Christmas Nightmare
~Yes or No~
Ichimaru stated up at the ceiling, his mood rather dark. Every time he turned around, things kept getting more and more messed up. He also saw the confusion written on the small taicho's face, not to mention the frustration. He couldn't be sure what was going on in the child's mind, whether it be anger, confusion, or a combination of both. He was startled by a rather cheerful voice from the doorway.
"Merry Christmas Ichimaru," came the voice of the thirteenth division captain.
"Ukitake Taicho... cheerful as always," Gin stated, his head snapping up, his irritation evident. He then caught site of Nanao. "What is she doing here?"
"She knows," Ukitake chuckled rather nervously. He moved over to sit in front of the silver haired man who leaned up against the wall.
"You know that he isn't going to like that, someone else being in on this. I told him, it was up to him who he told about this, not myself." Ichimaru folded his arms and glanced away.
"I didn't exactly give Ukitake Taicho a choice in the matter. I would have followed him and found out one way or another," Ise commented.
Jushiro pulled a package out of his sleeve, his normal cheerfulness returning. "Where is Shiro-chan?"
"Toshiro... he's out with the two love birds." Gin let out a chuckle. "By that I mean the substitute shinigami and the Kuchiki girl."
"You... you have a major problem with things that are taboo, don't you!" Nanao snapped. "Actually, you don't know how things are supposed to normally work. Life isn't a game Ichimaru." The man simply raised his eyebrows in amusement. The female then pushed up her glasses. "Let me rephrase that. You don't know how to properly deal with emotions and because of that you do the wrong things."
"You are partially right. I don't have emotions though, so..." Ichimaru piped up, only to find himself interrupted
"That is not what your own mother says. You don't at all handle them right. Hell, your own son handles his emotions better then you, and he is known for having problems that frustrate his mother to no end at times. Actually, that is coupled with having Rangiku's temperament" Ise made her point clear.
Ukitake shook his head. "On a needed change of subject, we should call Hitsugaya Taicho to let him know that we are here."
"That may or may not be a good idea." Ichimaru voice had a venom to it.
"Excuse me, but I haven't done anything wrong in being here," Nanao grumbled. "I have a right to be here."
"Because you are Ran-chan's friend?" Gin folded his arms. "This has nothing to do with that."
"I wouldn't cut Ise Fukutaicho out of the picture Gin," Ukitake stated firmly. "She is only planning on helping."
"That wasn't what I meant, but something else," Ichimaru snapped out.
"Enough! You are not a child anymore!" Jushiro retorted, causing Nanao to flinch, but for the younger of the males still retained the glare on his face. "She has personally told me that she's only going to try and convince Rangiku to tell the Shiro-chan about the truth herself. Now if you don't mind, I am going to go call Hitsugaya Taicho."
"And I told you, that wasn't what I meant about it not being a good idea." As the man said this, the door slid open and a red head peeked in. This caused the man to move quickly to the door, in an attempt to grab the preteen, only to have the child disappear.
"What was that about?" Ukitake asked, smiling as he always did.
"Simply Ichimaru being childish as he always has been. You're too old to be bullying children," Ise muttered, pushing up her glasses.
At that, the door clicked shut and Gin turned to her, irritation written all over his face. "That child has been bothersome."
"How so?" The thirteenth division taicho asked, not at all able to imagine how this could be possibly with a child.
Gin went back and sat down. "Let's just say the Kuchiki girl doesn't trust me and thus does not want to let a certain child near me due to some things that a certain other child said."
"I'll talk to her about that," Ukitake stated, getting up and heading out of the room to make the phone call.
Nanao though continued to watch Ichimaru, then piped up. "Why do I get the idea that there is more to this story then what you are letting on."
"Why do I get the idea that there is something about why you are here and getting involved that you aren't telling me? I know that you are good friends with Matsumoto, but I would think that you would be likely to side with her on this one. Actually, you have made it clear that you don't like me." Gin's face became that smirking glare and narrowed eyes that was more characteristic of himself.
"I don't think you understand the kind of bond she and I have. Did you know that she told me once about the baby she lost?" Ise folded her arms as she stood there, glaring at the man.
"She didn't lose the baby," Ichimaru piped up, pointing out the obvious fact.
"But when she told me, we both thought that the baby was lost, even a girl. She said I was Godmother to that child. In other words she made me Hitsugaya Toshiro's Godmother," Nanao stated. "I am not doing this for Matsumoto, but for him. Particularly until you do tell Rangiku, she can't step in and do what she personally feels is best for him."
"How much do you know about the situation between Matsumoto and myself?" the man stated, watching the female carefully.
"I know that Matsumoto is not wanting to talk to you. I also know that Hitsugaya is upset with her due to the fact that he feels he's being used as a replacement, but I know for a fact that Rangiku choose not to tell him due to the fact that she didn't want him to think that." The female finally simply stayed by the doorway.
"As you can see, the situation is complicated," Gin leaned back, staring at the ceiling, acting like nothing was the matter, that smirk all over his face.
"I am going to try to convince her that it is a good idea to talk to you and that she should also tell him the truth. I can't guarantee it will help though." The look that the man gave her simply was filled with surprise, thus there being no need for him to comment on this.
M
When the two young males arrived at the shop, they found Ukitake waiting for the two of them outside of the shop. The man gave Toshiro a grin, but the grin turned out to be rather weak. "I found out what you wanted to know, Shiro-chan."
Two teal eyes widened as the child taicho's attention was caught. They then softened into a small frown "You don't look like the answer you have for me is one you're happy with."
"I think that either answer would in fact be problematic," Ukitake stated. "On one side, he lied to you, on the other side, if he didn't lie to you, part of what you believed about yourself will have turned out to be a lie."
"The answer is an affirmative to what Ichimaru told Toshiro, isn't it?" Ichigo piped up, causing Ukitake to raise his eyebrows.
This caused Ukitake to open his mouth, not sure what to say. Hitsugaya piped up. "How many times do I have to tell you it is Hitsugaya Taicho? Ukitake, Kurosaki figured out what is going on, on his own."
"I guess the best way to word it is that you were in fact born in Soul Society," Ukitake uttered, watching the small white haired youth, wondering how the child would react.
"Oh..." Toshiro simply began to walk into the shop, not saying anything else.
This caused Ichigo to hurry over and grab the small boy, pulling on the small shoulder which caused the boy to turn around. "And?"
"And what?" Two teal eyes blinked, not so much in confusion. A dullness though was there.
"Hitsugaya Taicho... you just found out who your parents are," Ukitake stated.
"Honestly, I don't know how to react," Toshiro frowned, his shoulders slumping.
"What about what happened to you and Matsumoto the other day?" the thirteenth taicho's face twisted up in worry, his smile disappearing
"She refused to talk to me about that..." Toshiro mummered.
"About what?" Ichigo asked, walking over to the small taicho.
This caused the small taicho to let out a deep breath of air. "Matsumoto came and visited me yesterday. I asked her why she always avoids my birthday, but she refused to tell me the reason. She avoids my birthday because the day I was born, she believes that she lost a baby girl. To Rangiku, I am just a replacement for the child she lost."
"Toshiro... you are the child that she lost. You can't be a replacement," the orange haired teen mummered.
"The thing is Kurosaki, she doesn't know I am the child she lost. She says that it is none of my business about what happened. But it is my business as to why she tries avoiding my birthday every year," the boy began to fidget, scratching his head as he did so.
"Not to mention Ichimaru didn't answer that question either," Ichigo stated.
"With him it is understandable. I mean, you don't know what he is thinking in that mind of his." Toshiro glanced at the ground. "I trusted Matsumoto. I've trusted her for a long time. Him... I never have."
"Is this really a matter of trust though," Ukitake asked, watching the small taicho still.
"To me it is. She told me a long time ago to be upfront when something is bothering you, but she hasn't been able to explain why she happened to ignore my birthday unless Hinamori brought it up," Toshiro shook his head in frustration.
"I think there are other reasons why you are upset. And I am not saying that trust isn't part of it. I think you're also upset that she gets depressed around your birthday," Kurosaki sighed.
"I never mentioned that she got depressed around that time, but yes. She does every year, for about a weak before. I never thought about it, but the thing is, she's depressed because she wants her baby. But that baby she wants is right there. I've been there for forty years now, just about." Toshiro glanced at the ground.
"I know that we can't do much about the situation, but the thing is, you have me and Kurosaki there to support you on this and to talk to. You've also got Ise Fukutaicho to talk to," Ukitake piped up.
"Wait... she knows?" The small taicho's eyes went wide.
"I know you trusted me to keep this a secret, but she refused to leave me alone when I went out to see your grandmother. She found out from Matsumoto too a rather one sided story." The man gave Toshiro a smile. "She does in fact only mean to help. I think she may want to talk to you about something."
"Talk to me? I don't know what she would want to talk to me about." The boy pulled back slightly into a corner.
"Why don't you talk to her and find out." Ukitake's words were simple, but obviously confused the small boy.
