"Alright, Andī, that's the end of the meeting. Tell Hisagi that I'm going to be pissed at him the next time I see him for not showing." The Sanseki grinned, nodding her head at the Kyuubantai Taichou. She felt sorry for Hisagi Shūhei, having to deal with their Taichou when she was extremely upset.
"Uhm… Jeshika-taichou?" Yukitō Jeshika looked up, her eyes soft as she stared at her best friend.
"Yes, Andī?" Saade Andī sighed, her eyes looking to the side.
"You're… thinking of him, aren't you?" Andī's eyes looked out at the descending snow behind Jeshika, her mind drifting to stunning bright green eyes and golden hair. The features of her Taichou's only love.
Kyandi Maikeru.
Vulnerable brown eyes stared back at Andī, silver lining the bottom. Andī bit her lip nervously. She knew she had said the wrong thing… It had been a hundred years since she last saw Jeshika even begin to tear up.
"I…" Jeshika turned away from her subordinate, her hands tightening into balls. "I haven't seen him since the Academy…"
Andī felt a stab on remorse hit her side. She had seen him recently… He made her swear never to tell, though… Why did she agree with him?! Didn't he know the pain he was putting her best friend through?!
"Why… Why did he have to leave me like that?!" Andī moved forward, her arms slowly reaching out. Jeshika shook her head, standing up from her desk. Andī mentally cursed herself for bringing it up in the first place.
"Jeshika, just… Just think of something else! Please… I'm sorry I brought it up, but…" Andī's eyes began to water as well; rushing passed the desk, the young woman engulfed her friend in a hug. She heard her Taichou let out a soft sob.
"… I can't stand to see you like this…" She whispered it softly. Jeshika hiccupped, taking a long breath of air, attempting to calm herself down. Andī ran her hands up and down the Taichou's back.
"… I miss him so much…" Andī nodded her head at the ghost whisper. She knew all too well…
"Come on. I'll buy you something to eat." Andī offered, leaning back from the embrace. Jeshika shook her head, wiping her face with her sleeve.
"I'm going to stay here… I'll be fine. Don't worry about it." Andī stared into her Taichou's eyes, seeming content with the answer. A small smile graced her lips before she released her, walking towards the door. She paused momentarily, a chuckle passing through her lips.
"… Kyuuketsuki Yajyuu orders you to feel better."
Jeshika laughed slightly. "Tell her I'll try."
Andī was silent for a second.
"… She also says that Kaminari Hoshi needs to get a muzzle."
They both laughed loudly at the humorous mind of Andī's zanpakutō, Kyandi Maikeru momentarily forgotten.
-+-+-+-+-
"Yukitō-taichou! It is nice to see you out and about." Said woman grinned, staring at the taller Taichou.
"Thank you, Unohana-taichou." She said, smiling. "I've missed being out… Sou-Taichou has assigned so much paperwork lately, though, that I'm having trouble keeping up with it."
The elder woman nodded understandingly. "I believe he is on the edge over something."
"Hmm… Possibly. I've been having this weird feeling… Maybe it's just the snow?" Jeshika's eyebrows furrowed together as she stared up at the white sky.
Unohana Retsu smiled kindly. "I would not doubt it. It has been a long time since the snow last fell in Serieitei."
A remorseful smile before Jeshika's lips. "I remember… The first day I became a Shinigami… It snowed."
Retsu eyed Jeshika. "That was fifty years ago, was it not?"
"Exactly fifty years ago, actually." Jeshika corrected. "It's amazing how much has changed in my life since then… I sort of miss the Academy. I had a lot of good friends there."
Retsu laughed heartily. "I, unfortunately, cannot remember any of my classmates or friends. It was much too long ago for me…"
Jeshika stared up at the Taichou, her eyes wide like a child's. Retsu smiled.
"Would you like to join me for some tea, dear?" Jeshika beamed up at the woman, a small laugh passing between her lips.
"Thank you, Unohana-taichou… But I should be getting back to my Division now. It was lovely talking to you!"
Retsu nodded her head. "Of course. I hope the time that we are apart is pleasant." Jeshika's brown eyes shined with admiration as she nodded her head in return.
"As I wish for you, Unohana-taichou…"
-+-+-+-+-
( I feel as if something is bothering you, Ka-Ka. )
A sigh was voiced.
'It's nothing really, Kaminari…'
Jeshika heard her zanpakutō scoff in disbelief.
( Really now? )
'Yes! … Maybe?'
( Exactly now. What's wrong? )
'… Wel—'
A knock resounded on Jeshika's door as she sat up from the couch timidly.
"Come in."
Jeshika twitched at the woman standing before her.
"Hinamori Momo? Is something wrong?" She asked. The woman looked down, her hands in front of her.
"I… Are you feeling well, Yukitō-taichou?" Jeshika's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Of course!" She noticed Momo biting her lip nervously.
"… I'm sorry for intruding on you, but…" She looked up, her eyes determined. "I think you're a wonderful woman, Yukitō-taichou, but I happened to overhear Unohana-taichou asking if you would join her for tea, and—"
Jeshika twitched again.
"Do you see something wrong with two Taichous conversing, and one asking the other to join them in a pleasant gathering together?"
"No, no! Of course not!" Momo bowed as Jeshika's eyes bored into her head. She could almost feel Momo gulp.
"It's only that… I've noticed Unohana-taichou has only asked other people for tea when she felt as if something were bothering them…"
Jeshika blinked. A chuckle escaped her as she stood up, walking over to the older woman. She placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Hinamori-san… I assure you, I am fine. Thank you for caring, though… I miss the feeling."
Momo stood up straight, smiling. She engulfed the Taichou in a hug.
"… I feel as if you are a close friend of mine, Yukitō-taichou… Please, stay happy… If not for me, for yourself?" Jeshika laughed.
"Of course… Now, go one. I want you to stay happy as well," she grinned.
Momo nodded. "Yes!"
-+-+-+-+-
"Taichooouuuu!"
Jeshika snapped her pencil in half as she glared at the door where her Fuku-taichou stood.
"Shū…hei…" The man's eyes dilated as he stared at his Taichou.
"… Uhm, are you upset, Yukitō-taichou? Maybe you should go cool off in the snow…" He said, flashing her a grin and tacking a paper to the board next to her door. She blinked, and the next second could feel his reiatsu quickly running into the distance.
"… Idiot…" She sighed, eying the paper but quickly disregarding it. Maybe she would take Shūhei up on his idea and go cool off in the snow…
After she placed on her black hat and put on a pair of black elbow-long gloves, Jeshika stepped out into the slowly melting snow outside.
"… I sort of miss the snow…" She laughed, walking to the edge of her Division, bordering the next Division.
Hitsugaya Tōshirō's Division.
She smiled to herself, leaping up and sitting on the wall dividing the two. She looked down into the Jyuubantai and was surprised to see Tōshirō sitting under a tree not too far from her.
"Hmm… I wonder…"
She grinned evilly.
Masking her reiatsu, Jeshika jumped down into her Division and made a pile of snow, before making a snowball. With her reiatsu still masked, she jumped back up on the twelve-foot tall ledge.
And then she threw the snowball.
She jumped back down, hiding underneath the pile of snow as she heard the tightly packed ball hit Tōshirō.
"HEY—" She resisted laughing as she heard him jump up on the ledge, most likely looking for the person behind the throwing.
"AAH!"
She let out a screaming laugh as he pulled her out of the snow and began pelting her with snowballs. She reached down and, while blocking his attacks, made a snowball and threw it at him. He immediately stopped, and she looked as to why.
PLOP.
Jeshika burst out laughing as Tōshirō wiped the snow off of his face, steaming. He really let his anger get the best of him sometimes.
She was suddenly shoved up against the stone wall, stinging, ice cold flurries hitting the bare skin of her delicate face. She wiped it off of her with her hand and stared at the man in front of her.
"… Hello, Hitsugaya-taichou." She grinned as his teal eyes stared into hers, before a soft smile fell on his face.
"… Hello, Yukitō-taichou." She giggled, placing some white snow atop his pallid hair. His lower lip protruded.
"You look very wintery." His tan skin shone against her darker pigmentation as his white eyebrow rose from her compliment.
"Thank you."
And he kissed her.
This is probably my favourite gift!fic for Christmas 2009... Merry Christmas, Jessica-chan! I really hope you liked it. ;]