Duty (704)

To say that Shinji didn't miss being the captain of the fifth squad wouldn't be entirely true, but it wouldn't be false either. He missed having minions to do his bidding, the freedom to go and do as he pleased and the general camaraderie there was in a division to name a few. Though, he sure as hell didn't miss the endless paperwork, or Yamamoto's impromptu tea ceremonies that he held exclusively for the captains.

The ex-shinigami let out a sigh as he leaned back against the wall and closed the book he had been trying to read as he sat on his bed. Glancing at the clock on the table beside him he realized that it was going on 1 a.m. and he still had on his slacks, dress shirt and tie. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he glanced at the young woman that had been reading beside him and a small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. She had fallen asleep, her book still in hand but long forgotten beside her. Shinji got to his feet, careful not to disturb the young woman beside him, and grabbed a pair of black sweatpants from his dresser.

The vizard made his way to the small bathroom connected to his room and he couldn't help but laugh softly. He had no problems changing clothes in front of Tori, even while she slept, but the young woman had a very big problem with it. The first time she fell asleep in Shinji's room he got up and was changing into his sleep clothes when she woke only to see the blond wearing nothing but his boxers. The former captain swore that her scream could be heard all the way to Soul Society. Ever since then he changed in the bathroom as he brushed his teeth for the night.

Now in his undershirt and sleep pants, the blond draped his collared shirt and tie over the back of the chair at his desk and made his way back to his bed. Tori had shifted in her sleep so she was now on her side snuggling with one of the vizard's pillows. A small smile spread across Shinji's face when he saw this and couldn't find it in himself to wake her and send her to her own room. Picking up the book that was sandwiched between her and the bed she stirred a little but didn't wake. Sitting it on the bedside table, he pulled the spare blanket at the foot of the bed over her. Once under his own covers, the blond let out a sigh as he closed his eyes and let his body drift off to sleep.

Not even a minute later, there was the familiar sensation of someone pressing against his back. Cracking an eye open, the former captain glanced over his shoulder only to see Tori cuddling against his back. The young woman opened her bleary pale blue eyes and blinked several times, clearly not remembering where she was or who she was curled up next to. It never occurred to him, or any of the others, that she would be a snuggler when she slept.

"Shinji?" she mumbled sleepily, knitting her eyebrows together as her mind tried to piece everything together. The vizard let out a soft sigh as he rolled onto his other side so he was facing her.

"Come on sleepyhead," Shinji said playfully as he pulled back his covers, letting her crawl in beside him. Lying on his side with Tori curled up against his chest he smiled softly as he wrapped his arms around her protectively and pulled her close.

With all the horrible things that had happened to the former captain of the fifth division: Aizen's betrayal, almost getting turned into a hollow, Soul Society's plan to execute them, hiding in the human world, the fast approaching war…with Tori asleep in his arms he couldn't help but find it all worth it in the end. Closing his light brown eyes he rested his chin on her head lightly. Sure he knew that she would beat the shit out of him for this in the morning but for the moment, all was right in the world.