So new chapter is up but I wanted to give a heads up that this one is Rated M due to some shmexy stuffs mid chapter. If you don't like it, I suggest stopping at the cave and picking back up in the second portion of the chapter. Otherwise, enjoy.

I am not changing my story rating yet because I still have quite a lot of story building to do, but if it becomes a more common occurrence, then I will.

First half of the story (starting at the cave) sound track is: James Blake- Are you even real

Chapter 40

"Hut hut, hut hut!"

Oh my god, make it stop! Flinging her arm over her eyes, Mara groaned to herself. This was her field. This was her calm place to be alone. To think. To relax.

"Hut hut, hut hut!"

Peeling her arm away from her face, she raised her head from the grass under the tree where she was laying. "Do you have to do that?" she asked icily.

Not breaking his stride from his in-place high step, the new lieutenant of squad 9 looked at the girl disparagingly. "Physical fitness is good for both body and soul!" he scolded in a loud bark, "Now that I, Watanabe Sora, am lieutenant, it is even more important that I stay in peak shape and be the best!"

Mara's frown dipped even further. "Yeah, Hut-hut, I got that three days ago. I'm asking if the sound effects are necessary," she elaborated dourly.

Finally relenting from his high stepping, Watanabe turned an equally dour look back on his charge. "Breathing techniques. It is a vocal breathing technique!" he screeched, the grating pitch at odds with his broad frame and meaty fists on his hips, "Breathing properly is necessary to unlock the power in the exercise and within one's self!"

"It's annoying," Mara deadpanned back at him, "I told you I was coming out here for quiet."

"Maybe you should think about exercising, Mara-sama," he said slyly, drawing out her name into a sneer, "You are looking winded just from holding your head up this long. I'd hate to see what it looks like-."

"Enough," Mara said lowly, eyes narrowed into slits, "Right, Grimmjow?"

The espada seemed to appear out of nowhere as he sonido'd in to stand next to her prone form. "Uh, yes?" Grimmjow said with a confused look between the two, causing Lieutenant Watanabe to march purposefully a few steps away and begin a series of rapid push-ups.

Dropping her head back to the ground, Mara covered her eyes with her arm again and sighed in resignation as the 'vocal breathing technique' carried on the breeze to her. Fucking Hut-hut.

"You're getting good at sensing the rietsus around you," Grimmjow commented lightly as he plopped himself gracefully on the grass beside her, "You picked me up approaching quick with as fast as I was moving."

"You taught me well," Mara grumbled, unmoving.

Lifting her arm by the wrist, Grimmjow couldn't help but crack a smile at her irritated face. "What crawled up your ass today, Yume?" he teased, loving the heat in her dark eyes as they snapped to his.

"That," Mara said, pointing at the lieutenant who had now moved on to hut-hutting and Bruce Lee-esque noises as he air-boxed. "Why the hell did Shuu promote Hut-hut the Horrible!?"

"You know how he will feel about that nickname," Grimmjow chided before breaking out in a chilling grin, "It's epic."

"I can always go back to calling him 'Not-Mei' again," Mara wickedly smiled back, "He loooved that one."

Grimmjow barked out a laugh as he reclined against the tree, running his fingers absentmindedly through Mara's hair. "You do know we couldn't make Mei lieutenant, right?" he asked her seriously, "She's ranked damn near last and has been in the squad a month. I honestly think Hisagi picked her because she was the only person not cheering when you guys hauled me out that day. She can't protect you."

"I know," Mara grumbled, "but he sucks."

"Give Mei time. She'll excel fast with Imai as her mentor," he told her distractedly before letting out a frustrated roar. "Chingar! That's annoying!"

Mara looked at Grimmjow in shock. "You know Spanish?"

"I can cuss a bitch out in several languages, thank you," Grimmjow said proudly before returning Mara's shocked look, "You know Spanish?!"

Mara couldn't help her loud laughter. "I guess I know that word," she cackled out, before scooting her head closer to rest against Grimmjow's thigh. "It fits this situation though."

"Yup," Grimmjow agreed as he rose quickly to his feet much to Mara's annoyance. He pulled Mara straight up to her feet, gifting her a rare sweet smile as he picked a piece of grass from her hair and swept her up into his arms like a bride. "Let's blow this joint, doll."

"Jargerjaquez!"

The screech hit the air like shattering glass and Mara buried her face in Grimmjow's chest to hide her wince. Fucking Hut-hut.

"I am the lieutenant of Squad 9 now and it is my duty to keep watch over the ryoka at all times that Captain Hisagi is not watching her!" he yelled, spraying spittle that Grimmjow deftly sidestepped, "You cannot just run off with her!"

Mara raised her eyes in a glare, but Grimmjow's deep growl stayed her tongue and she splayed her hand over his heart to calm him instead.

"The what?" he hissed through his fangs.

"The- um- Mara… Mara-sama," Watanabe stuttered, "I am to watch over Mara-sama at all times."

Painting on his trademark smile, Grimmjow stared down the lieutenant until the man broke under his gaze. "That's perfect, Hut-hut! You can come too and stay the fuck outside," Grimmjow said jovially before sonido-ing into the forest with Mara in tow.

"Where are we going?" Mara shouted over the wind of the run, only to get an enigmatic smile in return.

In what felt like seconds, Grimmjow had stopped in a clearing next to what appeared to be the boarded over entrance to a cave. "Here!" he said happily as he set her to her feet.

Mara raised her eyebrows in confusion as she looked around the clearing then back at the sealed cave. "There?" she pointed incredulously.

"Don't get all princess-y on me now, Yume," he teased her, "Just gotta wait on your babysitter."

No sooner than he spoke, a red-faced and winded Hut-hut broke through the tree line to the sound of breaking branches. He braced his hands on his knees as he panted and scowled at the espada. Raising his finger in an accusing point at the pair, the lieutenant gasped a strangled sound- unable to yell at them as he clearly desired.

"And he can protect me?" Mara asked doubtfully, earning another jagged smile.

"Good talk, Wannabe- I mean Watanabe," Grimmjow called out as he lifted away the apparently faux boarding above what Mara could now see was a cut mine shaft that sloped down into the dark. "Stay here," he ordered the lieutenant. Grabbing Mara's hand, he led her into the mine.

"What is this place?" Mara whispere,; eyes wide in the fading light as she tried to keep her footing.

"A place that you don't have to whisper in, you weirdo," Grimmjow teased, voice echoing down the tunnel and back. Feeling her clutch tighter to his arm as she stumbled over the rough ground, he pulled a lighter from his pocket and held it up to light their way. "Normally I would just light the way with a cero but…" he trailed of as he shook his free hand so that the metal of the cuff glinted in the light.

Mara gave him an empathetic smile before her eyes were drawn back to their surroundings. The soft halo of light from the lighter reflected bits of glistening shards in the rock walls. Leaning closer, she could see thin veins of white winding between the gray that glowed dully, seeming to almost swallow the light where it touched.

"So, what is this place?" Mara asked again, dragging a finger down one of the white seams.

"It used to be a mine for sekkiseki stone a long time ago; before they established the quarry on the other side of Seireitei, I imagine," Grimmjow answered as he slowed his steps, letting her meander and fulfill her curiosity, "But this is also where I come to be alone."

"Why does it not surprise me that you like to relax in the dark," she mused out loud as she glanced at him to see his eyes were nearly luminescent in the low light.

"Where I'm from, it's always dark," he answered lowly, a rare seriousness in his voice, "I wasn't made for the light like you."

Mara didn't answer but, instead, took his hand as they kept walking down. She wasn't always sure that she was made for the light. There was something right about the dark. There was peace in the dark hours of the morning before anyone stirred. There were also nightmares that stayed in her mind and her heart and made her wonder if she grew to love the dark because it knew her, and she knew it.

A more insidious dark felt like it lived here in Seireitei, though, and it disguised itself as light. One that made her run into the actual dark to escape it. Mara couldn't help but frown to herself at the thought, catching Grimmjow's observant gaze.

"They can't find you either if you go deep enough."

"What?" Mara asked, startled from her thoughts.

Pointing toward the ceiling, Grimmjow referenced the dwellers above. "The sekkiseki seals spiritual pressures," he explained, "We won't go too deep today or that monitor on you will freak out, but no one can feel you out if you go deep enough."

Entering a large space, Mara waited while Grimmjow lit a torch on a wall revealing a small cavern that appeared to be more natural. While the rock walls were cut on two sides, the others were a mass of grooved stone pillars, stalagmites and stalactites woven with white. The crystalline shards in the walls reflected the torchlight into the walls with a warm, eerie brilliance. Mara couldn't help but gape at the hidden beauty.

Pulling out a futon, mass of pillows, and blankets from where he stored them against a pillar, Grimmjow leaned against a wall with his hands in his pockets to enjoy a view of his own. The firelight reflected in Mara's eyes and warmed them to a golden glow. The flickering refractions made her hair and skin shine. A sweet smile, for once free of the worries of the days, spread across her lips. She looked ethereal. She was a dream.

"It's beautiful," Mara said in awe, melodious voice echoing off the walls.

"Yep," Grimmjow agreed in a low rumble, eyes fixed on the girl in front of him.

Unable to help himself, Grimmjow approached silently behind her to rest his large hands on her waist, relishing her small gasp before she leaned into his touch. She was a goddamn magnet for him. She was fucking addictive and it was drug he would trade his life for. Lowering his lips to her shoulder, he slowly kissed his way up her neck, enjoying how her gasps transformed into little mewls of pleasure. "You can be alone here, Yume, any time you need," he said lowly in her ear, causing goosebumps to spread across her skin, before pulling away.

Somehow, Mara realized, Grimmjow seemed to know exactly what she needed and provided it flawlessly and selflessly. This time by giving up the one place he could be free, too. A silent tear tracked down her cheek at the kindness and sacrifice. Would they ever have to stop giving for her? Would she ever be able to repay him this simple act that felt like he had moved a mountain? Why were they so… trapped?

Grimmjow watched with worry as Mara's shoulders began to shake. Her pleasing gasp had turned into quiet sobs and Grimmjow felt his heart lurch. "Yumekenau-," he began before Mara cut him off.

"Sorry," she mumbled, swiping her tears away roughly with the heels of her hands, "I'm sorry. You must think I'm terribly weak. I know to survive here I have to be tough. I have to be hard, but sometimes… sometimes I just-"

Wrapping her arms around herself, Mara kept her back turned to him, unable to finish her sentence without starting to cry again. She was caught off guard when Grimmjow's strong arms wrapped around her in a gentle but unyielding hold.

"I happen to love how soft you can be," he murmured in her ear as he wove his fingers with hers, "I'm hard enough for the two of us. See?"

Gently he unwound her arms from their hold and stretched one hand up to trace the bones of the hollow mask on his jaw. Slowly, Mara traced up his jaw, causing him to shudder at the touch before she traced the jagged teeth.

Turning in his hold, Mara looked shyly up at him. The timidness of her touch surprised him as she raised her hand to gently flick away the hair that fell over his forehead and into his eyes. "I'd rather be alone with you. Please?"

A grin spread across Grimmjow's lips as he pulled back and led her to the futon before pulling her down onto it with him. "Okay," he mumbled agreeably, shimmying down to hold her in front of him. Pulling her tight to him, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the scent of her. His wandering hand traced the curve of her body before pulling her leg over his hips.

Mara couldn't help the small moan he pulled from her as he nipped her neck and pressed his body flush against hers, but she dissolved into small giggles at his impish smile and flashing eyes looking up at her. Smiling at the deep purr he emitted when she ran her fingers through his shaggy hair, Mara did it again before tracing his jaw and turning his face toward hers.

"How do you always know the right thing to say?" she asked lightly, tracing the edge of the hollow mask again and feeling his strong body quake.

"I'm good like that," he shrugged.

"So I've heard, Casanova," she teased.

Grimmjow's smiling face sobered, his hand stilling in its track. "Look, that's not- I mean, okay, it was like that, but it's not-,"

"Easy tiger," Mara crooned, running soothing fingers through his hair again, "I was just messing with you."

"It's panther, thank you," he said, spark back in his eyes, "but you need to know that it ain't like that anymore. Not since you."

"Mmm," Mara murmured in agreement even as she narrowed her eyes at him playfully.

With a growl, Grimmjow rolled them over, his large frame dwarfing the small woman beneath him. "That's all you have to say? Mmm?" he scolded, tickling her sides until she began shrieking with laughter. Grinding his hips into her, Grimmjow slid his body and hands up hers until the laughter turned into a low whimper. "I'm only yours, Yume. Have been for longer than you know."

"Since you caught me from the window?" Mara asked coyly.

"Before that," Grimmjow groaned out pressing a chaste kiss to her cheek. Gently he pulled one of the tied to her shirt open.

Raising her eyebrows at his teasing game, Mara began to think about their moments together. "Since you taught me about the bow staff?" she asked quietly.

"Before that," Grimmjow purred above her, pulling open the other tie and revealing the juban underneath. Pressing a kiss to her jaw this time, he smoothed his hand over her breast, causing her to lightly gasp before poising his fingers tantalizingly close to the next tie. "Try again."

The heat in her eyes matching his, Mara bit her lip in thought. "The academy," she stated surely.

Unable to resist her lips after she had brought attention to them, Grimmjow kissed her hard, tongue sweeping into her mouth and leaving her breathless. "Nope, before that," he said huskily, undoing the next tie, before moving his hand to the last one keeping her hidden from hungry gaze. "Try again," he dared her, the challenge clear in his voice even as his eyes held the question.

Mara's heart raced as she stared at the man in front of her. He was such a dichotomy of soft touches and hard planes. Hungry but giving. Bad, but so fucking good. She wanted him, craved him and she would be damned if she would shy from his challenge of it gave him to her. Meeting his questioning look with a small smile, she smoothed gentle fingers up his chest and over his shoulders, pushing his jacket off of him until he shrugged it off and she could smooth her hands down his sides.

Quaking with need. Shit, she had him in knots. He was literally shaking with the need for her hands to keep moving and his taut muscles trembled under her explorative touch. It was taking everything that Grimmjow had to keep from fucking devouring her as Mara looked back at him with the same undisguised lust and need he felt for her. Goddamn, it had never been like this. Never like her. "Woman, you're gonna kill me," he ground out as she gently raked her nails back up his back.

Tangling her fingers in the soft hair at the nape of his neck, Mara leaned back to look at his glowing sapphire eyes. "When you first kissed me in the memory," she said boldly.

Yanking the last tie, with a growl, Grimmjow descended on her, his insistent mouth swallowing her surprised gasp and growing moans. His large hand slid up the soft skin from her hips to her breast, cupping it before running a rough thumb over her nipple to make it peak. "Close, but no," he said thickly as he kissed his way down the column of her throat, pausing to bite at her collarbone until she pressed herself up against him wantonly.

"Grimm-," she gasped.

"I have loved you since the first time I saw you smile," he said, gentling his voice, kiss, and touch in one, making her tremble at the mix of sensations, "it was the first time I had ever dared to dream."

With that, he lowered his head to lave his tongue over the now-swollen bud he had been teasing. Mara's hands fisted in his hair at the shock of his mouth on her and what he was doing; how good he was making her feel. It was overwhelming. It was…

He loves me? It took her a moment to process of the cacophony of sensations he had sent burning through her veins like the raging wildfire he was. "I lo-" she began before Grimmjow cut her off, raising his head in a flash and silencing her with another harsh kiss.

"Don't," he commanded her softly. In a bid to distract her, he slid his hand between them and inside her waistband, pausing at the last moment before roaming further.

Mara's hips squirmed at his touch, her nails on the back of his neck digging in harder as she fought for control while her body pulled her to abandon. "But I- why?" she pled, keening with need for more than just one kind of fulfillment.

Moving his hand over her gently, Grimmjow allowed himself a lazy smile at how she whimpered and pulled him closer. "It's more than words to me, Yume," he said, "And if we can't change their game… I can't go from hearing it to not. It would break me."

"But you," he continued, running his fingers over the wet seam of her lower lips, "I want you to shatter for me. Just once, just for me."

"I don't think I've done this, Makenai Hito," she whispered huskily, even as her hips arched to his touch.

"I know, I'll be gentle," he whispered, capturing her lips again, "You can say stop anytime you want."

"God, no," she panted between kisses, "Please."

Easing a finger inside her, Grimmjow purred at how tight she was, how responsive, how fucking intoxicating she was. "Holy shit, Yume," he rasped out, lowering his mouth to her other breast and suckling her nipple as he went.

"God, Grimm," Mara whimpered between labored breaths, "Ple- please let me say it. Let me tell you that I-"

"I already know," he growled over her, nipping the soft flesh at his mouth to cut her off, "I'd rather hear you beg for something else." Slowing his movements with a wicked grin, He could feel Mara shaking underneath him. He wanted to be inside her so fucking badly he could scream!- but he knew he had to wait.

Gritting her teeth at the lagging pace, Mara could feel the waves of pleasure easing into a steady strum of need. Infuriating espada, but god how he made her feel. Looking up in his bright eyes Mara felt overwhelmed by everything, both the new feelings he was stirring up in her body and the feelings she had held for him all along. Koi no yokan.

"Please, Makenai Hito," she crooned softly, watching his eyes light up impossibly more.

"Please what?" he urged her on.

Why did she suddenly feel shy? She could cuss like a sailor, yell at captains… But this was Grimmjow, she realized. The one she never had to bite her tongue with. The one who always cheered her on and never judged her words. "Please make me cum, Grimmjow. Just for you."

"As you wish, Yumekanau," he growled as he fell into another deep kiss. As he fell even more in love with her, he realized. Had he ever heard any better words from any sweeter lips.

Moving his thumb over the bundle of nerves hidden in her folds, Grimmjow picked up his pace again until Mara's high-pitched moan echoed around the chamber. Shit, is she even real? Grimmjow wondered as she did exactly what he wanted and needed from her. Tight channel fluttering around his fingers, Mara shattered in an orgasm for him. Just for him.

"Wow," Mara breathed, hearing Grimmjow's low chuckle in return.

With utmost care, Grimmjow gently withdrew his hand and wrapped her shirt back gently around her. Pulling her to his chest to lay down, he was surprised when she propped herself up on her arm to look at him, nibbling her lip as she always did when she was thinking.

"So, I can't say it?" she asked impishly, her sated grin spreading wider.

"No," he told her decisively, arching an eyebrow at her in mock sternness.

"Okay," she chirped, laying her head back on his shoulder, "More than words, Makenai Hito."

Those, Grimmjow realized, eyes shooting open, those are the best words I have ever heard.

.

.

.

Alone again, Matsumoto grumbled to herself as she scowled into her sake. Another night of drinking alone… again. Even Ikkaku and Yumichika were 'busy'. Since when did those two actually do work?

Of course, the one she really wanted there wasn't. Probably taking care of that stupid girl he was so wrapped up in. That EVERYONE was wrapped up in one way or another, even her. How many weeks had she been blaming herself for this entire ridiculous situation? Why hadn't she just kept her stupid mouth shut?

It was time for a refill.

She was so wrapped up in swigging straight from the jug, Matsumoto didn't even see Renji in the bar until he sat down across from her with a half empty beer bottle dangling lightly from his inked fingers. He would be scary as hell if he wasn't smiling at her.

"Woah-oh!" Matsumoto exclaimed, "You're here?"

"Last I checked I was," Renji said with a chuckle, raising a tattooed brow at the slowly piling empty bottles around Matsumoto.

"You- you of all people, I thought for sure, would be wrapped up in that little girl all of you are getting stupid over," Matsumoto slurred with another scowl.

"If anything, I would say I'm one of the stupidest," Renji said lightly. He realized the drink was loosening Matsumoto's tongue and so stayed his. Clearly, she was upset about something that probably wasn't Mara at all. What kind of friend would he be to jump down her throat now?

"Not as stupid as Shuuhei!" Matsumoto wailed, "what does he even see in her to- to- to fucking- UGH!"

There it is, Renji smirked knowingly as Matsumoto thunked her forehead down on the table in front of them in distress.

"What does he see in her anyways?" Matsumoto cried out, sitting straight back up.

With a small smile, Renji gave a sigh and sat back to wait out the coming rant. "Well-," he started for her to cut him off.

"Look at me, Renji!," she commanded in a slurred haughty tone, flicking her long hair over her shoulder before running her fingers down her creamy throat before cupping her large breasts in her hands, "Just look at this. What else could he want? She-She's practically shaped like a child!"

"I guarantee you that she is not," Renji said lowly, heat rising in his cheeks as he remembered the feel of Mara pressed against him. "Maybe when I met her," Renji conceded, remembering her skeletal and disease-ridden body, "but not now."

"First Rukia," Matsumoto sneered, "Now this bitch, what does that say about you?"

Wrapping his large hand around hers to push the sake bottle back to the table, Renji leaned forward with a dangerous glint in his eye. "I am willing to stay calm with you, Rangiku, because you are my friend and you are clearly quite upset and drunk," he warned her lowly, "but my patience isn't endless, and that was out of line."

Instantly, Matsumoto's haughty look dissolved into one of sorrow. "I'm sorry, Renji," she said with surprising sobriety, "I just… I'm the one that warned Shuuhei that she was coming, that something needed to be done and prepped because of her power. This whole mess is on me and now I have to watch him walk away…" Matsumoto's hand rose to fiddle with the ring on her necklace as she stared hard into her now half empty jug.

Just like Gin, Renji realized. Her tells clearly hadn't changed over the years. "When I left you guys were just hooking up randomly," Renji said gently, "That changed?"

"Yeah… I mean, no… I don't know" Matsomoto answered, "We had an arrangement and it worked. We had plans for the future."

Renji's shock painted his features. Did Mara know this? "You did?" he asked incredulously.

"Yeah. Fall back plans, really," Matsumoto groaned, "But it was good. We were good! And then this little whore comes along and ruins it."

Noticing that Renji made no response but to thin his lips, Matsumoto sighed deeply and looked him square in the eye. "Sorry, but you have to know that I'm not that far off the truth. She is juggling two guys at once."

"It's a fucking trauma response. It has to be," Renji growled, "It has to be."

"Dammit, she has the wool over all of your eyes!" Matsumoto wailed before killing the rest of her bottle and signaling for another one, "You can't just be okay with this!"

"Of course, I'm not," Renji said soothingly, "It'll pass and I'll get her back. Until then I am putting up with it just like you."

"You better get on it then before it's too late," Matsumoto said doubtfully.

"Starts tomorrow," Renji said with a smirk, polishing off his own beer and rising from the table.

"Maybe you need some entertainment tonight?" Matsumoto said coyly, looking up through her lashes at the tall man as she trailed her hand along the lapel of her lowcut uniform.

Barking out a laugh, Renji ruffled Matsumoto's hair into a distinctly unsexy mess. "You and I both know that THAT is a terrible idea. What I need tonight is rest for tomorrow," he said as he headed out the door, "Go to bed, Matsumoto!"

"Stupid, lovesick dick," she muttered, waving for her new drink to hurry up, only to be distracted by a small snort near her. "Do you have something to add?" Matsumoto asked angrily, casting her clear blue eyes at her noisy neighbor.

"Other than that he's an idiot," a surprisingly tenor voice answered back, "No."

Doing a doubletake, Matsumoto turned to face the stocky man behind her. She recognized him. Taking in the badge on his arm, realization dawned on her. "You're the new lietenant for the 9th right?"

"Yeah," he answered, lifting his eyes from where he had been glowering into his sake cup, "Watanabe Sora."

"Charmed," Matsumoto said sweetly, "So why was Lieutenant Abarai such an idiot- for passing on me or doing it for that girl you are hosting?"

Heaving a deep sigh, Watanabe turned back to his sake. "For rejecting you, of course," he mumbled unconvincingly.

"That doesn't sound like the entire answer," Matsumoto chided playfully, drawing his eyes back to her.

"I'm not supposed to talk about it," Watanabe grumbled.

God, but did he look like he wanted to talk. Matsumoto sent up a quick thanks for her fortune as she looked over the new guy. This was an opportunity she just could not pass up.

"Oh, I understand," she said softly, eyes large and pleading, "but you know giving orders like that could really get your captain in trouble if people hear about it. They'll think he's hiding something."

Watanabe's eyes widened at her implication and Matsumoto threw her hands out in a placating gesture. "Oh no! No! Captain Hisagi and I are friends! I would never report anything like that," she assured him, "and I'm not going to push you. It just seemed like you had some feelings about little Mara."

"Well, I- no, I can't talk about her," Watanabe stopped himself.

"I'm just asking about your feelings," Matsumoto said innocently as she leaned to recline against the table behind her making sure her assets were displayed to perfection, "I would never ask for details you aren't allowed to give! How you feel, though… no one can police that."

Thinking for a moment, Watanabe finally cracked a smile. Flinging his arm out wide, he looked Matsumoto up and down lecherously. "Care to join me?"

"Are you going to tell me how you really feel?" Matsumoto asked coyly, already rising to her feet unsteadily.

"I still feel like I'm doing something wrong," Watanabe said, even as the grin on his face belied that he didn't care.

"Oh Sora- can I call you Sora?" Matsumoto gushed, leaning towards him over the table to give him an eye-full, "You're a lieutenant now. We don't keep things from each other! How else are going to clean up after these primadonna captains if we can't share freely with each other?"

"That's the truth," Watanabe slurred, "they have me running around like some glorified nanny to this petulant, rude, lazy girl like the fate of the worlds depends on it. She has them so wrapped around her finger it's sick."

"It sounds like such a waste of your…" Pausing to lick her lip, Matsumoto glanced down at lips before flicking her gaze back to his eyes, all the while tracing her fingertips gently around his meaty hands, "talents."

Swallowing hard, Sora could only nod at the goddess in front of him.

"So, she has them wrapped around her finger," Matsumoto prompted patiently, "How so?"

"Just different ways. Like earlier today I had to sprint after her and that espada to a fucking cave," Watanabe began before comically snapping his mouth closed. "I don't know if I should talk about it but it makes me so damn angry I just-"

"I'll tell you what, Sora," Matsumoto cut him off with a conspiratorial smile, twining her fingers with his, "I'll get you another drink and then you can tell me whatever you need to get off of your chest, even if it takes all night long."

At Watanabe's vigorous nodding, Matsumoto turned away from the table with a smirk to hail the waiter. Like taking candy from a baby.