Hitsugaya: What now, and didn't I tell you not to call me that?
Hinamori: Don't be so mean, Shiro-chan.
Hitsugaya: Shut up, Bed-wetter Momo.
Me: Before you two start another one of your arguments, could you say the disclaimer?
Both: Lunarangel's Dark Flame does not own us or Bleach. Enjoy.
The two return to their argument and Lunarangel sighs.
Me: Adorable. Enjoy.
It had been three days since their argument and Hitsugaya and Hinamori were no better than the day it happened. People had begun to notice the difference in their ways as well. It had started with the captains' meeting the day after the argument.
"Well then, does anyone else have another battle plan in regards to Aizen? Hitsugaya-taichou, perhaps you…?"
Hitsugaya hadn't been paying attention to Yamamoto. All he was doing was staring out the window and thinking of Hinamori. It still hurt him. Yamamoto let out a loud cough, causing Hitsugaya to look toward him at last.
"I'm sorry. Did you say something?" Hitsugaya said with an apathetic expression.
The rest of the captains gasped at what they just heard. Hitsugaya wasn't paying attention? He always paid attention. Ukitake didn't pay attention because he was crazy, Shunsui didn't pay attention because…he was him, and Kenpachi didn't pay attention because he was always talking about a strong opponent, but Hitsugaya…? He paid attention. Period.
Until now, at least.
"Hitsugaya, what's wrong with you?" Soifon said.
"Are you feeling unwell? Do you need a check-up?" Unohana inquired.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you," Hitsugaya said, looking back out the window.
Ukitake, being…Ukitake, decided that he knew the best way to make his younger Shiro-chan feel better. (A/N: Don't you love the Shiro-chans?) He walked over to Hitsugaya and took out some candy.
"Shiro-chan, here you go. It's a new candy I bought just for you. It should make you feel better," Ukitake said, handing Hitsugaya the candy.
Hitsugaya took it and before Ukitake could get another piece, he started eating it. Another gasp emerged from the captains. Hitsugaya hated candy! But he was eating it, and stranger still: he'd already started eating the first one before Ukitake could even bring out the second.
"Emergency situation. Hitsugaya-taichou is sick. Permission to take him to the 4th Division's main healing center?" Unohana said matter-of-factly, standing up.
"Permission granted," Yamamoto said hastily.
Unohana snatched up Hitsugaya and ran out of the conference room with the rest of the captains in a daze.
And as for the situation with Hinamori? Well…
It was a meeting of the Shinigami Women's Association and Hinamori wasn't paying the slightest hint of attention. Her thoughts kept wandering back to Hitsugaya and what she'd done to him. Then one thing brought her back to reality:
"Hitsugaya Toushirouuu!" Yachiru yelled happily.
"Huh?" Hinamori said dumbly.
"Hit-chan will be our next star for our next calendar! For him, we're gonna have him in a new outfit for each month 'n give a different description of him 'n how he feels!" Yachiru chirped.
The girls all started to either squeal or converse on the most precious of the captains.
"I find that to be a superb idea, Yachiru. A new way to show off our calendars, and with Hitsugaya-taichou no less—one of our most lovable and popular shinigami. But there's a problem," Vice-President Nanao said.
"Whassat?" Yachiru said.
"How can we get Hitsugaya-taichou to go along with this? A calendar with him would be nice indeed, but how do we get it?" Nemu said.
"How da you think? We use somethin' or someone he can't say no to. Ain't that right, Bun-bun?" Yachiru said, grinning impishly at Hinamori.
"…I don't think so," Hinamori replied.
"What?? We need you to do it! How else are we going to get pictures of Hitsugaya-taichou?!" Kiyone yelled in frustration.
"It's just—I don't think Hitsugaya-taichou would--"
"Since when do you call Taichou…Taichou?" Matsumoto said in complete and utter shock.
"Oh, um, well—" Hinamori tried to say something but couldn't.
"Something happen between you two?" Kiyone said.
Hinamori's eyes widened in shock and the rest of the girls gasped.
"You know, I suppose that would explain it, wouldn't it," Soifon mused.
"Explain what?" Nanao said.
"Hitsugaya-taichou seemed a little out of it yesterday. Unohana-taichou took him to 4th division to see if he was all right," Soifon explained.
"I remember. He was fine, but we decided to give him some appointments to talk it over. Actually, he should be in one with Unohana-taichou now," Isane said.
Hinamori felt another twinge of guilt tug at her heart.
"Well, then Bun-bun, you gotta go and--"
"No! Why does everyone want a picture of him? He's not that cute and it's practically pedophilia!" Hinamori yelled before running off. (A/N: That's the craziness talking.)
The rest of the shinigami women blinked before Yachiru pouted.
"Then we'll get Hana-chan to do it," Yachiru said.
So that's how things had been going. And of course, the two still hadn't spoken to each other.
Hinamori was walking to another meeting. She wanted to, at long last, apologize for everything she'd said. When she got to the door, she heard a bunch of squealing inside. Opening the door, her face paled at what she saw.
All the girls were surrounding Hitsugaya, who was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, white jeans and a colorful, pointy hat while holding a brightly wrapped present. Hinamori blushed. How could she help it? He looked so cute and…and in an attractive way, not the adorable way. But…but they were fighting, and why was he here?
"So, Hitsugaya-taichou, what are your feelings on December?" Nanao said with a notepad and pencil.
"It's cold, so I like it, I guess. It's also my birthday month, which is usually nice," Hitsugaya said.
Nanao wrote that down before Yachiru noticed Hinamori.
"Bun-bun! We got Hit-chan to take pictures!" Yachiru cried joyfully.
Hitsugaya and Hinamori looked at each other before Hitsugaya glared at her and looked away. Hinamori frowned before she did the same. The tension in the atmosphere rose, and the other women started to shiver.
'Toushirou-kun, talk to her and be nice and apologize.'
'Why I should I apologize? She started it.'
'Because you acted like a child.'
'I am not a child!'
'Sorry, Shiro-chan—'
'Don't you dare start.'
'But you are not an adult. You do remember why you started to act mature, right?'
'Because I'm a captain. There's no room for childishness when you're a captain.'
'And?'
'I thought Hinamori would stop thinking I was a kid and…like me.'
'Exactly.'
While Hitsugaya and Hyourinmaru continued their internal conversation, Tobiume started up one with Hinamori.
'Momo-chan, you are going to say you're sorry. NOW!'
'Give me one reason why.'
'You broke your promise.'
'I didn't mean to.'
'You said you didn't want him in your life when all he wanted to do was protect you.'
'I didn't mean it.'
'You were willing to kill him because Aizen told you to.'
'But Aizen-taichou...'
'Aizen what? Wanted you to kill your best friend, stabbed you through the gut, and is haunting you so much that he made you break Toushirou-kun's little heart. What else has he done?'
'He…never cared for me…no matter how much I wish he did.'
'…FINALLY.'
"BUN-BUN!"
Hinamori broke out of her inner exchange before she glared at the constantly-happy Yachiru. Looking around, Hinamori noticed that Hitsugaya had left.
"We got all these great pictures of Hit-chan. Wanna see?" Yachiru said with a grin.
Hinamori sighed, then allowed herself a smile.
"Sure, why not?" Hinamori said.
The other women smiled a little, but still felt uneasy.
"Say, how did you get Hitsugaya-taichou to do this?" Hinamori said.
"We asked him," Unohana said.
"You just asked him?" Hinamori said in disbelief.
"Yeah, for some reason, Taichou was really cooperative," Matsumoto observed.
Hinamori bit her finger before shaking her head.
"I need to go apologize to him. I'll see you."
Hinamori was about to run off when someone grabbed her by her shihakushou. She looked behind her to see the entire association looking at her.
"By the way, what did you do to him?" Soifon said.
"I…might have said something like…I didn't want him in my life, and made him cry…" Hinamori whispered, head hung low.
The women gasped in unison. Kiyone spun Hinamori around and glared at her.
"You said that to him? You made him cry? How could you?!" she cried.
"I don't know! I was mad!" Hinamori shrieked back.
"Hinamori-fukutaichou, what did Hitsugaya-taichou say to make you mad?" Isane said.
"…That doesn't matter. I wouldn't listen to him, but now I know I was wrong and I have to tell him. I've gotta apologize! I've got to tell him that I need him in my life! I have to tell him I l—lo…" Hinamori stopped with a bright red face.
Most of the women started to get evil grins on their faces and Hinamori abruptly turned her nose to them.
"None of your business. Good day," Hinamori said briskly before leaving.
Then the women realized something before they all groaned and Rangiku started victory-dancing.
"You each owe me a free round of all-I-can-drink sake!" Rangiku shouted triumphantly.
Hitsugaya was just sitting on a rooftop and thinking about, well…wasn't it obvious? A sudden click-clack on the rooftop caught his attention. He looked up to see Ukitake hovering over him.
"Morning, Shiro-chan," Ukitake said merrily.
"It's…ah, never mind. Hi," Hitsugaya said.
"May I sit?" Ukitake said.
"Sure, it's not my roof," Hitsugaya deadpanned.
"Actually it is," Ukitake laughed while sitting down.
Hitsugaya frowned before he looked away.
"So, Hitsugaya-taichou, I think it's time we had that talk," Ukitake said.
Eyes opened wide, Hitsugaya stared at the 13th division captain.
"What talk?" Hitsugaya said.
"Well, there comes a time in every young man's life where he gets sudden urges to—"
"I don't want to hear it!" Hitsugaya bellowed, covering his ears.
He also growled when he heard Hyourinmaru laughing his tail off.
"But I know you're having a problem with Hinamori-fukutaichou, aren't you?" Ukitake said.
"…How did you know?" Hitsugaya said.
"Well, hanging around Shun-kun, you learn how 'women depression' is different from every other kind of depression. We'll talk about that later. So, what happened? Tell your older Shiro-chan everything," Ukitake said.
Hitsugaya frowned but figured it couldn't hurt. Ukitake did have a good sense of reason.
"Okay, got into an argument about Aizen," Hitsugaya growled.
"Ah, Hinamori-fukutaichou went crazy saying he was a good person while you tried to tell her the truth. You tell her how much you want to protect her, she says something horrible that makes you say you hate her," Ukitake said in a thoughtful pose.
Hitsugaya's eyes widened and he just gawked at Ukitake.
"It's like you were there or something," Hitsugaya murmured.
"Shun-kun always said that was a creepy habit of mine! So, what do you want to do?" Ukitake said, turning serious.
"I want to pound Aizen's face in, knock him out, bring him back here and before he dies, slowly torture him as his screams ring throughout Seireitei."
"…er, I meant about Hinamori-fukutaichou."
"Oh. I knew that. Well…I want her to apologize to me. It's all her fault!" Hitsugaya said, pouting.
Ukitake shook his head before patting Hitsugaya's. He strived so hard to be an adult but…he just wasn't one yet.
"Yes, it probably was, but is there anything you feel you should apologize for?" Ukitake said.
"Well, I could apologize for saying I hate her: I don't, but I wish I did."
"Why do you wish that? You shouldn't wish that you hated a friend," came Ukitake's fatherly reply.
"Because it would hurt less. If I hated her, I wouldn't care that I said that. I wouldn't care that she said that. It wouldn't have broken my heart. Why do I…?" Hitsugaya let himself trail off.
"…love her so much?" Ukitake finished knowingly.
Hitsugaya nodded, Ukitake sighed. He gave Hitsugaya a hug, which resulted in a growl.
"Hey! Let go of me," said the young captain.
"You're not yet grown, but you struggle so hard to be. You need to remember that you've got a lot of innocence left in you. Don't try so hard to grow up," Ukitake said, pulling out of the hug. "That's something special, but…you know what's more special?"
"The friendship I share with Hinamori?" Hitsugaya said.
Ukitake beamed, then nodded. Sighing, Hitsugaya got onto his feet before he looked at Ukitake (still grinning). Hitsugaya gave him a nod.
"Thanks…Shiro-chan," Hitsugaya said before flash-stepping.
Ukitake's face brightened even more before turning to a look of horror and anguish.
"I…I forgot to give him his treats…"
Hitsugaya landed in front of the oak tree where the entire problem had started. Okay, not true. It had started way back when Aizen had "saved" Hinamori, but that was beside the point.
'Why are you here? Go find Momo-san.'
"…Not yet. I don't want to find Hinamori," Hitsugaya said.
"Then it's good I found you."
Turning around, Hitsugaya could only stare at Hinamori, who had nervousness practically radiating around her.
"Hinamori…"
"Hitsugaya…"
The two simply stood there in a very awkward silence (not counting) the zanpakutou yelling in their heads. Hitsugaya decided to break the silence in the only way he knew how.
"This is all your fault," he grumbled sullenly.
Hyourinmaru smacked his forehead with his tail and Hinamori went into a shock and then a rage.
"What?! You started it!" she yelled.
Tobiume groaned. Not again with the yelling.
"I did not! You started it! You should have listened to me!" Hitsugaya yelled.
"I know that!" Hinamori yelled.
Hitsugaya blinked and Hinamori took in a breath.
"I know I should have listened to you. I know I shouldn't have said those things," Hinamori continued. "I know that you're right, that everyone is right, that Aizen-taichou is evil and not being used by Ichimaru-taichou."
"Then why did you say those things? Why did you stick up for him and act as though I didn't matter?" Hitsugaya demanded.
"Because I just couldn't let go. I love Aizen-taichou," Hinamori said.
Hitsugaya's glass heart broke another time before Hinamori finally shook her head.
"No…I loved him. Once my coma was over, I remembered everything. I wanted to find some good in him so I wouldn't feel like my support's been useless but it was. I was just a pawn. I hate him," Hinamori said.
Hitsugaya let a small smile grace his normally serious face. How could he help it? Hinamori hated Aizen. He had finally succeeded in a plan he had been trying to finish years ago. Then he remembered something and his smile left instantly.
"I tried to protect you. I really did," Hitsugaya said softly.
Hinamori tensed up at the sound of his voice. He sounded like he was going to start crying again. She refused to let that happen. Rushing over to him, she pulled Hitsugaya into a big hug. He blushed a little before he relaxed and returned the hug. Smiling, Hinamori released him enough to look him in the eye.
"I know you did. You always do," Hinamori said.
Hitsugaya blinked and Hinamori blushed before she looked away.
"When we have missions, you always protect me. When people tease me, you always make them stop. You've always protected me but I don't want that anymore," Hinamori said.
Hitsugaya's face saddened and Hinamori shook her head.
"No, no, no! I don't mean it like that! I still want you!" Hinamori yelled without thinking.
Hitsugaya stopped his mid-crying to blush a deep red and when Hinamori realized what she had said, she quickly joined him.
"I didn't meant it like that either."
'Yes, you did.'
'Quiet!'
"What I mean is, I want you in my life but I don't want you to protect me," Hinamori said, happy that she got it right.
"I don't get it," Hitsugaya said.
"After all this, I don't want to be dependent anymore. My dependence caused all this. I want to be strong…"
She let go of Hitsugaya and grabbed Tobiume's hilt.
"I want to be powerful like you so that way I won't have to be protected anymore and next time, I can save myself. Maybe if I try hard enough, I could become the 5th division's new taichou," Hinamori said.
Hitsugaya stared at her before he started laughing. Hinamori gave him a look before she growled.
"What's so funny?" Hinamori growled.
"It's just…what happened to little Bed-wetter Momo who always climbed in my bed whenever she was scared?" Hitsugaya said with a grin.
Hinamori's face flushed before she smirked.
"She grew up. Thanks to her best friend, Shiro-chan," Hinamori said.
Hitsugaya scoffed before he shook his head.
"Thanks for protecting me."
He looked at her and she was smiling a sweet smile.
"I didn't—"
"Thanks for avenging me."
"I couldn't—"
"Thanks for telling me the truth."
"I was—"
"Thanks for…forgiving me?" Hinamori asked.
"…I do," Hitsugaya said.
"For raising my sword against you?"
"I do."
"For not listening to you when you tried to tell me Aizen was a bastard?"
"I do."
"For…making you cry and breaking my promise?"
"That's gonna take more than an apology," Hitsugaya said nonchalantly.
Hinamori's eyes widened before she looked down.
"I understand. It's going to take time," Hinamori said with a tear.
"Actually, I can forgive you very quickly. I just want more than an apology," Hitsugaya said.
Jerking back, Hinamori started to laugh.
"Let me guess, all-you-can-eat watermelon?" Hinamori laughed.
"No. Well, yes, but more than that," Hitsugaya said.
Hinamori raised an eyebrow and Hitsugaya waved his hand. Hinamori pouted before she felt it was time for the moment of truth.
"Do you…really hate me?" Hinamori whimpered.
Blinking, Hitsugaya rubbed the back of his head. He forgot he said that. He was too happy. Before he said something, Hyourinmaru whispered something in his mind.
'If everything is coming out, best to find out now.'
Hitsugaya gulped before he sighed. Stupid dragon. Why was he always right? Hitsugaya walked up to Hinamori who stood there patiently. Looking her in the eye, Hitsugaya gave her a light kiss on the lips. Hinamori blushed bright red before Hitsugaya ended the kiss.
"I could never hate you. Later."
Walking past her, Hitsugaya was about to flash step before he was grabbed by his haori.
'Uh-oh,' Hitsugaya thought.
"You think you can just kiss me and walk away?"
"I was kind of hoping," Hitsugaya said.
Hinamori turned him around before she captured his lips in another kiss. Hitsugaya merely blinked before he closed his eyes and returned it. The two stayed like that for a while before Hinamori stopped and gave him a grin.
"It wasn't bad for a first time, Shiro-chan," Hinamori said.
"You weren't any better, Bed-wetter Momo," Hitsugaya said.
Hinamori stuck her tongue out at him before she kissed his nose, making him blush.
"You know, I'm pretty sure I love you," Hinamori said.
"It's about time you realized," Hitsugaya said.
Hinamori pinched his cheek and Hitsugaya growled.
"…Alright, I love you too," Hitsugaya said.
Hinamori smirked before the two kissed each other again. Hyourinmaru and Tobiume were grinning to themselves with one thought going through both their minds:
'It's about TIME.'
"By the way..." Hinamori said, ending the kiss. "What did you mean by 'more than an apology'?"
She immediately regretted her question when she saw Hitsugaya grin evilly.
"Taichou! I'm here but I can't do my paperwork today because…eh?"
Matsumoto stopped in the middle of her excuse when she saw something very confusing in her taichou's office. Hitsugaya was sitting on the couch, drinking tea while Hinamori was at his desk filling out tons of papers.
"Good afternoon, Matsumoto. Off getting drunk again?" Hitsugaya said.
"Hi, Rangiku-san," Hinamori said, signing paper after paper.
"Okay, what did I miss?" Matsumoto said.
"Long story short, Hinamori has to do all my paperwork for a year," Hitsugaya said, grinning.
"Why do you have so much?!" Hinamori whined.
"You act like I want all this paperwork. If I could, I'd burn it all and throw it off a cliff but I can't," Hitsugaya said.
Hinamori groaned before she kept doing the paperwork.
"I guess I have to help now more than ever?" Matsumoto said with her hands on her hips.
"Actually, for an entire year, you can go get drunk for all I care. Hinamori's going to do your paperwork," Hitsugaya said, taking a drink of his tea.
"WHAT?!" both fukutaichou yelled at the same time.
"No way in Seireitei, Hitsugaya…taichou," Hinamori seethed.
Matsumoto looked at her in confusion and Hitsugaya smirked.
"Another part of the agreement."
"Makes sense but seriously, taichou. You're going to make Hinamori do all my paperwork and leave me to do what I want for a year? If you're lying to me, Haineko will be found lodged in your skull, taichou or not," Matsumoto said.
"I'm not lying. For the next year, you can do what you want," Hitsugaya said.
"Hold up. I only agreed to do your paperwork and—"
"Yes, Hinamori, you did but you forgot that Matsumoto is a lazy idiot. She never does her paperwork so her paperwork ends up being my paperwork meaning that for the next year her paperwork is going to be your paperwork," Hitsugaya said.
"I love you logic! I'll see you later, taichou! Sorry, Momo!" Matsumoto shouted as she zoomed out of the room.
"I don't believe this. I know what I did was wrong but this is just mean, Hitsugaya-taichou," Hinamori said.
"You're the one who made me cry when you said you wouldn't. Besides, according to Ukitake and Hyourinmaru, I'm still a child. I'm supposed to be mean because I don't know any better. Now, stop complaining and finish. When you do, I'll buy you dinner," Hitsugaya said.
"When will I be finished?" Hinamori asked as she returned to the papers.
"How many have you filled out so far?" Hitsugaya asked.
"Fifty," Hinamori mumbled.
"You'll be finished in another 150 papers," Hitsugaya said.
Hinamori dropped her pen before her head hit the table. Hitsugaya merely shook his head before he lied down on the couch.
"No wonder Matsumoto's always skipping her paperwork."
And that's the end of that. I thank all who reviewed. I hope you enjoyed this final chapter. Bai-Bai!