Chapter Text
“Wait, wait! Toshiro, put me down!” you squeaked, hunching over so that you could wrap your arms around his head tightly. Your legs already had a vice-grip around his neck as it was, but you still felt far from stable. “I’m going to fall!”
Beneath you, Toshiro huffed out in irritation. “I’m not going to drop you, [Y/N],” he insisted, gripping your thighs a little together as if it would do anything to make you believe you were secure on his shoulders. “Would you relax?”
“I can feel you swaying!” you protested.
“Only because you keep swaying!” he argued. “Look, it’s right in front of you – just grab it. Then you can get down.”
Your lifted your gaze with a whine. He was right. Only a few inches above you was the binder that he had needed so badly. Summarized historical records of the Tenth Division. All you had to do was reach out and grab it, but you were reluctant to let go of him. It felt like he was going to topple over at any moment, sending both himself and you crashing down to the floor.
“[Y/N], you’ll be alright,” Toshiro insisted, trying to soothe your fear. “I’m not going to drop you. You know I wouldn’t. Trust me.”
You bit your lower lip. Toshiro had you, you told yourself. He wouldn’t let you fall. All you had to do was reach out, pull the binder down, then he would set you back down and you could forget this had ever happened.
Swallowing nervously, you forced one hand away from Toshiro and started to reach out. Before your fingers could even brush the spine, however, the office door was opened and you heard Rangiku’s voice offering a cheery, “Good morning, Captain~! I’m sorry I’m late, but – ”
She didn’t get the chance to offer her excuse. The sound of the door and her voice and the realization that you and Toshiro had been caught had your cheeks flaring up with hot embarrassment. Oh, if the short jokes had been bad before, they would be a million times worse when the lieutenant told everyone that Toshiro needed you to climb his shoulders to reach the top shelf! The horror of that itself was enough to have you jolting.
You squeaked and you squealed and Toshiro had just enough time to yelp before the shift of your weight knocked him off balance. You shrieked as both you and Toshiro collapsed to the floor in a heap.
Fortunately for you, your boyfriend softened your fall. Not without any expense to himself, judging by his groan.
Rangiku was at your sides in an instant, “Captain! [Y/N]!” she exclaimed. “Are you two alright?! Should I call for the Fourth?”
You sat up, rubbing your head. Your pride hurt more than anything else. “No . . . No, I’m fine,” you mumbled. “Toshiro?”
He responded with something akin to a wheeze. It took you a moment to realize that you were sitting on him and therefore limiting his ability to breathe. Embarrassment mounting, you shifted off of him. He pushed himself up from the floor with a grimace, managing a strained, “I’m fine, Matsumoto.”
His blush was almost as bad as yours. You weren’t the only one mortified at having been caught, it seemed.
“Oh, that’s a relief. What were you two even . . . ” she trailed off as her gaze lifted to the same shelf you had been trying so hard to reach. “Captain, not again. I told you before that if you ever have trouble reaching something up high, I’m always more than happy to help.”
Toshiro shot her an indignant glare, though it wasn’t all that intimidating with his blush.
Rangiku didn’t even notice, rising to her feet and stretching up on her toes so that she could easily pluck the binder from its shelf. She offered it down to the captain with a smile. “Here. Is this the one you wanted, Captain?”
You joined Toshiro in his glaring. Tall people.
Toshiro took the binder from her, offering a reluctant, “Thanks, Matsumoto,” under his breath.
“Oh, it’s nothing, Captain,” she hummed. “You know what? Why don’t I step outside for a bit, give you both time to, uhm . . . recompose yourselves. Bye, Captain. Bye, [Y/N]~!”
And with that, the lieutenant swept out of the office and into the hall, closing the door behind herself.
She didn’t even have the decency to flash-step far away enough for you and Toshiro to be out of earshot before she began laughing. She must’ve made it halfway down the hall before the sound of gut-busting, howling laughter floated back to the office.
Toshiro dragged a hand through his hair, shoulders slumping and eyes narrowing. “She’s going to tell everyone,” he grumbled.
You hunched over and curled your shoulders in, pouting. “Damn, I hate being short . . . ”