Romantic Moments

"GOOD MORNING ICHI - ACK!"



"Dad! Will you knock that off!? It\'s really annoying!"



Ichigo Kurosaki glared daggers at his father, who was rolling on the floor clutching a bloody nose. Every morning Isshin Kurosaki did a so-called surprise attack on his 19-year-old son. And every morning he got punched square on the nose before he even got close. Ichigo was growing extremely tired of it.



"You do this every single day! I\'m sick of it! And when I have company over too!"



"Ah, my manly son! You have become so strong! And having company spend the night! My son has become a man! My-"



"Will you shut up and get out of here?! You\'re gonna wake him up!"



After grabbing his father and tossing him bodily out of the room, Ichigo locked the door and stalked back to the bed. He glanced at the other figure on the mattress and his expression softened. He reached over and gently stroked his sleeping companion\'s hair. As he did so, light blue eyes fluttered open and looked up at him.



"Mm, Ichigo? What is it?"



"It\'s nothing Toshiro. My dad was being stupid again. Go back to sleep."



Ichigo smiled softly as Toshiro drifted back to sleep. His snow-white air was fanned out on the pillow and Ichigo\'s borrowed PJ\'s were slipping off his small frame. Ichigo would never admit it out loud, but he often thought Toshiro looked like an angel. Especially when he was sleeping like he was now.



The 2 had been dating for 4 months, ever since an extremely embarrassed Toshiro had confessed to having feelings for the orange-haired substitute Soul Reaper. Living in separate dimensions and having many responsibilities meant that the pair couldn\'t spend as much time as together as they liked. Killing evil ghosts that fed on human souls, living or dead, took up a lot of time. Though Toshiro made a point to sneak away to the human realm whenever he could.



Glancing up at the clock and seeing that it was nearly 11 AM, Ichigo decided to get up. He got dressed, making sure not to disturb Toshiro, and went downstairs. Grabbing a bagel in the kitchen, he made his way into the living room. His younger sisters Karin and Yuzu were unraveling tangled strands of Christmas lights.



"Good morning Ichigo," Yuzu said cheerfully. "Would you mind giving us a hand?"



"Sure. Getting an late start though, don\'t you think? Christmas is next week."



"When we started, it was Thanksgiving," Karin muttered sarcastically. "By the time we finished it\'ll be Valentine\'s Day."



Ichigo just laughed and grabbed a strand. With the 3 of them all working at it, the lights soon got straightened out. Ichigo then got the plastic tree out of the closet along with the other decorations. While the siblings were assembling it, Toshiro had woken up and come downstairs.



"Hello Toshiro," Yuzu chirped. "Did you sleep well?"



"I slept fine, thank you. What are you doing?"



"Just setting up the tree for Christmas."



"Christmas? What\'s that?" Toshiro asked, tilting his head slightly.



"It\'s a religious holiday," Ichigo told him. "And a chance for people to spend time with the ones they love."



"I see. We don\'t have things like that in Soul Society."



"Too bad. Christmas is in 8 days. I know you have to go back to Soul Society today, but it would be really great if you get back here for it."



"I\'ll try, but you know I can\'t promise. Do you guys need any help?"



3 hours later, the tree was dressed and the other decorations were placed around the house. It would have been finished sooner but for Isshin popping in and knocking over everything. Toshiro had to threaten to turn him into an ice statue with his sword before the old man promised to behave. A promise he broke before 30 seconds had passed. Ichigo finally locked his father in the basement until everything was set up.



"Finally, we\'re finished," Ichigo said with satisfaction. "Yuzu, you can let Dad out of the basement now."



"Ah, leave Goat Chin in there," Karin said. "If we let him out, he\'ll just knock over the tree again."



"The place looks great Ichigo," Toshiro said, patting his boyfriend on the shoulder.



"Thanks Toshiro. I guess you have to go back now, huh?" Ichigo said sadly.



"Unfortunately yes. It\'s getting late."



Glancing around to make sure everyone else had left the room, Toshiro reached up and pulled Ichigo into a passionate kiss good-bye. Then, blushing heavily and trying to cover it with a scowl, the young Soul Reaper captain was gone. Ichigo sighed slightly in longing, then went to make sure Karin had actually let Yuzu let Dad out.



The day before Christmas.

Toshiro groaned in frustration. He had just gotten out of a Captain\'s meeting that had lasted for 4 hours. There hadn\'t even been any business of any importance, just a waste of time. The silver-haired young captain was convinced that the Head Captain had finally gotten so old he was becoming senile.



"Captain! How was the meeting?"



"Boring. I\'d rather not have to recall it Matsumoto."



"I guess you\'d rather be spending time with Ichi-chan huh?" Matsumoto said slyly.



Toshiro stiffened, then spun around and glared hotly at his big-chested lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto. She ignored it, pushing back her long chestnut hair. Rangiku was one of the very few people who could tease the short captain without being afraid of getting turned into a Popsicle.



"Rangiku! How many times to I have to tell you not to say things like that in public?" Toshiro said angrily. "I don\'t want anyone to know about it yet."



"Sorry captain," she said, chuckling. "You must be missing him."



"Yeah. He invited me to spend a human celebration with him. It\'s tomorrow, but I\'m not sure if I\'ll be able to go. Certainly not if there are any more Captain\'s meeting."



"If you want to go, then you should go," Rangiku told him. "I\'ll be glad to cover for you if anyone asks."



Toshiro blinked at his lieutenant in surprise, then gave her a rare smile.



"Thank you Rangiku," he said, before summoning a Hell Butterfly and opening a portal to the human realm.



At the Kurosaki house.

"Daddy! Get away from those cookies! They\'re for Santa!"



Isshin yelped in pain as Yuzu walloped him with a large wooden mixing spoon. She then chased him out of the kitchen and away from the plate of chocolate chip cookies he had been reaching for. Ichigo and Karin both smirked in amusement at watching the 5 foot 9 full-grown man run in fear from an 11-year-old girl barely 4 foot 5.



"So Ichigo, do you think that your friend will be able to make it?" Karin asked after Yuzu and Isshin had disappeared upstairs.



"Doesn\'t look like it," Ichigo said sadly. "I was really hoping he\'d show up. I had something I really wanted to give him."



Karin patted her brother on the shoulder, then started flipping through TV channels, having lost all interest in his love life. Ichigo sighed and picked up a magazine from the living room table. Just then there was a knock on the front door. Looking up quizzically, Ichigo\'s expression brightened as the door opened and Toshiro entered.



"Toshiro, you made it!" he exclaimed. "I was beginning to think you weren\'t coming."



"I almost couldn\'t," Toshiro said, giving Ichigo a quick hug. "Matsumoto said she\'d cover for me."



"Remind me to thank her for that later."



"Everyone, it\'s dinner time and… Hi Toshiro!" Yuzu said as she came downstairs. "Would you like to have dinner with us?"



"Thank you, I\'d like that."



5 minutes later everyone was seated around the kitchen table. Yuzu insisted that she serve dinner herself instead of everyone getting their own plate.



"I hope you all like the Christmas Eve dinner I made," she said. "Honey ham, mashed potatoes, and peas."



"It\'ll taste great Yuzu," Ichigo told her. "It always does."



"And for dessert, some home-made chocolate chip cookies."



"Daddy no! I already told you, the cookies are for Santa!"



"Santa? Who or what is Santa?" Toshiro asked as Yuzu frowned at her sheepish-looking father.



"You don\'t know who Santa is?" Yuzu said in shock. "I thought everybody knew Santa!"



"Santa\'s this old guy who goes around and gives kids presents on Christmas Eve," Karin said. "He\'s not real though."



"Karin! How can you say that? Of course he\'s real!"



"Whatever. I really don\'t care."



Ichigo ignored his sisters and dug into his meal. After a moment\'s hesitation Toshiro did the same. After they all finished Yuzu got out some ice cream for dessert. Then everyone went into the living room for hot cocoa.



"The meal was delicious Yuzu," Toshiro said.



"Thank you. I\'m so glad you liked it."



"So what do we do next?" he wondered.



"Well, traditionally we watch \'A Christmas Carol.\' It\'s an old movie," Ichigo said. "Then we go to bed and wait for tomorrow morning."



"Ssh, it\'s starting," Isshin said.



Once the movie ended Yuzu set out cookies and milk for Santa and shooed everyone to bed. Ichigo loaned Toshiro a pair of pajamas and the 2 changed clothes. Lying down, Ichigo patted the space on the mattress beside him. Toshiro gladly took the invitation and quickly snuggled close.



"So tomorrow\'s Christmas huh?"



"That\'s right. You excited?"



"Mostly curious. What do you do for Christmas?"



"Well, every family has their own traditions," Ichigo said. "We usually get up around 9:30 and pass out gifts. Then we go out for breakfast. After that it varies."



"I see. I\'m sorry I didn\'t get you a gift Ichigo."



"It\'s ok Toshiro. You being able to be here is a great gift by itself."



Toshiro just rolled his eyes and ruffled his boyfriend\'s orange hair fondly. Ichigo grinned and held him close, burying his face in the soft white locks. The 2 snuggled together lovingly as they drifted off to sleep.



Christmas morning.

"Ichigo! Toshiro! Wake up, it\'s Christmas!"



Yawning, Ichigo looked up sleepily to see an excited Yuzu peering in around the bedroom door. Waving to show her he was awake, Ichigo turned to wake Toshiro. Looking at his sleeping form, Ichigo was once again smitten by how angelic his boyfriend looked.



"Toshiro. It\'s time to get up," he said softly. "It\'s Christmas morning. Time to rise and shine."



"Mmph. Ichi? Is it morning already?"



"That\'s right. Up and at \'em."



After getting dressed the 2 young men went downstairs and into the living room. Isshin, Karin, and Yuzu were already awake, getting the stockings down from the mantle. Yuzu made everyone some hot cocoa before rummaging through her own stocking. Each one was stuffed with various types of candies.



"Here Toshiro. I put up an extra stocking for you," Ichigo said.



"A stocking? That\'s an odd tradition."



"Yeah, but when it\'s filled with candy, nobody really cares."



After everyone had looked through the stockings, they started passing out the presents. Toshiro watched as the Kurosaki family gave their gifts to each other. He was glad he could spend time with Ichigo, but he couldn\'t help feeling a little left out. Ichigo noticed his boyfriend\'s downcast expression and patted him on the knee.



"Don\'t feel bad Toshiro. I\'ve got a special present for you."



Excusing himself from the room, Ichigo ran upstairs and dug through his dresser. Finding what he was looking for, he went back down. He was holding a brightly colored box with a bow on top.



"Here you are Toshiro," he said, handing it to him. "I had it made especially for you. I hope you like it."



"I\'m sure I will. Thank you Ichigo."



Toshiro removed the bow and carefully took off the wrapping paper. His blue eyes widened in surprise as he opened the box and took out the gift. In his hand was a small figurine made of clear blue crystal. It was cut into the form of Hyorinmaru, the ice dragon spirit that inhabited his sword. The detail work on it was amazing.



"Ichigo, it\'s beautiful. Thank you so much."



"You\'re welcome Toshiro."



Feeling extremely happy that he had such a romantic boyfriend, Toshiro leaned over and gave Ichigo a firm kiss. He didn\'t even care that the others were staring at the 2 of them. He only cared about being as close to Ichigo as he could get.



Glancing at his family from the corner of his eye and seeing that they had gone back to the presents, Ichigo broke off the kiss. He gently cupped Toshiro\'s face and they nuzzled noses. It was something Toshiro loved and his eyes closed in bliss.



"Let\'s go upstairs Toshiro," Ichigo whispered. "There are some more \'traditions\' I want to show you."



Ichigo stood up and took Toshiro\'s hand. He led his boyfriend upstairs to his room, grabbing a sprig of mistletoe on the way.