Red Sun, White Moon

Chapter Four

HitsuKarin

"There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want to pick them up and hug them."

-Unknown.

…

It was the night before Christmas Eve, it was cold and the wind was pounding on the windows violently. The mother was waiting patiently for the father. The young girl no younger than the age of 15 stared at her mother and knew exactly was going on.

"Hikari, I'll be right back." Her mother left with a grim expression on her face but acted as if everything was alright. Hikari just looked up and watched her mother leave and gently played with the fur of the dog she had recently gotten and sighed a frustrated sigh. She could feel the ache in her chest that's how much it hurt. Her father walked in shortly after her mother had left to get the food. She didn't look up and pretended as if she didn't hear the door open.

"Hello." He greeted laughing clearly drunk. Hikari just looked up at least just acknowledging his presence so he wouldn't pester her about it. She loved her father dearly, but not the things he did. It wasn't like it was a weekday or a regular work day it was the night before Christmas Eve that was supposed to be happy. It was every year and every holiday. She couldn't even recall when she ever even had a happy Christmas, but everyone would just put that fake jolly smile on for a holiday and pretend like everything was alright after when it really wasn't.

Her mother came in a few minutes after her father and slammed her hands on the table screaming and saying "I'm tired of this," and "you keep breaking my heart." Hikari took her leave and headed to her room upstairs trying to keep the tears that were repressed for years from flowing. It obviously failed as she felt the fat tears trickle down her cheeks; she slowly closed the door and slid down so that her back was against the door. She hugged herself and cried for a long time, as if she was making up for all the years she hadn't cried about it. The tears kept coming and coming even after an hour the tears were still fresh. She heard her mother leave and her whereabouts were unknown. She didn't even know where her mother went. She had enough and grabbed a thick coat, her scarf, gloves, a hat and a bag and stuffed it with at least a day's worth of clothes, a hair brush, a book and a picture of her family. She thought she would be back in a couple days but she never returned. Her father was sleeping, and she could hear her dog barking violently. Just before she left, she left a small note on a piece of paper saying 'I love you'.

Hikari woke up with a start and her heart pounding. She never knew why that dream made her feel nervous and anxious. That was the last time she had ever seen her parents or family. A couple years after her disappearance she found a well paying job and stayed with a new friend, but quickly learned Japanese and moved to Japan. Shortly after arriving in Japan, she obtained her zanpaktou without knowing the real meaning of it, but left it in her apartment all the time. One day she was confronted with a hollow and her zanpaktou quickly appeared in her hands saving her from what could have possibly been her death. That's really how she was accepted to the Shino Academy and placed as a fuku-taicho after graduation.

Hikari felt the small breeze of air and it quickly relaxed her. Her nerves were quickly calmed after she got up and went to her garden. She looked around the area and saw a lone figure resting against a tree.

"What the hell are you doing here Hisagi?" Hikari questioned lightly. She saw him blink several times and rolled his eyes, "This isn't the first time."

"You should be used to it by now," He answered looking at her outfit and blushed slightly realizing she was only wearing a thin sleeping yukata. She gave him a dirty look and took a seat next to him.

"Is something bothering you?"

"Nothing in particular." He stated, "I just felt like coming here, there's obviously something wrong with you."

"Yeah a lot."

"What is it?" A dark eyebrow raised as Hikari lit a small lantern next her and put it in the front of them, "Just tell me, I swear on my life I won't tell anyone." Hikari looked at him with a blank expression and then focused her attention on the fire dancing in the lantern. She never told anyone what exactly happened with her life before she came to Sereitei besides Karin. Not even Rukia, Matsumoto, and Hinamori knew. They sat in silence for a long time while she gathered her thoughts on exactly she was going to say. It always took her awhile to actually tell anyone her feelings she wasn't used to it and kept mostly everything including her feelings to herself. She could come off cold, but she did that to protect herself. She flinched slightly when she felt a large warm hand cover her small hand that was half the size of hers. She was known to be petite, but deadly according to Hisagi. She looked up into his slate eyes that showed concern. All the years she known Hisagi, she knew he was serious when he let his true emotions show, which wasn't very often and was rare. She would have said something sarcastic, but she knew better than that.

She had first met Hisagi in the academy along with Karin. He used to be a real playboy until he tried to get with her and she told him off and smacked him in the face. After that he followed her like a lost puppy and denied any requests from other females.

She squeezed his hand trying to relieve her anxiousness and began telling him every detail about her life, her friends, family, and school. She smiled most of the time thinking about her friends and school; she wore grim expressions when she told him about her family. Her voice cracked a lot when she began telling him about that night before Christmas Eve when she just turned 15. Her eyes began getting moist, but she refused to cry especially in front of another person. The hand that wasn't holding hers brought her close until his arms were completely around her just hugging her. She clenched his uniform tightly pulling him towards her so that her sobs were muffled. He just hugged her tighter so that his chin was resting on her head. She rather wished he hadn't hugged her, if he didn't she wouldn't have broken down. It just reminded her of what she only wanted that night and it was someone to cry to, she felt so alone and finally realized she wasn't.

Her sobs became low until they were completely silent. Her eyes stung and felt heavy from all the crying.

"Thank you, Hisagi."

"It's no big deal." He shrugged and picked her up bridal style. She let out a weak groan, but didn't fight against him.

"I'm sorry if you felt like you were my therapist." She stated honestly. He gave her a small smile after he laid her down on the small bed.

"Go to bed Hikari." He commanded and gave a very small smirk to lighten up the mood.

"Shut up you fish." She retorted, "Goodnight Hisagi, thank you again." With that she pulled the blankets over her small form and enjoyed the sleep for the first time in a long time.

…

The next morning Hikari woke up feeling better, but her eyes still felt heavy and were puffy and swollen. She sighed and got up out of bed and stretched. She slid the door open to the living room and kitchen and saw Hisagi passed out on her couch. Fat ass. She made her way over to him about to pull his ear off, but then remembered last night and quickly discarded the thought. As if feeling her presence his eyes slowly opened and blinked several times so that he was aware of his surroundings.

"Good morning. Hiakri smiled at him, "Get off your lazy ass so I'll make you some breakfast."

"Yeah good morning to your beautiful face too." He yawned and sat up. Hikari simply rolled her eyes.

"Are you doing anything tonight Hisagi?" Hikari asked as she took a seat next to him.

"No why?"

"Do you want to go out and get something to eat maybe? The light festival is tonight." She smirked. He shrugged.

"Wait like a date?" He asked shocked, just realizing what she just said.

"Yes." She answered simply and chuckled a bit.

"Sure, I'll pick you up at 7?" Hisagi suggested and was a brilliant shade of pink.

"Sounds good." Hikari smiled at him again, gave him a tiny peck on the cheek, and went back to her room preparing for the day. Hisagi sat there stunned and touched his cheek where she gave him the kiss. He left her quarters with a huge grin on his face.

…

I was beginning to get into a deep sleep when my office door was slid open loudly by my wonderful fuku-taicho Hisagi. He completely ignored me and had an idiotic grin plastered on his face.

What the fuck?

I shrugged it off and decided to go back to sleep on my desk using my paperwork as a pillow. I haven't gotten much sleep the past couple of days since the news of Aizen.

The paperwork was actually somewhat comfortable. It was due tonight, but I decided not to do it, I didn't care they could wait an extra day and I welcomed the sleep all the thoughts about Aizen and my mother gone for now.

…

Hitsugaya made his way to the ninth division again. It turns out the paperwork from the tenth division that needed to be dropped off became more frequent, but Hitsugaya got used to it, besides it gave him a chance to get out of his office and speak with Karin, who he hasn't had a proper conversation with, but he decided it was better than nothing. The bright lanterns lit up the streets and he couldn't help admire the night. He opened the door to Karin's office quietly and found her passed out on her desk with a decent stack of undone paperwork.

"Kurosaki?" He asked almost silently as he went up to her desk, "Kurosaki!" He yelled sternly. Karin bolted upright in her chair. She placed a scowl on her face matching Hitsugaya's.

"What is it?" She asked bluntly.

"I have another report." He gave her the report and watched how her face became emotionless. It made him rather uncomfortable to have her act so plain and unsentimental. She threw the report onto the stack of paperwork she didn't finish. He gave her a questioning look.

"Would you like to join me for tea?" He suggested unexpectedly. Hitsugaya could have sworn he saw her stifle a small chuckle.

"Whatever, come on." Karin said and got up and brushed passed him heading to his quarters. He followed shortly behind her.

"Just wait outside in the back." He told her while he grabbed to cups and began to prepare the tea. She just nodded and headed out to the back. Hitsugaya grabbed two tea bags since preparing tea from leaves was too much of a hassle and waited for the water to heat up. After everything was done he slid open the door, handed Karin her tea and took a seat next to her. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She still had a blank expression, but seemed rather zoned out.

"Kurosaki."

"Hm?" She looked to him and took a sip of her tea.

"What exactly has been going on with you?"

"That isn't any of your business." She replied a little angry.

"It may not be my business but its making me...rather uncomfortable." He admitted reluctantly. Karin was shocked but composed herself. Should she tell him? Everyone in Sereitei knew but him. What the hell.

"Aizen took part in my mother's death. He hired an assassin by the name of Grand Fisher and ordered my mother's death." Karin said quietly and began again, "Then when Rukia's execution was taking place he deceived Momo and placed a faux body to fool everyone to think he was dead. He wrote Momo a note saying I killed him, so she held her own sword to my throat." Karin looked up and watched as the lanterns in the pond sailed around, "She was placed in jail, and a few days later she found him alive, but he stabbed her in the stomach that landed her in a coma for months. I found her and became enraged and went Bankai on him, but I died and luckily Unohana had found me and saved me." She knew he knew the whole ordeal with Momo and Aizen, Ichimaru, and Tosen betraying Soul Society, "The fact that he manipulated my friends and family and all of Sereitei leaves a bitter feeling inside of me and that he had the fucking nerve to kill my mother just to awaken me and my brother's powers." She looked down at her tea feeling numb.

"Then you better kick his ass." Hitsugaya grinned slightly at her. She turned her head rather quickly in his direction with a look of bewilderment on her face. She let out a small chuckle that led into pure laughter, "It wasn't that funny." He scowled.

"It's 5 times funnier when you say it; I never knew you were the one to curse."

"You better not tell anyone especially Matsumoto." He scoffed.

"You always ruin the mood, stop being a sour puss." She laughed. He flung his head high in a snotty matter and pretended he didn't hear her, "Thank you, Toshiro."

"It's-"

"Oi shut the hell up with 'it's Hitsugaya-taicho' shit; I'm trying to thank you midget."

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes, "You didn't go to the light festival tonight."

"Yeah I was too tired anyways, but it seems you did some yourself." She pointed to the pond with the sailing lanterns.

"Yeah Matsumoto, Hinamori and I made them before they left and did their own things with everyone else. I'm quite surprised you aren't with them." He answered. She just shrugged.

"Yeah midget." She grinned and he gave her a dirty look. The bickering and fussing went on for the rest of the night as the two of them enjoyed each other's company.

…

A/N: Wow, long chapter. I'm just trying to get this up before midterms which is next week because I haven't updated in like 2 weeks and I wouldn't have the time to write this during the week because of all the studying. Well that's mostly it, I hope everyone is enjoying this, it seems like it :D.

1BleachFan- I'm glad you enjoyed the desk scene; I know I loved writing it as well ha-ha. And yes I just explained why it pissed of Karin so much so now everyone knows, but I couldn't really come up with a really good explanation so I just put Karin in Toshiro's shoes. I'm glad you're enjoying it too! Thank you!

Sayo-chan64-The date of her mother's death is June 7th I found out but you were close in the number! :D Glad you're enjoying this, I hope to keep you entertained in this story.

FrostyNight98-Of course I have to thank you! You were the first and only reviewer in the last two chapters! And you're probably right about the reviews as well ha-ha. And yeah the scene with Momo walking in I definitely had to do that and he will definitely see her hair loose soon! :D Thank you for the support ^^

*I do not have a beta!*

Please review !

~MSB*.