A/N: Hello! So, this is my first-ever Bleach fic! Yes, I know this idea is somewhat cliché…but some clichés are good, and it wouldn't leave me alone! Also, just so you know, Hitsugaya is supposed to be a bit taller here…I didn't really mention it, but that's how I was picturing it, hope that's ok! Please enjoy, and try to forgive any OOCness!

Pairing(s): HitsuMatsu (in case you missed it), and possible mention of one or two others…but probably not.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach…though I wouldn't mind kidnapping a few of the characters! LOL

Through the Ice

It was snowing. Though 'snowing' seemed an awfully gentle word for the deluge that had descended over the majority of Division 10's barracks. Many of the officers had been roused from their sleep at the sudden drop in temperature, and by the time anyone slid open their door or looked out their windows, the ground was already covered in a solid layer of white. Many of the trees had thick sheaths of ice curving up around the trunks, and the windows were already heavily frosted.

Rangiku Matsumoto had been soundly sleeping off the handful of drinks she'd consumed earlier in the evening when she realized she was cold. Scrunching her brow in discomfort, the lieutenant reluctantly pried open one eye as she attempted to ascertain what had happened to her quilt. Both of her steel blue eyes opened wide as she realized that her quilt was still covering her from her shoulders down.

"What…?" she breathed as she pushed herself to a seated position. A small puff of air was instantly visible when she spoke, and she shivered reflexively. It was the wrong time of year for such cold, and concern settled heavily in her gut. She couldn't think of very many reasons for the unusual temperature.

Adjusting the quilt so that it was draped over her shoulders, she griped it tightly closed in front of her with one hand as she stood gracefully and padded across a cold floor to the window. She had to use an edge of the quilt to clear away the layer of frost that blocked her sight, only to confirm her fear when she saw the heavy layer of white descending from the sky above. The edges of her window were even frozen over.

"Captain!" she gasped, immediately dropping the quilt and leaping towards her previously discarded clothing from the day before. In no time she was out of her comfortable nightgown and, zanpakutou in hand, flash-stepping out the door.

Toushirou Hitsugaya paused in the air as another Hollow fell, and glanced around to take stock of the battle that was raging. He and his best fighters had been assigned to go along with Divisions 6 and 11 to defend the Eastern Gate from the unexpected invasion of Hollows. So far there had been no reports of anything more powerful than an average Hollow, in any of the fights, but the sheer number of Hollows was nearly overwhelming.

Many of their comrades had already been injured and taken out of the fight. Captain Hitsugaya had ordered most of his remaining men to stay back, and jump in only to defend a fallen comrade until someone from Fourth could get him or her out of harm's way. Unfortunately, that left only himself and Rangiku to do the actual fighting, since his 3rd seat had taken a bad slash across his back mere moments ago.

Hitsugaya spared a quick glance to the side, even as two more Hollows prepared to lunge at him, to make sure that his lieutenant was still holding her own. She was still fighting beside Yumichika Ayasegawa, her back nearly facing him as she cut down another Hollow. Taking a deep breath, Hitsugaya turned his gaze forward again and adjusted his grip on Hyourinmaru as his newest opponents drew closer. He couldn't afford to distract himself with worrying about anyone else, and he knew it.

Besides, he reasoned, even as he flash-stepped out of the way of one of the Hollows' huge claws, Rangiku knows how to take care of herself in a fight.

"Where is he?" Rangiku demanded as she approached a small gathering of huddled men in the courtyard. They each wore their thick winter coats over their traditional Soul Reaper uniform. The five of them looked up when they heard her voice, and then looked briefly around at each other, before the man who occupied the 7th seat finally responded.

"We don't know, Lieutenant," he said cautiously. "He didn't answer the door when we knocked."

Rangiku frowned at them. "Did any of you try opening it?"

"No, ma'am," he replied instantly. "We know better than to-"

"Idiots!" Rangiku cried exasperatedly even as she turned away. "He could be hurt!" Without another word, she disappeared, flash-stepping to Captain Hitsugaya's quarters.

The cold was strongest there, which didn't surprise Lieutenant Matsumoto in the slightest. There was a thin sheet of ice covering the majority of his door, so Rangiku grabbed Haineko and slammed the hilt against it until she could get a decent grip. Then she tugged the door open sharply, shattering the ice that had accumulated over it, and stepped inside. The potential repercussions of entering his private quarters uninvited didn't even slow her down as she made her way cautiously through the rooms.

Captain Hitsugaya growled under his breath, partly in pain and partly in irritation, as one of the Hollows he was fighting actually managed to slice his left arm. It was a thin, shallow cut that probably wouldn't even scar; what bothered him was that the attack had connected at all. Damn, he thought as he impaled the Hollow on Hyourinmaru, I'm getting tired. And there's still no end in sight.

He sliced the arm off of another Hollow, and was preparing to deliver the killing blow, when a bone-chilling scream tore through the battlefield. Hitsugaya's blood ran cold as he turned his head to look, and his teal eyes settled immediately over the limp form of Rangiku Matsumoto.

The lieutenant of Division 10 hung in the air on the end of a Hollow's extended claw, her head tilted back at an awkward angle that indicated she had lost consciousness. Haineko slipped from her weak grasp a moment before the Hollow mercilessly tore his claw sideways out of Rangiku's body. Her blood sprayed everywhere as she fell towards the earth below.

"Reign over the frosted heavens, Hyourinmaru!" Hitsugaya bellowed, obliterating the Hollow that had struck Rangiku even as he flash-stepped to the ground beside her prone form.

He collapsed to his knees, Hyourinmaru clattering to the ground beside him as he reached almost shakily toward his lieutenant. "Rangiku!" he cried, willing her to still be alive.

She was unresponsive, her head turned to the side facing him, her steel blue eyes frozen wide in shock. Blood still dripped from the huge gash at her side, and the steadily-growing pool was beginning to soak Hitsugaya's pants. He ignored it, however, and lightly brushed a section of strawberry blonde hair away from her face.

"Rangiku," he repeated, his voice barely audible to his own ears. His eyes were burning with unshed tears as the reality of the situation slammed down upon him. She's…dead….

He could barely even bring himself to think the word as he pulled his hand away from her face and clenched his fists to try and stop the shaking. He could feel his anger, and his heartbreak, building inside of him.

Only recently had he finally accepted the real depth of his feelings for his long-time lieutenant, the woman who had recruited him so many decades before. He had still been struggling with the idea of how, and when, or if he even should tell her the truth…he didn't know how one went about telling a woman that they loved her. And now he never could.

The dam within him broke and the tears poured down as he bent his head, his whole body convulsing in agony. He ignored the Hollow that sought to take advantage of his distraction, not caring if it struck him or not. He barely noticed when Renji intercepted it, and he didn't hear anything when Renji called out to him.

The pain overtaking his body, his soul, was unlike any he could remember experiencing in his lifetime. For once, Captain Toushirou Hitsugaya wanted nothing more than to let the pain consume him. He didn't care that he was breaking down in the middle of an urgent battle. He couldn't bring himself to form a coherent thought, as echoes of Rangiku's bubbly laughter danced through his mind. Images of her bright smile, memories of all the times she'd teased him, and all the times she'd defended him, assaulted Hitsugaya's mind relentlessly.

And then two of the men from Fourth knelt quietly before him, on the other side of Rangiku's mutilated body, and the elder of the two cut through the haze.

"I'm sorry, Captain, but we have to take her…" And with a final bow of apology, both men remorsefully adjusted their positions and lifted Rangiku Matsumoto's body off of the ground, escorting her away from the battlefield.

Toushirou Histugaya watched, tears still sliding silently down his face, as they walked away. A fresh stab of pain seared his heart as he realized that he'd never even gotten to say goodbye.

Captain Hitsugaya let out a startled, shaky gasp as his eyes snapped open. He felt incredibly disoriented, and he was breathing heavily, but before he could regain his bearings, a familiar and unexpected voice drew his attention.

Rangiku Matsumoto had started faintly at her Captain's sudden awakening, but after a brief moment she smiled and rested her hands lightly in her lap. Keeping her voice soft and calm, she said, "There you are, Captain. I was beginning to think I was going to have to do something drastic to wake you up."

Toushirou propped himself up onto his elbows and looked over at her, his teal eyes widening for a long moment before he said anything. He realized now that it had been a horrible nightmare, and nothing more, but he still felt uneasy. He could remember everything in such crystal clear detail that it felt more real than the situation he currently found himself in, and he caught himself wondering if this wasn't the dream. I could've been hit by one of those Hollows and knocked unconscious…I wasn't exactly keeping my guard up.

"Captain Hitsugaya…?" Rangiku asked softly when his eyes glazed over and his look became distant. She frowned, her concern returning, and reached out to place her right hand lightly on his shoulder. She gave him a gentle squeeze and breathed a silent sigh of relief when her action seemed to snap him out of whatever daze he'd fallen into. That nightmare must have really shaken him, she reflected silently.

"Ra…Rangiku," Hitsugaya breathed, in a tone that baffled the lieutenant. He sounded confused, and relieved, and yet simultaneously overwhelmed with remorse.

She smiled, hoping to reassure him, and gave his shoulder another squeeze as she said, "I'm right here, Captain. Relax, you were just having a bad dream; it's all over now."

Hitsugaya said nothing for a long moment as he stared into her familiar eyes, searching for some sign that she was right; that it had been just a bad dream. He readjusted his weight and lifted one hand slowly as the urge to touch her, to feel her, was suddenly overwhelming. He didn't breathe until his fingertips had grazed the soft, smooth, skin of her cheek. Her skin was still warm to the touch.

Rangiku's eyes widened a bit at his unusual gesture. He was starting to make her nervous again; it was unlike him to be so flustered, especially by a dream. And the way he was looking at her, without saying a word, made her wonder if she had been a part of that dream.

His cool fingers traveled the side of her face carefully, as if afraid she would break at the slightest pressure. He grazed her lower lip with his thumb lightly as he loosely cupped the side of her face, and, quietly, he breathed, "You're…alive."

Her brow furrowed slightly in confusion, Rangiku asked softly, "Why wouldn't I be?"

Something seemed to snap within him then, she could see it in his eyes, as his hand suddenly curved around behind her head and his touch became more solid. His other arm reached up and coiled tightly around her waist, and soon Rangiku found herself being hugged by her captain. She was pressed firmly against him as he half buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"Rangiku," he whispered, sounding choked, as something cool and wet dripped onto her neck and slid slowly down. Something that felt suspiciously like a tear.

"Oh, Captain," Rangiku sighed as she finally collected herself. She'd never seen him even remotely so shaken, but she wasn't going to dwell on that now. So she easily raised her arms and curled them around his torso to return the hug. As she lightly tilted her head so that it was leaning up against his, she whispered, "It's alright; I promise everything's ok."

Toushirou said nothing for a long moment as he held her close, inhaling her scent and giving himself time to accept that this was reality, and Rangiku was alright. As he held her, the pain in his heart that had been left over from his nightmare finally began to fade away.

At length, he loosened his grip on his lieutenant and sat back, finally feeling as though he had at least a majority of control over himself. Rangiku followed his lead flawlessly, releasing him when he began to pull back, and sitting again before him with her hands folded casually in her lap. Her blue eyes sparkled with concern and her mouth was curved down in a slight frown.

Taking a deep breath to steady his voice, Toushirou whispered, "I'm sorry, I…thank you, Rangiku."

"Captain," Rangiku said, her voice still quieter than usual, though a faint trace of her familiar teasing tone had returned, "you don't have to apologize." She paused, then, and unthinkingly reached up to straighten a loose strand of his snow-white hair as she said, "You know, sometimes it helps to talk about it."

"I…don't really want to," Hitsugaya replied honestly.

"If you're sure," Rangiku allowed. She sucked in a startled breath, however, when Hitsugaya's hand automatically shot up to catch hers as she had begun to pull her hand away once again.

He easily wrapped his strong fingers around her wrist, before almost immediately readjusting his grip so that he was holding her hand comfortably. His teal eyes broke from her blue ones and descended on their clasped hands, and for a moment his eyes glazed over again before he frowned marginally and tightened his grip on her hand.

Silence descended as Rangiku recognized the look of determination on her beloved captain's face. She wished fervently that she could know what he was thinking; it surprised and worried her that he'd yet to scold her for entering his quarters without permission. Her concern was shoved into a backseat, however, when Toushirou suddenly, and deliberately, lifted their hands.

Before she knew what he was doing, Rangiku's knuckles were pressed lightly against his lips. The contact was brief, and then Hitsugaya lifted his head to look into her startled blue eyes as he lowered their hands once more.

His voice was stronger, and more determined, when he spoke again. "I wasn't sure how to tell you this," he began, "but now I see that I need to stop waiting for the right time, and take advantage of the time I have."

"What are you talking about, Captain?" Rangiku asked when he paused. Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest, and she was trying desperately to steady it; and, more importantly, not to get her hopes up.

"Rangiku," he began again, "I'm sorry if this makes things…different between us, but, I…" he paused, blushing despite himself, but he made sure what he said next came out coherently. "I'm in love with you."

Rangiku's eyes widened in surprise at his declaration, but she knew her captain well enough to know he'd never joke about something like that. Which could only mean one thing…and as that realization settled in her mind, her lips curved up in a bright smile, and she threw herself forward and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"Captain," she whispered, "I love you, too."

Hitsugaya's arms came around her again, and he smiled into her hair as he held her tightly. After a moment, he said softly, "Toushirou."

"What?" Rangiku asked, thrown off by his response. She pulled back enough to look into his serious eyes, and her heart warmed at the soft smile curving his lips.

"Call me Toushirou," he elaborated quietly.

"Toushirou," Rangiku said, testing the name on her tongue. She hadn't used that name since he'd been promoted to Captain many decades ago, but it felt good to say it aloud. Still, she couldn't resist grinning and saying, "That could take some getting used to."

His smile shifted slightly into a smirk and he trailed one hand up until he was cupping the back of her head, his fingers threading her thick strawberry blonde hair, as he whispered huskily, "I'd be happy to help you adjust," before pulling her forward and pressing his lips to hers.

Rangiku melted into the kiss, immediately burying one hand in his thick white hair and curling the fingers of her other hand in his collar. His tongue slid out and passed teasingly over her lips, which she parted eagerly to grant him entrance. After a brief battle for domination, he began exploring the new terrain before him, and Rangiku returned in kind, her own tongue slipping past his lips.

They kissed until their lungs began burning with a need for oxygen, and Hitsugaya reluctantly pulled back, planting a soft kiss on her smooth forehead before shifting his grip to once again wrap his arm around her shoulders and hold her close. They sat in relative silence for a long moment, each taking in ragged breaths, and Rangiku rested her head comfortably on his shoulder for support.

Sometime after they'd both caught their breath, Rangiku found herself absently fingering his collar, and she smiled as she said softly, "I'm sure this is wrong to say, but I think I'm kind of grateful to that nightmare."

Hitsugaya's lips curved up in a somewhat bitter grin, and he replied, "I don't know if I can go that far, but I certainly am appreciative of the outcome."

"You had better be," Rangiku teased, tugging lightly on his collar for emphasis.

Toushirou reached over and gently grabbed her chin with his thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up and leaning down to recapture her lips for a brief, tender kiss.

After he'd pulled back, a thoughtful look crossed his face, and he asked, "What made you come looking for me, anyway?"

Rangiku blinked for a second, thrown off by the question, before her mind kicked back in and she flushed, embarrassed for having forgotten. "Um…you might want to look out the window, Ca - Toushirou," she replied.

He lifted one slim white eyebrow and shifted his teal gaze to the window for the first time since he'd woken from his nightmare. The window, which was too high up for him to see out of without standing, was covered in a sheet of ice. His eyes widened for a moment, and he asked, "How bad is it?"

Rangiku sat up properly as she reflexively glanced at the window, before she replied with a shrug, "Last time I was outside, most of the barracks were at least covered with snow; ice was forming around the bottoms of the closer ones. I was starting to worry you were hurt or something, and no one else had the guts to come in and look for you without permission."

Hitsugaya heaved a heavy sigh and pushed himself to his feet before offering his hand to Rangiku to help her up. "I suppose I should go out there and apologize, then," he said almost exasperatedly.

"I'm sure they could wait 'til morning if you'd rather," Rangiku stated, clasping her hands behind her back.

"They've probably all lost sleep because of me," Hitsugaya pointed out as he moved to his closet, "They deserve a timely apology."

When he paused, clothes in hand, Rangiku couldn't stop the grin that spread across her face. "Oh, don't be so modest, Toushirou," she teased lightly as she stepped up behind him and slipped her arms around his torso again. "I don't mind if you change in front of me."

He knew his face was verging on crimson when he dragged in a deep breath and said, "You're impossible sometimes."

Rangiku laughed, pressing a lingering kiss to the skin just below his ear before saying, "I'm just honest. But I'll turn around this once if you'd like."

"This once?" Hitsugaya repeated with a chuckle even as she released him and stepped back.

"So," Rangiku began after a moment of silence, while Toushirou slipped into his Captain's uniform, "was it really that bad?"

Hitsugaya paused, one arm through the sleeve of his haori, and glanced over in her direction. After a long second, he resumed dressing and quietly replied, "Let's just say it was a pain I would never willingly put someone else through."

Rangiku half turned around when he'd finished, and smiled understandingly at him as he clasped Hyourinmaru across his chest. "It would kill me to lose you, too," she said seriously.

Hitsugaya let his arms fall to his sides as he met Rangiku's gaze, and after a second he took a deep breath and inclined his head, before holding out his hand and saying, "Come on, let's go talk to the squad before it gets any later."

Smiling, Rangiku slipped her hand into his, and together they exited his quarters.

The End

A/N: Ok, I realize the end was probably a bit too over the top…but really, you should've seen the endings I didn't use! LOL Ok, in all seriousness, I really hope you liked it! Yes, it was kind of heavy on the fluff…but that's just how I write, I think. Please let me know what you thought, and if you have any pointers for future HitsuMatsu, feel free to share! Thanks for reading!