A little bit from Chapter 2
As Toshiro moved his lips to kiss his ex, a cackling laughter erupted from Ichigo's lips. This caused the tiny taicho to jump up and move away from Ichigo.
Ichigo's face suddenly distorted and his eyes turned black with golden irises. The thing that was now Ichigo turned its head and stared directly into Toshiro's eyes. "Well, well, well. Look what we have here. My my, you are just as pretty as king said ya would be."
CHAPTER 3
Toshiro couldn't believe his eyes. He had never doubted what his eyes saw until that very moment when his boyfri… ex-boyfriend adorned that hideous distortion of Ichigo's face. While the time that passed seemed like an eternity, with the now distorted Ichigo starting at him, Toshiro began to notice, in the corner of Ichigo's left eye, some sort of a mask start to form over Ichigo's paled face. As suddenly as he had been surprised, Toshiro knew what this thing was.
So this is… Ichigo's hollow.
He had seen Ichigo with the mask on several different occasions, but had never met the hollow personally. How Ichigo's hollow could have such a different personality from the host was… almost unnerving to the small taicho.
Now, he would be lying if he thought he wasn't nervous, but Toshiro decided to be brave, for Ichigo's sake, and move closer to the creature now seeming to posses the unconscious strawberry.
"You're Ichigo's hollow, aren't you?" the white haired boy asked shakily.
"Like hell I am! And you must be the babe that king's had on his mind for one whole fucking year! I'll tell ya right now, you caused me trouble, kid. It's been raining inside king for one year! I can't take it anymore."
Toshiro was stunned, appalled, and confused, while being strangely drawn to this side of Ichigo he had never gotten a chance to meet personally. But mostly, he was confused. Raining? What the hell? It took a minute, but the prodigy finally figured it out. Ichigo's mind. His inner world. It must change based on his emotions. Toshiro finally decided it was time to question the creature before the mask would completely cover Ichigo's face.
"What did you do with Ichigo? Where the hell is he?"
"Relax, snow flake. He's just out of it, that's all. Him being out is the only reason I'm showin' myself to ya'. I wanted to meet you personally, babe."
Did he just call me snow flake… and babe in the same phrase? Toshiro decided not to press any further on the matter, although a huge scowl adorned the boy's face, for he was becoming increasingly concerned about the absence of the real Ichigo. He decided to walk straight up to the hollow and grab him by the collar of Ichigo's shirt.
"Give. Me. Back. Ichigo. Now. What if he dies because of you manifesting himself! If he dies, you die to, you bastard!"
The hollow stared at Toshiro for a minute before bursting out into a maniacal cackle at the white haired prodigy's statement. "Oh. My. God. You are priceless kid!"
Ignoring the kid comment, Toshiro tightened his grip around the shirt's collar. "What do you find so amusing about my observation?"
"Haven't ya figured it out already, baka? I'm the only reason why king's still alive!"
That statement almost knocked Toshiro to the floor. He let go of Ichigo's shirt and slowly backed away from the distorted face that was now halfway covered by a hollow mask. But… how… how is that possible? Hollows normally would enjoy nothing more than to kill humans! Especially one such as Ichigo.
"I can sense from your blubbering that you want to know why I decide to keep king here alive. Well, there is a reason I call him 'king' ya know. He fought me and won. I keep him alive so that when we get strong enough, I can maim him later, and he'll call me king!"
Toshiro stared at the hollow with his now dull aqua eyes so wide that if he had opened his eyes any farther, they would have fallen right out of his head. He decided to press his luck and get to know more about this other part of Ichigo.
"Do you have a name? If I meet you again, I should like to know what to call you." Although when he said it, he had mixed feelings about meeting this hollow again. He was reluctant because of his rude and seemingly overwhelming reiatsu. On the other hand, this… thing was a part of the man he loved. Even if that man still did not love him back.
"Baka, I don't have a god damn name! But, king has come to call me… Ogichi. It sucks, ya know? You're whole existence being confined to one name! Why do ya think I told king I don't have one?"
Toshiro was slightly confused, but decided to let that matter drop. He pressed for more useful information. "How has Ichigo managed to keep you under control for all these years? From your personality, I had gathered that you were one to consume and not become one to follow and obey."
The hollow looked over to the white haired prodigy, who was now standing inside the door as if ready to leave, and mocked agony. "Aw, babe, those words really hurt! I bet you wouldn't spit those things out to king! Not fair, Shiro-chan!"
Oh, that was it. Toshiro was from the door to the bed in an instant-despite the short legs-and once again grabbed Ogichi by the collar. His teal eyes were now filled with hatred and a longing for the one he loved.
"Alright, you son of a bitch. Give me back Ichigo, now, before I come into that world myself and send your ass to hell." When he said it, he was still wondering if it was right to say at the moment. I mean, really. Ogichi is the only thing separating Ichigo from death. Was it really wise to taunt him?
But, as unexpected as it seemed, Ogichi gave Toshiro a slight frown, almost like a pout, and turned his black and golden eyes to look into Toshiro's cool aqua ones. "Jeez, babe, alright. Hey, maybe you could cheer up king while you're at it! Make it stop raining for once! But don't worry, Shiro-chan, ya'll be seein' more o' me, don't worry your pretty little head."
Then, as quickly as he had appeared, Ogichi vanished with an almost wicked grin on his face, and the mask that had covered most of Ichigo's face cracked, and quickly faded. His hazelnut eyes again made an appearance in place of the black and gold ones. A soft expression returned to the strawberry's face as he drifted off into an almost peaceful slumber.
Toshiro stared at the still form of his former lover, whom he still loved with all his being. He let go of Ichigo's shirt collar and set the form down, being as gentle as possible. He leaned in and kissed his strawberry's forehead, then stroked it lovingly.
"Baka," he whispered. "How could you be willing to give up on life so easily?" A tiny tear made it's way down Toshiro's pale cheek, staining it with sorrow. "Is it all my fault? Did I really do this to you? Oh Ichigo, if I really loved you, I should have come back to you; explain what really happened that night! Not run away like the coward and a child that everyone seems to think I am!"
Toshiro felt grief and sadness take him like a snowstorm. He again laid his head on Ichigo's chest, the light rising and falling of the man's chest assuring the boy that the man was still alive. "I just want you back… I want you to find it in your heart to forgive me for leaving you without so much as an explanation… or a goodbye."
"Ugh…"
Toshiro lifted his head as fast as a bullwhip toward the sound of the groan. What he saw filled his heart with joy. "Ichigo! Come on Ichigo, come to me! Oh my god, I have to get your father!"
As soon as he got done saying it, he was on his way to find Isshin Kurosaki, to give him the good news that his son had finally awakened.
In the Soul Society
The captain's meeting was commencing, and her little taicho still had not come back.
Rongiku Matsumoto, fukutaicho of squad 10, was becoming overly concerned for him. He had been gone for almost two weeks now, no doubt wondering in the World of the Living. He would always go there, without permission of course, to keep an eye on one person… the only person that had ever made himhappy. It was very close to the date of their anniversary, after all. But Matsumoto knew that he had to do it in secret. On top of going to the World of the Living without permission, herself and Toshiro Hitsugaya both knew that being gay was not openly accepted in the Soul Society. Only she knew of her taicho's relationship with the substitute shinigami. When she had found out, she expressed her congratulations by almost smothering her little taicho between her huge breasts in an enormous bear hug.
Rongiku paced outside the squad 10 barracks, waiting for any news about her taicho. Don't do this to me, taicho, not again. They'll find out your secret soon if you don't get your ass home now!
She then decided to go to the captain's meeting and, for the third time in two weeks, would have to formulate some excuse as to why Toshiro could not attend the meeting. With each excuse becoming harder and harder to think of, she feared for her taicho's safety, wondering what would happen if someone were to investigate his elongated absences. She feared that the soutaicho or Soi Fon would find out and persecute Toshiro for being who he was.
"You owe me big time when you come back, taicho," Rongiku muttered to herself as she made her way to the meeting to explain another lame excuse for the absence.
Back in the World of the Living
The small prodigy ran with all his might throughout the Kurosaki household and clinic in hopes of finding someone who could help. He had no idea where Isshin had went, but he just wanted Ichigo to be okay.
As he was running up the stairs that lead to Ichigo's bedroom, he ran into someone he had never expected to see.
"Hitsugaya-taicho! It's almost one in the morning! What are you doing here?"
Toshiro stared at the form of the woman standing in front of him, his teal eyes met with raven colored eyes and black hair. "Rukia Kuchiki…"
Yeah! Another cliff hanger! I know how everyone loves those! (NOT) anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are appreciated so I know whether I need to improve or just keep doing what I'm doing! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! I loved reading them! Until next time! And yes, I did bring the Soul Society into the picture. I feel that if I add it, I can make the story longer. And who knows? Maybe Aizen and gang will make an appearance. Who knows? Just some food for thought :D