Author's Note:
OHMYGOSHIAMSOSLEEPDEPRIVED.

But otherwise, life is... Oh screw it, I hate life. XD Just kidding. It's just pretty stressful right now. But I will make time to write because I will finish this drabble set, God dammit!

Oh yeah — I love you guys. :) But sorry, Painted Sunrise, I'm gonna have to say that Shuuhei is definitely mine. You can have his arm band though. XD Seriously, I love you guys. And I decided that whoever gets my 400th review gets a special oneshot with a pairing of their choice. Because I seriously need to write more (for enjoyment).

­­­­­­­Kaleidoscope
a Bleach (© Kubo Tite) drabble set

Theme #39
Ice

Opening Song: "Technologic" - Daft Punk

Without a doubt, Gin was one of the youngest graduates in the history of the Shinou-Reijutsuin — he had only been attending the academy for a year. It wasn't as though she didn't have any trust in her friend or anything, but Rangiku had never taken the silver-haired fox as a very social individual. He was always off training and/or studying, and she rarely saw him with someone else. Thus, one could only imagine the shock she experienced upon walking into the local restaurant.

One of Gin's upperclassmates had organized a party for him and his friends. Rangiku had assumed that it would be a small get together; she had definitely assumed wrong. The large room was just about cramped with a hundred or so people. Many she recognized as peers, and others she figured to be upperclassmen. Did Gin really know all these people?

Rangiku stood in the doorway, still dumbfounded, and was pulled out of her daze only when she felt a tug on her wrist. "Geez, did'ja get enough sleep last night?" Gin asked teasingly.

"Oh shut up," she responded, smacking his arm.

Chuckling, her childhood friend pulled her in the direction of a table situated in the center of the room. "Yer late. For a second there I was afraid you were gonna skip out on me." He grinned at her over his shoulder, and she automatically rolled her eyes. "C'mon, have a seat." He pulled her down onto a seat next to him. "I think all of ya know Rangiku."

Rangiku bowed her head and smiled to the others around the table. Fortunately, these were all students in her own classes, so she knew them all pretty well. She had never suspected Gin of acquainting, let along befriending, them. Maybe he's not as socially retarded as I thought he was, she thought, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.

Sure enough, Gin spoke with them as casually as he did with her. Rangiku found herself enjoying the party a lot more than she had originally thought, though Gin had made sure that she kept away from the alcohol. "I don't want a repeat of my broken nose, thank you kindly," he had said.

Then came the time that everyone was waiting for — presents.

Rangiku was absolutely horrified. This was possibly the best day of her best friend's (after) life, and she had completely forgotten to buy him a present. Oh my God, I'm so despicable! I'm so disgusting! I'm horrible! she wailed inwardly, tugging on her hair as she slammed her forehead against the tabletop. None of the others were paying attention to her, and fortunately, Gin was too preoccupied with opening one of his presents to notice. What am I going to do!? I can just lie and say that I left it at home... but Gin knows me too well! Oh God, but I can't just say, "I totally forgot about the most important day in your life". I'M A HORRIBLE FRIEND!

"Rangiku?"

She blinked, slowly raising her eyes to Gin's face, and found him (along with half of the room) staring at her. A slow, sheepish grin made its way across her face. "... I need to go to the bathroom." Without elaborating any further, she jumped to her feet and rushed out of the room.

She heaved a heavy sigh as she closed the door behind her and drooped her upper body over the railing outside the restaurant. "I'm so horrible," she moaned.

Hearing the door slide open, she quickly straightened up and spun around — only to face Gin. "Somethin' wrong, Rangiku?" he asked, his eyebrow knitting together. "Ya just kinda... ran outta there. And missed the bathroom."

Rangiku grinned impishly. "Yeaaah, I just..." She raised a hand to the back of her neck and rubbed it wearily. Well, there was no point in lying now. "I soooort of forgooot..." She looked down at the ground at began to twiddle her thumbs. "Togetyouapresent."

Gin's eyebrows rose, and for a second she thought he was going to spin on his feet and just leave her. But instead he laughed. Loudly. At her. Hissing, Rangiku raised her head and reached forward to smack his arm again. "Hey! It's not funny!"

"Yer hysterical, Rangiku," he said, wiping a fake tear from his eye. He walked over to her side and leaned his arms back on the railing. "Is that what you were worried about? Geez, girls really do worry about the weirdest things." That earned him another smack, only this time to his head.

They stood in silence for a while, with Gin leaning back against the railing and Rangiku standing awkwardly (and with embarrassment). Suddenly, Gin's head perked up and he looked over in her direction. "But ya know, I am a bit hurt that ya didn't get anything for me." By the look of horror on her face, he could tell that she didn't catch the joking tone. He decided to use that to his advantage. "I know what ya can get for me!" he chirped.

She quirked a brow suspiciously. "What?" He had gotten rather touchy-feely with her lately, which worried her a bit. Maybe his hormones were finally starting to kick in. Oh, but that's so gross! she thought indignantly. I've known him for like, forever. It'd be like being interested in my... brother.

While she was inwardly debating with herself, Gin had suddenly reached out and encased her face between his hands. Chills instantly raced up and down her back; his hands had always been like ice. Her eyes widened when she suddenly found herself staring into a pair of ice blue eyes. In all her time knowing Ichimaru Gin, she had probably only seen his eyes once or twice, and thus she found it difficult to suppress the gasp that escaped her lips.

Rangiku barely had time to register the whole situation when he all-too-quickly stole a kiss from her lips. As soon as it had happened, it ended. And yet, even as he pulled away, leaning against the railing as though nothing had happened, she could feel the icy imprint of his lips against hers. A bright blush stole her cheeks as she subconsciously raised her fingers to her lips. Had that really just happened?

Gin cocked his head in her direction. "S'wrong, Ran-chan?"

Shaking her head, Rangiku hid her face behind her hand and reached out to smack him again

Closing Song: "Your Love Means Everything" - Coldplay

Word Count: 1082

I went to see The Dark Knight for the second time today. There really must be something wrong when the Joker is wreaking death and havoc, and you're just sitting there grinning like an idiot. Is it so wrong to cheer for the bad guys?