I DON'T OWN BLEACH

Frozen Passion

氷原の夢を見る
I dream of an ice field
氷の気配がする
I can feel the ice
声が聞こえる こだましている
I hear a voice echoing
圧し潰すような 包み込むような
squashing and wrapping
遠く鳴り響く 雷鳴のような
like thunder echoing in the distance

"You heard a voice right? If you can find out where that voice comes from, you can control your powers."

"Matsumoto... the roar is louder now. Is it Hyorinmaru or Haineko?"

Day four; The "Wow." Moment

"It's hypothetical! Don't laugh!" Toshiro puts his hands on his hips and turns away from the chuckling orange haired substitute.

"Ok! Ok!" Ichigo waves his hands in the air looks at Hitsugaya's reddish face. "Damn, I still find it amazing you are taller than me."

"Bastard!" He wrinkles his brow and starts to walk out the bedroom.

"Don't leave, I'll stop teasing you. Ok, let me see if I can get this straight. Your friend kissed, another friend, and now he doesn't know what to say or do."

"Yeah." Toshiro turns back around but, doesn't make eye contact. "He screwed up big time."

"Your friend didn't want to kiss, this other friend?"

"No, he did. It's just he didn't ask for permission." Toshiro's fists curl when he recalls his rude behavior.

"Did she smack you?"

"No."

"Ha! It was you!" Ichigo's eyes blaze with curiosity. "Who did you kiss?"

"I really hate you Kurosaki."

"Just tell me who?" Ichigo pokes Toshiro on the shoulder with his index finger. "Come on I'm drooling over here!"

"I kissed MATSUMOTO ALRIGHT!" Toshiro's eye bulge out as his voice shouts out the horrible truth.

"Wow, you are kidding right?" Ichigo falls off his bed snickering. "HAHAHA!"

"Focus on helping me you ass." Toshiro kicks him in the butt.

"Well, you are still alive with all your.." Ichigo clears his throat. "parts. So I'd have to say... good job!" Ichigo gives him a dorky looking thumbs up.

"YOU SUCK AT ADVICE KUROSAKI!"

"What's the real problem Toshiro? Was it a pity kiss or something?"

"No, I told you. I didn't consider her feelings before mine."

"You don't regret kissing her, just not asking first. She didn't punch you or rip anything off. Seems like she was alright with it." Ichigo makes the thumbs up with both hands this time adding a big grin.

"It's wrong to touch... her."

"You are the only guy I have ever seen Matsumoto touch affectionately."

"She's affectionate with me." I've never noticed it before, Kurosaki may have a point.

"Tell her you like her, it's obvious you do."

XXX

An Hour Earlier;

Rangiku's silver eyes lift upwards, to find her captain sitting high up on the scaffolding of the water tower. Climbing the the rusty ladder she reaches the top and sits next to Toshiro. Dangling her legs off the edge she looks at the view, last nights storm had knocked over a few trees and many branches. Stealing at glance at him she is surprised to find him staring at her.

"Hinamori?" He asks knowing she can always finish his thoughts.

"She has gone back to Soul Society, but warns me she will be back." She smiles turning her gaze back to the forests green landscape. "I explained nothing was going on between us, she was relieved." She had admitted to herself last night while watching his chest rise and fall, that he was out of her league. Even if it's the truth, it hurts inside to surrender the tiny hope that he will feel the same way about her. Rangiku biting on her lower lip conceals her sadness, and maintains her responsibility to be the happy, supportive person he needs around him.

"Why did you let her kick you into the desk?"

"Oh, she got a lucky kick in." Matsumoto waves her hands around, making light of his question.

"Do not lie to me Matsumoto, I'll ask again. This time tell me the truth, and I won't be angry." Toshiro's voice is low, with a hint of softness that surprises her. "Why did you let Hinamori kick you?" Toshiro reaches out and turns her head toward him, to force her eyes on him. His hand holding her chin radiates a warmth that Rangiku fights not to lean her cheek into.

"Hinamori is someone important to you. How could I hurt her?" Her eyes almost closed, locked on her lap, refusing to look at him. He will see through you Ran if you don't have the balls to meet his gaze.

Hitsugaya's eyes narrow as he listens to her reply. She is telling the truth, but something else is wrong with her. Women are mostly a mystery to him, and Matsumoto more than any other. When Ichimaru left she withdrew into some self-preserving shell, she's still...she is getting more distant. Why am I getting pissed off?

"Jealousy is the one emotion I can understand more than any other." Now, Ran look at him, and give him the light flirty smile you always wear, the one that makes people at ease. "Girls who are jealous, just want to know someone cares about them." She struggles parting her lips, failing miserably to show him that magic smile and look at him. If I look at him, he might notice. No I'm positive he will notice, he notices everything.

"Enough." Hitsugaya pushes her down, pressing her back against the scaffolding. Rangiku's silver eyes grow wide in shock, he leans over her body. Bracing his weight on his hands, he props them beside her head. Her arms fall to her sides limp as his aquamarine eyes hover so close above her. "Matsumoto..." Toshiro's teal eyes travel around her face, taking in the way her hair lifts and falls in the breeze. "Why can't you look me in the eyes?"

I know, I know, I know... Rangiku shut her eyes, blocking out his angry look floating near her. Lifting her arm she bends her elbow over her face. Don't see, Don't see me.

"Look at me!" Hitsugaya grabs her arm, tugging it from her face and holding it against the wooden planks with his hand. Her eyes pop open to him leaning down close with an intense expression. His head tilts down slowly, his large eyes watch to see if she pushes him away.

He parts his lips slightly, his gaze flicking from her lips to her eyes and back. Hearing her suck in a breath he lowers his lips, pressing them over hers lightly. With his heart pounding in his chest he fights the urge crush his mouth on hers. He closes his eyes calming himself as her peachy fragrance drifts past him carried by the winds. Her lips part encouraging him, he slides across her soft lower lip gently before pulling away. She tugs him closer, forcing his hand to leave her wrist so she can touch his soft looking hair. Feeling her hands reach up and slip through his hair sends a tingle of warmth in his stomach.

Rangiku has been kissed before but, nothing could have prepared her for the overwhelming feeling of her captains lips pressing against hers. The brief, chaste kiss would be her undoing. She simply had never experienced someone touching her so carefully. She felt her face glowing with desire, the heat of his kiss still lingering on her lips. Blinking several times she lays unmoving under him in shock.

"I-I'm sorry." He mutters before moving off her, climbing down the ladder, then vanishing inside the building.

"Wow." Rangiku whispers taking a deep breath, realizing she had held her breath the entire time. She marveled for a moment before sitting up how easily he had stirred a fire inside her. How his gentleness dominated her mind and body, sweeping her away so she forgets to breathe.

"What do you mean you are sorry?!" Rangiku asks throwing open the door and looking around for his tall white head. "He left." She walks over to the desk she had let herself be kicked into by Momo, and sits down in the nearby chair. She sticks out her lower lip and moves around a piece of paper on the desk with her index finger. "Don't say your sorry, don't be like him."

"Don't be like who?"

Author's notes; Hey all Here is the next chapter of Frozen Passion. I want to thank all the people who reviewed chapter 4!

Soaringhellbutterfly

rkfollower

princessayla 1994

Electrared; not at all I personally can't stand Momo. She is weak minded.

Echoinglyartistic; Thanks the tattoo will be important later!

Nymwid;

P.S. I hope you the reader don't mind this chapter was light on humor. Shiro is a serious guy, and Matsumoto is also. She just hides it better than anyone. This story will still be funny don't go away!! I just need some serious times, for the plot I have. I have issues with just writing fluff..Byakuya is Seventeen was pure fluff I almost died....Sigh my second most popular title, Bya is 17 Yaoi Edit has now become my most successful story to date. Stunned really my first Yaoi even. This weeks Bleach made me chuckle when Haineko called Matsumoto Oba-san...Kinda like I did in last weeks chapter LOL!