Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
Chapter 6
After ten minutes of silence, the coffee shop started to buzz again with business even though a few customers still threw weary glances their way. "Now, where were we before we were rudely interrupted by Ichigo?" Shinji asked as Rukia glared at him over her coffee cup.
"You explaining why the hell did you used that abnormal bakodo on me for one!" Rukia demand in a hostile voice.
Shinji ignored her demand. "You never did answer me, Rukia... Would you like to go some place more private and lively?"
"When hell freezes over." Rukia mumbled as she narrowed her icy glare at Shinji. He just smiled like he didn't have a care in the world.
Rukia had gained the control over her body shortly after Ichigo left, but she decided to stay still for the time being in case Shinji decided to pull another stunt like that again. Silently, she contemplated on where to stab the perverted captain with Sode no Shirayuki when he wasn't paying attention. On the other hand, freezing him in a block of ice would probably be better. It would cool the bastard off, and she wouldn't have to explain the large amount of blood to the cops, the workers, etc... Of course there was always memory wipes.
Before Rukia decided what to do, she felt another familiar wave of spiritual pressure enter the coffee shop. What's he doing here?
"Would you care to go dancing then? I hear you are quiet an accomplished dancer." Shiji commented as he tried to focus her attention on his questions rather than the captain approaching their table.
"Honestly, Shinji, this date is supposed to be just a coffee date. Nothing more! I have more important things to do this afternoon than to be tortured by you!" Rukia replied. She was trying her best to channel her brother and his famous Kuchiki features in hopes of scaring the vizard off, but he only laughed at her.
"You sound like you hate me!" He countered.
"What do you expect after the stunt you pulled with Ichigo and using a bakodo on me?" Rukia growled at him.
"I expected you to be nicer..." He muttered as he made a hurt look crossed his face.
"Why you..." Rukia took a deep breath to find her inner calm. Offending Shinji was not going to be the best way to get out of this mess. Rukia decided another tactic was needed in order to deal with him.
She put on her best sickly, sweet smile as her voice dripped with sugar. "Look, I'm sorry for yelling, Shinji, but this is a really weird date for me."
"Why is that?" he asked thoroughly interested in her reply. Too interested if you asked her.
Rukia's heart hammered in her chest as she searched for the best diplomatic answer. "You're really too forward for my taste, and we hardly have anything in common."
"Oh really? I thought it was because you had a thing with Ichigo. He seemed hurt that you didn't leave with him. I wonder if he could be jealous?" He countered slyly.
"For your information, Shinji, Ichigo and I are just friends." A light blush crossed her face.
"Why are you blushing then?"
"I'm blushing because I'm extremely warm thanks to this coffee." Rukia deflected his question.
"Since your just friends," Shinji used quotation marks with his fingers when he said "friends". "Why don't you loosen up, and take a chance on me? A little spice never hurt anyone." He said seductively, which caused Rukia to scoot her chair back from the table. She was about to leave – consequences be damned!
"Because she's leaving with me…" A voice came behind Rukia.
Rukia turned to meet Hitsugaya's teal orbs as she turned to greet him. "Captain Hitsugaya, what wonderful timing! I was fixing to be on my way to find you!"
Hitsugaya arched a white brow at the petite soul reaper.
"What did you say, captain shortly?" Shinji ignored Rukia's statement. He watched thoroughly amused as a vein started to pop out of Hitsugaya's forehead. Provoking the Squad 10 Captain was one of his favorite past times. Hitsugaya's short temper was bound to cause excitement for the day since Ichigo left too soon.
Yet again, tension rose in the room. Even humans were sensing hostility flowing everywhere. Before a mini war started, Rukia came up with the perfect solution. "Shinji, leave Toshiro alone! I've been hinting at my date with him later today, but no! You just had to keep asking me out! I was trying to be discrete and not hurt your feelings!" Rukia threw on her best upset face at the vizard.
"Would this be another ploy to abandon our date?" Shinji asked with a smile on his face. Rukia kept up her act hoping Shinji would buy the ploy while she sent Hitsugaya a quick winking.
"Really Shinji, Toshiro and I have a date planned a late lunch date. Why do you think I told you that this date was nothing more than a coffee date? Honestly, ask Rangiku since you don't believe me!" Hitsugaya's vein above his eye grew bigger as she watched him grimace slightly, but he wasn't yelling at her for calling him Toshiro yet.
"Since when did you two become chummy, Rukia? One minute you are calling him Captain Hitsugaya then Toshiro the next. Which is it?" Shinji asked suspiciously as he looked from Rukia to Hitsugaya. The two ice wielders wasn't getting off the hook that easily.
Hitsugaya arched an eyebrow at Shinji's question. "Rukia knows that I don't like anyone to call me by my first name. She was just respecting my wishes until you pushed her that's all there is to it. Why is it such shocker for me to date her? You should know that all the captains were available to apply for a date." The snowy haired captain stated.
"I find all this highly unusual. It seems two people were sent to rescue Kuchiki from me. I was expecting Ichigo because he loves... uh... rescuing the damsel in distress. But you, Shiro, are a shocker. Why rescue here? Besides what makes you think I'll let her leave with you anyway?" He challenged. There was nothing but dead seriousness in his voice.
Rukia held her breath for Hitsugaya's reply. Unlike Ichigo, Hitsuguyay wasn't going to back men stared at each other until Shinji looked away. Rukia captured Hitsugaya's eyes once again. The violet orbs pleaded with him not to give up.
"Fine. If you must know, Rukia been working with me, Hirako." He said in an annoyed huff. "Rukia traded places with my lieutenant earlier this morning. She's been helping me with paperwork while Masumoto has been finding her a match. Now, I'm collecting her for our lunch date before we return to our paperwork."
Thank you, Toshiro, ... Wait more paperwork? I was only kidding! Could I could get away with killing two captains? Toshiro would be a waste to kill… A waste?... Wait, why am I calling him Toshiro in my head? Damn this matchmaking...
"Awe! Has the little, ice captain developed feelings for someone other than Momo?" Shinji teased him. Hitsugaya turned redder than a tomato as multiple veins bulged on his forehead and neck.
Turning around, Hitsugaya refused to answer the vizard as he placed his hand on top of Rukia's shoulder. "Come on, Rukia. We need to leave."
"Shiro! Don't be a sore loser! She really does want to stay with me!" Shinji yelled as Hitsugaya headed for the door.
Rukia rose from her seat and bowed to Shinji. "I'm sorry, Shinji. It was a… mhh… pleasure?" Rukia stated quickly before running after Hitsugaya, who was waiting at the door for her.
Shinji watched the wintery couple leave. They made quite a pair as they walked side by side talking to one another.
As he sipped his refreshed cup of coffee, Shinji waited for a certain buxom beauty to emerge from her hiding space on the patio.
"Well, your plan worked Rangiku." He said as the Squad 10 Lieutenant sat down in Rukia's previous seat.
"Your performance was top notch, Shinji! Although, maybe a little too convincing. I believe you may have pushed Rukia just a little too far with the bakodo. Her eye was twitching, and I was pretty sure she was going to kill you until Captain Hitsugaya walked in." Rangiku replied as a smirk graced her lips.
"I was just going to let her go until I felt his spiritual pressure. But I'm sure I have you to thank for my little surprise I suppose, eh?"
"Yes. I know it's not exactly what I promised, but I couldn't help but get the captain involved! They would be so cute together!"Rangiku said with a brilliant smile squealing like a little girl. "You see I arranged for us to have an "assignment" in town so I ditched him when we got here. I hid my my spiritual pressure until I came to the coffee shop. I had hoped y'all would still be here so they could talk to one another. But never in my wildest dreams did I expect him to "save her". Rangiku was then lost in a world of winter wonderland wedding bliss - white rabbits, snowflakes, snow drops, blue dragons dancing, and of course sake!
"Earth to Rangiku..." Shinji recovered Rangiku's attention by waving his hand in front of her face. "Quit planning their wedding! Rukia still has a lot of options to chose from!"
"Sorry! I just couldn't help myself! It's just too much cuteness in one scene!"
Shinji shook his head at the lovely lady. He needed to get them back on track fast. But he decided to offer her a little hope first. "Well since Hitsugaya saved her, there is some type of connection there. Even if it's only he thinks she's pretty."
Shinji looked out the window trying to see if he could still see the couple before turning back to his partner in crime. "You know, I was disappointed earlier. Ichigo would normally have put up a hell of a fight; yet, he left Rukia with me."
"I was a little shocked myself, but I don't think he gave up willingly. Knowing Ichigo, he wanted to protect everyone here because the spiritual pressure coming off of him earlier borderlined on that of his hollow's power. My guess is that I guess you'll have two pissed off versions of Ichigo to deal with when he comes to looking for you later." She asked with a devious smile.
"At least it will be a good fight! Besides, all I have to do now is to get him to admit he's jealous."
"As long as you shove him along to enter the game, I don't care. He needs to man up soon if he ever wants to date her!"
"That's true." A broad smile appeared on Shinji's lips. "But he needs to hear about the matchmaking from Rukia. Anything less than her complaining, and he will blow it off as a rumor. You know how thick he can be!"
"Since we are on the subject of him learning about the matchmaking, promise me that you won't let Ichigo or Hitsugaya ever found out that we actually set this stunt up. They would gladly kill both of us if they found out they were our pawns." Shinji asked.
"Tell me about it." She said jokingly, but she inwardly hoped at least her captain never got word about her involvement. "A little healthy competition is a good thing, right?" Rangiku asked with a musical laugh as she ordered tea and the wonderful delight of chocolate liqueur truffle. Humans have such brilliant ideas!
Rangiku is a little evil right? She'd do anything to get her ships into the competition! But she does have the best intentions at heart!
See Shinji's wasn't so bad! He was only acting that pervy to help Rangiku further her ships! He is actually at least semi-normal. I hope you enjoy! Please leave a review or suggestions for dates! I have a few dates lined up from some of the recommendations and some in my head, but I am curious to see what y'all think still! So far I have Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, and Iba Tetsuzaemon from the recommendations.