Chapter 14: 10th Division Bonding

"Shinkiro-san!" Hitsugaya-taicho called out as I was training. I called back my shikai and stood up straight, sheathing my zanpakto. My first day in squad 10 had been amazing! I helped Rangiku-chan with her paperwork, and then got to help out different people in the squad with training. I turned to my captain and was surprised to see a delivery guy with a small bouquet of about 7 daffodils, which is the flower of the tenth division.

"Are you Shinkiro Ukitake-san?" the man asked nervously looking at my obviously annoyed captain. I smiled kindly at the poor guy and nodded. He handed me the flowers and took off running.

"You didn't have to glare at him the entire time he was here, Hitsugaya-taicho," I said to my captain who just glared at me, making me laugh a little. I looked at the tag on it and grinned.

"To Shinkiro, I hope your first day at work has been good so far. I never got a chance to congratulate you for your promotion. I hope this will suffice. I will be in squad 10 to take you somewhere special at 6pm-Byakuya Kuchiki" is what it read. I couldn't contain my giant smile.

"Ooooo who are those from, Shinkiro-chan?!" Rangiku-chan said flirtily smiling. I blushed really deeply as she grabbed the flowers out of my hand and read the tag. "Byakuya Kuchiki? As in THE Byakuya Kuchiki? Captain of squad 6?!" Rangiku-chan yelled out in surprise. Hitsugaya-taicho looked at me, obviously surprised as well.

"Um…. Yeah… We're kind of together now," I said shyly with a red face and big smile on my face. Both their jaws dropped, and I couldn't really blame them. It still was completely surreal to me, and it was my relationship for crying out loud. Then, I pretty much saw a light bulb go off in Rangiku-chan's head.

"Is this you guys' first date?" Rangiku-chan asked excitedly and I nodded yes, "Do you have anything to wear?" I looked at her, confused and pulled on my slightly oversized soul reaper uniform. She shook her head in disbelief.

"No ma'am! That just won't do! We are taking you shopping!" Rangiku-chan said excitedly, "And the Hitsugaya-taicho can come with us!"

"Absolutely not!" Hitsugaya-taicho and I said at the same time. We looked at each other and shrugged, and then he glared at the now dying of laughter Rangiku-chan. She regained her composure, and I had a sinking feeling that I wasn't getting out of this.

"That wasn't an option. You need some casual clothes, Shinkiro-chan, and this is the perfect excuse to go get you some. We've all completely finished our work today, and I think having Taicho come with us would be nice because we can get a guy's opinion without ruining the surprise for Kuchiki-taicho!" Rangiku-chan explained actually rather rationally. She had a point. I always wore my uniform.

I hadn't worn regular clothes since I died in the world of the living, which was over 2 months ago. I'd like to get to know my captain as well, but I don't want to drag the poor guy shopping.

"Hmph. I'm not going to comment on another guy's girlfriend. Especially not when the other guy is Byakuya Kuchiki," Taicho said with a small sweatdrop. I couldn't help it. I laughed out loud. It was just still such a crazy thought for me. Rangiku-chan got impatient and grabbed Taicho by his haori and me by my arm and began to drag us to town.

We finally agreed to go, so she would quit dragging us across the soul society. The captain and I conversed about various things. Then finally a question I expected earlier came up.

"I thought your last name was Ogawa. Why is it now Ukitake when you're dating Byakuya Kuchiki?" Hitsugaya-taicho asked. I smiled brightly at both thoughts.

"Jushiro Ukitake decided to adopt me. Even though Byakuya was my assigned mentor, I would go talk to Oto-san anytime I needed something explained that I would have learned in the academy. We grew really close, and on the day I became a member of the Gotei 13, he came up to me with adoption papers and asked me if I would like to be adopted by him," I explained with a grin that I think is gonna get stuck on my face here soon if I'm not careful.

Hitsugaya-taicho smiled, well smirked, at me and congratulated me on everything that happened to me the day before just as we reached the clothing store. I looked nervously at the clothes. Most of them included shorts, short sleeves, and pretty much anything that would show my scars, which I was still self-conscious about. The only time I ever let any of my scars show is when I was doing physical and swordsmanship training with Byakuya. I wasn't ready for these two see them. Oh well.

We walked in the door and the madness began. Rangiku-chan started practically throwing the clothes at the captain telling him to hold the clothes as strength training. Poor guy. I looked around to try and find something I would like. I eventually came across a top that was dark purple with a large ice blue bow at the back and a thin ice blue ribbon tied into a bow at the middle of the neckline as well. The sleeves came off the shoulders and went down to a person's knuckles. It also had a corset bodice.

I really wanted to try it on, so I grabbed my size along with a pair of plain black skinny jeans and headed to the changing room. I tried on various clothes for Rangiku-chan, some of which I would not come out in. However, after five times of this happening, she forced me to come out in some white shorts that went halfway down my thighs and a sleeveless pink kimono like top and was low cut. She said I had to come out, and I was not looking forward to it. I took a very deep breath before walking out to my captain and Rangiku-chan.

I looked up, and Rangiku-chan was smiling. "You look adorable!" she squealed happily. I also saw my captain noticing exactly what I was worried about. He was staring at the burn scars on the outside of my legs. I got so self-conscience that I ran back into the changing room and started crying silently. I changed into the clothes I picked out and came out in them. The scars on my chest and back and shoulders were still visible, but that made me feel a whole lot less self-conscience.

They both smiled at me, and Rangiku-chan gave me a huge hug. "You look awesome, Shinkiro-chan!" Rangiku-chan said with a big smile, "It's not my style, but I couldn't pick out anything that suited you more!"

"That does suit you very well, Shinkiro-san. I think Kuchiki-taicho will really like it as well," Hitsugaya-taicho agreed with a small smile of encouragement. I grinned at him.

"Arigato, Hitsugaya-taicho and Rangiku-chan!" I said happily and returned Rangiku-chan's hug.

"Call me Toshiro-taicho if anything," Taicho said, looking to the side, "Your dad calls me that, so you may as well, too. Plus you have definitely earned my respect." I smiled at him kindly before Rangiku pushed me back into the dressing room to get out of the clothes so I could pay for them. After that, we all flashstepped back to the 10th division. I looked at the time. It was 5:20pm. I quickly changed and came out with the outfit from earlier with a pair of flat heeled gray boots that went up to my knees. Rangiku squealed and decided to put makeup on me. That made me nervous because I'm not one to wear makeup, but when she finished, I looked in the mirror and smiled. She kept it all very neutral. All browns and golds for eye shadow, some black mascara, eye liner, and a clear lip gloss that tasted really good.

"It is cherry flavored," Rangiku-chan said winking, "Ya know, because Kuchiki-taicho's zanpakuto is Senbonzakura?" My face turned beet red, and I had to stop myself from facepalming. I didn't want to mess up my makeup. I liked it. I ran my fingers through my long curly hair and braided two pieces from the front to the back into a single braid. I looked at Toshiro-taicho and Rangiku-chan and smiled and bowed slightly.

"Arigato gozaimasu," I said sincerely, my voice soft. Rangiku-chan smiled and Toshiro-taicho just looked away, embarrassed. I looked at the clock: 6pm. I heard a knock on the door. Well he's right on time. Here goes nothing.