Note: Hey, I know. I have to update my stories. I will. I promise. I seriously promise. Anyway, this is a request from my friend, Angela, because she loves Bleach, especially Hitsugaya. I hope I didn't make him OCC. I tried to make this a not-too-long story**. Bye~
**This is not a lemon, I swear. I don't know about chapter 2 though.
Chapter 1: True Ordeal
(Kobayashi Kei POV)
Ah, this is so boring, if only something interesting would happen.
"Kobayashi, get to work!" My head slammed against the table as I was rudely awaken from my nap. I looked up in a daze to see who had yelled so loud.
"Oh…. Hitsugaya …." Slowly, I could feel my eyelid slipping close again. Something whacked my head as I received a second wake-up call.
"It's Captain Hitsugaya. Wake up and finish your work!"
"But it's night time already! I already missed the rerun of my favorite drama!" I complained groggily. Actually, I wanted to go help out Captain Unohana and the others but looks like that wasn't going to happen today. I used to be on Squad 4 so I could help with some healing.
"You are not leaving until you finish that work," he said flatly. This meant that this was the end of conversation, no more excuses, period.
I glanced at the clock. 9:28 pm. Captain, you meanie! I thought bitterly in my head. If only Ragiku wasn't down with that horrid flu, the two of us wouldn't be stuck doing her share of work too.
Actually, most of the Seireitei had it. The flu exploded last week and 18 people came down with it. Then more victims increased. Squad 4 was half dead from healing all the sick. I pitied Captain Ukitake the most, with his frail health, he probably got it the worst.
I sighed and twirled my pencil in the air. So much for being raised to 3rd seat, you don't get much out of it at all.
"Get. To. Work." Hitsugaya threatened one last time as he saw me dawdling around. I quickly dug myself into the pile of paperwork next to me afraid of what he'd do next if I didn't.
(3rd Person POV)
He glanced at the clock across from him. Almost midnight already. Well, he did get most of the important things done. He stood up and stretched, glancing over to his 3rd seat. He couldn't really see much of her except for the piles of paperwork covering her desk. Maybe he shouldn't have given so much to her.
"Hey, Kobayashi, are you still alive?" he asked as he walked over to the young shinigami. "You can leave-"
'Snore'
He felt a vein pop on his head as he stared at the sleeping shinigami. He started feeling the urge to take a book and slam it down on her head like he did the other 40 times she fell asleep. He was so concentrated on work before, he hadn't even noticed.
Hitsugaya counted the stacks of papers she finished. 2 out of the 3 she was given. Maybe he'll let her off this time. Slacker…. He watched as she slept peacefully, her dark blue hair falling onto her face. The scribbles on the piece of paperwork under her head showed she fell asleep half way while writing.
Maybe he should wake her up? It'd be bad to just leave her here.
'Snore'
…
Actually, leaving her here isn't such a bad idea.
He may be strict but he had some compassion left in him. Sighing, Hitsugaya shook her by the shoulder. She murmured something random but didn't wake.
Now, he seriously thought about slamming the book on her head. And he did.
Wham~
"Wah! I'm sorry! I didn't eat the chocolates, I swear!" she shot up, yelling frantically. When she noticed no one was there but her captain, she sat back down. "What'd you do that for Hitsugaya? I thought it was Yachiru…" she said sleepily.
Hitsugaya sighed at the person before him. Kobayashi Kei had just graduated the shinigami academy a forty years ago and was already 3rd seat in squad ten. She was popular, extremely talented, and a happy-to-go-lucky type person. Only he knew about how lazy she is and how easily distracted she can be. Despite that, she has an amazing amount of potential and well fit for 3rd seat.
The only thing that bothered him was how she was younger than him and 2 in. taller than him.
He watched as her olive green eyes threatened to close again.
"Don't go falling asleep again. We're leaving now. I have to lock up." He walked towards the exit, keys jingling in hand.
"Yes sir…" she got up in a wobbly fashion and headed for the door as well.
Both of them were out the office into the dimly lit hallway. He had just finished locking the door when he heard a faint 'Captain' whispered behind him.
"What is-"he turned around just in time to catch a fainting girl. Even through his robes, he could feel how warm she was. "Oi, Kobayashi?" He kneeled down and placed her on the floor. Her cheeks were tinted bright pink and her breathing was heavy. He felt her forehead only to receive a fiery hot touch to his hand.
She has a fever, he thought bitterly. Maybe from 3 days of working overtime she had caught the virus. Dang…
Suddenly, her eyes bolted open and she got up fast off the floor. The white haired captain was about to protest but was stopped by her. "Don't worry Captain, I'm fine. Just got a little dizzy for second, that's all," she ranted on, walking away quickly, a smile plastered on her face as if nothing was wrong. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Her figure disappeared at the corner as he tried to catch up to her. She was nowhere in sight.
"Dammit," Hitsugaya cursed silently.
(Hitsugaya Toshiro POV)
I always knew something was wrong when she called me Captain instead of the usual obnoxious 'Hitsugaya'. Like the time when she fought the hollow that escaped from Hell. A whole WANTED list was posted out naming all the 4 dangerous escapees. Captains, accompanied by their Lieutenants and 3rd seat officers, were sent out to destroy these hollows.
Apparently, just our luck, we lost Kobayashi in the middle of Koikiri Forest (did I not tell her to not wander off?) where the hollow signal was coming from. While she was lost, either she attacked the hollow (possible) or it attacked her because when we found her, she looked horrible and so did the hollow.
Matsumoto and I finished it off as fast as we could to get her to medical attention but when we finished she had most of her wounds healed.
"See? I'm fine; don't worry so much, Captain. Sorry I acted on my own, but I did well right?"
She did used to be in squad 4 for a couple of years before transfer so I didn't bother to doubt her.
Ten minutes.
Ten minutes right after we got back, she immediately fainted and was sent into the emergency center for being in critical condition from blood loss and exhaustion. She slept for 3 days and stayed in the hospital for another week before they let her out.
From then on, I doubted every one of those smiles, knowing she always had something hidden underneath them. But she'd never reveal anything, to no one and nothing.
Strutting down the halls of the squad 10 dorms I found the one I had been looking for. The name 'Kobayashi Kei' was imprinted neatly on the black name plate of the wooden door. I knocked softly on it twice. No answer.
She's probably asleep…
Next, I tried the doorknob. I twisted it and the door slid open easily. Even with only the help of faint moonlight, I could see a black robed figure lying on the floor.
"Kobayashi!" I knelt by her and it obvious now that she had a fever. Sweat drenched her face and her breathing was ragged. When she made no movement whatsoever, I picked her limp body off the floor and place her onto the bed.
I would have had her change her clothes but, seeing how she's knocked out to Wonderland, that's probably not happening.
I retrieved a towel from her bathroom and wet it with cold water. Placing it on her head, I pondered around the room for anything else she might need.
Right, wasn't there a med kit in the 2nd floor lounge? With that in mind, I closed the door behind me and quietly fled through the dark dorm house.
(Hitsugaya Toshiro POV)
"101 degrees Fahrenheit," I though out loud as I looked at the thermometer.
No wonder she fainted. Who would be able to handle that along with a weeks worth of unfinished paperwork?
Suddenly, she coughed loudly and began to wake, eyes blurry with sleep. I went over with the medicine I'd gather from the med kit. "Awake already?"
"Captain….." she gave me a weary 'What-the-hell-are-you-doing-here' look. I returned it with a stern glare saying 'You-fainted-stupid'.
She sat up, propping the pillow behind her back and stared at me. Her hair was wet from sweating and her face was still bright pink. "Captain, I-"
I shoved a small plastic bag of two pills in front of her face, stopping whatever excuse or complaint she was about to give me. "Here, swallow it down with some water and sleep." I motioned to the glass of water lying on her night stand. "I'll come check on you tomorrow." I got up from my stool next to her bed, ready to leave.
I watched her slip the pills into her mouth and chug a big gulp of water. Then she gazed motionlessly into the water in her hands.
"Captain, why'd you come here?"
She is stubborn isn't she?
(3rd Person POV)
"Why would I not come here if I see my subordinate with a fever and on the verge of fainting?" Well, partially, it might have been his fault that he hadn't noticed but she could've told him she was sick.
"I said I was-"
"Listen here, Kobayashi," he pulled her chin up to his level so that they were eye to eye, "stop overworking yourself. Especially with this influenza spreading around, you can easily get sick."
"Like you should be talking, Hitsugaya." She pouted in defiance. He couldn't help but smirk as she used his surname again.
"I know my limits, unlike you. It's Captain Hitsugaya." No matter how many times he reminds her that, it goes in one ear and out the other.
"I do too, I just needed some rest-"
"You don't," he let go of her; "just sleep or you'll never get better." He started making his way to the door.
Of course, as said earlier, she isn't the best listener in town. "Wait, Hitsugaya!" And now she even attempts to get out of bed, right after her captain's little speech.
Just about the moment she threw her covers to the side, Hitsugaya was in front of her. One hand on her shoulder, he pushed her back down. About to complain, Kobayashi could make no words as her captain kissed her. It wasn't anything romantic or passionate, but just the fact that their lips were touching had send her into a state of shock.
"Kei…" he whispered softly, ending the kiss. "Sleep…ok?"
The poor girl under him was stunned silent, face redder than the ripest tomato. He moved off her and out the door, Kobayashi made no attempt to follow him this time. The 'click' of the closing door finally woke her from her trance. She gasped, breathing for the first time after the incident happened.
Her hands covered her mouth and she sat up on the bed, wide-eyed, as what just happened finally dawned on her.
He j-j-j-just… No, no! It was a dream! Yeah, a fever… I have a fever, remember! This is just a nightmare created by my feverish state. There is no way in hell would Captain Hitsugaya ever do that. No way, I'm so delusional.
Taking the advice her 'dream' Hitsugaya had given her, she went to sleep.
(3rd Person POV))
He made record time today, from getting to the forth floor from the second floor in just 3 minutes. He entered his deserted bedroom and sat down on his desk. He took a deep breath.
Slam~
He slammed his head on his desk, hoping the pain would wake him up. It didn't, it just made him more aware of what he'd just done.
I kissed her. That was the undeniable fact hanging in the air around him. He went and done it. I took advantage of her sick state, pushed her down, and kissed her. What can get worse?
If he'd known the reason why he'd just impulsively done that, he might not feel as guilty. Maybe it was his frustration, how all his words just disappear right from her head the minute he says them. Maybe, it's because they were close. He'd hate to admit but her, Matsumoto and Hinamori were the only girls that he'd ever had a casual conversation with that lasted more than 5 minutes.
He turned his head and stared through the window to his left. The moon has already risen high into the sky, signaling the late of night.
"This is no use…" he murmured to himself with a sigh. Standing up, he striped himself of his uniform and put on clean clothes for sleep. Skip the bath, he'll take it tomorrow morning. Right now, he just wanted to forget all this mental frustration. Forget what stupid things he's done and only hope that Kei might too.
Kei… He remembered accidently calling her that once in front of Matsumoto. The aforementioned girl didn't seem to mind but Matsumoto gave him the strangest look and then proceeded to giggling and snickering with this crazy smile on her face. From then on, he'd only use it occasionally, but only when they were alone.
What'd he do if she started ignoring him? Like as she'd done with Matsumoto when she got her drunk. It wasn't as embarrassing as other things Matsumoto has done, but Kobayashi really didn't want to know that she glued herself to Captain Ukitake and Hitsugaya saying that their white hair was 'cute'. Kobayashi shunned Matsumoto for a whole week (it was hilarious watching his lieutenant try to talk to her and Kobayashi completely ignoring it as if it were just wind) until she sat on the ground hysterically sobbing and begging.
Thought after thought, worry after worry, Hitsugaya finally found some well-needed sleep.
Chapter 1 [END]
End Note: Omigosh! What will happen! Yeah, don't ask me 'cause I have no idea. And I'm the author. It depends on my mood when I get to writing chapter 2. I am taking requests, btw. Review for request info. Please tell me if Hitsugaya is OCC, if he is, I'll change it. This is the first time I'm writing Bleach so if you see any incorrect details, let me know. I hope you enjoyed this, bye!