Momo had been to the human world on few separate occasions but all of them were of her killing Hollows or training exercises. None of those times ever involved her getting out of her Shinigami robes. Her Captain had taken her to Urahara's to get some Gigai but it seems that he wasn't too pleased with the clothes he had for her. While he changed back into his old clothes that he wore back when he was hiding in the human world he had insisted on taking her shopping for some new clothes. She honesty didn't mind the old blue dress that Rukia use to wear but she didn't feel like arguing with her Captain so she let him drag her around town. They finally found a nice boutique and he had the saleswomen shove her into the changing room and hand her mountains of clothes. It felt like she had gone on a shopping spree with Rangiku. "Captain, is all this really necessary?" she asked, pulling back the curtain to reveal her wearing a pink Chinese dress. Why he had her try this on she'll never know.
"Hey, when we're in this world just call me, Shinji," he gave her an amused grin before stepping back to review her outfit. It certainly looks nice on you but it unless a festival suddenly pops up I don't think it will work. Try one another one."
Momo couldn't do much more than sigh and change into yet another outfit. Her Captain knew this world better than she did so she might as well do as he says. Closing the curtain she changed out of the kimono and looked around the filled dressing room. There were so many clothes in here it would take forever to pick something out. Honesty when she was told that they would have a relaxing day in the human world she pictured it to be much more relaxed than this. Picking yet another outfit she held it up to herself and looked in the mirror. It was a white shirt with ruffles coming down the center and a long black skirt that looked so tight she wasn't sure if she could even get it on. Putting down the skirt she looked around and found a nice brown skirt that complimented the shirt and her much more. With a smile she put on the outfit she chose, adding a light pink jean jacket and knee high brown boots. Pulling back the curtain she stepped out with a smile, proud of the outfit that she chose.
Shinji looked her over and grinned. "I think we have a winner," taking out a credit card from his pocket he motioned over to the saleswoman and handed her the card. "She'll be wearing this out." He told the woman before turning his attention back to Momo who was checking herself out in the mirror. "You know, you should wear clothes like this more often. I've been telling the old man for years that those old uniforms are getting to be so boring. I mean everyone is always running around, wearing the same exact thing. Sometimes I can't remember who's in my squad and who isn't." he groaned, running one hand through his hair.
Momo giggled. "It would be nice to wear clothes like this every once and a while." She said, a light blush on her cheeks as she stared at herself in the mirror. She liked her robes but she had to admit that wearing clothes like this were really fun and they made her look pretty.
Shinji grinned at her and patted her head. "Yeah, it would be. Especially if it can get the one you like to notice ya." He nudged her and winked. He nearly fell over laughing when he whole face lit up like a Christmas tree. Her whole face was red from the blush she had and her eyes were as wide as plates.
"Captain Hirako!" she couldn't believe he just said that. She did a quick scan of the store, making sure no one heard them. Specifically a certain someone. It was very unlikely that the person they were speaking of would be there but you can never be too careful. That was the last thing she needed. For him to find out and in such a manner. She'd probably die of embarrassment if their conversation somehow reached his ears. She wasn't ready for him to know.
Shinji continued to laugh even as the saleswoman came back to give him his card. He led his Lieutenant out of the store and patted her head in an affectionate manner. "Sorry, but I couldn't help myself. You really do make it too easy to tease you," they started walking again down the street, in his hand was the bag containing her old clothes. "And I told you to call me Shinji when we're in the human world."
Momo didn't reply. She didn't feel like talking to him at the moment. While he may have just been teasing her the subject of her feelings was a touchy subject. It wasn't one she wanted to talk about with people, especially not her Captain who more than once would go out with drinks with Rangiku and spill every secret he had in him. When the man was drunk he tells everyone exactly what's on his mind and that has gotten him in trouble more than once.
"Alright, I'm sorry," he sighed, hands in his pockets. He didn't intend to hurt her feelings but it seems he did and he wasn't the type of guy who would continue to hurt a girl once she was down. "I was just trying to get you to lighten up a bit. You've been so down lately."
She looked at him from the corner of her eye and sighed herself. Maybe it was time to open up with people about her problems. She's been trying to deal with it herself but maybe that wasn't the best idea. She didn't want to be viewed as weak anymore but there were just certain situations where she needed to accept help. "Well I-" She was cut off when her Captain was sent flying down the street and collided with a lamppost. She stood there, shocked and utterly confused. Turning her head to the side she saw her Captain's old friend Hiyori standing beside her, looking annoyed.
"What the hell!" Shinji was on all fours, his body somewhat shaking from the impact his body took and his face set in a frown but all that vanished the moment he saw who kicked him. "Hi-Hiyori!?" he gulped in fear and began to shake again, but this time for a different reason.
The blonde hadn't changed all that much from the war. She still wore the same red track suit and had her hair up in two pigtails. She walked up to Shinji and stared down at his shaking form before taking off her shoe and smacking him right across the face with it. "You dumbass!" she cried, smacking him again for good measures. She huffed, putting her shoe back on and glared down at her old friend whose face was now red and swollen. "Just what kind of stupid shit do you think you're doing now? Coming to the human world and not even telling us. What kind of dumbass Captain are you?!" she cried, now shaking him by the collar of his shirt.
Shinji grabbed her hands, trying to break her hold on him. Or at least get her to stop shaking him. "Would you knock it off. Momo and I were finished for the day with our duties so I figured we take the rest of the day off to relax and enjoy ourselves." He explained, finally getting her to let go and stood back up on his feet.
"Momo?" Hiyori looked back and saw Momo standing behind them, looking confused and slightly scared. "So your this fool's Lieutenant."
Momo quickly snapped to attention and bowed. "Yes, I am. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Hiyori." She wanted to show her respects to the woman who had come to help them in the war. She heard the stories of what Aizen had done to her and her friends so she wanted to show the woman some respect. That and because she was scared if she didn't she'd be the one getting hit next.
Hiyori stared at the girl in front of her, her cheeks suddenly turning a light pink. She cleared her throat and looked away. "Yeah, it's good to meet you too." She put her hands on her hips and kept her gaze away. She had always been telling people to show her respect and now that someone was it made her feel embarrassed. Shinji noticed this and snorted which caused the blonde beside him to grown and kick him in the stomach. "Stupid idiot," she mumbled when she saw his unconscious form on the sidewalk. Sighing she dragged him by the collar and started to head back the way she came. "I'll deal with this idiot for now so you can continue to do as you please. If you feel like it you can stop by our place for some food." She said, leaving behind a stunned Hinamori and a crowd that seemed scared to even get near the girl.
Shaking herself out of her stupefied state she looked back and saw that Hiyori and her Captain were already long gone. Letting out a low sigh she started walking, eyes looking at all the different shops. She figured she would check out a few stores before heading back to the Soul Society. It didn't take her long to come across a bookstore and for a smile to come across her face. With a light skip she went into the store and looked in awe at all the books before her. It didn't her very long to pick out the books she wanted. Thankfully she had enough money on her to pay for them. Rangiku had told her that she should always spare money on her as a just in case she ever came to the human world. Bidding the clerk a goodbye she stepped outside the store but collided with someone. She was pushed to the side but luckily kept her balance. "I'm so sorry!" she bowed quickly, hoping to show she meant her apology.
"Yeah, well an apology ain't gonna do it."
Momo paled when she saw who she had bumped into. A guy who looked exactly like a delinquent. He had black hair that was spiked with tons of hair gel, eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses and a scar running along under his chin. He wore a white t-shirt with a black leather jacket, ripped blue jeans and combat boots on him. His two friend behind him sporting the same look only they had their jackets wrapped around their waists and a dark green and red shirt. The one she had bumped into had a stain from the soda he was holding on his shirt. He stared at her and she gulped. "This shirt was expensive."
"I'm so sorry. I promise I'll pay for dry cleaning." She quickly offered, hoping not to cause a fight. She didn't want to cause a scene with them. She was no weakling but she didn't want to hurt them.
The male looked her over and grinned, waltzing over to her and throwing his arm around her shoulder. "I have a better idea. How about instead of cleaning my shirt you help me take it off." He whispered into her ear. She gasped when his lips pressed against her skin and quickly shoved him off. "You bitch, you're gonna regret that!" he charged at her, a knife now in his hand.
Momo readied herself, one hand raised to fight back. She's been enough fights to know how to defend herself without her Zanpakuto.
However she didn't need to defend herself. Before he could come close to her he was kicked away and landed on the ground with a loud thud. His two buddies ran to help him up and glared behind her. "You guys must be pretty pathetic if you're attacking girls with a knife." Momo turned around and looked on in awe when she saw Ichigo Kurosaki standing there.
"You bastard! You want to get your ass kicked?!" the guy from before stood up on his feet, face now bruised from the hit he took.
"Funny, I was about to say the same exact thing," Ichigo stepped in front of Momo, guarding her from another attack and grinned at the three boys before him. "Now come on, who's first." He cracked his neck, showing he was more than ready for a fight.
The three boys didn't say anything. They froze in fear for a moment before taking off running and screaming like the scared little girls they were.
Ichigo watched them go, a look of confusion now on his face. "I didn't think they'd run off that fast." He mumbled. He had been expecting them to put up some kind of a fight or at least some more insults but he certainly didn't think they'd runaway so quickly.
Momo giggled at his confusion. "I wouldn't worry about them too much," she looked up at the orange-haired boy and smiled. "Thank you for saving me."
Ichigo looked down and smiled back. "It's no problem," he stared at the girl for a moment before a look of realization overtook his face. "Aren't you Shinji Hirako's Lieutenant?"
She nodded, "Yes, that's right. I'm Momo Hinamori." She held out her hand for him to shake.
"It's nice to meet you. My name's Ichigo Kurosaki." He shook her hand, adjusting the bags of groceries that she just noticed he held in his hands.
She laughed again, her hand leaving his much larger one. "I know who you are. After all you're pretty famous in the Soul Society."
Her comment made him blush. "Really? Well I mean I wouldn't really say famous," he rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. He had to say in all his time meeting everyone from the Soul Society this girl had to be the nicest. "By the way, is there a reason why you're here?" he asked. He hadn't sensed anything going on so he wasn't sure if it was a Hollow or if she was on a secret mission.
Momo shook her head, dismissing any thoughts of being on a mission. "Actually my Captain suggested that we take some time off and relax in this world since all our duties back home were finished." She told him.
"I see," he nodded. "So where's Shinji now?" he looked around and saw no signs of the blonde haired man.
Momo looked to the side, not really sure how to answer that question. "To be honest I don't really know. Not too long after we arrived he was dragged off somewhere by his old friend, Miss Hiyori."
Ichigo heard this and chuckled. "Poor Shinji, probably getting the snot beat out of him right now," he grinned, already imaging the slap fest that the short blonde was giving to the poor man. "Well if you've got nothing better to do than you can stay with me. I'm just finishing up some shopping with my family but once I'm done I can show you around town." He said, gesturing for her to follow him.
Momo smiled, eyes bright with glee. "I would like that very much," she walked beside him and looked down at the bags he was carrying. "If you like I can carry one of the bags for you. It's the least I can do." He rescued her from a bunch of hoodlums and she wanted to repay him.
Ichigo shook his head, "No way, I couldn't impose on you like that." He was actually surprised, usually when he meets up with someone from the Soul Society, namely Rangiku, they would always make him carry their bags. It was a pleasant change to have someone offer to help him.
"Please, I insist," she reached for a bag but he moved it out of her grasp just before she could grab it. She sent him a quick pout before reaching out again and this time grabbing onto one of the handles. She tried pulling it from him but he wouldn't budge so in the end she gave up and held onto her one end of the handle. "Fine, we can hold it like this. This way I'm still helping you." She told him, holding tight to her end while her other arm held the bags of books that she bought close to her chest.
Ichigo chuckled at her, pleasantly amused with her behavior and grinned. "Sounds good to me."
They walked on, heading back to Ichigo's family and neither noticed the flash of light that came from behind or the chuckling that followed soon after.
~X~
Hitsugaya did all he could to hold back his rage but it was hard to do when he was being forced to sit there and go about his everyday life when he just heard from Rangiku that his childhood friend was in love with someone. He frowned instantly at the thought, adding more pressure to his pen that he already held in a tight grip. He sent a glare over to his Lieutenant, who for once was actually doing her work. The paperwork they had to do for the day was nearly completed and if they continued at this rate they would be finished before sunset. It was a nice change of pace, now if only he could enjoy it. But he couldn't because he was driving himself mad with thoughts of who Hinamori could be in love with. Was it someone from her squad? Did he know the person? Were they a good guy? Or was it a girl she liked? He quickly shook his head from those thoughts. He needed to focus, the faster he finished up with his work the quicker he could get to Hinamori and start to ask her about her love interest. He needed to know who she liked so he could hunt them down and make sure they wouldn't hurt her. After all it was his job to protect her so if any guy wanted to be with her they would need to get his approval.
But first they had to prove that they were worthy of being with her and from what he's seen of the men around the Seireitei he doubted any of them could prove their worth. The only way they ever could was if they could show him that they could protect her better than he can. He was a Captain so he doubted anyone he was thinking of would be stronger than he was. Not unless it was another Captain. He banged his head on his desk and growled. His ear twitched when he heard the sound of light laughter from the his Lieutenant and he shot her a mean look."Matsumoto," he called over to her, teeth bared.
"Sorry, Captain but I promised Momo that I would tell anyone about who she liked." She told him, giving him a coy smile and taking a sip of her sake. It's such a shame she never thought of this idea before, it made drinking in the office a lot easier.
"But I'm not just anyone. I'm her childhood friend. I have a right to know who she likes." He called out, standing on his feet and banging his hands on his desk. It probably looked pretty childish but he didn't care. He just had to know. "I need to know..." he mumbled, looking down at the ground for a moment, his eyes dimming for a moment.
Rangiku was surprised to see him behaving this way. She had not been expecting this kind of reaction from him. Setting her cup down she turned in her seat on the couch to get a better look at him. "This really bothers you, doesn't it?"
He didn't want to look at her. He knew what kind of face he was making. It was the same face he always had when Aizen was still around and Momo would follow him around like a lovesick puppy. "I just need to know that I won't lose her." That was his biggest fear. He was well aware of his feelings for her. He's known how he felt about her since their days in Jurinan but he's kept silent because he didn't want to lose the close bond they had. There were so many times he wanted to tell her. When she left for the academy, when she became a Shinigami, or even when she still believed Aizen wasn't a traitor. He wanted to tell her so many times so that she would stop seeing him as a child and view him as a man. A child does not feel the strong feelings that he feels for her that he has had everyday of his life. He knew the likelihood of her loving him back was not in his favor. She saw him as a child, even a little brother figure and he convinced himself he could live with that so long as he can stay by her side. But if she falls for someone else there was a chance she would be taken away from him and he wouldn't be able to handle a world without her with him. He needed her in his life. Even know thinking about her being with someone else and leaving him all alone made him want to cry. Maybe he was still a child if he was throwing such a fit over the mere thought of losing her but he couldn't stop it. He loved her.
Sky blue eyes widen at the sight of her Captain looking so vulnerable. She's never seen him look like this before. "He's really scared of losing her." She hadn't realized how much her joking was affecting him. It was obvious there was more to him and his feelings that she didn't know about. "You shouldn't worry so much. Momo isn't the type of person that would abandon somebody she cares for. Especially not someone she's known her whole life," she offered him a kind smile. Reassuring him that no matter how scared he was his fears of her leaving him would never come true. "Besides, when you think about it it's pretty obvious who she likes?" she sent her Captain a wink, hoping this would lighten his mood and put away the fears that he had.
Hitsugaya lifted his head and stared at her. Teal eyes stared into light blue ones, trying to understand the message she was giving him. The look she was giving him said something but he couldn't figure it out. What was he missing? If it was so obvious then why couldn't he figure it out? He had been trying for the last hour but he couldn't think of anybody that she could have feelings for. He thoughts of all her friends and her squad members but he's never heard or seen anything from her that could give away the notion that she liked them. He always made sure to pay special attention to her when she interacted with other guys beside himself. He was always on watch to see if maybe she could have feelings for them but he never saw her behave any differently with them. The only time he drops his guard and doesn't focus all his energy into studying her actions is when she's with him. Whenever the two are alone he can always relax and be himself. He didn't focus on her actions because he was too busy paying attention to what she was either saying or doing with him. He was too busy enjoying the moment. Suddenly it felt like he had just been slapped across the head and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. "Really?" he looked ahead, keeping his gaze on his Lieutenant who was smiling at him. He gulped and felt his cheeks heat up. "Momo, she likes..."
He was cut off by a knock at the door.
Rangiku groaned but answered it. They were right in the middle of having a good moment too. She was hoping by helping him understand Momo's feelings then he would lighten up and find the girl so she could leave the office and go out drinking. "What?" she all but barked, rather annoyed that they were being interrupted. She was looking forward to his facial expressions when he realized the truth.
A member from their squad was at the door and looked slightly scared. "I'm sorry to bother you ma'am but I was ordered to give this to you." He handed her a white envelope and ran off through the barracks.
She watched him go and rolled her eyes at his stupid behavior. Closing the door she turned back to her Captain and nearly fell over laughing at the daze he was in. His cheeks were still a light shade of red while his eyes were clouded over, telling her that he was in a world of his own. She covered her mouth with her hand to stop the laughter that wanted to come out but it was no use, she's never seen him in such a state. Now if only she had a camera. Sitting down on the couch she was ready to finish up the last few papers she had left when she remembered the envelope. "It's addressed to me," she flipped it over and saw on the back who the sender was. "Urahara sent this. But what could he possibly be sending me?" she was kind of scared to open this now. The last time she had seen the man she was hung over and the medicine he gave her had her crying in pain in the Fourth Division. Giving it a quick shake she determined it was not more medicine and carefully opened the letter.
"Dear Rangiku, I hope you're feeling better. Sorry about that, Tessai and his medicine can be pretty scary. As an apology I've sent you something that I've think you'll find rather humorous."
He signed the letter with a smiling cartoon face of himself giving a peace sign. Sometimes she wondered how such a strange man was once a Captain. She looked back at the envelope and saw that there was something else sticking out of it. "It's a photograph..." she wasn't so sure she wanted to see what he sent her but she couldn't fight her curiosity. Taking the picture she turned it around to see its contents and screamed so loud that it had awoken Hitsugaya from his dream world.
"What's going on!?" he held one hand on the hilt of his Zanpakuto and began to search the room for an enemy. When he saw none he turned his gaze to Rangiku, who was sitting on the couch, holding a picture in her hands and looking quite fearful. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" he walked over to the couch, his hand removed from the sword but still had his guard up. Whatever was sent to her seemed to frighten her and he was worried what it could be.
"It's nothing!" she jumped to get feet, putting the picture behind her when she saw him getting closer. "That stupid Renji just sent me a picture of himself naked. He's such an idiot." She tried laughing it off. Hoping to throw him off before he saw the picture. If he saw it then she had no doubts about the Seireitei entering an ice age.
Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow at her and crossed his arms. "Renji did that last year and I remember you laughing in hysterics. Now what are you really looking at?" he was annoyed that she was trying to hide something from him. He didn't like it, he was her Captain so she should show him the upmost respect when it came to matters like this.
Rangiku gulped and backed up. "No!" she couldn't let him see this picture. If he saw it then she had no doubts in her mind that the Seireitei would be entering a ice age. She tried making a break for the door but he was faster than her and snatched the photo out of her hands.
"Honestly," he sighed, the picture now in his hand and looked at her like she was crazy. "Just what is so bad about a stupid picture?" he looked at the photograph and froze. His eyes widened in shock and in dread.
Rangiku saw this and gulped. "Now Captain, I'm sure it's not what it looks like it. I bet Urahara did this as a joke." She tried calming him down but he wasn't listening.
His focus was on the picture in his hand. He saw Momo and Ichigo walking together, holding onto a plastic bag that held groceries and looking very happy with themselves. They looked like a typical couple walking down the street together. His eyes staring at Momo's smiling face, she looked so happy walking with the orange-haired substitute Soul Reaper that it made his blood boil. Most people would probably feel like their whole body had lost all heat and they would go cold but that wasn't the case for him. He was always cold, a sensation he knew very well but what he was feeling now as completely different. He felt holt, boiling with anger and rage. He frowned, teeth bared from his rage and his power became unstable as he froze the walls of his office. He crumpled the picture in his hands, his body shaking and the temperature was dropping by the second.
"Captain, calm down!" Rangiku cried, trying to stop him before he froze the whole building and with everyone in it. She gasped when he turned to her, eyes glaring with such anger. She's never seen him give her such a look before. But there was more to the look than just anger. There was also betrayal. He had allowed himself to believe her words and had hope but now he knew there was no hope and he was enraged. She tried to reach out to him but he was gone before she could even move. She fell to her knees and sighed, eyes looking at the crumpled picture that he had left behind. "That's why I said not to look at it." She sighed once more, staring at the picture and not understanding why this was happening. Momo never once mentioned about having any feelings for Ichigo so why was she with him? This was obviously a big misunderstanding but that one mistake just sent her Captain into a fit of anger and was possibly on his way to the human world to hunt down Ichigo. Standing up she chased after him, determined to stop him before he did something he regretted and hopefully she could get to Momo and have the girl set things right.
