Ch. 8: A Late Dinner

True to her word, Suiren wrote down everything before returning to her own rooms, not Hitsugaya's. Suiren kicked open the door and slammed it shut behind her.

Her rooms were large because of her position, but she rarely used all of them. Suiren kicked off her shoes and pushed open another door with her foot. Inside was an exquisite study with a window that overlooked Soul Society. The desk was placed right underneath the window so she could look down at the sprawling buildings beneath her. It was still a modest study. She had stuffed animals she had gotten from the material world in a corner and some large elongated ceramic bowls with water in them. In the water, a few lotuses, Suiren's favorite flower, floated serenely in the trays. She also had a small modest blue vase with Chinese bellflowers (kikyo) underneath the window. Suiren dumped the scrolls and books at the desk before returning to her main room.

Suiren first made herself some jasmine tea and stared into the flames with her feet facing the fire. The thoughts ran through her head quickly, like they usually did, but the look on her face was anything but playful and happy like it usually was. She was watching the flickering fire pensively while wondering about the records now on her desk.

Should I open them? I can still turn back, pretend that nothing happened, Suiren wrapped a tendril of hair around her finger. All I have to do is go back to the record room. What do you think, Tsunami?

The zanpakuto's spirit was sitting beside her, It is too late. The water wheel has begun to turn. The water right now is a weak current, but it still too hard to stop. You have already added power to it. That has just been decided.

Suiren nodded, "I have a duty too. To Soul Society and..."

To your loved ones, Tsunami's webbed hand patted Suiren's. Even if all else abandons you because of this, I will still be here.

Suiren smiled, a true smile that Hitsugaya had yet to see and Byakuya had only seen once when he first met her, "That's right, Tsunami, I still have you."

Tsunami also smiled before vanishing. Suiren poured herself and returned to her study. She reached for a scroll, and with a deep breath, opened it and began to read.

Suiren read for so long that she did not even realize what time it was. Her fingers flipped past the dusty pages and she was entirely immersed in the past. It took a moment for her to realize that someone was banging on the door outside. Suiren slid the book shut and hurriedly covered the stack with a haori she had been wearing. She also slid the door of the study shut carefully before opening the entrance.

Hitsugaya stood there with a bento box in one hand and a scowl on his face. He pushed past her and set the bento down, "Do you know how long I've been knocking while holding that box?"

Suiren rubbed her tired eyes as she shut the door, "I'm sorry...I didn't hear the door. How did you find me here?"

"I had to go find your beloved 'Bya-kun,'" Hitsugaya watched his captain. "His door keeper said you had a home here." He looked around. "This is a nice place. Why do you always insist on coming to my room?"

"I don't think I have a futon here," Suiren's stomach growled and she glanced down at it, embarrassed.

Hitsugaya looked at her with a knowing expression, "I thought so. You did lose track of the time. I brought you dinner. Teriyaki eel on rice. Your favorite."

Suiren's eyes widened slightly, "How did you know?"

"You order it every time we go out to eat," Hitsugaya replied irritated. "I'm not stupid. Hurry up and eat. It's late."

"What time is it?" Suiren asked as she picked up the bento box. It smelt wonderful.

"The time you're usually snoring," Hitsugaya answered.

Suiren laughed and she gave Hitsugaya's hair a customary ruffle, "It's that late already? Do you want to stay here tonight? I'm sure I can dig up a futon somewhere."

"Just eat first!" Hitsugaya ordered. He followed her to her table and watched as she broke apart the chopsticks.

"Itdakimasu!" Suiren announced before digging in. "Oishi!"

Hitsugaya watched his captain eat beside her. There was something different about her. Something older and more serious. Her hair had been unbound and it now showered down her back like a black river. Unknowingly, he reached over and caressed a strand, lifting it to his lips. It felt like silk in between his fingers.

"Huh?" Suiren looked at him over the brim of her bowl. "Shiro-chan...I never knew you had a hair fetish. Or is it because my hair is different from yours?"

Hitsugaya practically leapt back, "I...Sorry. I didn't even realize. It's just that...it looked a little different."

Suiren continued giving him a strange look even when he turned away, blushing.

"Shiro-chan," Suiren asked suddenly. "Your friend, Momo-chan, is in the 5th division right?"

Hitsugaya was all too glad to change the subject, "Yeah. She loves it there. It's always 'Aizen-taichou' this and 'Aizen-taichou' that. Apparently, Aizen sees a lot of potential in her."

"Momo-chan's so cute," Suiren giggled. "You and her look like a strangely mismatched couple when you're together."

"We're just friends!" Hitsugaya's voice rose. "I've known her since we were in Rukongai. Clean your face up! You've got rice on your cheek," he snapped.

"I do?" she felt along her cheek with a napkin.

"It's here!" Hitsugaya grabbed the napkin from her. "You're so messy!"

Suiren cocked her head slightly, "Shiro-chan..."

Hitsugaya did not wait for her to finish. Instead, he got up hastily and began to head towards her study, "What room is this? Your bedroom? Will there be futons in there?" He slid open the door before Suiren had a chance to stop him. Hitsugaya paused and turned back with a surprised expression, "Suiren-taichou...you read?"

Suiren flushed, "Of course I do! I took care of the 6th division paperwork for a while before I became the 10th division taichou."

"What are these books?" Hitsugaya stepped in, and was about the pull the haori off the pile but Suiren stopped him.

"Don't!" she rushed over and pushed him away. "It's...it's embarrassing."

"Why?" Hitsugaya asked surprised.

"They're...they're," Suiren trailed off.

Hitsugaya frowned, "What?'

"They're romance novels!" Suiren snapped. "Alright? They're romance novels! Happy now?"

Hitsugaya's expression was at first incredulous, but the expression on Suiren's face had not changed. He then let out a faint breath and turned, hiding his face from her. Suiren watched him with a worried expression on her face. She could only see his shoulders shaking slightly, "Shiro-chan?"

Hitsugaya let out a brief peal of laughter, "Infamous Suiren likes romance novels?" he laughed again. "Of all the things to like!"

Suiren shooed him away, "Go to bed already. I don't need you making fun of me all night."

Hitsugaya composed himself quickly, "Of course. Where are the futon?"

Suiren shook her head, "I don't know. Only one room has them. Leave the door open after you find them and just go to sleep. I just got to an interesting part."

Hitsugaya still had a faint smirk on his face as he obeyed. Suiren shut the door behind him as he left the study and let out a sigh of relief before returning to the "romance novels." Hitsugaya definitely could not know what she was really doing behind her closed doors.


Vocab: Itadakimasu is something you say before you start a meal. Oishi is delicious in Japanese.

Again, I would like to humbly ask for reviews from my readers.

Now for commentary on this chapter. I'll admit right now that I'm a very bad romance scene writer, which is why I've tried my hardest to steer away from it in this fanfiction. I think I've done a fairly good job of keeping it clean and neat so I was wondering whether I really wanted to add this scene. This fanfiction (in my head) was actually a lot more romantic originally, but I figured I would probably do you all more of a favor so you wouldn't have to suffer through my attempts at writing romantic scenes. So far, I believe I've made subtle hints at romance (possibly ByaxSui or HitsuxSui, and wishful TohruxSui way in the beginning), but that's all that they've been. Subtle. I don't think I have any intention of making it any more romantically obvious in this fanfiction. However, if you think that my subtle romance scene in this chapter was bad or needed improvements, please leave a review! I will take your advice to heart!

I've actually completed this fanfiction. The word document is sitting in my laptop (Hisayo's the name for those who are interested) and it needs some fine tuning and tweaking (I sound so professional, yes? ;;). I'm figuring out some last minute problems and things, and I have to say, I'm pretty proud of the product. I hope when you complete Withered Flowers that you appreciate my efforts as well (my efforts being...staying up until 3 in the morning two nights in a row to get the story out).