Intro: Time to do some catching up. Here the twins meet each other again, and Kumatsurou tells his story. Hinamori also appears, but no real HitsuHina yet.

Random Note: Yamamoto Genryuusai isn't his full name.. O.O Its only his last name, and his first name is Shigekuni, according to the Bleach game database anyway…

Disclaimer: The usual.

It was graduation day. The students lined up in a solemn procession as they received their certificates from the Commander General Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni. In the front row of the auditorium, the captains of the Gotei 13 and their vice-captains sat, watching intently, all except for one particular boy. Hitsugaya Toushirou. Even though he had been through the entire graduation process of the Shinigami Academy at least 10 times, he found it extremely boring. Trying not to yawn while being watched by practically every other Shinigami in Soul Society, he turned his attention back to Yamamoto and the next batch of Shinigami graduates. A poke in the ribs made him turn and glare at his vice-captain, Matsumoto Rangiku.

"What was that for?" He hissed, slightly annoyed. Matsumoto, merely smiled, a small hiccup escaping her as she did so. Oh my god no, you got drunk just before the ceremony? Hitsugaya sighed, now he had to keep his vice-captain out of trouble as well. The blonde beauty hiccuped again before pointing lazily at the stage. Hitsugaya had no wish to see what she was pointing at in her drunken state, and ignored her. But this proved impossible once she started alternating between poking him in the ribs and pointing at the stage. Looking up, he saw at once what she was trying to point out. Behind Yamamoto and his lectern, there was a line of Shinigami graduates. One of them was a short spiky haired boy, a boy whose hair was an electric blue… Toushirou gasped softly. Kumatsurou…

The sun shone brightly over the courts of Seireitei, just like every other day practically. The 13 squad captains and vice-captains had once again been assembled, as the 60or sonew Shinigami graduates lined up, waiting to be assigned a squad. When Hitsugaya and Matsumoto reached the 10th squad group, the boy captain looked in surprise. Surrounded by a few other Shinigami, each at least a head taller than he was, was Hitsugaya Kumatsurou. He's in… my squad. Although his outward appearance portrayed very little of his shock at this turn of events, Matsumoto read the kid's face and understood. It's just like on Graduation Night, when I pointed him out to Taichou. He does know that kid.

Kumatsurou was chatting to his new mates in the 10th squad, who were all surprised to see someone as young as him with them, when he turned around and noticed his captain and vice-captain standing there. Nii-san. That was his first thought. She's really pretty. That was his second. Shushing his new friends, he pointed in the direction of the captain and vice-captain. The group fell silent, as the white haired kid stared at them.

"Alright then. Welcome to all you guys. I'm Hitsugaya Toushirou, the 10th squad captain, and this is Matsumoto Rangiku, the vice-captain." Matusmoto Rangiku, so that's her name, thought Kumatsurou, and just about every other guy in the vicinity of the 10th squad group. "I'll leave you now to her, she'll explain the basics of what you guys need to do around here, and then, can you bring them up to my office and show them in one at a time? I wanna get to know them a bit better." Matsumoto couldn't conceal her grin as she heard these words. You sneaky little kid, Taichou. You've never wanted to "get to know" your new squad members before. You just want to talk to that blue-haired kid by yourself, without all his friends.

Toushirou walked back to the 10th office, and sat himself in the office. It had been many years since he and Kumatsurou had laid eyes on each other, ever since that day when he had run away from that incessant woman who called herself their mother. I never thought he'd become a Shinigami as well, and to think he actually landed in my squad. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock. Without thinking, he identified the knocker. "Show 'em in, Matsumoto."

The first guy came in, rather intimidated with having to speak to the captain on his first day. Toushirou forced himself to ask random questions, thinking that he'd probably never need to know the answers to some of these questions, but nevertheless, his genius brain took in every little bit of information.

The next three interviewees were much the same. Toushirou had noticed something that had stood out with them though. While all of them appeared to be delighted to be in the 10th Squad and such, Toushirou could tell by looking at them, that they were clearly disappointed in having a kid as their superior. Dismissing them each as quickly as he could, he awaited the last interviewee, glad that Matsumoto had had the sense to leave his brother until last.

When Kumatsurou entered the room, neither he nor his brother said anything, they just stared at each other. Toushirou broke the silence by calling out impatiently. "Che… If you wanna come in and listen Matsumoto, just bloody come in rather than trying to listen through the keyhole." The door opened and the vice-captain stepped in, amazed at her captain's perception skills.

"Hehehe… sorry Taichou, just couldn't help myself." Toushirou ignored her apologies, and turned back to his brother. Kumatsurou shifted uneasily, as if debating whether or not to speak first. After a few seconds, he reached a decision.

"NII-SAN!" The blue-haired boy rocketed into Toushirou, sending both of them to the floor, where he began to hug the astonished captain fiercely.

"Ku-Kumatsurou! What the hell are you doing!"

"I knew it! I knew that you two were related somehow! Ever since the first time I saw you at the Graduation Ceremony!" Matsumoto's voice was shrill, clearly congratulating herself on her deductive work.

Toushirou smirked as he untangled himself from his brother's embrace and replied. "Really? I thought you were too drunk to even recognise me."

"Hey, I wasn't that drunk."

Toushirou rolled his eyes. "Yeah whatever, just be glad no one noticed you drooling half way through."

Matsumoto's voice was indignant. "At least I wasn't falling asleep!"

Kumatsurou's expression was one of shock. This was quite an interesting insight into the behaviour of his Captain and Vice-captain. "Anyway, Matsumoto, this is Hitsugaya Kumatsurou, my twin brother."

Matsumoto's expression changed. "Aww.. you're TWINS! How CUUUUTE!"

Both the brothers sweatdropped at this somewhat pointless statement. "Shut up. Either go do some work or stay here, just don't make another sound before I get the urge to strangle you."

As the sun began to set, the brothers began to exchange their stories, while Matsumoto listened, hugging a large fluffy pillow and restraining herself from making more comments as Kumatsurou began his tale. "Well, after you left…"

For the rest of the day, Kumatsurou stayed at home. He couldn't even begin to imagine what life would be like without his brother. He decided not to tell Okaa-sama, as she would probably flip, and start organising the first half of her "Yay the brats are gone" party, but resolved to tell his father instead. "Otou-san?" He asked quietly as the man sat in front of the table, staring at the sludge that his wife had just served him for breakfast, before leaving to go to her fancy club meeting.

"Hmmm?" His attention was still taken up fully by the revolting slime that sat in his bowl. "She should join a cooking club of something…" He remarked thoughtfully. Kumatsurou didn't answer, but thrust the letter in front of his father. After he silently scanned the document, he sighed and leaned back. "Well, I didn't think he'd last that long. Don't worry Kumatsurou, I'm sure you'll see him again some day."

The following week, Okaa-sama returned home one day, literally bursting with importance. After waiting for the full attention of her two remaining family members, she made her announcement. "I'm moving out!" This was greeted by blank stares. All the anticipation, just for this? Without any words of explanation, she went to her room and pulled together everything she owned,and even some that she didn't,and moved out with it.

The next morning, Kumatsurou felt as if some sort of a weight had been lifted from the household. She's gone. If Nii-san had only stayed a few more days, she would have gone, then he could've stayed.

Following the departure of the demon-queen, Kumatsurou found life a lot easier. His father was a much easier person to live with, and he found himself enjoying this new life, but there was always the part of him that wished that Toushirou had stayed just that little bit longer.

Several years on, he heard rumours from within Seireitei that some kid had become a Shinigami, and was the youngest ever to graduate from the Academy they ran. Could it be Nii-san? Kumatsurou was certain that this kid genius had to be his brother. The rumours continued, and this child prodigy was also the youngest ever to become a captain of the legendary Gotei 13. I know that has to be Nii-san. It didn't take much to convince him, so then Kumatsurou himself joined the Shinigami Academy, like his brother before him. Like Toushirou, he also found it relatively easy, and within a year, he had graduated.

"…And that's what happened to me… What about you Nii-san? Where did you go?" Toushirou didn't respond, so many things had happened to him, but did he really want to share it all? With his brother perhaps, but there were parts of it which he had no desire to make known to Matsumoto. Knowing her, the whole of Soul Society would know about it within the hour if he told her.

"Well… after I left…" He stopped. Turning to the door of the office, he called out lazily, since he had already identified the body on the other side of the door. "Come in…"

Hinamori Momo stepped in, Vice-captain of the 5th Division. "Hitsugaya-kun, I…" She stopped when she saw the stranger. "Who's he?"

"For the millionth time, I'm a captain as well you know… I mean, you don't go around calling out 'Aizen-kun', or 'Kuchiki-kun', do you?" Secretly he didn't really object at all to the nickname, but he did have a reputation to maintain. "And this is…"

"Taichou's twin brother!" Matusmoto, unable to contain herself, squealed out. "Aren't the pair of them CUTE!" Kumatsurou smiled at the vice-captain's antics. She really likes getting on Nii-san's nerves.

"Hey, I'm Hitsugaya Kumatsurou." He grinned as he introduced himself to the shocked Hinamori.

"Hitsu… Hitsugaya-kun's brother? You have a brother? How come you never told me about it all this time!" She put on her best glare as she challenged Toushirou, who stood up and shrugged.

Hinamori was about to tell him off for acting so nonchalant about it when the same fact seemed to hit both her and Matsumoto. The two female vice-captains burst out laughing and snickering. Matsumoto, unable to control her laughter, collapsed onto the couch, trying to catch her breath.

"What's so funny!" Toushirou was getting more annoyed by the second. Why did these two always have to act like that?

"You… You're older, hehehe, than Kumatsu… Kumatsurou-kun right?" Matsumoto managed to squeak from her couch as the laughter subsided for a moment. Toushirou nodded, followed by Kumatsurou, who grinned. He was beginning to realise what the two girls thought to be so hilarious. At this confirmation, both Hinamori and Matsumoto broke out in giggles again, even louder than the first time.

Toushirou's eyebrow twitched. "You two gonna tell me what's going on before I throw you out the window?"

This simple threat did little to calm the two down, but after several more minutes of continuous giggles, Matsumoto explained. "It's just that… just that…" She broke off into helpless laughter again as Hinamori continued.

"Just that… he's taller than you Hitsugaya-kun!" And so he was. Kumatsurou was a good 3 or 4 inches taller than Toushirou, which made the boy captain look more like a dwarf than ever.

Stuff:And there we have the next part. Wasn't sure if I should add Toushirou's story, but it seemed much better to finish the chapter at this point. Oh yeah... can anyone think of another way of distinguishing between the two apart from their first names? Can't run around with two Hitsugaya-kun's, can I?

Hope you enjoyed it, too bad the review take a while to actually come up. I don't know whether or not to shoot myself for writing this yet...