Strawberry Pumpkin Fields [Bleach Fanfic]

Bobbing Apples

The young taicho's stomach flipped as he continued to look at the other young Shinigami and the young Quincy in the room. His knee was pulled up to his chest as he sat on the bench. His jaw pressed against his knee. The other youth in the room continued about their business as if he wasn't there. One hand hung over his knee limply. "I'm not sure if I like the fact I am being ignored. The reason I didn't want to come to this party..."

"...is because you worried that the others will either ignore you or will treat you as if he doesn't belong."

Toshiro brushed away the voice in the back of his head. His bright teal eyes looked down at the bag that contained his costume. He kept observing the other youths only to see that the Quincy girl that noticed him before looking at him again. The other girls kept chatting away. Eventually the blond female noticed the direction the girl was looking in. "One of the Shinigami taicho happens to be a kid?"

"I'm not a kid." Toshiro's stomach lurched again. He thought he saw someone pass by the window behind her with black hair that was familiar. The boy blinked his bright teal eyes a couple of times before shaking his head.

Hanataro overheard the girl speaking about the small taicho. "Ah! Hello Hitsugaya Taicho."

This brought the other youths attention towards the small taicho. He didn't say anything and remained still. Ryunosuke blinked a couple of times upon seeing the young taicho. "Hitsugaya Taicho came to the party too."

Shino frowned as she looked up from her butchered pumpkin. "Nah. Hitsugaya Taicho is too stuck up. He thinks he's better then us because he graduated from the academy as young as he did. He's only here because they made him come."

Toshiro found himself looking away as the feeling of rejection welled up. He remained silent despite the fact he didn't like the feeling. The purple haired girl spoke instead. "Really?"

A silence fell over the room. Shino looked at the girl as a frown spread across her face. For some reason the female Shinigami didn't say anything. Instead it was the blond haired Quincy girl. She stood up. "If you're here, you might as well participate."

Toshiro's bright teal eyes snapped over to look at the girl. "What do you mean by that?"

"We're being forced to participate as well." Liltotto didn't look him in the eye. "Of course... there is the fact we're being given candy. That helps placate myself."

One of Toshiro's eyebrows rose up at the girl's odd wording. He tried to look away from everyone. He swallowed as his nervousness grew. "Exactly what am I supposed to say? If I say nothing, they'll take it the wrong way. If I say something they'll construe it a different way then I mean it."

"You don't want to be here though."

Toshiro swallowed again. "I don't want to be here because I knew this would happen. I also don't want to be here because I don't want to be seen as even more childish then those my own age."

"So..." The voice caused the young taicho to flinch. The blonde haired female leaned over to look him right in the face. "... do you really not want to participate?"

Toshiro's jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "I..."

The girl titled her head towards the apples in the tub. "Why don't you try this?"

The blond female grabbed his arm and pulled him over to the tub of water with apples bobbing up and down. He felt his shoulders tense up at being grabbed by the girl. He looked at the waters and swallowed. "What..."

"This is a game. You dunk your head into the water and try to bite down on an apple." The girl pushed on his back slightly. "Come on. Play the game."

"Candace..." The girl with the purple hair spoke.

The girl with blond hair ignored her. "Come on..."

"He won't do it."

Toshiro looked up to see Shino folding her arms across her chest. He swallowed despite his trepidation. Looking at the water bothered him for some reason. "I'll try. If I don't..." He knelt down on one knee, only to stare at the water. A feeling of dread welled in his stomach. He couldn't place the fear that welled in the pit of his belly. Toshiro could see his reflection with his silvery white hair and his bright teal eyes. His mouth twisted up as the feeling of sinking and drowning came over him.

A hand pushed his head from behind and his head dipped under the water.