Another story from me. I feel like I'm starting too many projects at once, but I'll definately try to finish them. It probably irritates everyone as much as it does me when stories are left unfinished.
Well, Please, read, enjoy, and review! I feel kinda idiotic for posting this on neither Shiro nor Momo's birthdays.
Disclaimer(keep forgetting): If I owned Bleach I wouldn't have to write fanfiction.
A cold winter breeze flowed through the open window into the bedroom of Hitsugaya Taichou.
"Shiro-chan" a soft voice urged him to wake up, but he despite his desire to see who was awaking him remained in the realm of dreams.
"Shiro-chan." A soft hand touched his shoulder and shook it gently, "Wake up."
Seeing that he still wasn't waking up, she took out plan B.
'Mou, Shiro-chan has always been a heavy sleeper. It can't be helped…'
A loud pop shattered the silence in the room, and the snowy-haired captain jolted out of bed and unsheathed Hyorinmaru.
His eyes widened when he saw that the intruder was none other than Momo.
Toshiro gave a sigh of relief, when he realized it wasn't a hollow, arrancar, or one of Matsumoto's drinking buddies.
He placed a hand on his forehead, and noticed Momo looking at him a bit shocked at his reaction from the party cracker she used to wake him up.
Not knowing what to say to comfort her he asked, "Hinamori, what are you doing here so early in the morning?"
She realized he was back to the usual Shiro-chan. "Ohayo Shiro-chan! Happy Birthday!" she beamed.
An awkward moment of silence followed. "That's it?" Toshiro said as he groaned and went back to bed.
"Eh?!" Momo rushed to his bedside and pulled his arm trying to get him out of bed.
"Shiro-chan, that's not it! It's your birthday! Wake up so we can celebrate together!" she shook his arm wanting a reaction out of him. She woke up early, dressed up nicely in her best kimono for him, all for the cause of hoping that he would have a nice birthday to remember because all the past years, he just shut himself in the office for work.
"Shiro-cha-" Toshiro pulled Momo into bed with him.
"You're being too noisy." He told her. Momo giggled and snuggled against his neck, "Shiro-chan, come on. Wake up please!" she pouted.
He looked down at her knowing that he would not be able to resist that face and sighed, "Fine. I'll get up if you call me Hitsugaya Taichou."
Momo stuck her tongue childishly at him, "Never!"
"Fine, I'll stay asleep." He pulled the covers over him.
"Shiro-chan!"
Toshiro within a few minutes got up on his own with a little help from Momo's pleads, "Wait here while I get changed, then we'll go out."
Momo rest on his bed as she while looking through some of the photo albums she found under his bed.
'Ah, this one was from when Shiro-chan joined the Gotei thirteen. That one was when I gave Shiro-chan some watermelon for the first time. Aw, he looks so happy.' Momo continued to flip through the pages.
Some time later
Momo's head felt dizzy from dozing off into a deep sleep, she slowly opened her eyes and stared into emerald ones.
"Kya!" she fell out of bed. It took her moment to realize it was Toshiro, and redden at the fact that she had fell asleep in his bed when she was the one who came to wake him up.
"Oh, it just Shiro-chan."
Toshiro looked annoyed at her, "Who else would it be Bed wetter?"
"Mou, Shiro-chan! Don't sneak up on people like that! How come all the captains approach without making a sound?!" she exclaimed.
"Hai, hai. It's Hitsugaya Taichou by the way." He brushed her last remark off, "Weren't we going out somewhere?"
"Yup, I wanted to go to the festival with you tonight!" Momo said brightly.
"I haven't been to one since my starter patrol when I joined the Gotei thirteen. I remember the first time I went to the real world was a lot of fighting and bombing and something called an atomic bomb was dropped. It was horrible and a lot of people died. Kuchiki-san and Rangiku-san told me that it was better now." She rambled on.
Toshiro smiled as he listened to her story, remembering the first time she told it to him. At the time, he was only a first year at the shinigami academy. A frown overtook him features when he remembered how terrified she looked when she came back.
"Shiro-chan, are you listening to me?" she asked him, as she observed him looking off to a distant frowning at something.
"I am." He lazily replied back.
"Isn't the festival tonight? What are we going to do until then?" he asked knowing that she had the entire day planned out.
"I was wondering if we could-"her sentence was interrupted by a growl. He smirked, "I think we should get something to eat first."
He got up, "I'll make lunch then." He glanced at the clock, it was around four in the afternoon and could hardly be called lunch.
"I'll help you." Momo spoke up, her face rather red from the embarrassment.
"Nah, it's ok, just sit and relax." He said as he got some eggs from the fridge, scanning through shelves for more ingredients.
Momo watched the back of Toshiro working, wondering when her little Shiro-chan grew up into such a reliable man with the power to protect those around him.
The days they were kids with not much outlook on the future, caring about nothing other then each other, the old woman who raised them, and the watermelons, seemed like yesterday.
'Hitsugaya-kun has a good future in front of him. I bet he have his own family and kids in the near future. I wonder if his children will look like him or their mother more?' Momo wondered.
'Gah! What are you thinking Momo?!' she yelled at herself for thinking about such thoughts.
Flashback--
"Wah! Shiro-chan! Its Hina matsuri today!" little Momo cried out in joy.
Toshiro rested on the tatami mats of the receiving room irritated from the warming weather. "So what, it comes every year?" he replied not really caring about Girls Day nor the doll festival.
"Obaa-san, made me a new kimono this year!" Momo exclaimed happily ignoring his last remark determined to not let anything damper her happy mood.
She twirled around to let him see, "Isn't it pretty?
The kimono was a milky white color with snapdragons embroidered along the edges and sleeves, trimmed with a little pink lace.
"Shiro-chan, wanna come help me pick my new doll for this year?" she asked him, eagerly awaiting a positive answer.
"No."
She frowned and shook him shoulder rather violently, "Please Shiro-chan! I don't want to go by myself. It's more fun to go with someone else."
"No."
I'll treat you to watermelon." Momo release her trump card. His ears perked at the sound of the four syllables. Momo smiled mischievously, if you knew which phrases to say getting Shiro-chan to tag along was simple.
The two roamed the streets of Rukongai, until they came upon the dolls stall.
"Momo-chan here for another doll this year?" the old man running the stall asked her.
She nodded, "This year I saved up enough money, so I can buy a court lady for the O-hime-sama and not an accessory. Sorry, I didn't have enough for a doll last year Ojii-san."
He chuckled, "No need to apologize. Both dolls and accessories are good. Toshiro-kun, which court lady should Momo-chan pick for the platform?"
"It's her money. She should decide. I just go dragged along." He told him impatient for some watermelon. It was noon and the sun was beating down upon the civilians mercilessly.
"Shiro-chan, that isn't nice!" Momo scolded him.
"Just pick one, they're all the same." he pointed at the dolls.
Momo looked horrified at him, "They aren't! This court lady is standing serving the sake, this one is sitting, and all three are different!"
"Whatever."
Momo glowered, and picked the sitting court lady doll. 'All Shiro-chan cares about is watermelons!'
"I'll see you next year Ojii-san!" Momo waved good-bye and walked to the market to buy watermelon for Toshiro.
The two walked home each with a prized item in their hands, Momo had the watermelon, and Toshiro had the doll.
"Why do I have to carry your doll?" he asked as she picked up the round melon.
"Because the melon is too heavy for you, and carrying the gentle court lady might cure that attitude of yours Shiro-chan." She replied heaving the melon home down the dirt path.
"Oi, Bedwetter watch out!" he yelled at her as she accidentally sidestepped onto the edge of the road. The weight of the watermelon cause an unbalance and Momo tumbled down the hill deep into the forest.
When Momo opened her eyes it was dark, her head hurt and foot ache. She mostly likely had sprained ankle. She looked around for a familiar sight.
"You finally awake?" Toshiro said as he threw more wood into the fire.
"Shiro-chan?" Momo realized what he was doing, "Shiro-chan, it's bad to start fires in the forest; you could have burned yourself or got hurt!"
Toshiro held his hands over his ears, "Quiet down. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. If I hadn't started the fire, we would have frozen. Quit treating me like a kid."
The fire crackle and the two still silent become conscious of the fact that they'll be stuck there until morning comes.
Sniffles were heard, and he noticed that she was crying, "What's wrong Momo? Does it hurt? Are you cold? Are you hungry?"
He got a branch and split open the watermelon. She shook her head when offered the piece.
"What's wrong? You can tell me. We'll be stuck here till morning anyways." He took a chomp out of the piece he was holding.
"Tomorrow is the fourth." She cried.
"So?"
"If were going to he stuck here all night I won't be able to put my dolls away tonight! If I don't put my dolls away then I'll never be able to get married." Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"So? Is getting married all that important?" Toshiro asked ignorantly.
"How rude! Getting married is every girl's dream!" she yelled.
He used his free hand and wiped the tears from her cheeks, "Don't worry about that baka. If that happens then I promise I'll marry you if not one else does."
He looked in another direction blushing slightly at his words, unknowing that Momo's cheeks were now stained with a bright blush instead of tears.
End of Flashback--
'Hitsugaya-kun, do you still remember our promise?' she wondered.
Toshiro came from the kitchen with the two bowls of rice, "Momo, time to eat."
She smiled and nodded, "Itadakimasu."
"Itadakimasu."
"Shiro-chan, you're so cheap even though you're a captain and have an insane salary." She complained and pointed out that the breakfast consisted of only rice, natto, and a small dish of scrambled eggs.
"Be grateful that you're eating something rather than nothing. I've been caught up in work so I hadn't the time to buy groceries." he said as he thought of the papers piling up in his office by the minute.
"Workaholic. Shiro-chan, let's go grocery shopping after lunch. You can't live off of fermented beans, rice, and take out." Momo suggested forgetting about her other plans until tonight.
At the store
"Momo, I told you that I usually order my groceries." He sighed as he pushed the cart along, knowing that she wouldn't listen to what he said.
He glanced at the clock; it was five, only an hour or so before the festival started.
"Hey, isn't that Hitsugaya Taichou?" Renji asked Kira not believing his eyes.
"It is. I thought he didn't go grocery shopping himself. Rangiku-san said he usually orders it." Kira replied.
"I got the booze for tonight. Is that Taichou?" Rangiku dropped the bottles into the cart.
"Oi, careful Rangiku, you could have broken one!" as if Renji's words were a jinx, a bottle cracked and sent the manager of the store in their direction.
Momo walked up and the down the aisle picking out a huge variety of items, "Shiro-chan, needs more rice flour, oil, and some salt. The eggs we had were bland."
Toshiro watched as Momo went down an aisle crowded with people and carts, 'I'm not following her down there…'
"Hey Taichou! Shopping?" Rangiku waved and walked over with a cart that looked full of the entire store's sake supply, followed by Renji and Kira with loaded carts of their own.
"Matsumoto did you finish your paperwork?" he asked irritated at the sight of the alcohol.
"Yup, sure did." She chirped.
'Yeah right. It's under the couch again isn't it?' he thought, 'I'm withholding her next paycheck until she finishes it all.'
"Well it's good to see you out the office. You've just been working, working, working since the war with Aizen ended. It was like you were another person afterwards." She commented with a smile of relief.
'Maybe I won't withhold it after all.' Toshiro reflected.
"Want to come to tonight's sake party? We'll be drinking for the entire night and into the next morning." She asked.
'Scratch that last thought.' he imagined the hangovers, unfinished paperwork, the ruined office of drunken bodies and throw up that he would have to clean up himself.
"No. Clean up the office and finish your paperwork afterwards." He told his irresponsible vice captain.
"Sure thing! Ah, we told Iba we would be back around this time. See ya tomorrow Taichou!" the trio scampered away to the cashier, the sake threatening to fall out the brimming cart.
Momo made her way from the chaos in the sake aisle, "I got the cooking wine Shiro-chan." She held the bottle in triumph, "It was the last one!"
"What should we buy next?" she asked. "Ah, this morning you ran out of toothpaste." She remembered the shattering punch he gave to the tube to get the last bit out.
"Shiro-chan is so short tempered." She giggled remembering all the fits he threw when she didn't allow him to cut the melons himself.
"Shiro-chan, is mint ok? Wah, this toothbrush is so cute." She pointed at a pretty icy blue children's brush.
"Let's get that one for you." She said and put the toothbrush into the half full cart.
He was appalled, "No Momo. It's children's toothbrush, and on top of that it's a girl's style."
He cringed at the sparkly blue glitter, and stars suspended inside the handle.
"Look at the couple shopping. They look so cute." Some girls passing by said.
"Just like a married couple." "Yup."
The two blushed, "Momo didn't we have to get some eggs?"
'Like a married couple.' The words rang repeatedly in his mind. He felt kind of happy hearing that, yet sadden at the same time. Momo probably didn't feel the same way he did, even if she did wasn't anyway they could be together.
"Don't worry about that baka. If that happens then I promise I'll marry you if not one else does." that promise, can he keep it?
"Hey, Momo it's getting late. Let's pay for the stuff and go to the festival."
She nodded in response.
They strolled and wandered among the booths of the winter festival hand in hand,
Momo embraced the cute teddy bear that Toshiro won for her just a few moments ago close to her. 'Shiro-chan is really slow. I wonder if he's notice these feelings? The feelings that I want to shout out to him.'
She glanced up at him, "I hate it, but yet this is the Shiro-chan I love."
"Momo aren't these hair clips pretty?" Toshiro asked her examining a clip decorated with butterflies.
"Eh? When did Shiro-chan become interested in hair accessories?" Momo wondered.
"It's not for me, it for you!" he yelled at his dense friend.
"Takoyaki! Freshly made! They'll warm you right up!"
"Shiro-chan! Let's get some!" Momo said excitedly making her way to the crowded booth, forgetting about the hair clips.
Toshiro looked after her in awe, 'She still prefers food over anything…' An amused smile crept onto his face.
Momo came back with a small tray, "Do you want some?"
Just as Toshiro was about to tell her something the crowd bustled through and the two was separated. "Shiro-chan, help!"
'Gah! I can't see Shiro-chan anywhere.' Momo thought as she tried to go back to the takoyaki and hair clip stalls.
A hand grab hers and she turned around to see Toshiro, irritated from pushing through people, "Momo, you're so troublesome."
He opened his mouth to speak but Momo spoke first, "Shiro-chan, you caught the right hand."
"Of course, I did. Don't underestimate your childhood friend." He said as the crowd was pushing through. It wasn't helping that they were holding everyone up by standing dead in the middle of the small path.
He pulled her into the unoccupied temple, and held her tightly. They stayed that way for a long time.
"Shiro-chan?"
"Why do you call me that?" he asked her with an icy tone, how he loathe that pet name.
"Because Shiro-chan is Shiro-chan. Your hair is white too." She answered innocently.
He embraced her even more forcefully, "Momo, am I still that little kid you have to protect? That Shiro-chan?"
"Momo, why were you at the battlefield when Aizen and I faced off?" he asked with remorse dripping from his voice.
"Momo, why did you have to die?" he shouted out remembering how she jumped out in front of him to block Aizen's blow. He would never in his life forget the sight, how she stopped the fatal slash, how Aizen carelessly tossed his most important person to the side like trash.
Momo felt something wet drop onto her shoulder, "Momo, why did it have to be you?"
Why did it have to be her, the one he couldn't let go of the most?
"Shiro-chan, I didn't want to see you get hurt or killed." She said softly as tears of her own streamed down her cheeks.
"Am I not enough to protect you Momo? Am I only a little kid in your heart?"
She shook her head, "Iie. You aren't Toshiro."
Kami-sama
I have only one wish before I leave this world.
Is it not cruel that I must leave this world without it granted?
I only have this one wish
Can it not be granted?
Is it a sin? To tell the one you love, "I like you?"
Can I tell him?
"I was so surprised to see you this morning Momo. I thought I would have never seen you again. You were in front of me and it wasn't a dream."
Kami-sama
I wanted to see Momo one last time.
I don't care how, or in what form.
I want to tell her that "I love her"
Being unable to cherish her while she was alive and by my side…
I really regret it.
Kami-sama.
Is it too much to wish for?
"I wish and I prayed"
Both our wishes were the same but why?
"Toshiro, why?" Momo buried her face into his chest, "Why did we end up like this? There were so many things I wanted to do with you while I was alive! Why didn't we realize our feelings earlier before all of this happen!? Why at the last moment?"
"It's not too late."
He captured her lips into a gentle kiss. Her eyes closed slowly as the kiss deepened.
They fell back onto the floor. He began to slip Momo's yukata off, experiencing a new physical and emotional form of love.
Toshiro? Why is it that falling in love so difficult?
Not being able to spend more time with you, it hurts.
If we were given another chance, would you fall in love with me again?
"Momo, I love you." He gazed into her eyes.
Tears stung and blurred her vision as she gave him one final embrace, "Toshiro, I love you too! Forever and ever!"
He bitterly smiled back, "I know baka. Zutto."
With that she was gone, as if she had never returned in the first place.
Toshiro didn't shed tears however, because he knew they would meet again in this life or the next.
Finally finished! How was it? I hope you enjoyed reading this and please review!