Author's Note:

I've been up since seven this morning so I could work out and shower before class… And I have two hours until class starts, so I figured I'd start this because why the hell not. Also I'm going through this "watch all the anime you can because you have Hulu now" phase, and I just finished watching Katekyo Hitman Reborn! so I need something new. Any recommendations? (Part of me wants to watch Bleach again… but maybe not ahahaha.)

Again, thank you to everyone who reviewed the last drabble! .me, EnternalSakura, Lethaldoze, drageneyez, and Anactolica! I like writing AUs and I guess you enjoyed the last one, so here's a continuation! (Also, Anactolica, I do have the two chapters I wrote, but… there's really no more GinRan than that because I dropped it pretty early. XD)

Kaleidoscope
a Bleach (© Kubo Tite) fanfiction

Theme #84
summer

Opening Song: "Too Close" - Alex Clare

Rangiku knows better than to get her hopes up, especially when it comes to Ichimaru Gin. She's been stood up by him so many times and for so long that she wonders why she considers him a friend at all. "I think you'll always have a soft spot for him," Orihime would say, and while Rangiku would glare her into oblivion she can never actually deny it. She's known Gin for too long to simply cut him out of her life. It only sounds like a pathetic excuse when she actually thinks about it, and she kind of hates herself for basically admitting that she never wants to let him go.

She sits in her living room and watches TV, trying not to look too anxious in case he decides to bail again. She's expecting the worst, even if her fingers tap nervously against the couch arm and her foot bounces up and down in anticipation. She tries to keep her eyes fixated on the weird new soap opera Orihime forced her to watch, but her thoughts and concentration are elsewhere. "I hate him," she decides.

Just then, the bell rings and she instantly jumps to her feet.

Rangiku tries to calm herself, tries not to look too frantic or too excited ("God knows he should be excited to see me.") as she stands in front of the door and smooths out her hair. After adjusting her skirt and standing around some more, she finally opens the door.

There's something about his grin that makes her want to slam something into his face. "Pleased to see me?"

"Surprised to see you," she corrects, not bothering to hide her scowl.

"I do like to try to uphold my promises when I can." They both recognize the irony (aka outright lie) of his words, but she's too tired to get into a fight and she doesn't want this outing to be another shouting fest. Gin senses her strong attempt to remain composed and chuckles. "Well, let's get goin', milady. The day won't be waitin' for us to get ready anymore."

She steps out of the house and closes the door behind her. "Where are we going?"

Gin ushers her towards the car by the small of her back, taking her by surprise. "Tellin' ya would ruin the plan." He opens the door and nudges her into the passenger seat in one movement, then eases into the driver's seat. "Besides," he says, leaning towards her playfully, "don't'cha trust me?"

Rangiku purses her lips together, almost in irritation, but she can't bring it in herself to deny him. As terrible as he is with keeping up plans and spending time with her, Rangiku knows that there will always be a part of her that trusts and depends on Gin. She scoffs as she folds her arms across her chest, sinks in the seat, and directs her glower out the window. "If I die because of you, Orihime is coming after you."

"Well, I don't wanna be mauled to death by that monster, so I guess no skydivin' for us." He glances at her and catches the smile that's barely there, and when he turns forward his heart feels lighter.

They drive on in silence that settles comfortably between them. After what seems like an hour, Rangiku rolls down the window and breathes in the fresh summer air. A natural smile warms her face; she doesn't realize that Gin is watching her out of the corner of his eye.

She doesn't question the fact that it's been an hour and a half and they haven't reached their destination yet. She doesn't accuse him of being lazy and not planning things out (like he so often does). She just sits, with only the cup tray between them, and enjoys.

When Rangiku finally stirs, it's to sort through the CD collection he keeps in his car. Her eyebrows raise after flipping through the first couple of sheets. "You kept all of these?" she asks.

"All o' what?"

"These CDs. I made half of these for you when we were in middle school." Rangiku laughs at the bubbly handwriting on the bright-colored CDs. "I remember this one! I was going through a phase where I just listened to American pop music… I thought Renji was gonna die! Geez, I can't believe you still have these… I don't think I even have most of these songs anymore."

"They were all gifts from you," he says, his eyes on the road. "I've never thrown away anythin' you've given me."

Rangiku's eyes wander to the colorful yarn bracelet around his wrist, which is now frayed at the ends and has lost its brightness. They made each other bracelets when they were still in pre-school, when their parents forced them (rather, her) to play with each other. She thinks of her own pink-and-orange bracelet, which sits at the bottom of her jewelry box; she'd nearly forgotten about it.

Something tugs on her heart, but she instantly dismisses it. "C'mon, the last thing you need is Rangiku clutter," she jokes. "Your room's messy enough already."

He chuckles. "Nah, I think I'll always have some room for Rangiku clutter."

Closing Song: "Don't Get Married Without Me" - The Punch Brothers

This barely fits the theme but no hair don't care. I'll probably go back and forth between canon and this AU storyline until the end, eeeee.

xx, der kapitan