Chapter 9
It was like a dream fading. The further they got away from Hueco Mundo, the more the figures of the zanpakuto faded, all three of them, until they stepped through to Soul Society. They arrived right outside the door to Hitsugaya's quarters. How ironic, to have returned to where the trouble began. Or perhaps they had planned it that way.
Ice Song had faded in Hitsugaya's arms. He guessed she was safe with her parents now.
What remained and was real, solid, was the new sword Sharon carried. She had no belt or sheath, just a blade, almost as long and slender as Hitsugaya's own. Only the hilt and grip showed the difference. The indigo didn't really reflect the light, but rather looked as if a piece of night sky were wrapped around the hilt.
"Don't forget an Internet hookup. There are sooooo many sites I want to check out… and I want to beta the polyglot filter so I can share the English sites with you. And wouldn't it be totally awesome if we could do email? I could pop you little love notes on clinic break – "
"Sharon." Hitsugaya was tired, but it was a happy kind of tired. They had been quite busy since their return; the entire report had been presented by them both at a full Captain's meeting, complete with the display of Oshidamaru's new sword form and her shikai glaive form… and Sharon had taken advantage of the opportunity to press the issue about the language barriers. "I really think all of that can wait, don't you? There's something I'd like to find out first."
Sharon reddened slightly. "I didn't know."
"I know you didn't know. I'm not blaming you. But if they had a daughter… what does that mean for her? A zanpakutou is supposed to be the manifestation of a person's soul. Whose soul does Ice Song belong to?" He was still having a bit of a time trying to remember to enunciate her name in English.
"Silly mama. Silly To-san." The silvery voice chimed in behind them. Ice Song ran up to Sharon, wrapping her arms around her waist, then turned to Hitsugaya and held him tight about the neck. He reflexively held the child in his arms. She squirmed a minute, then suddenly relaxed in his embrace. "To-san…" she mumbled, burying her face in his shoulder.
Sharon couldn't help smiling. "Looks like she's a real daddy's girl to me."
"Urusei" was all Hitsugaya mumbled back at her. He really didn't like children… but this felt good. Really good. Really right. Like a part of himself had been missing and he didn't know it until now.
She waved her little finger at him. "And daddy's girl has him wrapped around her little finger. Good and tight." Sharon dogded as he tried to swipe her, quite ineffectively as he still had one arm wrapped around Ice Song, and she had her arms still twined around his neck. "Are you their daughter, or our daughter?" Hitsugaya murmured into Ice Song's ear. "Yes." She giggled. He held her tight for another moment before she winked out.
"I guess there's really only one way to find out more about her. She seems to have inherited Scout's, um, independent spirit… and obviously has a will of her own…" Sharon blushed hotly at this.
This time Hitsugaya grabbed Sharon and held her tight. "I thought you didn't want to be a mother again."
"So Andrew will have a half sister. Sort of. It won't kill him. By the time he even finds out about her it will be far too late. If he finds out about her. I don't care how much he hates girls…" Hitsugaya silenced her rather effectively the best way he knew how. By the time they released the kiss, Sharon had her head nuzzled in his shoulder. "Annwyl… Toshiro-love… I only have one question left."
Hitsugaya was already running his fingers through her hair and loosening the front of her outfit. "Hmmm?" was all he said.
"Why wouldn't you tell me about Kusaka?"
He stopped with his hand on her chest. He had worked his way open to the place where the seal had been, the seal of the sign of the Tenth, the daffodil, he had placed in an attempt to bind Oshidamaru and spare her so much pain.
"I didn't have the words. I still don't." His voice was quiet and low. "You found the words for me."
"I'm better at borrowing other people's words," she answered. "Like 'thank you for the joy you bring to my table.' Or 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I wish I could be-holding you.' Besides, if anything, it was your heart that got you in all this trouble. First you loved Kusaka too much, then you loved me. What are we going to do with you and all that love?"
Hitsugaya just smiled. "Share it with you – and our daughter."
A silvery giggle faded into the distance. The two zanpakutou leaned against the wall, hilts touching. And in a vase, two fresh daffodils with stems crossed glowed in the soft light.
Satscout, chuckling: Told you I'd finally write an ending for this. If this were OneManga, I could use the "That's it, boys and girls" line...
Hitsugaya, frowning: About damn time. I was beginning to wonder what you had in mind.
Satscout: My mind kept changing. For the longest time, all I could see was the explosion. I had to figure out what happened around it.
Hitsugaya, frowning but slightly less: And you left me wrapped around the little finger of a little girl.
Satscout, with a grin: I so wish your mangaka would make you a father. I would just love to see it.
Hitsugaya, exasperated: Blatant plagiarism, woman. You stole Hyourinmaru from the Zanpakuto Rebellion filler arc.
Satscout, with a sigh: But it's sooo much easier to use a human Hyourinmaru the readers may have actually seen before.
Hitsugaya: Cheater.
Satscout: And he's sooo handsome.
Hitsugaya: And?
Satscout: And what? So he's handsome. You're more handsome.
Hitsugaya, reddening: Urusei.
