10 days, 10 chapters!

and with both great happiness and great sadness, here is the last chapter of mission for happiness.

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Matsumoto Rangiku

The sun was low in the sky as Toshiro and I finally return to the Seireitei, with Yuki bounding at my side and Koori resting inside Toshiro's shihakusho. We had had a very wonderful, very tiring day. All I want to do now is to sleep, with Toshiro by my side. I can tell that he feels the same way, hoping that we can sneak back to the 10th Division and deal with the consequences of our actions tomorrow.

But this is not to be. Because in order to get to the 10th Division, we are going to have to pass by the 1st.

"Ah, Hitsugaya-taicho, Matsumoto-fukutaicho." SasakibeChojiro, fukutaicho of the 1st Division, stands outside of the 1st Division headquarters, giving us a disapproving look. "Yammamoto-soutaicho requires your presence immediately for your long awaited discussion."

"I guess we're busted," I whisper to my taicho, who nods despondently. We follow Sasakibe into the 1st Division.

I suddenly realize what we look like. Toshiro has a lopsided flower crown resting on his head, and Koori's nose is sticking out of his shihakusho. The haori that is his pride and joy cannot be described as white, even by a colorblind person. My clothing is not in a much better state and my hair is full of grass and twigs, along with the ice tiara that Toshiro created. Not to mention that we are both completely covered in dried mud from yesterday's mud fight.

"I'm kind of embarrassed to go in front of Yammamoto-soutaicho this way," I murmur to Toshiro. "We must look like such a mess."

"You still look beautiful to me," he responds with a smile.

As we reach the doors of the 1st Divison meeting room, Sasakibe bows stiffly and leaves. Nervously, I take Toshiro's hand and he squeezes it gently. "Don't worry, it'll be okay," he whispers reassuringly as the doors swing open.

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Hitsugaya Toshiro

When we enter, I can tell that we are in serious trouble. Yammamoto is sitting on his large chair in the center of the room. I've never understood why he always gets to sit down while the other taichos have to stand during his meetings. I guess the old fart just likes making everybody around him miserable.

Yammamoto's squinty eyes widen slightly at our approach.

"So you finally decide to grace us with your presence, Hitsugaya-taicho," he says acidly. I say nothing, inwardly debating whether I should argue or silently accept my punishment. "Explain yourself."

Even though I would love to yell at the old man, he is the soutaicho. He would probably throw us both in jail, though as long as I am placed in the same cell as Rangiku I wouldn't care less (A/N: I couldn't help myself, Rachel Noelle ^_^).

"I have nothing to say, soutaicho," I reply. "I did what I thought was right, and I can't say that I regret it, though I accept all responsibilities for my actions."

Yammamoto nods. "Well it has been a long day and it is getting late, so I will allow you two to return to your quarters for now. You can get a start on the paperwork that has no doubt accumulated in your absence. Tomorrow, you will be summoned back here so that I, along with the other taichos, can discuss your punishment. I trust that you will not ignore the messenger this time, Hitsugaya-taicho?" I nod, though I want to tell him what he can do with his stupid self-righteous speech. "We will speak more of this in the morning, you are dismissed!"

"Well, that wasn't so bad was it, Toshiro?" Rangiku says when we exit the 1st Division. "His eyesight must be fading or something, because he didn't even notice Yuki or Koori!"

I sigh, my brain feels too tired to function properly. Walking together, still holding hands, we reach the 10th Division.

It seems as if Yammamoto, that spiteful old man, has vindictively allowed every piece of paperwork floating around the Seireitei to end up in my inbox. Groaning, I reach for the first piece. It's going to be a long night…

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Matsumoto Rangiku

He looks so depressed, his hands automatically moving from paper to paper. I sit at my (rarely used) desk holding a brush, though not actually writing anything. Yuki is playing with my unused inkstone. Toshiro offered to do the paperwork and let me sleep, and though I normally would have jumped at the chance, it is kind of my fault that we're in this situation in the first place. Besides I don't think I would be able to have a good night's sleep without his familiar figure next to me.

Seeing the frown on Toshiro's young face, makes me feel so angry at Yammamoto. All Toshiro and I wanted was to spend some time together. Just because that stupid old man is probably like a 2,000 year old virgin doesn't mean that he should oppose others from having relationships.

And I know that Toshiro, selfless being that he is, will try to take all of the blame. He has already lost the happy smile that had adorned his face the whole time that we were in the wilderness, and I find myself missing it.

"Hey Toshiro?" I call.

"What is it?" he responds distractedly, his gaze still on his work.

"You know how earlier you told me that you took me from the office yesterday in order to make me smile again?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"I think that you can safely say that your mission was accomplished, right?"

He looks up at me. "Well I've seen you laugh and smile more times over the past 2 days than I have the past month, so sure, mission accomplished." He goes back to his paperwork.

"Well maybe your mission was accomplished, but mine wasn't. At least not entirely."

"What are you talking about? What mission?"

"Before I even knew about your 'mission', I made one for myself after we ran away yesterday." He looks at me curiously and I continue. "Part of it was to stop thinking about Gin and you helped me to do that."

He nods. "But you mentioned another part."

"Well Toshiro," I say, putting down my brush and walking over to his desk. "While you were trying to get me to smile, I noticed just how stunning your smile was. And I realized that you don't smile that much. Your mission was a complete success, because now whenever I'm with you I just can't feel sad. But you're not smiling, and I'm going to do something about it."

"Wait Rangiku, what—"

I cut him off, grabbing his hand, and pulling him up from his desk. Piles of paperwork scatter everywhere. I drag him outside to the courtyard, ignoring his protests.

Once we are outside, I face him.

"Do you trust me?"

"O-Of course I do Rangiku," he stammers.

"Then let's go. I might not have any fancy ice wings like you do, but what Matsumoto Rangiku wants, Matsumoto Rangiku gets! And what I want is your happiness."

He starts to object, but then gives up. "I'm not going to win this argument, am I?"

I shake my head. "And this time, it's completely my fault, so you can't take the blame for it— Yammamoto's probably going to throw both of us in jail, but as long as we are both placed in the same cell, I couldn't care less!"

"I was thinking that exact same thing earlier," he says and he smiles. It's small, but it's there, and I'm not going to stop until I see it on his face 24-7. It will definitely freak out some of the other members of the Gotei 13, but hey, that's an added bonus.

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well there it is...i hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as i have enjoyed writing it.

if you did like it, there is definitely going to be more hitsuxmatsu coming your way from me, this couple is too cute to stop writing about ;)

thanks to all the reviewers...Rachel Noelle, SoaringHellButterfly, KatonRyuuka, Kohryu, and Aria52: your input has kept this story rolling :D

until whenever i next get inspired...

-stormwolf527