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: 3132

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: 22/09/13

Completed on: 22/09/13

Chapter Last Revised on: 18/06/14

Love Never Fails – Part II

Placing both of his hands on her small waist, he easily lifted her off of him in a swift, effortless motion and then he sat her on the edge of the ofuro instead. Without the water pressure to keep her flow in check, a small trickle of blood started to seep out from between her legs once she was out of the bath, and Shinji noticed immediately. His gaze locked with hers.

"Did I hurt ya?" he asked, his entire demeanor quickly sobering. His fingers reached down to lightly touch the traces of crimson fluid with no embarrassment or revulsion, and she was both flustered and put at ease by his reaction at the same time. She swatted his head halfheartedly.

"Don't be a dumbass," she muttered, her freckled cheeks rouging slightly. "I was already bleedin' before that."

Hiyori swung her legs around and eased her feet onto the floor, grimacing slightly at the mild twinge of discomfort that her movement caused. She gingerly walked over to the sink countertop to collect some tissues to temporarily clean up her mess with, and Shinji rose out of the ofuro after her, rivulets of water sliding off of his lean and toned torso and down his sleek, muscular thighs and legs. The smaller blonde ignored her lover and merely grabbed the bathroom cleaning supplies that she had found in the cabinet under the faucet, and he gave her a skeptical, slightly disbelieving look.

"What do ya think ya doin'?" he asked at last. She gave him a small frown for asking the obvious.

"I'm gonna clean out the ofuro, obviously," she uttered. "Go shower and get outta my way."

She was perfectly serious, and an exasperated expression crept onto his face. She was being very fastidious and particular all of a sudden, and she was very determined to clean up after herself. He was equally determined to take care of her, and that obviously did not include having her play maid, no matter how stubbornly she insisted – he was pretty sure that he could out stubborn her when it came to this. He stepped in and wrested the cleaning supplies out of her protesting hands and quickly set them aside before she could go ahead and start an impromptu spring cleaning session in his bathroom.

"How 'bout ya lemme worry 'bout that later, and let's both take that shower now?" he suggested, but it really wasn't a suggestion, not with the way he was already herding her into the adjacent stall beside the tub. Not surprisingly, she immediately resisted, starting to scowl mulishly at him as she did so.

"Yer babyin' me again," she accused crossly, and there was a warning note of impending tantrum in her tone. "I don't need ya 'ta treat me extra special and I can clean the goddamn ofuro if I wanna."

She was starting to get grouchy again, but he was too used to her touchiness and knew exactly what to do – and say – to placate her.

"Of course I know ya can," he agreed calmly. "But there's no need for ya 'ta do so when I can perform the task just as well. And don't be stupid; of course I'll treat ya extra special – yer my girl. I'm gonna baby ya every chance I get; that's my pleasure and privilege as yer lover."

He was being so reasonable and matter-of-fact that she could not quite find fault with his simple logic. Shinji nudged her under the showerhead, adjusted the temperature knob, and turned on the water. They showered quickly, and then, before Hiyori knew it, she was wrapped in a soft and fluffy white towel and firmly guided out of the bathroom. Shinji let her know where she could find the hygiene products that he had bought for her earlier before he slid the door shut in her face – a clear dismissal and unspoken indication to 'keep out' if any – and a little irritated by his bossy, somewhat highhanded demeanor, she went off to get dressed.

Sure enough, she found the sanitary items still in their plastic bag on the dressing table in the bedroom. The dumbass had actually bought way more than she needed, but she supposed she had to award him points for effort – he got the correct products, the brand she always used, and there was even the one that had recently been launched in the market and she had been interested in trying out but hadn't gotten around to getting it herself yet. Hiyori ripped open the packaging of the new brand, picked out a pad, threw away the sterile wrapper, and slapped the napkin on the crotch of the spare change of panties that she had kept stashed in Shinji's closet. She dried her body thoroughly with the towel before stepping into the leg holes of her underwear and pulling up the elastic waistband snugly around her hips.

Her stomach was rumbling rather disagreeably with hunger then, and she recalled that the baldy had also mentioned something about buying food earlier. Slinging the towel around her neck, the female Vizard wandered out to the living area and over to the connecting kitchenette to investigate for anything remotely edible, and she quickly found the bento sets that he had brought back. The takeout was from one of bento shops in Karakura, well known for its delicious creations, and Hiyori was already salivating at the notion of the impending meal.

The petite blonde tossed the bento sets into the microwave to reheat them quickly, and she was just setting out the food on the table when her lover emerged from the bedroom, already impeccably dressed in a fresh set of the shihakusho, though still lacking his white robe and outer haori. His hair was also still slightly damp from his shower, and he was barefooted as he padded towards her. He raised a brow at her state of undress, but she was too hungry to care about what he thought. He sighed, and then he turned around to go back into the bedroom to get her something to wear. He came back out less than a minute later, and he made her take his shirt – her clothes were still in the process of being cleaned, after all.

"Brat, as much as I really enjoy the lovely view and the wonderful prospect of ya walkin' 'round my rooms in nothin' but yer underwear, please show some consideration for my division members who may be droppin' by later. Also, I'd rather not share ya with anyone, so please put on the shirt."

She frowned slightly at him. "I don't know why yer so particular. All my lady parts are covered," she muttered disgruntledly. He was quite prudish when it came to her modesty though, and so she grudgingly gave in to him this time, aware that he wasn't going to back off from this issue and the sooner she satisfied his demand, the faster she could get back to her meal. Dropping the towel on the floor, she took his shirt and pulled it over her head haphazardly. "There. Ya happy now?"

"Yes. Very. Thank you."

She frowned at his dry tone, but held her tongue – barely. He sat down on the zabuton cushion on his side of the low table, and they quickly dug in after giving thanks for lunch. Hiyori was ravenous, and so conversation was kept to a bare minimum as they both focused on their food. In fact, neither spoke until the meal was concluded, and the petite blonde all but licked the plastic container clean before she was sated.

"Why are yer lackeys droppin' by later?" she asked then, once there was no longer any food to distract her.

"Because I'll be workin' from here for the rest of the day, obviously," he replied. "Ya still hungry?"

Hiyori thought briefly about it, but she shook her head. "Nah. I'm good," she told him automatically, before her brain rewound his words and she looked perplexed. "What do ya mean ya will be 'workin' here for the rest of the day?'"

He shrugged. "The exercise drills have already been concluded this mornin'. Momo-chan's overseein' this afternoon's practice spars – it's a paperwork day for me either way, and nobody's gonna care where I do it as long as it's completed and filed by the end of the day, least of all our Kyouraku Soutaichou."

Well, they both knew that the current Captain Commander of the Gotei 13 was more than a little dodgy when it came to bureaucratic matters himself, and it wasn't as if Hiyori cared very much about the dumbass' work. Of course, this just meant that he was going to be sticking around – but it wasn't as if she could kick him out of his own living space. (She could, technically, but right now, she didn't really mind his presence at all, and so she just accepted his plans.)

She cleaned up after their meal and then she just left him to do his Shinigami stuff, going back into his room and crawling back under the covers to nap some more. She was full, feeling squeaky clean, and wearing fresh clothes. Her cramps had seemed to have retreated for now, the futon was soft and inviting, and all of her basic needs were already satisfied. The sheets still held the faintest traces of Shinji's scent, and Hiyori inhaled deeply before relaxing into the bedding. Curling into a ball under the duvet, she tried to drift off but kept jolting awake abruptly. It was extremely aggravating, and the petite blonde was starting to get pretty frustrated before she realized that the solution to her problem lay in the next room over.

The golden-haired female didn't even pause. She sat up, grabbed the downy comforter and took it along with her as she went out to the living area where her significant other was working by the low table, his calligraphy set and paperwork laid out before him. He turned his attention to her when she stalked in, but before he could ask, she settled down beside him, dragged over a nearby zabuton to use as a pillow, and quickly laid down. She wiggled up to his thigh and grabbed a fistful of his hakama, attaching herself to him. Then, she threw the blanket over herself, nice and snug once more, with everything she needed around her.

Hiyori heard Shinji chuckle softly on her way out, but she couldn't quite muster up enough irritation to even frown at him this time, especially not when he was stroking her hair at the same time and making her feel so good. She fell asleep sighing with contentment.

Yeah. Life was really great right now.

When she was jostled awake after what seemed like a few hours later, it was to a large body edging under the covers beside her.

"Move over a bit," Shinji muttered, and she opened her eyes to mere slits and squinted at him groggily. She didn't protest when he shifted her himself, taking possession of her pillow and pulling her into his arms instead.

"Don't ya have 'ta work?" she asked thickly as she laid her head on the crook of his shoulder.

"Gimme a break," he grumbled back. "Ya think this paperwork did itself? If Momo-chan has need for me, she'll send someone 'ta get me."

Hiyori's catlike eyes sharpened slightly, and then she tilted her head to scowl up at him. "'Momo-chan' this, 'Momo-chan' that. All I ever hear from ya is 'Momo-chan,'" she groused, still not fully awake yet, but feeling irritated enough to make a fuss. "If ya like 'Momo-chan' so much, then why don't ya just go 'ta her then?"

She was starting to stiffen a bit, but he just shot her an incredulous look. "Are ya kiddin' me?" he blurted out then. "Momo-chan's-" he paused, and then corrected himself. "Alright, Momo's my Fukutaichou; so of course I work closely with her. Ya were Fukutaichou yerself before; just what exactly do ya think Captains and Lieutenants do?"

He made sense of course, but she was not willing to back down so easily. "Yeah, but yer Lieutenant's cute. And pretty sweet-tempered. I bet that she's really kind too, like one of those 'yamato nadeshiko' gentle ladies, and she probably fusses over ya all the time."

She wasn't entirely wrong about Hinamori's temperament, but he wasn't about to add fuel to the fire by confirming her suspicions, not when she was already digging her nails into his arm in agitation, though she did not seem to notice her own unconscious action. She was jealous and insecure again, and even though he was just as bewildered over what had set off her apparent unease this time as earlier on, he simply gathered her bristling form in his arms and nuzzled her face in affection.

"I bet you'd prefer 'ta have a girlfriend just like her, wouldn't ya?" she muttered, disgruntled, against his neck. "Now that I think of it, all of yer 'first loves' were the 'sweet and cute' type too."

She was really starting to get agitated by her own line of thinking, but he didn't say a word to refute her charge, just slowly pried her fingers off of his wrist and quietly cuddled her instead.

Hiyori ignored his placating gestures and continued to gripe sourly.

"And they're also tall. With huge knockers. And long legs. And really sexy figures."

Shinji closed his eyes and kissed her freckled cheek in response, his hand rubbing her back soothingly at the same time.

"I'm not even anywhere near yer favorite type," she announced abruptly in conclusion then. "Why are ya even with me?"

This time, he finally replied her.

"The answer's real simple, stu~pid. Because, I love ya, of course."

But he wasn't just content with saying the words. He continued, elaborating as he did so. "Yes, Momo's cute, sweet and kind, but who says that ya aren't too?" He reached up his hand to tweak her nose. "Yer really cute as well, and I love that ya only show yer sweet side 'ta a few special people – like me. And yer also kind, in yer uniquely gruff, tsundere way – which I find really adorable too, by the way."

He wasn't done yet, and would not consider himself done until he had systematically and thoroughly dismantled each and every one of her hidden fears and secret anxieties.

"I don't need ya 'ta be tall; I like that yer petite and dainty like a doll – but yer also so damn strong and fierce at the same time. I like yer small breasts just fine – we've gone through this before, but I certainly won't mind demonstratin' my adoration for them anytime ya need a reminder. Yer legs turn me on – every time I see 'em bare, I have the urge 'ta roll ya onto ya back and have ya wrap 'em around my waist as I make love 'ta ya. Yer very sexy 'ta me, Hiyori, and not just yer sweet 'lil figure; yer voice, yer scent, the way yer eyes glow with passion when ya look at me, how ya kiss and touch me – they all do things 'ta me that I don't think ya quite understand."

He simply held her in his arms and regarded her fondly. "Yer sellin' yerself a bit short here, brat."

She was really red in the face by the time he was done. She was also struggling to sit up, but he wasn't letting her go anywhere until they had this matter cleared and settled once and for all. Hiyori was feeling extremely embarrassed.

"D-Damn baldy! W-Why did ya just go and say all that?" she demanded at last, feeling very flustered.

Shinji shrugged unrepentantly. "Every bit of it is true." He reached out with his hands and framed her face then, stilling her movements and forcing her to keep eye contact with him.

"I do mean it, Hiyori," he told her very seriously. "I love ya."

She reared back slightly in agitation. "There, ya did it again!" she accused. "How can ya always say it so easily?!"

He smiled at her, his gaze unbearably tender as he looked at her.

"Because I've already loved ya for a very long time. Because I know I'll love ya even more from here on."

He was so matter-of-fact and perfectly calm in his declaration, that she had no doubt he truly meant everything that he had just told her. She just looked at him rather foolishly, and then, slowly, her ears started to burn with mortification. Her heart was pounding madly in her chest, and she felt so raw and vulnerable at the same time, as if she was fully exposed under his regard. Questions scalded her tongue, all but straining to burst forth from her mouth. He had loved her for a very long time? She had never known, had never thought to ask before, but now, she was abruptly filled with a burning curiosity to learn more.

When? How? Why?

And then, most important of all, was the earthshaking revelation that he really, really, loved her. This wasn't just lip service on his part, nothing like his casual, deadpan declaration of love to all his so-called 'first loves' in the past. A part of her had always known the truth, but she had always conveniently shunted aside the voice of her instincts and told herself to just take his words at face value. She knew that he cared very deeply for her, was a loyal and faithful lover, and that was already more than enough to satisfy her.

Now, she suddenly realized that he hadn't just been carelessly spouting the words – he had been showing her as well, using his actions all this while to prove his sincerity.

Good god, she was so blind. And so stupidly oblivious as well.

Hiyori did not know what to make of this. She was overwhelmed, and as much as a part of her wanted to yell and rejoice and roll around in mad glee, another part of her wanted to run away quickly and pretend that she had not heard a thing of what he had just told her. The smaller blonde was rather conflicted, her 'flight' instinct very close to triggering, before the crazy euphoria part quickly took over. She just gave in to her feelings, and carefully not looking at him, she slumped back down and hid her hot face against his neck.

"Shinji, ya dumbass!" she complained bitterly in a muffled tone at last. "Ya just went and completely ruined my perfectly bad mood!"

Her lover could not help himself; he laughed softly into her tousled hair.

"Yeah, alright, that works for me, too."

Omake

"Your cramps are no longer bothering ya, aren't they?" Shinji asked awhile later.

Hiyori looked at him like he had grown a second head. "Yeah," she admitted slowly, grudgingly, at last. "How did ya know that?"

He appeared mildly intrigued. "…Lisa mentioned that ya might feel better after sex." His tone turned deadpan. "Also, yer not threatenin' me with bodily harm or tryin' 'ta throw things at me, so I'm assuming that yer no longer moody because of the pain – at least not even moodier than ya usually are."

Hiyori scowled at him. "I'm not moody," she denied, and he just gave her a skeptical look. Then, the smaller blonde mentally backtracked on his words, and her brow started to knit together again. "Wait. How come Lisa knows?"

Shinji gave her a slightly wary look, and then he carefully replied. "I asked her, obviously."

Predictably, Hiyori started to look rather outraged. "Ya asked Lisa?! Why did ya have 'ta go and do that for?"

He shrugged. "She was around when I dropped by the Warehouse, and who the hell else was I s'posed 'ta ask?"

"Ya coulda just asked me instead!" she muttered crossly, and he gave her a rather incredulous look.

"Excuse me, ya couldn't even wait 'ta get into my pants, if ya remember. I'd rather get the opinion of an unbiased source, thank ya very much. It was either Lisa or Kotetsu Fukutaichou of the Yonbantai, and Lisa was obviously the best choice because she knows ya better and askin' her was less embarrassin' for everyone involved."

"Less embarrassin'?" Hiyori echoed dangerously, her eyes narrowing. "So it's embarrassin' 'ta have sex with me now?"

Shinji was exasperated by her touchy demeanor, but he calmly kept his cool. "I'm not havin' this discussion with ya; ya already know how I feel for ya. I certainly don't care if the entire Seireitei knows about our intimate relationship, but I don't think that yer gonna be all too happy 'ta have every Shinigami aware of our private affairs, so ya can't have it both ways, brat."

He was right, of course. While they weren't hiding their relationship, they weren't exactly broadcasting it for the whole world to know either, and Hiyori very much preferred it that way. She was just being willful as usual, and he knew it.

"…Besides, I just wanted 'ta know if it was okay 'ta make love 'ta ya when yer like this," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck with mild chagrin as he spoke.

Hiyori tried to picture how awkwardly the conversation must have gone done with Lisa, let alone with the notoriously reserved Fourth Division Lieutenant, and her irritation quickly turned to utter mirth.

Shinji gave his suddenly amused lover a mildly annoyed stare. "I'm glad ya find my concerns so funny. Also, Kotetsu Fukutaichou's a really quiet and modest young woman – I don't think she'd look me in the eye ever again if I approached her with this sort of question."

Hiyori snorted and barked sharply with laughter then, and it took her awhile before she could speak again. "Ya kinda brought this on yourself," she told him at last, after she had laughed long and hard at his expense. "Besides," she purred wickedly, slowly arching up against him as she so. "I do enjoy being slayed by that mighty sword of yours."

Shinji reddened slightly at her brazen teasing, the shameless wench.

"Hiyori!"

::owari::

Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:

So this chapter marks the end of this arc – hope you guys enjoyed the installment, as always!

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Headcanon #01: Hiyori can be terribly immodest and nonchalant when it comes to her appearance. If made to choose between comfort and fashion, she'd pick the first option every time. That's not to say that she has no sense of style whatsoever – it's just that it's not very high up on her list of important things to do and so she usually doesn't really care all that much about it.

On the other hand, we have Shinji, who always dresses himself really smartly and sharply. He's also always nagging at his other half especially when she randomly decides to walk around half dressed (or when the temperature's too hot and she's happily shedding her clothes every which way).

Surprisingly enough, Shinji is actually more prudish than Hiyori when it comes to certain issues.

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Headcanon #02: Hiyori can be rather insecure and possessive/jealous at times. She doesn't always show it but when she does, it's only to those she trusts the most, as it makes her feel vulnerable and weak to admit to such things. She's becoming more and more open with Shinji as their relationship develops, and as such, she's also growing closer and more willing to bond with her lover over time.

Shinji, of course, is the more patient of the two, and hence he is usually willing to wait until she's ready to take their relationship to the next level.

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Last but not least, according to Wikipedia, the term 'yamato nadeshiko' means the 'personification of an idealized Japanese woman,' or 'the epitome of pure, feminine beauty.' It is often used referring to a girl or a shy young woman, and in contemporary context, nostalgically of women with 'good' traits which are perceived as being increasingly rare. So, basically; gentle, demure, modest, docile – the traditional archetype of a traditional Japanese woman.

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As always, thanks for reading! Until next time!

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Your reviews fuel my passion for writing. So please leave a comment if you like this fic!

-paws