The truth behind the smile
The truth behind the smile
Disclaimer: I own nothing!!
Part: 16 of 25
50 years after the execution
"Mom sure liked puzzles," commented Shunsui as he played with one the mechanical puzzles left to him by his mother, "She had so many!"
Nanao didn't comment, she didn't want to lie but she wasn't going to tell them the truth either. "This ones too hard for me!" complained Rangiku.
Kyoraku laughed, "Come here, I'll help you with it."
"Thanks daddy!" cried Rangiku, she climbed onto his lap and they started solving the puzzle together.
"Did you give her the puzzles, daddy?" asked Shunsui, "You are so good with them!"
Kyoraku took a peek at Nanao from the corner of his eyes, she seemed bent upon avoiding Shunsui's question but Kyoraku did not think that was the wisest course of action, "No, they were left to her by Ichimaru Gin," he explained much to the children's surprise, "From what I understand Ichimaru used to get a puzzle every year as a birthday present from Aizen Souske. He left them to her for you during the last weeks of his life. It was important to him and so your mother took them. If only because she didn't want to hurt her old friend."
4 weeks before the execution
He wasn't doing well. He had all but stopped sleeping. When she wasn't there all he did was pace the length of his cell. He wasn't eating much either. Kira had started bringing all his meals and would sit with him as he ate what little he would. Gin didn't see the point of nourishing his body. Why bother, it was going to be destroyed. He would have stopped eating all together if he didn't feel the need to hang on for Rangiku. She worried about him, she worried about him a lot, "Please Gin," she said as they lay intertwined on his bed, his hand resting on her bulging belly, "Please hold on."
"Fer what, Rangiku?" wondered Gin, "I ain't particularly interested in see'n the true form of the Sokyokus, though I hear it's very pretty."
"Don't you want to see our children?" wondered Rangiku.
"Ya think Cap'n Commander-san will let me live long enough ta see the babies?" he wondered.
"The Captain-commander is not cruel," whispered Rangiku, "Captain Unohana said the babies will be here very soon."
"That's good," said Gin, "I wouldn't want ya ta be lonely even one day after I go," Rangiku said nothing just tightened her grip on his torso. After a moment Gin continued, "Ain't it ironic Rangiku, how unselfish impending death makes ya. Cause I have noth'n ta look forward ta I keep think'n about ya and Izuru. I don' think I ever spent half as much time think'n about other's as I have been now. This death sentence sure made a better man outta me," he said with a mocking smile against Rangiku's breast that Rangiku felt with her entire body.
"What did you do to Kira?" Rangiku wondered.
"Why?" wondered Gin, "What has he been do'n?"
"He looks more miserable then he did when you first left. He looks like he's about to break," she told him, "What did you do?"
"Noth'n," said Gin with a sigh, "He did it ta himself. He went digg'n in ta my past and fer reasons I don' understand he likes me even more then he did before. Never knew my cute little Izuru was such a masochist," he said, smiling again, "He could've just gone on hat'n me as the traitor I am but he didn'. He tried ta... I don' even understand what he tried ta do. Now he comes ta me everyday but can' even bring himself ta look at me and every time he does, he looks like he wants ta cry. Why do that ta yourself, I ask ya."
"He never hated you Gin," said Rangiku, "Not even when you first left. He was upset, he felt guilty for the part he played in aiding you. He also felt guilty and inadequate that he was not able to detect your treachery. But he never hated you."
"He should've," said Gin, "So should ya. I would hurt ya less if ya hated me."
"Perhaps we are both masochists for loving a sadist like you," replied Rangiku, "But you know Gin, I would rather have the love and the pain then no love and no pain."
3 weeks before the execution
"How is Captain Six's house work'n out?" Gin asked.
"It's great! It's so close to squad ten barracks, I might as well be living in the barracks. But it's so big each of the kids are going to have a room of their own. Then there is the garden! It has such a beautiful garden. I am going to ask Captain Kuchiki's permission to plant persimmon trees in the garden. I am going to make sure our kids grow up liking hoshigaki. I..." she stopped and started tearing-up, she had been doing that a lot of late, "I wish you were there, Gin. I wake-up in the middle of the night feeling the babies kick and I find myself feeling for you next to me. I want to share those little moments with you but your not there," she sobbed, "You'll never be there."
"I am sorry Rangiku," whispered Gin, "I really am."
2 weeks before the execution
"Rangiku my puzzles," he said holding up one of the mechanical puzzles Aizen gave him, "Would ya take 'em for the kids?" he asked, a little hesitantly, "They were from Cap'n Aizen. Only things he ever gave me. I would like ta leave 'em for the kids."
Rangiku hesitated for a moment but then, "Well it's not like Aizen left a spell on them or anything. I doubt they can corrupt my kids through osmosis."
Gin smiled a real smile, "Thanks," he said, just as the doors open and Captain-commander Yamamoto walked in followed by Captain Komamura, Captain Kyoraku and Kira Izuru, "I take it, it's time ya moved me ta the Shrine of Penitence."
"Yes, there is now exactly fourteen days left till your date of execution. Say your goodbyes Ichimaru, Matsumoto, for the two of you will not meet again till Ichimaru is brought to the Sokyoku Hill," boomed the voice the Captain-commander.
Rangiku felt every word with every fiber of her being. She swayed on her feet as her legs gave out from under her, but before she could fall he caught her, "Don' do that, Rangiku," he whispered into her ears, "Ya have ta be strong, dy'n is so much more scary when ya worry about the people ya love. So don' make me worry Rangiku and don' worry. Ya'll be ok. It'll all be ok."
"Liar," whispered Rangiku, as the tears ran down her cheeks unchecked. Gin kissed them and placed a soft chaste kiss on her lips. Both knowing it was most likely their last and suddenly both wondered why they hadn't kissed more often.
"Izuru," Gin called after they parted, "Do me one last favor and take Rangiku back home."
"Of course Captain," whispered Kira as he hurriedly moved to Rangiku's side and pulled her unresisting form against him.
"Ya should really stop call'n me that," said Gin putting his smiling mask back on, "Ya wouldn' want people ta get the wrong idea."
Kira opened is mouth to say something but before he could, Captain-commander Yamamoto interjected, "It is time, we are leaving."
Disclaimer: I own nothing!!
Part: 16 of 25
50 years after the execution
"Mom sure liked puzzles," commented Shunsui as he played with one the mechanical puzzles left to him by his mother, "She had so many!"
Nanao didn't comment, she didn't want to lie but she wasn't going to tell them the truth either. "This ones too hard for me!" complained Rangiku.
Kyoraku laughed, "Come here, I'll help you with it."
"Thanks daddy!" cried Rangiku, she climbed onto his lap and they started solving the puzzle together.
"Did you give her the puzzles, daddy?" asked Shunsui, "You are so good with them!"
Kyoraku took a peek at Nanao from the corner of his eyes, she seemed bent upon avoiding Shunsui's question but Kyoraku did not think that was the wisest course of action, "No, they were left to her by Ichimaru Gin," he explained much to the children's surprise, "From what I understand Ichimaru used to get a puzzle every year as a birthday present from Aizen Souske. He left them to her for you during the last weeks of his life. It was important to him and so your mother took them. If only because she didn't want to hurt her old friend."
4 weeks before the execution
He wasn't doing well. He had all but stopped sleeping. When she wasn't there all he did was pace the length of his cell. He wasn't eating much either. Kira had started bringing all his meals and would sit with him as he ate what little he would. Gin didn't see the point of nourishing his body. Why bother, it was going to be destroyed. He would have stopped eating all together if he didn't feel the need to hang on for Rangiku. She worried about him, she worried about him a lot, "Please Gin," she said as they lay intertwined on his bed, his hand resting on her bulging belly, "Please hold on."
"Fer what, Rangiku?" wondered Gin, "I ain't particularly interested in see'n the true form of the Sokyokus, though I hear it's very pretty."
"Don't you want to see our children?" wondered Rangiku.
"Ya think Cap'n Commander-san will let me live long enough ta see the babies?" he wondered.
"The Captain-commander is not cruel," whispered Rangiku, "Captain Unohana said the babies will be here very soon."
"That's good," said Gin, "I wouldn't want ya ta be lonely even one day after I go," Rangiku said nothing just tightened her grip on his torso. After a moment Gin continued, "Ain't it ironic Rangiku, how unselfish impending death makes ya. Cause I have noth'n ta look forward ta I keep think'n about ya and Izuru. I don' think I ever spent half as much time think'n about other's as I have been now. This death sentence sure made a better man outta me," he said with a mocking smile against Rangiku's breast that Rangiku felt with her entire body.
"What did you do to Kira?" Rangiku wondered.
"Why?" wondered Gin, "What has he been do'n?"
"He looks more miserable then he did when you first left. He looks like he's about to break," she told him, "What did you do?"
"Noth'n," said Gin with a sigh, "He did it ta himself. He went digg'n in ta my past and fer reasons I don' understand he likes me even more then he did before. Never knew my cute little Izuru was such a masochist," he said, smiling again, "He could've just gone on hat'n me as the traitor I am but he didn'. He tried ta... I don' even understand what he tried ta do. Now he comes ta me everyday but can' even bring himself ta look at me and every time he does, he looks like he wants ta cry. Why do that ta yourself, I ask ya."
"He never hated you Gin," said Rangiku, "Not even when you first left. He was upset, he felt guilty for the part he played in aiding you. He also felt guilty and inadequate that he was not able to detect your treachery. But he never hated you."
"He should've," said Gin, "So should ya. I would hurt ya less if ya hated me."
"Perhaps we are both masochists for loving a sadist like you," replied Rangiku, "But you know Gin, I would rather have the love and the pain then no love and no pain."
3 weeks before the execution
"How is Captain Six's house work'n out?" Gin asked.
"It's great! It's so close to squad ten barracks, I might as well be living in the barracks. But it's so big each of the kids are going to have a room of their own. Then there is the garden! It has such a beautiful garden. I am going to ask Captain Kuchiki's permission to plant persimmon trees in the garden. I am going to make sure our kids grow up liking hoshigaki. I..." she stopped and started tearing-up, she had been doing that a lot of late, "I wish you were there, Gin. I wake-up in the middle of the night feeling the babies kick and I find myself feeling for you next to me. I want to share those little moments with you but your not there," she sobbed, "You'll never be there."
"I am sorry Rangiku," whispered Gin, "I really am."
2 weeks before the execution
"Rangiku my puzzles," he said holding up one of the mechanical puzzles Aizen gave him, "Would ya take 'em for the kids?" he asked, a little hesitantly, "They were from Cap'n Aizen. Only things he ever gave me. I would like ta leave 'em for the kids."
Rangiku hesitated for a moment but then, "Well it's not like Aizen left a spell on them or anything. I doubt they can corrupt my kids through osmosis."
Gin smiled a real smile, "Thanks," he said, just as the doors open and Captain-commander Yamamoto walked in followed by Captain Komamura, Captain Kyoraku and Kira Izuru, "I take it, it's time ya moved me ta the Shrine of Penitence."
"Yes, there is now exactly fourteen days left till your date of execution. Say your goodbyes Ichimaru, Matsumoto, for the two of you will not meet again till Ichimaru is brought to the Sokyoku Hill," boomed the voice the Captain-commander.
Rangiku felt every word with every fiber of her being. She swayed on her feet as her legs gave out from under her, but before she could fall he caught her, "Don' do that, Rangiku," he whispered into her ears, "Ya have ta be strong, dy'n is so much more scary when ya worry about the people ya love. So don' make me worry Rangiku and don' worry. Ya'll be ok. It'll all be ok."
"Liar," whispered Rangiku, as the tears ran down her cheeks unchecked. Gin kissed them and placed a soft chaste kiss on her lips. Both knowing it was most likely their last and suddenly both wondered why they hadn't kissed more often.
"Izuru," Gin called after they parted, "Do me one last favor and take Rangiku back home."
"Of course Captain," whispered Kira as he hurriedly moved to Rangiku's side and pulled her unresisting form against him.
"Ya should really stop call'n me that," said Gin putting his smiling mask back on, "Ya wouldn' want people ta get the wrong idea."
Kira opened is mouth to say something but before he could, Captain-commander Yamamoto interjected, "It is time, we are leaving."