A/N: Oh. My GOD THIS UPDATE TOOK AGES! I'm sooo sorry, school just killed me! Well, either way, it's finally here, and I really love this chapter...lololol! Don't worry, I won't spoil it for y'all! XD

An awesome response to the last chapter, thank you hugely to...

chesxca

splitheart1120

angelprincess ino

sylar1610

and, last but not least, dragonballzlover2499! I sincerely hope you guys like this chapter as much as the last! Not much romance, but fluff in every chapter would bit a bit of overkill, I think...

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. All credit goes to the amazing Kubo Tite! Hot 'n Cold by Katy Perry is not mine either, no matter how much I wish the opposite was true...*sniff*

Hot 'n Cold

Exactly one week after their first busking spree, Gin and Rangiku were counting their earnings.

"Jesus, Gin! We've made a killing!" Rangiku exclaimed happily. "This is easily enough to keep us going for a month or two!"

"Yeah, it's yer singin' voice, ya know. Reels 'em in like nothin' else." Gin grinned at her.

Rangiku beamed. "Naw...thanks, Gin! But seriously, you're guitar-playing is awesome!"

"I know."

"Uhhh, Gin? That's not really the normal answer..." Rangiku said, trying to keep from laughing.

"Yeah? Well, whatever. I gotta get to my paper round, see ya, Ran-chan!"

"Bye! And don't let the manager cheat you again!" Rangiku warned.

"I won't." came the distant reply. Gin was already out of the door.

Rangiku sighed. She hated the mornings when Gin had work. It was so boring; she never had anything to do.

She flicked on the TV, surfing the channels until she found something that looked acceptable. She settled down and watched about twenty minutes of the soap, then turned it off. It was no use. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had whenever she was alone, the sort of...empty sensation.

Suddenly, a shrill ringing from the telephone announced that someone was calling the apartment. Rangiku jumped, then hurried over to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Ah, hello, is this Matsumoto-san?" came the voice from the other end of the line.

"Yes, can I help you?" inquired Rangiku, smiling. It must be a baby-sitting client.

"Well, I saw your advert in the corner shop, and I was wondering if you could look after my son for tonight? I'm sorry it's such short notice, but our regular suddenly had a family crisis and had to move away. Do you think you can make it?" the voice asked slightly frantically.

"Yes, of course. What time am I coming?" Rangiku could feel the excitement building. She had a job!

"Seven to eleven, please. Is that alright?"

"Yes, fine! And your address?"

"Seven Pine Apartments, Floor 5, Room 15."

Ah. That was two floors above where she was right now.

Oh bugger, thought Rangiku, this could lead to complications with my living arrangements and all.

"Dear? Are you alright?" asked the voice, slightly worried at the long silence.

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that. Zoned out. Floor 5, was it?"

"That's right, dear. I'll see you there!" the voice said.

"Bye!" chirped Rangiku before hanging up. She had a job! Well, at least her morning would go better now.

...

Gin was only slightly surprised that, when he entered their little apartment, Rangiku pounced on him, squeezing him tightly in a rather violent Hug of Death.

"Uh...hey, Ran-chan!" he greeted. "What's all this about, then?"

"Oh, sorry!" apologized Rangiku, backing off and fiddling with her hair in slight embarrassment. "I'm just so excited!"

Gin raised an eyebrow. "Why, may I ask?"

"I got a phone call while you were out this morning. Someone wants me to babysit their spawn from seven 'til eleven tonight!" Rangiku bounced up and down in happiness.

"Tonight? That's a bit short notice, isn't it?"

"Well, their old one moved house. But isn't it great? I have a job!"

"Yeah, that's brill, Ran-chan! Glad yer so excited." enthused Gin, pulling her into a brief hug.

Rangiku bounced up and down. "This is gonna be awesome..."

"Uh...Ran-chan?"

"What is it, Gin?"

"What if the kid's a brat?"

"...That won't happen!"

…

Rap rap! Rangiku knocked smartly on the door of Room 15, Floor 5.

"Coming! Give me a minute!" came a voice from inside. She recognised it as the voice on the phone. After a few seconds, the door was pulled open, revealing a slightly frazzled-looking middle-aged lady with a posh handbag.

"Ah! Hello, dear, you must be Matsumoto-san!" she smiled.

"Oh, please, call me Rangiku!"

"Rangiku it is, then! You can call me Kotone!"

"Of course, Kotone-san! Are you going anywhere special tonight?" Rangiku asked out of courtesy rather than interest.

"Yes, my husband and I are going for a romantic meal in the city. It's been so long since we did something like that, children and all." At that point, a rather lanky man walked into the hallway. "Ah, Yuudai, there you are! We'll be going now, Rangiku. Our son is in the living room, just through there." she pointed to the door in question. "Now, I'll warn you, he can come across as a bit...cold at first, but I'm sure he'll come around in no time!" With that, the two rushed out the door, hand in hand. Rangiku smiled after them. They seemed so nice, this boy was incredibly lucky to have such a family...

Rangiku entered the living room and saw the TV was on. Her gaze drifted to the sofa, where a very small boy sat, completely engrossed in whatever was showing. Rangiku's eyes widened slightly.

Omigod, his hair! It's so white! Is that natural? I guess it's not unheard of, it does look quite similar to Gin's after all...

After a few moments, Rangiku managed to gather her thoughts enough to introduce herself. "Hello! My name is Matsumoto Rangiku! It's very nice to meet you!" she chirped, beaming.

The kid turned his head slightly in her direction. "Hitsugaya Toushiro." he stated, before turning his attention back to the screen.

Rangiku raised an eyebrow. Nice manners, she thought. Out loud, she said, "So...what do you want to do while I'm here?"

He turned to face her fully, looking more than a little irritated. "It's none of your business and you can stay the hell away from me." he growled, a huge frown on his face.

There was a long silence.

Suddenly, Rangiku walked up to the TV and switched it off. "If you think I'm going to let you be so rude to her for the whole night, you are very wrong indeed, Mister." she said, crossing her arms over her chest.

Toushiro flicked it on again using the remote. "I will anyway." he stated calmly.

Rangiku unplugged the screen and put the lead on a high shelf. "Well, you aren't watching TV for a start; there's no way you're going to be able to reach that!"

Toushiro glared at her for a few seconds. Then, "You're the girl who was busking in the streets the other day."

Rangiku was flummoxed. "Wha—uh, no...I think you're mistaken."

He didn't look fooled.

"...Damn." she sighed.

"I saw you move in two floors down last week with a really creepy looking guy with silver hair. Scary grin. No adults either." he rapped off with a blank expression. Man, for a little one, this kid was good!

Rangiku fell to her knees in front of the midget. "Oh, please please please don't tell anyone! Seriously, if you do, I'm screwed! We have nowhere else to go and we won't bother you at all and-"

"Okay, okay, geez!" Toushiro interrupted her, waving his hands in front of his face, "I won't tell anyone! But on one condition..."

"Anything!"

"You let me do whatever I want, whenever I want. And in repayment, as well as keeping your secret, I'll ask my parents to make you my regular babysitter."

"All right, I'll do all that. As long as you don't try to smoke drugs or anyth-" he interrupted her with an icy glare. "Yeah, I'll shut up now..."

I can't believe this kid has turned into my boss... she thought glumly.

…

Later that night, Toushiro was happily (for him) watching TV. Rangiku glanced at the clock. It was after ten; way past his bedtime, she bet.

"Um...don't you think you should go to bed now?" she asked tentatively. Somehow, this boy had turned her into a submissive underling.

"Yeah, whatever. May as well." Toushiro surprised her by saying. He left the room to go get changed, and after a few minutes called her up.

"What is it?" she asked gently, peeking in through his door. His room was really surprisingly neat for a pre-teen male.

"Uh...well, I was wondering if you could...ahem...turn of my light for me?" Toushiro asked, his face turning redder each passing moment.

"Sure. Good night, Toushiro-kun." she said, flicking the switch.

"It's Hitsugaya-san to you." he glared at her. Rangiku laughed before exiting the room, shutting the door behind her. Maybe babysitting this kid wasn't going to be so bad after all.

When Rangiku went downstairs, she noticed a radio sitting on the windowsill of the living room. She switched it on and tuned it to a station she remembered Gin saying was good. A song came on that she knew, recognised, and somehow felt fit the situation she was in perfectly.

"You change your mind like a girl changes clothes...

'Cos you're hot then you're cold, you're yes then you're no,

You're in then you're out, you're up then you're down..."

A/N: Ha ha, even in a parallel universe, Toushiro's still the one in charge! Poor Rangiku, lol! Although, I think she's warming to him a little bit...he is very very cute after all! *goes into squealing fangirl mode*

Hope you guys liked it, and if anyone has any requests for future chapters, I'm open to suggestion! I actually have no idea how this is going to end, I usually just make it up as I go along. It will have a happy ending, though! I can assure you that! I hate tragedy...*cries* I'm a complete wimp...