"How—what—" Ichigo broke out, his words stumbling.
"We trust each other," I answered him, our hands secure. "But we're not sure you'll be able to have your hollow come out like she does." We exchanged a look, a mutual joke.
"You trust each other?" Shock was evident in his words.
Shiro nodded. "We're each other's greatest asset," she explained. "By doing this, we can get twice as much done."
"If you feel like working," I teased her, making her pout. I laughed.
"I…see." Ichigo frowned deeper.
"I don't think you do," Shiro doubted.
"He needs time, Shiro." I disagreed with her, partially for the sake of showing Ichigo we didn't always agree. Looking to Ichigo, I was surprised to see his shoulders shaking.
"I'm sorry, but…can I have some alone time?" he confessed, hands going up to hide his face.
My happy look fell off.
"Of course," Shiro covered for me, pulling me out of the room until she closed the door behind me and disappeared back into me.
He needs to think about it. Let him come to us, she assured me.
Evening cicadas began to cry outside.
X
New Message!
From: 011-xxxx-xxxx
Message:
Come to this address at noon. See ya 3
Warehouse 274
Kazui Street, Karakura Town
104-6009
Respond? Delete?
My finger hovered over delete. I hit respond.
New message!
From: you
To: 011-xxxx-xxxx
I'm not coming over unless you tell me how you got my number.
Send!
Confirming the message, my phone instantly beeped back.
New Message!
From: 011-xxxx-xxxx
Message:
Got it from the candy man ;)
Respond? Delete?
I threw my phone on the bed. "Horrendous…"
X
I didn't know how to dress for the occasion. I had ended up staring into my closet, lost, until I had a stroke of brilliance.
I really didn't show anyone my zanpakutou save Ukitake and Kyoraku and Kisuke. I think I will be okay if I use it here.
And so I had slipped into a longer dark blue dress and been on my way. I had grabbed a bag as well, pouring some necessities in it. If everything went to plan, I knew I'd be gone for some time.
After bidding farewell to the twins downstairs and Ichigo through his door, my feet stopped in front of the empty space that was supposed to be Warehouse 274.
Ah, this again. Stretching my reiatsu around, cobwebs curled out from under my dress as they gently reached forward. I felt them connect with something surprisingly firm.
Holding my breath, I drew power from my released shikai, which also circled under my dress seams. It enveloped me before I felt my body become lighter.
Feeling the light begin to burn my body of shadow, I put a hand on the invisible barrier. I really can't feel anyone inside, I realized with a start. It gave me motivation to work harder.
Slowly, my hand pressed through as if reaching through jelly. Leading with my foot, I closed my eyes as I pushed through the barrier completely.
Shaking my head when I was through to rid the leftover gunk from my ears, I opened my eyes to see Shinji and his family looking armed and dangerous.
"I wasn't expecting you to get through that easily." His zanpakutou was balanced on his shoulder easily, but he looked tense. The others stood behind him, waiting for a signal.
"You invited me," I blamed him.
" Tsk. What is this, Shinji? Didn't you say she was some weak kid?" Hiyori's agitated voice reached my ears gratingly. She was standing next to him, her sword unsheathed and waving slightly as she complained.
"It's not like I knew she could do this!" he shot back, and I felt that the situation was immediately devolving.
"Huh? Then what good are you!" She leaned up, going to strike him, and he lurched out of the way.
"Stop it! I haven't even introduced you yet!" he growled as she continued to swat at him. At this, Love was quick to pick her up by her scruff. She struggled as a wild dog might while he spoke firmly to her, settling her down and leaving her hanging like a puppy.
I couldn't help but fix my lips at this, not wanting to laugh at them so soon. We haven't met yet. We haven't met yet, I chanted internally.
"Glad we could entertain you," Shinji told me dryly as he observed my suffering. He then pointed to those around him. "That's Hiyori, Love, Lisa, Hachigen, Rose, Kensei, and Mashiro," he gestured.
Mashiro waved cutely, seemingly annoying Kensei with the single gesture.
"Now, we want to see what you got," Shinji told me cockily, obviously waiting for my reaction to only tease me further.
"What I got?" I questioned, discreetly letting some shadows pour down the backs of my legs and onto the floor.
"Yeah. We want to see your inner hollow, dummy." Hiyori challenged me, and I looked at her with obvious dismissal.
"I want to talk about my condition," I told her frankly, making the others frown. I directed my shadows to slowly skirt around the group and gather behind them.
Kensei glanced at the warehouse wall as they passed.
"Huh? What makes you good enough to join us then? This isn't about what you want!" Hiyori argued, growling like a small monster as Love dropped her. She sprang up, reiatsu turning a sharper edge as she pointed her zanpakutou at me.
"It's not?" Shiro's disturbed, hollowed voice made the group jump and scatter with startled eyes. Hachigen was quick to call up a high-level kido, and in a show of strength, I was equally as fast, if not faster, to jump in front of her and block it.
Kensei threw his dagger of a zanpakutou at us, and I used my asauchi to strike it away midair.
"Like I said"—I told Shinji, who was looking at us with evaluating eyes—"I want you to at least try it my way."
Shiro smiled pleasantly behind me, and I felt her warmth at my actions.
"What the hell is this, you monster!" Hiyori broke, leaping at us with intent to kill.
Shiro raised her hand up, shadows gathering at her feet and spitting out, grabbing Hiyori harshly around the neck. The small girl began to cough violently before she was dropped. "We're not a monster." Shiro seemed offended at this.
"Then what are you?" Shinji called to us from the other side of the decrepit building, one hand up to hold back the reactions of violence in his family.
"We're just like you," I insisted, stepping out of the way so they could see her.
"Liar!" Kensei growled.
Shinji tossed his long blond hair back as he gave Kensei a warning look. This seemed to make Kensei bite his tongue. Interesting…
Floating down from where they had taken the height advantage, the group followed Shinji's lead as he touched down on the ground. He eyed us thoughtfully, tapping his sword on his shoulder.
"All right," he decided, eyes going briefly to Hiyori, who was still lying stunned on the floor. "Why don't we have a talk?" His voice sounded slippery, and his smirk looked voluptuous.
Shiro and I exchanged a look before I okayed it.
We found ourselves sitting in a circle with the Vizards. We were on the floor, not a blanket or pillow to spare, while Lisa and Love sat across from us on the back of a ratty, torn blue couch. Shinji sat normally on the couch directly in front of us, Kensei and Mashiro on his either side. To my left was Hachigen, and to my far, far right was a hissing Hiyori.
"So," he started, his eyes tracing both my body and Shiro's, likely looking for deviations, as he started. I shivered as he found my face. "Why don't you tell us how this happened?" he asked, his serious voice coming out in richer, deeper tones.
I looked to Shiro, who I felt was eager to talk to someone else. It's been a long time since she talked to anyone…I felt pity.
She glanced at me before explaining how exactly this situation occurred. She described how we had fought at first, at odds with each other because of our differences. Then after a near-death incident—with the polite lie that it happened at college and not well over 200 years ago—we had realized our goals were very similar and that we had to at least coexist if we wanted to survive.
Shiro, against my cautioning, went on to explain how we could only spend so much time apart, about a week, thereabouts, before we started to feel ill and shut down. This was why we had to cohabitate the same body.
She finished with a long breath. "And then we just started to, I don't know, get along." She shrugged as I yawned.
Kensei contemplated us just as gravely as Hiyori, who had quietly snuck closer to the group. Hachigen, Love, Lisa, and Rose had lost their decisively disdained expressions and had a cautious sense of curiosity, if not hope, in their eyes.
S hinji, however, had a flat face that gave nothing away.
"We're the same soul," I tried to explain to him explicitly. "Just because I'm the one in the driver's seat doesn't mean I can ignore the other parts of myself. I'm not going to ignore my zanpakutou." I flashed my asauchi on my waist as I equated them.
He looked down as I held my sword out. "And you want us to try this?" he eventually asked.
I nodded. "Aizen…he doesn't have an inner hollow. We're a leg up on him," I confessed.
It's possible we never pushed him into using it, Shiro warned me mentally.
The thought chilled me. If this works, they'll be able to help, I pressed. And not fall as they did…
"Stay," he commanded me, making my eyebrows jump up. He walked away, a small frown on his face, and the others followed.
I flattened my dress with my hands as I looked over at Shiro. The group gathered in the corner of the warehouse, sending furtive glances now and again toward me as they talked. Trying to make the situation less awkward, I pulled on Shiro's hair.
"What?" she complained as I pulled her attention away from them.
I started to mess with her hair as she watched me with exasperation. I gave her a warm look as we anxiously waited for them to decide. Her hand curled around mine as the huddle broke apart.
Shinji threw himself onto the couch with a heavy plonk! "Don't know about what?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously.
She laughed as my cheeks reddened. "My other half is a mischief-maker," she told him blatantly, and a rise came out of me immediately.
He held up a hand, making us stop. I settled down, frowning at her pointedly.
"One of us will try your method," Shinji spoke firmly, not leaving an option. "And then we'll decide."
Shiro tipped her head questioningly. Decide what? she asked me.
I could only tip my head the other way, also in question.
" We'll decide if you're one of us." He put the pressure on us. I swallowed nervously at his stern look.
X
Rose was the first contender. We were locked into a large barrier inside of the warehouse itself. The others hadn't wanted to take the chance of his hollow going crazy, and I was partial to give into Shiro's nerves in this matter.
We were all underground, their overly large basement slash training area, courtesy of Urahara, being the perfect space for this. They also had a fake sky painted above. Genuine dried dirt clamored into my shoes.
"Are you ready?" Rose asked from several feet away, sitting cross-legged on the ground on a worm brown blanket.
I nodded.
"Let's start," Shiro agreed, squeezing my hands.
Pressing the tips of his fingers together, Rose dived into his inner world. The Vizards, Lisa in particular, had said that this is where things got dicey. This is when their hollows were closest to the surface and could take over.
I crouched down, sneaking closer despite Shiro catching the tips of my loose hair and pulling on them to keep me back. I yanked the strands from her hands, holding back a stifled grunt at the pain.
Upon closer inspection, the aged Soul Reaper could be sleeping. His breath was slow, his eyes were relaxed and closed. I resisted the urge to curl my shadows up and around to take his pulse. Don't interfere!
I stuck my tongue out at Shiro's tight face, making her growl at me mentally.
The others watched from outside the barrier, looking as if we had grown three heads each. Might as well have. I counted on my fingers myself, Shiro, my zanpakutou, and my other zanpakutou.
I sighed, my breath causing a few stray hairs of Rose's to shift slightly as I contemplated.
The Vizards had been created differently than me. I was born with Shiro already a part of me. They had spent the majority of their lives as Soul Reapers before their hollows were forcefully manifested inside of them.
Do you think their hollows have affected their Soul Reapers' powers? I questioned Shiro.
She paused before answering. I don't know. But I recall the first time you and I barged into the Seireitei to rescue Rukia. As you grew stronger, I did too. Maybe it's the same for them, she explained.
We know everything the other does, I supplemented.
S he dipped her head at this. They do feel different than us, she acknowledged, examining their powers, which speckled the earth down here. I believe it's possible their zanpakutou and hollows are more intertwined than us, she decided.
I frowned. That might make things difficult.
It might.
I looked over at her and smiled. It'll be worth it, though. I couldn't help but feel light from my own confidence.
She looked at me warmly, agreeing.
"Hey." The deep, altered vibrato made me startle and fall over somewhat. Overreacting, the Vizards behind me immediately all drew their swords.
I stared into Rose's yellow irises, black coming down like smoke on the normally white part of the eye. "What the hell is going on here?" I watched in horror as a thick white substance started leaking out of Rose's mouth. It clawed its way up his face, hugging his skin as it slowly formed his hollow mask.
This is a forced transformation, isn't it…?! I looked to Shiro, wanting to take her lead.
While I could feel her tension mentally, outwardly she appeared relaxed. "We want to talk to you." I held my breath as I watched the two interact. I'm in a bad spot!
"Talk…to me?" he asked, fingers stretching as his shoulders slumped in a way that Rose would never allow. The beam of his mask started to form, slowly obscuring his face from view. "How are you…separate?" he slowly asked, looking her up and down.
I skittered back awkwardly when he stood, the normally elegant body was being held in an unusually twisted fashion as he shambled toward Shiro, as if he was a puzzle that had too many pieces crammed together. He forgot about me. I watched Shiro relax as I thought this.
"Because we're together," she informed him, crossing her arms as he stepped into her space. I watched him lean down well over her head and make her look straight up at him.
"Together?" his voice mocked her. "I would never trust a Soul Reaper," he spat.
I felt Shiro comforting me through the bond as she spoke. "I wouldn't trust a random Soul Reaper either," she agreed. "But I trust myself. And she"—Shiro pointed to me—"is me," she finished. "I trust myself," she restated.
Rose's hollow turned, and I realized something as it stared at me emptily. "What's your name?" I asked simply.
"My…name?" It pieced the words together as if forgetting how they should go.
I didn't say anything as it looked down into its hand. "I'm…" The hollow paused. It was as if the wrong piece had been fitted in, a shoulder edge piece into a circular abdomen piece. His hand started to shake.
He fell suddenly, and Shiro made an aborted motion to catch him as I stayed back. Rose stirred a few moments later in her lap.
"Shiro…" He looked up, eyes groggy as the black receded. "He…fought me…" He looked to the side, at his family as they pressed their hands against the barrier. "But then he just…went away…"
Hachigen broke the barrier, the others instantly going to his side. Shinji hung back, listening to him elaborate before he approached me.
I accepted the hand he offered to help me up as he spoke. "This is…something," he admitted.
X
"Guh!" I groaned. "I can't take it anymore, Mashiro!" I struggled under the weight, my lungs collapsing. "You're too heavy!" I pushed at her butt and side, trying to force her off me.
"Whaa? But Shiro is so strong!" she complained, freeing me as she stood up from my chest.
I gasped for air desperately. "Thanks…" I bit out. Hand slipping as I tried to roll over and protect my assets from any further assault, my hand slipped and I oof!ed into Shinji, who had been reading a book on the ground in front of us.
"Hey!" he complained, face mashing into the pages as I landed on him and rolled off.
"Sorry!" I apologized, face red. Now I'm no better than Mashiro! I realized.
"Idiot," he insulted me, not making a big deal out of it as he went back to reading. Must happen a lot.
Trying to take my mind off the deep rumblings and bashes coming from the barrier in the basement, I leaned on my arms as we lay on the ground together.
"Hey."
He looked up at me. "Hey." He folded the book up, apparently more interested in me. I took little notice of Mashiro scurrying off to tease Kensei.
"Whatcha reading?" The book was a hardback, decorative purple lettering too hard to read upside down.
"Gorillaz," he told me flatly, turning it around as I obviously squinted.
"The band?" I was surprised. I took Shinji to only ever appreciate jazz with how much he played it back in the day. When we…I pushed the thought from my mind.
H e looked at me, sharp eyes titillating a question at my sudden blush. He seemed to push it aside for now. "Yeah. I've been listening to some alternative lately. Figured I'd pick up their book," he explained, flipping it open and showing me some pictures.
"I thought that they…" I fell into the conversation easy, eager to learn. This Shinji is different, I had decided last night after he had brought me hot cocoa and a blanket after the others went to their respective rooms.
He had stayed up with me for some time, asking questions about Shiro and our lifestyle, before he had pulled out a futon to awkwardly lay on the couch so I wouldn't be chilled by the cold.
In the night-light of the buzzing white TV, he looked almost…human. I had never seen him so open before.
X
"Hey." Shinji flopped down next to me, stealing some of the blanket that I was curled up with to put over his shoulders. My heart flip-flopped at the intimate gesture.
"Hey," I returned somewhat slyly, a small smile on my lips.
Hearing my tone, he turned to look at me with mischievous eyes. "Going anywhere tonight?" he teased, fluffing his hair showily.
I smiled, resting my head in my hand as I looked at him with heated eyes. "I might have a place in mind." I chuckled.
My laughter caught up in his throat as he returned it. His smile grew, his eyes becoming playful as he spoke. "Good! Because I got some questions for ya." He produced a fanatically thick, well-loved notebook and laughed at my shocked face.
"That's not what I had in mind," I deadpanned, wondering if I could escape to spend some time with Rose. Rose had elected to stay in the barrier for one week and see if he could produce results. During the day he would meditate and occasionally become possessed by his hollow. During the night he usually rested.
"Yeah, probably not," Shinji finished off with a chuckle. "But it's important to me. They're important to me," he admitted quieter, looking down. Shinji had always been so protective of all the Vizards, myself included…His unerring loyalty and camaraderie had swept me off my feet all those years ago.
I sat up at this, gaining a curious look.
"Then it's important to me too," I assured him wholeheartedly.
His hand paused from where he was worrying the pages. "You're too nice," he said under his breath.
"What?" I asked, surprised.
"Nothing," he dismissed before his finger found the first line. "So I was curious…how long have ya not been seriously arguing?" he asked, pushing his elbow under my knees as he turned to look at me.
I could feel Shiro wanting to play and tease me for my reaction.
"College," I fibbed. I don't think Muramasa is here. Shiro and I took a moment of silence for our fallen comrade.
He nodded, not seeming convinced, but moved on to the second line. "What do you do when…" His questions centered mostly around what-if scenarios. Basically, what if we didn't agree? If there was an argument? If there was danger? If, if, if…
He's overpreparing.
He wants to try!
By the end of the first page, both Shiro and I were starting to feel a little drowsy from his complex questions.
"Using your brain makes you tired?" he laughed at us when I told him.
I pouted. "I think we've had a long day!" I insisted.
"A long day, huh…" The setting sun burned his eyes, making him rub at them briefly. The sun bounced off his hair, playing in the threads it blessed so long ago while kissing his skin. No, this really isn't…my Shinji. Mine never prepared for anything. I recalled fondly the times when he had been running out the door, late for a meeting because of wanting to enact his sudden desires upon me.
This Shinji plans because he's been damaged. The thought made my heart hurt. I reached out, forgetting myself as my fingers fell through his thin hair.
Our eyes met, his surprised at the motion but allowing it even while his shoulders tensed. "Ya sure you don't remember me?" he asked, knees pulling up to his chest while he examined my face.
"I'm sure," I told him sadly.
My hand fell away as he stood and stretched. "All right," he decided. "I get it. See ya tomorrow."
X
"Hey. Convince Ichigo to join us," Hiyori gruffly ordered me.
I debated ignoring her before I sighed. "Can't control that kid," I informed her.
"Huh? You're the older sister. Just make him!" she yelled unnecessarily.
I looked up from the science fiction book that Shinji had loaned to me. "Yeah, let's force a guy who can't control his hollow into a situation he doesn't want. Perfect plan." I gave her a thumbs up and felt some satisfaction when she started huffing with anger.
"Fight me!" she demanded, jumping up. I heard her sword come out but ignored her. This kid is crazy. I groaned mentally from annoyance.
"Until you can see my shadows, probably not a good idea!" I called back to her.
"Huh? Your sword's not even—" She shrieked as I tossed her a little ways away, the clawing grips of my shadows leaving red marks on her arms.
They need to get stronger, I silently admonished her. Or they'll fall a second time.
Train them? Shiro suggested.
Not enough time to make a difference, I decided after a moment. They need someone to watch their backs.
Their hollows! Shiro connected the dots, making me smile.
"Huh?! Are you making fun of me?!" Hiyori screeched.
X
Rose emerged on the sixth day. His long blond hair was matted and dyed with dirt and mud. His previously nice matching pair of pants and dress shirt were completely torn and ruined. I couldn't help but feel guilty about that.
The others were quick to swarm him, and I watched from afar as they checked in on him. I could see the obvious concern on their faces, the sudden tension in their powers that made waves circulate in the warehouse.
I was surprised when he held out a hand and gestured to me. "That was some plan," he told me, almost breathless still. "But…I think we might finally be in tune."
I couldn't help my shocked face, half not expecting it to work, given their altered circumstances. This means hope. This means it's possible.
Shiro was practically buzzing inside of me, excited to have another hollow like herself around. I was surprised when she actually disengaged and materialized next to me.
She smiled widely at him, unnerving the Vizards around him. As if understanding her language now, he gave her a cheerful look and went to clean himself up.
His guitar sweetened all through the night.
X
Rose's hollow had changed everything. Now, instead of lazing around and letting their minds wander deeper into their unfortunate circumstances, the others were starting to leave the warehouse more and participate in non-depressing activities.
It was an absolutely riveting change compared to what had happened in my timeline.
Mashiro was the next one who was willing to participate in my idea. She was much more confident than Rose or the others were in the beginning, so I found it surprising when she hadn't wanted to try it first.
B ut she kept her reasons to herself, and I was happy that she was willing to give it a try now, so I didn't ask. And so she was placed inside a large barrier just as Rose had been and left alone to the best of our abilities.
"Kensei!" I whispered the threat quietly as I saw him start to head downstairs. Seeing me and hearing me, he did a complete 180 and went to the kitchen instead of going to tease her.
Lisa all but snorted behind me.
X
After he had cleaned up and recovered, I found myself in step with Rose quite a bit as I avoided leaving the warehouse. I would often wake up from catnaps and find his guitar fluently flirting with the air.
I learned that aside from music, Rose had a strong interest in books as well. It seemed that he and Shinji had put together the small, meager reading library that lived on the bookshelf between their rooms in the hallway.
It was in these books that I spent my free time, my presence not being unwelcomed or overstayed as of yet while I hid from the outside.
This book had been abused. The pages were worn, rather sunburned than well-loved throughout its life. Pen and brush strokes defied the printed characters and occasionally spilled over the edge of the pages themselves. Squinting at the small writing, I found myself struggling to read some of it.
"Ah, yeah. These are old kanji," Rose explained to me, patiently pointing at one of the symbols I had asked after. "It's something we had trouble with in the beginning." He looked at where this book had come from, at the empty space in the bookshelf that was causing the other books to start to topple over. "Japanese is a very complex language. In the Seireitei it was common to use kanji that hadn't been used for thousands of years here. A learning adjustment, you might say." He smiled down at me before taking the book and placing it back on the shelf.
"This might be easier for you to read," he offered me a newer book.
X
Ichigo's eyes settled on my form with quiet surprise as he observed our group.
"I want to use you," he challenged Shinji directly, choosing not to verbally acknowledge me. My mouth popped open a little bit at his blatant disregard for us. Had I been this disrespectful in the past? Shiro comforted me, telling me that it was just an Ichigo thing and not a Koi thing.
This made Shinji bristle, as it rightfully should have, and they were quick to exchange barbs before Hiyori sprung a full force attack on him. I found myself going over and standing next to the others while they patiently watched.
"What do you think?" Love asked me, manga forgotten in his hand.
I hmmed as I watched the fight progress. "He's holding back just like he did with Shinji. I think he's really scared right now."
"It's just like you said," Lisa agreed with me. "He's a scared kid coming to us for help."
"Let's help him," Rose offered, unsurprisingly. He had always been the most accepting of the bunch. "After all, his lovely older sister has already joined us." He looked down at me warmly while he twirled his long blond hair with his finger.
"I didn't realize I'd already been accepted." I crossed my arms, unsure of my position now.
"Shinji seems to like you well enough." Rose talked about him as if he wasn't standing right next to us.
"Hey." Shinji frowned but didn't disagree.
A sudden dark, fiery mass exploded from Ichigo's direction while my eyes looked Shinji up and down. I turned around, shocked, as the Vizards leaped into action. Almost instantly they were pinning him down with their body weight and swords. Ichigo's possessed body screamed and hollered while it tried to claw its way to Hiyori. It frothed at the mouth, and I covered mine as I became sick to my stomach.
With a deep breath, Shinji cracked Ichigo's reptilian-like mask to free him from the possession. Stunned, Ichigo could only stare at the terrified Hiyori as he realized what had happened.
X
"We'll have him do that for as long as it takes until he drops," Shinji explained to me, fluffing the pillow on the bed. The occasional shakes and hollow screams echoing up from the training area from Ichigo were drowned out by my senses. The whole room smelled like Shinji. It was intoxicating and invigorating and anxiety-inducing all at the same time.
I wasn't sure where I belonged with this new Shinji. He was so different from the previous Shinji that I knew that I wasn't even sure if I had the same feelings for him.
"Ichigo is being watched by Love tonight, and he's taking the couch. We don't have a guest bed currently because of the sinkhole, so you can use mine." He patted the bed for show before he went to leave.
"Where will you stay?" I asked, balking at how casual this was. Sinkhole?
He looked surprised at my question. "Oh, I don't sleep much," he admitted. I squinted, looking for sleep under his eyes when he flipped his hand to warn me off. "Catnaps are better anyway." Boasting, he turned and put his hand on the doorknob. "Hey. Does it get any easier?"
"Easier?" Is he asking me for advice? I was floored at the very idea.
"The hollow yellin' in your head."
I sucked in a breath. "For me, it did."
He paused as if to say something before deciding against it and leaving.
I sat on his bed, feeling uncomfortable at taking up his space. I looked around and was surprised to see a sparse room. His previous room had been so cluttered that I had had to step over things just to get places. It had been somewhat unsightly until Aizen had started picking it up on the weekly.
But this room…this room belongs to a man that was meticulous. I could see that everything had its own home. There was a cup with four pens on the desk, next to a reading lamp that stretched out over the bed. The books were all categorized by subject and then alphabetical, making things easy to find. The bed was pushed into a corner and allowed one to face the door as they slept.
These changes worried me deeply, but I myself had gone through much the same when I had been thrown into the very, very far past originally. I couldn't judge him for whatever mental illness might have developed from being thrown out of the only society he had ever known.
Stripping off my outer clothes, I debated on whether I should wear the day clothes that I had brought underneath the sheets. I had been a fool and had forgotten to bring pajamas.