In Terms of Comfort

By: WhisperedSilvers

Prompt: "I was just going to tussle your hair. Sometimes it makes you smile."

Summary: Because sometimes you can't define your relationship. Snippet of Surge.

X

Rukia can remember the first time she actually killed a shinigami that wasn't Kaien. It was between the period of after the Bounts invasion and before the Arrancar arc. It was in between that span of time—Hitsugaya had been training ardently with Matsumoto, this was a time of separation between her and him. Despite the electrical static that these two magnetize—she was an active shinigami with ties and allegiances to the substitute soul reaper and the other humans that can sense spiritual pressure.

Urahara created a special band that she tied across her upper shoulder, right above her lieutenant's sash and it minimized the electrical current that seemed to burn them when they were parted an ex amount of time. However these bands were only temporary, they seemed to weaken every day she stayed in the World of the Living. She could still remember the burns on Captain Hitsugaya's wrist. It was red, streaks that clotted over brown scabs.

So when Captain Hitsugaya arrived in the World of the Living—the band disintegrated.

It was the fall, with the leaves falling onto the ground with shades of mahogany, gold, violet and crimson—the beginning of the school semester. There had been multiple sightings of hollows—Menos Grandes. Ichigo had to pick up on his schoolwork—she tried no to call on him too often—deciding that his studies were more important. But then he would get pissed because she's taking all the responsibilities on herself—he hated seeing her hurt.

She was a lieutenant for a reason.

Idiot.

But that was beside the point; Captain Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Matsumoto, Ikkaku and Yumichika were in the area as backup.

Ichigo had other things to worry about besides her getting hurt.

The main reason Captain Hitsugaya told himself that he was in the area was because he and his team were investigating the cause of the ridiculous amount of Menos Grandes appearing in Karakura Town—it was like an electromagnet. But even he couldn't lie to himself—he wanted to check up on Rukia.

It was like impatience of some sort—he couldn't sit still. He had to see her. Perhaps because he was so in tune with her soul, he could tell just what was bothering her. But he had to keep a leash on his control.

So the first time he saw her in weeks, he felt something inside vibrate—a brightness that seemed like diamonds, a knot that loosened in his gut, relief—maybe?

"Rukia." He said, his eyes burnt teal, and he seemed much softer—despite the hardness in his jaw.

"Captain Hitsugaya." She greeted him with raised eyebrows, what in the world was he doing here?

"I assume you received the message I sent to Urahara's?"

Rukia twitched, her mouth twisted into a scowl, "No."

That damned storeowner, she could picture him laughing behind his fan in mirth.

He sighed in exasperation, "Figures."

"Captain, I didn't find any—Rukia!" Rangiku interrupted her report exclaiming with surprise before she pulled the smaller girl into a hug that halted all breathing in the little Kuchiki, "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Matsumoto! Let her go—you're choking her!" Hitsugaya snapped, he reached under Rukia's shoulders and yanked her out of the busty blonde's grip, "Control yourself, woman!"

She pouted, "I haven't seen her in months! Don't tell me you didn't miss her Captain."

Hitsugaya missed Rukia's wide eyes and barely imperceptible, embarrassed flush.

He sighed, again. He released Rukia's shoulders, before glaring at his lieutenant, "That's beside the point!" He looked at her, eyes softening, "Are you alright?"

The kitsune laughed, his chuckle curling like fog inside her mind, she nearly scowled.

"I'm fine."

"Kurosaki?"

"Ichigo is at home," The word fell out of her mouth like rushing water, fluid—nonchalant. Home, it felt nice to say that word. Home was with Ichigo's family, with Captain Hitsugaya's previous Captain, with his two twin sisters and Ichigo. It was nice to feel human for a while—it hid her from the grim truth of the world she was confined to. "He just came back from school."

Hitsugaya tried to tell himself that the fondness that drenched her tone had nothing to do with the way a knot made it's way in his lungs—home. Home was under his roof, where he could keep an eye on her—safe—that's what home was. Not with him.

He can't keep her safe.

"The Menos?"

Rukia shook her head, "Not one has appeared today, and yesterday there were twenty."

"Twenty?" Matsumoto cried out, "Are they appearing in a specific place?"

She shook her head again, "Randomly. Some where in the park, another was downtown and a few were in near the countryside."

"They're inconsistent." Hitsugaya stated blandly, "The pattern isn't making any sense."

The dark-haired woman nodded, "That's what I thought it was at first. But there was always a Kumon—multiple Kumons from different areas in the sky."

"A Kumon?" Hitsugaya repeated.

Rukia nodded again, "They didn't come at one time, they came from multiple dimensions." She opened her mouth to say something, but thought better and closed it.

"You thought of something?"

She pursed her lips, "Something."

Hitsugaya looked at her, he didn't say anything. He wouldn't push her. He would wait, he would be patient and she would come to him.

Yumichika and Ikkaku arrived in front of the Captain. Rukia walked towards Matsumoto, while the duo gave their report. Captain Hitsugaya stiffened his spine—his mask of professionalism on.

"Captain Hitsugaya, we discovered a familiar reiatsu tracings in the parks and on top multiple buildings," Yumichika said blankly.

"Familiar reiatsu?" He questioned, "What do you mean?"

"Well Captain, the reiatsu appears to be a shinigami." Ikkaku replied, his tone twisting on the edges of blackness.

It was Matsumoto who spoke up, blue eyes narrowing, "You do not know who it is?"

"No."

"Perhaps it was unseated shinigami, or a recruit—someone who just graduated the academy?" Rukia interjected, her mind mulling over the options.

Hitsugaya mentally praised for her quick thinking, "Good thinking Kuchiki—can you acquire a sample of the reiatsu and send it to Kurotsuchi—I want Research and Development to get me Intel as soon as possible."

Yumichika shook his head, "Acquiring reiatsu samples is tricky—"

"Take Kuchiki with you—she is reiatsu-sensitive—actually, no. Take Matsumoto with you, I need Lieutenant Kuchiki with me—she has the most experience with the Menos."

Ikkaku tilted his head, but didn't question his commanding officer.

Matsumoto on the other hand visibly recoiled. She wasn't the best experienced in reiatsu tracking, her Captain knew that, she could pick up the trail—to sample the essence was difficult. He was splitting them up, why she didn't know. Scouting—he wanted them to scout the area. Her eyes flickered over to the other woman—it was her. He wanted to be alone with her—

"Kuchiki, let's go." Hitsugaya said, and he took off towards the north, after a moment she followed him.

Rain. It began to rain; cold water splattered onto her cheeks, her hair and clotted her eyelashes—blurs of silver and green. She wanted to ask where they were going, but she noticed the path she was walking on—the underside of her jaw wavered.

Hopping onto the ledge of Ichigo's room, she opened the window and slid in—Hitsugaya a brush a moment behind her. The scene that greeted her was unwelcome to say at least.

"What the hell do you think you're you doing?" Rukia shrieked, her finger pointed at Ichigo whom was tying up her gigai, whom was squealing, his face blanked before it morphed into one of sheepish anger.

"You don't expect me to do my homework with this damned contraption trying to put me in a headlock!" He exclaimed and his bronze eyebrows screwed together.

"Hands off the gigai!" She bit out, she shoved her foot into Ichigo's chest, the force caused him to fall back onto his bed, untangling the rope she spoke before her faux body could, "Return to me, Chappy!"

Rukia returned back to her faux body, the mod soul pill in her hand, she glared at Ichigo.

Hitsugaya watched the scene in front of him with muted surprise. Rukia's personality did a complete three-sixty. She was annoyed, angry, furious, shocked—comfortable. With Ichigo. And it burned him. Why wasn't she like this with him?

"Toushiro, what are you doing here?" Ichigo asked, his eyes fell towards the snow-captain.

He glared, his words had a lot more venom then he the substitute soul reaper was used to, "That's Captain Hitsugaya to you, substitute."

"Captain Hitsugaya is leading the investigation for the sudden appearances of the Menos." Rukia stated, she sat on the bed, her pretty blue dress haloed around her form.

Ichigo's eyes snapped to Rukia's, "You told there was only a couple."

She let one eye slide lazily to the redhead, "Menos don't just appear out of thin air, Ichigo."

Hitsugaya annoyed at their friendly tones, their almost intimate words and annoyed at himself, stepped in, his voice flat. "We believe that a shinigami is behind this."

Ichigo leaned onto his bed, his knee propped under his chin, "I know. I felt a shinigami presence, but it's someone I haven't met."

Rukia turned her head to face Captain Hitsugaya; he looked at her with a grim expression.

"Then it's true, there is someone opening up a portal for the Menos to arrive in Karakura Town." Hitsugaya stared at the rain, his own clothes drying up.

It was a Thursday when Rangiku reported to Captain Hitsugaya about the reiatsu signature she traced, sent to R&D and collected the Intel. His name was Takashi Fumo. An unseated officer in the eight division—he had connections to Aizen. The man's name sent poison quivering in his blood.

An hour later, a round of fifty Menos appeared in Karakura Square—it was night—the sun had passed long ago—but with only four officers from the Soul Society—it was going to be a long night. Despite the Menos being quite simple for them to destroy—it was a nuisance.

Fumo was the real target and unfortunately Rukia was the one who got to him.

"Hakuren!" Rukia blasted white wind towards Fumo, it was almost like he was becoming a Menos himself, he was roaring—ceros shooting from his hands, and she swallowed—transforming, he was transforming.

"Some no mai: Tsukishiro!" A white pillar erupted from the earth, a beam of white light—ice blasted into the heaven—his foot—claw stuck in the circle and she cursed.

He shook off the ice like it was nothing.

Rukia lunged, her zanpakuto burning white ice, she sliced his chest—blood spurted from the ripped flesh and she felt sick. For a brief second—she saw his face, and something inside her flinched.

She knew this man.

"I know you're hungry, here." A man with soft grey hair and eyes green as the grass that spurted in Byakko Mountains offered her a rice-ball, "It's okay—I won't hurt you."

A long time ago, when she was still living in the Rukon District, he offered some of his lunch; she was starving then, always looking for food, clothes, safety—just to survive. She and Renji were still running around like kids, mischievous—ignoring the pangs of reality and just needing to survive. Wild children. That's what they were.

Even when death comes for a person, and you didn't need much, didn't need parents, you needed things to survive—you could always feel starvation even though you didn't need sustenance, it was almost cruel.

He offered her a bit of kindness—helped her survive a bit longer.

Now she had to destroy him, because now, he was a monster.

He knocked Sode no Shirayuki out of her hand, her zanpakuto went flying, embedded deep into a tree—he was fighting the hollow, a mask still in place and tackled her—she fell onto the ground yelping, her fist shoved underneath his chin, his nails sharp as knives ripped across the side of her left rib.

"Hadō Thirty-three: Sōkatsui!"

Blue fire burnt his chest and she smelled rotting flesh, he didn't fly back, instead he rolled off moaning and groaning as the fire burnt a hole into his chest.

"Small bites, Rukia!"

She never learnt his name, until now.

He moved so fast Rukia didn't see him slam his fist into her temple, blood squirting out from the bruise. She saw stars and everything blurred into blackness and greenery that was shining from the moonlight. Nausea slammed into her stomach and she needed to move.

She was gasping as if someone just socked her in the gut.

Takashi was moving fast, and Rukia didn't have her zanpakuto—

"Akari, come forth!"

The kitsune manifested from the tassel that hung on her zanpakuto, white fur and stone blue eyes. He growled at the monster in front of his master, "Mistress, tell me what is it that you desire!"

Rukia swallowed the laugh that wanted to bubble up her throat despite the situation at hand, "Fetch me my zanpakuto—then burn him, Akari."

He moved faster than shunpo. Her zanpakuto lay before her and Akari was emitting a white mist that was burning Takashi alive—cold burns—ice that would disappear into his lungs and freeze him from the inside out.

"Fall back, Akari."

She used flesh steps, Fumo moved his fist—claws and pulled her sleeve and tilted his head, "Ru…kia?"

Gods, no.

"Please don't do this to me."

She nearly begged.

"Not again."

Not after Kaien.

His fist pounded into her stomach and she choked on her blood. Bones crushing into dust, she was going to die—her heart pounded she was going to die! Another blow to the bruised side of her temple—black dots appeared in her vision—die—death, death—death!

"Ru…kia! Please!" His voice choked, merged with the hollow.

Begging—he was begging.

"Next time I'll bring some candy, so be good okay!"

She tried to crawl out from under him, he grabbed her calf and slammed onto her bone—shattering—she screamed—

"Rukia," His words were garbled, foam leaking from his mouth, "Do it now!"

Rukia couldn't do this again—she couldn't—couldn't—so she closed her eyes, "San no mai: Shirafune."

She fell back onto the ground, her zanpakuto freezing him from the inside, he fell on top of her, his sooty grey hair fell over his cheeks and she watched as how his jade orbs lost color, but a smile plastered on his face.

"Thank you."

She didn't know if Takashi really said it or it was the wind.

His blood dribbled onto her kimono, she didn't care, she rolled the dead body off of her and she felt something inside her quiver—no, not again.

She couldn't do this—please—please, the stinging of tears burnt her heart more than her fingers could.

"RUKIA!"

Hitsugaya—Captain Hitsugaya, he fell to the ground, "Look at me. Look at me, LOOK AT ME!"

His eyes were wide, his hands shook, frightened—he checked her for wounds, "Speak to me."

"O…kay." Her lips were split, "Broken leg," Whimper, "Hurts."

Hitsugaya gathered her in his arms, putting extreme caution to her leg and hurried, "Just talk to me okay, don't fall asleep—can't fall asleep too much blood."

Rukia's voice was choked, "Tired."

"I know. I know—just talk to me okay."

His legs were burning, but he was running so fast he felt his heart might fall out of his chest.

"Met…Takashi—fore'"

He stumbled before he adjusted his footing, "Where?"

Violet orbs glazed over, "Rukon," She coughed and blood splattered onto his white Captain's haori, he didn't even flinch, "Sorry—brought food…me and Renji." Whimper, "Didn't starve—thought I was gonna die—"

"Not gonna die, you're not going to die—" His words were choked, as if his own heart was breaking, "I'm here—"

"Thought—Ashi'—killed—me" She was losing consciousness.

"Don't you dare fall asleep, Rukia!" Hitsugaya was yelling at her now, it was raining—always raining.

"Can't…fight—more''"

"NO!"

When Rukia woke, she was staring at the ceiling of Urahara's shop. Akari curled next to the side of her left cheek. Her head was bandaged, her ribs were sore and her leg was healed. Akari's influence no doubt—when Akari healed her—it shaves off some of his lifespan—she didn't like it—he didn't like it when his mistress was in pain.

Rukia tilted her head, Captain Hitsugaya was leaning against the wall, his hand near her body—she felt the heat radiate off of him, he looked trouble and suddenly she felt a trace of guilt swirl in her veins.

"Captain," She started softly.

Hitsugaya's eyes snapped open, his eyes focused onto her person and his posture became tense. He swiftly kneeled in front of her, his eyes tired but analytical, his voice was rough when he spoke, "How do you feel?"

"Tired."

He nodded, teal orbs flickered to her bandage head, he moved his hand towards her head, "How does your head—"

A flash of Takashi slamming his claws into her temple sent her heart into hyper drive—she didn't realize she was moving—grabbing his wrist, she slammed it onto the floor.

It was like steel gnawing into his throat, trauma—she suffered from the blow—she was damaged—

"I was just going to ruffle your hair." His voice cracked, "Sometimes, it makes you smile." Hitsugaya was words were soft, gentle and his eyes pierced hers like diamonds.

Rukia's grip on his wrist loosened, her eyes were frosted—just a little. She didn't let go. Her voice was meek when she replied, "Sorry."

"RUKIA!" Ichigo slid the door open, his amber eyes wide with worry, his kneeled in front of her, "Are you okay? You idiot, you should've called me—"

Ichigo's words stopped abruptly, he watched with accusing taupe orbs, the blood that began to seep out of her bandage; he didn't hesitate to bring his hand towards her face—

"Did the bastard do this?"

Hitsugaya waited for Rukia to slap his hand away—

Her eyes watched his hand brush the side of her face, stroking the hair away from her face, glancing at the bruise—

Hitsugaya's fists tightened.

It was like someone lit fire into his heart—it burned him, scalded him with black flames—why—why? Why did he have such a relationship with her? Why couldn't he—why couldn't he what?

Why didn't she slap his hand away?

This is a snippet from Surge—probably around chapter ten around there—it hasn't exactly been posted yet—heh.

So slight Ichiruki and slight Hitsuruki.

This is kinda like a filler chapter or like a side-story.

Anyway.

Ten points if someone can guess where I got the prompt from!

Please Review!