Bleach is owned by Tito Kubo, however my OC's are my own.

Apricot Parfait

Ch.2 Get It? Tee Hee!

The low hum of a motorcycle could be heard as it made its way to the Karakura Town Warehouse District. The bike stopped once it found its destination. A figure wearing a motorcycle jacket and pant set stepped off the bike and removed their helmet. Shaking their hair, silver strands danced in the mid-morning sunlight.

Two figures emerged from the warehouse before Anju could finish removing her gloves.

"You're a little too early, Anju", said a man with long blonde hair wearing a black suit that showed off a ruffle dress shirt underneath.

"Ha ha, nothing like the eagerness of youth. Am I right, Rose?". A man with dark tinted glass wearing a green track suit, crossed his arms over his chest and smiled as if he were remembering long passed days of his own youth. His star shaped afro subtlety moving as a light breeze blew through the area.

Having finished removing her outerwear, Anju laid them across the seat of her motorcycle before approaching the two men.

"I figured. You guys are never ready when you say you'll be". Anju jokingly chastised but gave a small smile. "Besides, is it really "eagerness" if I arrive at the specified time? It's not my fault that I'm punctual", she finished with a teasing smirk.

"I suppose not", pondered Rose. "In any case, we can't let you in just yet. We're not ready".

"It's fine. I'll just wait out here. Don't worry about me, "the guest of honor" being out here by her lonesome", Anju feigned hurt as she put her hand on her chest like she'd been wounded by the fact that she was on time and no one else was.

"You're funny, Anju. We're almost done, and once we are, we'll get this grad party started. Hang tight, little one". Love patted her head before turning back to enter the warehouse with Rose.

Once the two men where gone, Anju moved closer to the wall of the warehouse before slumping down. Closing her eyes, she waited.

"Higher" said a short woman with two spikey pigtails. Her arms were crossed, and a vein was beginning to bulge on her forehead.

"I've already put it as high as it'll go, Hiyori" said a tall lanky man with blunt cut blonde hair. He had been adjusting the sign for the past twenty minutes and his arms were shaking. "I'm standing on the top step of the ladder, so any higher and I'll fall off".

"Did you just talk back to me, Shinji?", the woman's expression became severe as her eyes turned into slits. Supervising was tough work with a "shim-becile" like Shinji. His whiney attitude would not be tolerated.

"The table is almost set", announced a woman with glasses and long braided black hair. "I just need the cake".

"It's right here"! A woman with short green hair wearing a white body suit with orange accents walked giddily into the room holding plates, napkins, and cutlery as a muscular man with silver hair brought in the boxed cake.

"I hope she likes it", stated Mashiro as she set the tableware down. "We requested apricot flavor. Get it? Cuz "Anju" means "apricot", tee hee hee"!

Kensei rolled his eyes as he set the cake down. "That joke hasn't been funny for the last ten yers or so. You really gotta stop bringing it up every time you see something apricot related ". The man had his back to the neon green haired woman which further agitated her. She hated how by the book and no-nonsense he could be.

Pursing her lips, Mashiro raised her arms and started waving them frantically as she fussed at Kensei for not laughing at her joke.

Sighing, Kensei finished unboxing the cake and let out a quiet "this woman" under his breath.

Climbing down the ladder, Shinji started folding it up before asking where Hachi was.

"Right here, sir". I just finished bagging Anju's gift and have sealed the card. Where should I put it"?

"Put it on the table next to the cake", ordered Hiyori still ticked off at Shinji's failure to follow her simple instructions. Letting out a huff. Hiyori inspected everything to make sure everything was in place. "Cake, check. Drinks, check. Tableware, check. Present, check. Banner..." Hiyori moved her eyes to glance at the banner Shinji put up with another huff. "check". "Alright, someone go get Anju so we can get this party started".

"Wow, you guys really outdid yourselves this time". Anju eyed the banner above the doorway that led to the warehouse's kitchen. They were currently in what could be considered a living room. In non-particularly neat hand painted letters it read "Congrats, Anju. You did it!" with what appeared to be crudely drawn apricots scattered around the lettering.

With a giggle Mashiro clapped her hands once and clasped them at her side as she stood on one leg lifting the other back. "I'm glad you like it. I drew those apricots myself".

"Oh, cuz my name means "apricot"... I get it, ha ha…". Anju gave a weak chuckle. She also no longer found the joke that funny since the kanji used for her name was different than the ones use for "apricot", thus giving it a totally different meaning, but she knew if she told Mashiro that her joke wasn't funny like everyone else did, she'd throw a tantrum and that was the last thing anyone wanted to deal with.

The overly cheery woman hugged Anju and with glee in her voice spoke. "See you get it. No one else thought it was funny, but I did"! Proud of herself, Mashiro stuck her tongue out at Kensei who grit his teeth and clenched his fist trying to calm himself down. He was shaking as he fought the urge to smack the stupid from the childish woman's brain.

"Hey, milk breath! No, I guess you aren't a "milk breath" anymore". Arms crossed over her chest; Hiyori looked at Anju as if she were remembering a past that Anju herself had no memory of. Grinning, a sharp pointed tooth stuck out. The red track suit wearing woman walked toward her and put her hand on her shoulder. Hiyori was not the affectionate type, but Anju knew all too well that a hand on the shoulder or that rare smile that reached her eyes whenever she'd learned a new skill was Hiyori's unique way of saying that she was proud of her. "I'll have to come up with a new nickname for you, but I'm not sure what".

Chuckling, Anju smiled. "It'll come to you. Though, I actually quite like milk breath. It has a certain ring to it".

Moving her hand from Anju's shoulder, Hiyori smirked as she put her hands into fists on her hips completing her stance by puffing out her chest. As she spoke, she tilted her nose to the ceiling giving off an air of importance. "Yeah, it does doesn't it. I gave you that name cuz the first time I saw you, you were drooling milk. Guess you'll always be a little milk breath in my eyes". Hiyori's smirk grew wider. "You know, I remember when you told us that you were going to college. I was nervous at first, but I eventually came around".

(Flashback)

"You're not living on campus"!

"Yes, I am"!

"No, you're not"!

In her rage, Hiyori raised her arm lifting Shinji by the leg to use him as a bludgeon so that she could beat some sense into Anju. With a scream Shinji cried as he came down on the recent high school grad. At the last second, she dodged causing him to hit his face smack dab on the floor.

(Flashback end)

Yawning, Shinji spoke to himself. "You never did. You called a family meeting and stopped Anju from moving out with a 10-2 vote. You even made counter arguments for anyone who sided with her and threatened Kisuke to vote against or you'd kill him".

"What was that? You got a problem with democracy"?! Hiyori abruptly turned to the man daring him to say anything more on the subject.

"W-what I meant was. Why would anyone move out when the base is basically a dorm anyway? We've got community amenities, a diverse student population, and the cafeteria food isn't that bad either. Who needs to go to college to experience any of these things. Not Anju. Ha hah hah". The man nervously answered. Scared that Hiyori would retaliate. What a temper that snaggletooth had.

"Congratulations, miss. I offer my felicitations on an endeavor well done". Hachi clasped his hands in front of him smiling down at Anju. "Did you notice that when you'd study over here, I'd put up an extra barrier around your room to reduce the noise pollution? I hope it was most helpful"?

"I did Hachi. I greatly appreciated it. You know how heated up Kensei can get when he watches a match or how loud Rose likes to blast his music, and of course how rambunctious Hiyori can get with Shinji on any given day", Anju closed one eye putting a hand to her mouth as she recounted. Trying to appear like she was gossiping about something they both didn't already know.

Hachi chuckled at this.

"I knew you could do it. I'm sure relaxing your mind with my dirty magazines helped as well". Lisa flipped through one of said magazines as she said this. She was standing next to the table by Love and Rose who were filling cups with fruit punch and passing them out. Mashiro had insisted that they pick apricot juice instead of punch when she and Kensei were out buying groceries for the party yesterday, but before she could roll on the floor and cause a scene with her tantrum due to being told "no", the gray-haired man grabbed her and waited outside the store while Rose made the appropriate selection and paid for the items at the register. On the walk home, Kensei had to hear Mashiro's incessant complaining about how he was a "meanie" and that he never let her have any fun. Rose found the man's steadily growing ire funny.

"Well, I don't know about that, Lisa...". Anju scratched the back of her head

(Flashback)

"C'mon, Anju. It'll relax your mind and help you de-stress during your study break".

Lisa and Anju were in her room. It was industrial looking with floor to wall concrete, a basic wooden desk with a wooden chair, metal desk lamp, small bed with sheets and a lightweight comforter, and a small dresser next to it that also doubled as a nightstand. To Anju this was her home away from home, and while she was sure humans would consider it "unsafe living conditions", she wouldn't have it any other way.

Anju was currently sitting at her desk. A thick textbook lay four-fifths of the way open as she paused her notetaking capping the neon yellow highlighter she had in her hand.

"I'm good, Lisa. Really", she sweat dropped. Sure, she was considered old enough under law to look at said magazines, but she didn't share the same enthusiasm that the sailor fuku wearing woman did for such a thing, and she just didn't swing that way. Lisa, however, was insistent that it was natural to look at, and everyone does it.

"If she doesn't want to read them. I'll take them off your hands, Lisa". Love entered the room with a plate of apple slices cut with the peel to resemble rabbit ears and a glass of water. Taking one before he handed the plate to Anju.

"Thanks, Love".

"You're welcome. Rose cut these apple slices for you saying a snack would help you concentrate".

"How thoughtful of him". Anju used the provided toothpick to take a bite out of one of the apple slices.

"Hmph, well if you change your mind, you know where my room is". Lisa made her way to the door with her arms crossed holding her current magazine of interest in her left hand, but before she could make it over the threshold she paused in the doorframe. Without turning around, her eyes glanced back briefly at Anju before setting them on nothing particular on the floor. "Don't stress about it too hard. I'm sure you'll do fine". Lisa smiled to herself before leaving the room with Love following behind. He gave Anju an air fist bump. His way of saying "You got this, kid"!

(Flashback end)

"Well, I thoroughly enjoyed that magazine". Rose chuckled as a faint blush spread across Love's face at the remembrance of the racy centerfold, he and Lisa looked through that night.

"You're both too much", Anju said shaking her head. She tried to hide the smile that was threatening to spread on her face. Honestly, these two were so naughty trying to rope her into their dirty magazine fan club.

"Hey, don't forget about me, I was the student life and enrichment director"! Mashiro waved her arms frantically trying to insert herself into the conversation.

(Flashback)

"I really don't think this is necessary, Mashiro".

"Sure, it is. Hah ha tee hee~".

Both girls were laying in Anju's bed with the covers pulled up. Since she wasn't allowed to live on campus. Mashiro took it upon herself to be Anju's roommate for a few nights so that she'd get the "student experience".

"Ok... but why do you keep rubbing your foot against mine"?

"Oh, that? Lisa told me that spicy things happen in the dorm. Isn't it making you feel spicy, Anju"? Mashiro smiled like she was ecstatic to be replicating what she'd heard about student life.

Anju's eyes bulged. "She told you... to do… what…"?

"Ah hee hee~, she told me you'd like it". Mashiro beamed putting her arms around her "roommate" and squeezing tight. This was so much fun. On day two she planned to reenact what Lisa said could happen in the community dorm showers.

Had the light been on. Mashiro would have seen a vacant looking Anju as she processed what had just been said. Playing footsies under the covers… giving each other scented oil massages in the shower... Of course, Lisa would turn something that was supposed to be fun into one of her flower garden fantasies.

Anju would have to tell her to stop confusing her college edition sexy magazines for real life college experiences. The women in those magazines weren't even college students just adult models pretending to be for fantasy purposes, and even if that was what happened on campus why would Lisa think that she would want to do any of that?

Crying silently to herself, Mashiro's soft snoring was a constant sound in the room followed by the occasional muffled sniffle as Anju tried her best to fall asleep herself

(Flashback end)

"Alright let's get this party started"! Hiyori clapped her hands once and cued Shinji to start cutting the cake.

Soon everyone had a slice of apricot cake, a cup of punch, and were either eating on the floor, sitting on a piece of rubble, or the living room couch.

"This cake is pretty good. Where did you get it from", Anju inquired to no one in particular.

"There's a bakery by the music shop I work at. The old lady who runs it must be reminded of her grandson every time she sees me because she gave me a discount and some cookie samples", Rose said after taking a sip of punch. "They were quite good".

"Yeah right! With your hair, she probably was reminded of her granddaughter". Love roared with laughter followed by chuckles and snorts from the rest of the group. Namely, Mashiro who giggled while covering her mouth and slapping her knee in an exaggerated manner. She was sitting on a piece of rubble with Kensei who sighed wondering how he made it so long being partnered with her before giving a slight smile of his own. The joke was pretty funny.

Rose narrowed his eyes before crossing his right leg over his left. "Granddaughter or grandson, the cake is good regardless". Taking another bite of said cake, Rose brushed off the tasteless joke. They were just jealous that they didn't have a gorgeous mane like his, he thought to himself appreciating the delicate balance of chiffon cake layered with Chantilly cream and apricot pieces.

Anju ate the last bite of cake on her plate and downed her punch. "Thanks for the cake, everyone. I have some deliveries to make, so I have to get going now, but I'll be back by the end of the week for training". Anju put her trash in the trash bag that was tied to one of the legs on the table.

"You're leaving already"? Tears started forming in Mashiro's eyes.

Anju smiled sweetly at her. "I texted the group chat yesterday that I couldn't stay for too long. I have a job too, you know".

"Ok, but you promise to come back?", Mashiro gave Anju her signature puppy-eyed look. A special move Mashiro would dispatch whenever she wanted something. It didn't work on Kensei, and it wasn't always effective on the rest of the warehouse's occupants working about twenty to forty percent of the time depending on who she used it on, but on Anju it worked about eighty percent of the time.

"I just said I'd be back by the end of the week for training, didn't I?", Anju gave Mashiro a promising smile hoping that she wouldn't put up too much of a fuss. The Urahara Shoten had a roster of dedicated customers who relied on her delivery services, and with business going through a slow period, she didn't want to risk losing the steady clientele they had by failing to deliver packages on time.

"Pinky promise"? Mashiro held her pinky up to Anju waiting for her to interlock her own with it. Anju walked the couple of steps it took to reach Mashiro and interlocked her pinky with hers. The juvenile woman giggled.

"Alright I'm leaving now", but before she could go, Hiyori stopped her.

"Hold on milk breath. We got you something".

Hiyori reached for the decorative gift bag on the table and handed it to Anju.

"For me? That's so thoughtful of you all. Thank you", beamed Anju.

"Yeah, yeah. Just open it". Hiyori took a sip of her punch as she watched Anju.

Reaching her hand in the bag and navigating around the baby pink tissue paper. Anju pulled out a leather tool belt. Its silver buckle shone as she held it up to the light revealing the intricacies of its western style pattern. Anju's eyes widened, but they quickly softened.

"Thank you so much everyone. It's gorgeous". Anju's smile was bright, and her eyes shone. The gift must've cost a pretty penny, and she would be sure to take proper care of it.

"We asked Kisuke what he suggested for your graduation gift, and since your old tool pouch broke, we thought why not get her a nice one?", Shinji spoke as he picked his ear before flicking whatever he got out in no particular direction. He briefly thought about flicking it at Hiyori as payback for giving him such a hard time with the banner, but she'd have his head for that.

"I love it. I'll read the card when I get home later". Bending down to adjust her boot, Anju started making her way to the entrance of the warehouse. "Bye everyone", she waved.

The rest of the group said their goodbyes as well before divvying up duties to clean up the table, sweep the floor, and put everything away. Hiyori demanded that Shinji remove the banner at once which he complied with lest he be hit with her sandal.

"To think our little Anju is all grown up. Do you think we're doing a good job, Reo"?

"You're doing it again".

"Doing what"?

"Thinking too loud, dumb ass". A vein bulged on Hiyori's forehead. She was reading an eclectic fashion magazine before she became irritated by Shinji's loud thinking.

Sitting on the couch cross legged, Shinji looked down at her. His expression bored with his mouth slightly ajar revealing two rows of perfectly straight teeth that were clenched in thought. Sighing, he responded.

"Oh, come off it Hiyori. You're thinking what I'm thinking too. We all are". He crossed his arms over his head as his back slumped further into the couch. He uncrossed his legs and opted to put one leg over his thigh while the other stretched to rest on top of the coffee table.

"Oh yeah, well if you're such a mind reader what am I thinking about"? Closing her magazine Hiyori jerked her head towards Shinji. If he pissed her off further, she'd hit him with her sandal.

"Calm down. It's no secret that we're thinking about Reo. It's only natural that we do considering recent events".

Hiyori took a sharp inhale of breath, her pupils contracted. Quickly looking down and away from her comrade, she took a moment to gather her thoughts. With a frustrated sigh, she spoke. "I hate when you do that…but you're right. I sometimes wonder if we're preparing her enough. We don't know when we'll have to face our past, or what kind of tricks Sosuke has up his sleeves".

"I hear ya, but I think we're preparing her just fine. Anju is a capable girl, but I can't help to think that we could be doing better in other departments".

"Oh what, you think we aren't doing a good job being her family or something"? Hiyoiri was defensive, a vein started pulsing on her forehead. She and everyone else were doing the best they could. How dare Shinji act like they weren't. Why she oughta-.

"Calm down, Hiyori. I wasn't implying that we were doing a terrible job being her family. What I meant was. I think we're going a little overboard with protecting her. We didn't let her live on campus, you refused to let her go abroad for that internship program. I think we should let her live her life a bit more. Otherwise, that girl will come to resent us. Don't you think she's strong enough to protect herself from most threats"?

Hiyori understood what Shinji was saying. Ever since Anju went to college, she'd gotten stricter than she already was with training. When she heard that Anju wanted to live on campus and then go to that internship program in a different country, she'd gone ballistic both times.

"Dumb ass" Hiyori scrunched her face as she debated with herself. Shinji was right, but... "Fine, I get it, but I'm not letting her go far away just yet, and any friends she wants to hang out with have to be approved of by me". Hiyori punctuated this statement by jabbing her thumb on her chest.

Shinji nodded. "That sounds fair. You know, I think this will be good for us too. Someday she's gonna move out, and we won't be able to stop her. All birds leave the nest eventually".

Hiyori's cheeks flushed. "Idiot, don't get ahead of yourself". Hiyori closed her eyes remembering something. Opening them once she collected her thoughts, she sighed. "A bird, huh'? Hating herself for what she was about to say, Hiyori turned to her comrade on the couch. "Don't make me regret this, Shinji".

Shinji in turn blinked a few times. "Wow, I'm impressed, Hiyori. I thought you'd put up more of a fuss". His jovial expression fell. "I'm worried too, you know, but it's not Anju's fault that we're all in this mess". He let out an annoyed sigh. "She shouldn't have to keep getting her wings clipped. Aren't doves meant to fly"?

Next chapter our story introduces some cannon events.

A sailor fuku is the outfit Lisa wears.

A flower garden is slang for a harem. Kon uses it sometimes in the anime to refer to his fantasies about women.