Chapter Twelve: Gray Skies in a World of Color

Hinamori sat inside the spare room Granny and Toshiro prepared for her, sighing as she stared out the window and gazed upon the outside world in envy. She always felt that way when she was bed ridden like this no matter how many times she told herself it would not be long til she can run away again. She gave a bitter chuckle as she found herself rubbing the tips of her fingers together, feeling the scars that would always be there.

"What's so funny?" Momo turned to see Hitsugaya standing by the doorway holding a plate of cookies in his hands. "Did I miss the joke?" He sighed as she swallowed hard and shook her head, she had been this way since they came home and he couldn't really blame her, just being stabbed and all but...she was safe now, surely she knew of this? Right? Toshiro placed the tray of treats on the small bedside table and sat down at the foot of the bed. "It looks like a storm is brewing out there. The rain will be nice to fall asleep to...don't you think?"

"Maybe..." Hinamori sighed, a small tremble in her voice. She hated storms...the fear they invoked in her made her very soul shake. She remembered how she would hide in an old box or a trash can and cry until the storm had passed by her. She remembered how she would hide under a bridge or park bench to stay out of the rain and it in turn hid the tears that fell from her red eyes. "I don't want to think about it."

"Hm?" Toshiro turned to look at her, his mind too wrapped up in his own dilemmas to hear her whispers. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine-!"

"I don't mean your wounds, Hinamori...I meant you..." He asked as he nervously placed his hand on top of hers, his cheeks a light pink and his eyes shifty.

"What...what do you mean?" She asked as she slowly tightened her small fingers around his bigger ones, her own blush light and warm on her cool skin.

"You just seem down, is all...and distant. I just want you to know you're safe here and that you can talk to me about anything." He never felt this nervous when it came to expressing himself. He found it to be easy, rather it was a rude comment or not, but when he was around Hinamori...he felt utterly tongue-tied and out of his league!

She blinked at him for a moment before she just let out a small chuckle and went back to gazing out of the window. "I know I can." She watched the dark, smoky clouds move quickly across the sky. It was to be a bad thunder storm, but a quick one. Hopefully she could hide so he or Granny wouldn't see how frightened she would become.

Her thoughts were halted as a sharp pain shot through her fingers. Momo pulled her hand out of his and stared at him with wide eyes which only showed fear; fear for what he might think and the questions he would now ask.

"Hinamori? Were those scars on your fingertips?" He asked as he tried to gain control of her hand to further study the digits, but she only shook her head and resisted his pulling. "Don't be stubborn! Let me see, Bed wetter."

"Y-you're stubborn!" She shot back, but his smirk only told her that there was no real venom in her bite. Momo resisted another gentle tug at her arm before she was starting to feel weak, the medicine and the lack of blood from her wound now taking effect. A shaky sigh escaped her before she gave her hand to him, her stomach tight and knotting.

Toshiro gently turned her hand over and looked at the scars that littered her hand. Many of them overlapped and fading, but some were still deep and painful looking. Now he understood why she used lotion on her hands, not to keep her hands soft and lovely, but to make sure the scars were faint and wouldn't reopen.

"Will you tell me were you got them from?" Hitsugaya asked, but sighed knowingly as he watched her shake her head at him. "I had a feeling you wouldn't." He slowly brought the digits to his mouth and lightly kissed each fingertip, his eyes never leaving Hinamori's.

"Now is not the time to try and woo her, Toshiro!" Both children jumped and quickly turned their shocked faces to the doorway to see his smiling grandmother. They watched as she placed a small cup of steaming tea next to a small night stand and leave the room chuckling at some thought she had.

Hinamori eased her hand from his grip once more and hide it under the covers. Only now did she notice how hard it was raining outside and how close it would soon storm. "I suppose I should go to sleep then." She whispered, though she knew she wouldn't be able to.

"You should finish your drink first. I'll keep you company til then." Hitsugaya smiled at her as he scooted further up the bed to lean against the headboard alongside her. They sat there for a few moments, in silence but content with each other's company. The pounding of the rain lulling them to sleep and the big fluffy covers keeping them warm. Toshiro didn't know when he had slipped around the covers with the snuggling girl, but he became aware to this fact and went to go move but was stopped by her hugging him tighter. He turned to look at her, see her current emotion in her eyes, but found them closed and a soft smile on her lips.

"Still up here, Toshiro?" Granny's voice came from the hallway.

"Yes, Granny. She fell asleep on me, so I'm staying here for a while longer." Toshiro called back.

"Alright then. I'm off to bed myself. Sleep well and be careful of her wounds." Toshiro rolled his eyes as he grunted in reply. He could hear the smile and teasing in her tone when she said that. He glanced back down to his beloved and sighed longingly...if only he had the courage to tell her how he felt.

~ In the Middle of the Night~

A loud crack of thunder awoke Hinamori with a start. Her eyes opened wide with fear and her heart pounded from the noise. A flash of lightening illuminating the room long enough for her to see Toshiro sleeping next to her peacefully. Another clash came form the sky and she let out a gasp and flinched at the sound.

Momo rose from the bed slowly, to not stir Toshiro and because she was still in pain from her injuries, and slowly made her way to the closet. She knew it was childish and unreasonable, but fear was fear and she was in its grip. Hinamori opened the door as quietly as she could and slipped inside, closing the door behind her and huddled in a corner with her hands over her ears.

Memories of being teased for hiding from the storm in the ward house flashed through her mind's eye. She remembered them calling her a wimp and throwing her into the rain and locking her outside. She went to go hide under a tree for shelter from the rain, but a bolt of lightening came from the sky and struck the tree and she has been afraid of storms ever since.

Hinamori cried as a powerful clash of thunder happened, it was enough to rattle the windows of the house and she curled up further into herself, ignoring the shooting pain that ran up her side. She didn't care if she opened her stitches or not, she just wanted this storm to pass, to leave her alone or to at least clam down.

"Hinamori?" Momo quickly looked up to see Toshiro standing in front of her, the door handle still in one hand while the other rubbed his eye. "What are you doing in there? Why are you crying?" His voice soft and a bit groggy.

"I...I'm fine..."She spat out, her own voice raw and barely audible. She wasn't even aware that she was crying, but now that it was brought to her attention, she could feel the hot tears in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. "Go back to bed." She tried to sound a bit more stern so he would understand that it was a command and not a suggestion, but when he entered the closet and closed the door behind him, she knew she had failed to do such.

"You don't seem to be fine to me, Bed wetter." He tried to throw in a small tease, to simply lighten her up, but it seemed to have struck a nerve instead for she merely flinched at his words and tucked her face in her arms which were resting on top of her knees. "Are you scared of the storm?" Toshiro waited for a reply, but received none, "It's okay if you are. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I don't wanna talk about it." Momo sobbed as she buried her face deeper in her arms.

"You're gonna reopen your side if you don't loosen up a bit." Toshiro warned as he tried to uncurl her, he heard a growl come from her and sighed. "So stubborn." He ran his fingers through his white locks before he decided to just carry her back to bed. She gasped when he did such, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face in his chest. He tried to force the creeping blush away, but couldn't. He laid her down on the bed and then pulled the covers over her before he joined her and wrapped his arms around her.

Momo was shocked by this, and went to look at his face but found him looking away and a blush on his cheeks. She couldn't help but giggle at the sight and hug him in return, heat arising to her face as well. She felt safe in his arms, like he could somehow drive the thunder and lightening back, but she knew he couldn't and would still flinch at the loud sounds coming from outside.

"This doesn't leave this room." He whispered to her.

"I promise." She whispered back.

~ In the Early Morning~

Toshiro Hitsugaya was not a cuddly, hugging, kissing type of man but last night he did all of that. Kissed her fingers, cuddled her while she slept, and even hugged her to comfort her. He didn't know what was coming over him. He felt like he should just spoil her rotten. Give her kisses upon every hour and hug her every time he saw her. Oh, he was a man in the grips of Love and he was sinking fast. He knew now that he was going to go for Hinamori and not Tobiume. He was going to tell Rangiku, too...just after breakfast or so.