Disclaimer: I Do not own Bleach.
A/N: Please read and review. I need your reviews. I love this chapter. Please give me reviews, I am desperate for some motivation! Just imagine her finally walk down that aisle... Please read and review, so they can finally say 'I do!' Whoa...it rhymes. *nerd*
Spoiler alert...!
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Chapter 21
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The Rules.
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Who would have thought that Saturdays could be this relaxing?
They were on a blanket underneath their tree, Toushiro was languorously looking over the vast expanse of the river.
One would think it was springtime with the grass surrounding them and the snowless branches above bearing lush green leaves. Even the birds chirped happily as they somehow found an oasis in the middle of winter.
He was lying down with one arm propped under his head as he now lazily looked over to his side to watch Momo sitting down, absorbed in cleaning Hyourinmarou's blade.
Glad to be openly ogling his soon-to-be-wife at his own leisure, his smile was rather smug.
Her hair was tied up in a long 'pony tail' which he much preferred than that bun, although unaccustomed to see her wearing a cloak.
"You're cold Hinamori?"
"Mm... It's weird lately. Sometimes I'm cold and sometimes I'm not." She said without looking at him as her eyes perused the blade of his famed sword.
He re-examined her exquisite face. Her cheeks had that healthy rosy tinge on them, and the dark circles under her eyes were nonexistent. Her lips in a slight pout, so pink and full; making Toushiro think of other things...
He cleared his throat.
"I'll have Unohana come over." Still, he can never be too cautious. He finally glanced away.
"No please don't, Shiro-chan. I'm fine...mou, there's a chip missing here and another one here..." She pointed at the blemishes on his katana.
He shrugged. "It disappears when I go in my bankai form."
She sighed then frowned, still looking at the blade. Apparently not satisfied to leave Hyourinmarou with the flaws, however minor.
He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Give him to me."
Toushiro stood up as Hinamori handed him back his sword. He flash-stepped up to the tallest branch of the tree and summoned his bankai without having to say it, then slowly descended down and landed about ten feet in front of her.
"See? It's completely restored." Turning Hyourinmarou's hilt so she can see.
"Can I come closer, Shiro-chan?" He nodded.
It never fails to amaze her everytime she sees him in this god-like form. It looked different; somehow matured. The form resembled... Toushiro more rather than the renowned ice dragon that he wielded.
The dragon's head and limbs were now missing from view while the tail is still there; his wings looked smoother. And Although he's masking it, the reiatsu that emanated was undeniably powerful and even believed to be fatal.
Hinamori smiled when she realized that it's the first time for her to be this close...
She bit her bottom lip as her hand hesitantly reached to touch a majestic wing... it moved towards her fingers. She was suprised that it didn't feel like ice; wet, slippery and cold. But instead it felt something akin to metal. Really hard, cold metal.
Her hands now slowly trailing the span of the appendage. "You're absolutely beautiful, my Shiro-chan... It would be ages until I can control my bankai as magnificently as you." She stopped at the wing's base then continued to bury her hand in his soft hair, gazing into the young captain's turquoise eyes.
"I'll be there to help you, Momo. At the rate your going, you'll be able to control it in the next two months...but just after the wedding. For it would require your complete focus." She beamed, excited to find out the secrets of upholding a bankai.
Toushiro bent down to graze his lips on hers. The gentle kiss lasting for another five minutes; he was reluctant to deepen it in case he'll lose a grip on his control. But despite the fact, Hinamori was delighted that she can still feel the overflow of his spiritual pressure. It felt like little cool sparks against her lips.
Then suddenly gasped when she realized that they're now floating up in the air, about 200 ft from the ground...
"Kyahh! Put me down, Shiro-chan...holy crap! How high can you fly? Isn't there a barrier up here somewhere?" She looked down to see Soul Society getting smaller and smaller.
"We went through it." He chuckled at her awestruck expression. "Okay I'll stop, Momo. Geez."
"This is insane...for a second there I forgot that we're getting married in a week!"
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Two hours later after eating lunch under the same tree...
Toushiro's eyes were closed. His head comfortably resting on her lap while Momo played with his hair.
"Toushiro..."
Loving the sound of his name everytime she says it.
"Hm?"
"You're such a show off, you know that?"
He laughed, exposing his perfect teeth and all.
"I'll show you who's the show off!" He's on top of her now, tickling her ribs. Her laughter echoed throughout the wide, secluded field as she tried to roll him off of her.
"Stop! Shiro-chan! Get off... Ahahaha! Okay...I'll take it back. Get. Off. Me-"
Their playfight stopped as four shadows loomed over them.
They both looked up, Hinamori's fingers was still inside his mouth pulling it askew when she was struggling to push him off.
"My, my, look what we have here..." Abarai Renji said it like he came across some lost treasure.
"Tsk! Tsk! Such lewd behavior from an unmarried couple... taicho, you should be ashamed of yourself, ravishing our Hina-chan like that! Unacceptable!" Matsumoto exaggeratedly pointed out.
"Oi, I was just...tickling her." The young captain quickly stood up, though a little red as he helped Hinamori - -who was blushing profusely.
"Ehehe..yeah...we were just playing! Really, we were, Rangiku-san!" Momo explained.
"Aha! Playing eh? Then why do you both look so guilty?" Ikkaku poked the captain's chest with his sheathed sword.
Toushiro abruptly grabbed Ikkaku's weapon, sobering up from the embarrassment. His scowl was getting dark, as he enunciated each word.
"Like she said. Playing. Mind if I ask: 'the fuck are you all doing here?"
It was the queue that they were all waiting for. Matsumoto snapped her fingers, "Boys!"
Yumichika quickly grabbed Hinamori and disappeared while Madarame, Renji and Rangiku blocked the captain's path. Arms crossed.
"You trying to piss me off?"
"Sorry taicho. You won't see her until the wedding. It's one of the rules." Matsumoto shrugged. His hand instinctively reached over his shoulder...
"The hell I won't."
"Now taicho, be a sport. It's only a week." Renji tried to soften the blow.
"What did you bribe these guys with to work for you, Matsumoto, a lifelong supply of sake perhaps?" Hitsugaya sarcastically asked, glowering.
Renji and Ikkaku comically grinned and scratched the back of their heads at the same time.
Matsumoto shrugged unabashed. "So what if I did? Anything to keep Hina-chan away from your perverted hands!"
She left out the part about using his funds to pay for the sake too.
A vein can now be seen on the taicho's forehead.
Renji and Ikkaku was already on fight stance, inwardly begging Rangiku to stop baiting the already furious captain. His distinct freezing reiatsu indicated as much.
As if she had her fill of seeing her taicho all riled up, Matsumoto adhered to their original ingenious plan to keep Hitsugaya away from the hostaged bride.
"You don't want to upset Hina-chan on her wedding day if her friends couldn't make it because you injured them, do you? Or worse...what if you couldn't make it?" She fakely gasped.
"Like that'll fucking happen." He snorted with a smirk. His offense abated as he realized the truth in his fukutaicho's words; removing his hand from Hyourinmarou's hilt. Renji and Madarame relaxed as well.
Toushiro turned and slowly walked away, already thinking of ways to find Momo and snatch her back once it's night time.
"Now don't try anything funny taicho, or I wouldn't hesitate to hurt you either." Rangiku threatened at his back. He ignored her; still undeterred.
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Three days had passed...
"Uhmm...okay, I'm ready." Hinamori said in a small voice, as she peeked her head out from Yumichika's room. She was looking at them both, waiting for their permission.
"Well come out Hinamori-san, let's see that wedding dress!" Yumichika prodded. Matsumoto was beyond words from the anticipation, her hands rubbing together.
Hinamori slowly came out with her hair down and stepped up onto the little 'stage' that they had set up in front of the full length mirror. She was speechless...
The silly tears streamed down her face, and she laughingly wiped them off.
"I love it...I never felt so beautiful in anything in my life." Giggling as she saw Yumichika and Rangiku's teary reflection in the mirror.
"You really mean that Hina-chan? We were a little reluctant because it was too modern for a shinigami wedding. But now that you have it on..."
"It's perfect." Yumichika and Hinamori said in unison.
"Good. I'm glad you love it, Hina-chan." She sniffled, "But now remember, we wanted your hair up-" Matsumoto gasped, astounded.
"What?" Hinamori asked.
"Is that what I think it is...?" Yumichika came closer to inspect.
"Hinamori Momo! That's taicho's bite mark!" The reiatsu emanating from it was so distinct.
Yumichika was on the floor laughing. "No way! No way! Innocent Hinamori-san and Hitsugaya-taicho..."
Momo had to cover her horror-stricken face with both hands. I didn't even know it was there! Baka Toushiro! Ugh...
"Okay calm down, calm down..." Rangiku was pacing and talking to herself. "I never thought we would use makeup on you Hina-chan, but we'll make an exception. Because that mark is awfully dark! Stop laughing you idiot!"
"Ittai...ittai...I'm sorry Hinamori-san but hoo! We should have separated you guys a long time ago, not just the week before..." he looked like he was about to stand but then started to hysterically laugh at his own joke.
Momo was greatly relieved to hear Rangiku was only worried about the superficial effects of the discovery, instead of judging her unacceptable pre-marital behavior. She had to smile. If they only knew...
Matsumoto sighed. "Teenagers, I swear! Now Yumichi-san, you have to promise not to tell anybody or I'll tell people about your long hidden bankai. You hear me?"
That got his attention. He straightened up and wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Oi, Rangiku how do you know about that? My, my... I wasn't going to tell anybody baka! Geez...these two have been practically married since they joined the Gotei 13, it's about damn time! A beautiful couple if you ask me." He winked at Momo.
"Nevermind how I know about it but I need you to find me some rub-proof makeup to match her skin tone, as soon as possible...Tsk! Honestly, Hina-chan...so careless on your part! Don't you remember me telling you it was going to be a strapless dress?"
"I'm sorry Rangiku-san," making sure that they were now alone, "but it just...happened." Blushing over her blush.
She shrugged. Fixing her friend's hair as she talked.
"Eh...no worries. Like he said, 'it's about damned time!' And my taicho is a catch, ne? So many girls that wish to be in your shoes. But...he only had eyes for you and only you." She sighed as she tucked wisps of Momo's hair. "You were so clueless on the depth of his feelings Hina-chan that it was so painful to watch. It reminded me so much of... Tsk. Listen to me, I'm getting all emotional already!"
Momo cradled her friends face, "You miss him, Rangiku-san?"
She nodded, looking up the ceiling as if she can stop the tears from falling. "Yes, he and I grew up together... He was my best friend. Like taicho and you."
"I'm sorry...ano...but deep down inside...don't you feel like he had his reasons? I think Shiro-chan has made me realize this...he's making me see things clearer everyday. So maybe...maybe this is Gin's only way where you wouldn't be involved and also not get you physically hurt in the process...what do you think of that?" Hinamori said as she searched her friends face. "Please don't tell your taicho this Rangiku-san, but after Aizen's betrayal, I stopped hating Gin-"
"Shh...stop Hina-chan. Please stop. You think I haven't thought about all these other reasons too? But it just doesn't change the fact that he left. He is nothing like your Shiro-chan, because taicho has never abandoned you."
She kissed Hinamori on the cheek and smiled, then proceeded to straighten the train of the dress. "Check out how long this is! It's fit for a queen!"
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A/N: Review...so they can say 'I do.' Hehehe. Review, please please please.