"What?" Toshiro growled, irritated by the curious glances.
Hunter giggled, taking a lick from her ice cream cone.
"Calm down, Shiro," she giggled, hanging on his arm. "They're just curious."
"I know," he growled, dragging her into his office.
"What's the big deal?" she asked, frowning slightly as she leaned back against the door.
"I don't like those looks," he muttered, sitting down at his desk and starting on his paperwork.
"Oh, honestly!" she sighed, pushing herself off the door.
She slammed her hand down onto his desk. He glanced up at her, startled and somewhat confused.
"What?" he asked.
"You're being immature."
His eyes widened.
"W-what?'
"Who cares how they look at you, Toshiro? Their thoughts are theirs, and they're no business of yours, nor should you care about them! You're trying too hard to come across as a mature adult and you're making yourself look silly!"
He stared at her, surprised, as she pushed herself off of the desk and spun on her heel.
"I'll be out here."
He watched in stunned silence as she walked out. Hunter actually seemed…angry. She never got angry with him. She certainly never went off on him like that—she was always understanding and patient.
He groaned, laying his head on his desk.
Hunter leaned against the door, ignoring the curious stares as she finished off her ice cream cone. The sugar did wonders for her mood; by the time she was done, she was back to her cheerful self.
"Hunter!"
She squeaked as her face was smooshed against two large breasts, smothering her.
"Ran—Rangiku!" she gasped. "Boobs—smothering!"
"Woops, sorry!" Rangiku laughed, setting the petite girl back on her feet. "So what are you doing?"
"Waiting for Shiro. He's doing paperwork."
"Why are you waiting out here?" she asked curiously.
"Oh, he was being a dummy," she shrugged, "so I told him I'd wait out here. He got all pissy because people were watching us curiously."
"Oh," Rangiku blinked.
She was silent for a moment, then laughed.
"Yeah, that sounds like him."
"Yep. I was pretty irritated with him, but ice cream cures all ailments!" Hunter giggled. "Maybe I should ebb the curiosity a bit…."
"How are you gonna do that?" Rangiku asked curiously.
Hunter grinned and stepped up onto a desk, glad she'd worn spankies under her black tutu-miniskirt. She smoothed her turquoise halter-top and took a breath. She glanced around, finding all eyes on her, the room already silent.
"I'm Hunter Atchison," she said calmly. "Just call me Hunter. I grew up with T—Captain Hitsugaya. He's my best friend. I've just returned from the world of the living with my family. I was on tour, performing around the world. Any questions?"
The room was silent for a moment before a girl called out.
"Do you love him?"
Hunter laughed lightly. She didn't hear the door creak open behind her.
"Of course I do."
"Are you dating?" another girl called out.
"No," she shook her head.
"So you're single?" a guy grinned.
"Yes," she nodded.
"Do you wanna go out?" another guy grinned.
"No."
She suppressed a giggle as his face fell.
"You said performing—are you a singer?" a girl asked.
"Yeah," she nodded. "Singer, dancer, musician—you name it, I do it."
"Sing for us!" someone called—she couldn't place where it came from.
"Yeah!" someone seconded.
"Sing!"
She laughed as the chant grew in volume.
"Ok, ok!" she held up her hands, quieting them. "I'll sing—just tone it down."
She thought for a moment, took a breath, and began to sing a song from an operetta she'd seen in the world of the living.
"On my own, pretending he's beside me. All alone, I walk with him 'til morning. Without him, I feel his arms around me. And when I lose my way I close my eyes, and he has found me. In the rain, the pavement shines like silver. All the lights are misty in the river. In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight, and all I see is him and me forever and forever. And I know it's only in my mind, that I'm talking to myself and not to him. And although I know that he is blind, still I say, there's a way for us. I love him, but when the night is over, he is gone; the river's just a river. Without him, the world around me changes. The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers. I love him, but every day I'm learning. All my life, I've only been pretending! Without me, his world would go on turning—a world that's full of happiness that I have never known!"
She blinked her eyes, choking back tears.
"I love him. I love him. I love him, but only on my own."
"Why are you crying?"
She gasped, whirling around.
"Sh-Shiro!"
"Why are you crying?" he asked again, looking up at her.
"O-oh, um, that song just really gets to me," she smiled weakly.
"Mm…."
He looked up at her for a moment before sighing and holding his hand out to her. She slid her hand into his, putting her other hand on his shoulder as he helped her off the desk.
"C'mon."
"Wha—eek!" she squeaked as he tugged her forward, pulling her into his office.
"Why were you really crying?" he asked, leaning against the door.
She flushed slightly, sitting on his desk.
"It reminded me of when I was in the world of the living," she said softly, staring down at her high tops. "I really missed you, Shiro."
He sighed.
"Hunter…." He stepped toward her and took her hand in his. "You should've come home sooner."
She blushed as he kissed her hand.
That was uncharacteristic.
"I wasn't sure you wanted me to come home," she admitted.
"What?" he blinked, surprised. "Why wouldn't I?"
"Well, you never wrote me back, and you never came to any of my concerts. I thought—"
"I came to every single one, Hunter," he cut her off.
"W-what? But—"
"I was at every single one," he repeated.
"You…you really…." She exhaled slowly. "Why didn't you…why didn't you come backstage? You could've come and talked to me."
"I didn't want to."
He flinched inwardly at the hurt expression that crossed her features.
"I don't mean it like that, Hunter," he sighed. "I... If I'd talked to you, I would've ended up trying to get you to come back. I didn't want to do that to you—I wanted you to do what you wanted. I knew how excited you'd been about going to the world of the living and going on tour, and I wanted you to enjoy it. I didn't want you to cut it short because of me and I didn't want you to be upset."
She stared at him, her eyes teary and her lip quivering. He staggered backward as she flung her arms around him, sliding off the desk. He sighed and wrapped his arms around her, holding her while she cried against his shoulder. When she was done, she took a deep breath and stepped back slightly, wiping her eyes.
"I wanted to come home," she said softly. "I only stayed as long as I did because I was afraid I'd come home to find you angry or…or hating me."
She whimpered as her eyes filled with tears again.
"I couldn't hate you, Hunter," he said honestly. "There's nothing you could do to make me hate you."
"Nothing?"
"Nothing."
"You're gonna make me cry again," she laughed softly, wiping at her eyes again.
"Sorry," he smiled slightly, glad that she was at least laughing.
"It's ok; I'll forgive you," she giggled.
He just looked at her silently, debating in his head. His gazed flashed to his desk, then back to her face. All he had to do was have her look in the drawer….
It could be the best decision or the worst decision of his life.
He sighed, taking her hand again.
"Ice cream?" he suggested. "Candy?"
She giggled happily; he knew her so well.
"Is that fudge place still there?"
"Yeah, it's still there," he smiled, leading her out of his office.
He was pleased to notice that, while they still received a few intrigued glances, they were few and far between, and far subtler.
He'd have to thank her for that. Her efforts had obviously been for him—she couldn't care less about curious looks—and after having her go off on him, it meant even more.
As they walked, his thoughts wandered back to the drawer and its contents. He sighed.
Maybe someday.
"What's wrong?"
He glanced back at Hunter.
"Nothing," he smiled.
She smiled back at him, and he shoved all thoughts of the drawer aside.
Hunter was home, and he was happy.
The song Hunter sang is On My Own from Les Misérables. I saw the musical for my eighteenth birthday-it's amazing! The movie's great, also-both the nonmusical (which I saw for the first time and fell in love with in world history freshman year) and the new musical versions. So if you haven't seen it, go see it! :)
Reviews are much appreciated! :D or PMs. I thrive off of feedback :)