Author's Note: First attempt at Bleach fanfiction with two of my favorite characters. Set between chapter 179 and 180.
Disclaimers applied
He was her Taicho
She used to think that the happiest thing a fukutaicho can have was to have her taicho's last words directed at her.
But, as she sat for the third night beside her taicho's unconscious form, the rays of moonlight from the window the only light inside the dark room, she willed his eyes to open, if only to glare at her again for not doing her work.
She willed his fingers to at least even twitch, a sign that he was hearing her talk to him all night for two days straight, reporting every single incident happening not only in the tenth division, but in all of Soul Society, because she knew he was going to want to know all about it.
She willed his eyebrows to raise, as she talk about her breasts and how her back ache from carrying them all the time, because she knew he would never be perverted enough to think about it except as her way to tease him, if only to make him relax from his usual rigid composure. If only to keep his mind off his work for at least five minutes.
And yet, out of all she willed, she was only strong enough to stop her sob from escaping her, to prevent the tears from falling from her clouded eyes.
Yes, he was just her taicho, and she, just his fukutaicho. It was something so simple yet so complex at the same time.
There had been a lot of speculation regarding the relationship of Hitsugaya Toshirou and Matsumoto Rangiku, the taicho and fukutaicho of the tenth division, a common occurrence when the taicho and fukutaicho of one division are of the opposite sex, but it goes without saying that the tenth division is the most controversial.
Some said she had it hard having such a strict and young taicho, forever reminding her that she was following someone more inexperienced than she was.
Some said Hitsugaya Toshirou had it hard, having a fukutaicho that lazy, he eventually end up doing her work to be able to finish the paperwork on time.
There were some who even believed that their relationship was more than platonic and not at all professional.
Hitsugaya Toshirou. The boy-genius who appear in Soul Society only once in hundred years. Wielder of Hyorinmaru, the strongest Zanpakutou of ice and water, it can even control the weather. An epitome of strength, aloofness and power inside his lithe form.
And yet, to her, he was just her taicho; and more than that. A source of strength, his mere reiatsu exploding had always been enough for her to push Hanieko more than her limit. A firm look and a command told an octave lower than his usual tone made her obey. And the slight smile on his usually serious face whenever she handed him his favorite tea had always been enough to listen to his lecture regarding her laziness.
To see him unconscious, almost to the point of death, when she had never once witnessed a weakness from him, was enough to make her crumble, enough to drive her to tears.
And yet, she refused to cry. Matsumoto Rangiku was never one to shed tears. Not even when she was half-dead from hunger until Gin found her. Not even when she was labeled as someone good only for her body. Not even when Gin left her and eventually betrayed her.
Not even when she found his taicho on that fateful day in Central 46 Chamber.
Flashback
Her taicho lost? The thought kept running inside her head as she rushed back to the Central 46 Chamber, the complete opposite way to where everyone was headed, instead of going to the prosecution field to stop Aizen, Tousen, and Ichimaru.
It was her role as his fukutaicho to guard his back on battles, and when it really counted, she wasn't there, and her taicho lost. She couldn't help but think, as she entered the chamber, smelling instantly the stench of blood, following where it was coming from, only to find her taicho, her adorable little taicho, half dead in a pool of blood…
His blood…
"Taicho!" she cried in disbelief, and quickly went to him, gathering his little body in her arms, rocked him slowly as she whispered continuously to open his eyes, to not die, for he was still too young and he had a bright future ahead of him. For she still needed him for the strength he radiates to her.
End of Flashback
It had taken Uonohana to order her to leave him to the care of fourth division and help stop the traitors from completing their plans before she can release him from her grasp and leave him behind.
And later on, after the three managed to escape with the help of Menos Grande, nobody had managed to make her leave his side, except during the morning, when it was time to work, which she did smoothly amidst her taicho's absence, as ironic as it may sound to everyone.
She did the paperwork alone, did her patrol alone, and managed to finish on time to go back to her taicho's side before dusk.
The fourth division member's had commented once or twice that she needed to eat, or to at least get some sleep, but she never budged from her seat, and watched over her taicho as diligently as a wife would to her husband. As a mother would to her son.
As a fukutaicho would to her taicho.
"And Renji said Kuchiki Taicho is recovering now, he had managed to sit up from his bed," she continued, trying to stop her voice from cracking.
She suddenly stopped when slowly, he opened his eyes, and though not really looking anywhere but the blank ceiling ahead of him, he muttered, "Matsumoto…"
And Matsumoto Rangiku, the one woman known not to cry under any circumstances, shed tears that had been bottled up inside her so long as she held his hand, squeezed gently and smiled.
Too tired to pretend she was strong.
She used to believe that the happiest thing a fukutaicho can have was to have her taicho's last words directed at her.
And yet, there was nothing happier than for her taicho to open his eyes after almost dying, and uttering her name before anything else.
Owari
"Sometimes it seems like this world is closing in on me...and then I see you reach for me..." When I See You Smile (Bad English)
Author's Note: Somehow, writing this oneshot has made me cry a bucket of tears because of some distant memories. Oh, credit goes to Silent Sage and "50 Moments Seemed like Eternity". Go ahead and read it )
Reviews and Constructive Criticisms are welcome. (I know I'm gonna get scolded again for the grammars, I can't seem to get it right, really.)