A/N: This chapter's going to be a bit short. So beware. =3= Sorry I haven't been posting daily. It's just that school started and I have homework and chores to do. But I will post as much I as I can! Enjoy my sweets!

Chapter Twenty-Three

Moriko tossed and turned in the silk sheets. The cool air pressed against her warm skin, then there it was. That one cool spot. It went up then down. Up then down. A tune it played, a very melodic tune. It would put Moriko to sleep, and it would sometimes wake her up. But then, that one cool spot began to move, and just before Moriko could turn- BAM!

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Screamed a familiar voice, Moriko looked up from the ground.

"That was me!" Moriko screamed back.

"How the hell did you get on the floor?!" Toushirou screamed.

"Apparently you flipped me onto the floor! And can we stop yelling?! My ears are starting to hurt!" She screamed back. Toushirou hopped off the bed, Moriko raised her hand. He sewn his fingers with her, pulling Moriko into his arms. He pulled her closer to his face, they both flushed red. Toushirou leaned in, his cool breath pressed against Moriko's warm face. His lips touched hers for a fragment of a second, until the door creaked open. The two turned their heads to see what it was. Something orange stepped into the room, it lifted its head. Once Toushirou and Moriko saw what it was they jumped.

"Holy shit! What is that?!" They both screamed. The thing had droopy eyes, dark circles under them. It's skin was pale as pale could get, and it smelled of bitterness. Well maybe not bitterness. It's long fingers sprawled in the mesh of orange strands, it growled. The thing strolled towards the bed, falling face first.

"Ugh, my aching head." The voice was muffled by the silk lining, but it sound dreadful. Toushirou and Moriko stared at it, trying to make out what it was. Their faces lit up.

"Rangiku?" Toushirou asked. The thing groaned, twitching a bit.

"That's what you get for over drinking." He finished. Rangiku groaned even louder, this time turning over.

"My head is throbbing like hell!" Rangiku screamed. The two winced at the scream.

"It's like I'm meeellllttting!" She moaned sliding of the bed, making a slight thud on the floor. Moriko and Toushirou hung over the edge of the bed, seeing Rangiku stroked across the pale floor. Rangiku lifted her head, the two grimaced at the sight.

"So why are you in here?" Toushirou asked. Rangiku stared at him, her eyes stirring a bit.

"Because it's so freaking cold in here it soothes my headache." Rangiku stated.

"Oh! And Moriko-chan! You have a message from Urahara." She added quickly. Toushirou looked at Moriko, who had a smile drew across her face. Toushirou's eyes spoke puzzled, Rangiku's pain and puzzled as well, while Moriko's sang glee.

"Why did Urahara leave you a message?" Toushirou asked fear in his voice.

"Oh you don't have to worry!" Moriko sang, a warm hand landing on his shoulder. Toushirou's eyes and body relaxed a bit.

"Do you remember when Menos Grande came to the Soul Society?" Moriko asked. Toushirou nodded slowly, still tense. Moriko smiled warmly trying to calm Toushirou down.

"Well when I was watching everyone -Abarai-fukutaicho, Ichigo, Ikkaku....You." She listed, Toushirou nodded again.

"Well I was amazed by what you guys did! You know...what's it called?" Moriko said dozing off.

"Ban-kai." Rangiku groaned. Moriko's face lit up.

"Yeah! That's right, Ban-kai." Moriko said. Toushirou went white as a ghost, words stuck in his throat.

"So you're telling me that when you watched all of us use our Ban-kai, you want to learn as well?"Toushirou manage to slip out. Moriko smiled sincerely nodding her head. Toushirou had a minute to let this sink in. He looked at Moriko, who had puppy eyes and biting her bottom lip.

"No." He said shaking his head. Moriko lost color, her lips curving down into a frown.

"Why not?!" She asked.

"Because you're going to get hurt!"

"But I've been hurt so many times already!"

"No. That is my final answer!"

"Aw why not! I think I could do it!"

"It's a waste of time!" The two's shouting was beginning to hurt Rangiku's head, even more. She stood up slowly, dragging herself out of the death pit of a room.

"That's so unfair!" Moriko screamed, her arms folded against her chest. Toushirou turned to look at her, the guilt slowly eating him.

"Give me one good reason why you should go." He said solemnly. Moriko smiled.

"Because if I do then I could be more of a help rather than a nuisance." She said with a smirk. Toushirou chuckled, she did have a point. It was interesting to find out what her Ban-kai would be. He would let this one slide, but a long period without Moriko? Toushirou didn't even know if he could even survive without her for more than an hour. It was a risky choice. Be selfish or selfless? He couldn't decide. His eyes trailed up to her face, she was waiting so bad for an answer. He didn't want to know what would happen if he said 'no'. But still! He couldn't get the fact that he couldn't live withoutMoriko there by his side. Toushirou sighed. Moriko's hope was fading slowly.

"I guess you can go.." Toushirou said slowly. A smile grew on Moriko's face, Toushirou looked at her.

"But! You have to be careful! I don't want that face filled with cuts." He said sweetly, a warm gentle smile spread across his face. Moriko giggled, nuzzling him, her soft hair tickled his neck. Moriko pulled away from him, he leaned down in front of her face. They were both a bit pink. The warm breath carved away at his cold skin, while his cool breath sank into her warm skin. He crushed his lips against hers. They both felt a warm sensation go down their spines, both their stomachs churned. The two wished the kiss could last forever. To make time stop, to be with each other forever. This is what love was. You get some and you lose some. But sometimes you wished you never loved because you feared the pain it would bring you if you lost the one you loved. But yet your heart wrenched for it. Your mind slowly slips because you know you need it to survive. It's a drug you see. A drug that you can never get clean. You'll be stained with it. Forever. Enjoy it while you can. Not everyone can live for eternity you know.

Anxiety.