Title: Winter's Child
Author: raikune
Rating: G
Genre: slash, fluff
Pairing: IchiHitsu
Summary: An old fic I wrote last year for Hitsugaya's birthday, originally posted on Livejournal. Hitsugaya doesn't care about his birthday, Ichigo disagrees.

--

"Hey Toshirou…I thought I'd find you up here."

Hitsugaya sighed at the sound of Ichigo's voice. The night had been frozen and perfect; he was enjoying looking at the stars while lying atop the Kurosaki house's roof. This interruption to his quiet solitude was unwelcome.

"Kurosaki." The white-haired captain didn't turn his head, even as Ichigo sat down beside him. "What do you want? I'm not going back downstairs to hear Matsumoto and your father sing drunken Christmas carols."

"I know. Pretty bad, aren't they? I thought I'd go and find you as an excuse to sneak away…" Ichigo grimaced and rubbed his arms. "Aren't you cold up here?"

"No."

"Nah, I forgot. You're sub-zero at the core." His breath came in faint clouds.

"Is there some actual reason you're up here, Kurosaki?"

The teen grinned at the other's huffiness. "Ya mean ya didn't miss me?"

"Do I look like I'm missing you?" Hitsugaya mocked gently. His turquoise eyes remained staring at the distant stars.

"Aw, that's cold. I just came up here to, you know…say happy birthday."

A flicker of emotion registered in Hitsugaya's eyes before receding. "Who told you?"

"Matsumoto."

"Hmph."

"I dunno why you'd never think to tell me…"

"Because it's not important. Not to me."

"Well, I think it's important." Ichigo lay down beside the captain, wincing at the feel of cold concrete. After awhile, he stretched out a hand and began to lazily fondle the fluffy spikes on the boy's brow. Hitsugaya sighed but didn't make any attempt to stop him.

"I think it's kinda apt," Ichigo spoke, wanting to break the silence. "You being born in December. In the coldest month of the year. It suits you. If my mom were here…she'd call you 'winter's child.' She'd always come up with poetic stuff like that…"

Hitsugaya made a neutral noise and Ichigo grinned. The frost was melting. He rolled to his side and gathered the tiny captain to him, sinking his lips into the softness of Hitsugaya's white hair. The other squirmed a little, before relaxing into the crook of the older boy's elbow. Ichigo lay still and let his body soak up the other's heat.

"We could go inside," he murmured. "Go to my room—it's freezing out here. We can celebrate your birthday nice and quiet. You don't have to hide out here or be around anyone else at all."

"A cunning plan, Kurosaki." Hitsugaya played with the buttons on Ichigo's shirt. "And how would we celebrate my birthday? There'd better be no singing involved."

"I could think of a present to give you." Ichigo caught the other's cool lips in a kiss, letting his tongue swipe over Hitsugaya's lower lip. "Just us. I could lock my door…how about it? We could turn this day into something special."

"Something special." Hitsugaya snorted. Here it was again. Ichigo had this unnerving ability to change things: himself, other people, situations…with simple earnestness and honesty. And he could tell the teen meant it. Of course he did. Ichigo meant everything he said, all the time. He cared. And for some reason Hitsugaya felt as if he should care too.

"Damn it. You're doing it again, stupid berry."

"Huh?" Ichigo blinked.

"Nothing." Hitsugaya allowed himself a small smile. Ichigo felt a small hand thread with his own.

"…Maybe I could learn to like my birthday after all."

--end