This is just a little story that I suddenly had inspiration for. Please enjoy!

Heartbeat

It was warm and sunny, the shadows were small and pale, the wind was strong and slow, the sun beat down with heat that made the trees droop; it was Summer.

Although this was not the hottest day, it was still somewhat muggy, and Hinamori did not like it. And if she did not like it, she could only imagine what her childhood friend was suffering. She did not know why, but since the days had grown warmer, they had been avoiding each other more and more, as if they were slowly breaking apart, which was something she did not want to happen.

Hitsugaya and her had been best friends for their entire lives since they joined Soul Society, and she could not help but to want to be more than just friends. This was one of the reasons she had been avoiding him, thinking that his feelings for her were not the same.

She was out for her morning walk, the only time of the day that was cool enough to be outside besides dusk, and her feet unconsciously took her on her route. But as she was about to turn the corner that led to the 10th division's building as usual, she halted, and decided to try a different path.

As she made a turn, her mind began to wander, and she pondered every little thing that came to mind; anything to shun the idea of thinking about him.

Suddenly, she heard the trampling of feet down the road from where she stood, and an array of loud, obnoxious voices ruined the serenity of the warm morning.

She ducked to the side at the last second as a group of about 20 Shinigami came thudding through the streets. It took her by surprise and she nearly fell, and she pressed herself against the building behind her so she would not get stepped on.

Her heart was pounding in her ears as she heard the voices slowly drift away; so much for a peaceful walk.

As she started to walk again, a familiar, white-haired boy turned the corner in front of her and almost knocked her down, even though he was only walking. She gasped when she saw his face so close to her own and almost fell over backwards. His eyes widened in shock as he saw how frightened she was, and he reached forward and steadied her by grabbing her wrist. He pulled her back onto her feet and let her get her balance.

"Hinamori! Doushita?" He asked. She did not meet his gaze as she answered, embarrassed.

"N-Nothing, I'm alright." She tried to reassure them both. She just wanted to run away, but his questions kept coming.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked, still grasping her wrist.

"I could ask you the same thing." She said flatly. He seemed a bit taken aback and she immediately regretted her tartness.

"I was out for a walk." His response was level. "You?" He prompted again.

"I was out for a walk too." She replied, eager to leave, but his hand did not allow her to budge.

Hitsugaya was trying to understand her strange behavior, and he found the answer to everything in one second. He caught her eye, and he still held her wrist, then he understood everything and a knowing shimmer glowed in his aqua eyes. Hinamori still struggled to get loose.

"Why are you in such a rush?" He asked playfully, trying to annoy her as much as possible.

"I have to do my work." She told him, trying to wriggle free from his grasp.

"Then why would you come out for a walk?" He taunted. Hinamori opened her mouth to respond, but she could not think of anything to say to that. Hitsugaya smirked.

"Then how about when you're all done with your work, you meet me back here?" And then, during the moment where she stood there, stunned, he disappeared and her wrist was free. She wondered why he had wanted to see her, after she had been so cold to him.

She stayed put a moment longer, trying to slow her heart, and thinking weather or not she should accept his offer. Her arm where his hand had just been was cold, instead of warm like anyone else's. Yet she was used to this feeling, and she realized that they had been together for so long that only she would find it comforting.

After the paperwork was finished, Hinamori tried to figure out why she had been shying away from her dear friend.

Perhaps, it was because whenever she saw him, her heart would break out in frantic drumming and her cheeks would flush cherry.

Those were the only reasons she could think of. She was not mad at him, but still, just like earlier that day, she could not figure out why she struggled so desperately to get away from him.

Little did she know, she was doing these things for simple, innocent reasons; one, she was shy, and two she was in love.

Hinamori vowed that she would try to get over the mixed feelings when she went to meet him again. She was going to try and act normal; as if the rude, ignoring person she had been for the past few months never existed.

Slowly, she stood to her feet and left her office, flew down the stairs and raced through the door. She suddenly felt like her old, happy, perky self, like she never had any regrets about loving the one everyone expected her to.

She followed the path she took in the mornings, and made the turn that led her to where she was supposed to meet Hitsugaya. And of course, he was already there.

He heart lurched and sped up a bit at his appearance; ostentatious, as always.

She tried to stay calm and keep the blush off of her face as she stepped up to him. He was leaning coolly against the walls of a building and he glance up at her when she was still very far away.

"How did you know I was coming from so far away?" She called good-naturedly when she was near enough. He waited until she was closer to respond.

"Because, baka, I can practically hear you're heart thumping like a caged bird." He smirked and she blushed a red deeper than any he had ever seen.

Then he grabbed her wrist again and pulled her along with him. Again, just like earlier that day, he felt her pulse pounding in her veins. She did not meet his eyes during the time that he led her away from the somewhat busy streets of Soul Society and into a small valley. The gentle hills sloped upwards, and came to an abrupt stop, ending in a cliff that looked out over a large stretch of forest and gave a clear view of the pink horizon.

Hitsugaya sat down, crossed his legs and tucked his hands into his sleeves. Hinamori remained standing, staring out across the dazzling landscape that she never would have imagined to be there.

"Well sit down." He told her, slightly amused.

Her chestnut eyes, still wide in amazement, gazing out across the sky above, did not pay attention to the ground below.

She took a step forward to sit nearer him, but the Earth gave way beneath her and she leaned dangerously over the edge of the cliff. For a frighteningly drawn out moment, she tried to balance, and she realized, too late, what was happening. She could only gasp and catch a glimpse of Hitsugaya reaching for her.

Then she fell.

She plunged downward, it all happened so quickly, and it was over before she knew it. She hit the ground below with a thud, and her eyes closed painfully. Her ribs felt as though they had all snapped. She felt dizzy and was not sure of she slipped into unconsciousness or not. She knew he was beside her immediately.

He knelt down beside her, and gently put a hand on her back. She could just barely feel his palm on her left shoulder, and the he slowly turned her over to lie on her back.

"Hinamori?" He asked softly.

He reached his hand over and laid it on her left shoulder again; he felt her heart thudding quickly, as if it had gotten a bad jolt.

His comforting touch sent a shiver through her body, but she felt calm.

She wished she could slow her shuddering heart, and she tried to inhale deeply to slow it. But when she breathed in, it hurt and she winced. Finally, after a few painful tries to slow her pulse to no avail, she opened her eyes and stared up at him.

"Ow." She breathed with the slightest of smiles on her face, indicating that it was his fault for not telling her that the ground could break away at any time.

The simple word hurt to say. He smiled warmly, trying to sooth her, and then he took his hand from over her heart.

She blinked as he slid his arm under her and slowly lifted her up bridal style. She cringed, and flinched as her stomach and ribs sent shots of pain through her body.

He gave her a worried look as he lifted her up all the way and let her rest against his chest. He held her close to him, but not too tight so he would not hurt her.

Hitsugaya made one massive leap and they were already at the top of the cliff. Before he could carry her away to the 4th division, which she knew was where he would go, Hinamori spoke.

"Hitsugaya-kun." Her voice was frail and it cracked.

He glanced down at her and stopped running, for the wind blasting past his ears made it hard for him to hear her.

"Don't talk." He ordered her when he saw the effort it took her to muster up enough air. She ignored him.

"I don't want to go to Unohana taichou again." She complained. "I've already been there enough times for 30 people this past year. I-"

"That's because you're a klutz." He reminded her. Again she ignored him.

"I'm fine." She continued. "I just got the breath knocked out of me and I'm a little sore, that's all." She reassured him truthfully.

He gave he a doubtful look, seeing the effect it had on her just to speak. But then he sighed and obliged.

"Fine. You win." He gave in.

He made sure they were well away from the edge of the cliff face before he let her slide from his arms. He kept holding her hand though as she wobbled and tried to steady herself. Then, he slowly helped her to sit down, still grasping her hand, afraid that she would fall. She glanced at him with a pouting expression.

"You know, its even harder to sit down with you fussing over me."

"If I don't look after you who will baka?"

"I think I can sit down by myself Shiro-chan." She stuck out her tongue. "Now let go of my hand."

He sighed and obeyed, and she sat down a lot quicker than if he had been holding her hand and leading her through it all. He took his seat next to her and she inched closer to him, leaning on his shoulder as he put his hand around hers.

The brown-haired girl could feel her pulse quicken again, and she was sure that he could hear it. Her ribs still ached from the fall and each time she inhaled it pained her chest. She tried to hide her pain, but she could not hide her heart. Every time she breathed in it would quicken from the pain, and when she exhaled it would slow. Hitsugaya easily noticed the irregularity of her heart rate and looked at her.

"I think I should take you to Unohana." He stated, starting to get up.

"No!" She said almost too quickly. "I mean, why would you want to do that?" She asked, just wanting to say something, anything to keep him there.

"Because, you're breathing weird and you're heartbeat's all wrong." He saw her face turn red. "Unless there's another explanation for that."

"I told you Hitsugaya-kun, I got my breath knocked out of me and my chest aches a little, that's all." The truth she was not telling him was that she was nervous that he would find out her secret. He searched her face for a moment longer, and then sighed.

"Fine. But if you feel even the slightest bit of pain besides soreness-"

"I'm fine!" She huffed and rolled her eyes. "Why are you so concerned anyway?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder again and looking out at the sinking sun.

"You haven't figured it out yet?" She looked back up at him and found her confused chestnut eyes locked with his caring aqua ones.

"Figured out what?" She asked, her heart pumping faster. He sighed and gave her a warm smile that made her heart slow.

"I love you baka." He said simply.

That comment made her heart stop altogether. She froze and stopped breathing. This was her chance to confess, but she just could not bring herself to talk.

This is your chance to tell him! Of all the times to freeze up, you had to choose now! She thought angrily to herself. She knew that she had to bring herself to speak and say something before the conversation dropped.

"A-Ano…I-" She was cut off by his laughter.

She blinked and stared at him, a blush creeping across her face again, as pink as the sunset.

"N-Nani?" She stammered.

"Gomen." He chuckled. "You're just so cute." He murmured. She just blushed a few shades deeper and gave him a questioning look.

"Breathe baka." He told her.

Her eyes widened as she forgot that she had not been breathing since he had confessed. She gasped a few times and he just watched her, amused.

After calming herself, she tried to bring herself to say what it was that she wanted to say.

"Ano, I-"

"Wanted to say that your face is redder than a cherry and that your heart is pounding like a crazed chipmunk." He cut her off as he felt her heart rate increase as it drummed rapidly in her ribcage. She sighed, knowing that there was no avoiding it, her heart had betrayed her and given her away, and she half thanked it for that.

"Shut up." She murmured through bared teeth at her damned, misbehaving heart. "What I wanted to say was…I already have a boyfriend." She held her breath.

"What?" His voice was so quiet that she almost could not hear him.

"Its true, Kira-kun and I have gotten to be really close over the past few months, and we…"

She lowered her voice and looked away from him. She felt him begin to move away from her. His arm dropped from her shoulders, and his body moved away from hers. He did not say anything, and she began to feel the hot tears form behind her eyes.

"Alright then," He whispered. "I'll see you later." He started to stand up.

Hinamori spun around and hugged him, thrusting herself forward and landing on top of him.

"Oh Hitsugaya-kun! Gomenasai! Gomen, gomen, gomenasai!" She cried. "Its not true! I was lying! I love you Hitsugaya-kun!"

She lay on top of the confused taichou and wept, knowing that she had gone too far in her tale.

"I love you Shiro-chan! I've always loved you, and always will! I'd never love anyone else!"

She was sobbing uncontrollably now, the weight of the world lifted off of her shoulders. Hitsugaya sighed, smiled and looked up at her.

"Hinamori, you're going to be the death of me, I swear it. Don't ever do that again Bed-Wetter." He hugged her as she cried and cried.

Gradually, he rolled them both over until they were both on their sides. He got a good look at her, lying there in his arms, sobbing her heart out. She was gasping desperately, trying to stop the tears, but she often choked and wound up crying twice as much. He pulled her closer to him, and she buried her face in his chest, curling up slightly and going completely limp in his arms. He put his arms around her back and soothingly stroked her.

Eventually, her breathing slowed and he felt her thudding heart rate return to normal. She was soon so still that Hitsugaya thought that she had fallen asleep. The sun was well past set now, but the sky was still bright and pale with a mixture of dusk and twilight.

He could feel how wet and tear-stained his shihakushou was, and then slid back an inch or two so that Hinamori would not suffocate. The second he moved away, her head shot up and her pleading chestnut eyes were filled with sorrow, love, and distress.

"Y-You don't hate me do you?" She whispered in a weak voice.

He smiled slightly and slowly sat up. He took her in his arms and helped her up to kneel beside him. He decided to avoid her question and answer indirectly at first.

"Baka. How many times have I called you that?" He asked.

She did not know if he was talking to her, so she did not respond until he gave her an expectant look.

"A-About a million." She stammered quietly. He seemed satisfied with her answer.

"Well, now I'm going to make it about a million and one. Baka, I could never hate you. Like I said, I love you."

She smiled the smallest smile, and let another tear -one of happiness- escape past her lashes. He hugged her and she burst our crying again. But this time, it lasted only a short while, for she was soon aware of her mischievous heart, thumping away again, as disobedient as a hyperactive puppy.

"Your heart doesn't listen very well now, does it?" He laughed.

She giggled and nodded, as he reached over and laid his hand over her thumping heart. She smiled and closed her eyes, breathing deeply and letting his comforting presence surround her. Then his other hand placed a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and caressed her face. Finally, he stood up and looked out over the dark horizon.

"We're not telling anyone, are we?" Hinamori asked.

He reached down with both hands and she placed each of hers in each of his and he pulled her up chivalrously.

"No." He said. "But Izuru better watch out." He smiled, and she giggled.

He placed his arm around her waist, and he could still feel the pulsing of her thudding heart.

But Hinamori made no attempts to slow it.

All the pain and heartbreak had faded away at his touch, and she forgot all about the previous events of that day.

The two that everyone knew would end up together were together at last.

And it all happened in a heartbeat.

A/N: Hope you liked it!! Please review! HitsuHina4ever!!