hitsumatsu drabble; ribbon
The ribbon had been a present, she remembered. It had been sweet, in an innocent kind of way. She really missed the illusions of the past at times like these, when the ribbon tightened around her tangled hair and slipped through her calloused fingers. It was silk, a fabric she hadn’t had contact with for years that had been easily forgotten.
She could not, however, forget the boy who had so awkwardly shoved this gift into her hands so many summers ago.
At fifteen, she had had many suitors. He had been ten, too young, but the blush on his cheeks had been genuine despite the childish edge of his boyish, arrogant attitude. It had been her birthday, a feast had been held in her honor, but she hadn’t been one for such things even back then. Showing off wealth, smiling at your enemy and giving them your dance. Idiotic theatrics. She’d left, snuck outside to her private garden, and she’d thought she was alone.
He had been waiting by the small bench she had favored, shuffling his feet in uncharacteristic anxiety while nervously picking at a neatly wrapped present. It was a pleasant surprise that night, and she could still picture his face as she’d kissed his cheek and exchanged her hairclips and bows for that simple, pink silk ribbon. It amused as much as it saddened her whenever she met him now, and compared her memory with what she was seeing presently.
He was seventeen now, and she past twenty.
Gone were her flowing skirts and golden jewelry, replaced with tattered tunics and sturdy boots. Her sword and bow were her accessories, her clothing practical and her movements graceful as that of a warrior. She wasn’t a Lady anymore, and he wasn’t her shy, young suitor.
“Matsumoto, this ends now!” he called after her, sword raised and eyes blazing. She smiled, wondering what she looked like to him. What he thought of her. Did he think she was a thief? A traitor? Was her lips still lush and her hair still golden?
“Oh, but Captain,” she replied to his shout, keeping her distance from him while dodging the few soldiers surrounding them. “I am just starting to enjoy it! You wouldn’t deny a Lady her fun, right, Captain?”
He snarled a curse, noting he hadn’t gotten any closer to her. She was slippery as fish. “You’re hardly a Lady, Matsumoto! You’re an outlaw and I will catch you!”
She giggled, mounting the horse of a newly fallen soldier. Gripping the reins, she flashed him a wide smile before winking and sending him a kiss. “You’ve been trying to catch me for six years, Captain! What makes you think this time will be any different?”
She left before he could reply, horse rearing before setting off in a fast gallop and leaving a trail of dust behind. He watched her men retreat, following their leader, and frowned. Something pink caught his attention from where he stood, and he hastily made his way to it.
The ribbon.
It smelled like her, despite the dirt dulling its color. He let it slide between his fingers, caressing. He had seen her wear it ever since he gave it to her and he wondered if she ever took it off. The thought of her keeping it on, always, made him smirk as he stared into the distance. She had gotten away again, as she always did, which meant another Lord had been stripped of his gold when travelling through these woods. Taking from the rich to give to the poor, they said. Secretly, he understood. Secretly, he knew he wasn’t chasing her to put her behind bars.
Secretly, he admired the crazy maiden who left the comfort of her riches to fight for people who could not do it for themselves.
Yes, secretly, he loved Matsumoto Rangiku more than anything.
And next time he saw her, he’d make sure to give her ribbon back.
She could not, however, forget the boy who had so awkwardly shoved this gift into her hands so many summers ago.
At fifteen, she had had many suitors. He had been ten, too young, but the blush on his cheeks had been genuine despite the childish edge of his boyish, arrogant attitude. It had been her birthday, a feast had been held in her honor, but she hadn’t been one for such things even back then. Showing off wealth, smiling at your enemy and giving them your dance. Idiotic theatrics. She’d left, snuck outside to her private garden, and she’d thought she was alone.
He had been waiting by the small bench she had favored, shuffling his feet in uncharacteristic anxiety while nervously picking at a neatly wrapped present. It was a pleasant surprise that night, and she could still picture his face as she’d kissed his cheek and exchanged her hairclips and bows for that simple, pink silk ribbon. It amused as much as it saddened her whenever she met him now, and compared her memory with what she was seeing presently.
He was seventeen now, and she past twenty.
Gone were her flowing skirts and golden jewelry, replaced with tattered tunics and sturdy boots. Her sword and bow were her accessories, her clothing practical and her movements graceful as that of a warrior. She wasn’t a Lady anymore, and he wasn’t her shy, young suitor.
“Matsumoto, this ends now!” he called after her, sword raised and eyes blazing. She smiled, wondering what she looked like to him. What he thought of her. Did he think she was a thief? A traitor? Was her lips still lush and her hair still golden?
“Oh, but Captain,” she replied to his shout, keeping her distance from him while dodging the few soldiers surrounding them. “I am just starting to enjoy it! You wouldn’t deny a Lady her fun, right, Captain?”
He snarled a curse, noting he hadn’t gotten any closer to her. She was slippery as fish. “You’re hardly a Lady, Matsumoto! You’re an outlaw and I will catch you!”
She giggled, mounting the horse of a newly fallen soldier. Gripping the reins, she flashed him a wide smile before winking and sending him a kiss. “You’ve been trying to catch me for six years, Captain! What makes you think this time will be any different?”
She left before he could reply, horse rearing before setting off in a fast gallop and leaving a trail of dust behind. He watched her men retreat, following their leader, and frowned. Something pink caught his attention from where he stood, and he hastily made his way to it.
The ribbon.
It smelled like her, despite the dirt dulling its color. He let it slide between his fingers, caressing. He had seen her wear it ever since he gave it to her and he wondered if she ever took it off. The thought of her keeping it on, always, made him smirk as he stared into the distance. She had gotten away again, as she always did, which meant another Lord had been stripped of his gold when travelling through these woods. Taking from the rich to give to the poor, they said. Secretly, he understood. Secretly, he knew he wasn’t chasing her to put her behind bars.
Secretly, he admired the crazy maiden who left the comfort of her riches to fight for people who could not do it for themselves.
Yes, secretly, he loved Matsumoto Rangiku more than anything.
And next time he saw her, he’d make sure to give her ribbon back.