Ice Cold ~ Toshiro x Reader

15- Shimo and Tora

"Tea? Sake?"

"Tea is fine, thanks..."

He exchanged glances with Rangiku, Ukitake and Renji, before stepping away to prepare the tea. You were relieved when he came back, and you sipped on your tea.

"Peppermint! My favourite."

"Oh, really? That's good!" Shunsui hummed, taking his own seat as he passed out the rest of the food and drink.

"So...," he began carefully. "What happened, (Y/N)-chan?"

You sighed.

"Well, it started when I pranked him."

Renji perked up.

"I actually... I called him short, flash stepped away, jumped in a bush, hid my reiatsu, and watched as he spun around stupidly looking for me and snapped at an innocent boy."

All four people in the room choked on their food and drink. Renji hit his chest a couple times with his fist as he tried to stop laughing. Ukitake had his mouth stuffed with food, which he was soon coughing out into a bin. Shunsui almost spat out his tea, but then started choking, saying it went down the wrong pipe. Rangiku, who was also drinking tea- or it might be sake, you never know with her- laughed hysterically, and the questionable beverage dribbled out of her mouth. You glanced around at them, wondering if you should get some help, but all the choking died down when they realised that they were meant to be comforting you.

"Err... then I went back to the office, and... me and Rangiku talked... and I let it slip to her that I might like him. Ehehe... then, we talked about random stuff. I told her about the prank, then we started laughing about taichou, and then..."

You went silent for a while.

"Then he walked in, and basicaly told me to get out and that I'll be transferred to Ukitake Taichou's division, then called Rangiku and I unreliable, and me useless... Oh! Not that I wouldn't like your division! Anyway, then I... err... I asked him if it meant he didn't return the... the... my... feelings, and then ran off. Maaa, so embarrassing..."

Renji stood up abruptly, and all of you turned to look at him.

"Where are you going?" you asked between sips of your tea.

"Nowhere," he answered. He then turned to me. "Oh, just wondering... do you know any good places to hide a body?"

You frowned at him and shook your head, and he sat down, pouting.

"I was joking."

"It's not like you could do anything up against him anyway," you teased and he glared at you.

"It's the other way around. I mean, I could do it! He wouldn't expect it, since I'm-"

"Guys, I think I have just diagnosed Renji's sickness..." you whispered in a hushed voice.

Renji stared at you blankly.

"What?"

"Enhanced Genetic Obtuseness, otherwise known as EGO. The symptoms are all there- lack of intelligence, over abundance of stupid thoughts, and overconfidence."

"Why you...! If you weren't about to cry, I would definitely-"

"I'm not about to cry!"

He studied your face curiously, then casually pulled out a box of tissues. You spluttered at this, and tried not to choke on your tea like Shunsui had.

"Where did you even get those?!"

"Cry."

"What?"