Don't own Bleach. Boo.
Thanks as always for the reviews, from the newcomers and those of you who've been keeping tabs on me. Super awesome!
I'm glad that none of you seem to be off put by Marks, the Rippers and Kingsley (even though I purposely made Anna a jerk…some people are completely vicious!). You'll have to put up with them for a little while longer…and my frequent usage of ellipsis.
'These are thoughts' "This is speaking" and duh, this is normal narration. Just throwing it out there.
"Love And…"
CH 7: Love and the C-word: competition, cat-fights, and on-coming catastrophes
"So…Hitsugaya," Jack began.
"Captain Hitsugaya," the shorter captain corrected. After the exchange of pleasantries and an informative conversation on their respective cultures, head-captain Yamamoto decided to have the foreigners stay at the 10th division. "Finders keepers" was the phrase the old man threw around when the white-haired teen tried to protest.
"Whatever," the blonde teen waved him off. "Kisuke says that there's some sort of tournament going on around here? Something like, you get to date a princess or something if you can beat her in a fight?"
Hitsugaya froze. "He told you what?" the poor boy managed to sputter. He was slipping into a panic.
"It isn't date, Jack, it's marry." Marks said. He gave Hitsugaya a strange look. "You okay there, Hitsugaya?"
"Um, y-yeah…" he responded. Hitsugaya managed to get his feet moving again.
"Marriage, huh?" Jack scratched the back of his head. "That's pretty sudden for someone as young as me."
'Oh, thank the heavens!' Hitsugaya breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ah-ah-ah," Marks waved a finger at his vice-captain and grinned. "But the princess old Kisuke was talking about is quite the catch. Even I might be interested in a girl like that…she certainly has a lot of spunk to pull something like this!"
'Shit…' Hitsugaya was sweating like crazy. He tried to maintain some composure, but his inner green-eyed monster was just waiting to burst out. 'I gotta get them off this topic! HowdoIdoithowdoIdoit….' He racked his brain for a reason—any reason—for the two males to stop talking about this, ultimately keeping them from finding out that Rukia was the "princess" in question.
"But you don't even know the girl!" Both Anna and Hitsugaya shouted at the same time.
Hitsugaya looked over at Anna. 'What the…? Does she…? But she seems to really hate Rukia…'
Anna continued to rant, not even noticing the strange coincidence that had just occurred. "Marks! Jack! You don't even know this woman, and we come from a different place!" Anna looked completely panicked as she gazed from her twin to her captain. "Long distance relationships are hard to work out! Plus, how could you guys be willing to fight for someone you don't know?" She had her trademark sneer on her face. "Is she even worth the trouble?"
"She's worth everything!" Hitsugaya couldn't help but blurt out. "She's beautiful inside and outside and every other side there is!" He looked down at his feet. "She helped me find my way when I was lost…"
Everyone stopped and stared.
Kingsley was chuckling. "This princess of yours sounds quite lovely, Captain Hitsugaya." The elder reaper smiled and patted Hitsugaya on the back.
"So you know this fighting noble, Hitsugaya?" Jack asked. "She does sound nice…But she can't be that cute…A lot of cute girls are jerks. Take a look at Anna."
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Anna crossed her arms and pouted. Everyone struggled to hide their laughter.
Marks tried to move the conversation along before Anna could start attacking. "You know, this girl, the one in the tournament and the one you've been talking about, I think I remember Kisuke saying that she's Rukia. Is that right?" He asked Hitsugaya. The teen wanted nothing more than to wipe the grin right off of Marks' face.
"Ooh, that changes everything," Jack's eyes lit up with renewed interest, grinning just like Marks. "Is it Rukia?"
Hitsugaya was silent. What could he say? As much as he wanted to snarl out "Why yes, Marks, Jack, this mystery noble you have been chatting about is Rukia Kuchiki, now back off of her she's mine!" he couldn't bring himself to be so possessive. He wanted to be—god how he ached for it—but he knew Rukia would be unhappy if she ever got wind of that kind of behavior over her. And he was all about making Rukia happy.
Rukia was a gem, one Hitsugaya didn't want anyone else to discover….But he couldn't exactly lie about the identity of this spunky noblewoman. They might ask more questions and then Rukia would find out and that would land him in quite the awkward situation! And Hitsugaya was having enough trouble as it was trying to find the right moment to set Rukia aside and reveal his innermost feelings, thank you very much!
The 10th division captain sighed. "Yeah, she is." He shook his head as he fondly remembered that fateful promotions meeting that started this zany contest for marriage and his partnership with the young Kuchiki. He couldn't help but smile at the memory. "She's kind of a trouble maker that's for sure, but…" he took a thoughtful pause then laughed. "I don't think I, nor anyone else who knows her and cares about her, would have her any other way!"
"Talkin' about me again aren't you, Toushiro?"
Hitsugaya nearly jumper right out of his skin at the sound of Rukia's voice.
He slowly turned in her direction. "H-hey, Rukia, M-m-matsumoto," he stuttered. His eyes darted towards Jack and the others. For the most part they seemed to not want Rukia to know they were talking about her behind her back. "We weren't talking about you."
Matsumoto, who pretty much knew the feelings of both Rukia and Hitsugaya by now, saw how nervous her captain seemed and decided to lend him a hand. "Yep! I know it hurts you to not be the center of our little captain's attention, Ruki-baby, but he was talking about me and how I don't ever need to change my lazy and drunken ways!" The buxom blonde batted her eyelashes at her captain.
"Yeah right!" Hitsugaya yelled. "The day I actually approve of your negligent work ethic is the day I decide to dye my hair pink." He mentally cried in relief as he watched Rukia giggle.
"Pink?" Rukia cast Matsumoto a sly glance and secretive smile began to unfurl. "I'm sure we could arrange that." She elbowed her fellow vice-captain.
Matsumoto looked at Hitsugaya. "I'm sure we could." Her gaze said 'You owe me.'
Hitsugaya rolled his eyes.
"So what are you guys doing here?" Matsumoto asked, preventing further prying from Rukia.
"Your head-captain and Hitsugaya here were gracious enough to let us stay at your 10th division while we rest up before traveling back home." Kingsley replied.
"Nice! Maybe you guys would like to join us for some food and drink!" Matsumoto offered.
"We would love to!" Jacks answered for everyone. "Are we celebrating something?"
"That's right!" Rukia cried. She placed a hand on Hitsugaya's shoulder to gain his attention. "Guess what!"
"I don't know, what?" was Hitsugaya's response. He prayed he was successful at hiding his faint blush.
Rukia raised an eyebrow. "You're supposed to be a genius and all you give me is 'I don't know, what'?" she mocked. She was promptly elbowed for her sass.
"Ok, ok, geez…super touchy today, aren't we?" she laughed. "Captain Toushiro Hitsugaya, sir!" Rukia saluted. "Today, thanks to our entire team's efforts and the help of our allies in the living world and from 13 Court Guard Squad Western Division, we now have a complete hougyoku!"
Hitsugaya's eyes widened. "No way! That's great!" he cheered.
"Yup! And here we are!" Rukia threw her arms out and made a wide gesture. "The fabulous office of Toushiro Hitsugaya!" She ushered everyone in and shouted to Renji, Ikkaku, and Yumichika, who were already in the office waiting. "Time to party, our mission's complete!"
-------------------------Heck yes! Complete the hougyoku mission is done! But where will Rukia and Hitsugaya go from here on out? They don't have those missions to tie them together anymore…Get a move on to confessing you two! Before Jack or even Marks try to do something about it!--------------------------
Soi Fon was currently in her office. And she was currently very pissed. The 2nd division captain was glaring out the window of here office, contemplating exactly what kind of horrible punishment to give.
Aya Mayasune, the 15th seat of the 2nd division, cowered and feared for her life.
Mayuri Korotsuchi, 12th division captain and archetypal mad scientist, stood next to his fellow captain and glared down at the fearful Aya. He too was contemplating some sort of punishment to give. And he was smiling about it.
Aya Mayasune shuddered and wanted to pass out.
After a few moments of angry silence, Soi Fon finally turned around and faced her underling. A sinister grin rivaling any that Korotsuchi could give bloomed upon her face.
"So, Mayasune," the domineering woman began, "not only have you broken rule 46a of the Gotei 13 Manual of Operations by taking an unauthorized trip to the living world, you've also been caught red-handed breaking into the information vaults of the 12th division…" she paused and let the wicked smile on her face grow. "The only thing left to determine is the reason for your actions. Now for your punishment…"
Aya flinched. She in her mind she prayed, 'To the powers above, please let my family and friends remember me fondly, and let my beloved Daisuke find happiness without me…' Aya knew that Daisuke was more than capable of finding his own happiness with or without her help, but in her final moments of life, she couldn't help but think of that handsome handsome fool.
"You will be stripped of your rank, that's for certain," Soi Fon said. "And will be placed on suspension until I deem you fit for work again."
Aya's eyes widened and she stuttered out "U-u-un-t-t-til I a-am d-d-deem-mm-m-muh-muh-muh—" She knew that her captain could not be this lenient! Especially when she had to work a punishment out with the frightening Captain Korotsuchi.
"During your suspension you will be placed in special training regime, starting tomorrow." Soi Fon had a maniacal glint in her eyes. Training for her was torture for everyone else. "Your efforts in this special program will determine your worth in this squad. You will be tortu—ehem—trained from dawn to noon. After a brief resting period in which you will be allowed to eat a lunch you will find for yourself in the woods behind the south walls of Soul Society, you will report to the 12th division labs at 12:30 pm sharp, at which point you will serve as an…aid…of sorts for Captain Korotsuchi…"
Everyone knew she really meant to say "test subject." And everyone also knew that the woods behind the south walls of Soul Society were the dumping grounds for failed 12th division experiments…and these experiments were the kind that bite.
Soi Fon smirked. "After 12:30 pm, Captain Korotsuchi will be in charge of your fate until you report to me at dawn the next day." She turned to her fellow captain. "Is that satisfactory to you, Captain Korotsuchi."
The menacing captain of the 12th division put his hands together; his face contorted into what was probably an expression of content. "Certainly, Captain Soi Fon. This arrangement suits me just fine. Certain…experiments will be needing Mayasune's attention…"
Aya Mayasune, former 15th seat of the 2nd division, shit her pants.
"Well," Soi Fon turned away to stare out her window again. "If that's all that needs tending to, have a pleasant day Captain Korotsuchi."
"Indeed," he responded and walked out of the room.
"You're dismissed as well, Mayasune." She turned her head slightly to glare at her subordinate. "And make sure you clean up your mess before you go."
-------------------------------You know, they just don't make cartoons like they used to. "It appears a swirling vortex of pure evil is coming from your floor." I love The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy. What a bummer that Cartoon Network is filling itself with reality shows, just like every other godforsaken TV channel.-----------------------------
Hitsugaya felt sick. There he was, with his friends and sitting next to the girl he loved, eating good food and drinking good drinks, celebrating the end of one very long mission. Shouldn't that be considered a good time?
Yeah, right.
Hitsugaya crossed his arms and glared across the table at Marks and Jack.
"So, Rukia, we hear that there's some sort of crazy competition going on for your hand in marriage." Marks said. He was sitting across from her with an interested smile on his face.
"Hey! I was gonna ask that!" Jack pouted. He turned to Rukia. "So what about it Rukia? You some sort of princess or what?"
Rukia sheepishly scratched the back of her head and gave a small, yet nervous laugh. "Well, kind of I guess." She took a sip of tea and began explaining. "See, long story short: my older brother didn't want me getting promoted to the vice-captain position of my squad 'cause he doesn't want me doing anything dangerous, so to force me into quitting my job he decided to place me in an arranged marriage. Because I am from one of the noble families here in Soul Society, marriage means I quit everything to be a house wife." She took another sip of tea. "Not gonna happen. So I told him that if whatever guy he wants me to marry can't beat me in a sparring match within 10 minutes, I'm not marrying him."
"Wow…" Jack just shook his head. "So if anyone wanted to marry you, all they have to do is get the ok from your brother and then beat you in a fight?"
"Yep!"
Hitsugaya felt his stomach roll over in a most unpleasant manner. "Hey, Rukia? Can you pass me some of that tea?"
"Sure," Rukia took the pot and poured more of the hot liquid into her friend's cup. She looked a Hitsugaya. "Toushiro, are you feeling ok? You look a little…upset?"
Hitsugaya's look of irritation disappeared at the sound of Rukia's concerned voice. "Yeah, I think I'll be fine, the…tea seems to help."
Rukia smiled. "Well, maybe you should—"
"Maybe you should try eating something! Or maybe you feel like lying down?" Anna cut Rukia off.
Rukia's eyes were half-lidded and glaring. 'Since when were you trying to be friendly' the raven-haired reaper thought.
Anna shoved Rukia over and sat next to Hitsugaya. "Would you like me to get you anything special?" the blonde wench fluttered her eye lashes.
Hitsugaya was of course, caught way off guard. Wasn't Anna Ripper busy establishing herself as a giant witch? And now, now she was trying to, dare he say, get on his good side? He tried to reply, "U-um, no thanks, I'm fine—"
"What could you possibly do? You're a guest here." Rukia nearly growled. Nearly. "Sit back and relax. If there's anything Toushiro needs, just let one of us get it. We know where everything is." She said through gritted teeth.
Anna rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm sure we couldn't convince a spoiled little princess like you to do anything considerate."
"Spoiled?!?" Rukia gasped out. "You're calling me spoiled?"
"And you also suck at comebacks." Anna had a smug look on her face.
Everyone in the room exchanged glances. Marks and Jack were silently pleading Anna with their stares to stop before she pushed Rukia to the edge. Matsumoto tried not to scowl at the fact that Anna was trying to get between her two favorite ice wielders. Ikakku and Yumichika were making bets as to who would win in a fight, Anna or Rukia ("No fair, you bald asshole! I was gonna bet on Rukia first!"). Renji cowered in the corner for he knew the extent of Rukia's rage and believed the end was nigh. Kingsley decided that he did not know any of them.
Hitsugaya was reeling. 'Did Rukia just jump into an argument because Anna started being nice to me?' He stared in wonder at Rukia. Her face was becoming flushed with anger. He resisted the urge to pinch her face. 'So cute! Rukia, are you jealous? Does this mean what I think it means?'
Rukia snorted and intensified her glare. "Well of course," she drawled, "compared to a giant jerk like you, anyone would look like an angel. Even 'spoiled princesses'." As if to punctuate the comment, Rukia took a dainty and graceful sip of her tea. "You've been acting like a brat since we first met!"
It was Anna's turn to fume. "Don't you have some rich boy to battle or something?" she eyed Rukia skeptically. "Though I can hardly believe that anyone would want to marry you." Anna tossed one of her long blonde pigtails over her shoulder and stuck her nose in the air. "You practically have no boobs."
Everyone gasped.
Rukia laughed. "Are—haha!—you kidding me? Aaahaha!" she wiped the tears forming in her eyes. "I bind my chest so mine don't move around during missions." Many of the males shifted uncomfortably in their seats. "What's your excuse? Failure to hit puberty?"
"What!?!"
"You heard me, Blondie. Cut your hair and we wouldn't be able to tell you and your brother apart!" Rukia smiled innocently. "Better yet, if I placed one hand on the wall and the other on your chest and we turned out the lights, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference!"
"Oooh!" Everyone's jaw dropped.
"Woohoo! Good one, Rukia!" Matsumoto cheered. "Your boobs are way bigger than hers!"
Anna and Rukia stared through half-lidded eyes at the 10th division vice-captain.
"No offense, Rangiku—"Rukia began.
"But you should probably stay out of the conversation at this point." Anna finished.
Hitsugaya looked between the arguing girls. "You know, why you two don't try to calm down?"
"No way!" they cried simultaneously.
"She's a major cow!" Rukia seethed as she tried to shoot lasers out of her eyes at Anna.
"And she's a major cun—"
Jack slapped his hand over his sister's mouth before she could finish.
"You know, sis, you really should listen to Hitsugaya." He feebly chuckled.
"Rukia, outside please." Hitsugaya softly ordered.
Rukia got up, followed him outside of the room, and closed the door behind her. Everyone fought to press their ears up against the rectangular piece of wood. Sadly, not all would survive.
"Rukia, I know Anna's been a real jerk since she's been here." Hitsugaya started.
"No kidding." The young woman crossed her arms and leaned against the wall next to the office door.
"I agree you have every right to be angry…" her companion trailed off.
"…but I really must control myself. Yeah, yeah." She looked down at her feet to let her hair cover up her face. "I only lost it because it…was important." She muttered, not really intending for Hitsugaya to hear. Her face was uncomfortably hot.
The young man's eyebrows rose. "Who has the bigger bust size is important?" he snickered.
"NO!" she laughed and playfully slapped his arm. "I…she touched a nerve back there, okay?" 'I can't let him know I was jealous. That would be so embarrassing!' she thought.
Hitsugaya gazed at Rukia thoughtfully. "No one who really matters thinks you're spoiled, Rukia." He smiled fondly.
Rukia stared. 'People seriously call you a genius?' She finally smiled back and replied, "Thanks, Toushiro." She linked arms with him. "I think I'm ready to go join the others again."
Hitsugaya sighed. 'Now! I'll tell her I love her now!' he told himself. "Rukia, wait." He stopped.
Rukia turned around and looked at her friend expectantly. "Yes?"
"I-I…well…" 'Why is this hard?' he frowned.
Rukia's brow furrowed in concern. "Toushiro? What's up?"
"Um, well, for a while now, I've been meaning to—no, maybe not for a while, rather—" All Hitsugaya could do was stare at Rukia's lips and eyes and her cute little nose. Beads of sweat began trickling down the back of his neck.
"Yes…" Rukia cocked her head to the side, questioning.
"R-rather, maybe for a while now, I think—I think…" All the white-haired young man could concentrate on was how pretty her eyes are and how dry his throat was getting and how he wished to god that all the right words would come out. "You…are…truly an admirable soul reaper."
'I'm such a LOSER!' Hitsugaya mentally berated.
Rukia blinked. A faint blush spread across her face and she shyly replied, "Thank you." That means a lot coming from you." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she exhaled, Rukia said, "I really like you, Toushiro, so your opinion really matters." She directed her gaze towards her feet once more.
Hitsugaya gaped. His hear soared! 'She really likes me!' "I-I-uh, heh, thanks!" he stuttered. "I really like you too." 'It isn't "I love you," but it's a start.'
Rukia laughed and smiled warmly. "Now let's go." 'I don't think he really got what I meant…but I guess this is fine for now.' She thought.
Hitsugaya broadly smiled back. "Sure." He re-linked arms with Rukia led them back into the room.
When they got inside, they found everyone trying very hard to occupy themselves with either food or conversation. Anna and Jack were arm wrestling while Marks refereed. Renji was whistling while Matsumoto scolded him for using such a cliché in order to appear nonchalant and innocent. Ikkaku pretended to be in a drunken stupor with Yumichika feigning unconsciousness beside him. And Kingsley? Kingsley was still firm in his decision not to know anyone in the room anymore.
Rukia whispered sarcastically to Hitsugaya, "They haven't been trying to eavesdrop at all." The two rolled their eyes at each other.
"Hey, you two," Marks called out to them. "Fancy a practice match with me and Jack? Captain and vice-captain versus captain and vice-captain."
Rukia grinned and nudged Hitsugaya. "You think we can take them?"
He grinned back. 'Toushiro Hitsugaya, you CANNOT give up on this girl.' He finally responded. "Definitely!" 'I will definitely tell her how I feel! That was only the first try!'
"Great!" Jack came up and put his arms around both Hitsugaya and Rukia. "Maybe we can gather some important data on how to beat you in 10 minutes..." the western vice-captain waggled his eyebrows in allusion to Rukia's marriage requirements.
Hitsugaya's teal eyes sparkled with renewed determination. "Don't ever forget that you have me to contend with!"
'And I won't ever fail again.'
End CH 7: Love and the C-word
That was Hitsugaya thinking with that parting comment, just so you know. Don't give up, Hitsugaya! We're rooting for you too!