It was dawn. The rising of the sun. Predicting the weather today, it would likely be a sunny day. The silver-haired lad was thinking of things as the golden-orange haired girl was fast asleep in his arms.

A few months had passed since they met each other, more like; they get to know each other. He swore to not let anyone hurt his Rangiku. Just at the thought of others making her suffer, he feels shameful of himself and will take any chances to make them feel, thrice the pain that she will be taking. He had never left her side. He would never, there are certain circumstances though.

Will he be able to actually protect her? How could a mere boy like him do such heroic things when he himself doesn't think he is a hero at all? What he does is stealing, fighting and perhaps killing if in need. Such things aren't supposed to be called heroic. Those are villain-like doings. Yet, he is willing to do so, much even more because he had found the girl he would risk his life for. Everything.

'I wouldn't let anyone make you suffer again, Rangiku.' He muttered, marking his every word, emphasizing every meaning of it. Rangiku stirred in his arms, she was awake earlier but decided not to move since it may wake Gin but when she heard his voice, she decides that she could already move and he was already awake.

"Did I wake ya up, Rangiku?" He asked, loosening his wrap to her but didn't let go.
"No worries, you didn't. Good morning, Gin." She greets him with a smile.
"Good morning too, Rangiku."
"Isn't it about time we get up, Gin?"
"Yeah, you're right, we still need to colle—"He was about to say something but she cut him off. She coughed for two times and had an 'I'm awesome' pose before saying something,
"E-hem! Don't worry about those! I already collected them!"
"W-When did you?!"
"You see... When you took me with you at the market few days ago, I had an old lady give this to me! Without any debts or such!" She remarked with a cheerful voice, pulling him into a hug. He pats her head, "You silly girl." He said in a very mysterious voice but finds it sweet for her to do something like this. She responds with an 'Ehen~, tricked you right there!'

He asks her where did she put them and she points to the corner. He walks towards it and carefully opens it. It didn't surprise him that he first saw the persimmons. If he had taken a liking to persimmon and actually his favorite food, it goes double to Rangiku who absolutely loved it. Maybe more than him. I wouldn't know, but why not.

He stops for a moment as he sees Rangiku staring at him with her pale, emerald eyes. She giggled, "Your eyes are really beautiful, it's like I'm looking at the ocean itself!" His face drooped a little, "What makes ya say that, Rangiku?" He was really confused with what she said.

"You see, your eyes are usually closed when we're outdoors but whenever we're alone you seem to open them casually! I really love your eyes!"

That statement made him a bit sad. "Just my eyes?" He asked a faint trace of sadness in his voice. Should this be the time to be fooling with her? No, he isn't actually fooling with her, He actually wanted to know.

"You can't take a joke, Gin! Like I said, once I say I love something, I also love the one where it comes from." She said, pulling him into a hug. "You should've told me that first, Rangiku." He lets go and made a pout. She chuckles at him.

After a few decades—No I mean minutes, their breakfast was served. They ate 'till they couldn't even move , well it's not really they but it was just Rangiku since Gin tends to tell her to not eat too much or else she'll look like a monster , like the stern ,old (ugly , in Gin's opinion) lady they saw at the market recently.

She lies on the tatami mats on their own little shack. Stretching her arms, she looks at her side to see Gin as he would always be at her side.
Unfortunately, he wasn't. She looks everywhere but still couldn't find him. Not until a few seconds, she finds arms wrapped around her shoulders and recognizes it as Gin's. He always liked to play things like this and she would be taking a liking on this too.

He lets go of her and, "Ne, Rangiku, what do you think about the future?" asks in curiosity. She ducks her head a bit, as if thinking what she wanted to do, "I guess I wanted to have a happy life with you, Gin."

With that last word, Gin's soul almost jumped off from his body but actually controlled itself with his self-restraint. 'With you', Boys in his age would probably have many fantasies just being with his beautiful Rangiku though, she wouldn't go with them unless she trusts them. More like, he wouldn't let anyone touch her.

She didn't have any doubts with what she had said, she hadn't thought of it for a bit but this is what she truly wants for the future. His face had a trace of confusion and she immediately noticed it, "C'mon, Gin! I never lie about those things! I really mean it!" She pouted at him. Gin gave her a pat in the head, "Well if you really mean it, I'm happy with it, Rangiku." The tone of his voice became a serious one as he gave her a smile.

-A few days after they met-
He was finding scraps in the woods right now. He searched every place his instincts pointed out too. He wasn't with Rangiku right now. He is okay with it, He taught her how to defend herself from baddies. He taught her kido spells and shooting some of her spiritual power at someone.

A few moments later, he comes up in a bush. And not far away from that bush , he sees his Rangiku lying on the dirt , with bruises on her face blocking her light blush as the front of her clothing was open for a bit. He squint his eyes but didn't immediately jump off to her place, it felt dangerous. Very dangerous, at his distance he could feel a slight change with the atmosphere.
Perhaps it's the aura or reiatsu of the one who hurt his Rangiku. He had sworn that he wouldn't let anyone hurt her or make her suffer. Did he fail to keep his promise again? He peeked over the other bush as it had an opening and he saw 3 black-clothed guys with someone looking at them from the top as they bow at him handing him a pink orb.

He recognized the orb as a part of someone's soul. He read something like this on the book he had found on the street one time. Assuming that it was a part of Rangiku's soul, His hands were gripped tightly that he could injure himself. Jumping off them is a very careless thing to do. He had remembered something too, those black clothes are somewhat of a Shinigami.

He knew about this because of the guy wearing a pink haori passed by him in the streets of Rukongai asked him who he was and in return, he told him something. That those people who wear all black and have a sword with them are called death gods or Shinigami.

Opening his eyes for a bit and looking back at Rangiku, it made his heart ache. It's like you're being punched straight in your chest. He can still do something about it. He assumed that the guy that was holding the pink orb to the one with glasses was the one who initiated all this things to Rangiku. He never dared to assume this but if he ever tainted her. He couldn't do anything but to just torture him to feel thrice the pain and kill him afterwards if he was satisfied enough.

The guy with glasses seemed really strong. He decided not to lay his hands on him. He flash stepped in a distance as he masked his reaitsu from them. He would be in danger and also Rangiku if he didn't do so. He picked her up and flash stepped once again to their shack .

He lays her on the futon they got from the ladies in the market who thought Rangiku was really charming and he was really handsome and kind to take her in. Snapping out of his thoughts, he continued his duty. He examined every bruise that she got, it didn't seem to be worse but it doesn't look like she is okay. He quickly rushed to the corner and check their box if they had something, they didn't. He thought of something he could use, maybe his power. A bulb lit on his head, He could use a healing kido to her!

Deciding what he would do, he gets into position and starts healing her. At first, Rangiku let out a groan. He clenched his teeth in regret. He shouldn't have left her. He hates – No that wouldn't be the right way to put it, He despises seeing her cry, suffer and being hurt.

A few moments had passed and her condition was gradually getting better. He is glad that he knows what he should know at this stage. And his body was keeping up with him. After the healing, she eventually woke up. Her body looks like it's about to break down.

Though, something feels different. She could feel a massive pressure of spiritual power flowing inside and even outside her. Gin snapped, "Could it be that the result of getting a part of your soul taken makes your power stronger?" He stated. He himself wasn't quite sure of this but it's just a mere guess.

She held a hand out and reaches for his cheeks, "Sorry… Gi…n."She muttered and at the same time crying. "I let my guard down… and let them..." Her sob was definitely getting worse as time pass by. "Did they get into something physical?!"Gin's voice seems to be louder than usual. He couldn't let those tyrants be alive. He stopped the urge to shake her as it would make her feel worse. All he could do to suppress it is to clench his hands tightly in his knees.

"D-Don't worry … I tried protecting myself …" That was what she had last said and was fast asleep afterwards. He never left her side and was watching her all night. How foolish of him. How could he assume that they did? He wasn't very good with what ifs. He'll try asking her once she gets better or wakes up.

He lets himself fall asleep, intertwined his hands with hers. Even though it looks like he is the one always protecting her. It is actually the opposite. He feels that he is the one being protected. Her very atmosphere makes him feel in ease and forget about the struggles he had gone to. It feels very peaceful around her.

Almost there with all these feels I'm receiving from this couple. Not to mention, my mood isn't at its very best and can't cope up if I written too much depressing things.

That's it. Thanks for reading.
-Shiro Mirch, 2014-