New Things

Author's Note: It's a short New Year oneshot/a long drabble. I got the idea since…since I don't know when. Never mind about that; just enjoy (sorry, I'm really sad coz school is re-opening).

Yes, this is a slight AU, as always. Get over it XP

Disclaimer: I do not own anything concerning Bleach. Only the amazing and wonderful Kubo Tite owns it and all of its lovable characters (especially Tou-chan).

The moon shining upon him, the cool night breeze blowing against his face, the overly exasperated shinigamis scrambling around like mice, and the burdens of last year left behind.

The white-haired taichou of the 10th Division tugged the soft and thin scarf around his neck, trailing his fingers along the side of the comforting emerald green fabric. Arms folded stubbornly across his chest, he lied back and stared at his subordinates down below, screaming and shouting at each other to get ready for the big finale. He never accustomed himself to this kind of grand events, but he had to participate in one way or another, being a captain and all. Much to his dismay, of course, since he had been given the role of being in charge of the fireworks display. He didn't give it much thought or effort, seeing that all he had to do was to make sure the fireworks team performed their work efficiently. That was about the same as not having any role at all, but it wasn't like he minded. What he did mind was the fact that his presence was expected every time the fireworks team set off the fireworks they designed – cough12thDivision'steamcough – and he had to be exposed to the loud noise and the bright blinding colors and such.

Don't get him wrong though; he loves fireworks. He just hates them when there was no one around to watch them with.

Last time there was a fireworks display that he actually enjoyed watching, it was a plan cooked up by Matsumoto. And not to mention Hinamori and that traitorous Aizen too. As much as he didn't say the words, he had truly appreciated the time they had spent in organizing the party for him. It wasn't much of a party, but it still sufficed. He had never enjoyed the sight of fireworks ever since. After all, no one was there to accompany him, to share the joy with, to put himself involved in the occasion. Matsumoto had been depressed by Ichimaru's betrayal, Hinamori was practically locked up in her own division on Yamamoto's orders and Aizen? Well, everyone knows what happened to him.

Hitsugaya Toushirou gazed at the crowd below him screaming and shouting for joy hysterically. The familiar Japanese terms of the numbers said it all.

The countdown had begun.

"Jyuu…"

After all of this, there would be a whole new year waiting for him. That would mean that there would be a lot of things for him to learn, a lot of things that he would have to handle. The winter war had just ended, with Aizen defeated and all of his spiritual powers diminished with combined effort of the entire Gotei 13 and a certain bunch of familiar ryoka. What else awaited him and the other two traitors except execution by the blade of Soukyoku?

"Kyuu…"

The Arrancars had all been well taken care of. The Espada had been given the chance to stay alive but they had been banished to hell. All but one former Espada that stayed with a certain ryoka the white-haired captain had in mind. For some reason, Hitsugaya couldn't help but feel disgusted whenever he saw Nel. Maybe it was the fact that she attempted to puke on him.

"Hachi…"

Hitsugaya sucked in a sharp intake of breath and let out a deep sigh that he had kept restrained for some time now. The familiar reiatsu was clouding his senses; of all times, why did the madman Zaraki Kenpachi choose to have a fight with Kurosaki Ichigo now? It was driving him crazy. Soon enough, Ichigo would be the one having the need to have a taste of Nel's 'drool' when it was obviously vomit.

"Nana…"

Hitsugaya pulled a sheathed Hyourinmaru closer to him, the blade resting in between the gap of his legs. His thumb traced along the blade before trailing about the shape of the four-star guard. When was the last time had he felt this excited about the New Year before?

"Roku…"

"Ne, ne, Shiro-chan."

Hitsugaya spun to his left and glared at the fukutaichou of the 5th Division. "When will you stop calling me that? It's annoying."

"Shiro-chan," Hinamori nudged, the smile not leaving her face. "It's the New Year. What kind of wishes do you have for this year?"

"None," came the flat reply as Hitsugaya walked on the path back to his own division, hoping that Hinamori would just leave him alone for once. He wasn't in the mood for anything useless called wishes for the brand new year.

Hitsugaya closed his eyes, a white puff of the cold mist escaping his lips.

"Go…"

Hinamori nudged him even further, protesting that there had to be a certain wish he had in mind. He blatantly replied that the only wish he had in mind would be to have no wishes for the year. She still didn't believe him, begging him to tell the truth.

That had been the truth all along.

He was not one who would ask for desires or wishes fulfilled. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less.

"Yon…"

Hitsugaya opened his teal eyes and glanced at the starry heavens. He would never forget Hinamori's parting words on that day.

"You'll know someday, Hitsugaya-kun. New Year is all about learning new things! That means that you need to have wishes sometimes, Shiro-chan! Wish to learn these new things faster so that you'll have more fun! You know…last year, I wished that I would learn how to be a good lieutenant so that I can be more useful to Aizen-taichou. And my wish came true."

"So…make a wish, Shiro-chan."

"San…"

Hitsugaya still remembered exactly what he wished for.

For nothing to be new.

Unfortunately, his wish never came true. With the betrayal of Aizen, Ichimaru and Tousen, and the invasion of Arrancars and the proposed winter war, the entire year had been filled with a whole lot of new things and challenges that awaited him, putting his genius traits to the limits. Sure, he was happy that Soul Society had won the winter war, overjoyed even. But still…he hated new things in the whole new year. He hated it even more as new things changed everything.

Now nothing will ever be the same again.

"Ni…"

Ah. There he is, that idiot.

"Hey, Toushirou!" Hitsugaya tilted his head to his right, eyes narrowing at the orange strawberry bleeding at the center of his forehead and deep bloody gashes across his chest. "Countdown's beginning already? Never realized that."

"Particularly because you were too busy being an idiot to notice."

Ichigo smirked that trademark idiotic grin of his and sat down next to the captain. Hitsugaya eyed him warily and moved a few millimeters away. The other noticed it, but paid no mind to it. "Man, that is cold, even for you, Tou-Tourou."

A vein popped from Hitsugaya's forehead. "I told you not to call me that."

"Ichi…"

"Ah, well, get used to it, coz I'll be calling you that whenever I want to, Tou-Tourou," Ichigo teased, the idiotic smile widening.

At the words 'get used to it', Hitsugaya looked away, averting Ichigo's intent gaze upon him and stared at the wooden tiles below his dainty little feet. Hyourinmaru vibrated a little in his grasp, and as did Zangetsu on Ichigo's back. "…What if…I won't be able to get used to it? What would an idiot like you do then?"

"Zero! Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu!!!"

Ignoring the cries of Happy New Year, Ichigo spoke, "Well, that's simple, Toushirou. I'll wait for the next year. And if you still won't get used to it, I'll just wait and wait till you do."

Hitsugaya threw him a twisted glare. "Like you would want to wait that long for someone like…"

Ichigo cut him off, quickly leaning in and pressing his lips against the taichou's. He broke the peck and smiled warmly at his other half. "I want to, Toushirou. Coz you know…I don't mind waiting."

The white-haired captain of the 10th Division stared at his orange-haired other, blinking slowly and trying to take it all in. He let out a suppressed sigh, the mist fading into nothingness. "…Baka."

The strawberry chuckled, tugging at the ends of his haori with the insignia of the 9th Division, just one division away from his beloved Tou-Tourou, he realized. He watched the way Hitsugaya held the fabric of the emerald scarf, fingers tracing along the sides of it before pulling it up and covering half of his face. Kurosaki Ichigo smirked triumphantly. "So you do like the scarf after all. Good thing I got it just in time for Christmas, eh?"

"…Shut up." But underneath the mask of the scarf, his lips had curled to a bit of a tender smile of the ice angel he was, happy that he had the chance to watch the fireworks display with someone at last. "…Oi, Kurosaki."

Ichigo glanced away from the fireworks. "Yeah?"

"…Next year, don't expect me to be standing here waiting for you all the time." His teal eyes glanced at Ichigo sideways somewhat coldly. "I want you to be the one taking me to see them, and I don't expect you to drag me out of my office just to see the fireworks here in Soul Society."

Ichigo just blinked dumbly before he brightened up with a smile. "Is that a date, Tou-Tourou?"

Hitsugaya averted the overjoyed (and lustful) gaze upon him, the smile hidden behind the curtains of the scarf growing just a little. "You know what, Kurosaki? I think I prefer Toushirou."

The orange-haired vaizard pulled the other closer to him and landed a sloppy kiss in the mess of the marshmallow-like hair. "And it's Ichigo now, Toushirou. Get used to it."

Scoff.

"I will."

A new year means new things ahead for all of us.

But for Hitsugaya Toushirou…

…it just means getting used to them.

A/N: About the nickname Tou-Tourou…Tou means winter, rou is a sign to show that the person is a boy so it has no particular meaning. Basically, it means winter-boy, but instead of just a simple Tourou, Tou-Tourou sounds cuter.

You know, to be frank, my HIRS is acting up again. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing...because they are all very dark and angsty (they being the ideas).

Anyway, akemashite omedetou gozaimasu, minna!