Title: Lily and Thistle

Author: paws_bells

Characters/Pairing: Sarugaki Hiyori and Hirako Shinji

Type: One-shot Collection (InComplete)

Genre: Romance/Humor

Word Count: 3462

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: 05/10/13

Completed on: 08/10/13

Chapter Last Revised on: 20/11/16

The Hardest Words – Part II

This entire thing was getting completely out of hand, was what Shinji decided a fortnight later.

He had been a rather accommodating and patient man, though this was getting downright ridiculous. Hiyori had always been a rather…unique individual, and he had known that a relationship with her was never going to be anything remotely normal at the least, but this was really pushing it. His brat had been deftly evading him for the better part of the past couple of weeks and, much to his chagrin, she appeared to be shunning him in favor of spending time with another man instead. She was also not answering his phone calls to her in addition to avoiding him like the plague, and by now, Shinji was getting both highly irritated and concerned.

And then, there was also the fact that Hiyori had seemed to have acquired an admirer in the form of the same male whom she was running around with all the time in the recent weeks, and even though Shinji did not doubt his lover's fidelity – this was the same woman who took decades just to come to terms with her personal feelings for him, after all – it was still very strange to have to put up with this all too annoying situation.

Shinji might be pretty laidback and open minded most of the time, but he wasn't that laidback and open minded when it came to something like this, not to mention, Hiyori could be quite oblivious when it came to such matters – in all likelihood, the little idiot probably hadn't even noticed the fact that her newly reacquainted friend clearly harbored romantic feelings for her. That was pretty alarming for several reasons; Hiyori was hardly the most well-behaved or decorous individual around, and in her casual, devil-may-care demeanor, she sometimes did or said things that could be very easily misconstrued by others.

That was the last thing Shinji wanted to happen. An unruly, ill-mannered hellion she might be, but Hiyori also possessed a rough, unpolished sort of charm that simply drew one in, and once one's attention was caught, it was impossible not to keep noticing her – the petite female was hardly a subtle wallflower.

The male Vizard did not often had to deal with this sort of issue when it came to his lover – Hiyori usually served as her own deterrent when it came to scaring away potential suitors, and she did it so well (and unknowingly) that he never had to interfere much when it came to the matter of competition. She did not possess the pleasantest of temperaments; she was gruff, short-tempered and violent, and she was such a sourpuss most of the time that not many stuck around long enough to unearth her enchanting sweetness concealed deep (very deep) within. Shinji certainly had no objections with that – all the better for him, in fact. She was his polar opposite – if Shinji, with his charismatic, easygoing nature, was the 'honey,' then Hiyori, with her antagonistic, difficult demeanor, was definitely the 'vinegar.'

As they say, it was 'easier to catch more flies with honey than with vinegar,' but in this case, the Gobantai Taichou had to disgruntledly disagree. Sure, the honey was attractive to everyone, but those few who still went after the vinegar were usually some of the most determined, single-minded flies he had ever met. Case in point was this current affection-blinded individual, and since Hiyori was making her presence (extremely) scarce to him right now, well, Shinji thought that he might as well start off with a friendly, civil chat with this male who was taking up so much of his lover's time recently.

No, he wasn't jealous, per se. He was just going to make it clear to the poor, clueless boy that the latter was barking up the wrong tree – Hiyori might not appreciate the metaphor, but her tree was definitely already marked, staked and claimed. It appeared to him that the other Shinigami did not seem aware of her committed relationship status – knowing Hiyori, she would not have volunteered this information on her own – so this was an opportunity to set the record straight. With luck (and hopefully enough common sense), the black-haired male would get the point and back off; and nope, Shinji was definitely not jealous – he was feeling pretty exasperated though.

"Hirako Taichou," Akon greeted with a respectful nod of his head when Shinji came up to stand beside the latter over at the underground training area of the Urahara Shoten. The Twelfth Division member had been putting up at his ex-Captain's place for the duration of his stay in the Living Realm, and Kisuke had mentioned to Shinji earlier that morning through the phone that Hiyori would be here for the day. Sure enough, the fine-haired blonde could see his significant other in the arena, her mask pulled on and her attention concentrated on her spar, this time with Lisa, the latter of whom must have been bribed with erotic magazines again to actually muster the effort to battle the other more high strung female.

Shinji would settle with his lover later, but for now, he fixed his focus on Akon. The male Vizard did not beat around the bush.

"I need 'ta speak with ya 'bout Hiyori," he informed the other Shinigami flat out, and the black-haired individual finally turned his attention away from the ongoing spar to look at the Fifth Division Captain.

"Yes, what about Hiyori, Hirako Taichou?" the Third Seat officer enquired solicitously, and Shinji felt his eye threaten to twitch at the casually informal way that the other man was addressing his Hiyori. Why, this audacious little punk–

But that was the entire problem, wasn't it. The aforementioned 'audacious little punk' had no clue whatsoever that Hiyori was already with him. The blonde kept a lid on his rising annoyance and made himself hold onto his self-control. And now came the difficult part.

"I noticed that ya have been payin' a lotta attention 'ta her," Shinji pointed out flatly. "Unprofessionally so, if I may add."

Akon froze briefly. Then, a mild tint of red crept across the bridge of his nose, and the younger male looked briefly flustered before he quickly regained his composure. Straightening to his full height, Akon looked at the higher ranked Shinigami and nodded stiffly.

"I'm fond of her," Akon admitted carefully, before resolutely continuing. "But don't worry, Hirako Taichou – my wooing of Hiyori will neither affect nor influence my focus on my duties in any way."

Shinji stared at the other man in disbelief. "Excuse me?" he muttered incredulously. This upstart sure was moving really quickly, wasn't he? Quite understandably, the fair-haired Captain sounded rather offended, and Akon looked warily at him.

"…Hirako Taichou, I'm aware that Hiyori must be like a little sister to you, but I assure you that I harbor no ill intentions," the black-haired Shinigami quickly responded. "I, uh, like and respect her a lot, and…I just want her happiness."

This conversation was completely getting off track, and Shinji wondered if he should even bother being surprised anymore – after all, nothing seemed to be going his way lately. The blonde looked blankly at the other man.

"That's really sweet of ya," Shinji retorted at last in a distinctly unamused manner. "Though I gotta burst yer bubble, Akon-san – my affection for Hiyori is neither brotherly nor platonic in the least."

The younger male was obviously a sharp, observant individual, and it didn't take much more on Shinji's part for him to finally put two and two together. Akon's eyes widened slightly as realization finally occurred to him. "W-Wait, Hirako Taichou – you like Hiyori too?" he stammered in disbelief. "I-Is this a love triangle?"

"No, it's not," Shinji muttered – it was apparent that he was going to have to spell it out for the other Death God. "It's a romantic relationship between a couple, plus a third wheel. Three guesses who the third wheel is, and the first two doesn't count."

Akon started to frown then. "…You two are dating?" the Twelfth Division Shinigami asked, almost in disbelief. After a few moments of shock, an understanding light seemed to enter his eyes, and Akon appeared mildly envious. "So you're the one whom she-"

The researcher broke off, and he slowly shook his head. "It doesn't matter," Akon declared then with quiet determination. "We're long-lived beings, and your relationship is not ironclad – Hiyori may change her mind in the future."

This time, Shinji's eye really twitched. The punk was hitting out where it hurt – and his brat was acting strange enough recently that Akon had brought up a legitimate worry, as much as he did not like to admit it. While the fair-haired Captain did not doubt his lover's loyalty, she was known for her flighty and temperamental nature, and the fact that she was withdrawing from him, turning away from him instead of to him to share whatever was concerning her so that he could help her fix the unknown issue, did sting more than a little bit.

Well, time to resolve that, then.

Shinji smiled grimly at the younger Shinigami. "If ya think that Hiyori is someone who's indecisive and easily swayed when it comes 'ta relationships, then obviously ya don't know her very well," the male Vizard uttered calmly.

"My brat's really steadfast, ya know; she loves – and hates – with the strength of her entire being. She's a real obnoxious, impulsive, and troublesome little hellion, yes, but she's also faithful, unpretentious and unwavering. I ain't givin' her up without a fight. Even if she happens 'ta suddenly forget me one day or simply decides that she no longer feels anythin' for me, I'm gonna do everything it takes 'ta make her fall in love with me again."

It wasn't a taunt or a direct provocation of masculine ego to the younger man, but a matter-of-fact statement. Shinji wasn't just playing around here – he was playing for keeps. Anyone coming forth to challenge his bond with his lover was going have to meet his conviction or he would simply disregard them. This younger Shinigami was quite smitten with Hiyori, and perhaps, time permitting, maybe his little crush on her would have blossomed into something even stronger and enduring, but Shinji was going to put an end to that right here.

The Fifth Division Captain was so sure and self-possessed in his claim that even Akon felt affected by his words. The black-haired Shinigami turned a dull shade of red, visibly embarrassed by the other man's bold declaration. Shinji's brow rose at the Third Seat's flustered reaction; if the younger male was so easily rattled by something as small as this, then Hiyori would simply eat him alive if he ever tried to make any move on her – the petite woman was hardly the shy, maidenly sort, after all.

Despite his adult appearance, Akon was about as experienced as a young boy when it came to romantic relationships, and his inexperience showed. He was hardly a threat, Shinji abruptly realized, and just like that, the blonde snapped out of his mildly defensive mindset, feeling more than a bit foolish for being incited into a jealousy-induced conversation by the other younger Death God. The Fifth Division Captain made himself take a step back from this situation before approaching it again from a more rational angle.

"Look; I'm not gonna do anythin' stupid like threaten ya or warn ya off or whatever. Ya can do what ya want – I don't really care, and Hiyori's entitled 'ta her own friends." It wasn't as if Shinji could or wanted to control every aspect of his lover's life. She would geld him if he tried. "Chances are, she's not even aware of yer interest in her, so if ya really want her 'ta know, yer gonna have 'ta pick up yer game and be more proactive – she's not gonna give ya any time of the day otherwise."

Shinji didn't even know why he was giving advice to his love rival, but the other male was so obviously out of his depth that the blonde felt a bit sorry for him. Hiyori was hardly the subtle sort, and Akon would get nowhere with her if he continued to be passive in his approaches. Not that Shinji wanted the younger man to get anywhere with his lover, but the latter was just beating his head against the wall the way he was going, and the blonde felt obligated to throw him a line to help him out.

Akon flushed again, this time with chagrin. He had not expected the Taichou to be so helpful and obliging; the higher-ranked Shinigami clearly knew Hiyori like he knew the back of his own hand, and he also must be feeling really secure in his relationship with her if he was giving out advice so freely.

In the training arena, the spar between the two female Vizards had just drawn to an end, and the timing couldn't be better. Shinji looked up and promptly met the startled gaze of his lover – she had not expected him to be here, and her clear expression of dismay made him frown, his irritation returning once more. The male Vizard briefly wondered what Hiyori would do next now that she learned his presence, and he watched as she tensed, an unusually conflicted expression growing on her face – for a moment there, she looked torn between either storming up to him or avoiding him altogether – before she quite suddenly and abruptly bolted. In a flash of shunpo, she was gone from the underground training area, and Shinji felt his forehead pulse with rising pique. Having his own lover run from him like he was some sort of abhorrent pestilence was hardly the most flattering experience, and she had been doing it to him continuously for the past few weeks. Enough was enough.

Turning to look briefly at Lisa, Shinji asked. "D'ya have any idea what's goin' on?" he asked.

The ebony-haired ex-Lieutenant shrugged. "Beats me. She's been like this; all moody and jumpy for quite some time already. Can't you fix this, Shinji?"

"I'm tryin'," he muttered back before glancing warily at Akon. "Did Hiyori say anythin' 'ta ya?"

The Twelfth Division researcher hesitated. Then, he sighed. "I'm not at liberty to discuss this issue with you. …You should speak with her yourself, Hirako Taichou."

Akon watched as the older male went off and did just that, excusing himself and heading out of the training ground, most definitely in search of his significant other. The remaining Vizard, Yadomaru Lisa, came up to him and gave him a mildly approving look.

"Good call," the ex-Shinigami remarked calmly, taking a sip of water from the bottle she was holding in hand. "It is also victory to know when to retreat," the woman quoted, and Akon sighed again.

"…It isn't as if I had a chance in the first place," he admitted self-deprecatingly. "Hiyori has been all flustered over him ever since I first saw her here in the Living Realm. I've never seen her behave like that before."

Lisa just glanced at the taller man. He still appeared slightly depressed, so she consoled him the best she could.

"Don't worry; I'm sure you'll find yourself an angry, violent midget to love and adore one day – just not this one. Until then, I can always recommend you some good literature to soothe your sore heart with."

Despite himself, Akon appeared slightly interested. The scientific materials of the human world were always fascinating to peruse, and he could not deny his curiosity now that the Vizard was offering.

"…What literature are you talking about?"

"Oh, very tasteful ones. They'll surely knock your socks off, I guarantee you."

Hiyori stuck her head out of the bathroom cautiously and surveyed her surroundings. The stretches of hallway on both sides of her were empty, and a brief concentration of her senses registered no reiatsu presences in the building. The petite female was alone in the Vizard Warehouse at the moment. She was safe – for now.

The blonde pulled the door open a tad wider and slowly eased herself out of the communal bathroom shared by all of the Vizards. Her hair was still damp from her shower, falling around her face in unruly clumps of dark gold and she had also just put on a fresh change of clothes – as usual, she was dressed in a set of her favorite tracksuit. The hems of the red pants with white stripes down the sides were rolled up to the tops of her slender calves, and she was only wearing her white tank top at the moment, forgoing the jacket. Absently slinging her towel over a shoulder, the young woman slowly made her way down the passageway and towards her room.

Hiyori was still feeling slightly jumpy and irritable, and it showed on the grumpy frown that was sitting on her face. She had not expected to see Shinji today, and when their eyes met across the vast expanse of Kisuke's training grounds after she had ended her spar with Lisa, she had panicked inexplicably and done the first thing she could think of – the normally brash and brazen female had turned tail and fled like a bloody coward. Her shameful and nervous retreat still irked her pride something fierce, but Hiyori did not quite know how else to respond to her lover recently. In fact, just one look at him made her feel incredibly anxious and almost afraid – she had never been in this sort of situation before so of course she was going to run.

The short Vizard knew very well that her avoidance tactics were not going to work for very long; compared to herself, Shinji was very patient, but even he had his limits, and judging by the way she had seen his eyes narrow dangerously earlier before she abruptly took off, something told her that he was going to reach that end very soon. The whole thing just made Hiyori feel even more skittish, and the blonde was really uncomfortable and frustrated with her situation right now. Growing angry with herself, she stomped down the rest of the hallway and noisily banged opened the door of her bedroom. The room had used to be Shinji's before he returned to the Gotei 13 to reassume the post of the Gobantai Taichou, but now she had taken over it completely, and whenever her lover had business in the Living Realm, he would share her bed – though technically it was his in the first place.

Agitated that her thoughts had somehow returned to the damn baldy once more, Hiyori kicked her door shut and skulked sulkily further into the room, tossing her damp towel onto the back of a chair at the side. "The stupid, dumbass Shinji," she uttered bitterly to herself, quite sorely missing his presence but not quite sure how to break out of this awkward emotional deadlock that she had inadvertently put herself in. "Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

Towards the end, Hiyori didn't even know if she was scolding her lover or herself, and by now, she frankly did not care.

It was then, that the man in question finally took exception to her angry name calling, somewhat bemused by how she had completely missed seeing him at all in her moody contemplations. "…that's pretty rude, ya know."

A slight movement by shadowed corner behind the door announced his previously well hidden figure then, and Hiyori could not help but screech loudly in shock, jumping as she whipped around to face her lover. Shinji moved to stand in front of the closed door, locking it behind him for good measure and closing off the only route of escape for the petite female whom he had finally managed to corner.

Hiyori froze, looking like a deer that had just been caught by the headlights – he had concealed his reiatsu so she could not detect his presence! And he had also blocked off the only way out of the room! "H-Hage!" she could only yell in outrage and panic, and Shinji cocked his head as he observed the emotions that flitted past her expressive features. Hiyori was obviously anxious, but because she was seldom so, and her apparent unease made him let go of his annoyance at her erratic behavior as concern for her took its place instead.

Still, the taller male did not approach his significant other – not yet, at least. He crossed his arms before his chest instead and slowly raised his brow.

"Ya wanna tell me what's been goin' on with ya lately, Hiyori?" he enquired calmly, seeming to take her nervous agitation in stride.

::tsuzuku::

Questions That I Would Like To Answer Before You Ask:

I'm not dead, just kinda (a lot) procrastinate-y. Apologies for the delay in update! Will try to push out chapters at a more decent rate – though I gotta to say, I'm still incredibly salty over the crappy ending for Bleach. I haven't even gotten over the shitty Naruto ending before Kubo decided to take a dump on his own work too, jfc.

Oda Eiichiro-sensei and Hara Yasuhisa-sensei, don't fail me now!

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This chapter is rather self-explanatory, though I suppose the more fun part will come in the next installment, hoho. FYI, this arc consists of five chapters, so that's 2/5 down. My writing has been slower lately because my attention is spread all over the place and I'm easily distracted – is this because I'm getting old? – but I'm trying to stick with the program, honest! Thanks for putting up with me as always, and 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