Rukia's promotion to lieutenant had changed the air of the lieutenant's meeting room, a little, but in a good way, Hinamori had found. Always good to have more girls in the room, as long as it didn't end up like a meeting of the Women's Association, at least. And, from the first time Hinamori saw Rukia's new haircut, the pretty sweep of the newly shorn locks, she had been somewhat envious of the bold new look. Admittedly, this was because she was also immediately arrested with curiousity over whether she would look good with such a change, but that was just because Rukia pulled it off so well.

She had been considering it anyway, as a sort of sign that she was fully recovered, or at least determined to do her best to get there. Wasn't that something girls did, she thought, to show something was different about them inside too? She asked Rukia, one morning while they were waiting for everyone to assemble for a routine meeting, whether her own makeover had been motivated by such a thing, or something simpler. Rukia had considered for a moment, before shrugging, a little abashed-looking. "It seemed the right time for a bit of a change, I suppose." She tilted her head curiously. "Why do you ask, Hinamori-san?"

Hinamori shook her head. "Oh, no reason, really..."

Matsumoto, coming in right that moment, almost-but-not-quite-late, as her usual style these days, had caught at least part of the conversation. "Ehhh, what's this Momo-chan? Thinking of getting your own hair cut?"

Blushing at her friend's teasing, she shrugged. "I don't know, it's just a thought I had, since Kuchiki-san looked so good with her new hairstyle, but..." She trailed off, embarassed.

But they, Rangiku and Rukia both, suddenly had a new gleam in their eyes, as they looked her over, consideringly. Rukia smiled softly. "I think it would look rather good on you, short hair, if that's what you were wanting."

"And if one Kuchiki approves..." Rangiku murmured, more for Hinamori's benefit than Rukia's. Rukia, though, still overheard, raising her eyebrows at Matsumoto's brashness, but saying nothing.

Hinamori did not appreciate this comment, especially in front of Kuchiki Byakuya's sister, of all people. "What do iyou/i think, Rangiku-san?" She asked pointedly, hoping to get this conversation back on the far less embarrassing, in retrospect, topic it had been on before.

Rangiku gave up the teasing, briefly, and considered gravely. "You'd carry it off fine," she finally decided, giving this judgement somewhat flippantly. "I'll be sticking with my long, luscious locks though, thank you very much."

Both Momo and Rukia rolled their eyes at that one, grinning at each other in their short unity. That was all they had time for before the last straggler (Renji, surprising no one) finally showed up, and the meeting was called to order.

She did ask Rangiku to go with her though, to the hairdresser. Moral support. Yes, she was excited, but also nervous. What if she didn't like it, but only found out after it was all cut off? She kept her eyes shut the whole time, even when there wasn't hair in her face, too nervous to look, lest she question her decision halfway through and not be able to go through with it. Rangiku chattered to her, and the hairdresser was a sweet lady, amused by the both of them, kept reassuring Momo that everything would be just fine, and when it was over...

Momo blinked at the girl in the mirror in front of her. Her hair hadn't been this short in years, decades even, since before she'd left the Rukongai for the academy. Before, let down from its bun, it had curled gently past her chest. It had grown even longer, while she was recovering.

Not only did she look entirely different, she ifelt/i like a new person too. Like someone who carried scars, but carried them as a sign she was still alive. Or perhaps she was putting too much significance into one haircut. She smiled nervously at Rangiku in the mirror. "What do you think?"

Rangiku squealed happily, and embraced her friend around her shoulders. "It looks great!"

"Yeah?"

"Mmmmhm! But," her demeanor turned sly and teasing. "What do you think your new beau will say?"

Hinamori scowled, wishing she could banish her blush just by thinking about it. "I'm sure I don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"Sure, sure, but you will tell me what he says, right?"

Hinamori rolled her eyes, and they left and went back to their divisions, teasing back and forth in their friendly way. When they reached the road where their paths diverged, Rangiku stopped her a moment, leaving off the teasing. "I got you something. Since you can't very well wear your hair in a bun anymore."

"That's true." Hinamori fingered the much shorter strands of hair, a little ruefully.

"So here!" Instead of handing it to her, Rangiku simply reached forward and clipped the hairpin onto Hinamori's hair. "There! It's a little sparkly for every day, so wear it to your next date!"

"Rangiku-san! It's not a date!" Realizing she'd raised her voice, Hinamori shut up, and said, in a much lower volume and register, "Captain Kuchiki is just being friendly, that's all, and very generous at that."

The other woman looked triumphant and smug and sly all at once, which was quite an accomplishment. "Who said anything about the captain, huuuuh?" She drawled out the word, knowing she'd gotten a slight victory over her friend, and amused by it.

Hinamori scowled even deeper at her friend. "Ohh, you!" But there was nothing more mature, nor drastic, to be done, than to stick her tongue out at her friend briefly. "iAnyway/i, I'm certain he'll have no opinion at all on it, my non-existent beau. It's only hair, after all."

She was wrong, of course. When she showed up for the promised walk through the Natural Garden on the Kuchiki Estates, with her new, shorter hair style, the simple, but very pretty enameled metal pin holding a piece of it back from her face, Byakuya looked mildly surprised. Hinamori was suddenly worried she had made a mistake, that he hated it, or thought it looked too much like Rukia's, or the pin Rangiku had given her was wrong, or-

"It suits you, your new hairstyle."

Hinamori blinked, brushing a much-shorter lock behind her ear nervously. "Oh, ah, thank you. I admired Kuchiki-fukutaichou's so much, I decided I could do with a change as well."

The slightest of smiles crossed his face, encouraging a much larger and pinker one from her. "A good change, then. Shall we?"

The Natural Garden was, unlike most of the other gardens on the estates, cultivated to look as untouched as possible, though it was a lot of work, she knew, to keep it looking that way. It was a more contemporary style, he explained, as they walked and she took in everything with wide eyes. Wild and wandering, but not chaotic. Controlled carefully, but not constricted. Neither of them said it, but both thought that that description suited the other person as well.

They took refreshments in a pavilion set between this garden and a small pond in the next, the late summer night taking hold around them as the afternoon drew on. Hinamori, having duties to get back tobid him farewell, somewhat reluctantly, and left him at the garden gate.

It was a change, that was for certain, the three new-old faces standing in the captain's room.

The Sixth Division, other than its reckless, running-off lieutenant and its steadier, duty-bound captain following, did not suffer very much at all, in the Winter War. There had been speculation that there would be some upheaval if the captains decided to promote the reluctant Renji to a full captaincy to fill the holes left by the betrayals and deaths. But the three returning captains put that notion to rest, and Renji is glad of it.

Renji is curious as to why his captain, to whom Renji is still loyal as bone, is keeping seemingly-detached but in reality quite detailed tabs on the recovery of certain other lieutenant patients. He decides, eventually, that it must be curiosity, mixed with some slight suspicion, regarding how well the old lieutenants will get along with their new captains. What else could it be? Surely he couldn't have kept that weird preoccupation with Renji's old friend Momo through the war, right?

Soon, though, everyone's attention is diverted to the Living World, again. Even when Kurosaki Ichigo does not have powers, he seems to attract a great deal of trouble to him, that much is certain. Renji and Rukia, by dint of their long experience with Ichigo, are very much involved in the project, and because those two are, Byakuya is. That's how he explains his involvement to Renji, at least, making it subtly clear that there are to be no further questions on this subject (because it's not as if he's doing this for the boy, no, of course not).

And if a captain chooses to take his limited leisure time in garden strolls and pleasant company, well, who can fault him? He allows Rukia and the others to take the lead in the endeavour, agreeing to a living world expedition, offering his reiatsu, and doing all that is asked of him, but his leisure time is still his own, barring an emergency. Hinamori is one of the few people around him not intimately involved with this latest project of Urahara's, and he is glad of the fact that discussions with her do not ultimately come around to Kurosaki Ichigo and his situation, usually.

One evening as the shadows grow longer, he weighs the balance of leaving paperwork to be (not) done by Renji versus doing it himself and getting back to the estate late enough for nothing more than a meal and sleep, and finds himself wondering if perhaps he does not find her too pleasant. She is sweet, and kind, and to even his experienced eyes, it seems genuine, and he enjoys spending evenings with her. Maybe he enjoys them too much, he thinks.

Ridiculous, the other side of him argues. She is smart, gentle, not prone to loud outbursts or overawe, and she has an appreciation for the gardens that he finds pleasing. But there is the dark undertone of doubt that he cannot quite quash, especially when he sees her the next evening, in looking wonderful and cool in her straw-colored yukata, chrysanthemums in gold scattered over the fabric, her everyday hairpiece holding back the fall of her hair.

She smiles when she sees him and bows (a little belatedly), and apologizes for her somewhat less formal attire. But it is a hot day, even with evening coming on, and the cicadas are singing, and he cannot find it in himself to care overmuch. Besides, it gives him an idea.

Hinamori looks delighted at his suggestion that they go outside of Seireitei, to the first district, to take in the sights and sounds of the place. Of course, this delight is explained somewhat as she explains that she grew up there, and visits often, and would love to show him about the place. In his own dark yukata, he at least doesn't stick out like a sore thumb, too much, in such a low-numbered and prosperous district. He watches her as she soars from place to place, greeting people she knows, and even some she doesn't, and finds himself smiling at her pleasure. He is somewhat bemused when his sandaled feet follow hers to the entrance of a small house, well-kept and well-lit in the slowly creeping dusk, but allows it.

"Granny?" She calls out, flashing him an apologetic smile as she steps out of her shoes and up onto the floor. "Sorry, I was just going to see if she was in..."

He shakes his head at her apology. He never thought to ask, whether she still had family, or as near as one could come to it, out here in the Rukongai, still living. Any reply he might have is silenced when an old, bent woman meets Hinamori in the hallway, embracing her before holding her out at arm's length. "My, how you've grown!" Though this is possibly not true, unless Hinamori has been away for far too long, Hinamori does not argue. "And you're not in uniform for once!"

Hinamori smiles, waving a hand to indicate the entranceway, where her friend stands uncertainly. "I was out for a walk, I wanted to say hello, so we came by."

Though it was technically one-sided decision on her part, Byakuya finds no objection nor problem with this on his part. It's only a walk, after all, and he is interested. The woman Hinamori calls grandmother clearly shares the sentiment, peering at him down the hallway. "You left your friend standing there? For shame! Come in, come in!" She crows, directing the last part at Byakuya, who bows, and complies, because it is only polite, murmuring his greetings though he isn't entirely sure of the old woman's hearing.

"You came all the way from the city?" Hinamori nodded at her grandmother's question as the matriarch led them all into the sitting room. "Then sit, both of you, sit and I'll find you something refreshing."

The two of them did as they were bid. Hinamori knew exactly where the cushions were, where, to sit, it seemed, and he wondered just how often she visited this woman. Often enough, it seemed, as she seemed slightly embarrassed, having more than a moment to think about it. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to drag you in here. You don't have to stay."

Surprised at her apology, though immediately he wondered why he was, since that's the sort of thing she thought about, Byakuya shook his head. "Unless you would prefer I go," he offered magnanimously, if with some hesitation.

"Ah, no, that's not it at all, just that I know you wanted a walk, and I wasn't thinking, really, since I visit here so often..."

He understood, then. It had been automatic, a matter of her feet taking her where they thought she should go. It was an experience he had shared, on occasion. It did not seem to have been premeditated, and furthermore... "She seems like an intriguing person, your grandmother. Is she truly your grandmother?"

The cracked voice of the woman in question answered, even as Hinamori sprang to her feet to offer to take the tray from her. "No, no, but we're as close as family. I raised her and little Toshirou up from tiny things, no bigger than your arm."

Hinamori looked slightly embarrassed about this, hiding her blush by looking down to pour the chilled barley tea. It took Byakuya several seconds to put together 'Toshirou' with the stern, older-than-he-seemed (sometimes) Tenth Division captain. He knew they had been close friends since childhood, it was true, but. "I see. Then your influence has indeed been admirable," he told her gravely.

"Oh no, not at all, they're good kids, I didn't do that much." Still, he could tell she was pleased by his praise.

But it seemed the embarrassment was a bit too much for Hinamori to take so, after trying to banish some of her blush (perhaps she had been walking too fast, he thought, she did look rather flushed indeed) with a long sip of tea, she changed the subject. "So! Granny. How have things been here? The watermelon growing well this year?"

It worked, much to Hinamori's apparent relief, and an hour or two and several cold glasses of tea passed in happy chatter about gardens and fruit and reassurances that everyone was doing just fine. By that time, it was well on into evening, and Byakuya estimated that it was really past time for them to be going. Evidently, he didn't need to say anything to Hinamori to see she was thinking the same thing. With reassurances that she would visit again very soon, and that she would tell Toshirou to do the same, they soon found themselves back in the entrance hall.

The old woman regarded him for a long moment there, expression in her nest of wrinkles unreadable. Finally, she shook her head a little. Not knowing what this meant, Byakuya could not decide whether offense or some other reaction was called for. She didn't say anything outside of the usual things one said upon parting, so he filed it away in his mind as strange as they made their way back onto the quieting streets of the town.

On their way back to town, Hinamori explained a bit more, voice hushed as she spoke and the stars began to shine above them. "She doesn't know everything, about what Hitsugaya-kun and I do, but she has her guesses. It's hard to visit her when, well." She quieted, chewing on her lip for a moment. "When I'm not feeling well," she finished with the euphemism. When one was in the Fourth or, worse, the Twelfth, yes, that would be difficult. "She worries about us both but..." She trailed off, shaking her head.

It had often been a burden to him, growing up, knowing that he would be expected to take on not only the mantle of head of household and clan but, if he proved able, the leadership of a division as well. How strange, to have relatives that didn't understand about the dangers of a shinigami's daily life, the stresses and strains. He'd never considered that before. "I see." What more was there to say? He couldn't think of it.

They walked in relative silence for a bit, the various insects more than happy to fill the space, mixed in with a chorus of frogs from the ponds, when they returned to the Seireitei proper, and his estates. She seemed lost in contemplation of something, which he took as permission, in turn, to contemplate matters of his own. If only thoughts like how the moonlight looked shining off the gold threads in her yukata didn't keep intruding on the deeper ones, like what an interesting woman that had been, and he could see where Hinamori had gained some of her own kindness.

And then he realized she was staring at him. "Are you alright?"

Byakuya shook himself from his revere, meeting her concerned, shadow-dark eyes. "Yes, of course. I apologize... I seem to have kept you out rather late."

She laughed. "I think it was the other way around."

Well, he could allow that much. "Still, it is past supper. Would you... care to eat something?"

"Before I go? Ah," she thought a moment. "That's too kind of you, but..."

"Please." He bit his tongue to restrict the giddy, stupid, boy-ish urge to tell her she wouldn't have to go, even after, sticking to polite formalities instead.

"Alright then, thank you very much."

Their light repast was in a room with all the outside doors and windows pulled back, inviting in as much breeze as possible in the still, hot, night air. Sleeping would be miserable, he realized. He doubted he'd get much at all, in the end. Thoughtlessly, he mentioned this to her, simply making drowsy conversation in the sticky summer night.

This, of course, led Hinamori to contemplation of sleeping habits, Byakuya's, and all the elements that entailed. She managed to stammer out that she enjoyed hot weather herself, but sometimes had trouble sleeping in it too. Her stammer managed to bring home to Byakuya the subject that he himself had inadvertantly brought up. She was clearly uncomfortable with the subject, judging by her flushed face, so why wasn't he, he wondered idly.

"I apologize," he said formally. "I did not mean to make you uncomfortable." He was disappointed that he had, truthfully.

Hinamori shook her head swiftly, her cheeks still blazing. "No, it's not that at all, I mean. Well. Yes, but not-" She huffed a frustrated sigh, shaking her head. "I should go," she said suddenly instead. "I've imposed far too much on Kuchiki-sama's time already."

He frowned. This-was it his own selfish wishful thinking, or did this go past discomfort, and... into something he was beginning to get a glimmer of the shape of. "Only if you feel you must."

Momo's head was swimming. It was far too warm a night, even with the veranda open to the sky, and how could he be so casual, and maybe Rangiku was right and she'd been thinking far more of all of this than she ever had the right to. Who was she to him, after all? Just a trifle, an acquiantance, maybe, someone to pass time with... right? "I- I don't know," she stammered, honest. "Perhaps I, maybe I shouldn't come back." It pained her to even suggest such a thing, but really, maybe it would be for the best. She'd had an unrequited crush on someone so far above her she couldn't hope to touch them, and it had ended with a sword in her gut. Better to end this now, on her part, on her terms...

Except now ihe/i looked like she'd hit him or something, just by suggesting such a thing. "Is my company that unpleasant to you?" He asked, confused.

"No! No of course not, but I just..." And now she'd gone and embarrassed herself again, she berated silently. How was it that she was always doing things like this, painting herself into stupid corners with nothing but her words and her feels. She wasn't Renji, didn't think you could punch your way out of any problem, but all the strategy she'd ever devised with kidou and zanpakutou always seemed to fail her when her tool was words instead.

There was really nothing for it, was there? He was looking bemused, with his eyebrows up, and her choices were to flee like a coward or to come clean about things. Either way, she risked losing a friendship she found she valued quite a bit now. Even if she had just suggested a cessation of contact, the twisty feeling in her gut told her that that would make her miserable, even if it was what had to be done. If she ran, she didn't think she would ever see him outside his capacity as captain and superior ever again, but if she stayed...

She dropped her eyes to the table in front of her. When she spoke, it was so quietly that he had to lean foward to hear her clearly. But it was the only way. Momo had decided long ago that she was not a coward. So. "It's just that I like you, more than I should, I think, and, and well, you've no reason to think of me as anything more than a colleague, so... I'm sorry." Her last words were in a near whisper. It had all come out in a rush, and she really couldn't take it back now, could she? What a stupid confession, she scolded, Tobiume joining in somewhat more enthusiastically than sat well with Momo. Like a silly, stupid girl. Any moment now, she was sure, he'd laugh at her, or tell her to leave and not come back, and she wasn't sure which would be worse.

A long moment of silence passed before she dared to look up, uncertain whether he was even still there, he was so quiet. He was, yes, and he had even moved closer to her, kneeling quite close indeed, examining her intently. Momo swallowed down the urge to apologize or cry or both, closing her eyes. "Well?"

His shaky laugh led her to look at him again, this time in confusion. The intensity of his stare had been replaced by something she couldn't quite identify. "Well indeed."

She frowned, confusion now her main feeling, reflected on her face. "Sorry?" She asked, less apologetic than bewildered.

Was it wonder, she thought, or relief? Maybe some of each. "I suppose I must apologize as well." Here it came, she thought, swallowing through a suddenly dry mouth. "I do not," he looked somewhat uncomforatble admitting it, even to her. "Have many that I count as friends. I was wary of altering my actions toward you because of my own inclinations, lest it change the nature of our friendship, or even did away with it altogether."

Confused, Hinamori stared at him. "What are you saying?"

"I," he began, and then faltered, seemingly as unsure as she was, if not more. How could that be, she wondered? But so it seemed. "I find myself rather fascinated by you, Hinamori Momo. More than, possibly, I ought to, but to find that fascination is mutual, well."

It took a few more seconds of staring before it finally registered that, oh, that's what he was saying. Slowly, shyly, she smiled, bowing her head. "You're saying, that you like me?"

"Of course." Byakuya seemed amused, to her. "And what's more, that I wouldn't, mm, be averse to the idea of exploring such an attraction." He held up a hand to stave off further comment, just yet. "Discreetly, of course." They both had reputations to uphold, though his struck her as far more lofty and, therefore, much harder to maintain, than her own, but that was alright. She could help.

"Of course."

The cicadas sung in the silence between them, as they each pondered the shift in the tone of the night, and of this thing between them, whatever it was. It was Momo who finally broke it, voice quiet but pleased, face flushed, bringing up the weather again, continuing their conversation as if nothing had changed. Except it had. Not least of which being that the night drew on into star-studded coolness, and eventually, she had to go home. But not, of course, without saying goodbye.

So, with the cicadas loud in his ears and the scent of full-blown roses all around him, Kuchiki Byakuya asked if he might kiss her.

The attack on Soul Society came soon after, and after that, there was no more time for anything at all.