Disclaimer: I do not and will never own Bleach because such greatness can only come from the awesome Kubo Tite.
Author's Note: Even though not many people reviewed but I'm still happy to know that there are actually people who read and did give this fic a chance. I tried my very best and no matter how hard for these two to survive, I will never stop writing. XD Before that I wanna truly thank VacantEyes for believing in this story. No worries, there will be developments between Byakuya and Rangiku as well. I'm going to make sure of it, only for you. Although there will be no Byakuya in this chapter, I hope you'll still be able to enjoy it.
CAN'T LET GO
Summary: There are things that you find precious in life that you just can't imagine living without them. But somehow, a time will come when you have to let go. From drinking buddies to close friends, these two people learn more of life in each passing days counting towards the anticipated Winter War, least expecting that they might just find what they've been searching for in each other. RenjiXRangikuXByakuya
Chapter 1 : Say Ok
A small, cheerful hum was heard coming from the vibrant woman, with an awkwardly sweet smile plastered on her pale, pink lips. Her refined digits were currently being occupied with the written documents on her table, one hand twirled with the pen once in a while.
Usually around this time, she would've fallen asleep on the couch or try to escape from the confinements within the office so that she could skip on the paperwork or basically any other jobs that he had given her. A gentle frown marred his forehead under the single white bangs, when he stopped to observe his vice-captain from the corners of his teal eyes.
"I swore in the next 15 seconds, I'll be freeze to death, taichou…" Rangiku looked up from the work she was doing and giggled when she saw the flustered look on the young captain's face.
"……"
"My…did somebody woke up at the wrong side of the bed this morning?…heh."
"Matsumoto…," he was about to retort back in his response when Matsumoto stood up from her chair so suddenly and exclaimed in a sing-song voice, "Fi-nish-"
"What?"
"Taichou, I'm done. They only need your approval."
"Well..that's…good to hear…," he drawled subconsciously when he looked down upon the neatly piled papers on her hands. No words can describe just what he was feeling that moment.
"Can I have a half-day off then?"
"What for? Matsumoto-"
"Thank you taichou--You're the best!" Without hearing what the young prodigy would say, she quickly dumped all the papers she was holding into his unsuspecting hands, earning a sharp glare from the said boy.
"Matsumoto, I'm not finish talking here…"
"Take care, taichou. See you tomorrow!" The bubbly vice-captain waved her hands before disappearing out of sight.
"Matsumoto!!"
Soon after, the fifth officer of the tenth division craned his neck into the room only to see an empty room with several scattering papers with no signs of either one of his superiors. He scratched his head in confusion. 'Funny. I thought I heard Hitsugaya-taichou's voice just now'
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Of all the places that she could go, why would she end up at the place where she vowed to stay away from the most? Glancing warily to her surroundings, she moved around the buildings of the sixth division in perfect stealth mode. She had to make sure she wouldn't run into a certain somebody from the division or she'll be accused of stalking. 'Feh, as if…well, if it ever happened, I could just say that I need a new hobby since I can no longer drink…and that's all because of him…although it's partially my fault too…no, no…it's the damn sake's fault. Yeah…I just blame it on the sake.'
She was so caught up in her musings that she failed to sense another presence behind her, leaning casually against the walls. The stranger cleared his throat and said, "If I didn't know better, I'd think that you're stalking somebody."
"Yikes!" A startled gasp escaped her lips as she turned around to see the owner of the voice. "Renji you idiot! Don't you have anything better to do than scaring the hell out of people?"
A low chuckle came from the red-haired shinigami before he held up his hands in apology. "Sorry. I forgot that you've been rather touchy lately."
"Very funny, Renji…ha-ha-ha…," she mocked back in response as a small pout appeared on her lips.
"What are you doing here anyway? You want to see him?"
"Hell no!" she cried. "I'm not wasting my time-"
Renji placed his index finger on his lips, signaling her to lower down her tone.
"Shhh….He's in the office now. We should go someplace else before he finds out that you're here. You know…Since you left his office that morning, he's been really, really disturbed and it's much safer if you don't cross paths with him anymore. If not, one of the division officers will be getting another 'free cut'."
"Free cut? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Let's just say that my unfortunate tenth-seated officer got hairless just because he was to report in coincidentally on the same day. Thanks to Senbonzakura of course."
Her jaws dropped open upon hearing Renji's explanation. "Does he hate number '10' that much?"
One hand instinctively slapped his forehead in confusion. Seriously, this woman is unbelievably clueless or she just happened to see from a different side of the fence. "Never mind. Don't worry about that."
He pulled her with him before flash-stepping to another place, far away from the division rows. Unaware of the cold, attentive eyes who had been observing both of the Gotei 13 vice-captains with perfect concealment.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"Sorry that I had to drag you with me in this mess. But I really need to talk to someone who knows…" she sighed as her hands found some dandelions on the grassy earth, blowing some of the white fluffy flowers into the flowing wind.
Renji, who had been sitting against a big fir tree nearby, turned his head towards the beautiful, auburn-haired woman. "No sweat, Rangiku-san. Not that I have much things to do inside the office at the moment."
The warm, afternoon breeze grazed across the wide lush field, secluded at the edge of Seireitei. "It's a nice place here. I never knew this place exists," she said as she picked up another flower beside her.
"Well…This is the place that I always go when I want to wind up or just relax, even to think on things. Besides, this is the place where I last…"
"Where you last…?"
"Nothing. Forget I ever said that."
"Renji…" she grumbled. Totally annoyed with the fact that he was keeping something away from her when he was the one who brought it up at the first place.
"Okay…this is the place when I last talked to her personally before she got injured by that female Bount."
"Oh, you mean Rukia-chan?"
"Yeah…" His shoulders tensed as he looked away to a certain area of the meadow.
From what she could clearly see, this man beside her held the younger sister of Kuchiki Byakuya in high regards. She had witnessed how he was fiercely protecting Rukia in the Bount's cave hide-out that one time when she was assigned to the real world. That moment she saw how Renji didn't even care about himself at all. All he cared about was Rukia's safety and that was one of the attributes that pulled her towards the fearless young man. He was protective, he was reliable and he was loyal. He was all that she had hoped for in a friend especially if that's someone whom she can trust. Someone who would never be passing judgments about other people's mistakes. Someone who can truly understand just how difficult it was to be going through a hard situation by yourself. Someone who she can confide in.
"How's she doing? Is she getting better?"
"She looks much better than before but after Ichigo and the rest left, she was a little bit down. That stupid girl. Still wanted to deny it."
"It bugs you to know that she misses him that much huh?"
"No way." A faint blush started to appear on his cheeks without him realizing it.
"Aww…that's so sweet," Rangiku cooed as she pinched his face in amusement, much to Renji's annoyance. "If only she knew…"
"No-It's better off the way it is right now. I couldn't ask for anything more," he let out a long sigh before closing his eyes in weariness.
An all-knowing smile formed on her lips as she observed the young but mature-looking male. He loved and will always be loving that young girl very much that he would do anything to keep her safe and happy even when it's with another guy. 'If only every man can love a woman like you do, Renji.' Her heart skipped a beat as she took in the message her subliminal voice was saying.
Now it was her turn to flush a deep crimson as a strong surge of emotion rushed within her.
"Rangiku-san, are you alright?"
"Eh? I'm alright."
"Your face is all red. I think you've been staying under the sun for too long."
"What? I don't think so. I'm o-" As if in cue, a loud and rather embarrassing growl rumbled from her stomach causing the other man to roar in laughter.
"Obviously, the 'other person inside there' is totally against it. Have you been starving yourself?"
"Don't remind me about it."
"You don't have to 'punish' it just because of him."
"You're making me angry, Renji!" Her hands went instinctively to Haineko, threatening to hurt him in a bluff.
"Wait, Rangiku-san…I was just joking-Rangiku-san!" That was all he could mutter before she choked him in a mild grip and tried to shake his head off from his shoulders if that was even possible for her to do so.
"Well, poor you. I don't do well with jokes lately," she exclaimed before continued on choking his tattoo-ed neck until he raised his hands in defeat. "Alright, I give up."
"Now that's a good boy." She patted his head gently and ruffled with the red ponytail while she had the chance.
"Don't do that."
"Do what?" she snickered wittily at his protest. "But I like your hair. It's so long and soft."
"……"
"I think guys with long hair are more attractive." 'Woops…Stupid Rangiku…'
"Now I know what exactly pulls you to Kuchiki-taichou…heheheh…" He raised his eyebrows in a cheeky expression. Who knew the alluring vice-captain of the tenth division would dig guys with long hair?
'Wait…does it mean…' Renji cleared his throat, "Does that mean you like Ukitake-taichou too?"
"RENJI!!!!!"
And he was rewarded with a hard punch on his chest and Kami knows it hurt like hell. That woman was so damn strong it scared a small part of him.
On a such beautiful day he had learnt first-hand that a woman's hormones can 'kill' a man. Seriously.
But then again, when she tiredly placed her throbbing head on his left shoulder (after one minutes worth of beating on his part), he just didn't have the heart to push her away.
"You sure you don't want to see Unohana-taichou?"
"Nah…I just need to relax and I'll be okay so just lend me your shoulder for five minut-" her words dragged to a sudden stop as she had already fallen into a slumber.
Soon after, he decided that he won't be moving for quite a while as she snuggled sleepily into the warmth he was offering. He looked down at the snoozing woman. Heh, even while sleeping, she still has this sultry look that could make any man fell into a hopeless infatuation. And because of that, any man would've leapt upon the opportunity in taking her when she's tipsy. Not even Kuchiki Byakuya was able to resist the temptation and look at the mess he had left behind for her to deal on her own.
"Hnn…a nobleman is still no saint," he gritted his teeth in slight remorse for he had been looking up towards the said man ever since he joined the sixth division.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
'What was she doing at the fourth division again today?' The question kept repeating itself as Hitsugaya paced the hallways in quick flashes when he caught a glimpse of his lieutenant's movements passing by the fifth division. 'Where are you going Matsumoto?'
He saw her stopping just beside the main office of the sixth division, looking very much like a criminal on the loose. Her usual sleepy eyes looked very much alert when she scanned around her surroundings. Did she know that she was being followed?
'What on earth are you up to Matsumoto? Are you stalking someone now?'
The white-haired ice-master was about to call out her name when he saw Abarai standing behind her with a smug grin etched upon his face before scaring the hell out of her. From the very least, it looked like he was expecting her to be there? Hitsugaya narrowed his eyes in confusion as he watched the two lieutenants talking in a hushed manner, as if they were hiding something. A few minutes later, Renji and Rangiku were seen leaving the spot together heading to Kami knows where and Hitsugaya got even more befuddled than before.
'They probably slacking out on their desk jobs to go out for a drink together…But still how did Abarai got away from Kuchiki just as easily Matsumoto had escaped from him?'
However, Hitsugaya was not one to admit that he was outwitted by his own lieutenant. All in all, he re-tracked his steps back to the fourth division to pay a visit to a very dear friend who unfortunately is still in a deep coma. He might as well ask Unohana-taichou about his lieutenant as well while he's at it.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
"Aaaa…..?" Her amethyst eyes widened in disbelief when she digested the explanation from the red-haired shinigami sitting on the opposite side of the table. "For how long?"
"Etho…" Renji scratched the side of his tattoo-ed forehead as he tried to find the most appropriate answer. "A few weeks or maybe months."
"No way…" She looked down towards the steaming cup of tea, pouting her lips in disappointment. "Who else is going with you?"
"Well, Yama-taichou assigned Rukia and myself since we're the ones who have direct contact with Ichigo and the rest. And I've already asked Ikkaku-san if he doesn't mind tagging along and since he and Yumichika-san had some spare time in hands, they took up on my offer."
"How come you didn't ask me too?"
"Well, I was about to ask you but in your condition I can't put you at risk."
"I can perfectly take care of myself. Renji, please…I wanna go to the real world with you guys too. I promise I won't be a trouble to anyone."
"But…"
"I really need to get away from here even if it's only for a few days…"
"You do realize that I would be held responsible if anything bad happens to you."
"Don't worry. Nothing bad's gonna happen. Didn't I just tell you that I can take care of myself perfectly? Besides, if something ever happens, it must've been for a reason right?"
"You're scaring me now, Rangiku-san."
"If you're concerned about 'this'…" she pointed towards her abs slowly before continuing, "I need to take my mind off things before I make a decision about this. I promised to give my answer after 1 week."
"…Well…"
"Please Renji. Would you say ok? Please…I missed talking to Orihime…"
"…….."
"Please say ok, ne?" She tilted her head to the sides, while staring hopefully at the man in front of her.
"I guess…O-K then, I supposed. But you know that I would not be caught dead asking your captain about 'borrowing' you for this mission."
"Of course you won't!" exclaimed the busty amber-haired woman in excitement. "Thank you Renji!" Instinctively a hand went up towards his head and patted his head like she would to a small puppy. He could only twitch his eyes while holding back the will to knock his own head on the table.
Hitsugaya-taichou will definitely turn him into an ice-sculpture when he found out about this.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
As they walked down the hallway of the high school in their own gigai, the troupe had caught the attention of the other human dwellers. They were never spared from the curious glances by the other uniform-clad students. Well who wouldn't if you saw a group of 'weirdos' in all shapes and sizes from the one who looked like an elementary school kid but with white hair, a girl who looked too womanly to be a normal high-schooler (especially with that E-sized chest), a bald mafia-liked guy who carries a bokken with a metrosexual dude who has these funny colorful eyelashes sticking on his right eye and another mafia-liked guy who had some tribal tattoo designs on himself.
Led by Hitsugaya, the team head towards the classroom which name was stated in the paper the small captain was holding.
"So where is it?"
"I don't know."
"But didn't you have a memo with you when we left?" Renji posed a glance to the female shinigami.
"I lost it." Rangiku giggled.
Ikkaku narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "What the hell did you do anyway?"
"Then you lead us, Renji. You're used to the real world aren't you?" She pretended to ask out of curiosity.
You've been here before too haven't you?" One thin eye-brow rose at her question. What is this woman up to now?
"But I was just here for a moment."
Hitsugaya interrupted them, "Quit complaining. Just find his reiatsu then."
The bald third seated officer of the eleventh division grumbled. "Whatever. Jeez…how can these people wear these clothes?"
"Well…" Renji replied, "Students here are required to wear them."
Rangiku beamed with admiration. "Aaah…Renji, you sure knows your stuffs."
Renji rolled his eyes in response. "Hey, leave me out of this. And there's something not quite right with your uniform." He eyed the really exposing front of her white blouse, looking disapprovingly at her ample mounds, straining to escape from the garment. Without any other intentions of course. He just didn't like the way she flaunts her assets as easily even though he knew he didn't have the right to say anything about it.
And Ikkaku went on and on muttering comments on the prohibition of real swords with Yumichika sort of defending the human laws in the real world until Rangiku retorted back saying, "It's not so bad. I kinda like these clothes…heh…"
"You're the only one who's happy to be dressed like this." 'Damn woman…'
"Shut up you guys. Don't even start a commotion. Just walk quietly," Hitsugaya spoke sternly to the rest of the group members.
"Haiii…" The others sighed in unison.
"Yo…it's been a long time Ichigo…"
The orange-haired substitute shinigami couldn't hold back a look of surprise on his face when he saw the group standing at his classroom door. The all familiar faces that he had meet and worked together ever since he went to Soul Society to save Rukia.
"Minna? Wh-what are you guys doing here?"
"We've come to help you."
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
They appeared again at Ichigo's house, very much to his annoyance. As Renji explained the real reason why they were here at Karakura, with some very 'disturbing' visual aids from Rukia, Ichigo had fully understand how bizarre is the situation that Soul Society will be facing in the near future.
"But then again…one question. Where the hell are you guys gonna stay? And before you guys say anything, let me tell everyone that I don't have a space here in my house."
"Aaaa…." Came the all-familiar expression from Rangiku which Renji swore still lingered within his ears the last time he heard it from her, which happened to be two days ago. "Not even me?" Rangiku winked her eyes at the human boy.
"Usually you would be the first one to go." Ichigo looked utterly baffled at the buxom woman.
There was a short silence before Rangiku took a bold action by starting to undo the lower buttons of the white blouse, much to the excitement of Kon, Ichigo and even Renji. In normal situation, the hard-headed vice-captain won't even be batting an eye to such action but her spontaneity kinda triggered a thrill inside him. And seeing her lifting her skirt as an attempt to persuade Ichigo for accommodation really pushed his level of perseverance a notch lower.
But in the end, she gave in and decided to ask Orihime's help. At least, she would be more comfortable staying in the girl's house. His jet-black eyes watched as she waved goodbye to the rest before pestering her captain in following her. Her tracks paused as she turned her head around towards him with a small meaningful grin on her face.
'Arigatou naa Renji……' Her eyes conveyed the message silently before her smile faded into a thin line.
"Oi, Renji!" Ichigo nudged the red-haired shinigami to gain his attention.
'No worries…' His eyes followed her silhouette as she walked away.
"Oi, Renji!"
"What?"
"Never mind…where did you put your head anyway?"
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Anyway, I'll be going to Urahara-san's place. There's something that I need to ask him anyway."
With a swift wave of his hand, he made his way towards the opposite direction with Urahara Shoten in mind as his destination.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox
To Be Continued…
Preview of Next Chapter:
An unexpected disclosure from Orihime sparks a deep concern and sympathy within Rangiku, without realizing that their situation might not differ as much from each other. And an old, painful memory started to haunt her back in her dreams but somehow this time, she had someone to confide her fears with. The surprise attack by the numero espadas had unveiled the very thing the two vice-captains are trying to protect while Hitsugaya was able to put two and two together as he observed their relationship.
Author's End Note: Once again, it's a miracle if you guys managed to reach here and for that I can't thank you guys enough for that. Till next chapter, take care minna-san.