Christmas Nightmare (Bleach Fanfic)

Awakening

The two Kurosaki males had chosen not to speak with each other. Ichigo had to admit, that he was quite bitter about everything that had happened. Nothing at all, was making any sense at all. That was, except for the fact that it was dangerous to interfere with what Ichimaru Gin was doing. In one way, Toshiro's life depended on it, and the threat that the man had levied at him was something he had never felt before.

Ichigo leaned up against the wall, having made a promise to his father to do nothing, while he headed home, to prepare the clinic for the next morning. There was no telling what kind of complaints, that Isshin would get for not having opened up today. In some ways he hoped that his dad would be lectured by his patients, and in some ways not. But the old grannies would be fun to watch.

As he thought about his father and his attitude towards him, he remember that he had sensed that kind of feeling from his old man before. Yet it had a more positive vibe, the times that he could remember, one that was less threatening. The thing was, he really couldn't put a finger on what all was going on here, which in truth was frustrating to say the least.

As he sulked, he suddenly heard a slight moving from inside of the room, and slid the door open, rather quickly. Everything was as it had been left, with Gin holding Toshiro carefully in his lap, his chin resting upon the small boy's head, as they both slept the time away, trapped in some ways in Hitsugaya's inner world.

Ichigo walked over, and took a seat, watching them carefully, and shook his head at the fact that Toshiro was still not awake, and wondered how the small taicho would react to finding himself sleeping in Ichimaru's lap. If it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, he knew that he would find himself laughing at the matter.

His eyes suddenly glanced down at Ichimaru Gin's hand, which had an open locket clutched into it. Ichigo suddenly raised an eyebrow, upon seeing that there was a picture of both Matsumoto and Toshiro in there. The one with Matsumoto there, was much neater cut, and fit better. Why both were in there, Ichigo couldn't himself be sure.

Gin's reaction, had been so much like his fathers, when it came to protecting their kids. This caused Ichigo to inwardly laugh. "As if Ichimaru and Matsumoto would be Toshiro's parents… that is ridiculous."

"I don't think it is…" his inner hollow laughed. "I think the idea is awesome, not to mention psyc… psyc…"

"Psychologically damaging…" Ichigo imputed to the thing. His head and posture though, shot up straight, when he began to notice Toshiro wiggling a bit.

"Come on Toshiro. I think it is time for you to wake up. You look ready…" Ichigo couldn't be sure if this would actually come to work. In fact, he actually had his doubt that it would. However, when two teal eyes opened, to peer at him, a smile broadened on his face. "Toshiro… you're awake!"

"Who are you?" the boy asked, causing Ichigo's face to suddenly fall, until the small boy slapped the palm of his hand against his face, and then shook his head. "Gomenasai… you're Kurosaki Ichigo, substitute soul reaper. How can I help you?"

"Toshiro…" the teenager's mouth suddenly twitched at the oddity of the small boy's words.

"Hitsugaya Toshiro… I mean, Hitsugaya Taicho…" the boy blinked a couple of times.

"I see that you are still rather out of it," came the soft chuckle.

"Ne… where did taicho go?" the small boy wiggled a bit, not yet realizing he was in some ones, lap, but then he did realize, and again shook his head. "Sorry, it was Isshin-san taicho who has been taking care of me while I was out of it?"

"Ehh… you mean to say, that the person who happens to have… that you're sitting in the lap of?" Ichigo's mouth twitched again, having a feeling that Toshiro was going to blow up. "He actually… isn't here…"