Intrusion

It was enough. Holding her was enough, being with her was enough. She was enough.

A few months had passed since that day in the rain, it hadn't rained like it since. Lots of smiles had been exchanged through the time spent. Vice Captain Hinamori and Captain Hitsugaya still met on a regular basis despite the duties of being seated officers of their own respective units. Aizen's trail has been kept quiet, and Soul Society waits in false peace for him to make the first move.

The fifth squad as well as the third squad temporarily merged until new captains can be provided, for the sake of paperwork; where as ninth squad's vice captain, Hisagi Shuuhei had been promoted to captain status.

It was a night of abnormally increased paperwork for the third and fifth squad, Kira and Hinamori lay in the office filling out reports and sorting papers that seemed to have no destination.

The young brunette stifled a yawn, her fingers curling over the pen in her hand and the other covering her mouth futilely smothering her signs of sleepiness. Her blond partner seemed to be suffering from the same lack of sleep. Verbal silence was heard in the air interrupted with the scratching of pen on paper and shuffling of multiple forms and rearranging of stacks. A large thud shook the table and Hinamori glanced up to see Kira's head against the wood in defeat. She let a chuckle escape her lips and prodded his blond head with the back of her pen playfully.

"Kira… come on, we have to finish this by morning." She could sympathize with how he felt, neither of them had slept for the last two days.

"I dot dat breing gombind wood mag baberwrk eajier…"

"I - can't - hear – you-u-u-u." She responded to the muffled garble, prodding his head with the back of her pen with each syllable.

He raised his head, which seemed to consume all his energy.

"I thought that being combined would make paperwork easier… but it seems that our usual amount has just doubled."

"That's not…," she took a glance around the office, it seemed that every inch of the desk was covered with a teetering stack as well as under the couch which they dubbed as 'work that could wait.' She sighed, banging her own head against the desk.

"What are we going to do…," She emitted a groan, her lids threatening to close and her conscience keeping her from doing so.

Her eyelids fluttered against the desk's surface that was pressed against her forehead, each time harder to restrain the sleep that was sinking in from inevitability. She had just admitted defeat to her fatigue when she received a sharp smack on the head.

Looking up in surprise she saw herself looking into familiar emerald eyes.

"Tou- Captain Hitsugaya…," she managed to recover her slip of informality quickly, causing him to cock a brow in amusement. His mocking smile playing across his features deviously, the way he used to look when he would play tricks on her when they were younger.

She loved that expression, it never failed to serve as a remembrance of their childhood days. The past months, Hitsugaya had supported her to all ends as a crutch which was a crucial part to her recovery towards her normal state as she was now. She had learned to accept his help… for now. She had long vowed since that night in the rain, that she would get stronger, to appease her own guilt of being betrayed by her Captain by becoming a stronger shinigami, for no one other than herself. For that, she was secretly training herself in the release of her bankai, but she was ashamed to let anyone know. It was her own secret endeavor, and the masking of her fluctuating reiatsu was an easy task from her expertise in kidou.

"Why do you captains always have to sneak up on peo…"

"You two can stop for the night." The white haired Captain glanced towards the clock, it was 3:00 in the morning.

"Sir, we still have tons of work to-"

"You're not getting anywhere in the state you're in Kira…" He pointed to the form that Kira was currently working on, of which had been filled out completely incorrectly.

Kira looked at the paper as if seeing it for the first time, before banging his head on the desk.

"Kira... we might as well stop for tonight…" She picked herself up, scooting her chair back. She needed the darkness of the night to train. She wasn't looking forward to it, her energy was already drained from the paperwork. She stood facing Hitsugaya, and found herself staring at his chest, she still hadn't gotten used to the growth spurt he had while she was asleep.

Kira had stood in defeat, his tall and lean frame wavering as if he couldn't even support his own body weight anymore. He somehow managed to hobble his way to the paper screen and leave after blurting a quick 'Good Night.'

Hinamori turned to follow suit her hand on the paper screen door, Hitsugaya's voice stopped her.

"Are you going to be okay going back to your room by yourself?" His voice showed the slightest hint of concern, she was grateful for his kindness towards her.

Her sleeping quarters lay on the other side of the Seireitei, however it wasn't her current destination, her training spot was rather nearby.

"Honestly, Shiro… I'm not a child anymore, I'll be fine." She teased, calling him the nickname he had come to loathe even more.

She reached out her hand to pat him on the head as she had done so many times when they were younger, only to stop and realize that she was so much shorter… again the height difference failed to register. He had not only grown taller, his build had filled out as well. Humans lovingly dubbed it puberty where as Hitsugaya insisted that she was just shrinking.

He smirked at her inability to pat his head, taking some childish triumph in the simple action.

He raised his hand triumphantly and ruffled her hair instead, emitting an irritated sound from her lips.

"Let's see how you like it… shorty," he shot smugly.

She raised her hand to brush the now entangled strands from her eyes, his hand dropping down grazing her own. The sudden contact surprised both of them and they withdrew quickly. Certainly, they were on much better terms, better friends than they were before when Aizen had been the pinnacle of Hinamori's attention. But, the bond was somehow different now.

Dense as she was sometimes, Hinamori slowly began to see the small boy from Rukongai disappear, he was a grown man now. His features began to become more defined and his shoulders broader, and of course his height; his eyes however were the same, the same emerald gaze that mirrored thousands of unsaid words.

His hand moved on instinct, his fingertips grazing the blush that was beginning to stain her cheeks. Her eye lids fell savoring the sensation, placing her own trembling hand over his.

They had rarely been more intimate than the night in the rain. Both of their feelings held in queue, unwilling to decipher what their relationship had become. They were alone again, and something in the Tenth Division captain began to stir with a foreign almost animalistic temptation.

He was lost in that sensation, the one that both irritated him and enthralled him. It was if the force of some unseen addiction took over his body, the yearning to touch her and feel her frame against his, enticed by her pink lips that lay slightly open, innocently.

Damnit. He was so vulnerable.

He drew her in, her eyes shone with innocent curiosity and confusion, she couldn't sort what emotion was taking over. His eyes were hypnotizing, the alluring emerald shine emitting an unbreakable gaze.

His hand dropped to her chin, tilting it upwards and bringing his own lips to graze on hers. Just as they were to contact, he fell back abruptly.

The paper door slid open.

Kira walked in stiffly.

"Forgot these papers…" he commented briskly, shuffling some papers into a stack and tucking it under his arm.

He eyed the two others from the corner of his gaze.

Hitsugaya stood with his usual crossed arms, and frown, though the furrow in his brow seemed to mirror that he was more irritated than usual.

Hinamori on the other hand, was much more suspicious, her hand brushing her lips and her cheeks flushed. The three stood in awkward silence.

"I guess I'll be going then." Hinamori chirped as confidently as she could muster, stumbling her way out of the door and towards the training grounds. She was in need of a distraction now more than ever.

The two men were left in the room alone, Kira moved towards the door taking his leave, shuffling to leave the tenth division captain's stifling aura of tension.

"You were watching weren't you." It was a statement not a question.

Kira froze, aware of the other man's gaze on his back.

"Yes." His voice was soft, but cold.

He had never left the two of them alone, despite the nagging conscience that he should have left. He watched them both through the shadows mirrored by the paper screen, instinct caused him to intrude. He silently cursed himself for his action, hadn't he accepted it? When had it been his place to interfere? If he was to become suddenly bolder, why would it be now? Whatever it was, something had churned deeply inside him that caused him to stir.

His back faced the patronizing gaze that seemed to hold no sympathy.

"Your affections towards Hinamori, are not of my concern, however if you distress her in any way, you'll have to deal with me."

Kira hadn't expected to hear the open response, Hitsugaya had been straightforward and acknowledged him as an equal in this sense.

Hitsugaya brushed past Kira, sliding the paper screen door close with his leave.

The blond stood in the room by himself, his hands moving towards his forehead.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

Tobiume glowed pink, as Hinamori aimed another blow at the tree trunk that was her current victim. Tonight's training had been for the most part ineffective. She was distracted, and in consequence her movements were sloppy.

She cursed as she fell to her knees, exhausted from haphazardly exerting so much energy.

Her mind was in turmoil; her fingers trembled as she brought them to her lips, remembering the close contact only an hour before. Her face flushed. She was falling again, her brows knit in frustration.

Did she just have a Captain complex? She scoffed at the quickening of her heartbeat when she thought of his hand on her hips, the way his deep tenor voice would whisper her name, like a water drop rippling the surface of her entire being.

She was afraid she was becoming helpless again. She couldn't concentrate, what exactly was this agonizing sensation, and was it different from her infatuation with Aizen?

She wanted to cry and scream, she swung Tobiume violently in the air, unable to contain it.

What exactly had her feelings for Aizen been? Was it love, however one-sided it turned to be? She found her mind wandering to thoughts of him. Remembering his hand on her head, whenever she was distressed, how she would have done anything he desired to make him happy.

She was sick of it as her thoughts leered towards how far she would have gone to please him. She remembered her innocent thoughts of offering her virginity to him, how could she have been so naïve?

She began to cry, she wasn't strong enough to face the possibility of that kind of torment and regret again.

She swung her sword, thoroughly exhausted, surprised when it was stopped mid-swing.

Her eyes full of tears she looked up towards the patronizing gaze of emerald eyes.

"Toushirou…" his name fell from her lips like a plea.

He eyed her body, it seemed limp. He furrowed his brow annoyed, she had pushed herself. He hated to see her do this to herself, her tears tore at him, his hand moved to wipe them, the contact of his hand on her skin again surprised her.

They were large, rough and calloused; it felt so warm against her cheek.

They were so close again, and Hinamori's previous thoughts began to whir, was submitting to this feeling admitting defeat to her independence?

He watched her, his gaze unrelenting as it bore into her, she was driving him insane.

"Why are you doing this to me?" He was angry, and his voice was dangerously soft.

It was a desperate inquiry. He had allowed her to penetrate the icy wall he held around her heart, but she would never realize how she tortured him. He was a patient man, but it took everything in him to not simply force his feelings on to her. He had always worked for her happiness, when Aizen had betrayed her, he had felt it was his fault.

He hadn't been strong enough. He hadn't been quick enough.

Soon he discovered, it was far easier to train himself physically then to calm the tempest of unease that sweltered his consciousness. He couldn't take it, rage had become his well-known acquaintance that erupted alongside his confusion. He could train himself, become stronger; but no matter how hard he tried, it would not put his emotions at ease.

Her gaze turned intense, their sudden desperation causing his chest to convulse involuntarily, her hands moving towards the neck of his Shinigami robes and parting them.

He didn't question her sudden boldness as her fingers grazed on his exposed flesh, her hand fell on his shoulder, fingering the enormous scar that the battle with Aizen had left.

She placed her lips gently over the healed gash, as tears continued to fall. It took all of his efforts to keep his hormones in check as he felt her lips on the sensitive skin, her hands lay resting on his abdomen as she gently kissed the scarred flesh of his shoulder.

He watched her pink lips and the arising sensation of hunger for contact began to take over his senses, his hand moved to support her spine but his mind stopped him from letting them roam anywhere else.

"It's my fault." Her eyes lay fixed on the scar on his flesh, her voice was deadly calm like the eye of a storm.

"Stop it." He growled, he had grown impatient as he grew more aroused, his response being much fiercer than he intended, she looked up at him. He was battling so many urges, her lips were parted so innocently, he felt guilty of the rising urge to claim her and touch her. He wanted to possess her, to the point that it hurt so much when they were this close and yet in a way still so far apart.

"Momo. Stop punishing yourself." His voice fell softly, "at least let me share the burden."

His hand cupped her cheek and forcefully captured her lips, he couldn't take it anymore. Neither of them were breathing. They parted, both of them gazing intently, not sure how to voice the confusion.

Something in her was appeased, just like the night in the rain, she had no idea what it was, but when they were together it seemed to not matter.

"I'm sorry… I don't know what I feel towards you." She rested her forehead in the crook of his neck.

It was enough. Holding her was enough, being with her was enough. She was enough.

His hand wound around to her back, stroking the ridge of her spine with his fingers. She seemed to relax from the action, the hands that were on his abdomen accidentally fell towards the sash of his hakama, she flushed and pulled away her body quickly.

He grunted from the sudden lack of contact, he had noted the slip of her hands and for a flickering moment hadn't minded it at all. He was becoming like that perverted eighth division captain.

He walked her to her room in silence, for the most part each enjoying the other's company. Both of them were still trying to digest exactly what had happened earlier. As she entered her room she paused at the entrance her gaze shifting in a shy manner; she turned around giving him a quick peck on the cheek much to his surprise. He left her quarters smirking, but his expression soon dropped to a frown.

"It's good to see she's looking well." The voice had come from the shadows, every muscle in Hitsugaya's body had tensed.

He recognized the tone, it was smooth and confident.

"I won't let you touch her..." His emerald gaze was fixated on the man, his stare seething with hatred, and his voice dripping with ice. The man only smiled softly, the smile used to inspire confidence among his comrades, but its intent was seen now as one solely of mockery.

"Aizen."

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Sorry for the delayed update, I wanted to really think the plot through before I continued. It's still a little sketchy.

Can you tell that it's starting to gain momentum? Hopefully.

I wrote this chapter over and over at least five times.

You can tell that Hitsugaya and Hinamori are growing more intimate, I just don't want it to be in a horribly out of character manner.

Mmm. For those who were perceptive, Hitsugaya had called her Momo, yea thought I'd just slip that in to ad to the drama of the moment.

Thank you all who reviewed, I won't be responding personally this time since I'm rather tired, maybe next time.

Thank you for reading.