One Hundred Ways to Love
2 of 100: Lip Cream
SPOILERS: MANGA through chapter 324
"Nanao-chan!"
The prim Vice-Captain of the Eighth Division scowled and clenched her teeth. Of all the names she hated to be called, 'Nanao-chan' was one of the worst. Her office door and windows were all open to allow in the spring breeze and inviting in unwanted persons it seemed.
Matsmoto Rangiku grinned widely as she held a bag up to her chest. It was white and paper and had a huge painted smiley face on it. Parcels of any sort were always unwelcome when given by Matsumoto. "Nanao-chan! I'm back from the real world and I brought gifts."
Thinking back to the last time she'd brought her a gift, a string bikini in pink, Nanao frowned. "I don't want it."
"Now, now… I didn't buy you clothes this time. I brought something better." It was already too late to escape. Matsumoto had the white paper bag on her desktop and was digging through it. "Hmmm? Where'd it go?"
Then she started pulling things out of the bag… and the only thing Nanao could identify clearly was a plush panda, the other things were in little white boxes with labels on the tops that she didn't want to read.
"Here it is! Grade A premium lip cream, guaranteed to keep your lips soft and kissable… " Nanao continued to frown as Matsumoto slid the box over to her. "See, it's a much better gift this time. But if you use that and the bikini, we could get you a man!" Matsumoto winked and quickly piled the rest of her stuff into her bag. "Gotta go, the Captain is looking for me!" Before Matsumoto could bounce herself back out the door, she paused.
"Oh… I didn't get the tinted kind so you and Captain Kyouraku won't leave any evidence!" With a grin and a wave, Matsumoto left her.
Just as she was about to tuck the box away into her desk a little wisp of curiosity assailed her. What would it hurt to peek into the box? Inside was a round container and Nanao withdrew it to look at the label. It really said "guaranteed to make your lips soft and kissable".
What could it hurt?
Nanao twisted off the lid and dipped her finger inside and then coated her lips lightly with the pink cream. It was soft and… without meaning to, she licked her lips and tasted it.
It tasted like strawberries.
Deciding she'd been distracted enough she returned the little bottle to its box and stuck it in her desk drawer. At least it wasn't something lewd. A few minutes later her Captain appeared.
"Nanao-chan, look what I got." He was holding up a new bottle of sake, stroking it as if it were a beloved pet. "Matsumoto brought it for me. Shall we celebrate her return with a drink?" he offered.
"No, and there is a stack of papers there that need your signature. You are also required to attend a formal ceremony for the Academy at two in the afternoon tomorrow so do not forget."
He took a moment to glance over at the stacks and she looked back down at her own work.
"Nanao-chan?"
"Yes, Captain?"
"Do you smell strawberries?"
She ducked her head to hide the smile though she didn't know why she was smiling in the first place.
fin.