Sorry, guys! The awaited chapter is the next. Review what you thought of this though, and maybe the next will be a little more fluffier than intended. ;)


Learn Me, Love Me.

A Thousand and One

-:-

Chapter Three.

Flashback, earlier that afternooon.

"If there are no other matters to discuss, then I will summarize the important points of today." Yamamoto spoke. "We are to monitor Karakura Town to ensure that no Hollows or creations of Aizen Sosuke disturbs the souls, and we are to keep our guards up for what the future may hold of us. For now, allow yourselves to take a good rest to be prepared for what chaos we may encounter from those traitors. Dismissed."

At Yamamoto's words, the captains started to dispatch to their divisions, almost too eagerly walking towards the exit of the meeting room. It was a boring meeting, and certainly felt different. It felt odd to only have ten captains walking away, rather than the usual thirteen. It felt slightly lonely, but it would take some getting use to. Especially with the burning hate Hitsugaya had for the former Fifth Division captain and the aftermath with Hinamori.

Walking away, Hitsugaya's stress returned to mind; as usual, having to face the almost two-story high stack of paperwork when he returned. He'd probably have a few left to do if his lieutenant didn't insist that her fingers felt 'funny' when in contact with a brush and faced with 'boring' documents. He didn't particularly want to return to the division, but he had a strong feeling Matsumoto probably had thrown a party during his absence. Or maybe a zoo of drunk lieutenants having a party. Or just drunk alone.

Again.

How could she not? Hitsugaya knew it too. The woman practically watched her childhood friend betray the Soul Society, his comrades, her. It wasn't his business, though. He knew nothing of them, and didn't intend to pry into her personal life. He watched Hinamori suffer and it was much, much worse than Matsumoto's case. Shaking the thoughts away, the sound of Ukitake's callings from behind started to catch up.

"Hitsugaya-kun!" Ukitake smiled brightly, catching up to Hitsugaya's pace. Kyoraku trailed behind, catching up to his two friends shortly.

"Ukitake, Kyoraku," Hitsugaya greeted calmly, the thought of Matsumoto and her theory 'sake tasting better in the afternoon' clouding his mind. His office was probably on fire by now. The weekly documents—!

"You're snarling, Hitsugaya-taicho." Kyoraku noticed. "Must be about Rangiku-chan, eh?"

Ukitake spoke before Hitsugaya could deny, "Oh, if it's about Rangiku-san then please tell her we'd love to join her and Abarai-san tonight! However, we'll be a bit late. But, like she said, more people the merrier!"

Of course Matsumoto would say that, Hitsugaya thought, inwardly smirking at how persuasive his lieutenant could be, even at a grieving time like this.

"It's nothing of major importance. I was just thinking if Matsumoto would've thrown a party and cause a ruckus by now. That woman..." came Hitsugaya's swift reply. He often expressed his lieutenant's crazy doings and somewhat smart excuses to ditch work to the two older captains. Ukitake and Kyoraku chuckled in response as the three walked through the passageway, facing the beautiful gardens of the First.

"'Course yer lieutenant would cause a ruckus, shrimp! That woman likes ta fuck up Ikkaku on the nights out they have." A familiar gruff voice commented from behind.

Turning around, Hitsugaya was met with the most damnable captain of the Gotei. He inwardly cursed his luck as his eye started to twitch. It hadn't been the first time he spoke of Matsumoto as dirt.

"I'm sure it's just a joke, Zaraki-taicho. No harsh feelings on that, ne?" Kyoraku swiftly intervened, noticing Hitsugaya's eye twitch.

"And your point is, Zaraki?" came Hitsugaya's curt response. The younger captain had no patience for the taller captain; just like how the taller captain showed no respect for him.

Hitsugaya never was particularly fond of the Eleventh Division captain; he spoke ill of Matsumoto and himself whenever he had the chance to. If it were anyone else, Hitsugaya would've tolerated it with tact. However, Zaraki blatantly degraded women often and Matsumoto in particular. It was obvious Soifon wasn't too fond of him either. He'd never address Hitsugaya properly, simply giving him nicknames such as 'shrimp' just to intentionally push his buttons.

"I'm sayin'," Zaraki leaned forward to meet Hitsugaya's eye-level, grinning. "Why are ya complainin' when it's parly yer fault that women's a mess? It ain't the first time I've heard shit 'bout yer lieutenant, shrimp. Quit complainin' all the fuckin' time about her."

"Hey, hey, Zaraki-taicho. I think that's enough." Ukitake immediately spoke, his tone unwelcoming. "Hitsugaya-kun, I think you should go back to Rangiku-san now. I think she needs help with her paperwork."

Kyoraku held a tight grip on Hitsugaya's arm, preventing him from tackling the taller captain. The coast was clear, only consisting the four men. Kuchiki and Soifon were nearby, but were heading towards a different direction.

"Is that so?" Hitsugaya forcefully trudged past Kyoraku's grip, his expression was simmering with anger. "And what have you exactly been hearing of Matsumoto, Zaraki? Would you care to enlighten me?"

Zaraki roared into deep, thick laughter; the type that would send chills down your spine screaming 'deadly' and 'sadistic'. It was the type of laugh Zaraki had when he was faced with interesting situations, daring opponents and situations often relating to fighting, death and bloodshed. "I don't care, shrimp. But thought ya should know yer lieutenant's one hell of a mess after that bastard Ichimaru."

Moments later, the oblivious Third and Fifth seat of the Eleventh arrived, unaware of the tension between the two captains. Kuchiki and Soifon stopped dead in their tracks, sensing the vast reiatsu leak from Hitsugaya. He was never good at controlling in his reiatsu when angered. After a few seconds of thick, deep laughter, Zaraki returned his attention to the Tenth captain, ignoring his two subordinate's confused expressions.

"Just as lousy as trash! Can a woman like her put up a fight? Probably not. She's jus' as worthless as a whore." Zaraki taunted.

Little did he know, the younger captain's great weakness was taunting. He simply couldn't take it.

Hitsugaya's entire body stiffened at his words momentarily before a blast of icy-blue reiatsu fiercely roared out. Taken aback, Ukitake and Kyoraku stepped away from Hitsugaya's way. Little did Zaraki know, the wielder of Hyorinmaru's greatest weakness was taunt. He simply couldn't take it.

"Hitsugaya-kun! He's just taunting you!"

Hyorinmaru was unsheathed within seconds and aimed right at the larger captain's neck, only to be instantly blocked by the nameless zanpakuto. The two held a glare for a few seconds; Zaraki's grin widening as Hitsugaya pulled back. A few more clinks of colliding blades and Hitsugaya pulled back, devising a way to pierce the man.

"You bastard..." Hitsugaya hissed behind gritted teeth. Before Zaraki could respond, Hitsugaya briskly appeared behind him with the skillful use of shunpo, managing to slice his left arm all the way down to his wrist, ripping out the irritating sleeve in the process.

"Taicho!" Madarame called out, only being pulled back by the flamboyant Fifth Seat, silently motioning him not to interfere. The two knew if things got out of control and Zaraki and Hitsugaya did end up in a heated fight, their captain would never be able to forgive either of them for interfering.

"Not bad, shrimp. Ya caught me off guard." Zaraki ripped off the hanging sleeve. "Now why're ya so angry I called yer lieutenant a whore? Don't tell me you don't think she doesn't act like one! " Zaraki thundered against each of Hitsugaya's attack he effortlessly blocked.

Zaraki's grin widened once again after feeling Hitsugaya's icy reiatsu blast out ferociously by the second. "Don't tell me ya don't think that woman fuckin' sleeps around!"

Slice.

Zaraki's torn right sleeve revealed a severely bleeding cut, that was at least two inches deep. The first moderate slice was intended to be a warning; a simple way the bloodthirsty brash man could comprehend to kindly fuck off. The second time, however, was a not so kind way to tell the brawny captain to fuck the hell off. Ice formed around the wound of Zaraki's dominant arm, coating it with the stinging pain. He shouldn't be able to move his arm by now.

Hitsugaya unsheathed Hyorinmaru swiftly before casting a cold glare over his shoulder. "You are not to speak of Matsumoto like that, Zaraki. She is nothing of what you said she is." With that, Hitsugaya turned to leave the scene behind him.

Before he could take another peaceful step, his arm was abruptly met with a blade. Then, his senses of his left arm were cut off - left with numbness. Liquid seemed to be trickling down his fingers, but he had yet to feel the bitter pain. Shooting a slow glare at his arm, it was indeed met with a silver blade, sticking out of his limb ever so disgustingly. Blood dripped from the tip of the blade and onto the grass within each slow, passing second. He had been stabbed on the arm, and yet nothing felt painful...until-

"Hitsugaya-taicho!" Ukitake called from the side, running towards the captain. Soifon and Kuchiki, who were watching from the side, started to make their way over, intending to break up the ruckus. It was all blocked out by the sudden shock of pain that hit him like a bullet.

As Zaraki abruptly hauled the blade out of Hitsugaya's arm, Hitsugaya hissed at the sudden action, falling on his knees. Ukitake appeared beside him, bearing the weight of the younger captain.

"Za-zaraki..." Hitsugaya croaked, his words almost inaudible, but yet managed to plaster a bright, condescending grin on the Eleventh captain's face.

"An' who are you to stop me, shrimp?" Zaraki jeered, his right arm seemingly unaffected. "It's gonna take a whole lot to make me shut up, so how 'bout we continue this the proper way?"

Ukitake frowned as he glanced up to the Eleventh captain. "Stop this, Zaraki."

Hitsugaya felt his blood run freely from his shoulder, trickling heavily down his arms and fingers, dripping excessively on the grass. It was a much more fierce of a cut than Hitsugaya had given on Zaraki. Hitsugaya could feel the burning pain on his shoulder as he winced, clutching the wound with his right hand. It was then, every single vein in his left arm felt like it had exploded, that every inch of blood leaked out like a river.

-:-

Yelping, Hitsugaya jolted up from the bed, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. A sheen of sweat lightly coated the teal-eyed captain's chest and forehead. The robes must've been soaking up his sweat throughout the hours of his rest, they were awfully damp.

The pain had felt too real.

Glancing at the familiar surroundings, Hitsugaya allowed a sigh of relief. He was in his room. The moonlight served as the only source of light in the dark room. For once, Hitusgaya was glad he returned to reality. These few months have been tough and lonely, and falling into slumber and awakening to tears and pants hadn't been one of his most memorable experiences.

Hitsugaya sighed again. It wasn't a nightmare, it was reality. Yes, the once throbbing pain on his left arm that now turned numb was the reality check. The badly dressed wound he earned had a few blood stains on the material, but to Hitsugaya's relief, it had finally clogged and formed a large scab after several hours of constant bleeding. He might've released Hyorinmaru out of rage, in a very tactless manner, might've, but it wasn't his fault though. The damn man was getting on his nerves, and it wasn't the first time he threw a dirty remark about him and his lieutenant.

Damn Matsumoto, Hitsugaya cursed inwardly. Attracting attention even when you don't stir it up.

Sighing, Hitsugaya slumped back onto his pillow. He was probably going to suffer the consequence of releasing his zanpakuto with Yamamoto tomorrow. With so many witnesses present, it was impossible to cover it up. At least that idiot would be going down with him. Hitsugaya definitely dreaded the next morning to come.

At his thoughts, a strong trace of Matsumoto's reiatsu appeared outside his home. And at this hour. That's strange. Hitsugaya had so carefully hid his reiatsu. There was no way the woman could've known he was here. Her reiatsu was shaky and sparked at a random pace. Deciding not to take chances, Hitsugaya carefully stabilized his left arm before pushing himself off the bed.

-:-

Finally, Matsumoto had found herself outside her captain's personal quarters, the sake's burn still fiercely lingering in her throat.

After what felt like hours of mindless searching, drunk, she had stopped countless times to ask a few passing shinigamis for routes (who were mostly drunk too, and therefore incapable of giving decent information), it was now that she finally reached her destination. It didn't help that Renji and Shuhei were out to catch her as well. Matsumoto thrashed the door with her fists, intending to knock, but had done so a lot harder than intended. Oops.

Maybe gushing down each cup after another wasn't such a good idea. There was no time for that though; a million and one thoughts rammed through her mind as she stood there, inhaling the night's breeze. Not a million and one thoughts of possible reasons why Ichimaru Gin left her, it was now the possibilities of why Hitsugaya Toshiro decided to be a dumbass. Yes, he was a dumbass. Groaning, a hand shot up to her forehead as her hand came in contact with the light coat of sweat on her forehead. The sake definitely started kicking in.

Within seconds, the door opened, startling the slumping Matsumoto who leaned on the door while waiting. Her movements were sloppy and slow to react, consequently falling forward and into the house. Before her body made contact to the floor's surface, a hand shot up to stabilize her shoulders, pushing her back up to her feet. Matsumoto averted her icy blue gaze to the owner of the strong hand, the familiar scent of sandalwood flooding her nose pleasantly.

"Mm..." Matsumoto mumbled to herself as she regained her position, opening her cool blue eyes.

There stood Hitsugaya, his teal eyes widened, revealing the most beautiful large teal orbs the drunk lieutenant had ever seen. Sure, the woman had seen his eyes before, without a doubt. But she had never seen them so wide, so up close. The lieutenant continued her curious intent gaze at his eyes, almost as if searching for something. God knows what she looked like in a sober man's eyes. Only then had she realized that both eyes were perfectly large, almost unbelievable big when widened. What she didn't know was that his left eye was just slightly bigger than his right. Ever so slightly. Matsumoto mentally giggled at how adorable it was, and how she hadn't noticed it earlier. Oh, the things sake does to you! She was definitely in a pleasant mood.

A husky deep voice dragged her out of her serene thoughts. Then, she realized who was standing before her. Her captain. One arm was hidden behind the darkness of the house, and the other was clamped on the handle of the door. Her mood darkened instantly, just before the husky voice spoke again.

A thousand and one reasons why Hitsugaya Toshiro is a dumbass.

"Matsumoto..."


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