Title: Lily and Thistle
Author: paws_bells
Beta-ed by: MelissaRose85
Characters/Pairing: Sarugaki Hiyori and Hirako Shinji
Type: One-shot Collection (InComplete)
Genre: Romance/Humor
Word Count: 2631
Rating: T (Contains content not suitable for children)
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite.
Summary: 'Say Please'-verse. The language of flowers. The devoted and passionate Lily. The brave and loyal Thistle. A bouquet of love. One-shot series.
Created on: 09/08/13
Completed on: 10/08/13
Chapter Last Revised on: 07/09/13
Pre-Series Interlude: Can't Keep My Hands Off You, Part II
Ten minutes later, Shinji's wallet was a bit lighter (much to his chagrin) as Hiyori happily pulled on her new band shirt over her white tank top. She had already shed her jacket and tied it around her waist instead, and they made their way into the concert hall with the rest of the other fans. The venue was rather small, and the place quickly filled up with people as they waited for the session to begin. Hiyori was getting quite pumped by then – while not all the way at the front of the stage, they had managed to get a pretty good spot somewhere a bit back. The petite blonde was about as excited as he had ever seen her, and even though Shinji was not exactly thrilled to be here, he couldn't quite begrudge her such obvious pleasure.
There was a slight problem, though.
All the other concertgoers were taller and towered over her, and packed densely in the large room like they all were, there was little chance for her to see the stage over the crush of humanity due to her small stature. As always, she wasted no time turning to him to help solve her problem. "I can't see," she told him rather expectantly, and he lifted his brow.
"Yeah, I know. I've been watchin' ya jump up and down like a monkey for the past few minutes," he drawled innocuously, and she glowered at him for being deliberately obtuse.
"Lemme up your shoulders," she demanded quickly then, not beating around the bush as usual.
"No," he replied just as promptly, and was immediately treated to her deepening scowl of displeasure. She gave him a narrow, gimlet stare.
"Hage Shinji…" she bristled and growled warningly at him, but he remained unimpressed. She was way too old to still be getting away with being such a complete and utter brat, in his opinion.
"S'that the proper way ya should ask people for favors?" he enquired with deliberate calm. "'Cause it really sucks."
She gritted her teeth and her glower deepened. Shinji was not intimidated though; he had the advantage here, after all. They had a brief standoff, and then, unsurprisingly, Hiyori reluctantly backed down after a while. She also turned her eyes away and quit challenging him, understanding that she would not be getting anywhere with him like this.
"…I can't see the stage," she mumbled grudgingly at last, swallowing her pride and begrudgingly gentling her tone. Her face was flushed with awkwardness and obvious discomfiture and she was clearly avoiding his eyes by then. "…Please…help…me."
She was clearly forcing herself to spit out the words towards the end, and speaking so lowly that she was nearly inaudible. Her mortification was palpable, her stance rigid – as always, he found this side of her pretty damn endearing, and so he relented and did not make her repeat her request again.
"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" he asked, slightly teasing, and she barely refrained from replying, though her eyelid ticked violently in response. "You're gonna owe me for this, but since ya asked so nicely-" At that, Hiyori twitched again. "Alright."
He didn't even have to stoop down or provide any footholds to boost her up. She was small, nimble and agile – exactly like a little monkey, he thought with amusement – and she made her way up his lean, rangy frame just fine on her own. There was no embarrassment or hesitation on her part as she clambered all over him – they had known each other for so long that such feelings were completely redundant by now, and besides, she had never been the type to feel shy about such matters, exasperating little tomboy that she was.
"…Thanks," she muttered under her breath when she was finally seated on his shoulders. Her momentarily muted demeanor very quickly turned to exuberance and glee once more when she realized that she now had the best view in the house. Resting a hand on his head for extra support, she leaned forward and excitedly peered at the stage, and he had to grab her calves to steady her and keep her from tipping right off of her perch in her enthusiasm.
"Oi, be careful up there," he chided in chagrin, already starting to regret his decision to carry her. She barely weighed a thing, but was being so utterly boisterous that it was going to be a challenge to contain her rambunctiousness. "I swear; you're about as gentle as a gorilla."
She completely ignored him, of course, and then her sharp, feline eyes alit on an empty spot just a bit in front of them.
"Move forward, hage Shinji!" she demanded then, tugging at his hair to get his attention and pointing ahead with her finger.
He twitched at being treated like a pack mule. "…that's no way 'ta treat someone who can throw ya…" he grumbled, but obligingly moved to fill the place in the front all the same. Hiyori did not respond to him – the blinding stage lights abruptly came on and a deafening drumroll announced the arrival of the band to the loud screams of the adoring fans, who suddenly seemed to come alive in an overpowering wave as they all surged forward in an effort to be nearer to their idols.
Shinji winced; his sensitive ears were ringing from the resounding roar of his fellow audience members, and even Hiyori was adding to the din, pumping her fist and yelling her approval. The five band members that appeared on stage spent a brief few minutes greeting and interacting with their enthusiastic fans, and then they took their places, picked up their instruments, and very quickly started on a rousing, upbeat number to head off their first set. It didn't take long for their high energy performance to infect the crowd, and very soon, everyone was jamming to the loud, thumping beats and the powerful vocals of the lead singer, their hands high in the air as they banged their heads to the catchy song.
Hiyori was in heaven.
She was absolutely loving every moment. The utterly chaotic scene, the wildly flashing spotlights, the frantic atmosphere and the manic joy of the fans; they all added to the quality of the live music that was being played right there and then. It was all intoxicating to her, and the petite blonde waved her arms in the air and rocked out furiously to the band.
Shinji was very sure that he had landed in some part of hell, or at least it certainly felt that way at the beginning.
The music was utterly deafening and it threatened to burst his eardrums. It was completely disorienting and his head was pounding from all the jarring sounds and sights that were inundating it. The strobing spotlights that could easily induce fits of epilepsy did not help matters any, and the high pitched shrieks of the electronic instruments were hardly comprehensible to him. The raw, fierce beat of the drums felt more like a hostile declaration of war than music, and all around him, people were screaming, jumping, jostling and yelling en masse like they were all possessed by a herd of evil spirits – the whole thing was certainly disconcerting, to say the least, and he had to restrain the instinctive urge to reach for Sakanade (which he hadn't brought along, so it was moot) and start exorcising the entire lot of them.
This was the first time he had been dragged along to such an event, and to say that it was an eye opening (and jaw dropping) experience would be an understatement. Even though this was just an unofficial performance/meet-and-greet, the intensity of the charged crowd was nearly overwhelming, and Shinji didn't think that he was anywhere near ready to experience what a full scale concert would be like. In the past, one of the other Vizards would usually accompany Hiyori to her rock gigs; he was the only one left who hadn't been exposed to the experience yet – at least not until today. Shinji wondered how Rose (who possessed even more sensitive hearing than he did) had managed to sit through one of these concerts and emerge unscathed when he already felt like he was going to start bleeding from his ears very soon.
But Hiyori was clearly having the time of her life, her eyes bright as she strained forward over him to see the band better, her head bopping madly to the beat, her lips moving as she mouthed the lyrics to the song that she had memorized by heart. Shinji was obviously not a fan of this music genre, but after the second set, the initial shock was slowly wearing off and even he was beginning to at least grudgingly understand the appeal of the heart pounding, rousing tunes. The band members were also particularly charismatic and were able to churn their fans into an excited frenzy, and overall, the general atmosphere was simply electric.
Besides, it was rather difficult to remain irritated and be a wet blanket when the brat was being so utterly and infectiously enthusiastic and happy.
Approximately one and a half hours later, the musical showcase was drawing to an end, and the band was playing their last set. By then, Hiyori was standing beside him once again, having scrambled back down from his shoulders after less than half an hour due to an amusing inability to keep still. She was just listening to the music and lost in her own world, looking slightly flushed and mussed from her energetic exertions earlier, her eyes closed and a very small yet irrepressible smile sitting on her face as she just soaked in the sounds and the ambiance. Shinji, while not particularly crazy about the entire performance, was still enjoying it somewhat – the experience was new to him, the music style was certainly unique and some of the lyrics surprisingly profound, not to mention, the mood was pretty good, and it was impossible not to be affected by it.
The band's last song was a rock ballad, clearly an extremely popular piece judging by the rousing screams of approval from the crowd when they quickly recognized the beginning strains of the tune, the mournful screech of the electric guitar and the accompanying thrum of the bass, both preceded by the melodious solo of the electronic keyboard. The earlier, riotous demeanor of the audience quickly quieted down and became hushed with anticipation as the lead vocalist finally opened the song with his stunningly soulful voice.
A wolf fang moon, my lover is grieving
I raise my cup and drink in the frost
Who has upset the box of yesteryears
Awaking the dust of forgotten past?
Destiny has been written for every reincarnation
With a frown etched on your brow, you wail as Time cannot be rewound
Even if the annals of history has already become ashes
My love will never end
Shinji was frankly surprised by the range of the singer's impressive vocals, especially since the latter had been screaming his throat out for the better part of the last hour. The song was a slow, poignant number unlike any of the previous tracks they had played, though, and the golden-haired Vizard felt his focus quickly turning to the stage.
The acoustics were simply amazing, the voice and the musical instruments coming together in a perfect, harmonious blend that was aural pleasure to the ears and the soul. The lyrics were astonishingly profound, and that gripped Shinji's attention the most – he had not known that this genre of rock music existed. This was poetry in song, and it was unexpectedly beautiful.
Grandeur is three thousand miles of waters flowing east
Yet I need only a single ladleful to know love
Only yearning for the butterfly reincarnation of your soul
Your hair is like snow, bitter serenity in our parting
Who is moved by the fragrance of my burning incense?
Inviting the full moon to highlight our memories
Our love becomes immaculate beneath the moonlight
Shinji glanced briefly at Hiyori, and then, his gaze caught in surprise. The petite blonde still had her eyes closed, startlingly long blonde lashes fanning her freckled cheeks, but now there was a rare look of tranquility on her face as she let the slow, aching music wash over her senses, soothing her like a touching lullaby. Her slight form swayed faintly in contentment as she luxuriated in the vocalist's clear, powerful voice and poignant singing. The instrumental interludes further added emotional impact to the song, and by now, the crowd was completely enthralled.
And, as Shinji stared at the peaceful, breathtakingly tender features of his companion, so was he.
Your hair is like snow, your tears are flying
Who had waned while I waited?
In this era of mortal intoxication
I'll use my devotion to carve a tablet of eternal love for you
la er la ~
The bronzed mirror reflects a picture of innocence and pigtails
Since you (coyly) requested
I'll keep you company and drink with you in this life
The last notes of the singer's pristine, haunting voice lingered in the air for the longest time, and when that finally faded away, there was only enthralled silence as the audience took in the entirety of the moving ballad. Then, the clapping started, swelling in volume until the rafters all but shook from the sound of the fans' overwhelming appreciation and delight.
Hiyori's eyelids slowly opened, the ochre depths hidden within momentarily soft and unguarded; she had been clearly lulled to a dreamy and relaxed state by the song. For an instant, the gentle expression portrayed on her small and surprisingly delicate features was both startling and exquisite at the same time, but as quickly as it appeared, it was gone in the blink of an eye, the softness immediately concealed by her usual reticence and cagey demeanor. It didn't take Hiyori long to notice her fellow Vizard staring at her with the strangest look on his face, and she started to frown slightly, her prickly walls coming back up as she eyed him suspiciously.
"What?" she asked defensively over the din of the people around them, and he at last looked away.
"Nothin'," he muttered a bit too casually to be considered normal, and Hiyori would have tried to pry further if not for the distraction of the band onstage, wrapping up the gig and expressing their gratitude and farewells to the screaming audience. Golden eyes subtly watched over her as she eagerly took in the sights and the sounds, and like always, Shinji discreetly edged closer to shield her smaller form from the worst of the jostling and shoving from the overly enthusiastic crowd.
It was only much later, when the performance had ended and they had finally left the theatre and were on their way back that Hiyori suddenly quipped, "Hah! Ya can't say that I never bring ya anywhere good anymore!" she pointed out with smug glee, looking all too pleased with herself. The outing was a smashing success as far as she was concerned. She was obviously in high spirits and it clearly showed on her glowing, animated appearance, her spirited liveliness further highlighting her impish, irrepressible appeal. "Admit it, hage Shinji! I showed ya somethin' real good today, didn't I?"
Shinji briefly scrutinized that small, cute face; those bright, catlike eyes and that toothy, mischievous fanged grin. She was utterly, maddeningly, charming like this, and as always, she remained completely oblivious to the effect she had on him.
"Yeah," he replied at last, his tone perfectly nonchalant even as he stuck his hands in his pockets to quell the urge to reach out and touch her beaming features.
"Yeah, you did."
Omake
Present Day:
Shinji looked completely put out as he found himself standing in line again outside the familiar theatre in Karakura town with Hiyori in tow, facing the same unamused looking bouncer who looked just about as happy to see them as they did him. The Gobantai Taichou quickly put out a hand to stop the burly man before the latter could even say anything.
"Before you even start, this woman is not a child, and no, I'm not her father," Shinji was quick to point out.
He had even deliberately dressed down (in his opinion) for the occasion, appearing in jeans and sneakers, forgoing a tie and leaving the top few buttons of his dress shirt undone, though he threw on a form fitting waistcoat over it and rolled up his long sleeves to his elbows so that he still managed to look cool and casual smart at the same time. Hiyori had gotten pretty annoyed with him since it had taken him forever to make up his mind on what to wear and finally be ready to leave the warehouse, but he was determined not to be mistaken as the parent of his ridiculously youthful looking lover ever again. Once was enough, thank you very much, and the shock had been so great that he had suffered from an existential crisis for weeks after that – he did not look old, damn it.
Unfortunately, the human who had emotionally scarred him so badly the last time around could hardly care less, judging by the blank, unimpressed look on his face.
"ID," he gruffly demanded of Hiyori, and the petite blonde grudgingly handed over her identification card for inspection. Evidently, she easily passed it this time around, and after returning the card to her, the bouncer waved them through the doors without another word, much to Shinji's shock.
"Wait a minute," the Shinigami/Vizard demanded. "You're not gonna keep insistin' that she's a child this time? Nothin' 'ta say about her height? Her looks? What 'bout me?"
The human just stared at this strange blonde man who for some reason kept getting right in his face and also seemed to be trying to instigate a fight, of all things.
"Right now, I'm only seeing one childlike person here," he uttered flatly at last, and Shinji just gawked at him in shock.
"Huh?!"
Hiyori kicked her other half hard in the shin before he could make an even bigger idiot out of himself.
"Goddammit baldy, quit embarrassin' me," she muttered, and then she grabbed him and dragged him into the building before he could do or say anything else.
"That wasn't what he said the last time," Shinji was still protesting, looking visibly indignant. He had been prepared to make the man eat his words from back then, too. Apparently, he had a very good memory when it came to people who insulted his vanity, and Hiyori rolled her eyes. The dumbass could certainly hold grudges for the stupidest of reasons.
"That's because ya already cleared things up with him right from the start, didn't ya?"
Shinji quickly paused at that. He had, actually – it was the first thing that he had said to the man, in fact.
"Sheesh, what a moron," Hiyori muttered outright, much to her lover's chagrin.
"Yeah, well, I may be a moron," he replied defensively. "But I'm your moron."
"Yeah, yeah," she told him boredly, and then her eyes alit on the booth selling fan merchandise. "Buy me a shirt, baldy."
"Again?" he sounded disgruntled. "Why do I have 'ta keep buyin' ya shirts? At least get somethin' cute or sexy. What kinda date is this?"
She was completely blunt and to the point as always.
"The kind where I'll make ya very happy later if ya make me very happy now," she retorted matter-of-factly.
He looked exasperated by her shamelessly forthright answer, but there was no denying that a happy Hiyori was a very demonstrative, affectionate Hiyori. And Shinji liked the very demonstrative, affectionate version of Hiyori.
"Gee, if you put it like that, I can't really refuse at all, can I…"
::owari::
Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:
Nothing much to comment for this chapter, but I hope you guys enjoyed it all the same!
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The lyrics used here is from a mandarin love ballad, 髮如雪, by Jay Chou. It's obviously translated, but I chose it purely for its lovely lyrics. Not sure if I have done the song any justice with the translations arrangement, but, ah well, it sounded really meaningful in mandarin, and I thought it was kind of fitting.
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New arc next chapter! Back to present time!
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As always, thanks for reading!
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Your reviews fuel my passion for writing. So please leave a comment if you like this fic!
-paws