Another Broken Promise

Hitsuhina! And er…yeah.

Like, no, I am Kubotite and I own Bleach. No need for disclaimers. + Well, if you believe that, then I do too. –sigh- No, I don't own anything. Not even a tissue. But I don't think anyone else would want a tissue I used. Does that make it mine…?


She had been sitting there for an hour, desperately clutching his hand, trying to wake him up. She had sat there, for many days now, watching as he lay dead to the world. It was all her fault…

Her fault he had gotten hurt…

He had been willing to give up everything for her, his safety, most probably even his life for hers, but she had dedicated her everything in turn to the one that had betrayed them both…

She wasn't worth it. All that pain, she had put him through. Everything. All that he would have sacrificed for her…she wasn't good enough to merit so much. Why…?

Doshite, Shirou-chan? Why do you…care about me so much? I don't deserve it…why're you lying there? Why won't you look at me…?

Turning away, she stared blankly out the window, watching as crystalline snowflakes drifted on the wind and were added to the white blanket on the ground. Distantly, she remembered how she had used to love snow, and how he would grudgingly make it snow for her. But this time, he wasn't around to walk with her amongst the winter flakes. This time, he was lying prostrate on the bed.

He shouldn't be the one undergoing all the pain. She deserved that, and nothing else. How could she have been…so blind? As she ran into what she thought was sunlight, and further and further away from their world together, he had tried to go after her. And even after she pushed him back so many times, he still tried so hard to protect her. He had done so much…and all she did…

Was cause him pain.

Looking at his unresponsive body again, unknowing tears started dripping from her eyes. "Gomen, Shirou-chan…gomen nasai…" I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. No matter how many times she said it, she could never apologize enough for what she had done to him.

"Please wake up…please…? It's Christmas. Won't you be with me, for today at least?" Unchecked, tears were flooding onto his hand, still clasped in hers, as she begged him to awaken so she could tell him how she would never, ever, again leave him. Only if he would open those aqua-green eyes again, so she could pledge to him never again would she break that promise. Only if she could tell him, so she wouldn't feel that bad. Only if…she could…

At the same time as Hinamori Momo was crying for how she thought she had destroyed Hitsugaya, he was dreaming. He was dwelling upon how…

He had failed her. He had failed…to protect her. He had promised her, sworn to himself, that he would always be there for her, to guide her and to shield her from the world. But in the end, he couldn't even make her see the truth. He wasn't worth being her friend, if he was so weak. If he couldn't even save her, there was no reason for him to continue trying to protect her forever.

He couldn't even tell her the truth…

So who was he to chase after her every time? She probably hated him, because he had been nothing in the end after all. Nothing…weak…pitiful…Echoes of those haunting words swept through the darkness clouding his mind. You aren't good enough for her. And you never…will…be…

He had to try harder from now on. To always be there for her. So she would never need to cry again, so that she would never hurt again-that was reason enough to keep going on. That was his reason for living.

He had to tell her. Tell her, that she didn't need to worry anymore. Tears wouldn't be needed after then. Because, now he was going to try harder. Now he would protect her. It was a promise.

As she sat there, lost to the world like he had been, but swallowed in her own grief, the sounds of her crying penetrated the darkness he had been living in.

The same brilliant eyes she had been longing to see opened and blinked dully. He had to tell her he would always be there from then on. "Momo…?" Reeling back, she dropped his hand and gasped. She had to tell him she was sorry for never seeing him there in front of her. "Why're you crying, Momo? Is it because of Aizen? Don't cry…I'll protect you from him. I won't let him hurt you-"

"Shirou-chan!" Hinamori stuttered. "I-I was-I didn't listen to you, and you got hurt, and it's all my fault, and, and-it's all…my fault…" She found that, even though she had told herself she would apologize directly, she couldn't even face him anymore. "It's all my fault," she whispered. "All mine-" Feeling his arms around her, she looked up again, shocked, and he murmured into her neck, "It's ok, Momo. Everything's fine. I'm here."

Leaning into his comforting embrace, she allowed herself that one reassurance. Wrapping her arms around him, she nodded slightly. Her Shirou-chan was awake now. He was here, with her, on Christmas, and it was snowing.

Everything was going to be

All right.


Ah, yeah, my friend said it was 'crappily sappy' at the end, but oh well it was a Xmas present anyways XD