It was the day of the party and Rangiku was standing outside of Urahara's shop.
With a deep breath and her eyes closed, she pushed open the door.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
Rangiku opened her eyes to find everyone smiling with their arms up…except Byakuya.
Rangiku smiled bright and went and hugged everyone telling them thank-you for coming and all those decencies.
She stopped in front of Byakuya and looked down at the gloomy man.
"Going to give me a hug, too?" Byakuya asked coolly.
"Depends, are you going to sulk the whole time?" Rangiku asked.
In answer, he handed her a rectangular box poorly wrapped with bunny wrapping paper.
Rangiku looked at the box and let out a little laugh.
"Who wrapped it?" She said smiling a gleam in her eyes.
When Byakuya turned slightly pink, she laughed a bit more. While he was sulking even more, she glomped him, having him sputter for oxygen.
"Ran! Yer gonna choke him!" Shuhei said coming over.
Finally noticing the now purple captain, She gasped letting him go.
"Sorry." She said smiling brightly.
"Come on, let's get this party started!" Ichigo shouted from across the room. Right on queue Urahara started playing music.
Shuhei dragged Rangiku out to the center of the floor and they twirled like little kids.
Byakuya tried to comprehend the lyrics but all he got was "Starships were meant to fly, hands up and touch the sky, let's do this one more time."
The captain shook his head.
'The world of the living has odd music.'
'I find it very entertaining, and frankly a good selection.'
Byakuya sighed and watched as more people joined in the dancing.
By the third song Byakuya was getting good at picking out the lyrics. Now Urahara was playing something that went "Tonight, we are young. So I set the world on fire. We can glow brighter than the sun..."
He shook his head again, such weird selection of words.
Although by the end of the song, Byakuya found his foot tapping with the beat.
His face began to heat up and he abruptly stopped as Urahara announced that it was time to open gifts and get drunk if you weren't already.
Rangiku had gone through all of her presents and was finally at the poorly wrapped gift.
She shot a look at Byakuya, "I wonder who this is from?" Her comment earned snickers from half the people at the party.
Byakuya fought back a blush and remained indifferent.
She unwrapped the gift with difficulty because of the tape. Watching her struggle, Byakuya smirked.
'Don't you feel even a little guilty.'
'Not at all'
When she finally got it open, she looked at the gift in awe. Everyone started craning their necks to get a good look at the present.
In the box was a Chappy necklace with REAL diamonds. There was no questioning it. Rangiku knew her gemstones.
She snapped her head towards Byakuya.
Rukia who was positioned on Ichigo's shoulder fell to the floor with a THUD.
"Oww!" She said still lying on the floor.
Rangiku bent down to help her friend up and everyone saw the amazing gift.
"WOW Rangiku." Rukia said when she finally got to her feet.
"I wish Nee-san would buy me presents like this." She said glaring at Byakuya.
Byakuya didn't return her stare. In fact, he didn't look at her at all. His eyes remained on the still shocked Matsumoto.
Rukia looked at Rangiku, "Well, you going to put it on?"
Rangiku looked at Rukia and smiled, "Will you help me?"
Rukia nodded and Rangiku got on her knees.
Rukia gently picked up the necklace and clasp it around Rangiku's neck. It was a bit odd the chappy necklace and the ring necklace together but no one was going to say anything, until Rangiku asked for a mirror.
Rangiku checked her reflection and frowned.
"This just won't work."
Everyone stayed quiet waiting to see what she was about to do. Rangiku fiddled with the necklace from Gin. No one but Byakuya noticed how her eyes got slightly glossy as she took off the necklace.
She carefully put it into the box that had originally carried Byakuya's gift to her.
Everyone stayed quiet until Rangiku turned to Urahara, "Well, let's start up the music and get out the sake!"
Urahara nodded, and turned the music back on full blast.
Byakuya went to sit in his corner while Shuhei yet again dragged Rangiku to the dance floor with a bottle of sake in his hand.
"Ya...Kuya...Byakuya...BYAKUYA!"
Byakuya jumped up at the loudness in his ear.
He looked up angrily, and saw an equally angry Rangiku.
"What the heck!? Is my party so boring you that you fell asleep?!" Rangiku slurred.
Byakuya blinked twice.
"Have you danced at all?!"
Byakuya blinked again.
'Had I really been asleep?'
'For at least 10 minutes.'
Byakuya grimaced.
"That's it Stuffy! Yer gonna dance wit me!" She demanded still with a slur.
"Why don't you dance with Hisagi?" I asked trying to get out of dancing with the so obviously drunk strawberry-blonde.
"Cause he left..." She said with a frown.
Byakuya sighed and took her to the dance floor.
Byakuya had danced with Rangiku for three whole songs. At the beginning he was just slowly moving out of beat. Soon with Rangiku's leading, He actually started enjoying himself and was moving faster in time with the beat.
The last song they danced to-he noted-was something that went, "And it's obvious that you're dying, dying. Just living proof that the camera's lying. And oh, oh, open wide, 'cause this is your night. So smile, 'cause you'll go out in style... You'll go out in style. If you let me, I could. I'd show you how to build your fences. Set restrictions separate from the world. The constant battle that you hate to fight. Just blame the limelight. Don't look up, just let them think. There's no place else you'd rather be. And now you can't turn back...Because this road is all you'll ever have..."
Byakuya let a bitter sweet smile show.
'Now this is a song I can relate to...'
'I'd agree to that..'
As the song ended, Byakuya looked down at the girl he was dancing with.
He sweat-dropped when he realized she was asleep.
He looked around and noticed the only person still at the party besides them was Urahara. Her presents weren't anywhere to be seen, either.
He raised a quizzical eyebrow towards Kisuke.
"Toshiro grabbed them for her." he answered with a smile.
Urahara flipped his fan out and said, "Can't believe you didn't notice. Seems like you sure were having fun."
Byakuya glared at the man and glanced at the unconscious girl in his arms.
"I guess I'll take her home.." He sighed.
Urahara raised his eyebrow at Byakuya's choice of words, earning another glare from Byakuya.
"You know what I meant."
Songs used: Starships by Nicki Minaj
We are young by FUN
Fences by Paramore