Chapter 2~Toshiro's Decision

A/N: Sorry it's been so long a wait! Lots of traveling around this summer…but school is back in session, which gives me more computer time! Finally, here is chapter 2. Thanks to you all who read, reviewed, and added to your story alerts/ favorites. You're all awesome! ^_^ Hope you enjoy~

Disclaimer: Tite Kubo owns Bleach. However, I claim Toshiro as my husband (even though he has to pretend to be a girl in this series...)! Any of you who have an issue with that can deal with my Zanpakuto, "Okamiyasha".

"Pineapple" ~dialogue

'Pineapple' ~inner thought

'Pineapple' ~Zanpakuto/ spirit/ hollow

~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Senkai Gate; Seireitei

"What!" The young captain demanded as his brain registered the proposal.

Rangiku considered blowing off the suggestion as a mere joke. Better yet, she should blame it on the sake. Rangiku bit her tongue. 'Was was I thinking?' she wondered. 'There's no way my taicho would do something like that!'

Rangiku glanced at Renji and the two Squad 11 members. Renji's arms were folded and a cocky smirk was working its' way onto his face. Hitsugaya's appalled reaction was clearly in Renji's favor.

Rangiku inwardly frowned. 'I'll show that pineapple!' she promised in determination. There was no way she'd be stuck paying for a night on the town…she and the others could drink.

"Come on Taicho." Rangiku said seriously, looking at Toshiro with serious gray eyes. The temperature around the Senkai gate had already begun to decline. Rangiku gulped but continued, "You'll actually be away from that cooped-up office. And, ugh, all that paperwork…Wouldn't it be fun to just let loose for a while?"

Toshiro was trying to stay calm. He figured his fuku-taicho was still drunk, ('Why else would she be spewing such nonsense?' he reasoned.) so he tried to think of the best way to reply to his lieutenant without yelling.

"Matsumoto…" he started after a few moments' thought. "This is a mission. Not a vacation. Meaning we have an objective when entering the Human World, which means there will be more paperwork upon our return to the Soul Society."

Toshiro didn't bother to point out that one of the reasons there was so much paperwork was because she'd been slacking off. But he didn't bother scolding Rangiku all that much anymore because he knew she was still upset over Gin Ichimaru's betrayal…which was connected to other reasons for the paperwork build-up.

Since the betrayal and escape of ex-Captains 3, 5, and 9, a lot of things needed to be done in the Gotei 13. Much of those "things" needed to be taken care of by the head of the Intelligence Department, the Captain of Squad 10; Toshiro Hitsugaya. On top of that, Toshiro had agreed to take on the Captain's paperwork of Squad 5. He'd hoped to take some of the pressure off the 5th's fuku-taicho, Momo Hinamori, but it cost Toshiro a lot of rest.

"…And it could be like a whole new life, you know? No one would even know." Rangiku finished her speech, none of which her captain heard because he was too busy thinking of his childhood friend/ practical sister. Now, Toshiro's teal eyes focused on his strawberry-blonde-haired-fuku-taicho's face.

"I'm sorry," he started in an even voice, "but I have to refuse."

"But Captain…" Rangiku whined. "It could be fun."

Toshiro folded his arms and closed his eyes. "Matsumoto, I think your definition of 'fun' greatly differs from mine. As much as I'd appreciate you doing your work and cutting down on the liquor, I am not pretending to be a girl."

Rangiku was quiet. Her face took on a crest fallen expression. Her excitement vanished into disappointment. "I understand Taicho…I…I'm sorry."

"Hn?" Toshiro looked up at her, weary of the sudden change in her tone. The lieutenant's blue-grey eyes were focused on her feet, like a guilty child being given a scolding. Toshiro wasn't sure if he should feel guilty for saying no or skeptical of the mood swing.

"It's just…" Rangiku sniffed lightly and wiped a small tear away. "I thought it would help me get my mind off of…Ichimaru…"

'Is she serious?' Renji thought. 'There's no way he'd fall for something like th—'

"Fine." Toshiro said through clenched teeth, so low that Renji almost didn't catch it. 'Damn it, she got me…' The Captain was thinking.

Looking at the young taicho's grimace, Renji was sure he hadn't heard correctly. But he was proven wrong when Mastumoto locked he gaze on her superior. Her facial expression was that of someone who'd lost all hope, but had just found a little. "R-really?" the strawberry blonde asked, perking up.

"I said 'fine', didn't I?" Toshiro mumbled, closing his eyes. He focused on keeping his stoic mask, despite his raging inner emotions.

Renji's jaw dropped. Yumichika smirked and smoothed back his hair. Ikkaku just looked bored. "Tch, that little softie.' He thought briefly, but just as quickly lost interest.

In joy, Rangiku threw her arms around Hitsugaya and cheered. "Thank you Captain, thank you! I promise you won't regret it, I promise!"

"Armph mph mumph mph omph oph mm!"

"I'm sorry, what was that taicho?" Rangiku blinked and looked down. Toshiro used that opportunity to push away from her. His face was slightly red from being deprived of oxygen in his lieutenant's bosom.

"I keep telling you to stop doing that." Toshiro huffed, straightening his white haori. The air around him was chilled.

"S-sorry Captain…"

'Unbelievable!' Renji was thinking. His left eye was twitching and he was slumped forward with his arms dangling in defeat. 'Just un-be-freaking-lievable. How the heck does she do that!'

At that moment, while Toshiro's back was turned, Rangiku turned to Renji. She stuck her tongue out, closed one eye in a wink, and put up two slender fingers in a "V" for "victory". A vein near one of Renji's temples throbbed in annoyance. 'Tch, I'll show her. I will not lose this bet!' Renji opened his mouth in attempt to change Toshiro's mind. "Hitsu—"

"Abarai!"

"H-hai?" Renji snapped upright to attention at the sudden call of his name.

"Where is Rukia Kuchiki?" Toshiro demanded, folding his arms. His cold, teal eyes were locked on the 'Pineapple's' face.

The lieutenant of the 6th Squad shivered slightly. "Um…she's…"

"Present." A female voice finished. The black haired soul reaper in question appeared on one knee (the etiquette in the Gotei 13 of one reporting to their superior officer).

"My apologies, Hitsugaya-taicho." Rukia continued. "My Captain assigned me some important business to take care of before my departure."

"It's fine." Toshiro replied simply, letting her slide. He couldn't scold Rukia for her late arrival since Jushiro Ukitake was the cause. Although Toshiro didn't like being treated like a child—what with the loads of candy Ukitake forced on him—he preferred the 13th Captain's attitude over most of the others (who saw Toshiro as a short, stuck-up brat in way over his head). Therefore, Toshiro just couldn't be icy toward the sick, fellow white-haired male.

"Now that everyone's here," Toshiro rounded on the four Shinigami in charge of opening the Senkaimon. He asked slightly impatiently, "Are the preparations complete yet?"

"Hai, Hitsugaya-taicho." The four soul reapers answered in unison. They'd been out of the picture until now, making the portal between worlds ready for the group's departure. "We've just completed the procedures."

Six Hell Butterflies appeared to escort Hitsugaya's platoon to the World of the Living. "Let's go." The 10th's Captain ordered. He tried not to think about the deal he'd just made with his lieutenant.

His spiky white hair and white haori's tail were the first to disappear into the bright light of the portal.

"I thought you'd said we were late." Renji grumbled, coming up behind Rangiku. He wasn't yet about to bring up how his prediction of Toshiro's response had turned out to be wrong. "Instead, we got here before the gate was even ready. We would've been on time."

"For my Captain, 'on time' is late." Rangiku replied smugly.

"Che." Renji walked ahead of her. The vanishing, spiky red ponytail signified his leave, followed by Ikkaku and Yumichika. Rangiku hung back and casually threw an arm around Rukia's shoulders.

"Matsumoto-san?"

"Listen Rukia-chan," Rangiku murmured lowly, but with a voice full of excitement. "Renji and I have a little bet going on…Are you in?"

A/N: Finally got this posted! For those who couldn't figure it out (which I doubt a lot of you did), when Toshiro was being smothered he said, "Alright, just get off of me!" Haha, poor Shiro-chan.

Anyway, I want to make the chapters a little longer (not even 2K words!), but keeping them short like this is kind of easier to write and read. I think. What do you guys think?

~'Til next time, O. ^_^