To liven up the office, she said, to banish all that loathsome silence, she said, to add a little color to the job, she said.
Hitsugaya just thought she wanted another excuse to ignore her work.
He tended to ignore the cacophony Matsumoto called "music" when she turned on the stereo she'd brought back from the living world. He sometimes even put in earplugs when she decided to sing along.
It was a matter of principle. Hitsugaya didn't think music was proper in the workplace, so he didn't indulge in it, even when Matsumoto suggested he find something he liked if all her choices were so bad.
So he didn't mention anything when he found himself actually listening to the song that was currently playing. He didn't dare, because after all his complaining...he hated to admit that maybe, just maybe, Matsumoto had had a good idea.
She was actually doing her paperwork this time (there was a first time for everything, as the saying went), so she wasn't paying attention to him. So, he decided to let his mind wander. After how often she had done it, he deserved a chance, too...right?
It was his first day after being promoted to captain of the Tenth Division. He didn't deny that he was nervous; of course he was nervous. Sure, he'd risen to the top of his classes as an honest-to-God prodigy, the best student to come along in centuries, but still...that didn't mean he was actually prepared for the job, even if they said he was ready for it.
He would be meeting his vice-captain today, someone named Matsumoto Rangiku. She had been the vice-captain under Hitsugaya's predecessor, and so she had much more experience than he.
But still...he was her captain now, and that meant he had to provide a good example. That's what everyone told him: Captains provide an example for their subordinates. And he took that seriously.
So he sat nervously at his empty desk, hands clasped in his lap, waiting for Matsumoto to arrive, wondering if she would mock him for his height like so many of his classmates had.
He hoped not.
"...A new captain, ain't that right?"
"Yeah. Haven't heard anything about him yet...just his name. Hitsugaya Toushirou. Probably just another old fogey who'll wanna pretend I'm his girlfriend or something. I swear, why are all the higher-ups perverted old men?"
"Dunno, Matsu. Well, good luck."
"Yeah..."
Hitsugaya stood up, adjusting his new captain's cloak, as Matsumoto Rangiku opened the door. First impressions were always important.
When she closed the door behind her, Matsumoto turned to face her new captain.
They stared at each other.
...My...God... Hitsugaya thought.
Matsumoto Rangiku was most definitely not what he had expected. She was tall, with luxurious blonde hair and striking gray eyes, and the biggest chest Hitsugaya had ever seen. She was young, older than he but still young, and had he been older he might have been shocked and delighted by how beautiful she was...as he was, he could only be intimidated by her gigantic breasts.
He swallowed, hands flat at his sides. "Uh...Matsumoto Rangiku?"
She nodded dumbly. "Y-Yes...uh...Hitsugaya Toushirou?"
Hitsugaya nodded. "Yes."
She stood there for a moment, completely unreadable.
And then...
"Awww, what a cutie-pie!"
Before he even had a chance to comprehend what she'd said, he was suddenly caught up in a tight, smothering hug that threatened to steal the air from his lungs. He struggled to get out of her grip, hitting her back with his fists.
"M...M-Matsumoto...let...me...go!"
When she finally did, her face was glowing with joy. "It's wonderful to meet you, Hitsugaya-chan! Aren't you just the sweetest thing!"
"...Matsumoto...please don't call me 'Hitsugaya-chan.'"
She laughed at his scowl. "Oh, oh, of course. Captain's a captain's a captain, huh? Always hung up on formalities. My apologies, Hitsugaya-taichou, it won't happen again. Say...how old are you, anyway? You've got the hair of an old fogey, but you certainly aren't one."
He ignored the comment on his hair. "...I'm not sure."
"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "Well, you can't be any older than twelve, honestly...look at you! So cute! I think I have the cutest little taichou ever in the entire Gotei 13!"
Hitsugaya twitched, scowl deepening.
"...Matsumoto...don't call me cute."
Captains set an example for their subordinates... he thought. In that case...I'm going to have to teach this woman proper respect for her superiors...
He had a feeling he was going to have a hell of a time setting an example for her.
He'd been right that day...he certainly had had a time trying to teach Matsumoto respect. She still acted like a child more often than not, years after that first meeting. Putting off work, making paper airplanes, whistling as she painted her nails when she should have been listening to him, asking him, "What do you think of this color, Taichou?" like he actually cared...honestly, she was the older one. Why was he the babysitter?
But...he had to admit, part of him was glad for her antics. Although it annoyed him, it certainly made things interesting. He was hardly ever bored anymore, something he'd been plagued with constantly as a child. Her immaturity often took his mind off the myriad of things he had to do, and on the rare occasions that she actually did help out instead of napping on the couch, he felt like maybe he'd finally done something right.
She reminded him all too constantly why he had to do his absolute best.
Matsumoto needed a role model.
So lost in thought was he that he didn't notice Matsumoto glance over at him and smile that certain little smile that so many men fawned over, that certain little smile that melted most men's hearts.
She looked back at the form she was filling out.
Please fill out any final comments regarding the performance of the captain of your division.
Smiling again, she wrote a short sentence that encompassed everything.
He's more wonderful than I ever could have hoped for.
1. These lyrics are from "Best I Am," by Flaw.
For anyone wondering where the title for this fic came from...here you go. A mixture of humor and fluff with some lyrics thrown in because I felt like it. Hope you enjoyed it, everyone. Ja ne.