Fanfic: His Breath Warm Against Her Hair (Aizen/Hinamori)
My other fics on this pairing: For A Glimpse

I've loved this pairing for a very long time, but I haven't had the chance to write about them until now. This is my very first fic on this pairing, so I'm a little nervous... I hope you'll enjoy :)


Title: His Breath Warm Against Her Hair
Author: Harmony (Silver Harmony)
Pairing: Aizen Sousuke/Hinamori Momo.
Rating: PG
Word Count: Approximately 1,006.
Disclaimer: Not mine – otherwise this pairing would be canon.
Notes: Fulfilling the prompt 'whisper in your ear' for the recent Bleach Het Community activity. This has been cross-posted to aizenmomo, asterisk_plus, bleach_het and kurosaki_clinic.
Feedback: Very much appreciated, as I would like to write much better Bleach fics. Your concrits mean a lot to me, especially when it tells me what you think of the story and what I can do to improve. Please and thank you.
Summary: Captain Aizen was always calm, always mild, always compassionate – it was what she knew made him strong.


***


The new armband was a foreign tightness around her arm, but she didn’t mind.

She distantly rubbed her fingers against the fabric band as she waited. It was dark already, and the moon was bright against the blackness of the sky; she had been sitting on the wooden platform at the doorway to the Fifth Division main office building for two hours. It was alright, though, maybe - it hadn't really felt that long. She would have sat right where she was, for as long as she needed to.

Momo wasn’t really sure why she was waiting there. After all, her new duties were clear enough to her; there wasn't really anything important that she had to say or ask. But she was content, just to wait, either way.

The evening breeze was fairly cold. She blew into her cupped hands, trying to keep them warm.

It was a while, at least another half hour, until she saw that the lights that were streaming from the window finally dimmed. There were distinct sounds of movement inside; Momo felt suddenly alert. The building was completely dark, now. She could hear only the slightest patter of footsteps walking, their softness ever-familiar. She could feel the slight, calm stir of reiatsu approaching the doorway.

The door swept open, and Captain Aizen stepped out right next to her. He looked down at her with surprise, his fingers still curled around the doorknob.

‘Hinamori-kun,’ he said. ‘Were you waiting for me?’

She nodded, a little sheepishly; somehow, she felt far more self-conscious now, under his scrutiny, than she was before.

‘I’m sorry, Aizen-Taicho. I… should I not have sat here?’

‘I didn’t say that, did I?’ he replied, his lips curving upwards in amusement.

He slowly closed the door behind him, and moved to sit himself down beside her. She shifted over slightly, to give him more room, and watched him. She knew that this was one of the most distinctive things about Captain Aizen… he never distanced himself from his subordinates, and never gave the impression that he was any better, any higher, than they were. It gave her a strange sense of peace, to be sitting next to him, just like this.

‘Now,’ he began, looking at her kindly. ‘Were you hoping to speak to me about something? Your new lieutenancy?’

Momo lowered her eyes. ‘No, I...’

She wasn’t sure how to go on. She wasn’t sure what she wanted to go on with, either. She had been content for a moment, just sitting by him. There was a small, secret part of her that hadn’t expected him to bring up something so important, that had expected him to just keep her company there – a wordless comfort.

She looked up at him. His dark curls fell over friendly eyes; he gave her all his attention. At this moment, however fleeting, he was hers.

A surge of something that felt like pride welled up inside her.

‘I’m… really happy to serve under you, Aizen-Taicho,’ she answered, and it was the truth.

Captain Aizen looked sideways at her, a small, soft smile curving his lips.

‘And I am proud to have you as my subordinate,’ he answered mildly. ‘But I can see that something still concerns you. Is there something you fear, Hinamori-kun?’

She was a little surprised that he had used such a strong word; however, she knew that maybe it wasn’t the wrong one. She turned her eyes back down to her lap, then. It wasn’t only because of the openness in that gaze, in those eyes; it was also because she had so many answers to that question. She feared a lot of things, and she feared admitting to them. She felt inadequate. She feared she wouldn’t measure up. She feared disappointing him.

Momo didn’t even notice that her fingers were running over the ends of her obi until a large warm hand closed over hers.

‘You have great potential,’ the captain uttered softly in reassurance. ‘Don’t doubt yourself. I know I have no doubts in you.’

An arm curled around her shoulders, and Momo looked up. Captain Aizen, with his soft features and his warm, warm eyes behind those glasses… always calm, always compassionate – it was one of the things that she knew made him strong. Even though her heart was beating unnaturally fast, she felt a simultaneous peace, to look into those eyes.

He slowly leaned in; that made her heart beat even faster. Her face felt hot. She could feel herself trembling as he brought his lips close towards her ear.

And then, he drew himself away again, and it was as if the warmth that had surrounded her was taken away with him, and that the chill of the evening swirled more keenly around her.

She just sat there, looking up at him as he smiled tenderly and pulled himself to his feet. He slipped his captain’s haori away from his own shoulders; Momo felt that welcoming comfort envelop her again when he gently brought it around her.

‘You’re trembling. Keep yourself warm,’ he reasoned, patting her shoulder once. ‘Good night, Hinamori-kun.’

The scent from his haori reached her. She watched as he walked away from her, down the path, with only his black uniform and Kyoka Suigetsu at his side; just a regular shinigami, bathed in moonlight. Her ear still prickled from the memory of Captain Aizen’s whispered words, of his breath warm against her hair, and it was almost as if she could still feel the reassuring weight of his arm, so protective, around her shoulders. The soft sensations lingered, even when he was gone.

‘Aizen-Taicho,’ she found herself uttering, her fingertips moving to her arm to brush against the solid smoothness of her badge.

You’re serving under me; don’t be afraid. You’ll always be safe.

His gentle scent surrounded her, filled her; the corners of her lips curled upwards just faintly, because she knew, just knew, somehow, that he would only ever tell the truth.

She closed her eyes and believed him.