Snow Cone

….

Summary: "Rukia-san, if you don't start walking on the sidewalk, you will get run over a rickshaw sooner or later." HitsuRuki AU.

Author-person: Yes, yes, I am hooked. I've been a huge fan of IchiRuki, GrimmRuki and even UkiRuki… but ever since I read my first HitsuRuki fic, 'Shelter', I've always wanted to write something for the cute pair. And now, after months of wracking my brain for a satisfying idea, I finally present to you this little two-shot.

OOC-ness.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, or any other anime'. So please leave this impoverished sixteen-year-old alone.

….

"Nii-sama," I said in a whisper as I fumbled with my obi sash, trying to tuck in my small handkerchief without disturbing the rest of my clothing.

My brother tilted his head to the side, supposedly to acknowledge that he'd heard me whining again. I was mildly irritated by his lack of response, but I could not really do anything about it. He was the Clan Head, after all. Childish antics were unacceptable in his eyes, and it was really a wonder that he hadn't reprimanded me for protesting against what I was being forced to do.

"Nii-sama," I said again. This time, he closed his eyes and scrunched up his eyebrows as if he was trying to block out my voice. I frowned at this and desperately wished that he would hear my pleas.

He didn't, much to my dismay. He simply raised a cup of tea to his lips.

I gave an exasperated sigh and admitted defeat after realizing that Nii-sama could play this game of Ignore Adopted Little Sister all day long. I had no choice but to turn my attention (albeit unwillingly) to the boy that sat across from me at the table. He was showing no signs of interest in me whatsoever… and somehow I was glad to know that. He seemed more fascinated (engrossed would be a more suited term) by the antique swords that my brother kept in a glass case at the other end of the room… A sword junkie, I thought, and laughed inwardly.

However, about the same time that I concluded that he was an enthusiast, he turned his head to face me. I looked away quickly and kept myself busy by tracing the patterns on the sleeves of my kimono. This could not keep me occupied for long, though. Soon enough, I was tempted to look at him again and found that he had returned to examining Byakuya's collection. It was then that I decided to take further note of his features.

His spiky, snow white hair piqued my interest just as much as his tanned skin seemed to entice the young maids that served us afternoon tea. It was rather unusual for anyone to have such oddly-colored hair, and he reminded me somewhat of an old friend that owned the confectionary a few blocks from my home. The old friend, I loved dearly, but this white-haired boy? I'd rather someone throw him into a pit of vipers.

I almost jumped when Nii-sama cleared his throat, and I was quite certain the boy almost did the same. He coughed and looked at me. This time, with a strange gleam in his eyes.

"Your sister is very… charming, Kuchiki-san. And I would be very much honored to take her hand in marriage." He was very confident of himself when he said this. And his rather cocky attitude annoyed me even more.

"I apologize. I have to decline your offer."

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled in amusement.

It was undeniably true that he had manners as that of a true aristocrat and spoke with such formality that tended to bore me as time passed, but I could hardly believe that this man… this child… was approximately a year older than me. He looked no more than twelve years old!

"Rukia," Nii-sama said in his deep baritone. "Declining is not an option."

"But--!"

"Rukia."

"Yes, Nii-sama.

My frowned deepened. Truly, this day could not have gotten any worse. I was being engaged to some snotty, twelve-year-old-looking aristocrat by my own flesh and blood! Well, that was technically a lie. Byakuya was only my adoptive brother, but that's besides the point. I did not want to get into an arranged marriage, especially when my husband-to-be was a certain Hitsugaya Toushiro. My brother could not have been serious when he agreed to match me up with this… this… diminutive man! It was simply outrageous, to say the least.

As I was wallowing in my misery, the door rolled open. Nemu, our head maid, gave a deep bow and entered the room. She whispered something in Byakuya's ear (which seemed to be concerned with the family business for he adopted his troubled expression) and handed him a few papers to read. He bowed apologetically at our 'guest' and skimmed through a few pages before rising to his feet. I attempted to stand as well, but he gave me a stern look that caused my knees to buckle from under me.

"You'll have to excuse me, Hitsugaya-san." He said, his slate-grey eyes never leaving me. I bowed my head in embarrassment. "It seems that I have urgent business to attend to. Would it be alright for you to keep my sister company? It is a good opportunity for you to be acquainted with each other."

My jaw hung open as his words registered in my brain. Acquainted with each other? I wanted gouge the white-haired boy's eyes out if I could, but getting acquainted with him was the last thing I had in mind. And so when I recovered from my semi-shocked state, I tried to protest.

"I--"

"Of course. It would be my pleasure." Hitsugaya's lips twitched upwards, and I would have absolutely loved to rip that smug smile off of his face if Nii-sama hadn't shot me another look. Again, I could do nothing but cuss inwardly.

The Kuchiki Clan Head bowed goodbye and left me and the Hitsugaya-brat in the room. I furrowed my brows in irritation and gave the boy my best glare.

Unfortunately, he seemed not to notice because he continued to eye me still. He blinked a few times and sighed wearily. "Hey you,"

I was so sure that my eyes almost popped from their sockets. How rude! How dare he address me like that? It would have been alright if we were close friends or family, but we did not even know each other… How could a boy from such an influential family neglect to show respect to others?

"That was quite disrespectful of you, Hitsugaya-san," I said icily. "I believe manners are compulsory when within this household."

"I apologize. But you haven't been giving me a whole deal of respect either. With your continuous glaring and blatant display of dislike towards me, I felt that I needed to return the favor of being equally disrespectful." He tucked his arms in the sleeves of his dark-colored hakama and eyed me again.

I felt uncomfortable under his gaze. So much so, that I had to shift in my kneeling position and avoid his brilliant teal eyes. Yes, I hated him for his arrogance. But I could not deny that he was, in a way, pleasing to the eyes. He was short for a seventeen-year-old, but other than that, he was quite good-looking. Any other girl would have jumped off Mount Fuji to be his bride.

But not me.

I huffed at his conceited reply and decided to fix my gaze at my small hands which were, at the moment, clutching the knee of my kimono with a great deal of strength. I found pleasure in this and imagined that I was wringing his neck.

Time seemed to stretch on as we stayed within the confines of the four walls. I wanted so much to excuse myself and maybe just leave him there alone until he got bored and went back to wherever ditch he came from… but I was afraid to disappoint Nii-sama. Why, you may ask. Because, when one is faced to decide whether he or she would choose to drown in a koi pond or disobey the Kuchiki Clan Head, the decider would most definitely choose death by drowning over facing Kuchiki Byakuya's unparalleled wrath.

I sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day and lifted my eyes to look at the quiet aristocrat again. He was gazing at me with intent and I felt the sudden need to blush. I felt pathetic.

"What is the matter?" I asked, proud that I said this in my deep, commanding voice.

Hitsugaya simply tilted his head and stood up.

"We're going out."

"What?"

….

"Rukia-san, if you don't start walking on the sidewalk, you will get run over a rickshaw sooner or later."

"How is one run over a rickshaw?" I said, a vein throbbing on the side of my head.

He shrugged and kept on walking on the side of the road while I insisted on staying on the street. I'd prefer to keep a good great distance away from him as to not make the impression that I actually enjoyed his company (which I really didn't).

"You are stubborn." He shook his head and looked at me again with those brilliant teal orbs.

"And you, sir, are quite rude. No gentleman would call a woman stubborn , or hard-headed. It's offending."

"Oh? So how would you like me to describe you?"

I stopped suddenly and he did the same. Er, I won't say that I didn't feel particularly awkward with his question, since I did not like the answer that followed it (which I believed he already knew judging from the amused look in his eyes). I scuffed my wooden sandal on the dirt road and wracked my confused brain for a good enough reply.

I could not find any.

It was practically custom for a man to speak good things about a woman. It was part of etiquette, I suppose. But I hated being called pretty or beautiful just because some person was forced to for the sake of good manners. To me, it felt more offending, which is why I preferred if one said such words to me from his heart.

Hitsugaya, I believe, did not even have a heart.

"Well?" He asked, tucking his hands in his sleeves. He seemed to enjoy my being flustered over such a basic question.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and answered. "A man is supposed to speak nicely of a woman. Use words that will please her… A complement or a little flattery would do."

He chuckled and covered his mouth with his hand as he did so. I flushed and turned away from him.

"Alright then," I glanced sideways as he talked. "I believe that you, Rukia-san, are really quite pretty. Beautiful is a better term to describe you, I think."

I saw him smile slightly as he went on. "You are petite and graceful in your own offhand way, but it would do good if you smiled a little bit more."

"You say those things with such formality that anyone would not believe them." I told him. My arms were crossed over my chest… But really, I was flattered. No one has really told me such things, except maybe for my childhood friend who I promptly rejected right after he confessed.

"True, which is why I opted to call you stubborn. That seems a lot more honest, doesn't it?"

"I hate you."

"I'm honored."

I was about to retort when the sound of heavy hooves and neighing invaded my ears. I turned and found myself faced with a wild horse, front legs raised in the air and mouth foaming.

My mind was in such a confused state that I froze completely and was unable to move from the spot. I stood rooted there, eyes wide in shock, my hands clamped over my mouth. Finally, when I heard some people screaming and shouting, fear gripped me and caused my knees to give in. I fell helplessly on the dirt road as the hooves came down on me. My eyes clenched shut as I prepared for the pain that was to follow.

Someone called out my name, a deep baritone that I could not recognize and I suddenly felt my arm being tugged painfully. Somehow, my instincts kicked in and I felt myself standing up as my limb was pulled on. My face hit something hard then, something warm. And out of pure curiosity, I forced my eyes to open and saw the most annoyed-looking face I'd ever seen.

Hitsugaya Toushiro exhaled in relief.

I would have felt immensely thankful that I was saved from being stomped on by a horse, but at the moment, my shoulder was troubling me. There was a sharp pain as tried to move it slightly, but it hurt even as I held it in place… I held back a whimper, and instead, looked up and saw that Hitsugaya's eyes were focused on the road where he pulled me from. I could hear the grunts and shouts of men who might have been trying to make the horse calm down… but I was too afraid to confirm it.

Hitsugaya looked down on me, finally, and furrowed his brows.

"Idiot."

….

Author-person: This was my first time writing a HitsuRuki and I hope it was alright. The second part will be posted... maybe a a week from now. I'm not really sure. It depends on how much schoolwork will be dumped on me. --sob--

I am in dire need of a beta reader. If anyone is interested, please tell me via PM or review and I will check out your profiles…

Thank you very much for reading, and please review!