reaction
summary:Â [Post-TYBW] There's news over at the tenth.
[read on ao3]
notes: all references to individual squad members are credited to @rays-of-fire-and-ice, unless otherwise stated. (I hope itâs ok if I borrow your babies for this fic. ;-;)
part 1
The sun was shining brightly and the sky was a calm blue with hardly a cloud in the sky. The weather was mild with soft winds drifting lazily past. There were no unexpected explosions, invasions, mayhem, or general chaos. In other words, it was the perfect atmosphere for sleeping. Heck, even Zaraki was probably taking a day off with how peaceful it was. Â
So why, Shinji thought while yawning loudly as he lounged against a tree, were two squads crammed together in a courtyard on such a fine day such as this one? Perhaps that wasnât such a generous assessment. The tenth squadâs courtyard was certainly big enough to host all the members of the two squads. At least, Shinji thinks wryly, it was certainly bigger than the fifthâs own compound. And anyway if they held this little assembly over at theirs there was no doubt footprints would be tracked all over the flowers they had painstakingly and carefully raised over the years.
Shinji wasnât really the gardening type at first, but Momo could be really persuasive when she wanted to be, and she did have a point that it was a great bonding activity for the whole squad. In exchange, there was always someone whoâd accompany him fishing, with Momo being the most frequent victimâer, volunteer. And now he was as protective as anyone from the fifth over their little garden so heâd definitely be annoyed if anyone stepped on his snapdragons and lilies-of-the-valley.
It was a moot point as the tenth readily offered their facilities considering at least half of the responsibility in calling this meeting fell on them.
Not even trying to stifle his yawn he observed the members of the tenth from under the shade. Everyone was in perfect formation, backs stiff and posture straight, with not a hint of confusion or annoyance at being called out on a beautiful day better served for lazing about. Shinji sighed with feeling. The tenth took after their captain too well. Surely, you could see the years of impeccable discipline instilled in them by their commander from their demeanor alone. He sighed again. How boring.
Shifting his eyes to the side, he observed his own company. They werenât as stiff as the squad opposite them, with a few engaging in conversation and wondering why they were called out. Still, each one of his men and women was in perfect position and not breaking ranks. Shinji almost felt disappointed. Clearly, his influence was still not enough and he needed to do more to teach those under him the value of spontaneity. He wouldnât have them be all boring like the tenth so long as he was captain. A few did shoot him questioning glances which he waved away with a hand. They were probably wondering why he wasnât up there at the front since this was supposed to be a joint announcement from the fifth and the tenth squad leaders.
This joint assembly may have been organized by the two squads but he certainly had nothing to do with it. Sure, heâd given his permission for it, counter-signing the memo the tenth had sent over, but that was only because of who had asked. Â
The very same person whose influence was apparent on those who followed her, the same one who was probably the reason why everyone had woken up bright and early just to gather here with no prior information whatsoever. Shinji grumbled internally. Hardly anyone woke up on time whenever he invited them to go fishing. Thank goodness at least for sweet-natured lieutenants.
Speaking of lieutenants, he spies the tenthâs very own bounding over towards him. Raising a hand in a lazy wave of acknowledgment, he just waits until she draws near.
âHirako-taichou! Glad you could make it.â
âRangiku-chan,â he greets, âAs if I could miss it. Ya have anythinâ ta do with this âsurpriseâ announcement?â
âFufufu,â Eyes sparkling, Rangiku leans over, as always careful not to let her generous bounty spill, and confides to the fifth division captain, âItâs so cute when he relies on me, you know? I told him as long as he followed my advice, he was guaranteed one hundred percent success. And I was right!â She looked like she was about to do a little dance, and Shinji really couldnât blame her. No doubt she was overjoyed for her two close friends. âWith a favor like this, Iâm sure I can get away with no paperwork for a year, no, make that five years!â Or that, she was probably overjoyed because of that.
âKidding aside though,â Rangikuâs eyes softened as she adopted a slightly wistful look, âIâm truly and honestly happy for them.â Shinji stayed quiet. There was a history there he wasnât privy to and had only observed from the sidelines. âBut,â she turns suddenly to him, as if wanting to shake off the memories, âYou donât sound surprised at all. Taichou wouldnât have told anyone, and she told me to keep it a secret.â
âEh,â he shrugs. âWhen ya get ta my age, you just know things.â He grins at her in what he thinks is a rakish manner, but from the blondeâs skeptical look probably didnât have the desired effect.
To be honest, there was no way he wouldnât have picked up on it with how often his lieutenantâs head was up in the clouds these days. She would often look at the flowers outside in a daze while smiling dreamily. It wasnât to the point that sheâd forget to remind him to do his work, but once she started giggling and blushing as she cupped her cheeks in her palms, he was sorely tempted to ask if she needed to visit the fourth for a while. The moment he received that memo and then the subsequent hell butterfly inviting all the members of the fifth and tenth squads to the tenth squad courtyard one early morning, he finally got it.
Some of his own company members were looking over at the both of them probably wondering about the subject of their conversation. In contrast, the tenth squad members were resolutely facing the front as they waited for their captain. He was about to ask Matsumoto if all her squad members took after their captain in that they all had sticks up theirâwhen the fusuma of the tenth captainâs private quarters finally opened and out stepped their leader.
No one was surprised to see him accompanied by the fifth squadâs lieutenant as they both went down to meet their squads. Nowadays it wasnât uncommon to find the two together. Rather, the collective sentiment around Soul Society was that it was about damn time.
On one of his drinking sessions with Lisa and the tenth squad lieutenant, the latter had sworn him to secrecy upon pain of death, no something much worse, upon threat of shaving him bald, that he would never ever tell anyone what she was about to tell him.
The fact that she was threatening a captain meant she was absolutely plastered by that point and alcohol had always made for loose lips. But what the heck, he never said he was above gossip. As he waited for her big revelation while Lisa calmly sipped at her sake cup and pretended not to listen, Rangiku whisper-shouted that she thought the only reason her captain hadnât yet confessed to his vice-captain was that he was waiting until he could be taller than her once again.
As he processed the stray thought that the much shorter captain was actually once taller than Momo, the rest of the statement eventually caught up with him and he was reduced to holding his stomach and banging his hand on the table as he laughed without abandon. Lisa remained cool-faced but Shinji could spot the twitch of her cheek from a mile away. Rangiku-chan was right to threaten him since should this observation ever get out, the tenth squad captain would never live it down and probably wring his lieutenantâs neck in the process.
Hitsugaya Toshiro was normally known for his patience. Shinji guesses youâd have to be with a lieutenant like Matsumoto. âNormallyâ that is if you didnât count people-who-must-not-be-named and threats to his precious childhood friend. Sure enough, he waited, at the very least until he was half an inch taller than Momo. Everyone sighed a collective sigh of relief when a picture of Momo kissing the normally stoic captain on the cheek surfaced on the front page of the Sereitei Bulletin. Strangely, the normally cool and composed captain was blushing red to his ears in the photo.
It could be surmised from the casual clothes they were wearing that they were about to visit their hometown. The two of them had been in an area with no people although you could see part of Jidanboâs leg in the corner. The most devout of fans of the (strangely, in his candid opinion) popular captain could easily pass it off as two childhood friends being exceedingly affectionate with one another. It was probably no coincidence that those same fans were also the ones who were likely to be the most in denial. Yes, they usually could pass it off if not for the fact that also caught in the picture were the two holding hands with fingers tightly intertwined. Also strange was the fact that Hisagi Shuuhei could not be found for an entire month after that.
Shinji snickered to himself. As soon as heâd accomplished his goal, the captain likely could not help himself. It looks like the same pattern was repeating once again as not even three years later there was now this announcement. He doesnât blame either of them. They had both been waiting for far too long after all. Yes, Hitsugaya Toshiro was normally known to be patient â except for one person.
Shinji observed the two carefully. The captain had grown a few more inches taller than his long-time companion since then, a fact which no doubt pleased him (those naps did eventually come in handy). He kept his hands hidden away from view inside the sleeves of his shihakusho - to look more formal in the company of his men perhaps? Or more likely to prevent himself from instinctually grabbing hold of the brunetteâs hands. Shinji snorts, wanting to tell him that whatever façade he wanted to present to his men was a lost cause. There was no hiding that tender look in his eyes that encompassed only one person or that infinitely soft smile on his face. He knew Hyourinmaru was a powerful weather-type zanpakuto, but was it also a coincidence that the weather today perfectly reflected the state of contentment his master felt?
Momo for her part was probably eager to reciprocate. That blush seemed content to permanently make its home on her cheeks. Shinji notes how her hands fidget as they clasp together in front of her, and her eyes as she gazes up at her young captain, shine like stars.
In a while, both companies settle down and wait with bated breath. Shinji leans back against his perch once more while Rangiku grins with a hand to her waist as they wait for the announcement.
Momo lifts her hands as if in prayer and speaks softly, but her voice is clear as it rings across the entire courtyard. Hitsugaya-taichou stands behind her as he waits for her to finish.
A second stretches by too long that it seems like an eternity, so much so that Shinji wonders if he activated Sakanade by accident. But then, finally, a reaction.
Shinji can honestly say heâs not surprised so he doesnât act shocked after Momo finishes sharing her wonderful news.
He is, however, surprised at how everyone else is acting.
Not even a second later and half of the courtyard is unrecognizable from the well-ordered and disciplined unit which was standing there just now. There are hoots and hollers and excited jumping. The peaceful air is broken by shrieks and an assorted number of materials â coins, accessories, and even an entire shihakusho â being thrown up in the air. He sees some members even kneeling on the ground with arms outstretched to the heavens. They hardly resemble a respected squad of the Gotei 13, more like drunken party-goers. In short, there was utter chaos.
Ah, Shinji thinks, he almost forgot that this was Matsumotoâs squad too. The woman in question would not be beaten in her enthusiasm as she cried into her scarf that she was so touched her little taichou had finally grown up.
The tenth squad captain is incredulous, and dare Shinji say, even embarrassed, as he looks at the unbecoming (for him) behavior his squad is displaying, and in the presence of another squad too.
Shinji looks to his own squad and doesnât realize heâs mirroring Hitsugayaâs flabbergasted expression. In contrast to the tenth squad, the fifth squad was the complete opposite. Most of the unseated officers were crying, while the seated officers had doomsday expressions on their faces. He noticed Tomoko-chan comforting a new recruit, Higuchi narrowing his eyes at the tenth division captain in a way that would nearly get him reprimanded if he was a different sort of captain, and even the usually optimistic Isawa looking worried. In other words, it was as if the end of the world had come for his squad.
What in the world?
