hold on the guitar strings.
"Ow…ow, Gin what the hell do you think you're doing to my hand!" Rangiku protested, ripping it out of his grasp and rubbing her over-stretched fingers. "That's impossible!"
Gin sighed. "Nah, it ain't Ran-chan. Just difficult if you don't put your thumb in the right place on the back of the neck."
"I can't do G minor, Gin." Rangiku deadpanned.
"Yes you can do G minor, Rangiku." Gin said sternly. Rangiku's eyes widened slightly at his use of her full name.
"Er, Gin? Don't you think you're taking this a little bit too seriously? Can't you just show me a shortcut or something? You say you use them all the time."
Gin ran a hand through his hair. "I guess, but it won't sound as good…"
"…I really don't care, Gin."
Rangiku allowed Gin to rearrange her fingers into a much more do-able position. "Ah, that's better!" she said, experimentally strumming the strings and listening in satisfaction to the chord that ensued.
"Whatever. Ya'd better get movin', or else everyone'll have gone by the time yer finished learnin' simple chords." Gin scowled.
Rangiku froze. Then, she exploded. "WHAT? I HAVE BEEN WORKING AS HARD AS I POSSIBLY CAN, GIN! YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND PATRONIZING ME LIKE THAT WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE IT! YOU'VE BEEN ACTING LIKE A TOTAL ASSHOLE TODAY, YOU KNOW THAT?"
"Well, I could say the same for you." Gin retorted harshly.
"WHAT WAS THAT?"
"Hey, hey, kids, what's the matter? It's not nice to hear you guys yelling at each other when we're on our lunch-break, you know?" came a friendly voice from behind them.
The two spun around guiltily and came face-to-face with two men, around the age of thirty, although one already had snow-white hair. The one who had spoken now opened his mouth again.
"There, see? Now, why don't you two apologise to each other, kiss and make up?" he suggested. When met with two sets of raised eyebrows, he said, "Or not…"
"Come one, Shunsui, we can't just barge in on other peoples' conversations." the other spoke up, taking the arm of his companion and attempting futilely to pull him away from the two.
"No, Juushiro! I hate to see two such obviously good friends fight! They needed to stop before they ruined something beautiful!" Shunsui cried dramatically, clasping his hand to his chest.
The white-haired man smiled slightly. "…Right." he then turned to Gin and Rangiku, smiling kindly. "Sorry about that. My friend's a bit of a nosy parker. I'm Ukitake Juushiro, by the way. Nice to meet you both!" he introduced himself, sticking a hand out for them to shake. They shook it nervously, each in turn, while Rangiku cleared her throat and said, "Uh…hi, I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, and this is my friend Gin!"
"Ah, such lovely names! I am the one and only Kyoraku Shunsui, dearest children!" the other man said, kissing Rangiku's hand and shaking Gin's energetically.
Rangiku nervously cleared her throat again. They seemed nice enough. "Right…um, if you don't mind me asking, Kyoraku-san—"
"No, please! Call me Shunsui!"
"…O…kay, Shunsui-san, but, ah, why are you wearing a pink suit?"
There was a long silence. Suddenly, Ukitake burst out lauging.
"Hah! Ahaha! See, Shunsui? Even children have better fashion sense than you! Hahaha—cough cough cough hack!" he finished with a rather nasty-sounding choking. Rangiku's eyes bugged and she began to panic. Gin placed a reassuring hand on the small of her back as Shunsui patted his friend between the shoulders.
"Don't worry, kids! He'll be fine, he gets these little turns sometimes! It's the air, you know!" he smiled.
Finally, Gin spoke up. "Ah…I'm not sure if it'll help, but I have a cough sweet in my pocket…"
Juushiro's coughed slowed down and eventually he straightened up, obviously quite alright, and said, "No, thank you, Gin-kun, but I'm very grateful for your offer."
"That's all right…"
"So, anyway, children, why were you arguing?" Shunsui tried again.
"Shunsui! Leave the kids alone now; you look like a child-snatcher!" Juushiro reprimanded, throwing his hands up in exasperation.
"No, it's all right, Ukitake-san. We were fighting because...uh…well…"
"Yes?" Shunsui prompted.
"Yeah, I actually have no idea why we were fighting. Do you, Gin?" Rangiku turned to her childhood friend.
"Nope. I guess it's just been a really bad day. So, we're fine, have a nice day!" Gin not-so-subtly waved them off. He'd always been much warier of strangers than Rangiku.
"Gin! That's so rude! I'm sure they mean well!" Rangiku scolded him.
"No, that's all right, Rangiku-chan," Gin visibly stiffened at the pet name. ", we are being rather strange. We'll go now! Make sure you too don't fight again, okay?" Shunsui called over his shoulder as Juushiro dragged him away, waving farewell at the two children.
They stood next to each other and watched them leave.
Rangiku turned to Gin. "Look, I'm sorry I over-reacted. You were right; I am really slow at learning chords."
"No, no, Ran-chan! It wasn't yer fault at all! It was all me. I shouldn't have been such an…asshole, you said, right?"
"Heh, yeah. Well, whatever. I'm sorry anyway." Rangiku said, pulling him into a hug which he reciprocated eagerly.
"Me too. I guess we have something to thank those two weirdos for huh?" Gin chuckled, his arms still wrapped around her waist.
"They weren't weirdos! They were just nice people! You're too suspicious Gin!"
"…I guess, but ya have ta admit, that guy in the pink suit was pretty weird!"
"Well…maybe just slightly…" Rangiku laughed, pulling away, to Gin's disappointment. "Come, on, are we gonna do this song or what?"
"Yeah, okay, Ran-chan! Hold yer horses!" Gin grinned. Rangiku looked at him in amazement. "What?"
"Gin, you—smiled!" Rangiku exclaimed, gobsmacked.
"Ran-chan, I smile all the time. You always complain about it, remember?"
"No, but you really smiled this time! It wasn't creepy! Well, not much…" she teased, picking up the guitar and positioning her fingers ready for the first chord. "Come on, let's do this thing!"
"Wait. Ran-chan?"
Rangiku looked up. "Yes, Gin?"
"I'd do anythin' fer ya. Ya know that, right? I'll always protect ya."
"…That's really random. Gin, for the last time, mildly crazy people are not always rapists! Kyoraku-san and Ukitake-san were just nice people!"
"But ya know I'll always protect ya?"
"Of course, Gin. Now, for the love of God, stop being so serious and start singing! I haven't heard your voice properly before!"
…
"Oh, oh, I would go through all this pain,
Take a bullet straight through my brain!
Yes, I would die for ya, baby,
But you won't do the same."
A/N: I really like the ending to that one. It kinda puts a bittersweet twist from Gin's inner thoughts! He's really unsure of himself, deep down! Well, that's my interpretation of it anyway!
Now, everypeoples, please review, I don't really care what you say, as long as it isn't a flame, but I just really need to know if more than three (lovely amazing fantastic) people like this! Call me insecure, and you'll be right! I actually have no idea whether this is good or not...'n'