I am so sorry about my absence from ALL my current fics! RSI has flared up badly in my left hand from all my fic writing so I had to give myself a decent break for a while and to top it all off work has been manic :(
I WILL NEVER let a story just die, but once I finish my current 3 I'll likely only ever post 2 at one time. Lesson learnt. I have written something else, something I thought would be a 1 shot but likely will turn out to be more than that. Another Ichigo / Tosh fic that just came to me but I won't publish it until I'm sure of it or it's finished.

I'd like to thank EVERYONE for your amazing (and sometimes surprisingly lengthy) reviews. You know I love a long one ;D

Huge thanks to ShiroShipShipShipShip, Minty, Maria Gv, Nico Zi, Geishaaa, and Guest 1 and Guest 2!

XxXxX

Not much had changed, which was good. Toshiro thought to himself as he sat down at his home desk. He and Ichigo had been… together? Now for several months. Not that Toshiro was counting or anything… With a sigh he placed the current file down on the edge of his desk and blew on his tea as he let his eyes glance over the other sheets of work.

Nothing had changed between the two of them. Ichigo had only really been acting like a close friend. They'd not even kissed yet. Not that he wanted too of course. Toshiro took a sip of his tea and placed the cup back down on his desk while glancing at his lap. He moved his hands to lay them on his legs and he fidgeted with the edge of his tied obi. Ichigo had said that they'd move slowly but he was sure the slowest people in the history of slowest people had at least kissed by this point.

Again, not that he wanted to. He wasn't ready for all that kind of stuff and Ichigo knew that. The strawberry didn't seem to be getting impatient or anything, actually the opposite. He was elated and every single time he saw Toshiro his face would erupt into a massive grin. However they'd not really done anything that a couple would normally do, they'd only been out on a handful of dates and they never stayed over.

Toshiro sighed and leaned back on his chair, shifting his focus away from the fidgeting of his obi and towards the edge of the desk where he picked at a flaking piece of wood. Toshiro often forgot that they were something more than friends, except every now and again when Ichigo would come by to drop something off or sign something beside him and their arms would brush. Sometimes he'd be close enough to make out each and every individual eyelash on Ichigos eyelid. Rangiku seemed to have noticed a change in the atmosphere or perhaps Ichigo had mentioned something to her? Because anytime Ichigo came into the office she'd conveniently leave. Normally it would piss Toshiro off because she'd just be avoiding paperwork like she always did but he wasn't too bothered about it now that they had Ichigo as their third seat.

His promotion went through smoothly. No one asked any questions as to why he was promoted and he kept his word. He was an incredibly hard worker and did more than his share of the paperwork as well as training the troops. Toshiro wasn't sure if he was doing it because it was his job or doing it to impress him. As Toshiro sat pondering there was a soft knock at his front door. Toshiro decided to take this as a distraction and rose completely from his desk and made his way over to the kitchen area for a fresh cup of tea.

'Come in,' he said and glanced over to see Ichigo sliding the door back and stepping in. He'd been on a late night training drill with the recruits the night before waking them up through the night to test their reaction and ability to ready for a fight in limited time. Toshiro had told him to take the morning off and catch up on his sleep but judging by the dark rings under his eyes he hadn't done that.

'I just have a couple more documents for you to sign,' he mumbled as he shuffled towards the kitchen. Toshiro frowned at him, he didn't need his third seat exhausting himself and getting himself run down.

'Ichigo I told you to take the morning off,' Toshiro continued to frown at him. As if on cue the strawberry grinned. He did this every single time Toshiro used his first name, no matter how exhausted he was.

'I know but these are important too,' he was practically slumping down on Toshiros counter as he thrust the papers across. Toshiro clicked his tongue disapprovingly, he could state that he'd given him an order to take the morning off and he was undermining him by not doing it. However he knew Ichigo would just roll his eyes and come up with some kind of witty excuse so there really was no point in trying. Toshiro took the papers from the counter and made his way back towards his desk where he proceeded to sign them with a flourish. There was no noise or chatting as he worked and after a couple of minutes he was putting them into a stack together along with some of his own to be filed away. When he turned back around Ichigo was sleeping on his kitchen counter. His body slumped across it and his face peaceful looking. His jaw had gone slack and his mouth was hanging open a little and Toshiro took a minute to observe the sleeping warrior. The last time Toshiro had stayed at his Ichigo had been awake before him and gone to sleep after him so he'd never had a chance to see what he looked like while sleeping. That had been the night that Toshiro had been too exhausted he'd collapsed in Ichigos bed. The event was still embarrassing to him and yet here Ichigo was practically doing the same.

'He should stay here master, he's exhausted,' it was Hyorinmaru and Toshiro knew he was going to agree with his ice dragon. It would be so cruel to send Ichigo home in this state when the seated officer barracks were a good twenty minutes away from his own private living quarters. So Toshiro walked over to him and gently roused him.

'S'happenin?' Ichigo mumbled as he came to.

'Come on,' Toshiro smiled, 'you can stay here with me tonight, just for tonight,' he prayed Ichigo wasn't going to make an inappropriate joke. Thankfully he didn't and instead the strawberry just gave a sleepy yawn and nodded, following behind Toshiro as he led him through to the bedroom. Toshiro normally changed into his jinbei before bed so he pulled it off his night stand where it was folded and let Ichigo practically flop down onto his bed.

'I can sleep on the couch,' he whispered to the fallen warrior.

'No,' Ichigo mumbled, 'stay with me. Promise I won't do nuffing,' he mumbled into the covers and Toshiro glanced around his room. Would it be so bad to sleep beside him? The bed was large enough and he wouldn't take up much room.

'Okay,' he mumbled, 'I'll just get changed first though,' he made his way through to his bathroom to clean up and get changed. He took his time with this, feeling a little awkward now that he fully comprehended what he'd done. He'd just offered for Ichigo to sleep over and in his bed, this was actually a pretty big step forward for their relationship even if the strawberry was already passed out and exhausted. They hadn't even kissed yet. Toshiro cleaned his teeth deliberately slowly as he tried to fight back the wave of sudden anxiety that was crushing down on him. The trick was to try and nip it in the bud before the anxiety had a chance to properly manifest so he attempted to shut down his thoughts as he concentrated solely on washing his face. Once he was sure everything was clean including his ears he made his way back through to the bedroom. Ichigo was literally out cold. He was so out of it that Toshiro actually crawled across to his side of the bed to check he was still breathing after a small moment of panic.

'Stupid,' he muttered to himself, pulling his hand back where he'd been holding it out to feel for Ichigos breath. 'Of course he's alright,' Toshiro rolled his eyes, Ichigo had gotten a little better at controlling and concealing his own spiritual pressure but when he slept that control evaporated. He could feel the steady thrum of it around his room now that he actually focused his mind on it. He tugged at his silver jinbei collar and attempted to lie down beside Ichigo. It felt strange. He had never shared his bed with anyone before, except one time when he was really ill with stress and Rangiku had come over to watch some movies and fallen asleep beside him. This was different though, this was intimate. Was it? He glanced across at the sleeping strawberry. His face was turned away from him and so Toshiro just studied the back of his head where each of his spikes sat beautifully. They reflected his lamp light perfectly and the sight was strangely comforting. If asked, Toshiro was sure he'd say orange was his new favourite colour. He shook the thoughts from his mind and turned to switch his light off before settling down into the covers. This wasn't so bad… there was just a bit of additional weight and he was restricted with how much covers he could have because Ichigo was lying on top of half of them. Other than this nothing else was different.

Toshiro strained his ears listening to the sound of Ichigos calm breaths. It was nice to know he wasn't a snorer. Not that he planned on sleeping over with Ichigo often or anything. The thought made him bury his head down into his covers in embarrassment. No absolutely not, this was a one time kind of thing because of the fact he'd been so bloody exhausted. He must have been awake for over 36 hours. It took Toshiro a lot longer than normal but eventually he grew used to the extra weight and the restricted covers and soon he was falling into a light sleep.

XxXxX

'Captain,' Rangiku sang as he briskly walked into the office. 'Captain your face is all red, what's wrong?' she asked tilting her head to the side as Toshiro did his best not to look at her. He made his way over to his desk where he sat down and fixed his eyes steadily on his reports.

He was not going to answer her.

Waking up that morning had been… an experience. Ichigo had somehow managed to wiggle under the covers without waking him and when Toshiro came too one of the strawberrys arms were thrown over his side. He could feel the weight of it resting just above his left hip as he lay on his side. Toshiro could feel his own heart hammering in his chest as panic started to seep in. He didn't like it, he didn't like being touched. He didn't like that Ichigo was hugging him in bed and as Toshiro squirmed around to try and remove the offending limb he realised that Ichigo must have discarded the top of his shihakusho during the night as it lay tossed at the bottom of the bed. The strawberrys bare chest was on show as Toshiro turned over and it was dangerously close to him.

His breathing picked up, his heart thudded in his ears and before he knew it he was hyperventilating. He knew this had been a bad idea from the start. He couldn't do this, he couldn't be this close to someone. He wanted to shove the strawberry away but there was something stopping him. He didn't want to hurt Ichigo, who looked so peaceful as he slept even if he was starting to stir with the movements in the bed. Soon one large hazel eye opened followed by the other and they blinked awake. Toshiro wasn't sure what Ichigo was seeing in his own eyes or facial expression that made the strawberry sit bold upright but it couldn't have been good.

'Toshiro?' he asked, his voice full of concern. 'Toshiro breathe!' Flinching, Toshiro took in a deep breath and realised he'd been holding out on doing it since turning over to see Ichigo. The breath raked his chest and his lungs drunk it greedily as if he'd been silently drowning.

'What's wrong?' Ichigo was leaning over him, a large hand coming to gently cup his cheek. Toshiro felt his own eyes widen at the movement, the panic really starting to set in now. This was too difficult for him, he didn't want this. He couldn't do this, he'd been stupid to ever pretend otherwise.

'I-' he gasped, trying to do his best to steady his voice and his shaking his hands.

'Are you having a panic attack?' Ichigo asked, his voice full of nothing but care.

'I can't,' Toshiro could feel his eyes beginning to sting as he stared up into those warm chocolate pools. 'I can't breathe,' he muttered. It was true his breathing was ragged and his mind was going a million miles a minute. It was impossible to claw logical thoughts back once this phase of the attack had started.

'Shhh,' Ichigo cooed, his thumb now stroking gently across his cheek. 'Don't focus on anything else, nothing else except this.' He continued to rub his thumb against his cheek and Toshiro whined closing over his eyes. It was helping a little but not much. His mind was still lingering on the fact that Ichigo was topless and in his bed, what if the strawberry tried to make a move on him? What if they'd never be able to be together physically? What if Toshiro could never be the lover that Ichigo wanted? What if they got ridiculed for their relationship? What if…? What if…? What if…?

'Toshiro,' Ichigo muttered and Toshiro opened his eyes again, 'keep breathing.' Once again Toshiro had to be instructed to do the most basic of human tasks. He breathed back in and lifted his shaking hands up to clasp at the front of his jinbei. His chest was aching because he couldn't get his breathing right. Then Ichigo moved down and very gently placed his lips against Toshiros own.

The shock was enough to wipe his mind clean of thoughts. The strawberry's lips were slightly moistened from the inside as he'd puckered them, but the outside of his lips were a little dryer and slightly rougher. Ichigos breath was ghosting over Toshiros cheek and soon the Captain forced his own breathing to fall into rhythm with it as he finally closed his eyes.

So this was a kiss?

This was his very first ever kiss.

It wasn't so bad. He concluded as he continued to focus on Ichigos breath on his cheek and his own breathing. His nose was a little blocked by Ichigos cheek as the strawberry had tilted his head to reach his lips but it was still room enough to breathe a little. The seconds stretched on forever and soon Ichigo pulled away. Toshiro opened his eyes to see Ichigos brows furrowed with worry as his hazel eyes darted across his own face taking in his expression and everything else.

'I literally had no idea what else to do,' he blinked stupidly down at him. 'I'm sorry.'

'I-it's okay,' Toshiro muttered and he knew as he said it that it was true. In fact the kiss had calmed his over productive and irrational thoughts and his breathing had returned to normal. 'T-that wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be…' he muttered finally, only to watch the strawberrys face crumple.

'You thought our first kiss would be bad?' he mumbled clearly a little hurt by the comment.

'Oh,' Toshiros eyes went wide, 'no, not that I thought it'd be bad… just I thought maybe I'd be bad at it.'

'Oh,' Ichigos face exploded into a large grin, 'now that you mention it…'

'What?' Toshiro could feel colour creeping up into his cheeks. Had it been a bad kiss? Had he been a bad kisser?

'Well, it's always nice to reciprocate a little,' Ichigo chuckled and Toshiro huffed.

'It wasn't like I was expecting it. It's been months since you kissed my hand and we decided to give this a go and you've not made any move, not a single indication that-' Toshiro was cut off again as Ichigo reached back down to capture his lips once more. The shock wore off quicker this time and he closed his eyes. Truth was, he didn't have a clue what to do, but this time he puckered his own lips to match the movement that Ichigos had made. It meant the inside of his own lips, the moistened part was touching Ichigos own and that thought sent a strange shiver down Toshiros body. This was by far the most intimate he'd ever been with anyone and yet it could still only be classed as skin on skin contact. Ichigo moved a little and placed his weight on one of his arms to the side of Toshiros head. He felt the movement in the mattress and he felt the males other large hand come to pull his own trembling hands away from the front of his jinbei. Toshiro allowed them to be removed and Ichigo took his right hand in his left and directed it around the back of his own neck. Following his lead, Toshiro let his fingers trail gently over the skin of Ichigos neck before sliding up into his orange spikes. He didn't really know what else to do, so he just threaded his fingers there. The feeling of Ichigos hair was different to how he imagined, he expected the spikes to be rough but they were softer than cotton. Seemingly pleased with how things were going Ichigo used his left hand to support himself again as he hovered over Toshiro. Then he opened his mouth against Toshiros lips. At first Toshiro had no idea what the strawberry was trying to accomplish but he copied him anyway. Ichigo gently coaxed his own lips open and then he felt the strawberries breath infiltrate his mouth. A number of feelings overwhelmed Toshiro in one go at this point, his fingers subconsciously tightened their hold into the orange spikes. He felt a shiver unlike anything he'd ever felt before run up and down his body and before he knew it a heat was pooling between his legs. He'd never felt anything like this before. The thrum of anxiety was slowly being replaced by a delicate array of fluttering butterflies in the pit of his stomach.

Ichigo moved their lips closed again and Toshiro followed his lead. The strawberry clearly knew what he was doing and Toshiro wasn't really sure why he'd been panicking in the first place. Ichigo wasn't here to hurt him. He repeated that over and over again in his mind. But there was still one nagging doubt that soon had him gently shoving his other hand against the strawberry's chest.

Instantly Ichigo pulled away leaving Toshiro to breathe deeply. Ichigos eyes were flickering across Toshiros face again as if trying to work out why he'd been pushed back.

'Sorry,' he muttered eventually, 'did I go too far?'

'I just…' Toshiro closed his eyes and he felt a swell of emotion rising in his chest. 'I just need a moment.'

'No something's wrong,' Ichigo muttered his hand once again returning to Toshiros cheek.

'I…' Toshiro gulped, he closed over his eyes and looked away. 'It's nothing.'

'Tell me,' Ichigo leaned down so that their faces were literally inches apart and Toshiro turned back to him a little embarrassed by the proximity.

'You… forgot me so easily when you died,' he muttered, his eyes closing over. 'Momo died, everyone that I care about… they leave eventually.'

'Ah,' Ichigo muttered but something in his voice had Toshiro opening his eyes to glance back at him again. He looked almost a little guilty.

'What?'

'Well,' Ichigo bit his lower lip and the movement drew Toshiros attention to it. He'd never realised just how full Ichigos lips were, or how bright and pink they were. He gave himself a mental shake and went back to giving Ichigo his best scolding gaze.

'Truth is…' Ichigo let out a shaky breath and chuckled a little, 'I never forgot you. I remember everything, right up to and including my death.'

Toshiro froze in the bed and his eyes went wide as he digested those words. He remembered everything? So what? He'd been lying this entire time? Toshiro could feel himself starting to glare.

'Before you get mad,' Ichigo quickly sat back letting the covers fall down over him to reveal his bare chest which Toshiro was doing his best to ignore in favour of glaring at his face. 'Please hear me out.'

'You've got five minutes,' Toshiro said, his voice laced with venom.

'I'm in love with you,' he said and Toshiro blinked at him.

'What?'

'I love you,' he glanced down at Toshiros stomach so that their eyes weren't meeting anymore. 'I love you and I didn't stand a chance. So when I came back I figured maybe if I could change, if I could be a different person. Maybe then you'd like me? So I pretended to not remember anything or anyone, not even my own family.' He sighed and shook his head, 'Rangiku figured me out, she knew me too well and I'd often slip up around you. She noticed it and helped me come up with a plan, pretending she'd told me I was your boyfriend. It seemed to be working, you seemed to be letting me in.'

'So you lied?' he muttered, 'all this time?'

'I'm sorry,' he sighed, 'but I'd never forgotten you Toshiro. How could I ever forget you?' his eyes rose back to meet Toshiros. 'Even in death I couldn't forget you.'

Toshiro wasn't really sure what to say or do. How on earth was he meant to feel about all this? On one side Ichigo had lied to him, for months he'd never said the truth. On the other hand he'd done it to try and get a little close to him. Perhaps this was a revelation of his character more than Ichigos? Toshiro was so closed off. The cold Captain of ice, it was no wonder that Ichigo needed to lie just to get a little closer to him. He glanced away, his eyes flickering over the back wall of his room. He had no concept of what time it was but he could see the top of the sun flitting in through his window now hitting the top of his bedroom door. It must have been around seven in the morning.

'Toshiro?' Ichigo asked timidly after a while of not speaking and Toshiro breathed out.

'I don't know how I feel about this,' he muttered, 'on one hand I am glad that you never forgot me, but on the other…' he shifted his eyes back to Ichigos, 'you lied for so long you lied to me.'

'I know,' Ichigo looked genuinely guilty, 'I am so sorry, I could say it over and over a million times but it would never be enough to express how sorry I am. I just want you to know that I could never ever forget you. I love you too much.'

'In that case I'll apologise as well,' Toshiro brought one of his hands up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

'What for?'

'For being such a closed off ice wall that you felt like the only way to get to me was to lie.' He mumbled, 'I'm not forgiving you for it, but I know I could have made it easier. If I'd been a little warmer to you before it all… you'd never have needed to lie to get closer to me.'

'That's not your fault,' Ichigo defended, 'that's just who you are.'

'Yes but I don't want to be like that,' the fingers pinched on the bridge of his nose slid away and instead he rubbed his entire hand across his face.

'What do you want to be like?' Ichigo asked.

'I don't know, warmer?' he was struggling to get the words out. Truth was Ichigo was making him feel things he'd never felt before in his life and though part of him was curious another part of him was scared as hell. Though most of his fears had been blasted out the water he was now left with some certainty that he did want to be with Ichigo and that had taken him months to fully accept. The kiss had also eased his mind, he'd been panicking about a lot of physical aspects of their relationship. However Ichigo had kissed him and he hadn't died from it so what else was there to worry about? He'd proven today that he could do this, that he could handle this and now that he knew he wouldn't be forgotten part of him felt safer giving in a little more of himself.

Hyorinmaru was purring in the back of his mind as he thought through all of this. Ichigo seemed to be giving him time to sift through his thoughts too. He was feeling a little surer of himself even if he were still a little embarrassed.

'But,' Toshiro mumbled, 'if you ever lie to me like that again,' he lifted his hand away to glare at Ichigo. 'So help me god I'll freeze the parts that make you a man.' Ichigo blinked in surprise at the words that had flown from his mouth then he was smiling, then grinning and before Toshiro could stop it he'd erupted into a massive fit of laughter.

'What's so funny?' Toshiro asked, trying to make his voice annoyed and pissed off but part of him was smiling.

'It's just,' Ichigo spoke between breaths, 'that's the most sexual thing you've ever said and it wasn't even intended that way.' He laughed again and Toshiro bit his lower lip in a stupid attempt to glare at him but his face wasn't letting him.

'It's a serious threat,' he muttered finally.

'I'm not denying that,' Ichigo smiled as he rolled away to lie beside Toshiro and propped himself up on an elbow. 'I'm just laughing because you get so flustered when you even get close or see those parts and you expect me to believe you'd be able to find them to freeze them?'

'I'll just freeze all of you then,' Toshiro huffed crossing his arms across his chest.

'That's more believable,' Ichigo chuckled and nodded his head, 'I promise no more lies ever again. No matter what they're intended for. Unless it's something like a birthday surprise or something, I'll not spoil things like that.' Ichigo rolled his eyes and Toshiro smiled to himself. He was feeling a lot lighter and he wasn't sure why. He'd just found Ichigo had been lying to him for ages.

He'd been lying because he loved him though. That was a little different?

'Anyway,' Ichigo muttered drawing Toshiros attention back to him and his eyes had gone softer again, all traces of humour gone from them. 'Thank you for letting me kiss you. I've wanted to kiss you for years.'

'Oh,' Toshiro could feel colour rising in his cheeks again and he glanced away. 'Well you didn't really give me much choice.'

'It stopped your panic attack though didn't it?' Ichigo was clearly smiling again and Toshiro pulled his covers up over his head and hid under them. He was getting embarrassed again.

'Shut up,' he muttered through the covers but Ichigo wasn't having any of it. He pulled the covers down over his face until Toshiros eyes were poking back out and Toshiro huffed with a final tug as he pulled them completely away.

'You're so cute,' Ichigo sighed contently reaching up above Toshiros head.

'What are you doing?' Toshiro asked, tilting his head back to try and see where his hand was going when he felt his fingers threading through his hair. Toshiros whole body froze in an instant.

'Do you want me to stop?' Ichigo asked after a moment a small smile on his lips like he knew the answer.

'N-no,' Toshiro blinked. Such a tiny gesture and yet he could feel his entire body relaxing into it as Ichigo continued to thread his fingers through Toshiros spikes.

'What would you like me to do?' Ichigo asked and Toshiro gulped, there were a couple of things he wanted. He wanted Ichigo to comb his hair like this until he fell asleep but he also wanted another kiss. He'd just been getting used to that feeling and he wanted to feel it again. He tilted his head to the side to try and see Ichigo better as the strawberry watched his own fingers threading through the white locks.

'I don't know,' Toshiro mumbled, 'something…'

'What?' Ichigo chuckled, tearing his eyes away from the top of his head to meet his own gaze. 'Can I kiss you again?'

'O-kay,' Toshiro mumbled lazily and Ichigo pulled his fingers back to lean back over him and kiss him again. The peck started gently, same as before. Then his mouth was moving once again and Toshiro was soon sighing into Ichigos open mouth. He could get used to this. If this was how all his panic attacks ended then he'd happily have them more often.

They kissed until Toshiro was sure his lips would fall off and Ichigo had pulled away to hover above him again. Toshiro hadn't noticed his body's involuntary responses to what was happening until he was looking Ichigo in the eyes again. He knew his cheeks were flushed and he could feel warmth between his legs again. Ichigo had straddled him as he lay on the bed and Toshiro hadn't really noticed. The strawberry was licking moisture away from his lips as Toshiro watched curiously. It wasn't as scary as he'd imagined it to be, he wasn't sure what he was expecting but it wasn't this. He expected his body to act out of control and wild. He didn't like not being in control and that was what scared him but Ichigo wasn't fully in control he was just showing Toshiro what to do. Just like the first time Toshiro had held a blade, he had to be taught how to use it, there was no shame in being taught something. After all he and Rangiku had been teaching Ichigo kido.

'You okay?' Ichigo asked and Toshiro blinked and smiled shyly up at him.

'Fine,' he muttered, 'you don't have to ask every time you kiss me.'

'Okay,' he grinned, 'your eyes just glazed over and you looked far away though so I just wanted to make sure.'

'Yes I am fine,' he sighed, 'what time is it?'

'Hmmm?' Ichigo glanced at the clock on his bedside table, 'it's well after eleven.'

'In the afternoon?' Toshiro spat, wriggling to get the giant off of him. Ichigo rolled away and let Toshiro spring from his bed.

'Yes?' Ichigo questioned.

'We should both be at work,' Toshiro hissed as he flew to his wardrobe to pick out a clean shihakusho.

'Well, I don't have too, my boss is running late.' Ichigo laughed but stopped the moment Toshiro fired a warning glare across the room. Knowing better than to push it the strawberry reached across the bed for the top of his own shihakusho and quickly put it on.

'Captain?' Rangiku sighed again, 'are you not going to tell me what's wrong?'

'No I am not, do your work Matsumoto,' he scolded her and pulled another file towards him.

'But Captain,' she whined and the two of them glanced up as the door to the office slid open and Ichigo practically bounded in. Judging by his shiny hair and glossy skin he'd had time to bathe and dress into fresh clothes before starting his shift.

'Do you have any more reports for me to do today Captain?' Ichigo asked with a grin that was way too big on his face. Toshiro flushed instantly and quickly glanced across his somewhat unorganised desk.

'I um…' he lifted papers and searched and searched but there wasn't a single file left to be done other than the one he'd just pulled towards himself.

'Captain,' Rangiku shouted and Toshiro glanced up to see her watching him with massive baby blue eyes. 'Did something happen between you two?'

'No!'

'Yes!'

'Ichigo!' Toshiro snapped up at the taller male, 'don't indulge her.'

'I kissed him,' Ichigo chuckled and Toshiro had to cover his ears from her high pitched scream of delight.

'Oh it's about time, congratulations Captain I am so happy for you.'

'Don't you have work to do Matsumoto?' he scolded her again.

'No, you and Ichigo have done it all!'

'Then… go and just take the day off,' he dismissed her but she wasn't about to let in so easily.

'You're in a very good mood Captain,' she giggled, 'Ichigo would you please kiss him more often?'

'Of course,' he grinned at her from across the room.

'I will freeze the both of you,' Toshiro shouted.

'No you won't,' Hyorinmaru scolded inside his head.

'Since you're free Toshiro how about we go get some lunch together?' Ichigo asked and Toshiro shook his head wildly.

'I have this report.'

'One report?' Ichigo rolled his eyes and Toshiro swallowed, 'come now you could do it after?'

'Oh go with him Captain, heaven knows you deserve a bit of time off.' Rangikus voice had changed, it was less a few octaves lower and a little more loving.

'I was already late in today thought,' Toshiro mumbled.

'As if Head Captain will care, he's late every day according to Nanao,' Rangiku giggled and Toshiro smiled a little to himself.

'Rangiku don't you dare tell anyone,' he glanced across the table towards her and she just smiled at him.

'Of course I won't Captain,' he could tell by her voice that she was being sincere, 'I'm just glad to see you so happy.'

'I'm not that happy,' he mumbled.

'Oh yes you are, you're glowing,' she sang, her annoying voice back in a flash as she skipped from the room.

'She's right,' Ichigo chuckled as the door slid shut and it was just the two of them. 'Your cheeks are red.'

'Shut up,' Toshiro mumbled standing up from his desk, 'don't flatter yourself.'

'Flatter myself?' Ichigo chuckled, 'so I'm not the reason you forgot to put on your haori this morning?'

Toshiro wasn't sure what to make of their relationship now. It had certainly taken a turn for the more interesting. He wasn't sure how things would go but he was sure that if Ichigo continued to poke fun at him he'd use Hyorinmaru on him with or without the dragons consent.

XxXxX

Guys I had planned for this fic to NOT include a lemon however if you want one I will add one. So please let me know in a review if you'd like this fic to remain at a T rating or if you want some lemon-y goodness.