Yosh! I'm back with a new chapter for this story. It took me sometime, but here is. Hopefully you like the way is heading this.

Remember: read, enjoy and review!

Chapter 4

The Next Level

It couldn't be possible to feel so much for someone.

It wasn't right to feel so weak and strong at the same time; to feel the possessiveness and tenderness he felt every time he was around her. It couldn't be possible to love someone this much.

And yet, she made it possible.

There, with her lying in his arms with only the night sky filled with the stars she loved, he felt all those things and even more.

When had he fallen so hard for her?

Rangiku stirred in her sleep, shivering slightly as the night advanced and the warm was replaced by cold. Toshiro frowned, knowing the cold didn't affect him at all but Rangiku was a little different.

He smirked and hugged her tighter towards him. At least it gave him an excuse to hold her.

Toshiro ran his eyes over the sky while his mind went back to the earlier events. The night had been what he had expected and even more. She had greatly enjoyed the surprise and was just as enthusiastic with the food and the drinks. They had talked about anything and everything and had sealed their perfect evening with a heated kissing session.

He chuckled slightly when he remembered where that kissing session was leading and he had expected after it to take things between him and Rangiku a little further, but just when he went to untie the obi of her kimono she threw him aside rather playfully. The woman was pure evil and he could notice it in the mischievous gleam in her eyes and the playful smirk on her lips when she told him: 'I don't want my kimono ruined.' As an afterthought, and giggling slightly at his dumbstruck expression, she turned them around and decided to cuddle with him while using his chest as a pillow which gave her the opportunity to tease him mercilessly all night long until she finally fell asleep.

She would either kiss him at random places or grind against him in a tortuous and sensual way that usually made Toshiro crazy. But then she would just give him a peck on the nose and return to her peaceful position over Toshiro's chest.

He was relieved Hyorinmaru wasn't close to them, otherwise his zanpakutou would have something he could use to tease him about later on.

Rangiku moved again, this time mumbling something in her sleep. Toshiro closed his eyes, wondering where his relationship with Rangiku was going.

It was something they hadn't spoken about, but if Toshiro was honest things had happened faster than he thought was prudent. He was realizing just how much she meant to him, she was becoming his whole world, the only one who could make him act without thinking. He didn't want the relationship to be a one-sided; neither did he want to have a repeat performance of his relationship with Hinamori.

"Still thinking about it?" Toshiro was startled by the newcomer.

Hyorinmaru was standing in front of him with a sleeping Haineko in his arms. Just as Toshiro was hugging Rangiku in a tender and possessive way, Hyorinmaru was doing the same.

The young man couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the multiple love bites Hyorinmaru was wearing on his neck.

"What are those?" asked Toshiro smirking at his obviously blushing zanpakutou.

"Those are nothing," said Hyorinmaru, evading his master's stare.

"Sure, nothing," said Toshiro, chuckling. Hyorinmaru tried to glare at his master but found it impossible when it was obvious Toshiro was happy.

The dragon decided to let Toshiro win for once. "Shall we leave?" said Hyorinmaru trying to change the topic. "It's getting really late and Haineko is shivering from the cold."

Toshiro tried to sit up without waking Rangiku up, something that took him a few minutes before he could finally leave her lying down. "Yes, you're right. Let me organize this and we can go."

About ten minutes later or so Toshiro had everything he had brought with him in the same basket and went to wake Rangiku. He leaned forward letting his hand softly caress Rangiku's cheek.

"I don't want to go to Soul Society," said Toshiro surprising Hyorinmaru. "I would be happy if it was only the two of us in a place like this. I can tell she likes it a lot."

"She wasn't the only one," admitted Hyorinmaru. "Haineko loved this place as well."

"I can't believe I'm feeling like this…"

Toshiro kissed Rangiku softly on her cheek with a dreamy expression on his face. The dragon looked over at his Master and then the woman who had captured his heart; a mischievous smirk started taking form on his face.

"Just for cuddling? Wait until you have sex with her." Toshiro choked on his spit and his face turned an amusing shade of red.

"Hyorinmaru!"

Toshiro's loud exclamation woke Rangiku, who turned to her side and tried to fix a glare on her Taichou who had woken her up rather rudely.

"That wasn't nice, Taichou," she mumbled, turning around to put her arms around Toshiro's neck, "I was sleeping so nicely."

Toshiro smiled softly at her before leaning in to kiss her softly on her lips. The kiss lasted only for a few seconds but it was enough to leave Rangiku slightly dazed.

"Sorry. But, in my defence, it was Hyorinmaru's fault," said Toshiro and he heard his zanpakutou snort inside his head. Apparently he and Haineko had returned to their original form.

Rangiku tilted her head to the side with a confused frown on her face, "What did he say to you this time?"

Toshiro felt his cheeks warm and Rangiku's curious expression intensified. "Nothing of importance."

"You don't blush for 'nothing of importance,' Taichou," said Rangiku with a gleam of amusement in her eyes. "Tell me, please! I promise not to use it against you!"

Toshiro snorted and shook his head, "I've known you long enough to know you will use it against me if I ever tell you."

Matsumoto pouted making Toshiro turn his attention to her lips. "Now you're just being unfair, Taichou."

"I'm never unfair, Rangiku." Said woman gasped in surprise, her icy-blue eyes went wide and focused on the man hovering above her.

"What?" she barely whispered.

"I said I'm never unfair…"

"No, you said my name." Toshiro blinked a few times before realizing he did and when he turned to look at her again she was smiling brightly at him. "I like it, say it again!" she said enthusiastically, which made Toshiro grin back at her.

In low voice, he said, "Rangiku."

Matsumoto giggled and kissed Toshiro hard on his lips. "So, this means I can call you by your name from now on?"

"What a silly question, Taichou. Of course you can," she said, smiling at him, then added as an afterthought, "and, I'll call you Toshiro."

Toshiro was taken aback for a moment before he looked back at Rangiku with a soft smile on his lips. He lowered himself and whispered seductively in her ear, "No, I like it better when you called me Taichou."

Rangiku was quite shocked at how many times she had blush that night, it wasn't very common for her to blush or act as nervous as she had all night. Being with Toshiro (she could call him that in her mind, right? What he didn't know…) was different. It was a new experience. Something she never thought could be possible.

But all night long he treated her as if she was precious, someone who should be protected, cherished and loved. She never felt like that; no one had been capable of making her feel all those things.

There was a draft of air making Rangiku shiver at the coldness of it; Toshiro frowned and untangled himself from Rangiku's grasp to take his haori off. Rangiku sat and looked at him curiously until he covered her with his haori, which brought a small smile to her face.

"Thank you."

"It's late and it's getting colder," said Toshiro, helping her up. "We should get back."

Rangiku wrapped herself tightly in his haori and looked at him while he finished packing. Her eyes went directly to the night sky and her expression softened at the sight of the stars there.

"Ready?" Startled, she looked back at Toshiro who was smiling at her knowingly. She nodded her head and took his offered hand in hers.

It didn't take them long to get back to Soul Society; it greatly surprised Rangiku to realize they had left Soul Society through the private senkaimon of Kuchiki-taichou. What was more surprising was that there were some guards waiting for them to open the door and let them in and later on help them out of the Kuchiki mansion.

"How did you get Kuchiki-taichou to allow you use his senkaimon?" asked Rangiku once they were out of the mansion.

Toshio was silent for a moment, aware of his hand holding tightly to Rangiku's and the curiosity coming out of her.

"Well, I shouldn't tell you this," said Toshiro. Rangiku waited for a moment before pouting.

"Taichou! Are you going to tell me or not?" Toshiro turned to look at her with a playful smile on his lips.

"Sorry, Rangiku, but that is a secret." He suppressed a chuckle when her pout intensified and she tried to hug the secret out of him. Not that he was complaining, he did like being hugged against her breasts after all.

"Why can't you tell me? Is it a really dirty secret you discovered about Kuchiki-taichou and you blackmailed him?" Toshiro rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"No, it's not a 'dirty' secret or anything of the sorts. Stop asking me because I'm not answering."

"Not even for a kiss?" asked Rangiku, looking at Toshiro with an expectant stare.

Toshiro actually stopped and considered it, which gave Matusmoto the opportunity to show him just how the kiss would be. She leaned forward and captured his lips with hers. Whatever Toshiro was trying to consider was totally forgotten in favour of the lips moving against his.

"So, do I get to know the secret?" asked Rangiku with her lips slightly separate from her Taichou's.

Toshiro kissed her this time more forcefully than she had done before replying, "No, though I like your ways of convincing me."

This time when she pouted and glared at him Toshiro did laugh at her. He intertwined his hand with hers and resumed their walk towards her apartment. It didn't take them long and Toshiro was really reluctant about letting go of her.

But he had two good reasons to do so, the first one was because he was a little shaken and confused about his relationship with Rangiku and the second one was merely a payback for her earlier teasing.

Rangiku was biting her lower lip and her grip tightened around Toshiro's hand; she didn't know what to do and if she should do it.

"Did you really enjoy the night?" said Toshiro once they entered her apartment.

"I love it, Taichou. I wasn't kidding when I said it was the best surprise anyone has given to me," she said, surprising Toshiro with her shy smile.

"I'm glad you did, because I did it thinking about you," said Toshiro, taking a step forward and shortening the distance between them.

"You did," she said. "Today I've been doing things I never thought I was capable of doing and is all thanks to you."

"Really? What kind of things?" asked Toshiro curiously. Rangiku giggled and shook her head.

"It's a secret," she laughed more openly at her Taichou's reaction to her words, then he joined her for a moment.

Rangiku took another step forward until her arms were resting on Toshiro's and her forehead was on the crook his neck.

Their laugh died soon after and both of them enjoyed the presence of the other; Toshiro put his arms around her waist while kissing her softly on her head.

"Taichou, you never answered my question and now I can't help but wonder why and what does this make us."

Toshiro lifted Rangiku's chin tenderly before mumbling, "Whatever you want us to be."

And then they were kissing. And Rangiku decided to tell her Taichou just what she wanted them to be. Just as he had showed her that night.

First the kiss was soft and tender; but then it was another deep and passionate kiss in which Rangiku tried to tell Toshiro what her feelings and her thoughts about him and the night were. She made sure he understood her message while her lips moved against his and her tongue duelled with his, her hands moving softly towards his neck and her hips trying to make contact with his.

She smiled satisfactorily when Toshiro gasped and a low, guttural moan left his throat. But her smile was replaced promptly by her own moans when Toshiro won the battle of dominance and let his tongue explore her in a dominant way. His hands were moving from her hips, one to her lower back and the other making his way to her neck and hair. Little by little Toshiro moved his mouth and started making his way to her neck. He wanted to show her he didn't appreciate it when she teased him earlier in the day, but it was getting harder and harder to do what he was thinking. Her skin tasted heavenly and the way she was grinding her hips against his, the soft gasp and intakes of breath followed by moans of satisfaction were driving him mad with lust. He wanted her, and he wanted her now.

But, even in his lust-filled state, he knew what his priorities were and how to obtain what he was looking for. Patience and restrained were essential. So, wanting to leave a reminder to her he sucked harder on the skin of her neck just above her collarbone. Smirking satisfactorily at the evident mark there, he went to kiss her lips again, this time softer and slower. Reluctantly he broke the kiss but not his contact with her.

With a satisfied smile at Rangiku's dazed expression Toshiro let go of her, "I guess this is good night."

"Wh-what?" stuttered Rangiku who was still a little too shaken after the kiss to comprehend what had happened and why Toshiro had stopped.

"I said it's time to say good night," said Toshiro. He had to suppress his smirk at the dumfounded expression that was forming on Rangiku's face. It wasn't every day you got to put that expression on her.

"Wha...what? Why?"

Toshiro looked into her eyes and saw the lust and the need in them, but he also saw something else, something he had been looking for in her eyes for a long time.

"I don't think we should…tonight," he said, slightly embarrassed and feeling like an idiot. He wanted to do it and it was obvious she wanted it, too, but he had already made a decision. Even if Hyorinmaru was screaming at him.

Rangiku looked disappointed and rejected, thought she tried not to show it. She smiled at Toshiro and waved her hand casually as if unconcerned by the turn of events.

"I guess you're right, Taichou. I'm tired and I bet you are as well."

Toshiro frowned and cursed mentally his own stupidity. He didn't mean to make her unsure or anything. He took her hand in his and caressed her cheek tenderly. "I do want to, stay here with you."

"Then why don't you? We don't need to do anything… I just…" Rangiku frowned slightly before turning her serious expression to her Taichou. "No, I guess you're right. I haven't spoken with Hisagi and he was supposed to be my date tonight. This wouldn't look right."

Toshiro raised a single eyebrow and his demeanour changed form a sheepishly tender to cold and indifferent. He had forgotten all about Hisagi and he hated the fact Rangiku brought him into their conversation; but now that she mentioned it, she was right. He didn't care, personally, better for him that Hisagi noticed he didn't have any chance or any possibility with Rangiku. But maybe it could be taken differently by others if they were to spend the night together.

Damn it! Why was this whole relationship thing so complicated?

You are the one making it complicated it.

Toshiro ignored his zanpakutou and kiss Rangiku softly on the lips, "We'll talk tomorrow over dinner, I promise you."

"Dinner? You're inviting right?" she asked playfully to which Toshiro rolled his eyes while nodding.

"Of course, it would be our second official date, this time with everyone knowing about it."

Not wanting to prolong the good-bye, Toshiro kissed Rangiku one last time and said good-bye before leaving.

Rangiku sighed before closing the door and going to the bathroom. She had a lot of things to think about before sleep claimed her again.

Toshiro was leaning back on his chair, his eyes fixated on some point on the ceiling of his office while his thoughts went back over and over the previous night.

A small, sincere smile appeared on his face at the memories of Rangiku sitting beside him, talking to him…kissing him. He had finally done what he was dying to do ever since forever. She was an important part of his life and it wasn't until there was a small possibility of losing her he realized how much he needed her, how much he…loved her.

Yes, there was not denying the fact he had fallen in love with her. And apparently she felt the same as him, or else what had happened last night had been a cruel joke from her part.

But he knew it wasn't possible. The woman was evil but she wasn't that cruel.

Ah, but that's your point of view right now.

'What do you mean?' asked Toshiro to his zanpakutou, who seemed rather amused.

Well, if I remember correctly you said last night, while taking a cold shower, that Rangiku was an evil woman. Toshiro couldn't help the blush spreading from his neck to his ears.

Hyorinmaru merely smirked and continued before his master could say something to shut him up, Yes, you said she was evil because when you two were finally going to…you know…she tossed you aside leaving you rather excited.

'I don't know what are you talking about, and if you know what's good for you then you don't know either what you're talking about,' commented Toshiro through gritted teeth.

Hyorinmaru laughed but decided to stop teasing his master. He had done it last night after they left Rangiku and Haineko at their place and went directly home. Toshiro frowned and sulked over the fact his zanpakutou was right and he did regret his decision the night before.

Hyorinmaru merely decided to keep teasing his Master about it.

It was you're idea, remember? said Hyorinmaru in response to Toshiro's previous complaint. You were the one who didn't want to take things further and then ended up at home with your hands full while taking a cold shower!

'Urgh, could you be more…crude and brutally honest?' said Toshiro, trying to hold back the blush trying to form on his face after Hyorinmaru's words.

Hyorinmaru smirked and mumbled a simple 'Yes.' Thankfully, though, he didn't make Toshiro know just how crude and brutally honest he could get.

I just want to know, master, why you are sulking while it was your decision; I know you said something about getting back at her for her teasing but…

Hyorinmaru didn't say anything else and it wasn't necessary; their relationship as shinigami and zanpakutou allowed them to communicate without using any words. Toshiro understood what was left unsaid and Hyorinmaru decided to let his Master complete his thoughts.

'You know how I feel about her.'

Yes, I'd have to be blind and dead not to notice. Toshiro smiled, chuckling slightly at Hyorinmaru's words.

'Good, then you must know I'm not interested only in her body.' Hyorinmaru listened to his master very carefully; while it was true they shared a unique bond, for the dragon was always fussy and confusing when trying to decipher his Master's feelings regarding Momo or Rangiku, Hyorinmaru had difficulties with Toshiro's emotions. He knew both women were very important to Toshiro, he knew he loved them…but Hyorinmaru didn't know exactly what kind of love or how big this feeling was.

Now Toshiro was finally letting him know, and he was sure to listen to his every word.

'I just….she…I don't want to be another guy. Another man who follows her around for her looks or only because he has an infatuation with her,' said Toshiro, and his thoughts were immediately to Hisagi and the other men who had wanted to catch the woman's attention.

Hyorinmaru titled his head, I don't understand Master, and I know you are trying to get together with her for more than just sex…right?

'I need her…I have never felt…not even with Momo…I just…I can't breathe right when I'm not around her, but when she is near I get this weird feeling in my stomach and a slight pressure in my chest.'

"I don't want to be just another man, another guy…another Gin," said Toshiro whispering, "I want to…and I know this may sound selfish and wrong but I want her to need me just as much as I need her, I want to know she feels just as strongly as I feel for her. I… I'm afraid she…she is my whole world Hyorinmaru, I don't know what I would do if she ever rejected me."

Hyorinmaru thought over his Master's words, trying to understand their meaning. For zanpakutou, love was a little different and less complicated from what Hyorinmaru could tell. He and Haineko merely liked each other and felt attracted to the other almost immediately; there wasn't any kind of ritual before they mated and became a couple. Those kind of rituals came later.

But with shinigami…it seemed a lot more complicated and kind of useless. He could tell and know he discovered his Master's worries. He was worried he would disappointed Rangiku and in turn that she would only be there for the moment. That she would leave him as soon as she got whatever relief she may be looking for.

Master, you know I respect you and all…but, you're an idiot.

'What? Why?'

Rangiku is just as madly in love with you as you are with her. Just get over with this; really you're making me look like a fool.

'You? How so?'

Well, Haineko says you spend too much time with me…well hearing me, said Hyorinmaru, slightly annoyed. As if I give bad advice!

Toshiro decided not to say anything but merely kept his thoughts to himself. 'You know? I'm tiring of discussing this. What do you say if you help me out choosing a good place to take Rangiku for dinner and then help me plan what I want to do after that?'

Oh, yes, I bet you will need all the help you can get! replied Hyorinmaru smugly.

Toshiro merely snorted before saying, 'Says the zanpakutou who received sex advice from a book and a movie!'

Hey! You told me you would never bring that up ever again! Haineko must never find out about that!

And...This is it! How was it? what will happen now? Would Hisagi come bak? Will Hyorinmaru come up with good ideas?

Sorry, to much total drama action.

Anyway, I'm thinking about a lemon but I'm not sure. Please give me your advices, opinions and critics. (no flames!)

See you next time!