It was a good turnout. Every shinigami was there, Ichigo and his friends were there, and a few hundred friends and family from the rukongai were there. Old friends were catching up, families were reuniting, and kids were staring with wide-eyed wonder at the decorations, food, and people. The western food was well received alongside some Japanese holiday favourites. Yachiru thoroughly enjoyed herself, eating an entire table of food. Hinamori was chatting with her granny. People were exchanging gifts both large and small, (an act which Mai and Akiko were mostly completed,) and the ambience in the hall was one of warmth and good cheer.
Akiko and Mai were complimented and thanked by most everyone. Unohana and Ukitake had let it slip that they’d started the preparations. Byakuya wasn’t even mad. Not really. (Although he did bonk the girls on the head and tell them to ask next time. They pointed out that he’d have said no. He couldn’t argue.)
“Your attention, please!” a voice rang out. Everyone looked to Matsumoto Rangiku, who smiled back. “I trust you’re all enjoying yourselves?” A collective cheer rose up from the crowd. “Excellent. Well, I don’t know about you, but I think a toast is in order.” Matsumoto raised her champagne flute. (Mai didn’t remember getting alcohol... but then again, this was Rangiku they were talking about.) “To Saitou, Akiko and Watanabe, Mai, without whom, none of us would be here, celebrating together. Cheers!”
“Cheers!” The reply was deafening. Mai and Akiko got a few good thumps on the backs and firm handshakes.
“Yes, thank you very much, girls,” said a little old granny. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to see my sweet Hinamori-chan and little Toshiro-kun.” Hinamori was close behind her. She smiled.
“Thank you for coming out,” Mai and Akiko said, bowing. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“And you!” Granny replied, smiling wide and bowing slightly as well.
“If we could all please step outside,” Rangiku said now. People began to file out.
“What’s going on?” Mai asked, looking around in confusion. Yamamoto walked up to them with his lieutenant, both with boxes in hand. Boxes full of fireworks.
“Don’t wreck anything,” he ordered. “Go give us a show.” Mai and Akiko took the boxes and grinned.
“Thanks, Yama-jii!” they cried, and bowed, then ran away before the old man could say anything about the nickname.
The two ran a far distance away, and started lighting fireworks off in no particular order. The sky exploded in white, red, green, blue, gold and purple. Screamers shot up and burst at the top of their arcs in gaudy color; some, when they exploded, let down sparkles like the branches of a weeping willow. There were some shaped like stars, some like dragons, some like flowers and some like kanji, spelling words like “happiness” and “courage”. Finally, the girls reached the bottom of the boxes. There was one left, each.
“Ready?” asked Mai, aiming hers slightly higher.
“Ready.” They both lit their fireworks. The last two, the grand finale, the coup de grace...
Merry Christmas!
And then it began to snow.
“Girls,” called a familiar voice. The two turned to see their captain, strolling up in an unhurried way, big fat flakes falling around him, twirling in the light, cool breeze. “Is this,” he asked, waving his hand to indicate everything that had happened that evening, “all your doing?” He stopped a few steps away.
“We had help,” Mai explained.
“But you started it.”
“Yeah, I guess,” Akiko replied.
“And this is what you were hiding from me all day?”
“Yes,” they both replied.
“And the paperwork... I suppose that was your doing, as well?”
“You’d have never come if we hadn’t finished it!” Akiko protested.
Toshiro stared at her blankly for a moment. “No, probably not. Well, any more surprises?”
Akiko and Mai looked at each other with similar grins spreading across their faces. They then reached into their sleeves and pulled out a small wrapped box, each.
“Merry Christmas, Captain Hitsugaya!” they sang in unison.
“You two got me gifts?”
“Open them, open them!” Akiko replied, bouncing up and down. Toshiro did as he was told.
Mai had given him a pair of gloves. Akiko had given him a scarf. They took the trash and put it in the boxes, then turned back to him. “Do you like them?” they asked.
“Yes,” he replied after a moment, “thank you.”
“Merry Christmas!” they sang, and both gave him a hug.
Initially, he was shocked. But then, the spirit of the season affected even him. “Merry Christmas,” he uttered quietly, coloring a little.
“Ah! He blushed!” Akiko chirped, grinning from ear to ear.
“He totally blushed!” Mai agreed laughing.
“Did not!” was the quick retort.
“Did too! Did too!” the girls argued back, running away.
“Did not!” he yelled, pulling on the gloves and wrapping the scarf around his neck. “Get back here! Hey! Girls! GIRLS!” He chased them past a bunch of people, who looked at them and smiled, or laughed. And the girls kept running, giggling the whole way. “Girls!”
* * *
Yeah, that was long. Kiki and I both decided to play with our Bleach OCs a little. Hope you enjoyed!
