Secret Santa
Day Nine ~

When the small taicho got back to the tenth division he bumped into Matsumoto Rangiku. She asked where he had gone but he choose not to answer her. The next day he found himself going back to the fourth division. The place he stopped by first was Unohana's office, where she gave him a kind smile. "How are you doing today Hitsugaya Taicho?"

"I am doing fine." The boy looked at her without blinking. "Why exactly is Gin on suicide watch? Do you think he is going to try and kill himself?"

The smile left the woman's face. "Can I ask you Hitsugaya Taicho why you think someone would want to kill themselves?"

Two teal eyes stared at her for a few minutes before reaching up to scratch his head. "I guess the person would be thinking along the lines that their life isn't worth anything. What I don't understand is why Ichimaru doesn't think his life is worth anything. I know Matsumoto is upset with him, but he's worth something to her."

Unohana smile suddenly returned. "Sometimes a person doesn't realize what worth other people see in them and only see their worth from their own perspective."

Toshiro opened his mouth to say something, but then clamped shut. He waited a few minutes and then spoke up. "I don't have room to talk I think because I personally see myself as having little worth, but I also know that other people see me as having some worth. Matsumoto's really good at reminding me as are other people."

"So why are you here exactly?"

"You changed the subject. Is there something you're hiding from me?" The corner of the small taicho's mouth twisted up.

"There is something I want to tell you, but because there are some thing I can't tell you about I am unable to say what I want to say." Unohana's expression remained the same. "I am curious as to why you are here?"

Two teal eyes looked at two small feet. "Truth of the matter, I am worried about Ichimaru. I know Ukitake Taicho is concerned. I also know my fukutaicho is upset about something. So, I know something is wrong."

"You know I can't go into details of what is wrong with Ichimaru. Truth of the matter is, he wants as few people to know the details as possible at this point. The situation is complex." The woman watched as the small taicho's face twisted up.

A short period of silence came between the two before Toshiro spoke up. He glanced at the side. "I know that the situation is likely none of my business and I shouldn't be worried about him. I heard from Ukitake that Ichimaru isn't eating."

Unohana's eyes went wide and her mouth opened for a few seconds before speaking. "Ukitake told you about the fact Ichimaru's been skipping meals?"

"I stopped by the forth division yesterday because I thought Matsumoto would be visiting him." Toshiro's fingers began to tap on the chair and he felt his throat tense up. "I asked Ichimaru why he was being kept in the forth division despite the fact he is physically fine. He told Ukitake to explain things to me, but Ukitake couldn't explain much. I kind of got the feeling Ichimaru didn't mind me knowing some of what was going on."

"He just doesn't want to worry you."

"Why?" Toshiro tried thinking of a reason why Gin would think along those lines. "It wouldn't happen to have something to do with Rangiku."

"Sort of." Unohana's smile twitched, almost as if she found the conversation amusing. "As I've said, there are certain things I can't tell you."

"Are you going to tell me it is best to stay away from Ichimaru too?" Toshiro felt the corner of his mouth twitch up as he tried to control his inner emotions.

"Who told you to stay away from him?" The female taicho blinked a couple of times. "Matsumoto? I can understand why she would want you to stay away, she is upset with Ichimaru. She's likely to be more mad at him before things are through."

"He's making himself sick, so I can understand completely." The boy continued to tap his fingers on the edge of the chair. "Ukitake is actually the person who told me to stay away from him. He didn't say I had to stay away completely, but more of he was concerned with me spending to much time with Ichimaru. He says Ichimaru needs time and doesn't want to be around people."

"It is honestly all right for you to visit him. Ukitake is right though about Ichimaru being temperamental. He hasn't hurt himself or anyone else. He just isn't very sociable. Everyone whose visited him hasn't got much out of him."

"I know I barely know him and as I've said the situation isn't any of my business. I also don't think I'll be of any help, but I would still like to try. I don't understand why." Toshiro took a deep breath and released it. "I was wondering if I could eat lunch with him today. I don't know if he'll eat anything while I'm there, but I want to try."

"I don't have a problem with this."

Toshiro opened his mouth only for it to stay open. He shook his head. "I thought you would say no."

"I think seeing you may cheer him up a bit." Unohana smiled. "If you go to the kitchen, ask if you can have two treys to take to the man's room and let them know if they have any questions to bring it up with me."

M

Gin sat in the window and stared out at the world. A particular reiatsu came closer to his room in the forth but he choose to ignore it until the small figure entered the doorway. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed that the small taicho of the tenth division was balancing two treys and attempting to keep his balance.

Toshiro's foot hit the bottom lip of the door and the upper body continued with the momentum. The silver haired man took in the look of surprise and quickly moved from his sitting position and grabbed the treys as the child crashed to the ground. He carefully placed the food onto the bed before turning to the boy. "Are you all right chibi taicho?"

"Would you not call me that?" Toshiro's eyes were clamped shut and he had a hand on the top of his head.

Letting out a deep sigh, Gin reached down and grabbed the back of the white haori and pulled up. "I asked you if you're all right."

"I'm fine." The boy found himself placed back on his feet in a gentle manner.

The man turned his pale teal eyes upon the food treys. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to eat lunch with you." Toshiro stated as he dusted himself off. "I got permission from Unohana to do so."

"I am not really in a sociable mood." Gin said.

"I'm not known for being very sociable." The small taicho walked over to the bed and picked up a trey and pushed it towards the man. "I'm just here to make sure you eat everything like you're supposed to."

The man took the trey from the boy's hands before sitting down on the edge of the bed. "It's not your job to look after me Shiro-chan. I'm a lot older then you and it is a waste of your time to be worrying about me."

"Then don't give me reason to worry." Toshiro picked up the other trey and went to sit down in a chair before he began to pick at his own food.

"You're a funny kid, you know that?"

"I know I'm not a kid Ichimaru." Two dark teal eyes glared right at the man as the boy had his chopsticks in his mouth.

"No. You seem to have grown up since I've been away." Gin's hands didn't move to touch the food.

The small taicho continued to glare at the man. "Just to let you know, I'm not leaving until you eat everything."

"Do you really think it is a good idea to lecture me about eating all of my food when you're in the middle of picking at your food?"

Toshiro glanced up and looked right at the man with a frown on his face. "If I don't eat slow I'll make a mess."

At first Gin stared at the child with his pale teal eyes, but then he let out a soft laugh. "It's good to know some things don't change."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about."

"The fact you've always been a messy eater if you eat to fast." The man stated. He watched as Toshiro flinched.

"People don't like being spied on you know." Toshiro lobbed a jibe at one of the man's favorite past times.

"I just like watching people. And I never spied. Nobody never noticed me so I could watch all I want." Gin continued to stare at the boy without eating his food. "How are things between you and Rangiku?"

"For someone who said he wasn't in a sociable mood, you sure are talking a lot." The boy frowned at the man.

"I guess I'm not going to get an answer from you am I?" The man still hadn't touched his food. Suddenly though, he picked up one of the dishes. "If I eat will you answer the question?"

"We're doing fine. Our relationship is the same as it always is." Toshiro watched as the man began to eat. "Why are you so concerned? It isn't as if Rangiku tried finding a replacement in me or anything like that. Not to mention she's way older then me so you don't have to worry about that."

Gin let out a sudden laugh. "I never was worried about that." The man began to eat his food and asked another question. "Are you enjoying your lunch?"

"It's all right." Toshiro slowly ate away at his food. "If you would take better care of yourself then Matsumoto wouldn't be so mad at you?"

"You really think so?"

"That's why she's always getting mad at me."

"I honestly think our circumstances are different."

"What other reason is she mad at you for? Unless of course she's still miffed you took off like you did and always do."

"Pretty much that."

A knock suddenly came from the doorway. "I didn't realize you would be here Hitsugaya. I haven't gotten your present yet."

"That's all right." Toshiro glanced over at Gin and noticed that he had stopped speaking and eating when the man had entered the room. "Do you wish to speak with Ichimaru?"

"I can wait until you've finished eating." Ukitake smiled. Something was bothering the man though, but Toshiro didn't pry.

"I'm finished." Toshiro stated. "Are you finished Ichimaru?"

The man simply pushed the trey away and the small taicho picked it up. He attempted to try another balancing act only to have Ichimaru take the two treys and rearrange everything so it was on one trey. The small taicho then headed to the kitchen. Isane took the plate from him. "He's still not eating?"

"That was my lunch not his." Toshiro piped up. "I don't eat very fast."

"Ehh... you managed to get him to eat something on his own?" The female shook her head.

"It wasn't that hard." The small taicho made a quick bow.

"If you wait a few minutes I can package this up for you to go." The female fukutaicho placed the food into a small bento box and handed it to the small taicho.

He then headed back to his division and began to work on his paperwork while he finished his lunch. A few hours later Ukitake came into the room. Toshiro glanced up, a half smile on his face. "How did it go with Ichimaru?"

"He refused to say anything unless he had to. I've told you he hasn't been very sociable."

"He was overly sociable when I was there." A package was set down on the desk top and the small taicho opened it up. In the package was a thing of watercolor paper.

"I over heard the last part of the conversation the two of you had. I also saw he actually ate for once. Do be careful though."

"I'll be fine Ukitake. I'm a taicho of the Gotei Thirteen. I'm also used to people insulting me, so I doubt that there is anything he could throw at me that would mentally scar me for life." Toshiro paused. "He is acting weird though. I would have thought Matsumoto would have been the most likely one to get him to open up."