minutemen | 6 ❀ Summer Citadel

6 ❀ Summer Citadel

Beach. Everyone has been working so hard lately so why not take a break and enjoy the beach? You can make sand castles, play in the water, and there are even umbrellas for those who'd rather just relax in the shade. There's a nice row of water melons ready to be smashed later in the day and when the sun goes down, that's when the sparklers come out.
Suffering. It's the hottest time of the year and the citadel doesn't have central air conditioning. The few air conditions that were installed have given up on life after being used so much and now, we really have to make do with what we can while the Konnosuke try to fix it. There's a limited number of fans, plenty of ice cream to go around, and the citadel should be built to circulate air, right? ... Right?!
Spooks. In Japan, summer is a time for horror. Gather around the camp fire and hear some spooky ghost stories or maybe head out into the woods just outside the citadel for a good ol' fashioned test of courage. It's all good, harmless fun! Of course, with so many spirits gathered in one place, what's to say a stray or curious outsider spirit won't join the mix...
Rain. Summer is also known for sudden and torrential downpours of rain. The clouds always seem to grown and darken suddenly and the next thing you know, it's raining sheets and the ground is shaking from thunder. Once it starts, it never seems to stop. Maybe you were caught out in the rain or maybe this is day 7 stuck inside.
Other! It's summer and there are tons of things to do. Go to the general store and stock up on ice cream, wake up in the middle of the night uncomfortable with heat, or run around screaming because cicadas are dying and flying at your face.

[ That smile...! He wasn't expecting a giant smile so... bright and pure. His eye widens a bit and that faint color to his cheeks from before just seems to grow across his face now. He could honestly see why Ichigo was so popular with the others. He was kind, so warm, and... this smile of his was absolutely beautiful. ]

Yeah... I can't wait...

[Well, Mitsutada did say he wanted to see him smile~!

Ichigo, meanwhile, turns back to his delicious treat and continues eating it with an almost childlike delight. He is also excited about all the other future treats he's going to get. In that moment, it’s easy to see that he truly is related to all those adorable little tantous.

Just as he's about to finish though, he notices the other empty bowl he'd put aside and realizes to his great embarrassment!]

Ah, I'm sorry, Shokidaikiri-dono! This was yours and I..! T-There's still some left. Do you still want it?

[Then perhaps it is because he's so used to sharing his food with his younger brothers, but before he knows what he's doing, he's holding the last spoonful of ice cream out to Mitsutada as if intending to feed him...!]

[ He was about to say it was fine, Ichigo didn't need to worry. Besides he slipped it into his hands on purpose! He wanted a chance to make Ichigo happy and he got that chance (at the cost of him being completely embarrassed now).

He wanted to say this but he couldn't. Not when Ichigo was holding the spoon out for him. He seemed surprised, his cheeks growing even warmer than earlier. A-ah...

Well if Ichigo was offering he supposes... and then closes his eye before leaning in to take the bite from his spoon. ]

[A split-second before Mitsutada takes that bite, it occurs to Ichigo that this might not be appropriate but it's too late!]

A-Ah! Wait! Mitsu-

[He can't help watching the way Mitsutada's lips wrap round the- No! get your mind out of the gutter, Ichigo Hitofuri! He's not quite sure what to do now... His heart is racing and his face is quite flushed.]

... I mean, Shokudaikiri-dono...

Edited 2019-09-18 03:29 (UTC)

[ At least he wasn't the only one who was embarrassed here. Ichigo was sounding a little flustered himself which kind of made Mitsutada feel a little relieved. He sat up a little more after pulling away from the spoon, that soft smile of his returning to his face as well. ]

You can call me anything... You'll find I'm not so picky about that.

[ He licks his lips a little, mmm that icecream really was pretty good. ]

[Don't say something like that while licking your lips like that, Mitsutada!! What are you trying to do? He's already spoken for! This is ~~better~~ worse than how you almost stripped in front of him just now! No! Must. Look. Away. From. Lips. And. Tongue.

Ichigo averts his eyes slightly.]

Oh... [Well, Shokudaikiri is a bit difficult to say anyway, so...] If you fine with it, Mitsutada... -dono. [They are in public after all!]

[ It was only his jacket! He didn't think it would bother Ichigo that much if he removed it and rolled up his sleeves a little..! ]

Whatever you feel most comfortable with.

[Don't worry about it, Mitsutada. Ichigo can just be rather conservative sometimes and he's still completely wrapped up in his tracksuit, but at least his is mostly white so he isn't feeling as hot. Though another reason he hasn't removed any of his clothes is that he's really self-conscious about the burn scars on his back and upper arms...

He smiles and nods.] I like 'Mitsutada' better. It suits you more.

[ That's something he could understand. Even someone like Mitsutada can be a little self-conscious about scars and and other things like that. It's why he keeps his hands covered all the time... ]

You think so, huh?

[They'll have to bond over that sometime...]

Yes, it sounds much cooler! [And cuter but he keeps that to himself.]

Mitsutada it is then.

[ Because if there was one thing he liked more than fighting and cooking, it was looking cool, especially in front of people he wanted to impress. ]

[Ichigo smiles at that and is silent for a moment, just enjoying the other's company.

That's when the sky starts rumbling and the first drops of rain begin to fall. Ichigo gets up with a start.]

The laundry!

[Can you imagine the colossal amount of laundry he has to do for a family of 17, consisting mainly of young children, in this hot weather? He's not about to let the rain ruin what he's spent the whole morning washing! But he does kind of forget that his feet at in a bucket of water and so, in his haste, he trips...]

Ichigo--!

[ In his panic, he scrambles to reach out, to catch him before he falls over, but with the awkward position that he moved in, he was only partially successful. He caught onto Ichigo before he fell which was good, but he lost his own footing, causing them both to fall over instead with Ichigo landing on top. ]

[Ichigo braces himself for the fall but the ground feels softer than he thought it would be...? No, wait, this doesn’t feel like- Ah, he’s lying on—!

He immediately pushes himself up and ends up kind of straddling Mitsutada, as they are rapidly soaked by the rain. He reaches out to brush the wet hair out of Mitsutada’s eye and quickly looks around for injuries.]

Mitsutada-dono!! Are you all right? Are you hurt? [It would probably help if he wasn’t actually still sitting on Mitsutada...]

[ On one hand, at least he didn't knock over one of the buckets in his attempts to catch Ichigo, but on the other hand it wouldn't really have changed anything because it was raining now and he was already feeling soaked. He opens his eye to look up at Ichigo, a small flusteted smile on his lips. While this wasn't the best position for them to be in probably... he was able to keep Ichigo from getting hurt and that's what mattered. ]

I'm fine I'm fine... You don't need to worry about me.

[ Ah... but this rain was actually starting to feel kind of nice. All the heat that was surrounding them was starting to fade away into a nice cool rain. ]

[Ichigo let out a little sigh of relief, but then he looks down at him with great concern.]

You didn’t really have to do that... What if you got hurt?

[He wouldn’t forgive himself if anything had happened to Mitsutada. He is his... good friend after all. A good friend that he really enjoys having around and is feeling more and more attracted to, but, yes, a friend! Or so he’ll keep telling himself. Yet, he can’t help noticing the way the other’s wet top is clinging to...]

[ he laughs softly, lying there and making no real effort to actually try to move Ichigo from himself. ]

You say that, but wouldn't you do the same if I were about to fall? You're just as important as I am, and I can't help wanting to keep you safe.

[Ichigo is in no hurry to move either. He’s perfectly comfortable where he is. (Someone get these idiots out of the rain! XD)

He bows his head a little shyly as he hears that and absently reaches out one hand to trace his fingers lightly over the contours of Mitsutada’s well-toned chest.]

Yes, I would have. I can’t bear the thought of ever losing you...

[ A-ah....

Mitsutada stares up at him, feeling the heat rise to his face once more. It's not like he didn't think he wasn't important to other people or anything, but hearing someone say that out loud really got his heart racing. ]

Ichigo...

[Ichigo's hand wanders up from Mitsutada's chest to tenderly caress his cheek, but there's a sadness in his eyes.]

Mitsutada...

[He is extremely fond of the other tachi but perhaps this is just a momentary sense of infatuation. He knows what he has with Mikazuki is much deeper for it has endured so long and gone through so much... Sorry, Mitsutada, but for now, he's made his decision, he can only love you as a close friend. A close friend he would give his life to protect. (It's hard to compete with a Tenka Goken...)

Ichigo lets his fingers linger over Mitsutada's cheek a moment longer before he begins to withdraw his hand and moves to get up...]

[ He took in a sharp breath when he feels the fingers moving from his chest to caress his cheek. His heart still racing, almost aching for more. He couldn't speak up, but when he looked up into Ichigo's eyes, he almost wanted to sit up and...

no. That's not something he could do to his dear friend, even if he felt this embarrassing throbbing in his chest. He could feel Ichigo finally moving, and even as he told himself no, he still wanted to grab for his arm. But he wasn't that kind of man. Ichigo... he had others far more important in his life and he couldn't...

Dammit, he let Ichigo get up and just reached up to push his hair completely back with his gloved hand.]

Hey... I'll help you bring the laundry in.

[Ichigo looks over with a perfect smile. If there is one thing he's good at, it's hiding behind a smile.]

No, it's okay- ['The laundry is all ruined now anyway' is what he wanted to say but his breath catches when he sees Mitsutada with his hair slicked back like that. He definitely is someone who looks good wet... really good...]

I... [He loses his train of thought and just wants to keep looking and to run his fingers through that wet hair.]

He gives a softer smile in return as he sits up and holds out a hand to Ichigo as if giving him a silent offer to help him up to his feet. ]

It would be no trouble at all. They're... probably soaked by now, but it shouldn't be too difficult to find someplace inside to dry them. He wants to do something for Ichigo, anything really... to erase those sad eyes he made him have moments ago. ]

[There's a slight hesitation on Ichigo's part as he's not sure if he'll be able to keep his feelings in check if they touched... But he does reach out to help him up in the end.]

That sounds like a good idea. They are over- [Then he sneezes. He is soaked to the bone and feeling rather cold. It probably doesn't help that he's not fully recovered from his last sortie. He'd gone with some of his brothers and of course he'd shielded them from harm....]

[ ichigo nooo

On second though, as Mitsutada gets pulled up to his feet, he gives him a concerned glance. Giving his hand a light squeeze he starts tugging him back inside instead. ]

On second thought, you need to get changed.

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