A/N: Hey all! The semester is over and I'm finally back! If you hadn't already noticed this particular story was written for Toshiro's birthday, so Happy Birthday Shirou-chan! This is actually my first try at a story like this and because I was really wanted to get this up today I apologize if the ending seems a little rushed. Regardless, I hope you guys enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach

"Where are we going, Ichigo?" The small white haired captain asked as he was led blindfolded down the hallways of the tenth division by his taller boyfriend.

"I can't tell you Toshiro." Ichigo smiled trying really hard not to laugh as Toshiro raised his hands in a futile attempt to remove the cloth from his eyes before Ichigo pushed the small and delicate hands back down.

Ichigo was thrilled that he had finally been able to convince his workaholic boyfriend to take a vacation. He had wasted no time in dragging the white haired captain to his house so they could spend the weekend together.

The strawberry had been told, or rather ordered, by Rangiku not to return to Seireitei under any circumstances until she sent word for them. Ichigo had thought it an odd request at first; until the strawberry blond lieutenant had paid him a visit late one night after Toshiro had fallen asleep.

She told Ichigo about how she was planning a surprise party for her captain's birthday; the frosty captain normally refused any attempt to celebrate his birthday, but she knew that if she could get Ichigo's help in getting Toshiro there they might actually be able to pull it off without having the tenth division encased in a huge block of ice.

Ichigo knew that it would be a tough sell but he had been trying to think of some way to celebrate his little ice dragon's birthday as well. Toshiro might not care about his birthday, but Ichigo did, and he was willing to risk Toshiro getting mad at him for the chance to be able to celebrate it.

"Ichigo, this is completely ridiculous…" Toshiro groaned as Ichigo pulled him by the wrist down yet another long hallway. "I have paperwork that I still need to finish."

"Don't worry so much Toshiro; I had it all taken care of." Ichigo assured the young captain.

"By that I hope you don't mean you gave it all to Rangiku…" Toshiro sighed as he started to rub his head feeling a headache coming on.

Ichigo snorted. "Of course not; trust me baby."

"Can we just get this over with?" Toshiro asked exasperated. Why does Ichigo always have drag everything out for so long? It's like he actually enjoys it…

Just then Toshiro heard the distinct sound of a rather large door sliding open and before he knew what had happened he was pulled swiftly inside and suddenly felt Ichigo let go of his wrist.

"Ichigo?" Toshiro asked while pulling the blindfold off his eyes. He realized that taking the blindfold off hadn't made any difference because now he was in the middle of a large, pitch black room. Toshiro was pretty sure that Ichigo had led him to the huge banquet hall in the tenth division, but was at a complete lost as to why.

Being captain, Toshiro knew the tenth division like the back of his hand. Obviously the blindfold had been Ichigo's attempt to confuse the young prodigy, but Toshiro had noted every turn they had taken. Despite knowing where he was Toshiro was still confused, why the banquet hall? The banquet hall was seldom ever used, only for very important occasions like when a seated officer was promoted or when Rangiku held her not so secret drinking parties. Oh no… Toshiro muttered, horrified by what he knew was coming.

"SURPRISE!"

All the lights suddenly turned on, nearly blinding the petite captain who stepped back, slightly dazed. Before Toshiro could say or do anything he was suddenly being smothered by the crowd of shinigami that were all piling out of the shadows, all wishing him a happy birthday.

The hall itself was magnificently decorated; all the walls were covered in a light blue color and emblazoned with the scene of beautiful snowfall. Hundreds of small crystalline snowflakes were hanging from the ceiling giving the illusion that it was snowing. Each table was adorned with a large white tablecloth; a magnificent blue dragon carefully embroidered on each one.

"So… what do you think Toshiro?" The strawberry asked his boyfriend when the original mob of shinigami that had been surrounding him dispersed.

"Ichigo… what is the meaning of this?" Toshiro groaned. Anytime Ichigo had even mentioned his birthday he had been sure to quickly silence him and had hoped that that would have deterred any idea that the strawberry might of have had in an attempt to do something to acknowledge the occasion.

"It's a party of course." Ichigo chuckled. "Come on Toshiro, use your brain."

Toshiro frowned. He still couldn't believe it… "Why-" Toshiro started to ask before he was cut off by Ichigo who silenced him with a long and passionate kiss.

"Now will you let me explain?" Ichigo smiled and with a simple nod from the smaller, he continued. Ichigo told Toshiro about how he hadn't originally planned anything in particular and was just going to bake a cake and then get a movie for them to watch. Then, Rangiku had come and insisted on throwing a huge party.

"I knew that she would do it regardless of anything I said so I decided to go along with it and believeeee me, this is not nearly as bad as Rangiku had originally planned. So you're welcome." Ichigo grinned as he looked down at Toshiro who still had his usual scowl on his face. "Well, let's not keep everyone waiting."

Reluctantly, Toshiro let Ichigo drag him back into the madness of his so called birthday party.

"Well, here's the birthday boy!" Shunsui Kyoraku exclaimed as he saw the two shinigami approach.

Ichigo couldn't help but laugh when he felt his boyfriend next to him tense and could see the irritation grow on his ever cheerful face, being referred to as a child. "Chill, Toshiro. You know how Kyoraku likes to joke around; don't let it get to you." Ichigo whispered into his lover's ear.

"…"

Toshiro gritted his teeth, "Good Evening, Shunsui."

"And how are you enjoying the party, Captain Hitsugaya?" Kyoraku asked jovially while casually drinking some sake.

Toshiro paused for a moment, not really knowing what to say and was just about to open his mouth to reply when he was interrupted by the flowery captain.

"Have you seen Rangiku yet? I'm sure she has been looking for you. She has been working very hard, planning this for weeks. I heard that she even got Ichigo involved in the end."

"Yea, well…" Toshiro started to say again, but was cut off by yet another voice.

"Captain Hitsugaya!" A tall shinigami with long white hair reaching almost down to his waist called as he walked over towards where Kyoraku, Toshiro, and Ichigo were standing.

"Ah, Ukitake, you made it to the festivities!" Kyoraku cheered as he patted his fellow captain on the back.

"Of course, I wouldn't want to miss our own Shiro-chan's celebration!"Ukitake smiled weakly as he shook Toshiro hand. "Oh, Shiro-chan!" Ukitake exclaimed while reaching for something in his robe. After a few seconds of searching the larger white haired captain pulled out a large bag of assorted chocolate candies and pushed it into the unsuspecting arms of the younger captain who simply stared dumbfounded at the older captain.

"Ukitake… you really didn't have to…" Toshiro mumbled.

"Nonsense! Don't be afraid to indulge during the holida-" Ukitake was cut off suddenly went he erupted in a sudden coughing fit.

"Jushiro? Are you okay?" Shunsui was the first to ask.

"Yes. D…Don't worry about me Shunsui. I'm fin-" Just as soon as he spoke he erupted into yet another coughing fit and this time he managed to cough up a good amount of blood.

"Jushiro, why don't we go get you some water and find you somewhere to sit down until your coughing subsides." Shunsui suggested as he steered the sickly captain towards the table where all the food and refreshments were being distributed. "We'll catch up with ya later eh, shiro-chan?"

Toshiro nodded towards the retreating figure of the two veteran captains until he turned back to the warm gaze of the substitute shinigami. "How much longer are you going to make me endure this Ichigo?"

"Why don't you just relax and try to have a good time?" Toshiro continued to glare at the strawberry so he tried again, "You know we didn't do this just to torture you if that's what you're thinking."

"I trust you; it's Rangiku that I don't trust." Toshiro then looked up to see the very same busty lieutenant bouncing towards the pair of them. "Speak of the devil…" he muttered before he was quickly engulfed in a bone crushing bear hug.

Toshiro struggled to release himself from his lieutenant's firm grasp, but there was no escaping one of Rangiku's infamous bear hugs. The small, irritated captain tried to yell as loud as he could for his lieutenant to release him but everything came out as muffled gibberish.

"Uh Rangiku, you're probably going to suffocate Toshiro if you hug him much longer." Ichigo warned and after a few more seconds of hugging her adorable captain she finally relinquished her hold and Toshiro stumbled backwards, breathing deeply.

"Happy Birthday, Captain!" Rangiku squealed. "Have you seen all the presents everyone brought for you? The pile is taller than you!"

"RANGIKU!" Toshiro yelled, obviously enraged by the height comment.

"But Captain… its true!" Rangiku suddenly grabbed Toshiro's wrist and before he knew it he was being dragged away. "Comon, Captain! You have to see this!"

Ichigo knew that he probably should have done something to help his small boyfriend, but it wouldn't hurt him to spend a few minutes with his bubbly lieutenant.

After Rangiku had taken off with Toshiro, Ichigo had decided to visit with a few of his friends that he hadn't had a chance to talk with yet. He found Rukia, Renji, and Byakuya at one of the tables. Renji was attempting to keep up a conversation with Rukia, but she seemed far more interested in what her brother Byakuya was saying.

Ichigo walked over and talked with Renji for awhile before attempting to talk to Rukia. However, it proved useless. She was way too enraptured in her conversation with her brother to notice the strawberry. Ichigo tried to find some way he could worm his way into the conversation but they were talking about an upcoming noble event that the Kuchiki House had been chosen to host and Ichigo had no experience with any of the noble traditions, so no luck there. He eventually decided that he should probably see how Toshiro was faring and bid farewell to Renji before starting to wander around the large banquet hall trying to spot the small white-haired captain through the large crowd.

Almost instantly, Ichigo ran into Rangiku who seemed a bit flustered. "Rangiku…?"

"Ichigo! Hey uhm, Ichigo…" Rangiku stuttered, breathing deeply as she started to rub the back of her head nervously. "Have you… seen my captain?"

"I thought he was with you?" Ichigo asked, clearly confused by the peculiar question.

"He was." Rangiku laughed timidly, "I left him for just a second to get some sake and when I returned… well, he was gone."

Ichigo actually wasn't all that surprised that Toshiro had made a break for it. He was actually surprised at the fact that the small captain had stayed as long as he did.

Ichigo knew that Toshiro couldn't have gone far and the first place he checked for him was the tenth division office. The room was pitch black as he entered, but he could feel a steady rush of cold air circulating throughout the room and Ichigo was sure he had found Toshiro until he flipped the light switch and found the office deserted.

If Toshiro isn't here, then where is all this cold air coming from? Ichigo quickly noticed that the window behind Toshiro's desk was cracked open slightly and he realized that that must be the cause of the colder than usual office.

Ichigo approached the slightly open window and noticed that it was snowing outside, and quite heavily for that matter. Wow, all of Seireitei is going to be covered in snow if this keeps up. You never know… if it continues like this everyone at the party might get snowed in and have to spend the night. I'm sure Toshiro would loooovvee that.

Ichigo opened the window just enough so that he was able to squeeze his body through and landed quite ungracefully, face planting into the freshly fallen snow. Ichigo stood up and attempted to brush off the snow that covered his face, shoulders, chest and legs. Now that I've made my grand entrance, I wonder where-" and then a thought struck Ichigo, Of course! How could I not have thought of that?!

With a quick shunpo, Ichigo found himself on the roof of the tenth squad barracks and quickly spotted Toshiro who was sitting down hugging his legs to his chest while staring up at the night sky. Ichigo wandered over to where his little dragon was sitting down and quietly took a spot right next to him.

"It's so beautiful out tonight, just like you." Ichigo smiled as he put his arm around the smaller's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo…" Toshiro murmured as his gaze drifted from the sky above to the snow covered roof beneath his feet.

"What do you possibly have to apologize for?" Ichigo replied comfortingly.

Toshiro stayed silent for a few moments before finally taking a deep breath. "I just couldn't take it anymore… Never before have I ever felt any need to celebrate my birthday…" Toshiro paused thinking of all the times that Rangiku brought up his birthday. He had promptly quieted her with the threat of paperwork. "Then all of a sudden there's that monster of a thing that you call a party… and it was just too much. Rangiku must have dragged me around that entire room nearly fifty times talking with people. I'm not used to attracting much attention and honestly, I would have been perfectly happy just being with you all night…"

"Well I guess I should be the one to apologize then; I shouldn't have gone along with Rangiku's plans but it was your first birthday as my boyfriend and I just wanted to do something special to commemorate it." Ichigo sighed, he had known that the party had been a bad idea from the minute the busty lieutenant had mentioned it, but she had already put so much work into it, which coming from Rangiku, a shinigami who was famous for avoiding working, really said something about how much she cared about her captain.

"Thanks, Ichigo. Again, I'm sorry I ran out… I just needed some time to myself."

"Toshiro?"

"Hmm…?"

"How long have you been out here?" Ichigo asked

"About a half an hour, why?" Toshiro asked as he turned his head to look at Ichigo.

"Maybe we should go inside, aren't you freezing? It's snowing pretty hard and all you have on is your shihakusho and haori." Ichigo asked, concern etched across his face.

"No." Toshiro shook his head, "I like watching the snow fall. Being the wielder of Hyourinmaru, it makes me feel at peace." Although what Toshiro had said was accurate, the truth was that after awhile even an ice wielder grew prone to the cold. It wasn't that wielders of a certain element were immune to that element; they just were much more resistant to that certain element. Toshiro had been watching the snow fall for quite some time and the cold was finally starting to get to him, but he wasn't about to admit it.

Even if he wouldn't admit it out loud that didn't mean that his body wasn't going to show it; Toshiro tried in vain to suppress a small shiver which at first went unnoticed by Ichigo. That was until Toshiro shivered again and this time much more violently.

"Going to tell me again how you're not cold?" Ichigo laughed.

"Shut up."

Ichigo wrapped his arms around Toshiro's lithe waist, pulling him close so that the white haired captain's back was lying against his chest and Ichigo's arms were draped over Toshiro's shoulders.

"Better now?" Ichigo smiled as he buried his face into his boyfriend's unruly white locks.

Toshiro merely sighed contently as he rested his head against Ichigo's firm chest, closing his eyes and embracing the tender moment. Toshiro hadn't been able to relax for weeks between the usual mountains of paperwork he had to do, thwarting any plans Rangiku had for his birthday (or so he had thought), training all the new recruits joining and still managing to complete all the missions that Yamamoto sent him on. Any energy he might have recovered over his weekend stay with Ichigo had been thoroughly spent trying to keep calm during his brief visit to the so called party.

Snowflakes were still coming down all around the two shinigami; Ichigo looked out at the beautiful snow-covered and then gazed down at the boy that was comfortably curled up in his embrace. He watched as the smaller's stomach gently rose and fell and could feel the even breaths of his lover as he slumbered. He must be exhausted. He's had so much to do lately and the party must have just sent him over the edge. Ichigo gently brushed away the hair covering Toshiro's forehead before lightly kissing the pale skin. His skin is so much colder than usual, no matter what he says he needs to get inside before he gets sick.

Ichigo pulled Toshiro so that he was lying across his lap with his head still comfortably resting between his arm and chest. Very slowly, as not to disturb his sleeping dragon, Ichigo placed his free arm under the smaller's legs and then very carefully stood up cradling Toshiro, before jumping off the roof and heading inside the tenth division, being careful to avoid the banquet hall as he navigated his way towards the white haired captain's private sleeping quarters.

A small moan sounded in the room where Toshiro had been sleeping. As he sat up, Toshiro sleepily rubbed his eyes and after a few moments realized that he was no longer outside on the roof, but instead warm and comfy in his bedroom.

"Morning, Sleepyhead."

Toshiro quickly turned his head towards the doorway to see the substitute shinigami standing there. "Ichigo." Toshiro paused and then asked, "How long have I been asleep?"

"You've actually only been asleep for about an hour or so, but I didn't want to wake you so I just let you sleep while I got everything together." Ichigo said as he walked over to the futon where Toshiro had just woken up.

"Together for what?" Toshiro asked confused and still half asleep.

"Look around." Ichigo said as he flipped the light switch, causing the previously dark room to be flooded with light.

Toshiro hadn't noticed that his room had been filled with a small amount of decorations he recognized came from the celebration in the large banquet hall. "What's all this for?" The petite captain asked again.

"Well, I still wanted to celebrate your birthday and I thought that you might like this better than me dragging you kicking and screaming back into the banquet hall." Ichigo cracked a smile as he sat down next to his boyfriend who was still taking in the unexpected decorations.

"Thanks." Was all that Toshiro could think to say as he leaned up against Ichigo before kissing his boyfriend in an attempt to thank him better.

The two shinigami were quiet for a few minutes before Ichigo decided to break the silence.

"You know… because you ran off, I was never able to give you your birthday present." Ichigo whined.

"But you already gave me a present."

"I didn-" Ichigo started to protest before being promptly being cut off.

"The fact that you're here with me is all I could ask for."

"Well for the record I'm still going to give you your gift whether you like it or not," A huge grin spread across Ichigo's face, "And I'm pretty sure you're going to like this."

Toshiro turned to look at Ichigo, his inquisitive eyes wide. Before he could say anything, Ichigo pulled out a small package that he had been keeping safe in his shihakusho all night. He placed it in the petite captain's small hands and waited anxiously as his lover fumbled to undo the wrappings. When Toshiro finally got all the packaging off there was a small box in his hands, and very carefully he opened it and a quick gasp escaped his lips at the sight that met him.

Inside the box was a small crystal dragon that looked like it was made of pure ice but had swirls of a darker blue ice mixing with the clear ice. It was intricately designed; sparkling magnificently when it was held up to the light and on the belly there was an engraving that that read 'Ichigo Kurosaki and Toshiro Hitsugaya, Pure & True Love Forever.'

"I…I don't know what to say… this is amazing." Toshiro stuttered at he continued to stare in awe at the small figurine.

"I'm glad you like it." Ichigo smiled as he hugged Toshiro closer, "You can keep it as a figurine, but there is also a small chain that you can attach to it to make it more like a trinket. It's actually a lot more durable than it looks, so you don't have to worry about breaking it."

True to Ichigo's words, Toshiro quickly rummaged through the remaining tissue paper that had been used to pack the figurine and found a beautiful silver chain nestled in between the papers.

"Happy Birthday, Toshiro"

Toshiro had never thought before that his birthday had ever been anything special to celebrate; in fact he had made an effort to make it an unofficial tradition not to celebrate it. That was before a certain substitute shinigami became such a big part of his life. Maybe my birthday isn't such a bad thing after all. Thanks to Ichigo, I wouldn't particularly mind doing this every year. Who knows? It may be time to start a new tradition.