Author's Note: I hope you like this. This shows a bit of Toshiro's child side. He is kind of OOC. There is a lot of knowing going on here.

Matsumoto Knows

Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of Squad Ten, knew that his lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, knows. She knows just about everything about him, but this was different. Hitsugaya didn't leave any clues or hints. She simply shouldn't know what she knows, but she does. That kind of makes him love her, but he knows he shouldn't. She knows that's his reaction to her knowing, but she loves him back. That's why Matsumoto loves to know things about her captain. That's why she searches for anything relating to him and pays special attention to anything about him. She wants him to love her.

"Captain, I know. I also know you know that I know." She just had to pick the one year anniversary of the second time he killed his best friend, Kusaka. She knew that everything seemed worse and hurt him more on this day. He knew she knew and was grateful she picked today.

"You know that I just don't want to be Toshiro Hitsugaya for a while. You know that I hate having so many responsibilities and not being able to live how I want. That I hate that I didn't get a childhood. That I hate a lot of Yamamoto's rules. That I hate being Captain Hitsugaya, but love the squad and am willing to give my life for any member of the Tenth. You know that I hate being Toshiro Hitsugaya." He didn't mean to say all that. He truly didn't, but he felt compelled to tell Matsumoto. He knew he could trust her.

"Yes, I do know all that. Now come sit next to me on the couch." Matsumoto patted the cushion next to her. Hitsugaya sat down. "Now lay down across my lap. Be a kid. Be yourself. You don't have to be a strong, mature captain around me. You don't even have to be Toshiro Hitsugaya. Be who you want." He loved her so much. He loved her for everything she had done for him. So he laid down and let loose the emotions. The tears. The sorrow. The joy. The laughter. Everything escaped him. Everything escaped every single shield he put up.

"Matsumoto, thank you so much. I just want to be your Toshiro. I love you. I love every single part of you because it's exactly that, you."

"I love you, too."

From that day on, Hitsugaya never hid his emotions from Matsumoto and Matsumoto was always there for him.