First Frost
-Chapter 3-
By Alialka
What was the Captain-Commander thinking?!
Tōshirō couldn't help but ask himself the same question over and over again, ever since all those hours ago when they came here and since Matsumoto forced him to tag along to Orihime's place. Sometimes he suspected she had no respect whatsoever for her Captain, if he were to judge by the way she actually dragged him by the sleeve of his shihakusho.
And now, at the smell and sight of Orihime's newest treat – leek cake, was it? – the young Captain asked himself who could have cursed him to the point that he was appointed leader of a small team that was sent to the Human World on a mission.
And let Kurotsuchi be damned for experimenting on some helpless animals!
Because of course the experiment had to back fire and of course they had to mutate and transform. And of course the mad Captain had to experiment further on them.
And so they were here now, a rag-tag Shinigami team consisting of the usual, if slightly troublesome five officers and him, to eliminate whatever Kurotsuchi has created in the dark of his laboratory.
And whatever it was that has escaped one night, when he forgot to close their cages.
And what kind of scientist didn't close the portals to the real world anyway?!
"Did it get colder in here?" Orihime's surprised voice brought Tōshirō back to reality and the boy cussed under his breath.
"Tak it eashy, Cap'n" Matsumoto mumbled over … he didn't even want to know what it was.
The human girl had some original ideas on how her food should look and taste like, and he was painfully reminded of that fact when he took a mouthful of soup. It was lukewarm and creamy, and he had to fight back the gag reflex as he recognized strawberries and celery meshed into one.
He claimed he wasn't hungry and Matsumoto literally devoured his portion.
With the latest Renji development, maybe he should take her strange taste into consideration…
"Would you like a piece?" Orihime's smile was wide and sweet, there was a speck of cream on her cheek and a knife in her hand.
"I…" he looked at the cake and felt his stomach twist and turn at sheer sight of the dubious dessert "Maybe not, thank you…"
"Ah, buf itsh good!" Matsumoto informed him happily, spilling crumbs all over her cleavage and her Captain.
The white haired Shinigami took a deep breath and shook the crumbs off, while Orihime beamed a sunshine smile at the compliment. She offered him a drink – freshly made apple-beetroot juice, still warm! -and Tōshirō felt his jaws clench. With a hurried excuse he discarded his gigai, he literally stormed out through the nearby window.
And of top of all things, he was stuck with the two crazy women. Who, if he were correct, wouldn't be alone for too long and he was fairly sure that Matsumoto, Orihime and Renji would drive him mad in a record time.
After all, he already saw the sake supplies his Lieutenant brought.
He kicked a stone, watched it skitter on the even sidewalk and with a sigh he strolled down one of the many streets of Karakura. The evening was almost there, and the air changed from stuffy and moist to a more refreshing note.
Grazing his lower lip with his teeth, Tōshirō considered moving out.
He could look for a place of his own.
Orihime was a nice girl, but still he considered himself a healthy young man, with a normal appetite, but Gods were his witness that he tried to stomach her food and it ended in a … rather unpleasant way. Eating out on the town was out of question, they had a limited budget and that was mostly because Jōshirō was fond of human artifacts and Captain-Commander shared this interest.
Uruhara's place was out of the question. Tōshirō would probably kill the embodiment of annoyance in a time span shorter than 24 hours, not to mention the rest of his household with the cat-woman in the first place. Besides, Renji usually stayed there and the red-haired Lieutenant steered clear of him ever since that drunken morning accident. And currently Tōshirō had no interest in making him suffer.
Where did Ikkaku and Yumichika stay, he had no idea. Not that it matter, as he would probably chose to live on the street than share living quarters with the 11th Division's duo. They were just a magnet for trouble and that was something he wanted to avoid at any cost this time.
The little Kuchiki ,the very last member of their little strange group, in a blink of an eye wormed back into the Kurosaki household, to the glee of Ichigo's family and his own, even if hidden under the usual annoy.
He cursed his luck again and the Fates that surely had to mock him.
The wind got stronger then and it brought a wave of a unfamiliar power – hectic and twisted - one that caused his senses to tingle and instinct kicked in. He followed the faint trail, quiet and unnoticed by anyone, like a ghost flickering against lampposts and trees.
It grew stronger and more chaotic, but then it was washed with pain and his pace became quicker. It lead him to the park, to one of the dark and abandoned corners where the trees where thick and dying and where the thing that greeted him was the back of a sunny yellow dress Rukia wore. She was tapping her foot impatiently, her fingers in a similar rhythm along her bicep and Ichigo's body lay at her feet.
The boy himself fighting one of the runaway experiments.
Tōshirō remained in the safe dark provided by the thick branches, keeping his reiatsu so low he was sure not to be noticed. He saw the frown on the boy's face, as Ichigo placed Zangetsu on his back again and examined the large gash on his left arm. Kurotsuchi's creature was nothing more than a pool of black blood on the pretty alley.
"Careless fool" Rukia scolded him, as he reentered his body "I told you to pay attention!"
"Your nagging is distracting, midget" he huffed and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, avoiding staining it with his blood "Fix this and we can be on our way"
The girl's scowl deepened and with no hesitation she sent him to the ground, with a swift kick to the back of his knees.
"Fix it yourself, idiot"
"Damn it, Rukia! Get back here!"
Tōshirō shook his head – those two … - as Ichigo ran after her, shaking one fist over his orange head and earning a laugh from the small girl. Neither of them didn't seem to notice his icy presence as he kept an eye on the strange couple.
They were back together now, elbows brushing and her steps in pace with his. Calling each other names, bickering all the time and still the young Captain saw the pretty glimmer of Kidō in her small hands.
And he followed them, without a second thought, reacting to the unexplainable pull he felt in his heart.
He didn't know how long they walked around, with him not that far behind. It could be hours and it could be mere minutes, his eyes not once leaving the two friends and he could not be more aware how much different they were with each other.
How Ichigo ,with a frown and seemingly cruel remarks, would do anything she asked for – buy her those Limited Edition Chappy Fuzzy Slippers will you, Ichigo? or carry her on his back as she twisted her ankle, slipping on a empty can she didn't see. He'd bitch and cuss and tell her it's all her fault anyway. But he could not hide the worry that shone in his eyes as he picked her up or the pink tint on the very tips of his ears when she buried her nose in the crock of his neck and shoulder.
How she, Rukia – the sister of stone cold Byakuya and the noble she had to become – was a completely different person with lips falling into alluringly easy smiles and a low, albeit a little raspy laugh.
And it disturbed Tōshirō to notice how natural it seemed for her to wrap her legs around the teen's waist.
They stopped when she pulled, non too gently he noticed with some grim satisfaction, on one longer ply of orange hair, clearly demanding attention.
"The fuck you want now?" Ichigo grumbled as he readjusted her on his back.
"I want one" she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and pointing to the large window they stopped by.
Even from afar, Ichigo's heavy sigh was perfectly heard as the boy took a longer look at the display of the shop.
"Tomorrow" there was a slightest trace of resignation in his voice, but his lips arched the tiniest bit when she rested her cheek against his shoulder "Greedy bitch"
"Asshole…" Rukia grinned against the fabric of his shirt as he continued walking.
It was warm in a twisted kind of way, natural and so right it stirred something unpleasant in the depths of Tōshirō's heart. And it was what prevented him from following them further, after all they were going back to the Kurosaki Clinic … even if deep down inside, he wanted to. That strange, almost magnetic kind of pull was still there and he found it damn hard to ignore it.
It felt like running away – the rush of air against his ears and the awareness of how fast his heart was beating – as Tōshirō made his way towards the empty building of Karakura High School. It's rooftop, high and deserted, seemed like the very place he needed to be right now.
Tthe high roof was the perfect place for him to wait and watch the pale moon rising.
Peace, quiet and solitude were his only companions and the only sound was his labored breathing – one he desperately tried to calm down – and strangely enough he found himself growing anxious with every passing minute. It felt like waiting for something to come, an impending doom or the end of all of his turmoil, and the young Captain shook his head furiously, scolding himself for having such idiotic thoughts.
Get a grip, he scolded himself as he watched the infinite skies turn orange and pink, with the cobalt blue tint creeping up the far horizon.
Tōshirō inhaled deeply, the air bearing the scent of unknown flowers and dust, as he stretched himself on the warm concrete of the roof. In his mind, he came back to the question that has been nagging him for the whole day.
Why was he sent along…?
After all, he was completely unneeded here, besides…
He blinked at the bitter realization.
Unneeded.
One word, there short syllables that caused his brows to furrow over bright eyes. It tasted foul when said out loud, burned as it slipped past his dry lips.
Unneeded.
Everyone he came with… every had someone to spend their time with, carry out their mission with. Someone to watch their backs, give a helping hand and give that one necessary push.
Was that all he was now? The proverbial fifth wheel to a wagon? The first stars appeared on the darkening canvas above him, sparkling, twinkling, mocking him and Tōshirō swallowed the hard lump that has formed in his throat. What fool had he been to think that coming to this place, this high deserted rooftop where he was as alone as he suddenly felt, was a good idea.
Even if he were to go back to Orihime's, even if Renji wasn't there yet … he'd still be all alone, on his own, the two girls occupied with themselves and their feminine ways. Teal eyes sharpened, his heart tight and missing his one true friend, before he took another breath and pushed himself into a sitting position.
One hand threaded snow white mess of hair with irritation.
The atmosphere of the Human World surely had to be taking its toll on him – to turn the cold and proud Captain Hitsugaya into a heap of sizzling thoughts and bitterness. He pressed the soles of his hands against his closed eyes, hard, so hard he saw twirling yellow and red dots behind the lids. He tried to recall her face, her warm brown eyes and the sweetest smile, but the memory was blurred, fuzzy and he found it shifting into sharper lines and colder hues.
A soft tap behind him caught his attention and all of the sudden Tōshirō found himself feeling lighter in an unexplainable way. He raised his head, felt his spirit awaken lazily and he knew it was her. One corner of his mouth arched, twitched as he fought down a smile.
They kept finding their way to each other in both worlds.
"What can I do for you, Kuchiki?" he asked gruffly, sparing her one look as she stepped in front of him.
She had discarded her gigai one the way it seemed, and again the petite Shinigami reminded him of the night that fell softly around them. Neatly wrapped in black, with the pearly hue of skin, she blended in nicely with the starlit sky.
"I was wondering if you could use some company, Captain"
She kept her voice cool and collected, so much different from the carefree tone she used earlier around Ichigo and for a moment Tōshirō wondered which one was the true one. His teeth scraped his lower lip again and the way her eyes flickered to his mouth made him feel strangely good.
"I like my solitude, thank you"
Something flashed across the deep violet of her eyes, as Rukia leaned on the net fence, her hands stretched above midnight black head – and dainty fingers hooked the small metal loops. Her lips pursed slightly as she seemed to ponder about something for a while and not once she looked away from him.
There was no sign of the usual, quiet respect on her face and her chin was pushed forward in a challenging manner.
"And your solitude was the sole reason why you kept following me and Ichigo for over two hours…?"
His breath hitched, burned and was caught in the suddenly dry throat and he felt his cheeks warm up in an instant. Like a scholar caught stealing in the nearby shop, he listened to the faint flutter of her uniform in the gentle wind, choosing not to answer at first. It was cowardly, he realized, to deny her an answer.
"Suddenly the reiatsu expert?" he snapped to cover up his embarrassment, pulling his knees up and resting his chin atop of them.
His gaze locked on an unnamed star, but not that far to the right – he still could see her and the arrogant was the way she held herself with.
"Oh, please Captain!" it came out as a snort and was accompanied by a roll of her eyes "When you want to remain hidden, you do remain hidden"
"Tch!"
"That was a compliment, Captain"
He was certain at this point that she had to be mocking him – and no one mocked Hitsugaya Tōshirō and got away with it. But he felt the spark of amusement at her teasings, a rare thing indeed, and he had to admit that he was almost eager to respond.
"A dubious one, I must admit"
"I do learn from the best" she smiled as he looked up at her, completely ignoring the way his right eyelid twitched in lamely hidden annoyance "Besides, it's not your reiatsu I feel"
Tōshirō nodded, slowly, as if her words made perfect sense and were the most obvious thing in the world. And maybe there were, if only for the two of them – distant ice wielders who knew nothing about each other – for it was not only the feel of her spiritual power that he could trace, easily, with his eyes closed and hand outstretched.
Rukia sighed and rubbed the back of her neck tiredly, the outer corners of her eyes dropping.
"The runaway experiments" he broke the chilly silence between them "Tell me about them."
A shrug of her shoulders and he heard a sickening crack, as if one of them became disjointed and only now fell back into the socket. One look at her face, at the annoyed arch of upper lip and Tōshirō realized there had to be a reason why it was Ichigo fighting the creature on his own.
"Not too strong, not too smart. Captain Kurotsuchi, however, had to be really generous with whatever it was that increased their speed. They're pretty stubborn as well and it does take a while to corner one, but not much of a worthy opponent. Their speed is their greatest advantage, but they're weak in the end"
Another nod. This made Yamamoto's decision all the more surprising… made this all more confusing.
"Captain?"
"What?"
"Why are you here?"
For merely an unseated officer she was downright bold and outspoken with him, not once looking away and everything around her – the chilled air, the ice and the teasing flicker of her reiatsu – demanded an answer.
An answer Tōshirō wasn't sure he had and one he suddenly wanted to give.
"I'm the team's leader…" he felt the lid twitch again and there was the undeniable flutter of annoyance.
"Not that" she waved one small hand impatiently, cutting him off with no pardon" I mean here, this very rooftop, at the brink of the night. Why are you here?"
Why are you alone? he swore he heard another voice, smooth and sad and he took in a shuddering breath.
Looking up at her, the small, seemingly delicate Shinigami with crystal hard eyes and lips pulled into a flat line, he felt tired and old and spread thin, unable to ignore her question or the ice cold knot in his stomach any longer.
There was the too fast beat in his chest as he hid his head in the confinement of his own arms. And the air got cold, too cold even for him to breathe in and it felt like drowning.
A hum of metal in the wind, his head snapping up and teal eyes criss-crossed, focusing at the steady tip of a katana inches away from his nose.
"Fight me, Captain"
She held her sword with confidence and grace, her words were sharp and felt like a whip across a bare back. He took in the scowl on her face, her brows pulled together over shining eyes and the ever stray tuft of black between them. For a moment the only sound was the wind's howl against the sharp blade and then Tōshirō shivered, feeling Hyourinmaru spread his wings.
"Are you mad, Kuchiki?" brows furrowed and he doubted her common sense.
"Perhaps. But it's better to be mad than weighted down" the sharp tip brushed against his nose "Fight me!"
A breath of snow over steel, sudden rush of blood and his hand gripped Hyourinmaru's hilt sooner than he could even blink. He moved, his evade based on sheer instinct and then he was up in the air, readjusting his grip on the sword. She was still down on the roof, looking up at him with expectation. The haori flapped angrily and blades collided, his raw strength clashing with her fierce determination.
Rukia's knees weakened under the strike and he smirked at her effort to stop her katana from shaking. Ice glimmered and then she was gone, impressive in her speed like a fleeting nightingale and Tōshirō felt a sudden thrill. She was barely a formidable opponent for him – a fact they both were well aware of – but her ardent, burning eyes were enough of a promise.
"Keep her sealed" he ordered over the hum of two Zanpakutō, as it still thrummed through the air and soothed the tension he felt.
The heavens was their battlefield, vast and endless and for the very first time he felt he could reach for freedom thanks to his dragon's wings. The air so, so much colder than before, but now every intake of it gave him strength. Every strike, every new bead of sweat on her forehead and every tired grunt that escaped her lips… and still, she met him head on, with clenched teeth and unyielding resolve.
Deep inside him, Hyourinmaru soared over ice fettered lands and Tōshirō lost himself in the strange, unexpected sensation as he chased after her. The wind was a harsh force against his warmed cheeks and he swore that every time their swords clashed, the colliding metal stroke not sparks, but ice.
And in a ever fleeting flurry of snow, he saw what she could become one day – he remembered finally that it was her brother who kept her bound and restrained – if only allowed to be free.
She was dancing against the black sky, graceful and light, but then her hand jerked to her shoulder briefly, fingers barely brushing against the thick fabric of her shihakusho. Something dampened the beautiful fire in her eyes and Tōshirō frowned.
Idiot.
Rukia only managed to blink as he vanished, for the first time really using his expertise at Shunpo, and then the cold blade was at her throat and Tōshirō's chest brushed against her back.
It satisfied her to hear his heavy breathing and the way it washed over her ear caused her to shiver. Swallow around the suddenly tight throat, the deadly edge of the blade barely scraping against thin skin.
"You're a complete idiot, Kuchiki" he told her quietly, after her hands fell back to her sides in defeat and after his breathing calmed down.
Slender neck flushed red and he almost leaned in to the burst of her angered reiatsu, as for a moment it felt too damn good to resist, but still he only shook his head in a scolding manner. The tips of her hair were plastered to sweaty skin and sturdy fingers itched to brush them away, expose the elegant line of her spine.
"Get your shoulder fixed" he said coldly and moved away, allowing her to turn "Then challenge me properly" and by all, that childish pout was simply a delightful sight.
Rukia placed Sode no Shirayuki back in the sheath carefully, all the time not taking her eyes of the genius boy in front of her. Over a soft sigh, she scrapped the lower lip with her teeth, something obviously occupying her thoughts. She rolled her shoulder again and this time, she didn't stop the slightly pained twist of her lips.
"Like I said, Captain Kurotsuchi really did increase those creatures' speed" her reply was breathed out heavily finally as she crossed her arms over her chest, taking on a highly defensive stance.
"Ah, so I see…" Tōshirō nodded and reattached Hyourinmaru on his back.
Their waraji barely made a sound as they reappeared on the roof of the school, a soft tap, tap against the concrete and his own shoulders seemed lighter. It didn't matter that his heart was still racing in his chest, as right now… it felt good.
"Captain Hitsugaya?" Rukia spoke out and there was a hesitation in her voice.
"What now?"
He enjoyed being all gruff and harsh towards her, as the sudden flare in her eyes and the barely stopped clench of her jaw were too amusing to allow them to pass and he swore she hissed. It was a given, that if he were one of her friends or even just a Lieutenant, she'd lash out with no hesitation and give him a piece of her mind.
Should he press on, find out how strong her hold on her own temper was…?
"I asked Ichigo to save some of Yuzu's cooking" she finally answered, suddenly very interested in the inside of her palms.
"What?"
"Well … it is Inoue's place you're staying at. And I know that her cooking is…uhm… original"
The sheer memory of freshly baked leek cake caused his stomach to coil unpleasantly.
"Your subtlety is indeed worth of your noble position" he joked dryly and the girl snapped her head up, her lips twisting in irritation yet again "I do thank you for your concern"
"Forget it" she hissed, agitated and obviously embarrassed if that pink tint on her cheeks was anything to go by "I can't believe I even cared…" and the low chuckle cut her off.
It was barely the second time she ever heard him laugh – a deep, low sound it was – and both times it was caused solely by her actions or words. It was something to feel good about, getting the icy Captain Hitsugaya to laugh…
"I believe I already said you're a very strange thing, Kuchiki" his cheeks hurt and Tōshirō realized he was smiling at her flabbergasted expression.
It was barely the fourth time he talked with her and it surprised him, how easy was it to slip into a strange, comfortable zone around her. How easy it seemed for her to spike his interest and coax him into a small talk.
"Yes, I do recall that moment" Rukia answered dryly, that pout again back and her chin was held high.
Posing as a spoiled princess she never was.
He didn't know who he surprised more – her or himself – catching that stubborn chin between his thumb and fingers, but her eyes widened and shimmered as he held her surprised gaze.
"Don't" he ordered, as gruff and cold as usual, but still different, before he released his hold "Doesn't suit you"
Rukia said nothing, only blinked as the young Captain turned around, apparently ready to walk away. He stretched hands above snow white head, fingers twining at the base of his neck and only then he threw her a curious look.
"Well…?"
Her heart kick-started, so hard her chest hurt, and only then she realized it stopped in the first place.
"Well what?"
He threw her a look as she fell into a sure, quick step beside him and the pink was there, an already fading but still visible tint on her cheeks.
"I'm fairly sure everything's better than leek cake and apple-beetroot juice" he faked a shiver at the very mention of the human girl's cooking "So tell me Kuchiki… what's for dinner…?"
And he dared to call her a strange thing…
Rukia smiled, her eyes shifting to Tōshirō every now and then, as they walked down the small streets. He seemed lighter, keeping his gaze focused on the sky, but his brows were pulled back and his lips were not tightened into the usual frown.
So maybe… just maybe, strange wasn't all that bad, then.
Author's Note:
Well this was fun to write! Probably the quickest chapter and I really enjoyed working on this. What can I say… it's time to get those two comfortable around each other!