I awoke slowly and groggily to find my self in an unfamiliar dark room. It was late at night, that much I could tell, and I couldn't quite comprehend where I was or what had just happened to me. With my head still lying heavily on a pillow, I looked around the black room attempting to find some clue as to where I might be; I could tell I was lying in a bed, but that was about the extent of what I knew. "Where... am I?" I mumbled to no one in particular; I was still in a bit of daze and couldn't fully focus on being conscious for the first time in a long time (how long though, I had no idea). I shut my eyes, took a deep breath and attempted to focus both my mind and my body. After barely a minute of meditation, I heard the sheets on my bed rustle and something that sounded like a moan. My eyes immediately snapped open; Was there someone or something in here with me?
"Rina..." at the sound of his voice saying my name I immediately jolted upright and began frantically searching for him as the memories of the winter war slowly came flooding back to me.
" Toushiro?" I called out in the dark room which I now realized to be one of the squad 4 hospital rooms; Was he okay?
At the sound of more rustling sheets I looked down to find that familiar white head of hair slowly rising off of the edge of my bed.
"What's all that noise...?" he mumbled groggily rubbing his eyes as he slowly sat up In the chair placed next to my hospital bed. He was okay...
"T-Toushiro..." I gasped as tears began to well in my wide tired eyes. He immediately ceased rubbing his eyes as he slowly moved his head up to look at me, an expression of pure shock plastered on his face; by just that short glimpse at him I could tell how totally run down he was. His usual peaky white hair was now filled with knots and was slanting down completely covering one of his exhausted teal eyes.
I honestly couldn't believe what I was seeing... but apparently, neither did he.
"Rina." He whispered lovingly as he practically pulled me out of bed and into his lap. His arms slowly wrapped around me as he tucked my head underneath his chin.
"Finally..." he sighed into my hair. I could hardly believe what was happening. We were both alive and safe... And Toushiro... I had never seen him so openly vulnerable and loving before... My tears of sadness from losing so much in the war began to mix with tears of relief and happiness.
"Toushiro-kun..." I mumbled through tears as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I love you so much Toushiro-kun." I clung to him as tightly as I could, almost afraid that if I let go he would vanish.
"I love you too."