Too Little Too Late

Warning: This is a fic that has never been done (me thinks) and may come off as rather strange (but hopefully that's a good strange). Now then onto the standard warnings; this fic has yaoi and rape and there for, all those readers against this shall not read the piece or their innocent psyches may implode!

Pairing: UraharaXHitsugaya

Disclaimers: sigh……..here we go again. I don't own bleach or any characters held there in. If I did quite a few characters that annoy the fuck out of me would be long since dead, there would be mpregs and yaoi abound. Lol! I'm crazy that way so don't mind me.

No worries (if any of you are) about the new name. It's still me I just changed my penname from Vixen-Ra (still love Egypt and foxes, but time for something new) to snow-puppy………..Okay scratch that (again)…..I've changed my name yet again, but I guarantee that this one is the permanent.

~blah~ means dream sequence

'blah' means thoughts

blah means past occurrences

"blah" means Kuro speaking

"blah" means Hyourinmaru speaking

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Kristine93: I'm glad the tension was felt for you, cause I just wasn't too sure if the chapter portrayed the emotions correctly. Now……..*holding bat to fend off upset readers* Shiro-chan's death was a must for tension purposes. Please don't kill me! Just read the final chapter and see how the others have coped.

hamiechi: I think the cat punished himself…..he fell out of his bed this morning….soooo made me feel better (hehehe). Anyway…..did I really kill Hitsu? Yes, yes I did, but there is one more chapter to go to wrap this up so keep reading. Also, I use to only have internet explorer and when I went to join Y!Gallery it said it wouldn't show properly unless I had Mozilla Firefox internet browser. I downloaded it for free from the internet. I think you can as well even if you are using an opera mini. Just go to to download the browser. :3

I'M BAAAAAAACCCCK!!!!!!!!! Again……. for some reason my brain supplies that pesky Eminem song (guess who's back, back again…..lol)

Go figure……

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Too Little Too Late

Six long months had already come and gone since the passing of Hitsugaya Toushiro and it was reasonable to say that nothing was ever the same since. People still laughed and enjoyed themselves, but no one could completely get by the loss of Seireitei's youngest Taichou. However, life in Soul Society went on as usual and with one Urahara Kisuke as Sotaichou everything was gradually turned on its proverbial head.

The wily blonde saw to the tasks of assigning new Taichou and Fukutaichou to all Divisions that required them. Kira Izuru finally decided to take the lead for once and readily agreed to head the Third Division….despite his lack of Bankai….with a new, young upstart as his Fukutaichou, a boy by the name of Hideki Koji. Abarai Renji was relocated to the Fifth Division with Hinamori Momo as his Fukutaichou. The girl had finally realized whom exactly her beloved 'Aizen Taichou' really was once she was informed of her 'little brother's' death. Even Urahara had taken in a Fukutaichou….his assistant and friend, Tsukabishi Tessai. He'd even brought Ururu and Jinta with him.

Once Urahara had settled most of the problems he saw to Kariya Jin as well. After having spent several long months in a Seireitei holding cell the man decided it wasn't really worth the trouble to attempt the destruction of Soul Society. Especially since, even though he was imprisoned, he was treated quite well. In the end Urahara had settled on allowing the man to live within Soul Society…..Kariya excepted quietly.

As for the one and only Kurosaki Ichigo….well….on a visit to Seireitei to see his Godson, Kohaku….only a month after Hitsugaya's death….he managed to catch a very exhausted Hisagi Shuuhei in his line of sight. Through the course of another month both males became rather attached to each other and it came as no surprise to Urahara when the lively teen burst into his office demanding to become the Taichou of the Ninth Division. It had been a rather unanimous decision to allow the substitute to become a full fledged Shinigami, despite the fact that he wasn't really dead yet, and in the span of two hours Ichigo was wearing a Taichou's haori.

The teen had promptly rushed off to, quite literal, 'bum-rush' his new Fukutaichou. Hisagi appeared hours later….rather ruffled and thoroughly put out, a stupid grin plastered on his pretty, tattooed face. Urahara had laughed himself hoarse fairly quickly when he saw the proud, if a bit too cocky, strut Ichigo mustered afterwards.

However, the one Division left unchanged was that of the Tenth. Matsumoto Rangiku flat out refused to become Taichou and would except no other in Hitsugaya's place. It was alarming at how quickly her attitude changed. The usually bubbly woman became quiet and demure, even buckling down to focus on work. No one blamed her for they were all feeling the same way….or at least the majority were…..so no one pushed to have the position filled. It just didn't seem quite right, really………………………

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"Oi! Geta-Boshi!" Ichigo yelled loudly, "Get your ass out here!" Urahara, who was completing a small stack of papers in his private office on the new estate he now owned, sighed wistfully and rose slowly to his feet to go outside where aforementioned Strawberry was yelling for him. Upon entering the quaint side garden attached to his office the blonde spotted Ichigo, Shuuhei and his six-month-old son, Kohaku on a blanket spread across the ground. "I would appreciate it if you didn't use such foul language within earshot of my son, Kurosaki Taichou." The blonde said, putting tease to Ichigo's title.

Ichigo huffed as he motioned his Fukutaichou to the opposite end of the blanket, "Watch this!" Ichigo said with a fair bit of excitement in his voice, "Go see Shuuhei Ojisan!" Hisagi waved his fingers at the cooing infant as Ichigo laid the child on his stomach. Urahara observed with a raised brow only to smile fondle as the infant caught sight of Hisagi and suddenly wiggled onto his hands and knees. He watched as his little, fair-haired son scooted across the short space between the two males and crawled clumsily into Hisagi's lap to cuddle.

Urahara laughed warmly as he walked over to where Hisagi was cuddling and blowing raspberries on Kohaku's stomach, making the child squeal with laughter, "I appreciate that you two could take some time to play with Kohaku." The Sotaichou said lightly as Ichigo got to his feet, haori swishing around his legs with the movement. "You know that we're happy to come see Kohaku." Ichigo said seriously as he looked down at Kohaku, who squirmed excitedly in Hisagi's arms, "Besides, I wanted to see the little monster before I went back to the living world."

Urahara smirked, "Don't stay away too long this time or Hisagi-kun might just have to resort to using toys again to fulfill his needs." The blonde laughed when he saw both males blush profusely at his little jibe. Ichigo snorted and crossed his arms over his chest, "And whose fault is that." He ground out as he jabbed a finger into Urahara's ribs sharply. The blonde squawked slightly and ducked away, "It's not my fault I can tell when sexual tension's about to kill someone. I was just being a good Sotaichou and providing my subordinate with a form of release lest he off himself for having to wait for your scrawny behind to return!" the man teased ruthlessly.

"It's so your fault, Geta-Boshi! He's been conditioned to go 'wild' if I stay away long enough and you went and ruined it!" Ichigo howled, "Hey! I am so not conditioned, Taichou!" Hisagi spluttered indignantly, blush darkening ten fold. Ichigo didn't even bother looking at his lover when he abruptly replied; "Yes you are!" with a smirk across his face. Hisagi sighed and rolled his eyes, muttering something along the lines of 'No ass for you tonight' under his breath as he turned his attention back to a happy Kohaku.

"Yare, yare, Kurosaki Taichou…..I had no idea you were into that kind of thing." Urahara teased as he leant into Ichigo's personal space, "Oi! What I do in bed and how long I stay in the living world is none of your concern!" the orange haired teen said defensively as he leaned away from the blonde and his waggling eyebrows. "Pervert." Ichigo muttered as he ducked away from his Sotaichou and scooped Kohaku into his own arms before kissing Hisagi sweetly on the lips.

Hisagi smiled up at Ichigo as he too moved to stand on his feet, dusting off his shihakushou, "You really do love riling up my poor Taichou, don't you, Urahara Sotaichou." Hisagi said with a small, curled smile to which Urahara winked, "It's always a fun pastime." The blonde chuckled as Ichigo swatted him upside the head, "OW! What was that for!?" Urahara whined as he held onto his offended skull. "Your pastime is going to be the death of you." Ichigo said in a low tone with a sinister glint in his eyes.

"Then it will be well worth it." Urahara replied cheekily only to sombre up a moment later, "Don't stay away too long." The blonde repeated softly as his face took on a sadder expression. "Kohaku stops eating when you do. It's like he's worried that he'll lose someone else very important to him." Ichigo frowned deeply and glanced at the smiling infant. He hated to admit it, but what Urahara was say was eerily true, 'It's amazing really…..that a child as young as Kohaku can comprehend situations so completely….as if he were of an adult mind.' Ichigo thought darkly as he observed the small infant.

'Is the reason for it, because Kohaku isn't really a normal child….even by a Shinigami's standards?' the teen continued to think only to be pulled from his thoughts be Hisagi, "You should get going, Taichou." He said formally with a soft smile, silently conveying his support. "The sooner you leave, the sooner you can return." Ichigo nodded mutely as he leant down over Kohaku, "You be a good boy, Kohaku!" he chirped, a huge grin on his face just for the child's sake. He tickled the infant's round cheek with the side of his finger before straightening back to his full height, "I'll be back soon. In the meantime Shuuhei can help watch Kohaku. It'll keep both of them from getting lonely." The orange haired Taichou chuckled only to get punched for his efforts.

Ichigo rubbed his arm with an amused smirk plastered to his face before he made to leave only to stop dead in his tracks, "What's that?" he asked as something seemed to ripple through the air. Urahara lifted his gaze skyward, "It looks like it's going to rain." He answered simply only to have a clap of thunder follow after his words and in the blink of an eye the heavens let loose their tears.

Urahara stepped onto the porch lining the wall of his home so Kohaku wouldn't get wet, "Well, that was fast." The blonde said flatly as the rain came down in sheets, "It was clear just an hour ago." Ichigo and Hisagi made their way under the roof to avoid getting further soaked just as a gust of cold wind tore through the garden. Urahara immediately wrapped his son inside the warm folds of his haori as the child began to squirm restlessly before starting to whine.

They stood watching the rain for several minutes until Hisagi spoke up with alarm, "There's something out there!" he yelled over the din the sheets of rain made as he pointed into the distance. Ichigo moved closer to Hisagi and squinted out into the yard in the direction his Fukutaichou was indicating. After a long moment he saw something sway on top of the roofed wall surrounding the far side of the complex before it suddenly dropped into the yard.

Both Ichigo and Hisagi unsheathed their zanpakutou as Urahara held his son protectively against him. The winds suddenly changed direction, pulling the rain sideways and increasing its tempo, "Be careful!" Ichigo whispered loudly near Hisagi's left ear and the raven-haired male nodded curtly as the two of them lunged into the unforgiving weather, just as Kohaku began to cry loudly.

They leapt at the figure walking towards them only to be halted as the rain turned to violent gusts of snow. The temperature dropped substantially as the two defending males were forced back, "What the….!" Ichigo yelled in confusion as Urahara stepped forward suddenly, wailing infant tucked against his body protectively, "Snow!?" he said in alarm, "This….." he didn't get to finish as the weather suddenly died down, allowing better visibility as the snow drifted away.

Urahara's eye's widened and both Ichigo and Hisagi pulled in a sharp breath as they could finally see the figure standing in the settling snow. Urahara mindlessly stumbled forward, closing the distance fast as he came to stand but a few feet from the figure before them, "T….T….T…." he began to say, but his tongue felt thick with emotion as the baby continued to cry and squirm in his father's hold, "I do believe you're tongue tied." The soft lilt of a voice Urahara thought he would never hear again reached his ears and his knees began to shake.

"Most unusual for you, Urahara Kisuke." Urahara rushed forward as his name fell from soft, full lips and he hugged the figure to his body tightly, "Toushiro!" he said breathlessly, tears welling up in his eyes. He felt slim arms wrap around his back and a face press against his neck causing him to hold on for dear life……afraid it was a cruel dream, "It's not a dream, love." Hitsugaya whispered softly, his lips moving against the cold flesh of Urahara's neck. "But…..how?" Urahara choked out, "We saw you die."

"In a sense, I did……my body left this plain for a time, but it was my Hollow's doing. He pulled me away before everything was drained from me." Hitsugaya said as he moved back to stare at the squirming, crying bundle inside Urahara's haori. He tentatively reached out and pulled back the material to reveal the baby he had planned to give it all up for in order to save, "Kohaku." The white haired male breathed out and almost instantly the child quieted and turned a teary eyed gaze on the young male standing before him.

The child's arms rose up and Hitsugaya began to cry silently as he took his son into his own arms and cradled his small body against his slim frame, "My baby….my precious little boy." The white haired male whispered sweetly. Kohaku hiccupped as he clutched at his 'mother's' white robe and buried his tiny face into Hitsugaya's shoulder, "I can't….believe it." Came Ichigo's stunned voice as he walked haltingly to Hitsugaya's side. The orange haired teen reached out and touched the smaller male's cheek hesitantly, also afraid that the boy before him would shatter and disappear, "I'm real, Ichigo. I won't break." Hitsugaya said stiffly as he pressed his cheek into Ichigo's touch just to prove his point. Ichigo was silent for a moment before he flung his arms around the young male, "Oh thank god!" the teen nearly cried and suddenly pulled back, an angry look on his face.

"Don't ever do something as stupid as sacrificing yourself again! Do you know how much pain you put us through in the last six month!" Ichigo yelled and shook Hitsugaya slightly in his sudden rage, "We thought we'd lost you! You left us all behind without so much as a warning! God damn it, Toushiro! We could have thought of something else…..anything but what you did! Anything!" by this time tears were running freely down Ichigo's cheeks as Hisagi stepped forward to pry the distraught male off of Hitsugaya before any real damage was done.

Hitsugaya dropped his gaze as he stroked the back of his son's head gently, "I'm sorry to have caused everyone pain, but it was the only thing I could think of to stop what Aizen was planning. I'm truly sorry." He said softly, "If I could have changed what happened I would have, but I can't." Urahara stepped up and wrapped his arms around his smaller love and kissed his forehead, "What you did was a rash decision, yes, but it did what you set out for it to do….despite the consequences." Urahara said in a soft serious tone.

"You're back and that's all that matters to me." The blonde whispered, more for Hitsugaya to hear than for anyone else too. Ichigo's anger fell away as he watched the two before him, holding each other so tenderly. Shuuhei pressed against his side and a soft smile formed on Ichigo's lips as he wrapped an arm around the dark haired male as only one thought crossed his mind.

'Is this what a happy ending feels like?'

"Marry me, Hitsugaya Toushiro."

~END~

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A.N.: Well shit!!!! I actually finished one of my multi chaptered stories!!!! Just shy of three years and it is finally complete……….I think this is cause for celebration!!!! WOOT!

And here you all thought I'd offed Shiro-chan permanently (or maybe you didn't, lol). I'm never one to end something on a bad note, but as you can see, dear readers, the ending is an open one anyway. There is no answer to the proposal and Ichimaru's body was never found…….. heh……wink, wink

Super cheesy ending!!!! *vomits in a corner*

Thank you all for sticking with me right to the very end. Let me know what you think. :3