A/N: *Cough* Okay, this story is an AU version when Rangiku lose Gin, for life. It will be a sad story, but… just bear with it for you who don't like sad story.
Second attempt at oneshot and a het pairing at that! How awesome can I be? Damn, I'm so awesome…
Anyway, enjoyyyyyy!
I Love You
"Gin!" Rangiku screamed, running to Ichimaru Gin's injured body that lay on the buildings ruins under him. Rangiku ran as fast as she could to him, ignoring Aizen's presence. She stepped on the left of her old friend, and then she kneeled.
"Gin! Gin! Answer me!" she screamed while holding Gin's battered body. All she saw was the still and unmoving body on her arms.
"He won't survive that injury, there is no way—""SHUT UP YOU MURDER! IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! IT'S YOUR FAULT! It's not supposed to be like this…" Rangiku screamed and then trailed off, looking back at Gin. "He is not supposed to be like this… No…"
Rangiku cried hard. She snapped her head at Aizen, she screamed at him accusingly," BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU HYPNOTIZED HIM! YOU LURED HIM INTO YOUR OWN DAMN PROBLEMS! YOU TRAPPED HIM IN BETWEEN YOUR FINGER, YOU BASTARD! He's got no choice… You murder! I hope you die in HELL!"
But Aizen still just stood there, unfazed, smirking.
Suddenly, Ichigo came, with his father on one of his arm, seemingly unconscious. He laid his father down, next to Gin, looking at Rangiku. "Rangiku-san…" he trailed off.
"Kurosaki Ichigo." Aizen said. Ichigo snapped his head to Aizen's direction. "Aizen..." he growled. But Rangiku couldn't care more. She just looked back at Gin, who's still unmoving. "Gin…"
"Ran…" Rangiku's eyes widen. Gin was alive! She smiled, seeing a glimpse of hope. "Gin." She was crying now, the tears of happiness.
"Gin, you're alive! Th-thank g-go-goodness…I-I thought you would d-d-die…"
"Ra…ngi-ku…" Gin said with trouble, he was hurting. Rangiku told him to just rest, but he was so stubborn. "I'm…. I'm glad… Y-you… still…a-live…" he gasped out, having trouble with oxygen.
"Gin! Please, it's alright! J-just rest assure, alright? I-I will be here for you… D-don't go away…" she trembled. Rangiku was scared, even if Gin was alive, he was so weak, what if he collapse and won't wake up anymore? But if he kept on like this, he would definitely be tired and collapse, and die… She felt like she just wanted to disappear from this world and be with Gin alone… Like old times…
"I'm… so-sorry… I… di-did… s-such foolish… t-things… I-I h-h-hope… y-you can… forgive… me…" "Gin! Don't say anything anymore! Please… Please, oh kamisama! Please don't take him away from me! Please…"Rangiku plead to the wind. She didn't even notice Aizen and Ichigo have gone.
"Ple-please…For-give m-me… I d-don't th-think I… c-can g-go… r-restfu-fully… I-if you d-don't… F-for-forgive me…" Gin couldn't take it anymore. The pain was just too much. But he didn't want to go away. He can't go away restfully, forgiven or not. He wanted to stay. With Rangiku. Forever. He smiled at the images of him and his beloved Rangiku, smiling, laughing, and messing around. Their childhood times… Why was he so stupid? Why didn't he see this coming? He should have known… If he had, he won't risk his life; he won't risk Rangiku's life…
Why…
It was the only word both can think. Why can't I be stronger? Why I was so stupid? Why didn't I see this coming? Why I did such foolish thing? Why I let him go so easily? Just why… didn't I…
Rangiku was crying openly now, seeing Gin in such state and those words… It was as if his death was absolute right now… Gin mustered all his strength to his right hands, gently with shaking hand stroking Rangiku's face… "D-don't cry… I-I h-hate… it… w-when y-you cry…It makes m-me t-think… th-that I… j-just ma-make a… s-stupid… mi-mistake…" then he smiled. "I g-guess… I… d-did… S-sorry…f-for… t-that… I… promise… I… w-won't… m-make you… cry… again…"
It just made her cry harder. Gin wondered what he did wrong this time…
Rangiku had never been so sad in her life ever before… But she couldn't help it. Both had so many things to say to each other. They want each other presence the most. So many things to say, in such a short amount of time… Rangiku remembered the first time Gin left her…
FLASHBACK
"Gin! Where are you going?" yelled a child Rangiku, running to her best friend, Ichimaru Gin.
"Rangiku." He smiled. "I want to be a shinigami." Rangiku stop dead on her spot. "A shini…gami?" she repeated, quiet unsure of the term her best friend going to be a shinigami. Won't that mean they won't see each other anymore…?
"But why?" she asked.
"Why? I want to become stronger." And because I want to protect you, he added in mind.
He saw Rangiku being abused by many shinigami, and he knew who the mastermind behind it was. Aizen Sousuke. He would join one of the squad, became a fukutaicho, then became a taicho, fully trusted by the soutaicho, and can do anything he wanted. And he must fulfill it, because if he didn't, he would see his Rangiku being tortured again. He didn't want that, no, not at all.
"T-then I'll come with you!" Rangiku insisted. She didn't want her best friend to go away. She wanted to be with him. She wanted to become stronger too, so she won't be useless when trouble came. Gin looked at her, confused. Why? Why won't she understand? He wanted to be a shinigami to protect her, not making her life in danger. Can't she see it?
"Why?" he finally asked. Rangiku's eyes widen for a second. She didn't know what to say, or she can't say it, like her mouth was being glued. "I-I…"
"Please, Rangiku. Let me do it. Just this once…Let me do what I want alone."
"Gin…" Rangiku was crying now. Gin that saw this, feeling guilty more. What do I do now, to make her cry? He seemed to not understand that Rangiku just wanted to be with him.
I just want to be with you… Can't you see that? Can't you feel my loneliness whenever you go away, even just for a while? Why would you go away now, to a place that won't let us meet each other again? Why?
Gin was feeling guilty, but it was worth it, he decided. He began to walk away, leaving a crying Rangiku behind. Rangiku cried harder when she saw Gin walking away, but he didn't even looked back, for if he did, his determination would falter.
"I'm sorry, Rangiku…"
END OF FLASHBACK
"I'm sorry… R-rangi…ku…" Rangiku snapped out from her memory, looking at Gin. She still had tears in her eyes, it won't stop.
"I'm sor-ry… I… was… so…st-stupid… I-I s-shoudn't… h-have le-left you… B-but I… did…"
Rangiku couldn't stand it. She didn't want him to go away, not now… But she hate seeing him in pain like this…
Suddenly, she heard a gasp. She looked down to Gin, eyes widen. He was gasping for air, his eyes open and in pain. He couldn't even focus his eyes. Rangiku put her hand on her mouth, crying harder and harder. Gin was dying… Gin was…!
"Gin! Gin, don't… Don't go! Gin! Hang in there! Gin!"
Gin could hear his Rangiku screaming his name, crying, pleading. He couldn't stand it… He didn't want to see her like this… It shouldn't be like this… But…
His eyes were so heavy… He felt sleepy… Maybe a little rest… could… do…
"Ran… I… sle-epy… "He said incoherently, but clear enough for Rangiku to understand.
Rangiku looked at him, hands still on her mouth. She didn't want him to suffer anymore…so she said," Gin… Yes, just… sleep, I… will wake you… up…later… A-and we can… be like those times again… L-laughing, sm-smiling… J-just sleep, okay…"
Gin smiled faintly, happy for the thought of being like old times. He felt sleep pulling him into darkness and… He closed his eyes, smiling peacefully.
"MATSUMOTOOO! Why you always lazing off! Get back to work!" Yelled Toushiro in front of his office, noticing Rangiku was drinking sake and lying on HIS sofa.
"Hai, hai taichooo. Geez, can't you be a little relaxed? The war had just end, and I'm exhausted!"
"Liar! Now get back to WORK!"
"Hai, hai!" Rangiku said, goofily. She went out of the office. "Where are you going?" asked Toushiro, still furious.
"Just a little walk, to refresh my mind!" She said from her back, waving her sake hand in the air. She went off before Toushiro had a chance to yell. Toushiro just sighed, and went to his desk.
Rangiku walked her way to the forest. She laid there for a while, drinking her sake like a professional. She sighed in content. Maybe I should go back before taicho become more furious…
She stood up, feeling the gentle breeze.
Gin…
She felt the wind caressing her skin.
Rangiku… I'm sorry… I…
Rangiku snapped her head at the source of the voice. It was Gin's… She smiled and closed her eyes… Gin was always there with her… Inside her heart… She felt water on her cheeks. She cried again… I'm such a cry baby…
She walked back to her office room that she shared with his taicho after feeling better. Gin was always with me, she said in her mind. She couldn't be sad anymore… She must move forward, just like the others… Because after all, she wasn't all alone…
So many questions and all of them started with the word why…
Why did you go? Why can't I be stronger? Why did I do such foolish thing? Why I left? Why I didn't arrive sooner? Why can't I stop you?
…
Why didn't I tell you sooner?
That… I love you…
Well, it turned out not so sad, huh… Hope it's good though!
Review!