Title: You Found Me
Category: Bleach
Word Count: 1,444
Characters/Pairings: Hitsugaya Toushiro, Hinamori Momo, mentions of others; HitsuHina-ish
Timeline/Spoilers: This is slightly AU, since I can't find a time slot that fits for it. It should take place after Hitsu leaves for the World of the Living and talks with Momo, (and she asks him not to kill Aizen) but before the end of the Winter War. I can't think of a suitable point that they could meet, since it's set in Soul Society, but Hitsugaya has yet to return from Karakura, so I made it so they didn't question that fact in the story.
Summary: She was smiling at him now, smiling a true, genuine smile. And he knew that he was smiling back.
Notes: I want to dedicate this piece to my good friend Tia-chan18, whose own HitsuHina fic inspired me to write this. :)
Title comes from a song of the same name by The Fray.
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. It is property of Kubo Tite-sensei and Shounen Jump.
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Hinamori Momo sat on her porch, staring up at the night sky. There were few stars out, but it was a beautiful evening nonetheless.
Hinamori had only recently been released from Fourth Division. After her outburst in front of Hitsugaya, she'd been detained for a while; Unahona-taichou had to come in and check up on her, personally, each day. She'd wanted to get out as soon as possible, so she'd had to act as if everything were fine and she was prepared to go to war. In reality, she was the farthest thing from it.
After being let go, she immediately came to her old home in Rukongai to visit and talk with Oba-chan. Her adoptive grandmother did her best to make Momo feel better and supply her with advice, but nothing really seemed to work. Momo had closed herself off from the world, putting on an act every day. She would smile and pretend to be alright, make everyone believe that she was back to her old self. Only those who knew her well could tell that when she smiled, it didn't reach her eyes.
But everyone she was close to was gone, save for Oba-chan. She hadn't spoken with Kira since the incident, nor did he make any moves to approach her. Matsumoto, Abarai, and Hitsugaya were all in the World of the Living. And last time she'd talked to Hitsugaya... things hadn't gone over well. But tonight, with no one around, she could drop that cover. Out came a sigh. She had messed up badly and there was no way of fixing it.
Suddenly, a figure emanated from the darkness. Hinamori instinctively reached for her Zanpakuto, but all was lost when he spoke.
"What's with the long face?"
She recognized the speaker immediately. That voice belonged to none other than Hitsugaya Toushiro.
The Vice-Captain of Fifth Division was shocked, to say the least. She had no idea what to say, and resorted to simply staring at him.
"I said, 'What's with the long face?'" he repeated, coming over to stand on the porch with her.
Hinamori snapped out of her daze, "N- nothing," she stammered.
"I heard you sigh, so it's obviously not 'nothing'," came his reply. Her childhood friend was never one to beat-around-the-bush. With his cold demeanor it might not have looked like it, but he was one hundred percent sincere.
She continued to brush him off anyway. "I'm fine. You don't have worry about me, Hitsugaya-taichou."
Now Hitsugaya was the one surprised. Although he constantly nagged her to, she never addressed him with is proper title unless it was in a sarcastic and non-serious manner. And the look on her face said that she was definitely not kidding around. He couldn't think of a good response, so they sat in silence for a spell, each consumed with their own thoughts.
I can't keep being a burden to him, was Hinamori's initial thought. He's always trying to protect me, and in the end, he's the only one that's hurt.
Toushiro's face was clear of any emotion, but his mind was a whirlwind of raging thoughts. Baka Momo! There's obviously something wrong, but she just won't let me in. How can I protect her if I don't even know what I should protect her from?
"Hinamori-"
"Hitsugaya-"
They both started at the same time. "Oh, you go first," said Momo.
For the first time she could remember, the Captain of Tenth Division actually looked nervous, like he was embarrassed or something. He hadn't really meant to speak out like that; a thought had just come to him unexpectedly. In an attempt to save face, he returned to his usual emotionless state and avoided making eye contact.
"Um, this is kind of stupid but... I was wondering, do you remember before, before Shinigami Academy, before the Gotei 13, when it was just you, me and Oba-chan? Remember how we'd sit out here on the porch and eat watermelons? I'd usually end up pelting you with seeds." With each word, his confidence grew. He even chuckled a bit.
Chancing a look at his companion, he saw her nodding, reliving the old days with him. "We'd always watch the Sun go down and wait for the stars to appear. And when you saw a shooting star, you'd always make a wish."
"And you told me I was being dumb," he was surprised to hear Momo's voice. "That wishes upon stars don't come true. But I would see you staring up at them, too, and I knew you believed." She smiling at him now; smiling a true, genuine smile, and he knew that he was smiling back.
She wiped her hands over her eyes. Still tearing up at the littlest things. Baka Momo. You haven't changed a bit he thought to himself.
"Uh, Hitsugaya-kun..." her voice interrupted his musings. She was calling him -kun again; that was a good sign.
"I know you told me to stop apologizing..." Toushiro started, but Hinamori went on, "so I want to say thank you instead."
Hitsugaya Toshiro was speechless - another first for the night. Not just choosing not to speak, but completely and utterly speechless. What possible reason could she have for thanking me?
As if reading his mind, she answered his question. "I want to thank you for always protecting me and looking out for me. You've been there to beat the bad guys every time, and I'm sorry I can never repay you." She was wiping away more tears. "Oops, I did it again, didn't I? I said 'sorry'," she smiled through the tears.
"Baka Momo," he cut through. "You don't have to thank me, or say sorry. I already know."
"But how-"
"You think I don't know you well enough?" he interrupted. "I've known since your first day in Soul Society; no one knows you better than I do. I can see it in your eyes when you're sorry, excited, or anything else. There's no use trying to hide it from me. I know you too well. So no more fake smiles or pretending nothing's wrong when it is. At least not in front of me. Did you get that, Bed Wetter?" he concluded gruffly.
Keeping up his charade was never a problem, except in front of Momo. He could read her like a book, but it went both ways. He watched for her response.
"You- you called me 'Momo'," she whispered. He mentally smacked his forehead. Of all the things she could've noticed- "You haven't called me that in a long time. Since before the Academy."
"Yes I have," he said quietly.
"But-"
"When you were back in Fourth Division, after Ai- he attacked you. I'd sit and talk to you for as long as Unahona-taichou would allow. I try to get you to wake up. I told you stories of when we lived here. I wanted you to remember the happier times, when it was just the two of us.
"And I'd always call you by you first name, Momo."
Next thing he knew, her arms were around him and she was hugging him. Tears were streaming down her face.
They were engulfed in silence once more. Not an uncomfortable, akward silence, but a companiable one.
"Hitsugaya-taichou?" Hinamori spoke up. The aforementioned Taichou was confused as to why she'd suddenly reverted back to calling him by his 'proper title'.
He voiced his thoughts aloud. "Why are you calling me that?"
Now she looked puzzled. "Um, I thought you wanted me to call you that," she said in a small voice.
This time he did smack his forehead. "Baka. I tell you to call me that because I know you won't."
"Eh? Then why go through the trouble of-"
"I don't really want you to call me 'Taichou'. I say that just to bug you," he shrugged.
"You mean you want me to call you 'Shiro-chan?"
"Eh? I didn't say that! I just said-" But he was cut off as Hinamori planted a kiss on his cheek. He was suddenly glad for the darkness, as it covered up the blush that spread across his features.
"Thank you, Shiro-chan. For always being there, for being my friend, and most of all, for finding me. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Bed Wetter Momo."
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owaranai
A/N: Yes, I still have hope for these two. I believe that the incident with Aizen was just a foolish mistake for Hinamori. Hitsugaya obviously cares for her, and she for him. I know that it an be taken as a brother/sister love, but I see it as more. They still have a chance; they just need to act upon it. :)
Reviews are greatly appreciated and encouraged. Thanks for reading!
Until Next Time,
Sora(: