We All Float On (594)
A certain blond vizard was lying on his back on the roof of the warehouse watching the clouds roll by when the door creaked open. Rolling his head to the side he saw a familiar pair of pale blue eyes meet his.
"Yo," the former captain said in greeting as he sat up, his signature grin spreading across his face. Tori tried to smile but came out as more of a grimace then anything. Frowning upon seeing this, Shinji motioned for her to take a seat beside him. Normally the young woman would've turned down the offer, but today wasn't a normal day. Sitting down beside the vizard she leaned against his shoudler. The unusually affectionate gesture caught the former shinigami off guard but he quickly recovered. Something was definitely wrong. Draping an arm over her shoudler he pulled her close and leaned his head against hers.
"Wha's wrong?" he asked in a soft tone as he carded one hand through her short hair. There was a heavy pause between the two of them, but Shinji could see the gears turning in the young woman's head as she tried to figure out how to say whatever it was that was bothering her.
"When I die-" Tori was cut off by the blond suddenly tightening his hold on her, clearly not liking where this conversation was heading.
"Tori-"
"Shinji I want to know," she countered, knowing very well that the tawny eyed male behind her knew where she was going with this. "When I die…will I go to Soul Society?" She would never admit it aloud, but she hated the idea of being separated from the man that currently had one arm around her for any length of time longer then two days. The young woman didn't protest when the vizard pulled her into his lap, nor when he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her so close that her back was flush against his chest.
"Yes," the blond whispered into the black haired woman's ear as he held her close. There was another heavy silence between them.
Shinji had long ago explained Soul Society to her and that it was very likely she would become a shinigami when she died because of her powerful reiatsu. She would go through the training at the academy, graduate and be placed into a division depending on the skills she possessed. The blond couldn't help but let a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth as he thought about Tori in the academy. With all the intense physical training and kidou lessons they had been putting her through she would have a leg up on all first years and could possibly be placed in the advanced classes. Maybe even graduate early, he thought as he intertwined his fingers with hers.
"Guess I better start planning my escape now," the young woman said interrupting the blond vizard's thoughts. Shinji looked down at her like she had grown a second head. Tori felt this and turned in his lap so she was facing him, her light blue eyes locking with his brown ones.
"What? Do you honesty expect me to stay in Soul Society?" she said raising an eyebrow at the former captain. "There's nothing for me there." Everything I need is right here. She didn't say it aloud but Shinji knew that's what she was really saying. A small smile spread across the vizard's face as he pulled her into a gentle hug and rested his chin atop her head. I could say the same thing.