This is Week 5: Challege 1 ~ part 6: I'm working with each flower for each Gotei Thirteen division as well as the meaning.

Summary: Toshiro wants to know what Gin's noble reason was.
Notes: This takes place after the war with the Quincy is done. Gin happens to come back and has to tell Toshiro and Rangiku the truth.

Camellia
~noble reason~

The sound of a clock ticked away as the boy leaned up against the wall outside of the tenth division offices. His arms crossed his chest as he waited for Gin to finish speaking with Rangiku. Every so often the woman's voice would raise up and he wondered whether he should go in to intercede.

"It is conversation between two adults."

"I know it is. I know I'm not an adult, but sometimes those two act more like children t hen I do."

"You just want to be there to chew out Ichimaru as well."

"I don't think it's right that he waited to come back until we had a dire need. He was needed here before this stupid war happened."

"So is it Matsumoto Rangiku who needed him here or was it that you needed him here?"

"What is that supposed to mean? It's Matsumoto who needs him. Particularly since I'm not old enough or strong enough o take care of her."

"At least the war is over. Are you happy with the fact Ichimaru is her to take care of her again and you don't have to worry about it anymore?"

"No. And honestly I don't know why. Is it because I don't think the Quincy deserve to have peace with us?"

"That has nothing to do with this."

"The Quincy you mean?"

"No. Having peace with the Quincy."

The door slid open interrupting the conversation Toshiro was having with his zampaktuo. Ichimaru stepped out, the man pausing when he realized that the boy was still there. "Shiro-chan?" There came silence and then the man spoke again. "I guess you're mad at me as well."

"Is there a reason why I should be mad at you." Toshiro pushed away from the wall and rolled his eyes into the back of his head. "If you don't mind my fukutaicho and I will be getting to our work now. There is a lot to do since we got the division offices back."

The man didn't respond and instead left. Toshiro slipped into the room only for his breath to pull short when he saw Rangiku sitting on the couch. Tears ran down her cheeks. The boy carefully walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. "Do you need an ear or just have someone sit with you?"

"Taicho?" the woman stared at him, her eyes puffy and a look of shock on her face. "I'll go ahead and get to work."

"Don't worry about it Matsumoto. Sometimes there are more important things."

"When did you get to be so mature?"

"I'm not. If I was mature..." Toshiro paused in his speech as his lips pushed together. "If I was mature I would have been able to protect you while he was gone. So I guess it's best he's back."

"What do you mean by that?"

Toshiro looked up at her then, a frown spreading across his face. "I'm going to admit her that I didn't like seeing you lying there injured and unconscious. It's... it's honestly something I never want to see again." He watched as the look on her face seemed to indicate that his comment hurt. "Did I say something wrong."

"No. This may be hard for you to hear as you are blaming yourself when you shouldn't be. Fact is I don't ever want you to go through that again."

Toshiro's head turned away so that he was looking at the ground, his hands clenching the seat of his uniform. "I'm not sure what to think about that. She shouldn't be worried about me. I'm not her child and I'm supposed to be able to take care of myself."The boy broke the silence. "Are you getting back with Ichimaru?" The silence continued. "I said the wrong thing again, didn't I?"

"No. I thought you thought Gin and I were just classmates."

"There is no way that you would have been effected the way you are if that were treu."

"You really have grown up. I wonder..."

"Wonder what?"

"I told Gin not to tell you because I didn't think you would be able to handle it yet. However... you can tell him I changed my mind."

"Can't you tell me what ever it is?" Toshiro heard Rangiku's breath pull short. "This time I said something wrong?"

"No... I just. I just don't feel comfortable telling you. I hope you'll forgive me when he tells you."

"For not telling me yourself?"

"Well.. that and... you'll understand when Gin tells you." The woman glanced at the ground. "Actually... you should go and see him."

"I don't exactly want to talk to that man. He should have come home sooner."

"Home. That is an apt word isn't it." Rangiku let out a deep sigh. "Could you do it for me?"

"I don't want to talk to him because I'm mad at him for not coming back. However... if I talk to him I can yell at him all I want." The boy stood up. "Sure. I'll go and see him. I can't guarantee I'll find him."

He then slipped from the room and went looking for the man. He wasn't surprised to find Gin lurking in the shadows as if he was trying to avoid something or someone. "Chances are its me or Matsumoto." The boy spoke. "Ichimaru? What are you doing?"

The man startled. "Shiro-chan, not now."

"I have something to say to you though. I want to know what your noble reason was for taking off with Aizen and then not coming back when we needed you and waiting until we were desperate."

"Shiro-chan, I said not now."

"Matsumoto said that she changed her mind about you not telling me."

The man turned to look at the boy. "Still, not..."

"There you are." A Quincy with rather long, light colored hair appeared from around the corner along with Cang Du. Toshiro felt himself flinching, moving so that Gin was between him and the two men. The light haired Quiny looked at the small taicho. "I see the boy is with you."

"I don't want to speak with you Jugram." The silver haired man narrowed his eyes at the other.

Toshiro's hand reached out and grabbed the edge of Gin's clothing. "Why are you calling him by his first name?"

"You haven't told them? Have you told either one of them?"

"No, I haven't." Gin's hand suddenly reached out and pushed Toshiro on the shoulder making it so that the boy would go behind him some more."

"Why are you avoiding us nii-sama?" The words from Cang Du's mouth caused Toshiro's eyes to widen and then his body tense up.

"Tactful as ever I see." The silver haired man let out a sigh.

"Why does he call you his brother?" The boy's hand was still clutching the sleeve of Gin's clothing.

The man in question swallowed. "Because Shiro-chan, he is my biological brother. Look, I need to talk to him about something and don't have the time to deal with either one of you."

"What you can say in front of your son you can say in front of us." Jugram narrowed his eyes at Gin.

"Did you say exactly what you said to spite me?" Gin's bony fingers suddenly tightened around Toshiro's shoulder.

"It's one of the few ways I can spite you that I know will effect you." The blond looked down at Toshiro. "This man choose to abandon his family a hundred years ago an is now avoiding them. That shouldn't really surprise you though should it."

The small taicho looked at the ground. "He has a point. Ichimaru did abandon Matsumoto and me and now he is avoiding us."

"As if anyone would want to have anything to do with that man!" Gin's fingers loosened slightly.

"That man is your father Jugin."

"Doesn't change the fact I didn't want to expose either one of our children to that man's twisted logic."

"Wait... children... not child." Toshiro looked up at the man.

"And yet his sister having been exposed to his twisted logic has ended up having far worse social problems then he does."

"Social problems. The female Quincy with the social problems worse then me..." The boy's eyes widened and he then chocked out what he wanted to say. "Basterbine!"

Gin let out a deep sigh. "At least Rangiku's fine with you hearing this, though I was actually in agreement with her about not telling you."

"That..." Toshiro glanced away. "Ichimaru... what was your noble reason?"

The silver haired man startled. "To protect you, your sister and Rangiku from my father as well as Aizen, though you can see I failed miserably. You don't have to interact with them just because they're family Shiro-chan."

Cang Du's eyebrow's rose up. "What about Bambietta?"

"That..." Gin let out a deep sigh. "I'll worry about that when the time comes." The man turned and started pushing Toshiro away.

Jugram narrowed his eyes. "We aren't finished speaking."

The silver haired man turned to look at him, irritation on his face. "Yes... yes we are. I have no reason to speak with either of you at this point and have enough that I'm dealing with."