Hitsugaya opened his former office's door soundlessly and still rather uncertain of what exactly he was about to do, entered the room. The dull light coming from a desk lamp was the only thing that kept that place from sinking into complete darkness. The captain made a few imperceptible steps inside. He looked around and as soon as he spotted Matsumoto's writing-table, his features softened and he sighed. She was there. Sleeping with her head on some of the reports.

Before he knew it, Hitsugaya was standing next to her, watching her with some sort of mix of gentleness and hurt in his teal eyes. He couldn't help it. He missed her. He missed watching her, having her around him, listening to her wonderful voice, gazing into those gorgeous oceans of eyes she had… He missed… everything about her…

Why did it have to turn out so wrong?

Why was he here…? Why did he care that much? Why did he keep loving her, even after what happened? Why couldn't he forget her?

Why…?

There was nobody to answer. Nobody to advise him, nobody to help him, nobody to save him…

Once upon a time he had thought that she was his saver…

…but she had turned out to be his executioner.

Sighing, he ran one of his hands through his snow-white hair and placed the other one on the edge of the desk in what seemed to be an attempt to support himself. She had some sort of power over him. A power he could not deny. A power that… actually kept him from hating her…

His fingers, he realized, were slowly sliding on the even surface of the desk towards her face, longing to touch, longing to feel her warm skin so much different from his cold one. But he couldn't. He couldn't… it would only hurt more… it would only make it worse…

Hitsugaya shook his head and retrieved his hand, clenching his fist so hard that it made his short nails sink into the flesh of his palm.

'Damn it all!' he whispered and stepped back from her sleeping form, only to spot something odd on her arm and once again approach her. He frowned, then carefully lifted the edge of her sleeve up to reveal to the faint light of the desk lamp a large purple bruise. Hitsugaya's eyes widened and he couldn't help it but gasp and blink a few times, trying to make sure he wasn't imagining things. He then pulled away, still staring at Matsumoto in disbelieve, until his shock turned into anger…

The next morning Matsumoto woke up with the first sunlight rays that entered the room through the ajared window. She blinked a few timed to adjust her still sleepy eyes to the light and sat up only to realize three things:

1.She was in her office.

2.She had been sleeping on the sofa.

3.She had been covered with what seemed to be a not very long coat.

She raised an eyebrow and picked up the coat to examine it. It was made of nice expensive black material…

…and…

She blinked.

…it belonged to Hitsugaya.

She jumped on her feet immediately, trying to recall the events from the last night but all she could remember was getting a bruised arm from Kenji and doing paperwork and… then nothing.

She blinked. Well, that couldn't be all, right? There had to be something more. Something she was forgetting. Something important… like…

OH MY GOD! DID I FINISH THE PAPERWORK? DAMN IT! I'M SO FIRED!

Matsumoto ran to her desk, almost tripping in the process and when she got there, all she could do was stare with eyes big as plates. The paperwork… it was done. It was finished. All of it! It was sorted into two stacks and on top of one of them there was a small note with something written on it. She carefully took it and lifted it to her eyes. There were only three words written on it with a very familiar small handwriting:

Sign up these.

Matsumoto couldn't help it but smile. A tiny uncertain, yet somehow hopeful smile.

Toushiro…

She looked at the stack. Signing up was going to take only a couple of minutes. The young prodigy had done everything else… somehow… during the night…

Stepping outside of the room, Kenji stretched his arms. Captain meetings had turned out to be even worse than he had expected. They were extremely boring and most of the time related to things that didn't concern him even the slightest bit. This time the general had rambled about something, then that creepy serious Byakuya dude from the sixth division continued the rambling, and then… then… then Kenji couldn't remember anything…

Yawning, the new captain shrugged.

He didn't even understand what these meetings were for. Didn't those people have anything better to do?

He shook his head and slowly started to make his way down the corridor and towards the yard. He needed some rest, a nice rest to rehabilitate after the damn meeting. Some fresh air, a walk and some sake were going to do the thing.

He smiled dreamily at the thought and made a right turn only to face the burning glare of the fifth division's captain, Hitsugaya Toushiro. The younger shinigami was leaning against the wall with his arms folded and with a very deep frown on his face.

'Captain Kenji.' Hitsugaya said dryly.

'Can I help you?' the red-head asked, his voice an annoyed drawl. Was there something else from the meeting that needed to be discussed?

Hitsugaya pushed himself away from the wall and stood in front of the other guy with his arms still folded.

'You can' he replied, slightly tilting his head to a side. There was a short pause before he added his voice now dripping with venom 'By treating Matsumoto in a way that won't leave her asleep on her desk with tons of paperwork around her and a large bruise on her arm.'

Kenji just stared oddly at the teen for a couple of seconds, then an amused smile formed on his face.

'I don't think she's any of your concern anymore.' He answered calmly. Hitsugaya's eyes narrowed.

'You have no right of taking advantage of her former offenses and threaten her.' Toushiro hissed through tightly gritted teeth 'She's a loyal and skilled shinigami and deserves to be treated with respect.'

'Oh, is that so?' Kenji let out a dry laugh 'Mind your own business, boy, don't mess up with mine, because you'll be sorry…'

The temperature around them suddenly dropped as Hitsugaya's glare hardened.

'I'll make this simple for you' the young prodigy began 'If you hurt her, ever again, I'll make sure you regret the day you met me.'

Every hint of smile on Kenji's face disappeared, leaving a deep scowl and two cold eyes staring into Hitsugaya's teal ones.

'Are you threatening me, boy?' he asked with a deadly calm voice.

Hitsugaya unfolded his arms.

'It seems that way.' He said, remaining composed 'Have a nice day.'

With that the younger captain walked pass Kenji and in the direction the latter had just come from. The red-head narrowed his eyes as he watched Hitsugaya disappear behind the corner at the end of the corridor.

'Hitsugaya Toushiro, ne?' he murmured thoughtfully, as a smirk slowly formed on his lips 'Well, this might just get interesting… '

Hitsugaya could hardly keep his eyes opened as he made his way to the fifth division. The tricky thing about doing paperwork all night long was that you were so exhausted the next day it was unbelievably hard to stay awake. Toushiro barely managed to endure the whole meeting. It felt sooo long and… monotone… and… easily to fall asleep during the boring monologs…

He yawned and ran a hand through his silver hair, his eyes almost closed as he did so. This was going to be a looong day…

Without paying much attention to where he was heading and trusting blindly his tired legs, he made a right turn.

'Hitsugaya-taicho!' a familiar voice exclaimed as the captain walked straight into its owner, managed to pull back and then reeled a bit before regaining his balance. He needed a couple of seconds to gather himself and comprehend what was going on.

'Matsumoto…' he managed to murmur, sleepily looking at the woman in front of him 'Good morning…'

'Good morning, captain.' She smiled at him warmly, before handing him his coat somehow solemnly 'I think this is yours…'

Hitsugaya took the garment from her with a small absent nod.

'Did you sign them up?' he asked without much thinking.

'Yeah, I did.' Matsumoto looked down and for a couple of seconds there was just silence. Just strange, yet somehow soothing silence. Then Matsumoto looked up, her eyes somehow glistering as she spoke:

'I was actually looking for you… wanted to say thanks… for everything.'

Hitsugaya sighed.

'Don't mention it.' He said softly and after a short pause added 'How's your arm?'

'Naah, don't worry about it. It's nothing.' Matsumoto replied, waving her hand absently. She smiled at him soothingly and then opened her mouth to say something, but stopped, blinking with surprise.

He knows?

Her eyes widened and she felt a faint blush creeping up her face.

'Yeah, I saw it…' Hitsugaya nodded, seeing her shocked expression 'When I found you asleep your sleeve had pushed up a little… And... I know that jerk for a captain you have did it...'

'Oh…' was all she could say in return. Hitsugaya sighed once again.

'I'm sorry. Your arm… it's all my fault.' he said softly, looking away. Matsumoto blinked, surprised yet once again.

'What are you talking about?' she raised an eyebrow 'You have nothing to do with it.'

Toushiro shook his head.

'No… it is. It is my fault you got that bastard for a captain. And I'm sorry. I'll try to fix everything, I promise.'

Matsumoto gave him a small smile, before making a step or two towards him. Her hesitation was obvious, yet there was some sort of detemination radiating from her as she gazed into his teal eyes with her own ocean-blue and somehow pleading ones.

'Toushiro…' she began, biting her lower lip nervously 'There's something I've been trying to tell you for quite some time…'

Hitsugaya slightly tilted his head to a side.

'Yeah? What is it?' he asked softly, almost fearfully. He couldn't hold back the hint of hope that crept in his voice.

Could it be...?

Matsumoto opened her mouth to continue, but suddenly a high-pitched squeak cut through the air and a small figure ran past her and straight into Hitsugaya.

'TAICHO!' Momo exclaimed, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly 'I've been so worried! You disappeared so suddenly yesterday evening at the festival! I came back and you were gone. I got so scared. Luckily I found Ikkaku and the guys and they told me you needed to do something and that's why you left, but still… I was worried.'

Matsumoto stared at the two with wide eyes and slightly opened mouth.

What the hell...?

She felt her heart sink as the realization hit her and she clenched her jaw. She looked away from the two, a mix of jealousy, anger and misery overwhelming her.

So he had been at the festival with her, before he came to help me…

'I'm sorry for ruining your plans for the evening...' Matsumoto whispered, closing her eyes for a moment 'And thanks again.' with that she turned around and prepared to shunpo. Behind her back Hitsugaya blinked, trying to make his half-sleeping mind understand what she was saying. His plans? For the evening?

Oh, shit!

His eyes widened and he pulled away from Hinamori.

'No, wait! It's not... MATSUMOTO!' Hitsugaya shouted, but it was already too late. She was gone.

Mmmm, ok, so Kenji will do more vile acts in the next chapter so BEWARE! I hope this fic isn't turning into an annoying soap opera. I promise this won't be more than ten chapters. Please review!