After seeing (well, more of being told THEN looking) that I have made a lot of spelling errors (and completely horrifying myself) I hope I made this chapter a lot better.

Looking for constructive criticism, please.

Disclaimer: Get it through your thick head, I do not own Bleach.

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Three: Light Pink

The Light Pink rose is a symbol of 'sympathy'

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Time passed both slowly and quickly from that point on. The time of which they became friends, anyway.

Each (secretly) looked forward to the time they spent together, even if the time was woven with endless bickering, quarreling, and bitching. But, in spite of it all, they found similarities and things they both really liked about the other.

Sometimes Toshiro would come to visit Ichigo in the human world, but that was very rare. Mainly due to all the paperwork the workaholic captain got. So, Ichigo would come and bug him while he was doing it all. And, of course Hitsugaya got very ticked off because of this, especially when their argument ended with sheets of paper all over his office.

But, he had to learn to live with it. Sometimes he wished that he never came a rose in response in the first place, but then he'd have half, possibly more, teasing him about liking Kurosaki. And, of course, which would have been his lazy assistance's fault.

And sometimes, more than anything, he treasured this new relationship with the substitute. However, this was only the few times Ichigo wouldn't be annoying.

Times when he could be someone to laugh with, a shoulder to cry on. A moment when he could explain anything and he would just listen, whether he would actually agree on this issue or not. A time when, despite himself, the icy captain could be shameless in calling the teenage boy a friend.

No matter how rare it was, it was a treasure.

Just like how he was being today, but it was with all due respect.

The very captain of the tenth division had taken the time to go to the human world, a rare moment. But not on behalf of the relationship he had with Kurosaki.

He really just needed to be away from Soul Society.

Because, his life-long friend, Hinamori Momo, had finally died. And the tenth division captain really didn't want to go back, because of all the memories that had been left lingering in the air.

She was his sister, his family. The loss hurt, badly, and dug into the icy heart like knives.

Though, 'icy' isn't what one could describe it right now. 'Slush', maybe. Or even water, the strong being had turned fragile. The slightest mention of Momo, or even anything related to her, had him break down.

Though he first wished that even Kurosaki would just leave him alone for a while, he was glad he didn't.

It was silent, but not awkward. A comforting quiet, a type one might want when someone had just died, exactly what he himself wanted.

The two of them, the ice and the strawberry, sat by a rushing river, of which Toshiro's eyes seemed to be totally enamored with. And honestly, the substitute couldn't blame him.

Toshiro was the ice, and ice is the coldest form of the water. It should only feel normal to the Captain to have a natural connection to the element.

"Kurosaki..."

The rarely delicate voice surprised Ichigo slightly. "Hnn?"

"Why did... Why did Momo have to die?" his voice sounded like it was going to break.

The carrot-headed strawberry quickly searched for an answer that would seem comforting. "So that she could begin again, Toshiro. She ended so that her life would start over again. She's been reincarnated, somewhere. And when she dies as a human again, she'll come to Soul Society. Then you two can be reunited."

"You really think so?"

"I don't she why she wouldn't be, she isn't a bad person, so she'd never go to Hell."

Another comforting pause. "I guess you're right," the white haired boy mumbled, looking down at his feet.

A feeling of tranquility settled over the two like a blanket, and warmed them up a bit. Ichigo watched as memories of Hinamori and Hitsugaya together flickered across emerald eyes, bringing pain to the littler one's heart.

"Hey, Toshiro?" the substitute plunked a light pink rose from a bush that was growing conveniently close by, and twirled it in the captain's face.

"Thank you," Toshiro mumbled, accepting the flower. And though he'd deny it if anyone said it, he quietly added on, "...Ichigo..."