A/N: I read over this story and realised I'm not entirely happy with it. So I'd like to polish it over and make few significant changes. Sorry to those who liked the original one, but I'm hoping this is an upgrade you will enjoy.
Hitsugaya Toshiro was nervous. It was a rare state for the captain of the 10th division.
But then again, anything associated with Rangiku Matsumoto made him nervous. Made him unstable. And lost.
He was inside an elevator that was accelerating towards the rooftop bar. It was the current hotspot of the contemporary Karakura town and favourite place of his ex lieutenant according to Ichigo.
He gazed at his reflection and the steely green eyes looked back at him with uncertainty. He tried to push away the small voice in his head that told him this was all a bad idea. He asked himself a lot of questions.
Was he willing to reopen old wounds that took so long to heal? Was he still in love with her or was it just the idea of her? Was she even the same person she was 20 years ago?
He looked back at himself with determination and let out a small sigh. There was no going back. Toshiro was no longer the 'kid' she left behind. The man that looked back was, thankfully, taller and his features were mature and his appearance was chiselled. He was dressed smartly, since the bar of the five star hotel was anal about its dress code. He still wasn't sure which looked more ridiculous- him wearing a tie or him holding a small flower in his hand. Did he overdo it with his camouflage in the human world?
Toshiro played with the red rose- was it too much? Too romantic? Too needy?... Yes, it was.
Ping. The lift halted softly and the golden doors spread. The panoramic windows exposed the city at night. Toshiro threw the rose in the nearest bin. This wasn't the time to be romantic.
His eyes immediately began scanning the lounge. In her gigai, her reiatsu would be indiscernible to him, so he had to look for her the mortal way.
They had been apart for such an excruciatingly long time. He had tried to let her go, bracing himself to news that she has become a mother or living in a blissful marriage with Gin.
He was here on a mission, but that mission didn't include seeking contact with Rangiku. He promised himself he wouldn't seek her out, but the moment he heard rumours of Gin and Rangiku breaking up, his promise went out the window.
His thoughts travelled briefly to Momo. If she had an insight on what he was up to, she wouldn't be very happy. But he couldn't help it. He could never have what he had with Rangiku. That blonde woman drove him crazy. He wasn't sure if it was good crazy or bad crazy.
Of course only Hinamori suspected that there was something between him and Rangiku. What other people saw as cute squabbles and humorous flirting (initiated most of the time from Rangiku) was only the surface of their complex affiliation.
"Good evening sir, do you have a reservation?" a pristine looking girl asked with a tone of professionalism that pierced through his train of thoughts.
Hitsugaya distractedly scanned the area once more before shaking his head. "No, someone is expecting me here."
She pursed her lips and nodded. "Alright sir, have a pleasant evening."
He walked past the people dining. It was noisy, people chattering, laughing, clinking champagne glasses. All that noise completely blocked the smooth melody coming from the grand piano.
Toshiro's footsteps halted as his eyes landed on a curvaceous figure sitting on the bar stool, slightly slumped over the table. Her golden locks now longer, covered her bare back that was exposed from the low cut, figure hugging, long, black dress. He had a sudden impulse to run his hand up and down her smooth back. He remembered how she felt in his hands as if it were only yesterday.
Already from the distance he could tell that she was on her fifth or sixth cup of sake, because he'd seen her like this back in Seireitei. He also knew why she was in such a state. The story, as far as he knew her, never changed. It was always because of him.
He took a deep breath to ease that anger bubbling inside of him and took brave steps forward.
"May I join you?"
Another tear slid down her cheek. She tried her best not to cry. She gently dabbed her eyes with a napkin and gave a small smile to the bartender as a sign to refill the cup, ignoring his judgemental, astonished look. The moron has been trying to chat her up all evening but only after she started sobbing he fled from her like he would from a wild forest fire. For as long as she could remember, men could not handle tears.
Nursing the warm cup of sake, her thoughts once again began wrapping around her relationship with Gin. She thought she finally found her happy ending with him. Ten years ago she couldn't reach out to him- he was so out of touch. He was a mystery that she constantly tried to solve. After Aizen's death she was sure it was the end of ambiguity. Everything came out into the open and they were ready to move on.
Of course Gin was banished from Seireitei, despite his good motives, they weren't good for everyone. They abandoned their duties as shinigami and with Yamamoto's permission moved to Karakura, helping people restore its town and start a life together.
However Gin still remained a mystery. He began to drift away again, hating his feeble existence as a mere human. His power, his status and his dignity gone. He didn't understand relationships, didn't understand human life and hated every minute of it. His had no purpose and even Rangiku's company wasn't enough to satisfy him.
She too began to feel the glumness of their existence. She missed her office hours. She missed her colleagues. Her easily annoyed captain and all his grumbling, his demands and frustrated yells. She missed how easily she could irritate him and how easily he would forgive her. She missed the 'I don't care' façade that he put on, when she knew how worried he was for her or how much he actually cared. Of course most of all she missed him, Hitsugaya Toshiro.
Her memories frequently took her to that night she made Toshiro a man. The night came back haunting her erotic dreams. She would reminiscence his cool lips on her. His trembling fingers fumbling with her robes. His inexperience showing and turning her on even more.
"May I join you?" a familiar voice called out, sending shivers down her spine.
|Flashback|
When Toshiro entered the office he thought he was hallucinating. Rangiku Matsumoto was sitting at her own desk rolling up the paper into scrolls. Instead of sake or wine, there was a mug of coffee.
"Are you okay?" Toshiro asked, removing his outdoor clothing and his shoes. He walked up closer to the desk.
She grinned with pride in response. "Yep! Taichou you can be proud of me, I finished all the paper work I was supposed to do last week! Look!" she thrust the pile of paper into his face.
"Yeah, like I said, are you okay?" he reiterated his question with mock surprise. She grimaced.
"Yes I am fine! Geez I'm not that bad," she muttered putting away the brush and the ink.
Toshiro smirked. "Did you fill out the papers you were supposed to for next week?"
She frowned. "Must you ruin it?"
Toshiro shook his head. "Fine, we're making progress at least…but what's the sudden will to work? Weren't you supposed to be with Gin all day?"
Rangiku pursed her lips and started to fidget with the ends of her hair, something she did when she was trying to hide something. "Y-Yeah I was but he said he was busy- so I decided to make myself busy as well. No biggie."
Toshiro frowned at her response and intently stared back until she met his eyes. "Wasn't that his last week's excuse?"
The blonde shook her head and waved her hand, smiling. "Don't worry about it cap, I'm sure he has his reason, whatever they are. Besides you should be happy, I did all the work!"
He went over to his room and sat on his desk, which was much bigger, busier and yet more organized. He stayed silent, his resentment for Gin growing with each passing day if that were possible. How could his lieutenant tell him to be happy when he knew perfectly well how much she was hurting inside. How much pain that sly bastard was inflicting on her?
That woman had no idea how much it bothered him. He wished she would confide in him.
Rangiku followed him and plopped on the couch, dramatically wiping the invisible sweat from her forehead to once again remind him how hard she had been working today. Toshiro ignored her and began working on paperwork of his own, filling in the details of his current assignment in Karakura.
While she thought her captain wasn't looking, she allowed that cheerful façade to slip. Toshiro discreetly observed the puffiness around her eyes from crying and how broken she looked when she wasn't trying to fake a smile. The moment she looked over to him his eyes flew down to stare at the paper.
"Where have you been all day?" Rangiku wondered in an almost accusatory tone. Toshiro continued to pretend to be busy and didn't even look up.
"I was in Karakura clearing up the mess, that shinigami we placed on patrol is useless and I don't know what the hell that Rukia Kuchiki is up to there."
"Whaaaat?! You didn't tell me you going to the human world! I would've asked you to bring me over the new issue of Hanabi magazine!" she intoned in despair.
Now he looked up with a stern gaze. "If you have time to read that rubbish, then you have time to start on next week's paper work."
In response to that, Rangiku immediately sprawled on the couch, pretending to be fast asleep. Toshiro allowed himself small smile and rolled his eyes at her childishness. And they called hima child.
He of course, was a child when they just met. She was an annoying loud older woman with knockers that were a constant obstacle and hazard for him. He was just a brat ranking 3rd seat.
But time changed. He matured into a young adult though his height constantly passed him off for a child. He noticed changes in his body and its reaction to these 'obstacles and hazards'. He hadn't realized how his outlook on Rangiku had distorted. The teasing and flirtation actually made him flustered.
It took him completely off guard. His cold demeanor and an ice wall that blocked his emotions were as it turns out, inadequate and no match for that woman's charms.
He was positive that Matsumoto Rangiku was a personified ray of sunshine. She was a bubbly, radiating ball of positivity. Her carelessness and easy spirit was a balm to his spiky attitude. She was also strong and intense- and if one got on her wrong side, she would burn your ass mercilessly. Unlike Momo, she didn't like to be the damsel in distress, didn't want to be pitied and co-dependant.
His thoughts were interrupted as Rangiku stirred in her slumber. She had actually fallen asleep, and was now shifting on the couch to position herself into a more comfortable position. Toshiro turned off the lantern on his table and walked over to the sleeping figure. He grabbed a blanket from the cabinet and very quietly lay it over her figure. She looked liked she had a rough day. The paperwork wasn't urgent anyway.
He looked over at her and smirked, reaching for the inner pocket on his robes to take out the brand new rolled up Hanabi magazine. He placed it on the coffee table next to her. The white haired boy stood observing her with fondness and after having his fill of her beauty he walked out of the office. The air was tense with everything that he wanted, but didn't say to her then.