Story: Treading on Crimson Ice, Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

Hitsugaya woke, jerking up from beneath the sheets covering him, in a cold sweat. Opening his eyes, it took him a moment to figure out that he was back in his office. His head was pounding. Glancing down at his wrist, he realized it'd been bandaged. That's when he vaguely recalled the events that'd just taken place before he'd fallen 'asleep'. Oh, God, no.

"Taichou?", he didn't even look up at hearing his Lieutenant's voice; he couldn't. "Oh, you're finally awake. How are you feeling?"

"Matsumoto...", he slightly muttered, his voice drained of energy, and oh so hollow.

"Hm?", Rangiku stepped over.

"How long have I been asleep for...?", he wanted to know, his bangs slightly shadowing his eyes.

"It's been about two or three days now, I think." she said, sitting beside him on the couch. "I haven't told anyone about it, you know..."

"...I see.", he said simply, as he began to stand up. Before he could walk off, however, Matsumoto grabbed his bandaged wrist, gazing up at him seriously.

"Stop. Just stop this, Hitsugaya." he turned back to face her in silence. Not much emotion, but frustration showed in his eyes. Deep down, he didn't really care what Matsumoto felt about him, but what angered or frustrated - he couldn't tell which - him so much was how she constantly treated him like some child, even going as far as showing him sympathy of some sort. He knew he didn't deserve it, but yet she kept acting like she cared in some way or another, even though it was completely obvious, at the same time, that she didn't like having to be around him a lot, and the fact that she left him most often at the times that he found himself most irritable was proof enough of that.

"Stop what?" he, choked. Before he could fathom it, or think of anything else to say, he was suddenly embraced from behind. "Hey, what are you...?"

"You're going to turn out like him, you know...", Toshiro stiffened, immediately knowing who he was. "doing everything on your own, and pushing everyone away... holding things in, and acting like they're just nothing... I'm telling you to stop this, because it's hurting me, too. So...just rely on someone else for once..."

"You don't think that I-!", he felt his anger begin to rise.

"I know you didn't do it on purpose.", Rangiku stated interrupting his accusation. "But that doesn't make me any less worried, Taichou. So...I want you to tell me everything you will, and don't dare say there's nothing to talk about, because I know otherwise."

Toshiro, gave in after a moment. "I guess you got me there. You think I'm weak, don't you, Rangiku?"

Rangiku nodded behind him, not at all surprised by the question. "No, I don't, Taichou. You're very strong, but you just don't give yourself enough credit. You need to allow yourself to rest more."

"Heh." Toshiro slightly snorted in response. "Like you?"

Matsumoto wined a little teasingly. "Come on, Taichou. I'm not all that bad, am I?"

"Besides..., if I did rest more, then the paperwork would never get done, Matsumoto..." Toshiro said simply.

"Sigh, you really have that little faith in me, don't you...?", Matsumoto sighed looking away. "By the way, Taichou... I've never actually left you by yourself, because I don't like being around you, despite what I say..."

Toshiro turned around, for the first time looking her in the eye. "Wait, how did you know that I-?"

Rangiku gave him a small smile in return. "It's because I know how you are sometimes, Taichou. I knew you were stressed, so I wanted to let you calm down, and I felt if I was there, I might only make things worse and everything. Besides, you never did ask me to stay, did you? Even so, when you hold things in like that, it only does make matters worse. So please, Taichou, try not to everything in so much, will you?"

At trying to process it all, the white haired captain looked away, choking back...tears he'd held back for years after years.

[A/N: This was a very hard scene to write for me, just so you know, considering imagining Toshiro crying is very difficult to picture, for ME, that it is...so sorry if the next scene sucks :/]

"Just let it out already, Taichou.", Matsumoto told him, softly. After a second, their eyes met once more, before he suddenly couldn't hold it in anymore. He instinctively covered his eyes with his hands. He honestly felt pathetic right now, but he couldn't stop. Matsumoto once again pulled him into an embrace, this time allowing him to cry on her shoulder.

"There, there Taichou," she rubbed the back of his head, smiling sadly. "It'll be okay."

He sniffed, after a second. "Damn it all... I'm not...a child...!"

~ End of Story

[A/N: Bad end is bad T^T This turned to fluff. It sucks, I know. T.T

Though if you'll still review that'd be awesome, ja? ^^

Hope you enjoyed the story in the slightest. I had to end it somewhere...