Happy Valentine's day! Enjoy!
"Having withdrawals?" Kisuke asked passing me the bottle of Sake.
"Just shut up." I grumbled taking a swig, "Did you come all the way here just to remind me?"
"Nah, we just came to see how you were doing, Isshin." He threw an arm around my shoulder and I rolled my eyes scooting further into the booth.
"Aw Isshin, don't be a party pooper." Yoruichi stated taking the bottle.
"That's kind of difficult, when Kisuke insists on reminding me that I don't have my Reiatsu."
"Oh come on, plenty of soul reapers would kill to be like you right now."
"I'll trade with them any day." I snatched the Sake from Yoruichi before she could guzzle the whole thing, and took a drink. For reason's unbeknownst to me Yoruichi and Kisuke insisted on visiting me in the world of the living whenever they felt like it. And while the gesture was nice, it was just a constant reminder of what I had lost. I took another swig before passing the bottle on and dug in my jacket pocket for a cigarette. Since moving to the living world I have found all sorts of things I enjoyed cigarettes being one of them, they worked just as well as the sake to help me cope with losing my powers.
"Need I remind you that it was your choice?" Kisuke slurred, I scowled and lit the cigarette.
"You know what you need?" Yoruichi said slapping her hand on the table.
"I'm afraid to ask."
"A life! You know a job, an apartment that isn't junk…and a pretty woman. You're stuck here for the rest of your eternal life, you might as well enjoy it. Kisuke and I didn't go out of our way to fake your death just so you could come to the world of the living and mope around." I scowled again and looked away.
"She's right, you know."
"Shut up Kisuke." I snapped
"I'm going to do you a favor, the next girl that walks in I'm going to get her to drink with us." Yoruichi said looking to the door.
"Oh yes because all great plans start with a pretty girl I meet while I'm drunk." I stated sarcastically, but Yoruichi wasn't paying attention, she was too busy watching the door and waiting for a girl to walk through. I had learned long ago that arguing with Yoruichi was pointless; so all I could do was hope that I was sober enough that I wouldn't say anything stupid.
"Jackpot." Yoruichi murmured a few moments later and I shivered noticeably. She sprang up and practically sprinted to whatever poor unsuspecting victim she had targeted.
"Aren't you going to turn and look?"
"What's the point? She's going to be sitting with us in a minute and I have no say in the matter." And right on cue Yoruichi lead the poor unsuspecting victim to our booth and sat down.
"Boys this is Akemi, Akemi these are my friends Kisuke Urahara and Isshin Kurosaki." The girl smiled and sat down. Her long black hair that hung straight as a board and her brown, almost black, eyes seemed void of life. She was pretty for sure, but just not my type. I wanted a girl who wasn't afraid to have fun, unlike this woman who screamed high maintenance from every pore in her body. I may have been a little drunk, but I wasn't THAT drunk.
"Um, I'm going to get another drink." I mumbled sliding out of the booth with my half full glass and cigarette still in hand.
"Isshin, wait!" Yoruichi called but I just ignored her and made my way to the bar. I leaned against one of the stools and stared at the wall as I alternated between taking a drink and smoking.
After a few moments in which I had memorized the pattern of the wallpaper, out of the corner of my eye I saw a sandy-blonde haired woman sit next to me. I tried to see a little more of her but she was looking down with her hand covering part of her profile as if she was hiding from me.
"Talk to me." She murmured and I could have sworn I saw the little bit of her cheek that I was visible turn red.
"Um, excuse me?" I asked uncertainly, unsure of if she was talking to me or perhaps a spirit.
"Just talk to me. And you can get rid of me faster." Now I was really confused.
"Why would I want to get rid of you? I don't even know you." She sighed then slowly looked up at me. I had to force myself not to gawk and to just breathe. She was beautiful. Her skin was barely sun kissed, showing that she obviously spent some time outside but (judging by what I knew of women) she seemed like the kind of girl who preferred to be indoors reading a book or something. And her eyes were the most beautiful shade of amber, and glistened even in the dim light of the bar.
"I-Isshin Kurosaki." I stammered holding my hand out to her. She smiled a little and grasped it lightly.
"Masaki Arakida."
"Beautiful name." I noted smiling.
"Well thank-you." We looked the other over for a few moments until I cleared my throat and spoke up.
"So, uh, can I buy you a drink?"
"Oh, no thank-you. I honestly don't drink that much, just special occasions and stuff. My friend practically dragged me here tonight, saying that I needed to find a guy." She said blushing a bit but rolled her eyes.
"Hm, I know the feeling. I'm starting to think that's the only reason my friends followed me here." She laughed lightly.
"Aren't friends just the greatest?" She asked sarcastically still laughing.
"Oh, they're the best." I replied just as sarcastic. Our laughter died down into silence again, but this time I broke the silence a bit quicker.
"So you didn't answer my question, why would I want to get rid of you?"
"Oh, that. Well my friends forced me to come over here and talk to you. You see, I'm…socially awkward."
"Well what a coincidence, I'm very socially competent. Actually I've been known to scare people away because of it. So it looks as though we might be able to balance each other." Did I actually just say that? It almost sounded like a pick up line. But she smiled broadly and I felt my chest constrict a little.
"I think we'd need a little more time to know that."
"I'm okay with that, I've got eternity." LiterallyI thought sighing mentally. Her cheeks turned red, and I fought the urge to reach out and stroke them gently. She cleared her throat pulling me from my thoughts.
"Well um, It's getting very late. I have classes in the morning so-"
"You're attending school?" she nodded.
"Yes, I'm studying to be a nurse. What about you? Are you attending college?"
"Um, yeah. I'm studying to be a doctor." Why did I lie? Well maybe it didn't have to be, maybe being a doctor wouldn't be so bad. Yoruichi did say that I needed to find a job.
"Really? Where are you studying?"
"Uh, Tokyo Medical University."
"That's where I attend! I haven't seen you around though." I swallowed hard.
"Well, actually I just moved into town and …I'm transferring. In fact I start classes tomorrow." Well I guess I'm going to college.I thought making a mental note to talk to Kisuke about forging some forms.
"That's great! Maybe we'll be able to see each other tomorrow. You'll have to meet my friend Ryukken, he's really great." She said excitedly. He?Was he her boyfriend? No, she had said friend not boyfriend.
She looked down at her watch and sighed adjusting the strap on her purse, "I really do have to go. But um, maybe if I see you tomorrow I could give you a tour of the campus."
"That'd be great. But uh…could I maybe walk you home? It is very late after all and I would feel terrible if something happened to you. I mean, you know since I could have prevented it if I walked you home not that I would feel bad since I'm…I'm…" I rambled nervously, she giggled.
"I would like that." I let out a quiet sigh of relief digging into my pocket and laying a few bills on the counter.
We talked and laughed as I walked her home, but at some point we ran out of things to talk about and fell into silence. I reached into my pocket to pull out my pack of cigarettes and my lighter more out of habit than an actual need to smoke. It was weird, I usually went through about three cigarettes in an hour, but I hadn't had one since the last one I'd had in the bar and we had been walking for at least a half hour.
I took the first drag and made sure not to accidentally blow the smoke in her direction. "You're hand looks cool holding a cigarette." She said quietly almost as if she had accidentally thought aloud.
"Just my hand?" I asked teasingly, and I she laughed a little turning her head away to hide her blush.
"You know what I mean." She mumbled and I chuckled wanting so badly to reach over and wrap an arm around her shoulders, just to feel that contact but I didn't.
We walked a few more blocks not saying anything once more, until she abruptly stopped without me noticing. I took a few more steps before I looked over and noticed she wasn't next to me and back tracked, feeling the heat enter my face in embarrassment.
"Um, this is my apartment building. So, uh, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, seems so." We both stood there awkwardly for a few seconds until.
"Oh, here!" She exclaimed opening her purse and looked inside for something ten pulled out her hand and thrust it in my direction. "Here, I made this." I held out my hand and she dropped something into it. I held it up to the street light and saw that it was chocolate wrapped in a plastic wrapping. "Somehow I accidentally made one extra this year. Which is odd because I always double and triple check my numbers before I start making my giri-choco." She said with a frown. I wondered what she meant by that but I didn't want to look like a fool so I just nodded and put the candy in my pocket. "Well, anyway Happy Valentine's Day and uh, thanks for walking me home."
"It was my pleasure." I said bowing my head a little and made another mental note to find out what Valentine's Day was. She smiled and pushed open the door to her building and I watched her until she disappeared into the elevator but I didn't move from my spot.
"Well she was cute." I recognized the voice as Yoruichi's and I smiled. They had probably been following me.
"Yeah." Was all I said still staring at her building.
"Are you going to see her again?"
"Yeah."
"Well what do you know the great Isshin Kurosaki has been reduced to simple words by a mere girl." Kisuke snickered.
"Shut-up Kisuke." Yoruichi snapped and I heard Kisuke cry out in pain so I could only guess that she had hit him. A light turned on in one of the window on one of the upper floors and I could have sworn I saw the curtain twitch a little. I smiled more and waved, hoping it was her and not some old lady before I turned and made my way back down the street towards Yoruichi and Kisuke.
"So what's your plan now?" She asked falling in step next to me.
"I don't know. But I think I'm going to like living in the living world." I replied wrapping my had around the little piece of chocolate in my pocket.
Pretty please with a strawberry on top review :)