Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.
For once it was Ichimaru that was taken off guard.
He turned the package over lightly in hands, still looking bemused.
"This is for me?" If anything, Hitsugaya got redder.
"Che, it's nothing big," he said roughly, looking away with an embarrassed scowl. "I just thought, since it's your birthday and all…." The younger captain coughed as Ichimaru continued to finger the present.
Ichimaru swiped his thumb over the cheerfully bright wrapping, as if to make sure it was real. He'd seen this wrapping paper before, a year ago when Rangiku had surprised him with a birthday present. He had never expected to receive a present with the same wrapping from Hitsugaya a year later—Hitsugaya, who was so serious about his manner and image; who was so determined not to be treated as a child when he was the youngest of them all; who would have studiously avoided being associated with anything so bright and colorful and childish.
A smile began to blossom on Ichimaru's face. "I'm guessing Rangiku gave you this wrapping paper?"
"More like forced it on me," the captain grumbled. "I was planning on using something less ostentatious but she wouldn't leave—"
"Thank you."
Hitsugaya's eyes shot up. "Eh?" But already Ichimaru was leaning forward and then a soft kiss warmed his forehead.
"Ichimaru!" Hitsugaya backed away, hand covering his forehead and face burning like a tomato.
Ichimaru chuckled slyly. "Still so shy? I thought by now you'd be used to a simple kiss. I've done much worse to you, after all." He beckoned Hitsugaya to come closer, but the other kept away.
"Bastard, I gave you a birthday present, the least you could do is not molest me for one night." But when Ichimaru stepped closer, Hitsugaya stood still and then a hand was cupping his cheek. He closed his eyes as Ichimaru leaned in yet again.
"But what's a birthday without a little molestation?" the taller man breathed and he kissed Hitsugaya, this time on the mouth. It was as uncharacteristically chaste as the one before, just a gentle press of lips. Somehow, it flustered Hitsugaya more than anything else.
As he clutched at Ichimaru's haori to stabilize his shaking knees, (he would never admit he got weak knees whenever Ichimaru kissed him), Hitsugaya wondered why Ichimaru was being so unlike himself. It wasn't that he didn't like it. In fact, he liked it too much. Hitsugaya was well aware that he could drown in Ichimaru. The frightening thing was….
Hitsugaya leaned in closer, reaching up so his fingers brushed across Ichimaru's cheek and the other captain's eyes widened in surprise.
He didn't care.
Ichimaru gazed at him with lust and something else that was new and frightening and perhaps, everything Hitsugaya wanted. A hand slipped into his kimono.
The next day, when Hitsugaya walked into his office to find Rangiku passed out on his sofa again, he let her sleep in and started on the mass of paperwork on his desk. She deserved a break every once in a while, he decided.
AN: Written about two years ago and just updated now for the hell of it. Lol, I'm starting to wonder what my writing is like since it's been about a year now that I've written anything substantial.