A/N: Oh dear God, it has been SO long since I last updated! I am soooo sorry! Please forgive me! This chapter's about average length, so maybeee...I won't get chewed-out by ya'll? Pwease?
I was so happy to see all the reviews and favourites I've got since the last chapter! You are all absolutely amazing and incredible!
The absolutely-amazing-and-incredible people are:
chesxca
yrpdc
splitheart1120
angelprincess ino
dragonballzlover2499
Rainbow Fruit Loop
Luxord's Xigbar
and agoodcupoftea! See, it's loads, right? I might be slightly overexcited about this, but what can I say, I love feedback from my readers!
Before I let you guys continue with the story, there are a few things I need to notify ya'll about:
1) This fic is indeed ending, after this there will be two chapters and then that's it. Just in case you missed it in the last chapter!
2) From now on, these chapters won't be based on songs, so NO MORE SONG REQUESTS PLEASE! I'm very sorry to those who would have liked to have their favourite in this fic, but these chapters will be called First Wish, Second Wish and Third Wish. For obvious reasons.
3) I have nearly 70 reviews! Yayyy, but I think I'd like to reach at least 80 by the end of this! So, please please review, I will be forever indebted to you! Thank youuuuuu! xxx
First Wish
"Gin?" Rangiku looked at him, smiling faintly when he glanced at her.
He turned around fully to face her. "Yes, Ran-chan?"
"Did you really mean it? About those wishes, I mean." she asked, knotting and un-knotting her hands.
"Of course, Ran-chan. I'm a man of my word, after all." he grinned at her. She could only manage a weak lift of her lips in return; obviously she was still feeling slightly awkward about the whole 'I love you, Ran-chan' thing.
"Great, 'cos I thought about what I wanted for my first wish last night." she informed him, obviously quite excited about the whole situation. Rangiku always did enjoy receiving more than giving.
"Yeah? An' what did ya come up with?" Gin inquired, extremely curious, though he didn't show it.
"Well…I was thinking…" Rangiku paused when she saw Gin unconsciously lean forward slightly in his eagerness. She giggled quietly. "I was thinking you were very rude to Ukitake-san and Shunsui-san a few weeks ago," His face filled with apprehension. "And for my first wish, I'd like you to apologise and make friends with them!" she announced. Gin looked disappointed.
'Brilliant…'
He sighed and rubbed his temples. "All right, Ran-chan. Yer wish is my command. D'ya have their addresses?"
"Oh, they live together in a posh apartment down the road." Gin's eyes bugged. "Not in that way, silly!" she laughed, slapping his arm lightly at his alarmed expression.
"Right…" he managed to choke out.
…
Rangiku and Gin stared up at the pleasant-looking apartment block in front of them.
"Well, this is the place!" announced Rangiku, smiling happily. She looked at Gin, wondering if he was dreading meeting the 'Twin Creeps', as he called them. Contrary to her expectations, Gin looked perfectly calm and collected, although slightly irritable.
"Well?" he asked, "Shall we go in?"
They entered the building, and, after finding the elevator, stood in the cool, sweet-smelling contraption as it rose to the floor they were headed for. When it stopped, they heard a cheerful 'Ping!', and the doors opened smoothly.
Rangiku stared in amazement at the hallway they were met with. Her reaction to the huge lobby had been similar, but she just could not get used to such luxury in a building so similar to their own.
"Look at the carpets, Gin!" she squealed, eyeing the tasteful pattern with unrestrained joy.
"Very nice, Ran-chan, but I can't say I'm well-versed in the topic." Gin joked, ruffling her hair lightly, earning a giggle from her lips. It seemed she was as comfortable with him now as she was before she realised he was in love with her, after her initial period of shock. Rangiku always recovered quickly.
The two walked along the warm, cosy corridor until they reached the door they were looking for.
"Look, eight-thirteen, that's the one!" Rangiku chimed, knocking smartly on the highly polished wood before stepping back and taking another glance at Gin's face to see if he was getting cold feet.
No, apparently his feet were toasty-warm.
After a few moments, the door was opened to reveal a smiling Juushiro. His face quickly morphed into one of surprised greeting when he saw Rangiku and Gin.
"Why, Rangiku-chan, Gin-kun! How nice to see you! Shunsui's lazing in his room at the moment, but please, make yourselves at home while I drag him out." Juushiro beamed at the two, stepping to the side to let them in.
"Thank you very much, Ukitake-san!" Rangiku smiled back. Gin nodded silently. Rangiku elbowed him in the ribs.
"Ah…thank ya, Ukitake-san." he muttered.
While Juushiro left to fetch Kyoraku, Gin and Rangiku perched on the sofa in the tastefully decorated living room.
"This is a lovely apartment, don't you think, Gin?" Rangiku asked him, gazing around wondrously. "I hope ours will be like this some day!"
"Yeah, that'd be nice. It will, Ran-chan. Jus' give it time." he reassured her, patting her shoulder.
"Mm." she agreed, turning her head at the sound of Ukitake returning with Kyoraku.
"Ah, my sweet Rangiku-chan, happy is this wondrous day in which you and your humble partner decided to visit me in my humble abode!" Shunsui announced pantomime-style.
"…Nice to see you too, Shunsui-san." Rangiku replied, hiding a smile behind her hand.
At a small prod, Gin drawled, "Hey."
"Now, why, pray tell, are you two here? Has something happened?" Kyoraku inquired, sitting down in an armchair while Juushiro went to the kitchenette to make tea.
"Oh no, we came here because Gin wanted to say something. Didn't you, Gin?" Rangiku prompted her friend, digging him in the ribs.
'May as well get this over with...'
"Uh…yeah. Came t'apologise fer my behaviour the other week. It was outta order." Gin stated, halting a nonchalant shrug at Rangiku's frosty glare.
"No, not at all!" Shunsui smiled kindly. "We understand completely that you're very protective of Rangiku-chan. Why wouldn't you be?"
"Yes, Gin-kun. You needn't apologise." Juushiro added, returning with mugs of tea and biscuits for all.
"Thanks. My behaviour was inexcusable, though. I'm glad yer understandin' enough t'accept my apology." Gin said, smiling and taking a sip of his tea. Maybe these two weren't so bad after all.
"Not at all, Gin-kun. Now, Rangiku-chan, how is your babysitting going?"
…
Gin and Rangiku returned to their own flat close to six o' clock in the evening.
"Wow, we spent ages over there!" Rangiku observed.
"We did. Tell ya what, I'll go chop some veg, an' you can boil the kettle ta cook supper. I'm starvin'." Gin stated, his case backed up by a resounding rumble from his stomach.
"So am I," Rangiku laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm so grateful you made up with Ukitake-san and Shunsui-san. I don't like it when people fight. Thank you, Gin."
"That's okay, Ran-chan." Gin smiled, holding her close while he still had the chance. "Ya can tell me yer second wish tomorrow mornin'."
"Yeah." Rangiku confirmed. She swiftly reached up and kissed his cheek, effectively shocking him into silence. "Thanks again, Gin."
A/N: Who else is glad Rangiku's period of shock didn't last long. To be fair, their relationship's really, REALLY old, so I don't think there's very much that can shake it permanently. Which is extremely useful when you're writing a romance fic! XP
As this is the third-last chapter, I am now open to pairing requests for my next fic! I also have a few specifications on that subject:
1) NO smut! NONE! I cannot write it! Out of the question! Sorry...
2) No yaoi or yuri. I have nothing against homosexual people at all, but I'm really not good at writing those kind of things, it doesn't really come naturally to me! No offense meant to anyone, it's just me!
3) Could they please be Bleach pairings? I have read other mangas, but the Bleachverse is the one I know best, and I'd quite like to stay in it until I feel ready to venture out into the wild wilderness of fandom! O.O'