It rained in Soul Society as much as it snowed - hardly ever. But for whatever reason, it was raining in the Soul Society tonight. Actually, it'd been raining almost non-stop ever since Ichigo returned to the human world with his friends.
It'd been raining since Yoruichi left Soi Fong-taichou and the Gotei 13 again.
It'd been raining since Aizen had escaped to the Huerco Mondo with Tousen-taichou and Ichimaru-taichou in tow.
But it hadn't started after Hinamori was brutally wounded and emotionally scarred by the man she called her role model. And that, that was the hardest part of all.
It was hard on all of them. Rangiku had become far too quiet for even Hitsugaya's liking. According to Ukitake, Komamura, Hisagi, and Kira were beating themselves up about the departure of their captains like Rangiku was.
But now was not the time to mourn the departure of their comrades - now was the time to arm themselves for the upcoming war.
It was all too surreal for Hitsugaya.
He wandered into the 4th Division's hospital wing, giving Unohana a curt nod. She smiled motherly at him in return. Hitsugaya found her lying where she'd been lying for the past week. Her skin was pale and her chest slowly rose up and down. Her hair was out of its usual bun or pigtails and sprawled out across the pillow, dull and without its usual sheen.
He'd been here every night ever since he was well enough to walk again. And every night was exactly the same. Hinamori Momo, his beloved childhood companion, lay perfectly comatose. Unohana warned him that, at this point, it seemed unlikely that Hinamori would be awaking any time soon.
"Give her more time," Unohana told him with a sad smile, radiating motherly warmth. Hitsugaya didn't know how to respond to something like that.
All his life, Hinamori had been a constant. She was his first real friend in the Soul Society, back when they lived on the streets of the 70th District. When Hinamori entered the Shinigami Academy, Hitsugaya was quick to do the same.
When Hitsugaya received his promotion to 10th Division Captain, Hinamori welcomed him into the Gotei 13 as Vice Captain of the 5th Division.
To see her lying there, so... so lifeless hurt him greatly.
"Hinamori," he croaked.
As he expected, she didn't respond.
"I heard Abarai and Kira visited you today." His voice was hoarse and his eyes had dark bags under them. Not many members of the Gotei 13 had been able to sleep well lately.
Hinamori lay there like she always did, peaceful yet lifeless, as she always looked.
"I won't see you for a while," he muttered, sighing sadly. "Yamamoto... he's ordered a special squad be assembled. I'm in it. So's Abarai and Matsumoto." Hitsugaya took a shaky breath. "We're going to find Aizen."
Just saying the bastard's name filled him with burning hatred.
"Hinamori," he croaked again. "Please... please get better soon."
It was funny. He might've cried. He almost cried when he saw Hinamori sprawled on the council floor, bleeding to death. But no matter what, Hitsugaya never cried. It might've been a side-effect of carrying the Hyourinmaru around. It made him too cold to cry.
Though if he was too cold to cry, his heart still had a spark of life.
Hitsugaya bent down and softly kissed Hinamori's forehead. Hitsugaya never believed in the fairy tales he'd heard back on the streets -- the ones from the human world, like Snow White and Rose Red. Where the prince would kiss his princess, and she would wake from her deep slumber.
There was a reason why Hitsugaya never believed in fairy tales -- they were just fairy tales. Hinamori did not wake; she remained as lifeless as ever.
He was quiet for a moment, then turned to leave. "Goodbye," he whispered, and shut the hospital wing's door shut.
If there was ever a time when Hitsugaya wanted to believe that life was a fairy tale, tonight was one.