-1Fateful Meeting - Chapter 2/3
Kurosaki blinked, picking up the note that sat beneath it as if the necklace acted like a weight:
"Masaki,
I'm sorry. I could have at least tried to protect you. It's my job after all. I'm so very glad you made Isshin so incredibly happy for all those years. He deserves a woman like you who was so willing to give her life for her child. I respect that. You gave him three great kids and twenty years of your devotion. Thanks for all you did for the man I love.
In highest regards, Matsumoto Rangiku"
The man smiled with a chuckle, "Leaving a note for a dead woman, eh? I think this is more for me than you, Masaki." He gave a two fingered salute to his wife's grave before taking the necklace into his hand and heading back to his house.
When he returned to bed, the woman he had been flustered at was gone. He had spent most of the night out walking to clear his mind only to return to an empty bed and another note,
"Isshin,
I thought Masaki deserved the necklace more than I, even if I know well that she's not there. I'm going back home. I didn't think that you'd want me around after what I told you last night. So, thanks Kurosaki-senpai. You haven't changed much. Only for the better anyway. You're a great dad. Keep it up!
With lots of love, boobies too,
Rangiku-chan"
Kurosaki dropped the note and calmly slipped from his gigai, leaving his body laying on the bed with the same mod soul he'd had with him for the past twenty years. He stood in all his glory as an ex-shinigami Taichou, brushing off his uniform before taking off for Seireitei for the first time in decades. More than a few faces would be surprised to see him.
CHAPTER 3
As Rangiku had managed to return home, her heart felt as if it were shattered into pieces. He never asked her to go, but somehow she thought her absence would make a difference. Her neck felt incredibly bare without the chain that had hung there for over twenty years. She felt naked. Heading to the tenth division's office, Hitsugaya-taichou had convinced the emotional Matsumoto to partake in training. Oddly unlike herself.
Meanwhile, Isshin clutched the chain in his fist, not even bothering to put it back on his body, knowing it had a new owner now, and didn't have any need of returning. By now Isshin was calmly approaching the Urahara shop. Sadly enough, his hell butterfly had long left, and this disabled him reentry into Soul Society at will, unlike most of the other Shinigami. Luckily enough for him, Urahara had already improved this. The candy-striped hatted male stood waiting at the door, smiling happily as he fanned himself. "Ah, Kurosaki-san. I figured you'd be here after Rangiku-chan left so suddenly." Isshin smirked and shook his head, reaching a hand up to rub the back of his neck. "Eh, You're too damned observant Urahara. Either that, or I'm just predictable." He shook his head and gave a light chuckle, following the other ex-captain into his shop. Arriving down below, the two stood in front of the massive gate that Urahara had built. "So then, I suppose you know the rundown already, right Kurosaki-san?" He questioned the bearded male, which would only get a nod in response. "Alright then. It's improved by a bit. You should actually land INSIDE The Seireitei unlike your son did. Buut..You still have to run like the wind, I'm sure you can do that though." Isshin laughed and nodded, holding a hand up in a saluting manner before waving off at Urahara and quickly bolting off into the door, Isshin's figure soon fading in darkness. Eventually after about five-minutes of travel through the dimensional gate, Isshin arrived on the cemented floor of the Seireitei. Two sets of eyes quickly locked onto the male. "Kuro..saki?" They both said in sync with one another. "Ah. Shunsui Kyoraku...Jushiro Ukitake.." Isshin smirked, reaching a hand up to rub the back of his head. "I know this seems a bit odd… And as much as I'd like to talk about old times, I have some business to attend to… I know I shouldn't be here but, don't tell on me...Alright?" He winked and slowly walked past the pair. They both locked their gazes on each other, almost in an insane amount of confusion. Isshin slowly began to approach the Tenth-division house, his eyes slowly closed as he took a deep breath. "It's been long..." He slowly walked towards the door, reaching for it and sliding it open, making his way inside.
Back at the tenth unit's training area, Matsumoto sighed, watching her Taichou as he explained the rundown of the day's practice session. Her mind kept wandering, her stance was off, and her head just wasn't where it needed to be. Toshirou's expression remained as it ever did, glaring at the large breasted one. But, it was weird, even for her to be this distracted. He noticed quickly, but never mentioned it. Instead, he had decided that this was the time to teach her a lesson in being able to anticipate the enemy's moves. With a quick blow to her calf muscle, he knocked over the much taller female onto her rear. Rangiku landed roughly, tears starting to roll down her face as she landed. Had he hurt her..? No, it was those thoughts again.
She could only blame herself at this point.
It was one thing to have an affair with her former Taichou. It was another for staying in the human realm for far too long. She had a simple task: kill the few rampaging hollows that were still lurking about. She had within a few hours time. But once she was injured, all the memories came back due to who her doctor turned out to be. It was a very rough night. Now, here she was on her ass, sobbing over things she could have prevented. Toshirou sighed, placed his hands on his hips and started to ask what the damage was. Rangiku just fell to her back, hands over her face, sobbing.
Hitsugaya looked down over the female, a bit of worry, but mostly disgust of how distracted she was. He slowly approached her, holding the wooden sword upward and scoffing. "Meh. Concentrate on your fight, Matsumoto!" He shouted towards her, and with a quick swing he aimed the hit down towards her, though a sudden stop would abrupt contact. A hand...A much larger hand, grasped a hold of the wood sword. The boy grunted and looked to who was standing there, only to sigh and nod, taking a step back to the corner of the room, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. With a quick flip, the ex-captain flipped the sword over and aimed it directly down at Matsumoto. "You should do as your captain asks, kid.." He smirked, lifting the wooden sword up and resting it against his shoulder.
Matsumoto blinked upon hearing the voice. Her Taichou had been speaking to her so roughly, only to have the sound changed to an ever familiar one. Once her eyes were wiped of the tears, her icy blues gazed up to the wooden sword directed at her and the man behind it. "...Kurosaki-sempai..." She lay there for a few moments longer. Isshin spoke to her as if nothing had changed, as if he'd never left Seireitei. "But, I couldn't.. I had things on my mind." Her voice was uncommonly soft, tears still filling her eyes. Why did he come back? Wasn't he happy with her confession? As he moved the practice sword to his shoulder, Matsumoto sat up, wiping the tears once more, "...Why did you come back..?"
Isshin slowly reached a hand down as the female attempted to get up. His larger hand would grasp over hers, and with a soft pull he would lift the busty beauty to her feet. He looked downward into her eyes and shook his head. "You didn't think I was going to let you leave me so soon, did you?" He tilted his head to the side, a large, serious but half playful grin was on his face by now, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his neck. "Surely you know me better than that. Eh?" He slowly lowered his hand, waiting for a reply from the teary eyed female.
"..." She took his hand, allowing him to assist her in standing once more. "Maybe you should have." Her attitude didn't seem to shift, at least at that moment. Her eyes focused on his expression before turning her head to the left. Gaze met with Toshirou who acted as if he weren't even in the room with the other two. "I know you well enough. Maybe it was just wishful thinking." She was being cold, but only because she didn't know why he had returned. "I hurt you and you just come after me like this?! I don't... I don't understand, Isshin." Hands dusted off the black uniform, starting to look away once more.
He perked an eyebrow at her remark, sighing heavily and reaching a hand into his coat to slowly reach for a certain piece of jewelry. He clutched it in his fist, leaving it hidden from sight to show that he'd had it. "Matsumoto...You're an intelligent woman. Surely you know why, right? Can't you see it in my eyes? The true reason why I came back for you?" He slowly reached his free hand upwards to her cheek, sliding it over. "If you can't see why...Perhaps...I'll show you.." He slowly lifted the chain to reveal it, slowly sliding it around her neck and fastening it, then leaning in to press his lips against hers. He then slowly pulled back and sighed. "Now…can you see why?"
Her eyes shifted from the ground up to him slowly. As his lips pressed against hers, she barely moved. She was still tripping over her thoughts over why he came back. Fingers trailed along the cool metal of the chain slowly, following it along her neck and chest. Smiling, Rangiku looked back to the tall muscular man with a sigh, "You're a stubborn man, Isshin." Letting out a heavy sigh, the woman shook her head, twisting the chain within her fingers. "I do love you..." Voice trailed off as she suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him roughly on the lips. She reaches up to wipe another tear from her cheek.
As she leans in to kiss him he smiled and slowly pushed her hand away, only to use his own hand to wipe away her tears. Toshirou smirked and shook his head lightly, slowly turning his back towards them and heading off towards the exit. "Matsumoto. I expect our training to continue soon.." He nodded, and without much of a chance to receive an answer, the young white haired male slowly slipped from the room.
Rangiku blinked for a moment, shifting her gaze from her Taichou to her lover. "Hai--well.." She watched him leave, soon focusing back on Isshin. Hand held his lightly. She stood in silence for a time, debating over just how to place her words. Drawing back, her eyes focused back on his, unable to say anything.
He looked down into those beautiful eyes, the smile never leaving his face. He places his hands upon her own and takes in a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. "Matsumoto. I love you...Don't think about leaving me again, or I'll hunt you down, just like I did today.." He laughed lightly and released her hand, reaching up to rub the back of his neck.
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TBC! Sorry it took so long!! I was lacking inspiration… and I just had a hard time doing anything artistic. This came from an RP, but it was so well done, I thought I'd just edit a little and post it. 3 Thanks to my RP buddy, Isshin-sempai.