A/N: I'm back, and I'm exhausted! Woo. Gah, just finished a mahoosive Physics paper that I got set for homework yesterday and it took...I lost count of the hours. Nah, wasn't that bad actually just about one hour! Ah, anyways, v. v. pleased with the response to the last chapter, and I got two new song requests as well! YAY! So, this is the first, and I'll try and do the next for Chapter 9! Credit for this song choice goes to chesxca, so if you wanna say "OMG THIS IS AN AMAZING SONG I LOVE IT!" or something like that, thank her, not me! xx
But then again, if you hate the song, don't flame her. Or me. It's a free world, people can think what they like! XP
Anywayyy, people to thank are:
chesxca (of course!)
IceFire123 (Yay! New reviewer! *throws welcome party*)
Rainbow Fruit Loop (:3)
uranium12 (MORE NEW REVIEWERS!)
dragonballzlover2499 (3)
splitheart1120 (-w-)
and angelprincess ino! (XD) Thanks to ya'll, you make my...life! :P
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. All credit goes to Kubo Tite the Great! I also do not own the song Tear My World Apart by Greeley Estates!
Tear My World Apart
"It doesn't make sense if you're not here with me,
It doesn't make sense if you're not here with me…"
He was walking through darkness. He couldn't see anything, yet he still knew he was alone.
(Why does that feel strange?)
He reached out, trying to catch something, fleeting, bright.
(But what is there to hold on to?)
He knew there was something more to find, something that would make existence meaningful.
(But is there?)
He knew it.
(No.)
…
Gin woke up with a gasp. The hell kind of dream was that? He ran his hands through his scruffy silver hair, trying to regulate his breathing again. The dream stayed in his mind. It had been so black, so empty. Why?
Gin glanced over at the other side of the blankets, where Rangiku lay. Except she wasn't. He shot up, running to the window and flinging the curtains open. Bright daylight filled the room, making him squint with its intensity. He'd overslept, something which didn't happen often. But when it did, Rangiku was always there next to him, offering him a cup of tea or coffee to wake him up. Except today. Usually, Gin would have sat down and thought about it rationally, but with his recent nightmare, panic took hold quickly.
"Crap…where did she run off to?" he muttered to himself. He wondered if Rangiku would ever leave him. He felt like curling up into a ball and never facing the world again. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed his thick winter coat and pulled it on. Hers wasn't there.
Gin raced out into the streets. There were quite a few people out, although it was still fairly early, maybe around eight. He looked around, scanning the area for his friend. No head of strawberry blonde.
"S'cuse me," he stopped a kindly looking old lady who was passing. "Have ya seen my friend? She's quite small, around thirteen, blonde hair." he asked anxiously.
"Ah…no, dear, I don't believe I have. I'm very sorry, is she lost?" The lady smiled.
"Well, when I woke up, she wasn't around. I'm sure she's fine though. Thanks fer yer help." he mumbled, trying desperately to believe his own words. Rangiku was a trouble magnet with no equal.
Gin scoured the area, looking in parks, shopping malls, side streets, alleyways. She was nowhere.
"Rangiku!" he called, "Rangiku!"
No answer.
Gin let out a shaky sigh. It wouldn't do any good to completely lose it. He would sit down at the nearest café, order the cheapest cup of coffee they had, and think. It's what he did best, after all.
…
When his coffee came, Gin thanked the waiter, blew away the steam, and drank it immediately, paying no heed to the scalding temperature. Now, where would she have gone? He'd checked all her favourite places, the swings, the boutiques and the library. He couldn't think of anywhere else she'd be; it was a small town. Unless, she hadn't gone of her own free will.
Dread filled him before he realised he was being ridiculous. How would a child-snatcher have snuck into a high-security building, picked their lock and stuffed Rangiku into a sack or whatever while he was still asleep? That was just dumb.
Gin figured his best option would be to ask around again, people who knew Rangiku and would recognize her easily. He drained the last dregs of his rather nasty-tasting coffee, chucked a couple of coins on the table, and got up to leave.
…
"What was that, sweetie?" the old Obaa-chan who ran the music store he'd gotten his guitar at said, cupping her hand to her ear.
Gin sighed quietly. Why had he come here again? "I asked whether ya'd seen Matsumoto Rangiku around today. Like, a couple of hours ago." he repeated.
"Ah, the little girl who always walks around with you?"
"That's the one."
"Yes, I saw her walking off with two men just half an hour ago." the old lady cheerfully informed him.
"What? Where did they go?" Gin nearly shouted, dreading that his 'ridiculous' child-snatching theory was true after all.
"Ah…to the diner round the corner, I think."
"Right. Thanks, see ya." Gin ran out of the store.
"Strange boy…" the old lady chuckled to herself, shaking her head.
…
Gin burst into the diner, looking around frantically. He almost fainted with relief when he saw the familiar head of strawberry-blonde locks four tables down. He marched up to the table, and froze when he saw two horribly familiar faces.
"Gin? What are you doing here?" Rangiku asked, wide-eyed. Gin ignored her, still staring in disbelief at his friend's companions.
"Ah! Gin-kun! How wonderful to see you again! I was really hoping to meet you as well, but Ran-chan over here was by herself, how could you? There are strange men about who'd want to take her away!" chimed Kyoraku Shunsui, waving at him pleasantly.
"What, like you?" Gin growled, grabbing Rangiku's wrist and pulling her out of her seat.
"Ow, Gin! That hurt! And don't be so mean to Shunsui-san, he was being nice!" she snatched her arm away, rubbing her wrist where he'd grabbed her.
"Well, actually, Rangiku-chan, I can see his point of view. He must have been very worried when he found you gone." Ukitake soothed her, smiling at Gin, who glowered at him in return.
"Too right I was, and if I ever hear that you guys have hurt 'er or done anything at all, I will personally come after ya and strangle ya to death." Gin spat, grabbing Rangiku's hand again and dragging her out of the diner.
"Gin! That was so rude of you! Apologize!" Rangiku cried, shocked at her childhood friend's less-than-perfect behaviour.
"No, I meant every word. Why the hell'd ya go off with two creeps like them, anyway? Especially that Kyoraku, he's just weird." Gin interrogated.
Rangiku scowled at him. "Actually, Shunsui-san and Ukitake-san are very nice. They bought me food and everything. You had no right to be so mean!"
"Why did ya go with them, Ran-chan? What were you doin' out so early, anyway?" Gin pleaded, stopping in a side street and taking both her hands into his.
"I was doing your paper round, actually, as you overslept and I didn't want to wake you up. You've been working so hard recently; you deserved a rest." Rangiku ended sheepishly, realising how much she'd worried him.
Gin collapsed, leaning his head on her shoulder and nuzzling his face into her hair. "Ran-chan…never do that again. Please, I—" he broke off, his voice cracking.
Rangiku's face softened. She'd really scared him. "I won't Gin." she reassured him, stroking his hair gently. Suddenly, he snapped his head up, looking her right in the eyes. She glimpsed a flash of ice blue before Gin crushed her to his chest, almost squeezing the breath out of her.
"I dreamt ya'd left me by myself." he admitted, revealing why he'd been so anxious. Rangiku's eyes filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer.
"I'd never leave you, Gin. We'll be together forever. You and me, huh?" she smiled fondly when he buried his face in her neck, his breath leaving a hot trail on her flushed skin.
"…I love ya, Ran-chan."
"I love you too, Gin. We're the best team the world could ever face!" she chirped happily. Gin rolled his eyes. She just didn't get it, did she? Oh well, he wasn't going to force her to think of him the way he wanted her to. She was safe and she wasn't leaving, that was all that mattered.
A/N: A bit of a sad one there, but fluff fluff fluff at the end! I like to think Gin's really protective of Rangiku, and he really hates Shunsui and Ukitake now, huh? (looollll...they meant well.) And Rangiku's being a lil' bit of an idiot right now, huh? Is anyone else getting a teeny bit frustrated? And I don't seem to understand why Gin can't just get the guts to go tell her what he actually means! And if anyone is confused at my ranting at myself (supposedly), I am not making this up. This all happened in real life. Really. Gin's telling me about it right now. What was that? You wanna say hi to the readers? OK, sure! Guys, Gin says hi, and is asking you to review so you can kick his butt for being suck a wimp and ruining our fun! XP