Beaten Heroes Get Their Rewards

[Gaz]

Shiro #1

---

The young Shinigami opened his eyes to be blinded by the bright lighting of the hospital room he was in. This was the squad four barracks, a place he made a habit of avoiding during his six years of training in the academy. Now, however? He truly needed it because everything hurt. The smell of a sterile air was only interrupted by a vase of flowers that rested beside his bed on the table. He himself was wrapped nearly head to toe in bandages. Squad Fours healing was legendary but even now it was not enough to heal all of his injuries in one go. He needed bed rest.

“Did someone get a picture of that building that hit me?” He asked quietly, his voice was parched and stomach on the verge of rumbling making him sound weaker than he was, even in this condition. The sounds of the room he was in were not quiet, far from it. There was a woman standing over him, a tall slender figure in a colourful garb that looked down at him with a soft motherly smile.

“No, but by now everyone heard of the idiot that charged an arrancar in the middle of forming.” The voice quipped back as a delicate looking hand patted the young man’s leg. It was the only thing on him that was uninjured in the fight.

With a smile he did his best to look over and saw someone he was sure did not have the time to come and just check up on him. “Sammie?” He asked, doing his best to shift into a sitting position. It hurt to move. The major damage had been taken care of it was just the lingering effects and pains that made him weak.

“You think I wouldn’t keep tabs on my favourite idiot?” She asked with a soft chuckle before heading to the window that was wide open. “Squad twelve, I knew Azai would snag you up.” She spoke as she started to climb out backwards.

“Wait twelve?!” He called, the woman tumbling backwards out of the window and vanishing out of sight. After his call the door opened and a member of squad four waltzed into the room as if she owned the place… not just any member the captain. The elderly woman walked straight to Shiro and placed a hand on his forehead and then looked him in the eyes. “C-captain Shinomori,” the young man exclaimed.

“Shush now, child. You must be feeling better if you can start shouting my hospital down.” She spoke before pulling her hand away and staring at Shiro with judging eyes. “For being on deaths door I think we did a good job on you. That sword arm of yours is going to need some work though. It was thoroughly shattered. If anyone else worked on it, you would have lost it.” She explained before raising her eyes from Shiro and looking at the flowers and the pair of letters that sat on his bedside table.

“Congratulations, you passed your exam, though I formally have to reject you from my squad… I do not think you are the right fit.” The elderly woman spoke, though her stern look softened just slightly.

“Thank you Captain. How is Lenalee? Is she okay?”

“Perfectly fine, one arm was heavily damaged but a simple enough procedure to rescue. I expect she will be along shortly.” Shinomori spoke as she turned to leave the room. “You relax and have some water for that dry throat of yours. Some food will be along shortly.” The door closed behind her.

---

Shiro: 7319e6
Asami Tagachi: acee8d
Captain Shinomori: ce9f9f

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #1

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Three days had passed since the events of their exam. It was a cruel test and an immeasurable amount of stress to put students under, but it was what it was, and both Shiro and Lena succeeded. They did so, however, not without consequence, as Lenalee’s arm was badly injured and it took her two full days to regain all the energy spent in that arena. Shiro, on the other hand, was clearly on the brink of death when she last saw him on the battlefield, but she hadn’t been able to go and visit him before she was well enough to walk around.

Once she was allowed to leave squad 4 barracks, she stopped by to check in on Shiro on her way out, but found that he was still unconscious. Captain Shinomori did an excellent job at reassuring her that he will be okay with more bedrest, and the respectful shinigami gratefully accepted her answer.

Busying herself while Shiro was resting, Lenalee was excited to hear the results of the exam - she was confident that they passed and eager to be placed on her mother’s squad, having fought tooth and nail to earn a spot under Captain Saeki’s wing and finally make the woman proud, yet wherever she looked for her mother she couldn’t seem to find her. She checked everywhere in the squad 13 barracks, but nobody could tell her where their captain was. It seemed most of them genuinely didn't know.

Now, on the third day, the girl was on her way back to the barracks of the fourth squad, the medical facility where she knew Shiro was, leaving the place where her mother should have been after another failed attempt to communicate the results of the exam with her. Most cuts and bruises on her face were healed well enough by the practitioners, some of them still in training, but her arm remained wrapped up and in a sling. She was warned that it would take some time before she could regain full use of her arm, and for the first time in all her years in training, she was glad that she did not rely on her zanpakuto. It was her right arm that was affected, and she was right handed… drawing symbols would be doable, though it might take some getting used to, but a swordfight would be impossible.

Just as Captain Shinomori was leaving, the barefoot girl walked up and met her just outside Shiro’s room. “Good morning Captain Shinomori,” she uttered with a polite bow. “Is Shiro awake today?” Having heard the elderly woman speaking to someone, she was already sure of the answer to that question, but she asked it anyway.

Hardly waiting for permission, however, she skipped to the door to enter without knocking.

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #2

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Shiro had picked up a glass of water, drinking it down carefully as if this was the first drink he had ever had in his life. Not a drop of water was spilled as the captain left his room. Then he heard Lenalee’s voice as she walked past the elderly woman. He did his best to hold himself back and not relexivly spit his water out. He had just remembered Lenalee and all that worry and stress of the fight prior just welled back up in him. With an effort he gulped the water down and put the glass down.

“Squad Thirteen, Saeki. Good morning! Yes, he-” The elderly woman spoke as the door that was nearly closed behind her was pushed open to admit the short Shinigami. “-awake…” With a soft sigh but a large smile she turned around and started to walk away with a careful shuffle. A group of young Squad four initiates, classmates of Lenalee and Shiro. “Come Along, Tagachi will be fine, he is awake and already moving on his own. He will be discharged to his squad tomorrow after some more rest.”

Shiro looked around and the face that still had some minor cuts that were bandaged, and he offered her the biggest relieved grin that he could muster. She was alive! Injured but alive and that was all he cared about at the moment. He had dragged her into that mess, so it was his responsibility to keep her alive through it all. “Lena!” She shifted and moved out of the bed, wrapping his one good arm around her as his other was still bandaged up. “I’m so happy you’re safe! I saw that thing hit you and lost it…” He explained then felt his own knees rattle beneath him.

In a move he sat back on the bed and let go of the short Shinigami. “Captain Shinomori said we passed! What squad did you get?” He asked, excited to hear if she really got squad twelve. A bright smile was on his face and now he was sitting down he was closer to eye level with her.

---

Shiro: 7319e6
Asami Tagachi: acee8d
Captain Shinomori: ce9f9f

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #2

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Lenalee heard what captain Shinomori said and froze. Squad Thirteen? That can’t be right… she thought to herself, but would a captain really make such a mistake? There was no way she could be on Squad Thirteen, because she didn’t even apply to be on that squad. Her smile faded because of that comment, but she didn’t reply. In response to everything that the Squad Four captain said, she nodded and then went on ahead to see Shiro.

“Hey, you.” Her smile was back momentarily as she wrapped her good arm around him as well, before laughing lightly. “Yup, all good. My arm’s messed up, but I could get used to it. Becoming ambidextrous isn’t the worst thing to ever happen to me.” With a light shrug, she watched her friend move back to sit on the bed again. “It was insane… thank you for what you did out there. I wouldn’t have stood a chance without you.” As she made her confession, she looked down at her own feet, free of any sandals once again. It was no secret that Lenalee did not find it easy to admit her weaknesses, but this was a time that she owed Shiro that much.

Then he asked his question and a frown grew on her face. Looking toward the door she came in from, she shrugged again. “I don’t know. There wasn’t any letter in my room when I woke up and on my way in Captain Shinomori said something about Squad Thirteen, but I’m sure that’s a mistake.” She turned back to face him again, rolling her eyes, “I have been looking for my mum to ask her what the outcome was, but she seems to be nowhere. What about-” She paused when she suddenly noticed that there were two folded letters on his bedside table, one with the name Shiro Tagachi in fancy inked lettering on it, and another with Lenalee Saeki.

“You have my acceptance letter? Did you look at it? Did you look at yours?” She asked, grabbing them both in one hand, before hopping up onto the bed to sit on the edge of it, her feet not reaching the floor. “They must have thought we’d be taken to the same room… here! Let’s open them together! How cool would it be if we’re actually put on the same squad or something?” She asked with a giggle as she dropped his letter in his lap, then looked at hers.

“Come on, open it!” she picked up her letter, excited to see in writing what she was already sure of - she would be joining her mother’s squad, Squad Twelve. After how hard they fought during the mess of an exam that they were forced to endure, there was no way her mother could be anything but proud of her baby girl! Surely, she would happily accept her as her squad member now and maybe even lieutenant in the future! They would make the perfect mother and daughter duo!

Unable to wait any longer for Shiro to open his letter, she flicked her own open with one hand and eagerly read through it with the big smile on her face that a child would have when opening a Christmas present.

Then, that smile disappeared, and all the magic was gone.

There was no great long-awaited surprise within this wrapped up present. Nothing to cause the warm and fuzzy feelings in the heart of a daughter longing to be accepted by her mother. No, instead it was the equivalent of a lump of coal. Worse, it was a lump of ice… cold, unpleasant, and serving no purpose other than to sap all the warmth from its surroundings and leave nothing but an empty stinging feeling in the girl’s heart.

Lenalee was not accepted on Squad Twelve. The Captain of Squad Twelve actively rejected her request. Once again, she was pushed miles away by her mother, and although she hadn’t ticked any other boxes to apply for any other squads, it seemed that she was referred elsewhere.

Squad Thirteen… the Kido Club… so that’s all she thinks I’m good for…

Staring at the letter, she swallowed a lump in her throat as she couldn’t find any words.

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #3

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With Lenalee’s reaction to his hug and relief that she was basically fine now he relaxed, a tension in his muscles he hadn’t realised was there vanished. Was he still in his fight mode? Even after nearly dying he was prepared to wake up and pick up his Zanpakuto that was lying reverently on a table by the window. He did however feel that sense of pride with her acknowledgement of him saving her, what he could not express was that he himself would have died if it were not for her Kido and distractions that stopped the monster from finishing him off on multiple occasions.

As she grabbed the letters that he had not noticed he looked surprised… was that what Sammie was doing? She seemed to know a lot… she must have pinched the letters to give them a read. She was a ninja, and always had been good at sneaking around. He took the letter that was handed to him and nodded. “Okay okay!” He replied to her excitement, taking the letter, and unfolding it.

‘Tagachi, I write this letter to you to graciously announce to you the appointment of squad twelve. You performed splendidly in your exam and as reward for such bravery and determination, as well as saving the lives of Saeki Lenalee and Suzaku Aki I have further appointed you as the twentieth seat.

I look forward to working with you,

Captain Saeki Azai’

He went pale as he folded his own letter up and looked to the young woman before him that looked as if she was just told the worst possible thing that she was expecting. With a careful move he placed his letter to the side on the bed and locked his eyes on to Lenalee. This was going to sting, if what he was thinking was right… then she was rejected and placed somewhere else that she had not picked.

“I was given twentieth seat in squad twelve.” He said with a soft sigh… he was going to get paid more for the position, money he was going to send to Asami and the orphanage she ran back in the rukongai… this just felt hollow. This was Lenalee’s dream not his.

---

Shiro: 7319e6
Asami Tagachi: acee8d
Captain Shinomori: ce9f9f

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #3

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As Lenalee sat there on his bed, she could feel him moving beside her when he shifted to place the letter down, the mattress also shifting with his weight and her body rocking ever so slightly. He was so silent, that it only made her heart sink more, but she couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She knew his eyes were on her, she could feel him watching her. In shame, she folded up her letter to prevent him seeing what was written.

Shiro’s words were direct and straight to the point. There was no point in sugar coating anything. It was clear that she wasn’t accepted onto Squad Twelve and it was clear that he was always of more interest to her mother.

He was an excellent fighter, there was no denying that, but why did it have to be the twelfth squad? Why was it that no matter how hard she tried, she would never ever be her mother’s first choice? On top of that, he was even given a junior officer rank, appointed the 20th seat. Shame washed over her once more as she absolutely hated herself for feeling the way she did, rather than simply being happy for her friend. The girl’s blue eyes welled up with tears and her lip quivered until her body gave up on suppressing how defeated she felt.

She passed the exam… yet she may as well have failed.

Letting go of the folded paper, she let it float down to the floor as she raised her only free hand to hide her face from him in her palm. She didn’t turn to look at Shiro, she didn't want him to see her as she shielded what she could of her face from him, and she didn’t say a single word. For a few seconds, she sat there perfectly silent and still until the first sign of movement came from her shoulders in a sudden shudder. Then a sniffle as single tear rolled down her wrist, followed by another one that fell into her lap, and they soon became too many to count.

Hunching forward, Lenalee began to sob as she was convinced that she was the greatest failure from the long list of examinees that was pasted up on the board three days ago.

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #4

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Shiro watched, he knew this was his fault… well not entirely but he felt it was. He was chosen for the squad she so desperately wanted to be a part of, just so she could get the recognition she so desperately craved from that uncaring stone heart of a mother. He did not look away, only moving to wrap his good arm around her shoulder gently, patting it as she started to sob and then pulling her into the best hug her could provide as his own face remained stone hard. He was not pleased about this outcome; he had done everything in his power to make sure it never happened.

Her sobs continued, and he held her close. “Lena?” He asked softly looking down to her, his hand intertwined with her pale hair as it rested on her back. “Become a captain, don’t do it for your mum. Do it out of pure spite. If she doesn’t want you in her squad then you’ll just make a better one.” He spoke, a bitter chill to his own tone, a harsh rumble and that foreboding sense of danger before lightning struck.

He carefully moved her away and looked down into her eyes, he was not smiling or making a joke he was being as serious as he was in the fight that landed them in this hospital… something he had rarely been seen as. “And I’ll become a captain as well, that way she doesn’t get her way to lord over me. Treating me like a prize.”

He sounded hurt too, as if that was the only reason. To just spite captain Yorutatsu and any other captains that maybe expressed interest in his abilities… that was just being big headed though… that was not likely the case. “You hear me? That is a promise. If you don’t become a captain then I’ll quit.” He promised with that electric determination in his eyes.

---

Shiro: 7319e6
Asami Tagachi: acee8d
Captain Shinomori: ce9f9f

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #4

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Lenalee continued to sob and as Shiro put his arm around her to hold her close, she did something very uncharacteristic - she leaned against him as her cries only increased, though they were slightly more muffled by his shirt and the bandages that were beneath them.

While it seemed that she would never stop, she did quieten slightly as he began to speak, allowing her to hear his words though she offered no response yet. She was too devastated, too hurt and rejected to say anything meaningful to the situation. In her mind, it didn’t make any sense. She knew that she and her mother had their differences, but this was too cruel and she couldn’t understand what she had done to deserve it.

It wasn’t until he pulled away that her crying was brought down to whimpers, sniffles, and just the occasional little hiccup. Blinking away her tears, she didn’t bother to wipe them away as they were almost instantly replaced, her hand now lowered to reveal her puffy eyes and red nose from all the crying.

However, despite seemingly having come to terms with how vulnerable she allowed herself to be around Shiro, she couldn’t bare to look him in the eyes out of both embarrassment and shame. As he looked into her eyes, she only glanced up into his once before she quickly averted her gaze to look elsewhere: down into her lap, to the side toward the door, at his own wrapped up limbs, anywhere would have worked just as well, but not his eyes. If she looked into his, she would have to face him looking into hers, and she did not consider herself worthy to be looked at with his caring eyes… not right now. Not while she felt so insignificant and inferior to everyone who got accepted into their desired squad and to everyone who could be loved and accepted by family. It seemed that she did not fall into either of those categories and the thought left the girl to succumb to the clutches of a very dark place in her heart.

As Shiro made his promise, the girl flinched and finally looked up at him. Sniffling once more and rubbing her eyes, only making them swell even more, she hesitated and just stared at him, her eyes filled with doubt. It wasn’t doubt in him or the honesty in that promise, she was certain that Shiro was a man of his word. Rather it was doubt in herself, that she could make sure he would never have to.

“My application was transferred to Squad Thirteen…” she uttered in a small voice as she looked down at the paper that had slid across the floor to the other side of the room when she dropped it. “Because all I’m good at is Kido… how can I ever become a captain if I can’t even communicate effectively with my zanpakuto?”

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Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #5

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Shiro shook his head at the comment about her being only good at Kido. No, she was far more than that, even if she had areas she struggled in. She was smart, knew how to plan and solve things in ways he would always struggle with. This was early days and they weren’t expected to communicate effectively with their blades, Shiro and the others of their friend group were just gifted.

“All you are good at is Kido? Nonsense! You are super smart, feisty and can do things I could never do.” He spoke from the heart, listing only some of the things he admired about her. “You’ll get through to your Zanpakuto and in no time be better than me with it!” He spoke with a smile, first to reassure her and then down to the blade she wore.

“I’ll come to you every night and we can train together until we both have our Shikai. It’s the least I can do for you saving my life in that fight… and the least I can do as your friend.” The tall Shinigami spoke as he finally pulled his arm free from her shoulders and let it fall to his side before making a shaky effort to stand up tall. His body was still weak from the recovery, but he persevered any way, now was not the time to be weak. Lenalee was depending on him, and he was depending on her.

In the last few days, a lot had happened, and it was all because of this girl before him. They faced fears together, solved puzzles and bonded. They worked together to save the life of a fellow student and then fought tooth and nail to save each other from horrendous fate. All while captains were making bets on their lives. He would get stronger, strong enough to challenge captains and win… strong enough to beat Captain Yorutatsu and her twisted nature. Strong enough to show up captain Saeki.

“I don’t want to see you crying any more, we live our own lives out of spite and desire to be the best.” He carried on, pressing his closed fist to his chest loud enough to make a heavy thumping sound… which he winced at because of his still healing ribs.

“Well done my boy!” A robust deep voice boomed in his head, the voice of his sword. “That is a resolve I can get behind. Live like a raging tempest and one day this world is ours!”
 

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Shiro: 7319e6
Asami Tagachi: acee8d
Captain Shinomori: ce9f9f

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #5

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Like any other person going through bouts of self-loathing and despair, Lenalee heard Shiro’s words, but she couldn't say that she believed them. He was being so kind to her, and she was grateful for that, but whether his words were out of pity or his honest opinion was not clear in her clouded mind.

When he moved away, her shoulders felt so… empty. Exposed to the air, to the harsh world, unguarded. Longing for them to return and hold her in a safe environment, she looked up at him once more as he offered to come and train with her every night till they both got their Shikai. Her arms sank into her sides, her body seeming to shrink as the broken girl felt like she could disappear without his support to hold her together and in one piece.

Finally, a little smile graced the girl’s lips, followed by a soft little giggle, but not without another tear that she quickly reached up to wipe away. When she heard him wince, however, she herself winced as well as she inhaled through her teeth, cringing as she imagined how much that hurt.

Seconds later, she hopped off the bed, her feet finally touching the floor, and stepped forward to wrap her one good arm around him and bury her face into his chest while her wrapped up arm, restricted as it was in its sling, was trapped between them.

“Just one more minute…” she uttered, her words muffled, before the waterworks started flowing once more. She knew he didn't want to see her crying again, but she couldn’t stop it. Yet this time it was different. The emotions she felt now, attached to the goofball that she had grown to really care very much for and was devastated to have nearly lost, were far more complex. It wasn’t just sadness and hurt, it was a strange shared experience that she had never felt before.

Despite everything, it felt like everything was going to be okay… and she wanted to exist in that place with him for just one more minute…

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #6

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As Lenalee stood up and approached him, he kept his smile, seeing that his words had gotten through to her and eradicated the sad tears that she had been shedding. That little giggle she had done made all of his fatigue and pain feel like nothing, well nothing compared to the guilt and sadness she must have been feeling. The face bring pressed into his chest and one good arm wrapping around his body wasn’t expected though.

One minute? Sure, she had earned that. One last minute to get it all out of her system. He should have stipulated that he did not want to see her crying tears of sadness or anger… happiness and joy were welcomed though. With that same gentle care, he rested his one good arm around her back and softly squeezed her closer. He had experience comforting people back when he helped Asami at the orphanage… this was the best way to do it. That and for Lenalee it just felt right to him to be there… it could be their trauma bond or something more, he did not care to figure that out at the moment.

“You feeling a bit better now?” He asked softly, peering down as his arm stopped the squeeze. He had waited more than a minute in this position and his legs felt like they were about to give out on him from standing so still.

Standing just outside of the door was a man in a captain’s coat with a broad smile on his face, he had peered around and into the room before ducking out before he could be noticed. He’d been there since just after Captain Shinomori left and was shushing anyone that was trying to greet him. As he heard Shiro speaking he took a step and knocked on the door in a chipper attitude. “Oh, you’re both awake! I was coming to make sure you were both doing well after Captain Yorutatsu’s farce.” He spoke with a bright smile, hiding his disdain for the woman well.

---

Shiro: 7319e6
Asami Tagachi: acee8d
Captain Shinomori: ce9f9f
Captain Adachi: 6c84ff

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #6

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With one more sniffle and hopefully the last, Lenalee finally pulled away and looked up at him. She hadn’t tried to create distance between them for the entire duration and she didn’t care that she had stayed there for more than a minute - which it was. It was exactly one minute and forty-three seconds, and she enjoyed every guilty second beyond the one-minute mark happily.

“We’ll become captains… and when we do-” she started to speak, while she gently helped Shiro back to the bed, but the knocking at the door made her pause in her speech and movements. Turning her head to look toward the door, she saw Captain Adachi, her new captain, standing there with his usual bright smile and cheery personality.

The girl blushed a bit, as she still had one arm around Shiro, though it was only for the purpose of helping him back to his bed, now that the snuggles were over. That said, it was enough to embarrass her as the situation could so easily be misunderstood, which prompted her to almost shove the poor young lad onto the mattress, then turn back to the older man.

A part of her was still angry at all three captains who had let that happen, but she vividly remembered that it was the captain of the thirteenth squad who had come to their rescue when the timer was up. Any ill feelings that seeing his face brought resurfacing in the girl due to her rejection onto Squad Twelve would have to be ignored for now. Respectfully, she bowed her head to him.

“Captain Adachi,” she spoke with her head lowered, her gaze on her bare feet. “Thank you for coming to our aid on the day of the exam…”

As she said those words, she just realised that it was possible that Shiro had no idea. He was barely conscious by the end of that Arrancar’s assault, and when the captain took care of it, she was fighting to keep her friend from passing out. Her head still bowed, the name of the Squad Eleven captain, Captain Yorutatsu, continued to be heard in her head. She was furious at the woman. Captain Adachi called what she did that day a farce… she called it a disgraceful an unnecessary endangerment of students’ lives.

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #7

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At the sight and sound of Captain Adachi Shiro bowed his head to the captain and held in a grumble at the mention of Captain Yorutatsu. She was despicable, deplorable, and dishonourable. It shifted his smile that he had from holding Lenalee and comforting her into a harsh frown that he wiped away not long after the fact to save face in front of what he considered to be one of the kindest captains.

When Lenalee mentioned it was him that saved them Shiro bowed his head again. “Thank you… the last thing I remember is getting stabbed and watching that Cero charge.” He explained with a wince at the memory as he let his hand feel the scar on his chest where he had been healed. There were two. The shoulder wound that Lenalee did her first aid on and the second he sustained right at the end.

“It is no worry! I would do it for anyone in need. Shiro, your bravery and actions on that day were truly inspiring!” He spoke coming close and holding a hand out to the young man. One that was shaken by the young Shinigami and then more vigorously by the captain. “Once I knew you were stable, I headed home and told my little girl all about how heroic you both were. She thinks you’re a hero! Some high praise.”

Shiro raised an eyebrow and let his awkward smile show as his arm was flopped about by the overly long vigorous shake. “Sir, it’s nothing!” He spoke before chuckling softly. “I just acted on instinct really. And in the fight it was Lenalee who saved me a bunch of times. She’s a bigger hero than me in all of this. I was just the idiot that dragged her into the mess.” He spoke some high praise as the captain released his hand.

“Oh you are right, Lenalee is a big hero too! My baby keeps asking how Aunty Lenalee is feeling!” He said before gently placing his hand on the top of the young woman’s head and riffling it gently. “I am happy to have such a smart, capable and brave young woman as a member of my squad.” Toshiro Adachi said, removing his hand before the Saeki genetics kicked in and she inevitable went to chop it off.

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Shiro: 7319e6
Asami Tagachi: acee8d
Captain Shinomori: ce9f9f
Captain Adachi: 6c84ff

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #7

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Lenalee finally raised her head to look at her new captain as he spoke, complimenting Shiro. It brought a smile to her face as she silently agreed with it all. She was quite surprised when her name was also thrown into the mix and she looked at Shiro.

Instantly, she shook her head, “I wouldn’t-” she started, but it seemed Captain Adachi agreed with him and she grew silent, nervous and flattered by the huge compliment. “Thank you… I think we both fought very well…” she muttered, quietly, glancing at Shiro once more, then her attention returned to Captain Adachi upon hearing something horrendous.

Aunty Lenalee…

Her gaze dropped to the floor once more, while her being was filled with horror and dread as it was very quickly made clear to her that this is what was in store for her. She had watched over his daughter once, twice, maybe a few times, she couldn’t quite remember the exact number of times, but now that she became a member of this man’s squad, there was no telling how many more times she will have to endure that. There would be no conceivable way to say no to her captain, were he ever to ask.

It was at this point that she became aware of his hand that was on her head, ruffling her hair as her entire head seemed to rock with the movement as well. Her eyes slowly began to narrow as she looked up from the floor to meet his gaze, with a rather murderous look.

Captain Adachi was wise to remove his hand, as that seemed to cause a shift in the girl, like a switch had been flipped, and her features softened slightly, though not entirely. The grumpiness was ever present. It would likely be so for a while after recent events. Perhaps the most disconcerting thing of all was how quiet she became for the time being.

Lenalee’s silence would soon be broken as she spoke in a cold and detached tone in an attempt to mask and control the anger that she felt, though her words were sharp as daggers.

“Do you know where my mother is, Captain?”

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Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #8

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Shiro hid his wince from the captain as he heard the nickname for Lenalee and watched as the short woman’s demeanour changed from the bubbly girl that he had just cheered up into a little mirror of her mother. The cold mist was practically ebbing from each word she spoke. It was a question that that she asked with such an undertone of chill that Shiro shivered.

Adachi was smiling the entire time until he heard the question and carefully rubbed the back of his head. “Ahh… she has not been to see you yet?” He asked, his great happy smile slowly slipping to something more awkward. “She told me that she will come to Visit Shiro every day at around noon until he has woken up.” He explained, he himself was confused as to why Azai had not come to even see if her own daughter was okay after such and incident. Could it be she felt ashamed? No… Azai must have had a more logical reason than that.

Shiro cleared his throat and smiled again. “If that’s the case then Lenalee can just wait in here with me until she comes by. I want to have some words with my captain anyway.” He said nodding in confidence to the other man in the room. It was an effort to capture Lenalee’s attention and to again help her out, he owed this short Shinigami so much after the fight, so much he thought he could never repay her.

“Yes! That sounds like a good plan. I can see why so many of the other Squads took interest in you. Both of you were sought after by so many I am happy to have gotten you Lenalee. I expect you to do some great things! Once Shiro’s helped you to get your Shikai then you’ll be limitless!” Adachi said in an overly eager manner, not realising what he just said was meant to be private… no one was meant to have heard that promise between the two. It made the taller of the two sitting on the bed gawk with his jaw open.

“S-sir! How do you know I am training with Lenalee to get Shikai?” He asked, looking down to Lenalee then back.

“Oh… I may have said too much.”

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Shiro: 7319e6
Asami Tagachi: acee8d
Captain Shinomori: ce9f9f
Captain Adachi: 6c84ff