Author's Note: How's the fic going so far? Please give me your constructive criticism.
As Hitsugaya entered his office and slid the door shut behind him, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh as he plopped down on the plush couch. It was weird to not see his vice-captain sleeping there for a change.
He ran his hands through his silvery hair, fanning himself with his hand – The heat was oppressive, and at this rate, it would weaken him and sap his strength like a parasite.
Tugging at the collar of his kimono uncomfortably, he made his way into the bathroom, where he leaned over the tub and turned the tap on, watching as the water splashed to the white porcelain bottom. He moved a hand under the spray, letting the cold water run over his hands before with a nod of satisfaction, he walked back outside into his office to wait for the tub to fill with the frigid liquid.
After the removal of his heavy garments, he returned to the bathroom, shutting the door and latching it shut behind him, lest he be disturbed during his personal rest. He then slipped into the tub, a shudder running up his spine as the chilly water settled around his body while he slid comfortably in.
And so for the next ten minutes or so he simply sat there quietly in the cold water in such a position that it came up to his shoulders, his head resting comfortably against the tub's cold white rim. He traced ripples into the water with his fingers, sighing in worry. He was still quite stressed out about the tons of paperwork that he still had to get finished, since his fukutaichou was quite the slacker. In addition, he had several important missions coming up, and tomorrow was a very important day as well.
His reiatsu was making the water even colder, and by now, mist was drifting off the water's surface, consuming the bathroom in a thin blanket of fog. With another sigh, Hitsugaya slid further down into the water, relieved that he was no longer under attack of the heat.
As much as he would like to, the young captain was fully aware of the fact that he was wasting precious time by idling about in the cold bath. With yet another sigh of irritation, he pulled the drain plug and reached over to grab a towel, which he promptly wrapped around his body upon realization that he had left his clothes in his office. If Matsumoto was in there, he had no intention of parading out naked. It would still be embarrassing, but having a towel would be better than nothing.
As soon as Renji was out of eyesight, Ichigo glanced back towards the tenth division barracks – the captain had disappeared into his office, and the assistant captain was still briefing the others on the next mission.
With the aid of shunpo, he made his way quietly and quickly around the group, slipping soundlessly into the tenth division office when he was sure no one was watching, quietly shutting the doors behind him.
He looked around in the office. It was a fairly neat room, with little furnishings and virtually no decorations or adornments. On the desk, piles and piles of mountainous paperwork had been arranged and sorted into several neat piles.
Other than that, the room was also notably cold. Ichigo couldn't help but shiver, wondering how in the world it could be summer outdoors and the dead of winter indoors. The office seemed to be deserted, as well. Had the young captain left? With a shrug, Ichigo decided to have a seat on the inviting plush couch and wait for his return or for something else to happen.
He plopped himself down, enjoying the soft feel of the plush against his back. It was quiet, a little too quiet for his tastes, the only exception being his own breathing and the ticking of a clock mounted on the wall.
"This is boring," he muttered to himself. "Maybe I should just get out of here and come back later…"
His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden sound of a door being opened from somewhere behind him, followed by an overwhelming blast of frigid air, nearly scaring him out of his skin. He spun around to take a look, mouth quickly opening to form an apology, but the words instantly disappeared when the sight met his eyes.
Hitsugaya Toshiro, the captain of the tenth division.
Standing in the doorway of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his nearly-naked body, his hair still damp and his skin still dewy.
Ichigo could seriously feel a nosebleed coming up. Heavens, the boy's body was perfect to the point of sinfulness. His face was heating up, but he could not tear his eyes away.
Hitsugaya looked up, stopping abruptly as his cerulean eyes met Ichigo's brown ones, a look of horror instantly finding its way into his features, a blush springing to his cheeks as he clasped the towel to his body with his dainty fingers, mortified.
"I-I'm so sorry!" Ichigo blurted, quickly clapping his hands over his eyes. "I…er…I'm not looking anymore, uh…I…I'm so sorry, I didn't know that you were in here…"
Watching him suspiciously, Hitsugaya snatched his clothes from the area he had left them, clutching them to his chest. "I…Did you…Did you need to see me?"
"Yeah," Ichigo managed to answer, his hands still pressed tightly over his eyes, which were also squeezed shut. "But, um, you can get dressed first…"
Hitsugaya quickly ducked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him, still horrorstruck and humiliated. A complete stranger had just seen him in an almost-naked state, and this did not sit well with him at all.
Though the stranger hadn't really been that bad-looking, either…
Shaking the thoughts out of his head, Hitsugaya quickly slipped into his kimono, pulling on his hakama and haori on afterwards and hanging the towel up, exiting the bathroom.
Ichigo watched as the young captain stepped back out into the office, fumbling with his obi belt in the process.
"H-Here, let me help you with that," Ichigo offered quickly as he sprang from his seat on the couch, reaching over and gently securing the strip of fabric around the boy's slim waist. "There you go."
"I don't recall asking for your assistance," Hitsugaya replied stiffly as he straightened his robes. "It's not like I don't know how to tie my own obi."
"Yeah…Sorry…"
"And since you've already so rudely entered my office without permission, I'm assuming there's something you want from me. You don't look familiar to me, though…What's your name?"
"Kurosaki Ichigo. And, and you're Toshiro, right?"
"Hitsugaya-taichou," he corrected icily.
"R-Right. Hitsugaya-taichou."
"And, Kurosaki, what is it that you want? I'm busy right now and I'd appreciate it if you made this quick. And I mean quick." His voice was oddly intimidating, and it send shudders down the strawberry's back.
"Uh…Uh…Well, I heard from Renji, you know, the sixth division fukutaichou…Well, I heard from him that you were stressed out lately, so I was wondering, um…Um, maybe I'd kind of, you know, try to help you relieve some of that stress, and, so...I was kind of hoping you'd like to, er, have dinner with me tomorrow?"
Hitsugaya stared at him with an expression of curiosity. "Are you…Are you asking me out on a date, Kurosaki?"
"Y-Yeah. Definetely. N-No! I meant, you know….just…just…" he spluttered lamely.
"You know, you're the fifth person who's asked me that question this week. Although you and I have barely even met. "
"Well, you're…You're really pretty, so I'm not surprised."
Hitsugaya did not seem pleased by the comment at all. "Tell me, Kurosaki Ichigo, which division do you belong to?"
"None, Toshiro – I mean, I mean Hitsugaya-taichou. I'm just a substitute shinigami."
"Hmm, I see. I've heard stories about your strength. And they're actually rather impressive stories."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"So, um, about tomorrow, then…"
"I'll have to reply in the same way I reply to everyone else, Kurosaki, and that means that I'm afraid that I will have to turn down your offer, generous as it is. I have something of utmost importance to attend to tomorrow, and joining you for dinner would be most disrespectful on such an occasion…"
"Whaddya mean disrespectful? It can't be that bad, now can it?"
"If you must know," Hitsugaya answered, and Ichigo could have sworn he heard a hint of sadness fringing the edges of his tone. "Tomorrow is the anniversary of the death of someone who was very important to me when he was alive. I do not wish to disrespect his memory."
"You mean that Sojiro guy?" Ichigo inquired, a little too boldly.
Hitsugaya's eyes flashed for a brief moment of anger. "Yes," he answered coldly, "And you will refer to him in a more respectful manner."
"Y-Yeah. Sorry."
"If you'll excuse me now, Kurosaki-kun, I have business to attend to. You are excused now."
"So, um…how about another day?"
Hitsugaya cocked his head, interest in his voice. "You are a stubborn one, aren't you?"
"Sorry, that's just how I am."
"Very well. I will consider a different day, Kurosaki-kun. You're an interesting person and it would be to my benefit to find out who you really are."
Ichigo gulped at this, a sensation unlike any other he had felt sparking in his brain. "Yeah, anytime, Hitsugaya-taichou. I…I'd really like to see you again, so um…Yeah…I guess I'll be off now."
And with that, he scrambled hastily out of the office, wondering what the hell he had just gotten himself into.