I DON'T OWN BLEACH

Seventeen Series; Toshiro

Frozen Passion

氷原の夢を見る
I dream of an ice field

Chapter 2 Part 1.

"The best proof of love is trust."Joyce Brothers

"Matsumoto....I'm dreaming again...of a field of ice."

Five days ago;

"Matsumoto..." His dry scratchy throat makes his voice crack, as Hitsugaya struggles to get up from the futon. He manages to crawl over to the kitchen, pull himself up to the sink and shove his head under the faucet. Turning the knob, the cold water falls over his head, instantly sending a cooling shiver down his spine. Sliding down the cabinet he crashes to the floor his white hair drenched as he passes out.

"Just look at you!" Matsumoto drags him back to the futon and covers him with a blanket."I was only gone five minutes!"

"Where have you been?" His deep voice asks as he kicks off the blanket. "It's so hot in here."

"To the store around the corner, I got you a fever reducer." She tugs the blanket back over him and gives him the medicine with a bottle of water.

"What is wrong with me...everything hurts." He moans after swallowing the pills and shoving the blanket off.

"You have a cold." She puts her hands on her hips and swishes her finger in the air. "I warned you not to sleep on the roof..seriously!"

"Well, sleeping outside never bothered me before!" His voice croaks as he tries to sit up so he can yell at her. His energy is sapped, he flops back down putting his head on the pillow in defeat. "I feel like I'm dying." The fever making his cheeks bright pink and sweat collect on his upper lip.

"Typical man, one little cold and he thinks he is dying." Rangiku kneels next to him and puts her hand to his forehead. Toshiro notices her expression change, becoming softer and a worried wrinkle appears on her brow.

"Where is Orihime?"

"She is staying with Tatsuki until you feel better." She replies placing a wet cloth over his damp head.

"Matsumoto?"

"Hmm?"

"Talk..." His teal eyes veiled by his long bangs close, listening to her soothing voice as the fever confuses his mind. "to me."

"Alright.."

He listens to everything she says no matter how trivial and unimportant it seems to him. With his eyes closed and unmoving he endures her gossip. The habit he had developed a decade ago to deal with her chatty nature. However, when Ichimaru left, she stopped talking to him. He would often catch her staring out a window, or talking to herself in a somber tone of voice. The sorrow that she masks under her flirty, cheerful nature. Toshiro knew, but never spoke of it, the abandonment of Ichimaru Gin hurt her deeply. Yet, somehow right now she did bother him in the least. Her company is a relief to the sudden changes in his body and daily routine.

"I knew you would grow up tall and be devastatingly handsome.....my captain." Her voice grows quiet; he feels her hand on his bangs as she brushes the hair from his brow. The softness of her voice, the sincerity of her words cause a twinge in his chest. Just for a moment he considers opening his eyes to ask what she means. "I'm hallucinating...thinking she likes me. Do I want her to?"

XXXX

"I am...you boy."

"Hyorinmaru.....where are you?" Waking startled he opens his eyes to Matsumoto sleeping on the sofa. Her long honey-colored hair flowing down the edge of the pillow she is resting on, always looking so soft and warm. It's not her hair that's warm, it's her. Matsumoto always brings with her a warmth he could never express. Even as a child in Rukongai, no one got very close to him. Hinamori left for the academy and living with Grammy was good. Grammy was the only one to never make him feel cursed. Then he met Matsumoto at a candy shop, she told him he was hurting the only person that loved him unconditionally. Leaving Grammy was hard...she waved him goodbye with a smile on her face. That precious smile, he never forgot it.

Matsumoto's warmness replaced the emptiness in his aching heart. Never too far away, she has been more constant and trustworthy than he thought possible. Wiping the sleep from his eyes he gets up, smelling something cooking he heads to the kitchen. The simmering pot on the stove draws his attention; lifting the lid a pleasant aroma fills his nose as his stomach grows. His mouth waters as his teal eyes slant over to Matsumoto's sleeping form. He wasn't aware she could cook, the last time they stayed at Orihime's house she bought everything from the convenience store.

After finishing his second bowl of soup, he takes a shower washing away the foul smell of sweat he had accumulated during the day. Walking back into the living room he sees Matsumoto and Orihime chatting. Orihime hangs up some clothes on a hook, then waves good bye, exiting rather quickly.

"Orihime still mad at me?" He asks leaning on the wall near the doorway.

"I don't think she has figured out you are Hitsugaya-kun, as she likes to call you." She laughs going over to sit down on the sofa.

"Do I look that different?" He swipes at his hair dangling in his face.

"You look...nice." She replies without looking up at him, hiding her face behind a magazine.

"What the hell does that mean?" He folds his hands in front of his chest turning away from her.

"What? Nice is good....it's a decent compliment."

"I know what nice means, you think I never listen to your "girl talk?" He walks over and snatches the magazine away from her and leans his face near hers. "I don't want to look nice....Nice is the kiss of death."

"I didn't mean it bad! " She tosses the magazine on the floor and gets a chair from the kitchen. "Fine...I suggest a haircut." Dragging the chair into the bathroom she points for him to sit. Walking past her he sits down, focusing his large aqua eyes at the mirror behind the sink.

"Damn... I don't look nice at all! I look like that chick who crawled out of the well after thirty years!"

"Sadako?" Matsumoto laughs pulling out a hairbrush and begins to brush his hair. "You crawl out of the T.V. Tonight and I'm outta here."

Author's notes' Hey all This is half a chapter...I'm sorry it isn't complete. My story keeps getting removed...no clue why. So I thought I'd add a chapter to see if it helped it stay up there. I will finish the chapter today, I'm sorry again that it stops just when a good part was happening. The hits are really low and I am a bit sad about that. However, maybe some of you can't read it yet. Please drop me a review..keep in mind it's half a chapter though. I will post thank you to reviewers on the next full chapter cuz the story hasn't gotten a fair look from people yet. It will get better trust me!!