The First Miracle
Ichigo stood in his office after Rukia had calmed down from her breakdown and left him to himself. Ichigo looked for the brown haired girl that he saw earlier and saw her faded form leaning against the far corner of his office. She smiled at him, her mysterious sea green eyes sparkled as she waited foe him to talk. Ichigo sighed and motioned for her to come towards his desk, which had paper work waiting for him. Not a moment later Ichigo saw her fade back to how she looked when she ran into him.
"Alright mind telling me who you are?" he asked her, she giggled slightly as she began to speak.
"I'm called Tatani, Kurosaki Ichigo" she said his name happily.
"How do you know my name?" he asked confused. She smiled brightly at him and began to tell him about what he wanted to know.
"I've always known your name, just like I know everyone else's. You see, to put it simple, I was sent here on a task to help you and here I am!" she said the short version of her tale. A few questions popped in his head and he was getting a headache.
"Okay I have some questions" Ichigo said while trying to keep the headache at bay.
"Alright, ask away" Tatani said happily.
"Who sent you for one?" Ichigo asked.
"My boss sent me" Tatani said simply, Ichigo got irritated with her answer.
"And your boss is whom?"
"Raguel" she said softly while twiddling her thumbs. Ichigo stopped and thought for a moment.
'Raguel, where have I heard that name before?' he thought to himself then he decided to state what he thought.
"If I know my stuff correctly, Raguel is the archangel that watches over all the other angels right?" he asked to see if he was right.
"Your are correct Kurosaki Ichigo" Tatani said while moving in the seat in front of Ichigo's desk.
"But that would mean that-"
"I'm an angel yes, well an angel in training right now, but after I help you I can get my wings" Tatani said happily. Ichigo blinked and then stared at her for a while. An angel was with him in his office, well angel in training, and she was on a mission? Wow this made it sound like the return of Jesus and he was a Sheppard who was tending to his flock. He really needed to stop reading religious stories so late at night.
"Alright, Tatani, what is your mission? Why were you sent here?" he asked to return to his questioning.
"I would have thought you didn't think angels existed Kurosaki Ichigo" Tatani said.
"Yeah well with everything I've seen, this doesn't surprise me one bit, now answer the question please" Ichigo said.
"My mission it to help you, since Christmas is around the corner and your so down, Raguel sent me to help you become cheerful again by any means possible" Tatani explained. Ichigo blinked and blinked some more.
"Why help me though there are are more people who could use you and your talents?" Ichigo asked.
"Raguel said it was because you don't ask for anything that benefits yourself, it's always for your friends and family, so until you make that one wish that lies..." her mouth kept moving, but Ichigo couldn't hear clearly as it was like cotton filled his ears, sort of like when he first met Zangetsu and was learning his name. Which reminded him, he would have to talk to him and Shirosaki soon, it's been a while since he had spoken to them.
"...so I can't leave until you have made that wish" Tatani finished when Ichigo was able to hear again.
"Um what?" he asked dumbfounded. Tatani giggled lightly and blinked her sea green eyes at him.
"You'll see when it's time Kurosaki Ichigo" Tatani said to his expression.
"Stop that" he said to her.
"Stop what Kurosaki Ichigo?" she asked while tipping her head to the side.
"That, adding Kurosaki to say my name, if you want to say my name then just say Ichigo, it's simpler and less annoying" Ichigo told her. Tatani smiled and nodded to him.
"Alright Ichigo let's get started on your first Christmas request" Tatani said and pointed a finger at Ichigo. A orb floated from the tip of her fingernail and floated towards him. It was a soft red colour, not pink per say, but not entirely red either.
"This orb is a heart desire orb it grants what your heart wishes from the smallest one that benefits others to the one you wish for yourself" Tatani explained. Ichigo nodded and looked at it before he saw a number appear on it, it showed 14 on it and the room spun a little until Ichigo saw that it was near dusk.
"Your first heart wish, if I can see the orb, thank you, is for Ichimaru Gin to return to his rightful place with Hitsugaya Toshiro" Tatani said while holding the orb in her hand. She put it away and went towards his office door, he blinked and followed her. Where did she think she was going? Gin wasn't in the Seireitei and no one could get to where he was without some sort of fight breaking out.
Tatani opened the door to show another room, one that was white and had a large amount of space. In the middle of the room was a bed that was circular and covered in pillows. In the middle of the giant pillow mound was a silver haired figure that had been hiding since the downfall of Aizen Sosuke. Tatani all, but fluttered over to where Gin was and softly poked his forehead and faded as Ichigo got up to where she was. Gin gave out a light noise and lifted his head, his eyes were open more than they normally were and you saw that they were crimson. He blinked, his eyes opened up even more as he stared at Ichigo.
"Kurosaki? Wat'cha doin' 'ere?" Gin asked as he lifted himself up to a sitting position.
"I've come to take you home Gin" Ichigo said, "I know that you've been slipping into the Seireitei, thanks to a hidden Senkaimon near my house, to see Toshiro. He misses you more than anything and is slowly slipping out of reality without you" Ichigo told him. Gin blinked and closed his eyes, having a sad expression on his face. He turned away from where he had been facing Ichigo and talked over his shoulder.
"I-I can', I've hurt Tosh'iro in the wors' possible way, he'd nevea forgive meh" Gin said in his strange accent. Ichigo went forward and placed a hand on Gin's shoulder, making the sliver haired man turn slightly. Ichigo had a sad look on his face as he remembered the way that Gin always deliberately kept from attacking Toshiro when he was near, even when Toshiro was attacking. Ichigo also remembered hearing Toshiro cry, whenever he passed Toshiro's place, out of pure loneliness and sadness for not having Gin near, he could hear his cries for Gin as he listened silently from outside.
"He'll forgive you Gin, I know that for sure. He'll probably yell and scream at you, but then he'll cry and hold onto you while forgiving you, even if he doesn't say it" Ichigo told the silver haired man, "He's been so sad since you've left the Seireitei and I'd hate loosing dear friends, even if I've not known them that long" Ichigo said while holding out his hand. Gin looked at him then the hand and slowly looked down and slowly took the hand that was held out to him. Ichigo pulled him up and looked at him, he was really thin, even through the baggy clothes Gin wore, Ichigo could tell that he was wasting away. Gin opened his eyes and looked around the room then at Ichigo.
"Um not ta rain on ya plan ta get meh home, but how are we gonna get outta here?" Gin asked. Ichigo looked towards the area that Tatani had been and saw her pointing towards the door to his office and walked towards it.
"This way" Ichigo said and pulled Gin towards the door.
"Um...Ichi, tha's a closet" Gin said, but shut up as he saw a different room, an office really, then the closet that it had been before he went to bed. Tatani faded back into appearance and shut the door.
"Alright! Sit down 'cause it's gonna be a bumpy ride back to the Seireitei" Tatani said before holding onto the door handled that were keeping the door closed. Ichigo and Gin stared at her before both fell to the ground as the whole office shook as it was heading back to it's original place that it was built on. Gin and Ichigo had been thrown all over the room before they landed on the floor with a crash and pained groans. Tatani giggled at the sight of them and helped Gin up, seeing as Ichigo had risen after he landed on the ground.
"Tatani, give a better warning next time" he grumbled and rubbled a spot on his side that he landed on. Gin looked at her and blinked then turned to Ichigo with a pointed finger at Tatani.
"Long story, but I'll tell you later, right now we need to get you to Toshiro's without getting caught by the night guards, they're less than happy when they're on patrol" Ichigo said while opening his office door. The trio slipped out of the office, though Tatani faded out again, this time taking Gin with her, and walked towards the grounds that belonged to Toshiro.
-Hitsugaya compound-
Toshiro was laying on his futon while staring up at the ceiling. He seemed to be doing that a lot lately seeing as he couldn't rest his troubled mind while thoughts were racing through it. He sighed and turned onto his stomach, to see if the warmth would help him fall asleep, and saw something sticking out of his pillow. It was a picture of Ichimaru Gin with his eyes opened and looking at him, smiling normally, happily even, with his hands behind his back. There was a note at the bottom that said 'I'll always be there fer ya Tosh'iro' written in Gin's neat handwriting. He sighed and put it back where it was and felt tears welding up in his eyes.
"Liar" he said out loud to the open air, not even seeking a response.
"Now who's a liar?" a familiar voice rang out in the shadows. Toshiro shot up out off his futon and looked to where the voice had come from and saw Gin sitting on his knees, staring at him. Toshiro slowly got up and walked towards him.
"Gin?" he asked silently, hoping with all his being that it wasn't a dream.
"Tha one an' only" came Gin's smart-ass reply. Toshiro wanted to laugh, but he felt anger fill him as he launched himself at Gin, a fist raised up, which collided with Gin's cheek. Gin didn't even fight back, but held Toshiro lightly and let him release out his frustration that he held inside him.
"YOU STUPID ASSHOLE! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME? I THOUGHT I DID SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU LEAVE! I THOUGHT THAT YOU WEREN'T EVER GONNA COME BACK! I -choke- I thought you found me worthless..and not -sob- good enough for you. -sob- I thought you died when -choke- no one could find you" Toshiro sobbed out as the anger left him. Gin held Toshiro close and let him cry.
"Oh Toshi, no one could take me away from ya. You're not worthless nor should ya think tha' yer not good enough fer meh. I kept coming back to watch you sleep and I couldn' forgive myself fer leavin' ya behind and in pain. Toshi I love ya and now I'm not goin' anywhere" Gin said while rubbing soothing circles in Toshiro's back. Feeling the love and warmth that Gin emitted, Toshiro fell asleep, feeling safe, complete and adored. Gin lifted both himself and Toshiro off the ground and went over to the futon. He set Toshiro down and crawled in, wrapping his arms around the small bundle and promptly fell asleep with his hands cupping Toshiro's head.
-Outside the house-
Ichigo and Tatani stood for a bit before leaving the area to return home. Ichigo smiled when he heard Gin tell Toshiro that he loved him. He had heard the love pour from Gin and was happy that they were back together again. When the duo arrived at Ichigo's house Tatani stopped at the doors and smiled at him.
"One miracle down, 13 to go" she said before turning and heading inside, the orb appeared again and floated towards Ichigo. He grabbed it and felt heat flooding from it and saw that the number did change from 14 to 13. He smiled and put the orb in his pocket before heading inside and closing the doors, leaving the snow and the first miracle out to the night.
Me: Hope you liked!