Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor this fanart.

A HitsuHina Short Fanfic. Based on this fanart cover.

A/N: No, I didn't abandon WnK (Watashi no Kokoro), it just needs a scene for the last chapter to be finished. This story was made for our Hitsuhina Fan's Club 2nd year anniversary (wooot!). But hey, I'm still back in the game! Here's a short one for ya. Mostly of Momo's POV. Hope you like. Please read and review.

Eien Ni (Forever).

...

It was one of those nights that Hinamori would find herself searching for his warmth. Funny really, because he's known to be quite the opposite. He wielded the most frigid zanpakuto in Sereitei, along with the snow-white hair and those glacial-colored eyes...who would think him otherwise?

They were wrong though, for he is her home. And where the home is, there's always comfort and a hearth nearby that completely warms the soul.

But she wasn't feeling any of those things right at the moment. Momo opened her eyes to the dark as the dim light from the moon was obstructed. He was sitting up with his back towards her, looking out the large window that was above the bed. The silhouette of his rumpled hair looked silver against the moon.

"Shiro-chan."

His head slightly perked up at the sound of her voice, coming back to reality. He turned. "Go back to sleep, Hinamori."

Momo saw the opening of his white sleeping robe had slackened a bit, allowing her a glimpse of his now broad chest. Thankful for the dark as it concealed her fascination, she replied, "Aren't you going back to bed?"

He reverted his attention back to the window. "In a bit."

"Eto...what are you doing, Shiro-chan?"

"I'm pretending that I didn't hear you say that."

"Say what?"

"That ridiculous nickname."

"Oh." It was probably the sleepiness that made her come to the realization a little slow. That maybe he's not comfortable with her crawling into his bed like this. That maybe he's not only grown physically but has also grown annoyed at her childish behavior. Not that she minded annoying him at times, but this just seemed different. Because she's not pretending to need him.

Ever since the Winter War five years ago, Momo haven't been guarding her emotions around him as much. Making it a habit of waking up in the mornings in his bed at least twice a week and visiting him in his office more often.

And what if...there's someone else in his life? He wouldn't tell me, and he'd never hurt my feelings by telling me to get out of his room either. "I'm sorry Hitsugaya-kun. I'll just leave then." She backed away and was ready to stand –scramble out of there actually, from the embarrassment.

He reached for her wrists, holding them down. "Why? It's two in the morning. Where are you going?"

"Uhm...I have some things –oh I don't know! I'm sorry to bother you. I won't do it again." Her insecurities were making her stammer.

"Wait! Come here," he placed a hand on her cheek then her forehead, finding nothing wrong, Hitsugaya concluded. "Was it a bad dream?...Was it something I said?"

The panic in his eyes were making her own brim with tears. Momo felt wretched to have always made him worry. Worry about me like an unruly little sister. A sister? Ugh. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip from quivering, "No. It's me. I'm all...wrong." The constraints from the past haunting her once again.

"Don't say that. And please Momo, stop crying."

"I'm sorry...I'll stop." She sniffled and wiped her tears. Toushiro helped her, brushing her bangs away as he cradled her face.

He waited until she gained her composure to say, "And you can call me whatever you want Momo. I'm sorry, I just thought you never cared whenever I give you a hard time."

That made her smother a giggle. "So I can call you Shiro-chan even in public?"

"Yeah, sure." Always willing to give her anything just so to make her feel better.

Momo laughed earning her a smile from the reticent taicho. Although she pulled her face away from his hands. "Honestly Toushiro, you treat me like your spoiled little sister!"

Now that made the frown return. "Spoiled, yes. But sister?" He lied back down beside her and faced the other direction, bringing the blanket to shroud his shoulder, "Right."

"Then what am I?" She was much too curious to mind her tongue.

"Go to sleep Hinamori. We both have to be up in three hours."

"Fine. Then I'm leaving, because I'm under the impression that you don't want me here."

"Will you just stay and sleep if I answer your question? Geez."

"Deal." She settled back into the futon, and went under the covers. She fluffed her pillow and waited, looking straight at the aquamarines which were just a few inches away.

"You're Hinamori Momo, a bed wetter whom I grew up with. That's what you are."

She rolled her eyes. "Ugh. I had a feeling you were going to say that."

Toushiro was grinning. "I just answered your question. Now, good night baka." He kissed her brow.

"What am I to you, Shiro-chan, if you don't think of me as a sister?" She rephrased without budging.

He took his time. The captain finally sighed while folding his arms behind his head, looking up at the ceiling. "Are you really asking me this now?"

"A lifetime Toushiro that we've known each other...and after I've been given this third chance to live it –well, yes. I think it's about time, don't you agree?"

He played unaffected when in truth he's frustrated. Knowing his feelings will not be returned. "I guess you're right."

"Well?"

"...I'm not good with words Hinamori, you know that."

"Can you try? I need to know. Just try, please?"

"I lose simple skills when you're around me for one thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Words and numbers gets jumbled...and my breathing...it gets constricted somehow." He checked to see if she too found it funny, but she looked serious. He cleared his throat.

"...And what else?"

"I dream about you every night. And I mean, every night." He confessed gruffly. Tentative as this revelation felt new, freeing.

"What sort of dreams?..."

Her large brown eyes were glistening with the realization of pure happiness, close to hearing this ultimate truth.

Toushiro shut his eyes, getting lost in finally being able to talk about it. He didn't care of the consequences anymore. "I dream of how it would feel if we kissed...to hold your hand in public. And I even dream of how our children would look like." He chuckled at that last one.

"…"

"So if I think of you as my sister Hinamori, that would be pretty fucking gross."

"I'm glad that you don't think of me that way."

He was looking at her now. "Glad huh? Then why are you crying?"

"Because I expected you to say something, somewhere in the lines of me being a good friend or something, not...not your lover or wife!"

"And what's wrong with that? Because is that all I am to you Hinamori, a good friend?" It was his turn to be curious. Oblivious to the tears that streamed down her face, for he was getting angry as it hurt to hear her say it.

But to his surprise Momo hugged him, flopping them both down on the pillow. It was quiet for a good five minutes. "No. You're my best friend Shiro-chan, and I would love to be your wife!"

"..."

She slackened the embrace to look at him, his expression was a little dazed. "Eto...heheh. I got ahead of myself. Sorry."

"Er..."

"We should go to sleep now huh?"

"Yeah...it's getting late."

"But not until I make one of our dreams come true."

"Which one?"

"The one about children."

"What, tonight?" He was not ready, still in a stupor from the surreality of it all.

"I'm just kidding, Shiro-chan. I meant the kiss..." she whispered and combed the white locks back. "After all, we have forever to do everything else."

"Yeah. Forever."

...

A/N: Please read and Review