Sorry I haven't updated in a while :( I've been trying to figure out where I want this story to go. If you guys have any ideas of where I should take this story, PLEASE RATE AND REVIEW! You guys are sssooo amazing for all the reviewing! Keep me going XD

CHAPTER 6

Soul Society

Jushiro Ukitake hurried from the squad one barracks, after he had finished listening to Rangiku's story, and rushed to find her once again after Shunsui Kyoraku had emerged and told him of the verdict.

"Jushiro, old man Yamamoto is sending Soi Fon and Byakuya Kuchiki to the World of the Living to arrest Toshiro, and also Ichigo. We have to do something for the poor boys. They might strip Toshiro of his rank and who knows what that old coot would think of for Ichigo."

Ukitake was making his way towards the squad ten barracks to inform Rangiku of Yamamoto's decision. This is going to get bad very fast. He found Rangiku wandering outside her taicho's quarters.

Rangiku Matsumoto looked up at the sickly man, her gray eyes heavy with sorrow. She already knew the decision by the look on the man's face. "They are going to capture taicho and Ichigo, aren't they Ukitake-taicho?"

Ukitake looked at the normally bubbly woman now filled with sadness. "Yes, Rangiku. He has planned to send Soi Fon and Byakuya Kuchiki."

Rangiku's eyes welled up, looking as if she would release tears at any second. Her head drooped against her enormous chest. "It's worse than I thought. Sending high ranking taichos to capture two boys? Oh my god…"

The fatherly white haired man placed a hand on the grieving fukutaicho's shoulder. "Don't give up that easily, Rangiku. We still have time. Yamamoto has not planned to send Soi Fon or Byakuya for at least another week. I have come up with a plan to help Toshiro and Ichigo. Now listen…"

World of the Living

Ichigo awoke very early on that long awaited Monday morning. Well, long awaited being little over a week, but it seemed long for the orange headed shinigami. He never remembered actually being excited about going to school. Hell, he used to absolutely loath school. But this time around, everything seemed different. He wanted to experience the absolute potential that his life had to offer, one of those achievements being able to complete a decent education. Ichigo Kurosaki now had a different outlook on life. Maybe because I'm dying… He turned his head and looked out the window at the morning sky, the sun just coming up. His disease was eating away his lungs. Ichigo turned his head to face Toshiro, his white haired yuki no hana sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor next to Ichigo's bed. His face was void of worry, his normal scowl wisped away while deep in slumber. Ichigo had no idea if he would ever tell Toshiro about the possibility of him dying only God knows when.

Ichigo then had the urge to smile as his little taicho yawned and opened the eyelids that housed heavenly teal orbs. Those same eyes wandered around the room until they finally met his own pair of sparkling chocolate eyes.

Toshiro sat up and stretched, a small smirk making its way to his lips. "Morning, baka. How long were watching me sleep?"

Ichigo's smile widened, this time showing off his brilliant rows of white teeth. "Not long, hana. But you looked so peaceful, I thought I should just let you sleep until it was time to get up. Don't worry about me, though. I'm only used to waking up this early because my dad usually tries to surprise attack me in some stupid way. Speaking of Dad, he's been acting weird. He hasn't attacked me in weeks, I wonder what's up."

Toshiro's eyes instantly fell to his lap, knowing the full extent of Isshin Kurosaki's behavior. Ever since he had told the ex-taicho about Ichigo's hollow attack and their "relationship", he had noticed a drastic change in the older Kurosaki. He wasn't sure if it was Isshin's pity for his own son's illness and trouble with the hollow, or if it was discontent and distancing himself from his son due to the fact of Ichigo loving a male.

Toshiro ran his hand through his unruly white hair and decided to be oblivious as well, for his boyfriend's sake. "I wouldn't know, Ichigo. I don't know your father that well, so I have no idea what behavior is normal and what is not."

"It's fine, Toshiro. I just wish he would talk to me sometimes. Anyway, we still have an hour or so until we need to start getting ready for our first day. Well, your first day, and my first day back. Why don't you try and go back to sleep for a little while, yuki no hana? I'll wake you up when it's time."

"Okay, but I have a better idea on how to get extremely comfortable to help both of us sleep." Toshiro picked himself off the floor, a sly smirk on his face, and crawled on the bed beside his orange headed baka of a boyfriend. He positioned himself so the back of his head was resting on Ichigo's chest, sitting in the dip of Ichigo's crossed legs, then letting out a deep sigh of content. "Let's let the alarm clock wake us up, Ichigo."

Ichigo was shocked, but not to the point that he used to be when they had first met. Such show of affection from the icy boy was a treat, indeed, but these were the times that always stood out in his mind. When his little boyfriend would drop his barriers and let him in. Ichigo breathed in the scent of Toshiro's hair. Winter. It's beautiful as always.

"Alright, Toshiro." He paused for a moment and took in his lover's scent once again, wrapping his arms around the tiny waist, wondering when would be his last time to hold his boyfriend. "I love you, you know."

Ichigo felt his lover press further into his chest. "I love you too, Ichigo."

The strawberry let those words sink in as he felt Toshiro fall asleep in his arms. Not five minutes after the boy fell asleep, Ichigo also drifted into a peaceful slumber while running his boyfriend's hair through his own callused hands.

Beep… beep… beep… beep… beep…

Rukia awoke from her deep sleep by the sound of Ichigo's alarm clock. She sat up and stretched, ready for college life and meeting up with old friends. She poked her head out of the closet where she always slept, her purple eyes scanning the room until they came upon a sight that made her face light up.

The young Kuchiki girl saw Ichigo lying on the bed, a bundle with white hair in his arms. Ichigo was smiling in his sleep, snoring softly. Toshiro's face was against Ichigo's chest, his own breathing soft. The small taicho was wrapped up in the taller's arms, safe and snug in Ichigo's hold.

As touching as the sight was, Rukia then turned her attention to the alarm clock, endlessly beeping. It was time to wake up the two lovebirds.

She hopped off her bed in the closet and quietly made her way across the room to where the two lovers were sleeping contently in each other's arms. She reached across Toshiro and shook Ichigo, rather waking him up than the icy boy. "Ichigo, time to start getting ready. Ichigo. Come on, Ichigo. ICHIGO!"

The strawberry awoke with a start, accidentally waking his boyfriend. "God dammit, Rukia! I thought you were my old man!"

Rukia burst out laughing. "You're lucky I'm not! Now get up, it's time, or we're gunna be late on our first day!" Rukia bowed in respect for Toshiro. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Hitsugaya-taicho."

Toshiro lifted himself from Ichigo's embrace and rubbed his teal eyes sleepily. "It's alright, Rukia. While we are in the world of the living, you can call me Toshiro if you'd like. This baka does it all the time," he said while jokingly poking Ichigo in the chest.

"Ah! God dammit!" Ichigo exclaimed. He was surprised at how much pain this disease was causing him. He clutched his chest until the pain went away. Shit, it's getting worse.

Toshiro wiped the joking expression from his face, replacing it with one full of concern. He placed a small pale hand on his lover's shoulder, making Ichigo's brown eyes stare straight into his own. "Ichigo, what's wrong? Are you okay? You've never reacted this way before when I've poked you. Maybe we should get your father…"

"No! I mean, don't worry about it, Toshiro, I'm fine. It's probably because I'm extra sensitive in the morning." Ichigo poked his chest with his own finger to show his boyfriend he was fine. Pain shot through his body. It was all he could do to avoid grunting in agony. "See…? Fine…" That was definitely not the best idea. Note to self. Don't do that again.

Not too surprising, it looked to Ichigo like Toshiro hadn't bought it by the way he looked away from Ichigo, getting up and going to the bathroom. Although he hated keeping secrets from Toshiro, Ichigo did not want to upset the white haired boy and have him worrying over the strawberry's health all the time.

"You know he'll find out sooner rather than later." Ichigo turned his head towards the origin of the voice. Rukia walked over to the bed and sat beside her orange haired friend. "And if he does find out later, you'll be putting through hell."

"Rukia, you don't understand. If I tell Toshiro what's been happening, he'll be head over heels in worry every second of the day. I can't see him like that. And I absolutely do not want him to see me weak. How would I protect him if he thought I was weak and sick? I have to keep this a secret, for the both of us."

As suddenly as he had left, Toshiro emerged from the bathroom, wearing his black and white collared shirt with the number 46 in the left corner of the shirt. He was wearing skinny jeans that were almost as white as his hair and a black scarf, as well as black gloves with the fingers cut off. His face had what seemed to be a mixed expression of concern and anger.

"What won't you tell me, for both our sakes, Ichigo? That you're hurting every time you come into contact with something, or perhaps the fact that your health is dwindling?"

Ichigo looked up at his lover with a pained expression in his chocolate eyes. "Toshiro…" He couldn't stop his head from dropping to rest against his chest. His chin was lifted by the cool fingers of his lover, and was suddenly looking straight ahead into sorrowful aqua green eyes.

Toshiro brought Ichigo's lips to meet his own, kissing away his stubborn lover's worry. When they parted, Toshiro was the first to speak. "Let me help you, Ichigo. I don't want to lose you knowing that I did nothing to help. How do you think that makes me feel? I feel sick just thinking about it!" He rested his forehead against Ichigo's left shoulder. "I can't bear to lose the one person I've loved since…"

"I know, yuki no hana. I'm sorry." Ichigo pulled his boyfriend into a strong embrace, wrapping his arms around the smaller's waist. He looked over the tiny shoulder to his best friend who was slowly leaving the room and mouthed the words "give us a minute".

He released his white haired lover and stared straight into those beloved teal orbs. "I'd never intentionally hurt you. You know that, right? I'd die protecting you. You are worth more to me than life itself, Toshiro Hitsugaya. Now, before we both start blubbering, let me get ready and then we can go see what Yuzu cooked us for breakfast. Sound good?"

That statement actually elicited a laugh from the small taicho, his face glued into a smirk. "Sounds good, Ichigo."

"I'm not doubting your statement at all, but I'm just not sure. Are you really eighteen years old?" the office receptionist asked, clearly still skeptical.

Toshiro could have sworn that the temperature had dropped considerably in the last five minutes due to the fact that yet another human was questioning him about his height and age relation.

Ichigo, on the other hand, could barely hold back his laughter. He felt sorry for his little boyfriend, though, so he decided to intervene. "Excuse me, ma'am, but do you have a death wish? If he says he's eighteen, then he's eighteen, regardless of his height. Now, if we could just get our schedules before classes start, that would be greatly appreciated so we're not lat on our first day."

The receptionist still looked suspiciously at the white haired boy in front of her, but complied with Ichigo's request and let them both onto the main campus.

Ichigo had a smug grin on his face as Rukia, Toshiro, and himself made their way across the grounds towards the main building. This was going to be very interesting…

Meanwhile

Gin Ichimaru stared at the spying glass which he and Aizen-sama used quite often to keep secret tabs on things. His red eyes, hidden by closed lids, somehow managed to watch the tiny figure in the image. He ran his long slender finger and traced the outline of the figure's body. How could he forget that stunning figure? Not in a million years, especially since they used to belong to each other.

"Long time no see, Hitsugaya-kun," Gin whispered to himself.

OH YES I DID :) lol. Hope y'all enjoyed it! Until next time...

Oh yeah, and FYI, yuki no hana means "snow flower"