Bleach Shinji - Blog Posts

Happy belated birthday Shinji!

Had this idea running for a while, and decided to share it for his birthday! I’ve been obsessed with Severance and it gave me an idea. You don’t have to have watched Severance for this one-shot. Also Kubo acknowledged the inconsistent timeline with jazz and TBTP arc lmao, so I’m not gonna fix it either.

Summary: Shinji learns, in real time, how much music brings people together, time and time again.

CW: Angst, mild horror, time skipping, but it has a happy ending. SFW!

Word count: 4570

For what it was worth, Shinji dreaded most of the bureaucratic duties he was tasked with since becoming captain. He didn’t quite see himself as a leader, but oddly enough, it felt natural to command the Fifth Division. There were times where he wondered if he was doing what was right, what was necessary for his squad, but those doubts left as fast as they came. He never liked to entertain any unnecessary thoughts.

But it didn’t help that Sakanade was gleeful about Lieutenant Aizen. It left Shinji uneasy around his subordinate. An immediate repulsion that someone his zanpakuto resonated with made Shinji wary.

But there were perks to being a captain, he couldn’t deny that. One such perk was visiting the World of the Living more freely. Soul Society is, understandably, too militaristic for his liking. The breath of fresh air amongst living mortals was a one Shinji readily accepted.

He envied their exploration in the arts. It was something him and Captain Otoribashi bonded over. Living mortals were incredibly creative in their short lifespans, music, visual arts, storytelling, all of it left Shinji wanting more.

It had been a few years since Shinji’s last visit. One he was looking forward to. He wondered what new things humans discovered and shared amongst themselves.

Shinji’s gigai was as stiff as ever, as he trudged down the bustling streets. He cranked his neck from time to time, scoffing at the rigidness of the artificial body, “they need to get better at makin’ these” he grumbled.

But his sour mood wouldn’t stay for long. Springtime was in full bloom in the World of the Living, as trees were dotted with buds and blossoms, signs of warmer weather to come. He took his time exploring the city. There were new art trends, galleries to visit and clothing stores to shop at. And his new Captain income was certainly another perk in coming here.

Yet he didn’t buy much at this visit, not many things caught his eye, but as he walked towards the area of where his Senkaimon gate was, he heard music playing in an innocuous-looking store.

“Sure, why the hell not.” Shinji mumbled.  

He stepped into the group of people as he tried to make his way through the front of whatever they were circled around. The music grew louder and louder the closer he approached.

In the centre of the throngs of people, stood some kind of device, it was spinning something, with a horn-like object playing music from it. “What the hell is it?”

“It’s a phonograph!” You chirped up. Shinji looked at you, but you were enthralled in the device, your eyes sparkling with wonder and enjoyment.

You seemed… friendly and you seemed to know what it was about. He scooted his way over to you as more people piled in his spot. He had questions he needed answering.

“So how does it work?” He asks, standing right next to you.

You jumped at the sound of his voice, to which he chuckled. “Oh,” you sheepishly said, “gimme a moment and I’ll get back to you.”

Shinji stood there, listening to the music, and watching you. He didn’t quite… care for the music, it sounded like a western military band for his tastes, but he enjoyed the reactions you gave to it. Well, not to the music…

As Shinji watched you from the corner of his eye, he could see your eyes dart around the device. The music was secondary, it was the device itself that you were starstruck by. He wasn’t sure how long the two of you stood there for, but he realize, the song had started again.

“Hey, so how about my question earlier?” He mumbled.

You looked at him with surprise, “I didn’t think you’d still be here!” And now you felt guilty. You took a glance at the phonograph, then back at Shinji. Maybe it’ll be quick and you can come back inside?

So you pulled him out of the shop. Dusk was settling into the streets, with the faint hum of cicadas fading away.

“You asked me how it works, right?” You asked him, finally getting a look at him. You had never seen this man before. He looked a bit unusual to you with his long blonde hair, and his straight, yet white, teeth.

“Yeah, you knew what it was.” Shinji explained, wondering if he was wasting his time.

“So that was a phonograph, the first of its kind!” You exclaimed. “That disc you saw, that was going round and round,” you twirled your fingers in the air, “has vibrations recorded on to it.” Your eyes were sparkling again, and with the glow of dusk behind you, Shinji had to admit you were pretty cute. “Those vibrations are music!”

“Wow, how do you know about this?” He asked, giving her a look.

You looked embarrassed, flustered even, “I’m a maid at the inventor’s house,” you looked at the ground.

Ah right, Shinji surmised. The few drawbacks of the World of the Living, the sorry state of women’s education.

“Well ya did a good job explaining it to me.” He ruffled your head, “you did your boss proud.”

You blushed at the compliment, “thank you!”

“I’m Shinji by the way.”

You introduced yourself as well, as you began to relax around the man. He had more technical questions about the device, and you hoped you could answer them as well as your boss explained to you.

Night was drawing near, and so was your hunger. Your stomach grumbled loudly, leaving you embarrassed.

“Hey, I took up a lot of yer time today.” Shinji drawled, “I’ll treat you to dinner, least I can do.” He shrug his shoulder, “I’m new here though, so take me to a place ya like.”

“Oh, ok!” That would explain the foreign air the man, Shinji, gave off. His accent was oddly charming. The two of you strolled down the street, enjoying the light conversation and the fading sound of the phonograph.

Shinji, the mysterious man of your youth, made frequent visits to you once he found out your days off or when your shift ended. It embarrassed you at first, for him to see you in your maid uniform, but he would give his Cheshire grin and say you looked cute regardless.

Hand in hand, the two of you would walk across the city, as you instilled in him a love for music. So much so, you would sing for him. At first, you were embarrassed, but Shinji was enamoured. You wrote lyrics to the music that the phonograph would play and eventually sang them to Shinji. “I’ll always be your number one fan, babe.” He would chuckle, kissing you on the lips.

Tonight though, you told him that your boss hoped that his invention would bring people together.

“I think he did that, eh?” Shinji chuckled, squeezing your hand.

You smiled, squeezing his hand in return, “he did, but –”

“But?”

“I hope this means we hear more and different kinds of music.” You murmured, as the two of you listened to the phonograph in store.

“Like what?”

“Oh, I don’t know, but this gives people something to think about, you know?” You said softly, wondering what kind of music, sounds, noises, people would record. “I just think it’s exciting.”

 Shinji couldn’t help but smile at your thought, “yeah, yer right about that. And that means I can hear you sing more and more.” You blushed as you shoved Shinji away, his laughter filling your ears.

Shinji decided to buy a phonograph for you (and for him). A gift from him you could hold on to when Soul Society was too demanding of him, and he couldn’t see you. His heart fluttered as you cried at his gift, shocked that he would buy something so expensive for someone like you. You wrote a particular song for him that night, a song to show your appreciation and love for him.

But you were special to him – special in a way he couldn’t say. Unlike you, his words bubbled up in his throat, to only pop and vanish once he opened his mouth. He could only hug and kiss you. Physically showing his sincerity for you.

But maybe, his gift was too much for you.

Shinji stared at the barricaded apartment – he had only been gone a few days. But in that small window of time, someone had broken into your home and murdered you, stealing the phonograph in the process.

Human lives… were short… but this was cruel.

Music filled Shinji’s office in the Squad 5 barracks. He fixed his bangs in the mirror. Sometimes, he could hear your voice, song and laughter, as if teasing him about how transfixed he was on his hair.

He made his record player louder.

How many years had it been since your murder? 20 years? 40 years? It bothered Shinji that he continued to grow and “live” (or live as well as any Shinigami could), while you were becoming a distant memory, one he dreaded losing to time.

Some days, like today, he wondered if it was worth exploring Rukongai for you. “But that’s like finding a needle in a hay stack,” he mumbled, lowering the volume of his music.

“Finding what, Captain?” Lieutenant Aizen asked, appearing at the door of Shinji’s office.

It grated Shinji to no end how his lieutenant appeared at such convenient times, as if he was trying to catch Shinji off guard.

Might as well give this dog a bone Shinji thought to himself, wondering what motive Aizen was playing at.

“Can ya get me the records of the souls that entered in the past 50 years?”

Aizen gave a confused look, “what for, sir?”

“I got a bone to pick with a human – they owe me something.”

“I see…” Aizen said, disbelief covering his face, “I’ll get on that.”

“Ya better, now get outta here Sosuke, got a Captain’s meeting comin’” He shooed Aizen away, wondering if the lieutenant would be a nuisance somehow.

As much grief as Shinji and Sosuke gave each other, Shinji hated to admit that the man did do his work diligently. After the captains’ meeting, Shinji was greeted with a stack of entries of all new souls that had entered in the past 50 years or so.

Soul Society, for all its bureaucracy and idiosyncrasies, collected information on souls that were entering, documenting their age, and if possible, their “category” of death. Shinji waded through the papers, scanning and skimming to find your name amongst the thousands that have passed.

He started with the oldest entries. He knew Sosuke would get overtly suspicious if he asked him for files from a specific set of years, so he would feign interest with the newer souls that had passed.

And within a few hours, he found your name. Shinji let out a sigh, partly of relief – knowing that you passed on without having the need for a Shinigami nor did you interact with a hollow, but sad that you were now in Rukongai District 48 South. Not as dangerous as those past 60, but he knew the conditions of many of the districts were in poor shape.

“Captain, I may be of help since you’re looking for someone specific.” His lieutenant approached. Shinji wanted to roll his eyes but wanted to mess with his lieutenant a little.

“If ya want to, sure.” Shinji responded, flipping through documents haphazardly. “I’m looking for a Taichi Suzuki, from Nakasu.”

Sosuke nodded his head and began to flip through the newer entries, as Shinji pretended to flip through others. The office began to darken as nightfall approached. Only the sounds of paper shuffling could be heard.

“I think I found them, sir.” Sosuke said calmly, holding the paper.

“Gimme that…” And Shinji wanted to laugh, there was a Taichi Suzuki from Nakasu in District 48 South.

"Great find, Sosuke!" Shinji wanted to cackle but gave a cheshire grin as he swiped the document out of his lieutenant’s hands.

“Let’s call it a day, see ya bright an early tomorrow.” Sosuke nodded his head as he made his leave.

Once Shinji was certain he was alone, he rubbed his face, sighing. It was one of the rare times in his life where he felt nervous. You had been in Soul Society for 50 years; would you even remember him?

But that was a problem for tomorrow. For now, his bed was calling his name.

Rukongai District 48 South was an inconspicuous place, like many of the other districts in the 40s. The houses were shabbier than the ones before it, but there was still some semblance of a town that people resided in, rather than the scant huts that were in the 50s and 60s.

Shinji casually strolled down the worn paths, opting to leave his captain’s haori in the Squad 5 barracks. He wasn’t here on official business, so there was no need to scare off the townsfolk of his presence. He would look like any other random fodder of Shinigami passing by.

There wasn’t anything remarkable that made the district standout. Some districts were known for their agricultural endeavours, while others for fashion or even furniture. But District 49 North was as unremarkable as they come. There wasn’t a even a flutter of spiritual pressure in the vicinity.

Shinji walked into a busy tea shop. He wasn’t particularly hungry or thirsty, but oftentimes these were the best places for information. Finding an empty table, he strummed his fingers waiting to be served. The conversations seemed to be irrelevant to what he was looking for.

“What nice weather we’re having.”

“We haven’t had much rain though. Not good for the crops.”

“Well the river is teeming with fish.”

He let out a yawn as he continued to wait, with nothing of interest to capture his attention.

“Sorry for the wait, sir! What would you like?”

Shinji’s eyes widen at you, deep in an apologetic bow, not yet lifting yourself up.

“Hey, doll. Long time, no see.” Shinji cooly said, a small grin on his face.

You gasped and screeched, alerting the other customers. You quickly apologized to the other patrons before heading to the back, asking for a small break.

Shinji couldn’t help but smile. You remembered him just fine.

Shinji conveniently paid the tea shop owners a hefty sum to let you free for the day, and they didn’t bat an eye. Just like when you were alive, Shinji continued to amaze you.

“How are you likin’ it here? You ok?” He asked, as the two of you sat along the river.

“It’s… fine? I guess. It’s strange not needing to eat.” You explained. “But some nights I get to sing to customers.” You gave a sheepish smile, “I think I’m getting better.”

“I miss hearin’ ya sing for me, doll.” Shinji murmured, cupping your face in his hand. You gave him a warm smile and began to hum an old tune, a song he hadn’t heard in decades. You began to sing softly to him, words long forgotten that he yearned to remember.

But once your song was over, you opened your eyes, confusion evident in them, “I don’t get it, Shinji – are you dead too?”

Shinji sighed and scratched the back of his head. He had a lot to explain to you.

“I can explain it to you if ya want, but it’s long.”

You gave him a gentle smile, as you placed your hand on top of his, “For you, I have all the time in the world.”

Shinji felt his heart flutter.

It took another decade, but Shinji was adamant on moving you into Rukongai District 2. He kept that paperwork separately, lest Lieutenant Aizen find out. But Old Man Yamamoto was a traditionalist, and moving a random soul between districts was unheard of, and almost always, immediately rejected.

Unless you were married.

Did… did you want to be married to Shinji? His mind wracked with all the ways you would say no.

There’s just no way you would agree, right? Maybe if he phrased it as a mutual, as a beneficial thing for you?

But you weren’t like that, Shinji knew as much. You didn’t ask for much, especially from him. You had repeatedly told him that seeing him again, being with him again and being together, was more than enough.

“Ah fuck it.” He grumbled, pulling an ornate box out. It was a kimono of exquisite silk and hand painted gold embellishments… his heart thudded loudly.

He made his way to District 48 North, to where you lived near the tea shop. Shinji had paid the board and rent for you, letting you keep your earnings. But as he made his way through the town, there was not a soul in sight.

Shinji grew tense with every step he made towards your home. There was no one, not a single soul present. Normally he would hear the chattering of everyday conversation, of some random children playing, but it was completely silent.

He flashed stepped towards the tea shop, dropping the box on to the ground. Blood and torn clothes were strewn all over the entrance to the shop. He could hear something inside the shop, something moving. The spiritual pressure was insignificant compared to a hollow or a seated Shinigami member, but in a district where there was no one with spiritual pressure to begin with, this was unusual to him.

Shinji quickly entered the shop and drew out his sword. He took in a deep breath as he witnessed the scene in front of him. There, in the middle of the once busy tea shop, were half eaten bodies, and some… creature gnawing on your lifeless one.

They looked hollow-like, but human sized. Without hesitation, Shinji swung his sword, killing the creature. Your body dropped onto the ground, your lifeless eyes staring at him. Shinji fell to his knees, cradling your body before running his fingers over your eyes.

His heart began to sink as your body began to fade. He quickly weaved a message to his squad, knowing that an investigation would take place soon.

But before they would come, Shinji weaved a kido spell, setting alight the kimono.

Shinji sighed as he stared at the city lights out over the horizon. Being exiled was strange. He was… free, yet not free. He could roam the World of the Living to his hearts content, but…

He hated to admit it, but he missed Soul Society.

But one thing the World of the Living did better were clothes, food and music. He didn’t care much for food, but the sheer variety astounded him. Lisa had brought pizza which he had never heard about before, but devoured immediately (much to the fury of Hiyori). Tiramisu? Hamburgers? Smoothies? He felt like he was quicker on the pulse here compared to whatever Soul Society was feeding its soldiers.

But then… there was the music. Him and Rose bonded over the different genres of music humans were producing. There were some genres he didn’t care for, but others that grabbed at him. Rose was partial to classical and rock music, but Shinji’s tastes were more “eclectic.”

He grew fond of the radio, hearing the Top 40 of any country he could find his hands on. He began to collect vinyl records of musicians he enjoyed, of unique and interesting instruments he had never heard of (Shinji immediately bought a theremin for his personal collection).

In a small part of his mind, he wondered what you would think of this. What genres would you like? The slow and calming sounds of ambient music? Or the clever and witty rhymes of hip-hop? Would you enjoy concerts? Dance clubs?

But those thoughts were becoming less frequent. He had to move on. He would hold on to his grudge for Aizen, crave revenge for not only him and the Visoreds, but also for you, but his “exile” would be to experience life for you.

 Tokyo was as bustling as ever in the night. Party goers laughing, crying and shouting, enjoying their night as Shinji walked by them. He could hear different songs play from the many shops and establishments he passed by, some were songs he recognized, others he didn’t particularly cared for.

Until he heard a familiar voice.

He swung his head to a random bar blasting a song. Shock was all over his face as he recognized that voice.

It was you!

Shinji barged inside to the few patrons enjoying their drinks and conversation. In a small corner of the bar, laid a TV with the singer, the singer with your voice.

“Oi, barkeep” Shinji shouted, trying to catch the bartender’s attention. The bartender, an older man, looked at Shinji.

“I’ll take an old fashioned and –” Shinji pointed the TV, “do you know who that is?”

The bartender looked surprised at the question but shook his head.

A patron next to Shinji, in a drunken stupor, laughed and slapped Shinji’s back, telling the name of the singer.

“She’s up and coming ya know! Got quite a following.”

“Do ya know if she’s playing a concert anytime soon?”

“Nah, but she’s got a fan club if yer interested.” The man burped, taking a pen out. He wrote the address of the fan club.

Shinji slapped his change for the drink, but bolted out the bar as soon as the song ended, his drink completely untouched.

Shinji was aware of idol culture, but he didn’t expect a similar culture for up-and-coming singers, such as you.. well was it you?

The singer sounded exactly like you, the mannerisms were eerily the same, you just wore modern clothing, your hair styled with the current trends of the time.

And you still smiled the same way that would make his heart flutter.

He had never spoke to you though, watching from a distance as you sang to the crowd. You would close your eyes at some lyrics, as if in a trance. Your songwriting astounded him, how much it sounded as if you from the past wrote it.

It had to be you. It had to be your reincarnation.

Tonight your manager, or whoever this person was organizing the event, announced that there would be a meet and greet at the end of tonight’s show. The crowd cheered as you waved politely.

Shinji took a deep breath; it was now or never.

The meet and greet was a fairly short affair. To his surprise, not many people wanted to meet with you, but that worked in his favour.

He was one of the last remaining concertgoers and he could see the weariness in your eyes. You were becoming exhausted, but you kept your smile for every fan that came your way. And now it was his turn.

Shinji extended his hand, “yer songs are beautiful.” He murmured.

You immediately grabbed his hand but jolted at the touch. Your eyes met.

“I – thank you.” You stammered, “have we met before?”

Shinji shook his head, letting go of your hand, “no, I’m just a fan of yer music.” He grinned.

You gave a look to your manager, but Shinji let go, making way for the next fan to come to you.

He slowly began to walk out of the venue before he heard yelling behind him, it was your manager. “Wait!”

Shinji stopped, letting the manager catch their breath. “I – she wants to talk to you once she’s done.”

Shinji raised his eyebrows, a flicker of hope growing inside him, but he knew better to have any expectations. He would hear you out and the two of you would go your separate ways.

He was ushered into your changing room. It wasn’t much of a room, he could see a backpack, water bottles, and some snacks. He felt guilty for some reason – should he have brought flowers?

He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. Memories of you over time flashed over his mind, frustrating him. It didn’t help your voice was stuck in his head too.

“Thank you for waiting.” You barged into the room, bowing deeply at Shinji.

“It’s no problem.” He replied, waving his hand. “What’s up?”

“I just – are you sure we haven’t met?”

Shinji shook his head, “you probably saw me around a lot at yer shows.” He said softly. “I’m a big fan.”

You looked at him with confusion, “no, I swear I’ve met you before…”

Shinji shrugged his shoulders, “maybe yer used to seeing me in the crowd. This is my first time going to your meet-and-greet though.”

You sighed loudly, examining Shinji’s face. This man looked so familiar to you. His voice even sounded familiar too.

And then realization hit you, with heat spreading to your cheeks. Shinji looked at you with a curious expression, wondering what had gotten you quiet and flustered.

“This is so embarrassing,” you mumbled, “but I think I remember where.”

“Where?”

“… my dreams.”

Shinji raised his eyebrows, “I mean, maybe because I’ve been in the crowd.”

“No!” You yelled, “I mean, you looked a bit different.”

Shinji shut his mouth, letting you continue.

“You had… longer hair, much longer.” You clicked your tongue, “and I don’t think you had a piercing.” Shinji grew alarmed. “You also wore… some kind of white haori with black clothing? And carried a sword.”

Shinji sighed. He could deny this, letting you wonder, and never appearing again… but what kind of chance was this? “Fate is truly a fickle woman.”

You gave him a confused look.

“How long have ya got? There’s a lot to tell you.”

“All night.” You grinned proudly, “tell me everything Mister…”

“Shinji, just call me Shinji. Ya never did call me by my last name anyways.”

You stared at him with another confused look on your face.

Momo ran down the halls of the Squad 5 barracks in a hurry. She clutched the paperwork to her chest tightly as she sprinted past her fellow seated members, down to Captain Hirako’s office.

She panted as she entered, “I have some –” as she exhaled, “papers that require your immediate signature, sir.”

Shinji placed a new record into his player, letting it play as he got seated into desk, “sure thing, Momo. Bring ‘em here.”

Momo dropped the documents on to his desk and immediately sat down on the other chair, letting the music play as Shinji skimmed through the documents. The voice sounded familiar, “sir, is this by that one popular singer in the World of the Living?”

“Yeah it is,” he said, without looking up from his paper, “I’m her biggest fan.”

“Really?!” Momo exclaimed, “I like a lot of her songs, she’s so talented.”

“She sure is,” Shinji grinned, putting down his pen.

“But I haven’t heard this song of her’s before. Is it new?”

“I wouldn’t say new…” Shinji drawled, “but a limited, unreleased one.”

“It’s beautiful.” Momo sighed, as she continued listening to the song. Shinji smiled, humming along to the song.

For just anyone, It is not, I told you, It is only just for you I do not want it to be just once I want my song to reach you right now And the next year too Let the two of us together Go watch the cherry blossoms

Reader made a special EP for Shinji's birthday hahaha. THANKS FOR READING!!! The song at the end is the translated bits from "Yamazakura" by Taeko Onuki.

Edit: forgot to explain some things LOL

Taichi Suzuki from Nakasu is a reference to Yakuza 5 (Kiryu’s alias in the red light district)

Wedding rings weren’t really a thing in Japan until post-WWII. Usually a woman wore her obi and kimono a particular way to signify that she was married. I decided to have Shinji gift her a kimono as an engagement present of sorts.

Happy Birthday to Shinji hehe 💌✨

(Didn't have time to make anything new but wanted to make a shout out anyway lol)

Hot Heat, Summer Sand: Side A

Inspired by this post of imagining Shinji in a swimsuit, since we somehow haven't gotten that yet from the fandom or Kubo (hint hint).

11k words, Shinji x reader, no real triggers than I can think of (but you're going to tear up a little, promise, because it's endearing as hell). Ice cream, swimsuit shopping, and more.

Please don't repost, reblogs are fine. I don't care if you save it to re-read later, but if you feed it into an LLM AI bot, I will feed you into a woodchipper.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. HIRAKO! You're aging like a fine wine, sir, please keep bringing the fandom good music and good times, and may you win a fight in Cour 4...

(T^T)7 @darthwhorecrux @whitefoxfiction @tomitsulikeslemons @pinguwuuuu who else did I miss, augh, I'm sorry!

NSFW AT THE END, IF YOU CLICKY, CLICKY AT YOUR OWN RISK

“Beach.”

I looked up from where I’d been fanning myself in vain, watermelon-printed uchiwa fan flapping madly. The summer heat was starting to get to me, and the humidity was even worse.

“Is this some new greeting from the World of the Living or something?” I mumbled, raising an eyebrow. “Beach to you, too, Mr. Hirako.”

The tall, lanky, recently reappointed Captain of Squad Five had a bemused expression. “No, no. Beach. As in, this is the season for it.” He was wearing slim capris with a madras lining on the turned-up cuffs, ankle socks with sandals over them, and a short-sleeved oxford, unbuttoned, over a more casual white crewneck.

The man looked like he’d stepped off the pages of a summer-edition Tokyo fashion magazine on streetwear, and I was currently marinating to death in my own sweat.

Perfect. Just perfect.

“Don’t tell me you’re one of those people,” I said irritably.

“What people?”

“Summer people.”

He grinned cheerfully. “I mean, sure, but not when it’s like this, no… hard not t’feel like somebody’s used gym socks in weather like this.”

That made two of us. Frankly, if I was being honest, I was pretty sure I smelled like someone’s gym socks at this point, too.

Ugh.

“Well, on that much, we can agree,” I replied. “And yes, plunging myself up to my neck in nice, cold water sounds heavenly. However, there’s two problems with that idea.”

Hirako sat, folding his long legs into a cross-legged sprawl on the shaded porch. “I’m an outta-the-box thinker… hit me.”

“Well, problem one is I burn to a crisp in the sun,” I said dryly. “So unless you want to go at night…”

“Noted,” he said, not batting an eye. “What’s difficulty number two?”

“Since I don’t like hot sunny weather and I can’t stay in the sun long, I don’t own a swimsuit.”

His eyebrows ascended up past his bangs, and his face smoothed itself into that careful non-expression most men wore when they were desperately trying to avoid thinking of something lascivious. “…also noted. C’mon, throw on some Western style clothes.”

I gave him an exhausted look and refused to move.

“The malls in the World of the Living have this magical thing called ‘air conditionin’…” Hirako said, leaning forward to lay a brief hand against my forehead. “You’re not runnin’ a fever, but you look a little overheated. Days like this, you gotta go to the mall and wait it out ‘till the sun sets and everything cools off a little.”

“Is your Vice-Captain really going to let you skip out on work?” I mumbled, trying to summon the reserves to climb to my feet.

“I’m off t’day,” Hirako chided gently. “I told you that, remember?”

“Oh,” I said stupidly, trying to cudgel my brain into some kind of functioning order.

It really is WAY too hot to think…

“C’mon,” he said patiently, pulling me to my feet. “Go splash some water on your face and change.” He plucked the uchiwa from my hand and nudged me inside. “I’ll wait out here. Hurry up, okay? You need to cool off.”

I mumbled an affirmative and shambled off in search of something a little more modern.

Stepping inside one of the shops in the large outlet mall was almost sinful. The heat and humidity instantly fled in favor of crisp, cold air, and I tried not to visibly wilt in relief. I’d never heard of Rinku Premium Outlets, but I liked them already.

“Better?”

“Yes. Much,” I replied fervently, and he chuckled.

“Y’know, if Kisuke and Mayuri are gonna start bringing television and other stuff from the World of the Living over to the Seireitei, they should really think about air conditioning,” Hirako mused.

“If that’s what’s making it bearable to exist right now, I’m putting myself on that waitlist the second they start selling it,” I promised, still a bit woozy from how oppressive it had felt outside.

“Uh huh. Anyway, we need ice cream first.”

“Ice cream?”

“You’ve had it before,” he said, surprised. “I know you have! Right?”

“I have,” I said, “but I thought you wanted to go to the beach…”

Hirako grinned. “It’s too hot right now. Besides, you need a swimsuit and sunscreen lotion first, or you’re going to be miserable. Let’s get something cold so you’re not so overheated, then we’ll go shopping.”

“…you’re going to feed me ice cream and then have me try on swimsuits? Seriously? Mr. Hirako, you wouldn’t happen to be some kind of sadist, would you?” I said, fixing him with a chilly stare.

He had the decency to look slightly abashed. “Ooops.”

“Look,” I said, debating over just how honest I wanted to be with him, “…I uh… it’s not just that I don’t own a swimsuit.”

“You don’t want to own one, huh?”

I puffed out my cheeks slightly. Annoyingly perceptive as always.

“Well, you know,” I said, trying to make a joke out of it. “Some girls worry about having the perfect bikini body. Some stick to one-pieces. Me, I’m more of a wetsuit person.”

When in doubt, sarcasm and a little self-depreciating humor…

Surprisingly, the acidic humor didn’t even get a chuckle from him. Hirako simply studied me for a moment, some rawer, more self-conscious emotion flitting across his sharp features before it was abruptly gone, malicious cheer in its place.

“Perfect,” he said, smirking. “You’ll match my non-existent abs.”

I sputtered, trying not to laugh, because laughing felt too mean… but it was too funny not to.

He poked my side. “C’mon, just let it all out.”

I snickered – quietly – so we weren’t disturbing the other customers.

“There y’go,” he said, amused at my struggles to maintain composure. “Now, what’re you gettin’? I think I want a parfait.”

“Do I get a say in this, Mr. Hirako?”

“Stop being so formal,” he griped, one long finger prodding my ribs again. “I told you just ‘Hirako’ was fine, didn’t I? I don’t do well with stiff people.”

I shrugged. “It’s just my brand of sarcasm.”

“Well, cut that bit out, would you? I feel like your high school teacher or somethin’,” he replied. “You’re my age.”

I had the perfect witty comeback, primed and ready to go, but my body decided sneezing was a better option instead.

“Ugh…”

“You gettin’ cold?”

“No,” I managed, rummaging in my pockets for a tissue. “Just allergic to impossibly stylish men, apparently.”

He blinked, jostled out of his manufactured façade of smug cheer for a moment before a delighted grin crept over his face at the snappy comeback.

“Y’know, they say it’s important to build up a tolerance. Guess I’ll have to come by more often,” he drawled, the r’s rasping pleasantly in his rough Osaka-ben accent.

I didn’t really want to admit out loud how much his voice did very nice things to my stomach, but I could feel a slight flush creeping up my cheeks.

“If you say so, Mr. Hirako.”

He fixed me with a perturbed stare.

“…er, Hirako.”

“Much better,” he said. The slight glint in his eyes made me swallow and look away.

Just keep talking. I’ll listen to the sound of your voice all day, you know.

I didn’t dare express something that vulnerable aloud, though. Guys like Hirako didn’t seem to like anything but self-assured, sassy women, and while I could dole out the sass with the best of them, the thin veneer of self-assurance I wore like armor slipped all too frequently for my liking.

“That better not be ice cream making you look so melancholy,” he said, almost gently, and I jolted out of my own thoughts.

“Oh… no. Just distracted,” I said lamely. “I’ll just get uhhh, mango? I guess the mango sorbet sounds good.”

He didn’t say anything, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

“What?”

“Nothin’,” he said, brown eyes flickering away to reexamine the menu pasted at the counter. “Why don’t you find a table and I’ll get our order in?”

I took the opportunity to beat a strategic retreat, cheeks burning.

It was a cute dessert shop, with only a few tables and an Alice in Wonderland theme. There were more tourists milling around than I was used to seeing, too.

It felt a bit strange, coming to the World of the Living with him, let alone holing up in a dessert shop. We’d exchanged a fair bit of witty banter over the last few months, and some of it definitely felt like flirting, but there was no way he was serious about it.

The minute I take it seriously, he’ll say it’s all a joke.

I didn’t really want to hear that.

I was pretty sure when he did my heart was going to snap audibly in two.

“Oooh, a window seat. Good choice,” Hirako said, plunking himself down in the other café chair across from me. “They said they’ll bring it over when it’s ready.”

“Oh,” I said, suddenly fumbling for my wallet. “Sorry, how much was mine?”

He shrugged.

“Well, I need to—”

“Ah-ah. None of that. I’m a captain again, remember? I can afford it,” he said.

“Well yeah, but…”

“Look, if I admitted how much money I’ve spent on clothes and records in the last month, you’d probably lose all respect for me.” Hirako sounded bemused, glancing out the window at the passerby. “Just let me cover it today, okay? It was my idea anyway.”

I fumbled for a reply. “…thanks.”

Another shrug. “So you don’t swim?”

“Well, I know how to swim,” I said lamely. “I just don’t really like feeling so undressed in front of other people. And a lot of swimsuits are pretty girly and frilly and pink, and that stuff doesn’t really suit me.”

“Doesn’t suit you? Or you just don’t like it?” Hirako asked.

“…both, I guess. I really can’t stand pink. I like punk stuff more, if we’re talking Western clothes. Or rock and roll. But the super edgy stuff in those styles isn’t really my thing either.”

“Oh, you like preppy punk,” Hirako said. “Classic stuff with edgy bits mixed in. Off-kilter without bein’ offensive.”

I blinked. “Uh…”

“This stuff,” he said, pulling out his soul pager and tapping something in. He handed it over, and I scrolled through the pictures his search had brought up.

“Yeah, I like this. Wow, soul pagers do this now, huh?”

He grinned, fishing in his pocket. “I forgot, since you’re not a shinigami you don’t have one of these. They do this, too—”

He pulled out a small pair of clip headphones, plugging them into the phone and tapping through the options for a moment before offering me a headphone. “Here.”

I slipped it over my ear and felt a smile blossom as the music hit me. “Oh! Caravan Palace. I got you hooked, huh?”

“I think Brotherswing probably stands as my favorite song from them, but Avalanches is a close second,” he admitted. “I still like ragtime and swing the most, because those were the first styles I heard when it came over to Japan, but electro-swing is interesting too.”

“I like Blonde Dynamite,” I said without thinking, then finally absorbed the expression of the very blonde man sitting across from me and turned scarlet.

“Is that right?” Hirako said, a hint of smugness laced through his voice. “You have good taste.”

In music or men? I shrieked inwardly, wanting to crawl under the table and die of embarrassment.

Like a thoughtful angel sent to pardon me, a waitress stopped next to our table and set a towering parfait in front of me and a bowl of sorbet in front of Hirako. “Please enjoy!” she said, before offering a slight bow and scurrying off to serve the next customer.

Hirako chuckled, retrieving the headphones and putting everything away before snagging the parfait and scooting my bowl of sorbet over. “Guess this isn’t what guys usually order.”

I shrugged, my face cooling a bit. “Probably the same for me. Oh, when are the others coming?”

“Hmm?”

“Aren’t we meeting up with other people?”

“Nope.” He took a bite, the metal stud in his tongue glinting for a moment before it scraped against the spoon faintly.

“…you’re wasting your whole day off with just me?” I asked, genuinely surprised.

“I wouldn’t call it a waste,” he disagreed, brown eyes not wavering from mine as his tongue curved against the metal spoon, licking the chocolate sauce from it. “I’m never bored around you. That’s pretty rare, for me.” He took another bite. Slowly.

“…are you trying to seduce me, Mr. Hirako?” I asked dryly, popping a spoonful of mango sorbet in my own mouth.

Oooh. This was a good decision.

“Hirako.”

“Hirako,” I amended, and he set the spoon down for a moment.

“That depends. Is it working?”

He looked oddly serious – no hint of amusement or even a smirk.

Just steady brown eyes, with slight smudges underneath. Not enough to indicate he hadn’t been sleeping well recently, just enough to hint that he’d seen a fair bit more of life than the thirty-five or so years he appeared to be.

“Possibly,” I said, as noncommittally as possible.

“That’s not an answer…” he chided, and I reached across to poke my finger into the fluffy whipped cream and nuts topping his parfait.

“Hey!”

I stuck my finger in my mouth and sampled the flavor. “Mmm. Not bad.”

Those sharp brown eyes narrowed thoughtfully, then his hand darted out and stole my spoon, nipping a bit of sorbet from the dish in front of me.

“Really?” I said, exasperated as he popped the spoon into his mouth.

“Oh, the mango’s good,” he said, a hint of malicious cheer in his voice as he handed my spoon back to me.

I gave him a look.

“Wanna try some of the hot fudge?” he coaxed, holding out a spoonful temptingly.

…no matter how you look at it, this is definitely only something couples do, right?

If I let him spoon-feed me bites of his parfait, I was fairly sure I was going to turn into a puddle right then and there.

“…no thanks.” I said hesitantly, digging my spoon back into the sorbet and taking another bite.

Oh. Right. This was in his mouth a few seconds ago.

At this rate, the waitress was going to have to come back and mop me off the floor.

“More for me, then,” he said, finally focusing on the melting ice cream concoction in front of him instead of me.

The sorbet was good, but I felt more self-conscious than I wanted.

“So I’m thinkin’ you need a really high SPF, like 50. They have that stuff in the skincare area. It’s pretty good, and it means you won’t get sunburned. We can just ask somebody at a skincare shop, they’ll know what you need.”

“There’s a shop for everything here,” I commented, and he grinned.

“Se ya na - yer’right. Don’t come here often?”

I shrugged. “Since I’m not a shinigami, there isn’t much reason to. Nobles might occasionally slip off to the World of the Living to have fun, but nobody outside of the higher ranked families is going to have their own personal senkaimon to travel back and forth.”

“Lisa’s been bringin’ a lot of stuff over, but I guess most of its books and magazines, not cosmetics,” Hirako said wryly. “I don’t think that kinda thing is your cup of tea… though I’m not judging if it is.”

“I’ve heard about that,” I admitted, trying and failing not to turn several shades of pink.

He chuckled and reached over to tap my nose with one finger. “You’re blushin’.”

“Am not.”

“All right, fine,” he teased. “You’re perfectly composed.”

“You’re right,” I said firmly, taking my embarrassment out on the sorbet in front of me as I plowed my spoon through it aimlessly.

“Nah, say it properly,” Hirako said, ignoring his ice cream in favor of watching me. “Yer’right.”

“Huh?”

“Yer’right.”

“You’re right?” I repeated, puzzled.

“Chau – yer’wrong,” he scolded, and I started laughing.

“Why are you trying to corrupt my speech, Hirako?”

He grinned unrepentantly. “It’d be cute, you talkin’ Kansai-ben.”

“Would not,” I sputtered.

“Very cute,” he said, clearly amused at my dismay.

“Y-yer’wrong.”

The sudden Kansai accent earned a delighted smile from him. “So you are quick at picking up things like that. You’re just resisting me.”

“You’re right,” I said sweetly, stabbing the sorbet as my cheeks burned.

“No, no,” he griped, still smiling. “You’re just winding me up, now.”

“Yer’right,” I said smugly, and he started laughing.

“I was right,” Hirako said finally, spoon wandering over to steal a bit more sorbet. “It’s cute. But the way you talk normally is cute too.”

“I appreciate a man willing to lie on my behalf,” I retorted, and he sighed.

“What’s it gonna take for you to take me seriously?” he asked.

“For starters, you could be serious,” I said.

“I’m always serious.”

I raised an eyebrow.

He sighed again. “Fair enough. Here, you done?”

I nodded, and he collected the dishes from the table, taking them back to the counter’s bussing area for us.

Oh, it’s like those food stalls back home versus a fancy restaurant. You put your own stuff away here.

“All right,” Hirako said, returning. “Let’s go shopping!”

It was my turn to sigh.

Well, at least I don’t have to come out of the dressing room…

I wanted to cry.

It hadn’t been too bad, not at first. Picking up sunblock had just been a matter of finding someone to tell me what I needed, like Hirako had said. Finding a swimsuit shop had also been easy, and I’d beelined for the most conservative coverage I could get, hoping it would magically be enough to avoid total mortification.

It wasn’t.

There were at least fifteen different swimsuits scattered about the tiny dressing room, and none of them were what I’d call flattering.

Too low-cut. My breasts are gonna fall out!

Toss.

Who the hell decided women needed ruching over their STOMACH?!?

Toss.

This is too frilly. It didn’t look bad on the rack, but ugh, no. I’m not sixteen, and I’m not trying to look sixteen.

Toss.

Toss.

Toss.

About 12 attempts later, I could practically feel the tears trying to start running down my face in humiliation.

“Hey…”

Hirako’s voice from outside the dressing room made me flinch. “Yeah, what is it?” I managed, trying to sound normal.

“How’s it going?”

I want to never see myself in a mirror again, thanks.

“…fine.”

“Doesn’t sound fine.”

“…I don’t really have to swim,” I said quietly. “I’m fine with just wading along the shore.”

Footsteps moved closer. “Can I see?”

“No!” I said hastily, my voice cracking a bit with anxiety. “I’m not dressed right now.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing, just nothing.”

“Doesn’t sound like nothing,” he said gently. “Talk to me.”

“…Nothing fits right.”

“You want me to get a bigger size?”

“No, I want my bust to shrink,” I said flatly. “I told you. Wetsuit body. I’m chubby, Hirako. Not like ‘haha I should lose ten pounds’ kind, either.”

“Hang on,” he said. “Toss something that fits over the door.”

“…why?”

“Do you trust me?”

I hesitated, then grabbed the least awful of all of them and tossed it over.

“Okay. I’m going to get a salesclerk.”

I wanted to tell him not to bother, but I wasn’t confident I wouldn’t start bawling, and that would have been even more humiliating.

I started pulling my own clothing back on and rehanging the rejects, and by the time I’d emerged with a pile and some of my self-control back, Hirako had returned with a few things draped over one arm.

“The saleslady was very helpful,” he said cheerfully. “Try this on. There’s a coverup, too.”

“Hirako…”

He moved past me, hung it up in the dressing room, and returned to scoop the pile of rejects out of my arms. “Let’s get rid of these. I really didn’t drag you along with me to make you sad, y’know.”

“I’m fine,” I said, voice wavering a bit.

“Bullshit.”

“I’m fine, and I’m not ruining your day off on something this trivial,” I said too cheerfully, and he abruptly dumped the swimsuits into a nearby chair.

“Ah—”

“It’s fine, she gets paid to hang up clothes,” Hirako said, turning to plant his hands on my shoulders, fingers squeezing gently. “You. Cut it out.”

“What?” I asked, bewildered.

He reached out and flicked me on the forehead. We were roughly the same height, so he didn’t have far to reach.

“Ow.”

“I’ve watched friends of mine nearly die,” he said, bringing his face closer to mind, brown eyes blazing for a moment with intensity. “You’re kidding yourself if you think this is going to make me have a bad day.”

“…Oh.”

“Oh,” he said, gently mocking me. “Seriously, cut it out. I like spending time with you. Why would I lie about that?”

“Come on, you lie about everything that isn’t important,” I said, exasperated. “If it’s funnier to make up something absurd, you’ll do that, too.”

He held up a finger. “Ah, but you just said it. I don’t lie when it’s important or when it’s not funny.”

I didn’t say anything.

“What makes you think I’m lying?” he asked, hand drifting to my shoulder again.

“You crack jokes about every pretty girl you ever meet being ‘the love of your life’,” I muttered. “For starters.”

He considered that for a moment. “Actually? No. Not everyone.”

“Well, sure, Lisa mentioned you didn’t call Hiyori that,” I said.

“Hiyori’s a kid,” he replied, exasperated. “I’m not some creep that hits on kids. And I’ve never said it about you, either.”

“Exactly,” I said. “I’m not pretty like Nanao, or cute like your Vice-Captain, or sexy like Matsumoto. I’m just me. And I don’t look good in swimsuits.”

“You’re lovely,” Hirako said quietly. There was no hint of sarcasm to the words. “And I adore you.”

I froze, trying to process the words and how close he’d gotten. His cologne smelled faintly of florals and sweetness, but strong, deep undernotes of eucalyptus and sandalwood made it thoroughly masculine.

“I don’t joke about things that matter to me,” he said, one hand coming up to rest against my cheek. His thumb swept gently beneath one eye, then the other before pulling away from me, tears glistening on his fingertips. “Ever. Understand?”

The words were so stuck in my throat I could barely get air past them. I opened my mouth, closed it again, and must’ve looked utterly panicked, because he pulled me into a hug.

I was too tall to fit neatly under his chin, so he settled for tucking his head against mine, blonde strands of his hair tickling my cheek, fingers digging into my hip and shoulder as he squeezed.

Somehow, not looking him in the eye helped. “…I like you too,” I managed at last, barely audible over the soft classical music playing throughout the shop.

He didn’t say anything, but I could feel him exhale, breath warm against my ear, arms tightening around me for a moment before letting go and stepping back.

“Hirako?”

“Shinji,” he corrected me absently. “And if I kiss you in here, I’ll get arrested for public indecency. Hurry up and try on that swimsuit, so we can find the right one and get out of here, okay?”

There was a low rasp to the drawl that hadn’t been there before, and I didn’t dare look him in the eyes. Just imagining the expression on his face was enough to send a pleasurable shudder through me.

I hesitated.

“Don’t make me come in there,” he said, and a quick glance at his expression suggested he was only half-kidding.

“…I-I’m going,” I stammered, backing into the dressing room hastily and shutting the door.

You’re way too old to be acting like a lovestruck teenager.

Well, I was, but remembering his cologne and the way he’d hugged me was making me giddy anyways, sensible adulthood be damned.

I shed my clothes again, pulling on the new swimsuit. It was black, and I vaguely remembered ignoring it on my first pass – it was a demure one-piece, but it had cutouts across my ample cleavage, down both sides, and several bits in back that made it look as though it was a basket weave.

However, I’d failed to realize all the cutouts had a filmy black netting across them – sheer, but dark enough to tone down the flashes of skin on display.

As a bonus, the cutouts on the side actually made me look slimmer, and the curved cutout across the top flashed enough to distract anyone from side-eyeing my love handles.

I didn’t feel entirely confident, but I didn’t feel like bawling, either. I’d take what triumphs I could, today.

“I think you’re right, this one is good,” I said.

“Eh, the saleslady picked it out. I can’t take any credit,” he replied. “C’mon, let’s see.”

I opened the door, eyes glued to his face. The back area of the shop remained thankfully empty of anyone else to witness my potential embarrassment.

Hirako’s eyes narrowed slightly, sweeping down my figure and lingering on the subtle cleavage while I scrunched my toes into the carpeting, self-conscious.

“…that one,” he agreed, still studying me.

“It’s a little—”

“It’s perfect,” he said, cutting me off. “I’m buying it.”

“Oh, no – you don’t have to—”

“I’m buying it,” he repeated firmly, eyes still locked on my chest.

“I’m pretty sure it’s expensive…”

“Worth every single yen,” he said, a slight smirk tugging at his lips.

I sighed. “My eyes are up here, you know.”

“Hmm?”

“Nothing.”

He twirled a finger. “Turn?”

I spun, quickly.

“No, no, no,” he said, exasperated. “Slowly. Give a guy a chance to enjoy the view, would you?”

“Seriously?”

“Mmm-hmmmmmmmm,” he said, dragging the words out with an unrepentant smirk.

I turned again, fairly certain my blush could have lit the interior of the store by itself.

He didn’t speak until I was facing him again, then sighed, slowly.

“There’s really only one thing wrong with that swimsuit,” he said gravely.

“…really?”

“I can’t let anybody else see you in that” Hirako continued, his expression dead serious. “You’ll have guys all over you. I’m not a ‘sharing’ kinda guy.”

I laughed. “Come on.”

“You think I’m joking again?” he teased, the beginnings of a smile tugging at his lips.

“Maybe?”

“Definitely not,” he drawled, grinning. “That’s a killer view.”

“The front or the back?” I asked dryly.

“Oh, the front, absolutely. But both are very nice,” he said, adding a little bit of a leer to the compliment.

“Ah. A man of culture, huh?”

“Damn straight,” he said smugly. “Can’t go sharing that view with just anyone.”

“You’re biased,” I said dryly, but the compliment felt nice.

“I had my vision checked at Squad 4 three weeks ago, sunshine,” he fired back with a smirk. “My vision’s perfect…” he leaned in, voice lowered, “…just like your boobs.”

I giggle-snorted, then clamped a hand over my face, horrified, but Hirako just started laughing.

“That’s better. You have the prettiest eyes when you’re grinnin’. Hey, try on that cover-up, too.”

I fished the other garment out of the dressing room and slipped it on. It was the same floaty, silky black mesh as the cutouts, but with black lace strategically covering some areas. It tied with a simple black ribbon under my bustline, but it was split into four panels from the hips down to my ankles, meaning the slightest breeze would expose a tantalizing amount of leg.

“Yep. That too,” Hirako said immediately. “Damn. I’m leavin’ this shop a very nice review.”

“I can buy this piece, at least,” I offered, and he raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.

“Nope. Not today. Not on a date.”

I blinked, startled. “This is a date now?”

“I don’t see why not,” he said easily. “We like each other. We had ice cream. We found you an outfit. We’re gonna go see a pretty sunset. Sounds like a nice date t’me.”

“You,” I said with mock severity, “are entirely too smooth for your own good, Mister Hirako.”

His hand darted out and smacked my ass, and I strangled a surprised yelp, worried the saleslady would come check on us.

“W-what was that about?” I sputtered indignantly, but he just shrugged.

“Penalty game. Since you keep forgettin’ my first name, I’m gonna tease you every time you slip up.”

“No. No, there’s no game, because you’re not penalized for anything!”

He shrugged again with a lazy grin. “Better start rememberin’, then.”

I gave him maximum stink-eye. “Shinji.”

“Yes, very good,” he said bemusedly, plopping himself in the chair that wasn’t overflowing with hangers. “I think we’re past formalities, don’t you? Go change and let’s get out of here.”

“Hang on,” I said. “Are you getting anything? You’re not going to swim in what you have on, are you?”

“Oh, I already picked something out,” he said cheerfully. “It’s waiting up front for whenever you’re done, so I can pay for it.”

“I didn’t get to see it,” I protested mildly, and he chuckled.

“It’s too dangerous to show you here. You’ll just have to wait.”

“Dangerous. Really.”

He grinned smugly. “You wouldn’t be able to keep your hands off me, and then we’d both get kicked outta this shop for being a public nuisance.”

I huffed and rolled my eyes for effect, but I knew there was a fair chance he was right.

I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to react to bare-chested Hirako… I might need to get a picture of that. You know, just to uh, remember today by. Yeah.

My self-delusion and I traipsed back into the dressing room and changed back into street clothes, re-emerging a few minutes later and straightening out my hair and clothes a bit in the large mirror.

Hirako took the filmy, lacy swimwear from me and vanished up front while I took a moment to fix a few stray curls.

By the time I made it up front to the cash register, he was taking the bag from the saleswoman, a girl in her mid-twenties with a cute up-do and a stylish pendant necklace that gave me a conspiratorial wink and a professional smile.

“Come back again! Thanks so much for your business!” she said, and I had a momentary pang of regret, recalling how much bubbly energy I’d had at the same age.

We stepped back outside into the sticky heat, but it was slightly more bearable now that I’d cooled off.

“Okay, fess up,” I said, before he could derail us again.

“What’s up?”

“Why did you really want to go to the beach?” I asked, fixing him with a stern look. “And don’t say it was too hot. We haven’t even gotten there yet!”

“Well, we needed to get you a swimsuit first,” he said innocently.

“Uh-huh. And?”

“And since I paid for it and have the receipt, I now have your lingerie sizes noted down,” he said smugly. “For future reference.”

My jaw dropped.

“The bus stop should be somewhere around here,” he continued, as if he hadn’t just casually destroyed my ability to form words. “Want to head there now? To the beach, I mean. Or did you need to do anything else here?”

I shook my head.

“No? No to the beach?”

“Hira-Shinji,” I managed to correct myself just in time.

“Oooh, close one. I’ll let you off the hook for good behavior.”

“For future reference,” I repeated.

“What, you want me to buy the wrong size?” Hirako asked. “That’s no good. It won’t look as nice if the fit’s off, and it won’t be comfortable, right?”

I fixed him with an exasperated stare. “You keep saying completely reasonable things, but you’re totally crazy.”

“Rude!” he protested, grinning. “I know exactly what I’m doin’; I’ll have you know.”

“Should I be worried?” I asked dryly.

“No,” he replied, tucking my arm under his, grin softening to an almost bashful smile. “Never. Not with me, sunshine.”

By the time the bus pulled up at some place Hirako called Nishikinohama Beach Park, the sun was already starting to sink back towards the horizon. There were a fair number of people that had gotten the same idea and were wandering the beach, catching a few last rays, or chasing shrieking kids as the surf tugged at their legs.

He grabbed a few items from the shopping bag, and we split up to change in the facilities.

I felt a bit self-conscious, leaving everything in the locker while the airy gauze and lace fluttered about my ankles, but it did feel cooler, and walking in the surf sounded nice. I slipped on the beach sandals he’d thoughtfully added to the ensemble, applied lotion, and stepped outside.

“Yep. You made a good decision,” Hirako said, coming over and pulling off a pair of sunglasses. He’d changed into beach sandals himself, with black trunks, a long necklace that hung to the middle of his chest, and a black, knee-length coverup of light cotton with intricate patterns etched in white. He hadn’t bothered with any buttons, the loose lines of the outfit accentuating his thin, lean body.

“So did you,” I said honestly, trying not to stare.

He wasn’t the sort of guy to sport a rippling six-pack and bulging muscles, but I liked that better. He had more of a runner’s build – trim and clearly someone that took the time to care of himself.

Well, aside from that perpetual slouch.

“I do clean up nicely, don’t I?” he joked, but I could tell the answer mattered to him. The thought of him being secretly self-conscious, just a bit, was oddly endearing.

“You do,” I said softly. “I like that outfit. It suits you.”

A slight hint of red crept up his neck. “Ah, well… I’m apparently the most stylish guy in the Soul Society. That Squad Nine magazine printed it, so it’s gotta be true, right?”

“You can just accept the compliment without having to use humor to deflect it,” I said, smiling to take the sting out of the words. “Just so you know.”

“Ooooh,” he said admiringly. “I’ve been skewered. Does that work on you?”

“Does what work on me?”

“Emotional baggage as an attractant,” Hirako said. “Because if so, I’ve got a sharp pain in my childhood memories…”

“That,” I said, trying not to laugh, “is a terrible pickup line.”

“Which means it works,” he fired back, removing the shirt and offering me a bottle. “On a different note, could you possibly take pity on me and put this on me? I’m not sure I burn quite as badly as you say you do, but I’m still not gonna risk it.”

I swallowed. “Uh, put sunblock on you?”

“Just my back. I can’t reach it,” he said sheepishly. “Though, if you wanted to reapply it elsewhere, I won’t stop you…”

“We’re a little too public for that,” I said sweetly, dumping a glob in my hand and slapping it against his back as unromantically as possible.

“Gah! That’s cold,” he griped.

I started smoothing it over his shoulders. There was more muscle hidden beneath the skin than I’d initially expected, given how lean he was.

“Revenge,” I said cheerfully. “For slapping my butt earlier.”

“Fair enough,” he said wryly. “I’m at your mercy. Get your licks in now, just remember I haven’t done you yet.”

His muscles knotted, tensed, and relaxed as I smoothed the lotion in, my fingers trailing over his spine. It felt nice, touching him.

“I’ve already put mine on,” I said.

“Whaaaaaat.”

“You’re too old to pout, Hirak—ah, Shinji.”

“You might have missed a spot. Can’t be too careful.”

“You just wanted to put your hands all over me,” I teased, and was rewarded by a slight flush creeping up his neck.

“What if I did?” he retorted.

“We’re a little too public for that, don’t you think?”

“…meanin’, if we go somewhere less public, you wouldn’t mind?” he drawled, a slight rasp to the r’s as his accent roughened.

Well, that backfired. I was pretty sure I was beet red now.

“You know,” I managed, trying to keep my voice steady, “every now and then, it’d be nice to feel like I’m winning one or two of these little exchanges.”

He chuckled, and I could feel the laughter through his body as I rubbed the last of the sunblock in. “From where I stand, you’re winnin’ all of them.”

I impulsively leaned close enough my breath ruffled his hair, murmuring in his ear. “I’d say you’re holding your own…”

It took him a minute to reply, but the flush crept further up his neck, and I could hear the sudden breath he sucked in.

“Now that’s just playin’ dirty,” he complained, but the words lacked any real bite.

I stepped away reluctantly. “You’re all set.”

He slipped his shirt back on, turning to eye me with a slight glint in his eyes. “You sure you don’t need any more sunblock?”

I weighed the odds of me accidentally making indecent noises in public. “…yep,” I said, my voice wavering a bit. “All good.”

He regarded me with narrowed eyes, then smirked. “I think your face could use a little more.”

My blush got worse. Oh, you bastard. “No, I definitely remember getting my face.”

“It’s getting sunburned already,” he said, dabbing a bit on one finger before tucking the bottle into a pocket. “You’re bright red.”

“Shut up,” I griped, and he grinned unrepentantly, dotting sunblock across my nose and cheeks, then taking his thumb and smoothing it in.

The slow, gentle strokes his thumb made across my cheek made me bite my lip, his eyes locked on mine until I had to look away.

“I can play dirty too,” he murmured. The low pitch of his voice sent an ache through me.

My nose was last, his index finger rubbing gently down the bridge of my nose before resting on my lips for a moment.

I impulsively nibbled at his fingertip, and he sucked in a breath, eyes suddenly fixed on my mouth.

Neither of us moved for a long moment, then Hirako grabbed my wrist.

“…let’s walk, hmm?” he said, with a forced lightness.

I couldn’t trust myself to speak, so I simply followed him across the stretch of sand, dodging kids and the occasional couple, some holding hands, some keeping a careful distance between them to avoid any embarrassing displays of affection in public.

Hirako didn’t seem embarrassed about holding on to me, surprisingly. He wasn’t the sort to care much what other people thought, sure, but there was a general disdain culturally towards too much affection in public, and I’d figured he was probably the same.

His fingers slipped down to grasp my hand, and he pulled us into the shade cast by one of the large buildings that contained restrooms, soda machines, and other necessities.

It wasn’t particularly scenic, but it was out of the throng of beachgoers and relatively quiet. Nobody was interested in sitting in the shade of a building when there was an entire ocean right there.

“Can I be honest?” Hirako said, voice still lowered to almost a murmur.

“…uh huh.”

“I’m not sure I care about the beach, after all.”

I fumbled for a reply, but he was stepping closer, nose practically bumping against mine as he continued.

“We could go see a movie,” he said, thumb slipping up to stroke the soft skin across my wrist. “Lots of people, but dark enough to be a little more private. Or a karaoke booth, if you’d rather get something for dinner without having to deal with other people.”

I swallowed, eyes darting up to meet his.

“Or we could find a hotel somewhere,” Hirako said quietly. “Whatever you’re comfortable with.”

“That’s a totally unfair question,” I murmured back, trying to remember how to breathe.

“Yer’right,” he agreed. “But I’m leavin’ it up to you.”

“…hotel,” I whispered. “Please.”

I’d wanted him so damn long, I didn’t think I could wait another minute without touching him again.

A relieved groan escaped from his throat, and then his lips were brushing mine, kiss deepening as his hands rose to cup my face, fingers tangling in my hair.

Oh, Shinji…

He nibbled my lower lip suggestively, and I whimpered, my hands clutching his shoulders as he nuzzled me, finally letting go with an effort and stepping back.

“Not here, sunshine,” he said, voice hoarse, looking as dazed as I felt.

I simply nodded, still savoring the way his fingers had stroked through my hair.

Hirako – no, Shinji fumbled with his pockets for a moment, eyes still lingering on me, then pulled out his soul pager, dialing in a number and clearing his throat a few times.

“…hey, is this the right number for the super-talented Vice-Captain of Squad Five?” he finally said, sounding almost normal.

I couldn’t hear the other end of the conversation, but I could guess well enough based on his reply.

“What do you mean, ‘what now’?  I was just callin’ to let you know I’ll be in late tomorrow.”

Another pause. Shinji looked amused, dragging his teeth across his lower lip as he listened.

“Nope, Captain’s orders. You can still go take off when you usually do, I’ll just work later. Something important’s come up, so I just didn’t want you to be surprised if I wasn’t in tomorrow morning.”

A shorter pause.

“Whaddya mean, ‘pointless’? My orders are never pointless, missy, I use ‘em precisely how I need to. Get back to work. Oh, right. Did you need anything? Anything come up today?”

I swallowed the giggles that threatened to bubble up, and Shinji shot me a long-suffering look.

“Good, good. Thanks, Momo. I appreciate it,” he said. “Oh, if Hiyori calls for any reason, you can just hang up.”

I could make out some rather loud protests and something about politeness.

“What? S’fine. If she’s mad, she’ll just start blowin’ up my soul pager, not yours,” Shinji said patiently. “Anyway, I gotta go. Text if somethin’ comes up you really need me for, like the Seireitei being on fire.”

Another pause.

“Yep. Thanks, Momo. Bye.”

He hung up and started tapping at the phone’s screen.

“Your Vice-Captain is a saint,” I said dryly.

“I’ll remind you of that, if you ever see her in nightmare mode,” he said absently, still tapping away.

I laughed. “There’s no way. Not Hinamori.”

“Oh, you’d be surprised,” Shinji said, amused. “She’s got some steel in her spine, that girl. Which is all the better, after all that crap Aizen put her through.”

He conveniently left out his own suffering at his ex-Vice-Captain’s hands.

You went through a fair amount of crap yourself, you know. Though, that’s like you to worry about other people first.

He would never admit it, but he did.

“There’s a nice place about 15 minutes from here,” he said finally, shoving the phone back in his pocket. “Hotel Kanade. Nothing ritzy, but the ratings are good and the rooms look nice. Sound okay?”

I nodded, suddenly feeling shy, and he took my hand again.

“Let’s get goin’,” he said, squeezing gently.

There wasn’t much to wonder about with two people in beach clothes checking in for a single night with no luggage to speak of, but the hotel staff were apparently used to it.

Huh. In the Seireitei, it’d be a lot more scandalous…

Well, the World of the Living was quite a bit more modern. That wasn’t all bad.

Shinji took the flat piece of plastic the clerk handed him and the receipt, then headed up the nearby stairs with me following after him.

“Is that like a soul ticket?” I asked, curious.

“This? Yer’wrong, but it’s kinda similar. It’s a key card. Gives us access to our room.”

“They make keys look like that here?”

“It’s got little electronic things in it that tell the door to open,” Shinji said. “At least, I think that’s how it works. I don’t think I ever bothered to wonder about it before.”

“It’s different, this place,” I said.

“It is, but I don’t hate it, actually,” he replied. “Maybe I’m biased, since I spent so much time in the World of the Living, but it’s lively and interesting and nothing stays the same for too long. I never minded those parts of it.”

“This isn’t Tokyo, right?” I asked. “The accents sound like yours, when people have them.”

He grinned. “That’s true! I should have mentioned it sooner. Welcome to Osaka.”

“Why here, for today?”

He hesitated, shoving the plastic card into a doorway. There was a soft beep and a click, and he pushed the door open, letting me enter first. “…it’s where I woke up, after we fled the Soul Society. We figured Tokyo was too obvious, and Shihoin had more hideaways and resources down south, so that’s where we spent the first thirty years or so. We moved around a fair bit, but it was mostly Osaka until the war started. Then it was the countryside for a while, since the cities were too lucrative as bombing targets. Spent some time in Hokkaido. That place was way too cold for me.”

The door shut after him, and he set the bag full of our clothes on the small table by the balcony. “After the war, once they started rebuilding, we finally settled back in Tokyo. Easier to hide, with all the people.”

“But Osaka is special,” I said.

“Yeah,” he admitted, perching on the end of the bed. “Actually, it’s where the jazz scene took off in the 1920s. Been hooked on it ever since.”

I tried to think of something to say and failed, starting to feel a bit nervous.

“Here, c’mere,” he said, patting the bed. “Sit down. We’ve got the room till tomorrow morning, there’s no rush. We can always go out later and get something from a konbini if we’re really hungry and everything’s closed.”

“What’s a konbini?” I asked absently, sitting down next to him.

“Oh, that’s just short for ‘convenience store’. It’s a place with drinks, snacks, hot food, banking, supplies, that kind of thing. It’s a little more expensive than just going to a grocery store, but they’re open around the clock and it’s just easier to grab something there sometimes.” He grinned ruefully. “Every time it was Mashiro’s turn to cook, she usually ended up buying us bento from there instead.”

I leaned against his shoulder a bit, and he slipped an arm around my waist. “Do you cook?”

“Not very well,” he said. “Kensei’s better at it, but he uses way too much seasoning. Everything is super manly with him, so the flavors aren’t very subtle.” He turned his head a bit, murmuring into my ear. “Do you cook?”

“I like cooking,” I said softly. “Making something for people is nice.”

“I wouldn’t mind eating something you made some time,” he said, stroking the small of my back slowly.

“What do you like?”

“I have a massive sweet tooth,” he admitted. “In case the parfait earlier didn’t tip you off. But I like salty and savory things too.”

“Spicy?”

“Well… a little. Maybe not enough to make my ancestors hate me,” he said, chuckling.

I pouted. “That’s the entire point! If it’s not spicy enough to cause your ancestors at least a little consternation, it’s not hot enough.”

“Oh, you’re one of those people,” he said, bemused. “Remind me not to steal bites of anything you’re eating that isn’t dessert.”

I snickered, trailing a finger down his thigh to where the swim trunks stopped. His legs had a little hair on them, but he wasn’t a particularly hirsute guy. His chest was smooth and bare, and he didn’t seem like the sort to have much stubble, either.

“You don’t have to stop,” he teased, nipping my ear gently.

“Well, neither of us have much to take off,” I said, blushing a bit.

“No hurry,” he said.

“Changing your mind?”

“Not a chance, sunshine,” he said softly. “But I’ve wanted you this long, thirty more minutes isn’t gonna kill me. I want you to enjoy this, y’know.”

“…I really like you,” I said, my voice equally soft. “I thought if I was too honest about it, you’d just tell me I was misunderstanding.”

His eyes slid shut for a moment. “Nope. Never.”

“I guess I should have said something sooner,” I said, leaning my head on his shoulder.

“Nah, not your fault. I wasn’t exactly being clear about what I wanted, was I?” he replied, sounding regretful. “Look, I… I’ve done this before. I’m not great at this.”

“…this? What do you mean?”

He sighed at my confusion. “Look, we’re both old enough this isn’t exactly our first relationship, right?”

“Uh huh,” I said unconvincingly. “Totally. Yep.”

“…wait, really?”

I sighed. “Shinji, you may have picked up on this, but I’m not exactly everyone’s cup of tea.”

He snorted. “Have you met me?”

“Yes,” I said, amused. “And I enjoyed the experience.”

He pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “Ah, but not everyone does.”

“Well, same with me,” I said. “I was always too busy, there was always another crisis to deal with, my family is a disaster… I mean, hell, I didn’t even really know who I wanted to be until I was probably about 300 or so…”

He grinned. “Boy, that sounds familiar.”

“You too?”

“I think everybody has some variant of that crap going on, honestly. I don’t think I changed that much after what happened with Aizen, but I did change some. I miss at least… oh, two or three of the people I used to be, I guess. But I’m not the same anymore.”

He shrugged. “I’m an independent kinda person, but that’s not exactly seen as a strength around here. So, I did have a relationship once, but it ended pretty sour. I wouldn’t compromise for her, she didn’t want to for me… eh, you get the picture.”

“I’ve liked a few guys,” I admitted. “Never went anywhere, though.”

He nuzzled my hair. “Good. More for me.”

I sighed. “There was the guy that I told my friend I liked… three months later, they were dating.”

“You need a new friend,” he murmured, his breath tickling my skin.

“There was another guy that was always fun to be around, and he was really nice to me, but he ended up dating another friend of mine.”

“I’m noticing a theme here.”

I gave him a rueful smile. “Then there was the guy that took me on a nice, romantic dinner date—”

“—well, he showed more sense than the other two,” Shinji commented dryly. “How’d he fuck up?”

I chuckled in spite of myself. “He, ah… he might have spent most of dinner talking about how much he wanted to be my friend’s boyfriend.”

“…friend number three?”

“Yeah.”

“Please tell me the food was at least good,” Shinji said. “Please.”

“Oh, it was. It’s kinda funny now, but I definitely went home and bawled.”

“I think that was the only thing you could’ve done, and I feel deeply fortunate you’ve apparently spent your life surrounded by idiots,” he said, nibbling down the ridge of my ear between words. “Nice of them to leave you for me to enjoy.”

I laughed. “Well, same to your girlfriend, apparently.”

“I think we were both too young to have worked it out, if I’m bein’ honest. And gettin’ stuck in the World of the Living for a century puts a crimp in your social life anyway.” He slipped a hand down to untie the ribbon to my coverup.

“This is different?” I asked, slipping out of the lacy fabric, and he grinned, almost bashfully.

“Well, I’d like it to be. And I want you more than I want to have everything my way, if that makes sense.”

I scooted back on the bed, propping myself up on one elbow. “Same here,” I said softly.

He followed suit, draping an arm over my waist and stroking the thin fabric of one cutout, fingers warm against my skin. “I also like you a lot more than her.”

“Good,” I teased, trailing fingers up his chest to stroke his cheek. He felt nice. “Hopefully that’s still the case by tomorrow morning?”

His brown eyes glinted, warm and smoking with heat. “Sunshine, we could literally go home right now and this would already be ten times better.”

“Oh?”

“Promise,” he said, pulling me down next to him to cuddle me against his chest. His heart was beating faster than I’d expected.

Maybe he’s a little flustered too.

“You smell nice,” I murmured, nuzzling his chest.

He started pressing slow, urgent kisses to the top of my head, his hands wandering down my hips to stroke bare flesh.

“Shinji,” I whispered.

“Nn?”

Something started beeping.

I blinked, confused, and he made a thoroughly disgruntled noise before sitting up, flailing over to the table where he’d set his soul pager. “Sorry. Might be my day off, but I still have to answer the damn thing in case it’s an emergency…”

“It’s okay,” I said, blushing.

“Not with me it ain’t,” he muttered before answering. “Yeah, this is Hirako… huh? No. No, I’m not. I’m not anywhere near there right now. Uh huh. Bye.”

He dumped it back on the table.

I stifled a giggle at his expression. “Not an emergency?”

“Maybe to someone, but not to me,” he sighed, slipping off the loose, open beach shirt and sending it after the phone. “Rin doesn’t always get the dispatch coordinates right.”

“One of your squad?”

“Nah, Squad Twelve does the dispatches. And that,” he said severely, “is more than I ever wanna discuss Kurotsuchi’s problems on my day off. Especially with you here.”

“I thought you said thirty more minutes wouldn’t matter,” I said sweetly, and he fixed me with a mock glare.

“If you keep using my own words against me, I’m gonna start shavin’ minutes off that estimate,” he said, his voice dipping into the lower registers where it did funny things to the butterflies in my stomach.

“Well, hurry up, then,” I teased, starting to feel the urgency as his hands explored the curves in my back.

Shinji’s lips met mine, his thumb nudging my jaw down. The stud in his tongue scraped lightly across my own tongue, and I moaned into the kiss.

He finally pulled away, his breathing ragged, and the tenderness in his expression stole my own breath.

He was cute when he was snarky, sarcastic, leering, bored… but there was no manufactured self-satisfaction or guardedness to his expression now, and he was handsome in a way I hadn’t seen before.

“I like this smile,” I said softly, reaching up to stroke his cheek. “I want to see it more often.”

His eyes widened slightly, and he caught my hand, turning his head to drop a kiss into my palm.

“All you want,” he promised, letting go of my hand to press another kiss to my nipple, his breath hot through the swimsuit fabric.

I cried out, fingers stroking his jawline and tangling in his hair.

The beeping started up again, insistent, and it took us both a moment to realize what it was.

Shinji swore under his breath, and I started laughing helplessly.

“It’s okay,” I managed. “Seriously. I’m not going anywhere.”

“—motherless son of a – Yes, hello. You’ve reached Shinji Hirako, overworked Captain of Squad Five, and I’m rather busy at the moment. Is this urgent?”

Shinji’s voice was cold, and his expression sent me into another fit of giggles.

“-OU COMPLETE DUMBASS, DID YOU TELL YOUR VICE-CAPTAIN TO HANG UP ON ME?!?”

The voice was female, irate, and I was pretty sure the rooms on either side of ours were hearing it too.

“YOU BRAT,” Shinji roared into his soul pager. “THIS IS FOR EMERGENCIES. EMERGENCIES. IS THIS AN EMERGENCY?!?”

“I’LL MAKE IT AN EMERGENCY, YOU BALD DUMBAS—”

Shinji stabbed his finger down viciously on the disconnect button, then tapped a few more things.

“I can’t turn it off,” he muttered. “They’d probably think I was goin’ rogue or somethin’ and send some nosy bastard in the Onmitsukido here. But I’m muting this damn thing, and if it makes any more noise it’s getting flushed down the toilet, consequences be damned.”

I wiped my eyes, still laughing. “Shinji, it’s fine. What if she really needs something?”

“Then she’s got six other Visoreds to call on, and she can start learnin’ not to insult people she needs help from,” he retorted, clearly exasperated. “Besides, if she really needed help, she wouldn’t be wastin’ time insultin’ me. She’s just calling to yak. It can wait.”

I sat up. “Well, help me get this off before they figure out how to remotely turn the sound back on.”

He sighed. “I’m sorry. Really.”

“You’re a captain,” I pointed out reasonably. “Odds are pretty good this’ll happen again – maybe not today, but eventually. So, as long as you come back and finish what you started, I’ll forgive you.”

He smiled slightly. “Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Well, that makes me feel slightly better about the dozens of angry text messages I’m going to come back to in the morning,” he said ruefully, then kissed me again, hands tugging the straps down, and stroking my shoulders.

Shinji lowered me back down against the sheets, slowly peeling the silky fabric down, trailing kisses down my neck and nuzzling one of my breasts.

I couldn’t stifle the whimper, and he chuckled in reply.

“You’re so damn beautiful, you know that?” he said tenderly, nibbling a bit, and I flinched.

“Nng, not… no teeth there, please.”

“No good?” he asked, stopping and pressing a kiss to the spot instead.

“Sorry.”

“Why?”

“It’s a little too sensitive for that,” I said, embarrassed.

“That’s not something to apologize for,” he scolded gently, rubbing his thumb across my nipple instead. “Better?”

“Yes…”

He gave me a delighted smile and kissed me again, urgently, teasing my nipples as I tangled my fingers in his hair again.

“Shinji,” I managed between kisses, his hands pushing the swimwear around my hips.

“What’s up?” he asked breathlessly, voice husky.

“Where do you like being touched?” I asked softly. It was a bit embarrassing, but I felt so good, and I wanted him to feel good too…

“I’d have thought that was pretty obvious…” he teased, getting a giggle from me.

“Not that. Where else?”

He reached up and tapped where his ear and jawline met. “Not gonna lie, there’s something nice about right there for me…”

I nuzzled the spot, then nipped gently at his earlobe, listening to his breath catch.

“You’re killin’ me..” he said plaintively, burying his face against the curve of my neck and leaving a few gentle bite marks before kissing each one.

It hurt a bit, but the pleasure drowned out the ache.

His skin brushed against my stomach, warm and firm, and I tugged at his waistband, trying to slide the trunks down.

Shinji rose long enough to kick them off, his shaft bobbing slightly as he moved. He wasn’t completely erect yet, but he was definitely getting there.

I peeled the rest of the swimsuit off, and Shinji snagged it from me, tossing it to join his swim trunks somewhere on the floor.

“Shinji…”

“I don’t wanna wait anymore,” he whispered, both arms propping himself up. “You?”

I shook my head wordlessly, and he groaned in relief, kissing me again and stroking my tongue.

The ache between my legs felt unbearable, and I let one hand wander down his side, stroking his hip, then the soft thatch of hair between his legs and that smooth curve of flesh.

Shinji hissed; air sucked in abruptly at my wandering fingers. “…run your thumb over the tip?” he asked desperately.

I felt along his length, then gently rubbed my thumb in circles over his head, earning a choked-off moan.

He caught my wrist, pulling my hand away. “Nngh… not that much, or I’m gonna lose it, sunshine,” he managed.

“Sorry.”

“Nope. Stop it,” he said, kissing the tip of my nose. “Felt too good, that’s all. It’s pretty tricky to finish at the same time, but I’d like to make sure I’m not gettin’ too far ahead of you…”

I nipped at his lower lip in reply, and he stroked a hand down the side of my face, pulling back just enough to rub the bridge of his nose against mine. His eyes were affectionately studying mine, brown pupils flecked with gold, and this close I could see a few light freckles dusting his skin.

I nuzzled him back shyly, giggling as he started training kissed down my jaw again.

“Somethin’ funny?” he mock-growled, not letting up.

“Your breath tickles,” I said helplessly, and he pressed a final kiss between by breasts.

“You’re in trouble if you think that’s the worst I can do,” he murmured, amused, and I gasped as something warm and wet trailed over a nipple, ending with a hard metal nub that scraped lightly against the sensitive skin.

“Is that why you got your tongue pierced?” I asked, half the words tumbling out as ragged moans, my fingers digging into his shoulders.

“Not telling,” he said wickedly, one hand stroking the soft curve of my stomach before wandering lower, fingers slipping between my legs.

I made a surprised whimper. His fingers skidded in the slick damp, then slipped inside of me gently for a moment before pulling out again.

“It’s okay,” he said reassuringly. “Just makin’ sure you were ready, that’s all.”

Ready for what? I wanted to ask, but then he was lifting my hips, fingers digging into my flesh gently as he moved closer, and then I moaned as I felt him slide into me.

Oh. Oh, that wasn’t his fingers.

“Okay?” he asked softly, not moving. “Too much?”

“More,” I said desperately, reaching up for him, and his eyes darkened as he moved his hips a bit more, lowering himself down to press his body to mine.

I dug my nails into his shoulders as he started moving, slow thrusts of his hips that teased, lips that sought mine out again for more kisses.

“Right there?”

“Yes,” I panted, trying to move my own hips to follow him.

His fingers stroked between my legs again, flirting with the most sensitive part of my clit in time with his hips, shaft moving in and out of me with increasing ease as my body relaxed.

He chuckled, stopping for a moment to grind his hips against me, groaning my name as the urgency built.

“Shinji,” I managed breathlessly.

“Hm?”

“Stop worrying if you’re going to hurt me,” I said, half-dazed from the sensation of his cock moving inside of me, of his fingers messily stroking me.

He hesitated, and I sank my teeth gently into his shoulder, urging him on.

His hips slammed home, burying his cock in me, and I screamed in relief, nails digging into his skin as we moved together, all restraint lost.

There was no sense of time, or anything else. Just the smooth warmth of his skin, the fierce urgency of his mouth claiming mine, and blonde, silky hair falling past his cheeks to frame our faces and tickle against my ears.

One of his fingers nudged a bit further, brushing against a new spot, and I abruptly saw white, everything soaring and tumbling and tipping me over the edge with it, crying out his name in desperate gasps of air.

He murmured something – my name? – sounding as though he was proud of me, but it was all noise, and I was drowning in it, clinging to him until my body finally shuddered to a slow, reluctant halt.

The ache was still there, but it had eased.

Shinji dropped a kiss on my forehead, looking pleased with himself. “Easy, sweetheart. It’s pretty overwhelming the first time, huh?”

I tried to find a response, but I wasn’t sure I knew how to form words at the moment, so I simply nodded, dazed.

“I’m going to finish, okay?” he said tenderly. “Won’t be hard. You feel so good. You’re perfect.”

I managed another nod and kissed him, and he began moving his hips again – slowly at first, since my body had tightened around him, then faster as I relaxed again.

The only warning I had was a slight tightening of his fingers on my hips, and then he was arching against me, hips locked against mine as he writhed, my name and several curses leaking from between gritted teeth, head tipped back as strands of fine blonde hair stuck to the sweat on his neck.

I reached up to stroke the hair out of his face, feeling him pouring himself into me as he moaned a last curse, finally meeting my eyes again, chest heaving as he panted.

“Why did we wait this long?” he finally said, voice hoarse. He pulled out slowly, then collapsed on his side next to me, one arm snaking around my waist to pull me closer. “Damn.”

“Mm.”

He started pressing kisses to my cheeks and eyelids, and I nuzzled him back, still captivated by how attractive his eyelashes were.

I liked every single thing I saw, and the almost wondering look in his eyes made me suspect Shinji felt the same way I did.

“I should have asked you out months ago,” he said, a touch of regret in his voice.

“This is okay,” I said softly.

“Better than okay,” he agreed, tucking me into the curve of his arm possessively. “Now… what should we do with the rest of the evening?”

I snickered quietly as he kissed my temple, lips wandering down to tug suggestively at an earlobe. “I’m sure you can think of some things, Mr. Hirako.”

He raised an eyebrow, and I yelped at the sudden sting on my rear.

“Shinji!”

“Yer’right,” he smirked. “Better remember it, sunshine.”

You have now reached the end of Side A! Please turn the record over…

Happy Birthday Shinji 🍰

Sexually suggestive but not smut. Short.

Birthday boy Shinji x reader

Shinji noticed a small little box, neatly wrapped and tucked away in your underwear drawer. Yup, he was going through your underwear— a dirty, secret kink. You hadn’t figured that out yet so you decided to hide away his birthday present amongst the heap of colorful laces and ribbons that you called panties. Ya, you had a collection. He liked to see you in pretty little things.

Anyways, little did you know he figured out your secret hiding spot. The celebrations were later after work— no time off for the birthday Captain. And he could not wait all day knowing there were new panties waiting for him in your underwear drawer. Just a peek?

The box was small but he had seen talented shopkeepers stuff in panties even in the tiniest of boxes. Just the fact that it was in your underwear drawer got him believing that it was possibly new panties for his viewing pleasure (and maybe birthday sex after?). It’s his birthday after all!

He took the small box in his hand and tried to peel the corners of the wrapping paper. He would find a way to put it back together later.

He heard footsteps. He quickly closed the underwear drawer and stared at the door to the bedroom. You walked in with a radiant smile on your face.

“Don’t want to be late for work on your birthday!”, you giggled and stepped forward.

He realized he was still holding the gift box and forgot to put it back where it belonged. He quickly hid the box away in his sleeves and wrapped an arm around your back to lead you away from the drawer before you discovered his little scheme.

———

Later that day he finally got some peace. He was in his office, alone, and he pulled out the gift box to try his luck again. It was itching his mind all day. He couldn’t focus and just pictured you in whatever was in the box. His dick throbbed in anticipation and he carefully started unravelling the gift.

His jaw almost dropped.

It wasn’t what he had expected.

He held the object that had him in distress, up to the natural lighting that flooded the room. “Fuck!”, he exclaimed, not sure what to do.

He quickly tucked away the gift back into the box and stood up as he had things to do.

He walked to the mirror and made sure he was ready for this. He made a goofy little face and decided it was for the best.

———

Later that evening as the celebrations were underway, Shinji was late on his birthday.

He finally came, that radiant smile of yours had returned. The room was full of friends and foes from competitive squads. He didn’t care because his eyes were locked on you.

“Happy Birthday”, they all shouted but all he saw was your beautiful smile.

The smile grew when he opened his mouth, wide enough to stick out his tongue and reveal your gift sitting flat of his tongue.

You screamed and you ran towards him, hugging him tight, there on his tongues sat the piece of jewelry you got him.

You always said you wanted to see his pierced tongue once more. And so he finally went ahead and got that little hole.

“Happy Birthday my love”, you sang after giving him a kiss, feeling the metal tease the roof of your hungry mouth.

“When do I get ta lick my real birthday cake?”, he whispered that made you giggle but also dripping in excitement.

Tags: @soprawrites @my-my-my @darthwhorecrux @tomitsulikeslemons @andy-kuramy @koalaoffandoms @r473n @kryptoniteforsale @ninaskylight

has been so hard to find the time lately, but i COULD NOT ignore my man's birthday. so this is short and was done in a bit of a haste, but i hope my fellow Shinji lovers still enjoy !!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHINJI <3

Shinji never cared much for his birthday. Maybe each passing year would be more meaningful if he were human, but to him, it was just another day, especially when there was no break in his Captain duties, even on the weekend.

When you learned this about him, you were determined to get him to think otherwise. His birthday was special. He was special, and you needed him to know that. Even if it was something small, which seemed to be what he appreciated most, you never let him forget when it was supposed to be his day.

He came in a little after noon, sighing and slinking in, likely in search of something to have for lunch in between time spent with his squad. At the sound of his entrance, you quietly scrambled to gather the large cupcake you baked him, shoving a candle in the center, and lighting it, tip-toeing toward him as you sang, “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…”

As soon as he saw you slowly making your way towards him, the candle illuminating your beautiful face, an affectionate smile spread on his face and a special kind of warmth, reserved only for you, began to blossom in his chest. He let you finish your song, stopping before him with the cake held out. You were smiling so hard it hurt, likely more excited about his day than he was.

“Now make a wish!” You beamed, lifting the cake a little higher.

“I wish…” He began.

You clapped a hand over his mouth. “I’m not supposed to hear it!” You giggled. “It’s for yourself.”

“And what if I have no wishes? Hm?” He teased.

“You have to have something,” you prodded. “You really can’t think of anything you want?”

Shinji shook his head, his sharp eyes softening. “Everything I want is right here.” He grabbed you by the hips, pulling you closer, making the candlelight dance dangerously between your bodies.

“You trying to light us on fire?” You grinned as your face heated at his intimate words.

“Guess I better make that wish so I can blow this thing out,” he chuckled. “Let me see here,” he pretended to look thoughtful, “I wish my baby would kiss me.”

He lowered his head and blew, and through the smoke, you leaned forward, nearly pressing into the icing just to get to him. “Your wish is my command.” You took his lips into yours, kissing him passionately before he was pulling away, grabbing the cupcake from you and setting it aside.

“That was about to get messy, and I don’t want to mess up the pretty cake you made,” he explained with a laugh before leaning in once more, kissing you more fervently this time now that there was no barrier.

You wrapped your arms around each other, getting impossibly closer. You whined into his mouth and tugged on his clothes, knowing that he would be gone again soon and you selfishly wanted him to yourself for the whole day. He seemed to be doing the same, digging his fingers into the plush of your body as if you were going to slip away at any moment, and he had to hold on tight. He pulled back with a frustrated sigh, frowning in annoyance as he thought of the time.

“I should grab some food and head back,” he said apologetically. “Maybe, if I’m not back too late, we can share your cake tonight?” He raised his eyebrows hopefully.

But you were frowning deeply, refusing to accept the circumstances. “Do you really have to go back? You can’t get Momo or one of the others to cover for you?”

“I shouldn’t abandon her like that,” he reasoned, running his hands along your sides and back in an attempt to soothe you.

“But it’s your birthday,” you continued to pout. “And I want to do more than just kiss you…” You tugged on the waistband of his pants for emphasis.

“Yer killing me, sweetheart,” Shinji groaned, squeezing your ass. “Okay, let me call Momo.” He pulled away from you abruptly, as if he didn’t leave now, he never would.

“Okay,” you giggled excitedly, determined to have your way.

He left the room, coming back a few short moments later with a poker face that had you jumping out of your skin. He remained silent and impassive, surely just to get you all worked up for his own amusement.

“Well?!”

“Happy birthday to me,” he grinned smugly. “Momo’s gonna handle things and call me if there’s an emergency. I’m all yours, baby doll.”

“Yes!” You pounced on him, wrapping your arms around his torso and squeezing his slender frame tightly. “I’m so happy! I’ll have to bake a cake for Momo too!”

“Anyways,” his voice dropped an octave as he smirked at you wolfishly, licking his lips. “Ya mentioned wanting to do more than just kiss me?”

“Let me package up your cake again so it stays fresh,” you were smirking now too. “Then I’ll do whatever you want, birthday boy.”

“No better gift,” he practically moaned at the offer.

Shinji never cared much for his birthday.

But thanks to you, he was starting to.

@darthwhorecrux literally just this man (Link to amazing Twitter artist and all their Bleach sketches):

in this:

I'm so writing this and tagging you, promise.

Based on this beautiful request from my sister wife @tomitsulikeslemons <3

Another Friday night had come and gone. It was sometime past one in the morning, the dance floor packed, vibrating with hip hop music, and colorful lights weaved through the sea of sweaty, intoxicated bodies. You and your friends had wriggled your way out of the crowd, off to have one last drink, though none of you needed it. That was evident in the way you sauntered through the stuffy air carelessly, a slant in your step, every thought, thing, person, scenario funnier than it really was, reality viewed through a different lens. By the way your friends talked and acted you knew they shared your state of mind, the trio of you fueled off one another. 

What you didn't share with them was your desire to leave this place. Dancing to the latest hits was fun for a while, but your heart craved something else. All night you'd longed for a change of scenery, a specific place in mind. Most of the bars would be closing soon. You'd shied away from bringing it up all night, but halfway through what was supposed to be your final drink, it became now-or-never.

"We should go to the jazz bar!" you announced, beaming excitedly to hide the embarrassed blush coating your cheeks. 

As expected, you were immediately met with resistance, both of your friends giving you eye rolls, exhausted groans and disapproving shakes of the head. 

"Seriously?!" One of them grumbled, unafraid to give it to you straight. "That place is sooo dead. Every time we go there it makes me want to fall asleep," she voiced dramatically. Your other friend nodded her agreement, taking a long, tired sip from her drink. 

"It's romantic and luxurious," you countered. "You just don't know how to appreciate good music." It was your turn to take a long sip now, glancing to the side and raising your eyebrows over your glass. 

"HEY!" She shouted while your other friend simultaneously accused, "oh, please, we all know you're not going for the music."

"Yes I am!" You whined defensively, though you understood immediately what she meant, especially by the shit-eating grin spreading on her face. 

"That's right," your other friend giggled, catching on, the two of them exchanging devious glances. "You only got into jazz because you want the owner's PICKLE!" She chanted the last bit, cupping her hands around her mouth for the whole club to hear, or at least those nearby. 

"It’s not true!" You hissed. "Maybe I just like going somewhere where random men aren't constantly trying to get behind me like dogs!" You took another drink from your glass, nervously chugging.

"Yeah, yeah, none of them can compare to your little jazz boyfriend, we know," your friend snorted. The other joined in her laughter, the two of them like goofy, taunting hyenas. 

"I'm - I can't - that's not even remotely true," you stammered, repeating yourself, crossing your arms over your chest, looking all too interested at the contents in your glass. 

"She's blushing!" They pointed at and prodded your cheeks. 

"My cheeks always get red when I drink!" You snapped back, swatting their hands away. 

"Okay, okay," your friend giggled, waving her hand dismissively to get you to calm down. "We'll go with you."

"Really?" 

"If," she paused for effect, "you admit you want to get the mario coins knocked out of you by the owner."

"You're insane,” you scoffed and shook your head.

"No, you are,” your other friend jumped back in. “We're your best friends! You can tell us! We make great wing women." She grinned and nudged your other friend.

"You do not-"

You were interrupted by her beginning to mock you, words you would never say, altering her voice to sound high-pitched and damsel-in-distress-y, “you’re the only one who truly understands music, Daddy!”

“Let’s listen to some of your jazz while we fuck!” Your other friend naturally went along. 

They carried on, one of them moaning and tossing her hair while the other sang a classic jazz song in a deep, cartoony voice. A group of men nearby started to look over, curious at the spectacle. It was then that you clapped your hands over each of their mouths, silencing their torment.

One of them licked your hand, causing you to recoil. "Sorry,” she giggled. “We're done."

"Well, I'm not interested in going anymore,” you pouted. 

"Don't be so stubborn,” your friend said, taking a quick sip of her drink and stirring the ice around. “Let me finish my drink. Then we can go see your man," she promised.

Your pout twitched, etching into a smile while your other friend winked at you and began to chug her glass. 

Not much later, the three of you took to the streets, staggering along to the jazz bar you adored so much. With each step you found yourself turning inward, getting in your head about your appearance and your general vibe. You hoped your makeup and hair didn’t look too run-down from the night’s activities, or that it wasn’t too obvious in your heavily-lidded eyes that you were far from sober. You even found yourself smoothing out the nonexistent wrinkles in your long, elegant dress, a piece you had picked out with the intention of ending up here later tonight. The closer you got to your destination, the more you attempted to straighten out, to walk more gracefully and practice opening lines in your mind. Your anxious thoughts only ceased when your trio clicked up to the bouncer, arms interlocked, no need to show him your IDs. You were familiar faces at this establishment after all. 

But then, he wasn’t stepping aside, didn’t lift the velvet rope and gesture you in as he normally did with a “welcome back, ladies.” He stood firm with his hands clasped, forcing a practiced frown as he said instead, "sorry ladies. We're closing up in about fifteen minutes. Can't come in."

Your heart sank. Dramatic as it was, you felt your night had been wholly ruined by this piece of information, by this denied entry. Your friends watched your enthusiastic expression fall, and one of them broke from the group immediately, clacking forward with an aggressive, steely look in her eyes that you knew all too well. 

"So? Let us in for fifteen minutes," she demanded, hands on her hips and chest puffed out. 

The bouncer towered over her, unmoving. "We can't.” He shrugged carelessly. “The doors are shut."

His resolute words made you deflate even more, but further provoked your feisty friend. "Seriously?” She shifted her weight onto one leg, crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her heel against the concrete. “Where's the owner? I want him to tell us."

"No, no.” You tugged at her elbow, disconcerted by the prospect of bothering him. You pulled her back into line with you and your other friend. “It's fine. We'll go," you said decisively, not wanting to start conflict at his bar.

"Uh, no we won't.” Once she had a mission in mind, she didn’t back down. She raised a manicured pointer finger in the air. “I didn't walk all the way here to get turned away. We come here all the time, and many of those times we were here past two am! Is this how you treat valued customers?!"

The bouncer still didn’t seem to want to budge, looking bored with the three of you. He rolled his neck this way and that while your friend snapped at him, his mind likely only halfway here. It only added to your humiliation, had you angling your feet in the opposite direction, trying to nudge your friends away, but they weren’t conceding. 

"Yeah, c'mon dude, seriously,” your other friend joined in the fray. “Three young things like us?” She gestured between the three of you. “You need us in there."

"Maybe when we opened several hours ago,” he opposed, letting the slightest bit of irritation slip into his tone before regaining his composure. “I really am sorry, girls, but it's policy."

"Policy? Policy?!” That made your temperamental friend explode, her arms flailing about in the air between them. “What are you, the goddamn police?!"

"It's okay!” You pulled her back again, panicked. This had already escalated too far. “We can come another night! No big deal!” You offered a sheepish, crooked smile to the bouncer, chuckling nervously as you attempted to steer your trio away for the last time. “Sorry for the trouble."

"No!” Your friend frowned, stomping her foot childishly, not yet ready to accept defeat. “You were excited! We're not leaving!"

You sighed, exasperated and uncomfortable with so much confrontation at a place you loved so much. "I'm telling you it's-"

"Is there a problem here?" 

The four of you followed the familiar voice, like deers in headlights, peering up at the owner as he stood at the top of the stairs in front of the entrance in a wide stance, eyes narrowed down at the group of you. 

You froze at the sight of him, breath catching in your throat. 

Shinji.

"No, no boss,” the bouncer scrambled to explain, sounding much less indifferent than he had moments ago. The large man turned small in Shinji’s presence, not so tough now. “Just telling these ladies we'll be closing up soon."

His narrowed gaze slid smoothly from his employee over to the three of you. When his eyes met yours, they softened, his glare reserved for man and man only. "Oh, it's my girls."

You squeaked as your friend shoved you forward, nearly knocking you over the rope. You straightened, just like you had practiced, smiling tightly and waving bashfully up at him. 

"Hey, sweetheart,” Shinji chuckled languidly, slowly beginning his descent down the stairs towards you. “Ya coming in?"

"We're trying to,” your friend grumbled from behind, jabbing a thumb in the direction of the bouncer, eager to pin blame on him. “Are you gonna fire this guy or what?" 

"Whatever you want darlin',” Shinji laughed, unhooking the rope and ignoring his bouncer’s dumbfounded expression. “Come on, then."

Your friends giggled excitedly at the VIP treatment, as if they weren’t complaining about having to come here thirty minutes ago, prancing forward and up the stairs. You lingered behind, murmuring another “sorry” to the bouncer before you moved to follow them. 

Shinji held out his arm for you to take. “I was beginning to think I wasn’t gonna get to see ya tonight.” He eyed your figure. “Looking so pretty too.”

“Sorry to keep you waiting.” You smiled coyly, taking his arm and letting him lead you inside, careful not to trip up the stairs. 

You were met with the usual scene, dim lighting, gold, reds, purples, the woodsy aroma of whiskey mixed with cigar smoke and expensive perfumes, two men gathered in hushed conversation at the bar, a new couple huddled together in the corner playing footsies, an old one twirling with each other on the floor to a romantic tune, glimpses of lovers and loners alike on the balcony, and your friends already spinning each other around, looking wild and beautiful and catching the eyes of most men in here, however young or old. 

Shinji was not one of them, too busy with his eyes on you. “Are ya thirsty, baby doll?”

Every little variation of pet name he gave you made your chest flutter, the sweet names and phrases like doses of sugar coming from him. It gave you a rush, and you couldn’t get enough. You were an addict, constantly coming back for more. “Can I just have a water?”

“You can have whatever you like,” he responded, detaching from your side to slide behind the bar, his bartender occupied with flirtatious women at the end. 

Shinji made quick work of filling your glass, throwing in a lemon and garnishing it with a small flower. You giggled your thanks when he handed it to you, making him grin adoringly as you sipped from the pretty glass, perched in the stool across from him.  

You were working up the courage to launch into conversation with him, racking your brain for how to start calmly when he made you feel so airy and excitable, when one of his regulars was slinking up to the bar, coming to catch up before saying his goodbyes for the night.

“Hey!” Shinji beamed towards him before throwing you an apologetic look. “I’ll be back for ya,” he assured before he was off, playing the gracious owner. 

You waited impatiently for him to return, not-so-subtly watching as he got trapped in one conversation after the next, getting to know some of the unfamiliar faces before they left for the night or revisiting with returning patrons. Envy burned in your chest, observing them stealing away your time with him when you had been waiting for this all night. 

As the clock neared and then passed two am, despite the fact that Shinji never formally kicked anyone out, most people filed out on their own, some stopping him to thank him or to chat about their night or their most recent heartbreak or how their job has been so shitty and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. You supposed you couldn’t blame them - Shinji was easy to talk to, attentive, humorous and ran a damn good establishment, but you couldn’t help the mounting frustration any time another straggler prevented him from making his way back to you, stealing even more precious time as the night progressed into the wee small hours of the morning. You were getting bitter, silently commanding everyone in the room to please, just leave.

Your friends sashayed their way over to you, one of them faking a yawn. “Looks like it’s closing time,” she observed, throwing you a suggestive look.

“You’re leaving?” Your brows furrowed.

“I mean, yeah,” your other friend laughed. “What? You want us to stay and watch when he…” she trailed off, making a lewd gesture with her hands.

“Didn’t realize you were into that,” they joked.

“That’s not going to happen.” You blushed deeply. “And I’m wondering if I should leave with you.” You glanced longingly in Shinji’s direction, watching him speak with an old pair who were here every week. “He seems like he’s pretty busy. I haven’t really got to talk to him all night.” You looked at your glass of melted ice sadly.

“You have to stay!” Your friend urged you. “You came here for a reason. Don’t pussy out.”

“Do you want us to stay until everybody else is gone?” Your other friend offered.

It was tempting, but you weren’t going to make them sit here with you when they were ready to go. Besides, it seemed like there were only a couple of others left aside from the old couple, and all of Shinji’s staff had already cleaned up and gone. If you were staying, surely, it wouldn’t be much longer until you got him all to yourself. Your friend was right. Now was not the time to pussy out. You’d waited this long, what was a little longer?

“That’s okay.” You smiled, getting down from your stool to hug and kiss them goodbye. “Thank you guys for coming with me.”

“You know we always will. Go get some pickle.” They smacked your butt before departing, waving teasingly to Shinji as they sidled past the chattery old people. 

At the sight of their exit, Shinji looked your way, confirming that you were still there, waiting for him. He smirked to himself before turning back to the old couple, exchanging their last words before he helped them out and down the stairs, returning to say and wave goodbye as the other few remaining people wrapped it up and left. 

It was finally just the two of you, the moment you had been wishing for all night. An upbeat jazz song echoed around the vacant space as he made his way back to your side. He looked a little delirious, dark smudges under his wandering eyes, a few more of his buttons undone, revealing more of his chest. He was probably worn out from the long night. It made him look impossibly sexier.    

“Hi,” he greeted playfully.

“Hi,” you said timidly, pushing down the feral urges rising to the surface. “Again. Those old people have a later bedtime than I do.”

Shinji grinned amusedly at your passive aggressive joke. “I’m sorry for disappearing for so long.” He snuck in closer, whispering, “did ya miss me?”

“Maybe,” you whispered back, heating up under his intense gaze.

“I sure missed you,” he confessed, bringing a hand to ghost over your waist. His eyes dropped to follow the motion. “I like this dress,” he complimented. “Yer a real knockout. I was afraid someone else was going to come and snatch you up.”

“You’re being dramatic.” You reached for your hair to smooth down the messy strands.

“I’m not,” he disagreed seriously, his voice dropping an octave. It was silent for a moment, nothing but the surround sound of jazz, and the transition into a slower and more sensual instrumental. “I really am sorry. You shouldn’t have to wait for anyone. By the way, how much trouble did my bouncer give ya earlier?” He raised an eyebrow threateningly. 

“Oh, don’t worry about it, honestly!” You laughed nervously, looking towards the entrance as you thought of his employee and the way he shrunk down when Shinji came outside. You were shrinking now in your own way, having an inkling that if you said the word, he’d truly get fired in a heartbeat, and you didn’t particularly want that on your conscience. “He was just doing his job.”

“His job is to let my girl in, no matter the day or time or whatever the hell else is going on,” Shinji said sternly. “He’s an idiot.”

“I made it in here. No hard feelings.” You tentatively put a hand on his chest, bringing yourself closer to him, some of your fingers curled against his shirt, and others on his bare skin. 

“Yer too forgiving.” He calmed, his chest rising and falling slowly beneath your touch. 

“I just want everyone to be happy.”

“And what about you?”

“Well,” you avoided his eyes as you confessed, “I’m happy now…”

He smiled arrogantly. “Yeah?”

You nodded.

The music played distantly again, reminding you that you were alone with him, the only two around to hear it. Shinji’s hand fell from your waist, coming to rest atop where yours was pressed to his chest. 

“So then, shall we dance?” He asked, grinning mischievously. 

“What?” You nearly gasped, gazing at the empty floor. “I don’t dance - like that!” You panicked, imagining the intimacy of it - his hands on your waist, his body so close, moving in sync with yours to the slow music playing over the speakers. There would be no explaining away your feelings, just movement and lots of eye contact, all body language. You were all talk and no game, wobbling on your heels, sure that you were going to embarrass yourself, that you were going to put his favorite genre to shame, and then it would be all over. 

“Sure ya do,” he chuckled at your jittery state. “Yer just being shy.” He grabbed your hand, pulling it from his chest to entangle his fingers with yours, rubbing your skin with his thumb.

“I really don’t know how to.” You hesitated. “I’ll make a fool of myself.”

He shook his head, bringing the back of your hand to his lips for a chaste kiss. “Let me teach you.” 

Without another word, he was hurrying away, plunging the space into silence. He returned with an old record player, making a comment about the “real deal” as he set it up. He left again in search for a specific record, leaving you to shuffle in place and twiddle your thumbs, rubbing the back of your hand where his lips came and went. 

While you waited, your thoughts ran unchecked, thinking again about him pulling you along the floor to something romantic, your dress swishing about at your ankles, holding his hand long enough for your palm to sweat in his…your heart hammered in your chest, beating to the wrong rhythm. You took steadying breaths, remembering to slow down, to be smooth as jazz. 

Shinji looked your way excitedly, finally putting the record in place. He rushed back over to you, and so as not to waste a moment of the song, he grabbed onto you immediately, a hand on your hip, and another taking your hand. There was no more time to worry, and only time for dance. 

The music began, like stars twinkling, the language of dreams, while strings crooned in the background. Eyes like saucers, you looked to Shinji for guidance on where to put your free hand. “Up here.” He nodded towards his shoulder. 

You delicately placed your hand where he instructed, tensing at the feel of him, at the tiniest movement of his muscles underneath the soft fabric of his dress shirt. You weren’t able to think about it for very long as your feet were pulled into movement, Shinji taking you with him to the melody. 

Of course, you found a way to complicate it, no matter how simple it was. All you had to do was move your feet where he tugged you, but you couldn’t manage even that, staggering in your heels, but he never let you falter too much, tightening his hand on your hip and his other in yours to keep you upright and in line. “Yer alright, yer okay,” he’d say. “I’ve got you.”

He never stopped, covering the expanse of the floor with his eyes on yours. You still couldn’t quite get out of your head, but it was getting easier as the song progressed. You let both Shinji and your intuition guide you, and as such, your clumsiness slowly faded away, replaced by a gracefulness you never knew you had. When you were starting to get the hang of the easy part, he was releasing your hip, keeping your hand in his and twirling you.

You laughed and squealed, feeling more at ease the more playful he was, all of the stress and the worry cascading out of you with the twirl. It was fun, the feeling of being whipped around by him, your dress and hair twirling too, so much so that it had you cheering, “again!” And of course he obliged you, spinning you around once more.  

Shinji must have been feeling as euphoric as you, opening his mouth to belt out a line of the song.

“You’d be hers if only she would call!”

The words, whether they were just lyrics to sing along to or something he really meant, stunted you. Your smile fell, your expression turning serious and fervent as his eyes bore into yours. He grinned at your stunned expression, encouraging you to listen to the lyrics more carefully as he swayed with you. 

It had you relaxing into the movement even more, the placement of your feet and your body’s responses becoming second nature as you honed in on the music. In this, you found a new appreciation for the instruments and their union, much like the way you united with Shinji now, the bliss when certain notes and sounds came together at once. 

Though the music was peaceful, the moment was intense. Your throat tightened with the way he looked at you, the way he moved you and spun you like you were a flower, the way he sang to you, “you’d be hers if only she would call.” Would he be mine? Does he want to be mine?

It had you recounting all of the times you came in here, how he always greeted you with his signature smirk when you came in and let you stay late, making cheeky remarks about whatever outfit you had on that night or paying enough attention to compliment your hair or makeup, telling creepy men to get lost when they approached you, knowing your drink order and making sure it was never empty, playing your favorite songs, walking you out and telling you that he’d see you next time…he always did. 

And tonight, all that transpired, the same protectiveness and pet names and compliments, but now, the dance. You’d always written off his behavior and his words as his personality, a natural flirt, or maybe just the fact that he needed business, and you were naive enough to fall into his trap over and over again. He was sweet and protective to all the women. After all, he’d told your friend “whatever you want darlin’” at her request that he fire the bouncer, and talked to various women, young and old, before they left tonight. 

You couldn’t deny that on your hard days, you thought about it a little too much, wondered what those conversations with other women consisted of, if maybe you were just his Friday girl and on Saturday he had another little doll staggering up to the velvet rope, batting her lashes and getting him to fulfill her every wish and command, just for the night. It was why you never took any of it too seriously before now, allowing yourself to get excited each night that you visited, but not to take it back home with you, too afraid to have your heart broken.

But being here with him tonight made everything feel real. You weren’t his Friday girl, you were his every day girl. Sure, he gave everybody sweet nicknames, but he complimented you, he searched for you, he stayed behind for you. It had been this way all along, you were just too stuck in your head, letting your insecurities cloud your judgment. If you had just called him, just given him the word, he’d be yours. 

So perceptive, it was as if Shinji knew you were overthinking it all now, worry passing over his features as he observed you. He twirled you again just to see you smile, but instead of spinning you around fully, he ended this one with his chest to your back and his arms wrapped around you, keeping you there for a moment before spinning you back out again, whisking you along and out of the room before you could see the rosiness in his cheeks.

He took you to the balcony, reconnecting with you there, the music still heard from inside as the chill night nipped at you playfully. The lyrics returned, and you strained to hear them as Shinji tucked you into his chest, rocking you more slowly now to keep you warm from the wind whipping your hair and dress around your frame. 

“When your lonely heart has learned its lesson

You’d be hers if only she would call.”

You looked up from Shinji’s chest, searching his face for the truth as the town below you started to settle into bed. 

“In the wee small hours of the morning

That’s the time you miss her most of all.”

Chills prickled your skin as the song twinkled out, the stars overhead now. When it stopped, the both of you stopped moving, but continued to hold one another, staring in silence with nothing but the distant sounds of the world around you and the whispers of an early spring night. 

Selfishly, you had to know. You needed to hear him say it, for your own peace of mind. “Do you,” you hesitated, but his soft, patient gaze brought you the rest of the way, “have feelings for me?”

“I have for a long time,” he answered you easily, seriously.

“How long?” You slowly wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling yourself in closer, looking at him with glassy eyes. 

“Not long after you started coming here,” again, with a quick, steadfast response. “You’ve always been my girl.”

You let your instincts take over, looking at his lips, leaning in the slightest bit, this was the call. 

And he moved in the rest of the way until your lips were pressed together, becoming yours. He didn’t have to miss you anymore - at this hour, when he was normally closing up, heading home to lie awake and think of you - because here you were, finally where he had longed for you to be, with him. 

The kiss was long, but sweet. Pure and wholesome, he kept your lips against his, and nothing more, pulling back to hug you tightly, pressing more tender kisses onto your cheek and forehead. “A long time,” he said to himself again, running his fingers through your hair as he rested his head against yours.

“I’m your girl,” you spoke to yourself too, smiling like an idiot and shivering against him, excited and a bit chilly. 

“Yer cold,” he commented, smoothing his palms down your back.

“A little.”

He hummed, rubbing his hands up and down your bare arms now. “Want to go back inside?”

“No. I like it out here.” You snuggled back into his chest, leaning against him as you observed the lights below and above. “Just keep me warm.”

He started to unbutton his shirt, untucking it from his pants and pulling it off to wrap it around you.

“You took your shirt off?!” You giggled at him in disbelief.

“My baby’s cold.” He shrugged with a smile, pulling the fabric around your naked shoulders before cuddling you back into him. 

“But you’ll be cold now,” you worried, running your hands along his bare chest and arms, exposed to the night air.

“I’m fine.” He pulled you tighter against him, repeating your words, “just keep me warm.”

Content to be here with him like this, finally yours, you reflected on your humble beginnings, when your friends were reluctant to come here with you, and then when they were refusing not to be let in. You giggled to yourself as you thought of them and how they were going to interrogate you about the rest of your night - or morning, rather. You were going to have to tell them the truth. Okay, I admit, I do want his pickle.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆

The weather this evening, that late-summer-early-fall breeze, reminds you of that special night. It’s around the same time too, the wee small hours of the morning. You’re normally asleep at this hour, but missing him more than usual, you can’t catch a wink. 

“What’re ya still doing awake?” Shinji asks when he finally returns to your shared home, peeling his clothes off and leaving them in a pile on the floor. Too exhausted for a shower, he joins you in bed. 

“Missing you.” You wrap yourself around him instantly, moaning softly at the heat rolling off of his body on this chilly night. “Have any dances tonight?”

“Hopefully one now - with you,” he growls into your neck, nipping at the skin there. 

And so, you dance, no music necessary when you both create your own. The only sounds he loves more than his jazz are the noises that come from you when he makes you feel good. Shinji’s too tired to be anywhere but in bed with you, but not too tired to make love as you say goodbye to yet another Friday night. 

This is a part II to this fic. Without further ado...GIRLDAD!Shinji !!!!

A special shout out to @villainsrtasty for the pigtail's idea!

With your daughter taking up space in your home now, your son was going through a clingy phase, making grabby hands and whining for you constantly, desperate to be the baby again. In the past, Shinji would pout and grumble something about your son favoring you over him, complaining that he was such a "momma's boy," and that he was basically chopped liver in comparison, but now that your daughter had been born, she kept Shinji's hands full. He hardly had time to complain about your son's neediness when your daughter was all over him every waking hour, and he loved every second of it.

It was obvious from the beginning that she was meant to have a special relationship with your husband, the daughter he so badly wanted, and now she was here. In a room full of people, her little eyes would dart about, searching for him, a smile spreading on her face only when she found him. She clung to him the same way your son did to you, curling the fabric of his clothes in her tiny fingers or plopping down in his lap with a book in hand, a silent command that he read to her. Shinji did any and everything she requested of him. It made you proud, the way she had him wrapped around her little finger. She hadn't even been able to talk yet and he still always understood exactly what she wanted and got it to her without hesitation, better than even you could. She was so young, so new to the world, and already spoiled, sure to be trouble the older she got. 

There was also Shinji’s protectiveness, and a new special kind that developed, reserved for her and her only. Jokingly, or maybe not so jokingly, when another baby boy shared toys with her and she followed him everywhere he went, Shinji lectured her on the way home, as if she could understand. “No, no boyfriends. Yer mine for life.”

“What do you mean?” You’d tease him. “That’s my little heartbreaker. Her and I are gonna get all done up and go out clubbing when she’s old enough. She’s going to be my party girl partner in crime…”

“No way!” He’d whine. “The both of ya stay home with me. The day some slimeball gets to her and tries to take advantage of my baby girl...” He didn’t need to finish his thought, the hint of the threat in his narrowed eyes. 

“So when some idiot’s approaching her with some corny ass pickup line…?” You side-eyed him, also with no need to finish the thought. 

“If he’s as handsome and charismatic as me, then maybe I’ll consider letting it slide.” He grinned smugly.

On one of the better nights, your son was napping upstairs, and your daughter was wound for sound, giggling wildly as she made attempts to pull your husband's blonde hair into pigtails. The more he made noises of protests and "ouch!"'s, the more amusing she found it. Though it was at the expense of his comfort, her laughter was one of the most beautiful sounds you had ever heard, and you were sure he agreed, hence why he endured the pain. You seared the sound into your brain, pulling your phone out to capture a short video of the moment to keep forever, smiling distantly as you watched her tangle her hands into his bangs. 

"She's kind of hurting me," he chuckled to you. You tucked your phone away and moved to grab her, with other ideas to keep her entertained, but he put a hand up to stop you, looking appalled that you would even think to take her from him. "Not so fast. She thinks it's funny."

You laughed and shook your head, watching as only moments later she tugged on his blonde tufts so hard she jerked his head down. You intervened despite the fact that he'd let her rip his hair out if she so desired. You weren't sure what it was about your husband that made him have such a history of getting beat on by small girls, snickering to yourself as you thought of how funny Hiyori would find your daughter’s antics. 

She tried to pry your hands off of her hips as you pulled her away, but you held tight, pulling her into your chest. "You like hurting Daddy, do you?" You asked her, tickling her stomach and making her giggle again, squirming in your hold.

Meanwhile, Shinji had busied himself with pulling his hair into the ponytails she wanted to see, excitedly showing her the two small sprouts of blonde on the sides of his head when he was done. "You want matching ones, girly?" He offered her, ignoring your teasing giggles as you admired his silly appearance. Anything for his girl. 

She squealed and laughed and climbed into his lap eagerly, turning her little head this way and that as she impatiently awaited for him to style her hair. He gently combed it away from her face with his fingers and gathered what he could into two little pigtails. They were tiny, her hair barely fitting into them, but it was only a matter of time until it'd be longer, and you were certain Shinji would be fashioning it into unique styles for her every day. 

She curiously reached for her head to feel for her father's creation, only to yank them out, grinning proudly and looking for her father's adverse reaction. 

Shinji sighed. "Brat." 

He couldn’t stay mad at her for long, an affectionate smile spreading on his lips, gathering her in his arms and pulling her tightly into his chest, tickling her the way you had moments earlier. Even as her flailing arms and legs delivered blows to his body, he remained unfazed, peppering her tiny head and face with loud, dramatic smooches. It was obvious to anyone, but to you most of all, how in love he was. It made you snort, his pigtails and his clinginess and his doting, how someone so dangerous and deadly could also be the goofiest and the softest. It made your heart swell too, the father of your children, and what an amazing father he was. 

On one of the not-so-good nights, it was still evident to you how much and how hard he loved his girls. Sickness frequently paid a visit to your household with the two little germs running rampant, and a particularly vicious flu had struck when Shinji was at his busiest. He managed to avoid the plague, gone for long hours due to the demands of the Soul Society, and you were left to bear the brunt of it. Just as your son’s condition was starting to improve, the virus invaded yours and your daughter’s systems at the same time. 

Feeling deathly ill and weaker than ever, you had no choice but to rise from your bed, to fend off the nausea and fight through the fever and chills to take care of your daughter who was suffering just the same, all while handling your son as well. As a mother, you had learned to make sacrifices for your children’s wellbeing and had grown accustomed to it, but this challenged and broke you down in a way you hadn’t experienced before. It got worse before it got better, and you had no idea how you were managing, sleepwalking through each moment. You couldn’t eat, could hardly sleep, and were constantly on the verge of vomiting and/or collapsing, but you were forced to soldier through it for them, hiding from Shinji just how sick you were knowing that he had his own matters to handle.

He hadn’t returned home until late that night when your daughter was crying incessantly, the poor thing tortured by a slew of symptoms that seemed to not want to go away despite your many remedies, and you were trying but failing not to cry with her. 

Her tiny, fragile body in so much pain, she went back and forth between pushing you away from her and grabbing onto you, wanting to be cuddled, but frustrated that it was not solving all of her problems. Snot and tears shined on her face as she wept intensely. You had become hopeless, sharing both her physical and emotional pain. Shivering, wrapping around her tightly, you sobbed with her, telling her that you were sorry and pressing your lips to her burning forehead. 

If you could, you would take all of her heat, all of her chills, all of her upset stomach, and all of her boogers, even if it meant doubling your own suffering. You’d do it just so you didn’t have to hear the heartbreaking sound of her anguish, of your failure to help her. But alas, you were just as beaten down as her, and simultaneously wishing that you could be her size and her age again, crawling into someone’s lap and having them hold and comfort you and tell you that it would all be okay again soon. 

Shinji walked in on the two of you in hysterics, your son playing with toys nearby, watching the scene unfold from a place of innocent curiosity. Your daughter was wailing so hard, she hadn’t even noticed that her savior had returned. With a deep frown, your husband instantly took her from you, and she melted into him, tucking her runny nose into his robes as he caressed her hair and back, shushing her and cooing to her and rocking her to sleep. 

On cue, your son stumbled over to you, getting into your lap now that your hands were free. You snuggled him into you desperately, your sweet little guy, subduing your sobs so that your sick daughter could have peace. Shinji threw you a concerned look as he did everything he could to console your daughter, not stopping until she was drifting off in his protective embrace, just the medicine she needed.

When there were tiny snores escaping her stuffy nose, he disappeared to ease her into her crib, returning quickly to remedy you next. Your son didn’t make much of a fuss when Shinji pulled him from you, knowing that his mother wasn’t herself right now. Your husband reached for your forehead, brows furrowing as he felt the immense heat radiating from your skin, though he didn’t need to confirm your fever to clock that you were ill. The sight of your pale skin, glassy eyes, and hunched, shaky body were evidence enough. 

“Why didn’t ya call me?” He asked softly, wiping stray tears from your cheeks. In his lap, your son observed, his large round eyes looking up at you as if he wanted an answer too. 

“I didn’t want you to worry,” your voice broke. “I thought I could handle it on my own, but I feel so bad, Shinji.” Tears threatened to spill again, and you didn’t hesitate to curl into his free arm, just as clingy and needy as your daughter had been. “I can’t do this.”

“If I had known you were this sick, I never would have left ya here alone with them,” he said sternly. “You need to rest, sweetheart.”

“Don’t cry, Ma Ma,” your son chimed in. 

It tore through your heart. You reached for him, hugging Shinji with him sandwiched in between. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m okay.”

“Come on.” Your husband gently tugged the back of your shirt before rising, pulling you up with him while he balanced his son in one arm. “Let’s get ya to bed too.”

“But-” you started to protest, throwing your son a worried glance. 

“No buts,” Shinji interjected. “We need a guys night anyway.” He looked towards his son, managing half a grin before placing a hand on your lower back, gently nudging you forward. “C’mon.”

After letting him feed you medicine and tuck you in, the last thing you saw before entering a night full of broken sleep, strange dreams, and fevered hallucinations was your husband’s fleeting silhouette, your son on his hip. You never fully woke, but throughout the night, Shinji was in and out of your bed, sometimes with your son, sometimes with your daughter, sometimes with both. When your eyes peeled open again, early in the morning before the sun had even risen, all three of them were tangled in the sheets, your son nuzzled into your chest, and your daughter on the other side of him, poking Shinji awake. 

You jolted upwards at the sight of his sleeping figure, head spinning, sweat clinging to every part of your body, your mind not quite all there at this hour. Your poor son jerked awake at your side, the whole room coming back to consciousness at once.

“Aren’t you late?!” You gasped at your husband. 

“What?” He asked groggily, turning onto his side and wrapping an arm around his daughter in one swift motion. She laughed at him, clearly in higher spirits than she was last night, as he squinted at you.

“For work,” you fretted. “Don’t you need to be at the barracks?”

 “Momo’s gonna take care of things,” he informed you hoarsely, letting his eyes flutter closed again. “I’m staying here today.”

“Oh.” You sunk back down into bed as your son clawed at you, trying to pull you back into your previous position, though you thought there was no way you were going to get back to sleep now, not with how sweaty you were.

“How are ya feeling?” Shinji asked you as his daughter crawled around, attempting to play peekaboo with the blankets. “Cause’ this one seems to be doing better…” He nodded towards her with a lazy smile.

“Better.” You wiped your forehead. “Seems like my fever broke, at least for now.”

“Mmm, that’s good,” he hummed. “My poor girls.” He pouted, launching into a rant. “I’m so sad. Her nose is so stuffy.” He looked to his daughter, his fingers cradling her head. “Do you know how annoying a stuffy nose is? And my baby has to have one? This world can be so cruel!”

“You’re gonna get it next,” you huffed a laugh at his dramatics. “All cozy with her snot all over you.” 

“Nah, I don’t get sick,” he assured with a smirk.

“Yeah, yeah.” You rolled your eyes. “We’ll see.”

“Don’t care,” he grumbled. “It’s worth it. I’d do anything for her,” he said seriously.

“I know you would,” you cooed, mindlessly finding your son’s back to rub soothing circles into.

Knowing that Shinji was back now, and you were safe, that you weren’t alone in this, it made your body soften with content, falling back into a drowsy state. Without realizing it, as you soothed your son, you were self-soothing too. With the four of you pressed together soundly, you could relax. You could take care of your little family and allow yourself to be taken care of too.

“Thank you,” you mumbled to your husband as your eyes fell shut again. “For taking care of us, for taking care of me. Thank you for staying.”

He responded, “I love you,” in an explanatory tone, in a way that said I need no thanks, I’m not doing this for thanks. His words from earlier pierced through your head again, “I’d do anything for her.” 

You drifted off again with a smile on your lips, no more strange nightmares to be had when you were surrounded by so much love. “I love you too, Daddy.”

Of course, Shinji did eventually end up getting sick. There was no way of avoiding it, not with how he was glued to you and your daughter until the both of you got better. 

You took care of him with the same tenderness he had, nursing him back to health as you continued to juggle your children with your energy somewhat restored. Your daughter, his little best friend, knew there was something wrong with her father, and as he spent most of the day in bed, she was there with him, snuggling into his chest or pressing a cold cloth to his head with no idea what she was doing but watching you do the same, so it must have been something helpful. She even offered him her comfort stuffed animal, a serious token of affection as she wouldn’t ever allow anyone else to have it. Shinji accepted it graciously, cuddling it tightly when she wasn’t there. You snapped a sneaky picture of him sound asleep, the stuffed creature tucked under his arm, and made it your new home screen wallpaper, your babies already taking up your lock screen. Now you had the whole collection.

When he was better again, heading back to resume his duties as a Captain, your daughter wailed after him, crying for her “Dada,” having been spoiled to have his presence around so much. He himself seemed to be on the verge of tears, apologizing profusely and promising his sweetheart that he’d be back again for her later. You tried to tell her that you’d still be around, but she didn’t seem interested.

You shared an exasperated look with him, knowing that you were going to have to deal with her crying and missing him until she was distracted by something else. “Who’s chopped liver now?” You laughed.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “She’s a Daddy’s girl.”

Indeed, she was, and you knew deep down that there was no other way for your little family to be. 

Tags: @tomitsulikeslemons @eleftheria93

very short piece. running low on steam these days but i just can't stop thinking about this smirky perverted idiot 🥺🥺🥺

TW: bruises/little bit of pain, kind of smutty

"What are these from?" Shinji asked absentmindedly, poking a couple of bruises on your arm.

"Ow," you pouted. "I don't know. Training or something." You shrugged him off.

"Hmm." He continued to inspect them, grabbing and pinching your skin, rolling it between his fingers as if you were numb to it.

"That hurts!" You swatted him away. "Stop touching me."

The corner of his mouth quirked upwards ever so slightly before he jabbed his fingers into your side, making you jump.

"What are you doing?!" You half-laughed half-scolded, suppressing a smile as you caught his wrist in your hand, preventing another attack. "Why are you being so touchy?" You tried and failed to fight off the heat rising to your cheeks. "You're acting like a child."

"Yer so dramatic," he huffed, snatching his wrist from your grasp. "And bruise like a fruit." He eyed another bruise, this one on your thigh.

"Aren't you perceptive," you snorted, grabbing his hand again when he went to press the purple mark there. "Or maybe just perverted."

"I'm not allowed to be concerned about ya?" He asked lazily, grinning suggestively.

"Concerned," you scoffed. "That's what this is?"

"Sure." He nodded, reaching for your thigh again to smooth over the blemished skin. You let him. "Can't have anyone beating on my lovebug."

Goosebumps scattered across your skin where he touched and traveled up your arms. You blinked slowly at him, pupils expanding, likely into the shape of hearts. "You don't have to worry about me," you murmured.

"I always do," he admitted seriously.

When you had nothing else to say, he lowered his head, gently brushing his lips over the bruises on your arm. "Should I kiss this one better too?" He asked, circling the dark mark on your thigh.

You glanced around, anxious that someone else could walk in at any moment to catch his head in your lap. Against better judgment, you nodded.

Shinji smirked, victorious, before pushing his chair away from him to get on his knees, pressing delicate pecks into your tiny little injury. Your breath caught in your throat when his gaze lifted to yours, a silent ask for permission. He looked a little too pretty peering up at you from waist level. Without another peek at the unlocked door, you made a second bad call and nodded to him again.

Keep going.

Please repeat the message...

His song 🎵

This fic was inspired by @pinguwuuuu 's ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS Shinji art. As evidenced by the below, it sent me into quite the h*rny spiral...

Check it out here and GO SHOW IT THE LOVE AND HYPE IT DESERVES !!!

Without further ado - TW: smut! alcohol! and Shinji himself!

You had thought a night out would be the perfect way to de-stress, but were quickly proven wrong. The alcohol didn't loosen you up in the way you intended, having the opposite effect and only winding you tighter, bringing the worst to the surface. No matter how many drinks you downed, you dwelled on the same worries, increasingly fussed over the same insecurities, and grew more and more miserable with each passing moment. If anything, the negative thoughts got louder, more pressing, drowning out any chance you had of enjoying the evening.

On top of your already awful state of mind, it seemed everything else had to go wrong as well. One of your friend's left early after getting into a fight with her boyfriend, and the other met someone who she wanted to leave with, and who were you to drag her down with you? She didn't ask twice when you told her to go on ahead, you'd be fine. You hadn't been fine the whole night, and now you waited impatiently for the bartender, who seemed keen on ignoring you, so that you could close your tab. At least this would be the end, you attempted to console yourself with that thought. No matter how long it took, this would be it, and you could try again tomorrow.

Along the wall, neon pink lights beckoned, shaped into the words, "Stay awhile." You felt mocked by them. No, I don't think I will. You were getting antsy, the snobby crowd, shitty music, and dim lighting making you dizzy and irritable. You pulled at the bottom of your tight dress, a fashion choice you now regretted in a room full of stuck-up assholes, shifting from foot to foot, eyes darting about nervously, knowing realistically that nobody was paying attention to you but simultaneously feeling as if all eyes in the room were on your lonely self. You were hoping not to have to raise your voice over all of the noise to get the bartender's attention, but this was getting ridiculous.

Just when you were working up the courage to assert yourself, there was a presence at your side, uttering such an incredibly corny pickup line, you almost thought you were hallucinating.

“Hey Doll, are ya tired? Cuz’ you’ve been runnin’ through my mind all day."

You snapped your neck towards the unsuspecting victim, ready to tell him to get lost.

Or not?

Your body betrayed your mind, coming alive at the sight of him, heart fluttering, throat going dry, and an odd churning of heat in your stomach. He looked like trouble, this stranger, unlike any other man in this bar, adorned in a satin, animal-print, button-down, belted dress pants, and a wolfish smirk. Even his sunshine blonde hair was styled into an odd cut with angled bangs that fell around his face with the way he tilted his head at you.

Pairing his eccentric looks with his equally strange and humorous greeting, you were curious about him, to say the least, curious enough to forget about looking for a bartender and to forget that you were supposed to be dejected, not captivated, ready to leave, not ready to stay. The "Stay Awhile" sign glowed brighter, pulsing, like it was laughing at you. You both loved and hated that whatever he had going on was working on you. He'd easily ensnared you, and you had to give him bonus points for being able to do so when you were in such a sour mood too.

Still, you weren't going to let him off that easy, not with how smug he looked.

"Doll?" You challenged, raising your eyebrows at him. "And how could I have been on your mind all day? We've just met."

He straightened at your stiff tone, lifting his elbow off of the bar, cheeks reddening ever so slightly under your cold gaze. "Would you prefer I call you something else?"

Cute. You almost decided to go easy on him, with how unnerved he looked.

"Buy me a drink." Now it was your turn to grin, suppressing laughter at the panic in his dark, glazed-over eyes. "Then you can call me whatever you want."

His lips broke out into another smirk, his confidence returning. "Careful," he crooned. "What can I get ya?"

You told him your usual, and he waved the bartender over smoothly. Had you not been distracted by something glinting inside of this mystery man's mouth, you would've glared at the guy behind the bar who had refused to acknowledge you this whole time but eagerly came running over to him. After he ordered himself and you another round, you interjected, asking to close your tab. Surely there was no need for you to keep it open now.

"Wish I'd've found ya earlier." He moved in closer, practically sliding towards you. "You wouldn't have had a tab to pay."

You smiled cheekily, too distracted by the glimpses of silver you were catching each time he opened his mouth. "Is that...?" You bit your lip, shyly pointing at his lips. "Is that a tongue piercing?"

"Sure is." He stuck his tongue out for your viewing pleasure, making you gasp and giggle excitedly. "Ya like it, doll? Can I call ya that now that your drink's being made, or do I have to wait till it's in front of you?"

"I do like it," you complimented flirtatiously. "I think the bartender hates me, so it may be awhile," you added, laughing sheepishly. "So I suppose it's fine to call me that now."

"Hates you?" He laughed with you. "What'd ya do for him to do that?"

"Existed. I don't know." You rolled your eyes. "I've been waiting here forever trying to close out my tab so I could go."

"He's an idiot." He downed the rest of his drink before continuing, pushing it forward along the bar. "Don't know how he, or any guy here for that matter, could ignore a pretty thing like you. Guess I should be glad I was the one to catch ya before you left, though." He smiled lazily, unabashedly letting his eyes drift up and down your figure.

You shivered under his sultry eyes, interrupted when the rude bartender returned, sliding your drinks across the bar and letting your receipt clatter down in front of you without so much as looking your way, already off to service the next stuck-up-looking schmuck. The man at your side scoffed, puffing his chest up, looking ready to say something, but you quickly signed your receipt and grabbed his attention again before he could start any sort of confrontation.

"So, are you going to ask me for my name or will I always just be doll?" You batted your lashes at him, enjoying the attention you were receiving after the shitty night you had.

You were sure that had any other man in this bar approached you the way he did, it wouldn't work out in their favor. His unconventional looks and ways were wildly attractive and made you feel special to have reeled him in without even meaning to. The girl you were now seemed entirely different from the one you were just before he came over. He hadn't even known that he had completely flipped your night upside down. You had been ready to bite someone's head off, and now, you were relaxed again, easing into your soft and feminine side when he naturally made you feel like you were the only woman in the room.

"What's your name, pretty?" He asked, clearly having a thing for all the classic pet names, though you certainly didn't mind.

"(Y/N). What's yours?"

"Shinji."

"Shinji." You nodded to yourself. "Do you use goofy pick up lines on all the girls, Shinji?" You teased.

"Only the cute ones in sexy little dresses," he teased back.

"I was actually just thinking this dress was a bit much," you confessed, subconsciously reaching to tug it down again.

"And you were trying to leave." Shinji narrowed his eyes at you. "You weren't having a good time tonight?"

"Not really." You shrugged, anxiously chugging your drink.

"How come?" He asked softly, frowning and seemingly genuinely concerned about you, this stranger.

"I've just been really stressed lately," you explained. He nodded in understanding, and you hesitated before opening up to him more, giving him a few more personal details about what's been on your mind. You avoided looking at him, taking more sips of your drink, a little embarrassed about drunkenly oversharing to him, but he was the first person to truly listen to you all night.

"Come on," he said, extending a hand.

"Where?"

"To de-stress." He smirked.

It was vague, possibly dangerous, and still, you slipped your hand into his, letting him drag you away from the bar and along the floor, heading to a back room where there were more bodies, more bass, more noise. As the space got more crowded, you released his hand, grabbing onto his bicep instead and tucking into his side. You felt him laugh against you and curl his arm slightly to squeeze you in closer.

"You're gonna make me dance?!" You yelled to him over the music, nervously observing the people near you, some with friends, others with lovers, flailing about chaotically or grinding against one another.

Your eyes widened as a girl nearby was bent over, face down, ass up, a man behind her looking all too proud. Shinji followed your gaze and chuckled.

He leaned in, inches away from your face. "Do you want to dance?"

His scent, expensive and comforting, flooded your senses. As appealing as moving your body against his sounded, it wasn't exactly what you had in mind, at least not here right now in front of everybody. You'd rather be tucked away somewhere, having to stay close to hear each other, so close where you could let that scent of his infiltrate your mind and make you forget all your worries.

"No," you said into his ear. "I just want to be close to you."

A look of surprise ghosted over his features before settling into relaxed confidence once more. "I've got ya."

He pulled you along the dance floor, through the sweaty bodies and drunk patrons, not stopping until he found a small booth tucked away in a dark corner, precisely the kind of spot for the pair of you. You shimmied your way in and he settled in next to you, thighs bumping together and feet tangling under the small table.

"So did it hurt?" You asked, resuming conversation up close so that you could hear one another, greedily inhaling his cologne.

"When I fell from heaven?" He snickered.

"We're done with the pickup lines," you scolded playfully. "I'm asking about your tongue piercing." You took a sip from your drink, eyeing him.

He shrugged. "Sure. It hurt initially, and then a little soreness after. Nothing I can't handle."

Like a pervert, you silently wondered if he had a complex, a sort of thing for pain. Maybe you'd find out. Maybe you wouldn't.

"Do you have any piercings?" He asked, nudging you, interrupting your unseemly thoughts. The tiniest bit of contact from him only had more unseemly thoughts flooding in to replace the others.

"Just my ears." You pulled your hair away from your neck to show him the couple of jewels poked through your lobes. "When I was in college, I actually went with a few of my friends to get my nipples pierced," you giggled to yourself. "My friend went first and freaked out so bad, it freaked me out. There was no way I was gonna do it after that."

"So ya bailed on her?!" He laughed at you.

"I wasn't the only one doing it with her!" You defended. "There was a third of us, and she actually went through with it and took it like a champ. It's better I didn't get them pierced. I don't think I'm that kind of girl." You blushed hard, thankful for the minimal lighting.

"And what kind are you?" Shinji looked you up and down, as if already making his own assessment.

"The kind who plays it safe," you admitted, albeit with a little bit of shame. "I'm very good at chickening out."

"You're a good girl," he said it in a way to compliment you, erasing your shame. "I like good girls."

"Wouldn't you get bored with someone like me?" You gulped your drink, a bit of your insecurity still leaking through.

"I don't get bored, no," he said seriously and finitely, taking a generous sip from his own glass. "Besides," he leaned in closer, "good girls are more fun in that way. They usually have a lot to hide, and it's quite the opposite of boring getting to find all that stuff out."

You smiled coyly, appreciating the way he was reading you, slithering in and making bold assumptions like that, bold assumptions that made you feel desirable. You needed him to know that the desire was mutual.

"You smell good," you finally told him, looking down at his lips and back up at his sharp, perceptive eyes, if you were being bold with each other now.

"So do you." He tilted his head, letting his nose just barely brush against your ear, his breath hitting your neck as he inhaled and exhaled. "Like a picnic."

"A picnic?" You laughed.

"In a field of flowers with lots of sweets," he explained, lightly brushing his lips against your neck. "Cakes, cookies, peaches, cherries...just wanna take a bite."

The wind was knocked out of you.

"Should we go?" You practically panted. "I - I mean after we finish our drinks?"

"We'll have to pay the jackass at the other bar one last visit so I can close out my tab," he sighed, "but yeah," and then smiled seductively. "Let's get out of here."

Prancing out of the bar with your hand wrapped around his bicep again felt like an act of rebellion, a resistance against the previous grievances of the night, and a defiance against your usual proper and modest ways. Maybe the alcohol was finally working in your favor, or maybe it was just that Shinji had a way of bringing out your carefree, playful, and humorous nature, your very best. You felt happiest when you were laughing, and now, as he whispered silly remarks about random passerby's in your ear and tripped over nothing and kept saying and doing stupid things just to make you grin, your face hurt from smiling so much. You didn't care where you were going, as long as it was with him, and the night that you were so desperate to leave behind had turned into one that you never wanted to end.

As expected, you ended up at his place. Like him, the inside was both suave and eccentric. He kicked off his shoes, flicked on dim lights and moved through the kitchen, going to get himself another drink as he asked your distracted self if you were hungry or thirsty, ever the gracious host.

"Water's fine," you mumbled haphazardly, discarding your heels at the door and taking in your surroundings.

He had an artfully messy collection of vinyl records, a desk with both organized and scattered papers and files, bookshelves full of fiction, history, and magazines. The furniture was dark and refined, like it was straight from an old speakeasy where they played nothing but smooth jazz and made strong, pretty cocktails. The space was a comforting combination of carefully arranged pieces and evidence that it was truly lived in. It was homey, and it was so him, spontaneous yet calculated, different yet beautiful.

"Sorry, I wasn't expecting guests tonight, much less a pretty lady such as yourself," he commented self-consciously as he handed you a glass of water. "I haven't cleaned."

"No," you shook your head at him, "it's beautiful. I'm sorry for snooping around, I just really like it." You beamed.

"Yeah?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Mhmm," you hummed contentedly, wondering what his bedroom looked like.

He must've been a mind reader, draping his arm around your shoulder to pull you in that direction. "Well in that case, let me show you more of it."

Your mouth parted. Dark silk sheets and a large mirror on the wall, right in front of the bed, had you clenching your thighs together. His scent was everywhere in the room, like an aphrodisiac, hypnotizing you. He left your side to set his glass on the nightstand before leaping into his bed, posing on his side with his head propped up on his hand. "So, what do ya think, doll?"

You guffawed at him and clapped your hand over your mouth. "I think you're a real piece of work." You shook your head at him, suppressing a grin. "Your bed's nicer than mine is."

He was wearing a crooked, devilish smile, knowing that he was a piece of work, and you still wanted to fuck him. "Well? You coming in here with me or not?" He patted the mattress.

You bit your lip to contain your excitement, taking your time to carefully place your glass of water on the nightstand and toss your purse into a chair in the corner, just to tease him. You crawled onto the soft sheets, mirroring him and propping yourself up on your side. His eyes followed the curve of your figure, all the way down and back up, landing on your cleavage.

"Perv," you taunted.

"You love it," he practically growled.

"And what if I do?" You purred back.

"Then that makes you one too." He winked.

You fell into silence with him, eye-fucking each other.

And then the bed shifted as he moved toward you, coming to place his hands on either side of you, caging you in beneath him before dipping his head, taking your lips into his.

Shinji tasted like liquor and risky choices. You eagerly opened your mouth, taking that risk, letting him violate your mouth with that tongue of his that you were so enthralled with, curiously searching for his piercing to see what it would feel like. His knowing laugh vibrated through you, making you whine with embarrassment. He pulled away to kiss along your jaw and neck, surprising you with a lick to your throat, the jewel scraping against your tender skin and making you gasp. While he kissed and licked and sucked lower and lower, devouring you, his hand drifted up your thigh, dangerously close to where the bottom of your dress crinkled, just over your panties.

You squirmed and fussed. He was doing this purposely, dragging his piercing in between your breasts, massaging circles into your thighs but refusing to go any higher. You were not-so-subtly rubbing them together, both trying to hint to him that you needed to be touched and to create some sort of friction in the meantime. He continued to taunt you, chuckling into your chest before pulling his hand away completely, sitting up to pridefully take in your defeated state beneath him.

"You look so cute right now," he said, squishing your cheeks in his large hand. "You should see yourself."

You could hardly think of what you must've looked like right now, too infatuated with him towering over you, his pants tightening around his cock. With your face cupped in his hand, eyes glassy with carnal desire, he was giggling quietly to himself as you stared. You hadn't properly been touched yet, and you were already melting into his silky sheets.

"Come here." He released your face and beckoned with his finger.

Confused, you slowly sat up, watching him spin around to sit at the edge of the bed and nod towards his lap. You furrowed your brows before catching sight of that damned full-length mirror. You had almost forgotten about it, and how could you?! Crawling over to him, he helped you get seated into his lap, one arm wrapped around your upper abdomen, and the other above your hip, a hand resting on your stomach and another just below your boob. With your dress bunched up and almost exposing yourself, your bum was seated comfortably atop the bulge in his tight dress pants. The hand beneath your breast reached up to grab your cheeks again, directing your gaze forward where your wide-eyed reflection looked back at you. You throbbed at the sight, his manspread and the places his protective hands were positioned, your skimpy dress and cleavage littered with love bites.

"See?" He nipped at your ear. "So cute."

You sighed softly as heat simultaneously flooded into your nether regions and your plush cheeks, squished under his delicate fingers. Being forced to watch yourself get played with, it was equal parts sexy and humiliating. You were burning up in his hold, painfully aware of his erection pressing so near to your dampening panties. You dared to spread your legs a little wider, making yourself moan as you moved against him.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" He feigned concern.

"Please," you begged him pathetically. "How much longer are you going to tease me?"

"If ya want something from me, all ya gotta do is ask," he baited you.

You huffed. "Touch me! Please!"

"I am touching you," he murmured into your neck, squeezing your cheeks and pressing his hand into your stomach for emphasis.

"No!" You pouted, clawing at his arm wrapped around you. You grabbed his hand and put it high on your thigh. "Pleeeease," you slurred.

"You have to say it." He grinned.

You sobbed, embarrassed. "Fine! Touch my pussy!" You winced at your own words.

"Atta girl," he chuckled, amused by your discomfort. He reached for your panties under your dress. Pressing a kiss to your glowing cheeks. "Don't be so afraid to tell me what ya want. I want to hear that pretty little mouth of yours say nasty things."

You lifted your hips to help him as he dragged the fabric over your hips and down your thighs. You shook them off of your legs, watching in the mirror as they fell to the floor.

"Spread your legs," Shinji demanded.

Whiny sounds of struggle escaped your mouth as you opened them over his lap, gasping at the sight of yourself in the mirror, and at the way he was watching too. Now that he'd had you flustered enough, he didn't waste any more time, wrapping an arm back around your waist to hold you up while he reached in between your legs with the other, running a finger through your weeping slit. You squeaked at the contact, reaching up to wrap an arm around his neck for support.

"Fuck," Shinji cursed under his breath as he pushed a finger inside of your walls. "You're so wet." He groaned as he started to slowly push it in and out of you, watching your lips part and chest heave with shaky breaths. "This is why I like good girls," he reminded you. "Acting so sweet and obedient while your pussy was drooling over me this whole time, huh?"

His filthy words made you cry out. "Oh, God, yes!" You confessed. "It was so wet. I needed you so bad."

"Shit, keep talking like that, sweetheart," he panted, positioning his hand to better curl his finger in and out of you while his thumb massaged your clit.

You tangled your fingers into his hair, tugging on the blonde strands as you made a mess on his slacks, rotating your hips into his palm. He hissed as your ass grinded down onto his crotch, involuntarily bucking up into you as he gripped your torso with fervor, trying to hold you into place.

"You're gonna make me cum in my pants, baby," he whimpered. "Squirming against me like that."

"Are these good pants?" You asked dazedly, squeezing your eyes shut.

"Does it matter?" He laughed viciously. "You don't need to worry about that, just keep fucking yourself on my fingers, sweetheart."

You moaned and mewled sweetly while you obeyed him, eyes fluttering open and closed as you observed your shuddering body in the mirror. Shinji continued looking too, going back and forth between watching your flushed face and his soaked fingers moving in and out of you, your reflections making intense, intimate eye contact a few times. Each time you met his eyes, you thought you may explode right then and there. You were dripping so much that there were squelching noises coming from between your thighs, growing louder than your shared pants and moans. The way he moved his fingers and the pace he adopted had you thinking he was doing it on purpose, trying to embarrass you again with how sloppy your pussy sounded while you locked eyes with him.

"You look so pretty," he whispered as your eyes met again. "All blushy and vulnerable and messy in my lap."

"I feel so pretty with you. You're so hot," you wailed, hardly able to finish your sentence, but you knew it'd drive him crazy, hearing you spew filth. "Wanna see how pretty I look when I'm taking your dick?"

"Oh, fuck," Shinji groaned, the pace of his fingers on you and in you faltering. "Alright." He pulled his fingers from you, making you pout and protest at the sudden loss of contact, though it was your words that brought this upon yourself. "I'm about to fucking burst. Will you be a doll and lay back so I can get us out of these clothes?"

You didn't want to move, but listened anyway, clambering off of him and onto the sheets beside him. You watched him with longing and impatience, an ache growing between your legs where he was working you up only to abandon you. He unbuttoned his shirt with shaky fingers before undoing his belt, tearing it loudly through the loops of his pants. He hurried out of them, ignoring the damp patch of your juices at the groin to focus on getting out of his socks and boxers as well.

While you witnessed him undressing, his long, pretty cock springing free, your hand had mindlessly wandered back down to your heat, finding your clit to give yourself some sort of satisfaction while he made you wait. The minute he caught you, he was wrenching your hand away and ripping your dress off of you so roughly you were getting whiplash, not that you minded.

"So fucking beautiful," he muttered, allowing himself a moment to admire your nude form before manhandling you into position in front of the mirror again, on all fours where you could watch him take you from behind.

Anticipation made your legs twitch as he nudged them apart slightly, opening you up a little further to take him. "Ready, cutie?" He ran a hand down your spine, grabbing your hips.

"Yes," you moaned, before looking back at him and cheekily wiggling your hips. "Please fuck me."

"Not such a good girl now." He slapped your ass, looking pleased.

Already painfully hard and leaking, Shinji grabbed himself and entered you, starting slowly but not giving it much time before he began thrusting into you at an animalistic pace, cursing and grunting and groaning. You thought you'd be fine to take him with how much he had already prepped you, but pain tore through you as he snapped his hips against yours. Each time he speared into you at this angle, you felt as though you were being ripped apart, a swell of pressure too intense to be pleasurable repeatedly plunging into your core. You bit your tongue and squeezed your eyes shut, attempting to take the pain in hopes that it would soon turn to pleasure, but he was too big to be going this fast already.

Unable to stand it any longer, you released a yelp of pain, gripping the sheets in your fists and looking away from the mirror. "Wait! Hurts! It hurts!" You cried.

"Shit." Shinji pulled out immediately, lifting you into his arms and holding you tightly in a sort of protective bear hug. "I hurt you, baby? Tell me what I did, was I too rough?"

In his embrace, your pain faded away, only to be replaced with guilt. You knew you hadn't done anything wrong, but that insufferable, tiny voice in your head was yelling at you for ruining the mood.

"I'm sorry," you panted, looking away from his concerned gaze shamefully. "It's not your fault. It just hurts from the back sometimes."

"No, it is my fault," he said sternly, petting your hair. Speaking more gently now, "I got carried away and was way too rough with you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," you promised him, able to face him now. "Maybe we can try from this angle?" You suggested, still wanting him to pound you, especially after seeing how gentle he could be with you. "And a little slower, at least to start?"

"You sure?" His brown eyes were full of worry. "You don't need me to work you open a little more?"

"No, I still want your cock. Now," you said eagerly, gripping his arms.

"Alright." He smiled sweetly, kissing your temple with care. "Slower."

He wrapped an arm around you, using his free hand to reposition himself at your entrance for the second time. Your thighs quivered once more as you felt the tip prod your entrance, rubbing through your folds before he gently pushed back into you, filling you halfway before dragging out. He was much more cautious now, afraid to break you, and it was blissful and torture at the same time. You needed more.

"You can go deeper," you encouraged him, knowing that he was trying to be soft with you.

"Tell me if I hurt you again," he commanded before filling you up further. "You promise you will?"

"I promise," you assured.

With your word, he sunk deeper into your cunt, and at this new angle, you found it easier to take him, leaning your head back against his shoulder and whimpering into the air. You remembered the mirror and opened your eyes, watching his length glide in and out of you and your ass and thighs rippled with each gentle thrust. He whined into the crook of your neck, starting to increase his pace little by little, scanning your face for any signs of discomfort all the while. You kept nodding to him and letting him know to keep going, more, more, more, faster, harder. You let your sobs of pleasure grow louder and more shrill, struggling to hold yourself upwards as he fucked into you.

"Shinji," you whined for him.

"What's wrong?" He fretted.

"Can I," you were falling apart, finding it increasingly difficult to get the words out. "Can I suck on your fingers?"

He groaned in response, bringing his hand to your mouth and watching in the mirror as he shoved two fingers past your lips, letting you drool and swirl your tongue around them.

"Shit." He shut his eyes, tucking his nose into your neck, breathing in nothing but you. "I'm gonna cum."

You hummed with approval around his fingers. He pressed them against your tongue as he thrusted into you with more vigor now, chasing his high. Your eyes were fluttering closed over and over again, but you forced them open, wanting to watch him as he came, his hips stuttering against yours and his teeth sinking into your shoulder as he moaned and groaned and took staggered breaths.

He pulled his fingers and his cock out of you, collapsing back to shoot white spurts of his seed onto his stomach, working himself empty with his hand. You crawled to his side, watching in awe as his dick twitched as if having a mind of its own. You waited until he was finished to dip your head and bring your tongue to his stomach, licking up the remains.

He made a high-pitched sound of surprise that made you giggle. Watching with wide eyes and an almost pained expression as you licked him clean.

"I think I'm in love with you," he announced breathlessly. "Lay down." Despite how exhausted he looked, he forced himself to sit up, that sunshine hair dancing around his flushed face. "It's your turn."

"I don't need to, Shinji, really." You shook your head, clamping your thighs together.

"No, fuck that." He mindlessly pushed you down into the mattress. "I'm eating your pussy until you're cumming on my face, so do as you're told and lay back."

You squeaked, head spinning as he yanked your legs apart and buried his face into your already ruined pussy. He meant business, finding your clit and sucking on it, lapping his pierced tongue against the sensitive bundle of nerves. Your hips were bucking wildly, already having endured so much stimulation, he had to pin you down, pressing a hand to your stomach to prevent you from lifting your hips.

It was the quietest he had been all night, aside from the lewd slurping noises, so determined to make you see stars. He didn't care how long it took, or how tired he was at having his own orgasm ripped through him. He wasn't going to stop until you'd had your fair share, pumping and curling his fingers in and out of you again.

"I - I think I'm close!" You cried to him, still twitching and squirming about in his silk sheets, at least as much as you could with him pinning you down.

He groaned against you in reply, sucking on your clit hard and twisting his fingers in and out of you at an impossible pace. Moments later, your senses exploded, ceasing to function properly. You saw white and heard static, floating in another realm until you landed back in this one, with Shinji brushing your sweaty hair from your face and caressing your cheek. He sounded distant at first, laughing quietly and kissing away tears from overstimulation.

Then you heard him clearly again. "You okay, doll?" Doll. The damned pet name that started this whole mess, Shinji's favorite thing to call you, it seemed.

"Yeah, I'm okay." Your body was cold, like all the energy you had stored had been expended. Without realizing, you were curling into him, seeking his warmth. "I'm so sleepy."

"Yeah?" He chuckled affectionately at you, his voice hoarse. It was a sound you wish you could store in a jar and take with you everywhere you went, to listen to whenever you wanted. "Me too. Ya wanna go to bed with me?"

"Shouldn't I clean myself up a bit?" You croaked, though as you uttered the words, you weren't sure how you were going to get your limp body into motion. "Wouldn't want to ruin your fancy sheets." You smiled lazily.

"Don't you worry about that," he cooed. "I'll go get a warm cloth so you can feel nice."

You watched his skinny figure half-saunter half-stagger from the bed and to the bathroom, missing his warmth already. As you lay atop his fine sheets, you had the thought that you never wanted to leave. This stranger's home had become your new favorite place, this stranger your new favorite person. Goofy, witty, protective, unique, easygoing, and definitely good in bed...you were so damn glad he used that stupid pickup line on you at the bar.

At the sound of the distant running water, you let your eyes shut, stirring only when you heard him come back, the bed shifting under his weight. He gently pulled your legs apart and cleaned up the sticky mess the both of you left behind, grinning a tad when you flinched and twitched, still sensitive and slightly sore.

He hurried away to toss the cloth in the hamper, coming back to hit the lights and throw the sheets over your naked bodies. You wasted no time finding him in the dark, snaking an arm around his chest and lifting your leg to drape across his waist. He sighed contentedly, pulling you into him and running his fingers along your side.

The gesture must've reminded him of where his fingers had been earlier. "What was that fingers in the mouth business about? You like sucking on stuff?"

"I thought we were going to bed?" You pouted, avoiding his question.

"Alright, alright," he laughed, falling back into silence momentarily.

But Shinji didn't know how to shut up for long. "Looks like my pickup line was pretty effective," he muttered pridefully.

You giggled tiredly at him. "I guess it was, dork."

"It will be a great story to tell our kids in the future," he said.

"What?"

"What?"

Shinji's wifey tag: @tomitsulikeslemons :P

Shinji being the source that keeps us all going

Atlas and the Hesperides by John Singer Sargent (1921)

A Shinji piece from 2021 I never got around to finishing :)

(Can you spot the very tiny Vizard mask on the spoon in the teacup?)

*Please do not repost without giving credit to the artist!*

Illustrated by I. Tanvir (@tanviriillustration)

[Instagram]

YESSSSS THE SONIC VOICE 😍😍😍

I wanted to use another Sonic audio for Shinji 🐍✨

Shinji's dub voice actor in TYBW does a good job, but I MISS HIS OLD VOICE ACTOR SO MUCH <\3 THE SONIC VOICE WAS SO SEXY IDCCCC

I mourn this every day.

Based on this wonderful request from my baby girl @tomitsulikeslemons !!!! DADDY SHINJI (literally)

🤰

Somehow, you knew there was new life growing inside of you. A woman's intuition, you supposed, but the positive test result in front of you confirmed it.

You were pregnant with your husband, Shinji Hirako's child.

At this verified discovery, a flurry of emotions hit you at once, and you began to sob. Overwhelmed, you sank to your knees in the bathroom as you tried to comprehend what this meant, your world flipped upside down without the need for your husband's zanpakuto. You were ready and you were not, excited and terrified, confident and insecure. One moment you were smiling, crying happily and laughing through your tears, and the next your brows were furrowing together, worry tugging at your heart that what if you weren't a good mother? What was going to happen to you now that you were going to be responsible for another human? Were you a bad person for thinking these things? No, you were happy. So, so happy. Putting your hand on your belly, you hadn't met your child yet, and you already had so much love for them, more love than you had for anything or anyone else in this world.

And speaking of love, Shinji, you breathed, your silly Shinji, your other half, the father of your child, what would he think?

You had talked about having children with him, so the concept wasn't entirely foreign, but you weren't exactly trying per se. He never disapproved of the idea, but this was sure to be overwhelming for him too. How would he take this?

He'd been so busy as a Captain now, you hadn't even got around to telling him that night. Or the next. It wasn't until the third night that the truth became too heavy for you to carry on your own.

He was being stupid and oblivious, too busy thinking with his dick and trying to get you out of your clothes. The kind of behavior that got you in this situation in the first place, he initially didn't notice your anxious mannerisms.

But your dearest wasn't a complete moron as so many thought of him. Observant, sensitive, and intuitive, when he snaked his arms around you from behind, you felt him still.

"Wait a minute," he whispered before spinning you around to face him, pressing a hand into your chest to confirm his suspicions. "You're shaking, and your heart's racing. Sweetheart?"

The jig was up. You tried to smile, but it came out crooked and frightened. It only made his face further contort with worry.

"I have something to tell you," you confessed timidly.

Shinji frowned deeply and released you. "Oh, shit. Please don't divorce me."

You couldn't help but scoff at him. "You dork! I'm not going anywhere!" He always had a way of making you laugh when you needed it most, but you couldn't keep putting this off. You exhaled shakily, "actually, it's quite the opposite..."

The poor, confused bastard. He raised an eyebrow at you, not quite following. "The opposite? The opposite..." He narrowed his eyes in thought.

"Shinji." Exasperated, you grabbed the hand he dropped from your heart, splaying his fingers over your stomach. "I'm pregnant."

His narrowed eyes shot open, brightening at your words. He looked at your tummy, as if he'd already find a bulge there, then back up at you again, then back down, then back up. He was being so quiet, your man who normally never shut up, it unnerved you. You were raising your eyebrows at him expectantly, needing him to say something, anything.

Then he was kneeling before you, putting both of his hands on your stomach, in disbelief that his child, his, was growing somewhere in there. "No way," he breathed, smoothing his palms over the surface of your torso. "You're pregnant? Really?" He looked up from where he knelt, his sharp features gone soft.

"Mhm." You nodded, smiling gently, his softness contagious.

Shinji looked at your belly again, gasping in disbelief, processing your words. His silence again worried you, made you reach for his hair and tangle your fingers through it, hoping to get his attention.

He shot up from where he knelt, startling you, scooping you into his arms and spinning you around in a flash, whooping and hollering maniacally. He placed you back on your feet to hug you and deliver sloppy, innocent smooches all over your face, smothering you.

He pulled back, panting, holding you by your shoulders. "I knew I was a sharp shooter, but this - this!" He shook you, laughing. "Holy shit! I'm gonna be a dad! I'm really gonna be a dad!" He chanted, grinning wide. "And you!" His voice broke off as he curled a hand around your jaw, looking utterly soft and kissable again. "Oh, my little mommy! My sweet baby's havin' a baby! My baby's gonna be a mommy!"

Emotion exploded almost painfully in your chest as you were reminded of that fact for a second time. You were going to be a mother, and him a father. The father of your child. The statement didn't seem true, but alas, it was. His excitement made tears spring from your eyes all over again. Your lip wobbled but strained into a smile as you joined in his laughter. He understood the weight of your emotions, pulling you into his chest in a suffocating embrace to sob it out. He rubbed your back and thought aloud over and over again, "I'm gonna be a dad. We're gonna be parents."

You stayed in his arms for a long time, standing there, and then in bed, relishing in the comfort and safety you felt when you were with him. You were grateful your child would grow up to experience the same, to be loved and protected by someone so special. When you were finally calmed down enough, he had something else to say.

"I'm gonna be such a dilf."

.𖥔 ݁ ˖🍁๋࣭ ⭑🍂༘⋆

The seasons were different, more meaningful, as your baby grew through each of them. The rest of the autumn and holiday season was special now that there was an impending addition to your family. As the leaves fell and the weather changed, you were reminded of the change happening within you. You frequently made and shared cozy, nourishing meals and treats with Shinji, spent more time cuddled up with him rubbing your belly and whispering sweet nothings in your ear as the evenings got darker and colder. Quality time spent with him was more frequent, slower, more deliberate.

At holiday festivals with your friends, you and Shinji had to find ways to cover the fact that you weren't throwing back drinks as you normally would, being that the pregnancy was still only in the beginning stages and you had yet to break the news to them. You were never alone, your husband always at your side, careful, calculating, safeguarding.

"Oh, she's not feeling well tonight," he'd speak for you, protectively slinging an arm around your shoulder and tugging you into his side, glaring at the person prodding you.

On the occasion that he let you respond, you'd save yourself with something as simple and uncomfortable as "ah, I've been putting on some pounds recently, and I'm trying to cut back on the extra calories," pretending that you were ashamed of your growing stomach when really you were elated.

"Yeah, you are looking a little more filled out these days," Soi Fon replied impassively when you told her this, making your jaw drop despite the fact that you were mostly lying.

"What the hell does that mean?" You had to pull Shinji back from getting into an argument with her, nervously laughing it off and excusing her blunt nature.

₊˚｡⋆❆⋆｡˚₊

Then came the harsh winter, and you didn't mind so much being stuck indoors this year. You enjoyed staying at home with your little bun in the oven, taking long, warm baths, lighting candles, asking Shinji to bring you home whatever you were craving that day. You were actually starting to fill out now, and so you shared the news with a few close compatriots in the new year.

"Oh, congratulations!" Orihime beamed, hugging you, holding your hand, and talking your ear off about motherhood, being that she already had a little boy with Ichigo.

"Yeah, congrats." Ichigo smiled in agreement, proudly slapping Shinji on the back. "Little scary that Hirako's gonna be a dad, but congrats!"

"HEY!" Your husband frowned.

Rukia asked you about the gender as she watched her own little girl playing with Renji, if you had a preference for a boy or girl. You explained that you and Shinji agreed to let the gender be a surprise, coming up with a variety of names should your child be a boy or girl. You'd both be happy no matter who your child turned out to be, gracious that you were even blessed enough to have a child at all, or so Shinji told you. For every boy name he came up with, there were 3 more girl names. You never nagged him about it, but you had the inkling he wanted to be a girl dad.

Now that people were starting to find out, he was increasingly going all "dad mode," as he called it, not caring who was around to witness it. Shinji always had a bit of a protective streak, but now...you couldn't so much as step outside without him rushing to your side, holding your hand or arm to help you along.

"You could slip on ice!" He'd reason.

"My love, it's nearly fifty degrees out today. There's no ice."

You couldn't blame his overprotective behavior much. You were going through a lot of behavioral changes as well, much worse than anything he was.

For one, you had become incredibly needy for him. It was odd. You'd thought you wouldn't want to be touched being that you were swelling up, but on the contrary, you were constantly in heat, begging for him to satisfy you no matter the place or time.

"You sure you want this? What if I accidentally poke junior?" He'd grin and tease you.

"You're big, but you're not that big, Shinji. Just fuck me already."

"Ouch. So impatient, momma," he tsked. "But I guess I've got to take care of my wife, don't I?"

And for another thing, you were a rollercoaster of uncontrollable emotions, especially the more your pregnancy progressed. You were constantly snapping over the smallest of irritants or bursting into tears over minor inconveniences, like the day Shinji brought you a tray of sushi in an attempt to cheer you up after you were already having a particularly difficult day.

"You idiot! I can't have sushi!" You shouted at him, heated with fury over such a small matter and with the effort it took to fight off tears.

"Ah, forgot about that." Shinji scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, dumbly.

It made you explode, a cascade of waterworks streaming down your cheeks. Another thing that had changed was how much softer he was with you, if it was even possible for him to get any more so, despite how bitchy you had been. So then you were crying because of your hot-temper, hurt curling around and squeezing your heart at the helpless way he looked when you yelled at him.

"I'm being so mean to you! I'm so sorry! I'm a horrible wife!"

"What?! No!" He'd pet your hair and kiss your tears away. "If anything, I deserved it. I am an idiot for getting you sushi. Wasn't thinkin', doll. I'm sorry."

Shinji had learned a lot of patience through the months, and it made him a better man in every aspect of his life, not just at home. He was never the most tightly-wound, but he had mellowed out considerably as he took care of you and his unborn child each day, growing into a gentle guardian before you had even given birth.

"He's been so calm lately," Momo informed you over lunch one day. "Training has been a lot less strenuous. Everyone on the squad keeps joking that they hope you stay pregnant forever," she giggled.

"Glad I could be of help," you giggled along with her.

˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧💌˚.⋆🌿

When the spring came, you were much bigger, getting ready to blossom just as the season was. As it got warmer and sunnier, Shinji made a show of shading you wherever you went, protecting your sensitive skin from the sun, and on those stormy days, he stayed inside with you, making you comfort food and falling asleep with his head in your lap as you read aloud or listened to music, introducing your child to the art you loved so much.

The fickle weather reminded you of your inner world, the way one day you'd wake up sunny, full of joy and love and readiness to meet your baby, and the next, stormy, full of trepidation and worry and unpreparedness, fretting constantly over the questions you had been asking yourself since day one: Will I be a good mother? Will I be able to handle this? Am I a bad person for being so afraid? For feeling so unprepared? Should I be doing more?

Shinji was always there to listen and coax you out of the storm, massaging your sore back as the rain fell outside, he'd confess his own worries.

"I feel the same way," he'd say. "Some days, I feel on top of the world, like I can do anything, and fatherhood won't be any different, but other days, not so much. I'm anxious about being a good father too.

"But we're in this together." He placed his hands over your stomach in the shape of a heart. "And I know you'll be a great mother, so why shouldn't I be a great father too?"

"You will be a great father. You already are," you assured him sincerely.

Your baby stirred inside as if to say, "yes, he is! Yes you are!"

"OH, OH! SHE KICKED! SHE KICKED!" Shinji shrieked, feeling around in hopes of catching another flurry of movement.

"She?!" You laughed excitedly.

"Or he. I don't know, it just slipped out." He chuckled abashedly.

You smiled knowingly to yourself. "Maybe she's excited about hearing her daddy talk so sweet."

"Yeah, maybe." He smiled.

𓆉°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

Now came summer, and you were about to pop. It was as if an eternity passed and simultaneously, no time passed at all. You were changed and you weren't. You remembered the day you found out like yesterday, feeling almost exactly the way you did that day, but more matured. One thing was for sure, no matter how scared you were, you were ready. You'd never felt more ready for anything in your life, bursting with love and impatience, needing to meet your child, whoever they were, whoever they'd become.

Shinji felt the same way, and he had become equal parts amusing and annoying as you approached your due date.

"You think today's the day?" "How you feelin'? How's our girl...or boy?" "What was that?! Are you having contractions?!"

You laughed at him. "No, I just stubbed my toe."

You surprised yourself with how calm you were even though you were soon to be ripped open. Sitting outside under an umbrella next to Shinji, you were sucking on a popsicle, enjoying the hot day when there was a faint cramping sensation in your abdomen, so light, you hardly noticed and ignored it.

But then it was there again several minutes later, a little more noticeable this time. You straightened in your seat, which caught Shinji's attention, always on high alert.

"What is it?" He asked urgently, staring at your large, round stomach.

"Just a little cramping." You forced a smile.

He gave you a pointed look.

"I don't think we should panic yet. My body's doing funny things all the time." You waved a hand dismissively. "And I haven't finished my popsicle."

It was barely a moment later, Shinji hadn't even a chance to retort, that you were straightening again, gasping as pain shot up your back, making you drop your popsicle.

Your husband shot to his feet. "We're going," he demanded, pulling you up to stand. "Better safe than sorry."

The last thing you saw before being ushered away was your popsicle melting against the concrete, leaving a red stain. And it was a good thing, that he was permanently in dad mode, stealing you away from your quiet day and your treat, because you were indeed going into labor.

The long hours that followed were a fast-paced blur. The peaceful summer day was suddenly bursting with feeling and noise, the cold air conditioning inside the hospital fighting against your sweaty skin, strange sensations and haziness. You could hardly process what was going on, blinded with pain, the only person who grounded you was Shinji, your rock. He sounded distant, but he reminded you over and over again that he wasn't.

"It'll be okay, sweetheart, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

All the pain, the damage inflicted on your body, the blood, sweat, and tears, it was all worth it the moment your baby came out, and your life had finally changed for the better, a love like you had never felt before truly coming to fruition as reality shifted in front of you. You'd do it all again. You'd take this feeling, this unconditional love, and bottle it up to carry with you forever if you could.

"It's a boy!" The doctor cheered.

When you finally got to hold your baby boy, nothing else mattered. The entire world was in your hands, so fragile and so precious that it made you sob uncontrollably in your exhausted and delirious state, cooing to him as he cried, talking to him and telling him how beautiful he was, how much you loved him.

It was extremely rare that Shinji ever cried, and now, there were silent tears streaming down his face, in shock that he played a part in creating this beautiful, little boy. Like you, he knew this was the epitome of love in the flesh before you. You both knew the moment you saw him, you'd do anything for him.

Shinji, who didn't get to have his baby girl (yet), was so in awe of his little guy. He held him with a tenderness and reverence unlike anything you'd seen, crawling into the hospital bed with you to cuddle up as a real family. He took care of you, softly as usual, as you came back to health, and he cherished every little moment of this newborn stage, chattering nonstop to the nurses, the doctor, to you, to friends, to family, anyone who would listen about his son, his son!

"I'm in love," he confessed as he held the tiny boy at home for the first time.

"So am I."

Your son started to bob his head against Shinji's chest, looking to be fed.

Your husband passed him over to you with a smug grin. "Oh yeah, he's a ladies man for sure. Just like his daddy." He winked.

Motherhood was everything you imagined and somehow everything you hadn't all at once. Your son had challenged you, changed you, shaped you in ways you couldn't explain. You were constantly tired yet always finding it in you to go, go, go, constantly stressing but somehow relaxed as ever, knowing this was exactly where you were always meant to be.

And Shinji, he was a fantastic, eccentric, loving father, as you had no doubt he would be. Hearing him playing with your little boy and the sounds of your baby's laughter quickly became your favorite sound in the whole wide world. Your heart swelled each time you saw Shinji twirling him in the air or blowing raspberries into his chubby belly. He was a new man, matured, with quiet strength and so much affection to give, one you were so deeply in love with it was incomprehensible.

He had become great around children generally, not just your son. On play dates with the little Kurosaki and Abarai toddlers, the children would chase your husband and pull his hair and roar with laughter at his quick wit and goofy antics. You rested easy knowing your son would grow to live a vibrant life with lots of love and laughter, never a dull moment with Shinji's playful nature.

You'd never been happier, and you were grateful for every day, every moment, even those filled with stress and struggle and challenge. You continued to grow and raise your son, both happy and sad at how beautiful it was to witness but how fast it happened. Shinji bought him a toy sword and you imagined him years and years from now, with a zanpakuto of his own, getting into dangerous battles, and you already fretted over your baby boy. He'd get taller and stronger, but he'd be your baby forever.

You mourned the loss of previous baby stages as he hit each new milestone, consuming food besides milk, starting to babble, walking, talking, learning new things and amazing you with how smart he was. It was bittersweet, but it wouldn't be the last time you got to experience it as you witnessed that positive test result for the second time.

"Ready to do it again?" You asked your husband with a grin, so much changed already from the last time you told him you were pregnant, shown in the very way you revealed this to him.

"Of course I am, mommy!" Shinji lifted your son in the air. "Of course we are!" Your little boy giggled and cheered, though he didn't know yet what he was cheering for. "Though I do have a request for how to do things differently this time round..."

"And what is that?" You giggled.

"When we can, we find out the gender." He raised his eyebrows hopefully.

"You still want a girl, don't you?" You came forward, kissing your son on the cheek.

"I love my mini me so much obviously," Shinji nuzzled him affectionately, "but yeah. I do."

"Then a girl we'll have." You kissed your husband.

And you did.

(read part II with baby girl here !!!)

Him going in to grab my a$$

Shinji and Momo as a cat and a hamster 🐱🐹

Momo's face always reminded me of a cute hamster 🥺

some quick Shinji fluff so you can all go to bed and have sweet dreams about him tonight <3 no Sunday scaries round here (there still definitely are but i am doing my darnest to ignore them)!

You woke with a gasp and a pounding heart, disoriented at being ungracefully torn from your slumber. The last bits of the traumatizing scene your subconscious invented plagued your mind, making you tremble.

At your side, Shinji stirred awake. Sometimes, it was if you shared a body. When you were in distress, he felt it. Your terror woke him just the same as it did you.

"What's wrong?" His voice was hoarse from deep sleep. He was on you immediately, slender fingers delicately finding your face in the dark to cup your cheek. Your frame against his, he could feel you trembling, and that was all the answer he needed. "It's okay, you're okay. I'm here. I'm right here," he cooed, his hand pushing your head into his chest, hugging you tightly to still your shaking.

You curled around him, your teddy bear, finding comfort in the softness of his bare skin. You buried your face into his chest, inhaling his scent, feeling his steady heartbeat, basking in his warmth. All the while, he stroked your hair, breathing slowly in and out, staying calm to encourage you to do the same. He pressed kisses into the top of your head, anything and everything to make you feel at ease again, to remind you that he was here, and that as long as he was, you were safe.

He reminded you of that. "You know I won't let anything hurt you."

"I know," you chirped, reflecting on the nightmare with a shiver. "It was just so scary. It felt so real."

"I know," he affirmed you, fingers tangling in your hair protectively. "But it wasn't. This is now. I'm real, and I'm better than that shit."

You giggled into his chest, squirming affectionately in his hold. "You are."

"I'll kick your nightmares' ass." You could hear the lazy smirk in his voice. It made your heart flutter, how you adored him.

"I don't think that's how it works."

"I'll make it work."

After that, you didn't need him to do any nightmare-ass-kicking. You slept soundly, thinking of his sweet words and wrapped in his warm embrace, knowing that you'd always be safe as long as that's where you were - with him.

🙇🏻‍♀️

Shinji wearing a particular outfit 🎀

Thanks to @/hirakotwt for the idea 🫶

I tried to write for another character but Shinji LITERALLY stormed into my room, flipped my desk, threw my laptop, broke my phone, spit on me and DEMANDED I write for him again

*

*

*

You'd been stressing and working long hours lately, catching little sleep. Today was another long one, running on only a few hours of rest. It was hardly evening, and you'd surpassed your manic, delirious phase and were now crashing, nodding off, eyes fluttering closed only for you to snap your head back up and force your eyes to remain peeled. Shinji was thoroughly explaining something to you and you could not for the life of you catch a single word he was saying, each one going in one ear and out the other just as quickly. You tried and failed over and over again to focus. Pain stung your tired eyes and your body felt much heavier than usual, nearly impossible to keep upright.

At first, Captain Hirako hadn't noticed, too involved in the work at hand and talking through something with you. It wasn't until he glanced your way again and noticed how lifeless you looked that something wasn't right.

He stopped mid sentence, not that you were conscious enough to notice, "(Y/N)?" He asked, narrowing his eyes skeptically. "Are you feeling alright?"

Hearing your name coming out of his mouth awakened you, at least enough to snap back to attention for the moment. "Hm? Sorry?" You were too tired to even worry about the harsh look he was giving you.

Shinji sighed. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

He stood abruptly from where he sat, approaching you. He got on one knee before you, looking up to you with concern. "Have you been getting enough sleep? Or is something else bothering you?"

"I'm fine, really." You lazily waved a dismissive hand, lying about your unwell state out of habit. "Can you just repeat the last thing you said?"

"I think we should call it a day," he ignored you. "I'll walk you home."

"Captain." You forced yourself to stand, trying to prove that you were of sound mind. You couldn't have yourself getting in trouble. "I don't think that's necessary. The task at hand is more important."

Shinji slowly rose, looking stern. "It is necessary. We can't do quality work if you can hardly stay awake."

He moved away to gather his belongings. You stayed where you were, guilt and worry waking you a little more and adding to your list of pains. It was too late. You were in trouble.

Speaking less formally now and more as his friend, you asked him, "are you mad at me?" You frowned while you waited for him to look at you, shuffling in place nervously.

"Of course I'm not mad," Shinji laughed at your puppy-dog behavior. "Just what kind of a guy do you think I am?"

"I wasn't even listening to you." You hung your head in shame. "I've failed you today."

"Don't be dramatic," he continued. "Taking care of yourself is the most important thing you can do - not this 'task at hand' nonsense you're spewing." You noticed that he had gathered your belongings as well while you were hesitating, holding them along with his. "Let's get going."

You followed him out of the office, a dreamy swell of adoration in your chest. "Oh, thank you."

*

*

*

You stood outside of your door with Shinji. The sun had set a little while ago, painting the landscape in the early stages of darkness. You could still see the Captain perfectly clear, turning to face him.

"Thank you again," you told him, voice coming out soft and wispy in your exhausted state.

"Let's meet again tomorrow at noon," he said seriously, reluctantly passing you your belongings. "Sleep in if you can."

"I will do my best." You forced a smile.

Neither of you moved. "Do you need anything?" Shinji asked gently. "Some tea or medicine to help you sleep?"

You were so tired, you doubted you needed anything to get to bed. "Tea would be nice actually." You supposed you were just looking for a chance to spend more time with him, even if it meant having to stay awake a little longer.

You'd always adored Shinji, and that adoration was further highlighted in moments like this, where he was putting you before your Soul Reaper work, encouraging you to take care of yourself and assisting you there.

He smiled, though it came out in that smirky way of his, like he as holding back laughter. Then he opened your door and went inside like he owned the place and was inviting you in. You followed, haphazardly discarding your belongings along the way.

You sat in your small kitchen as Shinji flowed about to make your tea, asking you simple questions here and there to navigate your kitchen. You were nodding off again when he placed the steaming mug before you, sitting across from you with his own cup to enjoy.

You sat in a comfortable silence with him, sipping tea. You were about halfway through your beverage when Shinji was at your side, his hand on your arm prepared to pull you up. You realized then you had been sitting there with your eyes closed, poised to pass out at any moment sitting in your kitchen.

"Let's get you to bed," he chuckled quietly, his voice sounding distant when you were halfway to the dream world. You loved that voice, trusted that voice. Right now it was a beacon of light for you to follow to get to sleep.

He pulled you out of your chair and stayed glued to your side, holding you upright, as the two of you went the short distance to your bedroom. As soon as you caught sight of your bed you went forward, unceremoniously collapsing onto the mattress.

"Do you have pjs?" He asked you, gesturing to your many drawers, though your face was buried in your comforter.

At the sound of pjs, you shot up, stumbling like a drunk over to the drawer that held your comfortable night clothing. You made quick work of pulling it open and grabbing the first thing on top, which happened to be a rather scandalous, frilly, girly nightdress. Without thinking, immediately after you slammed your dresser shut you began dropping your uniform, undressing right then and there to hurriedly get into the cozy material.

"What are you - you maniac!" Shinji quickly spun around and crossed his arms over his chest. Even if you didn't care or notice, he wasn't going to take advantage of you while you were in such a vulnerable state and watch you while you got naked. He didn't turn back to look at you again until he heard the sound you thumping back into bed, your Soul Reaper uniform left messily where you had dropped it from your body.

His jaw dropped when he saw you, splayed out on your stomach, wearing that ridiculously short gown that hardly covered anything. He felt like he was being tested by the universe, catching the slightest glimpse of your panties peaking out beneath your pajamas as you lay with one leg hiked up and the other hanging straight down.

He sighed in frustration, looking away from your ass and to your defeated figure as a whole atop your mattress. He came forward, scooping you up to pull you further up the bed so he could pull the comforter over you and hide your curves from his view. You stirred and turned to help him, flipping over to tuck your knees in, making room to push your legs under the heap of blankets.

When he saw your frontside, he was sure then. He was definitely being tested. Not only did the nightdress hardly cover your backside, but your cleavage was on full display too, the dainty, girlish fabric hardly covering each of your breasts. Shinji had never seen so much of your body with the modest way you wore your uniform. Now, one of your tits was threatening to spill out of the tiny strap holding it up, and Shinji was torn between looking away and trying to help tuck you in. All the while you were oblivious to his mental struggles, scooting in and pulling the comforter up to your chest, where your breasts were still exposed. Feeling perverted, Shinji grabbed it and yanked it up the rest of the way to your chin.

"Shinji?" You asked with your eyes closed.

"Yeah?" He gulped, prepared for the worst. You were about to call him out for being a perv, for staring at your ass and your tits while you were just so sleepy and oblivious.

But then, "you're the only one looking out for me," you mumbled tiredly and affectionately.

The Captain was able to breathe again, smiling at your cute, delirious talk. "Get some rest, okay?"

You went on. "I'll miss you."

"Miss me?" He laughed quietly.

You'd have never spoken this way to him when you were of right mind. He knew he should tell you to stop talking and go to bed before you spewed something you regretted, but he was too curious and admiring how sweet and fragile you looked and sounded while you were drifting off to sleep, wearing your revealing, princess-like nightdress. He was enjoying seeing this other side of you a little too much to be in such a hurry to leave. Maybe he really was perverted, perverted for your heart for sure.

"Yeah. Until I see you again tomorrow," you explained. "I hope I see you in my dreams."

If he was just as delirious, he'd tell you that he'd miss you too, that he missed you every time you were apart. "You really are tired," he said instead, laughing uncomfortably.

You opened your eyes slightly to watch him. "Will you stay until I fall asleep?" You asked hopefully.

He frowned, at war with himself. "I don't think that will take very long."

"Will you?"

It wasn't possible for him to tel you no when you looked at him like that. "I will."

"Thank you. I-" you wanted to say something badly, but the words never came.

"Yeah?" Shinji raised his eyebrows expectantly, in impatient anticipation.

You shook your head to yourself, fending off whatever thought that was trying to escape. "Thank you," you repeated again, shutting your eyes for the final time tonight.

Shinji was right that it didn't take long for you to fall asleep. He waited and listened for the steady, rhythmic sound of your breathing before rising, stopping to take one last look at your sleeping form, to sear this into his memory. As softly as he could, he reached out to push some stray hairs out of your face, yearning to do more, but knowing that he couldn't.

"Sleep tight, lovebug. I hope I see you in my dreams too."

When you woke the next morning, feeling rested at last, the first thing you noticed was that your room smelt pleasantly like Shinji, bringing back memories of the previous night. The last you remembered was sitting at the kitchen table, having tea with him. You wondered what transpired afterwards, how you got to bed, and were surprised that you were so exhausted you couldn't even properly remember.

When you saw what you were wearing underneath the comforter, you cringed at yourself, hoping that he hadn't seen your pjs and if he had, embarrassed that you had looked so slutty in front of the Captain. The sight of yourself mixed with the ghost of his scent in the room made you feel like a pervert. You were already starting to prepare an explanation for yourself, thinking of telling him it was laundry day, but then, how could you even bring this up to him? Maybe it'd be best to ignore it altogether, pretend like it hadn't happened, though you knew you wouldn't ever be able to forget.

And then when you got out of bed and saw the tea cups in the sink, you were thinking of him again. Shinji Hirako had already invaded your mind nearly every moment of every day, and now he had invaded your personal space as well, making it increasingly difficult to stop thinking of him inappropriately. It made your heart ache with desire and longing, his fleeting scent, his tea cup next to yours. He was just here, and you already missed him, already wanted to see him again. It was agony, having to smell his presence in your home when he wasn't here.

You looked at the clock, remembering his words about meeting at noon. It was still morning. That didn't stop you from pulling on your uniform and robes, scarfing down a quick and simple breakfast, wanting to see him more than you wanted to rest. You headed for his office earlier than you were supposed to. You knew he'd be there already, and you were way too excited.

Something needed to be done about this.

It's true, he does always say that about the cute girls (speaking from experience)

Pssst...there's smut down there 👇🏻

"I don't get jealous," Shinji claimed.

You believed him. After being together for quite some time, he never showed the slightest hint of jealousy. Men approached you, mistaking you for being single, asked for your number, complimented you, asked you out, etc. etc, and all the while, Shinji would grin and laugh each time you told him or even when he was there. He never minded the affection you received from others, and if anything was proud that he was dating such a bombshell. That was all until you were tossing your head back in laughter at something Kisuke Urahara said, clapping your hand over your mouth, eyes crinkled and him smirking satisfactorily as he watched your reaction, side-eyeing Shinji as if to say, "you seeing this? She thinks I'm funnier than you!"

Shinji didn't get jealous, but now watching you laugh at Kisuke's goofy remark, he had nothing but murder on his mind, narrowing his eyes at the green-eyed, blonde-haired shopkeeper and silently daring him to tell another joke. If he got you laughing again, he swore he'd kill him. Who did he think he was, making his girl laugh when that was his job?

You hadn't noticed how mad it got Shinji, not until later that night when he was pounding into you ruthlessly, pinning you down to the mattress and grunting angrily into your ear from behind, "you think he's funnier than me? Think he could fuck this sweet little pussy as good as I do, huh?"

"No, no!" You promised Shinji, crying out as his pelvis snapped against your ass, drilling into you deep and hard. "No one makes me as happy as you do! And no - no one fucks me as good as - fuck - you do!"

It was music to Shinji's ears, having you reassure him in this way. Truthfully, you didn't know he was capable of getting so worked up over the way another guy interacted with you or vice versa. Your laughter was mostly forced. No one made you giggle as hard as Shinji did, and no one certainly fucked you as good as he did.

But if making him jealous meant you were going to get manhandled in this way more often, you may have had to find more ways to bring his jealousy out of him.

He was so cruel to you, slapping your ass shoving his fingers down your throat, pinching your nipples, and it had you cumming around him harder than ever, singing out praises and promises that he was the only man for you. It had him cumming hard too, collapsing over you and pulling you tight against him as he rubbed your sore bottom and peppered kisses all along your face and head.

"I really mean it when I say that no one makes me happy as you do," you told him, drawing invisible hearts onto his chest. "I hope you know that."

"I know," he murmured against your temple. "It just pissed me off - watching that bastard make you laugh so hard. You have the prettiest laugh. I was feeling protective over it, I guess."

"You're sweet, but my laugh sounds like a foghorn," you giggled gently.

"I'm super into foghorns then," he remarked. "Makes my dick hard."

"Kisuke is too," you teased.

"Oh," Shinji said sharply. "You're trying to get your ass spanked again."

"Perhaps," you grinned deviously.

"Bad girl," were the last words he uttered before pulling you into an equally viscous and soft round two, intimately reminding you that you were his and his only.

He still would never admit that he did in fact get jealous from time to time, but you didn't mind. You were grateful to have someone who was as protective and caring as Shinji, and to have someone who made love to you with as much intensity as him. If only he could be you for a day and know how in love with him you were, you were sure he would never feel jealous ever again.

P.S. I love my silly man Kisuke too don't come for me 💚

Shinji hates the typical, corny "ass or tits" question. Don't make him choose! He likes both! Your thighs too!

"Stop pretending like you're not a pervert and pick one," you scoffed at him when he responded "your personality," after you asked him the age-old question.

"I'm not pretending, I am a pervert," he admitted with a wolfish grin. "That's why I'm not picking one. I love all equally. I refuse to choose."

"Really?" You crossed your arms, glaring at him skeptically. "You don't like one more than the other, not even a little?"

"Nope." He shrugged, before noticing the ghost of a frown on your face. He narrowed his eyes at you, skeptical as to why you looked so disappointed in his refusal to respond. "What's this about?" You normally never cared so much about such trivial, surface-level things.

You feigned innocence. "It's just a question."

"No, you're up to something," he accused, coming to stand over you. "Go on, tell me."

You sighed. "Fine. Someone said I had a small butt the other day and I was just curious." You averted your eyes from his. "I guess I just thought if you said you liked my tits better, then it would be true, that I don't have that great of a butt..."

"Baby." Shinji frowned, grabbing your waist and pulling you in. "Who said that? Should I kill them?"

You giggled and shook your head. "No, I'm sure they didn't mean anything by it. Just took it personally is all." You shrugged sadly.

"Well, don't let anyone make you feel bad about your body," Shinji scolded lovingly, reaching around to give your bum an affectionate squeeze. "You have a great ass and great tits that I love so much. And an even prettier soul. You're beautiful inside and out," he said seriously, sealing the deal with a kiss to your cheek.

"Thank you." You smiled up at him, instantly feeling better with just a little reassurance from him. "You are too. My handsome man."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He smirked. "So which do you like better? My ass? Or my cock, I guess?" Back to being a goofball.

"I'm not answering that." You shoved him away playfully. "Weirdo."

"It's just a question!" He whined.

You supposed you understood now, his difficulty in picking just one thing about you. You couldn't choose one thing about him either. You loved all of Shinji Hirako.

TW: mentions of alcohol, smut, Shinji Hirako just being a menace

Hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it🫰🏻

You had a bad habit of getting drunk and doing stuff you regretted.

And so it was a recipe for disaster at the festival taking place in the Soul Society when you had too much to drink and a big fat crush on your colleague, Shinji Hirako.

As soon as he was in your proximity you were laughing too hard at everything he said, draping over him and clumsily batting your lashes over tired, glossy eyes. Shinji didn't mind it nor did he read into it. If anything, he certainly appreciated all the attention he was getting. As if you weren't being obvious enough, you drunkenly and decidedly blurted your confession.

"I like you."

At those words, he froze, eyes widening and mouth pulling into a frown. His reaction was a stunt to your chest. You instantly wanted to take your words back, wanted to shrink away into nothing and hide from him forever. In a split second, your liquid courage had run dry. You wondered how feasible it would be to quit your position as a Soul Reaper, to move elsewhere, change your name, take on an entirely different identity, anything to escape from the shame you felt now.

A beat passed. And another. And then another. You were drowning in red hot embarrassment as the seconds dragged by.

You backtracked, ready to step away. Humiliation coursed through you, cheeks reddening, shame continuing to bubble in your stomach, hot and uncomfortable. "Sorry. I-"

"You're serious?" Shinji grabbed your wrist, stopping you from getting away. By his tight grip and the harsh look in his eyes, you couldn't tell how you were supposed to answer, what he wanted to hear. You supposed honesty was the only right way, even if that meant you were in trouble.

Slowly, you nodded.

And then a long moment of silence followed again. You were prepared to wrench out of his grasp and flee, stick to your drunken plans to go into permanent hiding when he finally spoke again.

"Fuck."

"Fuck?" You panicked.

"You like me?" He asked in disbelief, his grip on your wrist tightening subconsciously. "You like me like me?"

That was it. You pulled away from him. This situation you had brought on was agonizingly long and painful. "Just forget I said anything." You hung your head low, storm clouds brewing.

"No," Shinji laughed, a sound that was a stab to your heart. "No," he repeated more seriously after watching you avert your gaze and your frown deepen. "I'm just surprised," he explained. "Don't get shy on me now. I want to talk about this."

"I don't know what I'm doing," you ignored him, looking for an escape route.

"You're trashed, but you know what you said," he challenged, coming closer, stepping in front of you to block any potential path.

He was inches away now, and there was electricity sparking in the air between you. His gaze was predatory, predatory in a way that told you he would capture you swiftly and harshly if you tried to run. "How about we go somewhere more private? Just you and me?" There was a grin on his face, one that told you he had a wicked idea unbeknownst to you.

"Are you mad at me?" Your fight or flight still told you to run, not that you were going to attempt it. You knew you had dug yourself into a deep hole, but had to stay committed, had to deal with the consequences.

"Sweetheart," the word seemed far important than the rest, "I'm far from mad at you right now," Shinji promised. "Come here." He extended his hand. "You can trust me."

Around you, the festival was a blur of color and sounds, as if you and Shinji were the only ones there. You looked at his hand uncertainly and your chest fluttered. Embarrassment still burned in your cheeks, but there was a new feeling coming into the mix, one just as hot and bothersome. You feared you may catch fire if you touched his skin, but didn't see much of a choice. Shakily, you reached for him.

As expected, your hand warmed quickly in his, and you worried about how sweaty your palm must have felt. If it bothered him, he didn't show it. Instead, he smiled, curling his long fingers around yours and saying, "good. Let's go."

You let him lead you away, feeling a bit like a lamb headed to the wolf's lair. Your entire body felt sickeningly warm, a new heat blossoming and churning in your core. Was this what love felt like? You weren't sure you could handle it if that was the case. It was too intense, too overwhelming.

Shinji still gave you no indication that he felt the same way you did, and the uncertainty and unknown of what was to come did little to keep your panic at bay. That combined with your wasted state made you feel like you were walking on clouds, and not in a good way. One wrong step and you may fall through, plummeting to your demise.

You kept silent as you walked along, stumbling over your feet to keep up with him, and attempted to distract yourself by observing the beauty of the night, but it was no use. Your head was swimming, heart racing as your nervous system confused your circumstances with that of being hunted for sport. You nearly tripped and fell at one point, but Shinji didn't stop. He yanked you upright, never releasing you, squeezing your hand so hard it almost hurt.

"Careful," he purred, and that's when you noticed his malicious smirk. He was completely calm, cool, and collected while you were losing your mind, hardly able to stand on two feet. It wasn't fair, the power balance tipped completely in his favor.

You arrived at your destination, which was none other than his private quarters. You weren't sure what you were expecting, but it wasn't this. You didn't think he'd take you all the way back to his own domain, his personal space, and you couldn't tell if this was a good or bad thing. It was eerily quiet and dark as he led you inside, so different from the rowdy and raucous festival you had just departed from. Under different circumstances, you would appreciate the peacefulness, but now, you could hear your own shaky breathing and heart thumping in your ears, and you were sure Shinji could too. The quiet made you feel too exposed and too vulnerable when you wanted nothing more than to be invisible right now.

He released your hand to flick on some lights, and you stood just barely inside his doorway, unsure what to do with yourself. Maybe if you were still enough, you really would become invisible.

"Don't look so stiff," he chuckled. Damn. "You can come in, you know."

"Oh, right." You took a few steps forward, trying to follow his lead, but he offered no guidance, seemingly keen on watching you make a fool of yourself. You forgot how to be a normal human in his presence, in his space, trying to remember how to walk, how to act again.

He was holding back laughter at your frightened behavior as he casually sat in his living space and gestured for you to sit with him. You mirrored him, criss crossing your legs and twiddling your thumbs, flinching at every creak in the house and howl of the wind, waiting impatiently for him to say something, to relieve you of this fear you felt.

"How rude of me," he spoke suddenly, confusing you. "Would you like something to drink? You look like you could use one," he teased.

"I don't need anymore." You shook your head vigorously. "But thank you."

"You sure?" He moved to pour himself some sake anyway. "You won't have one with me? Just one?" He was dangling the bottle in the air, enticing you.

You hesitated. It was true that you didn't need anymore, and you wanted him to address the elephant in the room, not get himself and you even tipsier. You really shouldn't have, but how could you tell him no?

"Alright, just one," you agreed, but you still could hardly relax. He was toying with you, winding you up tightly, and for what? To make you snap? There was a point he wasn't getting to, dragging things along at your expense, making you tremble and squirm and suffer.

He sat before you, a glass for him and a glass for you. He took a long sip, watching you do the same before speaking again, finally getting back to the chief subject at hand. "Now then, tell me about this little crush you have on me?" He was finding this too amusing, the corner of his lips pulling upward.

You gasped, looking away from his attractive smirk, your heart and mind confused and at war with how you could want someone who mocked you so much so badly. "What more is there to say? Why are you messing with me?" You pouted, avoiding his taunting gaze.

"It's too much fun, watching you blush," he said, like he couldn't help himself. "It's just...so cute." He took another large sip, finishing off his sake. "I'm trying to make sense of this, how I'm so special as to have won the affection of such a pretty girl."

"Pretty?" You looked at him again now. His smirk had faded, replaced by a much more serious expression. It made you shiver. "You think so?"

"Mhmm." He smiled and nodded, satisfied. "I don't know how I got so lucky is all."

You nervously gulped down the remains of your sake, freaking out for different reasons now. He thinks I'm pretty. You prided yourself on not being a simple girl, but here with him, it seemed he had the power to easily reduce you to just that, a blushing, sensitive, naive, simple maiden. He thinks I'm pretty!!!

Shinji was chuckling again, watching you try and fail to fend off a bubbly smile. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't going straight to his ego, getting to see you, of all girls, unraveling for him in this way. It was making him swell with pride and cockiness. He felt invincible right now, forgetting all about the trivial matters of the festival or anything for that matter. All he could think about now was you, sat before him, looking so preciously adorable and shy and excitable at the prospect of him returning your feelings. He wanted to watch you unravel even more, curious about just how much he could get you to open up for him.

"I like you too," he confessed much more smoothly than you had. "So, what do we do about this?" He raised his eyebrows.

You didn't know how he could be so calm, admitting such a serious thing to you. There was no longer any reason for you to worry, now that you knew for sure that your feelings were reciprocated, but nonetheless a new anxiety blossomed in your chest now. What do we do about this? Your mind flooded with lots of ideas, none of which were pure. You looked at the floor, clasping your hands together tightly to keep from fidgeting. "You tell me."

Shinji grinned. "Oh, I have thoughts," he said suggestively. "But I want to know what you want."

"I made the first move," you defended, biting the inside of your cheek to keep from bursting out in nervous laughter. "What I want is for you to take charge now."

It was a bold statement, one you knew was crossing over a new threshold. Part of you started to relax now, confidence building when you felt so silly for being embarrassed when it was Shinji you were talking to. He was eccentric and strange, just the same as you. It was why you liked him so much. Your shyness was starting to fizzle out the more you opened up to him. Sure, he was teasing and prodding, but you felt safe here with him, safe to be yourself, safe to share your desires now that you knew his feelings were returned.

He scoffed, impressed with your game. "Take charge, huh?" His lips were once again tugging into a smirk. You licked your own as you watched. "I think I can do that, but I still need you to talk to me. I'm not going to take charge of anything unless I hear you agree to it. Understand?"

You were sure of it now. The both of you were on the same page, talking about the same thing without directly addressing it. He'd do whatever you wanted, and you'd do the same, but he wouldn't go any further without your verbal consent. It made you admire him that much more.

"I understand." You nodded, feeling brave and excited all at once. Your chest was rising and falling, heaving with anticipation. Your hands were shaking, adrenaline and disbelief rattling through you.

Shinji noticed, and he rose, holding his hand for you to take once again. "Then let's take this to the bedroom," he finally said, confirming that you were indeed on the same page. "You want this?"

"Yes." You staggered to your feet, breathless. You dropped your shaky hand into his, and he brought it up to his lips, giving it a chaste kiss. You gasped.

"You're trembling. Are you afraid?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at you, searching your face for any sign of hesitation.

"A little," you confessed. You knew better than to lie to him.

"You're allowed to be nervous, but you know you're safe with me, don't you?" He was showing a side of himself you hadn't seen yet, someone softer and gentler than the Captain you knew.

"Yes," you repeated.

"And you know you can tell me to stop at any time and that I will?" He rubbed your hand with his thumb. It was no longer shaking.

"Yes."

"Good girl," he praised. "Don't stop talking to me."

You nodded, letting him lead you to his bedroom. Your heart began to thump rapidly again, only because you were so anxious to take things further. Everything was unfolding so quickly, and it was all because of one drunken and brazen thought that managed to escape your mouth. When you had attended the festival, this was the last place you expected to end up tonight, though you certainly weren't complaining.

Shinji dimmed the lights and dropped his robe. You removed yours, prepared to toss it on the floor somewhere but he took it from you, delicately draping it over a chair. You looked to him for what to do next, eyes wide and expecting. He had to remind himself to go slow, not to pounce on you the instant he saw your pretty eyes looking to him for direction.

He grabbed your hand again, pulling you into the bed with him. You kneeled at his side, eager and curious, admiring the way he appeared in the dim lighting. Little did you know, he was doing the same, thinking about how beautiful you were and how he needed to have your mouth on his this instant.

"May I?" He delicately took your chin in his hand, as if you were the most precious and fragile thing in the world because to him, you were.

"Please." You stared at his lips, mesmerized, anxious, afraid, excited, obsessed all at once. You had wanted this moment for so long now, imagined what it would be like to touch him, to kiss him, and now this moment was happening here and now.

He didn't leave you waiting any longer, leaning in to connect your lips with his. You shut your eyes, focusing on the feeling of his lips against yours, following his lead. You parted your mouth, granting him access to slip his tongue in. You made a little noise of surprise as you felt his piercing, a foreign sensation you were always curious about when it came to him. He hummed in acknowledgment, devouring you even more.

His hands began to roam your body as he continued to make out with you hungrily. Without breaking the kiss, he gripped your clothing, giving it a small tug, signaling that he wanted to take it off.

This was really happening. You nodded against him, but that wasn't enough for Shinji.

"Words, please," he demanded, pulling away.

"Yes." You blushed. "Please, take them off."

"Are you sure?" He still sensed the fear in your voice, saw it in the red of your cheeks. "I can take mine off first. Would that make you feel better?"

"Yes," you said quickly, pleased with his idea.

Shinji smiled and began to remove his clothing without hesitation. You watched in awe, feeling perverted when he didn't stop until he was completely bare. When his hardening cock sprung free from the confines of his boxers, you nearly gasped and looked away. He was so long, you weren't sure how it was all going to fit.

"Everything okay?" He raised an eyebrow at you. "Still want to do this?"

"Yes," you answered shakily, and then "yes," more firmly. "You're just - just so big."

"Thanks," he laughed, reaching for your top first. "I'll take care of you." He kissed your head, then started to lift your shirt. "Promise."

He peeled the fabric away from your body, stopping to admire the lacy bra adorning your chest. A small, surprised moan escaped your lips when he cupped a hand around one of your tits, squeezing the plump flesh and watching your reaction.

"You're such a cutie, you know that?" He grinned before hooking his fingers into the waist band of your pants, tugging them down.

You lifted your hips as you let his words get to your head, making you feel euphoric. You weren't the only one lost in euphoria. Shinji's smile spread from ear to ear at the sight of your matching panties.

"So pretty," he cooed, playing with the fabric against your hip. "Can you spread your legs for me?"

Another moan caught in your throat at his bold request, but you obliged, spreading your legs apart and exposing your clothed pussy to him. You flinched when Shinji grabbed your thighs, holding them in place as he lowered his face to your heat, licking you through your panties.

You cried out, jaw dropping as you watched his tongue piercing get caught on your underwear. He tried to pull back, only for it to stay in place. You shrieked, covering your mouth with your hand in disbelief. Your face became so hot so quickly you were sweating.

"Oopth, gueth I didn't think thith through," he remarked nonchalantly with his tongue stuck outside of his mouth.

"Shit!" You panicked, embarrassed that his mouth was quite literally stuck against your most private area. "What do I do?! Should I try to take them off?!"

"Calm down," he laughed against you, the vibrations making you spasm. He reached for his piercing and your panties, trying to untangle the jewelry from your lace. To your relief, after a quick moment, he detached the stud from your fabric and was able to lift his head away, though it was now snagged where he was caught. You couldn't even care that your underwear were ruined. You were just beyond relieved he was no longer stuck with his tongue pressed to your labia.

You covered your face with your hands. "Oh my God! That was so - I'm so embarrassed!"

"Relax," Shinji laughed, taking your hands into his own. "That was hilarious. I really didn't think that through."

You turned away from him, unable to look him in the eyes. You knew you were being dramatic, but didn't care. You were mortified, as if it were your fault. You clamped your legs shut, face burning, reverted back to your shy ways.

"Come on, doll, don't be so upset," he tried to pull you back out of your shell. "You have nothing to worry about. There's no place I'd rather get stuck," he chuckled smugly.

His goofiness and dirty mind made you giggle, daring to look back at him again.

"Maybe we should take them off, so this time I don't get stuck, hm?" He suggested, easing you out of your embarrassment and back into your element. He was rubbing your hands again to soothe your nerves. It was working.

"...okay," you agreed.

"Okay?"

"Okay." You nodded.

Shinji smiled gently and started to pull your panties down. He didn't look away from your eyes all the while, not until the garment was down your legs and dangling from his fingers. He sling shotted them across the room, making you laugh and hide your eyes from him again.

"Let's get rid of this too while we're at it." He unclasped your bra, pulling it off of your arms and tossing it aside. He let his gaze fall to your breasts, cupping his hands around both of them this time and running his thumbs over your nipples. "Much better."

Mouth agape, you sighed and whined as he flicked and rubbed your nipples, eyes flicking back and forth between your face and your nipples, watching you gasp and moan as they hardened under his touch. "Does that feel good?" He asked gently as he drew circles against your skin.

"Yes," you gasped. "Please - need - I need more," you whimpered timidly.

"Yeah?" He raised his eyebrows, looking excited at your request. "Tell me what you need."

You hesitated to say what you wanted. It felt dirty and embarrassing, but you had to remind yourself that you were safe here. He wanted you to be honest with him, to be vulnerable. "Your mouth. I want your mouth around them," you blurted.

Shinji grinned wolfishly. "Your wish is my command." He dipped his head again, this time, taking a mouthful of your right breast, flicking his piercing against your nipple. The sensation of the cool metal against your sensitive skin had your hips bucking, back arching your body into him.

"Fuck! Shinji!" You squirmed. "Feels so good!"

"My sweet girl," he murmured against you, switching to your other breast. "Can't wait to taste your sweet pussy for real this time."

His filthy words made your core throb. Now, you hardly needed him against your breasts, and you wondered how his piercing would feel against your bare clit this time. You were starting to forget all about your shame, thoughts empty aside from how needy you were, whining for him to "just taste it now."

Shinji laughed, amused at how easily he was corrupting you. "Who am I to tell my baby no?"

He kissed down your torso until he reached your sweet spot, flattening his tongue against your clit. One moment his piercing was in your mouth, and the next, against your soaked core. You cried out at the delicious feeling of hot and cold against your most sensitive area, the heat and wetness of his tongue mixing with the cool of his jewelry. You were lifting your hips into him, desperate for more pressure.

Shinji grabbed hold of your hips, reading your body language and obliging, pressing harder into you, his grip bruising as he sucked on your clit, completely lost in your heat. You struggled to keep still and to keep your legs open, waves of pleasure rolling through your body and making you thrash. To make matters worse, Shinji kept looking up at you from between your folds, watching you fall apart beneath him. It made your face hot, making eye contact with him while he was in such a lewd position.

You were sure you couldn't take it anymore, and you attempted to shove him away, pressing at his shoulders and wiggling out of his grasp.

"Stop running from me." He yanked you back down. "You're okay, I've got you."

"You don't understand!" You fought against him still. "I - I can't take it anymore!"

"Yes you can," he murmured against you, clamping down on your thighs hard to keep them apart. "Just a little bit longer, baby."

He continued to suck and circle your clit with his tongue while he pushed a finger inside. You gasped at the feeling of it sliding through your soaked walls, curling and twisting and adding even more pressure to the already unbearable amount you were handling. You squealed and attempted to lift your body, causing Shinji to press a hand to your stomach, holding you down. He himself was starting to unravel, his length straining and leaking precum as he listened to your moans and whines mixing with the obscene squelching and sucking noises coming from his abuse on your cunt. He was groaning into your core, pumping in and out of you more rapidly now, eager to have you climaxing on his tongue.

Moments later, you were doing just that, crying and trembling as he continued to hold you down, nearly cumming himself at the way you looked and sounded as you fell apart completely. He pulled away from you, his face shining with your juices. You sighed and let your head fall back at the sight, eyes fluttering closed. He smirked at your defeated state, crawling over your body.

He took and squished your cheeks in his hand. "(Y/N)," he sang your name intimately. "Look at me." You reluctantly opened your eyes, peering up at him tiredly. "You still with me? You want more?" He asked, peppering your face with wet kisses.

"More - like your cock?" You asked dazedly.

Hearing such a dirty word come from your mouth made him blush. He quickly regained his composure, smirking at how fucked-out and delirious you were. "Yeah, more like my cock."

You smiled dreamily at him before nodding slowly. "Then yeah, yeah I want more."

Shinji tangled his fingers in your hair, narrowing his eyes at you in that cute way he did when he was thinking hard about something. "Fuck," he muttered under his breath. "So. Damn. Cute."

Slowly, he kissed your forehead, then your nose, then your lips. When he tried to pull away, you pulled him back down, making him kiss you again, but this time, you parted your mouth and searched for his piercing, taking the time to explore his mouth before catching his lip between your teeth and pulling away.

He sprang into action at that, sitting up and roughly pulling you down by your thighs, making you yelp. He didn't waste another moment, grabbing his member and lining it up with your entrance. You watched with wide eyes, in awe at how pretty his cock looked, especially when it was so close to where you needed it most. He pressed the tip against your folds, and the two of you shared a moan as his slick mixed with yours. You throbbed, looking up at him expectantly, already revived and prepared for more.

"Ready?" He asked, just barely starting to push in.

"Mhm!" You nodded, looking back down to watch him slowly sheathe himself inside of you.

You hissed at the initial stretch, digging your claws into Shinji's arm. It made him worry, stilling his movement halfway inside of you, though with how much you were already filled, you could hardly believe that.

"Am I hurting you?" He asked softly, sounding almost unlike himself, cradling your head in his hand.

"No, no!!" You whimpered unconvincingly. "I'm okay! It's - it's just a lot of pressure!"

"I won't go all the way in yet," he said, starting to pull out before pushing back in halfway again. He was squeezing his eyes shut, grunting as you sucked him in. "You feel so good," he breathed before taking your lips into his again. "So good for me."

You cried into his mouth, wrapping your arms around his neck to anchor yourself. Each time he pushed back in, he went deeper, until he had you completely speared on him, sinking all the way in to the hilt. You gasped at the fullness, spreading your legs further in an attempt to open wider for him. He was still moving so achingly slow, doing his best not to start pounding into you until you were well adjusted to his size.

"Are you okay?" He asked, voice straining.

"Yes," you told him, sounding just as pained as he did. "Can you help - can you hold my legs apart?"

His jaw dropped at your request, but he quickly obliged, grabbing behind your knee to not only pull them apart, but to push them down, holding them up near your ears. Your muscles burned, but you could hardly think about that with his cock bullying itself into your walls. Mouth parted and brows furrowed up at him, you informed him that he could be a little rougher with you now. "You can go faster."

You didn't have to tell him twice. Shinji began to move faster in and out of you now, building the pace gradually until he was losing his composure, gone too feral from the feeling of you squeezing around him. He gripped your thighs tighter to steel himself as he snapped his hips against yours, hitting deep and hard inside you each time. You'd never seen him at such a loss for words, the only sounds coming from him being the groaning and grunting escaping his mouth as he buried himself inside of you. Nothing but the occasional, "so good," and "so warm and tight," sounding drunk off of your pussy.

You didn't have much to say either. Your legs were shaking and twitching every time he thrusted into you, still so sensitive from the orgasm he gave you earlier. He was pounding into you relentlessly, balls slapping against you with a plap, plap, plap. The once silent space was now so loud with both of you groaning and panting and squelching against one another. You were going completely dumb on him, unable to think or even speak when he was talking to you again, asking you if you were okay, if it felt good. All you could do was nod.

But then Shinji was grabbing your cheeks again, forcing you to look at him. "Pretty girl, are you sure you're okay?" He panted. "Can you talk to me?"

"M'ok - ay." You were staring at him, but to him there seemed to be no one home. It was both worrying him and making that coil inside of him ready to snap, knowing that you were in your most vulnerable state right now and that he was the one who got you there.

"Are you gonna cum again?" He was asking too many questions. You whined in response. Of course you were going to.

He was slamming into you viciously, chasing his own high. It was so painful that it felt good, and your pleasure was making you see stars, in pure bliss knowing that you were at his mercy completely.

"I can't hold it anymore," he groaned into your neck. "Fucking clamping down on me like that! You close?"

"Yes!" You squealed, your body squirming like a rag doll beneath his.

He wrapped his long fingers around your neck, still pinning one of your knees up by your head, while he roughly and determinedly thrusted into you, chasing both of your highs with vigor. You were surprised by how good it felt, having him choke you lightly and stretch you to your breaking point. Moments later, you were spasming on him, choking out a high-pitched whine while he fucked your orgasm out of you. His quickly followed, and you watched in a lovesick state as he shuddered and convulsed over you, dick twitching inside of you before he hurriedly pulled out to release himself on your stomach.

He took a minute to admire his work, catching his breath and observing your limp body. "Stay put," he huffed, exhausted. "I'll go get something to clean you up."

Shinji gently wiped his juices from your stomach before joining you back in the bed, sighing contentedly and tossing his head back against the pillow. You were both silent until you were able to breathe normally again. Your eyes were fluttering closed before shooting back open, desperately trying to stay awake to get more time with him.

"So," he began awkwardly and uncertainly, surprising you. He was never awkward, always the cocky and confident one. You looked to him with concern, wondering what he seemed so nervous about. "This wasn't like - a one time thing - right?"

Sometimes, with how bold and loud and unafraid he was, you forgot that Shinji got insecure too, that he was human, just the same as you. It made your heart melt, getting to see this other side of him, having him be vulnerable with you. It was a different kind of intimacy than the one you just experienced, but was just as meaningful, if not more.

You turned on your side to fully face him, reaching out to stroke his bicep lovingly. "Shinji, I know I was being drunk and stupid earlier when I told you I liked you, but I really meant it," you told him softly. "I don't want this to be a one time thing, do you?"

"Hell no." He managed a grin. "I really like you too."

"Okay, good," you giggled. "I was actually hoping we could do more than this," you confessed timidly.

"More." Shinji smiled lazily at you. "Like sharing meals and waking up next each other?"

"Yeah." You held your breath.

"I'd like that," he agreed, eyes full of adoration. "We can start now." He pulled you to his chest. "With you staying the night."

Now you let your eyes fluttered closed, cheek pressed to his warm skin as you hummed contentedly against him. You'd have more time with him tomorrow, and if you were lucky, every day after that. You snuggled up to him, and he squished you in, holding you tightly and protectively now that he had you completely in his snare.

"Goodnight, Shinji."

"Goodnight, angel." He kissed your forehead. "Sweet dreams."

As you drifted off to sleep in his hold, you reminisced on the unfolding events of the night. Maybe it wasn't such a bad habit, getting drunk and doing stuff you regretted, or maybe this was just one instance you didn't regret.