But, most of all, by the men that really mattered in the Soul Society (or, rather, the ones that thought they really mattered), Gin's betrayal was seen as one of the best things that could have happened in their lifetimes. It wasn't as if they had much in the way of animosity towards the captain, although many avoided him on the general principle that he did seem like the kind of creep who could stab someone in the back while smiling. They all remembered how gleeful he had been when he stalked through the Soul Society coated in the thick sprays of blood from stabbing Jidanbou, humming as he went about his business.
No, most of them hated him for one single reason: cock-blocking any attempts at getting into a certain vice captain's pants. And, with most hot-blooded Soul Society males, that didn't mean Kira Izuru. Or, at least if it did, they kept it very well to themselves.
Ichimaru Gin was hated far and wide for being the one reason that Matsumoto Rangiku was single. He was the one that she always had her eyes on. And, well, even if he hadn't done much in the way of reciprocating her affections since the academy (something their respective roommates and many of the academy janitors and teachers in general wished they had waited until after the academy to indulge in), he certainly kept anyone else from trying to sway her attentions from him.
It was almost a sick victory for him when a whelp just barely out of the academy had become her captain. From there, it was almost a simple matter to gently dissuade any suitors that might attempt to gain her favor from doing so. And, what suitors didn't have the mind to stop their affections? Well, Gin had all sorts of ways to permanently put them off the hunt or any hunt, for that matter.
So, on the day that Ichimaru Gin ascended to the skies to the tune of negacion, few tears were wept at his leaving. In fact, for many of the men of the Soul Society or, at least, those that were still standing and not in the restrictive medical care of Unohana and the fourth division, that night was a night for rejoicing. And, those red-blooded men who weren't rejoicing were plotting.
For some, that plotting included how to neatly remove themselves from attending the bedside of their ailing captain. For others, that plotting included how to get out of the medical restraints and escape before Unohana appeared with her every enigmatic and dangerous smile.
But, it was Shuuhei who, surprisingly enough was the first to strike gold, even if it wasn't the well-trimmed golden curls hidden beneath Rangiku's hakama.
Kira had collapsed earlier, after many attempts by the vice captain of the ninth to save him from drowning in his own vomit. It was almost tempting enough to let him die that way. It would have been kinder in some ways. But, Shuuhei cared enough about the other vice captain to at least give him a more dignified death and maybe hope that if Kira could pull through this, he could, too.
Shuuhei hadn't been one of the many men who had rejoiced at Gin's leaving. Although, had the circumstances been a little different, he might have just done exactly that. But, as it was, he had been too preoccupied with his own loss and, as the alluring scent of alcohol filled the room, it was tempting to join in the little 'drink your woes away' party.
It was then, that he struck gold. Or, rather, gold struck him. Shuuhei had leaned over to snag a bottle when Rangiku, who had seemed surprisingly more coherent when he first arrived, leaned against him, golden hair pressing gently against his chest.
"M- matsumo-" he choked off his stunned reply when her hands tightened against his shihakushou and he felt the warm, wet press of tears.
Shuuhei had never seen the vice captain cry. Admittedly, even though their divisions were close together numerically, he rarely saw the other vice captain at all. Tousen almost always worked together with Komamura and his men, rarely asking any other divisions for help, although it was rumored he held great respect for the captain of the fifth division.
So, the fact that she was crying, now, spoke volumes. And, although many other men in the Soul Society might have cursed him for not abusing his chance like he should have, Hisagi Shuuhei simply wrapped his arms around her slender form. He paused, looking down at her hunched form, before lowering a hand to brush gently against her back in slow, soothing circles.
He felt the choked sobs break beneath him as he pulled her tighter to him. Ichimaru Gin was a bastard. And, while Shuuhei couldn't really call his captain a bastard, he realized that there was a giant gap between what he felt for Tousen and what Rangiku must have felt for Gin.
And, for now, he didn't rejoice at Ichimaru's leaving, even if it might make her stronger in the end. For now, he thought he might hate Ichimaru Gin more than anything in the world for making her cry.