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Post by Suzume Shizuka on Jan 7, 2015 14:29:38 GMT -6
"Touch from Rukongai":
Suzume rolled around on her futon as the air in her dreams became colder. She knelt on the ground to pick up a document that had fallen from her grasp and started as it changed from paper to bread, a small beaten slice. Her hands had grown smaller too. Her stomach rumbled.
Why? She had stolen enough to be full. She was full yesterday. She didn’t want to be cold and hungry.
Raucous laughter that made the hair stand on the back of her head made her drop the precious food. She didn’t turn to pick it up but jumped, reaching for the ledge, and hauled herself upwards. Standing up, she looked at the next rooftop. Her eyes narrowed. She could make it. She jumped.
A smile lit up her face as she skipped. As long as she was fast, nothing would catch her. Nothing would hurt her.
Suddenly she slipped.
Not agai-
A warm hand stopped her descent.
She glowered at the person holding her and was nearly blinded by the light…
----
Suzume woke with a start, brushing at some stray tears in her eyes before looking behind her. As suspected, the window in her room was open. Throwing her blanket aside, she quickly closed it. She then sat on her bed. Remembering.
She often recalled moments in the Rukon before she moved places. It was just something that happened. And she would soon be returning back to the fifth division. Captain Hitsugaya needed to actually fill the empty seat with Ashimitsu making captain, as the rumors went. Another couple tears escaped her eyes, and pouting, she slapped her face. She didn’t like it when she cried. Though she knew why.
She sighed as more tears slid down her face. It looked like it would be one of those nights.
And she didn’t have Momo to cry on.
Gathering her brown sleeping kimono around her, pulling at the stitched swimming fishes, she wondered what was the next best thing. Opening her window and crawling through it, she reaching for the ledge above her and pulled herself up onto the roof. Her legs dangled and she began to hum, in between her quiet tears.
Tears for her savior who she never got to thank. Not before he disappeared.
She didn't notice when she started shivering from the cold breeze.
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Post by Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya on Jan 7, 2015 15:15:39 GMT -6
"What are you doing up here? It's freezing!" Toshiro Hitsugaya said to Suzume as he walked up next to her.
He had been coming from his rounds around the barracks when he spotted her on the roof in only her night clothes and a kimono.
"Are you trying to catch a cold?" He said as he took off his haori and placed it around her shoulders, giving her another layer of warmth. |
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Post by Suzume Shizuka on Jan 7, 2015 15:28:05 GMT -6
She tilted her head at him, holding the warm haori closed around her. "I didn't know I was cold," she stated. "Sorry about that." She sniffed.
Toshiro groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "What are you crying for?"
Immediately Suzume blinked hurriedly and shook her head. "I wasn't crying," she squeaked in denial, ducking her head. "I wanted to see the stars. That's all. And I couldn't sleep." She sprang up, making the Tenth Captain jump back, and in her hurry, tripped, nearly falling off the roof.
But a hand seized her. "Careful, idiot!" Toshiro growled.
She looked up at him sheepishly. "Woops?" |
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Post by Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya on Jan 7, 2015 15:42:50 GMT -6
Hitsugaya sighed and shook his head at her. "I swear, sometimes I don't understand you." He tilted his head at her. "If I asked you what was wrong, would you tell me?"
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Post by Suzume Shizuka on Jan 7, 2015 16:06:28 GMT -6
Suzume titled her own head at him. He really did want to know. He wasn't just being kind. Well then- She giggled, making Hitsugaya frown at her, and tossed his haori at him. Her eyes shone as she jumping to the next rooftop, quickly tying her kimono closed. "If you can catch me, I'll tell you all about it~" she called out before leaping to the next roof. As long as she kept running, it would be warm. And she wouldn't cry again. "Come on, shorty." |
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Post by Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya on Jan 7, 2015 16:28:19 GMT -6
A vein in Hitsugaya's temple popped and he tossed his haori back on, running after her. "Now look here! You're just as short as I am!"
He leaped from rooftop to rooftop, chasing after her. He had to admit, she was fast. Maybe faster than he was. And the last person he met that was faster than him was Ashimitsu. He sighed at the thought that he might end up having two third seats that were faster than he was. She was just like her name, "sparrow."
"Remind me why I'm chasing you just to for you to tell me what's wrong?" He said as he chased her. |
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Post by Suzume Shizuka on Jan 7, 2015 17:18:40 GMT -6
"Because," she called back, "it's what Momo had to do to get me to talk. Why should a short captain be any different?" she grinned over her shoulder as he growled at her. "Come on, Captain. Being short isn't too bad. You're quicker. I wonder.... are you going to tie me to a tree, snow- EEEEeeeek!"
She stumbled on a hidden trapdoor on the roof and tumbled out of sight, landing on a large pile of clean laundry. "Safe~" she giggled, laying out on the pile in contented bliss. She looked up at Captain Hitsugaya who was kneeling at the door with a look incredibility. "I should look where I am going, not taunt my opponent. But it looks like Isshin-san's luck was watching over me again," she murmured, closing her eyes. |
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Post by Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya on Jan 7, 2015 17:50:17 GMT -6
Hitsugaya was taken aback when Suzume mentioned his captain's name. "Isshin? You... You knew Captain Shiba?" He leaped down and landed on the laundry next to her. "How did you know him?"
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Post by Suzume Shizuka on Jan 7, 2015 21:55:47 GMT -6
Suzume rolled around to his side, smiling sadly. “I did,” she murmured then buried her face in the laundry. “It smells like lemon here,” she giggled, rolling around. Then she stopped. “He’s my savior and my namer. I had no name before him.” She looked over to Hitsugaya. “A nameless orphan running around."
She looked up at the stars, more tears slipping free, but she didn't hide them this time. "I fell from the roof into a bale of hay and he couldn't believe my luck." She closed her eyes with another wistful smile. "I ran away after taking his coins. Then when I nearly fell from the roof again, a few nights later, he grabbed my arm." She opened her eyes. "He kind of grew on me and when I started to trust him..." she rolled onto her stomach, "he gave me my name."
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Post by Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya on Jan 7, 2015 22:33:56 GMT -6
Hitsugaya smiled down at her. "That sounds exactly like him." Then he made a face. "Though if he knew I was talking to you he'd probably tease me to no end." He laid back next to her, his arms behind his head. He turned to her. "I was the third seat before, back when he was captain." He smiled to her again. "Suzume, would you consider being my new third seat? I don't think I could find a more suitable replacement." |
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Post by Suzume Shizuka on Jan 7, 2015 22:59:56 GMT -6
Suzume sat up with wide eyes. “I couldn’t possibly,” she stuttered, waving her hands around. “You have your own officers. This was temporary. I mean- I like working here. I can learn more about Isshin-san. And you’re nicer than the oni even if you’re a snowma-" She squeaked and ducked her head. “But then Momo said you were nice. Still I don’t deserve promotion.” She held up her fingers, bouncing in her anxiety. “I’m clumsy, drops things all the time, I misplace things, and I-“ she stopped as Hitsugaya grabbed one of her flailing hands and started his own argument.
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Post by Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya on Jan 8, 2015 0:06:13 GMT -6
Hitsugaya looked into her eyes, speaking honestly. "Suzume. Listen to me. Yes, you may be the biggest klutz I've ever seen. Yes, when I try to explain things you totally misinterpret them. But you also finish paperwork faster than anyone in my division. You're hard working and you take your job seriously. And while it takes a bit for you to learn, once you do, you've got it to a T. If not for you, these past weeks would have been hell for me. You're a valuable Soul Reaper and I couldn't ask for better help. And if I searched within my own barracks to find someone to fill the spot, I'd be looking for a very long time because no one else would be able to fill the standard you would leave me with. So, please, consider it. Okay?"
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Post by Suzume Shizuka on Jan 8, 2015 0:54:24 GMT -6
Suzume blinked, stayed silent, and blinked again. “I-“ she gulped and looked down into her hands, playing with a string on her kimono. In the silence she unraveled a tail then looked back at him. She smiled. “If I really am that useful to you, Hitsugaya-Taichou, if you don’t mind me occasionally making a mess of things when I trip or worse,” her cheeks colored, “fall on you, I think that would-“
Suddenly she bolted upright again. “Wait! You don’t even know what I am like in a battle. This division gets even more trouble than fifth division?! Don’t you need to know that first? I mean, I think I am okay, but the Oni is always saying I need to pay more attention to what tires me. I don’t want to endanger others here. Or blow things up!” she peeped.
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Post by Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya on Jan 8, 2015 10:06:07 GMT -6
Hitsugaya sighed, hanging his head. Almost had her...
He looked up at her with a smile. "How about this? Tomorrow after we finish working we can go to the training grounds, and I'll test your skills then we'll call it a day. Alright?" |
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Post by Suzume Shizuka on Jan 8, 2015 14:55:41 GMT -6
Suzume nodded, springing to her feet before tripping in the tangle of clothes and falling- on top of what may be her new captain. She blushed deeply then started giggling. "You know, you could just push me away." She tilted her head. "Then maybe the magnetism that connects me to the floor won't involve you too."
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