Author's Note: As will be apparent, this takes place early in the series when no one was aware of the huge pain Aizen was going to turn out to be. Read and review!

Disclaimer: If I owned Bleach I wouldn't need a student loan, so alas, it must not be mine.

Sweetener

The solitary light in Hitsugaya Toushirou's quarters cast long shadows over his paperwork, hiding the words his tired eyes were trying to decipher. The paper spoke to him of yet another disagreement between the subordinates in his division. Really, it was remarkable how often this happened. With an angry scratch of his pen he chose sides, another argument impartially settled. Setting it aside he reached for another.

No rest for the weary.

The knock on his door made him reach for his blade, but his scowl relaxed as the intruder entered the room.

"Hinamori? It's past midnight."

She stood on the threshold blinking against the brightness of his lamp and he took the moment to observe her. Dressed in a pale night robe, her hair loose, she looked like a ghost, though from his dreams or his memories he couldn't be sure. Her hand clutched a wooden tray, burdened by only a single cup and as her eyes adjusted she took a step forward.

"Your light was still on and I knew you'd been training all day." She raised the tray. "I brought you some coffee."

"You got up in the middle of the night just to make me coffee?" He scoffed as she set the tray down. "Don't lie to me Hinamori."

"I didn't say that did I?" She transferred the cup to his desk with a firm thud. "Aizen-taichou is awake also, I made it for him. I just thought you'd like some as well."

He hoped she'd never know how deeply he loathed that name. Hoped he'd never find justification for the distrust the bespeckled captain caused him to feel. Hoped he'd never discover that these misgivings were anything more than jealousy.

Above all he hoped that he would never have to reveal his suspicions to her, for the fear that she'd see the truth. Read him with her clear brown eyes and find the problem rooted not in Aizen's motives, but in his own.

As it was, he refused her gesture to spare them both.

"I don't like coffee."

She looked at him skeptically, possibly because she'd seen him drink a few cups in his day.

"Why not?"

"It's too bitter." Hitsugaya adlibbed, though not entirely untruthfully. The caffeine in the drink was a blessed thing, but its taste was dark and biting, the sweet smell enticing the drinker to an unexpected result.

She blinked in surprise and he noticed for the first time the dark circles under her eyes.

"Bitter? You only need some sweetener then, Shirou-kun."

"Hitsugaya." He corrected. "Keep it for yourself Hinamori, you look like you need it."

"Nonsense." She reached into her pocket and retrieved what looked like a sugar packet. "I agree with you though, I can't drink mine black. I usually use cream and sugar." With a deft motion she poured the powder into the dark liquid. "I don't have any cream with me though, the sugar will have to do."

She raised it to his lips. "Try it."

With a sigh he took the cup from her and sipped. The sugar did improve the beverage, taking off the hard edge. Cream would take away the drink's jolt, which was probably why Hinamori liked it that way. For him, sugar was enough.

"Well?" She'd been watching him.

"Better."

"I thought so." She smiled. "You know Shirou-kun, you can tell a lot about a person by how they drink their coffee."

"That's nonsense Hinamori." He took another sip. "And it's Hitsugaya."

"Sure, sure." She gathered up the tray and stepped back. "I'd better go, I have to get back and help Aizen-taichou with the reports."

He watched her walk to the sliding door, something she'd said and he'd dismissed nagging at him. He didn't call out until she turned at the doorsill. "Hinamori."

"Yes?"

"How does Aizen drink his coffee?"

"Black." She confirmed his guess with a grimace. "Too strong for me, I don't see how he stands it."

"Hmm." Hitsugaya had his own suspicions, but shelved the thoughts for later. He waved her on her way. "Get some rest."

"I'll try." She yawned. "Good night Shirou-kun."

Taking another gulp of his coffee, sugar and all, he let it slide.

"Good night Momo."