17 Ways of Erase and Rewind
Disclaimer: Bleach does not belong to me.
Special thanks to my Beta Chancewriter that makes my crazy ideas understandable and readable. You're THE best!
Warning: SPOILER ALERT! This story is up to date with manga 421: Deicide 23. A/N at the bottom, italics are for thoughts, and some cursing but nothing major.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT that has nothing to do with this fanfic: A friend gave me as a present a Hiyori/Shinji doujinshi, but is in japonese, if anyone knows this language PLEASE send me a private message and I'll be happy to upload the unofficial manga for all the fans to enjoy... now moving on to the story
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Clouds are shrouding us in moments unforgettable
You twist to fit the mold that I am in
But things just get so crazy living life gets hard to do
And I would gladly hit the road get up and go if I knew
That someday it would bring me back to you
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Chapter 4: Right back at ya
"Ahh!" Hiyori sighed happily.
The feeling was incredible and even when she felt a little out of breath she was enjoying the sensation of independence that this action had given her. For the first time in a week or maybe a little more Unohana Taicho had given her authorization to be on her feet long enough to take a shower. No more sponge baths from that rude and irritating nurse that made her strip in front of her. No! She was alone in a normal common shower and the feeling was absolutely glorious.
Taking advantage of her new freedom, she had stayed in the bathroom getting dressed and had put a blue towel on her wet hair to help it dry more efficiently. Hiyori was getting dressed in a white kimono that the aforementioned nurse had given her and if she was being completely honest, she had to admit that these clothes were rather comfortable.
Also, if she would have dressed in her room, the petite blonde would have found a couple of lewd eyes staring at every inch of her body, she was sure. Of course the ex-lieutenant had kicked Shinji from her room a total of 197 times until now, but still he returned. What was that they said about insanity? Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results? Hmm. Stupid Shinji.
It wasn't even the fact that he was practically harassing her –and annoying her- all day and night. No, she was getting a little worried about him, not that she would dare to voice it. He wasn't sleeping much because of her. Every night the tall blonde sat next to her bed and even when she woke up in the middle of the night he was there, awake, telling her to go back to sleep. If the dumbass kept it going he would probably get himself a bed next to hers in this stupid healing squad.
In the moment that she was going to adjust her sash her hand touched the scar that was at the height of her waist. To be honest, calculating the seriousness of her injury the scar wasn't as big. It surrounded her entire waist but the width was rather small. She finished getting dress and opened the bathroom door that connected to her room.
Of course he was there.
Pervert Hiyori voiced in her head giving him a hateful look and grabbing the edge of her kimono to close it even more. He looked at her with his Cheshire grin and winked making her cheeks burn red.
She turned her back to him and bent over to take the towel off of her hair. The blonde girl should have thought better.
"The view is even nicer on that side." The ex-Captain replied teasing her and watching her firm butt. Hiyori quickly straightened with her face completely crimson and threw the wet towel at him.
She must be tired, he thought concerned, In any other circumstance that would have been a certain hit to where the sun doesn't shine.
She kept her back at him, but began to think on what to say to keep him distracted. With his change in expression he would have probably discovered she was getting drained and soon his stupid apprehensive remarks would make her lay down in bed, and she was very happy to be out of her fluffy prison.
"Taking a bath was wonderful." Small chat wasn't her forte and talking about something she really cared to know, like what happened in the fight with Aizen, was a forbidden topic. He had made it perfectly clear since the first time she had asked:
"Until you're able to run you can ask me what happened," He had said in his serious tone.
She felt atypically guilty for making him worry about her in the battlefield and she had left the topic to rest…for now.
"I agree. You stunk up the whole place." Shinji retaliated at her making a disgusted face and covering his nose. Again with a glare instead of a punch. She's not tired, she's exhausted. The blonde thought getting up from his chair and grabbing it with one hand as he began to walk in her direction.
She eyed him irritably from the corner of her eyes while taking a brush to comb her wet hair. The brush could be used as a weapon in case he wanted to make her sit down or come back to bed. He put the chair in front of her.
"Sit." He ordered.
"Go to hell." She threatened him with the deadly weapon of choice among hairstylists and recovering Vizards everywhere – the hair brush.
"Been there, done that." and he pushed her carefully to the chair.
"I'm fine Shinji! Leave me alone! I have permission to be walking!" She said trying to stand up.
"Ok…" He replied ignoring her pleading eyes the best he could and pushed her down to the chair gently by the shoulder. Her yellow hair was making a puddle on the back of her clothes because of the amount of water that it still carried. "Stay there still for a second." He returned to where the previously discarded towel was and grabbed it to put it between her back and her hair.
"Give me that thing you crazy brat!" He said taking the brush she was still holding.
"Hey! I'm going to use that!" She said turning to him because he was positioning himself behind her. "If you're so desperate for a brush you girly girl get your own."
"Shut up, stupid. I'm preventing you from making yourself bald." He lectured her amusedly, though he had to admit that that would be quite the twist of ironic fate for all the times she called him 'Baldy.' He continued, "I've seen the way you brush your hair, like it was a hollow that needs to be killed."
"Hmm… shut up woman hair!"
"Stay still and quiet, monkey" And he began to brush gently, first getting rid of the knots and later smoothening it. "A good apple conditioner wouldn't hurt you, ya know."
She slapped his hand that was resting on her shoulder.
"If you want to continue doing this, do it without your moronic comments."
Already feeling better I see He voiced in his head, not bothering to hide his triumphant smile and continued brushing her hair.
"Anyway I still can't believe you're wearing that." The female Vizard motioned to his clothes with a disapproving look.
"What's wrong with it?" He expressed innocently expecting a yell that came in just one second.
"Shinigami's clothes!" The girl screamed outrageously. But his response was already ready from the moment he had decided to wear the black uniform and be in Hiyori's presence.
"You expected me to wear my dirty clothes for the whole time we're going to stay here? Who do you think I am? You?" This time she moved to the side of the chair and hit him in the arm.
"Why are you hitting me Bokke, you're wearing the same thing!" He yelled at her as he re-positioned her to the chair so that she wouldn't fall.
"Nah ah!" She denied childishly. "This is a regular white kimono."
"And mine is a regular black kimono then." He answered sarcastically.
"Shinji you're a complete imbecile" Hiyori replied wrinkling her nose.
"Ditto." He had to resist an impulse to pull her hair to make her behave, but taking in consideration that he was her caretaker and she was recovering it would seem rather horrible.
Glares were still being exchanged in the silence that ruled over them. But he continued to brush her hair in the sweetest manner for a little more time.
When he finally stopped Shinji moved to the front of the chair smiling.
"I have a surprised for ya!"
Her face wasn't puzzled or even a little intrigued. If she actually wanted to know what the surprise was, her eyes cheeks or mouth didn't show it.
"I don't like surprises." She frowned.
"You're going to like this one, I swear." The blonde man promised happily. She rolled her eyes exasperatedly.
"What is it?" She said, not even trying to fake enthusiasm and looking at the window.
"I'm not giving you anything if you do not behave properly." Shinji acted like he had been hurt by her lack of interest. "Conduct yourself for once like a normal person and –"
"Since when did you care how do I behave?" She cut him off.
"I always have," Shinji said narrowing his brown eyes at her. "But I'm showing you how much I care right now." He smiled truthfully.
Stupid Shinji and his cheesy words! She thought.
"So… Are planning on being a good girl and fake some gusto?" He asked cheerily.
She smiled with her girliest, fakest smile.
"Yay a gift from Baldy."
"You didn't have to fake so much." Shinji's merry expression changed to exasperation.
"You told me to." Hiyori retaliated.
"Ok I'll give it to ya, but first you have to close your eyes." The tall man told her hopefully.
"Shinji!" She yelled in complete annoyance. He liked to try her patience and it was one comment away to try her feet on his shin.
"Come on! Close those little eye lids." He chanted like she was a three year old.
She did, but muttered threateningly, "If you do something to me, I'll kill you."
"I understand loud and clear, Milady" He pulled something from his pockets and placed it into her open palms. "Open wide now."
Hiyori did as she was told still, though pretty annoyed, but her face changed the second she saw what it was. With a trembling low voice she said, "Red ribbons…"
He looked completely proud of his gift.
"Yep."
"These are the exactly the same I wore when…" He cut her off. There were some memories she didn't need to get into right now.
"Not exactly, same store, same owner, different ribbons." He told her. "You've been complaining nonstop since you woke up that your hair is in your face. Honestly I'm tired of hear your yapping."
She didn't even pay attention to the insult; he had brought her one of those things she loved from Soul Society. How did he get them? When? She didn't really understand how this man in front of her had being in two places at once, but later she remembered it was him, Shinji, her Shinji, the miracle worker and inventor of a way for the Vizards to take advantage of the experiment Aizen had provoked in them.
Only one word could convey the way she felt. She was moved by his gesture. With a serious expression she looked him in the eyes, stood up and hugged him.
"Thank you Shinji." He could hear the joy in her voice and all the trouble of getting her the damn ribbons had been worth it.
"I told you, you were going to like it." He said returning the long hug. But after a while, he separated from her and squatted, so they would be at eye level. "I'll give these to you but I have a condition," She nodded in response; he continued "No more eye-sore pigtails."
"Go to hell!" She punched him and he fell. Leave it to Shinji to break a perfect moment between us, she thought.
He chuckled on the floor and rubbed his cheek.
"Ok, ok. I knew it was a long shot. If you can't get that, at least I'm putting them on your hair the first time."
She didn't answer; she only sat down in the chair and smiled at him. Shinji got up and positioned himself behind her again and in a couple of swift movements he made the most perfect pigtails she had ever had worn.
"Shinji," She looked at him very seriously, "I have done today, and most of the time, a lot of your stupid will. Now I need you to do something for me." She REALLY didn't wanna show him she was worried about him, but if she wouldn't do it right now, she would not do it at all.
He faced her with puzzled eyes. Something for her? What had she thought he'd been doing this whole time? Doing things for him? Stupid midget.
"I want you to go to a normal bed tonight and sleep. I know you don't believe me, but I'm fine. You have been glued to my hip…" He actually chuckled at her choice of words, but she decided to ignore him and continued talking "…since I can remember. Can you do that for me, please?"
"Whatever you say." He told her, looking at her concerned face. Being worried this openly was very uncharacteristic for Hiyori, but Shinji understood that in these circumstances and after all that they've been through she was putting down her walls one brick at the time.
"Uhm... I wish you were this docile all the time, Baldy." She resorted in a normal sarcastic voice crossing her arms at the height of her chest.
"Ditto" He stuck his pierced tongue at her with the only purpose of annoying her.
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A/N: Obviously, what does Shinji-kun get for Hiyori-chan? Red Ribbons. I know her pigtails were not affected by Gin, but in my story some stupid 4th Division healer cut them off to get her treatment. Those ribbons, I think, are very important for her, so they had to be a complete chapter about them. Look for another important objects getting their chapters soon
The erase and rewind part is on you…The good times she had and were gone because they were hiding in the Real world, Hikifune leaving her, Aizen experiment, etc. Basically the idea was bad memories.
This one was a hard one. I'm more of a description writer than a conversation writer, so this chapter is a very 'unlike me 'chapter, but it was in the name of red ribbons. I know chapter 3 and this one were a little smaller than 1 and 2, but do not worry nice readers chapter 5 is already written and it's the longest of them all, so expect it maybe on the weekend.
Ideas for new chapters and things they have to happen are always welcome! and I remind you my special announcement (that is in the top of the story) and your lovely reviews!
See ya on the next one
Kate