Disclaimer: I hate doing this but I can't help it because it's unfortunately necessary… I don't own bleach and if I do I wouldn't be here writing and if I did, my story will be a thousand times, billion times, better than this. I swear… I mean it!
Author's note: Well this is set after the diamond dust rebellions. Aren't Toushirou just adorable? And well… haiz, I don't know… wonderful but sad? Hope you guys enjoy.
p.s. this is no longer a 1 shot...
He slid open the wooden door in front of him.
"Taichou! You are back!" His cheerful subordinate bounced up from the sofa and rushed to the door.
Through his instinct and daily trained routine, he swiftly ducked and avoided his subordinate's ultimate 'hugging' attack and headed to his working table that was placed right in front of shelves of books and in the middle of the administrative office. Paperwork was piled high up on it. It seemed that a lot had happened during his absence. A lot had happened in fact. Time to work, he thought.
"Taichou! Taichou!" His subordinate bounced around the room and chanted.
"Yes, Matsumoto?" He picked up his brush dully and started writing his report.
"How was the meeting with Sou-taichou?" She landed on the sofa before bouncing up again.
"Fine."
Then she started to mumble a string of words, all he heard was "Ro… Hai…"
He wasn't able to see what his subordinate was doing, not with the stacks of paperwork piled up in front of him so high that he wasn't even visible behind it. Not even a single lock of his standing white hair was visible. But even if he had been able to see what his subordinate was doing, he didn't bother, or, more precisely, he didn't want to bother. So he asked, "What did you say, Matsumoto?"
The only reply he got was specks of dust falling out of nowhere and covering the tiny little him and all of his paperwork.
"Matsumoto, just what are you doing?" He asked in a dangerously low voice. This can't be good.
"Taichou!" Smiling, his subordinate appeared beside him and started wiping his face with a piece of cloth.
"Explain." The little taichou took hold the hand that was intending to wipe off the dust his face and somehow pinching it by accident.
"It's just Haineko."
"Why is it covering me and my paperwork?"
To his surprise, Matsumoto replied by flipping her hand, gripping the little taichou's wrist instead and dragging him out of the room.
"W-what... Matsu… mo-to… Stop it. I'm ordering you." The taichou commanded, his face straight.
"Sorry taichou, I can't."
"Way of bindin…"
"Ah, taichou! If you refuse to follow me *pause* then *pause* your paperwork *pause* will be *pause* You know *pause* gone." Matsumoto warned, slowly.
"WHAT?" The little taichou's eyes widened.
"Your paperwork will be gone." Matsumoto answered. She started to hum some sort of weird, cheerful tune.
I'm going to kill her. Hitsugaya thought venomously.
But in order to save his paperwork, he had no choice but to follow his subordinate... to be dragged along by her, if he wanted to be exact.
When they finally entered Rukongai, the cheerful fuku-taichou put her hands over his eyes.
"What are you doing, Matsumoto?" He demanded.
"Shh…"
I've changed my mind, I'm going to freeze her, skin her, then torture her. Only after that will I kill her.
They walked along the streets for a considerable amount of time, around 45 minutes by the little frustrated taichou's estimation.
"Now, now taichou. We're reaching soon. Don't be so impatient."
"You said that 30 minutes ago. And could you stop pressing my head to your freaking large boobs? It's indescribably obscene."
Since when had paperwork meant so much to him? Trying to save it had cost him his pride and reputation. How could a stack of thin bleached wood cost so much?
Although the fact that he had, in fact, spent the last 6 hours before the meeting with Sou-taichou doing them probably made them worth the price.
"We're here." The little taichou heard the sound of a door opening before feeling a strong chilling breeze of wind blow against him from other side of the door.
Finally.
They entered the room and Matsumoto removed her hands, "SURPRISE!"
The little taichou opened his eyes and he saw that many shinigami-es had gathered in the room, mostly the taichous and fukutaichous. Oh, and the substitute shinigami had also turned up, to his utmost dislike.
All of them froze in their seats to turn and look at him, some offering a smile, some emotionless, some offering a laugh that sounded like a crazy maniac's... wait. They were crazy maniacs, after all.
He stood with his legs rooted to the ground. Needless to say, he was shocked.
"Taichou! Welcome back." Matsumoto announced and all the shinigami-es cheered.
Maybe it is the right choice… Staying here…
He suddenly felt a pang of guilt, how could he have ever regretted staying here? But, to tell the truth, Kusaka's plan had seemed so, well, attractive to him. He was pulled back to the reality by his hyper-active fuku-taichou who handed him a glass as she raised hers saying, "Toast to the return of my taichou!"
"But Matsumoto…" He blushed a little.
"Cheers." The other shinigami-es drained their cups.
"It's your favorite green tea." Matsumoto smiled at the hesitance of her taichou.
He didn't really mind the my nor the sake or green tea he was holding. It's just… he didn't... well… want to show it. He felt a little touched, that's all. Just a little.
He drank it in one gulp.
"Don't ever abandon us again, ok?" Matsumoto said.
"Matsu… "His eyes softened and he nodded with a rare small smile.
"Hey, Toushirou." A voice interrupted the touching moment between the taichou and the fuku-taichou.
"It's Hitsugaya taichou." The pissed off taichou corrected.
"You like the banner?" The substitute shinigami asked pointing at the huge banner that was hung on the ceiling with the words, 'Welcome back. Toushirou.' printed on it. He was smiling, evidently proud of his own handiwork.
"Since I don't hear any objections, I guess I had done it just nice." Ichigo stated after a few minutes of silence, apparently unaware of the murderous freezing reiatsu spiking up from the little taichou beside him. Not that anyone could blame him, since Kurosaki Ichigo had never been good at sensing reiatsu anyway.
"Damn it. How many times do I have to tell you it's Hitsugaya TAICHOU!" The little taichou shouted at the top of his lungs.
Hitsugaya surveyed the round table.
To his left was the-forever-dumb-unrespectful-master-of-making-trouble Kurosaki Ichigo being whacked in the head by the-calm-and-respectful Kuchiki Rukia who was seated next to him. The-always-serious-faced Kuchiki taichou sat, a little protectively, beside his adopted sister with the-tattoo-man Abarai fukutaichou next to him, followed by the-fighting-maniac Zaraki taichou laughing maniacally with his equally-insane Kusajishi fuku-taichou, his-always-faithful-follower Madarame Ikkaku and the-beauty-lover Ayasegawa Yumichika. (since when had he become friends with them?) The-'unhuman'-faced Komamura taichou talking to his always-act-cool subordinate, Iba-fukutaichou. Sitting together were the-always-moody Kira fuku-taichou and Hisagi fuku-taichou who were trying to separate the-always-arguing-3rd-seats Kotsubaki Sentarou and Kotetsu Kiyone that was seated next to them. The-perverted-flower-lover Kyouraku taichou holding a bottle of sake that the-frustrated Ise fuku-taichou, who was next to him, was trying to snatch. The-gentle-but-creepy Unohana taichou sitting with the-candy-man Ukitake taichou, smiling at everyone. And finally his right, his always-slacking fukutaichou, Matsumoto.
She's not here but it's bet…
"Let's eat. What do you want to eat taichou?" Matsumoto interrupted his thoughts.
"The most popular food in this restraunt is the Udon set, the Unagi set, the salmon and the Udon set something like that." Matsumoto recited from the menu she was holding.
"You want me to eat Udon? You said it two times."
"I knew it. I knew taichou likes to eat Udon. Taichou you had ordered Udon the last and only time we went..."
"I don't like it."
"Ehh!"
"I just prefer less oily food during work."
"But… but… but."
"Oh, then what about Unagi don?" Ukitake taichou who was seated next to Matsumoto asked.
"Well, ok. It has been a long while since I last ate Unagi."
Matsumoto glanced at her taichou, sadness reflected from her eyes, or maybe regret. She had just realized how little she knew about her taichou. She didn't know what her taichou liked, she didn't know how he spent his free time, she didn't even know how her taichou's life had been previously, until that Kusaka guy turned up. It was just surprising how little she knew about her taichou considering the fact that they had been working together for more than 30 years.
I guess maybe I should spend more time with taichou and… drink less sake… she thought.
After most of the shinigami-es had finished their meal, Hitsugaya stood up and, surprisingly, everyone turned their attention to him.
He paused for a while before he said, "Thanks for…"
"The party." Matsumoto finished happily for him.
"I really did enjoy it…."
"That's the first time." Matsumoto added.
"It's about time so I figure that I should let you guys know that…"
"I love you guys." Matsumoto interrupted.
Hitsugaya sent Matsumoto a death glare before turning back to crowd and announcing, "I'll be leaving."
"WHAT?" Matsumoto's smile was wiped off from her face immediately. Silence was the only sound heard in the room.
Hitsugaya was the first to break the silence, "I met with the Yamamoto Sou-taichou today. The royal family wanted to strengthen the security as the royal seal was stolen by a *pause* lowly hollow and that Aizen's plan was yet to be carried out. As I was heavily involved in both the retrieving of the royal seal and the attempt to prevent Aizen's betrayal, the royal family has decided that I will be promoted to Squad 0. So Matsumoto fuku-taichou will be taking over my job. She'll be taichou from now onwards, after I leave."
The cup Matsumoto was holding fell from her fingertips but was caught by Hitsugaya before it managed to come in contact with the ground and break into pieces.
The room had turned deathly quiet.
"Please excuse me, I need to return and finish my paperwork." Breaking the silence yet again, Hitsugaya stood up and walked towards the door.
"Taichou!" He looked over his shoulders.
"Can… can we still work together? Here?" Matsumoto asked.
Histugaya turned around with a sigh and answered, "Didn't you hear what I just said? I am…"
"But no matter what Squad I am or you are… we will still be able to work together… right? Like now? Together… with everyone… here?"
"Matsumoto, Squad 0 is different from other Squ…"
"But taichou… I want to work under you, taichou."
Even if I had never been able to understand you, taichou… Everyday, looking at you doing paperwork that was not only yours but mine. Looking at you moving my share of paperwork to your own desk while I laid on the sofa pretending to be asleep. Always trying to watch your back. Always trying to cheer you up. And also… also always watching you be my taichou.
Together. Forever. I thought I had finally gotten you back. Gotten you back forever.
"Matsu… moto."
It was only when she looked at the shocked faces of everyone did she realize that she was crying. The cheerful, ever energetic Matsumoto was crying.
"I don't want you to leave, taichou." She whispered.
I want to fight under you. I thought we were going to fight Aizen together. I thought you had promised not to abandon us again. I thought we are going to fight Aizen, Tousen a-and Gin, together with everyone… Together with all the taichou-s, Ichigo, Abarai, Izuru, Hina… Hina…
"Matsu..."
"What about Hinamori-chan? Taichou, what about her? Are you going to tell her? Taichou! What are yougoing to tell her? Are you going to tell her that you're leaving? Taichou!"
After recovering from shock, the little taichou turned his back against the crowd and said quietly before disappearing out the door. "That's why I decided to tell you now. Matsumoto."
Author's note: Well, this was supposed to be a one-shot, and I personally do hope that it still stays as one, because I have well around 5 un-finished stories and I don't hope to add more to the list. But I can't seem to be able to finish it. The harder I try to finish the story the further it was from the ending I intended… I'm not sure if this is an appropriate ending. Because it doesn't look like an ending at all to me… oops. Well, could you guys give me some feed backs? Well, about what you guys want? This is the longest one shot I've ever written…