"Rebel children, I urge you, fight the turgid slick of conformity with which they seek to smother your glory."
A Taichō's position commanded respect.
Captains were the strongest Shinigami that resided in the Seireitei, they were also in charge of an entire squadron of shinigami. They held regular meetings for updates, they oversaw the Academy, protected not only the Soul Society but the world of the living also. They did paperwork from things about new construction projects to patrols, they debriefed and went on missions and even trained other shinigami.
The respect of a Taichō was well deserved.
Which was why that Hitsugaya-Taichō was always pissed off when people never gave him the same respect they gave the other Taichō- respect that he had worked hard for and deserved, damn it!- simply because he was the 'Child Prodigy' of the Gotei 13. He was not a child, upon becoming a Taichō he was officially emancipated and declared to be 'Of Age' in the eyes of the Soul Society.
He was well aware that he wasn't done growing- that he wasn't an adult yet- but he wasn't a child as the term 'child' came with the connotations of innocent and naïve. To be innocent is to be free from guilt or sin while to be naïve is to be deficient in worldly or informed judgment- he was neither of those. The first was lost back when he was in the academy and the second was discarded by the time he became a Fukutaichō- having a naïve person as a leader wasn't desired in a military based society.
Despite this he was regarded as a child; he was nicknamed the 'Chibi-Taichō', constantly offered help in case 'it was too much' for him and sent on easy missions despite his power level. And he had put up with it for the most part, but no more.
No. Tōshirō Hitsugaya was going to get back, get even- his way.
...
All thirteen captains were standing through another one of their regular meetings, Soutaichō had finished his rather public reprimand of Kenpachi-Taichō's division's destruction putting an unneeded strain on the Seireitei's budget when the opening Tōshirō had been waiting for arrived.
"Are there any other concerns or questions that should be brought up?"
He waited until the Soutaichō acknowledged him before stepping forwards. "It has come to my attention that the population within the Soul Society has reached a rapid incline although there haven't been a rise in the average amount of deaths within the last decade." Tōshirō paused, noticing that some- more then what happened for the others- captains were already zoning out, then continued without changing his solemn and serious tone. "So I must ask...where do babies come from?"
The reaction was immediate; Soutaichō dropped his cane, Soifon-Taichō turned red, Ichimaru-Taichō's smile faltered as his eyes opened, Unohana-Taichō startled, Aizen-Taichō fumbled his glasses, Kuchiki-Taichō's eyebrows flew upwards, Konamura-Taichō chocked, Kyōraku-Taichō's hat fell, Tōsen-Taichō tripped despite standing still, Kurotsuchi-Taichō stared blankly and Ukitake-Taichō paled dramatically.
As for him?
Well, Hitsugaya-Taichō was cackling inside because he realized just how interesting this would be if they gave this much of a reaction when he was just starting off. Hyōrinmaru shared a thought with him-
Oh, this will be fun.
Because even hundred year old warriors fear a child asking about "The Birds and The Bees".