Chapter One

It was like any other day in the Soul Society. The sky was blue as ever, and small puff clouds hovered just above the buildings casting large shadows over parts of the Soul Society. Buildings were being rebuilt and roads were being reconstructed. Things were slowly getting back to what they once were. Many things still felt empty. Like the three squads without captains and the big impression Azien's rebellion left behind.

Toshiro Hitsugaya walked down one of the many sidewalks. His hands behind his back and his head held high. He stopped had an oak tree that stood at the center of the Soul Society. It stood at least 15 feet tall and six feed wide. It was huge…compared to him. He sat at the corner of an edge to a root and rested his head on the tree it's self.

The peace was a good thing for him. Unohana said that he needed to have time alone. Time just for him, not for paperwork or time for his squad. Time for him. He really needed this peace and quiet. It had been a long while since he had time just to relax and slack off just a bit. Toshiro listened to the whistling birds and howling winds.

The silence in the empty court yard was nice. His annoying lieutenant was somewhere else, and his squad with probably with her at a party. Toshiro had the whole court yard to himself, and now he was happy. He had brought a cup of coffee with him so he could drink while he relaxed.

He felt a single drop on his head. He looked at the sky and saw that the only clouds in sight were far in a distance. He looked up at the tree and saw that a girl sat in a high branch. She held an unfinished ice cream cone in her left hand. She had black hair and eyes. She was wearing a pure white summer dress and no shoes. Toshiro sighed in disbelief. And here I thought I was alone.

The ice cream cone accidently slipped from her hands and went falling down the tree. It landed between his legs. A vein popped out of the side of his head. Great. Just great.

"Kuchiki!" Toshiro yelled up at her. Rukia looked down at him and gasped. She jumped from the branch and landed on her feet.

"I am so sorry Captain Hitsugaya!" She yelled taking out a napkin. "Let me clean it off of you!" She started whipping the drop off of his head.

"No! Stop! I am fine! Give me the napkin!"

"No, I want to help"

Rukia started to clean his shirt. She now sat on him. Her legs on each side of him and he had his hands on her shoulders trying to push her off. She was strong and she was still on him.

"Kuchiki, get off!"

"I am almost done! I just need the second part…" Rukia looked down at between his legs then back at Toshiro. "Never mind" Rukia blushes slightly and gets off.

"Why are you here, Kuchiki?"

Rukia's light blush faded and she looked down ready to cry. Toshiro just stared at her not knowing what to say to her. Her head was at an angle to were a shadow covered her eyes.

"Had to think" her voice was emotionless.

"About?" he couldn't keep the curiosity from his voice.

"Things" simple answer.

"If you don't want to tell me then fine. Please go so I can have some air to breathe. And if you don't mind getting off of me I would appreciate that very much"

"Yes, Captain Hitsugaya"

Rukia stands and backs away a few steps. Her mood had changed seriously. First she was her normal self then when he asked her what she was doing she was acting depressed. Had something happened to her? He shouldn't worry about it. She will get over what ever is bothering her but that didn't stop Toshiro for asking his next question.

"Kuchiki, what really happened?"

At first he regretted asking but when he saw Rukia sit on the floor and starts crying, he felt sorry for her. Her hands whipping her tears as each one fell. Toshiro didn't move at first, but then he went to his knees and wrapped his hands around her body in an embrace. Her soft crying went through his ears. Small droplets of salt water tears fell onto his haori.

"I-I was dumped…" her voice trailed off not relieving the name of the guy. Toshiro hugged her tighter. Rukia finally hugged him back crying to his back now.

"Who?" his voice went high pitched and he had humped slightly.

A small chuckle escaped from Rukia's mouth. Toshiro pulled her away from him slightly. Tears were still falling, but there was a smile on her face. She seemed unhappy yet happy at the same time.

"Kuchiki?"

"Sorry, I just didn't realize you would sound so funny" She whipped her tears away and they stopped coming down. She smiled gently toward him and looked at the sidewalk.

"Rukia!" Rukia turned her head toward a familiar voice. Her captain, Jushiro Ukitake, was calling her. Rukia stood up; breaking any grip left he had on her and walked toward her captain.

"Maybe next time" he whispered to a point that he doubt she heard him. She turned her head half way then she faced her captain once more and ran toward him.

"Bye, Captain Hitsugaya!"

Jushiro didn't realize that he was even sitting there, an ice cream cone still between his legs and the high smell of tears on his haori. Her smell, of vanilla and lavender. A sweet smell, but also one that wouldn't make you puke.

"Bye, Kuchiki" he whispered and watched Jushiro and her walk away talking about things he will never know. He stared toward the sky once more and thanked god for the peace he now had once again.

He started to clean the mess Rukia had left him. It was strawberry…strawberry…strawberry. Ichigo! Toshiro had heard rumors of Rukia and Ichigo dating for a while, but he never really cared. Now, it be that that basterd dumped her! That was why she was crying! She had said that she got dumped and she even asked her who but she wouldn't tell him. She found a way to change the subject. He needed to know for sure if Ichigo dumped her, and there was only one person who gossiped enough to know this information…Rangiku Matsumoto….he hated her gossip but now he wanted to actually pay attention.

Toshiro stood up and looked around. The grounds were empty and he couldn't sense anyone in miles. For the first time he wished he had someone to talk to. He made his way toward his head quarters.

He stepped through the slide door and saw the usual scene. The room was clean and a huge stack of paperwork on his desk while his lazy lieutenant was asleep on his couch. A vein popped out of his head. No matter how many times he told her she never listened.

"Matsumoto!" he yelled loud enough to wake her up. Rangiku screamed and stood up.

"Sorry, captain, I was just taking a break from my paperwork!" she put on a smile.

"I actually need to talk to-" his eyes wondered off to her desk still filled with paperwork. "I thought you said you were taking a break, as in you started"

"Uh" was all she could say.

"Anyways, what have you heard about Rukia Kuchiki? Oh your usual gossip of the morning"

Rangiku's face lit up and sat on the couch with her hands over her heart. A fake tear fell down her cheek.

"I never thought that my captain would care about gossip!" She squealed twice and patted the seat next to her. "Sit!"

Toshiro sat next to his lieutenant and looked into her eyes. She seemed very excited.

"Okay, this is what I know. She and Ichigo were together for three months and things were heating up between them. Then Ichigo did a stupid thing. He asked Rukia to have sex with him and she told him she wasn't ready. So he dumped her"

Toshiro's hands were in fist and his body was shaking with anger. I. Am. Going. To. Kill. That. Basterd.

"Captain?"

"Tie me down" his breathed.

"Huh?"

"Tie me down before I kill that basterd!"

"Captain, what's wrong?" Rangiku asked.

Toshiro stood and flash-stepped out of the office. He wanted to talk to Rukia. Why didn't she just tell him? Well it seems kind of embarrassing and he even involved.

He marched toward the 13th squad and he held his head down low. Members tried to stop him but he kept going. He reached the captain's room. He sensed Rukia in there. He slid the door open to see Rukia silently sipping her tea and Ukitake doing the same. Rukia turned her head and her eyes widened.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" she yelled, standing up and bowed respectfully. "If you need to talk to Ukitake I can leave"

"No, I actually…I actually needed to speak with you, Kuchiki" Rukia looked back at her captain and he nodded once.

"Oh, Toshiro" Ukitake said, he was taking something out of his cabinet. He held a black bag and handed it to Toshiro. Toshiro already knew what it was. Candy.

"No thank you, Jushiro. Come, Kuchiki"

Rukia followed him obediently. Her hands were placed on top of each other like she was ready to bow again. Toshiro took her back to the big oak. There were members of all different squads. Some hung around the tree but not close enough to hear their conversation.

"Kuchiki, can we talk?" Rukia flinched. "What?"

"Please call me, Rukia" Toshiro nodded once.

"Rukia, I wanted to talk about why you were crying earlier. Do you mind telling me your story?"

Rukia took in a deep breath.

"Hitsugaya-" she started.

"Toshiro" he corrected her. She smiled and went on.

"Toshiro, I don't want to talk about it, but since you are a captain I have no choice if you order me, do I?" her voice was firm and soft.

"I didn't order, and I don't want you to tell me unless you are ready" she gave him a soft smile.

"Thank you, sir" she said.

Toshiro nodded. He was really curious now. She wouldn't even speak a word about what happened, but then how did Matsumoto know this information? Unless…unless she spied on them! He was going to kill her, but then he saw something that caught his eye.

Rukia…she was beautiful in the sun light. Her hair was shinning against the sun's rays and her eyes sparkled every time she moved. Her eyes were glued to his face. He shook the thought and smirked.

"Is that the closest I am getting to a smile?" she asked, smiling.

"Probably" he answered.

"Then I will make you smile!"

Toshiro lifted an eyebrow and she suddenly jumped on him and she started to tickle him every funny place he had. Toshiro started cracking up laughing. He couldn't stop. Rukia had finally pulled away leaving him in chuckles.

"You win, you win" he finally said, gathering what was left of his pride. Everyone was staring at them.

"Good, I always win"

Toshiro lifted his eyebrow once more and started to tickle Rukia. She fell to the floor, and Toshiro climbed on her and tickled her. Both of them laughing like two idiots who finally lost all insanity they had and flushed down the toilet.

Finally they were gasping from air, after all the laughing and tickling. Toshiro realized that he was still on Rukia and got off. He helped her up, and everyone still stared at them. That was it. He lost all of his pride. Deep blushes appeared on each of their faces, not even bothering to hide them.

"Sorry, Toshiro" she said, still smiling.

"Y-Yeah" he mumbled.

Silence grew toward them and in the court yard everyone was whispering about what they had just witnessed. Both of them, at that single moment, knew that they were just screwed.