The Most Vague Moment

Disclaimer: Bleach (c) Kubo Tite. Not mine.

Pairing: Shinji x Hiyori

A/N: With tiny bits of spoilers from the Turn Back the Pendulum arc. Well this is somehow an attempt to write for my newly discovered OTP. Enjoy.

"Why don't you try to act nice for once in your life?" Shinji asked his more than a century old friend after a round of their usual ungodly encounter. "You do nothing but piss me off, fool."

Shinji always knew that saying so was a waste of… he didn't know what else aside of his time. And since Hiyori seemed not to have the hope for understanding, nor seemed to have the interest to listen to him anyway, what else was left to say to make her stop abusing him?

Not that he was always offended, and not that he meant what he retorts; in fact, he was very much used with her messing and playing around with his boring life both in soul society and real world. There were bright colors in everything they did together, there were no awkward moments. He could take all those slaps, those insults, they were nothing serious. He always understood, and she knew he would understand. But sometimes… for some unknown reason, she just gets too much for him to handle. A total pain as what he had told Urahara all the way back from his captain days.

Sometimes, when he was lost enough in his dream world, he would reflect that Hiyori was too loud and the world would probably come to an end if she started acting like a refined girl, if she mentally grow up a bit, and if she comb her hair smoothly for once in her long, long life.

But then, he thought, that'd be boring. And Hiyori wouldn't be the Hiyori he knew and enjoyed being with.

And the days went on. Everything was okay. Hollows came and die ('went' is impossible once a shinigami sighted them). Aizen was dead a long time ago, thanks to ever powerful Kurosaki Ichigo. Mashiro and Kensei even developed some sort of 'mutual understanding' as pointed by Hachi, 'love' by Lisa, which of course, they always tried hard to deny.

Hiyori was still going with bright colors, along with the rest of the vizards, and Shinji always watched and protected their smiles. The warehouse was their tranquil sanctuary and he remained content and composed. But not long when his scary thoughts came coming true. He never noticed when it started, but one day he woke up, walked with her for half a day, and realized that Hiyori's share of silence was increasing in his presence, with her frown loosening a bit so like she'd look a bit off guard.

Her expression was different from when Urahara had been her new captain. Yet he asked the same anyway, "What's with that face?"

"Hage Shinji, just shut up and look more on the way instead of my face."

Shinji thought Hiyori was more impatient now, because her face was already flaming red.

"I said don't look at me!" This time, she was practically burning, and gave him that all too familiar spank on the face.

Shinji whined and went along, "You monkey… I was only asking! I should cut your head open and push through that thick skull of yours the way how to respect elders, brat!"

She was taken aback for a moment, so was Shinji because she'd never been taken aback over his retorts. Then she glared at him. "It's true that you are older than me, but I'm not a brat." She grabbed his collar. "Don't call me that again, you understand?"

But all she did were bratty things through and through. Shinji did not understand, never before Hiyori made a great deal with their ages and on how he calls her a brat, but he nodded anyway.

Hiyori sighed, a bit exasperated because she knew he didn't understand. "I'm serious, Shinji. I'm not a brat anymore."

And life continued. Winter broke into spring, the summer heat made its way under everyone's skin, Kensei and Mashiro were now official lovers. And he finally acknowledged that Hiyori was a brat no more. She'd kept her zanpakuto aside, and wore less boyish jersey, like how the rest of them change daily into normal human and gender oriented clothing.

Rose, with his business schemes (which he dared no one ask), bought them a house which resembled the houses back in seireitei, plain and void of any preference, and with a koi pond for everyone to enjoy. They had separate rooms and a spacious living room. Of course, the underground training valleys were still present and can be accessed through the empty basement. Shinji thought it was a perfect home.

The bratty-no-more Hiyori approached him one day when he was basking on his sofa. Her hair was still done in two pony tails, but it was silkier, and her hairpins were—cuter? Her frown was absent and the buckteeth was hidden, making those lips appear not so rough.

She stood two feet away, but looked tensed to say anything. Shinji offered his sloppy smile and waited.

"Forget it." She turned around and dragged her feet away.

"What the—? What is it Hiyori?" He grabbed her thin arm. Shinji didn't want getting cut upon. "What is it that you want to say?"

She pulled her arm back. "It's probably impossible so just forget about it."

"You make it sound like there's nothing I can do. Is it a favor? Do you need a help on something? Do—"

"I said forget it!" Hiyori said, "Why can't you understand!?" Then her frown was back, and Shinji couldn't read a single line on her face.

"Seriously, Hiyori… I can't read your mind." He sighed. "We've been fighting, well, throwing things at each other for years. How could talking be so hard now, eh?"

"It is now."

"Not so, if you'd just open your mouth."

"And if you'd just forget that I talked to you today, you can rest easier." She ran away.

But Shinji could not forget. Because it was the last time Hiyori ever talked to him for the past two weeks, how could he forget? He did not know… Why Hiyori talks to everyone but him, and he couldn't be happy with the ceased thrashing because every evasion was upsetting.

"Boke. Are you mad at me?" Shinji asked when they crossed directions in the living room. He almost wanted to praise how the dress Mashiro gave her made her look cute and definitely not bratty at all, but bit his tongue in time.

Hiyori ignored and walk past by him, and Shinji suddenly wanted to shake her. Hard. "When are you going to keep ignoring me, Hiyori? What is it that you're trying to tell me by doing that?"

Hiyori seemed surprised, and it took a moment for her to answer. "It's just me, Shinji. Don't bother. It's not like I'm mad or anything—"

"But you won't talk to me." He glared. "When you're the one ignored, you beat me to death, that's just stupid," he pinched her cheek and offered a considerate smirk. "Boke."

What he said probably took effect because Hiyori sighed defeat. Shinji carefully pushed the issue at hand. "So? Hiyori-chan is going to tell me now what's bothering her, right?"

"You'll probably laugh," she looked away, "So I'm not going to say a thing."

"You're being a pain in the ass, Hiyori!" He whined. "Come on, I won't laugh. If it's a very serious thing for you, how could I laugh? Except if you grew a tail then maybe I would."

"I did not grow a tail, hage!" She was burning again. Then her tone lowered. Shinji couldn't almost hear her. "…Don't laugh, okay?"

He genially nodded. "I won't." Just a bit more…

"Look. Don't laugh or I'll kill you.," she took a breath, as if everything depended on it. "But you see, I like you, Shinji. I know you think it's ridiculous but you're not going to laugh, are you?"

Shinji cocked his head, not really getting what she said. "Well…" He brushed a hand to his head. "I like you too, Hiyori."

"Shinji, you don't get it. I like you. I mean… I like you. Not because we're comrades, it's something else. You probably know what that means."

He's already in the odd hours of night and Shinji lost count of his sheeps after figuring out what Hiyori said.

The idea did not sink that moment with Hiyori. Yet he replied "okay, I get it" because she looked too much embarassed already for him to ask her repeat what she said in full detail, especially when tears were already threatening to fall out her eyes—which, he thought, was very alarming.

In the end, Shinji told her that he was surprised, but pointed that that was all they could ever be. It was also surprising, that Hiyori had her eyes framed with tears but didn't spill even a tiny drop. He gotta admit he admired her for that. Hiyori was the toughest brat, no, girl he'd ever met.

That night, after Hiyori's confession, Shinji hadn't been able to sleep.

TBC

So? Please tell me what you think. This is only a short fic and will probably end on the next chapter or so.