Some interesting guesses from my Ao3 readers regarding the last chapter, I must say. We will revisit that later but for now…
*Chucks some fluff and cuteness at you all after last week*
…
Pet
Toshiro loved animals.
There weren't as many in the Soul Society as there were in the World of the Living, but every time Toshiro saw one – provided he didn't know he was going to eat it later – he felt a rush of excitement flood through him. Sometimes he even named them!
He cared less for insects and the miscellaneous bugs of course; during his Rukongai days, they had been more of a nuisance than anything else. Butterflies and ladybirds were the exception – anything that beautiful couldn't be hated. Also spiders could be fun, depending on the species (definitely not the Captain Kurotsuchi hallucination variety).
Birds were pretty cool, though Toshiro firmly believed that anything that could fly and scare Rangiku was cool. They had a lot of pigeons in the Seireitei and the lieutenant hated them.
"They fly so close!" she would wail and complain. "They have no fear. Look at their beady eyes!"
Toshiro always found humour when she would duck and squeal if they flew too close to her.
So yeah, birds were cool.
Fish were alright – usually he only saw them on his dinner plate of an evening. Except koi – koi were really cool. Brightly coloured, and essentially just oversized goldfish, but boy could they light up a pond. There was a large pond at the very back of the Shiba Manor property, and Granny often took him out there to feed them. Sometimes there would be ducks too, and Toshiro would get to feed them. In the springtime, there would be adorable little ducklings too. Toshiro liked to watch them grow up and get their down feathers.
Mammals? Amazing. Toshiro loved them – they were so warm and usually furry – cuddly, except the ones that weren't. Toshiro had always wanted a pet, like maybe a dog or a cat. He had seen them in the Rukongai, sometimes owned by Souls, others were strays. They didn't like him though, but what kind of mammal would like a boy with skin as cold as ice? Just like the Souls in the Rukongai, they avoided him.
Reptiles, though – well Toshiro had an interesting relationship with them. He didn't love snakes – especially hating a certain silver-haired snake in the Squad Three captain's haori. Turtles were cool, Toshiro supposed; he had seen one or two of those in Granny's large pond. Crocodiles and alligators? Not so appealing, but he hadn't met one so he shouldn't judge them too soon.
Lizards?
Well lizards were just snakes with legs, no?
No.
Lizards were not just snakes with legs. Lizards were descendants of dragons.
And Toshiro was looking right at one.
"Lizard!" Toshiro gasped and pointed, staring with wide eyes.
There, straight ahead, curled up against a rock, was a lizard.
"So it is," Isshin commented dryly, waiting patiently as Toshiro crept off the path and through the grass, sneaking closer to it.
It was Sunday afternoon, and Toshiro had spent the weekend at Shiba Manor with his captain. They were on their way back to the Seireitei and the Squad Ten barracks when Toshiro had spotted the patterned scales in the short grass.
"It's an Eastern Water Dragon! A baby one!" Toshiro gushed excitedly when he got closer and recognised the familiar spiny dorsal ridge and dark stripes running down its' long tail. He had only seen them in books! "They aren't native. I wonder what it's doing here?"
"Probably an escapee from the illegal exotic animal trade that was shut down," Isshin murmured and Toshiro shuddered.
He had heard all about the illegal exotic animal trade. Some terrible Souls in the Rukongai had been trading exotic animals, including tigers, lions, bears, and several species of imported snakes and lizards. The Stealth Force had been called in and needless to say, it was dealt with promptly and with no survivors – including the animals. Toshiro had been upset about that for weeks, and if he was being honest, he still was. He was glad the Souls responsible had been stopped, but did those innocent animals need to die?
Thankfully, if Isshin was right about this lizard being an escapee, this one was lucky.
Toshiro frowned, noticing the way the lizard was curled up by the bottom of the rock instead of basking on top of it. The boy glanced up towards the sun and back down at the rock. Why wasn't the lizard trying to warm its cold blood?
Perhaps it had been injured?
Toshiro crept closer again, his hunch growing stronger when the lizard didn't run away as it surely felt his vibrating footsteps approach. The lizard did jerk its body however, implying some level of fear but no ability to move.
"I think he's hurt," Toshiro murmured sadly, crouching down to see the young lizard better.
"He?" Isshin asked skeptically.
"He," Toshiro confirmed; don't ask him how he knew, he just did.
Slowly, Toshiro reached down and gently picked the lizard up, ignoring his scared or maybe pained hiss. The boy saw then, the bloodied stump where the lizard's leg used to be and the deep scratch that ran under its' belly.
"Poor baby," Toshiro murmured quietly, and used his free hand to stroke the creature's back soothingly.
He turned back to Isshin to find the captain grimacing.
"You've picked it up," he sighed in resignation. "Oh and you've started healing kido on it."
Toshiro felt his lips twitch as the green glow lit up his hand and he smirked at Isshin.
This was not the first time he had picked up a creature that he probably shouldn't have. He had become the resident spider catcher in the barracks, since Toshiro had looked up the species in a book and knew the ones commonly found around the division weren't that venomous. He knew if he picked them up gently and handled them with respect, they wouldn't bite him. Showing Isshin the spiders he had caught around the division usually gave the captain a fright though.
"Put that down, it will bite you!" the captain would hiss, flinching away. "You're going to give me a heart attack."
Toshiro would always laugh at that, but he would put the spider down as ordered (once outside in the garden, of course).
The same went for lizards, when he found them, though they were usually just skinks he found. Birds too would sit on his hand or shoulder when he fed them. Toshiro loved animals, and he wasn't afraid of them. He liked to handle them when they would let him, even though it always freaked Isshin out a bit to find his third seat sitting in the Squad Ten gardens with a wild rabbit in his lap.
Not that the rabbit would stay in his lap long after sensing Hyorinmaru.
"His leg has been bitten off," Toshiro pouted at Isshin as he continued to heal the reptile in his hand.
Healing kido worked on animals, though it wasn't super effective. Toshiro could only hope to close the lizard's wound over and stop any further bleeding.
"That's a bit better," he murmured when he his kido was no longer doing anything, and he stroked the lizard's head.
The lizard looked at him through calm black eyes, still and relaxed in Toshiro's hand. The third seat ambled slowly back to the path where his captain was waiting for him.
"Okay good," Isshin eyed the lizard, taking a small step back as Toshiro reached him. "You better put him down now."
"I can't put Tobio down," Toshiro gasped in offence. "He's missing a leg, he won't be able to run or climb."
He would be eaten in a matter of days.
"Tobio?" Isshin repeated, weary. His expression was doubtful and yet not surprised.
"My new friend," Toshiro grinned, beaming up at his captain while holding the lizard up to show him.
"You can't bring that thing back to the barracks," Isshin sighed, running a hand through his midnight black hair and noticeably leaning away.
"That 'thing' is a dragon," Toshiro argued, bringing the lizard close to his chest for protection.
"A drag-"
"He's practically my cousin."
Isshin choked, "Your cous-"
"And if we leave him here, he will die," Toshiro continued over the top of Isshin's spluttering. "Is that what you want, Captain? For my cousin, Tobio, to die?"
Isshin's spluttering continued, as Toshiro lifted the lizard back up to him, making him look Tobio in the eye.
Isshin glanced at the lizard for a moment before he stared down at Toshiro, seemingly more interested in looking into the boy's eyes than Tobio's.
Toshiro stared back, determined. He loved lizards, and especially the dragon variety. It wasn't really his cousin, but dragon lizards were the closest he had. Well, except the one purring contentedly in the back of Toshiro's mind.
Yep, Hyorinmaru purred. They didn't write that in the history books.
After a moment, Isshin gave a long suffering sigh of resignation.
"You can look after him until he is better," Isshin decided, and held his finger up to Toshiro when the boy's eyes lit up in excitement. "You will release him when he is healthier."
Toshiro nodded quickly, though his intention was never to release the lizard. With a missing leg, Tobio would be too easy prey from the bigger animals. Still, he had been given a window of opportunity now, and the boy would convince the captain to let him keep Tobio eventually.
Toshiro grinned and brought the lizard back down to his level.
He booped Tobio's spikey nose softly and grinned when he didn't try to bite him. They were friends already!
Cradling the lizard close to his stomach, Toshiro followed after his captain as the man turned away with a roll of his eyes and muttering about the boy having 'no regard for his own life'. Toshiro smirked; Tobio was hardly going to kill him, even if he did one day bite him.
…
Toshiro took the lizard back to the Squad Ten barracks. Of course the first thing he did when he got there was scare Rangiku.
"Lieutenant, look!" he exclaimed, holding Tobio up to Rangiku's face.
She was lying on the office couch, half asleep. Groggily lifting her head and blinking, the moment she actually clocked the lizard held out to her, her eyes shot wide open and jerked back, rolling off the couch with a scream and landing on her butt.
"What is that?!" she shrieked, scrambling to her feet and away from Toshiro.
"His name is Tobio," Toshiro grinned, petting the lizard's head gently. "He's my new friend."
"That's a lizard, Toshiro!" Rangiku wailed.
"Dragon sub-species," Toshiro clarified, brows pinching as he frowned at her. "Look at his spiny scales."
He moved closer to show her, but the woman yelped and jumped away, moving swiftly to the other side of the office.
Toshiro pouted.
"It's okay, Tobio," he murmured to the lizard. "She will warm up to you."
Rangiku's face was priceless at that, and was uncannily similar to Isshin's when Toshiro had called the lizard his cousin. Just as the captain had, Rangiku could only splutter in response.
"Let's go get something to eat," Toshiro continued to speak softly to the lizard, "and we will have to find you a new home."
He grinned when his back was turned to Rangiku, and he felt her wide eyes follow him out the door.
Toshiro decided he would feel guilty if he ate before Tobio, so he walked right past the canteen and towards the officer dormitories.
"Oh shi-" Kubo hissed, crossing paths with Toshiro in the doorway and practically throwing himself into the wall to get out of Toshiro and Tobio's way.
The other men in his dorm all seemed to do a double take when they saw what he was carrying but Toshiro ignored them. Thankfully it was quiet in the room right now, with most officers at dinner or on duty. Climbing up onto his top bunk, Toshiro placed Tobio gently in his lap as he reached up to his personal shelf which had stacks of books on it.
He found the one about reptiles and amphibians and pulled it from the shelf.
Toshiro already knew the kind of diet Tobio would be on, and knew that crickets and cockroaches were probably the easiest for him to source. As much as he hated Squad Twelve, Toshiro did have a good rapport with their third seat, and was sure if he asked Akon, the man would sell him some insects to feed his lizard.
After all, Toshiro knew they had them. He had seen Kurotsuchi eating insects once, in a 'chat' in his office which had very quickly derailed when Toshiro was drugged and almost disemboweled.
Feeding Tobio wasn't going to be a problem, but building him a suitable habitat might be.
He flicked through the book while Tobio made some slow movements, exploring his new environment on Toshiro's bunk.
The third seat knew he would need a heat lamp, that was for certain, probably a powerful one. Being that Tobio was a water dragon, he would need to build a habitat that had a lot of water but also plenty of land space for him to bask on rocks and climb things.
Hmm… Just where was he supposed to set up an environment like that?
"You need a fish tank," Kubo's voice interrupted Toshiro's thoughts. "A big one."
The third seat glanced up to see Kubo standing by his bunk, eyeing the lizard up. Toshiro blinked; he wasn't aware Kubo had followed him back inside as he had clearly been on his way out when Toshiro had passed him.
"A fish tank…" Toshiro murmured, thoughtful. Yes that could work – a big enough one where he could split it into two sections, one for the water side and the other the dry side. "Where would I find one?"
"I've got a buddy at the Eleventh that wants to get rid of one," Kubo told him. "He'll give it away for free if we go over there and get it."
Toshiro eyes lit up.
"Will you help me?" he asked the Sixth Seat and the man nodded, after what was only a small sigh.
The third grinned, scooping Tobio back up and jumping off the top bunk.
Ever since Toshiro had been injured by that Adjuchas in Shirakawa, Kubo had been nicer to him. Toshiro wasn't entirely sure why, but much of the squad were better with him now. Kubo still didn't get his paperwork delivered on time, but at least he was friendlier.
Kubo led him next door to their neighbouring barracks. Squad Eleven had a bad reputation, they always had – they were violent, volatile and vociferous. Toshiro didn't mind them, however. He had always got on well with their third seat Ikkaku, and he had sat with their fifth seat Yumichika to help him with his squad's paperwork as it all seemed to get dumped on him. Captain Zaraki was terrifying though, and Lieutenant Kusajishi even more so if one didn't have candy for her when she asked. Luckily the captain was often asleep, and Toshiro had learned long ago to always keep a spare lollypop in his pocket in case of an unexpected visit from the pink haired girl.
Luckily, Toshiro and Kubo managed to avoid both of the division's top seats, and they caught up with Kubo's friend as he was coming back from dinner. Toshiro didn't catch the man's name, his accent was thick and his words slurred with alcohol, but he led them to his old fish tank.
It was the perfect size; about as long as Toshiro was tall, and about as high as his hip, and just about as wide. It wouldn't fit in the dormitories but it would fit perfectly in the captain's office.
"It's perfect," Toshiro grinned, as Kubo smirked. "Tobio will love it."
"Tobio?" Kubo questioned.
Toshiro nodded and Kubo rolled his eyes, though it was more playful than condescending.
The tank was heavy, but between the two of them and the drunk guy, they managed to get it back to the Squad Ten gates where other soldiers saw them struggling and ran over to help. They had it in the office in no time, and thankfully neither Isshin nor Rangiku were around to protest the location of the lizard's new home.
Toshiro thanked Kubo for his help before the sixth seat trotted off to dinner. Toshiro could hardly eat dinner at a time like this; he was far too excited!
Moving over to the office phone on Isshin's desk, Toshiro made some calls and within the hour was setting up Tobio's new habitat with the items he had ordered from other divisions. When he was done, the old fish tank was cleaned and set up. There was a generous water section in which Tobio could swim, play and relax, while the other side was dry. It had a pebble base, many larger rocks to bask on, a number of branches to climb and some other fun greenery features to give the tank some life. Toshiro had a heat lamp set up over the biggest rock, where Tobio could lie all day if he pleased.
"Welcome home," Toshiro grinned, placing the lizard gently in the enclosure.
He tossed in some crickets for Tobio to eat before zipping over the netted lid he had made so plenty of oxygen could get in, even if Tobio would have to listen to Rangiku's incessant gossiping in the office and wailing when she didn't get her own way.
Toshiro dragged a chair over to the tank and watched happily as Tobio munched on a cricket and explored his new home. He was still moving slowly, no doubt getting used to being one leg down, but he seemed happy enough. Not distressed by any means, and after a day or two, he'd grow comfortable there.
"Why is there is a fish tank in my office?" Isshin's voice was exasperated from the doorway.
Toshiro grinned over his shoulder at the tired captain.
"It's a lizard tank now, Captain," Toshiro informed him. "Tobio's new home."
Isshin inhaled and then sighed before he walked over to investigate the set up.
"I suppose I should be glad you weren't planning on having it sleep in your bunk with you," the captain murmured. "Where did you get all this stuff?"
"Here and there," Toshiro shrugged, and told him about Kubo helping him with the tank.
"Have you eaten dinner?" Isshin frowned then, realising the gap in the story.
Toshiro grimaced internally; Isshin didn't like it when he skipped meals.
"Not yet," Toshiro answered quietly before he gestured to where the lizard was munching down another cricket, "but Tobio has."
Needless to say, Isshin's expression was unimpressed.
"Go have dinner please," the captain ordered with his strict voice and pointed to the door.
Toshiro pouted as he bowed.
"Yes, Sir."
He scurried to the door, figuring if he ate dinner quickly, he could return quickly. A last glance over his shoulder told Toshiro his captain was staring down at the lizard in the tank, hands on his hips and shaking his head.
…
A week passed and Tobio appeared fully settled in his new tank.
Despite Isshin telling Toshiro he would have to release the lizard once its leg was fully healed, the captain hadn't mentioned it since. The third seat hoped the topic wouldn't come up again as he loved his new friend.
He looked after Tobio very well and to the book's suggestions.
Over the week, he had added to the tank to make sure the lizard had plenty of hiding spots for when Tobio needed to be alone and feel safe, and he added more greenery to make the tank feel more natural.
Tobio seemed to really like it, settling in effortlessly, and Toshiro felt like he could read the reptile well enough to know that was true. He would need to add to it again as Tobio grew bigger but for now it was a good size.
The lizard basked under his light most of the time, but he often enjoyed swimming and climbing his rocks, and of course, eating his insects. The lack of a fourth leg, and by extension a fourth set of claws, was obviously hindering his tree climbing ability though. Other than that, the lizard seemed happy enough.
Rangiku had thankfully warmed to the idea of having a lizard in the office, just as Toshiro knew she would. Yesterday she had even been brave enough to hold Tobio for a few minutes, even if she spent the whole time with an uneasy, somewhat-disgusted expression and had bit her lip to stop from shrieking.
"Make sure you wash your hands before dinner," Isshin sighed, watching Toshiro place Tobio gently back into his tank after his daily afternoon cuddle. "He's probably got parasites."
"He hasn't got parasites," Toshiro pouted at that. "You shouldn't offend him like that."
"He can't hear me," Isshin commented dryly.
"He's not a snake," Toshiro scoffed. "He's not deaf."
Though close enough to it, and he probably didn't know Japanese, but Toshiro didn't feel the need to point that out.
"Wash your hands," Isshin repeated more firmly.
Toshiro held the sigh back and went to wash his hands in the office bathroom. He had spent the last half hour handling the dragon, and parasites or not, Toshiro always washed his hands after their cuddles.
'Cuddles' being the lizard sat his hand and let Toshiro stroke his head gently. He was a very gentle reptile, and was happy to held, which the third seat loved. He also had quite the personality.
Today Rukia had come over to meet Tobio and she, like Toshiro, wasn't afraid to hold the lizard or play with it. She was so cool.
Upon returning from the bathroom, he found Isshin standing in front of the tank with a frown on his face.
"Captain?"
"Why is he doing that?" Isshin asked, nodding down to the lizard.
Toshiro glanced down at Tobio, seeing the lizard waving his arm. He had one of his front legs up and moving in a circular motion, palm facing Isshin.
"Fear," Toshiro answered. "He is saying he is aware of your presence, acknowledges you as the dominate creature and doesn't want you to hurt him."
"I'm not going to hurt him," Isshin scoffed.
Toshiro shrugged, "He doesn't know that."
Isshin's frown deepened.
They continued to watch the water dragon as it continued to wave its arm. After a few minutes, Tobio stopped and hurried into one of his hides.
"He'll get used to you," Toshiro murmured, sending Isshin a cheeky smirk. "Maybe when you try holding him… and maybe if he knows his stay here is permanent…"
Isshin rolled his eyes, shaking his head despite the slight chuckle from his lips.
"Of all animals," he exhaled, "you like lizards?"
"I like most animals," Toshiro pointed out, "but only lizards like me back, even with my colder skin. They can sense Hyorinmaru and his connection to them."
The third seat would love a dog or cat as a pet, he honestly would; something fluffy to cuddle, something playful to spend time with. Alas they also sensed Hyorinmaru in him, and they didn't like that, much like Souls in the Rukongai.
He felt Isshin's eyes regard him so he internalised the grimace.
"Well," the captain sighed again. "I suppose you've put a lot of work into his enclosure… and it's clear he isn't going to last long in the wild with that leg…"
Toshiro's eyes lit up as he turned to his captain.
"Do you mean…?"
"I mean," Isshin drawled, like he still wasn't totally sold on the idea but he was too far in to back out now. "I suppose you can keep him."
Toshiro gasped, hand coming up to cover his mouth.
"Provided," Isshin cut back in quickly, holding up a finger to Toshiro, "you take full responsibility for his care."
"I will!" Toshiro nodded quickly.
"That means feeding him as often as he needs," Isshin lectured him. "It means cleaning out his tank and his water. It means-"
Isshin was cut off as Toshiro launched himself at the man, hugging him tightly around the middle.
"Thank you, Captain!" Toshiro gushed. "I will look after him."
Isshin exhaled and Toshiro felt the man put one of his hands on Toshiro's back and the other gently on top of his head.
"A lizard wouldn't have been my first choice for a pet for you," the captain muttered, "but I am grateful it's not a boar."
"A boar?" Toshiro asked, frowning as he pulled his head back and tilted it to look up at his captain.
"Ganju," Isshin answered with a huff. "He's had three and called them all 'Bonnie-chan'. I think he wants another one. They're awful creatures."
Toshiro chuckled at that, returning his head to Isshin's warm stomach.
"I promise to never ask for a boar," Toshiro smirked.
"Not even if it had an injured leg?"
"Oh, I hadn't considered that," Toshiro gasped.
"Please don't!" Isshin chuckled nervously.
Toshiro said nothing to that, but grinned madly against his captain.
"Oh no, are we keeping the lizard?" Rangiku's voice sounded from the door way and Toshiro looked up to see the lieutenant, her expression uneasy.
"Yep," Toshiro clicked his tongue. "Captain said I could!"
Rangiku shot Isshin a knowing look that was equal parts entertained and disapproving.
"I knew you would cave," she muttered, shaking her hand.
"Sorry Rangiku," Isshin squeezed Toshiro before releasing him. "Kids should have pets."
"Just not a boar," Toshiro laughed, turning back to the tank and spotting Tobio's head peering out of his hide. "Tobio, you get to stay here with me!"
The lizard didn't react, not until Toshiro threw another cricket in there for him. He emerged from his hide and munched up the lizard quickly. The third seat grinned down at the lizard.
He had pet!
He felt Isshin and Rangiku's eyes on him, but he could tell they were smiling, happy for him even though they didn't really care for his new friend.
"Welcome to the Ten family, Tobio," Toshiro murmured, beaming down at the water dragon.
Inside him, Hyorinmaru purred.
…
DISCLAIMER: I don't know how to look after a lizard, please do your research if I have somehow convinced you to get one xD
TWO WEEKS UNTIL NEXT UPDATE! I'm away next week and no home until late Sunday night so to take the pressure off trying to get a chapter up, I am going to take next weekend off. The next chapter will go up 23rd August! See you all then :)