Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. All the characters and their likeness do not belong to me, I only claim the story line.
The story thus far: Christmas Eve can be a very cold and lonely night, especially if your Hitsugaya- taichou. He manages to kick Matsumoto out of the office and wonders around the Seireitei, but only makes it to the division eight office. Nano- fukutaichou convinces him that he needs to fallow his heart. And he does, but it is to Matsumoto's dismay. Now she knows and needs someone to tell, will Nano- fukutaichou listen to what she has to say? And will her little white lie become a problem?
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What in the world am I going to do? Matsumoto thought as she began to run in the general direction of the division eight office. I don't even know if Nano is going to be at the office today. I mean work today was "optional", which means that it was up to the Taichou's choice as to wither or not we worked. And she's got such a relaxed taichou. By the time she had finished that though she was standing outside the division eight office. She took a deep breath before she knocked on the door.
There was no answer. Darn it, of course she isn't here. Even if she was going to be going into work today, she probably wouldn't be here yet. Can just wait outside… like a complete loser. But her train of though was cut.
"Matsumoto- fukutaichou, is there something I can help you with this early in the morning?" It was Ise Nano. She was standing right behind the tall blonde, so that you couldn't even see her.
"Nano, you are just the person I am looking for." She paused but she paused too long.
"If this has anything to do with Kira- fukutaichou, I am not taking part in helping you."
"No that has nothing to do with why I am here, it is something completely else. Kira has nothing to do with it at all. I promise," she said with a smile most concerning.
Nano took a deep breath before she replied. "All right, then fallow me inside and I will do what I can."
"Thank you so much, I knew I could come to you in my time of need." She was truly hamming it up. And she was going to need all her brownie points this time. After what she had just seen, she needed a lot of help.
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Over at the division five office, Hitsugaya was beginning to pace, still only half dressed. Matsumoto had just barged into the office to find her superior and fellow vice captain on the floor under a Christmas tree, wrapped in each others arms. This was not a good thing. He knew that she was going to say something to someone. After all it was Matsumoto and she couldn't exactly keep her mouth shut. But what truly concerned him was who she was going to tell.
He was nearly positive that she wouldn't go to any of the captains; she wasn't very close to them. This meant that she would talk to a vice- captain, but the defining question was which one. If she had gone to any of her male cohorts the roomer would be all over the seireitei before sunset. Matsumoto was blonde, but not stupid. She wouldn't risk something like this. She would go to one of the female fukutaichou. Yachiro- fukutaichou wasn't an option; Kenpachi would kill Matsumoto on the spot.
He stopped pacing. He turned and looked at the beautiful Hinamori who was still sitting in her white kimono on the floor. She looked up at him inqisently. She could tell by the look in his eye that he had just stumbled upon the answer.
"Well, you have that look on your face. It seems that you have found the answer."
He simply smiled and knelt down beside her. "She would go exactly where I would. That is one thing that me and her have in common. Nano- fukutaichou, that's who she's is going to go to."
"So you don't think that there is a vice- captains meeting?" she asked quietly.
"At least not yet, I would expect that she would find some way to make a meeting happen just so she doesn't look like a complete moron, she is my vice- captain."
"Well, until then it's nice to have your company. And I would not want anything to take you away. You know that I could always just step down." She said looking towards the floor. She knew it wasn't an option that she had been planning on taking the captains exam and moving up in rank, not moving down. But she also knew that Hitsugaya has worked so hard to become captain and it was not something he wanted to give up.
"Don't you even think that, we will figure everything out in time. But until then, why does everyone else have to know?" He said, still kneeling next to her. He rested his hand on the underside of her chin and lifted her face so that it met his. He gazed into her brown eyes and kisses her. "As long as we are together, that is all that matters."
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"Now what is it that you needed to talk to me about" Nano- fukutaichou said looking over her glasses at Matsumoto.
Matsumoto sat herself on Nano's desk and sighed. "Well you probably wouldn't believe me even if I told you."
"Try me. I have heard a lot of crazy things recently."
That made Matsumoto smile. She looked down at the papers on Nano's desk and began, "You remember how a while back I said that my captain had been acting slightly off since Hinamori- fukutaichou was released from the hospital." Nano nodded in remembrance. "Well last night I was kicked out of the office earlier than normal, in fact Hitsugaya- taichou never kicks me out. Anyway, I spent the night over at division six and this morning Renji said to me that Hitsugaya- taichou had probably kicked me out so that he could go over to the division five office to be with Hinamori. And, well, you know me I had to find out for myself. So I did, I went over and he was there. He was on the floor with her wrapped in his arms under her tree." She paused and looked up at Nano. Nano's face showed no emotion, so Matsumoto continued. "And in my daze I couldn't think of a logical excuse of needing to barge into the division five office so I said that Yachiru- fukutaichou had called for a meeting today at 1400."
"Well that does present a problem. Its Christmas and Kenpachi- taichou will kill anyone who messes up Yachiru's Christmas."
"Nano you don't seem surprised at all."
"Well, I am not one to be surprised so naturally I already knew."
Matsumoto's mouth fell open. She couldn't believe it. "Was I the only person that didn't know this was happening? I am the worst vice- captain, I didn't even see that his feelings would go this far."
"Don't feel bad Matsumoto, Renji probably just had really good luck and I know just about everything." Nano was standing beside her with her hand on Matsumoto's shoulder. "All that we need to do is make it so that Yachiru wants to have a meeting, a sort of Christmas gathering perhaps."
Matsumoto face lit up. A smile grew on her face and she jumped to her feet. Taking Nano into a hug she squeaked, "Nano, you are amazing that's perfect. All we have to do is get one of the Squad eleven boys to hint to Yachiru that she wants to have all the vice- captains see her Christmas gifts."
"That will work wonderfully; I think that Yumichika walks to the office about this time just passed here. I'm sure you could catch him." She said trying to escape Matsumoto's embrace.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you. This means the world to me." Finishing her embrace she bounded out the door and headed right for the pathway towards the division eleven office. It wasn't too long before Yumichika was walking passed. Seeing him, she immediately grabbed him by the arm and pulled him in as if she was going to yell at him in her quite voice.
"Can I help you Matsumoto- fukutaichou," he said with a hint of sarcasim.
"I do believe you are of some use to me today. I need you to give a message to Yachiru- fukutaichou."
"Umm, okay. What is it?" He was beginning to be scared. He knew that if she needed him to deliver a message then it had to do with something that would make Kenpachi- taichou mad.
"I need you to hint to her that she wants to invite all of the vice-captains over today at 1400 to see her presents."
"Why would I do that?'
"Because if you don't I will make you late. And we all know how much Kenpachi- taichou hates it when people are late."
"Fine, I will tell her but I can't promise much. After all it is her and gifts."
"That's all I needed. You can go now." And she let him go. As he started to walk away he looked down at his uniform to make sure it was still wrinkle free, it wasn't. He grumbled as he walked away.
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"Hey Feathers you were almost late. You know I don't like to wait to open gifts." Yachiru said pouting in front of a collection of large boxes with brightly color paper.
"I'm sorry I was stopped by that dreadful women from division ten."
"Oh Matsumoto, what did she want?"
"She wanted me to "hint" to you that you should invite all the vice-captains over at 1400 to see all of your presents." He said wanting to be anywhere but there.
Yachiru looked up at him with bright eyes and smiled, "Feathers that is an amazing idea. I should have them all over to see the present Kenny- Chan got for me."
He just sighed, "And I imagine that you want Ikkaku and I to go around to the offices and let all the vice-captains know." And he began to turn towards the door.
"Yes! But invite the Captains too, everyone should come here we can all have diner together. Isn't that right Kenny!" She said jumping onto Kenpachi's shoulders as he walked into the room.
"Sure, why not. But leave that stupid clown out of it."
"No, we have to invite everyone," she said with a smile as wide as her face.
"Fine, anything for you. Yumichika, you and Ikkaku go round everyone up. And if they try to get out of it remind them it is for Yachiru."
"Right sir." And he grabbed Ikkaku who was just making it into the office and divided to concur.
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By the time that the two boys had finished getting to all of the offices (and making it out alive) it was nearly 1400. They hurried back but got a little side tracked on their way. They spotted Hitsugaya– taichou coming out of the division five office holding Hinamori- fukutaichou's hand. They were both in shock. They had always suspected that there was something between them but they never thought that it was actually happen. The two boys looked at each other and then looked back at them.
"Can you believe it, it finally happened." Ikkaku said crossing his arms.
"I think it is so sweet. They are so perfect together. I mean they grew up together and they went to the academy together, it's so cute." Yumichika said with a sigh.
"Man, you're a disgrace to the eleventh division." Ikkaku responded and they walked away.
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Hinamori was concerned about going to the Christmas event with Hitsugaya. She liked having him with her but she wasn't exactly sure what the reaction was going to me. Hitsugaya was able to see by the look on her face that she was contemplating something.
"Don't worry about it, whatever it is."
"I'm just worried about what people are going to think if we walk into together."
"What should it matter? We have been friends for the longest of time, so really what is the worst they can think?" When they got to the division eleven office Matsumoto was waiting outside.
"I am so glade I found you. I wanted to say that I was sorry for barging in this morning. I should have known and it is none of my business anyway." she said looking at the two of them.
Hinamori was the first to speak, "Matsumoto, don't worry about it. I know that our secret is safe with you and I trust you."
Matsumoto began to blush. She knew that that was a lot coming from Hinamori. At this point Hitsugaya chimed it. "We should probably go inside, the last thing we want to do is make Yachiru and Kenpachi wait. We all know how well the two of them handle people being late." So the three of them walked into the division eleven office. The office was full of people. It wasn't a very large office to begin with so when you added in more people than it usually housed it made for cramped quarters. Throughout the night no one mentioned anything about Hitsugaya and Hinamori showing up together. Most assumed that they had spent the holiday reconnecting after Hinamori being in the hospital for so long. And all of this Matsumoto kept a close eye on the couple to squash any roomers that would arise.
After Yachiru showed off her gifts the captains and vice- captains sat down for Christmas diner. It was simple but it left Hinamori curious. She began to wonder if she would ever be able to call Hitsugaya her own out loud. She knew that their relationship would cause issues but she had waited so long to hear him call her his that it was eating her up inside. She looked over at him and wanted to say something.
"Shiro-kun, we should tell them." She said from across the diner table. Everyone stopped what they were doing. She couldn't believe that she had said that out loud. She began to blush and hide her face in her napkin.
"Hinamori- fukutaichou is there something that you and Hitsugaya- taichou would like to share?" Yamamoto said.
"Oh no, it's nothing sir." She said shyly.
"Actually sir, I just want to tell Momo that I lover her." Hitsugaya said in front of everyone.
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Author's notes: Well that's it. He said it; he finally said it in front of all the captains and vice- captains. Everyone in the Seireitei knows and Hitsugaya doesn't care how they feel as long as Hinamori knows. The ending was not how I originally saw it, but I think it works. Let me know what you think, please.