"Hey, do you remember when you first told me you were in love with me?"
"Yeah, and from what I recall I swept you off your pretty little feet,"
The former snorted, "I don't think so, more like you were complete bag of nerves, and completely dazzled by my appearance," she stated in her matter-of-fact tone she could pull off so well.
The current scene was taking place in the Fifth Division Taichou's quarters within the Seireitei, and there were two Shinigami women, one, the shaggy haired blonde with deep grey-green eyes, was sitting up in the bed against the head rest while the other, with long brown hair and golden almost cat like eyes, was leaning against her. This was one of those rare days, those days where all their work was finished and they had a free day to just be with each other.
"Shouji, please, be realistic, when am I, Urahara Seth, ever nervous? And honestly, nobody dazzles me, I dazzle them,"
The girl with bright golden eyes, Shouji, playfully slapped the arm that was snaked around her waist, "Oh come on! I was the one who actually made the first move, you confessed and were ready to bolt as soon as the words left your mouth, and we probably wouldn't even be here today,"
She felt her lover chuckle beneath her as they both reminisced that day.
Six months previously...
All that could be seen of a young, flustered Shinigami one morning was a blonde streak of her shaggy blonde hair as she shunpoed all through the corridors of the Seireitei in order to get to her division as quickly as possible before her Taichou pooped a blood vessel at her being very late. She was sporting the worst hang over of all time; her hair was a mess, and she still had last night's make up smudged on her face, along with a beautiful mix of morning breath, the taste, and inevitably the stench, of alcohol protruding from her mouth like some intoxicating gas.
This was the regular occurrence of one Urahara Seth.
She managed to bypass damn near every one of her co-workers, except for the poor, unknowing unseated member of her division whom had no clue of her being in the vicinity until he was flat on his back with her breasts in his face, she left as quickly as she had arrived, leaving with nothing but a mumbled, half-hearted apology, while the young Shinigami remained shell-shocked on the wooden panels of their division.
Bursting through the doors of her Taichou's office, not even out of breath, she was quick to explain herself, just as she opened her mouth however, "Urahara-san! Late yet again?" the young white haired Taichou exclaimed from his desk.
"Gomenasai Hitsugaya-Taichou! It's just that-"
"Save the apologies! Just get to work, immediately!"
She nodded frantically, before leaving the office quickly to escape her Taichou's wrath. As she was walking to her own office however, she was quickly grabbed by the arm of her division's fukutaichou, Matsumoto Rangiku.
"Oh god, Seth! Have you looked in a mirror this morning? Come with me quickly, you need some fixing up!" Her face was the picture of mock-horror and disappointment as she led her best friend by the arm to her quarters, and straight into the bathroom.
Seth sat down on the toilet seat awaiting her regular beauty treatment.
She let out a forlorn sigh, alerting her busty friend to look at Seth more closely, and she noticed that her dear old friend didn't have the usual after-glow of someone who has had a good night in the sack, if you catch her drift. Seth was usually loud, obnoxious and quirky, and that was on her bad days. On her good days she was positively unstoppable with her arrogant, cocky, flirty and downright perverted attitude.
That morning though, she looked, well, disgruntled was probably the best word for it.
Rangiku knelt down in front of her, her face the one of comfort for her friend, "Seth, what's the matter?" Seth jumped not having expected Rangiku to get so close.
"What do you mean? I'm fine!" she flashed her winning smile. Only, it didn't fool Rangiku. Not one bit. She may seem like an airhead who was too superficial for her own good sometimes, but she was very observant and serious when she wanted to be. And this was her best friend, she knew her better than anybody, other than Seth's twin sister Natsumi.
She raised an eyebrow, "Oh really? Then what's with the mournful sighing, and sad, longing look in your eyes? You can try to play me all you want honey, but I know you too darn well for that. So, spill!"
Seth's smile faded, and her forlorn look returned, she frowned, "Well, I may have fallen for someone…"
Rangiku squealed.
"Oh my god! Who is it?"
Seth mumbled something incoherent, and Rangiku had to strain her ears to catch it.
"What?"
"Yamumbleto Shomumble,"
"A little louder sweetie, come on!"
"Yamamoto Shouji," she managed to grind out, all the while not looking as happy as any other person would be if they loved someone.
"That's great! You've finally moved on from Nanao, so when are planning on telling her?"
"What did I just tell you? I am in love with Yamamoto Shouji,"
Rangiku smiled brightly, "Yes you did,"
"Yamamoto Shouji, my dear, sweet Rangiku, Yam-a. Mo-to. Shou. Ji," She enunciated each syllable as a word, as slowly as possible, obviously wondering what the hell was wrong with her best friend in that moment.
"Yes I know, you're in love with Shouji Yamamoto, what does that matter? You can still tell her!"
Seth looked at her as if she suddenly grew another head, and it was bald.
"I-you!-I cannot tell her!" she sputtered out.
"Well, why the hell not? You can't possibly be scared, because you're the most confident person I know!"
"Because this is Yamamoto Shouji! I would be the biggest fool if I just waltzed on up to her and said 'Hey baby, I'm in love with you!' She would probably laugh in my face! Oh but actually she's too kind for that, so instead she would just kindly tell me to go away in the kindest possible way because I'm such a pathetic, useless, cocky, arrogant, sexually frustrated, perverted whore who doesn't deserve someone as kind, caring, sweet and beautiful as her,"
Rangiku looked at her stupidly for a second, before realization finally dawned on her.
"Oooooh! I see what the problem is! You don't think you're good enough for her," she nodded thoughtfully.
"That is what I just said, yeah,"
Rangiku's face softened, "Look, Seth, you are an amazing person, sure you may put on a cocky, perverted front, but I know you, and I know you really do have a great qualities that can outweigh the bad if you want them too!"
Seth blinked.
Rangiku sighed, "Don't you play stupid with me, I know you're nicer than you like to make out!"
Seth scoffed, "Yeah, I know you know, I know Nanao knows, I know my friends know! But Shouji-Taichou doesn't know that does she? She's only seen this horrible, disgusting excuse for a person, we haven't even said two words to each other!"
Rangiku smiled knowingly, "Exactly, and it's about time we changed that,"
Seth became scared, Rangiku always came up with crazy plans, and Seth would usually always have to play some part in them, "What do you mean?"
Seth had no idea what was going on, only that, after her much needed make-up session and she had kept tight-lipped about her whole evil plan she was surely scheming, Rangiku was leading her through numerous corridors. She gave up keeping track on where they actually were at the second corridor. It wasn't her fault, there were too many corners!
She sighed for the umpteenth time during the past ten minutes they had been on this treacherous journey, she had no idea what this had to do with her falling in love with the fifth division's Taichou.
She sighed again, oh yes, she had fallen, fallen hard, and it was all a lost cause. As if Yamamoto Shouji would like someone like her, a complete wreck, who had her heart broken too many times in her life, and solved it with sleazy, although awesome, sex.
"Oh would you stop with 'woes me', do you know how pathetic you look right now?"
"Yes I do, but to be honest I don't care… Besides you know Taichou is probably gonna go Bankai on our asses when we finally go back," Seth wouldn't usually care about making her Taichou mad, actually it was one of her favourite past times, but she just wanted a subject change, and she hoped it worked.
"Don't go changing the subject," Damn, she's sharper today, usually that would've worked. But even Seth should have known that when Rangiku feels particularly committed to something she tends to get focused; unless there happens to be talk of fashion.
Seth groaned.
She was suddenly bought out of her thoughts when Rangiku stopped outside of a door. Seth looked at Rangiku confusedly.
"Why have we stopped?"
Rangiku gave her a sly smile, "We've reached our destination," she rapped on the door, and ran away as quickly as she could, Seth stared at the cloud of dust that was once her best friend, and looked back at the door, and saw the flower emblem the Lily of the Valley, and Kanji for the Fifth Division.
Crap.
"Come in," came a muffled voice from inside the office, the Taichou's office.
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a second to calmly collect herself.
And walked away.
Yes, yes everybody, Seth is indeed a coward, she knew that as she inwardly cursed herself at her cowardice.
Dammit! Why am I so scared to admit my feelings to her? Because she's a girl just like me and I'm afraid she doesn't swing that way? Nah that wouldn't-
She barely made it two steps before she heard the familiar creaking of a door, and a gentle voice called out to her, "Excuse me, did you want something?" She remained calm, but even Seth could make out the faint annoyance in her tone at being disrupted from her work and having to answer the door herself.
"Shit," she cursed under her breath, before turning with a sweet smile on her face.
"I'm sorry Yamamoto-Taichou, I seem to have forgotten what I came here for, if you'll excuse me," she was about turn around again, when suddenly.
"Wait you're the third seat in the tenth division aren't you?"
Seth felt positively elated that the object of her affections had any recollection of her, and she faced her again, her smile even bigger.
"Yes, I am, the name's Urahara Seth," her old confidence back again.
"That name rings a bell, I think you've been to my office before with paper work from Hitsugaya-Taichou," Seth felt absolutely lost in those eyes, they were just so deep, and gold, and beautiful, she felt as if they were staring straight into her soul.
"Yeah, probably, I mean I don't really keep track," she let out a nervous laugh, and scratched the back of her neck, a nervous habit she had been told many a time that she had inherited from her father.
Shouji smiled softly, "It was nice meeting you Urahara-san," Seth was so lost in her eyes, she didn't really register what was being said from those plump, pink lips.
"I love you," she sighed out.
And immediately regretted it.
Oh shiiiit!
Shouji was shocked to say the least. She had never expected those words to escape Seth's mouth. Ever. In a million life times.
It's true that Shouji knew of Urahara Seth, she had created quite the reputation around the Seireitei, but Shouji knew there must be more to her than that. She had heard of her relationship with Nanao, and the destructive path it took. So she knew that behind the arrogant, perverted façade, there must be a good person inside, especially if she could take the huge leap into a serious relationship with anyone. And yet, she fell straight into her old ways after the break up, to hide her pain.
Shouji weren't exactly in love with the girl or anything, but she definitely felt an attraction towards her, she didn't know what it was that just drew her in, making her want to learn more about Seth; she was a puzzle. One that Shouji wanted to figure out. It wasn't that Seth weren't good looking either, Shouji did find her very easy on the eyes, with her beautiful eyes that were the interesting mix of green and grey, she had chin length pale blonde hair that never seemed to be tame, and had that one loose bang that would hang between her eyes and down her nose, she was very tall (Shouji just reached her nose) giving her a slender figure.
Seth mirrored her own stunned state.
"I, uh, um, I-I have to go!" and she turned on her heel, but Shouji was quick to grab her wrist, preventing her escape. She didn't exactly know what forced her to act so impulsively, but for some reason she didn't want Seth to leave just then, maybe due to the third seat's sudden confession driving her to want make an effort to actually get to know Seth better.
"Wait… Um, I'm pretty much up to date with my paperwork, would you care to go for a walk?" Shouji spoke hesitantly, but with a smile.
Seth was unsure for a moment, but then it hit her, this was a once in a lifetime chance, it was being laid on a platter for her to just grab! Stood before her was the love of her life, with a kind smile asking her to go for a walk, who knows what possibilities it could lead to?
Well, Seth was always one for taking every chance she could get; she beamed brightly, "I would love to,"
Shouji had no clue what would be in store for her in the future, neither woman did, but they knew it would be something great.
The present day...
Seth's arms tightened subconsciously around her lover, "I'm glad you did stop me," she kissed the head of soft light brown hair she loved so much, "And I admit, maybe I was a bit nervous, but could you blame me? I mean if we get caught now you're family would probably personally execute me,"
Shouji chuckled beneath her, "No they wouldn't… I would never let them," she spoke the last part with fierce conviction. Their relationship held a lot of risks for them, the last time Shouji had fallen in love was with a Quincy in the land of the living, and in consequence she had been banned from entering the land of the living for 50 years. By which time her love had grown old and withered, but he held true to her, dying peacefully knowing she had stayed true to him also. And so, her and Seth had been rendezvousing in secret, only Rangiku knew of their relationship. They feared how Shouji's family would react, since she was to be the next head of her noble family, the Yamamoto clan. They had reason to be fearful.
"I know you wouldn't, and that's what worries me,"
"You have nothing to worry about,"
"Of course I do! That would only make the situation a hundred times more worse,"
Shouji turned so she could face her younger lover, Seth was just over a century old, while Shouji had been around many, many centuries, she had lost count, but then it was rare for Shinigami, or any soul for that matter, to keep track of their age. She cupped the soft cheek in her hand, smiling affectionately, "Well we have nothing to worry about because that isn't going to happen because we won't let it happen, so let's just enjoy being together shall we?"
Seth couldn't help but smile in response, "Of course," and she leant forward and gave the older woman a tender kiss.
Shouji broke away, "I love you,"
"Of course you do… I'm fucking amazing," Shouji scoffed, before laughing along with Seth, relishing in their moment of carefree bliss, away from the stressful world filled with paperwork, and hollows.
They lay together for the rest of the day, content to just be together without really doing anything, just having the comfort of the arms wrapped around them, the comfort they would never leave the other, and just the pure comfort of being loved and understood by the one they cared about most.
These days they shared were so rare, they didn't feel they had the chance to truly be a couple, and go out and do what other couples do, like dates, and being able to flaunt their relationship with their friends and co-workers, but in reality, all of that other stuff didn't matter to them. They had each other.
And that was enough.
A whisper, "I love you," from the sleepy shaggy haired woman, a comfort for the brunette, she smiled as sleep overcame her.
Yeah, so long as they had each other, everything would be alright.
Everything would be perfect.