Leave Out All the Rest

So, hello again,



Thank you for reading the story. I really hope all of you are enjoying this as much as I do.Again, there may be some OoC out there and a lot of confusion and drama







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Chapter 8



The Wrong Kind of Right



Matsumoto was happy to discover that her day had been perfect and was ending in the same way. She was sitting on the sofa near the window looking at the dark sky of the night, knowing too well that her taichou was sitting on the roof looking at the same sky. For some reason, every thought of her taichou made her feel …strange. It was a feeling just like the one she was use to with Gin, but at the same time it was different and that difference made her a little edgy and anxious. She let out a sigh, resting her chin on her hand.



‘Gin used to like nights like this one.’



-Yeah, he used to leave in nights like this one as well.-



‘You never liked him, did you?’



-It’s not that, Mistress; I did for a while. Just like I liked Shinsou; but he made you hurt…a lot of times I was by your side while you heart was being broken little by little every time he left you behind.-



Matsumoto thought over what Haineko had said. She was right of course and Rangiku hated to admit it to her, so she decided she wasn’t going to say anything. With a soft smile she added, ‘Taichou never liked him.’



-Yeah, he never did.-



There was a moment of silence, which Rangiku filled up with memories of Gin. It was something she used to do every time he left her behind; that and the ‘what ifs’ were thoughts that tormented her since that fateful day. But after the betrayal something had changed, her memories of him made her feel guilty. As if she was betraying not Soul Society but her taichou.



Matsumoto stood up, ready to go to bed, when the tranquility of the night was broken by the spiritual pressure of what Matsumoto supposed were Arrancar. She was about to leave her gigai when she felt that other reiatsu, that familiar reiatsu that somehow was calling out to her.



“Gin…”





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Hitsugaya stood on top of the roof, Hyorinmaru at the ready. His eyes looked sideways when he felt his fukutaichou approaching. He turned a little towards her with a worried frown on his face.



“You’re late Matsumoto.”



“I’m sorry Taichou. I had some problems with my gigai.” She said with a frown of her own. Hitsugaya looked at her with concern that Matsumoto wave away. “Nothing to worry about, I just didn’t know how to get out of it…”



“I see,” he said, nodding, but not really believing her; sometimes she was just a bad liar. “Where is Inoue?”



“I left her with my gigai.”



“Very well.” Hitsugaya looked at the dark sky, the excitement before a fight was present on him and he was just anxious to prove himself against Aizen’s subordinates.



He turned to see that Matsumoto’s hand was on Haineko’s hilt and her eyes were full of emotions; somehow he could feel the conflict, the sadness and the longing coming from her and the closeness and intensity of those feelings made him confused and distracted. Matsumoto averted her eyes to her right and she found herself looking into her taichou’s. For a whole minute they stood like that; each one of them had something important to tell the other.



‘I’m confused…Gin is here.’



‘I…I love you…please be careful.’



But they didn’t say anything; they didn’t do or show anything. Haineko and Hyorinmaru watched as their wielders hid themselves from each other to face a powerful enemy in one of the most dangerous circumstances. Each one of them ignored the possible outcomes of the fight that was about to take place.



“Be careful,” mumbled Hitsugaya, returning his cold glare to the spot where the Arrancar had just arrived. “They’re here.”





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He watched the fight that was taking place in front of him from a safe distance. He watched as Shawlong talked politely with the little taichou and how Nakeem was making poor attempts to insult Rangiku. He smiled. While Nakeem was failing miserably , Shawlong was doing a great job; maybe he didn’t need to intervene at all…even though he was dying to let Shinsou taste Hitsugaya’s blood.



Gin watched with amusement how futile Hitsugaya’s attempts were to keep the fight under his control using that bankai of his, to try and give a wound rather that receive them. He was even more amused at the incompetence of Soul Society, how naïve they were. Gin didn’t join Aizen because of his sweet-talk. He joined him because he knew that, in the end, Aizen’s victory was a matter of time, and that time had arrived.



That’s why he had come to the Real World, because he wanted Rangiku to be part of that victory. Because she was the only one he could imagine was worth enough to be by his side.



Gin flinched at the sight of Rangiku falling; he wasn’t going to intervene until he saw Nakeem’s intentions. With a single shuunpo he was by their sides moments before Nakeem could kick her in the face, and just when she had screamed to the young taichou that the limiters had been lifted.



“Di’n’ I tell ya she wa’n’t to be ha’med, Nakeem-san?”



Nakeem looked at Gin with fear in his eyes; Gin merely smiled at him while putting even more pressure on Nakeem’s arm, to the point that the Arrancar was trying not to scream from pain. On the ground Matsumoto gasped in surprise and her eyes opened wide at the sight of the former Captain of the third division.



“I’m sorry Ichimaru-sama”



‘Ichimaru-sama?’ thought Rangiku, letting out a small, but clearly amused smile, at the honorific in Gin’s name. That he was called taichou was rather strange, but that there were people that called him –sama was just to amusing for her. Gin saw that smile and his grin grew even more.



“Why doncha go an’ play wit’ li’l Shiro-chan? He seem’d kinda bored playin’ only wit’ Shawlong,” said Ichimaru, letting go of Nakeem.



Up in the sky Hitsugaya could barely fight against Shawlong; even with the limiter off his mind was on Matsumoto and the new comer that had ended up being Ichimaru Gin. He was being careless and Shawlong was taking full advantage of that, as if that wasn’t enough Nakeem joined the fight shortly after Gin’s appearance, making things for the young taichou even harder than before.



“Taichou!!!” Matsumoto screamed when Nakeem launched an attack that caught Hitsugaya by surprise.



Rangiku’s first instinct was to go and help her little taichou. A pain and fear like no other invaded her at the mere thought that he could be deadly injured, that he could even die fighting those two Arrancar. But her help was cut short by Ichimaru, who appeared in front of her with his always present smile on him.



“Gin…” His name left her lips with the same longing and affection she had said and thought it with the last few weeks.



“Ran-chan…”



That was all it took to make her forget all about the situation; her eyes found his and she melted the moment his hand met her cheek, caressing it with affection. It was the effect he had always had over her; it was like a charm and she hated it because it made her helpless and vulnerable to him. That’s how he always got away with breaking her heart, over and over again. It was that thought that brought her back to reality; that and the cold rage that went through her body. A cold rage foreign to her, but it made her grip on Haineko intensify.



“I’s good ta see ya again, Ran,” said Gin, either ignoring or not really noticing Matsumoto’s mood change.



They both stood there for a few seconds; the sound of metal and the fight that was taking place up in the skies made Matsumoto aware of Gin’s presence. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t noticed before; it was simply that she was still in denial. She had thought that the moment she faced Gin again would be a moment when he didn’t affect her anymore, when he didn’t make her doubt her loyalties or her own feelings.



Thoughts of her taichou being in pain made her look up. Her taichou was breathing hard, he had blood on his face and his left arm, and Nakeem was nowhere to be seen. Hyourinmaru was firmly in his grip, and his eyes…his eyes were looking directly at her and Gin. She looked into them and a pang of guilt invaded her, because she got to see another kind of pain and fear in his taichou’s eyes.



“Taichou!! Watch out!!” The young prodigy reacted in time to stop another attack; Matsumoto was about to help, but once again she was stopped by Gin.



Matsumoto could easily name the moments in which Gin would wear such a serious expression; mainly, or rather only, when he was confused, surprised or angry. And right now Rangiku could sense and feel the annoyance coming from him.



For Gin, the little moment between his Rangiku-chan and Hitsugaya didn’t escape at all. No, he knew the love the little taichou wanted to profess to her. He thought he knew even before the young prodigy noticed himself, and of course he had noticed that unusual likeness Rangiku had for him. There were three things that annoyed Gin enormously and that was one of them. As if that wasn’t enough, she was looking at him differently, even more than before and that feeling…what the hell was wrong with Rangiku’s reiatsu? Why did it have traces of his reiatsu on her?? She was supposed to still have his own signature on her, not Hitsugaya’s.



That’s when an idea struck him hard, making him open his eyes and look directly into Rangiku’s.



“How fas’ ya replace meh, Ran.” It was a statement, not a question. But, it was the only explanation he had. However, he never thought that she would sleep with him when Gin had barely left Soul Society.



“What are you talking about?” she said with confusion in her voice.



“I can feel him all over you…”



‘What is he talking about? Who’s ‘him’?’’



-Mistress, be careful…I don’t like this, I have a bad feeling, please if you can try not to fight anymore.-



‘What? What are you talking about Haineko?! Didn’t you notice we’re being attacked!?’



-Just pay attention to me and follow my advice…you are stressed as it is…-



Matsumoto didn’t know what Haineko was talking about and she didn’t have time to find out at the moment. Gin came closer to her and he was lifting his hand once again to caress her cheek, but he was stop mid-way by a cold breeze coming from her. Matsumoto didn’t understand and by Gin’s expression she knew he didn’t either. Gin’s eyebrows lifted in confusion, though his expression held some annoyance as well.



“Did ya fahget abou’ meh so eas’ly?” he asked with a hint of sadness that made Matsumoto react without thinking.



“How could I ever forget about you Gin?” she said, touching his hand and pulling it to her cheek.



But as soon as those words left her mouth and she took Gin’s hand in hers, she regretted it. For some reason the cold breeze intensified for a moment before disappearing, leaving Matsumoto a feeling of loneliness like she hadn’t felt before. Then as suddenly as that breeze had appeared a pang of sadness overwhelmed her in such a way that tears appeared in her eyes, blurring her vision of a now smiling Gin.



Ichimaru Gin was smiling down at Rangiku, his hand was caressing her cheek softly and he had the honest and soft expression he reserved only for her. He was happy to confirm that she hadn’t forgotten about him, and that whatever she had with her taichou was nothing else but a fling.



“I’m glad ta hear that, Ran,” he said, getting closer to her; his hand was now in front of her and his smiled grew even more. “Cause I ain’t fahgot abou’ yeh, either. Tha’s why I’m here… this time I wanna make sure ya hol’ onta meh longeh.”



“What? Gin, what are you talking about?”



“Come wit’ meh, Rangiku.”



She looked at him, surprised by his words. It was the first time he was so honest with her; it was also the first time he offered her that kind of thing. He had never done it before and that made her question his feelings for her and how real they were.



The world around them stopped for the moment in which she considered his offer. Gin and Matsumoto were looking at each other, ignoring the happenings around them, and Matsumoto got to see the possibilities that Gin had just offered her.



‘What if I had gone with him in the first place?’



-We already talked about that…we established that you wouldn’t be happy. At least, not completely.-



‘Yes, but…here he is; he came to me to offer me the same thing…’



-Mistress…-



‘What if I say yes? What if I go with him now?’



Haineko decided to help her by showing her the part of her that was still in love with Gin. The part of her that was waiting for him to be the man she had always thought he was. The part that keep longing for him, for his touch; the one that thought that he was the only opportunity for happiness.



Then Haineko showed her the part that remembered all the times he left her behind, all the times he hid things from her and the fact that he preferred to let her hurt and have heartache rather than be beside her. The part that told her that she would make many people sad and one of them completely miserable.



-I can’t tell you what to do or what not to do Mistress…this is about your happiness, and while I can tell you that Gin is not what I want, if he is the right one for you…-



‘I…I don’t know Haineko…I really don’t know. For some reason, the mere thought of Gin made my blood boil in anger and rejection…but, I still want to go with him.’



And with that Matsumoto’s body reacted for her; she started lifting her hand towards Gin. The man had a victorious smile on his face, pleased with Rangiku’s decision. He waited patiently for the contact of his hand in hers, so he could take her with him. Forever.



But the moment was cut off by the ice dragon and his wielder attacking without thinking of the effects that attack would have on them. The strength of the attack forced Gin and Rangiku apart. Matsumoto, caught by surprise, hit herself against a column and fell with pain going through her back.



“Get you hands off Matsumoto, Ichimaru,” said Hitsugaya with a voice fill with hate and anger.



Ichimaru looked over at him with his hand on Shinsou, but his main concern was Matsumoto, who sat with a pained expression on her face. Ichimaru went to her help but couldn’t even make it due to Hitsugaya’s attack.



Shinsou and Hyorinmaru met with a loud clash that draw yellow sparks. Gin looked at the tinge of red in Hitsugaya’s green eyes, along with the feral expression he was wearing. Gin also noticed the blood pouring from the many wounds on him and he decided to play with Hitsugaya before taking Rangiku with him.



Shawlong had failed to stop him, but had given Ichimaru Gin the opportunity to do what he was longing to do for a long time now.



“Mah, mah… I neve’ thought’cha’d be strong ‘nough ta take care ah two Arrancar on yer own, Shiro-chan,” said Gin mockingly. Hitsugaya growled and struck again, this time trying to take Ichimaru by his right.



Gin blocked the zanpakutou easily and launched an attack of his own that Hitsugaya tried to avoid with a cross slash. Gin smiled at that, tapping Hitsugaya’s sword down before pulling back and preparing his zanpakutou.



“Shoot to kill, Shinsou.” The sword extended towards Hitsugaya’s mid-section; the young prodigy barely had the time to evade the attack.



Hitsugaya was breathing hard, and was not only tired, but also seriously injured. He had barely finished off that Shawlong guy, but he couldn’t allow Ichimaru to go anywhere near Rangiku. It had hurt so much when he saw the two of them, when he recognized that look on her face. The one she only reserved for Ichimaru; he saw how she was falling for him all over again, and it hurt so damn much that he couldn’t think, couldn’t fight correctly. It broke his heart to know that she was ready to leave with the man that had betrayed Soul Society; that her feelings for him were as strong as they had been at the beginning.



And now he was blinded by rage, jealousy and sadness. And it was because of Ichimaru Gin that he had hurt her. He looked at Ichimaru and lifted his reiatsu, ready to attack again.



“Mm-hmm, som’un looks realleh angreh,” said Gin with amusement in his voice. “Why’s tha’, Shiro-chan? Lemme guess… is i ‘cause I made Hinamori-kun bleed las’ time? ”



Hitsugaya attacked the man once again, and Gin was evading every single one of his attacks; he was even laughing mockingly. Matsumoto was now on her feet and running towards the place where Gin and her taichou were fighting. She looked around, trying to determine where Renji, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Rukia, and Ichigo were; begging that someone felt the fight and came quickly to their help.



She was afraid for her taichou; he was bleeding a lot and he was being carless and too emotional in his attacks. His fighting style wasn’t the one she was used to; it wasn’t the one that gave him a cold confidence that he would win and his enemy would lose. And Gin wasn’t being helpful either; of course the mere thought that Gin help Hitsugaya was ridiculous. Gin was the enemy; he was a traitor…so if he could kill Hitsugaya with a slash of his zanpakutou he would do it.



Once again a fear and pain at the mere thought of her loosing her taichou overwhelmed her and she felt the need to help him, to protect him and not let him get hurt anymore.



“Taichou!”



“Don’t you dare to intervene, Matsumoto!!” the roughness in which those words were said stopped Matsumoto dead in her tracks.



“Such’a vi’len’ reh’action, Hitsugaya-kun,” said Gin. “But, o’ course, if I’s in yer place, I’d be as angreh as yeh…even mo’e.”



“What are you talking about?” said Hitsugaya, stopping his attacks for a moment. Gin did the same as he smirked at the white-haired taichou.



“Why? Cause if Rangiku was ta use meh ta fahget abou’ her real love… I’d be ver’ angreh,” Hitsugaya frowned and lowered his gaze for a moment, before returning to the fight; Gin was really satisfied with himself. He had found a weakness…and suddenly he wondered if…



“O’ course, it musta realleh hurt yeh when yeh were wit’ her and i’ was meh name the one tha’ leave her mouth.”



The air around Ichimaru became cold and the former taichou of the third division smiled, satisfied. Hitsugaya’s eyes showed how much that comment hurt the young taichou. Hitsugaya’s reiatsu covered the entire place and he focused his eyes on Ichimaru.



“You bastard, I’ll kill you.”



“Oh, I hear’ tha’ un befo’e… wha’ was tha’ thing Aizen-taichou tol’ ya?” said Ichimaru, scratching the back of his head. “Ah! ‘Don\' use such stron’ words. It makes ya look weak.’”



Matsumoto saw the two of them fight once again, this time with more ferocity than before. It was so fast and unexpected that it took her a moment to realize what had just happened. Shinsou had blood dripping from his blade and her taichou had a big slash on his chest, blood pouring from the wound and his mouth.



“Taichou!!!” A strange feeling took over Matsumoto, as if she had just lost a part of herself. Without thinking she went to help her taichou, which was a big mistake for her part.



“Danm…I won’t let you, you bastard.”



“Bu’ tha’s the thing, Shiro-chan. Ya are lettin’ meh. Ya just don’ got the strength ta go again’ meh… or aizen-taicho,” said Gin, opening his eyes and looking directly into Hitsuagya’s. “An’ o’ course…yer not man ‘nough fer her. An’ ya ne’er will beh.”



-No!! Toushirou stop!!!-



It was a moment of confusion; Hitsugaya attacked Gin, who had turned around, Gin had moved, only to put on a shocked face. Though he tried to move fast to put Matsumoto out of the way of Hitsugaya’s attack.



Hitsugaya Toushirou stood in mid-air, barely standing with blood covering his body before falling to the ground. His eyes were wide opened and fear struck him at the sight of his fukutaichou hurt; not by Gin, not by an Arrancar, but by him. He had hurt her and Ichimaru Gin had saved her.



-Toushirou? Toushirou it’s ok…hey, it’s ok…she is hurt but she’s not dead…and the wound isn’t that bad…-



‘I…I hurt her…’



Hitsugaya stood there with his eyes fixated on some point but not really seeing anything until Ichimaru Gin was in front of him once again. This time the young taichou felt it as Shinsou went through his stomach.



“You were lucky Hitsugaya-taichou…that she didn’t want you dead…but next time I won’t be as nice as I am right now,” said Gin with a cold voice, foreign to him. “And do not doubt that I will come back and take her with me…where she belongs. After all, why would she love a kid like you?”



Gin left just as the rest of the shinigami arrived to the scene; Hitsugaya let out a single tear before he closed his eyes and fell.





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When he woke up he noticed a hand holding his hard; he turned his head to the side to see Matsumoto looking at him with tears in her eyes and a worried expression. He felt tired and sore.



“Taichou?” she said in a weak voice; Hitsugaya let his gaze travel from her face to the bandages around her shoulders.



“I…I’m sorry,” he said, sitting with difficulty.



He evaded her eyes and looked around; they were still on the roof. Orihime was taking care of someone else he couldn’t see, Kurosaki and Abarai were close to her. Yumichika and Ikkaku were sitting near Yoruichi and Urahara, talking with them. Hitsugaya grimaced when he tried to stand up; Matsumoto went immediately to his side to try to help him out but he slapped her hand away, ignoring the hurt in her eyes.



“Taichou? You…you’re not well yet, you lost a lot of blood and…”



“Don’t say anything else, Matsumoto,” said Toushirou with a trembling voice. “I don’t need you to tell me how I am.”



“Sorry Taichou, I just…”



“You just thought your commentaries were necessary.”



“Hitsugaya-taichou, I’m glad to see that you are awake,” said Urahara, smiling lightly at him. “Would you mind telling me what happened?”



Hitsugaya opened his mouth to talk when he felt a wave of dizziness; he was about to fall when Matsumoto grabbed him from the side.



“Let go of me Matsumoto-fukutaichou!” he said with more force than necessary.



Everything around them stayed still; Ikkaku and Yumichika looked over the hurt Matsumoto, who had some tears in her eyes. Ichigo was frowning at the short taichou while Urahara and Yoruichi were looking at the young prodigy.



“Sorry Taichou…I was trying to help.”



“I think you’ve help enough, don’t you think, fukutaichou?” hissed the young Captain.



“What the hell is your problem Toushirou?” Ichigo jumped in. The Substitute Shinigami was edgy, annoyed and down right depress and Toushirou was just giving him the opportunity to free all the tension that had built up in him.



“Don’t you dare to intervene, Kurosaki!! It’s not the place of a mere human!”



Now things were getting out of hand and Hitsugaya was acting way out of character. Ichigo stood up and faced the young taichou. Renji followed Ichigo just as Ikkaku and Yumichika stood up and near Hitsugaya.



“I’ll do whatever I want. Human or not!” said Ichigo. “Why are you treating Rangiku-san like that??!! She’s been worried about you all this time!”



“So what?” said Hitsugaya looking Ichigo in the eye. Matsumoto flinched, hurt by the comment.



“You bastard!” without giving anyone the time, Ichigo punched Hitsugaya in the face. Toushirou fell to the ground, a little surprised by Ichigo’s actions.



But before either could react Yoruichi was pinning Hitsugaya to the ground and Urahara was holding Ichigo with Benihime.



“Kurosaki-san, I think that was uncalled for. Just as Hitsugaya-taichou’s behavior; please it’s been a long, bad night… let’s just called it a night and tomorrow we will talk calmly.”



“Rangiku-san!” Yumichika caught Matsumoto before she fell unconscious to the floor. Hitsugaya’s eyes opened and he freed himself from Yoruichi’s grasp to go to her side.



“Please, let me take care of her, Yoruichi-san,” said Urahara, taking Matsumoto with him. Yoruichi and Hitsugaya followed him close behind.



Ichigo had his eyes lowered with his fists clenched. He moved to the edge of the roof and was about to leave when Rukia’s voice stopped him.



“Are you leaving me here?”



Ichigo didn’t say anything for a while he just stood there, tensed up and confused. Then he turned to look at her with a fake smile.



“Of course not. Come on,” Rukia looked carefully at him before Ichigo lifted her on his back and left the place.



“What a night, eh?” commented Renji to Yumichika and Ikkaku.



“Don’t tell me about it, I can’t feel anything.”



“Sorry Orihime-san, but can you tell me something?” asked Yumichika. The girl looked over at him and nodded her head. “Is it true that Ichimaru appeared in front of Rangiku-san and Hitsugaya-taichou?”



“Mmmhmm, yes he did. At first I couldn’t see them, but then when Toushirou-kun got beside the Arrancar they started fighting,” said Orihime; Yumichika nodded his head thoughtfully.



“Could it be…that maybe, Ichimaru and Rangiku-san were fighting?” asked Yumichika.



“Now that you mention it…no, I don’t think they were fighting.”



“Thank you Orihime-san. Would you like us to take you to your home?”





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Hitsugaya sat there caressing her hair softly while looking at her paled face and the bandages on her shoulders. Urahara and Yoruichi had left a few moments ago; they hadn’t said anything, only that Urahara would like to talk with him the next day about the attack and whatever information he could give the man. After that they had left him with Matsumoto.



“Toushirou-kun?” Hitsugaya turned to see Orihime with an apologetic expression.



Hitsugaya stood up reluctantly and walked towards the girl who was looking at him with the same expression and a cup of hot chocolate.



“My…my brother used to give me this when I was sad. I just thought…” she offered it to him and Hitsugaya accepted it with a forced smile.



“Thank you, Inoue.”



“I…I want to apologize.” Hitsugaya’s eyebrows lifted up at that.



“What for Inoue? If anything I should be the one apologizing.”



“No, I didn’t help. I was useless and couldn’t do anything to prevent you or Rangiku-san getting hurt.”



Hitsugaya looked at the girl and saw the sincerity in her eyes; he smiled softly at her, amazed by the loyalty and the sense of friendship she was showing him at that moment.



“No, it’s okay. I am glad you didn’t help,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong, I know you would be a great help, but even I have trouble dealing with them… I can’t… I can barely stand the fact that Matsumoto is hurt, I don’t want to imagine what would have happened if she and you got hurt.”



“Thank you, Toushirou-kun. Good night.”



“Good night, Inoue. Thanks for the chocolate.”



Hitsugaya went to sit on the sofa with the hot cup in his hand, Ichimaru’s words still fresh on his mind. He had behaved like an idiot towards Matsumoto, he didn’t mean to but the memories of what he had witnessed… the hurt and the heartache made him act like an idiot. He felt so restless, and as if that wasn’t enough Hyorinmaru didn’t want to talk to him. Hitsugaya let out a loud sigh, rested his head on the sofa, and close his eyes, trying to organize his thoughts and feelings.





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Hyourinmaru was looking at Haineko, not really knowing how to handle the angry cat in front of him. He had never seen her like this, much less toward him or his Master. But there was a first time for everything, right?



-WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR MASTER??-



Oh, she was beyond angry if that scream was a sign.



-Look, I know he got a little carried away but...-



-A little? A little?!-



Ok, Hyourinmaru didn’t know what was worse, her screaming or talking to him with that low and dangerous voice.



-Well, maybe not a little…but at least he didn’t hurt her that bad.-



Hyourinmaru just knew he had said something wrong by the way the wind full with ashes was blowing in their inner world.



-You don’t have any idea do you? You don’t know how bad you’re Master hurt Mistress, how bad he made her feel. You don’t know what she almost lost today for his stupidity!-



-Hey, if you’re talking about that Ichimaru-bastard then…-



-I am talking about the baby she is expecting!! -



Hyorinmaru stood there with his eyes fixated on Haineko; the temperature dropped severely with those words.



-You’re lying, right?-



-Do not tempt me Hyorinmaru. Why would I lie about this? -



-You must be lying!!! You…oh... no, no, no…-



Hyorinmaru let out a forced laughed and was trying to look really amused while Haineko looked at him, waiting for the dragon to stop acting like an idiot. Hyourinmaru’s fake laugh stopped and he looked over at Haineko with uncertainty.



-Oh, my little kitten! Tell me; please tell me you’re lying!!! -



-I am lying. -



-Really?-



-No, I am not. Hyorinmaru stop acting like an idiot! I am not joking, she is pregnant and your Master is responsible for that. And he is also responsible for the fact that my Mistress almost lost her baby!!!-



-But, how? How could this happen?-



-Really, if I have to explain how…-



-No, you don’t understand. Haineko, how could something like that have happened? How could…My Master…surely he…oh no…no, no…-



Haineko watched for a moment while Hyorinmaru passed from one side to another, mumbling incoherently; she wondered briefly if his young Master would react the same idiotic way as Hyorinmaru was doing.



-That’s it!!! Toushirou is a genius, surely he would have taken the proper…precautions!!!-



-Do you remember your Master taking these ‘proper precautions’?-



There was very long paused in which Haineko waited patiently while Hyourinmaru answered her question. Then the ice dragon looked over at her with his red eyes filled with terror.



-No, I don’t. But, either way, that’s irrelevant! It is highly improbable that he…and she…and they…-



-You said so yourself Hyourinmaru; he is a prodigy, a genius.-



-He may be a genius, but do you have any idea what the fertility rate is in Soul Society? How very rare it is? -



Haineko looked at Hyorinmaru for a moment before talking again.



-I am aware of the fertility rate in Soul Society, Hyourinmaru. I also know how very rare it is, but that doesn’t mean that your Master is not responsible for my Mistress’s current condition! And the fact that he hurt her while she was pregnant!!-



-How can you be so sure that this is Toushirou’s fault?-



-Do you doubt me or my Mistress, Hyorinmaru?-



-No, No of course not it’s just…-



-Feel it for yourself.-



Hyorinmaru’s eyes opened even more at the feeling he was receiving from Haineko. She was letting him felt the way she felt Rangiku. For a moment there was nothing but Rangiku’s feelings of confusion and sadness, then he made out her reiatsu and finally…



-No, it can’t be…-



Hyorinmaru felt it. It was small and barely noticeable, but it was there, alive, moving protect by Haineko’s reiatsu… but for Hyourinmaru there wasn’t any doubt; he could feel Toushirou’s base reiatsu signature. Hyorinmaru swallowed at the sudden feeling of protectiveness that washed over him. He looked at Haineko who was smiling sadly at him.



-I want the best for my Mistress, Hyorinmaru. For her and the baby. Tell me, is your Master the best?-



Hyorinmaru didn’t know what to say; this couldn’t be. Hitsugaya was trying to forget that night; he was trying to move on in his own time, trying to make his love for her not to hurt him so much…and now this?



-This can’t be possible…Surely, it takes more than one time for her to be… to be...pre...mmhmm...preg...-



-Pregnant?-



-Yeah, pre…pregnant-



-But she is!! And it is your Master’s fault! -



Hitsugaya stood up rather fast at the last pieces of conversation he caught from Hyorinmaru and Haineko. His eyes grew large and round; a cold fear went through him at what he had had the misfortune of overhearing from Hyorinmaru’s and Haineko’s conversation. He froze in place, looking at his reflection in the window, waiting, wishing that everything was just a bad joke; a bad and cruel joke because of what he made Matsumoto go through that day.



Haineko and Hyorinmaru looked at each other; Haineko looked apologetically at the dragon, who didn’t say anything.



‘Please, Hyorinmaru. Tell me this a joke? Please…’



Haineko looked at Hyorinmaru and nodded her head, before leaving the ice dragon with Hitsugaya.



-Sorry Toushirou. It is not a joke.-



‘She...But...We...I...I can’t …’



-I’m sorry Toushirou…-



“Taichou?” Hitsugaya jumped at the voice behind him.



He turned around with the same terrified expression he was wearing when hearing the news. Matsumoto looked at him, biting her lower lip and a nervous look on her face.



“Matsumoto?” suddenly everything fell into place. Her sickness, the moments when she didn’t feel right, why she had been even lazier than before.



“I can’t sleep,” she said, taking a step closer to him.



“Ah, well…do you…” what to say? What he could say to her?



“I just… can I stay with you here? I promise I won’t bother you,” she said, looking at him with hope in her eyes.



Hitsugaya merely nodded and sat on the sofa once again, the news of Matsumoto’s pregnancy still fresh on his mind. He looked over at her and his eyesight blurred due to the tears that were ready to fall. Matsumoto sat beside him and put her head on his lap.



“I’m sorry Taichou. For all the things I did today…please, I don’t like feeling like this…so… vulnerable…I hate it…”



“I’m sorry for what I did today Matsumoto. I…I didn’t meant it.”



“It’s okay, Taichou.”



And with that said she fell asleep on his lap; he looked at her and the tears he was trying to hold back fell on her cheeks. He cleaned them while caressing her cheek, his eyes diverting to her stomach.



-Do not worry…I will take care of her and your baby, Toushirou. But, you have to explain to her how this happened. She still doesn’t know what happened that night…-



‘Oh, God…I have to tell her about it?’



-Yes, otherwise how are you going to explain to her that she is pregnant? More importantly, that the baby she is carrying is yours?-



His baby. Hitsugaya looked at Rangiku before kissing her cheek softly. He lifted her in his arms and carried her to her futon where he put her and lay beside her, a hand on her stomach and the other one hugging her near him.





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Ok, this is for next time!!!



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