Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

ATTENTION: DUE TO THE RULES OF THE SITE, I HAVE REMOVED A SCENE from this chapter so as to not cause problem with its CONTENT and I have placed said scene in LIVEJOURNAL.

Link to the story IN MY PROFILE PAGE and this:

queenofcitrus(then you write a dot and 'livejournal') (then dot) (then com/3674)(then dot)(then html)

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"Rangiku!" someone called from a distance and said fukutaicho stopped dead on her tracks, turning around just in time to see a certain orange-haired substitute shinigami rounding the corner as he ran to catch up with her.

"Ichigo!" she exclaimed, a hint of surprise reflecting in her voice as she smiled cheerfully at the teen. "What are you doing around here so late?"

Kurosaki stopped in front of her and bent down with his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. It was a warm summer night in Sereitei and almost everybody were out, having fun in local pubs or at private parties. There was hardly anyone in the training grounds at this hour, including most of the sentries that were supposed to look after the place. The only reason Matsumoto was here herself, was because she had managed to forget a stack of papers she had been carrying to her captain earlier that afternoon. She was pretty sure the papers were expected to be returned by the end of the day but now that the day was up and Hitsugaya didn't have the slightest idea of their existence, there was nothing to be done anyway.

"I'm looking for Toushiro. Do you know where he might be?" Ichigo asked, standing up straight and reaching with one hand to rub the back of his neck. Matsumoto blinked.

"Why would you be looking for him? Did something happen?" she inquired, folding her arms in front of her chest to eye the teen up and down suspiciously.

"It's nothing really… I… well, you know how I was planning to stay here the whole summer and train and be of as much help as I can?"

"Yeeaaah?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

Pause.

"What?" Matsumoto exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air with disbelief. "Why? It's only be like ten days since you came from the real world! I haven't managed to corrupt you just yet, why are you ruining all the fun before it has even started!"

Ichigo laughed nervously, the look on his face showing without a doubt how much he hadn't expected such a reaction.

"I really don't have time for this… Can you please just tell me if you know where Toshiro is?"

"No." she declared instantly, brows furrowing in a stubborn scowl. "Unless you tell me what made you change your mind."

Ichigo sighed. Why was this turning so much harder than he had planned? It was like the whole world was against him tonight, from the very first minute he had decided he wanted to meet Hitsugaya and speak to him. It all started when Kurosaki lost his way around the 11th division, only to be discovered by a very militant Zaraki and then spend a good hour or so trying to get rid of the peculiar man. Later he stumbled upon Renji and Rukia who were bickering over some ridiculous matter and wouldn't let him go until he solved their oh-so-urgent issue and finally he had to save Hanatarou's ass from being bullied yet again.

Now this.

"I promise I'll tell you once I talk to Toushiro. " he tried, smiling innocently at the woman. "But I really, really have to find him, so please!"

Her features gradually softened and he knew he had won.

"But try not to call him by his first name too much. He's been incredibly crabby since the morning." She warned.

It was quite surprising that someone who hated heat would go to a hot spring to relax in the middle of the summer but Ichigo decided there was no point in musing over it as he paid the fee at the entrance and went in. He quickly undressed and barefooted and with a towel around his waist, headed towards the main part of the building. As expected, Toushiro was the only person sitting in the steaming pool with his back facing the entrance and his head resting on the folded hands he had placed on the tiled bathroom floor.

Ichigo got no reaction as he approached the hot spring so it quickly occurred to him the boy was probably in a sort of a drowsy state and it wasn't a very good idea to startle him, so the strawberry proceeded to approach very cautiously, his bare feet playing a quite basic role in the whole operation. At least they did, until Kurosaki slipped on some wet spot on the floor and fell hard on his butt, a loud shout escaping his mouth as he crashed down and slid a few good inches towards the pool. That certainly caught the boy's attention as Hitsugaya turned around sharply, his zanpakuto (which had obviously been laying nearby) now clutched tightly in his hands.

"KUROSAKI!" the captain roared, the yell making the other teen cringe pathetically. "YOU ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK, YOU FOOL!"

"I thought dead people couldn't have a heart attack…" Ichigo tried a small smile but it quickly faded away as he spotted the boy's darkening expression. "Ok. Sorry…"

Hitsugaya put his sword away and leaned back in the pool, lowering himself in the water till it cover his collar-bone.

"What do you want, substitute?"

"Um… To join you?"

No answer came, so Ichigo slipped quickly into the hot spring, discarding the towel neglectfully to a side before his nether parts immersed.

"I heard you were leaving tomorrow." Hitsugaya enunciated suddenly, jade orbs fixed on the water surface intensely. Ichigo's brows arched with surprise as he lowered himself in the pool and shuddered involuntarily at how delectably the heat engulfed his exposed skin in its tight embrace.

"You know?"

"Since the morning. I have my ways of finding out." Hitsugaya paused, his jaw clenching for a moment before he added with an element of exasperation in his now much softer voice. "Why?"

Ichigo's mouth twisted in a smile that was almost rueful as he leaned backwards and let his arms drop to the brim of the pool, fingers grasping lightly the even edge.

"I guess I don't feel very welcomed."

Hitsugaya's gaze snapped up at the statement, irises darkening with acrimony.

"You don't feel welcomed? Please don't tell me you just said that because in that case you just proved yourself stupider than I ever imagined." The boy paused for a moment to try and calm his breathing as he fought down the flooding frustration "You have almost every single captain and lieutenant as your friend, nearly everybody in every division you name as your "fans" and you feel unwelcomed? You can party with different men and women every single night till the end of the summer and still have people lining up to meet and befriend you. What the hell more do you want, Kurosaki?"

For a couple of seconds there was just silence. Ichigo's face was expressionless as he stared blankly at the boy sitting across of him. Hitsugaya's eyes refused to meet his own and he was glowering at the single bubble that had the guts to be floating jocularly around the surface of the water and not die instantly under the murderous gaze of the ice-captain.

"Toushiro…"

"IT'S HITSUGAYA-TAICHO!" the boy's fisted hands shot in the air before slamming fiercely down and splashing water around him. "IS IT THAT HARD TO REMEMBER?"

"Why are you getting so upset over this?" came Ichigo's smooth voice. "I thought you wanted me gone."

Hitsugaya's gaze finally met the pair of gentle but confused chocolate-colored eyes and he scowled.

"What in the world gave you that idea?"

"What wouldn't give me that idea?" Ichigo rebuffed as he shook his head cheerlessly. "Ever since I came, every time I meet you, you give me these black looks and you always seem so edgy, so bitter, like you just want it all to be over with. It's like…" Kurosaki paused for a moment, letting his arms down with a weary sigh. "It's like I'm sort of a nuisance you just want out of your life."

"That's not true…" Toushiro tried to object pitifully, but Ichigo wouldn't have it.

"Don't give me that crap. I know you think I'm stupid, but I'm not that stupid. Something's changed since last time I saw you, otherwise I don't see any reason why you would be sooo damn angry with me. All. The time. And when you're not, you seem to be avoiding me like your life depends on it."

"Kurosaki…" Hitsugaya began softly, but the words died in his throat. Ichigo smiled lamentably and ran his moist fingers through his orange hair.

"All I want to know is what I did wrong." The carrot top uttered. Hitsugaya averted his gaze and bit his lower lip, the half-guilty, half-frustrated expression on his face tearing a small, bitter snigger from the taller teen.

"You're not going to answer me, are you?"

"Is that what you came to tell me, Kurosaki?"

There was a significant pause afterwards, then Ichigo shook his head, his jaw locking with determination.

"No. There's something else I want to tell you. I know you're probably going to hate me even more after I do, but I want you to know because I just can't take it anymore…" Ichigo inhaled sharply and squeezed his eyes shut, his hands clenching into fists underneath the water surface. "I… I-I like you. I like you as more… than just a friend."

For a couple of seconds Ichigo didn't dare open his eyes as his insides writhed in agonizing anticipation for… something. Anything! Yells, screams, shout, laughter, snickering, mocking – any respond whatsoever! But nothing came. Instead, the sound of movement in the water made the teen carefully crack an eye open.

"You are many things, Kurosaki Ichigo." Toushiro had gone out of the water and was now tying a towel around his waist with his back facing the substitute shinigami. "But I never thought you were a liar, too."

Ichigo's heart dropped in his stomach.

"W-what? Toushiro, I'm not lying to you!"

"It's Hitsugaya-taicho!" the boy corrected coldly as his slender arms dropped by his sides and a small sigh escaped his lips. When he spoke again, no matter how soft the words were uttered, Ichigo could hear perfectly clear the prodigy's voice crack. "I really don't want to listen to this." And with that he started walking away.

"Toushiro, wait!" the carrot-top yelled in panic as he reached with both hands for the brim of the pool. It all happened so fast – in one moment Ichigo was out of the hot spring and running to catch up with the boy. Then, just as swiftly the taller teen had grabbed the captain's arm to stop the latter and in the next instant the two had slipped and landed on the floor, one on top of the other.

"Fuck! Toushiro, I'm sorry!" Ichigo exclaimed as his eyes quickly scanned the boy underneath him for any damage. Hitsugaya groaned, hands shooting to push against the other one's chest.

"Get off me, you idiot!" The boy yelled, doing his best to remove the heavy body from his own. Seeing his chance in the captain's predicament, Ichigo grabbed both of the other one's wrists and pinned them above the prodigy's head.

"Not until you hear me out!"

"I told you, I don't care! Let me go!"

"I really like you!"

"You're lying! You can't like me, you… JUST LET ME GO! LET ME GO, OR I'LL SCREAM!"

"You're already screaming! Please, stop it!"

"WHY DON'T YOU MAKE ME, YOU BASTARD! OR BETTER, GET OFF!"

Ichigo watched the captain's struggles for a couple of seconds, weighting those last words carefully until an idea popped in his mind and a small smirk twisted his mouth.

"Ok. If that's what you want…" The carrot-top muttered with a shrug and then swiftly leaned forward and pressed his lips to the pair of pale ones underneath, effectively ceasing all of the boy's movements. The kiss wasn't very prolonged, nor it was deep but its results were undeniable – Hitsugaya's body was reduced to a flaccid, breathing pulp. When Ichigo finally withdrew, Toushiro didn't start fighting or screaming (much to the strawberry's relief) but the glare was present and those jade eyes were burning holes viciously into the pair of chocolate ones.

"Why are you doing this?" the boy breathed, averting his gaze as he bit down hard on his lower lip. Ichigo blinked as another wave of confusion swept over him, washing away the warmth from the kiss.

"What do you mean?" the carrot-top asked, still not feeling safe enough as to let go of the smaller one's slim wrists.

"Why are you toying with me?" this time the question painfully resembled a cry and the boy's jaw clenched tightly as he tried to pent up the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him. "Why are you doing this to me? Do you get some sort of a sick satisfaction from playing with my feelings? Does it make you feel like a man?"

"What are you talking about? I'm not…"

"DON'T LIE TO ME!" the boy yelled and Kurosaki's mouth fell open as he noticed those angry teal eyes gloss over with a thin layer of unshed moisture. "I'M NOT A FOOL AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S NO WAY IN THE WORLD THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY LIKE ME! THERE'S NO WAY- Mpfh!"

Again, Ichigo's lips found Toushiro's, halting the resistance before it had succeeded in blossoming. This time the kiss was more gentle, almost fearful as the taller teen's hands released the slim wrists only to find their way down to the porcelain skin on the captain's cheekbones. Soothing fingertips laid feather-like touches to the smooth, exquisitely flawless skin with such tenderness and care as though they were grazing a delicate, frail masterpiece that could shatter to pieces in a heartbeat. Hitsugaya's body tensed for a second before molding helplessly into the feeling. Ichigo felt dainty hands wrap around his neck to pull him closer into a deeper kiss that now carried the sense of urgency and desperation radiating from the prodigy's whole being. Tongue met tongue in a battle for dominance and needy hands buried into wet locks of hair as the two sought each other in the other one's arms and caresses.

"Toushiro…" the carrot-top uttered breathlessly when they finally broke apart. Hitsugaya's chest rose and fell rapidly as the boy's hands only clutched tighter to the taller teen.

"Yes?"

"You kissed me back…" Ichigo pulled back to look at the boy below with a sort of disbelief. "Does that mean-… Do you-…? But what about the last week and a half? Why did you act this way?"

The captain closed his eyes shut and shook his head slowly, a small smile tugging almost helplessly on his swollen lips.

"I didn't know what else to do… I mean, despite everything I've ever done and everything I've ever told myself, I've always had feelings for you… but this time… with all these people wanting to get close to you…" the boy opened his eyes and chuckled bitterly. "It was so hard. And the more you stayed, the more I saw how little chance I had, so…"

"So you tried to push me away?" Ichigo finished, an amused grin now playing on his face. "This is just… so like you."

Hitsugaya's face instantly flushed.

"Shut up."

"Yes, sir." Ichigo smirked as he once again leaned to capture those sweet lips into a kiss. Toushiro responded instantly, pulling the other teen closer as he fought to taste as much as he could from the strawberry. Two strangled moans of satisfaction escaped the couple as Kurosaki's hands quickly found the boy's slim waist, fingers running over the wet naked skin of the stomach and the hips. Hitsugaya's own palms slid down from the back to the torso, seeking to feel the strong muscles of Ichigo's chest. Seconds seemed to stretch into minutes and minutes turned into hours as they both dove into the relish they had secretly craved for, for such a long time. The kisses turned more passionate, more demanding, hands sought flesh as their bodies struggled to feel more of the other one's.

"Kurosaki…" Toushiro breathed when his partner suddenly moved to kissing the boy's sensitive neck. "What are you doing?"

"Should I… Should I stop?"

Hitsugaya arched his back, mouth falling open as the carrot-top's lips sucked on a particularly sensitive spot just below the jaw-line. His skin was suddenly on fire, burning hot to the point of devastation as foreign touches tortured every bit of exposed flesh. A skillful tongue teased his slender neck and shoulders, pleasuring him in most unexpected ways.

"No…" the captain gasped, almost desperately. "Don't even think about it."

He could not see Ichigo's smirk but he felt it against his lips when their mouth crashed into a fervent kiss that took both their breaths away. The carrot-top's hands buried lovingly in the familiar tuft of white hair while Hitsugaya's body reacted in a more needy way and it rose instantly from its position on the floor, nether parts seeking desperately much needed friction. That caused Kurosaki to break away and he slowly, almost triumphantly looked down, examining the situation with a hint of amusement.

"What was that?" the taller teen teased and his fingers reached to play with the hem of the towel that prevented him from seeing everything that his partner's body offered. Hitsugaya glared.

"You are an idiot."

"I am, but it seems like you want me pretty badly…" before Toushiro could master a sophisticated snap that would destroy the carrot-top's frail verbal attacks, Ichigo's hand brushed against the boy's member. Instantly, a strangled moan escaped the captain's lips and his legs spread involuntarily, hips silently pleading for the offending towel to be removed.

"Oh. And what was that?"

"Dammit, Kurosaki, you know well enough what that was!"

Ichigo chuckled as he shifted his position and pushed his knee between the smaller one's legs, effectively withdrawing a gasp. (...)

Missing scene - in my LJ account. You can find links in my Author notes as well as my profile page.

(...)It took them a few minutes to gather their senses and catch their breath, but neither of them moved. They just held each other, enjoying the peaceful closeness the embrace brought.

"Hey." Ichigo mumbled finally, reaching with one hand to stroke Hitsugaya's white hair. "Now that I can think clearly, I can't believe we just did it here and no one came in… "

Toushiro chuckled wearily, still not doing anything to remove his lover's member from inside him.

"I froze the door to its frame with my reiatsu the moment we started making out. I couldn't risk it." The boy mumbled sleepily.

"Toushiro?"

"Yeah…"

"I think you were right. I did lie about liking you."

Hitsugaya's body immediately tensed but Ichigo just laughed, kissing the boy's hair gently.

"I'm in love with you. I love you, you crabby jerk."

Hitsugaya slowly relaxed, a small chuckle escaping his lips again.

"I love you, too, you stupid fag."

"Now, that was just low."

A/N: THIS STORY ALREADY HAS A SEQUEL! If you liked this, go read the sequel (NOT BEFORE YOU PLEASE REVIEW) and if you want a third one, let me know.

Link to the missing scene (can also be found in my profile page): queenofcitrus(then you write a dot and livejournal) (then dot) (then com/3674)(then dot)(then html)