Finding Friendship
Drowning Feeling
The sight of a sunset normally calmed the young taicho down. The white haired youth looked up at the door to his quarters that was cracked open and began to worry his lip as the colors cast by the sunset indicated it was getting rather late. The memory of the Quincy with the Mohawk standing outside of his door flashed through his mind and he swallowed deeply in order to keep his panic at bay.
He flopped down onto the bed and placed a hand over his forehead, the palm side down. His mouth twisted up into a frown as he felt the fingers of his other hand twitch in a steady rhythm. "When is Kurosaki going to get back?"
"Be patient young master."
"I am seriously not liking this..."
"This is because you're bored and aren't allowed to dive into work."
"I wouldn't be bored if Matsumoto sent some of the paperwork my way." His phone rang causing him to sit up straight. His small hand reached out for his phone and a smile appeared on his face when he realized it was Ichigo calling. He flipped the phone open. "Kurosaki?" A second hand went up to hold the phone steady to his ear. "He is coming back... right?"
"Toshiro..." There was a slight pause on the other end. "I'll be heading back soon."
"I'm glad... though I won't say so. He'll think it's childish. Actually... it is childish that I'm needing Kurosaki like this." The young taicho felt his head tilt forward while his shoulders slumped. "Still... I feel good that he is going to be coming back."
"Hello? Toshiro-kun." Yuzu's sharp tone almost caused him to drop the phone onto the bed.
The young taicho's teal eyes widened. "What is she..."
"If you want to speak to Ichi-nii then you can very well come and visit your girlfriend. He's staying the night." The phone then clicked off.
"What just happened..." Toshiro let the phone drop to the bed. "Did Kurosaki lie? Was he trying to play some cruel joke."
"Young master... you know he wouldn't do that."
"Why do I feel..." The young taicho took a deep breath as a hand reached up absentmindedly to wipe away wetness from his eye. "Crap..." Setting his palms against the bed he pushed himself back towards the head of the bed and leaned up against the head board. His head titled back. "Seriously... I can't be crying. I've more control over my emotions then that. I'm also not an emotional basket case."
A deep breath came out of his chest just as the phone rang again. He grabbed the phone to see who was calling. He could feel his ears heating up as well as his cheeks. Seeing Ichigo's name again caused his breath to catch and his voice to strain. "If you're not going to come back, then just say so. Don't bother me other wise." Toshiro's eyes blinked a couple of times as his chest tightened. "Did I just..."
"Yes. You completely lost it young master."
Toshiro took a deep breath as his fingers tightened. The nasty feelings wouldn't go away despite his desperation to push them away into the back of his mind. Ichigo's voice on the other hand was completely calm. "Toshiro... ignore what Yuzu said. She wasn't thinking and didn't run by what she wanted with everyone else. I'll be back tonight, so don't worry."
"I messed up. I acted like a complete idiot and he of all people knows it."
"I don't think he minds."
"I don't care if he doesn't mind! I care that I made a complete fool of myself. I hate the fact I'm acting like such a child!"
"Calm down young one."
Ichigo's voice came from the other side of the phone. "Hey are you still there?"
"I'm here." Toshiro swallowed and wrapped his free arm around himself in an attempt to comfort himself. "I forgot about his sisters needing him too." The arm wrapped tighter around himself. "I'll be all right. I mean..." There came a pause as a shiver ran down his spine. "... one night shouldn't hurt."
"Toshiro.."
"Asking you to come back tonight is selfish on my part." His eyes darted towards the door to see the evening sky appear. He swallowed again "It's already quite late... and your sisters haven't seen you for awhile. I'll be fine." He couldn't though shake the feeling that he wouldn't be fine as Ichigo said his name again. He fought the temptation to give in. "It's an order Kurosaki."
"All right. Fine... I'll let you have your way. You will take your medicine though, right?"
"My..." Toshiro's eyes darted to the nightstand where the sleeping drought was ready in case he needed. He couldn't help but gag at the thought of how it tasted as it went down. "I... I'll be fine. I already told you that." Ichigo's tone of voice shifted suddenly causing him to fidget. "It's just one more night. Plus... an order is an order. Since you 'want' to be a Shinigami, then you need to learn to obey them."
He clicked the phone shut so Ichigo wouldn't try and argue with him. Hyorinmaru's voice purred forth in an attempt to comfort only to reveal how worried the ice dragon was. "One more night? It hasn't even been one night."
Toshiro's body flopped onto the bed and twisted up into a ball. A sob escaped his lips only for the young taicho to bring it under control. He breathed in and out to calm himself and felt his breath come out in the form of a mist. Once he was calm he sat up again and swallowed. "I just won't sleep again. I mean... one more night of not sleeping can't hurt."
"Young master..." Hyorinmaru didn't have to say the words. The young taicho knew the dragon didn't think it was a good idea and he knew the dragon was becoming quite worried.
M
The door to the room remained open allowing for a view of the night sky. The starts stark white against the black sky proved calming for the young taicho. His eyelids began to drop until they slid closed. After a period of time the child taicho sat up. The teal eyes also opened half way. His limbs moved in an unfocused manner as his feet swung to the ground. He stood up and headed to the door that led to Rangiku's room, only to find it locked.
Two teal eyes looked at the doorknob while the mouth twisted up into a frown. A shuffling of feet was heard as the boy twisted around and headed to the open doorway. The child slipped over to the other door that led into Rangiku's room and tugged. The door slid open and the small taicho headed across the floor without waking the woman up, his feet pressing down.
The child sat down on the edge of the bed before lying down next to the woman. He then pushed backwards so that his back was right up against her. She still didn't wake and he stopped moving. His eyes shut and a soft snore came from the child's mouth. The door to Rangiku's room remained open from when the small taicho opened the door.
Sunlight falling on her face caused Rangiku's eyes to blink open. She moved to sit up as her mind tried to figure out why she was waking up like she was. She stopped half way in sitting up upon realizing someone was next to her. She turned her head to see the small taicho asleep next to her. "How cute..." Her eyes blinked a couple of times. "Nope. I've got to put my foot down. He's not little anymore."
She shook the boy's shoulder. A grumble was heard from the young taicho as he turned slightly to bury his face into the bedding. "Taicho... wake up."
She shook his shoulders some more and watched as his eyes blinked open. He then sat up next to her in a rather groggy manner. One hand reached up and tugged on her sleeve. "Matsumoto..."
"What?"
"Good morning."
"So like Gin!" Haineko purred at the back of her head.
"You're an annoyance." Rangiku's hand reached out and stopped Toshiro from tugging at her sleeve. "Taicho... are you supposed to be in my room?" Another sound came from the boy's lips. He shook his head as if he didn't want to answer her question. "Taicho... where is Ichigo?"
"He's..." The boy blinked a couple of times. "Kurosaki household."
"He left you alone?"
"He was going to come back. His sister was mad though. I told him... no... ordered him to stay."
"Taicho!"
The woman watched as the child taicho flinched at the increase of volume for her voice. Another sound came as he swung his feet over. "If I didn't... that would be selfish."
"Taicho..." Rangiku shook her head. "He knows that you struggle to sleep properly without another person or the sleeping drought."
"He..." The boy swallowed and tried to look away. "He was under the impression that I would take my medicine."
"Taicho..."
"I'm sorry. He'll only be gone for today. Why can't I sleep with you?"
Rangiku felt her breath draw short. "You know why. I shouldn't have to explain it." She stood up and tugged at his shoulders. "Come on... you need to go back to your room." She watched as the child followed her in a groggy manner only to flinch a few feet from the door. She continued to push. "Taicho..."
"No..."
"Please..."
She watched as his small foot almost crossed the door frame only to see him dart backwards. She turned to see him cowering on the floor with his head buried in his knees and his arms wrapped tightly around himself. She moved forward and sat down next to him. One arm carefully wrapped around his shoulders before pulling him closer.
She watched as his limbs began to relax. After a few minutes she pulled him into her lap and began to rock him slightly. His body finally relaxed and he leaned into her. "This is stupid..."
Rangiku blinked a couple of times at his condensing tone. She then looked down at him to see the frustration plastered on his face. His limbs remained limp as he remained there. "By stupid you mean..."
"You know what I mean. The fact I need to be coddled like a little kid."
"I don't mind. I like the fact you need me."
"Yeah... right." Toshiro pushed himself away so that he was sitting next to her looking at the door. "Exactly what am I to do now."
"What do you mean? You can get back to your room using the door between our rooms."
"It's not off limits?"
"My room is off limits, but not the door between our rooms for getting out." Rangiku continued to sit next to the boy.
"Can I have some paperwork?"
"Paper..." Rangiku shook her head. "Today's the next..." She let out a deep breath. "Actually... no point in insisting you go to the meeting. Not if you are unable to leave your own room." A silence fell over the room. "You know... I'm as frustrated with this as you are."
"Why wouldn't you be? I'd imagine that you are even more frustrated having to babysit me." Toshiro pulled one leg up to his chest and set his chin on his knee.
The woman swallowed suddenly. "Funny how I'm always finding myself babysitting him. I wish I could make him understand that it isn't that big of a deal."
"While it may not be a big deal to you or me it is a big deal to him. So's this inability to step outside of his own room. No... it's more like he can't step outside."
The fukutaicho of the tenth division let out a deep breath. "I don't mind. My frustration comes from the fact I can't do anything for you despite the fact I really want to. Taicho... do you have any idea why you're struggling to step outside."
Toshiro's teal eyes widened as he leaned into his arm. He then shook his head at the woman. "No... I haven't an idea.
