This takes place right after the Winter War and all that Aizen-inspired fun.
Bleach is not mine! That honor (?) belongs to Tite Kubo.
She awakes to loud voices.
"I said let me in."
"S-sir… um… I can't… Unohana-Taichou specifically said-"
"I don't think you understand. I am ordering you to stand aside so I can speak with her."
"Uh… um…"
The temperature drops significantly, and she shivers under her hospital blankets.
"Y-you need to get permission from Unohana-T-taichou before I can let you in, s-sir."
"And where might Unohana-Taichou be?"
"Uh, unfortunately, she is attending to patients at the scene of the battle… um…"
Words too soft for her to hear are exchanged, and the shinigami quickly steps aside and allows the other entry. She tries to sit up and greet her visitor, but cold hands gently push her head back onto the pillow.
"Sh-shiro-chan… that's you, isn't it?"
Toushirou chuckles quietly. "Stupid. Who else would it be?" She thinks she hears thinly veiled pain in his voice.
She smiles. "I'm so happy you're here, Shiro-chan." Once again, she attempts to prop herself up on her elbows. "I… I thought…" She coughs, and he tenses. "Oh! I'm sorry… Unohana-Taichou says that I should be careful. My lungs only just healed…" She trails off as she feels the temperature change again.
Toushirou moves his chair closer to her bedside. He seems lost for words.
She turns her head to face him and notices that he has an obnoxiously bright gift box with him. Reaching a hand out from under the sheets, she places her hand on it. "You brought me a present?"
He looks away and quickly says "Matsumoto wrapped it. It's nothing important." But he gives it to her all the same.
She struggles with the ornately tied bow and the invisible tape, overcoming each in turn mostly because of him. He helps her sit up and she opens the box.
"Peaches?"
"I thought you might like them. I know the Fourth Division doesn't often have the funds for fresh food…"
She thinks it's the nicest thing he's ever done for her.
"This is wonderful, Shiro-chan. I haven't had peaches since… since…" she pauses to think. "Since Aizen-Taichou…"
Toushirou clenches his teeth. "Momo, I… I want you to forget about him."
She looks up at him with disbelieving eyes. "But… but he's coming back, right? They know that he was being tricked, right? They know that Ichimaru-Taichou manipulated him, right?"
He seems determined to look at anything other than her.
"He… he's not? Why?" Her eyes fill with tears. "He said… Aizen-Taichou… he said he would come back for me!" She sniffles and begins to cry.
Looking up at Toushirou's rigid face, it becomes clear to her that he isn't lying. And truthfully, that hurts her more than if he was.
"No! That's not… that's not true…" She can barely speak through the tears. "He would never leave me! That's what he told me! He said that!" Amidst her desperate pleas, she realizes that she no longer has the strength to fight.
Toushirou barely catches her when she slumps over. He has long since put his hardened face back on. Tucking her back beneath the papery hospital sheets, he allows himself a moment to stroke her hair and dry her tears. He sighs. For a while, during their conversation, it had seemed as if she was going to be all right.
He thinks about her every day. Every spare moment, it seems, the little voice reminding him that he hurt her shouts through his head.
He knows he will never be able to forgive himself.
But seeing this despair Aizen has put her through, the despair he still puts her through, that is what is truly unforgivable to him.
Perhaps it's a good thing the Kurosaki boy couldn't kill Aizen, because Toushirou knows he won't be able to rest until he has paid back the pain he's caused all of them.
He starts as he notices Unohana-Taichou standing in the doorway looking concerned.
"Hitsugaya-Taichou… what happened? Are you all right?"
He stands, bows to the Fourth Division Captain, and stiffly replies.
"Just visiting."
A/N: First story! Thanks to cherryblossomnights for getting me to write this.
Inspired by Blake Lewis' "Sad Song".