AN: Hope you enjoy!
The lieutenant's meeting was almost over. All the information had been shared, and now many were just talking about work.
"You know, we are fukutaichos because there taichos." Hisagi of all people spoke out, gaining everyone's attention.
"Well, yeah, without taichos there would be order." Iba-fukutaicho said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"No, I mean that the position of fukutaicho exists because of taicho. We are the arms of our taicho." defended Hisagi.
"Okay, I get that, but that's still a 'duh' statement." Momo added.
"But, don't you think it's unfair that they get all the credit for taking care of the division when it's usually us, fukutaicho, that do it?" Hisagi inquired.
Hook, line, and sinker.
Hisagi he had them all thinking now, well most of them, but he would take what he could get. He was sure he could win the others over soon enough.
The only ones not giving Hisagi's statement some thought were Sasakibe, Nemu, Yachiru, and Rukia.
"I see what you are saying. I've never really noticed it before." Isane's voice rang out. "Perhaps it is because I don't always tend to the same patients that Unohana-taicho does."
"I think that I have always known it, but not. It's like one of those things that has to be pointed out for you to realize it." mentioned Renji.
Kira deiced to vocalize his opinion as well. "Even those of us with taicho right now aren't getting all the credit. It's more along the lines of 'Good job holding the division together. It will make it easier for the new taicho when they come.' It's kinda depressing."
"Really? That's what people say?" Nanao sounded absolutely shocked.
"No one dares go against Kenny." Yachiru declared. "They're all scared he'll kill them if they don't follow orders."
Well, what can you say to that?
"Humph. There's no pleasing my taicho. If you do good, she says to better. If you fail, she makes you do better the next time, after she threatened bodily harm." Omaeda said grumpily.
"We work just as hard, if not harder, than our taicho, yet they get all the credit." Matsumoto finally answered. "Who needs taichos?" Matsumoto was turning her head to look at all the other fukutaicho in the room. Many of them were nodding their heads in agreement. As she looked towards the little Kuchiki on the end, she spotted an additional face.
"TAICHO! What are you doing here?" Matsumoto yelled, causing all the occupants of the room to look toward the white haired male.
"Kurosaki is running rampant through Seireitei looking for you." Hitsugaya said as casually as one would mention the weather. His narrowed eyes showed that he was going to question her later on her comment.
Matsumoto immediately jumped up. "Crap! He leaves tonight! Well, it's been fun! Gotta go!" The busty woman was out the door in seconds.
"Is there a reason you are still here, Hitsugaya-taicho?" Sasakibe asked politely.
"Just what was this meeting about?" the young man asked in the 'no-nonsense' voice.
"Oh, just the usual reports, nothing to worry about." Momo answered easily. Others just nodded their heads in agreement.
"You often talk about not needing a taicho?" Fear entered many eyes of the shinigami at that question.
"Stop being so mean, taicho. It was a harmless comment." Rukia said, turning to look at the man standing to her side.
Many gasped at the boldness of the newest fukutaicho. Not only was she standing up to a taicho, but she was standing up to Hitsugaya-taicho!
An eyebrow quirked up at her statement. "And how exactly is harmless, fukutaicho?" He was honestly curious as to what she would say.
The other occupants of the room all leaned forward in anticipation. Would she throw them under the bus? Would she defend them?
"It was just a way for us to get rid of some stress. It didn't have anything to with you, or any other taicho personally. It was decided that instead of sharing what was really stressing us out, for privacy reasons, we would say 'taicho' as a substitute instead." Rukia said while looking Hitsugaya straight in the eye.
Hitsugaya just grunted and let the subject drop. There was suddenly a lot less tension in the air as Hitsugaya walked back toward the door. "Kuchiki." He paused to make sure he had her attention, even though he didn't turn around. "It's noble that you want to defend your peers. However, I hate it when people lie to me."
Rukia watched him leave as soon as he finished speaking. She held in the disappointment she felt. She didn't want the others to see it. She turned back to them with an indifferent mask on her face. "Well, at least we didn't really get in trouble."
No one could argue with that, but they felt somewhat guilty that Rukia had been called out when all she was doing was defending them.
"Rukia…" Renji started but couldn't find the words to say. Not even as he watched his childhood friend walk out the same door Hitsugaya had just moments earlier.
Rukia was unaware of her surrounding as she made her way through Seireitei. She unconsciously made her way to Ukitake's office. She just went right in and sat on the couch.
Ukitake could clearly see that something was bothering Rukia. He casually made his way over to the couch before he sat beside her. He would wait for her to speak first.
It took a few minutes before Rukia finally spoke. "I disappointed him."
Now, that confused Ukitake. It wasn't something entirely new, per say. However, it had been a long time since he had seen his fukutaicho this distraught.
"How so?" His gentle voice calmed her a little.
"I lied to him." was Rukia's simple response.
"You know how he is better than anyone else, Rukia. He's a proud man. Did he actually say he was disappointed in you?" the older man questioned.
"Yes." Rukia sounded utterly defeated.
"Rukia. Just apologize to him. I'm sure you had a good reason for lying to him." Ukitake said reassuringly.
"He just walked away after he told me he was disappointed in me." uttered Rukia.
"That's a very Byakuya thing to do. He probably wants you to understand that he doesn't appreciate being lied to, especially by you." he reasoned. "Now, why don't you go apologize to Kuchiki-taicho?"
Now Rukia was shocked. "Why would I apologize to Nii-sama?"
"Is that who you were talking about?" an obviously confused Ukiatke asked.
"What? Where'd you get that?" Rukia thought back on the conversation and could see where Ukitake could get the impression that she was talking about her brother. "Never mind. It doesn't matter. I think I will go apologize to him though. Thank you, taicho."
Ukitake could only just nod. He was still trying to figure out who could affect Rukia so much.
Hitsugaya went straight to his office after leaving the meeting. He knew he had upset Kuchiki Rukia with his words. It was he wanted. Not that he wanted to hurt her, but if she was hurt by him being upset that she lied to him, then it meant she felt something for him. And that was something he could work with.
In all honesty, he didn't want to hurt her, but he was hurt that she had lied to him. He also wasn't going to declare himself to her if she didn't feel anything for him. He had to make sure that his feelings were not one-sided.
All that was left to do was wait to see or hear about Rukia's reaction to his words.
It was the worst part of the whole plan. It gave him time to think. Did he push it a little far? Did he push it hard enough? What if she didn't care? What if she did? Who would confront the other first?
He wouldn't have to wait very long to see how his plan worked. He could fell the little Kuchiki at the entrance of his division.
It didn't take very long before he heard a knock on his door. "Enter."
