Here's another Izuru x Momo fic! I just want to thank all my reviewers, and some of you guys were so right. There aren't enough stories of this couple. Let's see if I can change that.
Bleach does not belong to me!
Enjoy!
It was the end of winter. Everyone was hoping for an early spring, but that God forsaken groundhog just had to see it's shadow, and plunged little Karakura into another snowstorm.
The storm covered the town in bright white, and everyone begrudgingly got up hours earlier than they liked to shovel their driveways and free their vehicles. A grueling task indeed, especially at a certain shopkeeper's house.
Urahara sat lazily, a scarf around his neck as he watched the many moochers shovel snow away from his shop. Renji, Yumichika, Ikkaku, and Shuuhei all grunted and mumbled curses under their breath as they shoveled snow pile after snow pile, bundled in heavy snow jackets, boots, and hats. Urahara smiled smugly as he sipped his tea, Yoruichi by his side watching them bust their asses.
"Hey, Urahara! Could you at least spare some gloves for us?" Renji yelled from outside. "It's freezing out here! I can't feel my fingers!"
"Mine turned blue!" Ikkaku yelled next. Urahara only laughed.
"I'll have to charge ya!" he yelled as he pulled out his fan and smirked. He heard a snap which he only assumed was the shovel Ikkaku was holding. "I'll have to charge you on that too!" he yelled. Yoruichi giggled beside him.
"You're so cruel sometimes." she said sarcastically. She watched the men yell and shout at each other, particularly at Ikkaku for making their rent even higher because of the broken shovel, Yumichika grumbling at how ugly the weather is.
"Hey, wait a second!" Ikkaku yelled. Everyone stopped and looked at him. "Where the hell is Kira? He's supposed to be doing this too!" he shouted. Shuuhei scoffed.
"He told me he wasn't going to be back until late this afternoon." Shuuhei said. Renji groaned.
"What the hell. What's so important that he had to ditch us so early in the morning?" Renji asked.
"Are you sure they won't mind you not being there?" Momo asked Izuru as they trekked their way on the snowy path together.
"Positive. They guys never need me around anyway." Izuru said. Izuru snuck out earlier this morning to not only see Momo, but to get away from Urahara's treacherous work. He hoped the guys wouldn't hold this over his head. "You're lucky. You get to crash with Rangiku at Orihime's. We have to sleep in one room together." Izuru said. Momo giggled.
"Well, it is nice, thought Orihime isn't the best cook in the World of the Living. But don't tell her that." they both laughed. Izuru and Momo haven't been dating long, but because of the constant missions they don't see each other often. Izuru thought today would be the perfect chance to spend time with her, despite the snow. Though that didn't matter. He liked the snow. As did Momo. After all, she did live with Toshiro for a long time.
"So, where are we going?" Momo asked. Izuru shrugged his shoulders.
"No where in particular." Izuru answered. "Just thought we'd enjoy a walk." Izuru said. "If I remember correctly, the park shouldn't be far from here." Izuru looked up. The trees were bare brown sticks, but the naked branches coated in white seemed to sparkled in the bright sky.
"If it is, I doubt we'll be able to see it." Momo said, kicking snow out of the way with her boots as she walked. "Everything is disguised in white. I've never seen a place with so much snow." she said in admiration. Izuru loved seeing her smile. He loved looking at her. She was just so cute. Especially in this scene, snow everywhere with her bundled up in a heavy coat and hat. She was adorable. But he wouldn't say that just yet.
The two reached the park within a few minutes. As they expected, it was barren and covered in white. The snow sparkled in the bright light of the sky as if someone poured glitter everywhere. It was quite a sight.
"Wow," Momo stopped and stared. "I wish the Soul Society was this pretty when it snowed." she said.
"Yeah, same here." Izuru said. Momo began to walk past Izuru when she slipped suddenly. She gasped as she slid back, but was caught by Izuru in time. "You all right?" he asked as he steadied her.
"Yes, thank-you." she looked down at the small puddle that had frozen. "Didn't see the ice there." she hopped over it and continued to walk.
"Ice..." Izuru thought. Then he got an idea and smiled. "Hey, Momo." he called to her. She turned around and looked to him. "Wanna do something fun?"
Izuru led Momo through the snowy fields of the park and behind a cluster of trees.
"Where are we going?" Momo asked for a second time. Izuru had a smile on his face the entire time.
"It's a surprise." was his response. A couple of minutes later after a short, yet brisk walk down a snowy hill, Izuru arrived to a small frozen pond. Momo stood next to Izuru, a little confused as to why he brought her here.
"What are we doing here?" Momo asked. Izuru smiled at her before stepping out on the ice, and she gasped. "Izuru! You're gonna fall through!" she yelled.
"No I'm not." he said and stepped out further. "It's frozen solid. Look." he stomped on the ice. Momo was still apprehensive. Izuru held out his hand and beckoned her to come towards him. "It's fine. I promise." he said. Momo took one step on the ice, feeling her toes slide on the surface. She took a deep breath and brought her other foot to the ice, sliding sloppily over to Izuru, her arms flailing to keep her balance.
"I-Izuru! I'm gonna fall!" she slid forward right into his arms and he laughed.
"Not if I'm here. Just, balance yourself." Izuru said as he backed up and helped Momo become straight again. He held her hand as she steadied herself and slid with Izuru to the middle of the pond.
"Hey, this isn't so bad." she looked down at her feet. They were awkwardly positioned, but she was sliding on the ice!
"You've never gone ice-skating before?" Izuru asked her, spinning themselves in a circle slowly.
Momo shook her head. "Never. Have you?" she asked. "You seem so good at it."
"Ichigo taught his friends and I how to do it one day. Trust me, I wasn't this good at it when I first tried." Izuru chuckled. Momo smiled at him. Izuru pulled her closer to him, taking both of her hands into his. If only they could dance on the ice together.
"I'm glad you brought me here." Momo said, snuggling into him. "I feel so free, like nothing is on my shoulders. Like I have no responsibility." she giggled. Izuru chuckled as well.
"I know what you mean." Izuru said softly. "It's not often we get time to ourselves like this. It's relaxing. Like... we don't even have a mission to do." Izuru kissed her forehead, and Momo blushed.
"I love you, Izuru." Momo muffled into his chest. He loved how short she was.
"And I love you." Izuru whispered. The moment was perfect. The cold and snow didn't even bother them in this position. They're body heat kept them warm, their embrace shielding them from the world around them. That is until...
Crack.
Izuru and Momo looked around, then back at one another.
"D-did... you hear something?" Momo asked with confusion in her voice. Izuru was about to answer, when he heard a cracking noise again, and his face paled.
A second later, the two plunged into the sheer-cold water below.
"A-achoo!"
Izuru sniffed and shivered like a leaf in front of the fire at Urahara's, a blanket over his shoulders, his friends snickering at him.
"Did you enjoy your swim, Izuru?" Renji sneered behind him. Izuru glared at him.
"Shut up, Abarai..." he said in a nasal voice. Shuuhei laughed and patted his shoulder.
"You had good intentions, buddy, but in the wrong place at the wrong time." Shuuhei laughed. Izuru groaned.
"You should've just stayed here and helped us shovel snow." Ikkaku said next. "Then you wouldn't be in this predicament."
"Which by the way," Yumichika chimed in. "You're paying for the shovel Ikkaku broke." Izuru glared at the bald man.
"You broke a shovel? What the hell for?" Izuru snapped. Ikkaku only shrugged his shoulders and the blonde sighed. He hoped Momo wasn't suffering as badly as he was. He did fall on her after all... but... even though things ended badly, he wouldn't have changed the moment he had with her, and he smiled because of it.
Looks like one moment in paradise can lead to a few days in Hell.
A late-nighter. Seriously, It's past 3 a.m., so I apologize if it sucks, but I had to write it. What do you think?