Disclaimer: I'm getting tired of writing this. Bleach is not mine, it will never be, not in my second , or third or fourth life, but who knows if I reincarnate once more I'll find myself being a talented little anime/manga maker, and I'll make something like Bleach….
The morning sun peeked sleepily from the small breaches of the window. Birds have begun exchanging melodious tunes with each other outside , flowers beginning their new day, and life unfolding its new story.
Hinamori Momo yawned and stirred under a pile of comfy white blankets. Her eyelids were still shut beautifully, as if shielding her eyes from the sun's playful taunts. She wouldn't have slept that late last night , if it weren't for Rangiku , Yachiru, Nanao , Isane, and Kiyone who kept her awake and insisted on counting down the seconds to her birthday.
Today , is Hinamori's birthday.
Hinamori was unconsciously reaching for her pillow to nuzzle deeper in its warm and puffy texture when a sudden knock on the door awoken her.
"Oy, Hinamori! Get up!"
Cracking one eye open, Hinamori's first instincts was to detect the trespasser's voice.
"Shi-Shiro chan?"
"Just get out of the bed already!"
Hinamori could make out the outlines of his ehm – height , and his spiky hair out of her frosted glass window.
"Why?"
The person outside suddenly stopped talking.
"I wanted to show you something"
"Now?"
"Yes. Go change or something. I'll wait for you outside,"
"You don't wanna come in?"
"I'll just wait here,"
So Hinamori immediately scrambled out of her warm bed and approached her closet where she grabbed hold of her usual black shinigami uniform, started stripping herself off her white kimono, and donning the new outfit.
"Oy, Hinamori,"
Hitsugaya said from outside.
"Uhm?"
"Make sure you bring a coat or something"
Seven minutes had passed since the two young shinigamis left the gates of Seiretei. They were now walking along the outer layer of Rukongai. It was still very early in the morning that not many civilians of rukongai noticed the two passing death gods. Rukongai hasn't begun its life yet. The two of them walked pass the old fashioned stores, shops, and drinking pubs silently.
Hitsugaya looked at Hinamori , and then down to her robe , as if seeing something missing.
"I told you to bring a coat"
"Ara! Shiro chan! I forgot-"
"Takku , "
and with one swift move , the younger boy took off his white haori.
"There, wear that"
He said as he literally threw his white fabric of cloth to Hinamori's hands.
" But Shiro chan – this is – I – "
"Just wear it ."
"but –"
"just wear it , baka!"
To other people , Hitsugaya's eyes might look like solid ice , one that can kill you with a single frosty glare. Some people even believe he could freeze a soul just by looking at them. But to Hinamori ,his eyes are like an eternal flame , spreading warmth and passion wherever he laid those brilliant jade – green eyes of his. Other people just failed to see the stunning flame of life, dancing , burning inside his bright green eyes.
To other people , Hitsugaya's words might be offensive, or even sarcastic in some ways , but Hinamori knew better , Hitsugaya's words meant extreme affection, even close to the point of over ultimate protectiveness.
To other people , Hitsugaya – or the usually icy captain of the 10th division , who was known as a once-in-a-hundred-year-genius might seem just a rude , selfish little brat who just can't deal with people. But in Hinamori's eyes , Hitsugaya meant safety , he meant shelter , protection , comfort .
"So, Shiro Chan , where are you taking me?"
"Just around this corner, you'll see"
he said as they took a turn at the corner of the village.
A huge alley lie front of their eyes , an alley that will soon get very busy , as the sun comes higher.
"There , in the end of that alley"
Hinamori strained her eyes to focus at the place Hitsugaya was referring to.
"Where?"
"There."
The truth is , Hinamori saw nothing.
"It's a place inside a barrier Momo ,I placed it inside a barrier. You wouldn't be able to see it from here ,"
"Sou ka- but why is it inside a barrier?"
"Coz I cast the barrier?"
"Why did you need to cast the barrier?"
"You'll see once you get there"
and with that Hitsugaya melted right into his invisible barrier. Hinamori followed, a few seconds after him.
It was like being sucked in a hole full of rainbow colored surrealism, the barrier was. They continued walking and ignoring the swirling colors of the unreal gap of the barrier. After walking for 5 seconds or so, Hinamori finally landed on a hard crystallized surface with a small thud.
She slowly scanned the place .
It was a land of dreams , a land of her dreams.
Everywhere she laid her eyes on, there was ice. Only ice covering the whole town.
No.
The whole town was made out of ice.
Small houses everywhere were constructed out of pure ice , they look like the ones you would normally see in a Christmas card, their roof completely covered in white snow, their doors hung with ice holy wreaths, their gardens filled with ice botanical trees.
The bridges, from the small ones to the huge ones , the lakes ,complete with crystal clear swans, glazing their graceful icy feathers on the glazed surface of ice, the roads, brimming like a transparent gemstone in the sun, even the blooming flowers, with their beautiful ice petals and charming colors, were formed by ice.
Bricks, roads , horses , towers , everything , were crafted out of ice.
It was a land of ice .
Hinamori touched an ice lamppost standing right beside her with awe.
"Shiro Chan – you , you made all this?"
Hitsugaya stopped midway between his tracks.
"You said you wanted a land where things were as pure as crystals, did you?"
Hinamori blinked.
Shiro-chan…"I can't exactly conjure crystals, but I thought ice was close, so – "
Shiro Chan-"Happy birthday,"
Hitsugaya muttered.
"- Momo."
Hinamori said nothing in reply. But she ran as fast as she could towards the younger boy, jumping at him when she got there, catching him off balance, and , thus- knocking him staright to the ice grass carpeted ground. Hitsugaya yelled an incomprehensive 'oy' whien he felt his back hit the ground under the weight of the black-haired girl.
"Oy. Hinamori – what're you –"
But Hinamori didn't give her Shiro chan a chance to reply. The next thing Hitsugaya knew, was Hinamori's lips, pressing gently against his. They melted into the kiss, their lips moving in gentle reciprocal moves, and their cheeks blossoming with deep taints of scarlet hue.It had felt like a bliss. A sweet peek through the clouds of heaven. It's as if time had stopped. And the world was theirs.
Small, fragile, delicate little snowflakes had started trinkling down the sapphire sky, descending themselves into the couple dressed in black and white on the ground, Covering their backs, and hair with cotton white substance.
Hitsugaya found himself speechless when Hinamori pulled away from him ,but merely proceeded on encircling her slender arms around his neck and embracing him with a warm thank you hug. A hug that was just for him . That was only for him .A hug that tells him ,thanks him , for everything that he had done for her. One that speaks to him how she adored him.
"Oy. Momo! Get off of me already!"
No matter how Hitsugaya liked Hinamori's actions ,he couldn't outwit his insufferable urge to act as if he didn't. He was after all, the Hitsugaya.
"Arigato, Shiro-Chan – "
"Arigato – "
Hinamori said in a voice barely above a whisper, and she closed her eyes, burying her face deeper into the curve of Hitsugaya's neck, savoring his warmth, taking in his sweet scent, and snuggling into protection.
Hitsugaya smiled.
"Baka,"
And he gently shifted his arms up to where Hinamori's back where, lying them in a shielding postion, casting off every bit of warmth he had for her.
Hinamori removed her head from Hitsugaya's curve of neck and gently kissed his cheeks.
"Oy, what do you-"
"-Baka."
He was the best birthday present she ever had.
Fin
A/N:Weird huh? I think it's pretty weird too. Got the idea from a Christmas card with a picture of a small town all covered in jolly good snow. I thought it was really sweet. So I decided to write something like this. But instead of snow , I chose ice coz… well, Hitsugaya doesn't conjure snow, right?And crystals and ice kinda look like each other. It's just that crystals are not as cold as ice. Well, hope you guys enjoyed it …….and please review! Thanks!