Title: Ulterior Motives
Warnings: Major OOCness within Hitsu's head (but then I'm not mature in my mind either).
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Toushirou said, moving towards an uncharacteristically subdued carrot top. He took the shrug as a silent answer.
"Shouldn't the same be asked of you, too?" Ichigo quipped back, turning his head to face the diminutive captain with concern etched on his usually scowling face. "I know that you have to do all your captainly duties – and by the amount of papers that I saw Matsumoto hiding in the closet, it must be a lot of work, " Ichigo began, not seeing the aggravation marks sprout across
Toushirou's forehead. "But didn't you just fight a Bounto, which by your own admission wasn't easy, in a life or death battle? And according to Rangiku-san you never really seem to get enough sleep, unless she spikes you drink with Children's NyQuill, yet you ..."
It wasn't so much as the wording that was used during Ichigo's rant as the tone that made Toushirou, who had been distracted by planning with Hyourinmaru about increasing the humidity for the next few days, still. Both he and his inner companion stopped their brainstorming and stared at the tall shinigami as a theory began to form in their collective mind.
'I did wonder why they chose our division as their base of operations.' the dragon supplied mentally to his companion. Toushirou knew by the sly tone in his voice that earlier thoughts of mischief had been redirected. Slightly amused himself, he decided that maybe a test would be okay.
As Ichigo has finished talking about whatever it was he was talking about (the bits he did listen to seemed to have been about how scarily friendly his fukutaichou was when drunk, to which he repressed a shudder) he figured out the best way to go about it.
"Kurosaki," he sayid after a moment or two of silence, "Why exactly did your friends come here?" As he said this he was moving slightly towards the taller shinigami.
"Che, and I thought you were the genius." Answered Ichigo in a derisive tone that Toushirou was sure he used just to rile him. He didn't fall for it though…okay maybe a little, because he was more focused on Ichigo's movement away from him.
'Maybe he expects to be jumped on?' Hyourinmaru smirks, liking the sudden tension and defensivenes the substitute was showing.
"No, boke." Toushirou said in a way that tells Ichigo exactly what he thinks of that statement and its stupid attempt to divert his attention.
'More like pitiful,' the dragon agreed, now more eager to agitate the teen.
"Just because I call you an idiot doesn't mean I think you're slow," Toushirou retorted neutrally, once again closing the space between them.
'He's moving away again.' The captain inwardly smirked, slightly fascinated at the slight unease that flared briefly in Ichigo's eyes.
"I'm aware that you have what Kuchiki called a 'white knight' complex which would explain why you think that a militia that has lasted over 2 millennia is in desperate need of your help to survive," he said with a hint of scorn, reminiscent to his reactions when learned of the "white" reference. "But that still doesn't explain why you came here." His distaste of that, that word was still ringing through his body.
'Must be the word association, ' Hyourinmaru grumbled understanding his master's dislike. 'Let's get back to playing. We've got him on the run.' Toushirou, noticing Ichigo's crossed arms and shifting stance, had to agree.
Lowering his face momentarily to hide the smirk he knew was on his face, he then lifted his head to stare head on at brown eyes and took a step forward.
"Its just 'cause your place was closer."
"Hmm," Toushirou mumbled, quietly staring at the eyes above until a faint flush began to rise from Ichigo's cheeks. "I don't think that's it." he answered blandly.
In a flash, the flush of embarrassment becomes one of anger. "What do you mean by that?" There was belligerence in every word.
"When I was informed that your group was in my division, I assumed that it was due to an emergency towards one of your group. My men informed me that while the Quincy was wounded, he was not in dire straits. Which brought about the question: if it were not for emergency reasons, why would they come to my division? If treatment was needed, the 4th division is better equipped to handle it. Also, Abarai's captain is fairly deft at the healing arts. Then I began to notice some other things.
"First, the Quincy's wounds showed that he'd been injured for quite some time. By his own acknowledgement, he's been walking aimlessly for some time and was becoming delusional. The old blood and scabbing attested to the fact that his body was beginning the slow process of healing on its own to which Inoue later confirmed herself.
"Second, there was the amount of time between when you found the Quincy and the when you meet Matsumoto. By the description Sado had given, you were in an area that was between the 7th and 8th divisions. Sado remarked upon the fact that the three of you had walked the entire time out in the open and I find is strange that with Seireitei on high alert and 4th division members scouting for injured that they kept consistantly missing your group.
"Third, I'm aware that though you don't know the whole area, you are familiar with where certain places are. Of those, other than the 11th and 6th, the 4th division hospital is where you spent most of your time." By the end of his explanation, Toushirou was standing so close to the teen he had to crane his head up to continue eye contact.
Ichigo, in his flustered state, continued to babble something as Toushirou concluded that there was some merit to hypothesis.
'So, can we keep him?' the dragon asked in a begging tone. 'Just think of the fun we could have. Plus, look at him.'
Toushirou had to agree. Unusually colored hair, not that he could pick, topped what already showed signs of being a strong, fully capable, dangerously handsome man. Eyes, which usually are brimming with confidence, are filled with anxiety, fear, and something that Toushirou had seen before but usually ignored.
'Yes, remind me to keep him blushing. It's super cute.' Toushirou mentally responded, laughing with Hyourinmaru.
"Do you have a crush on my fukutaichou, Kurosaki?" the petite captain says sternly, his facial expression not showing any of his internal glee.
Ichigo, at a loss, could only continue to conversate in partial words and flush a dark red color.
Willing to take pity on the boy, Toushirou mournfully decides to end his playtime and help the poor sod out. With a smile that would not look unusual on a large serpentine animal's face, Toushirou reached up and pulled the blathering idiot down to shut up his nonsense.
And if the distinctive noises that Ichigo was giving where any indication, he really didn't have much to complain about.
AN: I'm surprise to be writing something else. Dang It. Also sorry to anyone who got this post twice, is acting weird on me.