Disclaimer: Ah, if only I owned Bleach, then IchiHitsu would be canon and every episode would feature fluff and hot make-out sessions. But unfortuantly, I don't, so that won't be happening anytime soon. I cry.

It had been gradual. The way that he'd wormed his way into his personal life. What really aggravated Toushiro about it though was that it was so gradual, he didn't even see it coming.

The first thing that should have tipped him off was the mug. Ichigo, substitute shinigami, guy with the freakishly large reiatsu, had visited the Tenth Division, and in the first and second seats' personal kitchen, which connected to the office, had left a mug behind.

Correction, he left two. Compatible ones to be exact. One was a white mug, with a snow-white dragon with red eyes printed on it. Its companion was black with a blue-that's-almost-black dragon with electric blue eyes.

Toushiro was confused when he spotted them, certain that he'd never seen them before, and turned to his fukutaichou, who he'd blackmailed into sitting at her desk (though he hadn't pushed her far enough to actually do work). "Matsumoto, have you ever seen these mugs before?"

Rangiku looked over at the offensive cups her captain was holding, when recognition dawned on her face, "Oh yeah! Ichigo-kun said the white one was for you. I think he said it was half price or something when he was dragged shopping with Orihime and he went on a limb and brought it and-"

"And this other one?"

"How should I know taichou? I'm not a mind reader."

Toushiro left it at that.

Or at least, Toushiro would have left it at that, had it not been the fact that when Ichigo next visited, he used the black mug. The one Toushiro had been using the previous day.

Cue the embarrassment for the child prodigy as he realized that Ichigo had brought that mug for himself.

"Kurosaki."

"Yo Toushiro, what's up?"

Twitch. "It's Hitsugaya-taichou. And why did you leave those mugs behind last time?"

"Well, the white one was for you-"

"I know. I want to know about the one in your hand."

"This one? Well, it was half price, and I always feel guilty using yours and Rangiku-san's mugs, so I've left it here. That alright with you, Toushiro-taichou?"

Toushiro glared at him, "Perfectly. And it's Hitsugaya-taichou."

And again, Toushiro was happy to leave the matter at that.

And, as fate would have it, things were not 'left at that'.

Toushiro kept noting certain things that Ichigo 'left about the office' after the mug incident.

First was a jar of instant coffee. ("No offence Toushiro, but that green tea tastes like shit. Period." "It's Hitsugaya-taichou!")

Then there was the spare set of comfort tabi that appeared in the rack. ("Seriously, after I've run through half of fucking seireitei to escape that maniac Kenpachi, I need something comfy on my feet. You understand, right Toushiro?" "Watch your language, and it's Hitsugaya-taichou!")

Then it was the new, extra large zanpakutou rack put in the office. ("Toushiro, you're a neat freak, it's obvious, so this way, Zangetsu isn't 'messing up' your office now when I visit." "I, Hitsugaya-taichou, am not a neat freak!")

Finally, there was the thick blanket that Ichigo sometimes slept under on the sofa. ("Hey, training gets tiring Toushiro, and there's nowhere else for me to crash before I get back home." "Just quit snoring-" "I don't snore!" "And start calling me Hitsugaya-taichou!")

To be fair, Toushiro didn't really mind that much. The only thing that irked him was the fact that, as the office acquired more things from Ichigo; it became homier, which tended to lead to Rangiku avoiding more work.

Of course, Toushiro never thought all those little clouds would turn into a monsoon, but oh how wrong he was.

It was on one of the rare mornings of his days off when Toushiro ambled into his kitchen and almost performed kidou before eight o'clock.

There, in all his yukata donned glory was Ichigo Kurosaki, simply sitting at the table, drinking out of Toushiro's favourite mug. But he wouldn't tell anyone the gift from Ichigo was his favourite.

"Kurosaki! What are you doing in my kitchen!? Furthermore, how did you find my house!?"

Ichigo looked up, blinked, and then scowled a little, "You know, for a genius, you sure are dumb."

"How dare-"

"First, I buy you a gift, and I make myself at home in your office, I frequently make innuendos, I compliment you and I put up with every insult and dig you throw at me. What else do I need to do for you to bloody notice???"

Toushiro stared at him in confusion, wishing he was slightly more covered than by just his yukata, which was a little on the short side as it was, "What are you talking about?"

Ichigo stood up and marched over to Toushiro, pinning him against his own kitchen counter (which, in retrospect for Toushiro, was rather demeaning. It was his kitchen, and he was the one being pinned. Talk about unfair.). "Because, you damn idiot prodigy, I've been attracted to you for God knows how long."

Toushiro stared into Ichigo's eyes, and he could see in them the lust and longing, but above all else, the care, trust and love Ichigo had for him. And it was enough for Toushiro to realise that he might have liked the substitute shinigami back a little (read: a lot).

"…I don't think God exists, so he wouldn't know-"

"Shut up and stop ruining the moment."

And as Ichigo pressed his lips against Toushiro's, the Tenth Division captain became aggravated that he hadn't seen this entire event coming, but really, he didn't give a damn.