Author's Notes: Hello again, gentle readers! Welcome to chapter 5!
Thank you Trey Alexander, YaoiLovinKitsune, and Ordinn Beaucephalis! Just a little warning, this chapter will probably continue with more emotional intensity, but I tried to add a few moments of levity to lighten it up a bit. Thanks for favorites and follows as well! :)
Hope you all enjoy the new chapter!
Shinra stepped out onto the roof to see Lieutenant Hinawa standing with his arms folded across his chest and a stern expression on his face. More stern than usual - an intense disapproving glower. Following the second in command's line of sight, he saw what the man was observing so intently.
Captain Obi was doing push ups as a typical part of his morning workout. However, on his back sat Phoenix. That was unusual. She placed her hands flat on his wide back between his shoulder blades. Slowly unfolding her legs, she pushed herself up until she was holding her entire body up on her hands with her legs extended out to the sides in a straddle split. She gradually lifted her behind, raising her legs upwards until she was doing a handstand on his back as he held his body in an extended plank or the up position of a push up.
"Lieutenant?" Shinra said.
"Hmm?" Hinawa grunted in return.
"What am I looking at here?" he asked, unable to take his eyes of the amazing display of acrobatics and strength.
"Shinra, you are bearing witness to the circus act of Company Eight."
"Wow...that's pretty incredible," he mumbled, watching with rapt attention as both people held the pose with only the slightest waver in their arms and legs.
"Yes, those are our monkeys, and this is indeed our circus," Hinawa said, managing to do so without even cracking a smile.
Phoenix kept her legs together, ever so slowly lowering them to the right until she pushed herself off of Captain Obi's back in sort of a half cartwheel. Captain Obi tucked his knees toward his belly and hopped up to a standing position beside her. He shook her hand, congratulated her on a job well done, and thanked her for the workout.
Upon seeing Shinra, Phoenix smiled broadly and jogged over to him. The uncomfortable tautness in his cheeks warned him his lips were about to be stretched into a monstrous grin.
"Good morning!" she greeted him happily.
"Good morning to you too," he rejoined. "That was impressive."
"Oh, thank you," she said, her already pink face blushing bright red. "Are you happy to be back home?"
She surprised Shinra by acting so nonchalant as if nothing at all had happened last night. However, he should have known because she did not strike him as the type to act love-struck and silly. He was finding himself more 'in like' with her as she had put it.
"Very much so," he replied, the muscles in his face loosening.
Hinawa cleared his throat to remind them of his presence.
"Phoenix, you should go get a shower. I'm headed down to prepare breakfast. Shinra, why don't you come help me?"
Although presented as a suggestion, Shinra immediately picked up on the implied command in the Lieutenant's tone.
"Sure thing, Sir."
After her shower, Phoenix went straight to the kitchen. The scent of coffee reached her nose at the door enticing her to inhale deeply to enjoy its wonderful aroma. Spying the regular coffee maker in the corner with a full decanter of freshly brewed coffee made her want a cup even more.
Hinawa was cracking eggs into a bowl while Shinra chopped vegetables. She flirtatiously brushed past Shinra on her way to the coffee pot. Her arm grazed his back, and she was careful not to touch his arms so she would not make his hand slip while he was holding and cutting the onion.
Shinra caught her eye and flashed her a big smile, just a happy one instead of the rigid, nervous kind, when she cast a glance back over her shoulder at him.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Phoenix asked, gathering the broken eggshells and placing them in the bin for the compost.
"Why don't you get a cup of coffee and sit down?" Hinawa said, nodding toward the coffee pot in the corner. "It's not the Captain's French Pressed coffee, but it will have to do."
Phoenix smiled, flattered the grumpy Lieutenant would even think enough of her to make any kind of coffee. She found the fancy gold rimmed coffee cup in the cabinet then gratefully poured herself a cup. After adding cream, she inhaled deeply catches the faintest waft of cinnamon.
"This is delicious," she complimented after taking a sip. "Did you add cinnamon to the grounds before brewing?"
"I did," he answered succinctly beating the eggs with a pair of chopsticks.
"You did a fantastic job, Sir. This is so good," she said, swearing she saw the slightest bit of a pink tint coloring his tanned cheeks.
"Hey! Something smells great!" Captain Obi announced, entering the kitchen with Iris and Maki behind him.
"Have a cup of coffee," Phoenix suggested. "It's great!"
"Where's Tamaki?" Obi asked as he poured his cup full.
"She's still sleeping. She's been through a terrible ordeal," Maki said in her defense.
"I would say you've all been through a terrible ordeal," Obi countered.
"But, Sir, she's nursing a broken heart. She was led astray and betrayed," Maki the romantic said, tears welling in her eyes.
What the hell happened?, Phoenix pondered, feeling sorry for Tamaki after Maki's earnest plea for understanding and lenience.
"Captain Obi, I need you to sign those transfer papers as soon as possible. Shinra, I also need you to fill out that missing persons report on Arthur. I'll take your report downtown to the municipal complex to file it with police headquarters to get the word out to all precincts," Phoenix declared formally, refilling her cup and sitting down on a bar stool between the Captain and Iris.
"Hey, Duchess, no discussing business before breakfast. It gives me indigestion," Obi said, lifting his mug to take a drink.
"Discussing business pretty much anytime of day gives you indigestion," Hinawa stodgily quipped.
"That's true," he patiently agreed seeing no point in arguing.
Everyone except Phoenix snickered. She glanced around at each person. Seeing their happy expressions made her smile. They were like a real family despite being strangers who simply came together to do a job. However, every single person in this company viewed being a Fire Soldier as more of a calling rather than just an occupation. They were a united front against an enemy bigger than any individual Infernal; they fought as one to determine the cause of Spontaneous Human Combustion in order to end it, to end the fear and pain and loss suffered by people.
When Shinra placed the last serving dish on the table, Tamaki walked into the kitchen stretching and yawning. The entire group stared at her as she stumbled into the kitchen dressed in pink pajamas covered in kittens. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes with her balled up fists, she blindly shuffled forward tripping on her feet shod in over-sized pink fuzzy slippers.
Stumbling forward with a shriek, she conveniently fell into Shinra's outstretched arms. Unfortunately, one of his hands somehow came to rest on her breast. She screamed again, slapping her poor savior's face before he could remove his hand.
"Ugh," Phoenix groaned, rolling her eyes. Rather than offering further comment, she sipped her coffee and kept her mouth shut.
"How dare you touch me like that, you degenerate!" she yelled, beating Shinra on the back with her fists after he turned it to her to walk away.
Shinra's face reddened after sliding Phoenix a sidelong glance. At least she seemed to understand groping Tamaki was really not his fault.
"There's a little bakery down the street I absolutely adore," Maki said as if to redirect their attention and lighten the heavy atmosphere. "We should go there one morning. All of us girls," she quickly added. "It will be a good bonding experience for all of the women of Company Eight."
"Yeah, you men are sorely outnumbered," Phoenix helpfully pointed out the obvious with a snide smile.
"That is true. You ladies go ahead and do that whenever you want. I'm sure us men would appreciate the break," Captain Obi returned with equivalent sarcasm.
Phoenix punched him in a bulky bicep, and he simply waved his hand at her as if she were like an annoying fly he wanted to shoo away. They were like siblings; Obi the older brother patiently enduring his little sister's antics.
After breakfast, everyone went to their desk to begin a long day of paperwork. About two hours later, Iris came in with mugs of tea for the members of the company as they sat toiling at their desks.
"We're so glad you're back, Shinra. You've made Company Eight very proud," she said as she sat the mug down on his desk.
"Thank you, Sister," he responded, the dark red blush high on his cheeks matched his bright red eyes.
Phoenix kept her eyes on the report she was reading over for spelling errors. A strange feeling she did not like was worming its way through her gut. Unreasonably she felt a little bit angry and slightly nauseated. Jealousy perhaps? What the hell?
Without looking up, she asked, "Shinra, have you finished that missing persons report? I'm about to leave to go to the city offices."
"Yes, ma'am," he responded, warranting a deep glower from her. "Uh, hmm, well, I'm almost done. I just need to add the phone number down here. Speaking of phone numbers, Tamaki can I get your phone number?"
"What?!" Tamaki and Phoenix asked in unison and both with the same shocked and irritated tone.
Captain Obi and Hinawa cast a questioning glance at Phoenix while Maki and Iris stared at Shinra in awe of his boldness.
"What do you need it for? We work together now after all," she said, standing up from her chair. A blush covered her cheeks as she smiled sheepishly. "But I suppose I could go ahead and give it to you. Just in case you want - "
"Juggernaut's been bugging me for it, and I thought I'd ask before I forgot again," he went on to explain.
Phoenix snorted in an effort to withhold her braying donkey laugh she was sure would break forth from her mouth. She breathed a sigh of relief that Shinra had not wanted her phone number for himself. Her instantaneous burst of jealousy did bug her a bit. She hated that feeling.
Her possessiveness was one of the factors in driving away her previous boyfriend. There was also the little fact she was hard pressed to believe he ever really cared about her to begin with. His lack of genuine caring contributed greatly to the end of their relationship. But he had been someone she could call her own, someone she could cling to in her life. It had been a long time if ever, that she had cared about someone. She had needed him more than she should have, and she knew that. She did not want to repeat the same mistake with Shinra.
"What?!" Tamaki screeched, placing her hand on her hips. "You want my phone number for someone else? How dare you!"
Tamaki stepped backwards preparing to come around the corner of her desk to pummel Shinra. The heel of her boot caught one of the wheeled legs of the chair which offset her balance. Flailing wildly, she failed to get her balance but over corrected her backwards movement which sent her falling forward - straight toward Shinra of course.
Phoenix moved fast positioning her body in front of Shinra's, prepared to protect him from another accidental sexual assault. This time, she became the victim of Tamaki's inadvertent salacious attack. She yelped when the clumsy girl's hands landed on both of her breasts grabbing and squeezing them which was done by Tamaki more in an effort to hold herself up rather than to feel Phoenix up. The fact her breasts were bare under her thin, backless blouse only made the situation worse for both of them.
"OH MY GOD!" Tamaki screamed, quickly removing her hands and bowing down in front of Phoenix. Kowtowing, she apologized over and over.
"Thank you for saving me," Shinra whispered behind Phoenix's head.
Phoenix pivoted on her heel to face him. Her arms were crossed over her breasts to hide them. Her face was red as a ripe apple, and her eyes were glassy with angry tears.
Shinra gave her a Cheshire cat smile on purpose rather than being forced to do so by his anxiety. The smile slowly dropped from his lips as she glared hotly at him.
"No problem. Just remember I've allowed myself to be violated to save your ass," she murmured in a low voice only he could hear. In a louder voice, she asked, "May I have that report please, Shinra?"
"Captain Obi, would it be okay if I escorted Phoenix? I don't think a lady should be left alone on such a long walk," he said, daring to smile at her as she visibly fumed.
"For god's sake, I can take care of myself," she mumbled, snatching the report from his desk.
"I think that's a wonderful idea," Obi returned. "Your chivalry would make Arthur proud."
"Thank you, Sir," Shinra returned, saluting the Captain.
He put his arm out for Phoenix to take hold so he could genuinely escort her like a gentleman. Instead of threading her arm through his, she scoffed and turned her back, her high heels clicking loudly on the tiles as she stormed out of the room.
"Better hurry, Shinra or you'll be left behind," Hinawa warned him.
Shinra ran after her, his flip flops smacking the soles of his feet as he went.
"Hey, wait up!" he called after her as he saw her turn the corner at the end of the hall.
To be in four inch heels, she could move unbelievably fast. He rounded the corner, pulling up short in surprise when he saw her standing there. Although he did his best to stop, his shoes slid a little on the waxed floor causing him to bump into her back.
"I'm sorry," he apologized, his eyes skimming over her detailed tattoo.
"Don't ever do that again," she said, a warning tone in her voice.
"Do what?" he asked, sincerely confused.
"I am no damsel in distress. I can take care of myself," she informed him, turning to face him and coming nose to nose with him in her heels.
"I know that. I saw an opportunity to be alone with you for a few minutes and took it," he explained, backing away so his eyes would not cross due to being so close to hers.
"Oh...so that's it?" Her eyes dropped to the floor as a blush of humiliation from the polite humbling colored her face magenta.
"Yes, that's it," he assured her. "So let's go."
Shinra sidestepped her to go to the door. He opened it for her despite the fact she might be annoyed about that too. To his great relief, she quietly walked through, waiting for him on the other side in front of the Cathedral.
They started their journey walking side by side without saying a word. A few blocks down while waiting at a crosswalk, Shinra broke the silence which felt a bit tense and uncomfortable.
"It's quite a distance. Are you okay to walk in those shoes?" he asked.
"If I get tired, you could always carry me," she proposed with a wink.
He blushed lightly and looked both ways down the street. The walk light flickered on and the little tune rang out from the speakers playing the countdown. As she stepped a foot clad in the thin spiked heels out onto the street, he grabbed her hand to pull her back.
Phoenix found herself wrapped in his arms which although not unpleasant was inappropriate in broad daylight on a street corner. Before she could question his reason for snatching her out of the street, a box truck rumbled past. Inside, the driver burned, flames flaring out the window like orange and red streamers.
"Damn," Shinra grumbled, igniting his feet and taking off to catch up to the truck.
"Seriously?" she muttered, extending her arms and her wings to follow behind him.
Shinra grabbed the rear view mirror attached to the door, hanging on as he placed his feet on the running board. Phoenix landed on top of the truck, her wings disappearing.
"I'll take care of the driver! You stop the truck!" he yelled.
Phoenix scooted over to the passenger's side of the truck, laying down on the roof. Peeking over the edge she could see the passenger's side window was down. She could also see Shinra opening the door to seize the burning driver. At that moment, she knew he was going to grab the Infernal and bail out of the truck.
Quickly she slid from the roof through the open window. As soon as her hand touched the wheel, Shinra jumped pulling the driver from the seat. Slipping behind the half melted steering wheel, the acrid smell of the burnt foam of the seat nauseated her as the residual heat warmed her behind.
Looking ahead, down the street people flowed back and forth over a crosswalk. There were men and women on their way to work or home. There were children on their way to school. All of these people were just going about their day. She could not allow any one of them to be killed. No one should receive the news their mother, father, or spouse, and certainly not their child, would never be coming home again due to a tragic accident.
Phoenix jumped on the brakes with both feet virtually standing up in the cab of the truck because she was pushing down so forcefully to stop the vehicle. The tires squealed and smoked, sending up a cloud of black smoke behind the truck. The stench of burned rubber filled her nose as the cries of terrified people met her ears. Reaching down with her hand and placing one of her feet on the clutch, she pulled the emergency brake and downshifted to further her effort to stop the speeding truck fast before it hit and killed someone.
Finally, the truck stopped with a whiplash inducing jerk. Phoenix's body was shoved forward by the lingering momentum that had no time to disperse. Her forehead hit the steering wheel sending a searing pain through her head that made her brain ache. After being thrown back against the seat, she saw bursts of white light in her foggy vision. Patting the side of the steering column, she found the key and turned the vehicle off.
Shaking her head, she tried to clear her vision which remained a little fuzzy. Looking out of the dirty windshield, she saw a woman standing in front of the truck, looking back at her through the circular hood ornament. Suddenly the woman dropped down, disappearing out of her sight.
"Oh, no!" she gasped, reaching for the door handle.
She opened the door and slid from the seat onto the the pavement. Her jellied knees refused to support her, and she crumpled to the ground in a kneeling position. Lights once again appeared in front of her eyes, visible fireworks despite the sunlight. Leaning forward, getting onto all fours, she crawled toward the woman who lay on her side in the crosswalk.
Phoenix pressed her fingers to the woman's neck feeling a pulse that was still quick but steady and strong. Without moving her too much, she looked the woman over for cuts and abrasions. Thankfully, she had none. Understandably, the woman fainted. Luckily for her, she gradually folded down to the ground with her arm under head to keep it from hitting the pavement.
"Phoenix!" she heard Shinra yell. "Phoenix! Where are you?"
"In front of the truck!" she yelled.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, squatting in front of her and taking her chin in his hand to examine her face.
"I-I'm o-okay," she stammered, wincing when he roughly pushed back her hair and scraped across the cut that ran from between her eyes over her left temple. "Ow, dammit."
"Sorry. Don't move. Don't try to get up," he commanded her sternly.
She was too dizzy not to follow his orders or to even protest. Slowly turning her head to look the other way up the street, she could see a crowd of people gathering around the body of the extinguished Infernal. She would swear she heard the booming voice of Captain Obi ordering the rudely curious onlookers to move back from the corpse.
"What happened?" he asked, pushing back the fringe across her forehead more gently this time to check out the bloody wound on her forehead.
"I hit my head on the steering wheel. Inertia is a bitch," she muttered, chuckling lightly which sent a surge of pain through her head. "Ouch!"
"That cut looks awful," he muttered, turning her face to view it from a different angle.
"It's not as bad as it looks. Facial wounds always bleed profusely due to the numerous capillaries so close to the surface of the skin. Those are the same ones that dilate and make our faces turn different shades of color when we blush," she explained, babbling and not really knowing why.
"Pretty and smart. You're a double threat, aren't ya?" he teased then returned to being all business. "All right, hang on. I'm going to pick you up and take you to the ambulance."
Shinra put one arm around her shoulders, the other under her knees to lift her up in a Princess carry. Forced to set her pride aside, knowing she was unable to walk on her shaky legs, Phoenix lay her head against his shoulder allowing him to carry her - as if she had a choice at the moment.
"Shinra!" Captain Obi yelled, running over to them as they approached. "Is she okay?"
"Oh, Captain, my Captain!" she blurted. "You are here. I'm not just hearing things."
"She's not okay, is she?"
"She'll be fine. She's got a hard head," he joked, tightening his arms around her to pull her closer to his chest.
"Yeah, I knew that hard head of hers would work in her favor at some point," Obi teased her mercilessly.
"Come you guys, it's not fair to do this to me now," she mumbled, her voice trailing off into a whisper and her eyes closing.
"What happened?"
"I think she fainted."
"I did not."
A medic approached, spreading apart the eyelids of one of her eyes. Her pupil immediately drew to a pin point, reacting to the sunlight as it should. He pushed back her hair to look at her injury.
"She doesn't seem to have a concussion. She is conscious and talking so that's good. Take her to the ambulance, and I'll get that wound cleaned up. It's not as bad as it looks. Only a superficial cut, not deep enough to require stitches," the medic informed the two concerned Fire Soldiers.
"Good," Obi sighed in relief, walking beside Shinra as he took Phoenix to the ambulance. After she was laid on the gurney inside, he asked Shinra, "What the hell happened?"
"We were about to cross the street when I saw the truck coming down the street, the Infernal behind the wheel," Shinra answered succinctly.
"So being the consummate hero you stepped in, putting yourself and Phoenix in immediate danger to save the day?"
"We stopped the truck before anyone could get hurt or killed. There was no time to call for back up. I did what I had to do and so did she. Remember, she is a Fire Soldier too."
Akitaru Obi lay a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Good job, Shinra."
"Thank you, Sir. I couldn't have done it without her help. I couldn't stop the Infernal and the truck."
"I know. She did a fantastic job as well."
"Let me go! Get your hands off of me!" Phoenix could be heard yelling from inside the back of the ambulance.
"Ma'am, please be still. I'm just trying to treat your injury. Ma'am! Please, lie down, ma'am. OW!" the medic hollered after a resounding smack could be heard.
"Yikes!" exclaimed Shinra, a chill running down his spine. He was glad she had not slapped him when he called her ma'am.
"I'm not old enough to be called ma'am!" she shouted, jumping out of the back of the ambulance.
"Here's your chance to congratulate her," Shinra said to Obi. "That police officer is calling me."
Obi did not hear anything. The police officer near them was busy taking a statement from a person who had been in the crosswalk.
"Hey! Where are you going? Shinra! Don't me leave alone with - "
"Captain!" Phoenix bellowed making him wince.
"Ugh," he groaned, turning to face her.
"Where did Shinra run off to? I need him to fill out another report." She thrust the paper spattered with her blood toward Obi. "Look at this mess! I can't turn this in!"
"Are you being serious right now?" he asked her in disbelief. "Get back in the ambulance. Your head is still bleeding. That wound needs to be cleaned and bandaged. I said get back in the ambulance."
Phoenix suddenly dropped after her knees gave way. Her heart thrummed heavily in her chest before she felt strong arms gripping her, holding her up. Intense red eyes met hers. Her hero had arrived just in time.
"I'll always be here when you need me. I won't let you fall," he said, giving her a lopsided smile. "At least not in a way you can get hurt."
~\'/~
"Are you sure you're okay?" Shinra asked her after they exited police headquarters. "I could have brought the report here myself."
"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm fine," Phoenix assured him for at least the fifth time. "Even the doctor you and Captain Obi forced me to go see said I'm perfectly fine. There was no concussion like the ambulance medic said."
"But you fainted."
"The heel on my shoe broke. I didn't faint."
"Are you hungry? Do you want to grab a bite on our way back to the Cathedral?" he inquired as they crossed the plaza.
"Are you asking me out on a date?" she teased him, jabbing him lightly in the ribs with her elbow.
"Maybe. Would you say yes if I was?"
"I might."
"Then, hypothetically speaking of course, would you like to have dinner with me?"
"Yes, hypothetically speaking. You know, if you were asking me out."
Shinra shoved his hands in the pockets of his jumpsuit. Soon after, Phoenix laced her arm through his as they leisurely strolled down the sidewalk.
"What about that place?" she suggested, pointing toward a cozy looking storefront with window boxes full of red geraniums.
"I think that's a cafe serving desserts and coffee only," he said.
"Oh, darn. It looks so cute. You suggest a place next."
They crossed over to the next block. A restaurant with a red and white striped awning caught his attention. Unfortunately it was a deli that was only open for lunch. They continued walking, finding a place then deciding why they could not eat there. They didn't like the food. It was too busy. The place looked too dirty. Reasons were wide and varied. Then they were getting within the last few blocks of the Fire Cathedral.
"What about Ippudo Ramen?" Shinra proposed.
"Sounds good to me. We know the food is good and so is the atmosphere. Great idea," she agreed enthusiastically.
Shinra opened the door for her so she unhinged her arm from his to walk inside. The place was crowded but that was okay. They didn't mind waiting for an open table. As they sat down on the bench in preparation to wait, a familiar voice filtered through the noise, rising above the din to clearly reach their ears.
"Hey! You two! Over here!" Akitaru Obi yelled, standing up from the table in the corner.
"Oh, my god," gasped Phoenix.
"You've got to be kidding," Shinra muttered when the tall man made even more of a spectacle of himself by wildly waving his arms since he assumed he had not gotten their attention with his loud voice.
"Thank goodness the date was only pretend," she muttered.
"I suppose we can take a theoretical rain check on that pretend date," he returned, pushing her ahead of him toward the table.
"You found the note we left in the kitchen?" Hinawa asked, sliding down the bench to make room for Shinra.
Phoenix glanced at Shinra with a questioning expression on her face. He looked as befuddled as she felt, shaking his head and shrugging in return. Apparently their choosing this place had been a lucky, or unlucky, depending on how they decided to look at it, trick of fate.
"Yeah. Of course we did," Shinra replied.
Phoenix sat down in the one open spot which was beside Tamaki. At least she was positioned across from Shinra. Their dinner for two turned into a dinner for seven instead. The more the merrier whether they liked it or not so they might as well make the best of it.
The server arrived at the table with a tray full of drinks.
"I took the liberty of ordering a drink for everyone," Captain Obi announced, taking the drinks from the tray two at a time to begin passing them around the table. "Here's a beer for you Phoenix. I figured you could use it after the day you've had. Sorry, Shinra but tea will have to do for you."
"How old are you, Phoenix?" Shinra asked as she lifted the frosty mug to her lips.
"Shinra!" all of the girls shouted in unison.
Phoenix patiently sipped the foamy alcoholic drink choosing to ignore the question rather than getting offended or angry.
"Even I know you don't ask a woman her age," Obi said, raising his mug into the air. "A toast to new members who have joined and old ones who have returned."
"Kanpai!" everyone exclaimed together in response, thrusting their glasses in the air.
Company Eight knew how to celebrate and have fun. For hours they sat at the restaurant, drinking and eating, laughing and talking. They were friends and family celebrating being together.
Phoenix drank enough to make herself feel fuzzy headed and light as if she were walking on air. She stood up and swayed back and forth uncertainly. A giggle bubbled up her throat and out of her mouth.
"Whoa, somebody is feeling their alcohol," Obi remarked, squatting down in front of her. "All right, young lady, you need to climb aboard. You've already escaped one injury today. We don't need you turning an ankle in those heels on the way home."
"Yesh, shir," she slurred, placing her hands on his shoulders.
Shinra lay his hand over hers, pulling her hand away from the Captain's broad shoulder before she completely climbed onto his back for the piggyback ride.
"I'll do it. Let me carry you," he said, squeezing her hand.
Phoenix gaped at him momentarily in a foggy drunken stupor then smiled and shrugged.
"Okay. Assume the position, and I'll ride you," she said.
Obi laughed loudly at the accidental salacious double entendre. "Well, you can certainly tell who her former Captain is."
Phoenix seemed prone to make those comments without even trying. Maki blushed and snorted, covering her mouth with her hand to hold back her laughter. Tamaki growled and thrust her fists down by her sides. Was she jealous?
"Oh, my," Iris gasped, blushing darkly at the insinuation.
"Holy crap, these damn kids," muttered Hinawa but could not stop the smile from forming on his face.
The big grin and blushed cheeks on Shinra made everyone laugh.
"Whasso f-funny?" inquired the tipsy Phoenix, unaware of the implication of her remark.
"Giddyup, Duchess, and let's go," Obi said. "Your noble steed awaits."
Phoenix climbed onto Shinra's back, hooking her arms under his and folding them around his shoulders instead of enclosing his neck and choking him. His arms wrapped around her legs, holding her securely onto his back as they exited the restaurant for the short walk to the Cathedral only a few blocks away.
Laying her head down, her cheek pressed against the skin at the nape of Shinra's neck. He was warm. So warm.
"Why did you drink so much?" Shinra inquired as they lagged behind the others.
"I didn't mean to. It was just nice to relax and have fun. I didn't get to do that at the Fifth. I didn't get to be...me," she sighed, tightening her arms over his shoulders. "Things weren't bad in the Fifth. Just different. I have the utmost respect for my former Captain."
"I have no doubt you do," Shinra rejoined. "Hey, Phoenix?"
"Yeah, Shinra?"
"I like you. I like who you are."
She chuckled lightly. "Rght back at ya, my hero."
Shinra took her straight up to her room still attached to his back. He sat down on the bed to allow her to simply lie back, but she remained stuck to him.
"You can let go now," he informed her, not really caring that she was clinging to him but he feared the wrath of Obi for staying too long in her room.
"I don't want to," she whined but reluctantly released her grip on him. "But I will so we don't get into trouble."
"Good idea."
Shinra stood up, assisting her with undoing the tiny gold buckles on the straps around her ankle. He stepped back as she kicked to push off the shoes that fell haphazardly onto the floor. Once she turned her body to lay her head on the pillow, he picked up the blanket folded at the end of her bed to lay it over her.
"Good night, Phoenix," he said, leaning over her to tuck the blanket around her shoulders.
Her eyes opened, meeting his. Before he could stand up, she grabbed a fistful of his jumpsuit to keep him close. She could move surprisingly fast despite her drunkenness. His eyes held hers that were now clear and focused directly onto his.
Their hearts beat in unison, strong but serene. The sensation was no longer so offsetting. Spending hours together made the connection between them easier to manage, making it not as distracting and only noticeable in the quiet times.
"It's pretty strange. Feeling your heart this way. Knowing it as well as I know my own," she said, letting go of the material clutched in her hand.
"Strange," he agreed. "But in a good way."
Phoenix rolled over onto her side, turning her back to him.
"Good night, Shinra."
Without another word, he walked out of the room. If he said anything else, he would have stayed longer, but he had already stayed too long as it was.
~\..'../~
Phoenix placed the stack of papers on Captain Obi's desk.
"Sign these, please," she requested. "I marked all of the blanks."
"How's the head?" he inquired, picking up his pen.
"Not bad. Just a dull ache. I'm going to check the mail," she said.
Phoenix opened the door, yelping in surprise to see someone standing there. She backed away when the blonde boy dropped down to one knee in front of her, bowing his head.
"My Queen," he greeted her with courtly manners.
"Uh, what? Who are you?" she inquired, backing away a few more steps. "Captain Obi!"
"I am your humble knight, Sir Arthur Boyle," he declared loudly and proudly, placing his hand over his heart.
"Arthur? Arthur!" she cried out.
"Does this belong to you ma'am?" asked the police officer after stepping into view.
"Yes, he's ours," Captain Obi answered from where he stood behind Phoenix. "Where'd you find him?"
"He was wandering around the park bothering all of the girls and scaring away the birds. Someone finally called the police on him for causing a disturbance, and we picked him up. He said a dragon had led him astray, then he couldn't find his castle," the officer explained.
"How did you know to bring him here?" Obi inquired.
"We got the address off of the missing persons report. Is this kid okay?" the officer asked with genuine concern.
"He's fine. He just has an overactive imagination. Thank you for bringing him back," Obi said, herding the boy inside and closing the door.
"How long have I been gone, Captain? When did our beautiful Queen arrive?" Arthur asked casting a curious glimpse at Phoenix who kept her eyes straight ahead as she walked, her chin held high and her nose in the air. "Such royal bearing. I can't take my eyes off of my lovely liege."
"You know you said that out loud right?" she asked without looking at him.
"Only a few days. Phoenix arrived a couple of weeks ago. You could have seen her when you were at the First had you not been sleeping"
"Phoenix? A gorgeous, mythical bird known for its flames. What a beautiful and fitting name!" the delusional blonde declared.
"Of course you would know that," Obi muttered, sighing with exasperation.
"I can't believe I missed the arrival of the Queen," the self-proclaimed knight lamented.
"Stop calling me that," she snapped.
Shinra met them as they turned the corner of the hallway.
"Arthur...you're back," he stated matter of factly.
He was neither happy nor sad about Arthur's return. Resigned would be a better term for his reaction.
"Phoenix, can I talk to you a minute?" Shinra asked.
"Oh, shoot! I forgot to check the mail. I got distracted by King Arthur here and - "
"I'm not a king yet, milady," he corrected her.
"Oh, boy...anyway, walk with me to check the mail," she said to Shinra, rotating on her heel to go back to the door. Once Obi and Arthur were out of earshot, she questioned him,"What's up? What did you want to talk about?"
"I just wanted an excuse to get you alone," he confessed, the back of his hand brushing against hers.
"Did you really?" Her fingers grazed his, her forefinger hooking around his.
"I also needed a break from writing my report. So much happened. So many details to write," he sighed wearily, running his other hand through his hair.
"It never gets any easier watching people die in front of you does it?"
"No, it doesn't."
Phoenix opened the door, walking out into the sunshine and inhaling the fresh air deeply. Although it meant letting go of Shinra, she raised her arms above her head and stretched.
"He's quite weird isn't he?"
"Arthur? He is, but he's harmless. Underneath it all, he's a good guy and a great Fire Soldier. He gets on my nerves sometimes, but I'm glad he's a comrade here at the Eighth."
"He keeps calling me Queen," she mumbled, opening the lid of the rectangular metal mailbox attached to wall by the door.
"Queen? Wow, he's given you a really high royal ranking. So far he has only called females princess. You should be flattered," he teased her, poking her in the ribs with his forefingers.
"Should I? Should I really?" she retorted, kicking at him playfully but he backed out of the reach of her leg. She flipped through the mail seeing an envelope sealed with a red wax seal marked with the insignia of the Holy Sol Temple. "Shit!"
"Oooh, such language. That's not fitting of a queen," he taunted her. When she ignored him, staring at the envelope with an angry expression on her face, he became concerned. "What is it?"
"It's an invitation from the Holy Sol Temple."
"An invitation? For what?"
"I don't know. I'm sure it has something to do with the incident while you were at the First. The Infernal Bugs. The Adolla Burst."
She glanced up at him. Shinra did not like the anxiety, the fear, he saw in her eyes. She did not strike him as the type of person to be an alarmist, someone who would get scared without a good reason.
"You said Rekka mentioned something about the church being on a mission of some sort right?"
"Yeah, but...Do you think that's what this is about?"
"Honestly, I don't know, but the timing is kind of fishy, don't you think? Whatever they want, I'm sure it's not good. We should give this to Captain Obi."
Shinra and Phoenix went directly to the Captain's office. Arthur was just walking out as they prepared to walk in. Phoenix handed Obi the sealed envelope carelessly tossing the rest of the mail onto her desk. She seriously doubted any of that compared to importance of this letter.
"What's going on?" he asked, studying the envelope in his hand. He had the same reaction as Phoenix upon seeing the seal. "The Holy Sol Temple, huh? This can't be good."
Shinra nudged Phoenix with his hip as he stood at attention beside her. They watched in a breathless silence as Obi broke the seal and unfolded the letter. As his dark eyes tracked back and forth reading the page, his brow furrowed deeply and his mouth turned downward into a severe glower. Closing his eyes, he exhaled noisily and placed the letter face down on his desk.
"What is it, Captain?" she inquired impatiently.
"It's an invitation to a Captain's Conference. They want to discuss the Hoshimiya Incident," he sighed.
"When is it?" Shinra piped up.
"Two days from now. We need to start preparing. It's a good thing Arthur is back. Shinra, you, Arthur, Maki, and Tamaki will be coming with me since you were directly involved in the incident. We need to have a discussion of our own before we go."
"Is now a good time, Sir? I can go get them," Phoenix offered.
"Please, do." Obi leaned back in his chair, scrubbing his hands over his face.
"Sir, what exactly does this mean?" Shinra leaned forward, placing his palms flat on the top of the desk.
"I don't know. I have no idea what they're after. But apparently they're involved in a big way. It's extremely rare, almost unheard of, For the Holy Sol Temple to call a Captain's Conference. What's going on between you and Phoenix?" Obi asked, taking the conversation in an unexpected direction.
"Did she talk to you about the resonance, the connection?" Shinra asked hoping that was what he was referring to and not their more romantic connection.
"Yeah. She did. It has something to do with the Adolla Burst, right?"
Shinra nodded.
"That worries me. That could make you, and her, even more of a target for them."
"Target, Sir?"
The usual unflappable, laid back Captain appeared tense and troubled by this new development. Not many things could get under Obi's skin and when they did it was cause for concern - and caution.
"A target for whoever is doing this. Since it has to do with the Adolla Burst, and with this conference being called, I'm betting the church is deeply involved. Even more so than they want us to know."
There was a timid knock on the door before it opened. Phoenix had returned with the others who filed into Obi's office.
"I'll come back later after your meeting is over," she announced, preparing to close the door.
"Phoenix, I'll need you to stay. You're a part of this," Obi said, waving her inside.
Confused but obedient, Phoenix entered the room, closing the door behind her. She took a seat at her desk and prepared to take notes.
"Start from the beginning and tell me what happened with the priest Rekka Hoshimiya," he ordered them sternly. "Don't leave out any detail no matter how small or seemingly insignificant."
The four Fire Soldier's groaned. They had been writing reports for two days except for the one who had been chasing girls and pigeons in the park.
"But Captain, you could read the reports when they're finished," Tamaki whined, not really wanting to relive the event of Rekka's heartbreaking revelation and his sad death again.
"I'm sorry you have to rehash it all again, Tamaki, but I need to hear it from you. I need to hear everything as each of you saw it, heard it, felt it. It's important," he said, unable to fully express the gravity of the situation. "You can go first and get it over with. When you're part is done, you can leave. Okay?"
"Yes, Sir," Tamaki returned.
Phoenix inhaled a steadying breath and prepared her pen to write and write a lot. It was going to be a long day for everyone.
~\./~
The meeting adjourned for dinner with the plan to meet back in the Captain's office after breakfast tomorrow. After dinner, everyone went their separate ways to relax and regroup for the next day.
Phoenix went to the roof, aware that Shinra was behind her due to the synchronization of their heartbeats. She stepped out onto the roof not going very far. The darkness was profound since there was no moon to provide any illumination.
When Shinra's hand lay on her shoulder, she turned into his body, pressing her face into the folds of his jumpsuit across his chest. His arms enclosed her shaking body to embrace her.
"What's wrong?" he asked, her warm tears dripping onto his neck.
"It was horrible listening to what all of you had to go through. Poor Tamaki, having to watch the man she loved die in such a shocking and awful way," she whispered, feeling sympathy for the girl.
Suddenly she pushed herself out of Shinra's gentle embrace, swiping at the tears on her cheeks. She sniffed and growled, angry with herself. She walked away from him, leaning against the wall around the roof.
"Oh, my god," she sniffled. "What have you people done to me? I'm feeling all these...all these things...these emotions I never had to deal with before."
"I would say I'm sorry, but I'm not," Shinra stated with blunt honesty.
He stood in front of her, pushing her tear dampened hair away from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear. Taking a chance, he embraced her again. He liked the way she felt in his arms. It just felt so right. Phoenix seemed to like it too as she raised her arms to enclose his neck.
The absence of light prevented them from seeing each other which made them more aware of everything else. The warmth of the other's body as they pressed together. The strength of his arms around her shoulders. The softness of her breasts against his chest. The sound of each breath that was shared between them. The beating of their hearts that reached their ears. The perfume of her lavender vanilla soap; fresh, clean, relaxing. His scent was reminiscent of cardamom and sandalwood. The aroma conjured up images in her head of campfires and flannel in autumn, warm and comforting.
Shinra felt her move, shifting in his arms so he loosened them. But she did not want to be let go. Quite the contrary. Her heels made her as tall as him, enabling her to brush the tip of her nose across his. Her warm breath tickled his lips. A buzzing, electrical current of excitement vibrated from her mouth to his from the proximity of their lips.
"Are we moving too fast?" he asked her, placing his fingertips along her jaw.
"Maybe. But we never know what day will be our last. Think about what happened to our mothers. I'm sure they never imagined the day they died was their last day alive. They had so much to live for. Your mother had two beautiful sons she loved dearly. My mother had her...work."
"What about you? She had you."
"Mmmm, I think I was more of a footnote on a page of her research but that's okay. Otherwise I wouldn't be here with you now. What about the thing that just happened with Rekka? He had no idea he was going to die. He had plans, a mission to fulfill. Now he's dead," she stated with almost cruel bluntness. "We never know what's going to happen."
"What if nothing happens? What if we're stuck with each other for years and years and years?" His lips grazed hers lightly as he spoke sending a stimulating surge through both of them.
"How is that a bad thing?" she countered.
"It's not. So what if we just get bored?" he questioned her.
Phoenix hoped this was not going to be a game of twenty questions, but it was getting there fast. Shinra did enjoy his hypothetical questions. A true philosopher.
"We're not the type of people to lead uneventful lives. As Fire Soldiers or as individuals." She caressed his cheek with her fingertips. His skin was smooth and soft.
"What if we burn out? Get tired of each other?" he asked.
"I don't see that happening. You're far too interesting. Besides, your hero complex is very sexy. I can buy you a cape to change things up a bit," she giggled, feeling his cheek muscles tightening as he smiled.
His heart was beating faster. Apprehension was setting in. The corners of his mouth were twitching. Phoenix could feel the muscles in his cheeks spasm under her thumbs.
"If it makes you feel any better. I'm scared too. I've been reckless with my feelings before and paid the price. But you're different," she murmured, massaging his cheeks with her thumbs to relax the muscles. "Like you said, why don't we just promise to NOT break each other's hearts? What happened to that guy, huh?"
"What if - "
"Please don't do this," she interrupted, her voice pleading.
"What if - "
"We could what if all night or you could kiss me. Which do you want to do?"
"Ah, dammit. Why would I argue with that?"
Shinra breached the mere millimeters between them, pressing his lips to hers. The kiss was tender, hesitant. Fingers caressed cheeks, necks, shoulders, and backs as their chaste, closed mouths relished the new sensation of the others lips on theirs. His hands rested on her waist. Hers clutched around the back of his neck. Phoenix was not letting him go, and there was no where he wanted to go.
His lips parted first, curious for more. The thrill of exploring the unknown made them tremble in each others arms. She tentatively touched the tip of her tongue to the middle of his lower lip to test his readiness and requesting permission. The tip of his tongue touched hers to answer affirmatively.
Shinra moaned into her mouth as her tongue gently entered his, stroking across his tongue. Every muscle in her body tensed in response to the sounds he made. His tongue pushed back against hers, setting off a stimulating back and forth battle.
His hand drifted up her back, his palm flattening between her shoulders to pull her to him tighter. He could feel the smooth raised skin of her keloid scars against his palm. Her skin grew warmer under his hand, and there was a sudden powerful pulse that was like a punch in the chest to both of him. Her tongue withdrew from his mouth, and she pushed him back a little to breathe. Both of them drew in raspy breaths through their open mouths.
"Wasn't that kiss better than continuing the what if game?" Phoenix whispered to him.
"Uh huh," he agreed, giving her a brief peck on the lips. "Can I kiss you again?"
"Do you think our hearts can take it?"
"I'm willing to risk it."
"That's my fearless hero."
