Chapter 07

Winters Warm Breath

- Previously -

"I have been with his man for a little over twenty years, and probably the best man I can put my trust in." Kasumiouji Ichigo stated. "I can gladly vogue for him."
Yamamoto nodded, "do we have any objections?"
"…" Toushirou wanted to object… he wanted to, but couldn't.
"Then it is settled. Kenzaki Ryuusei, you are hereby fukutaichou of the fifth division."
"Thank you sir," Kenryuu bowed his head—already he was down on a knee anyway.

"You're all dismissed, conversations and introductions shall be placed when wanted."

With that, Yamamoto excused himself so that the captains could talk or leave.

"I am grateful you kept silence," Ichigo called out to Byakuya as he was passing by.
"Considerate a debt repaid Kasumiouji." Replied the stoic captain as he left.
"Of course," he then looked at the others, "so then…" his eyes landed on Toushirou, "an elder wanted me to give you this when I entered Soul Society."
Knowing that it must've been his grandmother, he took it, "what are you doing?"
He looked at him, "I kept my word to give the letter to Hitsugaya Toushirou."

"That's not what I meant!" Toushirou glared and placed a hand on the hilt of his zanpakuto. "Don't mess around with me Kurosaki!"

"If you threaten me with your zanpakuto, boy, I will respond to it." He stated.
The small captain growled and called. "Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyorinmaru!"
Nothing happened, and the captains gasped at this, "he's not responding…"
Toushirou looked at his zanpakuto, 'he… he's not listening to me…'


"He can tame Hyorinmaru, because I can tame you."

His eyes widened—he couldn't attack Ichigo with his blade, and he looked up at him.

"I can't attack…" The small captain whispered in realization.
Ichigo placed his hands into his sleeves, "it seems to me that you need practice."
"You know he can't attack you, you bastard!" He called out.

His reiatsu the beamed down like a thousand of pounds were weighing on all of their shoulders, and with Toushirou closest to him, he fell to his knees, "do not presume what I do and do not know, boy." Seeing that he was out of breath, he lightened his reiatsu, given everyone their breath back. "Also, you called me 'Kurosaki' moments ago," the new captain scowled, "do not compare me to some other person."

The ten present captains stared at him in disbelief as Kenryuu turned his head away from this situation, knowing what these people were going to say now. Toushirou just stared up at Ichigo in disbelief, wishing that it wasn't possible, wishing that it wasn't true. No, he wasn't going to scream, whine, or even cry—not here, not in front of the other captains, and not in front of a man who didn't… He stood up before he looked up at Ichigo; you could see in his eyes that this wasn't the same man.

"You lost your memory after you died, that's why you don't remember me."

Ichigo looked at him straight in the face and replied, "no, I do not remember you."

Everything made sense now, especially his attitude.

- Now -

Within three weeks, the fifth division was brought back to life, so to speak, and they acted like they could do anything now. This pleased their new captain and everyone who took the time to observe them—mainly meaning the other captains. Toushirou though was still a little disappointed how Ichigo made him look like an idiot in front of the captains, whether it was intentional or not. Having him bring out Hyorinmaru, only to have the sword submit to the other man, rubbing 'boy' in his face too. Why did he have that dream if it was going to be like this; if Ichigo didn't remember him.

He sighed, "Matsumoto, can you finish the rest of this?" There was no answer, and so his attention went upwards to see if she was gone, "Matsumoto?" Damn it, she left, and the problem was that he knew where she was going. "Damn you Matsumoto!"

That stupid woman was going to get herself involved with the fifth division captain, it was more than obvious though that she might get herself killed. True, it's unlikely that Ichigo would brother to raise his zanpakuto for her, but his reiatsu could easily kill her if he wanted. Using his flash steps to hurry even more, he started to feel their reiatsu; more like feeling Rangiku raging at Ichigo. He had yet to bother telling her that this Kasumiouji Ichigo did not have his memory from when he was alive.

Faintly, he could hear her yelling—then saw her.

"How can you be so crude to him!" Rangiku yelled.
Ichigo merely looked at her stoically. "…"
"Answer me you jerk!" She brought her hand up to slap him.
"MATSUMOTO!" Toushirou yelled angrily, jumping at Ichigo's side.
When her hand came rushing down, Kenryuu gabbed her hand, "that's enough."
"W-What?" She saw her captain. "T-Taichou," Rangiku looked at him in confusion.

This was bad, many of the underling shinigami were watching; if he knew anything of nobility, it was to not damage their strong pride, "apologize to Kasumiouji, now."

"Taichou! You know this man is Kurosaki-" Rangiku stopped at his foot stomping.
"This isn't the place for it Matsumoto, apologize to your superior." He demanded.
"Kurosaki, Kurosaki, Kurosaki." Ichigo sternly. "I have not attacked, because you are a woman. But you have attempted to attack me." His hand went on Zangetsu.
'Damn it all,' Toushirou went to Rangiku's side and bowed for her, "please forgive her, Kasumiouji. My subordinate is merely upset and confused because you're new."
Rangiku looked at her captain in an upset manner, "taichou!"
"Quiet Matsumoto!" Toushirou bellowed, still bowing lowly.

Ichigo glared at the small captain without mercy, however, he released the hilt of his Zanpakuto, "Kenryuu." He spoke out, still looking at the small bowing captain, "that woman, let her go," when the turquoise eyes looked up at him, he looked away to his own lieutenant, "I will not press charges on her for attempting to attack a taichou."

"Thank you Kasumiouji," Toushirou bowed again, this time thankfully.
Rangiku frowned, and also bowed to him, "thank you… Kasumiouji taichou."
"However," Ichigo began to add, sliding his hands into his sleeves, "this is two now?"
"Yes sir," Kenryuu replied; meaning this was the second warning to Toushirou.

"Then the third will have no excuse, and judgment will be placed in order." Ichigo stated and walked passed them. "Do not forget it, or the penalty will be far worse than what a common man, or taichou for that matter, would request."

"What the hell is wrong with—" Rangiku was interrupted.
"I understand," Toushirou replied, "thank you again."
"Taichou!" She called out in annoyance.
"Matsumoto. We have work to do." He stated.

Toushirou forced his lieutenant to come back to the administration office to deal with the rest of the work. It seems that he had to finish all of the work himself while his lieutenant ranted on and on about how insensitive Ichigo was now. Rangiku just went on, and on, and on about all of it that he was getting annoyed very slowly.

"Hitsugaya taichou?" A voice called out.
Toushirou glanced to the door, "who is it?"
"Kenzaki Ryuusei fukutaichou of fifth division."
He paused, then allowed it, "go ahead, enter."
Kenryuu opened the door, "thank you sir."
Rangiku only glared at him, "…"

"I understand that this may be a little hard for you to accept, but as you have most likely noticed, Ichigo-sama does not have memory of his life as a human, as most shinigami would not." Kenryuu explained. "I don't think that he was any exception."

Toushirou looked at the desk, "Kuro-Kasumiouji, he's getting married, correct?"
He looked at him confusedly, "Lurichiyo-sama has grown a lot over the years, but she is still not really old enough, and there's issues…" he paused, ending in silence.
"I see." The small captain did not psychically falter at this.
"I can't say anymore of noble business, but it's best if you put the past—"

There was a loud explosion coming from the farther walls, causing an alarm to sound off immediately afterwards. An announcement was made out to Seireitei that the fifth divisions' defenses were being attacked by a large amount of menos. Kenryuu heard this, and yet he didn't panic—merely stood up slowly and bowed to the two.

"I doubt I'm needed, but I should be there for support." He stated as he began to leave. "Try to know the new Ichigo-sama, he's interesting." With that, he left.

X-

"D-Did you see that?" A shinigami asked in surprise.
"H-He just took out an entire fleet of menos!" Another cried out.
One literally cried tearfully, "he's so cool, I'm glad he's our taichou, no doubt!"
Some of the girls whispered, "it's too bad that he's probably taken, he's so hot."
"That's our taichou you're talking about!" Another woman whispered.

"Are there any casualties present?" Ichigo called out.
"N-no sir," one replied, still recovering from the shock.
"I want squad three to guard this section of the unit."
"Yes sir!" The officer bowed and waited till excused.
"I want squad twenty to guard this section as well."
"Yes sir!" The officer also bowed and waited till excused.

By now, Kenryuu stood behind Ichigo.

"Sorry I'm late, I had an errand to take care of." Kenryuu bowed.
The captain looked to him, "it involved Hitsugaya Toushirou."
His eyes widened—easily found out, "I just told him to stop."

Ichigo and Kenryuu shared a moments gaze, and then it was back to ordering the rest of the squads. "Squads eight through ten, surround the unit section from north to south in the east. Squads seventeen through nineteen, surround the unit section from north to south in the west. Squads one and thirteen, stay in central." The captain glanced at the officers. "The other squads will be for relief."

"Taichou, is there a specific squad that we should go to for relief?" An officer asked.

"One and two, three and eleven, four and thirteen, five and eight, six and nine, seven and ten, fourteen and seventeen, fifteen and eighteen, sixteen and nineteen, and lastly, twelve and twenty will be for relief and duty." Kenryuu stated.

"This will be for only two days." Ichigo stated. "This seems to be just a one time thing, however," he grabbed the hilt of his zanpakuto, causing the squads to stare in awe as he raised it in the air, "if the intruder does not come out, I will kill him."

With this said, his reiatsu easily doubled, but the spiritual power quadrupled over the glowing zanpakuto that howled greedily to kill an opponent. All of the shinigami of his division backed away little by little, not only were they a little afraid of the blade, but where was the intruder was hiding? They saw the captain smirk and controlled the power to attack the wall where it was already thrashed. A blur jumped away from the attack and decided to come out of hiding by going to Ichigo; it was Kurotsuchi Mayuri. Placing Zangetsu against his back, he decided that this man was no real threat to him, so he returned to the officers and squads.

"Dismissed." Ichigo stated.

Everyone then vanished except his lieutenant who asked, "Kurotsuchi taichou, right?"
"He sent the menos out with bait in the unit to test my ability as a taichou." Ichigo stated, walking away in annoyance. "Let's go Kenryuu."
"Y-Yes sir." He turned around to follow him.

'That was nearly a hundred menos, and he defeated them with that same attack, if it had cut me—' Mayuri paused and looked to the side, gaping. "YOU CUT MY ARM OFF!"

"Did I?" Ichigo asked Kenryuu, pretending to not hear Mayuri.
"Ichigo-sama, you should control your aim a little more." The lieutenant sighed.
"I did." He replied. "But I was not going to take this matter all too lightly."
"H-Hitsugaya taichou," Kenryuu spoke out in surprise, looking in front of them.
"You did not know that he followed you?" Ichigo asked with suspicion.
"I… guess I was distracted." He replied sheepishly.

"Kasumiouji Ichigo," Toushirou called out, "may I talk to you in private?"

Ichigo looked to his lieutenant who nodded in acknowledgment that he was going to talk with the small captain. With that, the two captains began to walk off as the lieutenant went to do other duties that would need him. The paperwork sounded like the best thing to do, so he went to the office in hopes of finishing them before Ichigo returned. It seemed that the captain enjoyed the paperwork, but after twenty years of helping with them, supposedly he would get used to all of it. There was only one problem that Kenryuu forgot, but it wasn't anything special or of great importance.

…just that Lurichiyo was going to see Ichigo.

X-

"What is it you want to discuss?" Ichigo asked calmly.

Who knew how far they had walked, and they were still continuing after an hour of just roaming around Seireitei. This was slowly irritating the taller captain but still had to wait till the smaller one talked to him. But trying the patience of a great noble… that would just be asking for suicide, and so Toushirou stopped.

"So you don't remember your human life?" The small one asked.
"I have told you that I do not remember you." He replied.
"Then," Toushirou turned to him, "I'm sorry for wanting to attack you."
"Your reasons were of your own, but note this." The tall one started. "I would not have brought out my zanpakuto out of the respect to the others."
"How can you be the head of the Kasumiouji Clan if you don't remember?"

"Your question should be, 'where is Hinamori Momo,' should it not?" Ichigo asked.

Toushirou's eyes widened at this and tensed angrily, "where… is… Hinamori…"
"I sent her away for a little while," but he answered, "she's not in Seireitei."
"What did you say?" His hand went to the hilt of his zanpakuto.
"The girl needed time off, and so I personally escorted her to go to the first district outside these walls. She is to spend time with your grandmother." He stated.

The small captain loosened up and looked at him, "…why?"

"Did you loosen your anger because I told you what you wanted to hear, or because you blade will not listen to you?" Ichigo asked, just before seeing him blush.
"You and I were close before you died, and because I listened to you, Hyorinmaru listens to you and Zangetsu as well." He replied.
"Then you will have to hate me, to have him released."
"That's… not possible anymore." He looked at the ground.

"It seems that, what I had done as human, has made you so emotionally attached that you would dare leave your guard down so drastically." Ichigo watched him real close, just to see the small one widen his eyes again. "To see that reaction, it should only be more clear to you now more than ever, to forget the past and move forward."

Toushirou's fists tightened a little; frustration swarming him, "I understand," he then paused to bite on his bottom lip—contemplating on whether or not he should tell him about them, and… he did. "I thought that our relationship from when you were alive would be strong enough to stay with you as you came to Soul Society," the small captain had to pause again. He was trembling now, and was about to become teary. "I know it was only a week, but you let us…" Toushirou paused, "you let us go far."

By now, tears were already in his eyes, but he tried to fight them off before they could fall. A hand went on his head and he sharply gasped in surprise, so he quickly looked up to see him looking away. There was such a stoic expression on his face that it hurt him just to even look at him now. His feminine hand lifted up to cling onto the taller one's robe, but stopped, this man was not his Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?" A voice called out with some curiosity.
"Having a private conversation." Ichigo replied and released Toushirou's head.
The small captain looked at the stranger, it was a high class young woman, "…"
"Can we listen too?" Her hands snaked around his waist. "We'll be quiet about it."
"You know better than to go unattended, where is Enryuu?" Scowled the tall one.
"!!" Enryuu waved frantically as he was running over to them.
She smiled sheepishly, "but we really wanted to see you," she kissed his cheek.
'Tch.' Toushirou looked away, disgusted by the woman.

"That is enough," Ichigo spoke sternly, so she released him.
"You're so mean," the young woman stated.
"!?" Enryuu waved at her to be quiet.

"Hitsugaya taichou, this is the true heiress, Kasumiouji Lurichiyo." Ichigo introduced, "Lurichiyo, this is Hitsugaya Toushirou taichou of tenth division." He finished.

"Hello." Toushirou bowed his head; he may not like her, but she's a noble.
Lurichiyo looked at the small captain and retorted, "he's just a kid though…"
'Kid?' He tensed in annoyance, but was snapped out of it.
"Respect you elders before one kills you." Ichigo stated. "Now apologize."
"Eh?" Lurichiyo frowned at the tall one. "But we didn't insult him."

She only looked as if she could be just a year younger than Toushirou, but they were at least the same height. There must have been some political emergency that needed a leader for the Kasumiouji clan had to react to. It seemed unlikely that an outside of the family would become leader of a clan altogether, and without marriage even. The girl was now bowing to him as she apologized for calling him a kid, so he looked at Ichigo to see him bow his head to have him do the same.

Toushirou nodded and bowed, "it's alright, thank you."

Lurichiyo then turned back to Ichigo, as if Toushirou was just a nobody once again.
"Can you leave early so we can hurry and have dinner soon, please?"
Ichigo raised an eyebrow at her plea as he slid his hands in his sleeves, "we will have two guests next week because of your rude behavior and lack of respect to others."
"Lack of respect?" She looked at him in disbelief, not able to believe she heard that.
"!!" Enryuu tried to calm down the young lady as quickly as possible.

"One said that we were having a private conversation, and you have been rudely interrupting it for the past few minutes." Ichigo stated sternly. "As an apology for this, Hitsugaya taichou and his fukutaichou can come to the—" He stopped mid sentence.

"Ichigo?" Lurichiyo recognized his reaction. "It's that stupid wound again, isn't it?"

Wound?

Toushirou looked to the tall captain, he didn't seem wounded though, then again Ichigo was good at being secretive. A familiar reiatsu appeared, and he turned to see that Byakuya had showed up… was this going to cause trouble? Ichigo turned to him stoically without showing any sign of pain—he was not showing them to being with though. The servant of the Kasumiouji heir brought Lurichiyo back a little bit so that the two clan leaders could talk. Byakuya stopped five feet away, only looking at the head of the Kasumiouji clan, as if the others were inferior bugs.

"I would have figured, using such ridiculous amount to destroy the gillian with one swing." Byakuya scolded. "You should have left them to your division to handle."

"Then I would not have been so entertained." Ichigo replied
"If you do not have faith in your division, you are not a captain."
"If you do not have faith in your lieutenant, neither are you." He replied.
The older captain scolded him, "are you going to test our agreement, Kasumiouji?"
"Of course not. But you are just as hot headed as ever since I hit a marking point."
Toushirou slowly started to step back, feeling the tense situation, "…"

Byakuya hummed in thought, then replied, "I suggest that you stay at your division lodge tonight, the clans can reschedule the dinner plans to another day."
"A minor set back that does not need attention to." The orange-haired stated.
"As much as I would enjoy to test your theory, I will withdraw from it."
"I will have someone of the fourth division over see to the wound, do not worry so much of the set backs." Ichigo stated, nodding his head to him.
He returned the motion and turned to leave, "perhaps Hitsugaya should escort you."

After he left, Ichigo turned to the three that were twenty feet away now, and he raised an eyebrow, "why are you so far behind?" He came to them and patted the young woman's head, "go back to the mansion now, I will be a little late."

"You and Kuchiki-sama are scary when you talk…" Lurichiyo stated nervously.
"Really?" Ichigo questioned. "It had seemed like a normal conversation, we both are
quite arrogant if you have not noticed." Then he noticed. "Sorry, our reiatsu right?"
She nodded and then clung to his arm. "So you'll be there for the dinner?"
"If you do not go home, you will be sent to bed after dinner."
"No! We're going, We're going!" Lurichiyo gave him a kiss on the cheek and left.
"!!" Enryuu bowed to Ichigo hurriedly and ran after the runaway Lurichiyo.

Ichigo sighed lightly in a little annoyance, "such poor attitude for an heir."

Toushirou looked up at him, was he talking to him now? "…heir?"
"Yes," he looked to the small one. "I am the head of the clan because I have done much, and the council thought it would be best for the time being."
"So… you're… going to marry her?" The thought made him dread in fear.
"Perhaps, but nothing is written in stone." Ichigo explained. "Once she is of proper age, it will be her decision to take place as the leader, or have me keep it."
"Which… which would you want?" The small captain asked.

"It does not matter what it is I desire," he turned and began to walk towards the unit of the fourth division, "I understand that I will stay as the head of the clan because I have done much for everyone." Ichigo then added, "but even so, I have to endure."

Toushirou, who was following the tall captain, asked confusedly, "endure what?"
He turned to look at him, "do you have interest in nobility? Or just in myself?"
His cheeks flushed, hoping he wasn't supposed to really answer that, "just curious…"
"Though I will stay as the head of the clan, I will have to help produce the next heir."
'Oh.' That was probably something that he didn't want to hear, no matter what.
"You seem insulted," Ichigo mused, and watched the small one blush even more.

"I-I… I'm just not used to hearing it in that manner." He lied.

Toushirou looked at him, wondering if he was going to believe him or not, and it just didn't seem like it. When his hand raised, the small captain flinched for an unknown reason, and felt his hand come up to his head. He looked up at the tall captain with a confused expression, but received a stoic one in return like the last time.

"If I did not know better, I would say you are jealous of Lurichiyo." Ichigo stated. "I will head to the fourth unit, whether you decide to accompany me will be on your own agenda." After removing his hand, he walked off, "afterwards you may follow."

Of course Toushirou was going to follow, he had no idea that the fifth captain was wounded damn it! But he was surprised because all the other times he was wounded, he always seemed to hate them, now he just doesn't care? Then again, it just didn't really matter anymore—this was not the teen that he knew, so he needed to let go.

X-

"Kasumiouji taichou, how did this happen?" Retsu asked, taking care of his wounds in a private room with Toushirou, Rangiku, Kenryuu, and Isane inside it.

Ichigo remained silent while going in thought of what had happened to him, and closed his eyes to show that he didn't want to explain what had happened so long ago, he was still new back then. The wound that he had was obviously a stab with a sword; going in his stomach and out through his back side, but this didn't explain all of the scorch marks around the main sighting of the location. Retsu could understand that he didn't want to talk about it, so she turned her attention to the lieutenant of the fifth division, but he was also rather distant on the subject she wanted to know. This was irritating Rangiku though because Ichigo really thought of himself as a noble; she wanted to yell at him, she really did, but there was such a concerned look on her captain's face that she couldn't. Isane was just so surprised that this captain could be so wounded without showing any grimaces to the pain, was it because he was now a noble, and that they weren't supposed to show any sides of weakness.

"Snow." Ichigo spoke, startling everyone in the room.
"…" Toushirou swallowed, not sure if he was talking about him.
Rangiku watched her captain become a little stiff, 'taichou??'
"Do… you like snow Kasumiouji taichou?" Isane asked curiously.
He opened his eyes to look at her, "I am fond of the season."
She lightly blushed at the eye contact and responded, "o-oh."
Rangiku heard Toushirou snort lightly in jealously. 'Wait…'

"It is snowing outside," Ichigo explained, "if you listen, you can hear it."

Everyone became quiet to hear the snow, but they didn't hear anything, and just had to wonder if the captain was a little crazy. Kenryuu cracked open the sliding door to reveal the outside world to the people in the room, and indeed it was snowing. They all looked back to the wounded captain to see that his eyes were closed and his lips were curved up into a small smile. Toushirou smiled softly in relief to see that the man had become to strong over the years—it was a shame he couldn't remember.

After his body was bandaged, the tall captain stood up from the recovery bed and placed on his robes, "thank you for the treatment, I feel much better now."
"I don't think you should leave just yet," Retsu frown, "your internal bleeding is bad."
"I have been dealing with it for some time now," he replied, "unless you have any suggestions of what I can do to treat it myself, I should leave."

"Will it be alright if I allow a ranked officer stay at your side for two weeks to heal you whenever it is necessary?" Retsu requested in a soft tone. "This alone will make me feel more at ease to know that you will not be putting yourself through harm."

Ichigo placed on the long sleeve haori on, "I cannot argue with a woman who is heavily concerned." He smoothed out the haori, "I will accept the offer."
Her head bowed, "Isane, please bring Hanatarou here."
"Yes ma'am," Isane blinked confusedly before leaving.
"Ichigo-sama." Kenryuu spoke, receiving everyone's attention.
Ichigo looked to his lieutenant though and replied. "What is it?"
"The meeting will begin in three hours, I suggest that the process should hurry."

"Why are you so nervous?" Questioned the orange-haired captain. "I am in no rush to flaunt with the other nobles, and as you know, Byakuya himself is in no rush for this either, what with having to indulge towards opposing voices," Ichigo was then silent for the moment, again brought into thought before chuckling. "Fool."

Toushirou had shivered at the chuckle, 'how can he still do that?'
'No… he couldn't, could he?' Rangiku looked at the small captain, slowly starting to see it now, and looked at Ichigo. 'He's been different because…'
"Do you plan to stare long as you think?" Ichigo asked, looking at her in annoyance.
"O-oh, sorry Kasumiouji taichou!" Rangiku said cheerfully, causing great suspicion.
"Ichigo!!" A voice called out, running into the room and hugging him, "you bastard!
Why didn't you tell me that you became a taichou!"

"Why is it that everyone woman beneath the taichou level I have come across tends to blush, stutter, or cling to me as if I am their one and only hope of life." Ichigo asked in annoyance, trying to remove this girl. "You know better than to do so."

"You died over twenty years ago and I find out that you're not only are you the head of the Kasumiouji clan, but you're also a taichou?!" She fumed.
"Your brother wished for it to be confidential towards you. It seems that someone cannot refrain from doing this. So tell me Abarai, should I tell your taichou?"
Renji peeked in nervously and waved, "yo, Ichigo-"

Ichigo vanished into thin air for a split second, then appeared in front of Renji who screeched and fell on his butt, and he spoke, "be grateful that I am on grounds where it is requested to not harm others." He glared. "Shall you cross your taichou again, you will suffer." Then lastly added to both Renji and Rukia. "You will address me by my title, with the exception for Kuchiki Rukia who may address by surname and nothing lower."

Toushirou frowned, 'you're… colder than me now… aren't you, Kurosaki?'

Author Note: Okay, okay, here's the link to my IchixHitsu doujinshi on deviantART will be posted on my profile for those who want to see it and I'm working on another story called "Inescapable" where it takes longer for the two to like each other. But because Vampire Knight season 2 is airing now, I want to go back to working on Vampire!IchixHitsu