Bleach One-Shots *Closed to Requests*

Don't You Look Mysterious [Shuuhei Hisagi]

Shuuhei sat alone in his hospital bed, bandages wrapping his face, only leaving one gap for him to see out of his left eye. There were also two smaller gaps for his nose and mouth. He sighed loudly at the silence. His two friends were dead because of a Hollow, because of his carelessness, he added more to himself. Shuuhei blamed himself that Kanisawa and Aoga had been ripped to pieces. He could not protect them. Heck, the young man nearly lost his own life. A fear ran through his mind at the thought of having the position he was destined to take, once he became a full Soul Reaper, stripped from him.

The young man was so lost in thought that he didn't even realize the door to his room open. "Hey, Mr. Doom and Gloom," the voice startled him. "Why the long face? When the doctors said they gave you some pain killers I thought you were going to be loopier."

A crooked grin formed on Shuuhei's lips as his eye landed on the young woman in the doorway. In her hands was a small bouquet of flowers. "Hello, Val," Shuuhei greeted.

She smiled widely, her dark grey eyes lighting up. As Val walked in her dark purple hair, which was pulled back into a braid, swayed from the movement. Placing the vase on a bedside table she leaned against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes roamed the beaten-up Shinigami, looking at the doctor's work.

"What?" Shuuhei asked after a few minutes of Val staring.

She smiled mischievously. "Well, don't you look mysterious under those bandages?"

Shuuhei was glad for them, seeing as that he felt his cheeks become hot. "Shut up," he mumbled, making her chuckle.

"Aw, did I make you blush?"

"N-No!" he protested. Val only grinned, brushing it off.

"Anyway, when did they say you're going to come back? The Academy is so boring without you!"

Shuuhei sighed, answering, "Two days... though I don't think I'll ever fully recover." He had turned his head away, refusing to look at the soul's expression.

She stood silent for a few seconds before puffing out her lip in a pout. Walking forward silently, Val flopped onto her back, chest up so her body was arching over Shuuhei's lap. The action startled him, eyes locking with hers. "You idiot," Val stated. "The Shuuhei I know wouldn't let something like this get to him."

"I just lost two friends, Val!" he yelled.

"Hey, I'm not saying that you shouldn't feel a sense of loss, that's natural. You're not the only one who lost them. However, the Shuuhei I know wouldn't let it get to him. Once fully healed and over the mourning process he would get up and go kick some Hollow butt, in honor of his friends." Shuuhei looked at Val stunned, which caused her to smile in response. "That's the Shuuhei I know."

The door opened, revealing a nurse. "Miss, visiting hours are over."

"Okay!" She got up, straightening her uniform. "I'll see you in two days, Shuuhei. With exams coming up today was the only day I could spare myself from my studies."

Shuuhei cracked a small smile as she left. "See you later, Val," he answered softly.

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Val sat in her room, exams finally over. She breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that all of her tests went well. Now all that was left was to be assigned to a Squad and position in the Thirteen Court Guard Squads. Val started packing up her things, tomorrow being graduation.