I always seem to get an idea then the idea just changes around while writing the story. This is my second IchixHitsu fiction, I would be happy to know what you guys think about it. Is it bit sappy this time? I ended up putting Ichigo in thinking mode again, I really should write Ichigo in fighting, action mode sometime…. Well, I hope you enjoy this story. Again, this is an already established relationship between Kurosaki Ichigo and Hitsugaya Toshiro. Just a kiss at the end so rated T, let me know if you have any problem with the rating. Oh and Ichigo is now 17. I know, I know, Ichigo is 15 but time does pass even for our strawberry, let's just say 2 years have passed since he first became a substitute shinigami.

That's Kurosaki Ichigo for you by HeukYa

"Ne, Toshiro..."

"Hmmm?"

"Do you remember anything that happened when you were alive? Before you were a shinigami?"

Ichigo had come to Soul Society and burst into 10th Division today with no warning, surprising his lover. Ichigo had really serious look on his face but when Hitsugaya looked up at him, pausing from paperwork, Ichigo just walked in, sat down in the couch in front of Hitsugaya's desk and fell silent. Hitsugaya could feel that Ichigo was thinking about something really hard and despite all the scowl on his face, he was not actually angry. It was odd in itself that Ichigo was thinking this hard about something, Ichigo was someone who usually just went with his gut feeling, thinking wasn't really his thing.

After staring at the orange strawberry for some time, Hitsugaya just returned to his paperwork realizing Ichigo was in his own world and it wouldn't matter what Hitsugaya said at this moment. That had been an hour ago, and Ichigo, finally uncrossing his arms, raised a question that Hitsugaya definitely didn't expect. Ichigo was not looking at Hitsugaya but staring at the opposite wall, still looking as though in deep thought. Hitsugaya put down his pen for a minute and took a sip from his cup which sat next to a stack of paperwork.

"...Why?"

"Just wanted to know."

Hitsugaya couldn't tell what Ichigo was getting at. Ichigo already knew that souls in Soul Society did not remember their life in the human world. It was very rare thing to happen even for shinigamis who had rietsu. As far as Hitsugaya knew, there was actually no one in current Gotei13 who remembered the past, including himself. Hitsugaya's physical age was young so he gathered that he died at young age but he had been living in Soul Society for long time, and on top of it, as the captain of 10th Division. Even if he did remember, he would have forgotten it by now with all these works. But whatever Ichigo was thinking, it seemed that his answer would have great effect. Hitsugaya let out small sigh.

"No. I don't remember. I remember from the moment I came to Soul Society to now, which includes the time I wasn't shinigami yet, living in Rukongai, but I don't really remember anything from previous life."

"...So it's true... if you die and come to Soul Society, you lose the memory..."

"...What are you thinking about?"

Ichigo stood up from the couch and walked up to Hitusgaya who was still sitting behind the desk. Ichigo came to stop right next to Hitsugaya, looking down at the shinigami prodigy who in some unexpected fate, he had come to love. Hitsugaya was as calm, cool and pretty -although Ichigo never said the word out in Hitsugaya's presence to avoid Hyourinmaru- as always, his soft white hair in their usual spikes and beautiful teal orbs reflecting the light coming in from the window. Hitsugaya was now looking up at him with genuine curiosity and Ichigo couldn't help but smile.

Hitsugaya could lose that scowl so easily around Ichigo and Ichigo loved all these new expressions he was seeing from the icy captain. Keeping his eyes locked on Hitsugaya's, Ichigo gently placed his hands on those baby cheeks and lowered his face till his lips brushed over the soft warm lips that belonged to Hitsugaya. Hitsugaya's eyes fluttered shut at such light yet loving kiss and Ichigo could feel small smile when he returned for second kiss.

"Ichigo.."

"Hitsugaya Toshiro, I love you, I really really love you so much, I don't want to forget anything about you or us. But I want to stay with you forever, as we are. Will you take me in if I came to you? Will you remind me of us again to me if I returned here to be with you forever?"

Hitsugaya took some time to process what Ichigo had just said and soon his eyes widened. He had been looking at Renji and Rukia for awhile with hidden envy that they could spend time together so easily. With Ichigo having to stay in the human world most of the time and Hitsugaya as busy as usual with his duty as the captain of 10th Division, it had been difficult for them to spend length of time together. But Hitsugaya had been happy enough that he had someone he loved and that someone loved him back, it was shame they couldn't spend time together but it certainly wasn't something he was going to complain about if alternative was not having Ichigo at all.

"Ichigo... Do you realise what you are saying??? It's..."

"I have thought about it for long time and well, I don't know how I can do it and I don't know how long I've got left to live in the human world but... I definitely didn't want to have that eternity with you when I'm all old and grubby while you would look so young and beautiful, plus, I'd be much more help too if I'm in current condition, right?"

Hitsugaya didn't know what to say. Was Ichigo really saying he would throw away his life, for him, for them? Ichigo had already been spending a lot of time in Sould Society to be with Hitsugaya since it was difficult for Hitsugaya to get away from his work. However after hearing from Unohana taichou that spending too much time in Soul Society while Ichigo was still alive might not be such good idea, Hitsugaya insisted on limiting Ichigo's visits, promising he will do his best to visit Ichigo in the human world bit more. It's obvious that promise hadn't been kept very well but this was too much.

"Ichigo, don't be stupid. Live your life. As you said, we've got eternity together after you die, okay? And... I mean, you are a shinigami already, I haven't heard anything about such cases but maybe when you die, you would remember everything and come here as shinigami. I wouldn't care if you were looking old and grubby or whatever. Plus, if you die on purpose, you go to hell, not here! I mean... you are a shinigami so it's bit complicated but usually that's what happens, ok? I... Look, I will wait and we will have forever."

The more he spoke, the more Hitsugaya actually panicked. The love Ichigo was showing to him was almost too much that he had to ask himself what he had done to deserve it. Then he realized that Ichigo would first have to die to accomplish what he was saying and he panicked even more. Ichigo was in perfect health in human world and his rietsu was just too strong for him to die easily from any illness. Plus, his senses trained from all the battles would probably keep him out of any accidents that could happen.

Ichigo was most likely to die from natural cause, age, and Hitsugaya knew that would not happen anytime soon but it was better than Ichigo trying to die on purpose then taken away from him forever. The passion in Ichigo's eyes was so strong that Hitsugaya forgot about his usual collected cool, grabbing Ichigo's arms with his small hands. Surprised at urgency in Hitsugaya's voice and sensing the panic in his eyes, Ichigo smiled.

"Baka. Who said I'll kill myself? Well, that's why I'm saying I don't know how to do it, but as you say, I'm already a shinigami, aren't I? Strictly speaking, I've already died many times, haven't I, leaving my body to fight hollows and stuff. When I came to Soul Society first time, my body would have been 'dead' if Kon wasn't in it. I'm sure there's some way round this. I'll speak with Urahara-san and see if he's got any idea, that guy comes up with some weird stuff pretty easily."

Hitsugaya lowered his eyes, but kept his hands clenched around Ichigo's arms. Ichigo couldn't do this. Ichigo was alive and well in human world and Ichigo was only 17 now. Even if a human life was short compared to that of a shinigami, 17 years was too short, especially for this boy who probably would live to old age. If he gave up this life now, he would miss out so many things, only to get stuck with the life of shinigami earlier than necessary.

"Ichigo, if... if you come here... I... I won't let you give your life up for my sake or because of me. I don't remember it, but I definitely know I didn't get to experience a lot of things in human world, dying young. I won't let you miss out on them too."

Hitsugay literally spoke the words to the floor. The life with Ichigo next to him was his dream but this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. He didn't want Ichigo to give up anything for his dream, his dream would come true when it was time. However he couldn't stop himself from feeling just a little bit happy at that prospect and was feeling quite guilty about it.

"Knew you would react like that."

Ichigo wrapped his arm around the white-haired boy and hugged him tight with smile on his face. He still had a lot of things to find out but when he first thought about it, he knew Hitsugaya wouldn't accept it.

"Toshiro, I have a lot of people in the human world but the most important one in my life is you. Yuzu and Karin do fine without me already, they already know how to live with my crazy dad, and I mean, with my friends, I can always just say I'm moving away and come back to visit them in gigai like you do, right? As for my dream... well, since I became a shinigami, my life has turned around. I feel... I could help more people as a shinigami than as a doctor and do a better job too. After all, everyone says I've got crazy amount of rietsu and I've had pretty good score so far as a shinigami, haven't I?"

Hitsugaya didn't reply. He just moved his hands to clench Ichigo's clothes at chest. Ichigo stopped speaking for a minute and nuzzled his nose in the silky hair. The pure white hair was reflecting the light like snow in winter, and the fresh scent that belonged to Hitsugaya invaded Ichigo's nose.

"My dad gave up being shinigami for his love, for me, it's just other way round. He would understand."

"Ichigo... you won't fit in Sereitei well, you are not someone to follow order or rules. You proved that when you against Gotei 13 to rescue Kuchiki Rukia."

"I don't follow order from that old man, but there is one person in Gotei 13 I wouldn't mind getting orders from."

Ichigo looked down at Hitsugaya with stupid but slightly evil smile on his face. Hitsugaya lifted his face off Ichigo's chest then seeing Ichigo's smile, just snorted looking sideway.

"Because you will be able to decide which division you want to be in."

"Ah, I thought taichou can choose own members in their division?"

"Yamamoto chotaichou won't allow someone like you becoming anything less than a captain of a division. We already have three divisions without captains, you really think he'll let you off the hook?"

"Well, they are already thinking about promoting Shuuhei for 9th Division, Renji for 3rd division and Rangiku-san for 5th divion, aren't they?"

"How the hell do you know that?"

"Met Byakuya. It was hard to get all of that out of him but managed in the end."

Hitsugaya laughed a bit at that. The 6th division taichou had definitely changed after Aizen incident, but he was still a stiff guy and Ichigo's personality was just something that did not sit well with Kuchiki family's heir.

"They haven't decided anything, and if we throw your name into it, they'll want you for one of the divisions, not just as fukutaichou of 10th division."

"Well, then I'll just refuse."

"What?"

"I'll refuse becoming a captain of any of the divisions. I don't want to have to face Zaraki Kenpachi forever if I can help it even if it's for captains' meeting."

"You are just going to refuse...?"

"Rangiku-san will be really good at being captain and all. I just don't do well with authority stuff. I'll watch your back as fukutaichou of 10th division if you choose me. I'll be whole lot happier that way and we'll be together all the time too."

Hitsugaya looked at Ichigo ridiculously. Ichigo could be... well, straight forward was one thing but this was almost to a level of stupidity and ignorance. Well. That's Kurosaki Ichigo for you. Then Ichigo's eyes got serious again.

"I don't regret getting shinigami's power, it lets me protect and save people and I'm happy with it. But since then, I've been coping with two worlds, and... Well, it seems like Soul Society, Hueco Mundo and the human world are now constantly crossing each other's path. I don't want to be somewhere in the middle. It's not like I'm trying to take burden of both worlds on my shoulder or anything, I'm not THAT great guy but sometimes.. it can be a little heavy, you know?"

Hitsugaya stared at Ichigo's chest. Even though Ichigo said the words playfully, Hitsugaya could feel the sadness, the tiredness and Ichigo's wish to belong somewhere. As Rukida said once, Ichigo is a shinigami but only a substitute, Ichigo is a human, but not a normal human. Ichigo never complained about it, always looked at his goal and continued to walk forward but Hitsugaya saw today that Ichigo now wanted to belong somewhere. Here, the Soul Society, where he was.

"I don't care if I get stuck being a shinigami earlier than planned or whatever. It's sad thing but it's unlikely there will be time that hollows will completely disappear, which means we will always have some fighting to do and more than anything, you, Hitsugaya Toshiro, you are here. I'm following my heart. I always do."

"...Yeah."

Hitsugaya realized now that Ichigo's decision was already made and not entirely on their relationship only. Yes, it was a main factor that affected the decision but Ichigo had thought about other things too and the decision was made in the usual way Ichigo makes any other decisions. Following his heart. Following his own rules. Following his belief.

Hitsugaya pulled himself off Ichigo completely then looked up at Ichigo who was looking down at him with questions in his eyes. With a snort, Hitsugaya pulled Ichigo down until their lips were only centimeters apart. Holding Ichigo's face in his small hands and staring into Ichigo's now wide but playful eyes, Histuagaya whispered.

"It's going to get damn noisy in Soul Society."

Ichigo cracked a huge smile.

"At least we will never be bored."

Then the two shared a long, passionate and loving kiss. Feeling Ichigo lifting him off the ground and gathering him in his arms, Hitsugaya wrapped his own arms around Ichigo's neck.

"I'll make you remember if you forget. Then smack you for forgetting it."

"Hai, hai, taichou."

"You choose now out of all the time, to finally call me taichou?"

"Love you too. Might as well start practicing now."

Hitsugaya laughed at Ichigo's reply, feeling Ichigo nibbling his lower lip. Ichigo had made the decision and Hitsugaya knew that once Ichigo's mind was made up, whatever he says would not change a thing. There has never been a history in Soul Society that a substitute shinigami became a full shinigami, not having died yet, but Ichigo would find a way. Ichigo always found a way.

That's Kurosaki Ichigo for you.