Beaten Heroes Get Their Rewards

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #8

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As Adachi’s own demeanour took on a bit of a shift as well, the little terror of a girl looked up at him to make piercing eye contact, remaining silent and still as he rubbed the back of his head and her cold gaze didn’t waver for a second.

The manner in which his smile changed only made her frown grow deeper. He was either hiding more information than he revealed, or perhaps he himself had no idea what was going on in her mother’s twisted ice chamber of a mind either. As he gave his answer, she couldn’t stop her lips from curling into something of a sulk. It was hurtful… her mother planned to come and see Shiro, but not her?

When she wasn’t sure she could keep her emotions hidden so well anymore, she sighed and looked away. “Okay…” was all she could manage to say, in a small disappointed voice.

Then Shiro offered an alternative and she turned to look at him, considering it. It would serve her mother right if she were to come here and suddenly meet her daughter - whom, Lenalee was now convinced, she was actively avoiding. Her arms as crossed as they could be with one of them wrapped up in a sling, the hurt expression on her face was soon replaced with a smug one, clear evidence that she was about to say something mean to spite the woman, but before she could say anything, Adachi chimed in.

Everything was fine, until he mentioned Shiro helping her get her Shikai. All the smugness was gone, her shoulders even dropping into a slouch, before her face suddenly lit up and turned bright red.

Facing captain Adachi once more with bewildered eyes, her mouth opened, but no more than a little squeak escaped her throat, prompting the girl to blush even more while Shiro got straight to the point and asked the important question - how does he know? He must have been eavesdropping… was he outside this room the whole time I was in here? That means he also knows what I think about joining his squad!

Lenalee felt so embarrassed that she reached up with her one good hand to cover whatever she could of her face again. This was terrible… it was such a disaster.

“You heard     …     said     …     Thirteen     …     club.”

Her words were not only quiet, but also muffled by her hand and her puffy cheeks as the girl’s natural response to all this was not only to nearly combust into flames, but also to pout and make her words almost undecipherable.

For the second time within the hour, though this time for a very different reason, Lenalee seemed to shut down. Without lowering her hand and thus keeping her face concealed from the Captain, she turned to Shiro’s bed and only then did she uncover her face to use her hand to climb up onto the mattress. She then crawled toward the pillow, and just lay flat on her stomach, her face in the pillow as ‘operation self-suffocation’ seemed to commence.

The words “I can’t believe this is happening to me” seemed to float out of the pillow that her face was pressed into.

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #9

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Shiro had let his jaw set in a semi annoyed look to the captain, he wasn’t his and he knew it was disrespectful… but such a man eavesdropping? Lenalee’s reaction to all of this was intensely adorable and wiped that annoyed look from his face, he could still the redness of those adorable cheeks behind the hand that was attempting to hide her face. He had to fight not to smile. As she murmured behind the hand and climbed onto his bed to lay on her front Shiro looked to Captain Adachi.

“Captain, Sir… Do you perv on all your squad members?” He asked, in a somewhat joking tone as he moved to stand up and move closer to shake the man’s hand. “Or is it just the cute ones?” He asked teasingly.

The captain grasped Shiro’s hand and shook it with in a firm grip that was almost too tight, his embarrassment at letting slip his transgression was growing too as his smile changed from a warm and happy one to a goofy grin. He looked like a child who had just been caught doing something naught, knowing he had done it but was trying to hide it by acting innocent. “It’s called keeping tabs on my most valued and important squad members Young Tagachi.” He spoke clearly with a chuckle, finally letting go of the young shinigami’s hand. “Young Saeki is a valued member of my squad and… you two were having an intimate moment with the door open… so I waited for it to be over.”

Shiro’s eyes widened for a moment as he fought off the blood rushing to his cheeks. “Very respectful sir.” He spoke with a very minor crack to his voice. It was taking everything to stay standing again so he carefully sat again, making sure he did not accidentally sit on Lenalee. “I think I am going to rest now… Thank you for visiting and thank you for saving us both in the test. I owe you greatly.”

“Think nothing of it Tagachi. As a repayment for me saving your life I request your aid in helping Lenalee attain a Shikai, while you are at it get one yourself.” Adachi spoke as he backed out of the room. “Now I will let you rest.” Before Shiro could respond the man and his goofy smile closed the door and vanished down the hallway.

“I think your captain is an idiot…” Shiro whispered.

---

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

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #9

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Lenalee let Shiro handle captain Adachi, hearing what was being said for the most part, except for the quieter bits of their exchange.

As her new captain called her valued, and then referred to an intimate moment, the girl groaned into the pillow as she felt that Shiro was just making everything worse, the more he spoke. An intimate moment… the words replayed in her head. It was not an intimate moment! It was Shiro holding me back from wanting to murder my mum! In her head, she was screaming, though of course she wasn’t actually uttering a single word. Her thoughts were accurate, in her opinion, however… they weren’t doing anything ‘intimate’, but she did reveal a level of vulnerability that this man now single-handedly reminded her of all the reasons she usually wouldn’t.

She waited until he was gone before she sat up, being careful not to accidentally kick Shiro. This kind gesture was pretty pointless, however, as she soon punched him in the arm. It wasn’t a hard punch, but just enough to express her dissatisfaction.

“How could you let him think we were having an ‘intimate moment’?” she snapped, failing to realise that their closeness was in fact that on an emotional and spiritual level.

Lenalee let out a heavy sigh as she squirmed to the edge of the bed to sit beside him, her feet hanging off the mattress and not reaching the floor. “He’s kind of a goof, isn’t he?” She glanced up at Shiro as a giggle escaped her and she nudged him. “Good luck dealing with my mum. Would you rather have this idiot for a captain?” there was still a hint of bitterness in her tone, but it wasn’t toward Shiro, and it wasn’t coupled with the same intensity of hurt or anger as it was earlier.

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #10

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As Lenalee sat up, he looked over to the young woman and watched her get comfortable before the gentle punch struck his good arm. It was a light jab but was still noticeable. “Ouch…” He playfully muttered before she carried on snapping at him, chiding him for letting the captain think that they were having an intimate moment.

“Wait really? I just wanted him out of here…” He replied before letting her carry on to agree that he man that had just left was goof, some one that would be good to serve under and that he would be a far better captain than her own mother. “I don’t know.” He said with a long pause, it was hard to grasp what sort of Captain Saeki Azai would be. He assumed strict and hard on her unit… However, the fact she gave him a seated position was somewhat kind of her.

“No, I think serving under your mother will let me do something good. Maybe I can get her to recognise you.” Shiro started to ponder aloud, letting his eyes settle on the short woman who was sat before him. Was she so embrassed by a hug and a man calling it an intimate moment? It was nothing more than one friend consoling another and letting them cry out their pain… it’s what any friend would do.

“And! I can stop her from designing more death trap escape rooms!” Shiro exclaimed before cracking a massive grin that turned into a hearty laugh… This laugh lasted only a second as he grasped at his sore ribs and coughed. “Okay… laughing is still a bad idea.” He wheezed, still smiling as he leaned back to lie on the bed just a bit more. His messy brown hair splaying out around his head and his eyes that sparkled like a stormy night peered at the ceiling in thought. ‘Maybe she is just giving me a seat and using me to get at Yorutatsu…’ he pondered.

“Thanks Lena. Now we aren’t always arguing I think we can be good friends.”

---

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

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #10

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“Yes, really…” the girl muttered with a bit of a pout, then raised her eyebrow at Shiro’s response. He actually considered that working with her mother might be a good thing after everything? It would be even better if I got to work with my- she cut her own bitter thought off before giving herself the chance to feel that envy resurface again.

Then she sighed and scoffed. “Recognise me? Don’t hold your breath. I’ve been trying for years. If our exam didn’t do the trick, nothing will.” Lenalee shook her head, wishing she could say that she genuinely didn’t care, but the truth was that she did, and it hurt. Finally she looked at Shiro to find that he was looking at her and seemed to be lost in thought for the moment. “What are you looking at?” she asked, nervously, but instead of her usual frown, she giggled and nudged him.

“Right… no more death trap escape rooms. I think the entire soul society will thank you for that one.” She laughed along with him and then lay down beside him, watching him to make sure that he was actually okay, before laughing some more and looking up at the ceiling instead.

“Yeah… it’s kind of nice when you’re not being a dummy and I don’t need to yell at you,” she teased, “But what are you thanking me for?”

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Lenalee: #54d5e3

[Gaz]

Shiro #11

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“Being a dummy?” He asked as he lay on the bed, letting his head rest against the pillow. “What could ever possess you to think I am a dummy? I am a smart and wonderful… in my own way, man.” He in a teasing tone, one that he always used when being sarcastic and playful. “I’m thanking you for trusting me back there and backing me up.” He carried on switching his tone to something more quiet and serious as if it were on a switch.

Now they were alone, and the door was closed he could tell her how much he appreciated that fact. With his eyes closed it was a good time to rest. “If you want to stay and wait for your mum go ahead. I’m going to take a little nap I think.” Shiro said before letting out a long yawn that came from the depths of his still healing soul. The healing that had been done on him had taken a lot out of him and he had not eaten a single thing since the day before the exam. That didn’t matter though he was used to lasting on little food because he always gave it away to some of the younger kids that had Reiatsu.

---

Stood down the corridor was Captain Adachi watching the door that was Shiro’s room, a bright smile on his face. “You know Azai, Lenalee is hurt that you are avoiding her.” He spoke before looking to his side and seeing the woman. “Shiro though, he has a good effect on getting her fired up. He’s convincing her to become a captain just to spite you.” He carried on before pushing himself away from the wall and walking past her.

“He’s going to be a fun one to keep wrangled. I know you hate loud kids.” He teased before walking out of the door. He almost crashed into one of the members of squad four, which prompted a few glares as he awkwardly laughed and apologised. Then he was gone.

---

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

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #11

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A gentle giggle escaped the girl as Shiro described himself as a smart and wonderful, in his own way, man. Rolling her eyes, she shook her head, her smile still present, but she grew more serious as he explained what he was thanking her for.

It wasn’t really a conscious decision to do either of those two, if she were being honest, so she wasn’t quite sure what to say. She couldn’t say that she meant to or that she really knew what she was doing either, everything just sort of happened in the heat of the moment and all decisions were made in fractions of seconds. Looking down almost guiltily, she offered a light shrug in response, then her gaze shifted back onto him when he moved. Turning in her seated position, she moved to avoid his legs and decided to lie down next to him, cheekily tugging at the pillow to take a bit more of it.

For a few seconds, she stared at the ceiling, thinking about everything that happened the past few days. It sounded crazier the more she thought about it. They both could have died during that exam.

Turning her head to watch Shiro’s possibly sleeping person, she smiled ever so slightly, then turned to have her back to him and closed her eyes to get some sleep too.

---

Captain Azai stood there in the corridor, stern and rigid, her arms crossed and her shoulders firm, where she had been waiting for the right moment to face Shiro and Lenalee. As Adachi spoke to her, her cold gaze shifted to him and for a moment, she seemed to consider what sort of response to give, so she simply waited and remained silent.

A quiet scoff of a hum escaped her, however, as she learnt that her daughter may be following such a path, and to spite her, no less. “Spite is an effective motivator, Adachi… but contrary to what many might think, it was not my intention.” For a fleeting moment, the woman averted her gaze so as not to betray any emotion before it snapped back onto the man.

“There is nothing that I can say to her right now that will ease some of that hurt she feels so much…” she muttered, her tone taking a slight turn on the word ‘hurt’, as if she’s heard enough about people being hurt over this or that. “Attempting to mend any damage now will undoubtedly make matters worse, but I appreciate you passing that information on to me.”

Letting her arms hang down, the woman took a deep breath, as if preparing for what she was certain would be a verbal assault and a fair telling off from Asami’s boy.

She was never one to believe in luck, so she wouldn’t dare ask for anyone to wish her any, but Adachi spoke the truth. Azai did not like loud kids, and Shiro was nothing if not loud and showy. Watching the man goofily crash into one of the members of squad four, she shook her head disapprovingly, the corners of her mouth threatening to curl into the subtlest of smiles, before she looked toward Shiro’s room once more.

“Alright, Asami… time to face the most arrogant and insufferable side of you.” She muttered to herself as her heels tapped through the corridor, until the door to Shiro’s room made a gentle click after a gentle knocking that could barely be heard, and Azai entered.

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Lenalee: #54d5e3
Captain Azai Saeki: #bd9ac4

[Gaz]

Shiro #12

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Shiro did not fall asleep as Lenalee did, he just simply lay there on the bed replaying every moment of that day back in his head. His feelings, his actions, the actions of the monster he thought and then those of Lenalee who had followed him blindly into the fray. That one night where he and her were shoved into a puzzle locked escape room had done more than just get them past their differences, it got the pair to trust one another. It formed a bond that years of cooperation could never have done.

Captain Azai Saeki had done it for some reason, perhaps she was privy to the examination and used that damned room as a method of bonding the pair to work together under stress better. If that was genuinely the case then Shiro would have to apologise for his last outburst towards who was now his captain.

The soft and shallow breathing that Shiro heard next to his head indicated that Lenalee was asleep, and he opened his eyes to look over at her. For such a small troublemaker she was a real good person. “You deserve the sleep.” He whispered softly before shifting to get off of the bed and moving the blanket to wrap her up.

As he finished, he heard the soft knock at the door and then saw his captain enter. “Captain Saeki…” He spoke, bowing his head to the woman before standing up straight and making as shushing motion to the woman and tilting his head down towards Lenalee. “Lenalee just fell asleep… I don’t want to wake her.” He again whispered before gingerly making a move to be closer to his captain.

“She is really upset about being taken onto your squad… but it’s not my place to nag you there.” He said before taking in one big inhalation and bowing deep and low. “I apologise for my last outburst towards you, that last fight proved to me that you may have had prior knowledge and that you were only looking out for Lenalee.” He stood up and wobbled slightly, it hurt to move that far and fast but he had done it anyway.

“Why did you let that fight last for so long?” He asked, narrowing his eyes and staring into hers. The cold orbs that she was so very much known for. His own eyes were vibrant and full of an energy like a storm ready to break at any moment.

---

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

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #12

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As her body was covered and wrapped up cozily in a blanket, Lenalee flinched, but didn’t wake up. The extra warmth and protection was welcome as she curled up and her little fingers grabbed the top edge of the fabric to pull it closer in her sleep.

A gentle hum came from the girl as Shiro whispered to her mother, of whom Lenalee was entirely unaware as although she subconsciously responded to Shiro’s voice, she didn’t still did not stir.

Captain Saeki’s gaze flicked over to her slumbering daughter, a rare feeling in her heart as the sight of Lenalee in such a peaceful state was irresistibly adorable - even Azai couldn’t deny that. Looking away from the cuteness before any threat of a response showing on her facial features could creep in, she returned her attention to Shiro as he moved to be closer to her.

Remaining perfectly silent, whether to avoid waking her daughter or to allow Shiro to speak was quite irrelevant, her cold stare was fixed on the young man, her newest squad member. There it was, another word used synonymously at times with ‘hurt’ - upset. Everybody was always hurt or upset about something, and if Azai were being perfectly honest, it really did get on her nerves. However, knowing that she was unintentionally the cause of it, and the one experiencing that emotion was her baby girl did have an extra stinging sensation on the woman.

The next thing that came from Shiro’s mouth was truly shocking - an apology? An apology for what, she wondered, as she remained entirely stone-faced, watching his bowed head and listening to the words that seemed to float from it in such a surreal manner.

This, she was not expecting.

He seemed to be under the impression that she was either some all-knowing being - or a corrupt examiner - who could have predicted the mess that Yorutatsu created and thus prepared both of them in advance for it in secret, or… that she was, and this was truly insulting to her, working in collaboration with that broken excuse of a captain and took part in the planning of that spectacle of an exam. Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly, only a hint of the sheer disgust and spite at that notion revealed in them.

As their gazes would meet, the contrast in their energies was undeniable, and it made Azai doubt her decisions. Perhaps this was a mistake. Truly, the two really were incompatible, how her daughter had successfully bonded with this young man was a mystery to her.

“That’s not it…” Lenalee muttered in her sleep as she rolled onto her other side, clearly having a dream about something. Perhaps she was correcting something Shiro did wrong, even in the world of dreams, Azai thought to herself, watching the girl’s miniature form underneath that blanket.

Taking a deep breath, captain Azai faced Shiro once more as she took a step toward him to close any distance that was left between them, her gaze piercing and sharp, unwavering as it met his at an equal height - courtesy of her ridiculously high heels that were the stuff of pageant queens in the land of the living. “Tagachi…” yes, it was easier to refer to him by his last name, the name he shared with his mother.

“An apology? Now don’t tell me that your previous show of boldness was just a bluff - here I thought you would be an excellent thorn in my side to... what was it? Call me out on my ‘stupidities’.” She spoke quietly and in an eerily cold manner, not a shred of amusement in her tone. “If you can’t even distinguish between the brilliance of your own captain and the dangerous cries for attention of another, then perhaps I was wrong about you.” While her face did not betray her emotions, her tone was enough to make it clear that she was not on good terms with Yorutatsu.

Crossing her arms, the woman straightened further, tossing a rebellious strand of her long hair over her shoulder to hang behind her with the rest of it. She glanced at Lenalee once more to ensure she didn’t wake her, but the younger version of herself seemed to be deaf to Azai’s voice. This made sense to the mother.

“What you and my daughter revealed to me during our little party game was invaluable and, to some degree, you are correct. It did serve its purpose and contributed to the decisions I made three days ago while you were both in that arena. You are not correct, however, to assume I had prior knowledge…” Pausing, it was at this point that the corners of her lips curled ever so slightly into something of a smile. “If you feel you cannot handle the surprise of being thrown into a suffocating crevice between a jagged rock and a very hard place and expected to find your way out, let me know…” taking a moment to gauge his reaction, she then spun around and began walking to the door to leave. “And I’ll pass you on to the next squad.”

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3
Captain Azai Saeki: #bd9ac4

[Gaz]

Shiro #13

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Lenalee muttered in her sleep after Shiro made his apology, had she heard what he was saying and was replying what she thought. If so, he should be worried about her rising from that bed and charging Captain Azai Saeki with questions. After a moment he let out a soft sigh of relief and turned his full attention back to the elder woman. The woman who met his stormy eyes with her own cold orbs of indifference, though for a moment that indifference was distain… was it something he said?

Then she unloaded on him, a barrage of words that each seemed to be tailor made to burrow into him and wind him up. She was not mistaken, he had been… She had no knowledge of their pairing in the exam and there were other reasons why Shiro was yanked along to be shoved in that escape room with Lenalee? What on earth were they? Because he had no damned clue.

Her final words were a designed jibe aimed to get under his skin and they worked, he let them work. That storm in his eyes roiled as his own spiritual energy churned and bubbled out of him. “Respectfully captain, you piss me off.” He spoke with a rumbling growl to his voice, almost like thunder.

“If you had no inclination as to the fact me and Lena were paired up for the exam fine, the fact you trusted our abilities to last as long as we did speaks highly. But your general attitude towards me, your daughter and everyone in general is utter rubbish. Do you know why people call you ‘Queen Of Icy Hearts’?” He asked, leaving a short time to take a breath and cool himself down. He unwittingly raised his voice during this and had just caught himself from making it get any louder.

“It’s because the image you give everyone is so cold and heartless that it makes people hate your very existence… or want to nearly kill themselves to get your affection or approval.” His words were very bitter and harsh there. Shiro had no family outside of Asami, the woman who took him in and raised him and she showed him nothing but kindness and love as if he were her own. This was the other extreme, a devoid nothingness towards someone that was her own blood.

“Never assume anything is too hard for me, Captain. I’ll report for duty in the morning.” He took a step back and closed the door.

---

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

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #13

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As Shiro responded - no, that was more than a response, it was a reaction - Captain Azai’s gaze remained fixed on him. She had a lot to say in response to his comment on their relationship, though hers would be better directed toward Asami than to her son.

Upon reaching the door, with trained discipline, the serious woman’s lips stayed closed as she stood with her back turned to the young man who had quite the mouth on him. What it was that made her wait before leaving was unclear to her, but she wanted to hear what he had to say - despite their differences, in character and in rank, it was the respectful thing to do, even though most captains would have put him through a wall for a comment like his previous one.

As her reputation seemed to catch up to her, Shiro ruthlessly made this known, with a rather harsh explanation of it. Standing there, her neck muscles tensed, as did her jaw. She wanted to turn around and put him in his place for the bitter words he spat at her - hate my very existence… or want to nearly kill themselves to get my affection or approval… his words were repeated in her mind, as something about them struck her more than they would had they come from anyone else under different circumstances.

Staying true to the epithet that the students - perhaps even her peers - put together for the unfeeling woman, she merely turned her head to glance back at him, her shoulders remaining rigidly still.

Are his words truly honest?

“Don’t be late, Tagachi…” her tone was as steady as it always has been, and then she left.

Standing outside the door as it was closed behind her, she oddly found herself unable to take a further step. She stared at the wall across from her in silence for a few seconds as she considered her daughter’s part in what he said… then she found herself glancing around for Captain Adachi - of course, he left, nearly taking one of the squad 4 members with him as she recalled.

Taking a deep breath, she left the squad 4 barracks.

“Shiro…” a small voice came from the bed, the sound muffled by the blanket that was over half of the girl’s face. Lenalee was awake. “That was too much…” she continued to reveal that she heard his outburst, although she pretended she hadn’t while her mother was present. She wanted to talk to her about her squad placement, but not like this... she couldn't bring herself to interrupt what was going on, not to question her mother's decisions at a time that she suspected her mother was conflicted.

With a sigh, she sat up and flattered her hair a bit, holding the blanket over her shoulders, then just stared down at the bed sheets that were a bit of a mess now after them both lying on them. She was still furious at her mother and immensely hurt by what happened, but she knew things were complicated with her mother. Reaching up to rub her eyes, she wriggled to the edge of the bed and got off it, her feet hitting the wooden floorboards with a thud. “I should probably go… I came to check that you’re better anyway, and you are. I’m glad that you are.”

---

Lenalee: #54d5e3
Captain Azai Saeki: #bd9ac4

[Gaz]

Shiro #14

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Shiro heard the captains’ words and let out a anger filled sigh, letting that pent up storm of emotions flow out of his body with it. As he did his body physically deflated and shifted out of its threatening posture and shrank down into something tamer. Had he really berated a captain and lived to tell the tale? That was something to feel proud of.

It was then he heard a small voice, one that got caught in the turbulent gales of his hurricane. Lenalee was woken up by his harsh reply to the captain, her mother. He could hear the tinge of hurt in her words, the sadness that he may be right, but he didn’t have to voice those words with such ferocity that it hurt the woman they were intended for. She was right… it was too much, but what had been done had been done and there was no taking it all back now.

“Lena…” He spoke in what could be considered a small voice for Shiro, not even turning around as she climbed out of the bed and let her feet thud to the floor. So delicate and small but she had a power to her when she wasn’t like this and it was one he respected now he had seen her in action… now she had saved his life and he hers.

“You don’t have to go…” He said slowly before turning around, scared to see that face and if he had hurt her. This was different from before the puzzle room, he had come to enjoy seeing her smile and laugh. “I’m sorry I went overboard.” He added as he moved over weakly to sit on the bed.. what little strength he had he had just used to berate Captain Saeki.

“I’m happy you’re okay too, but if you need to go I understand.”

---

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

[Bobbie]

Lenalee #14

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Lenalee looked at him, a bit of hurt reflecting in her flickering blue eyes, but it wasn’t that his words hurt her… it was hurt for her mother. Sighing, she looked around for the acceptance letter, having forgotten where she put it, if she even actually put it anywhere. She might have dropped it.

Shaking her head while she looked, no longer facing him, she spoke, “You can’t talk to her like that. She’s your captain and some of the stuff you said was really mean and just untrue. A lot of people don't like her, but it's not everyone. It can't be everyone...” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, exposing her face to him, before she got down on her knees to look under the bed. “Ah, there it is…” getting down on the floor on her good side, her injured arm secure in its sling and safely above the ground, she reached into the darkness and brought the paper out. She didn’t care very much for it, but leaving it behind would be hugely disrespectful.

“You’re lucky she didn’t even slap you on the wrist for it.” Just as Lenalee finished saying that, she paused as something came to her. “I hope for your sake she doesn’t make you suffer for it tomorrow.”

Her eyes were now on him, following his movements as he went to the bed and sat down. “I need to clear my head…” she almost winced as she said that and had to look away from him. She didn’t really want to leave, but after hearing what was said, she couldn’t be around him. She didn’t want to be around anyone except perhaps her mother, but how could she press with her questions now after the girl was certain at least some of what Shiro said was weighing her down?

“Sorry…” as she gently apologised, she made her way out of the room, looking in every direction, but her mother was already long gone. Sighing, her little feet tapped the corridor floor as they could be heard getting quieter and quieter, the further she went.

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Lenalee: #54d5e3
Captain Azai Saeki: #bd9ac4