Marise: Ta-da! I wonder what special this could be…?
Shinji: It's my birthday today!
Marise: Ohhh! Is it wittle Shinji-pie's biwthday? How old are you? Three hundred?
Shinji: Yeah, somewhere around there…
Marise: Ew, gross!
Shinji: So, what have ya got planned for me, Mari-muffin?
Marise: Oh? I don't think I have anything for you…
Shinji: Quit yer lyin'…where's my present? Wher'd ya hide it?
Marise: I didn't hide it anywhere…
Shinji: Ah, I know, yer my present!
Marise: Shinji, get off of me! You can't do these kinds of things in front of the readers! It's indecent! HELP!

Author's Note: Please enjoy this special chapter made for Hirako Shinji, the lovable Visored. Happy b-day Shinji! WE LOVE YOU

Closer to Being Alive

Recommended Song: "Over my Head (Cable Car)" by The Fray

Lisa walked toward the mall, looking beautiful in a crisp white jacket and slim black dress, with black boots going up to her knees. She fixed her red glasses and ignored the men who were checking her out as she passed by. With her white bag slung over her shoulders, she hurried along, as Marise had called her earlier. Apparently she needed her help with something…due to her love for the girl with golden curls, of course Lisa couldn't refuse, no matter what help she may need…only she hoped that it wouldn't be a request as odd as the one she had asked Shinji not too long ago…

It was now the beginning of May, and summer was beginning to kick in full swing. Personally, Lisa loved the summer weather, as it was her favorite season. She didn't really like watching all the trees shed their leaves during the fall, the winter was too cold and she definitely disliked the rainy season of spring. So with the warm weather now settling in, Lisa found that her mood was much lighter and cheerier.

She found that she was feeling more light-hearted now that Marise was in their lives. Theirs, not just hers. All of the Visored saw something in the girl, even if they didn't each have a special bond with her. But Lisa knew that Mari made Shinji happy, she didn't really know whether it was pure love Shinji felt for the girl or whether he was just less bored around her…but that wasn't really her concern. Unless, of course, Shinji hurt her…then she'd kill him. But then she always felt that it may be the other way around…that Marise may be hurting Shinji. When they were together she always noticed this strange tension between the two of them…and Shinji would always just stare at Mari when she wasn't looking, and his face never gave anything away.

Lisa walked in through the large sliding glass doors and saw Marise waiting for her, sitting on the edge of the fountain in the middle of the lobby.

Mari jumped up. "Lisa-chan!" she greeted, grabbing hold of her arm.

"Hi sugar," Lisa said softly, running her fingers through her hair. "What do you need my help for?"

"Don't you know? Shinji's birthday is coming up soon! And I don't know what to get him!" Mari's eyes were wide and frantic. "Do you think he would want a tie? He wears them all the time…oh, but he works at Auntie's store…or maybe he has too many? What do you think?"

Lisa blinked. "Well, I think he'd be happy with anything you'd give him. I mean, he'd never expect you to buy him a gift, or even remember his birthday."

Mari puffed out her cheeks. "Of course I would remember his birthday! I'm his friend!"

Lisa had a feeling that this was what Mari had called her for. God only knows how long it's been since Marise has had to make the decision of what gift to buy for a friend's birthday…she'd need all the help she could get. Lisa smiled sneakily, she was so happy her assumption was right. She grabbed Mari's arm and led her to one of the shops inside of the mall, saying that she had an idea on what gift to buy.

"Lisa-chan…are you sure this is a good gift…?"

Lisa glanced at her wristwatch, and then looked back up at the changing room door. "Of course, Mari, now come on out and let me take a look."

The door slowly opened and out stepped Mari, whose face was bright red. She wore a black and red-checkered schoolgirl costume, with a small black tie and white thigh-highs, and black Mary Jane shoes. She tried to pull the already too short skirt down, but wasn't having much luck.

Mari, whose golden hair was now tied in two pigtails by red ribbons, looked up at Lisa, and asked hesitantly, "Well?"

"You sure make a nice, sexy little schoolgirl. Only, you're missing one thing…" Lisa pulled off her glasses and placed them on Mari, saying, "There. Now you're complete."

Mari's blush immediately disappeared. "I don't want to give this to Shinji!" she said hotly. "I want to buy him a nice gift, a non-perverted one!"

Lisa put her glasses back on and said, "But Mari, the thing Shinji probably wants most for his birthday is you. Or at least to see you cosplay as something sexy. He'd just go bonkers."

"Not at the expense of my dignity!"

Lisa raised an eyebrow, and then said softly, "Well sugar, at least try them on for me." She was having the time of her life in seeing Marise like this…

Mari blushed. "Okay," she mumbled, going back into the dressing room.

To please Lisa she came out in a nurse costume, a playboy bunny, and even wore a little yellow dress and dressed up as Goldilocks. Lisa just smiled and told her she was beautiful, and after the last outfit was worn she said they could now go and browse for other things. While Mari went ahead, Lisa went and bought one of the outfits, just in case…if she didn't want to wear it for Shinji, she could still wear it for Lisa's pleasure.

Hirako Shinji was snoring softly on his bed, sprawled out with his lanky arms dangling over the bed and his bed sheet only partially covering him. He was in a blissful state, that is, until…

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SHINJI!"

Shinji jolted up from his bed and whirled his head around, frazzled. It wasn't only the scream, but he was awoken by the shrill noise that sounded like a kazoo. He looked in front of him to find Mari sitting on his bed…! Shinji looked at his nightstand. It was 12:00 A.M. He then look back at Mari, who was grinning, wearing a party hat that was slightly askew and holding a cupcake in her hand, with one lit candle on it.

"Mari…what the hell…?"

"Happy birthday! I'm the first to tell you that, I sneaked over here and into your room so that right when May 10th began, I would be the first one to wish you a happy birthday! And I was so, hooray!"

Shinji rolled his eyes, feeling that she was happier being first than actually wanting him to have a happy birthday. "Well, thanks…."

She thrust forward the cupcake at him. "Here you go, I got this on my way here, I broke into Aunt Fifi's place and chose the best one. I only put one candle, because I'm not sure if I could fit a hundred or more candles, and besides, I wanted to boost your self-esteem, and this will make you feel younger!"

Shinji took the chocolate cupcake with hot pink frosting and heart-shaped sprinkles, which was topped with a single pink candle. "Err…the best one?"

Mari's face fell. "You don't like it?"

"No, no! I like it, I do… It's just that…"

"Just what?"

"Well, it's just…"

"Go on and say it, Shinji! You hate it, don't you? You hate that I came here, you hate the cupcake I brought you, you think I'm probably some weird stalker pervert and you hate it! You hate me!"

"Geez Mari! I was just gonna say that I don't usually eat cupcakes at twelve in the mornin'…"

Mari blinked. "Oh. Well, that's okay! You can eat it later!" She grabbed the plate and went over to his mini-fridge, placing it inside, but not before she blew out the candle. She then came back over and sat on his bed, and took off her party hat.

Shinji scratched the back of his head. "So…what do ya wanna do?"

"Shh! It's 12 A.M.! Don't you know that some people are sleeping?" she hissed.

"What the hell! Ya were just bein' all loud…"

"SHH! Don't you dare wake Lisa-chan up!"

"It's my own fuckin' birthday, I'll talk as loud as however the hell I want!"

Mari clucked her teeth and placed her hands on her hips. "Hirako Shinji! Now who told you it was okay to go sleeping in your bed with no clothes on? How indecent!"

Shinji looked down at his bare chest. "I ain't naked, I got boxers on, see?" He was lifting the covers up when Mari squealed and back away, covering her eyes.

"No, no! It's too horrible!"

"Tch, says tha woman who looks at naked men!"

"I do not!"

"Yes. Ya do."

"Well, at least those men are…are…uh…well-endowed!"

"Ya mean they're ripped?"

Mari bit her lip and tried to figure out what that meant when Shinji grabbed her arm and pulled her forward, placing her hand on his stomach.

"AH! What are you doing?" Mari cried, trying to pull away, shaking her head as her eyes were closed, not wanting to see. She then opened them and curiously ran her hand across his muscular stomach and chest. "Wow! You're not flabby like I expected you to be…"

Shinji tried to control his breathing in feeling her soft hand on his skin. He pulled Mari toward him again, this time, to wrap his arms around her. She tried to pull away in protest but he wouldn't let her go. Shinji looked down to see that underneath her pink cardigan was only a short white nightgown.

He quirked an eyebrow. "Why ya wearin' just that?"

She put her hands on his chest, and tried to push him away. "Because…" she said, struggling to get him off of her. "I was going to go back home after coming here and…back to…sleep…! But how can I when you won't let go?"

Shinji looked at her, his brown eyes piercing right through her, causing her to cower and stop her resistance. "It's my birthday," he said softly. "Can't I at least have ya 'til mornin'?" He ran his hand up and down her back, causing her to shiver. Mari couldn't ignore that she was pressed right up against his bare, sleek chest, and that there was only thin white cotton that separated the two of them…

"How cruel!" she cried. "Pulling the guilt card on me…okay, I'll stay with you. But you have to let go first!" Shinji complied. Mari then pulled away from him and scooted on the right side of the bed, and grabbed one of his pillows, and slammed it in between them. "If you cross this pillow, I'll leave without a second thought!" She then began to list off her fingers, "I don't want you to touch me, kiss me, hold me, breathe on me, or even face in my general direction! So, turn around," she finished, spinning her finger in the air, motioning for him to turn around.

But Shinji only sighed and lay back against his pillow, his arms behind his head. "What's the point of havin' ya in my bed if I can't even touch ya? Or look at ya?"

"Hush!" she said. "And go to sleep! I can't have you ruining your own birthday, and I don't want you to be tired and groggy in the morning."

"How can I go to sleep when yer right next to me and all I wanna do is…"

"Do you want me to sing you a lullaby? Rock-a-bye Shinji…on the tree-top…"

Shinji placed his pillow over his face and groaned. "Alright, alright! I'll go ta sleep…just stop yer singin'…or it should be called howlin'…"

Mari placed her head on another pillow, and lay on her side, and silently watched Shinji across the pillow that she laid out, as he was sleeping. He went to sleep pretty quickly, and had immediately began to snore…but it was soft, not loud and obnoxious, like when her dad snored… Mari then turned away from him and sighed softly.

She blushed, and slowly brought her hand down, running her fingers lightly over her cotton dress, and she shivered again, imagining what it would be like if these fingers were Shinji's and not her own. She then went lower, and brought her hand under her dress, where she placed it in her underwear, and gasped at the sensation. She blushed again, and covered her mouth, but now she couldn't stop, her fingers went inside her and she let out a soft moan at the pleasure she felt… She could only silently pray that Shinji was fast asleep.

But he wasn't. With his eyes still closed, he stopped his snoring and just listened to her gasps and moans, and he placed his arm over his eyes, as though that would help him in not hearing her. He cursed himself, as he felt his manhood begin to harden, and had the same thought that Marise had before.

He wished those fingers were his own, and not Mari's.

Mari slowly opened her eyes, and saw that Shinji was sleeping right next to her. At first she was startled, but then it all came back to her, the cupcake, his pleading, her… She bit her lip, the situation looked really wrong and bad…but they didn't do anything!

Unless that Yankī pervert harassed me while I was asleep! She looked down at herself, and blushed, remembering that it was she who had violated herself. She looked over at the clock on the nightstand, and saw that it was half past seven in the morning. She didn't get much sleep, but she felt pretty refreshed. And today was still Shinji's birthday! Mari was glad she woke up before him, that way she could get everything that she had planned for the day ready.

Marise jumped out of bed and winced, and didn't really want to go out wearing her thin nightie. So she grabbed one of Shinji's collared shirts and put it on, he was so much taller that it came down to her knees, and she sighed in relief. She opened the door to his room and went out and down to the training grounds, and searched around until she finally found the kitchen, where only Lisa was there, making scrambled eggs, only wearing a thin tanktop and boy shorts.

Lisa looked over when she heard Mari come in, and smiled. "Well, good morning, sugar," she said, smirking. "And where did you come from?"

"We didn't do anything, I swear!" Mari cried.

Lisa grinned. "I know you didn't. I could hear you while lying in my bed. I was looking forward to hearing some screams of ecstasy, but I only heard you two arguing. What a shame." She then raised an eyebrow. "So? What have we got planned for the birthday boy?"

"I could make him a special breakfast!"

"You don't really seem like someone who's good in the kitchen…"

"Nonsense, Lisa-chan!" Mari said, and she scooted Lisa away, and then began taking things out of the fridge and pantry.

Mari held an egg in her hand and squinted at it. Then she brought it to her ear and shook it, and broke out into a smile. "Well, there's stuff in it!" Now, how do I get it out… She very faintly tapped it against the counter. Not a crack. So she brought the egg down and slammed it, cracking it, getting ooey gooey yolk all over her fingers. "Yuck!"

"Uh…" Lisa said tentatively. "Do you need any help?"

"No, no, I got it!" She then stared at the bread. Do I use the oven to toast it?

Lisa tried to hold back her laughter, it was so amusing to see Mari try to find her way around the kitchen, and attempt to make things.

All the Visored gathered around the breakfast table, but not before they wished Shinji a happy birthday. His grin was wider than the world; he couldn't wait to see what they had planned for them. He was about to reach over to grab some toast when Mari smacked his hand with a spoon.

"Ow, what was that for?"

"You get a special breakfast, Shinji!" Mari said. Shinji stopped looking at his injured pinky and perked his ears at this. He then raised an eyebrow when he heard Lisa chuckle.

Mari went back into the kitchen and brought out the plate and Shinji said. "Wow, makin' breakfast for me and wearin' my shirt, yer like my little wifey."

Marise's expression immediately changed, from excitement to bitterness. She glared and slammed the plate down on the table, saying, "Here's your stupid food!"

Shinji was flabbergasted; he had no idea what he had said wrong. He shrugged it off and looked down at his prepared meal, and was intimidated. "Uh…" he said, not sure if he wanted to eat what was on his plate.

"Go on, birthday boy," Lisa said, placing her elbows on the table and her chin on her hands, "Mari practically slaved over the stove all morning just to make that for you."

The other Visored snickered and Shinji gulped. He bit his lip, and glanced over at Mari, who was on the edge of her seat, hands locked together, waiting for him to try it and worship her with words of approval after.

Nervously, he took up his chopsticks and poked at whatever was on his plate, and then put it in his mouth. He brought his teeth down and his face froze. He frantically jerked his head around, trying to find a garbage can or sink so he could spit it out, but his eyes landed on Mari again, and he felt like kicking himself.

"Do you love it?" she squeaked, ready to burst into joy.

Shinji forced himself to swallow and then shivered. He gave a shaky thumbs-up to Marise and said, "Y-yeah…it was…d-delicious."

Mari jumped out of her seat and squealed in delight at her accomplishment. "And people say I can't cook! Well, I just proved them all wrong!"

Shinji let out a sigh, and took a swig of milk to wash the vile taste from his mouth. He definitely didn't want to hurt Mari's feelings; he just wondered why something so meaningless would mean the entire world to her.

But it's the thought that counts right? …Right?

The next activity on this celebratory agenda was a special trip to the beach, each looking pretty good in their swimsuits.

Shinji wore red swimming trunks with a white collared shirt that was unbuttoned and his red tie undone, hanging around the collar. Kensei was at least satisfied that his attire suited him, gray camo swim trunks, which he had chosen himself. Rose, ironically, wore black swim trunks with red and gray metallic roses printed on them, and Love wore a full silver and navy blue wetsuit for better surfing in catching the waves. Kensei looked a little huffy in seeing Mashiro wearing a noticeable bright orange ruffled bikini top and bottom and muttered to himself in seeing how many compliments she received and Hachi had to search forever to find swim trunks large enough for him. Lisa looked stunning as always in a silk teal bikini, with the top being one strap. She also found it fitting to bring the latest swimsuit magazine with her, but she really didn't need it what with there already being so many women to see.

And Shinji burst into laughter when he saw Hiyori wearing a red and white striped suit that came to her elbows and above her knees.

"Ya look like a candy cane!" he guffawed, holding his sides. Hiyori clenched her teeth and smacked him with her sandal, sending him sprawling into the sand.

He spit the sand out of his mouth and wiped it away from his eyes, and when he looked up he saw Mari standing over him, hands on her knees, bent over him, looking at him curiously with her head cocked to the side.

"And what the hell are you wearin'?" he asked, bitterly. He got up and looked at her again.

"What?" Mari huffed. "I could be wearing something much more provocative! One moment you want me to act like a pervert and dress scantily and when I do try and look cute you scold me! I don't understand you at all!" She pouted and crossed her arms, making her breasts even more prominent through her white and yellow striped halter-top bikini. She didn't understand why Shinji was so upset, she looked around and some of the girls were wearing string bikinis, at least she was wearing boyshorts! Mari then took a blonde curl and placed it in her mouth, chewing on it with her lips, something she did when she was confused.

Shinji stood up and tapped the designer glasses that were placed atop Mari's head. "Ya should only dress cute and scantily for my eyes," he snorted.

Mari scowled and turned her head away. "I'm not your property!"

He frowned at that, wishing she were. Shinji then sighed and sat on his beach towel, then looked at Marise, jutting out his lower lip.

"What?" she asked.

"Will ya at least rub lotion on my back?"

Mari laughed and rolled her eyes. "Okay, lie down." She took the bottle and squeezed some onto her right hand, then brought her hand on Shinji's smooth back, and began to rub, until the lotion was all over. Then, having her own little fun, she drew a smiley face, and Shinji chuckled in feeling what she did.

She continued rubbing from his lower half going up, and then began to knead his shoulder blades, emitting a groan from Shinji.

"Damn…ya got the hands of God or somethin'…"

"Really? I do give a pretty good Shiatsu massage!"

Shinji let out a deep sigh, content. He felt all of the tense muscles in his back unwind just from Mari's magic hands… He groaned again, this time, in frustration, when he felt her stop.

"That's enough for you," Mari said.

Shinji got up and said, "Well, let me rub…"

Marise picked up the bottle and ran, yelling, "Lisa-chan! Will you rub lotion on my back?"

Lisa looked up from where she was reading her magazine under the umbrella. "Sure, sugar."

Shinji fell back on his towel, feeling rejected. He soon got over it when Mari called for him from the ocean, and he felt triumphant in seeing the dismayed faces of men around in seeing Marise calling his name. Of course, he knew that they weren't dating, but hell, other people didn't need to know that. Shinji knew he'd have to try his hardest to ensure that men don't hit on his Goldilocks, because God knows he wants to…

They all soon jumped into the water and began to play around, though Mari became a little too intent on winning and left in a huff. While Shinji was shocked, the others knew that this time she had acted so on purpose so she could leave early and get to her house to finish the last surprise. So Shinji enjoyed the rest of the time with his fallen comrades, only for this moment they were no longer fallen, they had risen to new heights. This moment wasn't tragic; it was uplifting, carefree, and joyful.

They knew it wouldn't last forever…but they pretended it did.

"Eh…Hiyori, where are ya takin' me? And why'd ya blindfold me?" Shinji asked, his arms stretched forward, as though he couldn't trust his friends to guide him to where they were headed. He moved his head around as though he could actually see through his red blindfold. Right after they had gotten back to the warehouse and changed, Lisa told him there was one last surprise, and Shinji could only imagine what it could be.

He felt a door and Rose opened it, and he was led inside. Right when Mashiro untied his blindfold…

"SURPRISE! Happy birthday, Shinji!"

Shinji's face slowly broke into a grin, he was in the Asahina home, and the family was right in front of him, wishing him a happy birthday. He had only known them and Mari for three months, and yet they already treated him like they'd known him forever.

It was an incredible feeling.

"Wait," Shinji said, looking around. "Where's Goldilocks?"

"Here I am!" Shinji looked up to see his shining Goldilocks at the top of the stairs, as she waved down at him. She then flitted down the steps and twirled, asking, "What do you think? Lisa-chan chose it for me!"

Shinji leaned over to Lisa and whispered, "Why ain't it shorter?"

Lisa smacked him on the shoulder.

"I was not going to wear anything perverted!" Mari said hotly. "Here I look like an authentic French maid, don't I? Not some tacky, cheap, trashy thing!" She fixed her white mop hat atop of her golden curls, which framed her face, and she skipped over to Shinji, grabbing both his hands in hers and said, "Pour ce soir, je suis votre petite fille qui va faire vos enchères!" (For tonight, I am your little maid who will do your bidding!)

Shinji had no idea what she said, but his heart was already melted. When Lucille translated for him, he broke out into a huge grin, in which Mari immediately said she would do any bidding that was not perverted. That was a slight negative, but still, he'd get to see Mari in a maid costume for an entire night, even if it wasn't super short.

Everyone gathered around at the dinner table, which had been extended and had more chairs added to account for all of the guests, and they began to feast on a lavishly prepared dinner. Shinji wondered if he could ever get enough of Western food, and, though he felt a little terrible, he was glad that Mari hadn't prepared it.

After dinner they played board games and then Mahjong, which was fun until it was discovered that Mari had been sneaking other people's pieces under the table…the little cheat. But her antics were soon forgotten when a giant cake was presented, and Shinji couldn't help but feel like a small child, a small, but happy child.

"Eighteen years old!" Lucille exclaimed. "You're officially an adult."

Shinji raised an eyebrow, and then looked at Marise, who said loudly, "Yep! Shinji is eighteen years old, how does it feel?"

He smirked. "Pretty damn good." He blew out his candles, but not before Mari poked and prodded him to first make a wish, which he reluctantly did. After eating cake the rest of the Visored went home, and Shinji was about to as well, when Mari tugged on his arm. He turned and looked at her curiously.

"It's not over yet!" she said. "You still have fifteen minutes until your birthday is officially over. And I still have one more surprise for you. Come on!" She led him up the stairs and into her room, where he's only been in a few times before.

He looked around. "What? What's the surprise?"

Marise went over to a corner of her room, and dragged out something that was covered in a bed sheet. She pulled it off, and said, "Ta-da!"

Shinji just stared for a few moments, and then went over and touched it. "Wow…" he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.

Mari anxiously watched his face, hoping to have not disappointed him. "Do you…like it?"

"Mari…where'd ya get this?"

"It belonged to obaa-san's mother…she gave it to her and then she gave it to me… I know how much you like jazz, and I wasn't sure if you had one of these, so…I'm giving it to you."

He just continued to stare in awe at the old phonograph, at a complete loss for words. "This is…great," he said finally, not knowing what else to say. He looked at Marise, who blushed, and looked down. "God…ya amaze me Marise."

She scratched her cheek nervously. "Well, I am pretty amazing, eheh."

"Ya know what would make this even more amazing?"

"More cake?"

"Well…yeah, that, and…a kiss from ya."

Mari tugged on her curl. "I don't know…"

"Just one."

She turned beet red and said softly, "N-no tongue…"

Shinji inwardly frowned, but said, "Okay. I promise."

Still unsure of herself, Mari walked over and took Shinji's hands in her own. She looked up at him, her face still bright red and stood on her tiptoes, and he had to lean his head down to reach her. They're lips touched, and Shinji tightened his grip on her hands so that he wouldn't be tempted to ensnare them in her hair, or around her waist, or on her back…the feeling was similar to his Hollowfication, this theory of self-control, did something like that actually exist?

Even though it was a simple kiss, Mari's heart was still in such a flutter, because it was so pure and genuine, not just lust-filled…she liked kisses like these. In fact, she wouldn't mind having more of them. And she would mind even less if all these kisses were from Hirako Shinji.

Shinji reluctantly pulled away, and his heart swelled in seeing Marise smile. He leaned his forward against hers, and murmured, "So…yer only gonna where that for me, right?"

Her smile grew wider. "Only on special occasions," she whispered.

"Three months…" he said softly. "Ya'd think it's been an eternity."

Mari pulled away, and said, "Well, you're pretty old, so you must know what that feels like."

He shook his head, smiling sadly. "Nah…I don't know how long forever is."

She threw her arms around him, hugging herself to his chest. "I don't think forever even exists." Mari loved the warmth he provided, so calm, secure, and comforting. Shinji wrapped one arm around her shoulder and placed his hand on her head, pulling her closer to him, and resting his chin on top of her golden curls.

"Eh…I'm just one year closer to my death, ain't I?"

"No, Shinji," she murmured, breathing in his scent, he smelled musky, like Old Spice, "you're one year closer to being alive. Happy birthday."

Shinji sighed as he stepped into the warehouse, and undid his tie, throwing it onto the couch. He then headed to his room and was surprised to find Lisa sitting on his bed.

"Were you doing naughty things with my sugar?" she asked, one leg crossed over the other, her hands on the bed.

He smiled wryly. "I wish. What're ya doin' in my room? Ya wanna sleep with me? I know ya was my first love, but…"

Lisa rolled her eyes. "Shut up. I didn't give you your birthday present."

Shinji's eyes bugged out. "Ya really-?"

"No, you idiot! Not that! Here," she said, giving him what seemed to look like a small album. Shinji curiously took it and when he opened it out came a picture, which unfolded into about a dozen. He raised an eyebrow and looked at one of them, then grinned widely. He felt like he could have died and gone to heaven. Each picture was one of Marise, wearing naughty outfits, as a cheerleader; nurse, in an apron, and all the rest. Shocked, he asked Lisa where she had gotten these.

"Mari wanted to shop for a gift at the mall, and I convinced her to try these on."

"She let ya take these?"

"Of course not! Look closely, she's not even looking at the camera." Shinji squinted and noticed that Lisa was right.

"So then…how did ya…?"

Lisa smirked. "You can thank Shiraishi Naoki for taking them. Heaven knows I wouldn't have been able to take pictures as good as he can; he has a gift. Actually, we had a little trouble; the lady behind the counter was about to call the police, accusing him of being a pervert and stalker. He would have gone to jail had I not explained everything to her."

"Holy hell, ya went to all that trouble just ta get these for me?"

Lisa's smile faded away. She walked up to her friend, and looked up at him, her eyes sad. "Yeah…" she said softly, "Only I wish I could do more."

Shinji looked at her, and knew this was more than about his birthday. "I'm over it," he said quietly. "I ain't mad anymore."

"I know. You're more than just mad. You're hurt, depressed, confused, I see you, Shinji, I watch you! When you think no one is looking I see your face and you're not smiling, you look completely lost, like you've fallen into some hole, and none of us, none of us know how to pull you out of it!" she cried. "How? What can we do? I don't…I don't want you to… Oh god…" she finished tearfully, with a sob.

Shinji smiled sadly. "It ain't just me. It's all of us. And we can't help it, Lisa. There ain't no need for tears. I know that bastard Aizen is probably up there smilin' his ass off at us right now. Well, he can burn in fuckin' hell. I ain't gonna let him get to me. I'm done fightin' with him. And I'm almost done fightin' with myself."

Lisa took a shuddery breath and took off her glasses, and wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "I…I didn't mean to react like that."

Shinji chuckled bitterly. "We are the Visored, Lisa…a crossover between a Shinigami and Hollow. But that doesn't mean we have to wear our masks all the time. It's hard to see in 'em. We can take 'em off, and then we'll all see just a bit more clearly."

Lisa sniffled. "You really love Mari, don't you?"

"Yeah," Shinji sighed, "and that's where I'm fightin' with myself. Might be my hardest one yet. Ya think I'll win?"

Lisa snorted, "Yeah, when pigs fly."

Shinji laughed. "Then I hope Mari will be okay with a loser like me, eh?"

Marise: No, I would never be okay with a loser like you!
Shinji: I'll just ignore that. Damn, that was probably my best birthday ever. I got a cupcake, to technically sleep with ya, a day at the beach, a party at yer house, a phonograph, you cosplayin' as a maid for me, and a whole album of ya garbed in sexiness. Ain't it great?
Marise: W-w-what? Where did you get those from! *gasp* How could Naoki and Lisa-chan betray me like that, I'll never forgive them! Ever! Never, never, ever!
Shinji: *drools over the pictures of Mari*
Marise: GIVE THOSE TO ME!

Author's Note: Wow, that is a pretty good birthday. Shinji will have to hide those pictures in a secret place though, if he doesn't want Mari to burn them… I hope you enjoyed this, I'd love to see what you think, so please review! ^_^

Check out my profile to see some amazing artwork of Mari-chan, and vote for which song describe hers and Shinji's relationship the best!