Author's Notes:

My beta who has a life of her own but had a moment to help me out by editing this chapter. To my dear friend (drum roll please) MillyT! "Take a bow, m'dear! You deserve it!"

And also, to 2 fans who got me off my duff to start posting again:

Much appreciation to: Sleeping Skies and shadowwolf1997

Disclaimer: The only bleach Dwellin owns is used for laundry. Sometimes life is just that exciting.


Chapter 29

(A few weeks after Chapter 28)

When a Walk Is Not Just a Walk

"I don't see why we have to go out with this huge crowd instead of spending a quiet evening at home, alone, just the two of us, meaning of course, without anyone else."

"Ah Shir—"

"Shhhh!" hissed the scowling captain of the Tenth, his narrowed eyes scanning the immediate environment to make sure no one was within hearing distance.

"The last thing I need is for someone to hear you call me that!" He added in a lowered voice while leaning in until they were nearly cheek to cheek, "That's for private."

The two were walking along a seldom used path on the first day that was perfect for the two of them; temperate enough for her and cool enough for him. Although now that it was getting to be evening the warmth of the day was quickly evaporating.

Momo sighed while thinking someone sure is a cranky-pants today! Still, she turned her head to affectionately gaze at him. Noting the perpetual scowl drawing his icy brows into a furrow, she sighed softly. Despite the frown, or maybe even because of it, he was captivatingly handsome. No, beyond handsome! Had he always been this way, and if he had, how in the world had she ever missed it?

Finally, the brown-eyed woman shook herself free of the emotional haze in order to inform him for what felt like the umpteenth time, "First of all, it's not a crowd, just a few of Rangiku's friends who are getting together in order to cheer her up. Lately, she's been kind of in a funk over you-know-who. Also, it's an informal way to congratulate Renji and Isane on their relationship."

She had to take skip step to catch up with him. In his agitation Hitsugaya had sped up. Immediately noticing he slowed down again to a stroll.

"Hn," he replied noncommittally.

For a space the two ambled along without speaking on a path heading in the direction of a diner situated in a rather dilapidated section of town outside the walls. They were both slightly familiar with the area but as it came under Captain Kyoraku's division neither had spent a great deal of time in that region.

Hitsugaya had heard it all last night at dinner, this morning at breakfast, at lunch, and even now, but her words still hadn't changed his mind that getting together with the crew outside of Movie Night was a good idea. Well, it wasn't necessarily the people that he objected to but the inevitable raucous behavior that would surely follow when adding alcohol to the merrymaking. Along with, (here he hunched his shoulders as if to keep even the thought at bay) the effusive friendliness that the gang displayed. The kind of friendliness that insisted one should partake in the spirits along with them. Having had his own, never to be repeated experience with drinking, he distrusted everything to do with it. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he had never been able to make friends as a child. Nothing.

Uncomfortable with where his thoughts were leading, Hitsugaya began rambling, "Why are we celebrating the length of their dating? It's only been what, a few weeks? Shouldn't the two of them be the ones deciding this instead of their friends? And why would they even think we would need to be dragged into something like that anyway? Just how co-dependent is this relationship? I know I would want to be the one to inform others if I decided a celebration was in order;" here he glanced to the side to see if his words were sinking in. They weren't but he went on anyway, "AND it would be a real reason to throw a party, like a whole year which is what people normally do. I'm beginning to think that people are making up reasons to get together and drink!"

Momo felt his stare but merely smiled at the uncharacteristic outburst before reaching over grab the hand he was gesturing with and immediately felt him calming down. It was amusing to her that all of a sudden her socially inept boyfriend would have all sorts of advice on what constituted a celebration. He was so cute!

Feeling her softer fingers, Toshiro instinctively clasped his larger-boned one around hers, communicating the quiet strength in the callused hand. She had to admit that it was a wonderful feeling. So much was exchanged in that warm skin on skin touch. It was an unspoken communication. His pledging protective and even need as hers rested trustingly in his.

Momo glanced down at the union of clasped hands and mused that in some ways it seemed like only yesterday it was her hand holding his smaller one, and here she was marveling at the male assurance and confidence emanating from him.

She almost chuckled out loud, thinking back to the first time as a couple he had held hands with her. It had shocked her silent to find out that his hands were larger and more sinewy than hers, but the thrill of his warmth enveloping her hand had sent delightful tingles up her arm.

Her eyes followed the length of his arm (and when had that gotten so lanky!?) to find his large teal eyes staring across at her. It was hard to believe he was an inch or two taller than her now! Upon their eyes meeting, she felt him squeeze her hand as a smile spread across his lips causing her to smile in return.

It also amazed Hinamori that she had the kind of ability to calm Toshiro's agitated spirit when he was worked up over something. When she had realized this and had told Rangiku and Isane about it both women had rolled their eyes in unison. One of them might have even whispered, "baka" under her breath but Momo wasn't exactly sure which one although if pushed, she knew which one she would have pointed to in a lineup.

The Fifth's assistant-captain turned her attention to the leaden clouds coming in from the horizon and hanging low. She could feel the nip of it in the air as the weather showed inevitable turn toward winter, which of course was Shiro-chan's favorite time of year. Ii wouldn't be much longer before snow would be falling.

Winter. Not something to be dreaded in itself, but on the heels of the seasonal change came the subject that was occupying everyone in the Thirteen Court Guard Companies minds of late. War, the inevitable conflict with Aizen and his troops was right around the corner.

She shivered but not from the breeze that was beginning to pick up.

"Are you cold Momo?" asked Hitsugaya, concern showing in his eyes.

She smiled at him, "I was just thinking about the coming war."

He nodded. There was no answer to that. No one could predict when it would arrive; mainly, it was up to Aizen as to when he was ready to start something. Hitsugaya just wished there was some way to take the battle to the power-hungry former captain and catch him off guard. As it was, he wouldn't be able to protect—

The next thing he knew, her hand jerked out his and Momo's scolding voice broke through his thoughts. Startled, he turned to find her scowling at him.

"I know that look on your face!" Her eyes flashed with indignation. "You are thinking that if you could somehow keep Rangiku, and me, out of the battle you would do everything in your power to make it so."

The bun-wearing shinigami slowed and placed a hand on his forearm and both of them came to a halt in the middle of the path. "But Shiro-chan, you know Matsumoto and I are both soul reapers; this is our way of life. You want to protect us, but we also want to protect others along with you, all of us, together. We have things that are precious to us as well. Don't take that away from us. We have earned our place and we deserve it. Please say you won't try to do anything devious to keep us out of the battle," she implored him with huge eyes.

Hitsugaya shook his head and sighed. How could he resist those deep tawny eyes of hers? It was obvious he couldn't, at least not this time. As long as she looked at him this way he would probably never resist those eyes for the rest of his life. It made the rest of the world dissolve away.

"I don't know what to promise you, Mo… er Hinamori," this he said with a quick look around again before continuing.

He was so unsure of himself and twitchy. Momo thought it was so adorable it made her want to grab him up in a huge hug. Instead she waited to hear what he had to say.

Unaware of the struggle within her, Hitsugaya stared pointedly off to the side, avoiding looking her in the eyes until he finally huffed, "Fine then, have it your way. I know you will anyway. It's not like I can talk you out of it."

Without thinking he reached for her hand and giving him a smile, Momo let him. He was being all grumbly, but she didn't care, he was her Shiro-chan and she loved all sides of him no matter what (even the irritating qualities).

"HEY! Hinamori! Hitsugaya taicho!" The very familiar voice called out from behind them. They turned as one to find Isane and Renji trotting down the path to catch up with them. Both wore happy grins as they neared and Momo couldn't help herself and replied in kind with a friendly wave.

Renji called out as they got nearer, "Are you two ready to do some serious celebrating?"

Momo answered before the silver-haired captain could get a word in, "We're so looking forward to it! This is going to be fun! Thanks for inviting us!"

With a half-lidded stare, Toshiro said, "Oh yes, we can hardly contain our-… ." He had to stop and take a deep breath as an unexpected pain shot up his leg. He didn't need to glance down to know who the culprit was, but he did anyway. There indeed was Momo's smaller foot covering his toes. Raising his eyes, he found her smiling at Renji and Isane as nothing untoward was happening.

He leaned in close and whispered in her ear, "Be ready for the tickling of your life later on!" He resumed his nonchalant stance, a smug eyebrow lifted at seeing her eyes go wide and dart over to give him a nervous glance. He returned it with a tiny smirk. Revenge was sweet. Anticipated revenge even sweeter.

Hitsugaya then turned his attention to the other couple and caught the knowing gleam in Isane's eye. Then she quickly averted her face and turned her attention back to Momo. Both of the other two fukutaicho's had been totally clueless and missed the entire exchange. He looked away and composed his face into a mask of disinterest.

For his part, Renji was feeling a bit stressed. His stomach was twisting into a knot, or was that the burrito from lunch?

He still wasn't sure how to act around the Tenth's taicho, especially in a one-on-one situation like this. It was a start into getting to know this captain by having him join them for Movie Night. Although the Tenth's taicho had thawed somewhat, Hitsugaya was still rather icy and aloof in his demeanor. Yes, now that Renji thought about it, great strides were being made but still, this was a captain. Okay, there were more relaxed and informal captains but then there were also the strict, rigid, uptight,… well, better nip that thought in the bud.

The tattooed-man risked a glance at the silver-haired tensai*. Hitsugaya was one he would have placed in the group that liked to follow the more formal set of unspoken rules and was rather like his own captain.

He turned to the side and coughed into his fist feeling very ill at ease, until an idea flashed through his mind. It was something he had caught onto of late; if one doesn't know what to do or say, follow the girlfriend's lead.

Renji glanced over at Isane and noted that she was chatting with Momo and didn't seem to be uncomfortable, and neither too uptight, or too casual. Well wasn't that just helpful! He was envious of her ability to just be herself. Finally, the redhead decided he might as well just ask. If he said anything wrong Captain Hitsugaya could always freeze him into the next century and that response alone would be a whopping big clue that the captain of frostbite was unhappy with him.

"Hey Capt… So Hitsu…er Toshi… uh, what do you want me to call you?" Movie Nights were one thing, but this might be another.

Those impossibly enormous aqua eyes locked onto his, "Captain Hitsugaya," the silver-haired shinigami stated tightly.

"Ooookkkkay…" Awkward!

Then the tensai captain of the Thirteen Court Guards continued, "But since we are not on duty and this is officially an after-hours social occasion then you may call me Hitsu—"

"Toshiro! Renji, Hitsugaya taicho wants to be called 'Toshiro' just like Movie Night. So, yes, call him 'Toshiro'. He likes it." She turned to Hitsugaya, "Don't you Toshiro?"

"He does?" Renji asked incredulously eyeing the shorter shinigami. That was not the impression he was getting.

In fact, the presently off-duty captain didn't look like he was onboard with Hinamori's statement at all. Dubiously, the tattooed-man scrutinized the boy-captain and then it dawned on him. Wait, this captain standing before him was not a boy anymore, but rather a young man. Renji realized that the Tenth's captain must have gone through an intense growth spurt of late.. Whad'dya know, short and silver's finally growing up! He's even taller than Hinamori!

However, the silver-haired subject of Renji's thoughts didn't notice the other's interest, but then he wouldn't have cared either. Toshiro glanced out the corner of his eye at Hinamori to confirm what he already knew. She was frowning. This did not bode well. Not at all.

Momo turned her scowl and met Toshiro's eyes with a pointed stare. As if someone pulled a switch, Momo's frown instantly changed into a beaming smile which she then turned on Abarai.

"Yes, that's right you can call him Toshiro when all of us are off-duty even if it's not a Movie Night."

"I don't think this is…" the "Toshiro" in question started to object.

Momo turned and looked straight into Hitsugaya's eyes with a flat, hard stare. That was fast. The evidence of that beaming smile was nowhere in evidence. In fact, there was a wealth of information in that stare. Hitsugaya grunted under the weight of it. He knew right then that he wasn't going to win this one and with a small exhaled breath turned back to Abarai, one eyebrow twitching with annoyance.

"Yes, in social situations like this," jaw tight as he explained, "you have my permission to call me… To…Toshiro." He glanced back to Momo who was giving him such a pleased, delighted smile that he could only shake his head and sigh.

"There! And just so everyone understands," Momo informed the group, she pointed to herself saying, "I'm Momo," and then proceeded to point at each one in turn, "And then we have Isane, Renji, and Toshiro."

She says it like we are in grade school observed Hitsugaya. A thought he had no intention of sharing with the group. He let out a little sigh that, wisely, he didn't let her hear.

Momo smiled so expansively and warmly at the others they couldn't help but respond in kind, although Toshiro's was more of a controlled twitch at the corner of his mouth. When he turned to gaze at the girl beside him though, he also couldn't help himself and it grew into a genuine smile.

Usually not known for amazing powers of observation, even Renji could see that Hitsugaya's face softened whenever his eyes lingered on Hinamori.

Renji felt the knot of anxiety inside him begin to loosen, knowing a good sign when he saw it. Watching the two sharing such an intimate look it reminded him of his own good fortune. He turned to catch Isane's eye and didn't realize that his own face softened just as Hitsugaya's had when looking at Momo. He knew one thing though, that he sure was one lucky shinigami.

The red-haired vice-captain could feel a goofy grin crossing his face but he didn't care. Instead, he reached to pat where he had tucked a square-shaped box. Yep, still there. This was going to be a good night, he could just tell. The battle-sharpened instincts honed over the years and vast amount of experience from all the fights he had been involved in over the years told him so. That's right, instinct.

"I know this is going to be a night we don't forget anytime soon! I always have a sense about these things. An instinct, you could say." It didn't bother him in the least when Hitsugaya huffed skeptically.

In fact, what Hitsugaya wanted to do was get the evening started so it could end. Yet it, from Renji's directions, there was still a good brisk walk ahead of them yet.

Renji nodded and flame-colored shafts of hair bounced with the motion. He too was in a hurry to get going although for different reasons. Even though the restaurant was in a neighborhood that was a little on the rough side it was far better than the area he and Rukia had grown up in, and really, how rough of a neighborhood was too dangerous for shinigami that fought hollows and arrancar on a frequent basis? None that he could think of.

He glanced over at the girls again. It looked like neither one was likely to move of their own volition so maybe some urging on his part was needed to get the party moving along.

"Well, dinner won't eat itself, and we don't want to be late!"

He reached over, took Isane's hand in his, finding a deep satisfaction in the way it wasn't so tiny that it made him feel like an oversize ogre, instead, they were a perfect fit.

"C'mon, gotta make sure those louts, Izuru, Kiyone, Ikkaku, Yumichika, Shuhei, and Matsumoto don't drink themselves under the table before we even order the main meal."

"I am sure they wouldn't do that, really Izuru isn't that much of a drinker except when he's with Rangiku; and…" Isane stopped as her eyes went wide. On the other hand, her sister was a drinker, if not on par of the legendary Matsumoto; she could consume a fair portion and then commence to acting crude, rude, and rather silly. And if her sister got going, or Rangiku started, then there was no one there to stop either of them from influencing Izuru or the others from—

"UH, maybe we do need to step it up a bit," Isane urged as she fell into a quick stride, making even Renji stretch his legs to keep up.

"I knew this was going to be a drinking party!" stage whispered Hitsugaya in an aside to Hinamori as they followed at a slower pace behind the taller couple. "Huh! A jovial, peaceful, and relaxing dinner party amongst comrades, not bloody likely!"

"Shiro-chan! No one mentioned any of those things! That's just you describing it the way you want it to go."

"Of course," he shrugged and with a natural move, slipped her arm into the crook of his own. He knew she liked that because she had made him watch a movie at Abarai's place the week before where a famous handsome actor had done just that and she had sighed and melted along with all the other females in the room. Cooing and ooohing about it being romantic or some such thing, but since it had made her eyes sparkle and her cute face light up with pleasure he indulged her.

He was finding that it was little things that would cause her such delight. Besides, he thought smugly, it was an excuse to touch Momo. He didn't mind being all 'touchy-feely' in that respect.

"Shiro-chan, we need to walk faster. Isane and Renji are starting to pull ahead of us," observed Momo as she gazed down the path at the backs of their friends pulling away from them. "I've never been to this place that Renji wants to go to. He told me which street it's on, but still I don't want to lose them."

"Eh?" Toshiro had been staring at the side of her face and had gotten a little distracted. Glancing up he saw she was correct; the taller couple were beginning to disappear into the distance.

"Well the place shouldn't be hard to find so let them,…" and that's when he heard the little sigh. Was he getting to know the unspoken language of Hinamori-speech or what? That was definitely her, "I beg to differ" sigh which really meant, "I'm ready to dig my heels in about this issue."

A corner of his mouth tugged up upward, the side she couldn't see. "Okay, then, brace yourself."

"Why should…" she started but never finished. Hitsugaya wrapped an arm around her waist, lifted, and in the next second they were right behind Kotetsu and Abarai. He set her down and wove her arm through his again.

He whispered, "Don't worry, we won't lose them."

"Wah! Shiro-chan,…!"

"Momo, please call me 'Toshiro' when we are out in a group." It was the closest he would ever get to pleading. He used his ultra-secret weapon on her. Just lately, he had discovered that Momo found his eyes irresistible if he looked at her in a certain way. He didn't use it to his advantage often but decided this evening he would since he was that desperate no one find out about her pet name for him.

Momo, for her part, heard the unusual tone of voice and peeked at him from the corner of her eye. Darn him! Those great jewel-toned eyes of his, the most captivating in all of Soul Society, and they were turned on her full force. A delicious shiver went up and down her. She couldn't withstand the assault of those glittering orbs when latched on her as if she was the center of his world.

If truth be told, it did unnerve Momo to a certain extent to be so important to anyone! Certainly not the "center" of someone's adoration, affections, and world! She was the one who usually did all the adoring!

Although, when confiding that thought to Rangiku had only made her ginger -haired friend roll her eyes at Momo's cluelessness. The bun-sporting girl was then informed that Momo's existence was THE reason Hitsugaya had become a shinigami, conquered and controlled his zanpakutou and then had become a captain. Everything the youngest captain ever had done or accomplished in all of Soul Society was done for the express purpose to protect and keep Hinamori safe. Momo's jaw dropped. Not once in all the years she had known him had she the faintest inkling of his true feelings.

"Darn those long-legged people! Look Shi..ah, Toshiro, they are getting…"

Again, a strong arm looped around her waist and the next thing she knew was they were right behind her fellow fukutaichos. Momo had to admit that the precision and speed of the shunpo was amazing, but then, she thought, everything Shiro-chan did was amazing.

Then a dark thought arose causing a grimace to cross her face. What was the incredible, talented, genius-level, capable and amazing person like Shiro-chan doing with someone of average intelligence, no special ability to speak of, actually, in the eyes of most people, a failure at…

"Stop it."

Just that one phrase broke through Momo's darkening thoughts and she turned surprised eyes to find Toshiro's staring back at her and by the frown he was giving her she deduced that he wasn't at all pleased.

"Wha…"

"I know what you are thinking."

Oh great, he was a mind-reader on top of everything else!

"You're doing that comparing thing in your head again, aren't you?"

How did he know!? Without realizing it, Momo slowed her steps as her eyes went round with surprise and not a little bit disconcerted by having her mind read so easily.

"I'm not reading your mind!"

"See!" She gaped at him, pointing a finger. "You did it again!"

They came to a stop on the trail only to have Renji look over his shoulder. Seeing the couple halted he tugged on Isane's hand and turned also,

"Hey, everything okay back there? We walking too fast for you two?" He rubbed his neck as he sheepishly added, "Sorry about that, 'Sane and I have gotten so used to walking at our own speed when we are together."

Hitsugaya replied, "No, that's fine, we just need to talk in private for a minute. We'll catch up."

"Sure. It's a little place called Yamaguchi's on the farthest edge of the village, just ask around, everyone knows it. Looks pretty seedy, but the food is great!"

Hitsugaya nodded while Momo returned Isane's wave. Barely able to contain herself, she waited until they were long out of earshot before whirling to face Toshiro with lifted hands to her mouth stifling, what he assumed was a squeal.

Dropping her hands, she whispered, "Did you hear that!?"

"Hear what?"

"He has a pet name for Isane, he called her 'Saw-ney'. Isn't that just so adorable?"

Momo sighed dreamily as she watched the two walk into the distance. Hitsugaya barely refrained from a grimace. Instead he replied, "Yeah, I heard, but I'm not that like that love-smitten, that,… guy! He's just so, so… expressively undignified."

Turning his own aqua-colored orbs to also follow the departure of the two lovebirds down the path, he didn't stop to consider his next words. "Although I suppose he can't help it being just a fukutaicho …" He stopped short as he felt the reiatsu spiking next to him. Turning, he saw Hinamori's face darken as a frown formed.

"Wait. What do you mean "just" a fukutaicho?" Momo tried to wrest her fingers from his hand but he wasn't having any of it and held on firmly, although he wasn't sure how he was going to dig himself out of this horrendous error.

"Okay, bad choice of words I admit," he said slowly and quietly, "but you do have to concede that when one is chosen fill the position of a captain that there are certain expectations that are inherent with that position."

She was still scowling but the tilt of head proved she was at least listening before exploding. Her brown eyes scowled at him but that was a whole lot better than slapping him and running off, but she would still like to have her fingers back.

"It's almost like, well, a kind of shinigami royalty," he insisted, "And stop wiggling your fingers, I'm not letting go." Narrowed aqua eyes pinned her with a stern look.

Momo stopped and appeared to lower her eyes meekly. Yeah, he wasn't buying that. He knew she was merely biding her time so the next thing he had to say had better be the thing to melt her heart. 'Just' a Fukutaicho, really!

He hesitated. This was going to sound like the very thing he had accused the redhead of being. Maybe he needed to rethink his opinion of the vice-captain of the Sixth.

Taking a deep breath, Toshiro plunged in before insecurity and fear could stop him, "Momo, you are the most thoughtful, gentle, kind-hearted, person I have ever known in all my life."

Toshiro could feel his face starting to redden. This was hard but he wasn't going to let having a stupid mouth ruin his chances with her.

"And," he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "if me being a genius or a captain brings you sorrow in any way, the one I can give up, but the other is part of who I am. If making you happy means accepting your friends (although I am not promising to like all of them) I will accept them for your sake. And lastly, I will do everything within my power to make sure I never hurt you or bring you to harm in any way."

He watched as her eyes softened, but there was still a hint of steel behind it.

Toshiro collected his thoughts and did something he rarely did and wasn't good at, he humbled his attitude and voice before continuing, "You are very talented, a loyal friend, and ferocious defender of the weak and defenseless. It won't be long at all until you have your bankai. I believe this with all my heart."

The steel was slowly fading as warmth and softness rose in her eyes.

"And, you and I both know that I'll still make mistakes so when I do, I will beg your forgiveness and try to make things right between us. And also, I am sorry for saying "just". You are never a "just" to me." He winced, and here he had been doing so well. Obviously, not only was love blind but apparently it also lowered one's IQ.

Yet, as he looked into her face he saw the wall she had erected only moments ago dissolve and then there were tears starting to glitter at the edge of her eyes. When one spilled over, he reached up before she could lift a hand, and caught it on the edge of his finger. "And I will try my utmost to make sure these never have reason to fall because of something stupid I said or did."

"Ah Shiro-chan! Some tears are good, like right now!" She threw herself at him, clutching his hoari, and with a started but exultant chuckle he caught her and lifted her while twirling in place. This was worth living and dying for. As a flood of joyous affection flooded him, the discomfort of showing affection in public was forgotten as if it had never existed.

Carefully, Toshiro set Momo back on her feet and upon feeling her loosen her grip, he dropped his arms even though he it would have filled his heart to simply stand there and hold her for the rest of forever. Instead, he reached and took her hand in his, caressing the backside of it lightly with his thumb.

Moving a bit so she could look him in the eye, she said, "But, but the whole…" she lifted a hand and twirled a finger next to her temple, indicating her brain and his alleged mind-reading abilities.

Toshiro sighed and shook his head, causing sharp slivers of light to race up and down the shafts of his hair.

"Listen, remember, we have talked about this a little bit before, the reason you think I can read your mind is easy and obvious. I know what you are thinking sometimes, and I repeat, sometimes Momo, because I grew up with you and have seen all your moods along with your strengths, weaknesses, and also your likes and dislikes. Besides, you are one of those that are easy to read. Everything you are feeling is communicated straight to your face."

"WHAT!" Momo gasped as a free hand flew up to cover a cheek.

Everything? She was actually that transparent? Once again it occurred to her and caused her stomach to clench in fear. How was she ever going to be able to keep a secret from him and yes, there was still The Secret, the really BIG secret still being kept in the dark, a really dark, dark corner of her mind. Secrets of the action-hero variety, of the cat burglar costume she tucked into a back corner of her closet! Momo had intended on telling him everything, but was still waiting on the right time that just never seemed to come up. Did he know that she had been the one to attack him that time in the alley? Oh yes, she dreaded telling him that one.

One silver eyebrow lifted skeptically, "Is there something you are not telling me?"

Momo's greyish-brown eyes flew up to meet his, and darn him, his were like lasers locking onto hers. His blue-green ones were penetrating, drilling in her brain, dredging up all her secrets… were they locked onto and trailing her one huge Secret?

His silver head tilted quizzically as he studied her, she was acting oddly; something was definitely up with her.

Momo could feel heat rising in her face and knew she would soon break out into a sweat. Why didn't the hollow-attack alert ever sound when a body needed it the most? Momo wished with every fiber of her being that hollows would attack, just this once, just when she desperately needed something to distract this genius with his uncanny perceptions. It was like he was some super sleuth sniffing out a mystery and getting closer and closer…

An alarm sounded.


Thank you for reading

-Dwellin

*tensai = genius