A/N: Hello to you all again ;D Thanks for all the reviews! Wow! 11 for one short chapter? That's awesome XD

Ah, well, anyway I want to apologise for making Hitsu OOC...urgh...I really need to work on his character (though it's more Matsumoto's job actually lol) but I hope you'll enjoy anyway. Yeah and I know I said this chapter would be longer but...um...didn't turn out that way.

Also, this update is late again due to my crappy internet connection. I've been trying all day to get on and FINALLY XD Hahha yeah anyhow I chose the date 24th of November because...I almost slipped and cracked my scull open on all the damned ice. And alcohol makes you braver, just as a side note. lol.

Happy reading! ;)

Sugar Kisses

24/11 – 07

Alcohol

o-oOo-o

During the last few nights snow had fallen only to get washed away with the sun's warmth the next day. Matsumoto had been devastated when the first snow of the year disappeared in puddles of mere water, and she'd claimed to be too traumatised to do anything but rest when I said that paperwork would take her mind off it. Really, the things she comes up with. It would be amusing if only I didn't have to take care of the consequences. The stacks of papers on my desk made me feel everything but amused.

Today have gone by pretty fast, I muse as I lean back in my chair; not that excited to start minimizing work that's not even mine. I had been unable to catch Matsumoto – big surprise – and once I found her she was already drunk enough to pose a threat to everything and everyone around her. I honestly prefer her in the pub rather than my office when she gets like that. I shudder to think of what happened last time I tried to force her to do her paperwork in an impressively intoxicated state.

I yawn and stretch, glancing at the clock and frowning when I realize the time. It is past midnight and I've yet to hear the drunken shouts and songs from my lieutenant. Not that I mind, but she usually comes around our office after I've been to the pub to locate her. I kinda hope she won't come tonight because it's been getting colder and colder and I fear the melted snow have frozen by now. If she slipped, I doubt she'd be able to stop the fall judging by the many sake bottles that held her company.

Frowning, I look down at the pile of papers and lightly bite my lip. She wouldn't be so stupid to actually go out now, right? She doesn't like the cold, especially when drunk; preferring warmth – physical warmth, to be exact. A sigh of defeat and I admit that yes, she would be stupid enough to wander off in the cold night and slip on some icy spot. Unwilling to allow her to have a real excuse to skip work, I stand and put out the lights in the office before locking the door and welcoming the cold.

I have to watch my steps as I walk out onto the path leading to Matsumoto's favourite drinking place; the thin layer of ice almost not showing. The lights are still on, of course, and I can hear the loud voices of drunken men joking and arguing. I wrinkle my nose in disgust and wonder what Matsumoto sees in activities like that. Does she enjoy hanging around brain-dead drunks who can hardly spell her name? Either that, or sake has a tempting ability unknown to me.

"My Captain is cute, my Captain is small and I drive him up the wall! Oh my Captain's short, his hair's white, he's barely in my sight! My Captaaain!"

Her singing is off key and wavers as she stumbles along her way. The song is so distant she must be far away, but it doesn't stop me from looking around in hopes of spotting the idiotic blonde and give her a demonstration of how short tempered I can be. A headache is already growing and I haven't seen the wasted woman yet. How can I make her stop singing such…embarrassing songs? This isn't the first time I've heard something like that.

Trying to calm down and bury my anger for later, I stop and frown in puzzlement. The sound of her voice hadn't come from the pub, I was sure. It came from my left.

"Idiot!" I hiss underneath my breath, realizing she's taken the long way to our office. It goes through a small 'park'-like area the 4th division constructed in order to use for special treatment of stress and various other things with much more complicated names. Of course she has to make it difficult for me to keep her from cracking her scull open. Just staying put inside in the warmth, what's the fun in that? I make a sour grimace at the sarcasm and quickly continue on my way; using flash-steps in order to get this over with. I'll just drag her to the office or her rooms – whatever is the closest – and lock her inside if necessary. Sometimes she causes more trouble than it's worth.

I pass a few buildings before finally entering the park, coming to a stop on the path going straight through with dead bushes and frozen branches along its sides. I see her a few meters before me, hear her humming loudly, and take a deep breath in order to calm down. I really shouldn't lose my temper this easily; she has just sung a song. A very annoying song. But it's nothing compared to what she's capable of; the only difference is that now she's out in the middle of night, piss drunk, and wobbling across icy ground.

"Matsumoto," I growl, one flash-step taking me directly to her side. I probably shouldn't have done that; my sudden appearance startled her and she immediately lost balance. I caught her swiftly, biting my lip in concentration as her weight rubbed my balance. I held her close; both my arms tightening around her waist as her knees gave up in relief. She took long, shaking breaths while she calmed down; blue eyes wide as they stared up into mine.

"Are you alright?" I ask after a while, my cheeks warm for some reason. She giggles and wraps her arms around my neck; making my heart skip a beat. My grip of her loosens slightly and I try to put distance between us by urging her to regain her footing and stand up by herself. I manage to get her to stand but the distance is still far too small.

"Capt'n, you startled me!" she exclaims with a wide grin, voice cheery but the slur of words enough proof that she's pretty affected by the alcohol. I raise a brow and cross my arms; eying her as annoyance hits me with full force.

"Matsumoto, what the hell do you think you're doing?" I demand, a bit too harsh than intended but too frustrated with her to care. She blinks in confusion, probably not knowing what she's done wrong.

"Eh?" is her answer, and I'm tempted to smack my forehead at her stupidity.

"I do not have time for these things, Matsumoto," I begin with a growl, "You have three stacks of paperwork that you need to have done by Monday; you're supposed to be arriving at the office 7 o'clock sharp tomorrow and work!"

"Yeah, I know Capt'n!" Smiling, she pokes my chest. "What I don't understand is why you're angry before I've failed to get to work on time! And what're you doin' here anyway?"

I glare into her questioning eyes, the heat of my cheeks returning. I hesitate to respond, not really knowing why. There's nothing to be embarrassed about; I just want her at work and not in the hospital bed.

"Do you really think walking around on ice while drunk is a good idea Matsumoto? You can barely stand!" I explain, quickly continuing as her lips curves up in a soft smile. "If you get stuck in the 4th division the paperwork will never be done!"

"Yes, yes; of course Captain," she says, the high pitch in her drunken speech gone. Smiling, she takes my hand and drags me along. I stumble before settling into a pace that matches hers, and try to free myself from her grip. Does she have to be this strong? I growl and grab the hand holding mine as captive; trying to bend her fingers off when I notice the bruise showing on her wrist and up her arm. I cease my struggles to eye her in suspicion.

"Matsumoto, what've you done with your arm?" I ask; taking in her carefree expression as she looks straight ahead.

"Oh, just fell. 'Tis pretty slipperish," she replied. I sigh and feel how the annoyance dissolves; leaving me feeling pretty tired. It's kind of late, and I've been struggling with paperwork all day as per usual. This woman beside me doesn't make things any easier either; quite the opposite, in fact.

We walk in silence from there, and I turn my attention to the path before us. Her hand feels warm in mine, and at times our grip tightens when one of us looses a bit of balance. I keep us from falling several times, and her light giggles and soft humming puts a smile on my face. Our walk is a very pleasant one; stars and moon bright on the night's sky and air dry and cold, making our breaths leave in puffs of steam. There is a reason as to why I became the youngest Captain, but that doesn't give me the power to control my feelings. I may blame the colour of my cheeks on the chilly winds playing about us, and the strange feeling I my stomach on hunger, but I cannot find an explanation to the beating of my heart nor the smile on my lips and ease in my steps. The only thing I can think of is her, and it makes me uncomfortable. I prefer not to ponder on the subject; it's been like this for years it seems, so I see no need to solve this mystery now of all times.

"Aw, we're here," she sighs, breaking my trail of thoughts and making me aware of my surroundings. Looks like we took the extra long way and ended up outside her door. I look away to the side and frown, quickly retrieving my hand as she lets it go.

"Hey, Captain," she calls, getting my attention. I look up and wait, fighting to not return her smile. It's way too easy to respond to her at times like these.

"Thanks for looking out for me," she whispers before bending down to kiss the corner of my mouth briefly. I freeze and can't seem to reply as she disappears into the darkness of her rooms, leaving me with a dark-red blush and wide eyes.

I quickly shake my head and start to make my way back to my own quarters. As I carefully avoid the ice on the ground, I let a finger trace the place she kissed. Hardly even damp. There can't be anything left, yet it seems to burn pleasantly; skin tingling and standing like a warm contrast to the cold air around. Staring at the ground as I walk, I smile softly.

Matsumoto has hugged me several times, tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear and held my hand while laughing and smiling at my blushes and angry shouts of surprise. But…she never kisses me, unless she's consumed the amount of alcohol that will make her speech slurred and steps wobbly. I sometimes wonder if maybe, just maybe, she's shy.

But, I realize, this was the first time she's kissed me on my lips. Well, almost on my lips. My finger returns to lightly touch the corner of my mouth and I frown. Whatever am I thinking?

o-oOo-o

A/N: Yes, whatever is he thinking? Haha XD Again, so sorry for making him that OOC!!! -fears the warth of hell-

...until next time...take care! -runs away-