Secret Santa
Happy Birthday: Part 1~

Dear Shiro-chan and Ran-chan

The two of you are likely wondering why I've gone through the trouble of playing Secret Santa for Shiro-chan. Today 's Secret Santa gift is to let the two of you know the truth. A long time ago Ran-chan lost her memories, so don't hold it against her for not knowing or remembering the truth. The truth is Ran-chan is your mother and I amd your father.

Aizen is the person who took Ran-chan's memories away. I tried getting them back, but obviously I've failed. The point of this was so Shiro-chan can know the truth which he deserves to know in a manner that is easy for him to intake. No, you weren't born in the living world. No, you didn't die upon a plain of ice. You were born in the north during the winter. Your inner world is also a plain of ice.

Now, I am not looking for forgiveness. I would say easily that the greatest crime I've commited was keeping the two of you apart. Again, the whole point of this is so you both can know the truth and so it will be easier for Shiro-chan to handle. Happy Birthday Shiro-chan,

Sincerely,
Ichimaru Gin

Ukitake read over the letter a few times, his mouth opening and closing as he attempted to say something. Nothing came out of his mouth due to the shock. He handed the letter back to Gin. He watched as the man placed the letter in an envelope before sealing it. "So?"

The man took a deep breath. "How can any of that be true?"

"Because it is true." Gin found his words met with a few minutes. He let out a deep sigh. "I guess you want a better explanation?"

"I'm not taking this letter to them until I do." Ukitake shook his head at the young man.

"Ran and I had Shiro-chan when we were really young and naive. While he isn't a mistake the time that we had him was Aizen began creating that abomination. Rangiku got caught up and hurt. She wished to forget and that thing granted her wish. She forget everything. Me... and Shiro-chan."

Ukitake's eyes went wide and his mouth twisted up into a frown. "You went after Aizen to reverse her wish? That's rather childish as you didn't know if it would work or not."

"I mistakenly thought it would work."

"I'm not finished! You should have come to us for help! This is one of the most illogical things I've heard! The only person I know of who would think like this..." The white haired taicho slapped a hand over his mouth realizing whose name he was going to bring up.

"You just realized how much the two of us are alike." Gin's tone was dark and depressing.

"I've noticed similarities between the two of you before I always thought you were just..." Ukitake let out a deep breath. "I assumed your interest in the small taicho resulted from a bit of jealousy because you thought Rangiku was favoring him. Which she wasn't mind you, but that is how I thought you felt about him."

"That's how I wanted people to see things. Particularly Aizen." Gin suddenly flopped against the headboard. "If he can't use a child genius he'll find a way to destroy them."

Ukitake closed his eyes and sat down. "You're saying he had something to do with Kaien's death?"

"I'm sorry for not telling you that sooner." The silver man stated.

"I'm more worried about you. This... this is why you've been depressed this whole time and why you haven't been getting better. Well, there have been points that you've been getting better, but I can't help but notice even that was related to all of this." The taicho of the thirteenth division folded his arms across his chest. "If you don't take care of yourself, you'll only end up worrying him you know."

"This is your way of telling me to take better care of myself without ordering me to do so." Gin shook his head. "I'm not a little kid anymore."

"Actually, as far as I'm concerned you are still a child. Sure, there are areas you've grown up, but there are places you haven't been able to." Ukitake let out a deep breath. "Your son has the same problem, a problem we've been trying to work with him on. Just keep that in mind. I'll be by to speak with you later. Conversations should be easier."

M

Toshiro sat at his desk. A photo album was sitting in one spot as he worked away at his paper work, humming to the music he was listening to. Rangiku was sitting at her desk filing away at her nails. Ukitake came into the room and knocked on the door frame. "Good morning Hitsugaya Taicho."

"Ukitake!" Toshiro's head darted up.

"Happy birthday to you Shiro-chan."

"A happy birthday to you too, though it is a day early." The boy remained in a good mood. He bit his lip and looked at the man's hand and the envelope that was in his hand.

Ukitake glanced over at Rangiku. "He wished for you to read this letter out loud. Actually, the letter is for both of you."

The busty woman let out a deep sigh. "Now, I haven't said anything about the other gifts he's given taicho, but he doesn't have the right to drag me into this mess."

"It's rather important that you read this letter Rangiku." The man felt the corner of his mouth twitch. Glancing over at Toshiro, he found that the young taicho was simply watching the two. He had moved to the edge of his seat. "Plus..."

Rangiku glanced over at her small taicho. "All right, I'll read it out loud." She then began to read the letter out loud. "The two of you are likely wondering why I've gone through the trouble of playing Secret Santa for Shiro-chan." The woman let out a deep sigh. "Well, of course we've been wondering why."

"I haven't. I've figured it out."

The woman blinked a couple of times, before continuing with the letter. "A long time ago Ran-chan lost her memories..." The woman let out a deep breath of irritation. "Now that is personal, I don't see... oh." The fukutaicho of the tenth division continued reading the letter. "...so don't hold it against her for not knowing or remembering the truth. The truth is Ran-chan is..."

Toshiro and Ukitake watched as her face twisted up in horror. The small taicho blinked a couple of times, watching as she skimmed the letter rapidly, her eyes darting back and forth. "Hey... Matsumoto..."

"I'm going to kill him." The woman crumpled the letter up in her hand. "I can't believe he would do something like this!"

"Matsumoto!"

Rangiku turned to look at Toshiro, giving him a look of pity. "Taicho, I'll handle this. I'm not going to let you get hurt by his lies."

"How do you know they are lies!" The small taicho shook his head, his voice trembling slightly. Instead of getting an answer he saw her suddenly take off. "Matsumoto!" The small taicho of the tenth suddenly stood up. "I've got to go after her."

"You don't know what was going to be said." The man felt the corner of his mouth twitch.

"But I do know..."

"There isn't any proof that his word is true though." The man let out a deep sigh, only to see Toshiro glance at the album before picking it up and shoving it towards the man.

"The proof is right there." Toshiro suddenly found himself hurrying out of the room.

Ukitake opened up the album and his jaw dropped upon seeing the pictures. "You really should have planned all of this better Gin-kun."

M

The small taicho sped towards the forth division and then headed through the forth division. He knocked a few members over and gave them a quick apology. He turned the corner in time to hear Rangiku yelling at Gin. "How dare you try to tell my small taicho lies about me and you being his parents!"

"They aren't lies Ran-chan."

"Don't Ran-chan me!" The woman was furious. "Do you even understand how important the concept of family is for him? I'm not going to let you get his hopes up and only to turn around and tell him it is all just a lie you concocted to watch his hopes up."

Toshiro took a deep breath. "But it isn't a lie Matsumoto."

The woman turned to look at him, her eyes wide with horror. "Taicho... how can you believe that is true."

"Because it is." The words came out of his mouth and he looked at her. "Please... give him a chance. Please give us a chance. I mean..."

"Taicho! He's known for spewing lies left and right." Rangiku moved over and held his face in his hands. "I can't verify that what he says is true, and... if it isn't true who do you think is going to get hurt the most."

"You?" The small taicho frowned, his own eyes looking at her in worry.

"No silly... you're... oh, never mind. I need to go and think about this." Rangiku touched his cheek lightly.

"But... shouldn't you be talking things out with him." Toshiro grabbed her hands and tugged the woman over to Ichimaru's bed. He stopped upon noticing the look the man was giving him.

The fukutaicho of the tenth division suddenly forced the small taicho to look at her straight in the face. "Taicho, do you remember the day I told you to get out of the office because I was so angry at Gin I thought I would take my frustration out on you? This is just like that day. You're the last person in this world I want to hurt. Please give me a chance to calm down and think things through."

Toshiro opened his mouth, only to find a finger placed over it. Rangiku then slipped out of the room. He could feel his hands shake and he wrapped his arms around himself. Two arms reached from behind him and suddenly pulled him close. A bony hand covered his eyes so that he could calm down. A hot breath was close to his ear. "Well... this isn't the way I wanted things to occur."

"I..." The small taicho tried calming his mind down to a slower rate, but instead found that words simply couldn't come out of his mouth.

"Look, it is all right to cry when you are sad. It is better to do that then bottle the emotions up and make yourself sick. Goodness knows I don't like it when you are ill."