Thought I should put a disclaimer in- I DON'T OWN BLEACH NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WISH I DID
Also here's a shout out to redwolf89 for reviewing! I really appreciate it!
"Come on Toshiro!" Rangiku squealed like a little school girl. Toshiro shook his head at the sight of a grown women skipping down the street.
"Rangiku, please calm down. You're embarrassing yourself." Calmly following his assistant, Toshiro reflected as to why he decided to come. He had been released from the hospital a few days ago and now he was headed to Ichigo's dojo. He tried to convince himself that he just wanted to thank the orangette personally, but he knew that was a lie. The glimpse Toshiro had seen of those chocolate eyes was not enough. Toshiro wanted more.
Why had Ichigo left? Had he not found Toshiro attractive? Rangiku had told him Ichigo was gay, but maybe Toshiro wasn't his type. Toshiro was filled with self-doubt as he walked up to the dojo. He wasn't sure he could step through that door, but Toshiro Hitsugaya didn't back down. He squared his shoulders and walked towards the door.
Inside the dojo Ichigo walked around his practicing students. This was his more advanced martial arts class so he let them practice on their own more. They all were pretty decent fighters, Ichigo doubted they could handle a street fight but that wasn't the point of this class. Everyone was doing very well except for one student.
"Oi! Nagano! What're you doing?" The young brunette male looked at him defiantly. Ichigo was used to this, teenagers coming in and thinking he didn't know anything about them. Truth was he did, probably better than anyone.
"Practicing Sensei." Ichigo was also used to smartass replies.
"Oh really? To me it looked like you were showing off and almost knocked out the guy behind you." Ichigo watched as a tiny bit of concern came into the teen's eyes. "Now if you want to try more advanced techniques then do it privately." Ichigo waited until the teen nodded before glancing at the clock. "Alright everyone! I'll take it easy on you and let you out a little early, go ahead and cool down." Many of the teens grinned, excited about getting out early, while they did some cooling stretches and heading to the locker rooms.
Once the practice area was empty, Ichigo did his own stretching. He enjoyed the time when he was done with classes for the day; it allowed him to do his own practicing. As much as he hated to admit it but fighting calmed him, for a little while it made him forget his past.
Ichigo could feel his body move in a familiar pattern. Anyone watching could see him move with the ease of a lifelong fighter. As the outside world dimmed around him, he vaguely heard the sound of his students shuffling out, their voices disappearing as Ichigo lost himself in his own world.
Rangiku and Toshiro were walking in as a class seemed to be coming out. They walked up the front desk and Toshiro was shocked to see the tattooed, redheaded man there.
"Renji!" Rangiku yelled in her normal, over the top voice. The man looked up in surprise.
"Rangiku! And Toshiro! What are you doing here?" Toshiro was still shocked to see Renji here. Renji was the boyfriend of Toshiro's very good friend, Byakuya. They had been dating for about a year and they always seemed to be glued at the hip. Toshiro was also surprised that Renji obviously seemed to know Ichigo. Were there social circles really that close? How had they never met before the other day?
"We're here to see Ichigo, Renji. Well at least Toshiro here is, I'm just tagging along to see all this fine male body." She made a show of looking up and down Renji's body, making him laugh.
"You can look but don't touch, unless you want Byakuya's death glare." While this made Rangiku shiver in fear, it made Toshiro laugh. Byakuya may not seem it but he was quite possessive of his lover. "So what to y'all want with pumpkin head?" Renji asked, grinning at the nickname.
"I wanted to thank him. He sav- he helped me the other day and I wanted to properly thank him." Toshiro quickly revised his sentence; he did still have some pride.
"Ri-ight. How do you plan to thank him?" The last two words were in air quotes and both Rangiku and Renji were grinning suggestively, causing Toshiro to scowl at their childish antics.
"How does Byakuya even put up with you?" Toshiro asked, shaking his head.
"He just loves me." Was Renji's casual answer. "Come on, Pumpkin is practicing at the moment but I'm sure he'd appreciate a good thank you." Toshiro shook his head as the other two continued to chuckle.
He reluctantly followed Renji into the practice room of the dojo. He watched in awe as Ichigo moved. His muscular body moving so lithely, the moves so practiced they seemed second nature. He also seemed completely oblivious that anyone was in the room with him. Renji, annoyed at the lack of response from Ichigo, lobbed at towel at him, hitting him in the back.
"Oi! What the hell was that for? What-" The rest of the sentence was cut off as he noticed the other people in the room. "Toshiro what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked as he began to towel off his face and neck.
"He wanted to come here and thank you." Renji provided, still smiling. Ichigo, used to the man's taunts, just rolled his eyes.
"Get out of here Pineapple."
"Hey don't call me that you Pumpkin!"
"Come on Pineapple, let's go." Rangiku dragged a reluctant Renji out the door, his shouts echoing in the building. This left Ichigo and Toshiro alone.
"So Toshiro…" Ichigo began, unsure as what to say.
"Why did you leave?" Toshiro blurted, immediately regretting the words. That's not the best way to open a conversation.
The sudden question made Ichigo uncomfortable. "I just- well-" Ichigo sighed. "I didn't think you'd want anything to do with me, so I thought it best if I avoided this type of awkward conversation." Ichigo answered, unable to look Toshiro in the eye.
The answer left Toshiro surprised, he wasn't sure what answer he had expected but he definitely wasn't expecting that. He frowned at the truth in the other man's words. What did he mean by that? "Well you were wrong." Toshiro simply replied. Ichigo looked at him in surprise. What Toshiro said next surprised the both of them. "Will you go to dinner with me?"