Title: Hotarubi

Dang it I knew there was something that I forgot to do…..the song lyrics that I hitched w/ my story from different artists. They need their credit too, sides they're the ones that made them.

The pessimistic you The merciless you And the self loving you, what are you looking at? Dir en Grey (Merciless Cult)

But I just remembered that there is no love here Over and over somewhere begins to break Dir en Grey (Merciless Cult)

Chapter Two: Mind Forest

"What the hell did I just do?", he had said it aloud and in his mind. He was tired his muscles trembled under the strain of trying to sit up.

/What the hell did you just do is right, and that's what I'd like to know as well? / the dragon had seen the images flash through his hosts mind whether he liked it or not.

/-I…sigh I honestly don't know how it got tha-/ finally he sat up to fix his shirt back and retie the sash in its original state maybe tighter.

/That far? Obviously you were too elated to answer my question and then after that you completely pushed me to the depths of your inner soul…….../

Toushiro could still feel those fingers inside of him even though they were long gone; he shook his head to get those thoughts out before Hyorinmaru could see them. He needed to get out but he was stuck in Gin's room, on Gin's bed, with only Gin to see when he felt like paying a small visit to Toushiro whenever he wanted to-"No, I won't let this happen again, it was a mistake and Ichimaru took advantage of the situation that's all.", he told himself so that he could try and believe it.

/And that's the reason you let him do nearly all of what he wanted to do with your body? / Hyorinmaru asked nonchalantly.

Toushiro froze. Hyorinmaru could be an ass most of the time /No, I was unprepared and it was unexpected./ he shifted his legs under him.

/ So you're saying you'll be prepared next time he tries those new tactical moves on you? And how may I ask are you going to be prepared for this, hm? Lets see next time leave out the zanpakuto and mix in a few choice words-/

/Hyorinmaru!!/ Hitsugaya nearly fell over on the bed hearing his ice dragon speak so freely of his imprisonment and take it so lightly. He colored bright red.

/ Refrain from pissing me off. /

/-and moans…Aye aye mon captain. / Hitsugaya could just see the bastardly smirk on the dragons face, he sighed and looked at his zanpakuto on the ground.

For some reason it made him recall one day when he was supposedly to be off but Matsumoto wouldn't survive the onslaught of paperwork that kept on rushing in that day. So why did he have to be nice just that once and help her, he should have let her suffer and learn a lesson from this about taking unexpected days off then trying to get out of doing the work. But he ended up doing all the work by himself and Matsumoto had other women from the different divisions over in his office chatting and gossiping about who's with whom and so forth.

But what really pissed him off about that day, they were all eating and didn't bother to give him any food plus they were watching some show, he couldn't tell. By midday he was fuming, had a very excruciating migraine, and was lacking nourishment a.k.a. he was starving. When he came out to order his fukutaichou to get him food, aspirin and verbally demoralize her in front of the other women; he had walked in on a very horrifying scene.

There was about seven women including Matsumoto herself, they were all sitting on the couch his vice would lounge on, the back of it towards him and the TV in front of them. They were howling and egging the show on, making catcalls and every other incite they could banter out. On the screen were two men doing the horizontal mambo and the noises they were making didn't help his poor fleeting mind, needless to say he had only gotten out the first half of Matsumoto's name then he screamed and properly fainted as a guy should in this situation before the two males reached their big finish climax.

Thinking of it still gave him a cold chill up his spine; after that the women who saw him faint would give him a leer he couldn't discern or were they contemplating on making him watch one of their creepy movies. Toushiro could hear Hyorinmaru laughing full blown in his mind; he laughed back then and he was still laughing now.

/Shut up, your not helping my situation./ Toushiro growled.

/I know-I know…just couldn't help myself. I mean it was the first time anyone ever heard you scream like a girl and then half of Soul Society was there in minutes. / He could just picture the dragon wiping a tear from its scaly face remembering Toushiro's day of horrific embarrassment.

The mini taichou grimaced, his sorry excuse for a ice dragon was right, that day after he had woken back up minutes later half of Soul Society was in his office asking him what happened and he justly went back into his office and stayed there for two entire days with his fukutaichou constantly apologizing and bringing him food after shooing everyone but division 10 officers out.

For an hour or two Toushiro and Hyorinmaru talked; plotted on how to get out of Aizen's palace that's if they could find their way out. But, first things first the stupid wall that was holding him at bay and pushing him back. Next, were the cuffs that were restricting his reiatsu from coming full force and keeping him as weak as a child and whatever else it did.

/But Shi-chan, you are a child. Let's not forget that, kay. You haven't hit puberty yet. / Hyorinmaru grinned, he added his vital blow to the captain's waning stress level and his pride.

/That's it!!/ Toushiro screamed in his mind and out loud as he slammed his long sleeve covered fists in the bed.

"Somethin' wrong chibi taichou?" the white haired captain froze, then flushed and slowly looked up to where that creepy voice came from. There at the door, Gin stood smiling at his antics. Hitsugaya grimaced then noticed that Gin had a tray of food in his hands. The smell of the food was wafting to his nose and his cheeks burned, his heartbeat sped up; how long has it been since he's eaten, he wondered. Gin slowly walked with the tray deliberately trying to rile up the small captain so he would jump the tall man for the food or so Hitsugaya thought.

Gin could feel Toushiro's eyes gravitate to the food and only the food, oh joy to have his day filled with such fun games today. He placed the tray on the bed next to the small boy and sat on the other side of the tray.

/ Okay first question he's going to ask is are you hungry? When he asks just nod politely and say yes nicely, this will save you lots of trou-/

"Are ya' hungry Hitsugaya-han?", Gin asked sweetly knowing what was to come. "No, I'm not hungry. Take it back.", Hitsugaya said with a hard monotone voice and looked away. 'I won't be fooled by this crappy act that he's putting on.' The small captain never fails when Gin's added to the equation. Gin grinned slyly.

Hyorinmaru choked / What the hell? You should've said yes, you should know by now if not earlier how Gin Ichimaru is by creepy nature. /

Toushiro would have laughed if Gin wasn't in the room, better yet he should have laughed in the man's face. The ex-taichou's smile brightened, "Are ya sure? Seven days of no food isn't good for the body, first you'll be extremely dehydrated an' then after you've sweated an' excreted everything from yer body; yer stomach acid'll eat at the protective lining in here.", Gin pointed to Hitsugaya's belly. "Then once its eaten a hole or two through, you'll throw up caus' ya can't handle a lot in that small stomach o' yers and then the acid will strip yer throat clean of skin tissue, also it'll leave a bad taste in yer lil mouth……….that's just a very bad way to die. Choking on yer own blood jus cause ya didn't want ta eat this delicious spread I brought fer ya.", the lavender haired man fake pouted, "Oh well, guess I'll jus' bring it back an' throw it away no ones hungry now."

The look on Hitsugaya's face was one akin to horror when Gin finished his explanation of what would happen to Toushiro if he didn't risk tooth and nail eating the food Gin brought. When his ears caught the last words that came out of the man's mouth after he stood to pick up the tray, Toushiro's stomach growled as loudly as it possibly could to grab the attention of everyone that was around.

Gin smiled, he had the tray in his hands to go and toss the food away when the chibi taichou's belly gave full notice that it wanted the food even if it's owner didn't, Hitsugaya blushed as red as the strip on the obi sash he wore.

/ Just take the damn food pride or no pride. / Hyorinmaru had already decided for his host.

/ Why should I? I listened to you the last couple of times and look what happened. 'Just go to sleep: I went to sleep to wake up for a peep show and ended up being the main attraction. Just take the zanpakuto: I take the zanpakuto and end up getting molested. Just take the food: I'm not taking the food!!/ Toushiro glared at the tray.

Gin thought this was funny his mini captain was debating whether to take the food or not, so he thought now that he'll help the boy along. "Ya kno' the foods startin ta get cold, last chance or else you'll be out o' luck til tomorrow, and who knows if you'll make it till tomorrow." The look on the boy's face said that he had finally made up his mind.

/For your info you were tired and we both needed the rest. Second, I didn't tell ya to threaten him with the zanpakuto at his neck ready to kill; that was all you. And third, just eat the damn food or you'll die horribly. /

/If something happens, I'm blaming you for it. / Toushiro grumbled curses that would make Zaraki Kenpachi proud.

/Yeah, whatever. /

Toushiro looked up at Gin's face awaiting his answer, he sighed. 'I won't be able to live this down.', "I'll….take the food." Gin sat down on his bed merrily and a bit too close for the boys liking with the tray in his lap. Toushiro watched with furrowed eyebrows as Gin took up a pair of unused chopsticks, broke them perfectly in half, held them in one hand and picked up the bowl of white rice in the other hand and turned his upper body towards Hitsugaya. He then proceeded to grabbing a clump of rice and aiming it to the boy's mouth, "Say ah." Gin looked like he was having too much fun with this. The face that the white haired boy gave him was a look of 'You've got to be kidding me'. "Hm, guess I was mistaken. Ya don't want the food then." he lowered the chopsticks and the bowl.

The captain's stomach growled again before Hyorinmaru could speak / I'll say this one more time, pride or no pride you need to eat its only him- I know what you're thinking but your body is running on your pure and nearly unrivaled stubbornness and then you'll be worse off, so eat. /

Gin tried not to laugh when he saw the young captain try and open his mouth; it was like starting back up the rusted gears of a busted clock tower but in slow motion and the twitch of his right eye was very amusing as well.

He finally got his mouth open waiting for Gin who at a snail's pace and ever so happily fed the poor boy his meal and gave him his drink as well, without missing a beat.

"Now don'tcha feel better now that ya had somthin' ta eat?", Gin stood with the tray in his hands and walked to the door leaving Hitsugaya to his own devices with limited access. "Oh, almost forgot, you can use th' bathroom whenever ya want, jus' be sure ta walk a straight line to it ne? We wouldn't want ya makin a mess kay, Hitsugaya-han?" Toushiro glared at Gin's back watching him leave closing the door behind himself with the tray in one hand. He scowled bitterly.

As soon as the traitor was gone, Toushiro fell back on the bed. That was the most embarrassing thing he'd ever had to do; being fed by Gin Ichimaru. Why him? Why not someone else? What did Toushiro Hitsugaya ever do to end up like this? He paid for his mistakes and did his time (meaning that he decided to be nice and help Matsumoto only to end up being the only one doing the work and getting no sleep.) He rolled on his side putting his arm under his head, resting for the time being. He sighed, Soul Society probably- scratch that- most likely needed his help right now while Aizen was preparing to or attacking, and here he is forced here against his will to be some type of pet or whatever.

/Life's grand ain't it? /

/Why are you still talking Hyorinmaru? /

/Because you're sulking yourself into depression, Toushi. /

/ Don't call me that and I am not sulking into depression, I'm just thinking is all. /

/Not one of your strongest qualities, eh? /

/ !! /

/Okay shutting up. Don't bust a vein. /

Turquoise eyes slowly drifted shut, unknowing that sleep was right around the corner.

Always chasing after a broken dream that disappeared, Your supple fingers bring pain Gackt (Mind Forest)

Soul Society

'It's only been a week since Toushiro got back and everything's a wreck , the already three defect captains a few weeks back and now one missing, his status unknown. Four divisions in utter chaos the other captains that are present are mostly likely thinking on the same lines as I am, "What the hells going on?", and Yamamoto soutaichou won't tell us anything.' Joushiro looked around at the dwindled number of captains and the vice captains filling in just so the divisions won't be as lost as they already are, and in the captains meeting room they looked nervous and out of place.

'This isn't right.' he thought as he observed the four vice captains. Hinamori Momo looked the worst out of the four lieutenants there; her skin was pale like she hasn't eaten or slept at all within the week, her eyes too red and puffy with a few rings around them. Her uniform was wrinkled all over like she hadn't even bothered changing or straightening it out, her last glimmer of hope hanging on by less than a thread. She was a sad sight to see, he felt sympathy for her. But she was like this before Toushiro went missing.

He had to wonder if it was Toushiro Hitsugaya her childhood friend she was crying for or for her captain Sosuke Aizen who defected with Gin Ichimaru and Tousen Kaname.

Kira, that poor man was so loyal to his taichou only to be dropped into an abyss of depression for the betrayal; his head hung lower in shame than anything Jushiro had ever witnessed. This man needed time off to himself to recuperate and get back on track but, in his position and this place going bonkers no one was going to be able to go anywhere.

Rangiku Matsumoto, she wasn't acting like her same old cheerful self, but she was trying hard.

And Shuuhei Hisagi didn't look as bad as the others but, Jushiro thought that he'd have to give the 9th division vice captain a small pep talk, 'And maybe a present to cheer him up. Probably something that's fun to laugh at.' Soul

Society took a devastating hit and Jushiro could vouch for the devastating part, 'We're sitting ducks until Yamamoto taichou decides when to do whatever he thinks is best for preserving Soul Society. But it might cost us in the end when he chooses what we're going to do when Aizen confronts us. I just hope Toushiro doesn't suffer a terrible fate, he's still a young child trying to be an adult so no one will be able to boss him around.' He sighed and looked down at his hands; they were trembling. Something felt wrong about this whole situation and how things were going on, why was everyone still so calm? Or was he just bearing too much on his shoulders at the moment and it seemed to him that everyone wasn't too interested with the problem at hand.

Jushiro picked up on something as Yamamoto spoke, he had not once said a word about sending a search party to go and find the small white-haired captain, and who would want to go. Jushiro decided to voice himself at that moment, "Yamamoto taichou, when will you be sending a search party to look for Hitsugaya taichou?", the old man ran his fingers through the end part of his beard contemplating what the 13th division captain had just said.

The innocent melody of bells rings out from somewhere, Softly calling to my heart Gackt (Mind Forest)

The air had seemed to have gotten a bit thin and all others who were watching became stifled, "I need all captains and vice captains here to protect our home, this is more important. One shinigami won't make much of a difference. ",

"Maybe, but we still need to find him it's unfair to let such a young shinigami die, for doing what's right."

"He should have been more careful or he shouldn't have went off to go and fight them by himself.". Jushiro had never heard such disregard come from Yamamoto before it took him by surprise and left him hanging but, he wasn't going to give up.

"Sir-", "I must agree with Jushiro on this Yama-jii, if there's a chance we can find him before anything happens to him then we would have one more shinigami to help protect our home. Besides we still don't know what really happened." Jushiro side glanced to the voice that belonged to his friend Kyōraku Shunsui.

Yamamoto gave the two of them a curious glance and cleared his throat," Very well then. So will anyone volunteer to go on the search party and look for 10th division captain Hitsugaya Toushiro?"

Jushiro perked up and was first to speak, "I'll go and take a few of my seated officers along with me.", a few of the other captains looked at him, did he not know that his sickness prevented him from doing too much? Is what ran through their minds. But he knew very well the extent of his powers and when not to over exert himself.

Matsumoto was next, "I'll help him there are other qualified division 10 officers that can take care of the paper work.", she had spoken so quickly that some of the captains couldn't follow her.

"Well I guess I can help as well, my vice Nanao Ise is more than able to take care of my division when I'm gone. ", Shunsui spoke. Yamamoto kept his eyes closed and ran his fingers through the end of his beard again; everyone could see Momo getting ready to voice her wanting to help in Hitsugaya's search and rescue but, Yamamoto voiced himself before she could. "Very well I suppose you can handle this, all three of you?", "Hai, General Yamamoto."

Momo looked down to the floor dejectedly as Yamamoto went on with the meeting not stopping for any more questions just only to eyeball the room to see if everyone was listening to what he had to say. Jushiro gave a small smile to Shunsui and Matsumoto for helping him.

If they didn't find Toushiro then they would have to eventually call off the search when they came back or if it really went down to the worst; label him a traitor and have his execution ready if he returned. Or they presume Hitsugaya dead, that he was so angered by their betrayal and Momo's depression weighed heavily on his guilt that he went after them and tried to stop them himself and was killed; his body dispensed somewhere.

Jushiro didn't want to think that if the last conclusion was what really happened and that they would stumble upon the results, he didn't think that he'd be able to accept that even with the body infront of him to identify the small captain.

The 13th division captain felt queasy he hoped that he wasn't going to have another attack, it would do no good if he was about to go on a search party and leading it none the less. Yamamoto had finally finished speaking to all of the captains and dismissed them telling those who were in the search group to conduct it as they see fit and to come and tell him when they were going to leave so that he could make his preparations to look after the divisions with how long they were going to be gone.

Jushiro and Shunsui walked up next to Matsumoto, "Matsumoto-san how soon can you be ready to go?", Jushiro asked with a small smile to the strawberry blonde. "Huh, oh Ukitake taichou, Shunsui taichou, I can be ready when you are it won't take too long I'd just have to inform the rest of the division that I'd be going with you.", both captains nodded their approval and parted ways with her but, before they could they all ran into Hinamori. Matsumoto put a hand on her shoulder smiling a reassuring smile, "We'll find him don't worry Hinamori-san.", Rangiku gave a final soft squeeze to her shoulder and was about to walk off.

"Please find him; it's my fault he's not here. I should've done something to keep him here, to stop him. Thank you, I'll be forever grateful if you bring him back to me.", they all nodded to her as she kept her face shadowed and finally parted ways going to their respective divisions. Jushiro kept quiet on what he wanted to say in regards of how Momo spoke to them.

It wasn't until that afternoon that Jushiro, three of his squad members, Shunsui, and Matsumoto met up in front of the Commanders meeting room. All of them entered with the two captains first, then the vice captain of squad 10 following and the three squad 13 members bringing up the rear.

They were told the time limit they had to find the division 10 captain and have him back in Soul Society, dead or alive preferably the latter; within two weeks and no more than two weeks. 'That's it!? Just two weeks?', Jushiro kept a straight face despite his inner thoughts. They bowed and left without a single word being said against Yamamoto's orders only their compliance to carry it out. They made their way past the small villages in silence. "Two weeks is not enough.", Jushiro heard Shunsui speak when they had made a good distance away from the gates of Soul Society, he nodded his agreement.

"Why not longer, what if we can't find him within the allotted time but, we know his whereabouts?", Matsumoto spoke her mind a bit angrily as Jushiro would have expected. He grimaced, he was about to speak when Shunsui beat him to it. "Because at this point all the inhabitants of Soul Society haven't fully recovered from the blow of three defective captains that betrayed Soul Society; that in itself says that anyone can be as normal as possible on the outside, serve the land for as long as they see fit then trick and deceive those that thought they were the most obedient lap dogs.

Now we have another captain who suddenly goes missing, his status unknown and what's running through everyone's minds is that they hope he hasn't joined the opposing force and if he did, another big blow Soul Society will receive. So why have two more captains leave for a long period of time? It would be a down right ridiculous idea, thus the reason Yama-jii gave us two weeks. The citizens need assurance that not all of their captains will turn traitors and attack or leave."

"Besides with only two weeks we can't go very far that is why Yama-jii allowed this search party to proceed. Within one week we could most likely pick up a trail or not, but the next week we'd have to be back and prepared to protect our home if need be or if any hollows rise up to try and take us down in our crippled state."

Matsumoto and the three squad 13 members realized what Shunsui meant and Jushiro frowned, "We're not meant to find him are we?", she looked at the two captains in front of her even more stricken with grief than finding out about Toushiro's disappearance the week before, Matsumoto looked away. It was all for naught and if they found a body hopefully not mangled, decapitated or defiled in any way. They were just searching to retrieve the body. The group continued on their futile search in a ghostly silence.

The eternal fragility of a time to which I can't return, You're taken away to somewhere I can't reach Gackt (Mind Forest)

Gin closed the door with one hand and turned to walk down the quiet white halls, while making his way to dispose of the rest of the uneaten food Gin passed by a male arrancar that he had seen before. He stopped the arrancar and gave him the tray that he was carrying, telling him to dispose of the rest of the food and tray items. Gin again started to make his way in another direction towards his real destination humming softly to himself; his day was great he could even possibly go so far as saying it was perfect just the way he planned as it would happen. 'Hitsugaya-han is so predictable with a few surprises here an' there. We'll hav' ta work on that some, so it won' get all borin.'

He smiled, this was a project that he would give his full dedication towards; punishments and all. He kept walking a memorized path, when he finally snapped out of his daze he realized that he was already walking towards Aizen who sat on his throne with a mug of coffee in his hand and Tousen who stood right beside the throne, he gave them both a cheeky smile and waved. Sometimes Gin had to wonder if Tousen was really blind because the dark skinned man deftly waved back at him and Aizen just nodded his greeting. But who was he to judge people, besides he needed to stop thinking if Tousen was really blind there was no doubt that the man is blind.

"You look especially joyful tonight Gin…….I wonder why?", Aizen smiled knowing the reason already for the lavender haired man's jovial disposition.

"Yes you seem to have a skip to your walk, is it possibly our newest guest?", Tousen said noting the very excited aura around Gin as Aizen barked out in laughter and Gin beamed at them both.

"O' course, with two hours of arguing with himself he finally let me feed him. Ya shoulda seen his face, he wasn't too happy fer tha' but, that's what made it fun fer me.", "Don't kill him of embarrassment now, or we'd have to get another one to replace him.", Tousen said.

"I'll try but ya know I can' help ma self sometimes, he's a vivacious one.", Aizen quickly took a big gulp of coffee from his mug pretending he didn't hear that and Tousen coughed loudly and turned away for a second. When they had finally composed themselves they looked at Gin who at this point had a serious face, "I mean it, you'd say the same if ya were in my position.", Aizen's eyebrows rose as he spit the rest of his drink back in his mug and Tousen shook his head and ran his hand over his face, "That's why you're doing it.", Tousen replied.

Because Gin, enjoyed his work whether it's killing someone to merely playing cat and mouse with his current obsession in twisted manners.

"Okay, how long do I have to wait until he's ready?", Aizen asked looking at Gin with a more serious face now.

"If I work hard enough, four months in total is what you'd hafta wait. But if ya wanna know when the time is right, then its two months ya hafta wait." Gin spoke very sure of himself.

"Good, then do what you can to help this process move faster, if it can be done sooner do it.", Aizen was about to take another sip of his coffee when he looked at it and remembered he spit some of the drink back in the mug, he sighed and set it on the throne handle. "Don' worry four months and he'll be good an' ready.", Gin started to walk away from them. "Already going back to torture him?", Aizen chuckled for some reason he thought that things would be a whole lot more zingy now that Gin is acting like this. "Nah, I'ma give him sometime ta recuperate, 'm taking a walk around the palace see what I can dig up on some o' the Espada that like ta creep around when they think no ones watchin'."

Aizen rolled his eyes, trust Gin to do the weird and creepy jobs like finding out which Espada are doing what….or whom for that matter; he didn't want to know he just wanted them to do what he told them to without question. Tousen once more cleared his throat and excused himself mumbling something on the lines of 'going to bed before Gin starts something involving everyone in a fifty yard vicinity' but that could have been his sleep ridden mind thinking that. 'Yep, its time to go to sleep.', he picked up his mug and walked out of the throne room not wanting to walk a long distance to just dispose himself of one mug he opened the closest room door he could find which belong to one of his Espada; Szayel Aporro Granz his 8th Espada.

"Szayel, I have an important task for you to execute without fail for me.", the pink haired Espada looked at Aizen waiting.

"Dispose of this would you, in its rightful area.", handing Szayel the mug Aizen turned and left the Espada holding the cup in what seemed to be shock as one side of his glasses slipped down his face.

Gin decided that he had spent enough time out and about; two and a half hours was good, he laughed to himself the scandals he had found around a few corners nearly made him blush and stared wide-eyed he didn't know those paired Espada liked each other, they hardly talked or even looked at each other. "Oh well, ta each his own.", he smiled even more because he knew he had his own to torment and have fun with and no one would object except for the victim himself of course.

Toushiro jerked out of his sleep, something wasn't right. Something didn't feel right; he looked around the room to find only himself where he had fallen asleep on Gin's bed, in the middle. When had he fallen asleep? The room had only the lighting of the white walls, he sat up wondering what was wrong.

/ Bathroom. / was all that Hyorinmaru said. Clearly he knew that Toushiro needed to go to the bathroom and jerked him out of his sleep.

/ Oh….how long has it been? / he asked rubbing his eyes and yawning at the same time as he slowly edged off the bed.

/A few hours, you sleep like a freaking boulder. Have I told you that before. /

/Shut up! /

/Yeah sure, to your right. / The dragon led him away from running into the walls again and into the bathroom.

Toushiro's feet were cold and it felt strange having chills run up and down his spine, even the door when he opened it made his hands tingle. "That's weird.", he yawned again as he used the bathroom, everything tingled and felt weird. "What's going on?"

/I don't know, maybe it's the room itself, that's probably why. /

The lithe body shivered when he felt Hyorinmaru move about in his inner soul.

/Stop that. You're not making things easier. / the dragon stopped moving and settled in one spot.

As he washed his hands Toushiro noted that the water ran too freely and smoothly over his hands which made him get goosebumbs all over his skin. 'What the hell are they doing in this place?', but also the clothes seemed to tingle wherever they touched him and his cuffs sent shivers throughout his body just like the floor did. But not like they were cold or anything, it was more like they were softly caressing his body.

/Oh shit! / Toushiro felt Hyorinmaru froze in his spot almost immediately when he walked out of the bathroom.

/What? / he stopped walking.

/Oh, nothing just go and get some rest. / The dragon coiled in itself.

Obviously his ice dragon knew something he didn't and now he was going to find out what it was. He sat on the bed now fully awake, curious and tingly.

/No, what was it that you thought of? / Toushiro crossed his arms signaling that he wasn't about to give up any time soon.

/Seriously….ya don't wanna know. You'll just get mad at me for no reason. So how about that sleep you need to catch up on? / Hyorinmaru tried to stray his partner away from impending doom.

/Hyorinmaru, I won't ask again. And this time I expect an answer from you. /

/ I guess you're a genius enough to figure out the rest with one clue…….it was the food. / Was all he said and disappeared back into the depths of Toushiro's inner soul, too far for even Toushiro to reach him.

"The food…..what the hell did he mean by the-", "Ah I see ya waited fer me, how sweet Hitsugaya-han.", that's when it hit him; Gin had put something in the food.

"BASTARD!!", Toushiro screamed.

Said bastard rose his eyebrows in question, "Ya want somethin' or are ya just gonna squeak at me some more?"

Toushiro was seeing red; the bastard just acts like there's nothing wrong. 'SQUEAK!!', what the hell is what passed his mind.

"What the hell did you put in the food?"

"Oh yea……I did put somethin' in it, why ya askin'?" Gin dimly tapped his chin.

If Toushiro could die from pure anger, right now would be the perfect time to do it. This man was frustrating him worse than Matsumoto did on her worse lazy day and he didn't have to try hard, just stand there and he would irritate the little captain to no ends.

"Ya wanna kno' what it is?", Toushiro waited for him to say what he put in it.

"Sorry I can't much say anythin' bout it.", the man said grinning at the boys priceless face; mouth hung open, an advent blush and pretty tourmaline green eyes striking out in the lighted darkness.

Gin walked over to the bed and was about to sit down when Toushiro stopped him, "Pick up my zanpakuto bastard and maybe I'll think about forgiving you for your stupidity." he growled. "Why should I? You started it earlier."

"Because you threw it down there!", Toushiro was so angry that he sailed a kick that landed square in the middle of Gin's left shoulder. They were both at this point surprised at what the white haired shinigami did; Gin slowly turned his head to look at Hitsugaya dead in the eyes, his own now shining with a new intent that Toushiro all of a sudden did not want to know what it was. Not in his condition. Not ever.

There was no smile, no sly demeanor or anything that resembled delightfulness around Gin, "A child who's rude an' uncouth should be punished for their uncivilized ways.", before Toushiro could even get a thought processed in his head about being uncivilized, he was quickly hurled on to the bed face down with his arms crossed over his back painfully held in a steel iron grip. A knee pressed onto the back of his trying to quickly cut off circulation. He stared dumbfounded at the white sheets that seemed to want to merge with his face.

"It won' hurt much………is what I should be sayin', but in your case I'll say this it'll get worse before it gets better." Gin whispered into the boys ear and licked it. Toushiro's eyes widened when he felt the back of his shirt got lifted and the obi sash moved out of the way. His heart started to race, 'This is not happening-this is not happening!!', he felt a smooth finger make its way across his bare bottom and he froze at the new sensation to his body. More tingling shocks made its way through his body and he had to stifle whatever that was going to come out of his mouth, quickly.

It was like time had slowed down for that single moment when he felt the air whoosh by his bottom and could imagine Gin's hand raised in suspense getting ready to fall with gravity and power behind it, aiding with his destruction. After that second of a pause the hand fell with lightning speed and Toushiro felt the burning sting of Gin's hand connecting with his poor bottom. A small cry involuntarily escaped from his mouth into the sheets he was being pressed into. He surprised himself with the yelp.

He heard Gin laugh with mirth "A bit louder if ya could chibi.", and another came down just as mercilessly as the first that elicited a second cry from Toushiro.

In all of his life he's never been beaten until now, not even when he used to live with his granny. He tried to hold in the cries so that Gin wouldn't get a kick out of hitting him like this, but it seemed that the aches of being hit continually came out another way. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes as he tried to keep quiet and leaked down the sides of his face.

"That just won' do. I can't hear ya." the man said as he ran heated fingers over an overpoweringly scalding red rear.

It seemed fate as well as Gin wasn't done with Hitsugaya's torment yet, he waited for a few minutes before running his abnormally cool hand across still searing skin. Toushiro tried not to let his crying get out of control as Gin began again with his punishment. It seemed to Toushiro that the hits got harder and felt more piercing than before, and Gin stopped to comment once in a while when he thought he'd given enough hits per round. "No breakin' skin 's good, that means we can continue.", Toushiro hiccupped in pain, even though he hardly but still made any noise. The sound of skin being hit resounded off the walls making it sound louder than it seemed, the yelps of pain sounded a hundred times louder to Toushiro since he was the one making them.

How long had Gin been at this he couldn't tell anymore only that the pain got worse, Gin wasn't tiring anytime soon and his tears were endless. His cheeks; not the bottom……well maybe that one too, but the ones on his face were blotched red from the strain of keeping quiet. He couldn't tell if his nose was running but it felt like it. That's when he felt Gin near his face again; he turned his head to his right as much as he could.

"Don't think tha' for a minute you're here that I'll take pity on ya an' not give punishments when they're due ta be given. I especially will enjoy it when I can see yer composure crumble like a buildin' with no foundation, like a baby bird watching its own impending doom falling victim to a bird o' prey."

Toushiro's teary eyes widened how long was he going to be here until they decided to get rid of him? That he had played out his usefulness. Why him of all people? One thing he was sure of was that he didn't want anymore of these punishments; it just meant he'd have to be careful with his anger controlling issues….'-a cold day in hell I'd listen to that BASTARD and do what he wants!'

Gin thought that he'd given the taichou enough of his punishment and finally let him go while re-covering his beating red and welted bottom, "Heh, I'll be right back, don' move.", he said as he got off the bed. Toushiro curled up for a second until the beating heat of his bottom stung throughout his body. He slowly uncurled and tried to crawl to the edge of the bed. But it seemed that Gin had caught him in his slow pursuit for some type of sanctuary away from him, "Oi, where do ya think you're going Hitsugaya-han? Unless ya want another lesson in not being rude and uncivil." Gin easily lifted the boy by his mid-torso with only one arm and propped Hitsugaya on his lap belly first. Panic pricked every nerve in the captain's body, "No! Let me go! Stop it! NO!" he tried to wrestle his way out of Gin's grasp and reach.

The taller man just chuckled at the measly attempt at escape and that's when he noticed the tear streaked and blotchy face that the boy sported. "Did I make ya cry? It was for your own good; ya should learn manners or were ya not raised properly before ya became a shinigami?" Gin knew he struck a nerve when Toushiro froze and looked at him.

"I can see ya weren't." Was Gin's only response as he laughed even louder dragging the boy back to him.

"An' that's why I like ya most of all, such anger when it's unnecessary.", Gin sighed then spoke up again, "And so much passion that pulls others to ya, a trait not all can carry, ne?"

Toushiro realized he was being pulled again and turned to slam his foot into Gin's face, but it was caught by long elegant but lightly calloused hands.

Gin chuckled some more, "You never give up do ya, Shiro-chan?"

Toushiro growled in the midst of being in pain he was not going to be played with not again, he had enough of this. "Don't fucking touch me!", he barked surprising both himself and Gin again on the same night. Gin chuckled low enough where Toushiro could barely hear it.

He just yanked the boy back and flipped him over easily; Gin then proceeded to placing a moist rag on Toushiro's swollen rear. The small boy gave a full body twitch when he felt something soft and wet smoothly and freely run over him. That's when he realized that it was a rag that Gin had started to wipe him off with, the stinging seemed to slowly clear off as he lay frozen on Gin's lap.

Why was this bastard being so gentle with him all of a sudden when not five minutes ago he was tearing his poor behind a new one? Toushiro seemed to not notice that he had went lax on Gin's lap as all of his own questions bombarded him one after the other not caring if he answered or not. The tingling sensations had not gone away and had Toushiro practically moaning from the gentle and exciting strokes.

"And now, on ta the greater things in life that ya were deprived o' in Soul Society.", Gin was expecting anything else but Toushiro falling asleep on him, anything……but that. He huffed a small smile, and then boy took the opportunity to roll up into a small ball and cuddle into his haori. Gin's laughter echoed lightly through his room as it bounced off the walls.

"Shut up Rin chan…..so annoying-", the boy muttered then flung his arm over his face as his body stretched a leg settled over Gin's left arm. He then went back to lightly snoring. Gin could still see the dried tears streaking down his face and used the other side of the rag to quickly wipe them up. Slowly he rolled Toushiro off of his lap and onto the bed in which the boy didn't seem to notice as he was flopped onto his side, and then proceeded to toss and turn until he felt comfortable.

Gin just stood as he shed his clothes, laying them on the rack that held his yukata and wrapped it around himself tying his sash loosely. He sat Shinsou on the top of his sword rack, then turned for his bed. Gin found out how hard it was to actually move the young captain while in his restless sleep mode; it was easy the week before because Toushiro was basically stationary. It took him five minutes that felt like fifteen to get Toushiro near a pillow where the boy then latched onto it and rolled onto the other that was meant for Gin.

Gin unmistakably groaned softly, during the day yeah, he could handle the bundle of trouble that was Toushiro and all the hell he brought with him; but at night Gin didn't think he'd have the strength left to detain the fitful sleeper. He had a feeling that it would get a lot worse once he got onto the bed. 'I guess this is supposed ta be my torture too, ne Shiro-chan?', Gin got a small snort in return for his thoughts. "Temee….Rin-chan…humph-hell no."

And he was right, as soon as he hit the bed his knee was met with a forceful kick and a small fist caught him in the chest by surprise and all the while Toushiro was grumbling in his sleep. Before he could restrain the boy from trying to injure him more the front of his yukata was gripped tightly, the pillow that Toushiro held was stuck between the two of them with his head snuggling against it. 'Yep, your way of giving payback without it being intentional……..maybe I should make ya sleep on the floor.'

Gin stifled a yawn and laid his head on his pillow that was forgotten by the small mass that now had a death grip on his yukata finally allowing sleep to come to him.

Sometime in the middle of the night Toushiro had woken up and found himself staring at a pale chest, he froze and withdrew himself from the body and caught sight of the one person he didn't want it to be. 'How dare that bastard touch me while I'm sleeping!'

/Sleep. It's too damn early. Turn off the lights. Shut the hell up. Give me my sleep. Close your eyelids and go to sleep/ Hyorinmaru groaned.

Toushiro shifted to the very edge of the other side of Gin's king-size bed away from the man and scuttled to the foot of the bed under the sheet. He promptly went right back to sleep at the foot of the bed, the farthest he could get away from the cruel man without invoking the stupid wall.

A/N: I feel like I put in too much about Aizen, Gin and Tousen's traitorous ways…..let me rephrase that, I feel like I said the same line like fifty billion times. –sigh- So very sorry, its not like I meant it to be like that it just came out like this and I felt satisfied with how the story came along, so if you feel that way I can't change it.

Review if you like….don't review if you don't like. I don't care I'm actually doing this for my sanity before it got out of hand with my Gin/Hitsu obsession. -sighs deeply- (I don't think I'll ever let this pairing go….that's a good thing…..right?...yeah, not letting go.) XD