Author's Note: This is a little fic I whipped up in honor of Hitsugaya's birthday, December 20th! But I'll be gone for the next few days so I decided to post it early before I leave on vacation to China (again...) So I saw the third Bleach movie, Fade to Black, (It was quite disappointing, though) and I came up with the idea for this one-shot. Basically what happens in the movie is that there is some explosion of spiritual particles, or something like that, which causes the soul reapers to lose their memories of Ichigo and Rukia. That'll be the foundation for this. Please note that this conversation never happens in the movie. Ichigo and Hitsugaya do confront each other in the actual movie, but as you can guess, the dialogue is quite different, haha. *SPOILER ALERT* It was so sad at the part when Ichigo was trying to tell Hitsugaya who he was, and Hitsugaya simply answered, "I don't remember you!" and proceeded to attack him. Bad, Hitsu! *END SPOILER* Also, the last line of the story is also from the movie. So, yeah. Enjoy.
Also, don't ask me where I found the movie. Because I technially did not watch it through legal means. -cough-
The twentieth day of December.
This was a day that Ichigo had made sure would stay in his memory, seeing as it was the birthday of a very important, certain little captain of the tenth division.
He had been planning on going to Soul Society to personally deliver the boy birthday greetings, but a disturbance, as Urhahara had called it, in Soul Society had thrown a wrench in his plans.
When he finally was able to get safe passage secured to get to Soul Society, he never would have dreamed that the current situation of Soul Society would be as it was.
He noticed right away that something was wrong.
The atmosphere just didn't feel right. The reiatsu in the area seemed strange, alien, and completely unfamiliar. Soul reapers he recognized walked past him without a second glance. He opened his mouth to speak, but thought better of it.
What the hell was going on? Did they not recognize him?
Another blatant fact that did not go unnoticed was the fact that many of the buildings and structures were crumbling and destroyed as if some force had come through to decimate everything.
"What are you doing here?"
Turning at the sound of the achingly familiar voice, the strawberry was beyond relieved to see the snow-white hair and set of emerald green eyes, which, without a doubt, belonged to no one other than Hitsugaya Toshiro himself.
"Toshiro," he breathed, taking a step towards the captain, "Thank god…I was starting to think that-"
Before he could finish his sentence, his chocolate-colored eyes widened in shock as in a flash of cold steel, Hitsugaya unsheathed his katana and pointed it threateningly at the strawberry-blonde teen's forehead.
"Toshiro…what are you…?"
"How do you know my name?" Hitsugaya demanded, his emerald eyes cold with icy contempt. "Answer me, ryoka."
Ryoka? What the hell?
"Is this a joke or something?" Ichigo demanded impatiently. He was not in the mood for these weird things. "Because you know, Toshiro, it's really not funny. Knock it off, alright? There's something I need to-"
The blade came down with frightening speed, and Ichigo was only barely hasty enough throwing himself backwards. Moments later, a sharp pain registered in his mind along with the sickening sensation of hot blood trickling downwards from the new gash on his forehead.
He looked back up at Hitsugaya, alarmed, and when he saw there was no change in the boy's expression, he knew at once, with a sinking feeling, that this definitely was no joke. He was dead serious.
"What are you doing!?" he yelped in disbelief, searching the smaller boy's face for signs of human emotion, but found none.
"You thought you were clever, didn't you?" was the haughty reply, "You thought wearing a shinigami's shihakusho would make you undetectable? You're mistaken. Go back to where you came from, ryoka, or I'll force you out of the Seireitei myself."
"What are you talking about!?"
"Are you hard on hearing?"
The next moment, Ichigo found himself having to grab Zangetsu and sling the blade out in front of himself in order to block the blow from Hitsugaya's blade that was headed towards his chest.
"Get out," the boy growled through clenched teeth. "Intruders and strangers such as yourself are not welcome here."
Intruder? Stranger!?
"Toshiro, don't you remember me!? Don't you know who I am!?"
"I've never seen you before in my life, ryoka. Now stop spouting nonsense."
The brown eyes widened as Ichigo froze. What the hell was going on? His hesitation proved to be a bad mistake, as within the next second, a searing pain shot through his upper body as more blood spurted forth.
He jerked Zangetsu upwards to parry the next blows, bracing his weight against the attacking boy, gritting his teeth against the pain from the fresh wound on his chest.
"Toshiro, it's me!" he insisted, "Ichigo! Kurosaki Ichigo! Please don't say you've forgotten about me!" he implored desperately, his voice strained and frantic, he was almost begging.
"I said, I don't remember you!"
There was another shock of pain, this time on his left arm.
Bewildered and confused, Ichigo stumbled backwards, his vision stained crimson as the first wound on his head was still bleeding.
"How can you not remember me!?" Ichigo spluttered, "What's happened to you, Toshiro!? What's wrong!? We...The two of us...We were-"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Hitsugaya answered coolly, cutting him off.
"Toshiro…"
"State your purpose, ryoka."
Swallowing hard, Ichigo finally blurted out, "I-It's your birthday! It is, isn't it!? I come here, every year on your birthday. I've never forgotten, Toshiro. Please, don't keep acting like you don't know me. I never forget your birthday, ever. How can you have forgotten me?"
"What are you talking about? What concern of yours is my birthday?"
"I just…I just wanted to see you…"
"Why?" Hitsugaya demanded, lowering his weapon momentarily. "You are a complete stranger to me, as I am to you. The day that I was born is none of your business."
"Why!?" Ichigo repeated in disbelief, "Why!? Why else!?"
"What are you…"
"I love you, Toshiro. I…I'd do anything for you. Anything. That's why I came all the way here. Even if you don't remember me…I…I'd die for your sake if I had to. You know I would."
The boy slowly slid his katana back into its sheath, readjusting the sash that held it over his shoulder. He looked back up at the strawberry, and when their eyes met for that fleeting moment, Ichigo could feel the slightest hope that maybe, just maybe, he remembered him now.
"Toshiro, I…"
Hitsugaya shook his head in disbelief, turning away to leave. "This is beyond ridiculous," he murmured.
As he began to leave, Ichigo clenched his fists tightly. He had to spit it out.
"Happy Birthday…Toshiro."
"You're crazy, ryoka."
And then he was gone.
Even if you don't remember me, that's alright. I'll still protect you anyway.
Author's Note: Sorry this was so bad and short...I was in a rush to finish it.