If there was one thing that Kensei hated about the Captain's quarters, was that the walls were so thin. It was for his own safety, he knew, but that didn't make it any less annoying. He heard every movement that was made in the hall, and just about everything that went on in the rooms surrounding his. Which just happened to be Hisagi's quarters, and their adjoining bathroom. He couldn't ask for a better neighbor, he knew, but still. It got to be annoying.

Don't get him wrong though. He loved the kid and there there were times, like tonight, where he found himself so grateful for it.

It had been a tough day; they had just come off a mission that ended in six lost lives and several injuries. The Captain of the 4th had seen to him already, finally allowing him to spend the evening in his own room. She would be by to check up on him as soon as she could, she knew, and the thought of someone caring enough to do so always left him feeling warm, if a little uncomfortable.

He never did work well with understanding feelings.

As he crawled under the covers he rolled onto his side, staring at the wall as he waited for what had become a ritual. Sure enough, just minutes later he heard the soft tread of Shuuhei's feet, walking around his room before settling somewhere against their shared wall; Kensei took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, closing his eyes as the soft sounds of whatever it was Hisagi played carried from his room over to his, surrounding him in its heart wrenching beauty.

Thank god the brat wasn't playing his rock and roll music (As shinji called it) tonight.

He didn't know how this started, or even how Hisagi knew when he would need it. All that he knew was that it helped—it helped them both—and was something that was just for the two of them, and no one else.

Author's note: I write too many fanfics...and the sad thing is...they're oftentimes hit or miss.