Chip 8 - Turning Corners
Theme: 24:00
Title: Turning Corners
Fandom: Bleach
Character/Pairing: Hirako Shinji and Sarugaki Hiyori
Category: Romantic
Rating: PG
Warnings: Just language, really bc of Hiyori. And as always, I'm making up their past before the TBTP arc because we don't know about their childhood/academy days/etc.
Disclaimer: Bleach =/= mine, or we'd see way more Vaizard love.
Summary: Part 8 of my 24-piece series of memorable "firsts" for these two.
The first time Shinji ever saw Hiyori’s heart break, he decided it was something he never wanted to see again. Especially not when it was his fault - at least to some degree. Hiyori… wasn’t supposed to be vulnerable like that, she wasn’t supposed to run away, she wasn’t supposed to cry.
It had been his fault, and he wasn’t going to deny that. His fault for not explaining soon enough - not that Hiyori would have likely given him much chance - but he’d been so astonished by the look on her face that all he could do was stand there and stare blankly.
He’d just received his promotion. Moved up from a mere 6th seat all the way to vice captain in only a couple of years worth of service. It was a significant award, and one made all the more important by the fact that his captain had confided a possible upcoming promotion for herself as well. A position in the Central 46, something she’d had her eyes on for quite some time, and she’d trusted him with the knowledge that, should he prove himself, she’d see to it that he was recommended as her successor.
Hiyori would have accused him of having a swelled head, and while normally he’d have rolled his eyes and teased that she was just jealous, he’d wonder later if she hadn’t been right for once. It had been late that night, after paperwork and tea and practice that the knock had come on his door. An unseated, recently graduated from the Academy, books in hand and a look of trepidation on her face. She’d bitten her lower lip and shyly professed admiration and asked if he could help her with a bit of kidou she was studying, as she was having trouble with it.
And like most any man would, he’d flashed her a charming grin and invited her in, flattered by the fact that she would seek him out thusly - especially seeing as he hadn’t really tutored anyone since his own Academy days - and intending to impress. He hadn’t intended the rest of the evening, though it was by no means the first time he’d shared his company thusly.
What he hadn’t expected was to be interrupted at midnight with a loud banging on the door. Grumbling, he’d sat up and scratched his head, yawning as he did and hardly noticing that his companion had already moved to open the door, the top of his shihakushou wrapped around her. But it was the voice that stopped him in his tracks, eyes widening as he stood up to see who it was.
“Hey, you stinkin baldy, guess they musta screwed up yer test results or something because…”
He got to the door just in time to hear her voice trail off, to see brown eyes widen and her face turn pale as the doorway opened not to the face she’d expected to see, but to one far more feminine, long brown hair hanging loose, his shirt around her. Shinji started to open his mouth to say something as he watched Hiyori’s eyes flicker from the half-dressed girl to his slightly disheveled and shirtless appearance, preparing himself for the tantrum or beating that was likely to follow.
Only… it didn’t come. Blue eyes widened even more as he saw her own brown ones start to shimmer for a moment and her lower lip start to quiver just slightly before she hurled something down at her feet and took off running back down the hall. At the impact of her feet against the floor, it was as though somehow the ice that was freezing him in place shattered and in an instant he was at the door, calling after her retreating figure.
“Hiyori, wait! It’s not-“
Which was silly because in truth it was exactly what she probably thought. And the fact that it obviously bothered her didn’t make much sense at all, seeing as they weren’t involved or anything. At least… not like that. Sighing, Shinji leaned against the doorframe, one long-fingered hand sliding up to rake touseled hair out of his eyes as he gave a sidelong almost-glare at the girl. Taking the hint, she simply grabbed her clothes and darted out the door.
Stupid! She’s your… well, your best friend, I guess. She doesn’t wanna see that.
Closing his eyes and feeling the hard wood against the back of his head, he stood like that for a moment before stooping down and scooping up what she’d thrown. Gingerly unwrapping the paper - seeing as packages from Hiyori occasionally exploded in one’s face - he sighed again as he picked up what looked to have once been a cookie. Buried underneath them was a simple note in Hiyori’s familiar scrawl.
“Guess they screwed up the ranks again, Shinji. Had these lying around, figured you’d eat ‘em. - Hiyori”
Unconventional as usual, but then it was just Hiyori’s way of saying “congratulations”. Or… he was relatively sure that was it. Pulling the door closed, he set the plate on the dresser and started getting dressed. This would take a good few hours of training to sort out.
It would be a month before Hiyori talked to him again, and even though he knew she would never have acknowledged anything had he brought it up, Shinji never got involved with anyone again.
Title: Turning Corners
Fandom: Bleach
Character/Pairing: Hirako Shinji and Sarugaki Hiyori
Category: Romantic
Rating: PG
Warnings: Just language, really bc of Hiyori. And as always, I'm making up their past before the TBTP arc because we don't know about their childhood/academy days/etc.
Disclaimer: Bleach =/= mine, or we'd see way more Vaizard love.
Summary: Part 8 of my 24-piece series of memorable "firsts" for these two.
The first time Shinji ever saw Hiyori’s heart break, he decided it was something he never wanted to see again. Especially not when it was his fault - at least to some degree. Hiyori… wasn’t supposed to be vulnerable like that, she wasn’t supposed to run away, she wasn’t supposed to cry.
It had been his fault, and he wasn’t going to deny that. His fault for not explaining soon enough - not that Hiyori would have likely given him much chance - but he’d been so astonished by the look on her face that all he could do was stand there and stare blankly.
He’d just received his promotion. Moved up from a mere 6th seat all the way to vice captain in only a couple of years worth of service. It was a significant award, and one made all the more important by the fact that his captain had confided a possible upcoming promotion for herself as well. A position in the Central 46, something she’d had her eyes on for quite some time, and she’d trusted him with the knowledge that, should he prove himself, she’d see to it that he was recommended as her successor.
Hiyori would have accused him of having a swelled head, and while normally he’d have rolled his eyes and teased that she was just jealous, he’d wonder later if she hadn’t been right for once. It had been late that night, after paperwork and tea and practice that the knock had come on his door. An unseated, recently graduated from the Academy, books in hand and a look of trepidation on her face. She’d bitten her lower lip and shyly professed admiration and asked if he could help her with a bit of kidou she was studying, as she was having trouble with it.
And like most any man would, he’d flashed her a charming grin and invited her in, flattered by the fact that she would seek him out thusly - especially seeing as he hadn’t really tutored anyone since his own Academy days - and intending to impress. He hadn’t intended the rest of the evening, though it was by no means the first time he’d shared his company thusly.
What he hadn’t expected was to be interrupted at midnight with a loud banging on the door. Grumbling, he’d sat up and scratched his head, yawning as he did and hardly noticing that his companion had already moved to open the door, the top of his shihakushou wrapped around her. But it was the voice that stopped him in his tracks, eyes widening as he stood up to see who it was.
“Hey, you stinkin baldy, guess they musta screwed up yer test results or something because…”
He got to the door just in time to hear her voice trail off, to see brown eyes widen and her face turn pale as the doorway opened not to the face she’d expected to see, but to one far more feminine, long brown hair hanging loose, his shirt around her. Shinji started to open his mouth to say something as he watched Hiyori’s eyes flicker from the half-dressed girl to his slightly disheveled and shirtless appearance, preparing himself for the tantrum or beating that was likely to follow.
Only… it didn’t come. Blue eyes widened even more as he saw her own brown ones start to shimmer for a moment and her lower lip start to quiver just slightly before she hurled something down at her feet and took off running back down the hall. At the impact of her feet against the floor, it was as though somehow the ice that was freezing him in place shattered and in an instant he was at the door, calling after her retreating figure.
“Hiyori, wait! It’s not-“
Which was silly because in truth it was exactly what she probably thought. And the fact that it obviously bothered her didn’t make much sense at all, seeing as they weren’t involved or anything. At least… not like that. Sighing, Shinji leaned against the doorframe, one long-fingered hand sliding up to rake touseled hair out of his eyes as he gave a sidelong almost-glare at the girl. Taking the hint, she simply grabbed her clothes and darted out the door.
Stupid! She’s your… well, your best friend, I guess. She doesn’t wanna see that.
Closing his eyes and feeling the hard wood against the back of his head, he stood like that for a moment before stooping down and scooping up what she’d thrown. Gingerly unwrapping the paper - seeing as packages from Hiyori occasionally exploded in one’s face - he sighed again as he picked up what looked to have once been a cookie. Buried underneath them was a simple note in Hiyori’s familiar scrawl.
“Guess they screwed up the ranks again, Shinji. Had these lying around, figured you’d eat ‘em. - Hiyori”
Unconventional as usual, but then it was just Hiyori’s way of saying “congratulations”. Or… he was relatively sure that was it. Pulling the door closed, he set the plate on the dresser and started getting dressed. This would take a good few hours of training to sort out.
It would be a month before Hiyori talked to him again, and even though he knew she would never have acknowledged anything had he brought it up, Shinji never got involved with anyone again.