Chapter 25:
-Seven years later-
'The day Momo told me that she would give anything to be just like 'Captain Aizen' was one that I tried to ignore, it was during the first week that I had known her, so I didn't think anything of it. I thought it was nothing more then just a temporary fad that she was going through, but now...I'm not so sure. She had been asking a lot of questions about him lately, but ever since Byakuya's wife died, I had my hands full most of the time. But when I realized that she was still interested in being in his squad...I couldn't help but feel like she was beginning to slip away from me. And my suspicions rose when I discovered that Aizen was starting to search for a new lieutenant, and before I knew it...she was my Third Seat and already excepted the transfer into his squad. I knew that this just a ploy for Aizen to get to me, but I couldn't help feeling somewhat betrayed by this. I had been her Captain for seventeen years, yet she just seemed to drop me the first chance she got. I tried to be supportive in any and every way possible, yet anytime Aizen came along she just seemed to forget I was there. I was angry at Aizen, but I was mostly angry at myself, for not being able to tell her about the truth of who Aizen really was, and not being able to protect her against him. And now she was at his mercy quite literally.'
"Are you completely sure that this what you wish to do, Hinamori?" Toshiro asked her as she packed the last of her belongings into a small burlap sack.
"Of course Captain, its what I've always wanted!" she said happily, tying the bag at the top and swinging it over her shoulder.
'I guess there's no talking her out of it.' Toshiro thought to himself with a sigh. "Alright then, just be careful out there ok?" he said with a slight smirk.
Momo smiled back at him; "Don't worry Captain, I've got Captain Aizen looking out for me, he'll protect me just like how you did I'm sure!" she said giving him a nod.
Toshiro nodded back at her, "Yeah. Well, good luck...Lieutenant Hinamori." he said sticking out his ice covered hand.
She looked from his hand to his face, then ran up and hugged him; "Thank you...Shiro-chan, for everything...I'll see you around ok." she said releasing him and giving him an even wider smile.
"Yeah, I'll see you later." he said with a slight smirk, then she ran off to the Fifth Division, with the same large smile on her face.
"Good luck...Momo." he repeated with a last glance before disappearing with a shunpo.
-A few days later-
Rangiku sat at her desk, supposedly doing paperwork like her captain, but she was fidgeting in her seat restlessly. "You really should concentrate on your work Rangiku." Toshiro spoke up suddenly, making said woman to jump in her seat.
"But I'm hungry Captain...can't we just stop for a little while? I'll go get us some lunch and we can continue after we eat. Pleeeeaaaaaasse?" she pleaded with a perfect pouting face.
"Hmm, finish that page that you've been working on for the last half hour, then you can go get lunch." Toshiro said with a roll of his eyes and a sigh.
Rangiku squealed loudly and wrote down a few more words on the sheet and quickly ran out of the office. Toshiro looked at the door and sighed again; "I wonder if she had that planned out?" he wondered to himself with a faint hint of a smirk.
He didn't even have time to finish the next sheet of paperwork before Rangiku came running back into the office with three fairly large boxes, no doubt filled with all different types of food. "Here you go Captain!" she exclaimed loudly and happily, placing one of the boxes on the paper.
"Thank you Rangiku...but next time, don't put it on the paperwork." Toshiro said calmly, yet irritably.
She nodded and sat down on his desk and placed the other box in her lap; "Must you sit and eat on my desk?" he asked closing his eyes and opening the box.
"Well, that depends of how you want to look at it...if you say do I have to; then no. But if you ask if I want to; then yes." she claimed with a wide smile and grabbing a half sandwich.
"Hmph, whatever. Why do you have three boxes? There's only two of us here." Toshiro asked and grabbed a half sandwich as well with an icy grip.
"Its a surprise Captain, I wanted you to try one of favorite foods." she said with yet another wide smile.
Toshiro stared at her for a moment but decided that he would just let it go. They sat, talked and ate for a good ten minutes, before all of the food in their boxes was consumed; "So...are you ready for what I've got in store?" Rangiku asked hold up the last box in front of him.
"Whatever, just open it already." Toshiro said resting his head on his palm.
She quickly complied and held it out to him to look inside; "Watermelon!" she exclaimed.
"Watermelon?" Toshiro echoed with a raised brow.
"Yep! They're delicious Captain! Go ahead! Try one!" she said moving the box closer to him.
Toshiro sighed, rolled his eyes, reached in, grabbed one of the slices and chilled it with his touch; "Alright fine." he said bringing it to his nose and sniffing it.
"Come on...its not poisonous or anything." Rangiku said eagerly, getting closer to him with large waiting eyes.
He raised a brow at it and bit into the red fruit with an annoyed groan. His first reaction was his normal uncaring look, but then it changed to that of surprise and finally to a rather happy look. Something that made Rangiku smile so wide that she looked like she discovered the greatest thing in her life. But when Toshiro regained his composure, so did she; "So?" she asked, but already knowing the answer.
"It was...quite delicious." he said with a very rare wide smile.
"Told you." she claimed with a similar smile.
Toshiro went back to a mere smirk, but the feel of happiness was still there; "How many did you bring?" he asked looking into the box once more.
Rangiku giggled at him and smiled even further; "Four for you and four for me...but since you like them so much, I'll let you have five."
He smirked back at her for a moment before he suddenly went back to his uncaring look, he then cleared his throat and turned his head away; "T-That's nice, but I'm fine with just two."
She began giggling at him with an enormous smile and a very accomplished expression; "If you say so Caaptaiiiin." she said drawing out his title like a song lyric.
Toshiro looked over at her and narrowed his eyes; "What?" she asked innocently.
He continued his stare for a few seconds, but just turned away once more and took another bite out of the watermelon slice. He almost went back into his 'happy' expression, but caught himself when he saw Rangiku staring at him with an expecting look. When she saw that he wasn't going to make that adorable look again, she cursed herself for not bringing a camera with her, but decided just to start on her own slices of watermelon.
Unfortunately Toshiro had finished both of his slices before Rangiku had finished her first, so just to make him see how stubborn he was being, she started eating slower. And on top of that, she began making silent moans to try and goad him into wanting another, but just when he was about to leave and get away from her...he reached out and grabbed a slice; "Fine, I'll have another one." he said in defeat.
Rangiku smiled, nodded, silenced herself and continued eating in silence; "I'm glad you like them Captain." she said quietly yet sincerely.
Toshiro looked at her with slightly widened eyes, but smirked all the same; "Thanks Rangiku." he said returning back to his new favorite food.
I needed to get Hinamori into Aizen's squad, so I went with a transfer. I also had to figure out how to fit watermelon with Toshiro, cause we all know that its not Toshiro till he's had some watermelon. XD
Anyway, I think that I'll have just one more 'filler' chapter...the next one will feature Rukia and Kaien, after that will come the Soul Society arc. I hope you all enjoyed this, please review.