EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

by VacantEyes

HitsuMatsu. A crossover character from FateStay Night,Archer. Hitsugaya dates Hinamori after Aizen's defeat,everyone is happy until Hitsugaya meets a rival?not exactly after his gf but even so HT isnt happy...Why not?

2. Reconciliation

Thanks for all the reviews for Trilogy. That was my first fanfic and also the first for hitsumatsu by me. I don't actually write anything else. Forgive me for all the Japanese words that I put in wrongly but its a drag to change them. This is the second chapter for expect the unexpected. A make-shift coverpage for this fanfic will be at http://pics. have posted this fanfic before but I guess it gets more exposure here. At least, here I can have it in chapters. I do intend to update Trilogy once I get enough inspiration because I do not want to compromise in quality. Please read and review.

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RECONCILIATION

Matsumoto would not leave his bedside. She stayed beside his comatose body the whole night. Her eyes looked at nothing else. It was as if the world didn't exist for her anymore. Anything anyone said was inaudible to her. Even Unohana had to give up trying to convince her to get some rest. Matsumoto would not speak. As Hitsugaya didn't resist during the attack of passion projected in full force, he had incurred the maximum amount of wounds till date.

As the night hours crawled by, everyone left. The room was dark with all the lamps turned off. Through the window, the crescent moon shone gently over the two lovers.

She was sitting on the floor, her face half buried in the bed. Her eyes unwavering, looking at his profile. With no one around, she stretched her hand, sitting up a bit, gingerly tried to touch his hair. Her fingers traced the strands of his silver hair that were peripheral. As she gathered the confidence, that it would not hurt him, she sank her fingers into his lush hair and stroked it from the roots close to his forehead. Her heart was full. The world seemed to be with only the two of them in it, alone in the calming light and the darkness covering the rest of the universe.

She sat up on the bed, still stroking his hair, watching him sleep.

She started singing softly. She had a very good voice. She stopped singing after joining the shinigami forces. She never thought she would sing again. She hadn't even realised she had started singing now. It was a tune, that was embedded in her mind after she had died on earth. That song was the only thing she remembered from her past life. this was her earth life after she returned from the Holy Grail war

His features in slumber were relaxed but the tune seemed to reach his dreams, as a peaceful expression came over his face. This change brought some relief to Matsumoto's anxious heart. She then realised she was very tired, she didn't sleep at all, the night before. She felt her legs were cramped. She felt her empty stomach. She had forgotten that she hadn't eaten anything since last night. This fact had somehow escaped Ryujin.

She laughed softly as all these realisations hit her.

" See taichou", she whispered, "You make me forget myself."

"How are you going to make this up to me?", she said.

She bent on his face and kissed his hair.

" That will do for now..."

" ...my chibi-taichou"

-----------------

As the sandman's magic enveloped the land, Matsumoto's eyelids drooped. She shook herself and slid down from the bed to sit on the floor. She felt a tug on her sleeve. She turned her head around and saw a pair of luminous blobs looking at her. He was awake!

"Ma-t-su-mo-"

"Shhhhh", she placed a finger on his lips." Don't strain yourself."

"Th-that song..."

" You could hear it? But I thought, you were asleep!"

"I was-but I could------ hear---you "

He was still very weak.

" Shhh...taichou, go back to sleep"

"you.."

" I will stay here, right by your side, where I have always been"

She tried to slide down again, but another tug turned her towards him again. He had shifted a bit to give her space.

She understood and crept beside him. She knew this was the most vulnerable form of taichou she could get, and she didn't want to loose the chance to be the one to hold him.

She lay on her side. He had by now held her wrist. He didn't let go, Matsumoto didn't try to retract it. She let him keep her hand on her chest.

" Does it hurt?"

"No", he whispered.

She could see that as he lay on his back and kept a distance between them, he was nearly falling off the other edge. She used the hand on his chest to carefully shift him towards herself. She carefully rested her chin on his shoulder which she noticed had grown broader giving more length between the base of his neck and his sides.

They felt each other's warmth and closeness. Something seemed to be achieved in this contact. Content, satisfaction and peacefulness.

" Matsumoto?", he said as he held her hand on his chest.

"Hnnn?"

"...Good night"

" Good night, taichou"

-------------------

The next morning when she opened her eyes, she could see the back of her taichou standing by the doorway, fully dressed with his Zanpakutou hanging from his back. It looked smaller than it usually did, Matsumoto thought as she rubbed her eyes, and got up.

" You're awake", he said, not turning around.

" You never do change, do you?", she thought as she sensed his iciness in his voice, but she asked aloud, " When did you wake up?"

" Crack of dawn."

" Are you completely healed?"

" I am fine.", he still stood with his back towards her,",you should leave."

What's with this coldness? She thought. She tried to recall what happened last night. She did remember, but it seemed like a dream. Had it all been a dream?

" I understand."

She left the room, and didn't glance at him, as she crossed him.

A thought had struck her when he had said what he said. " Is he ashamed of me?"

--------------------------

The problem was quite the reverse. As the first rays of the Sun, (what else did light the day in Seireitei?, I dunno), hit the horizon. Hitsugaya's eyes had snapped open. He felt a reiatsu fading away. He almost bolted up, when he felt a weight on his shoulder. He turned to see Matsumoto's sleeping face beside him, leaning on his shoulder. It took him a few moments to realise and remember what had happened. He got tensed.

He carefully shifted away and scanned the vicinity. No one was around. But he was positive, someone saw them in that position, not that after the last night's fight and his frenzy, anything could be left for their imagination. Tongues wagging and incessant stares would soon follow. But stopping a trusted Lieutenant from disappearing forever could always be a motive for a captain to do what he did, he reasoned. However, he was aware that from the moment they teamed up, a romantic link was always in the air. It was his disinterested attitude to her, in public at least, was what kept their convictions at bay.

Now, even with unspoken words, he had publicly expressed a very strong regard of her in his agitated state. He realised it as he gradually recalled in bits and pieces what had happened during the last 14 hours or so. It was not that he regretted it because he became unsure about his feelings for her again but it was because, at this very moment, he really cared about her reputation.

" I AM NOT A PEDOPHILE!"

He remembered her words, he couldn't see her face that time, but he did feel the forcefulness of her voice. He knew what he felt, but he didn't know what she felt about him. a strong connection to him from her side could mean anything- a brotherly attachment, a motherly one even. He couldn't be sure not until she spelt it out for him. He cursed the fact that women's affection in any type of relationship had more-or-less the same attitude. She could be caring for her brother, father, spouse and also best friend in the same way. It was a bit varied, he believed in the case of men. They were affectionate towards their sisters, apparently competitive with their brothers or detached, respectfully distant from their fathers and respectfully close to their mothers. Men covered their emotions with silence or light hearted attitudes, women like Matsumoto who displayed a buoyancy with everyone, were more skilful in hiding what they had in their minds, and hearts. He hadn't met a single person who was not teased by her, consoled by her, protected by her when time and situation demanded. Maybe, her physical assets were what riveted men's attentions in her direction at first but as they got to know her, they would gradually be taken by her gay personality, her adorable impulsiveness and often smothering compassion. In her eyes, everyone was equally important, so it seemed to him. A bit more inclination towards him might still not mean anything, he was after all the one she would effectively spend the most time with, he being her captain for all eternity until one of them dies.

He sat up and looked at her as the light from the horizon paled the darkness of the night. He looked at her and without a single doubt in his mind, he knew he loved her. He loved her in a way that he hadn't loved anyone before. Living without her, not being able to feel her presence, see her smile, smell her light perfume, hear her lively laughter, sense her touch, was a life that was very much like death to him. He knew he wouldn't be able to ...if she had indeed left.

"I would search for you for all eternity, track you down to the final depths of hell, if that's what it took.", he declared fervently in his mind, a moment later surprised at his surging passion. He turned around to compose himself as these thoughts ran through his mind.

He had loved her for some time, he felt. He didn't know from when had his indifference to her, when he was first appointed as her captain, his irritation, when he had discovered her laziness and truancy, his grudging respect, when he realised her true qualities, had all merged and evolved into the strong feeling that he had trouble controlling in his heart.

" You make me lose myself.", he breathed as he got down from the bed and dressed himself for he was in a plain Yukata designed for comfort to the convalescent. His captain robes were neatly folded on a small table close to the door.

" Someone had brought this", he conjectured that, that was the person who gave out the weak reiatsu he felt that jolted him awake.

He didn't want anyone pointing fingers at Matsumoto. He knew, being the younger one, he won't be treated as much as a freak as she would be. Even in the Shinigami world, he felt that a couple with such an obvious age gap as them would be very rare if not completely unheard of. Especially at a Captain-Lieutenant level, not counting the fact that they were Captain and Lieutenant. Soul Society compared to the living world was very small. He wondered, had they met on earth, how would it have turned out?

He brushed these thoughts away as he thought about how to deal with the matter at hand.

-----------

"What was so horrid about getting married anyway?", Ichigo queried.

Renji was sitting with Rukia at an expensive eatery in Seireitei, which was famous for it's varied cuisine. Ichigo had forcibly tagged along, not willing to leave the two together.

" You completely missed the point.", Rukia droned, and Renji threw his hands in exasperation giving up, trying to explain the last night's situation.

" She was leaving forever! How would you feel if you didn't see ...Rukia for instance, for the rest of your life?", Renji prodded wickedly, slightly surprised at himself for bringing it up.

Ichigo coughed a bit then said, " that...I would ...go to where she was ..the way I came here"

" You were lucky because Urahara was there and YOU are a shinigami! The dimension of the seven warrior clans have to be opened from the inside to enter!"

"Hmmmm", Rukia pondered, " That would mean, from what you said, that Ryujin-san had planned this from the beginning..??"

" So it seems from what I gathered...what I heard about that dimension from Byakuya-san.", agreed Renji.

" It seems Nii-san has played the role of a cupid here, a bit", Rukia coloured at the thought, secretly happy at her brother softening??

" Cupid??", Ichigo shot back into the conversation, " Between who and who?"

" Who and who? Haven't you been listening from where I got the dough to pay the bill for this treat? ", Renji said.

"Huh!!?? Come again? Let me hear about it again!", Ichigo hadn't been listening at their conversation as they had started with exchange of news of people they knew back at the academy, shinigamis Ichigo hadn't met yet. He had shut his ears to not be bothered by their familiarity.

When he heard the whole of it right till the bet, Ichigo exclaimed, " B-but I thought that Toushirou..was.."

"...going out with Hinamori? Yeah, he was. But right from the moment I saw Matsumoto as his vice-captain, I knew things had to get steamy in there."

" You are perverted!", Rukia scolded.

"Hmm...big boobs...I didn't know she preferred younger men...maybe I should have tried my luck then. " he remembered the time when he thought she was almost going to stay at his place. He was actually trying to get Rukia to scold him, belying some jealousy at least. He felt a bit left behind when he realised that kid had come so far, starting his second relationship already when he himself lacked the courage to pop the question to Rukia. More than two years together, he had gotten used to the idea that he liked Rukia immensely and wanted to finalize a term for a relationship before Renji, whom he sensed as a rival in this ground, might actually carry her away.

" BA-KA!", Renji was the one who scolded Ichigo, " which part of Hitsugaya-taichou seems to be 'young' now? Except that he really does look young. But inside, he's already an old man. I have never seen such a humourless kid in all my years. I bet he didn't even cry when he was born. "

"True", observed Rukia, " The part about him not being young."

She remembered seeing him for the first time, when he was speaking to her brother in an all captains-to-Lieutenants briefing she had to stand in for the late Kaien and how surprised she had been when she saw him wearing the 10th Division emblem on his white robe. He was a new captain then and she had been in the 13th Division for more than a few decades. She, as had others, underestimated him at first but it really jolted her, when she learnt he had already achieved his Bankai. It didn't take long for everyone to get used to the idea of him being a captain. His leadership quality, capable management, amazing ability to device foolproof strategies calmly and in minutes if not seconds, quickly earned him a lot of respect and dispelled any rebellious thoughts in anyone who had been assigned under him in mixed-division missions. As far as she heard from the others, there were only two instances, when he behaved in an unconventional fashion, both for Hinamori. But he never went against protocol as a responsible captain. She herself much older than him, and definitely in a lower rank had broken rules time and again. It was really hard to stick to the rules.

" What a strong sense of responsibility and duty he must have!"

" Who?", Ichigo asked.

"Not you", Rukia replied.

----------

Hitsugaya stopped a bit before he entered the 10th Division office. The 10th Division office was bustling as usual. All the subordinates had crowded around him when he came in, concerned that he should have taken the day off. He wouldn't give himself a day off, it was his record to have the least number of 'recuperating' days. However, a part of him dreaded that he might meet his fukataichou as he went towards his own station. He was sensible enough to realise he was a 'bit' cold to Matsumoto in the morning. He couldn't deny the fact even to himself, that he was embarrassed about the night before. He only knew how he managed to walk to his office unnoticed. The breakneck speed he took over the rooftops had already drained his energy by half.

He breathed deeply and stepped in. He sensed a familiar reiatsu, it wasn't Matsumoto. It was Hinamori?!

"Hi-Hinamori?"

She smiled a bit apologetically. It was Monday morning, she took a little break before she entered her part of the town.

" Glad to see you look fine, Hitsugaya-taichou"

This stung him. But he was ready to face the consequences. To think that the addressing of 'Hitsugaya-taichou', that he had been trying to impress upon her for the last few years, hurt him so, at this moment felt ironic to him.

She was turning as if about to leave, Hitsugaya hesitated then stopped her.

" Let's talk."

---------

Matsumoto didn't know what happened the night before, between Hinamori and Hitsugaya. She realised later in the morning, that Renji had found him bleeding and supported by Hinamori before he came to accost her. It didn't register in her mind last night, but she had subconsciously overheard Renji talking to Isane wondering about what Hinamori meant when, she said "self-inflicted". Between the numerous wounds he had received, it was hard to distinguish which one was caused by her and which wasn't.

Her other self, as she would like to call Sabre, would spring into her mind whenever she touched the Excalibur, capturing every control of her senses and movements. She hated to admit it but she had grown quite unconfident of herself during the past year. She hadn't realised it until Sabre's memories and the pining spirit determined for fulfilment and a second chance to change history had dominated her consciousness. She was so lost and oppressed within her mind that more and more of Sabre had seeped into her. Her memories with Shirou Emiya, her love for her former master who was now a servant himself.

Sabre had infiltrated her so much that she hadn't noticed that Hitsugaya was already bleeding from before their fight. It was as if she could not come out though she saw what Sabre saw. Matsumoto's restlessness had given her some control the night before the day she was supposed to have left sensing that she might never see him again. Morning brought Sabre to life even without the Excalibur as Matsumoto was at her all time low.

As she was walking back to her quarters from the medical Division, she also realised that it was odd that Hinamori wasn't around.

She encountered stares from people she didn't even know, they didn't look like the normal lewd gawks that she got. It looked like some were looking at her as if she had done something wrong, some others smiled and one even gave her a thumbs up. She was perplexed and didn't know how to respond. The world was different today.

Even her taichou had changed. He was so sweet to her for once , she thought and today morning he changed at again, she sighed.

She felt in her own way that maybe Hitsugaya felt guilty about the Saturday night with her. Hinamori, did she know? What if she did? She thought, it was perfectly asexual, unprofessional perhaps but nonetheless, being a long term friend of his, she did have that much right! What if she were a man? They wouldn't think it was weird...but on second thought, it might have been weirder! The night in the medical ward was excusable, she thought, he needed comfort, and she was their to be his comfort.

She stopped walking. She touched the base of her neck in thought. She knew she wasn't supposed to, in fact, she couldn't allow herself to think so but her heart spoke it out for her at times. At moments when she wished the barriers, the facade would break from both sides and everyone was free to do what they wanted to, not thinking about consequences, not the reasons, not the restraints taught by society. Just be free.

Age was a barrier, rank was a barrier, professionalism was a barrier, other people's thoughts was a barrier. It came to her. He had wanted to protect her, to keep her safe from people with unwise opinions. But why? What had happened? It couldn't be like there were spies posted around her captain's quarters? All the quarters around him were empty except for two where the inhabitants would return every night dead drunk.

With her waywardness, she never stopped to think of the consequences of her actions except in battles and with all the captains except her own. Her captain being grounded all the time, kept her reassured that he would keep her on a leash in case she might step out of line by mistake. But now, she herself realised, she might have gotten a bit out of hand.

When he was a boy, nothing was thought about the fact, it was even a joke, if she stayed behind with him, in his quarters. Now, still a boy, but suddenly sprouting up within last year to the guise of a man, the same actions invited suspicion and scorn from the same people who would take it as a joke a year earlier.

" Taichou, you grew up too fast. I wish we could have played around a bit more."

In her knowledge, Hinamori and Hitsugaya were still together.

"Matsumoto-san?", a soft voice broke her reverie.

It was Hinamori.

" Ara! Hinamori-chan?", she reverted to her cheerful self.

" You were standing here lost in thought, so I thought... are you okay?"

"Oh! Don't you worry! Don't you worry! Speaking of which, are you okay?"

"Me ? I am okay. What should happen to me?"

" You didn't come and see how badly I beat up taichou. Gomei, Hinamori-chan, my bad. I guess I wasn't in my senses. Sorry for taking up your Shirou-kun's time", she clasped her hands and smiled.

Hinamori looked like she was at a loss for words. Her eyes welled up with tears.

Matsumoto, not knowing what actually happened, took it for granted she regretted not coming to see Hitsugaya.

She came forward, and hugged Hinamori to comfort her. This time, tears really ran down Hinamori's cheeks.

"Hmm..tell you what". Matsumoto suggested, " Taichou will surely come down to the office. You can go and meet him there."

"Wha-I-I..."

" Ah! Don't be shy! Please go! You must be dying to see him"

"Nno-I-mean-yes-I Wha- about you?"

"I will take a breather. He's a tough one. I don't know how you put up with him. Say 'hi' to him from me, ok??"

Matsumoto ta-ta-ed Hinamori cheerfully as she left for her quarters. She hurried lowering her face not wanting to show her face anywhere anymore.

Hinamori watched her leave, Matsumoto's back had slouched a bit after walking some distance. Hinamori, somehow, felt her sadness.

This was how Hitsugaya came to find Hinamori in his office.

--------------

They sat together in silence on a bench shaded by a tree behind the office. It was somewhere they would meet before heading out for their dates. It was in the direction of the 10th Division quarters where there were no windows, so they were away from prying eyes.

Hitsugaya felt awkward. The silence between them seemed so loud to him. she was looking at front while he was looking at her.

"Hin-"

"She's a good woman", Hinamori said, not turning towards him.

"Eh?"

"I met her today morning before I came here"

" You-did? Oh!"

"She says she won't come in and also says 'hi'"

"Wha-?... Tcheh! So typical"

After a few moments of silence.

"I saw you both together."

"Together?"

"Ya, when I came in to give you your clothes"

Hitsugaya blushed. To be discovered cozying to Matsumoto by Hinamori, still made him feel a bit guilty.

"I-I"

" You both do look beautiful together."

"..."

"like you are meant for each other"

Hitsugaya didn't know whether he should take it in a good way or bad since it didn't sound like she was happy. How could she be? He thought but still why was she saying this?

He didn't say anything.

" Say, Hitsugaya-taichou, are we officially over?"

" ...Hinamori, I.."

"If it's not", Hinamori got up and turned to him with a smile, her hands behind her back, " I want to be the one to say it"

"?"

" Hitsugaya-taichou. I officially declare I want to break off with you... because I don't like you", she was smiling, but tears came out yet again.

She rubbed her eyes, and laughingly, half-crying, said " Damn! I said it! I really don't love you anymore but these darned tears just don't stop!"

Hitsugaya felt sad and guilty again. He stood up, went to her, hugged her and comforted her.

He started to say, " Hinamori, let's forge-"

"NO!", she broke out from his arms looking up at the surprised Hitsugaya who stood taller than her, "I don't want to stay with someone who doesn't love me! Don't lie to me! Don't lie to yourself! And especially not to her!"

He was a bit worried that she might do something drastic so he tried to hold her hand with an outstretched arm, she drew back a bit more.

" You should go now, go to her. She is waiting for you. I won't forgive you if you screw this one up also.", she said then she lowered her eyes, " But I forgive you for now, Shirou-kun"

Hitsugaya still hesitated.

Hinamori barked, "GO!"

He backed down and then slowly, still unsure, turned and left.

Hinamori who had held herself a bit till Hitsugaya turned around the corner felt she needed some support to stand.

"Hinamori-san?"

She turned.

"Ki-Kira-san??"

"I-I am sorry I...I was listening. ...I am sorry, that you had to go through this. Even though, both of you are my friends (referring to Matsumoto), I-I wished for your happiness more... I ...I am sorry"

Hinamori finally smiled honestly through her tears. Kira came forward and held her as she broke into bitter tears, draining the last of her misery out.

-----------

"Hitsugaya-Taichou!!"

Hitsugaya just stepped into his office, for he had to pass through this doorway and through the building again, to get to the actual exit.

It was a subordinate who informed him, Yamamoto needed him at the moment,

He hesitated a bit before agreeing to follow him. Facing Matsumoto had to wait but he was still unsure whether he would face her at all. He hadn't planned on saying anything to her besides maybe apologizing for his rude behaviour.

----------------

"This is bad. This is very bad.", Renji said as he entered the room where Ichigo was sitting down. It was night already.

"What's bad?", Ichigo said as he drained the remainder of some soup from a large bowl.

"I didn't know that this is how it would turn out to be."

" What would turn out to be what? What the heck are you mumbling about?", Ichigo was pissed. A bit more than normal, because he had spent the whole day with Madarame who would let him leave until he revealed his Bankai. After the tiresome fight, Kenpachi appeared and somehow finally cornered him to engage in another battle. The 11th Division captain went all the way with him. Ichigo would have dropped to sleep if he hadn't felt so ravenous.

" It seems old people can't let go of their back dated way of thinking. You know, this Hinamori Vs Matsumoto bet, I joined in thinking it was okay. But I don't think anyone on my side besides the few like me and Nanao actually envisaged Matsumoto getting together with Hitsugaya-taichou. Now that it has actually come into being...well, almost... many have backed down..changed opinions...showed disgust even..."

"You're still going about THAT??! You know, now you almost sound like a gossipy school girl"

"Yeah? If that was all that was there to it, it was OK. I wouldn't have bothered. I have heard enough bad-mouthing about Rangiku-san today to last a century. She has been deemed as a slut, a player, winning favour by sucking up to her own captain who is but a 'mere boy' easily seduced by her charms, it would be hard for a woman to maintain her position if her reputation goes down like this. She after all has to have some respect to command over the subordinates... But these are the things I know she could actually win over."

Ichigo turned a bit serious now. " This is really bad. But even Hinamori is a vice-captain. How come it was OK for her and not for Matsumoto-san to be hooked with Toushirou? Besides, wasn't Matsumoto-san with Gin, a former captain? "

Rukia walked in. She had been listening for some time standing by the door unnoticed by the two men seated on the mat.

" It's a bit complicated..", she started.

Ichigo said, "Oya! Since when did you...??"

She ignored his surprised expression and continued, " Captains and vice-captains are both looked up in the whole of SS. A captain especially has to maintain his honour to claim respect. It is his duty to not only to command upon his subordinates but monitor their abilities, also. For being impartial, he is supposed to maintain a certain distance with everyone below him even his Lieutenant. A captain from a different division can not help you in your progress." , she paused.

"It's an unspoken rule...that you do not get that personal with your own captain...He is your direct superior...the main one who can actually help you climb up the ladder or crumble down if he wished...you being his responsibility..even if you were to be promoted to be a captain of a different division or to replace him from your Lieutenant status, it can not be without his recommendation. To be transferred, it can not be without his consent. He being your direct superior also means that he is the one who supervises you and is the main officer whose report on you is most valued when your ability comes in question. If you commit a crime, only if your captain supports you and takes the responsibility of taking you up, then granting a pardon will be seriously considered. Of course, it depends on the nature of the crime also."

"I would say in that sense then, you should 'suck' up to your captain!". Ichigo reasoned.

" Then the authenticity of your captain's gauging of your potential comes down when HIS superior gets a whiff of your captain's partiality due to personal and unprofessional reasons. If that comes to be, both you and your captain can be dealt with in a severe fashion."

"Hmmm...how about Shunsui-san? Doesn't he have something with his Lieutenant?", Ichigo questioned after mentally revising the list of captains.

Renji joined in, " That is an exception because this is Shunsui-taichou you are talking about ! Shunsui-san's position is actually much different from Hitsugaya-taichou. Ukitake-taichou and Shunsui-taichou are the oldest captains of the Gotei 13 after the General himself. Hitsugaya-taichou is the youngest of all the captains and also the newest of them. Even though, he does get his deserved respect and honour, he is much behind Shunsui-san by a good couple of centuries in gaining leverage among shinigamis and on the General also. Among all the captains, Hitsugaya-taichou is in fact the one most vulnerable to a loss of recognition because his influence is the least settled in amongst shinigamis due to his comparative lack of experience not to mention having the shortest time span of captain-hood when measured against all the other captains even Rangiku-san's time span of being a Lieutenant. "

" Sounds like politicians in the real world who gradually get corrupted as their political powers increase. You guys have really thought this through!", Ichigo said, amazed.

Rukia coughed. " That's because we HAVE been around for a long time", she mentally admitted.

"I still don't understand one thing. Both of them HAVEN'T done anything, right?"

Renji explained. " You should not forget. Hitsugaya-taichou, despite the fact that he has grown to a man's height, he is still a boy. All the more to suspect funny things when his fukataichou is the bombshell of the 13 divisions. He just has to loose control once. Rumours have been flying high for a long time anyway. His frenzied panic for his fukataichou has been witnessed by many subordinates that night. "

" But didn't he behave the same for Hinamori-san?", this time Rukia asked.

"I don't remember him pursuing after Hinamori, when he looked half-dead.", Isane said from the door.

All three turned around. Isane smiled shyly.

" Isane-san?", Renji said." Why are you here?" Renji seemed to back out a bit.

Isane said, "Unohana-taichou wanted me to tell you that in case the bet was a draw, she wanted her money back."

"R-Right!"

As Isane left, both Rukia and Ichigo accosted Renji.

"I thought you won the bet", Rukia said " Wasn't that why you spent all that money?"

Renji gulped." Truth is that, only Unohana-san from the other side surrendered her part to be kept with me till the bet was settled. No one from any side has yet surrendered their due"

"How much of it is left?", Ichigo asked.

Renji swallowed again, "None."

"How much was it?", Rukia enquired.

Renji named the sum, and Rukia sat down like a rock. " Al-All that money- you spent so much in -?"

Renji said averting his eyes, " a day"

" Can't you repay it with your own money?"

Renji shook his head, looking crestfallen.

" We, vice-captains, ", Renji almost sniffing, "are paid peanuts compared to captains."

"Ah! Renji-san", Isane popped her head through the door.

"I-Isane-san! You are b-back! D-Dont tell me Unohana-sama wants it now??"

"No no. It's just that I thought you might not know."

"Know what?"

"Remember that Yamamoto-sama had been trying to get a captain to volunteer to be permanently stationed on earth? As a deputy of Mehuel-sama?"

" Whose he? ...Oh! That old codger! who commands over all shinigamis that are positioned throughout the globe while not in SS. MAN! Such a heavy job! You would be crazy to take up something like that! He was not even seen during the Aizen saga, he was so busy. He can't even find time to come to SS. Becoming his deputy would mean taking most of Mehuel's work now. None of the Captains agreed and fortunately Yamamoto-sama hadn't forced anyone..."

"..till today.", Isane updated him.

"Till today?"

"Hitsugaya-taichou leaves tomorrow morning."

----------

Hitsugaya sat in the dark office. He could see the envelope on the table, with 'resignation' marked on it. He fingered the cover touching the black figures on its surface, her handwriting.

He felt that he needed to collect his thoughts. These two days had been topsy-turvy for him. Yamamoto's slighting remarks kept ringing in his ears. How he had dishonourably acted in front of Ryujin. Yamamoto never mentioned it but Hitsugaya knew that the General suspected unprofessional conduct between Matsumoto and himself, by the sharpness of his tone. And then the final blow of being ordered to take up the position of Mehuel's deputy, and leave for it by the next morning. All throughout the day, he had to prepare for going there, so much paperwork for completing his appointment finalization, learning and gathering data about the assigned responsibilities and duties of his new position, voice-conferencing with Mehuel himself...all had left him so tired that his sides hurt.

He wanted to see Matsumoto. He desperately wanted to see her. He laid his forehead on his table

But after everything today, he knew that all that he felt for her was to come to nothing. At least not now. Maybe if he bid some time, grew a bit older, looked old enough to stand beside her without raising eye-brows, made everyone used to seeing them together, after all, he was appointed as her taichou only six years back, wasn't it? A very short time compared to all partnerships but close to Hinamori's time with Aizen, eight years. That was the time he joined the academy.

He tried to formulate a plan of somehow ending up with Matsumoto, at least beside her, with her not out of his reach, without breaking the rules. Being a shinigami was his life, how could he forsake it? This is what he lived for, this what she lived for. If he went down, he didn't want her to be pulled down as well. He knew if he would revolt and fall from where he was now, she would suffer the same fate. Maybe not, it was up to her to follow him. What was he expecting? He still didn't know what she thought. If she would reject him or accept him. if she rejected him, it was a good idea to go to earth, never to see her face again unless fate intervened. If she accepted him??...he just didn't want to think about it, fearful that these eager hopes rising in his mind might still be crushed. He didn't want to know, either way, he couldn't be with her.

She would have to manage 10th Division alone often guided by the other captains as Hinamori and Kira did, Yamamoto decided. Hitsugaya thought, how busy she would become. Would she played truancy then? A glum smile came to his lips, his heart ached when he felt that she would face so much responsibilities all by herself and he wouldn't be there to help. He wished he could leave a part of himself behind to help her while he devised a way to come back, after he felt he was worthy enough to stand beside her. He felt disappointed in himself that he could not save her from the bondage he also became entangled in.

Some more authority, some more power, some experience, some confidence, some more time. Time, how long would he have to wait to catch up to her, in everyone's eyes? why, in everyone's eyes? Because, he didn't want to keep his love a secret from everyone. He wanted everyone to know it for sure, she was his woman. He could never stop being wary of the attention she received. The existence of this wariness was realised only a day ago. He realised also that he would be the possessive type. Hopefully, it would be in check because women often didn't like their beaus to be too possessive.

"There I go again, harbouring hopes, weaving non-existent dreams! ", he sighed.

Even if he did catch up with time, what then? His being a captain was still a hindrance.

" Damn! If I knew that BEING A CAPTAIN was so problematic, I would have.."

No, he loved being a captain. He doubted he would have caught Matsumoto's attention, had he been appointed in any other position. He loved being the captain of Matsumoto Rangiku. Even though, his journey to this level started for his seeming love of Hinamori, fate had guided him to someone he now knew was the love of his life.

The ache in his heart grew as he yearned for her.

" Sitting here and thinking of her, would not help you. Have you told her yet?", a cold voice spoke from the darkness.

---------------

"YOSH!", Renji shot up his hand in the air, "I have decided!"

Ichigo goggled at Renji's sudden enthusiasm after Isane left.

"I will play cupid! Hmm, hmm, yes ,yes.", Renji folded his hands, and nodded twice.

"Eh?" Ichigo said, " You wanna butt into other people's business, again??!!"

"You do not understand! It is a man's job to put some sense into a younger man's head, especially if he is doubtful!"

"..in other words, to win your bet, you will meddle in.", Rukia looked at Renji with narrowed eyes.

Ichigo said, " How do you know Toushirou isn't already with Matsumoto at this moment?"

"Th-that I don't know,...I don't think so...didn't Isane just say that Hitsugaya-taichou was preparing to leave for the whole day?...that makes it that.."

" doesn't answer his question", Rukia pointed out.

" Do you know where he might be at this moment?", Ichigo picked out a valid point.

" We won't know until we try. ICHIGO!"

"Wha-?"

"Come, I have a list of places in mind where he might be, we have to check them out!", he tugged Ichigo by the collar and dragged him with him, as he departed at full speed.

Ichigo trailed behind grumbling, " Why me???"

" What would men not do to save their sorry asses?". Rukia observed as she saw the mist of dust disappear.

-----------

The thing that many misunderstood or rather didn't realise about Byakuya was that, he supported the cause of love, so to speak.

He had loved in his life, the feeling was so strong that he went against his noble family to marry Hisana and broke one of his 'precious rules'. His cool exterior never showed this past of his. It would have made half of his subordinates faint, if they knew.

He had steeled himself for a long time before Rukia opened up his heart again, and a brotherly concern for her had developed in him. With it, he had learnt to look around himself again.

He would still abide by the rules but he learnt to slip through its loop holes at times to make sure his heart didn't freeze up again. Hitsugaya did not interest him in the beginning. But during the last 2 years, he found some annoying similarities between the both of them. It was brought into light in the most absurd of circumstances.

A sudden invitation to an award ceremony of a popularity contest, he got a note to accept the prize. He would have again threw it out the window, when a word on the note caught his eye. Apparently, he would be sharing the prize this year with someone else. He became curious, much against his wishes and as much as he hated it, he accepted the invitation. He turned up at the venue, which had a big banner that showed him, the Shinigami Women's Association had organized this embarrassing situation for him. He waited through the boring speeches for his new found 'rival'.

"And now we present the "Best Looking Captain Award" to Byakuya Kuchiki-dono"

He withheld a grimace in his expressionless face and stepping onto the stage, he accepted the award silently amidst the loud clapping, hooting and even cat-calls.

"Along with him, this year's polls have elected another winner for the same prize which is..."

"TAICHOU!!!"

It was Matsumoto dragging a defiant Hitsugaya towards the front from the back stage. Comparing their heights, he noticed, it was almost the same. The boy had indeed grown up.

Matsumoto was persistent and Byakuya narrowly observed, he was slowly relenting, as unnoticeable as he tried to make it look. They were out of view from the audience still but were in full view of only Byakuya who stood at their side of the stage.

"Mouuuu taichou! You are so stubborn!! You should be happy. You are getting an award!"

Then she poked two fingers on the sides of his mouth trying to push them to form a smile.

"You should smile, taichou. Smile, and it will light up the world for you! Life is beautiful!"

It brought back a memory of Hisana.

She would pester him from day one of meeting him, about how icy his expression was. Once, when she managed to bring him to a field of flowers, trying to convince him to lighten up by striking a gay atmosphere in a place of so much natural beauty. He would not smile. At last, out of choices, she had done the same to his face and said exactly the same thing.

"Smile, Kuchiki-san, and see! It will light up the world for you! Life is beautiful!"

--

The announcer's sharp voice broke through his thoughts.

"AHEM! As I was saying, the captain who made us pioneer the 'Cutest Captain' Matsumoto had implanted the idea and has won all the four times in a row has finally graduated to the 'Best Looking captain' also! Please welcome Hitsugaya Toushirou-san!"

As Matsumoto struggled with her incompliant captain , Byakuya couldn't help thinking he was watching himself struggling to resist Hisana's persistence. But it was this quality in her , her joyous spirit, her charm that had won his heart and he would grudgingly comply during the first few years of courtship. It was not that he hadn't noticed Matsumoto doing stuff like this before but it was the first time for him realising that Hitsugaya's position now, now that he looked like a young man (though with even younger features) wasn't too different from his own position a long time ago. Hitsugaya's vexed yielding didn't look very unlike how his own had been, his opening up, his mellowing down. He realised, here was a couple in the making.

After this, much against his nature, he would take notice of the two. He perceived how bounded Hitsugaya was. By rules? Responsibility? Sensibility to his position and rank? He also noticed how hard Matsumoto tried to loosen him up and how he secretly gave way to her entreaties, as unobserved as possible, trying to hold himself back yet unable to do so. It struck a chord in him and he found himself secretly wanting to support and cheer on for the odd couple. Contrasting in looks, ages, experience not to mention personalities.

Soon after, he heard Hitsugaya hitched up with Hinamori, and though, it did peeve him, he would not meddle with the matters that did not concern him. However, fate did present him with an opportunity to play a part. And comply he did, when he revealed Matsumoto's whereabouts to his vice-captain. Nevertheless, things didn't go as smoothly as he could anticipate. He had decided to stand back but with the sublime command of the General that Hitsugaya would be permanently stationed on earth, he realised that he couldn't no longer help intruding.

He needed to make sure that the precious relationship stayed intact. He knew the pain of loosing his other half, irrevocable in his case as the chasm between him and his love were insurmountable but these two were still alive and within each other's reach, separated by doubts, rules and other people's opinions, in comparison to his own situation, their obstacles were nothing.

Unforgivable!

"Bya-Byakuya!!!!??", Hitsugaya's eyes were wide with surprise, he had turned to the direction of the voice.

Byakuya stood silently, hidden by the shadows.

"Wha-t are you saying?"

" Giving you the simplest solution of getting rid of your misery."

"Th-that", Hitsugaya turned away, "..is none of your concern."

" True." He walked away. " The simplest things are the hardest to do, I suppose". The sarcasm in his voice was very evident.

"Simple?", Hitsugaya said. Byakuya had already left.

" What's so simple about this?"

---------

"Say, Renji", said a dragged Ichigo.

"Uh?", Renji running from one point to the next of his check listed places.

" Just wondering, how old is Toushirou really?"

"Hmmm...let's see...I met him first about 10 years...no 11 years back. He was the youngest wandering soul that I saw who got hungry. He was Hinamori-san's playmate. He looked about 5 years old then...so that makes him.. "

"16?? "

"Yeah!", Renji was still running breathless.

" He's younger than me?? ..."

" Yeah"

"But I thought you grew older slower here"

" There are some exceptions. Seen them b'fore"

" You don't say...hmmm...but then his Bankai? When...how long did it take to achieve it?"

"Hmmm", even Renji became thoughtful, " He was left out for a week. He came back with his Bankai. But there's something that happened that now pricks me"

"Wh-at? 7 days? Was Urahara there? Did he use the technique of achieving Bankai faster with someone else? Damn that liar!!"

" Nope, Urahara had fled long before Rukia and I joined the divisions. Now what was it?"

Renji had stopped for a moment. Then gasped,

"OMG! It all makes sense now!"

"What does?"

"That was the same forest. Ongue told me he had gone there to fish but the lake was frozen. I had never believed him!! I didn't know at that time that Toushirou's Bankai was Hyourinmaru, no I didn't even know he had achieved his Bankai. I was told about it a year later or so, I guess. But I remember it was the first week of hot June in both cases."

" Was the lake frozen after Toushirou left the forest or in between?"

"Between, Ongue always fished on the 3rd of June at that lake cause that was the day he said he entered Rukongai, I went with him every time for coupla years but I had stopped after I join the Division ."

"And Toushirou entered the forest on...?"

"I only knew that he entered around the first week! How the deuce am I gonna know which was the date he entered? You DO know men are bad with remembering dates!! No, wait...errrrrr"

"??"

" First June, it was first of June! I remember! Hinamori celebrated seventh of June for a few years with us cause that was the day Hitsugaya-taichou returned with his Bankai as promised to her and she started calling him Hitsugaya-kun instead of Shirou-kun. She always said he returned after 7 days."

" What the heck was he doing in the forest if he had already achieved his Bankai in 3 days?"

" 2 days", Renji corrected him, " Ongue goes fishing at the crack of dawn."

---------

" What's so simple about this?" , Hitsugaya repeated, " I can't tell her anything. I can't-I can't put her in any position to be pointed fingers at. Now that I am leaving, I just have to let her be."

" Pointed fingers?", Ichigo said. Hitsugaya hadn't realised when had two figures stepped through the doorway. His radar had really gone haywire.

" What a state of mind, you must be in", Renji thought.

" You!", Hitsugaya wasn't really in the mood for more people to dictate his love matters, his irritation setting in.

" Lookee here, Toushirou, if you sit here moping like an adult mulling over what to do and what not to do, this time might pass.", Ichigo pushed, as if very knowledgeable about matters of the heart.

" You are the one to talk!", Renji said in his mind, " Rukia is still waiting for you to say something." Renji knew the fact for quite sometime when he saw Rukia. Being his childhood friend, he could understand her feelings at times. Though he hated to admit it, he knew Rukia liked Ichigo and that he himself had long lost the war.

"You sit here doing nothing, let the world pass you by, let people's thoughts burgeon you while the lady in question doesn't even know that you care shit about her!", Ichigo barked, he tried to imagine the situation between him and Rukia though Ichigo sincerely hoped that Rukia would favour him. The lack of liveliness in Rukia did make him unsure at times which is why he had held back for now. Surely, Hitsugaya didn't face this sort of attitude from Matsumoto. What's stopping him?

Hitsugaya was silent and looking forward, his face seemed disinterested as usual.

Ichigo's impulsive impatience kicked in, " OI TOUSHIROU! Are you even hearing what I said?"

"Oi! Oi!", Renji warned Ichigo, " Back off, buddy!" he said in his mind, " You don't want to know what happens if Hitsugaya-taichou gets serious!"

Ichigo screamed, " TELL HER!"

Ichigo toned down a bit when he saw Hitsugaya's irises swivel towards his direction. The mild moonlight had been falling on his desk all this while and as Hitsugaya had leant at forward, while listening to Ichigo banter on, Ichgo could now see his face.

" Hmph! I just wanted to say she wouldn't know unless you tell her. About what others feel or think about you and her, what does it matter anyway.", said Ichigo with folded hands and turning his face away in , remembering how he himself had been forced to pick up fights, due to his orange hair and sometimes his weird ability to see dead people, " They will always find something to talk about anyway. It's up to you to shut them up and live your life as you want. Once you give up the thing what you really want and give in to what THEY want, you will always remain unsatisfied and regretful for it while they would find someone else to torture with their opinions. In the long run, they cease to matter anyway. All that is left with you, is what truly matters to you, provided if you keep them... Take this advice from a senpai, at least in age."

" Don't worry, taichou", Renji finally had the courage to come forward, " You are among friends now."

----------

On her way to her quarters, Matsumoto was accosted by Shuuhei Hisagi. He said he needed her to help him with 9th Division matters. He seemed to be trying to keep her away from everyone's eyes. Matsumoto knew Shuuhei was a good friend and inside her, she thanked him to keep her busy till late evening. After reaching her quarters, she lay on the bed, very drained. But she could not sleep and she could not keep her thoughts from running around in her mind.

She always prided herself as a good mind reader of her taichou but at times, his unwavering uprightness tired her out as well as puzzled her as to what was going on in his mind. She felt sure something had happened that she didn't know about. But what was it? Who could she ask?

------

Hitsugaya had sat back in the dark again. He was silent. Ichigo and Renji watched his unmoving outline.

Both grew afraid that they had somehow angered Hitsugaya. He was after all, a captain! Incurring his wrath could bring hell now. They were a bit intimidated especially after their discovery of the duration he required to achieve his Bankai. God knows what he is capable of now! Ichigo and Renji both believed in their own capabilities, but they had never fought him. Also, neither could they boast about their Bankais creating such a large scale destruction as his did. They had tried to reassure each other that a frozen lake did not necessarily mean that Hitsugaya HAD actually achieved his Bankai in two days, but both secretly were doubtful in their minds. When suddenly, Hitsugaya got up.

"I have to leave now.", he left the room. Neither could see his face and both assumed he would now head towards his quarters.

Looking back at Hitsugaya's walking form, Renji said to Ichigo, "I have to say, he's a cool captain, great fighter, child prodigy and all that...but Damn! He really sucks at expressing himself!"

Outside, Hitsugaya breathed deeply as he looked up the sky. The moon hadn't outshone the stars this night. Far in the northern sky, he was a bright star twinkling as if giving him hope.

"Arigato", he said, " Sempai."

He now knew where he had to go.

" Yosh!", he sprang up suddenly to the nearest roof top and picked up speed, as he headed towards his Lieutenant's quarters.

------------

Matsumoto sat up.

She felt her heart flutter for an instant. She thought she heard someone call her name.

She hit her head a couple of times to banish silly thoughts.

"Life is not easy without you around", she thought, "Is it?"

She missed Hitsugaya. How she wanted to see him. How unlikely it was that she would, tonight...

She tried to dissuade her longing by turning her thoughts towards, how she was, about a year ago.

A year ago, after the Aizen saga had ended. The nights thereafter, when the day's work was over, when the world would fall asleep with the deepening night and she would be finally alone with her thoughts, she would feel so empty.

With the sudden loss of workload, she had more than enough time left to herself. To think of everything else besides work, an opposite case of before. The ache of loosing Gin would creep in, during those empty moments. She would fall asleep desolate.

She was mourning his loss, his betrayal, the fact that he never gave her a chance to redeem his heart, make him feel that she could help in some way...

He was a wicked man...

She knew he loved her, maybe less than love, but she had been the only woman he had cared for so much. Nonetheless, he never made her a part of himself.

Was he being kind in not pulling her towards his side of the war?

He never once tried to change her mind, he never once tried to convince her to stay with him, he hadn't called out to her to come with him when he first escaped from SS with Tousen and Aizen. He had given her the freedom to choose for herself. Was it a distance he created because he didn't want her with him or because he cared for her free will? She never came to know that from Gin himself.

" Gin-", she whispered, feeling it strange to remember him once again after so long. She was sitting on the window sill, basking in the soft moonlight, looking at the darkened room and then at Seireitei for her quarter was on a higher ground and she was on the second level, from where she could look upon the whole town.

The thoughts she had a year back.

So many questions had been left unanswered, she had thought at first. It was maddening that she couldn't go back to the past at that time. Repeat the golden moments spent with him. Golden? Had those moments been that good?

They had never spoke of loving each other when together. It was not because the unspoken words were understood. She realised it after her days of moping, a year back, she had been afraid.

She had loved him, cared a lot about him, but she was afraid, once she voiced her love to him, it would be irrevocable.

She had wondered how could she have sensed beforehand that Gin would fall from grace by his own choice. She then realised, as she had mourned for him, that the reason why Gin held back because in all his time with her, he sensed her hesitation. He could have declared an unbreakable bond between them but her hesitation irritated him.

They were together, but she would not accept him as he was. She wanted him to tune with her sense of morality. Gin could not do that...but neither could he force her to submit to him. He had to create a chasm.

He therefore started distancing himself away from her, doing the appropriate things to make her heart ache, but coming back to her at the right moment to keep her from being left too behind, in case he lost his hold on her. He hoped that this pain she felt would somehow make her crumble, submit to himself and he could capture that part of her, he had had no hold over. But the woman was too strong and free-minded to be completely ruled over so easily.

She might have finally come under his complete stronghold hadn't the fated appointment of her new captain taken place at the right moment. Hitsugaya's entry into her life had been like a breath of fresh air. He was refreshingly young, apparently oblivious and blind to her sex appeal and adoringly mature for his age. His scowl in his ridiculously young face was begging for her to tease him, that is what she thought when she first saw him. His gravity was hilarious to her but she came to respect it soon after when she worked with him for a few days. She took life as it came, from then on.

When had the chibi-captain crept in, melted the barrier she had casted around her heart against all people, become a part of her everyday life, unavoidable at first and then turn into a necessity? He had become the one who actually put up with her ebullient nature at all times, listened to her every word, matched her ideas in morality, the silent companion of her sudden grave moody times, the only one who actually saw her for what she was, the one she came to believe who would never loose his ground, come what may. His prudency, practicality and rationality in all situations always reminded of her of how she really was and always wanted to remain. He made her feel whole. But these things she never realised until much later.

His presence distracted her from her musings about Gin's little games and strangely, she found it easier and easier to face Gin with less pain that is,...until he actually betrayed her and SS as she had feared long ago.

She could not anticipate the fact that Gin would actually betray whole of SS and do all the things he did, but she did know somewhere in her heart that he would do something that would make her disappointed in him.

Gin and Matsumoto were a contrast to each other in ideals and as subsequently revealed, in morals too. Her drive because of his betrayal had kept her from thinking about Gin too much. It gave no time. Meeting so many people on the way, the gradual disclosing of Aizen's plot and the final encounter all had given no time to think over how Gin had damaged her.

She had tried to keep herself away from the consequential regret she knew she would feel, by drinking but somehow, she never was drunk enough to not hurt. The nights had been lonely with the silence of her thoughts. She had to ponder over what Gin had been to her and what he had done and what she felt. The realisation of the reason of why Gin might have left her behind had dawned on her.

After discovering this, she realised she also found the strength in her to forgive him. It seemed with the realisation of what Gin's reasons were, at least hypothetically, had finally exorcised the demon that was Gin. Gin couldn't help being who he was and neither could she help being herself. Each knew they could not live with the other and had been hurting while living apart. Either way, it was a no-win situation.

That day, about eight months ago, when she finally felt lighter, she skipped a night of drinking and visited her side of Rukongai, as if to pay her last respects to the man who had been her first love. She would never forget him, for they had had good times. But she would think of him more kindly than before and less hurt. She had finally let go.

But it seemed more hurt was in store for her. She came to see less and less of her captain. She by then still considered that it was but natural for her taichou to have no time for her.

" At least one of us has their love still with him" , she had reasoned and fully supported Hinamori and Hitsugaya. It had never occurred to her that she harboured feelings for him of an alien nature.

It came to her gradually. Since she would see lesser of him, so his growth spurt would often catch her by surprise. When she would suddenly turn around to find him just behind, his current height, saving her from looking down but instead right into his face!

He would never be fazed as usual and neither would she show any weird reaction, though her mind would not register, she couldn't help staring at how much he actually grew up without her noticing.

His stern expression was unchanged but his huge eyes seemed to have grown smaller giving space for one to see his high cheek bones due to the loss of his puppy fat, his prominent jaw line, the jutting collar bones below his straight long neck with his Sternomastoid muscle conspicuous denoting that his muscles had grown and toned up his body into a more masculine form, his features evened out to project maturity making him look more handsome in an adult sense. His permanent austere countenance on his nonetheless boyish face, as a manly ruggedness was yet to set in, gave him the look of a man-child. All these accompanied with his already intense emerald-hued eyes rimmed with thick lashes which didn't curl out like a woman's but stood in such a way, that could lock anyone's glance because of their sheer beauty. He was a youth in full bloom and she was a woman enough to sense it, but stubborn in trying to ignore it.

She feared that at this stage, she might be vulnerable enough to be physically attracted to her child-captain. Guilt ridded her as she felt how wrong this allurement was. She kept on with her teases to him to make it seem to her that nothing had changed. She hadn't planned on having more than a platonic relationship with him, not that she had planned anything at all.

But with this unstabilizing realisation, she also realised that he had been the most important person in her life for quite sometime, how long she didn't know. Thus, the long standing lately discovered strong affection countered with the surprising revelation of his budding youth unsettled her for quite a period of time. Fortunately, she had sufficient time to come to terms with it as he was often absent from her sight being involved with Hinamori. She had thanked her stars that she was old enough to deal with it and mask her confusion when he was around.

How inappropriate... it was for her to harbour such an attraction to her captain. He being so young, he being her captain. Still, she felt thankful, even with all the powers of the world, actual mind-reading wasn't a gift many had, even if there were any such thing. How she would maliciously contest anyone who came close to the truth. This inclination of hers was her secret. She even went as far as to claim she was not a ...what a horrible word that was! She used that word to hold herself back.

But how could she stop the rush of feelings that had grown over time? When had her chibi-taichou gathered such a strong hold of her heart? She still pushed these feelings back. These are wrong things, she thought. She persecuted herself by acting as a messenger between Hinamori and Hitsugaya, helping them make up in fights, meet up and what not, dearly wishing that someday she would 'grow' out of it, seeing how strongly these young people felt about each other.

" It might take a few years", she reasoned, " But as long as no one knows, everyone will be just fine."

Even if it ends up with her getting hurt the most. At least, she knew, she would be the only victim here.

She wanted to stay close to her taichou even if he ended up with somebody else. She wanted to be around, at least serving him, now that she believed he was going to be everything Gin could not be.

As for her own heart, she often teased herself, she wasn't up for it anymore. Maybe her time for it had died with Gin.

Then Ryujin came into the picture. The first time, he stepped into her view, obscure memories popped up and she felt apprehensive about her own self. She didn't remember she was Sabre, but she sensed that the time to leave her captain forever might soon come.

Her resolve to stay away from her captain shook. She needed his support when she felt she would be loosing herself. So she had crept into Hitsugaya's quarter the night of the evening Ryujin proposed to her.

His words that Ryujin might be good for her. She decided that she had no right to bother her captain anymore.

She accepted to Ryujin's proposal the next day who presented her with the Excalibur as a thank you gift.

What came over her for the next two months, she barely knew as Sabre came back to life during that time. She would have disappeared hadn't Hitsugaya called her name on that Saturday morning, asking her to talk to him anytime she felt like it. She heard his concern and awoke to spend one last night with her captain.

It was a gift she was most thankful for.

She sighed.

She would have to see him tomorrow then.

--------------------------

Byakuya sat in front of the screen.

The face on the screen said, " Why are you doing this?"

" That is a reason I can not disclose."

" I am sure you can", the face said meaningfully.

" Very well, there was a man and a woman I knew long ago who faced the same situation though the odds were of a different kind."

" Hisana would have been proud of you."

" I shall return to you some of your foster granddaughter's ash as promised."

Byakuya turned and walked out of the room.

" The boy has opened up once again. Hisana, are you watching?"

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" Enough with this.", Matsumoto decided. She could not sleep so she decided she would make some tea.

She stood looking at the stove, the heat of the fire underneath the kettle reflected on her irises, warming her. She was lost in thought again.

" If you don't turn that thing off, your tea will spill over.", a voice warned from behind.
She jumped and turned recognising the owner.

"Tai-", she stopped.

His form was outlined by the moon shining from the window. She hadn't switched on the lights so she could be seen with the light from the fire.

Neither spoke for a long moment, as if it was too much for them. Each felt a surging emotion within them which constricted their vocal chords. Their earnest wishes were granted.

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