Oh well, even though nothing really happens between them here either, it's still a HitsuHina fanfic. I'm hoping to get some more stuff into the next chapter. Look forward to it!

Disclaimer: I do not own BLEACH.

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TWO - Realization under the bleeding moon

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There she stood.

Hitsugaya had to use all of his willpower to stop his eyes from betraying him - the feeling he got while watching his childhood friend's obscure eyes that hadn't welcomed sleep in weeks, her shoddy clothes and messy hair... was indescribable. The young captain managed to maintain his calm on the surface, but on the inside he felt terrible.

She suddenly opened her mouth and spoke, sending Hitsugaya a stiff, fake smile. How she was struggling, just to smile. Hitsugaya felt a tug at his heart - the voice coming out of her mouth seemed to belong to someone else.

"I felt your reiatsu... Please, come in... Hitsugaya-taichou."

Hitsugaya froze. As Hinamori turned and walked back into the room, he watched her back with eyes wide open. For so long, he had told her to address him properly by his title instead of pestering him with the nickname "Shiro-chan". But back then, there were so much warmth in that name. No, she wasn't talking to her childhood friend Shiro-chan right now. She was talking to Captain Hitsugaya Toushirou of the 10th division. The thought made the captain in question shiver with uneasiness.

And yet he entered the room and closed the door behind him. There was no turning back.

She's mad at me. Because I couldn't "save" Aizen... I wonder if she hates me now.

"Would you like some tea?"

Hitsugaya returned to reality when Hinamori woke him up from his deep thoughts.

"No, I'm good. ... Say, do you need any help in here? Too much work isn't good for you."

He quietly thanked his vice captain for telling him the exact same thing.

"No, thank you... I believe I'll be fine by myself."

Hitsugaya desperately tried to hide his disappointment. He failed, but his reaction was misunderstood.

"Rangiku-san told you to come here, didn't she?"

Point blank. Hitsugaya was clueless as to what he should say. It was true that Matsumoto had suggested he should help out, but he decided on his own. Yet, he quietly nodded.

Hinamori sighed.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Thank you for the trouble, Hitsugaya-taichou."

"Hinamori!!" Hitsugaya suddenly shouted, quickly taking a position in front of the ragged girl, who let out a surprised little yelp.

"F-forgive... my insolence..." she whispered, watching the floor with tears in her eyes.

Hitsugaya's heart raced at the sight of Hinamori's vulnerable expression. He weakened, and gently placed his hands on her shoulders.

"Hinamori... I..."

He was abrubtly interrupted by an annoying noise that could only be one thing at a time like this.

A hell butterfly was there to give him a hasty message.

Hitsugaya glanced at Hinamori, ready to rush out of the room to greet his duties. But he shouldn't - couldn't - leave her like this, in this weakened state. She needed him right now.

And then he heard it, its mechanical voice, ringing in his ears, reminding him of what he must do as a captain. He watched as the butterfly fluttered away. How he wanted to just rip those wings off of it.

"Hinamori..."

He quickly removed his hands from her shoulders and turned, heading for the door, when a shivering hand caught his sleeve. Hinamori was looking at him with eyes in desperate need of consolation. Hitsugaya tightly shut his eyes and removed her grip from his clothing.

Why is my body acting like this? Every instinct I've got is telling me to embrace her, right here, right now, and never let go. But... I...

There was no time for hesitation. Someone of his stature doesn't have the luxury to choose.

Forgive me, Hinamori!

As he ran, his eyes burned for a reason he did not comprehend.

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The eyes of nine captains fell on Hitsugaya Toushirou, as he entered the meeting room. His cold surface had returned, and while calmly watching the wooden floor below him, he excused himself for being late.

The 1st division captain, Yamamoto Genryuusai, nodded his head and accepted the youngster's apology. The old man cleared his throat and continued his interrupted speech.

"Now, as I was saying... This is a worrying matter, and I am not sure as to how we should proceed."

2nd division captain, Soi Fon, took an opportunity to speak.

"The arrancars should all be dead by now. Are you saying there are more of them?"

Hitsugaya frowned. Arrancars? I thought we...

Yamamoto nodded.

"Sources say that a large amount of arrancars have been spotted lately in the living world. They also seem to control an even larger amount of Menos."

A deep sigh could be heard from 11th division's captain, Zaraki Kenpachi, as he commented in his rough voice:

"Sounds like one hell of an annoying matter."

Indeed.

"I have taken into consideration that we should yet again send out several high-ranked shinigamis to the living world to investigate. It is necessary to find out why there are still arrancars roaming about."

An eerie silence followed. Everyone waited for the old man's decision. Finally, he broke the silence.

"Kuchiki Byakuya, Abarai Renji, Kira Izuru, Madarame Ikkaku, Hisagi Shuuhei and... Hitsugaya Toushirou will be going to the living world."

The young captain noticed how all the blood in his veins suddenly went cold and stopped. He had to leave on yet another mission? That would mean he'd have to leave Hinamori! Why now? At a time like this, when she's in desperate need of a shoulder to lean on. With both him, Abarai and Kira gone, she would...

I don't want to leave her here. I'd worry myself to death.

His heart raced faster and faster at the thought of coming back to a Hinamori filled with hate and contempt towards him. He turned pale.

I don't want that. I want to stay here and protect her...!

He wanted to see her beautiful smile again, hear her laughter, feel her happiness. And suddenly it all came to him. Love.

Damn... Hitsugaya Toushirou, you're the worst...!

And he ran.

I'm not going to look back. Hinamori is better of without someone like me...!

The sun set early that day. In the thick silence of the night, if one would listen closely, one would hear the lonely crying of a helpless girl, echoing in the dark of the bleeding moon.

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NOTE: Dark of the Bleeding Moon is actually the name of the second part of the BLEACH musical, the one after Saien. I figured I'd use that name/quote to be a little... poetic.

Well, that's it for this chapter. Please be constructive in your reviews.