Disclaimer:
I don't own Bleach or any ideas/characters. I only own references and images for my OC.
Chapter 20
Kimora POV
After Toshiro's revelation to me about his past, and me finally admitting that I loved him, out load, he had refused to let me out of his sight. It was as if he was scared that I would change my mind and disappear. I was scheduled for patrol duty the night before the seal removal. I was standing his office with my arms crossed, glaring at him. Rangiku was sitting at her desk, with her legs crossed on top of it, leaning her chair back watching the interaction between us.
"Excuse me?" I demanded.
"You heard me, send Rangiku instead." Toshiro said flatly, continuing to look down at his paperwork.
I was fuming, literally. My fists were clenched as they were crossed in front of me, I was scared that if I uncrossed my arms, I would smack him over the head.
"Exactly way, should I send Rangiku in my stead?" I glowered at him; it made me even angrier that he refused to look at me. I knew he felt my anger, because when this fight started, he flinched from the bind he had created.
"Because I said so." Was his only reply. I growled at him, looking at Rangiku, who just shrugged. I made a decision right then and there and didn't care if we had an audience.
"I don't care if you are my Captain, I will not be put on a shelf, like a China doll because you are scared, I will get hurt, or run from you. Get it through your head 'Captain' I am NOT Momo Hinamori." I ground out turning on my heels, stomping out of his office slamming the doors behind me.
Toshiro POV
I just sat there staring at my paperwork, refusing to look up. The words she said cut through me. I felt my chest tighten, and tried to steady my breathing, clutching my pen. I heard shuffling and movement to the side of me, I had forgotten that Rangiku was there.
"Well….. that was interesting Captain." She said quietly.
I stilled refused to acknowledge her.
"Captain…" Rangiku whispered moving closer to my desk. "I understand, why you're trying to protect Kimura…" She started to say, when she paused, I finally decided to look at her face, my hair covering my eyes slightly.
"Do you?"
"Yes, you don't want to lose her, but she's right, she's not Momo. She has worked so hard to prove herself her whole life and not be labeled by what is inside her. Sheltering her, trying to put her in a cage, will only cause her to wither away." I turned fully to her now, her words settling into my heart.
Rangiku laughed lightly and smiled at me. "Shunsui had to learn the hard way. I more he held onto her, the more she rebelled against him. I have never seen her look the way she does when she looks at you. If you haven't figured it out yet, she loves you Captain, but don't try and stifle her because you are afraid of the past."
I continued to watch as Rangiku turned and left the office leaving me alone with my thoughts, replaying the argument that just happened. I let my head fall to my chest, closing my eyes.
"I'm a fool." I said to myself.
Kimora POV
I was furious. I went and met with Renji for our patrol, staying quiet the whole time. I knew Renji felt something off with me, and he kept his distance. I finally stopped on a roof top, and turned to him startling him, causing him to look around, trying to find a way out of his situation.
"Why are men so stupid!" I said to him. Renji stared at me staying silent.
"Am I supposed to answer that or is this like when Rukia asks me a rhetorical question?" He asked cautiously.
"Answer it." I demanded in a growl.
"ummm.. well…... because we are simple minded?" He said unsure of his response and slowly stepping back incase it was the wrong one. I sighed at him, shaking my head, and turning away. "Kimura, what's wrong?"
"Nothing Renji, I'm sorry I blew up at you. We should head back." I responded, vanishing heading back to the main courtyard. I appeared and started taking normal steps, feeling Renji appear behind me silently.
"Captain Hitsugaya." I heard Renji say behind me causing me to snap my head up. I saw Toshiro standing in the middle of the courtyard with his arms crossed, his head cast down and eyes closed.
"Lieutenant Abarai, have a good evening." Toshiro said, essentially dismissing him with that comment. Renji looked at me but vanished a moment later.
"What do you want? Need to tell me when I can have my meals?" I asked sarcastically. His head snapped up and I saw his hard glare, but I didn't care, I wouldn't let him treat me like glass.
"Stop." He growled. He was breathing heavy I noticed. I stayed silent waiting for him to speak. He sighed. "I'm sorry." he whispered.
"Huh?"
"You heard me Kimura, don't be dense, it doesn't suit you. I'm sorry" He looked to the side, I saw a blush on his face, proving that he was out of his element.
I stepped towards him so I could stand directly in front of him. He turned back to look down at me.
"I thought I proved to you that I wasn't going to turn away from you Toshiro. My love for you is unending, but don't put me in a cage." I told him trying to get him to understand. I watched as he closed his eyes, and nodded his head dropping his arms, I took the opportunity to step into him, and wrap my arms around my hugging him close.
After a moment he wrapped his arms around my back, laying his head on top of mine.
"Let's go home." I told him, rubbing my face into his chest. I felt him kiss my head, before he flash stepped us back to his house.
The day had finally arrived. I stood in the changing room of Central 46. I looked at myself in the full mirror, I was dressed in a long white gown, white long sleeves that went past my hands. I was scared, I couldn't help it. I suddenly felt a flare in my chest that felt like a cool breeze moving through my veins.
"Toshiro." I whispered as I brought a hand to the center of my chest. I sighed, turning towards the door, opening it to head out. I looked up as I exited the room and saw Toshiro leaning against the opposite wall from the door. He raised his head staring at me. He extended his hand to me, waiting for me to take it.
I placed my hand into his, letting his power wash over me. He led me to a large open assemble area that was lined with torches and a slab in the middle. He released my as I went to walk forward, but not before caressing my palm.
I reached the center where Byakuya was standing waiting. He placed a metal shackle around my neck and motioned for me to lay on the slab. Once I was situated, he placed similar shackles on my wrists and ankles, attaching chains to them. I felt my spirit energy dissipate down to non-existent.
Byakuya stepped away from me to take his place among the others that were gathered. I closed my eyes once I heard them start chanting. I felt a light surround me, then after a few moments it felt like I was being skewered. I tried to keep myself from screaming, biting my lip, and clenching my nails into my palms, feeling the blood drip from the marks.
They continued to chant, and another sharp pain went through my chest, this one burning me like I was being lit on fire, this time I could not keep from screaming out in pain, straining against the chains. I felt the tears leak from the corners of my eyes as I screamed. For some reason, I decided to open my eyes and look to my left. I saw Toshiro kneeling on the ground with Rangiku, holding his shoulders, and my father trying to overpower and contain his spiritual pressure, knowing I was causing this to happen to him, I cried harder, and screamed I'm Sorry.
Toshiro's head snapped up hearing what I screamed and shook his head no while clutching his chest. It was the last thing I saw before everything went black.
"Is she alright?" I heard a voice ask in the distance.
"She's unconscious, she should come to shortly." Was the reply.
I felt pain all over my body, breathing hurt.
'We are free steward.' I heard a voice say in my head.
'Okami'
'Now we can defeat those that hunt us.'
I started to groan, and squeeze my eyes shut. I felt someone take my hand lightly.
"Shh... I'm here." I heard a voice say to me, I shook my head again, but the hand tightened its hold on me.
Finally, I placed the voice. "Toshiro." I whispered; another squeeze was my response. I sighed, and relaxed, letting myself be pulled back into the darkness.
I woke to the sun shining on my face, I turned toward it and stared out a window, I turned my head to the other side to see where I was. The immaculately clean and sparse room, I immediately recognized as Toshiro's. I started to try and get up when the bedroom door slid open to reveal the man himself. He paused as he saw me trying to sit up.
"You should still be resting." He said to me as he came and knelt next to me.
I turned to look at him, tears forming in my eyes, I was unable to stop them from flowing. Toshiro reached his hand to wipe them away, with a concerned look on his face.
"I'm so sorry." I whispered to him, as the tears fell faster. "I'm so sorry for causing you pain." I threw myself into his arms, crying into his shoulder.
"Shh… stop crying." He said as he rubbed my back. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I told you, everything that is you, is mine to bare. I made the decision the moment you cracked through my walls." He told me as he buried his hands in my hair kissing the top of my head.
I felt him climb into the bed with me, pulling me close so my face was still buried into his chest. He continued to hold me until I cried myself to back into oblivion.
Four days after my seal was broken, I found myself in the forest training with Ikkaku, Ichigo, Rangiku and Renji. Toshiro was watching from the sidelines. I wanted to see how I fought with out the seal holding me back, and he reluctantly agreed to organize it for me.
I was standing watching the three of them. They circled me, each coming in for an attack that I would counter and parry. I growled at them, knowing they were holding back.
"I need you three to truly come at me, stop holding back." I shouted at them. They all looked at each other than Ichigo stepped forward from the tree lines.
"BANKAI!" I heard him yell and watched as he released his bankai, finally smiling.
He was getting ready to come in for the attack when we heard the emergency sirens and hell butterflies appear.
"Garganta opening in the seireitei. All teams report immediately!" We all vanished and reappeared at the center of the seireitei. A large black hole was forming in the sky above us, growing bigger each second. A figure stepped out and once it came into view, I gasped silently. It was the one from the vision Tianma showed me.
I watched as Shinji flash stepped and glared at the intruder.
"What business do you have here Grimmjow!" He demanded. He glared at all the soul reapers who had gathered.
"I have my reasons." Suddenly a large black beam shot out of the opening grabbing four soul reapers and pulling them in. I felt Toshiro appear in front of me, he gazed at me briefly before his spiritual pressure exploded. I heard him yell bankai and watched as a fog rolled though and surround him. Ice extended from Hyorinmaru down his skin, coating his arms, and neck in scales made of ice shards. His sheath turned to ice on his back and winds slid from it opening to each side of him. He flew into the air charging at the intruder.
'Milady, hold it open' I heard Tianma said in my head. I nodded as I pulled her out of her sheath.
"Tianma - Mugen no yami!" I shouted as I stabbed the ground in front of me. I watched as a trail of black shadow was released and made its way to the garganta wrapping around the edges, pulling it open.
I watched as Grimmjow fought with Toshiro, Renji, and Shinji. I saw his eyes flicker to me, and I saw something in them.
"Are you holding that open?" I heard someone ask me from my right, I glanced towards the voice and saw it was Momo.
"Obviously." Was my reply.
"Keep it open." She was gone a moment later, and I watched her fly into the hole.
Fuck is she stupid. I said to myself. I turned my attention back to the fight and saw Grimmjow was moving back towards his garganta. I was struggling to keep it open.
I heard Grimmjow shout "You'll know where to find me." His comment was vague and not directed at anyone. I saw Toshiro turn and watch Momo go into the garganta, he turned and went after her. Grimmjow was trying to go in also so he could close it but it was being met with resistance as I was holding it open.
"What the fuck!" He shouted trying to figure out why he couldn't close it while still fighting Renji.
I felt Shinji appear next to me as I grimaced, through the strain.
"Hold on Kimura, just a bit longer."
"I can't, its slipping." I tried to say to him, tightening my grip on Tianma's hilt.
"If you don't you lose your captain." He said as he vanished to go back to fighting.
I growled putting more of my spiritual pressure into Tianma, I didn't notice that it caught Grimmjow's attention.
"It's you!" My eyes flicked up and watch him send a red shock wave straight towards me, I didn't have time to react. I turned my head I look away from the blow. The energy from the blast blew across me, I felt rocks and debris fly across my face cutting my exposed skin. I started to be blown backwards before I finally lost my footing and started to fall.
I was suddenly caught and enveloped in cold air, I opened my eyes and met fierce aqua marine eyes. We were surrounded by blue ice with his arms wrapped around me. I grasped his haori holding on to him.
"I couldn't hold it, I'm sorry." I said losing my vision. I felt him tighten his hold on me but shifted his eyes away.
"What is it?" I asked trying to focus on him.
"They have Momo, she was pulled back in, I couldn't grab her." He said closing his eyes. I knew what he wasn't saying. He couldn't grab her and protect me at the same time. He had to make a choice.
I was still in a daze, feeling my vision blur, and I heard him talking to someone trying to hand me off. I fought against someone else grabbing me, reaching to grab back onto his Haori, I was losing my vision more and my head was throbbing, but I could feel he was still in front of me.
"No…" I started to say "Stay, please don't leave me." I begged, still trying to grab for him, before I completely passed out with everything going black.
I heard voices around me speaking, but I couldn't make out their words. Everything was overlapping together and making my head pound.
'Did they have to speak so loud?' I thought to myself trying to block out the pain in my head. I groaned and started to shift, I must have caught everyone's attention because they finally stopped talking, or in my opinion, yelling. I felt someone grab my head and a warm sensation on the side of my head.
"Kimura are you coming to?" the voice sounded like my fathers, my eyes hurt as I tried to open them.
"No, stay, please don't leave me." Suddenly the events came back rushing into my head. My heart started to pound, my eyes shot open, and I tried to sit up.
Hands landed on my shoulders trying to get me to lay back down, pushing me as I tried to resist them. I closed my eyes again, searching for the energy that belonged to Toshiro inside me. It was faint, the only thing I could think of was that he was too far away.
"Kimura, please you need to relax." I turned my gaze to Shunsui as he looked at me with concern on his face. I started to shake my head, ignoring the pain that it caused.
"Where..." I started to say, when suddenly ice chilled through my veins, before collecting at the center of my chest. My body started to collapse with relief, I let my father lay me back down on the bed. I fought to keep my eyes open, I suddenly realized that I was in the medical wing of squad ten. Rangiku was standing at the foot of my bed, gripping the rail, staring at me. Nanao was on the other side of my bed sitting there using kido on my head.
"Rangiku, make sure she stays calm. I need to go back to the captains meeting." My father said as he got up, letting Rangiku take his place at my side. My world going black again.
"I think the plan we came up with is the best strategy." I heard what sounded like Byakuya say.
"I agree, I have sent a message to Kisuke, letting him know we need his help on this and for him to come to the soul society so we can go over everything with him" I continued to listen, while keeping my eyes closed, so they wouldn't notice I was awake. I felt Toshiro move on the edge of my bed, when I heard the door open and close.
"You can open your eyes now Kimura, I know you've woken up."
I slowly complied with him, blinking as I let my eyes adjust to the lights. Finally, they settled on Toshiro's aquamarine eyes, who looked like they were holding the weight of the world in them. He reached his hand over and grazed my cheek with his fingertips.
"Welcome back." He said with a strained voice.
"I really have to stop getting unconscious, I don't think my head can take much more." I said as I tried to sit myself up, Toshiro moved so he could help me lean against my pillows. "What happened?"
"What's the last thing you remember?"
"I was using Tianma to try and keep the garganta open, I saw Momo head into the garganta trying to get to the captured soul reapers." I paused squinting my eyes trying to remember more. "Then I saw you go in after her. I was struggling, I pushed more of my spiritual powers into Tianma, trying to make her stronger. I guess that caught Grimmjow's attention. I saw a blast coming at me, but I noticed it too late." I sighed, looking back at Toshiro. "I remember you being there, between me and the blow."
Toshiro had scooted closer to me again, framing my face with his hands. He kissed my forehead before running his hands into my hair. "Grimmjow has four soul reapers and Momo prisoner in Hueco Mundo. We have come up with a plan to get them back."
"We?" I asked.
Toshiro sighed, his shoulders dropping. "I won't lie to you, and I know you don't want to hear this, but if you hadn't asked me to no leave, I would have gone after them."
"I'm sorry, I should have been able to hold that open longer, I'm still trying to tap into Okami's unsealed powers, if I would have been stronger, no one would have been taken." I stated until I was pulled into his arms, his grip tightened around me as his lips came down to my ear.
"The only thing I care about right now, is that you are here, and that I was able to reach you in time. Anything else, can be handled."
