Thank you to TheBeginingsEnd, AnimeAngel101 and blueicefireNINJA4 for the comments and I hope ever one enjoys this. I own nothing to bleach.
Her zanpacktou flared to light when the blade turned a magnificent orange flame as it flickered and roared. Akina's eyes flicked from one side to another and a movement behind her caught her eye. She spun around and barely dodged the onslaught of a powerful fist slamming at her from the side. Toshiro staggered back and slipped, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards. Akina glared at the animal that stood before her, now that it had come into her sight, it was even uglier than she had thought. Its skin was a scaly green almost like a serpent but it had fur around its neck, much like a lion's mane. It had seven limbs branching out from its side and stood at least 17 feet tall at the rib cage area; mostly likely the beast was around 24 feet tall and at Akina's mere height of 4 foot 10, it towered over her. Akina remained undaunted as it stared at her through its four eyes, she gazed calmly back at it. This was a creature she could handle; it almost always went for the obvious kill and it couldn't move nearly as fast as she was capable of going. Akina may be smaller, lighter and had less brute force than the beast but she was much cleverer and much faster. The beast reared up and Akina narrowed her eyes thoughtfully; if I strike while he is striking the ground, I will be able to beat him with a hado before he can react and if that fails I can always use my flash step to escape from him. She thought to herself and pivoted, causing the creature to miss the blow. "Hado 4 Byakurai," the hado erupted from her forefinger and slammed into the beast's chest. It roared in pain and staggered; Akina kept her gaze firmly upon the enemy ready to counteract at a seconds notice. It disintegrated into the air and Akina smirked slightly. She slid her zanpacktou into its holder and walked towards Toshiro who lay limply on his side. "Hey Toshiro, you okay?" He pulled himself up into sitting position and Akina crouched beside him.
"Is it gone," He asked her gazing at her though an exhausted and pained gaze, that made Akina's stomach clench seeing the strong and honorable captain looking like that. Akina nodded, in response to his question, and Toshiro sighed closing his eyes. "Good, we should move on now. There could be more of them and I am useless weight in my condition." Akina gazed at her subordinate who shrugged and she sighed.
"Alright, we'll move on but we will rest soon," She said propping him up and he leaned against her his head hanging. "You need it Toshiro, no matter how much you may try to say otherwise, I can't risk you getting worse okay?" He nodded slightly and took a step forward; Akina did the same and they hobbled along like this for at least 2 more hours before the sun began to rise slowly. Toshiro's eyes flickered open and shut repeatedly; Akina's anxiety grew more as her friend, who was normally so strong and almost never in pain, looking the way he was and she stopped at a group of extremely large trees. As her feet came to a halt she gazed at Toshiro and Toshiro raised his head to gaze at her dully.
"I am guessing we are resting here than?" He asked exhaustedly and she nodded. He grunted and removed himself from Akina before hobbling a few paces and backing up into a tree. He slid down the trunk and was unconscious when he plopped on the ground. Akina crouched down beside him and took a bandage from her pocket and a cloth before tenderly tending to his injured leg delicately. She bit her lip as she gazed at the bone; it was so out of place seeing it jutting out of his leg the way the bone was. The bloody flesh was torn where it had jutted from his skin and it made Akina want to cry out in pain just by seeing the looks of it. She wrapped the areas above and below Toshiro's wound. She didn't know why, but she hoped by how tightly she had wrapped his injured leg it would help ease the bleeding. She gently moved a loose strand of hair from his face and wiped away the blood smeared on his cheek with her hand.
"Captain," The other soul reaper began and she turned to rest her gaze on him. "I heard something again." Akina whipped her head around and was on her feet instantly.
"Captain Homaru," Someone cried and Akina gazed around confused. She saw Izuru, Rangiku and Hisagi along with the rest of her squad racing towards her. It had been Izuru who had cried out and Akina let a soft breath of relief seeing that none of them had serious injuries. "Captain Homaru, are you injured?"
"I'm fine," She assured them honestly. "Captain Hitsugaya however is…" She said trailing off.
"What's wrong with my captain," Rangiku demanded and Akina stepped sideways revealing the out cold Toshiro. Rangiku gasped and stepped towards him before kneeling beside him. "He'll live right? Please tell me he'll be alright." Rangiku pleaded gazing at Akina through horrified and anxious pale blue eyes. Akina glanced hopefully at Izuru, who gazed at Toshiro critically; he caught her gaze and nodded.
"Let me take a look at him Rangiku," He said firmly and Rangiku stepped back. He knelt down beside Toshiro and touched the bone gently. Toshiro flinched in his sleeping state but remained unconscious. He prodded around the wounded area gently and than gazed at the anxious group of soul reapers. "Obviously we can all see that is a serious injury but I can try to heal the damaged tissues and muscles. It'll take time though and I can't heal the injury even half way at most. It'll need surgery and that is something I am not experienced with." He explained and Akina looked down at Toshiro. She drew in a deep breath than nodded and gazed at the other soul reapers.
"We'll leave Izuru here until he treats Toshiro," She began and Rangiku opened her mouth to protest. "We won't go far; we will keep a diligent watch, incase we have company, and when he is treated I want Izuru and Hisagi to take both squad nine and squad three to go retrieve Unohana. That will leave Rangiku, squad ten and me to watch over him." Everyone nodded and Hisagi wrapped an arm around Rangiku's shoulders before escorting her away. Akina glanced at Izuru who nodded to her; Akina led the remaining squad members away from the area. She cast a glance back at Toshiro and than proceeded forward.
Toshiro P.O.V
Toshiro moved around helplessly blackness; it was if a black curtain had been draped over his eyes, preventing him from seeing, he ran around unaware of even where he was. Colors blurred together appeared before his vision and he blinked and everything began to become clear. Pain came up through his right leg and side like little needles being stabbed into his skin. "Captain Hitsugaya, can you hear me?" A voice echoed and Toshiro brought his gaze to rest waveringly on Izuru.
"Izuru, when did you get here," He asked confused and than pressed his palm to his forehead. "Damn, my head is throbbing." He muttered.
"Take it easy Captain Hitsugaya; I arrived not to long ago with Rangiku and the others. You've broken your leg remember? Just take it easy, I am healing the damaged tissues and muscles in your leg but I can't do much." He explained carefully. Toshiro grunted and closed his eyes as the pain began to dull slightly.
"Where are the others?" Toshiro asked curiously.
"They went away to give me some space to treat you," Izuru explained still concentrating on the wounded leg. "They didn't move far; the plan is when I do what I can to treat your injuries Hisagi and I will take our squads to find Unohana, while Captain Homaru and your subordinates remain here."
"I see," He said feeling angry for being so helpless. "Thank you Izuru, I think that will be good." He sat up slowly, realizing that he had been laid on the ground, and sighed.
"Alright just take it easy," He said and than looked over his shoulder. "Captain Homaru he's conscious!" He called out. Toshiro heard rapid footsteps and saw Rangiku running towards him with a look of relief and anxiety spread across her face.
"Captain," she said throwing herself down beside him. "You're alright! I was so worried about you!"
"I am fine Rangiku, don't make such a fuss." The young captain grumbled and Rangiku looked down.
"Forgive me captain," she said quietly. "I am sorry."
"Toshiro, 1 you are not fine you have a bone jutting through your leg, 2 cut Rangiku a break, we were ALL worried about you and 3 there is nothing wrong with sympathy." A voice chided pointedly and softly. Toshiro gaze connected with Akina and snorted.
"It's Captain Hitsugaya to you Akina." He snapped coldly.
"Well than Captain Hitsugaya, it is Captain Homaru to you." She shot back and Toshiro couldn't help but chuckle slightly.
"Whatever," He said and noticed that Izuru accompanied by Hisagi had already left. "What are we going to do? Sit here 'tell Unohana gets back?"
"No we are going to run after them," Akina retorted sarcastically. "No duh Toshiro, that would be the plan, to sit here!" She retreated a couple yards away from the rest of the group and stood there; she still held her gaze upon Toshiro, who looked away cautiously.
"No need to bite my head off Captain Homaru," Toshiro said rolling his eyes. "I was just asking."
"Yeah yeah whatever," She snapped and folded her arms. "You know what Shorty sometimes you ask the stupidest questions!" Toshiro grew an anime vein at the word Shorty.
"You ain't much taller than me! I AM NOT SHORT I AM VERTICALLY CHALLENGED, YOU ARE SHORT TOO SMALL FRY!" He yelled. Akina grew an anime vein as well and glared at him.
"SHUT UP HITSUGAYA, BEFORE I BREAK YOUR OTHER LEG! I AM NOT A SMALL FRY I AM FUN SIZED!" She spat loudly. Toshiro glared at her and she glared back at him. A cold gaze versus a blazing fiery one and Akina threw her hands up and sat down. Rangiku burst out laughing and so did the rest of Toshiro's squad. Akina bit her lip than burst out into a laughing fit; Toshiro chuckled and Rangiku hooted with laughter.
"That is the funniest spirited debate on size that I have ever seen!" Rangiku said wiping tears from her eyes.
"Oh shut up you're just freakishly tall Rangiku!" Akina said sitting up and Rangiku sighed happily.
"Yeah you would have to sleep for 10 years straight to grow as tall as me, but you'll always be the size of an academy student." Rangiku said slyly.
"I AM NOT! I AM A WHOLE 6 INCHES TALLER THAN TOSHIRO!" Akina protested hotly.
"WOULD YOU PLEASE SHUT UP!" Toshiro yelled hotly and Akina cast a sly and playful gleaming glance at him.
"What are you going to do if I don't?" She asked and Toshiro smirked.
"Hado 31-." He began and Akina put her hands up.
"Okay okay I won't! Don't shot me!" She pleaded teasingly and leaned back.
"Akina you can act like a little kid sometimes you know that?" Toshiro asked and she didn't look at him.
"At least I am not the size of one." She said loudly.
"Okay okay I am dropping the subject!" Toshiro said and Akina smiled victoriously.
"I win! Hahaha! VICTORY!" She chanted sarcastically and than fell back onto her back.
"You're weird," Toshiro snorted and Akina chuckled. "Akina um thanks for saving my butt…" He mumbled and Akina cocked an eyebrow at him.
"Its okay we are on the same side so we have to watch out for each other right? Anyone would have done what I did." She pointed out.
"Yeah thanks anyway though…"
Okay so that was it for chapter 2 and the next one, if it this gets enough reviews, will have them back in the soul socitey and there it will be more romance than it was in here. I hope you guys liked it!