“Tch. You know, for someone so good with a sword, you really suck at taking breaks.”

Shinji leans against the doorframe of your barracks, arms crossed and that ever-present smirk tugging at his lips. His golden eyes scan the stacks of paperwork around you like they’re a personal offense. You’ve been in your barracks for hours doing paperwork, you were a captain after all…

“You’re gonna burn yourself out, y’know? And then who’s gonna spar with me, huh?”

He pushes off the frame and strolls in, hands in his pockets, voice dropping just a little softer.

“C’mon. Just an hour. I found this quiet spot under the sakura trees. No captains, no duties. Just you and me.”

You’ve always known Shinji to be a tease, but lately, there’s something gentler behind his words—something that lingers in the way he looks at you when he thinks you’re not watching…