"Perfect. Everything's just perfect." Toshiro praised himself one sunny June morning. "Hopefully it'll stay that way," This he mumbled under his breath, walking over to the giant strawberry-flavored ice-cream cake he had specially made for the occasion.
"I think Momo-chan will really love this party you planned for her, Captain!" Rangiku reassured him, placing the toppers on top of the birthday cake. It was a topper of Momo and Toshiro standing back-to-back, made in ice by Toshiro himself.
"As long as nothing bad happens." He rubbed his nose. "How's the banner coming?"
"It's almost done!" Rukia grinned, wiping the sweat off her brow. "How do you think it looks?" She held up her side, which sported 'Happy Birthday' written in pastel pink. "Isn't it adorable?"
"She'll think so." Toshiro confirmed.
"I can't wait to see her face when she sees all the attention you've given to this." Renji dabbed some green paint on his side, which sported 'Momo-chan' in huge letters.
"I better go wake her up. Make sure nobody arrives before I give the signal, alright? Everything must be perfect!" Toshiro started walking over to Squad 5.
"We know, Captain. Nothing will go wrong, we promise!" Rangiku rolled her eyes and licked some of the cake icing off her finger.
###################
Momo was in the middle of reshelving books in her Squad's library when Toshiro showed up, poking her in the back and startling her. "What?!" She dropped her giant stack of books. "Shiro-chan?! What gives?!" She angrily whirled around.
"I'm here to remind you today's a special day!" He smiled and rubbed his nose again. "Peace has returned to the Soul Society since Aizen is gone. In all our time spent fighting, you never had a real birthday. So, I'm giving you one today."
"Oh, Shiro-chan!" Momo blushed. "But what about all your duties as Captain?"
"I gave my subordinates the day off to enjoy the day. I don't want anything to spoil this day." He smiled and waved his hand in front of Momo's Shinigami robe, turning the ice in her nearby glass into a gorgeous dark blue ball gown with a matching crown of ice. He then gave himself a matching ice tuxedo. He sneezed loudly.
"It's beautiful, but I think you might have a cold!" Momo instantly worried.
"I don't get colds," Toshiro brushed her off. "Besides, a cold never bothered me anyway!" He grabbed her arm and ran her out of the library. "Come on, I planned a whole scavenger hunt around the Soul Society! Starting with Squad 1!"
"Sounds like fun!" Momo giggled, allowing herself to get dragged around by Toshiro. She lifted her dress up slightly so she wouldn't trip, revealing see-through slippers made from icicles.
They soon arrived at Squad 1, where a giant violet box was sitting in the middle of the room. "What could it be?" Momo wondered, poking it and carefully taking off the wrapping. Once the wrapping was off, she gasped when she realized it was a china tea set. "It's perfect! I can't wait to have tea parties with the Shinigami Womens' Association with this!" She beamed.
"Look in the tea pot." Toshiro directed, and Momo pulled the lid off to find a crystal-blue bracelet that matched her dress.
"It's so pretty! Did you make it too?" She smiled, slipping it on.
"Actually, I bought it in the Human World." He admitted in an embarrassed tone. "It's made from sapphires."
"It must've cost a fortune!" Momo picked her skirts up again and started running to Squad 2, leaving her tea set behind to pick up later. Toshiro followed, sneezing loudly. Several snowmen appeared at his feet and dashed off, and he sneezed again. "Those things come in threes, Shiro-chan!" She warned.
"I'm fine, I tell you!" Toshiro snapped before sneezing again and forming more snowmen. "It's just allergies."
They arrived at Squad 2, finding Soi-Fon lounging on one of her couches, reading. When she saw the two staring at her, she pointed a thumb over in a corner where a small yellow box was sitting. "It's over there. Don't bother me." She grumbled, not looking up from her book.
Momo nodded and unwrapped the present, finding a green jumprope inside. "Was this your idea?" She asked Toshiro nicely, and he shook his head.
"It was actually Renji's idea. He figured you should keep fit, but do so in a fun way." He grabbed her arm. "Come on, you're going to love Squad 3's present!" He sneezed again going down the steps, making more tiny snowmen appear at his feet.
"I'm glad you put this all together for me, but I really think you should go home and rest," Momo smiled nervously. Toshiro covered his mouth.
"We can't stop now, and I'm fine!" He pushed open the doors to Squad 3. "We're here!" He announced before sneezing again, creating more snowmen.
"Happy Birthday!" Kira smiled, holding out a tray of cookies. "They're shaped like peaches."
"I do love peaches! And cookies! Momo smiled and took one, taking a small bite out of it. "It needs more sugar," She politely put it back.
"I'm not the best at baking," Kira admitted, and Toshiro grabbed Momo's arm and dragged her off to the next Squad.
"We're on a schedule! This next present is the be-!" He got cut off by a big sneeze, which he caught in his elbow. "See?" He wiped his nose and pointed to the green-wrapped box on the sign-in desk in Squad 4.
Momo quickly unwrapped it to find a violet-colored scarf with a cherry-blossom pattern on it. She smiled and wrapped it around her shoulders. "Beautiful as always," She sighed, watching Toshiro blowing his nose several times with a tissue box one of the Squad 4 members was holding for him. "Come on, you really should go to bed. I can complete the scavenger hunt by myself."
"I told you, I'm fine! It's just allergies!" Toshiro walked over to some open medicine bottles on the counter and started wafting their scent to his nose, smelling them.
"But you need medical attention!" Momo said nervously.
"Are you sick? I can give you some cold medicine I made!" Unohana walked into the room, smiling. She was holding a grey bottle.
"No thank you," Toshiro walked out, but Momo took the bottle from her and thanked her, tugging the bottle into the folds of her gown. She lifted up her skirts slightly and ran to catch up with Toshiro.
"Maybe you should take the medicine, just in case it's not allergies," She offered gently.
"...Fine." Toshiro relented and popped the cap off the bottle, pouring some of it into the cap and gulping it down, sticking his tongue out at the taste. "Well, that's done. Now, let's keep our search going!" He pulled Momo along.
#########
Meanwhile, Toshiro's Hollow-fighting team was assigned to another job-making sure nothing bad happens to Momo's party decorations.
"How does this poster look?" Renji asked the group, standing on top of a ladder to hang it on some poles in the courtyard of the Soul Society.
"It looks perfect there. Don't move it." Yumichika responded.
"I wonder how much longer they'll be?" Rangiku wondered, looking around.
All the snowmen Toshiro accidentally created when he sneezed appeared, running around and hiding under all the tables.
"...What are these?" Ikkaku wondered, picking one up.
"They're so cute!" Rukia gushed, chasing after a group of them.
"Oh, whenever Captain gets sick, he sneezes these out. They're cute, but super hard to clean up," Rangiku explained. "Luckily, they melt after a day!"
"We have to get these out of here before they wreck something!" Yumichika worried, scooping up a huge armful.
"They're heading for the cake!" Renji announced, diving and pushing the group of snowmen away before they could reach the cake. However, one of his feet knocked against the table, making the cake shudder violently. Rangiku dived and perfectly caught the cake before it hit the ground, and placed it back on the table with a huge sigh.
"We're all okay," Rukia pushed her bangs back.
Renji grabbed one of the tablecloths and scooped all the snowmen up in it, tying it with a knot and hiding it under one of the other tables.
"Good thinking! We can deal with those later, after the party! Let's go put on those pretty blue outfits Captain got for us!" Rangiku smiled and started to run for her own Squad, and the others followed.
#######
Momo had gathered up the rest of her presents: her favorite book series from Squad 5's new captain, Shinji Hirako, a new art set from Squad 6, sparkly blue nail polish from Squad 7, a new magenta kimono from Squad 8, fancy new parchment from Squad 9 that had a faint flowery scent added, a sharp knife with a pink hilt from Squad 11, which she promised to only use for cooking, a basket of candy from Squad 12, and a stuffed rabbit from Squad 13.
After she got all those presents, Toshiro insisted on climbing to the very top of the wall separating the Soul Society from the rest of the world, and giddily started to climb it.
"Come on, Momo-chan! Now we climb!" He giggled drunkingly, placing his foot on one of the grooves.
"No, Hitsugaya-kun, That's too much for you! Come down now and go to bed!" Momo demanded firmly.
"Come on, it'll be fine! And chilling!" He shivered violently. "I mean, thrilling! I'm making dreams and plans! Complete the game and be my very best friend!" He started dancing around on one of the grooves.
"Hitsugaya-kun?!"
"What? I'm fineeee!~" Toshiro spun faster. "It's a happy happy very very merry merry hot cold hot birthday to you!~" He lost his balance and fell off the wall, and Momo gasped and dropped all her presents. She rushed over to him and caught him in her arms.
"Look at you, Shiro-chan! You're burning up! You've got a fever! We need to stop this. Just admit it," She demanded in a soft tone, feeling his forehead. She instantly took her hand away from how hot it was.
"Alright. I have a cold," Toshiro sighed. "I just wanted to give you a perfect birthday, surrounded by all your friends, but I ruined it by getting sick! I'm really sorry."
"It's not ruined, I had a lovely time!" Momo promised. "Let's just get you to bed." She gently helped him to his feet and balanced him on her shoulders, helping him walk.
"But what about your presents over there?"
"I'll get them later. Right now, you're my main concern."
##########
They soon arrived back at the center of the Soul Society, where Momo's party was stilled planned. When she arrived, all of her friends instantly shouted at once: "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
"Oh wow!" Momo gasped. "Is this really all for me?!" She helped Toshiro into a chair and ran around, happily looking at everything.
"It was really hard to put this all together," Renji told her, dressed in a festive blue suit. "I'm glad you like it though."
"Like it? I love this! Thank you guys so much!" Momo hugged him tightly.
"Don't forget about your cake, honey!" Shinji greeted her, holding the cake out. She placed her finger inside the center and licked it off, her eyes lighting up.
"Is this strawberry ice cream? My favorite!" She beamed.
"So, has it really been a perfect day for you?" Kira asked, and she nodded.
"I'm so glad it's a perfect day!" Toshiro chimed in, walking over to her and swaying badly.
"Alright, but you need to go to bed now." Momo said gently, trying to lead him back to his own Squad.
"Wait, all I have to do now is to blow the birthday trumpet for you!" Toshiro picked up a dark blue trumpet from the grand stand and, ignoring Momo's protests, blew into it, accidentally sneezing and unleashing a giant snowball that burst in the center, making it snow down on everyone. "Too much?"
Momo giggled, the snowflakes caught in her hair. "Come on, time to go to bed." She pulled Toshiro's arm and led him back to Squad 10, opening his bedroom door and tucking him into bed. "Here, I'll make some soup for you,"
She hurried into the Squad's small kitchen and found some leftover noodles in the icebox, and hurriedly heated them up using some of her fire Kido. She then brought the bowl back to Toshiro, finding him still sitting in bed, blowing his nose.
She sat beside him and offered a spoonful of soup to him, which he reluctantly swallowed. "You know, I did get the best birthday present ever today." She started softly.
Toshiro perked up at this. "Oh really? Which one?"
"I was happy that you let me take care of you," She smiled and softly kissed him on his forehead. He blushed slightly and smiled back, then sneezed, making more snowmen appear. She giggled.
