A/N: This is a new multi-chaptered story I came up with that I hope you like.
P.S. I don't own BLEACH.
Hitsugaya Toshiro –captain of the tenth division of Gotei 13 and child prodigy- was on his way to look for Kurosaki Ichigo –current shinigami representative for Karakura town and a sophomore in college- in order to find somewhere to live while being in the human world.
His instructions were that he had to stay there for at least three months. It was like he could still hear his talk with Yamamoto so-taicho.
Flashback…
Toshiro was sitting on his desk doing paperwork as usual when his till now missing fuku-taicho burst into his office calling his tittle again and again like a mantra.
"Taicho… taicho…"
He just sighed and while putting his pen down, he raised his head in order to face her properly with an irritated scowl on his face changing its usual poker appeal.
"What do you want Matsumoto… or better yet, where were you this whole time…?"
Said woman giggled awkwardly and rubbed the back of her head before taking on a serious face while facing him.
"Yamamoto so-taicho requested a meeting with all the captains. It starts in five minutes."
The two individuals looked at each other in the eyes before the one sitting turned a little red in exchange of his usual tanned complexion purely out of rage.
"MATSUMOTO-O-O-O… And you're telling me this now…?"
Without waiting for a response -or an excuse was more like it- to his question, the seemingly teenager stood up from his desk and went out of his office, towards the first division.
Eleven men and two women were already sitting in their appropriate place when he opened the double doors to the meeting place.
"Oh, Hitsugaya-taicho… glad you could join us…"
Yamamoto's voice echoed into the room and Toshiro slightly stiffened in his spot but fortunately found somewhere inside the strength to bow his rigid body as an answer. While still looking down, he replied with words too.
"My deepest apologies so-taicho… My fuku-taicho failed to inform me sooner about this meeting."
He had the urge to go back out and chase Matsumoto till she learned to never delay on informing him about anything… especially such important matters.
He didn't act on it though since his train of thought was brutally interrupted by Yamamoto's voice as he spoke yet again.
"Just don't let it happen again… You may take your seat if you please…"
He rose from his bow and did as he was instructed without another word.
Taking his usual seat between Shuhei Hisagi and Kenpachi Zaraki, he gave his full and undivided attention to Soul Society's founder and leader –Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto- as he begun to speak.
"I gathered you all here today on such short notice because there is a task that must be taken care of. Kurosaki Ichigo's younger sisters are in the possible position of having potential with a lot of spiritual pressure. I came to the decision that we must send someone to check it out and report of anything that happens. If by any chance our calculations are to be correct and they indeed possess power, that someone must be able to train them and make them our allies as well."
A pause followed his announcement as all the captains present were taking it all in. He didn't give them much time to work over his words however as he soon continued.
"The one that is suitable enough to do that task must be a captain's level shinigami, and also be able to fit in well in the human world for his or her time there. Are there any volunteers?"
Everyone turned their head right and left searching if anyone had raised his or her hand in answer to his question, and when nobody did, Yamamoto exhaled a barely heard sigh and took on his commanding tone again… startling everyone into paying attention to him yet again.
"I was afraid that would happen… That is why I have already chosen the more suitable one for this job. Since Kurosaki Ichigo's sisters must be sixteen to seventeen by now, I think that the one going should be Hitsugaya-taicho. The fact that he already has former experience with the human world to begin with is also a plus in our mission. I still want to hear his opinion however…"
Every head in the room turned to look at Hitsugaya, some even getting a glimpse of his shocked face that he let show for the shortest of seconds.
Talk among them was hushed before it even had the time to get slightly out of hand by none other than Joshiro Ukitake, as he out of nowhere gave a loud cough. His easy recovery proved that it wasn't due to his illness as he faked out to be but Toshiro was slightly thankful for the distraction and the excuse of taking the attention off of him.
He nodded in Ukitake's direction –the only show of gratitude he'll ever allow- and the kind man smiled lightly in understanding. Yamamoto's booming voice took over again and brought everyone's attention back to the present.
"So, do you accept this task Hitsugaya-taicho, or do you happen to have an even better candidate for this mission?"
Toshiro thought about it and he couldn't find anything wrong with it no matter how hard he tried. In an attempt to hide his loss in the matter at hand, he grasped his only hope left and tried to work with that.
"If I were to go into the human world for such a long time, what would tenth division become? I trust my fuku-taicho, but what if it's somewhat a lot for her?"
Shuhei grinned from beside him before turning to face Yamamoto.
"I would be glad to assist Matsumoto fuku-taicho while Hitsugaya-taicho is away. We could also sent him reports every two or three days in order to inform him how everything is going, and I'm sure that it wouldn't be too much of a trouble to come back if something really serious happens, which I sincerely doubt."
He wanted to growl in the ever so helpful intruder's direction but satisfied himself with a simple cold stare instead.
"That is acceptable. Do you have any more objections Hitsugaya-taicho…?"
He just sighed out of defeat and bowed his head in respect.
"No so-taicho… Thank you… I accept the mission."
Yamamoto nodded in approval.
"Good, you'll be leaving first thing tomorrow morning then… That is all… You are dismissed."
With that said he got up from his seat, turned around and was gone inside the door behind his chair, being closely followed by his fuku-taicho.
Hitsugaya didn't wait to hear the comments that the rest of the captains had to make –especially Kyoraku- and so he just got up and left without a single word.
Going straight to his quarters to prepare for the journey –not that he took anything with him, just making sure that everything were going to be in place for his long absence- and then informing Matsumoto of the news, he was all ready for the human world… however unwilling.
End of Flashback
Clutching the paper Matsumoto had given him –with all the things she wanted for him to buy for her- in his newfound human false body –gigai was what it was called- he gave his umpteenth sigh for the day before gathering his cold façade and getting to business.
While letting steadily loose some of his spiritual pressure, he tried to locate the orange-haired substitute shinigami by different means since he had yet to see him. In the end, he finally found his spiritual trail and followed it.
He wasn't surprised when in the end of said trail, he found the 'missing' man walking together with another highly spiritual human girl by his side while holding hands and listening to what appeared to be said girl's latest dream.
"'Cough' Kurosaki… Inoue-san… Sorry for interrupting but I have something to talk to you about…"
The two young adults looked startled at his sudden appearance but it didn't take much time to recover.
The female of the two smiled in her usual cheerful and sweet manner while she addressed him.
"Hitsugaya-kun… How are you doing…? How is Rangiku-san…?"
"She's doing well, arigato Inoue-san, but I'm –"
"Toshiro… What are you doing here? It's not something wrong, is there…?"
A vein appeared and pulsed angrily at Hitsugaya's forehead but he tried to calm himself for the sake of his mission.
"It's Hitsugaya-taicho to you Kurosaki, and no… nothing's wrong… yet…"
"Huh…?"
You could practically see a floating question mark materialize before your very eyes above Ichigo's head, further showing his confusion on the matter.
Hitsugaya sighed again and tried to calm his easily irritated self before he exploded for nothing. He just took a few deep breaths before facing the two young adults and speaking in even terms.
"I'm here as of request of the so-taicho, in order to protect your sisters and help them with their growing spiritual pressure."
Ichigo growled a little under his breath before addressing the young captain.
"You mean to tell me that I'm not protecting them enough and that they are in danger, or are you telling me that the so-taicho only wants more soldiers."
Yet another sigh escaped his tanned lips –he was sighing a lot lately wasn't he…- before bowing his head as a crossed vein started pulsing on the side of his forehead. Dealing with a Kurosaki was a seriously hard work…
"Firstly, I didn't hear myself accusing you of not protecting your family enough, so I have no idea how you got that and secondly, yes… so-taicho does see potential in your sisters and so wants them as allies."
By the time he finished, he noticed the flare of the substitute shinigami's reatsu but it was subsided quite easily to a more normal level by the time that the girl that was next to him put a hand on said shinigami's shoulder.
Hitsugaya looked at the exchange, as the not-so-normal humans looked at each other and the female was able to convey some kind of message to her male companion without talking and then turned to look at him in the eyes when she was sure that Ichigo had calmed down enough.
"We understand Hitsugaya-kun… Now, you must be looking for a place to stay since you came looking for Ichigo-kun… why don't you come live with me again on the spare room I've got. You can keep me comp-"
"Absolutely not/Thank you, Inoue-san"
That response came from both males at the same time but while Hitsugaya looked weirdly with a raised eyebrow at Ichigo as he was glaring at him, Orihime looked surprised at him. Before anyone had the time to ask any questions, he elaborated his decision.
"There is no way I'm letting you stay with him Orihime, separate bedrooms or not… you don't know what he's gonna try…"
Now, Hitsugaya looked beyond slightly annoyed while Orihime looked dumbfounded.
"Who do you think you are talking to Kurosaki…? I would never try such a thing, much less with Inoue-san… I'm no p-pervert…"
His irritation tenfolded at the fact that he stuttered at the last word.
Ichigo just scoffed however and crossed his arms in an act of showing his doubt about Hitsugaya's words, which only made him even more irritated.
Orihime, sensing some kind of fight coming up, went between the two in order to prevent it.
"It's okay Ichigo-kun… Hitsugaya-kun is not like that. We had lived together before for me to know as much. It's going to be just fine… Besides, I only love you so you have nothing to be afraid of… Please…"
Hitsugaya was a little baffled by the unexpected confession but by the look on Ichigo's face and how when he looked into the healer's eyes, his own seemed to soften before finally giving in with a sigh, gave him enough clues to understand that it mustn't exactly be the first time that it had taken place, or that the older Kurosaki sibling wasn't feeling the same way… quite the opposite he would say, but who was he to talk, with no romantic experience whatsoever… It wasn't like it was his job anyway…
"Okay… but I'll be keeping a close eye on you…"
Ichigo's softened look in his chocolate brown eyes hid behind his irritated one once again as he locked gazes with cold teal.
Hitsugaya just held his ground… not getting intimidated in the least by his hard glare… being at 5'7" kind of helped too, now that he could at least glare back at almost the same height.
"Well, now that that's settled, we should head to my apartment to get you ready. It's almost lunch time anyway and I haven't prepared anything yet… Shall we…?"
Hitsugaya nodded, while Ichigo looked away from the young boy in order to fix his girlfriend with a somewhat hurt look.
"Wait, but I thought that we were having a date over here, and weren't we just on our way to that ramen restaurant you were telling me about yesterday before we got interrupted?"
"Ichigo-kun… We can't leave Hitsu-"
Her scolding of her boyfriend was interrupted as Hitsugaya looked from the one person to the other as he started speaking to Orihime.
"It's okay Inoue-san… I wouldn't want to intrude into your date, and I apologize for the interruption in the first place. I can just-"
"No…"
Her outburst got both males to look at her dumbfounded and when she realized that, she spoke in a softer tone.
"Ichigo-kun and I could go on a date any time we want, but you need help now Hitsugaya-kun, so I'm not changing my mind on this. Ichigo-kun, could we please continue where we left off some other time maybe and just go home for now…?"
The man looked defeated at the ground but his whispered voice still reached their ears.
"Okay, but I had told Yuzu that I wouldn't be home for lunch… I guess I'll just have to tell her to put out the extra plate after all…"
The woman in front of him beamed in excitement as she clapped her hands in front of her chest in utter glee.
"I have a better idea… You'll be joining us for lunch at my place and I will cook some ramen since that's what we had agreed on earlier. You can also help us move Hitsugaya-kun in. It's perfect… come on…"
Without further ado; or even waiting for a response to her request for that matter –not that Ichigo could ever refuse something that his girlfriend asked right out anyway- she grabbed both boys by their wrists and started dragging them at the direction of her apartment.
After some explaining from Hitsugaya that his things were still waiting in Urahara's shop –he had no intention of carrying them around Karakura while he looked for Kurosaki, however few they were- the two guys left for said place to retrieve them while the female of the company stayed home and started on her –unexpectedly normal- food making.