Laryngitis 4

Pick-up

Matsumoto let out a content sigh as she surveyed her handy work. She had set up the humidifier on the dresser accross from the bed. The medicine was on the night stand next to the table, and she had taken the alarm clock off of it. The little clock would cause so much trouble if she left it there. It would wake up her captain and he would insist on going to the office to do paperwork when he should be resting. Plus her captain would only stare at the clock and get frustrated at how little time had passed. It was well known around the division that their captain couldn't sit still for long periods of time without doing anything productive. She had also taken his key to the office so he couldn't get in. Now he would be forced to relax.

'What if the kid sneaks off to train, hm? Whatcha' going to do about that?' Haineko asked.

"Why do you have to be so pessimistic?" Rangiku huffed, crossing her arms under her chest and closing her eyes.

'I'm just stating a possibility. I'm not being pessimestic at all.'

"You sound pretty pessimistic to me."

'Whatcha' gonna do about it though? You know that if he can't do paperwork, he's going to want to train.' Haineko said. Rangiku sighed and brought a hand up to touch her forehead.

"I know that, Haineko. I can't just take Hyorinmaru away from him though. That's like taking a part of him away from himself. Taicho won't trust me anymore if I do that. If I take Hyorinmaru away, he may start panicing because he isn't there. Remember when he was third seat and some of the jealous seated officers thought it would be funny to "play a prank" on him by hiding his zanpakto?" Rangiku replied.

'How could anyone forget that? The little guy pretty much spazzed! Ran around the whole division looking for him, spreading frost everywhere he went! When the kid found those fools who took his zanpakto, oh man. They were sure happy when they saw the captain, although not for long.'

"He wasn't the same for two weeks after that! Always suspicious of everyone. He stayed up to make sure no one took Hyorinmaru. That was a terrible experience for his physical, social, and mental health." Rangiku muttered, exiting the room and shutting the door behind her.

'So...since you can't take the kid's zanpakto, you gonna lock him in his room?' Haineko asked as Rangiku began walking down the corridor.

'I could, but I'd rather not. It's not like it will actually do anything to stop him if he's really determined. If he refuses to rest and stay in his room, I'm prepared to captain-proof the division.' Rangiku replied in her head, moving into a shunpo to retrieve her captain.

After entering the fourth division, Rangiku headed to Unohana's personal quarters. She quietly opened the door and found her small captain asleep on the futon, the machine that made sure he recieved oxygen the only noise in the room. The lieutenant made her way over to him and laid down on her side next to the futon. She lay with her head cushioned in an arm, staring at her captain.

'He's still really small.' Haineko commented.

'I know. You can tell just how lanky he is when he's in his pajamas too.' Rangiku replied. She brushed his bangs out of his face and he started to stir. She moved into a kneeling position and waited for him to gather his bearings. His eyes fluttered before slowly opening his eyes.

"Ma-" was all Toshiro got out before Matsumoto motioned to be quiet. Toshiro closed his mouth and eyes for a moment, still rather tired.

"I came to take you home, taicho." she stated. Toshiro opened his eyes once more and slowly reached a hand up to the mask. He nodded tiredly and took his time to sit up in the bed.

"I see that you made it, Matsumtoto-san." Unohana said as she entered her room.

"Yes. I already set everything up the way you told me to." Rangiku said while she bowed to the captain. Toshiro couldn't quite make out what they were saying, his head a bit foggy.

"Mats-" Toshiro attempted to get her attention, but was met with her shushing him.

"Taicho, you have to stop trying to speak. It won't help your voice." Rangiku told him. Said captain stared at her blankly for a moment before sighing, his head falling forward. Unohana turned off the oxygen and gently lifted the mask off of the younger captain's face, gaining his attention.

"Now, Hitsugaya-taicho, you need to take extra caution to not use your voice. Matsumoto-san is going to do her best to nurse you back to health. We've gone over what she needs to do for you again, and she is fully prepared to help you. What happened last night was very serious, and if she had not brought you to me when she did, you may not be awake at the moment." Unohana relayed to Toshiro. Sometime during her talk, he shifted to looking at his hands in his lap.

'Was it really that serious, Hyorinmaru? I don't remember a whole lot of what happened. All I remember is not being able to breathe.' Toshiro thought to himself.

'Yes, it was.' was Hyorinmaru's only response.

"Are you ready to go home, taicho?" Rangiku asked, eyes closed with a smile plastered on her face. Toshiro stared at her with wide eyes, mouth open a little. He didn't exactly know why, but 'home' sounded nice right now. He nodded and slowly rose to his feet, stepping off the futon, the two women following. The small captain looked down at his clothing and frowned.

'I can't go out like this. If someone saw me like this, especially another captain, my reputation will fall. I'll lose respect.' He thought to himself. Toshiro turned his head to his lieutenant, brow furrowed and ready to tell her to bring him his uniform when she placed a finger to his lips and shushed him. He went cross-eyed briefly before backing away from her hand.

"M-" he got out before she placed her finger on his lips again. He backed away.

"Taicho. Don't speak a word. I know what you're going to say, and I won't bring you your uniform. You're going straight to bed, so you'll need to change back into your pajamas anyway. It's pointless." Rangiku told him. Toshiro continued to frown at her, mouth moving to yell at her.

"Hitsugaya-taicho," Unohana began calmly behind the young captain, Toshiro tensing at her voice being directed at him. "I recommend keeping your mouth closed. It seems as though Matsumoto-san will continue to quite you in that way until you remain silent. So, the sooner you wish to leave, the sooner you should be quiet." Toshiro crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the ground, but he remained silent.

"If you would like, I can give you some patient wear and you can wear that back to your division. The others will think you just coming back from the fourth that way because Matsumoto-san forgot to bring you your clothing." the older captain offered.

"I would never forget taicho's clothes though!" Rangiku supplied indignantly. Toshiro gave her a pointed look, as if asking 'really?' He also raised eight fingers at her.

"I do believe that you have forgotten his clothing eight times at least." Unohana supplied for him. Rangiku's eyes shifted to the side and bounced on her heels a bit.

"It wasn't that many..." she trailed off in response. Toshiro rolled his eyes and turned around to face Unohana. He nodded his head and Unohana nodded back, exiting the room to grab the clothing. It was silent for a minute before it was broken by the tenth division lieutenant.

"So...you feeling okay now, taicho?" she asked quietly. The young captain turned to face his lieutenant and sent her a glare and a scowl.

"What? I was just asking if you could breathe easier." she told him, crossing her arms under her chest. His glare didn't lesson in the least. He pointed at her, shook his head, then placed a finger to his lips.

"I have no idea what you're trying to say taicho. Ohh, look! Unohana-taicho is back!" she exclaimed, directing his attention elsewhere.

'I''m not done with her yet.' he thought as he changed clothing in Unohana's personal bathroom. He tossed his clothing at Rangiku, who deftly caught it. They both bowed to Unohana-taicho, Rangiku thanking her for her help. As the two left the fourth division, each had different things on their minds.

'I hope he stays in bed.'

'I hope she doesn't hover around me.'