Title: Seasons

Pairing: Hitsugaya Toshiro x Matsumoto Rangiku

Rating: T

Warnings: English isn't my first language, I suck at keeping the persons in character and this turned out pretty crappy but whatever.

Dedicated to: Reflecting (woho my ego is lager than a grain of dust now!)

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEEE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MEEE, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR REFLECTING---HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME:D

Oh joy, I have now reached the 16th year of my existence! I decided to give myself a lil' bit of HitsuMatsu fluff and to allow myself to not give a damn if you think it sucks since it's my own present to myself so your bad opinions shouldn't matter :D Though reviews are nice (I actually feed on them; my inspiration to write anything at all comes from reading positive feedback from y'all).

Hmm, so, what do I have to say on this (for me) special day? Ah yes, I would once again like to thank all my readers and reviewers for sticking with my crappiness. I hope that since I entered the HitsuMatsu fandom I have improved in both my potraying of the characters and my English for that matter. I hope, I don't say I have. Anyhow, it amazes me that people who write some of my fav HitsuMatsu stories actually reviews mine. Just had to say that, it's been on my mind for a while. Awesomeness!

Okay enough of my nagging. On with the story :)

EDIT: I corrected a few mistakes. Sorry if it's lots of them left XD AND THANK YOU ALL READERS AND REVIEWERS:D

o-oOo-o

S E A S O N S

o-O-o

People call it cliché, people say it's used too many times and it's always the same. They complain and say there's never something new, never a good twist. It's all been used; it's all been written and done before. It's always someone special, it's always something epic or unnatural. A whole story never describes an ordinary person, an ordinary event or day. Because that isn't interesting, is it?

Matsumoto Rangiku disagreed.

But then again, she had a special view of things. She wasn't all prim and proper, she didn't do all her paperwork and she loved long naps at all times. She didn't hate, she tried to understand. She didn't break, she tried to learn and live it through. She rather smiled than cried, to show she still remembered the good times and knew the future held more if only she tried and made it that way. She believed in herself and was absolutely content with her wild personality, her lazy habits, strong mind and unhealthy consuming of alcohol.

And she absolutely loved the moments never caught on paper, never noted in books or memory.

They aren't special, they're habits or just something that happens without any notice. Like blinking three times too many; three fast blinks before the dust is gone and the blurry view is cleared. What day or week springs turned into summer, or autumn turned into winter. She never remembers them, but when they occur, she smiles. Some things are just so normal; some things are just so cute. Like how his nose wrinkles when he reads a badly written report, or how he always goes to lunch at precisely 11.55am every day. Even the times when they're walking down a corridor – inspecting their division together since he doesn't trust her to do it alone – always makes her beam silently. Because he always – always – looks over his shoulder to watch her for a second or two, as if she would sneak away at any moment to take a nap or a drink. She doesn't think things like that would do any good in a book; it would bore the reader and make him wonder how someone can appreciate it.

And today was one of those days, Rangiku mused. A day where nothing special would happen; she wouldn't get wings and fly away far from her paperwork, she wouldn't save the world or even win the lottery. She was stuck in a cosy office where sunbeams shone through the windows and painted all it touched with a shade of warm yellow, with a tint of orange. Her hair practically glittered of gold, while her pale skin glowed with warmth. It was autumn, her favourite season, and she was staring out the window with a smile on her lips. It was an ordinary day, where nothing special happened, and the weather was so appealing. She wanted out, away from letters and numbers. Her Captain scribbled away in the silence, as usual. Her head turned to catch a glimpse of his serious face, to take in his wrinkled nose and deep frown. So cute, she smiled. He was quite a sight, had always been in one way or another. His eyes shouldn't make her breathless anymore, it happens everyday, so why wasn't she getting used to the way they seemed to glow?

The warm colours the sun and autumn wrapped the world in made him stand out, always, and today was no exception. His complexion, made for the cold winter, didn't mold with the colourful leaves the way she did. It made it easier to see, made it easier to notice, how gorgeous he really is. It was strange the way he slowly grew in her eyes, how he slowly changed from a cute boy to a young boy, from a young boy to a young teen, while acting like an old grumpy man. His mind was far too mature to go with his youthful appearance, though he was very addicting eye candy despite his attitude. But she still wanted to go outside, no matter how pleasing he was to look at.

"Captain, can I go outside for a moment?" she asked, titling her head to the side. She knew the answer before his hand stopped to hover over the inkwell, and wasn't surprised when his brows rose high to match his mockingly surprised expression.

"Matsumoto, how far have you gotten with those reports?" he asked, putting the brush down while leaning on his elbow and resting his cheek on his hand. Rangiku pouted, poking the unstable pile of paperwork before her sullenly. She saw his brow twitch in annoyance and barely repressed a grin.

"Far enough," she replied, giving up on keeping her face straight. Smiling widely, grinning in a way that slightly wrinkled her nose as she giggled, she threw her long hair to the side and leaned heavily against the desk. Her Captain sighed, not knowing what to do with his Lieutenant, and started to massage his temples. She took pity in him; he had, after all, worked for several hours straight. So, she decided to be nice for a change.

"C'mon Captain," she said while standing, hands resting on the desk while she leaned slightly forward; her head turned to face him with a warm smile. "Let's go outside together! I have something to show you!"

"Matsumoto, we don't have time for your games, " he growled with a frown. He'd lost count on how many times this happened, and how many times it ended pretty much the same. His blonde Lieutenant swiftly came over to his desk, coming to a stop right before it where she placed her hands on her hips and took a stance he recognized as the Argue Pose.

"You've been working on those meaningless reports forever; you've been doing paperwork flawlessly for years and years and years, so why can't you have a simple little tiny break? Come on Captain! There's something I really want to show you; it's important, I promise!" He didn't really want to go, but he had a feeling she wouldn't let it go if he didn't agree. Besides, she was right. A break wouldn't do that much harm on his spotless record, would it?

o-oOo-o

"Matsumoto, what was it you wanted to show me?" Hitsugaya Toshiro asked with a raised brow, staring up into the woman's happy face. They were standing on a hill and she was staring at something, something in the horizon, but as he turned to inspect it a second time he still couldn't figure out what held her pale blue orbs fixed so intently.

"The sun," she replied with her usual bubbly voice. He stared at the yellow, blinding spot now low on the sky and felt his annoyance turn into a headache.

"The sun?" he repeated.

"The sun, the trees." Her voice was so soft, he barely heard it. He threw her a puzzled look, not quite sure about this rare behaviour from his crazy Lieutenant. She turned around to face him, light catching in her every move, every golden lock and exposed skin, as she smiled.

"See the trees Captain?" she began, voice steady and smooth. He nodded. "See all the colours? Can you smell the autumn; feel the warmth of the sun? It happens every year, doesn't it? Do you think it's special?"

Her questions were strange, but something that occurred once in a while. He never got used to it, seeing her pensive and excited at the same time. Blinking, he tried to form an answer.

"I don't think autumn is very special in itself; it rains too much and the colours turn dull pretty fast. The sun is warm, when the wind isn't blowing too hard and too cold, so it doesn't matter if it's autumn or not. And the trees, they're always there; although pretty to look at, it's just trees," he said, pausing to take in her wistful expression. She was staring at the sun again, soaking up its warmth and leaving him with a shiver that made him smile before continuing. "So what makes you love autumn so much, Rangiku?"

Her blush wasn't of embarrassment, or one of cold, but rather of warm happiness. She felt it spread through her stomach and up her arms, chest and head. He had once told her, that the red and yellow of autumn trees brought out the warmth even in her cold, icy eyes – that the whirlwinds playing with the fallen leaves reminded him of the way she entered their office. She supposed that autumn was just her season. Maybe that was why she loved it so much, why he associated such silly things with her being.

"I guess, it's because of the colours," she tried, unable to explain and giving up with a sigh as he gave her a crooked grin. She decided to tease him, for being so cute when she was actually trying to be serious.

"You said the trees were beautiful to look at," she said, leaning in to hover a few inches from his face. "But that they were just trees. Am I the same?"

His cheeks darkened, its colour standing out on his pale skin and it almost glowed in the light of the sun. She reached up to trace her fingers along his jaw, smiling a secret smile as he tried to stand his ground and not turn away in embarrassment.

"You're not a tree, Matsumoto," he said through gritted teeth. She paid no mind to his obvious discomfort as she stepped up closer to his frame and continued her exploration of his face with feathery light touches.

"But I'm always here, aren't I?" she argued, not even trying to suppress the wide smile stretching across her lips. He couldn't find a good reply, a remark that would make him win this game, and admitted reluctantly that she had him caught. Wrapped around her finger, he found it didn't hurt at all. Her soft touch was pleasant against his cool skin.

"Yes, you are," he said as his own hand came up to close around her wrist; putting a stop to her movements. "But you're still not a tree. Trees don't drink sake, nor do they sleep on my couch all day."

He grinned as she giggled, pulling her hand down with his but not letting it go. Not yet, anyway.

"We need to go back; the break is over," he pointed out after spending approximately half a minute just staring back into her soft gaze. He tended to forget time when she gave him that look of adoration; a look that made his heart skip a beat.

"Okay Captain," she began, pausing to giggle at his suspicious expression. She had, after all, just agreed to go back to the office. There had to be more...and there was. "But only if you come home early tonight."

He sighed but couldn't help but fight down a smile. "I promise I will, if you promise to do your paperwork when we get back."

"I will, if you give me a kiss," she shot back, winking playfully. He grinned.

"You'll get a kiss and more if you're nice tonight."

"I'm always nice!" she said pouting. "But okay, it's a deal. Seal it with a kiss?"

How he survived dealing with these childish games of hers everyday was a mystery, but there were moments where he really didn't mind. As her lips moved, and her tongue fought against his, he could only focus on her. Her smell, her warmth and the colour of her hair and eyes; it was better than any season's.

Spring was refreshing, summer hot and sometimes unbearable. Autumn was rainy and colourful, winter cold and beautiful. But they only occurred once a year. Matsumoto was always there, always around, and nothing could compare with her. He loved winter; the cold never bothered him, but if he could choose, he would rather take the warmth of her smiles.

"Do I really have to wait till tonight?" she mumbled against his lips, their kiss breaking for a second. He stole another few breaths from her mouth before answering.

"Perhaps," he said, lips twitching up in a smirk before he captured hers again; swallowing questions. She moaned; arms already closely wrapped around his neck and nimble fingers playing loosely with his hair. He was considering the idea of not letting any of them wait, or to return to the office and get the work over and done with. The latter was the most rational one, but primal urges and wild hormones still unable to control the intense lust only she could satisfy made it extremely difficult to act upon his usual reason. But he wasn't as far gone to let his Lieutenant undress him on a hill with the afternoon sun as a spotlight. Kissing in public, that he could bear if she managed to take his mind off it (which he was yet to not experience) but as sly kisses wandered down his throat and soft hands began to part his robes he was forced to act quickly before it went too far. Taking a step back and swiftly grabbing her straying hands, he managed to save his dignity with heavy panting, flushed cheeks and swollen lips. Her appearance mirrored his own, and he couldn't help but return her smile. Her lower lip was slightly red after his teeth, making it look like she was wearing lipstick. He remembered once, when she'd worn something that tasted of strawberry. He liked her natural taste better, because it was sweet and warm and somehow reminded him of watermelons. Or was it the other way around?

"Aww, so modest Captain," she said, breaking the silence with a light laugh. He shook his head, taking another step away and letting go of one of her hands. Pulling at the other, he steered them back towards their office.

"Don't break your promise, Matsumoto," he reminded her, raising a brow at her mischievous grin. The memory of her weight in his lap, her lips everywhere but on his own, was too fresh in his mind for him to trust her to be nice and do her work like a good Lieutenant.

"Only if you won't break yours!" she chirped, giggling as she walked up closer to his side and hugged his arm closely to her chest. She absently wondered if these events, these stolen moments of everyday life, were special in someone else's eyes. She teased and tempted her Captain every day, they went through the same process each evening and it always had remotely the same outcome. Like autumn would turn to winter, spring to summer, she would always love him. Like the seasons she would always be there, so ordinary and normal, and live through unpredictable rain or sunshine. She hoped he would too, and not just stay still in a freezing cold snowstorm where her hands couldn't reach out to warm; to touch.

The thought left her mind as an unorganized pile of paperwork took up her sight. A shiver went up her spine as she shuddered in disgust. While fearing it would be summer again before she got finished, Matsumoto quickly set to work. Fuelling on sake now and then to avoid dying, it soon ended with the usual disaster. Even after all their time together, she still got amazed by how strong her Captain was when enraged and sex deprived.