I'm sorry for giving you such a short chapter after the long delay (a couple of a weeks I think?). I gotta say this isn't a happy chapter, so if you don't like sad chapters you may wanna skip this one. Thanks for the reviews, faves, alerts, etc! I love getting every single one. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, I liked it too haha, if I can find another prompt that would follow on from it I shall. But anyway, onwards!
SUMMARY: It's amazing how when we lose a person we can often feel lost ourselves.
Chapter 13: Lost
Tōshirō couldn't believe it. He could not believe what he had just been told. He simply could not wrap his head round it. It couldn't be true. It didn't make any sense.
"What do you mean, we lost her?"
"Captain Hitsugaya, she died on the battlefield.
"But...She couldn't have. She promised that she would keep herself safe."
Rangiku winced slightly. The messenger had caught the two of them in one of those rare times where Rangiku was actually in the office, but Rangiku would give just about anything to be out of it. The news about Karin, Tōshirō's expression, the fact that he couldn't cope with the information, she could almost feel her heart breaking. The atmosphere alone made her feel like crying. God knows how her Captain felt.
"I'm sorry Captain Hitsugaya."
Tōshirō stayed deadly silent. After a few minutes Rangiku spoke up instead. "Whose organising the funeral? Gotei 13, or the family?"
The messenger looked very uncomfortable. "We haven't found the body yet."
"Then maybe she's not dead! She could just be missing!"
Rangiku's insides twisted uncomfortably when she saw Tōshirō's eyes light up when he said that. He wasn't accepting her death. It wasn't going through to him.
"I'm sorry Captain Hitsugaya. Several shinigami saw her die. Afterwards she was...well, flung. Which is why we haven't found her body yet."
"How can you be so sure?"
Rangiku got up from her seat and gently placed her hand on Tōshirō's shoulder. "Captain, I'm sorry, but she's gone. We've lost her, you have to accept that."
Tōshirō turned around and the look on his face caused Rangiku to shake slightly. This really was breaking her heart. But she refused to cry. She had to stay strong for her Captain.
She gently wrapped her arms around Tōshirō, and for the first time ever, he reciprocated the embrace. He held onto her, clinging onto her.
"She promised me that she would stay safe."
"I know Captain, I'm sorry."
"She said she wouldn't die."
Rangiku stayed silent and waited for Tōshirō to speak again. "She...I mean...How am I supposed to...What am I supposed to..."
Rangiku just hugged him tighter as he finally broke down and cried.
Once again I'm sorry for the delay! I don't know when the next chapter will be posted, I'm currently in the middle of writing it, but I have mock exams this week so it could be soon or it could be later. I hope it'll be sooner, this is a sad chapter to leave you with. Still I hope you enjoyed it...Kinda...Haha. I hope you look forward to the next chapter, 'Found'!