It's the summer before I head off to University, so I'm aiming on trying to finish this story of mine. I hope you all enjoy this update. Part two will come up soon if the Fates permit. I had some difficulty with this chapter because I didn't really know where I wanted to go with it, but I think I did a decent job. Regardless, I promise to try harder with the next chapter and every chapter thereafter! But I prattle, on with the chapter!
He doesn't flinch if you pick up his phone.
'Maketakunai shi!
Nakitakunai shi!
Warattetai kara!
Movin! Movin!'
Toshiro's head snapped up at the music, his heart speeding slightly from the shock. Looking around the dark room, the alarm clock read 4:24 AM, drawing out an irritated moan from the boy. As he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, he slowly raised himself from the mattress, not wanting to wake the teen laying next to him. Leaning against the head board, Hitsugaya blushed, remembering why he was in the bed in the first place.
After leaving the club, Ichigo and Toshiro walked three blocks up to the ice cream parlor. It was still early in the evening so they decided to share a small bowl of Neapolitan and ordered a mixed three gallon carton to go. When they got back to the apartment, the substitute grabbed a large bowl and two spoons from the kitchen. Once he finished spooning out a generous amount of mint-chocolate chip, cookies-n'-cream, and strawberry ice cream, he redirected their party of two to his living room to watch a DVD that had come in the mail the other day. Time passed by slowly as they ate their shared bowl of ice cream in, commenting about the animated movie they were watching. By the time the movie had finished, their ice cream was long gone and the effects of the sugar waning. Toshiro was the first to get up, grabbing the discarded spoons and bowl to deposit them in the sink. Ichigo followed at a lazy pace, leaning against the doorframe to the kitchen as he watched his boyfriend rinse off the sticky items before placing them in the dishwasher.
"You've only been over here two times before now," he remarked quietly, an easy smile covering his face. "And yet you already know your way around the apartment and its utilities."
"I'm not considered a genius for nothing, Kurosaki." Toshiro stated, pouring soap into the special chamber of the dishwasher.
"Mhmm…"
As he entered the settings for the machine, Hitsugaya felt a pair of arms snake around his waist and engulf him in a hug. Toshiro locked the door and sighed, unconsciously leaning into the embrace as he let out a yawn, causing Kurosaki's smile to widen.
"Come on, let's go to bed," he murmured into the shorter male's ear. "You're dead on your feet."
"All right…"
Without warning, Ichigo turned the boy around and lifted him into his arms, causing Toshiro to involuntarily wrap his legs around the teen's waist and his arms around his neck because of the sudden movement.
"What the hell are you doing Kurosaki," Toshiro shouted in embarrassment, all traces of sleep wiped from his face. "Put me down!"
"Shh…you'll wake the neighbors," Ichigo whispered softly, adjusting his hold on the struggling figure. "Besides, I wanna sleep with you tonight."
"What," the short captain asked disbelievingly. "I am not having sex with you Kurosaki-"
"I never said we were gonna have sex Toshiro," the substitute muttered exasperatingly. "Honestly, do you think the only reason I got together with you was to get into your pants?"
A heavy blush spread across Toshiro's face at the teen's statement as he shook his head fervently, glaring at Kurosaki's broad chest. Ichigo sighed and pulled one of his hands free to tilt the boy's flushed face up. Despite the scowl that was present on the captain's face, the orange head noticed the apprehension in the turquoise eyes staring at him.
"I'm not gonna do anything if you're not up for it," he said as he rested his forehead against Toshiro's. "I won't touch you inappropriately; I won't even touch you if that's what you want. I just want to spend the night with you…if that's okay…"
Toshiro watched Ichigo's face contemplatively, knowing the teen would wait patiently for his answer. It seemed innocent enough, sleeping in the same room, same bed. The teen was an odd character…For someone with such a rough exterior it came as a surprise to Hitsugaya that his boyfriend enjoyed cuddling with him whenever the opportunity arose. It also amazed the prodigy how quickly he had adapted himself to the other man's penchant for their close proximity. Although it had taken Kurosaki almost four months to persuade the aloof captain to 'bestow him a kiss', hand holding, hugging, and lap sitting came relatively easy afterwards…
Squashing the urge to redden at the memories, Toshiro nodded hesitantly.
"Okay Kurosaki…but only for tonight…"
At the moment, Ichigo was lying on his stomach; his head was buried underneath a pillow, with one arm holding it in place while the other held Toshiro's waist. Said captain relaxed his body gradually, allowing himself to sink back into the covers a bit more. As he looked out the window and into Karakura's ink-black sky, Hitsugaya felt sleep trying to pull him back into its addictive grasp. Just as he was about to succumb to its call, he was thrown into the world of consciousness by the insistent music coming from Kurosaki's direction.
'Maketakunai shi!
Nakitakunai shi!
Warattetai kara!
Movin! Movin!'
"Damn it," Toshiro muttered angrily, looking up to see something glowing on top of Ichigo's desk.
'You have got to be kidding me…His CELLPHONE of all things?'
Toshiro scrambled out of the bed and quickly padded over to Kurosaki's study area, shivering faintly when his feet touched the cold wood floor. Just as he was about to reach the desk, he walked into a stray pile of books, pitching him forward into the dark and on to the floor, setting off a chain reaction. The sound of his crash led to Ichigo jumping out of his bed, ready for the imaginary enemy he believed to have infiltrated his home, which led to him becoming tangled in his bed sheets, ultimately causing him to fall to the floor, on top of his smaller, more irritable boyfriend.
"Shit! Toshiro, are you okay," he cried out, scrambling to get off of the captain.
"Think about where you are sitting before you ask such a question," Toshiro growled, pulling himself up from the floor. "Who in the world leaves books lying about so carelessly anyway?"
Ichigo smiled bashfully, scratching his head out of habit.
"Hehehe…An over worked, underpaid, and unappreciated college student, doubling as a substitute Shinigami?"
A swift smack to the head and Ichigo's awkward smile was replaced with a scowl.
"Geeze Toshiro, what are you doing walking around in the dark anyway," Kurosaki asked accusingly, rubbing the side of his head.
"Blame your cell phone," Hitsugaya muttered crossly. "The annoying ringtone woke me up two times already."
"My cell…phone?"
Lifting himself up, Ichigo looked to his desk, noticing a flashing red light coming from his cell.
"I swear, if they call one more time," the captain mumbled as he got back on top of the bed.
"Now who would be calling me this late," Ichigo asked aloud, following Toshiro's example and climbing back into bed.
"Don't care who it is," the smaller boy muttered. "They're going to get an earful from me if I hear that stupid ring tone again."
"Toshiro…"
A sigh escaped the substitute as he rearranged the pillows and blankets around the two of them. When he leaned back onto the head board instead of shimmying down to his previous sleeping position, Toshiro looked up. Glazed brown eyes met his inquisitive stare before closing with another sigh. Hitsugaya's hard expression softened at the weariness in his boyfriend's shoulders. Reaching out his hand, he started calling out to him when…
'Maketakunai shi!
Nakitakunai shi!
Warattetai kara!
Movin! Movin!'
This time, knowing where the books were, Toshiro quickly walked around the bed and reached out for the phone. Looking back at his boyfriend for permission, Hitsugaya saw Ichigo calmly looking back at him before nodding his head. The captain hesitated for a moment, uncomfortable with the stare he was receiving, but his resolve to verbally lash the person on the other end was strengthened when the ringtone repeated itself.
'Maketakunai shi-'
"Hello. Who is this?" That way I can make your afterlife hell once you pass on…
'Ichigo? Hi! It's Naomi. I just wanted to call and see if you wanted to come over and-'
"This is not Ichigo." How could anyone mistake me for that imbecile?
'Oh? Who is this then,' the girl asked, genuinely surprised.
"This is Hitsugaya Toshiro," he answered, trying to keep his temper under control.
'Eh…are you his friend or something? I kind of wanted to talk to him and-'
"I am his boyfriend," Toshiro spit out bitingly. "Why do you need to speak with him?"
'Oh…hehehe…Um…Shoot. I'm sorry; I must've gotten the wrong number! Bye!'
"Hold on one sec-"
When he heard the dial tone, he pulled the phone away from his ear and shut it with a snap. Turning towards Ichigo, his eyes were steely whirlpools of confusion and barely there hurt. Before he could say anything, the orange haired teen held his hand up in a stopping motion.
"I heard it from here. It was Naomi, right?"
"Who is she?"
"She's in my study group for Psychology. I normally go to her for notes whenever I miss a class."
"Does she 'normally' call you in the early morning to discuss things like next week's midterm review?"
"Toshiro," Ichigo sighed his name, sinking into his bed a little. "What's wrong?"
"What makes you think that something is wrong?"
"Well, the way you're acting right now, for starters."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I've said it before and I'll say it again, being coy doesn't work for you."
"It does when I want it to."
"Quit changing the subject and tell me what's wrong."
"Nothing is wrong."
"Now that sounds like some bull-"
"Why would she call you so late in the evening?"
Brown eyes studied the boy standing before him. Toshiro's eyes stared directly into his while small pale hands held onto the college student's teal flip phone with a tense grip. Exhaling slowly, Kurosaki peeled the comforter and bed sheets from his body, lowered his feet to the floor, and scooted forward to sit on the edge of the bed. Beckoning the Shinigami to come to him, he tried to keep his heart from beating out of his chest. This was not how he wanted to breach this particular topic, especially now of all times. He silently cursed the Fates above for putting him in this situation.
'I saved this damn world! You think they'd cut me some slack here…'
Not knowing where this was going, Toshiro complied, wary of what was going to be said as he accepted the hand and allowed Ichigo to gently pull him closer until he was standing directly in between his legs.
"Kurosaki," he whispered, his hands fidgeting with the phone in his hands.
"Toshiro, promise me that you'll keep quiet until I finish talking," the orange haired teen murmured fervently. "Promise me, please?"
Hearing the anxiety and seriousness in his voice, Toshiro couldn't deny his request. Silence followed for a minute or two as Ichigo tried to form the right words.
"It's kind of ironic in a sad…twisted kind of way…how I could face Aizen during the winter war but I can't seem to face you with this kind of stuff. Shit—before I dig myself a bigger hole, I swear that I never meant to keep this from you; it just didn't seem so important at the time and I figured—hoped really—that it wouldn't come back to bite me in the ass…And saying that the way I did probably didn't make this any easier for myself so-"
Thankfully, his ramblings were interrupted by a pair of delicious lips. Pulling back before either of them could forget what they were talking about in the first place, the captain gave him a pointed stare that told him to continue.
"…Damn…Is there any way I could possibly get one more of those—you know, to jump start my brain?"
"…"
"Didn't think so," Ichigo muttered, tucking some hair behind the boy's ear to keep it from falling into his face. "You know, some people say you're born gay but that would mean I'm interested in all types of guys, right? But nah…I'm just interested in you."
A soft snort was heard, but the taller male ignored it. Even though he couldn't see much in the dark, he knew his boyfriend was blushing. He just wished what he was about to say…wasn't what he was about to say.
"Thing is…you're my first boyfriend…but this isn't my first relationship."
Next Chapter's Preview:
Was it possible for Shinigami to have a heart attack, because the pain that was engulfing his chest made his ears ring while Kurosaki's words echoed in his mind.
