***Back again... With an update that's surprisingly quick compared to others of late. I've actually had this chapter done for a long time now... But because of a bit of miscommunication, it didn't quite get a chance to get posted close to when I finished... Something I'm actually quite grateful for since looking back on the original, it wasn't quite what I wanted it to be. Before I looked over this with a genuinely critical eye, it was a lot cheesier than this one. I'm pretty happy over this, actually.

This chapter, if not taken seriously in the least, can be quite funny and/or amusing. I certainly found it so, even after I went back and tried to take out those parts. Ha!

Just a note: starting next chapter we'll be getting into more plot-related stuff again. Just wanted to give you a heads-up; I didn't want it to be too sudden or anything.

Again, no beta for this one. Her computer is still kind of down, so... Yeah. Any corrections are welcome. And, of course, the actual review of the chapter. Without further ado, I present to you Chapter 29: Alyssum.


He sat there, immobile for several seconds. His entire body was frozen, and in the dark he could have been mistaken for a stone statue.

No… She can't have…

Aria stared at him groggily, her grip on his wrist stronger than ever.

"Captain… What are… you doing…?"

In her sleepy state, her aversion to him had abated a bit, so that the only things left were curiosity and confusion. What was he doing, next to her like that? She had only been sleeping lightly, as she had planned, but something had awoken her. When she came to, the only thing she saw was her captain's back.

What was he doing… here with me…?

Tōshirō's entire body tensed and he pried Aria's fingers off his wrist.

"Nothing," he lied. "I'm going to sleep. Good night."

But before he could leave, her hand was back, wound so tightly around his arm that he thought he might lose all feeling in it.

"You were lying there, right next to me," she accused. "I saw you."

Aria grew more and more awake, and with each passing second her timidity bled back into her. But more than anything she only wanted to know what he was doing. She had vague memories of a nightmare, but then it just died out. Next thing she knew her captain was right beside her on the bed.

Her eyes widened. He couldn't have been…

Tōshirō shook his head again. "You were dreaming, Miyamoto," he lied again. "I wasn't there. Go back to sleep."

The boy peeled off her fingers once more and quickly rose off the bed, determined to reach his futon. But in the back of his mind, he wondered if this was really what he wanted.

The sight of him walking away from her… was too much for Aria to bear. She sat up, rubbing her eyes vigorously. Realizing he was getting away, she stepped onto the cold floor, snatching his hand just in time. Tōshirō blinked in surprise.

"I know you want your sleep," Aria mumbled, her voice hoarse from slumber, "but if it isn't too much to ask… Could you stay with me, just for a bit? I know you might not feel very…comfortable about it, but… All I want is to talk."

There was no anger behind her voice; it was nothing more than a single, pleading request.

Aria was not quite aware of the effect she was having on Tōshirō. He stared at her, marveling. Even with her sleepy emerald eyes, there was that persistence he recognized. She looked a little scared, but stood her ground, because she knew it was right.

This one gesture told Tōshirō Hitsugaya that Aria Miyamoto was a much braver person than he would ever be.

With a resigned sigh, he clambered back onto the far end of the end.

"Fine… But I can't guarantee I'll still be here in the morning."

Aria was very happy that he was going to stay, even though her heart had been pounding as she had asked him to stay. She followed him, scrunching up at the very edge of the bed.

"…You have every right to sleep comfortably on this bed, Miyamoto."

"But it's yours."

"If I didn't want you to sleep in it I wouldn't have lent it to you. Now get away from the edge; you'll fall and hit your head."

His voice was so commanding she could do nothing but sigh and comply. She pushed herself away from the edge, moving a little less farther to the boy. But it still wasn't as close as Tōshirō would have approved of.

Of course, even though they weren't really doing anything, neither of them could ignore the awkwardness of this situation. They were alone, in the same bed, in a dark room… Both tried very hard not to think of anything particularly…embarrassing.

Tōshirō still thought that Aria was a bit too far away for comfort. Her head wasn't even on the pillow, and her back was barely an inch away from the abyss. How was she going to sleep like that? The thought annoyed him.

"Miyamoto, come here," he said rather sharply. He was getting tired of this.

"I'm okay," her muffled voice replied.

"No, you're not. You're not even using the pillow. Come over here before I have to drag you."

"There's not enough room for both of us…"

"So? I'm ordering you to come over here."

Aria muttered something about unfair power plays but still refused to reposition herself. Aggravated, he thought about actually yanking her over himself, but common courtesy and some…other reasons prevented him from doing so. But then, he had the perfect idea.

"Fine," he said. "I don't want to stop you from sleeping, so I'm leaving." He sat up again, but purposely slowed down his movements just to see her reaction.

"Wh-what? No, don't go!" she protested. She reached out for the umpteenth time, fastening onto his arm this time. "Okay, okay, I'll move closer, just don't leave!"

Tōshirō was glad it was so dark, or else there would be no hiding that small, smug smirk on his face. Shifting back into the bed he put himself in a spot where Aria could rest with enough room. Though, he noted, she was right that there wasn't much of it.

Aria observed critically. This bed was honestly too small for the both of them to share next to each other. How could she make them both fit comfortably? Maybe she should be the one to leave, and sleep on the futon herself…

"Don't you even think about sleeping on the floor," her captain warned, seeing the way her eyes darted toward the momentarily forgotten futon.

"Uh, n-no, I wasn't…"

She sighed. She wanted to talk to him, so badly! But familiar insecurity was teasing her, holding her back. Not to mention seeing him like this wasn't helping her thoughts one bit. As usual, Tōshirō wasn't wearing a shirt at all, and he didn't seem shy about hiding that fact either. His arms were tossed behind his head casually, and his eyes were closed. Aria had a very strange urge to touch him.

What do I do…?

"If you're not going to go to sleep soon, I'm moving," he declared, eyes closed.

Desperation gripped her once more. "No, please, don't go," she begged. "Can't we just talk a bit? Please…?"

Something in her voice made him open his eyes, and he peered at her curiously. Biting her lip, she looked conflicted and nervous. He greatly wanted to say something besides threats, but…

With a faint sigh, Aria acquiesced, shuffling and then curling into a ball right next to him.

Tōshirō let out a sharp exhale. She was close… Her forehead was touching the skin of his arm and he could feel her breathing. She was trying to get as much pillow room as possible without stealing any from him.

This…really isn't going to work… But it would have to do.

The girl was growing restless, since her plan to take a midnight walk hadn't quite worked out. But maybe… talking to her captain would make up for that.

"Captain…?" she called drowsily.

"Hmm?"

"…Was it really you?"

"What?"

"…Were you really the one who made the bad dreams go away…?"

He swallowed, unsure of how to answer. A simple yes or no question—that was all this was. But he had kept it a secret for so long that telling her seemed like breaking a sacred ritual.

Turning his head just a fraction, he found himself looking into her green eyes. Half-lidded, they gazed up at him sleepily, but with that same unwavering straightness that he knew so well. He realized that she had looked him right in the eye every time he had spoken to her, genuine and true. It was rare to meet someone like that. She was patiently waiting for him, calm and quiet. Another look that he couldn't resist.

"Yes," he sighed. "It was me."

"…Why?"

He had been expecting that one, but it still made him jump.

"Because…"

"Because…?"

"…Because I don't like seeing you in pain."

She was quiet, contemplating this response. It seemed a little… contradicting.

"But…If that's true then…"

"Alright. I've had enough. I'm going now."

"What?"

He didn't want to have to explain his reasons to her. He didn't want to have to look like a complete hypocrite in front of her. There was no way he could convey the remorse that he felt for hurting her, and felt cowardly for it. How he could possibly compare to her, this girl who had the courage to stare him straight in the eyes after all he put her through?

"You're almost asleep… So I'm not needed here anymore," he murmured, turning over.

"B-but if you leave, I'll have nightmares again!" she argued.

"I don't think so…"

"Just a little longer, please…" How she wanted him to stay!

Tōshirō winced at her tone but made no move to stop. Aria knew just grabbing his arm wouldn't be enough this time. Frantically her mind tried to come up with a solution. It eventually found one.

Without a second thought, Aria jumped, tackled her captain, hugging him in the process. Shocked, he fell back onto the bed and was even more stunned when he saw Aria's head resting on his chest.

"I don't want you to go," she whispered. "I haven't talked with you for so long, so could you stay for just a little bit longer…?" It was the only she wanted right now. If she had to beg a thousand times for him to comply, she would.

Their close proximity was making both of them flush. Aria's cheek was pressed right up against his well-toned chest, and she was the complete opposite of oblivious. Her arms were wound around his neck, but for some reason… she just couldn't find the motivation to unlatch them.

Tōshirō was not unaware either. With Aria's face on his torso, the top of her head was right beneath his chin. As he breathed, he could detect a faint scent of roses.

What scared him the most was that he didn't want to leave this position either. He tried to ease the tension with some small talk.

"Why… did you… do that…?" he asked, still dumbfounded.

"I want to you to stay with me… And plus, your chest is a lot comfier than the pillow," she replied, trying to add some humor. But in reality, she wasn't lying. She liked being in this position...

Eventually their breathing evened out, but they refused to move. In time though, Aria's arms were growing numb, and she carefully retracted her arms, but would not move away from him.

"You didn't answer me from before."

"What if I don't want to?"

"…Then I guess you don't have to."

He was silent for several moments. Surely, it was fair to give her this? Aria, after all, had every right to this information, because this all revolved around her.

"The first time I saw you having a nightmare was that afternoon after the fire," he started quietly. Aria showed no reaction to this. Tōshirō wondered if this was a good sign, but continued.

"Anyone could tell that you were in pain, Miyamoto… I… didn't want to see you like that… So somehow, I managed to stop it… By the way, you talk in your sleep."

Aria blushed furiously, and Tōshirō could feel it. He smirked, just a bit.

"And then that night, you were dreaming again… And I stopped that one too."

"…Why didn't you tell me?"

"I never found a good time…"

The girl made no response, but she thought back to that first nightmare. She remembered towards the end the cool breeze that had blown past her, extinguishing the flames. Had that been him?

Had he been saving her this whole time?

"I… What…For… how long?"

He was silent for several seconds.

"…Every night."

This hung in the air, impossible to ignore.

"Every…night…" she repeated. It was true; nightmares were hard for her to shake off. And yet…Her captain had gone out of his way just to make sure she was sleeping normally…

"…Except one."

She blinked and for the first time looked up at him. Her eyes widened. Tōshirō looked…pained.

"Can you figure out which one?" he whispered, little more than a breath.

She immediately understood, but she still didn't look away.

This was his chance, and he knew it. He sat up quickly so he could get a good look at her. Something in his expression made Aria sit up as well. She pulled her knees up, tucking them beneath her chin.

"I wish I could explain my actions to you about that night… But the only thing I can say is that I lacked self control… I have no excuse." In the dim lighting, his eyes were gleaming with mysterious intentions.

Aria could only stare at him with wide eyes. Tōshirō looked down her with deep regret etched into his turquoise orbs. She had never seen such emotion in his eyes before.

"Aria Miyamoto," he whispered. "I'm…sorry. For everything. For breaking my promise."

It took quite a while before she could absorb those words.

Tōshirō reached out, placing a tender hand on Aria's head. As he brushed some stray strands of hair aside, she closed her eyes at the familiar gesture. The boy continued to regard her with half-lidded eyes.

"Don't believe a word I said," he muttered. "It was all lies. As you can see, I don't handle stress well…When I said you were a waste of time and space, and how you had no talent…" He shook his head at his foolishness. "Most of all, I do not want you to rot in a ditch…"

He pulled away once he finished that sentence, but he wasn't done.

"And that other day," he continued, shifting uncomfortably. "Forgive me for that… I guess… I was just so mad at myself that I went out of control. Not your fault. All mine. Just forget about it."

Aria's jaw went a bit slack, but she didn't say a thing. Tōshirō fidgeted.

"This is exactly why I don't apologize often," he muttered to himself.

Aria shook her head, trying to gather her scattered wits. It wasn't the fact that her captain was actually apologizing; it was the actual apology itself. Her head was reeling and for a moment she had absolutely no idea what was happening here. He didn't think she was hopeless? Or untalented? It was all just a mistake?

Tōshirō eyed her. "Maybe you should go to sleep…" he suggested.

She shook her head again. Too many things were buzzing around her head at the moment.

But the one that buzzed the loudest… was regret.

She began to empathize with her captain as she recalled those nasty words she shouted at him. She hadn't meant them either; she was just like him, overly frustrated and emotional about this whole ordeal.

"Captain…"

"It's late. Go to sleep."

"I…No, I don't… I just…"

"…What?"

"…I wanted to say that I… I… I'm sorry too, Captain Hitsugaya…"

He blinked. "For what?"

"For… those things I said the other day…"

"…Oh."

She bit her lip. "I don't think you act all high and mighty, Captain… Really… I think you're a very good captain…"

"Miyamoto…?"

"A very good one… Too good…"

His brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Aria hid her face in her knees. "…You're so talented, Captain. Child genius, prodigy, only supposed to appear in the Soul Society once every few centuries…I…I can't possibly keep up…"

Tōshirō gazed at her powerfully. Had this been what she'd been worrying about?

Aria sighed, lying back on the bed. She pulled the covers up to her chin, and she stared straight up, her eyes hard.

"I…don't want to be left behind," she confessed. "I hate being alone, and I want to stay with you, because you're so kind." She gave a hard laugh. "But I guess that's being selfish, isn't it? We all have to move on, sooner or later. I don't have a right to hold you back." But she felt so sad at the thought that she only hid more of her face underneath the blanket. "I guess… The reason I didn't talk to you sooner was because I thought you didn't… need me anymore…" Saying the words out loud made her heart feel hollow.

Her words echoed through his head. Not need her anymore…?

"Ridiculous. You worry too much," he responded softly. He couldn't think of a time he would ever not need her for something. Tossing her away would be so cruel and such a waste. Following her example, he moved next to her on the bed, placing his hands behind his head and staring at the ceiling.

Aria closed her eyes briefly. "…I wish I was like you, Captain…"

Tōshirō said nothing but pursed his lips. He tried to imagine Aria, a genius and a prodigy, just like him. Cold and calculating, she looked on with an icy stare that matched his. No warmth at all. He resisted the strong urge to shudder, and for some reason he reached down and grasped the real Aria's hand in his. It was warm to the touch, and it soothed him.

"No," he fervently disagreed. "Not like me."

Aria looked at him, perplexed.

"Why not? I'd be so much easier to deal with that way."

How could he say this? The fact was that he liked Aria. He liked the way she was now, and he didn't want her to change, for anyone or anything. Not for her peers. Not for those people who kept in the choking darkness. Not even him.

"Because… I'm not the most ideal person, nor is my life."

"Why? You have everything…"

Tōshirō thought of a certain lieutenant. "Not true, Miyamoto…"

"Really? I didn't know… You always seemed pretty nice to me."

He sighed. "I'm not perfect, you know," he grumbled. "Don't confuse me with someone who is."

She was silent but pulled his hand closer towards her, stretching the fingers out with both hands. Both her hands felt so feeble in just one of his… She examined the faint calluses, pondering. Her hands were so smooth in comparison, something she took pride in but never really thinking heavily about it. The roughness told a story, a story of her captain's past conflicts. The past conflicts that got him here today.

Her mind briefly flickered to the scars she bore on her back.

Aria looked back at her captain, who was pondering off into space. Something on his shoulder caught her eye. It was hard to see even up close, and she wondered if she was imagining it. But when Tōshirō shifted, it didn't disappear. Squinting her eyes, she discreetly took another look.

To her surprise, it looked like a scar. Circling his left shoulder was a very thin, pale line that seemed to stretch all the way around. Even in better lighting, it would have been difficult, almost impossible to see. It was odd the way it looked, as if it was a perfect suture that sewed his arm in place. Aria felt strangely jealous at how neat and unnoticeable it was compared to the collection she possessed.

"Back to what I was saying before… Miyamoto, to be honest, I…"

She was still staring intently at the scar, a mystery she wanted to solve. At Tōshirō's voice, however, she turned her full attention to him. The full-on look made the captain slightly nervous.

"I think… You're fine the way you are. You don't need to change."

"…What?"

"Foolish girl, you can be stubborn, clumsy, hot-tempered and downright frustrating …"

She blushed. He didn't have to put it so bluntly…

"…But you're also persistent and you work hard for what you want. You're not untalented. You have your skills," he gently touched her splinted hand, "and I have mine. You don't need to change." His eyes softened as he looked back at her.

"Miyamoto, I…see no reason why you should change. No one here hates you. And besides," he took his hand away and ruffled her hair playfully, "you wouldn't be half as fun to deal with if you weren't this way."

Words could not explain how Aria felt then.

Was it really only the faint beginnings of winter? Because she felt like the spring had burst right then and there.

For years, people had always shunned the girl for what she was, without ever knowing who she was as a person. In the end Aria had to resort to putting on a mask, one that could hide her real self and hopefully paint another, better one in its place. She tried very hard to keep it on, but a mask can often blot out the true beauty of the world and weigh down its wearer. She wanted to change, more than anything. She didn't want to be who she was; her greatest wish was to fit in and have a normal life. A life where she didn't have to try so hard to keep something like a mask on.

But here was a person who told her that he was fine with who she was right now.

If she wasn't so sleepy at the moment she might have just gone outside and shouted at the sky. Because that was one less heavy burden on her heart. She didn't have to try so hard anymore.

She sniffed and Tōshirō looked down in alarm.

"Are you crying?" he asked urgently.

"N-no," she lied. She violently rubbed her eyes, erasing tears that hadn't even fallen. Tōshirō gently moved her hand away.

"Alright, I get the point. You don't have to rub your eyes out." He half-smiled then. "What a sap…"

Aria glared at him. "I'm not sappy!"

"You're right. You're cheesy."

"I am not!"

"I'd better be careful, or else tree sap and cheese will start raining from the sky, at this rate…"

"Meanie!"

Tōshirō refrained from chuckling. Aria's eyes were sparked, staring at him with a determined expression.

That's the Aria Miyamoto I know…

However, Aria pursed her lips, staring at something on his face. For the moment, the scar was forgotten. Reaching up, she faintly touched his left cheek. He felt like he had stopped breathing at the slight pressure of her fingertips.

"…I didn't mean to slap you so hard… There's still a bit of a scratch…" she fretted remorsefully. She couldn't believe she had actually done that. Tōshirō Hitsugaya was a respected captain of the Gotei 13; no one ever hit him like that. No one!

"Oh… It's nothing, really."

"…I'm sorry…" She wondered how he felt after she had slapped him.

"Don't worry about it… Matsumoto would have said I deserved it for being such a heartless bastard." He snorted. If only his lieutenant could see him now…!

On second thought, that didn't seem like such a good idea…

She frowned. "I don't think you're a heartless bastard… I think you're a rather nice one."

"I feel so flattered."

"…Just kidding. You're just nice."

Her lips twitched upwards, she did something unexpected. Reaching out, Aria hugged him the best she could. It was a silent signal, one of forgiveness and gratitude. Tōshirō's mouth opened in surprise, but he let it slide.

They were silent for several moments, watching the clouds cast shadows over the faint moonlight dribbling into the room.

"…Can I ask you a favor?"

"What?"

"…Will you sleep with me tonight?"

Tōshirō tried to hide a violent cough, and Aria's face put all tomatoes to shame.

"I-I didn't mean it that way! I just…wanted you to stay with me… until morning…?"

He looked back at her with an arched eyebrow. "You sure that's all you want?"

Aria punched him.

Trying to muffle soft snickers—along with some soft groans from her punch—he situated himself comfortably on the bed. Aria retracted her arms, only for her to wrap her good hand around his. Deciding it couldn't hurt, he turned his body to the side, so that her forehead might just lean comfortably against his collar bone.

"So… Will you stay?"

"…Maybe."

Aria pouted, but didn't try to persuade him any further.

Tōshirō looked down at her resting form. She looked so…soft and warm; it was hard to believe she would even want to come near him. With the apologies set aside his chest felt light again and he felt almost warm himself.

Forgiveness really is divine, he thought sleepily.

Aria was quiet, breathing evenly. He knew she wasn't asleep, but he couldn't help looking at her. Resting up against him, she looked so delicate, a rabbit at the side of a wolf. If he wasn't careful, he might just tear her to shreds…

No. Not a rabbit. He vowed never to do that to her. Perhaps a better term for it would be that she was more of a cub at the foot of an older, more mature wolf. He would guide her, wherever she wanted to go. Teach her until she could stand up on her own.

A sudden fierce bout of protectiveness overwhelmed him. He budged closer to her, tightening the grip on her hand.

I will protect you… I swear. This was a promise he vowed never to break.

"Sounds like a plan…" Aria muttered. Tōshirō realized he had spoken aloud and for some reason chuckled quietly.

"Go to sleep, you foolish girl."

"Why do you keep calling me that…?"

"Because it's true."

"You wouldn't like it if I called you a foolish boy…"

"No, I wouldn't, because I'm your captain. Now I'm telling you to go to sleep."

"Not until you promise to stay…"

"I can count to five and you'll be asleep by then."

"…I…guess…"

Within seconds she fell asleep.

The sight of her peaceful form made Tōshirō's eyelids flutter. Leaning into her soft hair, he stared serenely at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come. He pulled her closer so that she wouldn't get too cold, resting her head on his shoulder. The thought of leaving her did not even occur to him. He was much too comfortable. His fingers reached hers, the ones in the brace. The firm, tough material served as a reminder for him.

She never hated me in the first place… She just didn't want to be left behind… I wish I had known that sooner, so I could have apologized…

Something inside him changed. It wasn't something he could detect immediately, but it was there regardless. His apology, something he was so scared to do, had turned out better than he had hoped. Something inside his icy heart was lifted, and for some reason he did not know he felt hopeful. For what, he didn't know at the moment, but somehow a bit of special strength had been infused into him. He tucked it away, wondering what purpose it would serve.

With Aria peacefully folded at his side, Tōshirō's eyes flickered shut, a small and tranquil smile on his lips.


The sunlight petered in through the thin slit between the curtains, falling onto Aria's closed eyes. With a soft groan, she shielded her eyes in a futile attempt to go back to sleep. Knowing her eyes wouldn't close again, she grumpily shoved her arm aside and tried to get up.

But another arm blocked her path.

Blinking, she looked around, wondering what was going on. Her face swung right in front of her captain's, and she froze, eyes large.

Tōshirō was on his back, his head was leaning limply against the pillow, an appearance of relaxation. Although the smile from last night had been erased—not that she knew anything about that—he had such a restful expression that she didn't need a smile to know he was content. It looked like he had reached for her in the night, since his arm was loosely draped around her. She cocked her head, intrigued.

She recalled the favor she asked of him last night, and then something changed in Aria. Slowly reaching out, she gently pressed her fingers against the skin of his cheek, just above his jaw. With a delighted heart, she couldn't resist the urge to smile. It was a grin that no one had ever seen before on her, not in a long time. The edges of her lips turned up slightly, her white teeth beaming. Her eyes softened and simmered like an emerald pool. She felt as though the sun was shining today just for her.

For the first time in years, Aria Miyamoto smiled genuinely. Not a tiny smirk, not a forced grin, but a real, honest-to-goodness smile. The bolt on her heart unlocked, allowing the bright contents to be revealed for a brief second.

There is only one thought on her mind as she gazed at him.

You stayed.


***Aha. Well, there you have it. Tōshirō and Aria's long-awaited make-up! You thought I forgot about the nightmare thing, didn't you? HAHA! Nope! With this, I've killed two birds with one stone! I feel very accomplished for having thought of this. Let's have a competition to see who said, "Awww!" the most times while reading this! (Oh, I hope there wasn't TOO much fluff in this...)

Yes, this chapter could be interpreted in very interesting ways... I was originally going to take all of those parts out, but I thought it was kind of funny, so I left some. Bwahahaha, me and my craziness.

I wanted to make a note about the names of the chapters for these four chapters. All of them are names of flowers because of the meanings behind them, at least according to the site I used. I can't cite it here, so it'll be on my profile. Since I love you guys too much I don't want you to have to look these up, so here are the representations of the four flowers I used:

Aconite - Misanthropy and Poisonous Words
Anemone - Refusal and Abandonment; Forsaken
Asphodel - Languor and Regret
Alyssum - Worth beyond beauty

As for the scar on Tōshirō's shoulder... Something I made up, but I'll give you a few guesses on where that came from. Any questions in the reviews, and I'll answer them gladly...

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