Author's Note: I am completely in love with this pairing and have recently been devouring fanfics about them at an alarming rate. This was just a "study in angst" of sorts. I haven't written anything like this before. I would love to hear what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach (sob)

First Death

After the first death, there is no other

He had never thought there would be clouds in the sky on the day the world ended.

One expected a sky blackened with ash, striped with flames and split every now and again with lightning. Yet, as Ichimaru Gin lay where he had fallen, the sky overhead was blue and a couple of clouds drifted by unfazed by the chaos that threatened to tear heaven and earth apart.

The fight raged on.

It was all growing hazy now. Pain and loss of blood dimmed his vision dramatically. Every breath drew less oxygen into his lungs, but he had to keep breathing until he felt what he was searching for.

Rangiku. Are you still alive?

All he needed was a tiny spark to let him know she was still putting up a fight. Maybe his own condition was dulling his senses and preventing him from feeling her reiatsu.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

The gashes in his chest were sheer agony, his entire body felt like it had been dumped in the depths of hell. She would probably say this was probably some kind of punishment for his chosen method of vengeance.

"Serves you right for leaving me without an explanation, you jerk."

A shadow of a grin twisted his lips, tears welled in his eyes.

Rangiku, where are you?

Breathe in. Breathe out.

The darkness was closing in. He hated being alone in the dark. No, not being alone. He never minded being alone and in Las Noches that was, if anything, preferable. He hated being in the dark without her. All the thoughts, the memories, the possibilities, crowded in on him.

A timid voice, tired eyes…"Gin…what a weird name…" long, cold days in the weather beaten shack, the taste of persimmons…"I never counted the days until I met you…" A full-lipped pout…"I can't believe you graduated so quickly. That's unfair!" …a flick of the hair, a proud smile…"Ooh, Vice-Captain Matsumoto. I like the sound of that…" Stolen glances, mischievous winks… "Captain Ichimaru…" the whiff of strawberries infusing mingled breaths…"Gin…" Angry confusion… "I will be your opponent from here on…" Disappointment. Anger. Sadness. Shock.

The taste of persimmons.

"Gin…"

I wanted to -

An angry tear coursed down his bloodied face. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe –

"Gin. I love you."

Rangiku, I -

He had never thought there would be pain after death. The final death, that is. People always talked about love, peace and a carefree existence. They never mentioned that your wounds still stung despite the soothing warmth surrounding you, or that your lungs still burned with every breath.

Filthy liars.

"Hm? Did you just – Gin?"

He fought to open his eyes. It took a moment to focus, and when he did, he saw strawberry blonde tresses and wide blue eyes.

"Rangiku…"

"Gin! I'm here, stay with me…someone, he spoke…" She choked on a sob and pressed the back of her bandaged hand against her mouth. Elsewhere in the room there was movement and voices, ("someone, go call Captain Unohana!", "Did he speak? What did he say?", "Something about liars" and then a snort), but he only stared at her, too tired to move or speak.

She stepped closer to his bed and then her hand was away from her mouth and stroking his hair, a comforting gesture and remnant of their childhood. Someone came around to his other side and started prodding and poking in a manner he would've found bloody annoying at any other time. Now he was drowning in two blue pools and a soothing voice that told him she loved him.

"How is he?" she asked of the person on his other side. He couldn't be bothered to turn his head.

"He's out of the woods," Captain Unohana's gentle voice replied. "Rest and medicine will do the trick."

There was a sob and a muffled "thank God", mutterings from elsewhere in the room and shouts in the corridor outside. Odd. In his captain-days, Unohana had been downright scary about her "therapeutic environment", but instead of silencing them with a smile even creepier than what he was capable of, she placed her face within his line of vision.

"Good morning, Captain Ichimaru," she said in that peculiar, lilting voice of hers. "How is the pain?"

"Kicking."

She smiled. "I'm going to give you something now. You've got several severe injuries, but if you do as I say you'll recover." She disappeared and then said, "You're going to go back to sleep now."

The sting in his chest was slowly fading, making way for sweet drowsiness.

"Rangiku…" He was appalled by the weakness of his voice.

"Yes? I'm here."

"Will you stay?"

"Of course." She smiled through the tears. "I'm not letting you out of my sight until I've kicked your ass."

Ah, there she was.

"You have any dried persimmons?"

Captain Unohana looked as puzzled as she could, Rangiku made a sound between a sob and a laugh. "I'll have Kira bring some over."

He grunted and gradually lost the battle to stay awake. She leaned her forehead against his.

The smell of strawberries.

Her lips were soft on his.

The vague taste of persimmons.

"Welcome home, Gin."

I'm back.

Hope it's not too fluffy. Did you enjoy it?