Thank you so much for the reviews everybody! Duril93 I missed you! Hehe and sorry about the delay but I'm on a Grimmjow rampage and can't stop coming up with stories about him! But now I'll focus on this story and finish it so I can breathe and hopefully satisfy everyone's need for Gin and Toshy love yay!

Oh I forgot to mention in the previous chapter that 'ciye' is Native American for brother! I didn't know how to use it but I wanted to stress on the importance on the brotherhood of the magical creatures just like the humans called each other Brother this, Sister that, you know.

So back to Toshy cuz we all just miss him and Gin SO much^^

Toshiro's head quickly swivels to the door; his ears twitch as if straining to catch a sound. When no one walks in or turns the door handle, Toshiro sighs in disappointment and goes back to tossing his ball lightly in the air and then catching it expertly while still in the air. A squeal of delight issues from the ball and Toshiro smiles wryly.

'Ssh!' he says playfully. 'Don't overreact! I'm not hurting you!'

A giggle now emanates from the sphere and Toshiro rubs it lovingly. He then looks to the door and sighs heavily.

He's been waiting for Gin. It's strange really. Before, he would have given anything for the vampire to leave him alone but now he just wanted to be with the vampire. Well, perhaps not for his company but for what he has to offer Toshiro: memories of his past.

Finally, he has found a way to uncover his perplexing history. Finally, he can find out who he really is and what happened to his family.

At the thought of his family, he closes his eyes and the image of the white-haired woman suddenly comes to life in his mind. She seems almost real, like if he reached out he could touch her. She looks so kind and gentle, her mouth upturned in a beautiful smile. She has equally gorgeous turquoise eyes (my eyes he realizes) and they show such warmth towards him he squirms on his bed, yearning to be enveloped by that warmth.

Reluctantly, he opens his eyes and when he blinks, a single tear travels down from each eye. Taken by surprise, he catches one on the tip of his finger and gazes sadly at the tiny blob of water which is caused by the excruciating pain in his heart.

He sniffs loudly and rubs his shoulders to remove the cold creeping into his bones. It's been getting colder in the castle and it might just be his imagination. He just seems to have lost track of the outside world altogether.

He hops off his bed and walks up to window, clutching his ball tightly, to gasp in surprise. The sky is nothing but a mass of grey clouds merged together to make one dreary blanket over Eerie Forest. But that isn't why he gasped.

Tiny white flakes are cascading down from the sky and covering the forest in their pure colour. It hasn't covered the terrain completely but it has created a beautiful picture, like a Christmas card. Toshiro wishes that he could just enjoy the view and not worry about a thing. Except that isn't possible. He cannot imagine relaxing while remaining a prisoner in this demonic palace.

After his near death experience with the crazed female vampires, Toshiro has been too shaken to even consider escaping. He knows that he will continue to find ways but for now, he just wants to calm himself down and recuperate.

Nobody has bothered to come into his room. Perhaps Gin had done something like threatened those who even dared to think of coming to his chamber. He meant to ask Gin that when the vampire came to wish him goodnight before he himself went to slumber. But his ability to speak left him as the vampire had scooped him up and then took it upon himself to tuck the little apprentice into bed. Grumbling, Toshiro had obliged. He had also been the one to give Toshiro the ball.

As Gin had pulled the blanket up to Toshiro's chin, he had bent down to kiss Toshiro lightly on his temple. Toshiro had let him. He had finally come to terms that Gin is not his enemy but then again, he isn't his friend either. But what made Toshiro give Gin permission to touch him was that once upon a time, and Gin may deny it, he had once cared deeply for Toshiro. Otherwise why else would he have disobeyed Aizen?

'Gin?' Toshiro had murmured as Gin had made to leave Toshiro alone after he had tucked him in. 'What happened to my family?'

Gin had brushed Toshiro's hair off of his face and then twirled one lock around his finger. He still felt uncertain and hesitant about telling Toshiro about his past. To learn of something so dark that Gin himself had buried it away isn't exactly pleasant to hear, especially when one's just started to learn the truth about their history. But it's not like he is disobeying Aizen's orders. He isn't telling the boy everything. Just telling him enough to satiate his thirst for the truth and not more than that to have him screaming in horror, maybe even killing himself over the gruesome reality.

'Gin?'

Toshiro had looked up at Gin with those probing fathomless turquoise eyes of his. Gin could feel his dead heart stir. It seemed like centuries had passed since Toshiro had looked at him like that. He had almost missed it to the point of committing suicide. It wouldn't have been hard. All he would have had to do was walk into the sun, never to come back again, dead or alive…

He had looked into those questioning eyes as if trying to search for the answer to his own question: how much can I reveal before I destroy him?

'They ran away,' Gin says curtly. 'They left you here.'

'O-Oh.'

Toshiro had cast his eyes down, not knowing what to make of this piece of information that Gin claims as the truth. To be honest, he had begun to doubt what Gin has been feeding him as the truth. It's like the only source he can truly rely on are his dreams. His dreams had been quite vivid for the last two nights. He could now hear rasping sounds of vampires as they chase him through the castle while he frantically searched for someone. He knows it is a person because he'd call out a name as he ran. But despite being able to hear the monsters chasing him, he could not hear the name that he is calling out. It frustrated him. He wanted to scream at himself and beat his mind for withholding the truth from himself. He doesn't care now if it is as horrifying as everyone claims. Let the truth hurt. It's supposed to otherwise one will never accept it as the brutality it is.

But for now, he will have to do with what his dream and Gin have to offer. He could feel his anger seething through his pores at that moment. For some reason, Gin had sensed how tense he seemed. It had been at that point he had pulled out the ball from somewhere within his robes. Toshiro had stared at him in amazement as he had taken Toshiro's hand and placed the ball in the center of his little palm. It felt light and it was painted a dull yellow. But what was most peculiar about the ball was that it buzzed. Like it literally buzzed as if it was full of tiny insects crawling inside while emanating a soft glow, making the ball look like a replica of the sun. Gin had grinned at the look of wonderment on Toshiro's face as he had inspected the ball from all angles.

'It's a fairy sphere,' he had said smoothly as he had ruffled Toshiro's hair. He loved to touch the boy's hair every chance he got. 'It contains a little fairy.'

When hearing that piece of information, Toshiro had stopped shaking the ball and stared at Gin in horror.

'You imprisoned a fairy in this ball?' he had whispered. Gin had chuckled and Toshiro had shivered, wondering how the hell he had begun to see this vampire to be kind, even a little.

'Do not be alarmed, little one,' he had chortled and had reached out to run his fingers through Toshiro's hair again but Toshiro had moved his head away in anger. Gin had gotten slightly irritated. He had gotten up swiftly and for a second, Toshiro had thought that he was going to attack him. Instead, he had stalked way to the door but before he had left, he had turned around and faced Toshiro with an impassive face.

'And just a by the way,' he had sneered. 'That used to be your favourite plaything when you were here, 'Little Prince'. You used to love playing with it. Consider it a favour from me. Lord Aizen didn't want me returning that to you.'

And with that, he had exited in the blink of an eye. Toshiro didn't mind yet whenever Gin left, Toshiro couldn't help feeling that by leaving, Gin had also taken something very important away from him and left him feeling very empty and very alone. After Gin's visit, he couldn't sleep so he had begun to play with the ball. He didn't want to be rough with the fairy inside. There were small holes in the ball to allow the fairy to breathe and also, to allow Toshiro to see what a fairy looks like since he had never seen one before.

He had to admit, the fairy is one gorgeous creature. She has delicate wings fluttering constantly to keep her airborne and also seem to be the ones exuding the glow. Her body is slim and petite, her frame draped scantily in an auburn-coloured outfit of leaf material. Her feet are bare and her head has a small crown of miniature flowers that Toshiro couldn't decipher as to what type they may be. They look like roses except they are golden and silver and Toshiro cannot recall there being gold and silver roses. Her face itself is exquisite. She had very delicate features and a cascade of orange hair that curl prettily around her melancholy face. Seeing her so sad made Toshiro's heart ache.

At first, she had been afraid of him and had pressed herself into the wall of the ball to get as far away from him as possible. But maybe she had recognized him or she found him incapable of harming her but she soon detached herself from the wall to reach out and touch his nose which was so close to the surface of the ball. Toshiro had been startled at first and had almost dropped the sphere. But he had regained himself and then smiled at the little woman.

'Aren't you a pretty little thing?' he had said warmly and she had blushed. He had then cracked a smile at her adorable behaviour; the first time he had smiled while being a captive here. 'Do you know who I am?'

She had nodded eagerly and curtsied to him, making him almost laugh at how respectable this tiny being could be. He liked her already.

'I'm sorry you have to be locked up in this ball,' he had said sorrowfully. 'If it's my fault that you are then I promise I will try to get you out. I'll take you with me when I escape and then I'll set you free. Would you like that?'

She had giggled delightfully and had flown forward to kiss him swiftly on his nose. It was now Toshiro's turn to blush. He had never been kissed by anyone before, let alone a fairy. Except maybe by his mother.

The thought of his mother had made his smile disappear and the blush to drain from his face. He had looked away from the fairy, his heart feeling heavy. Her eyes had gone large in concern and she had squeaked something incoherent as if she was trying to comfort him. He had looked at her desperate face as she had tried to understand why he got depressed so suddenly. He had then tried to smile for her.

'It's alright, little fairy,' he had whispered softly and brought the sphere close to his face to let her see that he was alright. But she could see that he wasn't. 'I just miss my family.'

The fairy had nodded like she understood and had trailed her fingers down her eyes as if to indicate that she herself had cried about not being with her own family.

'You miss your own family too, huh? Don't worry. We'll get out. I promise.'

After finally finding a friend he truly trusts, he had settled back in the bed and is now staring out the window, watching as flakes of different sizes float down to blanket the earthy floor of the forest with their snowy whiteness. But no amount of whiteness or purity will be able to wipe out the darkness and evil that rules the forest with an iron grip.

'Winter is beautiful, isn't it?' he whispers to the fairy as he gazes, spellbound, at the snowflakes as they rest on the windowsill. He is amazed how each flake is a different size and style and no two are ever the same. It makes one appreciate Nature for being such a diverse and spontaneous force.

The fairy says something that sounds like a 'Brrr!' and then wraps her hands around her body while wrinkling her nose. He laughs.

'Yes, I suppose fairies hate the cold,' he muses and he continues to watch the flakes as more pile on top the layer already covering the sill.

The fairy nods and touches a bud on her tiara of flowers. The bud immediately transforms into a blooming rose and Toshiro raises his eyebrow in interest.

'Bravo,' he says heartily and then his eyes twinkle. 'Now watch this.'

He points to the unmade bed and flicks his wrist as if wrapping a gift. The quilt on the bed quivers before springing to life and then arranging itself neatly on the bed. The pillows tweak themselves up and the sheets tuck themselves in as well. The fairy laughs, rolling on her sides in the air.

'It's funny,' he murmurs and the fairy stops laughing to stare at him in wonderment, all traces of amusement gone.

'I can do magic,' he says as if talking to himself. 'But I cannot even use it to save myself. Yet I learnt magic because I wanted to use it help myself. To help others. Even Momo…'

His thoughts drift to his best friend. Once again, he wonders whether she hates him with a passion for deserting her after promising he won't or is crying her eyes out for leaving her all alone again. He bites his lower lip. Poor Momo…

The fairy lets out a whine as she reaches out through a hole in her prison to tug at a fabric of Toshiro's clothes. He is pulled out of his daydream to look at her with troubled eyes.

'Sorry,' he says languidly. 'I was thinking about my friend, Momo. She's a really nice girl! A little helpless and totally dependent on others! I swear, sometimes I wish she would get a backbone! But, she's like my sister and no matter how irritated I get with her habits I still love her and want to protect her. Except, I can't do that anymore…'

He lets out a shuddered sob and sinks to the floor, dropping the ball on the floor. He covers his face and lets out all his emotions in a stream of salty tears. The fairy squeals in fear and beats frantically against her cage as if she is trying to reach out to Toshiro but he just can't hear her crying out to him.

'I want to get out!' he chokes out, his face still buried in his palms and he presses his hands even harder to stop the flow of tears but they keep coming uncontrollably. 'I want to get out, I want to get out, I just want to get out of this hellhole!'

'I want to get out of here, Gin,' Toshiro muses as he leans back in his bed and sighs heavily.

Gin looks up from the chess game he had been concentrating on. He cocks his head to one side and grins like a simpleton.

'What do you mean by that, Little Prince?' he asks and then glances at the chessboard. He moves a piece. 'Your turn.'

'I mean,' Toshiro sighs as he takes one look at the board and moves a piece. 'I want to leave this palace. I want to see the world. Meet different creatures. Your turn.'

'But there are dangerous monsters out there,' Gin insists as he spends a longer time pondering before he moves his knight across. 'You could get hurt.'

'I'm not as helpless as you think I am, Gin!' Toshiro pouts. He scratches his head and then makes a move. 'I can take care of myself just fine!'

'Let me come with you!' Gin urges as he moves his piece but still staring at Toshiro earnestly. Toshiro sighs.

'No, Gin,' he says slowly and smiles sadly. 'You're place is here, not forever by my side. You're meant for greater things than being my guardian. Aizen Sousuke is rising in power and seems to favour you. Stick to him. You will get somewhere and do great things.'

He pats Gin's cheek and giving the board a swift glance, moves a piece and hops off the bed.

'Checkmate,' he says cheerfully. 'Now I need to go join okaasan and otosan for supper.'

'But what if I want to be by your side forever?' Gin whispers so inaudibly, Toshiro barely heard him. The boy runs a hand through his hair. He then turns back to Gin and places his hand once again on his cheek to lift it up to look at him. He smiles gently.

'Now if I let you do that, Gin,' he says softly. 'How will you learn to live when I'm not here one day?'

Toshiro gasp and lifts his tear-stained face from out of his lap. Someone is entering his room. He quickly wipes his face clean and stands up, leaving the sphere on the floor forgotten. Thinking it's Gin, he adopts an angry tone.

'Alright, Gin,' he says loudly. 'No more beating around the bush! I want the truth and nothing but the truth and I won't give up until you give it to me!'

'Well, well, the Little Prince likes to play it rough,' comes a nasty but very familiar voice as the door squeaks open. Toshiro's heart sinks to the pit of his stomach as the door slams against the wall when fully opened. 'I think that can be arranged.'

Nnoitra saunters in, his robes trailing along the floor like as if he is dragging the souls of dead ones behind him. Toshiro could have sworn that he saw faces of tortured souls in his robes. It didn't help stop the shiver running up his spine.

'Y-You're not allowed here,' he says feebly but even as he says it he is taking a step away from the dangerous vampire until he hits against the stone behind him.

'Prisoners aren't allowed to give orders, 'Little Prince',' Nnoitra says tauntingly as he wags a finger at Toshiro. He isn't so far away now. If he took one more step, he would be towering over Toshiro. Toshiro just hopes that he is dim-witted enough not to realize that.

Nnoitra takes a deep breath and then sighs in satisfaction. He lowers his one eye on Toshiro and the boy genius feels like a trapped deer with nowhere to go. Like he is a piece of meat Nnoitra is just waiting to sink his teeth into.

'You know what I smell?' he croons, his tongue flicking out to moisten his rather thin and wide mouth. Toshiro gulps, afraid to answer. 'It's fresh blood. And it's coming from your direction.

'Get out of here now,' Toshiro says in a controlled voice, bent on showing no fear. 'Before I-'

'Before you what? Call Gin?' Nnoitra says mockingly. 'Go right ahead! But he'll be too late in saving you since I'll have sucked you dry by the time he gets here-!'

But he is cut off as Toshiro thrusts pillow at him which he had magically willed to hurl itself at the vampire. The monster growls angrily and shreds the pillow.

'I'm not falling for it this time!' he leers menacingly and as quick as lightning, he is standing above Toshiro.

Toshiro gasps and tries to escape from any small opening Nnoitra might have left but being all gangly, Nnoitra reaches down and grabs both of Toshiro's hands in one large hand, suspending him in the air. Toshiro squawks in panic and starts to kick the air in a feeble attempt to free himself. Nnoitra chortles at his pathetic efforts, using his other free hand to grab the boy's chin firmly to pull it up to his own face.

'I am going to enjoy every moment of sucking your blood,' he says lecherously. 'I will enjoy every suck, every bite, every scream you issue. It will be an early Christmas present for me.'

His grin widens and he comes closer. Toshiro's eyes travel to the floor and his eyes widen as Nnoitra's foot is just inches from crushing the glowing ball.

'Stop!' he screeches. 'Don't crush that!'

Confused, Nnoitra looks down and hears the scream coming from the ball. The sadistic grin returns to his face and, winking at Toshiro, he brings his foot crashing down on the sphere. Toshiro doesn't realize that he had screamed until he feels his throat feeling like he had swallowed a pack of nails. Nnoitra throws his head back and laughs maniacally.

'That's it!' he roars and brings his face close to Toshiro's to breathe on it. Toshiro is tempted to bite the cocky vampire's nose off but he is afraid of the consequences he might face if he did.

'Scream for me,' the vampire mutters as he tilts Toshiro's neck roughly to the side and licks the entire side. But before he can sink his teeth in, he cries out in pain as something begins to tug him away from Toshiro. Surprised, Toshiro strains his neck to see the little fairy, free from her prison, and tugging Nnoitra's hair with a look of fiery and determination on her face.

'Little whore!' he screeches and reaches a hand at the back to swipe her away while releasing Toshiro at the same so he drops painfully to the ground.

Toshiro doesn't waste time in sticking his leg out and tripping the sinister vampire. Nnoitra goes down with a grunt and at the same time, Toshiro springs to his feet and brings the side of his foot to smash against Nnoitra's face but the vampire is quicker. He grabs Toshiro's foot and causes him to plummet to the ground.

Toshiro winces as pain lances through his body when he makes contact with the floor. The fairy cries out in alarm as Nnoitra rises and advances on Toshiro. She begins to distract him by flying in his field of vision, tugging at his hair and pulling funny faces at him.

'Tch,' he sneers and grabs her by the wings while bringing her in front of his face. 'How would you like it if I pulled your wings out right now, huh? It'd be pretty painful.'

The fairy struggles hysterically, pounding her fists relentlessly on Nnoitra's giant hand. He just snorts and reaches out a hand to crush her.

'Leave her alone!' Toshiro hollers and launches himself at Nnoitra, scratching and kicking and punching; a hurricane of fists and feet.

Nnoitra howls and grabs Toshiro by the shirt of his collar and then smacks him against a wall while throwing the fairy across the room. Toshiro sees stars flit across his field of vision and he doesn't have time to react because Nnoitra has backhanded his face roughly.

'Fucking son of a bitch,' Nnoitra mutters under his breath as he wraps his hand round Toshiro's throat. 'Your blood is not worth all of this, no matter what he said. I can just kill you now and get this over with!'

He squeezes and Toshiro sees stares again. He places his hands on Nnoitra's which is gripping his throat. He lets out a gurgles noise.

'G-Gin,' he manages to utter before choking. Nnoitra's eye bulges in disbelief and he laughs.

'Why are you calling out to that vampire?' he cries out hysterically as if overcome with madness. 'He can't hear you so it is pointless-!'

But he never got a chance to say how pointless the attempt is. Before he knows it, a pair of powerful hands grab his shoulder and pull him off Toshiro. The owner of those hands hurl him at a wall and then wraps his own hands around Nnoitra's throat. The great vampire chokes feebly and the grin is gone from his face.

'Watch your words, Nnoitra,' Gin murmurs, his eyes in slits and his smile just barely there. 'You don't want to lose your tongue now after I took you eye before without hesitation, do you?'

'Lord Gin,' Nnoitra wheezes. 'I-I didn't mean to insult you. My apologies…'

'Save it,' Gin says curtly. He then throws Nnoitra to the floor, standing over him like a victor. 'Now leave before I change my mind about your tongue.'

Nnoitra scrambles out without being told twice. Toshiro gulps and feels his throat with his hand. He can feel bruises on the verge of forming and he hisses at how painful they feel. Gin looks around the room and whistles. Out of nowhere, the fairy flutters towards him, just barely staying airborne. He smiles at her and hold out a hand so she can collapse in the palm of his hand. She begins to talk in weak squeaks and squeals. He nods.

'You did well, Rangiku,' he says knowingly. 'Go to my chamber and rest there. But go quickly.'

She salutes him and then rushes off but not before swooping down to kiss Toshiro's cheek. Toshiro rubs where she had kissed him and smiles. The smile quickly disappears as Gin comes into his view, bending down as he grabs him form under his arm. He pulls his hand away angrily.

'I can help myself, thanks!' he snaps and tries to get up but winces in pain. Gin shakes his head as if in exasperation and without Toshiro's permission, carries him bridal style to his bed. Toshiro yelps in anger and beats his hands on Gin's solid chest but Gin ignores him.

'Let me go!' he cries out. Sighing, Gin does but on the bed. Toshiro glares at him. 'What is your problem? Do you stalk me that you always know when I am in trouble?'

'I don't think you even have the ability to care for yourself,' Gin says with a shake of his head. This statement makes Toshiro seethe with anger.

'I can take care of myself,' he says hotly. 'Just stop breathing down my back and jumping in just because you think you can!'

'If you can fend for yourself,' Gin says softly. 'Then why did you call my name?'

At that statement, Toshiro opens his mouth to counter it but realizes that his mind is blank of any, he quickly closes it. He sighs deeply and brings his knees up to his chest, his eyes trained on the quilt on his bed.

'You probably promised to take care of me a long time ago, Gin,' he says after much thought. 'And for some reason, I think I need you too.'

He swallows hard.

'I think I need you, Gin,' he says bitterly. 'And I don't know why. It's killing me because I think I know but I don't. Do you know how awful it is? To not know? To not know why you feel something for someone you had never met yet they seem to be the center of your world once upon a time? Do you know how it feels, Gin? Do you?'

Toshiro can feel his throat constrict and his voice crack. He's going to cry but he doesn't care. His emotions are overwhelming him since he just had his second brush of death and if he didn't get to tell anyone how felt he feels like he'll explode. Then he feels a brush of fabric at his side and pair of strong arms enclose him. He doesn't make to push Gin away but wraps his own arms around Gin's neck for comfort. Once again, it feels so nice to be hugged by this vampire. Once again, he is being eaten alive from the inside for not knowing why.

'Gin?' he whispers.

'Yes, my Little Prince?' he whispers back.

'Why didn't you drink my blood that time when you had the chance?'

A pause.

'Because,' Gin says lovingly. 'A vampire can only drink the blood of the one they love if they give them permission. Only then is their love permanent and true.'

Toshiro's heart pounds faster at that answer.

'Do you love me, Gin?' he says in a hushed tone, unable to belive his ears.

'With every fiber of my being,' Gin says firmly. Toshiro twists a lock of Gin's hair around his index finger. He lets out a slow breath.

'You may,' he says simply and tilts his neck to the side. Gin's head perks up and he stares at Toshiro in surprise.

'Do you…' he begins.

'Yes, I mean it,' Toshiro says confidently, his eyes evoking all he wants to say to Gin.

Gin nods and suddenly dips Toshiro on the bed. Toshiro gasps as Gin places all his weight on the boy but not enough to suffocate him. Toshiro stifles another gasp as Gin runs his tongue along his jugular vein. His eyes scrunch up as he feels a pair of pointed fangs tickle his neck.

Before he can even wonder if it might hurt, Gin plunges his teeth into the boy's throat. Toshiro lets out a strangled cry and his body lurches upwards. His body thrashes to the side but Gin hold him steadily as he suck greedily on the boy's neck. Toshiro can feel his blood gushing through his wound and Gin lapping at it. He shudders and tries to focus on something else but all he can hear is Gin gulping and his blood soaking up the pillow and his hair.

As Gin drinks his blood, Toshiro feels that Gin is taking more than just his blood. He is also taking a part of Toshiro with him as if claiming him as his own property.

Ending suck I know but I was in a hurry!

But please review cuz I killed my back writing this! Waiting patiently for yummy reviews hehe