"Ne, Hitsugaya-taichou, why you always wear your zanpakutou on yer back?"
Hitsugaya didn't bother looking at Madarame Ikkaku as he passed, not really wanting to answer the question; it was stupid, anyway. Who cared where he decided to carry his sword? What if he liked it on his back, as opposed to his waist, huh?
Why did people ask him that question all the time?
"Why do you wear makeup?" Matsumoto asked flippantly, walking alongside her captain.
Ikkaku shot to his feet. "Hey! It ain't makeup!" he snapped indignantly, wiping at the red marks under his eyes. Catching Matsumoto's expression, he scowled. "It ain't!"
"Hmmm..." Matsumoto murmured, continuing to walk.
"Oh, don't worry," Ayasegawa Yumichika said from behind them. "It's okay if you wear makeup. It really adds to your appearance, Ikkaku. Very nice."
"It ain't makeup, you fruitcake!"
"Hey, hey! Calm down, Ikkaku. Yell too loud and you'll wake up Fukutaichou. You don't really want to deal with her when she's cranky, do you?"
Ikkaku was suddenly silent.
Hitsugaya shuddered in silent sympathy. Kusajishi Yachiru was bad enough when she was well-rested...tired, she was a nightmare.
His head ached again just thinking about the time he'd been caught in the crossfire
"Ne, Ikkaku, I'll bet Hitsugaya-taichou wears his zanpakutou on his back because, if he wore it at his side, it would drag on the ground!"
Hitsugaya stopped.
Ikkaku burst out laughing. "Yeah, huh! He's so short it'd--"
"...Did you say something, cue-ball?"
Flinching slightly in surprise, Hitsugaya turned to see Matsumoto leaning down toward Ikkaku's upturned face. Normally, such a situation would be intoxicating for the bald shinigami; after all, Matsumoto's...assets were very, very close to him.
But the ice-cold glare on her face made any pleasure vanish.
"Uh...u-uh...n-n-nothing. Nothing, ma'am," Ikkaku stammered, face going white.
"I thought so..."
Matsumoto stomped back to Hitsugaya with her hands on her hips.
"Hnh...how unsightly...letting his fukutaichou defend him like that..."
"What was that, pretty boy!"
"Um...n-nothing. Nothing at all!"
Matsumoto smirked.
As Hitsugaya continued walking toward his headquarters, he smirked as well.
So what if he let his vice-captain defend him?
It worked, didn't it?
...Is itjust me or is Hitsugaya manipulative?