The night was cool as Tōshirō walked down the street. It was quiet and poorly lit but the quickest way to his home. The smell of cherry blossoms was thick in the air and as he pocketed his hands, his eyes travelled skyward.

Work had been hard as usual and he was almost completely drained. He had spent all day editing Rangiku Matsumoto's work. She had finally got it to him-completely last minute-and he was forced to do a rush job so she could finalise everything and hand it in.

Rangiku was certainly a piece of work… it was fairly unusual for a woman to work in the shōnen section but somehow she managed to pull it off. She was lazy though and ridiculously self-centred, not even bothered that he could very well lose his job because of her lack of concern for meeting deadlines.

He heaved a sigh, shrugging himself deeper into his snowy white coat. It wasn't extremely cold, though he didn't mind the cold weather anyway but for some reason, he felt a shiver make its way down his spine.

Glancing back, he noticed two men walking a little while behind, watching him. Momentarily they were reflected under the streetlight, shoulder length black hair, shining piercings and bleached hair and Tōshirō felt a surge of distaste. He knew he was stereotyping but honestly, the men looked like delinquents-the type of delinquents to randomly attack a lone man in the middle of the night.

He clicked his tongue, glancing back again as he sped up slightly. It's not as if he expected anything to happen but he hardly wanted to risk it. Turning right into the park probably wasn't the smartest idea but at least he could lose them in the forest like reserve.

A noise drew his attention and he glanced towards the side of the path. Stalking out from between the trees were another two men. They were grinning, their heads lowered slightly as they approached.

Tōshirō felt his heart quicken as he looked back, the two men from before fastening to catch up with him. Then there was another rustle and another two appeared to his left.

Two men, maybe even four he might have been able to take, but six? He had his briefcase and that was heavy, so he could use that as a weapon but aside from that, he had nothing. He was smaller than average and all of the men looked as if they could pass off as wrestlers.

Shit, he thought to himself, almost breaking out into a jog before another man appeared at the end of the path, just near the exit to the street. Another one?

Tōshirō slowed, turquoise eyes flicking to each of the men. They were all tattooed and pierced with rather cruel looking grins on their faces.

"A little unfair don't you think?" Tōshirō asked as he finally came to a stop.

The man at the end of the path walked under the street light, illuminating his ugly, scarred face and small, beady brown eyes. "What's unfair? We just happened upon you. We're looking for a little fun. Surely that isn't so bad. Besides aren't you only a high-schooler? Should you really be out at this time of night? Isn't it past curfew?"

Tōshirō exhaled, attempting to keep his cool. Because of his size, people often confused him for a high-schooler or sometimes, if they were a really bad judge of age, an elementary student-which is what he had looked like while he was in his junior years. "Do I look like I'm in high-school?" he demanded, watching them warily as they began to circle around him. His tone was becoming cool which probably didn't help his situation.

"Maybe you like dressing up like daddy?" one teased, both hands in his pockets.

A corner of Tōshirō's mouth curled up in amused irritation. "What can I say; it's a fetish of mine."

A few of them laughed and one reached out a hand to place it on his shoulder but Tōshirō threw up his arm, knocking away the hand that tried to hold him.

"Don't touch me," he hissed out, trying to back away, only to stumble back onto another of the men.

The man who he had hit into chuckled, gently grabbing onto his forearms. "If I had known you were this forward, I would have skipped the introductions."

Tōshirō jumped slightly, pulling out of the man's grip, shifting away from him. They were too close…

"Come one sweetheart, no need to be nervous. We'll play nice."

He laughed wryly, readying his suitcase. "Yeah, sure… look, no offence, but I don't have time to play around with you."

The scarred one pushed into the circle, reaching out his hand to gently caress Tōshirō's face. "Come, don't be coy."

Tōshirō took a shaky breath before he swung his briefcase, whipping it across the man's shoulder.

The man cursed, stumbling under the hit.

"I told you, don't touch me." Tōshirō ducked under an arm as one of the men tried to punch him, swinging his briefcase up into his arm before punching into another man and levelling a kick to another man's gut.

One man, a rather feral, black haired man hissed, grabbing his wrist when he went to punch him while another ripped his briefcase out of his grip before catching his hand and digging his blunt nails into Tōshirō's palm.

Tōshirō did his own amount of hissing, trying to yank himself out of their grip before the scarred man grabbed lengths of his ivory hair, jerking his head upwards.

"Don't be mean; we're just trying to… have a little fun."

He thrashed about in the man's grip, choking from the alcohol thick on his breath as the man leant closer, lips ghosting over his. "D-don't-" he began, voice barely a shaky whisper.

Then the chapped lips were pressed harshly against his, tongue running along Tōshirō's bottom lip.

Pressing back against the men holding him, Tōshirō fought, arms flailing and feet trying to find purchase on something. He attempted to kick them away, swinging his legs up to knock into one but the intended target jumped back, glaring at him and after delivering a sharp slap across Tōshirō's already reddened cheeks, he growled out, "Get him on his knees."

"Get the hell away from me," Tōshirō cried, digging his heels into the cobblestone path.

"I think the young man wants you to leave him alone," came a new voice, smooth, almost on the verge of amusement.

Tōshirō squinted the way the voice had come, heart jumping in excitement and relief, almost knocking out his breath. He was saved.

"I don't think it's any of your business," the scarred man told the stranger sternly, glaring at the shape.

Then the stranger passed under the dim light, orange hair darkened under the night sky. It was hard to see much from the dingy light, but it was clear he was rather tall and slender, as well as well defined; the rather sharp angles of his face clear even from where Tōshirō was.

"Let me ask you a question, what are you doing bothering this guy late at night?" the stranger enquired, the light tone dipping to something a little more dangerous.

"Nothing," one of the men answered, stepping forward slightly.

"Wrong answer," was snapped out before a foot shot into the man's face, sending him sprawling backwards, arms swinging as he tried to right himself before landing onto his bottom on the path.

"Now I'll try again." The man's voice had fully morphed now, heat and fire obvious even without seeing his face. "What do you think you're doing bothering someone when they clearly don't want it?"

The men exchanged glanced before the scarred man nodded to the man on the path and the other two not holding Tōshirō.

Nodding back they began to approach the stranger who simply chuckled.

"You guys are pretty dim, huh? Well whatever, I'll have you leaving here in an ambulance." A fist shot out, knocking into a comically surprised face before being followed up by a kick to the gut.

One man tried to punch the stranger but he ducked under it, pivoting on one foot, his leg out straight, tripping the man up. Quickly the orange haired man stood, reaching out to grab the remaining man's collar and bringing him close while his knee went up into his stomach.

Pushing him away, the man bounced on the balls of his feet, watching the three remaining culprits for movement.

Tōshirō, taking advantage of the hesitation of his captors, yanked his hand from the black haired man's grip, grabbing the other man's head with both hands and bringing it down sharp, straight onto his awaiting knee. Twirling, he kicked the other away, essentially freeing himself before dancing out of their reach.

The orange haired man laughed as the scarred man glanced between Tōshirō and him. "Now, I think right now, you're outnumbered. Not so fun when it's you is it?"

Lip smacking could be heard and some shuffling before the man cursed, "Shit. I won't forget this."

Tōshirō could practically hear the smile as the man replied, "I sincerely hope so. Because if I see you again, I've be sure to keep to my promise about the ambulance."

The man hissed before slapping a few of his friends on the back and sprinting off.

There was silence as they both watched them depart and Tōshirō exhaled a heavy breath he hadn't realised he had been holding. Getting attacked was definitely not on his to do list.

"Shit," he muttered to himself as he noticed his briefcase on the path. Picking it up he was relieved to find that it wasn't broken or open and sighed as he shouldered it, glancing back to his mysterious saviour.

The man had stepped back under the light and now Tōshirō's brain was not adrenaline filled, he could properly assess the man in what little light was available. The first thing he thought was the man was rather handsome with clear, peachy skin and simmering coffee eyes.

He looked much too casual for someone who had just fought off would be criminals, his hands in the back pocket of skin tight black jeans, a rather languid smile on his face. The only indicator of his actions was the light flush on his skin, though that could have easily have been from the cold.

Tōshirō bowed deeply, keeping his head down as he said seriously, "Thank-you for your help." Then he glanced up at the man as he continued with, "Though I didn't really need it, I'm grateful."

The man scowled slightly, lips pursed sceptically. "Huh… yeah, 'cause that's definitely what it seemed like when I found you."

Tōshirō huffed slightly. It was true it had seemed like a rather helpless situation, and in all honestly, he didn't really know why he had added the, 'to be honest I was fine,' part. Still, his pride had decided to rear its head. "Well… I was getting there."

The man just gave a small chuckle, smirking. "Yeah, okay sunshine, whatever you say. Anyway, what's your name?"

Tōshirō had noticed something strange about the young man as they talked-he didn't really seem to be looking directly at him-more just in his general direction.

"Yeah, I'm blind if that's what you were going to ask," the man suddenly told him, eyes raking over his face blankly.

Closing his mouth hurriedly, Tōshirō grit his teeth. "How would know what people are going to ask if you don't let them even start?"

Surprised, the stranger's eyebrows shot up a little. "Ah… well, I guess you're right. So what were you actually going to say?"

Tōshirō crossed his arms, exhaling sharply. So what if that had actually been his question? "My name's Tōshirō Hitsugaya," he answered.

The man smiled, "Nice to meet you Tōshirō-"

"It's Hitsugaya," he interrupted.

Snorting slightly, the stranger gave him an amused look before he straightened fully, beginning to walk past him. "Okay Tōshirō. I'm Ichigo. Well I'm heading home. Walk with me?"

Tōshirō gaped after the insolent man, unsure of whether he wanted to hit him with his briefcase or catch up to him. Finally he decided on the latter. "It's not because I'm worried," he assured the man-Ichigo. "It's only because my house is this way."

"Sure," he replied, clearly containing laughter. "Whatever Tōshirō."

"I already told you," he snapped. "It's Hitsugaya."

"I heard you the first time."

"Then you should use it."

"Don't wanna'," he replied, smirking at the smaller man. "What, you going to make me?"

Tōshirō growled a little, grated by the man's insistence to be so blatantly rude. "No, but I'm going to get irritated."

Ichigo rose a brow but didn't reply, just looking back out to the street as they walked down the quiet road, quietly passing under the lazy street lights.

Tōshirō glared at the man but finally relented, rearranging his clothes as they walked. He was going to buy pepper spray. And never walk on such a quite, dark road again. He glanced back at the taller man beside him. And definitely, no more midnight strolls.

XXX

So… haha :) here we are again… this was something that came to me after I watched this show with a blind guy in it and well… I just sort of went from there! Completely made this up but… that's fan fiction right?
I'm not really 100 percent sure I want this to be a Tōshirō and Ichigo fiction but I'm just going to play it by ear.
Sorry about not working on my other pieces, my computer really hates me and for some reason it wasn't playing nice with the fan fiction site. But I swear-updates will happen.
Anyway, tell me what you think about the piece! Love to hear it :) Have fun children!