I don't own Bleach! Duh!

Hitsugaya sat behind his desk, swamped with paperwork. No matter how much he had gone through, it seemed like there was twice as much to go! He was never going to get out of here and catch a break. At least he was more diligent than his lieutenant Rangiku. She still hadn't returned from her ten minute 'break' which had started two hours ago, leaving Hitsugaya to do all the paperwork by himself.

Another stack was brought in and Hitsugaya did all that was in his power not to bang his head against the desk or attack the deliverer. Halfway through the additional papers, Rangiku finally showed up.

"Afternoon, Captain!" she greeted.

Hitsugaya shot her a look.

"What's the matter?"

"As if you didn't already know," he growled. "I've been working without a break all day and you decided to slack off and leave me to do all the work by myself!"

"Did I really do that?" Rangiku seemed surprised. "Sorry, sir."

Hitsugaya got up from the chair to fetch a book from the bookcase. "Then you won't mind picking up where you left off…" When he looked up from the top shelf, all he saw was the back of her orange head leaving the room. He snarled and took a deep breath. "Matsumo- Whaaa!"

The stool Hitsugaya was standing on began to wobble. He tried to leap off but found that his long black sleeve had snagged on a loose nail, preventing him from doing so. The stool came out from under Hitsugaya and he fell, taking the large bookcase with him.

From halfway down the hall, Rangiku heard a loud crash. She spun around. "That sounded like it came from Hitsugaya's room!" Overcome with concern, she rushed back to the room. "Captain! Are you alright, sir?!" She let out a gasp.

There, laying motionless on the ground beneath the bookcase, was Hitsugaya. She dove to his side and lifted the bookcase off her snowy-haired captain and tried to help him up. His body was limp.

"Captain? Captain Hitsugaya, can you hear me?" His eyes remained closed. She shook him. "Oh, Captain, please wake up! Captain!"

No response. He was out cold.

Rangiku scooped him up in her arms and carried him over to the couch and set him down gently. She called to him again, but still got no answer. She examined his head. He had a huge bump poking up from beneath his white hair.

"Oh, Captain…" she winced. "That looks painful!"

She gently brush the white locks out of his eyes and watched him in silence. If she didn't know better, she'd say he was merely asleep. Even unconscious, he's just so cute! Oh, but I should go get some ice for that bump. Hey, maybe your bankai could help. It is an ice dragon, isn't it? Ok, so that was a bad joke. Oh, right… you can't even hear me. Oh, yes! And I'm just thinking this in my head…

"Mmmm… Ungh…"

She blinked and looked down. Hitsugaya was beginning to stir.

"Captain?"

"Huh?" Hitsugaya opened his eyes and looked up at her with unusually big, aqua eyes.

The moment he opened his mouth, Rangiku knew he wasn't the same. Something was very wrong.