With the Captains suffering casualties and heavy injuries on their side, all hope seemed to be lost... until Shinji Hirako appeared, along with the rest of the former Shinigami. Though the aid of the Vizards certainly helped to draw the battle in their favor, it seemed Aizen's power alone proved too much for them.
Shinji moved a bit to the side to allow Aina room in the bed. It was rather normal, really, despite the fact that Shinji would have preferred she stayed in the bed at night, rather than only late mornings. He'd never come forward to say it, for fear of ruining such a long friendship. In fact, one of the only relationships that could be considered a 'friendship' that he'd ever had. He didn't want to ruin that because he thought differently about her than she did about him. It just wasn't worth it.
"Eh, I guess I could jus' let her know I'm fine... I ain't gonna stick around an' eat or nothin..." Shinji trailed off, as he looked up to her eyes. He found the real issue there, hidden, and never said. He wasn't sure if he wanted to address it... "'Course, I'll let 'em both know I'm fine, later... I guess."
Shinji looked into her eyes. He knew he hadn't even said once through both of those that he was fine. Just what he'd tell them. But, he was fine... So why not say it? He'd say if his life was being graded he'd be at a ninety percent, right now. The ten percent was the fact that he never did more than hint childishly to Aina that he harbored feelings greater than friendship for her. But, ninety percent was better than a lot of others... That was fine, right?
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
"Psh, you won't," Aina said after looking at Shinji for a very long time. Why in the hell didn't he just say it, or do something, his cowardness was enough to drive a woman crazy. Her eyes narrowed a little and she settled and elbow under her head to prop herself up a little, "I know you Shinji, you say you will but you won't. You'll make an excuse like, Captain duties, or something like that," she said sounding a little irriated, almost as if this conversation had double meanings, "I meanI know you're not the type of guy just to jump up and do something out of the blue, and quickly at that. But you're so....hmm," Aina stopped to find the right word, "Distracted, no, cut off, that's better. I mean, if you keep acting like this who else are you going to cut out of your life?" she asked him looking suddenly hurt, it had been quite a few times he had stood her up with the excuse Captain Duties.
Aina let out a sniff then glared at Shinji, she then rolled her eyes, "Baka," she told him rather grumpily before turning so her back was facing him and curling up on her side. In truth she was a little angry, who wouldn't be? She was being harrassed by her mother, via his mother. Shinji was being as clueless as usual, and to top it all off, she was pretty sure she'd be cornered by Shinji's Vice Captain after she walked out of Shinji's Quarters. "You Vice Captain is creepy," she murmured darkly.
Shinji stared at her, she knew him so well from all this time.. She knew he wasn't fine, and knew he really didn't want to talk to anyone... They couldn't bother him, anyways. Maybe she was right, he thought, as she rolled over. He stared at the back of her head, practically burning a hole in it as she lay facing the other direction.
"I wouldn't cut you out of my life..." Shinji said quietly, putting his hand on her shoulder as she lay facing away. He hated that she could do that to him. He was normally so controlled and happy, she could just smite his mood into sorrow and self-loathing. But that meant she was right, didn't it? Should he really care about all of that anymore? He ignored her saying Aizen was creepy... He already knew that.. Keeping him at arm's length was the best possible thing he could do... But he was apparently the only person who didn't trust him... Aside from Aina...
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
"Because I wouldn't let you," Aina said turning her head towards Shinji and matching his glare. Though she didn't show it, she could feel the heat from his hand, practically catching her body on fire...stupid Shinji, "Even after you left home, didn't contact us, contact me, and ran off to be a Shinigami. Remember I pratically broke down the gate to talk to you when I couldn't take it anymore," she said the corner of her lips twitching as she tried not to laugh at the memory. "That taught you a lesson," and it had, never again did Shinji try to put distance between him and Aina, not without fear that she would tear down the Soul Society to find him. She was rather frightening when she was angry.
Of course after the whole gate thing they had to install the guardians instead of having lower Shinigami guard the enterances. It also began the weekly, annoying messages to Aina to her glass shop and district Headquarters for her to join the Gotei 13. She politely declined several times, then told them to get lost, then finally after Shinji had pissed her off by saying he didn't want her to be a Shinigami, Aina had enrolled the next day, brought her shop into those walls, graduated with ease, then became part of Squad 12. Much to Shinji's annoyance seeing as he had wanted her to join his Squad.
That would have been torture though. That and Vice Captain Aizen really freaked Aina out. He was polite enough, and friendly enough, but there was something in his gaze that made her weary. Though his smiles were warm she always felt a shiver up her spine and if she knew he was around, would visit Shinji by going through his window, whether it was open or not. But then again Aizen had found Gin, and Aina had no trouble with the boy, so it was comflicting feelings.
"But....just in case, you forget," Aina said before pinning Shinji to the bed by sitting on his stomach, "You have to promise not to, promise!" she said before she started tickling Shinji. Not a well known weakness of the Captain, but it was an easy way for Aina to get her way when they were children, "Promise you won't cut me out of your life, ever! And I'll stop tickling you!" she laughed heartily her small, nimble fingers, strong from glasswork, yet delicate dug into Shinji's stomach.
Shinji stared at her, his eyes failing to withhold the intensity he could have on the back of her head... He immediately lost to her eyes, he was weak in her presence. He couldn't really think of a reply to the fact she wouldn't let him leave her... That's not quite the reaction he had wanted. Not really what he meant, either... But, he supposed that was a consequence of living the style of life he did. He could say something completely earnestly, and have it taken as sarcasm or wit.
Then, he saw her moving, but she could be so quick sometimes... And he didn't especially want to resist. She pinned him down, and he knew what was coming. Now he wanted to resist. But it was far too late. Twitching into fits of giggle he writhed beneath her, his neck arched as he laughed. She wanted him to promise he wouldn't leave her, cut her out... "I promise! I'd never do that... I said!" He said earnestly, though the effect was likely lost through his fits of giggles.
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
Aina stopped tickling Shinji and grinned and him, "Just so we both know, just in case," she said giving Shinji a hearty wink as she continued to sit on his chest. And then suddenly she had Shinji on his back, his arm bent behind his back, "Now, say, 'Aina you're far superior in anyway to my nancy Captain ways," she said adding pressure to his arm, but not enough to hurt him.
Granted, Shinji had gained his strength through the Soul Society, while Aina had gained hers through the Districts. When Shinji had gained Shikai through training, Aina had found hers fighting against District Gangs. When he would come home for his usual visit then two of them would spar, which could have been considered flirting between the two of them. Also between the two of them, it was the closest they could get to wanting to take out their fustration on one another and each other when it came to how they felt. Sometimes they were too stubborn for their own good.
Aina was partically stubborn, and still believed that she had, had the harder training. Though she never wanted to ber a Vice Captain nor Captain. Merely, for reasons of her own. While this was Shinji's life, his dream, being a Shinigami wasn't her own. She hoped to one day to be allowed to open a glass shop and have her own working area to make money for the Gotei 13. And maybe someday be a mother, an artist, a musician...Shinji had promised to get her one of those...Saxamaphones? from the human world, like from the jazz music he played.
Aina's cheeks turned red, yeah right, being a fourth seat nothing ever happened. And she was probably never going to get married or have children because Shinji was a pain in her ass.
"Never! We both know I'm way bette' lookin' than you! Look at the hair! Tha hair!" Shinji exlaimed, while pinned to the bed. He had no desire to break free. These games were the must fun he ever had as a captain. Why would he give them up? So he could feel stronger? Yeah, that's the one thing he cared about in all the world. Strength. He grinned with his chin smashed into the mattress. "I'd neve' tell susha dirty lie!"
Shinji squirmed just enough that she would have difficulty keeping him pinned. He may not want to just throw her off, but he wasn't going to make this easy on her, otherwise he'd be the only one having any fun. For a fleeting moment, he had the idea to turn the tables, and pin her, and kiss her. But the moment passed, despite the fact that he stopped writhing for a second, felt himself blush brighter red than he had ever thought possible, just for thinking it. He figured she'd never want that. Never.
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
"Yeah, hair doesn't make the man, look at Yamamoto-san," Aina argued putting more pressure on Shinji's arm to make him squirm a little more. She grinned remembering the look on his face when he saw that she had cut off all her hair. He had looked horrified, and said just as much until she had punched him and stormed off. Aina lightened her grip slightly when Shinji just for a moment quit struggling and his cheeks went red.
She chuckled a little, she half wondered what he was plotting, half wondering if he had been planning to turn the tables. Yeah, right, casual Shinji actually taking charge, just grabbing her, psh, she had better luck getting him to spar with her. "Come on Taichou-Hirako," Aina said grinning even more as she added pressure again, "Do something, sometimes you have a bad habit of making a lady wait," she joked before using her free hand to tug on his hair, "One thing about short hair is, you can't pull on it," she said before looking thoughtful, "I could just give you a haircut right now. I could grab a bowl and just go, snip, snip," she added completely not serious, bt it was enjoyable to see Shinji scream everytime she threatened to cut his hair.
Not. The. Hair! Shinji thought, and he did exactly what he would never do, if anything not mentioning cutting his hair was mentioned, and he rolled and spun, and Aina was pinned beneath him, him on her stomach, and he was looking hurt. "Ya wouldn' dare..." Shinji said, his eyes narrowed, he wasn't really sure she wouldn't. How many times had she done the exact opposite of what he asked? He finally managed to trick her into becoming a Shinigami when he figured it out, though the amount of effort of having a fake feud was ridiculous, and he felt terrible about it until he laughed it over with her. He moved himself so his arms were pinning hers, and he was practically inhaling her breath from how close he was, his hair draped like a golden curtain around their heads.
He stared at her, right into her eyes. He wondered exactly what he should do. And knew, knew what he wanted to do. But what he wanted had caused so much trouble, and so much anger. Well, he wanted to keep an eye on Aizen, and that was going fine... But this... Had horrible consequences if it went wrong. Horrible.
Our bed becomes a grave before we blow ourselves away!
Aina let out a gasp as she was suddenly tossed, then pinned by Shinji. She felt like the breath was knocked out of her as Shinji's long hair tumbled over his shoulders surrounding the two of them in a golden curtain, seperating them from the rest of the world. She stared up into his hazel eyes, her own green ones sparkling with amusement as she read his facial expressions. She let out a low chuckle, was really so sure Shinji struggling so much with this? If it didn't fustrate her so much, she would have thought the situtation amusement.
"I would," she told him, refering to his hair, "But only if you annoy me too much," she told him. She didn't even struggle against his grip, her cheeks flushed a little and she looked away, pouting a little, "If I wanted to I could get free, I just don't want to," she told him rather grumpily.