Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Chapter 4

On the following morning, Rukia received a hell butterfly notifying her about a last minute lunch date at a cafe in the World of the Living. But with HIM? She honestly couldn't believe her luck. How did she go to blissful to subzero in less than a second?

Captain Ukitake noticed the temperature in the office dropped rapidly, and ice started to form on around the doors' edges. Since Captain Hitsugaya was not around, the culprit could only be one other person - Rukia Kuchiki. Ukitake was aware of Rukia's predicament, and he figured escaping from the freezing cold would be the best option if a simple message made her freeze everything within a ten foot radius.

"Rukia, I am going to visit, Shunui. Send for Sentaro or Kiyone if you need anything." He called out in a cheerful voice even though he was worried about his lieutenant. Unfortunately, he could do nothing to help her predicament. He already tried to talk Byakuya out of this nonsense, but he wouldn't listen.

Rukia spent her time fuming and working on paperwork until noon. By the time she finished, the office was back to normal. Unleashing a frustrated sigh, Rukia glanced down at her three large piles of paperwork. Since she has become a lieutenant, Rukia spent most of her time running the division because Captain Ukitake was always sick, which today didn't help. She felt bad for almost freezing him out of his own office. A few recruits were even brave enough to interrupt her this morning as ice thawed along the doorway, but she didn't mind. They mistakenly called her Captain Kuchiki - a mistake she completely enjoyed because their words reminded of her beloved friend and mentor, Kaien.

Speaking of friend, Rukia felt Renji's spiritual pressure pace in front of the division office. Why is the he here? Doesn't he know I have to leave soon? Best get this visit over with so I can go freeze a captain with my stare.

"Renji, get your butt in here before I strangle you!" Rukia yelled. Her childhood friend rushed through the door with a scowl on his face. "What? Are you trying to take after Ichigo now with that stupid scowl on your face?"

"What?" He paused for a second before his scowl worsened. A confused look left his face as he realized Rukai was baiting him. "Why have you been avoiding me lately?" He demanded to know.

Ah, straight to the point I see. Rukia stared at him. "Brother didn't tell you?" Renji must have heard the rumors by now or at least Shuuhei bragging about their date. Rukia shook her head as she imagined the fight that would cause. Matchmaking is making my life a living hell!

"Sure I do! He's a real chatterbox that one…" He replied before yelling, "Come on, Rukia! You know that the captain only orders me around or tells me how much of an idiot I am."

Rukia stared at him in shock. "Brother really hasn't told you, has he?" Renji just stared at her with a stupid look on his face. "Well, Renji, the Kuchiki Clan has finally won their long time battle."

"No!" Renji cried in a loud voice. "You don't mean they're making you marry some stuffy noble?" He asked horrified at his beloved friend's "death sentence." He ran over to trap her in a giant hug.

"Renji... I... can't...breathe." Renji still squeezed Rukia tighter. She finally had enough of his manhandling so she cooled her body temperature down until her body began to burn him.

"What the hell was that for? I was trying to comfort you!" Renji yelled at the petite lieutenant.

"I couldn't breath you dumbass! You were smothering me!" Rukia yelled back as she hit him upside the head.

Once she smoothed her shihakusho, Rukia continued her previous response as she glared at . "Before you attacked me, I was about to tell you that the marriage issue is not as bad as it sounds." Rukia noticed a vein starting to bulge from Renji's forehead. He looked like he wanted to complain, but she was having none of that until she finished her story. "I have to marry a man of my choosing from a list that Rangiku and some old matchmaker compiled. Supposedly, Rangiku's job is to make sure all the presented men are decent choices. Even the captains and lieutenants can request a date and be added to her list."

"You sound so thrilled at Rangiku's involvement." He said jokingly. He noticed the shift in her voice. She did not want any of this. Yet being a Kuchiki, Rukia would not disappoint the clan no matter how much she wanted too.

She scuffed at his reply. "I may regret this, but I trust Rangiku's choices more than the matchmaker's, especially after the hell butterfly I received earlier. Anyway, Rangiku won my trust last night. She set up my first date, which was with Shuuhei." Rukia said with a smile until she started her next sentence. "But unfortunately, the matchmaker nearly had a heart attack when she saw all of his tattoos. So the damn matchmaker picked my date for today."

"What! You had a date with Shuuhei Hisagi?" Renji asked as he tried to pick up his jaw off the floor. Then he started to laugh his ass off. "How was the date then? I bet he took you to the noodle shop then to the bar right? He's so classy that way!"

"Grow up, Renji!" Rukia said as she threw a paperweight at his head. "We had a very lovely date at Starry Night. He automatically made it to round two after such a wonderful night!"

"Come on, Rukia! This is Shuuhei we are talking about!" Renji complained. He couldn't believe his drinking buddy could be that well of a date, especially for someone like Rukia.

"Shuuhei was great! He is actually a very impressive date!" She replied with so much honestly and sincerity that Renji could not believe his eyes or ears.

"NOOOO!" He wailed. "Don't tell me you are falling under his spell too!" Inwardly, his heart frozen at hearing Rukia praise her date with Shuuhei. He shouldn't be surprised. Shuhei was a ladies' man. Wait!If Shuuhei had his chance, shouldn't I take mine too? I was in love with her for so long... Rukia would probably kill me... Maybe Rangiku would let me help picking out men for her.

"Shut up, Renji…" A beeping interrupted the old friends. "Damn." The phone turned to ice in her hands.

"What's wrong?" Renji asked as he saw the phone ice fragments phone lying on the ground.

"Time for my... coffee date? I believe that is what Rangiku called it." She thought about the technical term for her next date as a crease lined her forehead.

"Judging by your soul pager, you aren't happy with the choice." Renji was pushing her buttons with these stupid statements. If she didn't hurry, then she would be late. Of course, maybe he would leave if she was to late for the date.

"Would you be happy if your next date was with Captain Shinji Hirako?" Rukia said with a sigh as she rose from her desk to leave.

"Damn… what did you do to the matchmaker? That seems to much just for revenge against a date with Shuuhei." He asked suspiciously.

"I didn't do anything you stupid, baboon!" Rukia yelled as she delivered a kick to his knees. Renji was staring at her from the ground. "I am leaving, Renji. Tell brother I will see him back at the manor."

Renji watched in silence as his best friend left to have a date with the most annoying Vizard Captain ever.

I hope you enjoyed it! If you have liked the story please review it! Also thank you to BlackLeafTree and Hopeless Romantic for the reviews! :)

Please don't kill me if you are a Shinji fan! He's playing an important part, which will be revealed in the next chapter!