Disclaimer: I do not own bleach or any of the chracters in the anime or manga. They belong solely to Kubo Tite.
Setting is in soul society. HitsugayaXHinamori. One Shot.
Birthday Smile
"Argh! Go away you irritating bedwetter! Sometimes I question myself, why am I a friend of yours?!"
Hitsugaya blurted out as his temples throbbed violently against his brain.
This was not his day. Hitsugaya had been up since four o' clock in the morning and he slept at one o' clock the previous night. He had a captains' meeting at five thirty which lasted for a gruelling two and a half hours. Piles of paperwork followed which were due the next day and since eight o' clock, Hitsugaya has yet to take a break. His Vice-Captain, Matsumoto, seemed to have vanished, leaving all the work to him.
Hinamori did little to help matters. She bursted into Hitsugaya's office, blabbering on about how Aizen might have been controlled by someone superior in Hueco Mondo, completely disregarding the dark look on Hitsugaya's face. About half an hour later, Hitsugaya finally lost his patience and snapped, taking Hinamori aback. Never in her life did Hitsugaya shout at her so harshly.
An awkward moment engulfed the room. Hitsugaya wanted to stop her but his pride got in the way. He was seldom one who took his words back. With a weary sigh, Hitsugaya packed up and headed back to his rest quarters.
That night, Hitsugaya could not sleep. He kept tossing and turning, thinking about how he had hurt Hinamori. "After all, it is her birthday tomorrow. Maybe I'll do something for her tomorrow...just to make it up to her..." As his mind settled, Hitsugaya slowly drifted to sleep, planning the next day in his dreams.
"Hinamori, can I see you outside for awhile?"
Hitsugaya requested in a captain-like tone as he stood outside Hinamori's office which she once shared with Aizen. Hinamori lifted her head up from her pile of paperwork with a face so stern that Hitsugaya was instantly reminded of the time when Hinamori accused him of killing her beloved captain.
"Sure, Hitsugaya Tai-Chou" Hinamori answered calmly as she got up from her seat. Hitsugaya flinched as he heard that. She only called him that when she was angry at him. Brushing that thought aside, he led Hinamori to a corner so that others could not hear him.
"Follow me. There is something you need to see." Hitsugaya whispered sternly to Hinamori and led her to the cave which he used to contain what he wanted Hinamori to see. Without disputing his statement, Hinamori followed behind him with a blunt expression on her face.
The blunt expression disappeared gradually as she and Hitsugaya approached the cave. It was beautiful. The cave had a gentle wisp of cool air circulating in it. Ice crystals dangled elegantly from the ceiling of the cave, shimmering in the faint sunlight that entered through the mouth of the cave. All of the rocks and pebbles were glazed with ice and snow, and so was the floor.
"Wow...This is so beautiful! Shirou-Chan, how did you find this cave?" Hinamori asked in disbelief as she looked around the ice covered cave in sheer amazement.
"I found it as a normal rocky cave. Hyourinmaru did the job." Hitsugaya replied with a small tinge of satisfaction as he touched the hilt of his loyal zanpakutou.
'I guess she's not mad anymore.' Hitsugaya thought to himself just as Hinamori let out a shril gasp of shock.
There, in the middle of the cave, was an ice sculpture, in the shape of delicate shooting stars and the glistening trails that they always left in the enchanting night sky on the nights that Hinamori dragged Hitsugaya to see the stars. Hinamori looked up at the grand sculpture and gently grazed her hand over its icy surface. Hitsugaya folded his arms and stood at one corner, quietly admiring the sculpture that he and Hyourinmaru sculpted once more.
"I can't believe it. You actually did this for me..." Hinamori's voice died down as her grateful expression turned into an angry one.
"This doesn't mean that I forgive you..." Hinamori reminded Hitsugaya and she tucked her hands into the sleeves of her shinigami robe. Hitsugaya hesitated for a brief moment before taking a step towards Hinamori.
As he walked closer and closer to her, Hitsugaya cleared his throat, hoping that he would not regret what he was about to say.
"Hinamori...I'm...s-sorry. It was kind of harsh of me to shout at you. Since...it's your birthday...I'll allow you to call me..." Hitsugaya toned down as he came to the last word, leaving Hinamori hanging.
"What?" Hinamori pressed on, knowing what his last word was.
"...Shirou-chan." Hitsugaya murmured meekly, preparing himself for Hinamori's reaction. A heavy weight suddenly pressed upon him as Hinamori pounced on him excitedly.
"But only for a day! A day!" Hitsugaya breathlessly blurted as he tried not to crumble under Hinamori's weight.
"Whatever. You will always be Shirou-chan to me...my dear Shirou-chan."
Something suddenly caught Hitsugaya's attention. Something which he had not seen since Aizen's departure and was worth all that trouble he went through even if he could only see it once and now. Hinamori's smile.