We All Need Saving

Chapter 4: Ice Storm

OCxHitsugaya

Note: I do not own Bleach or any of its characters. I only own my fan-made character.

This story takes place before Ichigo came to Soul Society.

You can see so much just by looking into someone's eyes. It's the portal to their soul. The camera lenses that capture memories. The mirrors of emotion, as they suddenly dip, and weep, or suddenly flair up, igniting with some rush of anger, or hatred. Always the first to react, and the last to witness. Sometimes the emotion is so strong, it robs us blind…

The girl stared at me with a bewildered expression. Her next motion was so quick, I almost didn't catch it, as she reached for her hilt, and tried to strike me. My reaction was to stumble back, for I didn't expect her to engage so quickly. Instead of feeling a blade pierce my skin I heard the clash of blade against blade. When I opened my eyes, Hitsugaya stood in front of me… protecting me.

It moved me…

"Momo," growled the captain again, "let me explain before you go swinging your zanpakuto around. You can't tell anyone about what you've witnessed just now. That's an order."

Momo was stunned. Why was her long time friend helping this ryoka girl. She was some human trespasser and as such she should die. It wasn't like Hitsugaya to intentionally break the rules, "Toshiro you know this could cost you your role as a captain and put all of squad ten on the line. What's gotten into you?"

"I said that's an order." repeated the angry captain.

Momo slowly lowered her sword, sliding it back into its sheath. She stared at him confused, watching him do the same. Walking toward her, he grabbed her arm, and started hauling her away. He looked over his shoulder, and gave me a look that could surely shatter me. In that small instant, when he protected me, there was a small birth of hope in my heart that he cared. I knew he'd be back to talk to me later once he got the girl to calm down.

I retreated back to my room, and Rangiku stared at me thoughtfully. I think she was giving me a moment to see if I'd cry, because it felt like tears were starting to form in my eyes, "It's not your fault." she muttered.

I snapped, "Just leave me alone for a while. Please?"

Without saying another word she left, and I was alone once again.

After a long talk with Hitsugaya, Momo left quickly, still questioning his motives. He was being vague when he spoke, like he didn't want her to know the whole truth. He figured the less he told her, the better. Hinamori had a big mouth after all. Closed eyes saw the distress in the lieutenant as she hurried away from squad 10 headquarters.

I heard a knock at my door. Hitsugaya had returned just as I figured he would. I told him to come in, and he walked in carefully. He kept his focus on me, like he was waiting for some sort of explanation.

"Captain Hitsugaya, I-" I started to say, but he interrupted.

"Look, this is hard enough as it is. If you go around disobeying my orders I won't allow you to stay here, and I will report you to Head Captain Yamamoto." his voice was stern. It made me cringe.

I wanted to argue with him, but just didn't have the energy, "It won't happen again." I murmured, looking away.

He turned to walk out, but I stopped him by asking, "why did you protect me before? If I'm such a big hassle, why not let her cut me down, and be done with it? You obviously don't trust me. Every time you turn away you grab your sword like I'm going to try to stab you in the back. What is all of this to you?"

He stopped in the doorway, and leered over his shoulder again. As I had noted before, his hand was on the hilt of his zanpakuto, just like every time he turned away, "Being careless in the way that you did, I could ask you the same thing. I offer you a place to stay, and your identity kept safe, and you disrespect me by showing your face outside of this room." He left before I could say another word.

I slumped to the floor on my knees. What did he expect? I was only human.

Human…

I was inadequate. Imperfect. All I wanted to do was see his eyes shine. How things were coming along though, it seemed impossible that I would ever be able to have that effect on him. That ice cold prince with broken wings. The crimson spewing from his fallen limp remains. I watched that happen every night, no matter how hard I tried to fight it away. I couldn't bare to see it actually happen, no matter how much he resented me.

I laid down where I was sitting, and stared up at the ceiling. Like I was punishing myself for trying to speak up earlier. I heard the sound of small water droplets hitting the roof, and came to the conclusion that it was starting to rain. Rainy days always made me sleepy. Without even noticing it, my eyes had closed, and I had fallen into a reticent slumber.

A sudden burst of unfamiliarity had consumed me out of no where. I sat up quickly giving myself a head rush. By now it was raining quite loudly outside. I staggered to my feet as I made my way to the door, and opened it. Should I step out into the hall? A pulse rushed through my veins. Something was wrong. I felt a threatening presence near Hitsugaya. That was more than enough reason to go find him. Even if it would make him mad at me later.

I hurried down the many corridors not sure where my destination would be. When I found Hitsugaya he was outside in a squad ten courtyard. I watched him from inside. Stepping out in the daytime was incredibly risky. What if someone saw me? He was just standing there. It didn't look like he was in distress. He actually looked sad. Lonely. As the heavy rain drenched his entire body. It was beautiful to watch, breath-taking. I had never seen him so… full before. The rain caused goose bumps on his skin, making it more pale, and brightened the hue in those alluring irises that only he possessed.

I was drawn to him. Subconsciously I took a step forward, and he turned his head slowly to look at me. When he did, I saw a vision in my mind. Some figure had suddenly flashed behind him, about to strike him. "Hitsugaya!" I cried. I reacted to it, but when I got there, standing in front of him, the vision had disappeared, and only he remained.

Now I was soaked. Our eyes met, and he opened his mouth to speak, "What are you doing?"

"Didn't you feel that presence from before? That evil aura? I felt something. It was here." I looked around frantically, but all around me was pouring rain, and empty white walls that had us enclosed.

He stared at me, and then turned away, "You should head back to your room now."

"Hitsugaya…" I whispered, a chill being stirred from my spine.

"Captain." he corrected.

I froze, trying to force back my shivering. "I came running cause I thought you were in danger." I continued to speak even if he wished me away, "I came running because I'm here to protect you." I stared at the back of his head which was facing me, "For years now I've wanted nothing more than to live for you. You can push me away all you want, but I've grown to adore you, and no matter how hard you push I'll always come back." I took a step forward, "Maybe no one else has been willing to do the same for you up until now, but I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere." I watched him lift his head only slightly. He was listening, "I wish I knew what made you so sad, so that I could take away all that hurt inside your clouded eyes. I want to see those sad eyes smile. I want to see you shine like you were meant to."

"Go back to your room." he mumbled.

I took another step forward, and put my hand on his shoulder. I could tell it caught him off guard, because he tensed. Not saying a word, I slowly turned to walk away. I wanted to lock my arms around him until I was sure he knew that everything I said I meant, but I resisted. If I got too close, it would only make him step further away.

Once I was back in my room, I rung out my hair, and curled up in a ball on the floor. It started to thunder now. I worried Hitsugaya might catch a cold out there if he still lingered outside. I continued to shiver. Not just from the chill that had enveloped me, but the strong emotions that were being juggled in my brain. I hated the loud crashing sound thunder made. It always startled me out of my skin. Especially when the lightening that followed shook one's place of refuge. I started to hum to myself. Music was the only thing that repelled the demons.

My eyes squeezed shut trying to close off the world, but the storms raged on, and wouldn't let me ignore them. I heard footsteps outside my door stop, listening to my small humming inside. The door opened, as did my eyes. The small captain walked into the room with a large, thick towel at hand, wrapping it around my freezing body. I stared at him stunned, and he looked back at me, "You have a fear of thunder?" he asked.

I was still sort of shocked by this change of character, but slowly nodded in reply, "I have been ever since I was a little girl. Loud, sudden noises in general scare me."

Hitsugaya let the vision of the little girl shivering in a closet appear in his thoughts. Whenever one of the hollows would howl, she would shake uncontrollably. It made his eyes seem to get lost, but he gradually came back to the present, "I see." he was still damp from the rain, but didn't shiver. He was already so used to the cold.

I dried myself off, and went over to my bed to grab the big blanket that sat on top of it. Walking back over to him, I sat down, and draped it around him. Smiling gently I whispered, "You're so comfortable in the cold that it's unsettling." I adjusted the blanket to cover him up as much as possible, still shivering slightly.

He watched me cautiously, and then extended his arm to drape one half of the blanket around me, "you're the one that's freezing." he commented. My half of the blanket was shaking from my chills. I couldn't believe he was actually this close to me, "what you said earlier…" he mumbled, and it got my attention, but he decided to try a different approach, "The roof had been torn off the house. On the top floor, in a closet filled with old clothes, a little girl quivered in fear, right as she was about to be devoured by demons that at one time gave her life. That was you wasn't it? I remember… It was so long ago, but I remember."

He remembered me? Even after he told me time and time again that he didn't. I didn't know what to say. I had forgotten how to formulate words.

"I wanted to do more for you, but knew that passed the point of defeating the hollows, I could do nothing. I couldn't tell for sure if you could in fact see me, but then you looked right at me, and I fled before any interaction could take place… I can't believe, after all these years you still remembered me."

"You left a lasting impression." I replied.

He was trying to figure out exactly what I meant by that, but at least he didn't object.

"I'm sorry about before. That thing with that girl. I'll be more careful I promise. Last thing I want to do is put your life on the line." I said looking down.

"We'll just forget it ever happened." he muttered.

He was actually being gentle. Was he letting me take a step closer? Even just a tad bit? This moment was so great, I almost thought I was dreaming, "Thank you." I said smiling.

He nodded, and I was filled with joy.

To be continued…

Author's notes: Yay, sweet side of Lil' Shiro. What danger was causing such a fuss? Who can really be sure? See ya next chapter =D