Mwahahahaha, I updated on time for once

Thanks again to all those who reviewed.

I personally like the last sentence of this chapter... but it's a personal opinion, and it's very biased '

I hope you'll all enjoy the seventh chapter, where a certain weak-lunged captain starts plotting.

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach. I only own Suzuki, who does not appear in this chapter



Ukitake Juushiro, who was enjoying his newly recovered freedom, walked round the Seireitei, trying to make his mind on whether he should go see his Shiro-bro or his old friend

Kyoraku before the pathways to the 8th and 10th division barracks parted. The 8th is closer… he mused as he got to the crossroad…

"Aaaaah! Nanao-chan! Don't hit me!" he heard scream from the 8th division direction.

I think I might just go and see Hitsugaya-kun, he thought merrily. And whistling, he turned left.

OOOOO

"Hitsugaya-kuuuuun!" he called with just his head through the door. "How are you today?"

"Taicho's out!" he heard Rangiku's voice call from a nearby room.

She came back in the office.

"Hello, Ukitake-taicho. You scared me for a moment. When I heard the door open, I thought it was him."

"Oh, that's sad, I wanted to see him… Why were you scared he'd come in? Were you supposed to work?"

"Yeah, that too…"

"That too?"

She looked at him, a look of surprise on her face, then laughed.

"Don't worry, I was just thinking that if he found out I was doing other stuff. He'd be annoyed enough if I had slept… Don't tell him anything, will you, Ukitake-taicho?" she said with an alluring look.

It was Juushiro's turn to laugh.

"Don't worry, I won't tell. It might be a good thing that you're alone here, actually… I was wondering what to get him for his birthday."

She stopped for a second.

"Are you all right? You did know that it's next week, didn't you?"

"Of course, I know. Let me see… Why not something for his training? I'd have said clothes, but the girls already took care of that."

He laughed again.

"Yeah, I heard about that. Did he wear any of it yet?"

"I don't know. He was wearing the scarf as he left… But I don't know if the pink gloves are still in his room", she said with a wink.

He smiled and sat on the sofa.

"Well, I guess I'll have to wait for him, then. Do you have any idea when he'll come back?"

"I'd say about half an hour… Why don't you have something to drink while you're waiting?"

"Hitsugaya-kun has drinks in his office?"

"No way!" she laughed. "That's my personal stock, otherwise I'd never get to drink anything. I swear, even if he was older, he'd still be sober!"

She went back to her room and came back with two glasses and a bottle.

"So, how is Kiyone?" she asked as she poured the drinks.

"She's doing fine… As long as she and Sentaro haven't killed each other, I assume they're fine."

"I think if one day they stop being solely in love with you, those two will make a fine couple. But then, I wonder how long it would be before one killed the other."

"You're the one who's going to get killed if I find out you haven't finished, because I need you for something, Matsumoto!"

They both turned round and saw Hitsugaya waiting at the door, his face hardly visible under the many coils of his huge blue scarf.

"Taichooooo, that's so mean! Ukitake-taicho just arrived, and I was keeping him company!"

"Hello, Ukitake", he said as he took off his scarf and coat. He turned back to Rangiku. "Well, you'd better finish that glass in the second, because you have to go out."

"Why me?"

"Because I have work to do here and you seem to have free time. Go get me the fifth and sixth officers, please, I have to ask them something. And put on something warm, it's snowing again."

"Oooh! Taicho is worried for me! That's so sweet!"

"Matsumoto, will you please hurry on? I'd like this done today!"

"All right, I'm off! See you some day, Ukitake-taicho!"

She grabbed her coat and went out, whistling.

"Seriously…" said Hitsugaya, sighing.

He turned back to Juushiro, who was enjoying the scene.

"What brings you here?"

"I just wanted to pay a visit! Though if you're busy, I can always come back later."

"No, it's all right, I have to finish this tonight, but it's no great hurry…"

OOO

They chatted for some time, and it was getting dark outside, since the winter had started.

"Just what the hell is she doing?" asked Hitsugaya.

"Rangiku? She'll be there in due time. Probably stopped to chat."

"That's what's bothering me. She'll never get the officers here… Come on, hurry up!" he added, his face full of annoyance.

"I should be going, maybe… I'll tell her to hurry if I meet her on the way."

"Yeah, thanks, it'd be nice… Ah, there you are!" he exclaimed as Rangiku opened the door and got in, followed by the officers. "How long does it take you to get two people? You've been away for ages!"

"Well, I'm sorry, but it's been snowing like mad! I need a hot drink! Oh, you're still here, Ukitake-taicho?"

"I was leaving… Good evening, both of you!"

"Yeah… Seeya, Ukitake. Now, you two", he said, turning to the officers. "I need you to check…"

Juushiro didn't hear more, since he had gone out and into the snowy wind. The snow had indeed built up. He hurried on to his barracks, not wanting to catch yet another cold. As he walked, a smile came to his face. It's been some time since I've seen Hitsugaya-kun so at ease… He always seemed tense, even with me… Maybe he's growing up. I should invite him over, next time. So, what am I going to get him for his birthday?

Checking potential ideas, he went back to his barracks.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

As he heard more and more whispering voices whenever he came near anyone female or high seated, Toshiro caught himself wishing he could dump his captain duties and hide somewhere so he wouldn't have to see what Ukitake and co. had come up with for his birthday. Why do they get all dramatic about it, anyway, he wondered. It's not as if it meant anything. I don't know when my real birthday is…

As always at this time of the year, he felt his anxiety come back, along with a feeling of void. He felt at home enough inside the division, but despite telling himself that he didn't care, he couldn't help feeling a tinge of sadness when he saw Ukitake's younger siblings visit him for Christmas, or when Kira did a party for his birthday, where all his rich relatives would come. He had come, and the closer he had ever been to having a family was when an old lady, whom they had ended up calling Gran, had raised Hinamori and him. She had given him that birthday. 20th of December, in the part of the year where the day was shortest… it was like he'd been born under the sign of cold… Birthday in winter, ice and snow Zapankuto… even his heart felt of ice, sometimes. He liked the snow, though. Snow whirled in the sky, free… snow covered everything and hid the ugliness of life… And you could still use it to throw at your friends when you were in a good mood, he thought with a small smile.

Despite chiding himself for being childish, he felt alone. He had no family, and even his friends didn't really open to him. He knew it was because he always looked cold, or even insensitive, but he didn't want to change it. It's my nature, he thought. What's the point of playing a part?

He stopped for a few seconds as he got to the 10th division barracks, looking up at the dark sky and the flying snowflakes. The view was beautiful, yet he just felt numb. He stayed there for several minutes, letting the snow get into his eyes and cover his hair until it started to fall inside his scarf. Then, as he felt a faint feeling of panic grip his heart, he decided he had better go home. He headed to headquarters at a fast, tense pace.

A wave of warmth greeted him as he entered headquarters, melting the snowflakes on his eyelashes. A fire was burning, and the office had a feel of home to it. I guess this is the closest thing to a home for me, he thought.

"Oh, there you are, Taicho! I was wondering when you'd get home!"

He turned to see Matsumoto's head sticking through the door to her room.

"Hi"

"I finished calculating the food supplies and we've been very efficient, cause we've got extra. I got some wood and got the fire going, cause it was freezing cold in here, and I also got my hair trimmed! What do you think, Taicho?"

"It's great", he said with a sigh. "Did you do it for any particular reason?"

"No, it just needed trimming. A young woman like me has to always look her best, especially when she has responsibilities and has to be an example, don't you think?" she added with a wink.

He ignored her remark and was rolling his eyes when his face lit with sudden amusement.

Fire, he thought. From her golden hair to the way she was in perpetual movement, Matsumoto was fire incarnate. She even had the Zapankuto that went with it, he thought. No wonder I can't keep up with her. Maybe I should stop trying and wash my hands of it, he thought with a chuckle.

"What's so funny, Taicho?"

"No, nothing. Man, I'm drenched!" he said, noticing the snow had melted and soaked through his clothes.

"Well, it's no surprise, but that's your problem, cause I'm off!"

"Where are you going?"

"To see Kyoraku-taicho and Nanao."

"Well, don't get drunk, because I'm not coming to get you", he told her as he took off his coat and scarf. "I intend to have a nice quiet evening, and I'm not going out again, even for you. And I want you back here before tomorrow morning, we have a lot of work to do before the meeting with the commander."

"All right, all right. Why is it always the nights I want to go out that we have to work early?"

"Ask the commander. I'm not responsible."

She sighed, but put her smile back on.

"Oh, well, have a nice evening, Taicho!"

There's just one thing that doesn't fit… he thought. If her element is fire, how come she's so lazy?


Well, there it is, I hope you enjoyed it, please review, nice reviews make my days, and crit helps me, so any of both are welcome