Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of the related titles.

A/N: I apologize for being the worst author ever and NEVER updating this. I'm getting back on the wagon though, and should be posting more often. You guys have been amazingly patient! I hope you're still interested in the story!

Chapter 5: Dusty Martini

"Mr. Kurosaki!"

Ichigo nearly yelped as he found himself smothered by something very large and very soft. Blinking open his eyes, to his horror, he realized the soft object against his face happened to be Miss Matsumoto, holding him in a crushing hug. He gasped for air, refusing to hug her back, his arms sticking out at odd angles. Ikkaku, who stood only a few feet away, laughed loudly at the sight of them.

"I'm so glad you decided to come out and join us," she said, finally letting him go. She held him at arm's length, beaming. "I thought you might be one of those shy nerdy types who never liked to party."

Ichigo didn't know what to say. He gaped at her silently, his eyes falling to Ikkaku for an answer. The man continued to laugh, too amused to change the subject. Hinamori, who seemed to arrive at just the right moment, set her hand on the tall woman's shoulder, hardly able to reach.

"Now, now, Rangiku," she said softly. "Let the boy breathe."

"You're going to love this place, man…" Ikkaku clapped Ichigo on the shoulder. "Classy, but fun. We come here every week."

Ichigo nodded, looking up at the sign on the bar they were headed into. He'd never been in this one, but the city was full of them. He couldn't possibly be familiar with every single one. It was an office thing, he supposed. Nearly everyone in the firm was to meet them there that night, which he wasn't used to. He went to bars with Keigo, but never in large groups of people. He didn't know how to act, or what he was expected to do.

"Do you dance, Mr. Kurosaki?" Rangiku asked, whirling around once they entered the bar, her black dress floating outward as she did so. Her long red hair bounced about her shoulders, tumbling down her semi-exposed back.

"Come on, Ran…" Ikkaku butt in. "We're not at the office. He's got a name."

Ichigo opened his mouth to tell her it was alright, but she spoke up, her smile growing even wider, before she got the chance.

"Alright then," she said. "Do you dance, Ichigo?"

Ichigo felt something radiate in the back of his knees, causing them to buckle a little. It wasn't even right for a woman this beautiful to work at a law firm. She should have been a show girl or something. They all had to be messing with him.

"N-No," he answered slowly. "I don't."

"Aw," Rangiku pouted a little. "Well, maybe we'll have to change that…"

Ichigo followed them to the bar, settling himself down in the nearest barstool. Ikkaku took the seat next to him, and Hinamori slipped into the one on the other side before Rangiku even had the chance. Rangiku, however, did not seem at all interested in sitting. She immediately dashed toward the dance floor, greeted loudly by several different men almost instantly. Ichigo shook his head and turned around, facing the bartender.

He seemed rather young, a college student perhaps, trying to make some money on the side. Only when he moved closer to them did Ichigo realize just how short the man in front of him was. It was almost amusing. His hair was bleached, almost white and spiked outward. Despite the rather relaxed feeling of the rest of the bar, he was dressed quite nicely - the pressed white button-up, and black vest combo. As any usual bartender is known to do, he had pushed his sleeves up past his elbows. His light eyes glanced along his newest customers, finally stopping on Hinamori. His mouth twitched a little, but he didn't smile. Hinamori turned red.

"Haven't seen you around here in a while," he said to her quietly.

"I've been busy…" she muttered back, not daring to look at the men seated beside her.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, looking between the two of them, although Ikkaku seemed completely unfazed by their interaction. The bartender turned to them, looking rather unimpressed and nodded in their direction.

"What can I get for you?" he asked.

"Usual, Hitsugaya, my good man…" Ikkaku smirked at him, chewing on a toothpick as he did so.

Hitsugaya turned his attention to Ichigo, tossing a small rag over his shoulder. "And you?"

Ichigo waved his hand. "I'm all set, thanks…"

Ikkaku slapped his arm. "Don't be ridiculous, you're in a bar. In a bar, you drink. Get him one of mine…" he called to the bartender. He glanced back at Ichigo. "This'll knock you on your ass, I'm sure of it."

Hitsugaya turned around and began busying himself with the different bottles of alcohol on the shelves. Ichigo turned on his stool, looking around at the people sitting around them. It was still early, but the bar was fairly full. He wondered how many people there his coworkers knew. He couldn't recognize a face. It was a bit intimidating.

"Well, well, well…" a loud voice sounded from the darkness. "Didn't think you'd be man enough to join us."

The large form of Renji pushed Ikkaku from his seat, forcing him into the stool beyond. He faced Ichigo, his grin taunting. Ichigo only looked at him for a moment before turning back to the bartender, who'd just placed their drinks down on the counter.

"Well, I mean," Renji continued. "If Hina, here can handle it, I guess you can. Steppin' up, my friend…"

Ichigo hardly considered the man in front of him a 'friend', but if it helped him sleep at night, he'd let Renji go on thinking that way. Hitsugaya stared at the new arrival, wiping away at a brand new glass. He seemed less impressed with Renji than he did with the rest of them.

"Your other half coming in tonight, too?" he asked Renji shortly.

Renji glanced at him and his grin faded instantly. His tattooed eyebrows furrowed a bit and he shook his head. "Nah, she's staying in for the night. Got a big case to work on. She's busy."

Ikkaku laughed loudly. "Ha! Her royal highness is too good to come out with us now?"

Renji glared at him. "No," he said sharply. "She's just got a lot on her hands. Her brother's got her working double, because he says he's got more important things to do." He turned his head, spotting a group of men gathered around a large pool table. Grinning, he got up from his seat and marched over. Ikkaku opened his mouth to say something, but froze, noticing a tall blonde coming through the front door. He winked at Ichigo and slid from his stool and dashed over to greet her. Ichigo shook his head and turned back to where the bartender had been only moments before. He had disappeared down the bar to tend to other customers. Ichigo had been left with Hinamori.

"So…what's the deal with you and…" he nodded at Hitsugaya's back.

Hinamori didn't bother looking in the direction he gestured. She stared down at the bar in front of her. "I don't know what you're talking about, Mr. Kurosaki."

Ichigo knew she was hiding something. He could see it as her cheeks turned an even darker shade of red. "Come on…" he said quietly, moving a little closer to her. "There's something going on."

Hinamori shook her head, still refusing to look at him. "I don't think that's really professional, Mr. Kurosaki. Everyone else can talk about their personal lives all they want, but I prefer to keep mine a secret."

Ichigo grinned at her embarrassment, but didn't say anything. She finally peered at him, and did her best to hold back a smile. A few long silent moments passed between them before she finally sighed and shifted a little.

"There's not much to say…" she whispered. "He just helped me out of some…hot water, once upon a time, and he just likes to keep his eye on me, okay?"

Ichigo nodded, letting it go. He couldn't imagine innocent, little Hinamori getting into anything defined as "hot water," but he didn't want to push her too much. It really wasn't any of his business. Still curious about his co-workers, he glanced along the bar to see Rangiku, wrapped up completely in what looked like a much older gentleman. His hair was longer, and a shiny gray color. His eyes were shut tight as he kissed her neck, though when he pulled away, he didn't appear to open them at all.

"Who's that guy?" he asked, changing the subject.

Hinamori turned her head to see where he was pointing. The look on her face was that of someone who'd smelled something foul. She turned back quickly, shaking her head. Ichigo didn't quite understand.

"He's Rangiku's boyfriend…" she dropped her voice even lower. "He's kind of a jerk. He's a lawyer. A partner in another firm. He…He used to work with us, until the death of Mrs. Kuchiki. Then the two of them split and started their own place. Didn't want to work under Mr. Kuchiki anymore, I guess. He and Rangiku have had this…steamy romance since they were teenagers."

"How old is he?" Ichigo cringed a little. He could see them being lovers since Rangiku was a teenager, but there was no way this man was even remotely close to her in age. If she were that old, she certainly looked better than he originally thought. How she kept her figure was a secret most women would want to know, he was sure.

"Him?" she jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "I dunno. Late twenties. Early thirties. Try and ask Rangiku how old she is, and she'll like bite your head off, so I really don't know. Don't let his gray hair fool you. He's not that old."

Ichigo frowned a bit, watching the man carefully. He and Rangiku seemed to be getting hot and heavy real fast, and in public no doubt. He was used to people doing so in bars, but it had never been someone he knew. He felt embarrassed for Rangiku, although Rangiku herself looked as though she were enjoying the attention immensely.

"You'll learn fast," Hinamori said, her attention still on Ichigo. "About all the different relationships that go on in the office. It's like," she shrugged a little, finding it hard to formulate the right words. "It's like we're all the only people we know. So, we have to date within ourselves."

"Except for you…" Ichigo said playfully, glancing back at the short bartender.

Hinamori flushed, turning her eyes away. She cleared her throat, though Hitsugaya seemed completely oblivious. "That's different," she said quietly. "We're not dating. He's just a friend. And I'm…still not one to talk about inter-office relations."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, keen to hear more, but he knew Hinamori would be tough to get such intimate details from. He searched for a sign of Ikkaku, who had disappeared with the blonde, but the bald man could not be found anywhere in the room. Hinamori turned in her chair, sighing heavily as she turned around to face the rest of the crowd.

"Kind of sad, really…" she said, shaking her head. "The people who come in here. I mean, for us it's a tradition, but even in that it's sad. Like, do people in New York have nothing better to do during the night than drink in darkened rooms and rub up against strange men and women?"

"Nope," Hitsugaya joined the conversation again, this time polishing a silver tumbler. "And I'm glad they don't, because if they didn't, I would be out of a job."

"Well, you could always find another one," Hinamori said to him over her shoulder calmly. The corners of her mouth twisted upward in a slight smile.

"Not all of us can be lawyers, Mo…" Hitsugaya shot back at him.

"I'm not a lawyer…" she replied coolly.

Hitsugaya opened his mouth to respond, but he found himself without a response, and returned to his cleaning. Hinamori allowed herself to smile, only glancing back at him for a moment. He refused to make eye contact. Ichigo nodded toward Renji, aiming his cue at the shiny black eight ball on the pool table.

"What about him?" he asked. "Dating the boss' sister. That's a little iffy, don't you think?"

Hinamori narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"

"I mean," Ichigo continued to watch him. "That's dangerous water. If things went bad, wouldn't it make things difficult in the office? Your boss would hate you, wouldn't he?"

"Clearly you've never met Mr. Kuchiki," Hinamori said with a polite scoff.

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked.

"Mr. Kuchiki is a very…" she chose her words carefully. "Silent, man. He likes to be by himself, and when he's around people, he doesn't like to say much of anything. He doesn't like a lot of people to begin with. I just think he has a general mistrust of them…"

"Or he's just an arrogant asshole," Hitsugaya butt in.

Ichigo turned his attention to the bartender, who had stopped everything, suddenly leaning over the bar between them. Hinamori rounded to him, her eyebrows disappearing into the little wisps of hair dangling over her forehead. Ichigo looked between the two of them, unsure of what was going on. How did Hitsugaya know their boss?

"Hitsu," she hissed at him. "That's a horrible thing to say. He's just…proud. And after all he's been through, I don't blame him for not wanting to be around people all the time."

"Doesn't give him any excuse -" Hitsugaya rolled his eyes.

"Wait," Ichigo held up a hand to stop the two of them. "You know Mr. Kuchiki?"

Hitsugaya stared at him in silence for a while, and sighed, bowing his head a little. "Yeah, of course I do," he said. He glanced up a little, his brow furrowing. "You're not from around here are you?"

Ichigo shook his head slightly.

Hitsugaya nodded. "Figures," he brought himself back to full height. "The Kuchiki family is one of the wealthiest in New York. Not celebrity famous, but always in the tabloids for something. After his wife died, they had a huge scandal blowing through all the papers. Said she was murdered. Raped. He killed her. A million other theories. Truth is, it was just cancer." He shrugged, yanking the rag from his shoulder and dropping it onto the counter. "Nothing too exciting."

"If they're so rich and famous, then what's his sister doing with Renji?" Ichigo asked. Ichigo hadn't met many of the wealthy men in New York, but he was certain at least one of them had to be better than Renji. Or at the very least, have a better attitude.

"Renji's been there forever," Hinamori explained. "Old friend of the family and such. I honestly think Mr. Kuchiki encourages it. They seem happy, though Miss Kuchiki doesn't come out much."

"Ever," Hitsugaya corrected her.

"No, that's not true…" Hinamori shook her head. "No, she sometimes comes out with us. Sometimes she has other plans. She's a busy woman."

Hitsugaya mimicked Hinamori, and turned around, pulling a new bottle from the shelf. He proceeded to clean the neck of it with his dirty rag. Ichigo hardly had enough time to look from Hitsugaya to Hinamori before a loud giggle sounded the return of Rangiku, this time with her man-friend attached to her arm.

"Why are you guys just sitting down? You should come dance with us!" she pulled at Ichigo's sleeve with her free hand. "Come on, Ichigo! You dance don't you?"

"No," he said quietly. "No, I really don't."

He hesitantly looked up at the gray-haired man, avoiding his gaze as soon as they made eye contact. At least, he thought they made eye contact. It seemed as though, even when his eyes were open, they appeared to be closed. Ichigo wondered if the man were blind. Judging by the woman on his arm, he highly doubted it, but it was possible. Perhaps he did not know about the busty beauty that he'd managed to catch.

"Ichigo!" Rangiku caught herself. "This is my…friend, Gin Ichimaru." She flashed a flirty smile, batting her eyes up at the tall, thin man next to her.

"A man should be named after what he drinks, don't you think?" Gin said playfully, looking straight at (or so Ichigo thought) Ichigo. He held out his hand.

Ichigo took it reluctantly, forcing a laugh. Hinamori had fallen silent next to him, averting her eyes to the glass in front of her. She downed it rather quickly, gesturing for Hitsugaya to bring her a second. Something about Rangiku's "friend" bothered her, it was evident. Ichigo found himself half-tempted to ask her to dance, just to get the away from the risqué couple.

"What is that you're drinking there?" Gin jerked his chin in the direction of the glass in front of Ichigo.

Ichigo looked around in confusion, finally spotting the glass Hitsugaya had placed in front of him without even noticing. He frowned, looking down at it, realizing he had no idea what it was he was about to drink. Ikkaku had ordered it from him, and danced off before he could say anything else about it. Gin awaited patiently for an answer, but realized quickly Ichigo didn't feel much like talking.

"You're a strange guy, Ichigo…" Gin said, grinning widely. It made Ichigo uncomfortable. "Whatchya hidin' from us, huh?"

Deciding it was best to just go for it, Ichigo grabbed the glass and poured it down his throat. Ikkaku hadn't been kidding. Whatever Hitsugaya had put in it kicked him right in the stomach. He gasped for breath, and turned, not bothering to look at Rangiku or the ever-smiling Gin. Hinamori sucked down another large gulp of whatever it was she was drinking, only catching Ichigo out of the corner of her eye.

"Dance with me?" he offered, holding out his hand.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Rangiku whooped loudly, throwing her arms into the air.

Hinamori looked confused at first, but as Ichigo raised his eyebrows a little, cocking his head to the side, she seemed to get the hint. She nodded and took his hand, almost pulling him toward the tiny dirty dance floor. As they moved, Hinamori leaned her head in close to his.

"Thank you…" she muttered.

"No problem…" he replied, his voice low.

"You know," she laughed a little. "You can leave anytime you want. I wouldn't blame you."

Ichigo smiled back at her, but decided not to leave so soon. As tempting as the offer was, he felt terrible leaving her there alone, and despite their strange sexual antics, Ichigo thought it might be important to stay on his coworkers' good sides. At least for the time being. He was still the new guy after all.

A/N: So that's that. Sorry it's a bit long, and I promise you, things are about to get interesting. Gotta have the two meet up again, don't we? It'll be fun! I hope you all enjoyed it. (Especially the image of Hitsugaya as a bartender. I was rather amused by that too.) I'll update soon! I promise! Thank you all for being amazing!