DAY 2:
Her morning consisted of the previous on repeat. Once again, she brought in tea for two, making her captain's just how he liked it before setting it before him. This time though, a small package accompanied it. He stared at it quizzically then at his lieutenant.
"What's this?' He inquired quietly.
"A peace offering." She replied, voice just as quiet. "I was out of line captain and I'm sorry. I realized sometimes I take advantage of how tolerant you are with me. Sooo, I got up a bit earlier and made you a little something." She finished her sentence with a gentle smile.
"It's not all on you Matsumoto. I reacted rashly and for that I'm sorry, but you must understand how I came to the conclusion that I had." Turquoise eyes studied her from across the small space between their desks.
"Yes, I understand captain." She replied solemnly, meeting the deep pools with summer skies. He nodded, a slight upturn to his mouth. She returned to her tea cup still suspended inches from her lips, waiting in anticipation for him to open his gift.
Taking up the glitter wrapped gift, he began peeling away the paper revealing a small white pastry box. Brow arched, he opened it. What he found inside had his brows creased deeply, nose wrinkling.
"What is it?" He asked unsure of the pale colored, jiggling blob, covered in burnt patches, and dusted with what smelled like cinnamon.
"What do you mean? It's quite obvious I made you a sweet roll!" Her face colored with irritation.
"Is that what it's supposed to be?" He inquired skeptically. He titled his head this way and that, trying to find the form of the alleged bakery item.
"You're so mean! I got up ten minutes early to make that for you!" She scolded, hands plastered to her desk.
"Rangiku, it takes more than ten minutes for a sweet roll to bake. You've given me raw dough." He began. "Are you trying to get me sick?" He finished with a look of suspicion. "Wait, if you only baked it for ten minutes, how is it that parts of it are burned?"
"I increased the temperature to make up for the time." She told him in a huff. "Anyway, I was trying to apologize for yesterday." She spat. "You have absolutely no tact, captain."
"And you, Matsumoto, have no knack for the culinary arts." He quipped, pushing the half-baked treat into the trash bin alongside his desk, a look of disgust etched in his features. "You do realize you could have given me food poisoning, don't you?" He looked at her, eyes serious.
Glaring, she stamped her foot, growl emanating from deep inside her chest. Picking up her paperwork, she exited the captain's quarters heading towards gods' knew where. Anywhere away from that insensitive captain of hers.
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She was walking past the twelfth division barracks when the "daughter" of its captain pushed through the doors, nearly displacing the head high stack of papers held in the blonde's arms.
"Please, excuse me lieutenant Matsumoto." Her voice monotone, bow quick and precise.
"S'okay Nemu." Rangiku called from the other side of the stack. "And stop being so formal. We're friends, aren't we?"
"Of course." Nemu replied politely, another bow following.
Rangiku grabbed the girls slender arm tugging her to stand tall.
"I told you, no formalities." Chiding the artificial soul, she sought a place to set down the numerous files, finally making do with the small stoop just outside the barracks' door. The brunette eyed the pile, expressionless, as usual.
"What is all this?" She inquired no real interest or curiosity evident.
"Well, it's all my work from the captain's office." She explained, resting her chin in one hand. Green eyes peered down at her as she sat on the stoop along with her work.
"Why are you not doing your work in the office?" She asked without inflection.
"I don't want to be near that jerk captain of mine." Discussing the stoic midget had her feelings stirring once again. Nemu merely blinked slowly, still standing over the irritated woman. Getting even more irritated by the girl looming over her, she yanked the closest arm and brought a slightly widened pair of emerald eyes down beside her. A dark brow arched in question then smoothed back out.
"Nemu, you don't think I'm lazy, do you?" Her question was laced with hope that the girl would be gentle after being confirmed a friend. She should have known better from where she came from.
"Well, it depends on what you are tasked with." Rangiku glared out the side of her vision. "If it is something that involves something you enjoy, such as alcoholic beverages or sexual intercourse, then you are quite efficient and proficient. If not, you do not preform the task, thus making you not as capable at said task." Rangiku shook her head, waving her hand in dismal.
"Shouldn't have asked." Rangiku muttered under her breath, leaning back against the building for support. The green eyed girl, though fairly lost when it came to human emotions, could plainly see that there was more to the story than the blonde was letting on.
"This is not just about you and your captain's usual work discrepancies, is it?" Though formed as a question, it was not, the brunette already knowing the answer.
Rangiku let a long sigh pass her lips before she explained it all leaving Nemu feeling regret for having asked in the first place. There were too many emotions for her to filter and comprehend. She silently gave thanks that her creator had done well enough to leave them out when she was formed. Mercifully she was coming to the end of her woeful story.
"I just wish he had a day in my shoes, ya' know? It's not as easy as he thinks it is being his subordinate." She was pulling petals off a lavender flower unfortunate enough to be growing within her anxious reach.
"Do you truly feel that it would change his view that greatly?" Nemu's brows pulled in above her dainty nose. She was trying with all her being to be an understanding friend.
"Yeah, I really do. I think he needs to try my way of life for a while to see that it can be more than work and schedules and punctuality….and, and being sober!" Her face was fully animated, arms and hands gesturing wildly.
"Maybe someday you will get your wish Matsumoto." Nemu gave a ghost of a smile, barely detected by the blonde beside her.
Rangiku, feeling a bit better if only for having someone to listen to her troubles, stood up and dusted off her uniform, grabbing the pile of parchments once sufficiently clean. A quick wave and she left the silently grateful Nemu standing alone outside the barracks.
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Rangiku was sitting on her massive bed, papers spread out in six piles before her, ordered by importance, realm, and signed or unsigned. She laid upon her stomach, legs kicking lightly as she made her way through yet another ledger for squad eleven and the last week's visits to the infirmary along with the collateral damage, which was astronomical once again.
Those boys were such testosterone driven idiots. It was no wonder they continuously had her picking up the tab at the sake bar. She turned the page only to find another three incidents from the previous week yet to be paid off. If her captain was theirs, they wouldn't be breathing. But, Kenpachi was such a crazed beast himself there was no way he would try and enforce better behavior from his subordinates.
What really blew her mind was the fact that Captain Unohana had not put an end to the foolishness that kept the infirmary at max capacity and had her and her squad working thirteen hour days. She was a truly terrifying woman when she wanted to be, and even Kenpachi bowed to her. Not her issue, she had enough of her own. No need to take more on her plate. She mentally shrugged and pressed on.
After three consecutive hours of similar accounts, she made an oath to take care of the problem herself if it meant never having to look at the damn papers ever again. Those drinking buddies of hers were the reason she was still up at this gods' forsaken hour.
'See if I pay for you pains in my ass next time.'
Finally through all of squad eleven exploits, she began to doze, pen loose in her hand, head drooping to the soft mattress. A sharp rap had her head jerking up and around, the last paper she had been reading stuck to one pink cheek. Pulling it off and tossing it aside in disgust, she listened again for the intrusive noise. Another series of raps, it was at her door.
She reluctantly levered herself off her bed and staggered to the front door. She opened it and upon seeing his pineapple shaped, vibrantly red head, she closed the door without a word.
"Oi! That wassin very nice!" Renji slurred through the mail slot.
"Go away, Renji." She called over her shoulder on her way back to her room.
"C'mon Ran…Lemme com'in." He whined, fingers wiggling through where his mouth previously was.
"I'm tired and don't want to deal with your drunken monkey antics tonight." She was putting the papers aside and making herself more comfortable in a short baby doll nightie.
"Jus' lemme crash...I'll b'have…promise." He was attempting his best serious voice.
"You suck at keeping promises." She was pulling back the sheets and climbing into bed at this point.
"Pleeeeeaaaaassseee?!" He was on his hands and knees whining through the slot once again.
"Shut. Up. You are going to wake the whole damn seretei with your howling."
"I'll stop if ya lemme com'in."
"No Renji. Go. Home." She pulled the pillow over head in attempts to block out the annoying sounds coming from outside her door.
"It's s'cold and lonely out here." He began scratching at the light wood of the door. "Raaaaaaaannnn!"
"Damn it, Renji! Go away!" She sat up, throwing her pillows down the hall towards the obnoxious soul reaper on the reverse side of her door.
"Ran, I'm gonna' start serenadin' you…" He taunted.
"Don't you dare Renji Abarai!" She cried in horror.
The next sound was the drunken red head clearing his throat in preparation to make good on his threat.
Rangiku sprang out of the bed and rushed down the hall. Throwing open the door, she yanked him up off the floor and dragged him inside. He, in victory, smiled all the while as he traipsed into the living room.
"You are such a brat!" She spat at the man lounging across her egg shell colored couch.
"You love me and ya know it." He grinned, throwing his hands behind his head.
A roll of her baby blues was her response as she sat in the couch's matching chair.
"So, how much did you have to drink tonight?" She asked, nose wrinkling at the familiar scent rolling of his languid body.
"A couple." His reply was paired with a innocent grin.
"You're a terrible liar. I can smell you all the way over here." Her usually smooth face was contorted in disgust. "My poor couch is going to reek like cheap sake for a week."
Renji merely smirked, pulling off items of clothing to make himself more comfortable. She watched intently because whether he was an obnoxious loud mouth or not, he had an awesome body. She found her gaze traveling the path of one of the many tattoos flowing across his torso, over his solid chest, down sculpted abdominals, down and parallel to the brain debilitating "v" right above his waist band.
"Can I help you?" Cocky could have been his middle name.
"I'd need more than five minutes but thanks though." She shot him a smug smirk.
"Hey, I'm not the one lookin' like I'm wond'rin whad'ya taste like." Another arched brow.
"I don't have to wonder if your smell gives any indication." She pinched her nose turning it up an away.
He playfully chucked a sock at her, the noxious article of clothing nearly hitting her directly in the face. She dodged the bioweapon and tossed the small throw pillow from behind her, lilac colored satin connecting with his forehead. A quick grin and he was across the room throwing her over his shoulder and hauling her squirming body down the hall to drop her on the plush comforter adorned bed.
Heart thrumming with anticipation, she watched as her good friend eyed her dangerously, lascivious smile creeping across full lips. She knew what was coming. It had many times before. He always got like this when he drank. She didn't mind. She was just always beyond exhausted the next morning. Here's hoping she wouldn't be a zombie come tomorrow.
Black painted muscles bunched before he pounced, hands going for all the sensitive spots. Two minutes in and she couldn't breathe, her body writhing to escape his attention. He only held her down tighter, smile wide and predatory, efforts doubled.
"Okay! Okay! I give! I can't take anymore." Rangiku coughed, trying to regain her breath. "You win, you win." Her giggles and squeaks slowing as he finally let her up.
"Winner and still champion!" He bellowed while throwing muscle baring poses in her direction.
"I find tickling to be cheating." She mock pouted. She had enjoyed the time of play just as much as he.
"It's not cheating, it's strategy." He smiled down at his flushed friend, truly happy that she was happy.
He pulled his hair down out of its signature up-do and shook it out about his shoulders. She couldn't quite help the little skip her heart made. He was attractive and he affected her the way an attractive man might, but, they were friends. There was an unspoken understanding between the two and though moments like this plagued her, she adhered to those silent rules.
She rolled off the bed to stand beside him, smile still lingering. She stretched upward to lay a quick kiss to his cheek, hand braced on a sweat slick shoulder. They stood there looking at each other a moment before she pulled away with a parting remark.
"Are you going to shower or what? You smell something awful and it's permeating everything in my house." Her mock snob act always fanned the flames of trouble.
He leaned in to her, lips near touching.
*Crack*
A large hand connected to her tight bottom, leaving it hot and stinging. He was flash stepping into the bathroom, laughing all the way, before she could react to the rear assault.
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She fell back against her pillows, heat creeping over her upper body. That man was going to be the death of her. He was already doing one hell of a number on her sanity. He had absolutely no clue how affected she was by him, just being him. Running his hand through his unbound hair while he lounged on her couch, head hanging over the arm, leaving the long tresses to nearly brush the floor. Or the other day, when he changed the kitchen light bulb without a ladder. Stretching over head, his shirt rose leaving bare the angular protrusion of hips, softening into that damn "v", before melting into the dark red, silk pajama pants which clung to him oh-so-wonderfully in all the right places.
Recalling the wet dream worthy sight, muscles clenching low in her core, a chill coursed throughout her body. Desire brought an uncontrollable fever to her skin as she ran her tongue over plump lips, visualizing tracing it over every inch of ink that graced his muscular body.
"Stop it!" She scolded herself, covering her face with her feather pillow to mute the brief scream of frustration pouring from deep inside her.
She laid in the silent room, willing her libido to ebb. As she slowed her heart and cooled her flesh, the light patter of water could be heard from down the hall. Her thoughts unintentionally drifted to the scene hidden behind her bathroom door.
Brown eyes closed, head titled back, while water turned his vibrant red hair the color of wine. Water that then traversed down solid shoulders, chiseled chest, and sculpted back. Caressing the dimple right above his toned...
"Gods girl. He's just a man." She whispered to herself.
She wrestled with her bed sheet for several minutes before she broke.
"Screw it."
She closed her eyes picking up where she had left off on her journey of flesh. Letting her imagination go wild, a satisfied smile crept across her lips.
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She was nearly asleep when he exited the bathroom to stand over her bed dripping, bare as the day he was born.
"Ran, I need a towel." He whispered.
Opening her eyes, she finally knew how far down those tattoos of his went. They continued down, encircling him, giving the illusion of some sort of lewd candy cane. Her tongue soon developed a mind of its own, so she bit down to keep it from escaping the confines of her watering mouth. Taking a deep, calming breath, she looked up getting a fat droplet of water on her cheek.
"I see that." She replied dryly as she wiped at her face. "They're in the hall closet across from the bathroom." She rolled away from him pulling the covers up to her chin, more to hide her lusty gaze and bind her mutinous hands than anything else.
"There isn't any." He replied meekly.
Flopping onto her back, she let out a loud sigh and kicked the covers onto the floor.
"It's no wonder you can't get a girlfriend. Too damn needy." She jabbed heading out of the room, trying desperately to ignore the elephant in the room. Well, its trunk in any case.
"Oi! Your lack of domestic skills is what has you making reservations for a table for one. If you'd do your damn laundry once in a while, we wouldn't be having this problem in the first place." He quipped back, sauntering down the hall after her.
He had a point. At the moment she had at least two loads of laundry, clean and dirty, strewn about her bedroom floor. As well as Victoria-no-longer-Secrets hanging on random knobs and edges.
She turned, towel in hand, running smack into him nearly falling backwards from the resistance of that oh so built, and very naked body. He grabbed her shoulders to steady her watching as she went through a myriad of colors before settling on a bright rose.
She could feel heat radiating from his body and knew without a doubt that, once again, he had used up all her hot water. Water that still ran in tantalizing rivulets down and down, drawing her eyes with them until. Wide blue eyes snapped up to his chocolate browns. Her blush deepened bringing a self-satisfied grin to his bright white teeth.
"Here." She shoved the towel at his chest and hurried back into her room, locking it behind her. She needed to go to bed before she did something, or someone, stupid. A knock at the door.
"Um, I need a pillow and blanket." He called sheepishly from the other side of her sanctuary door. Grabbing the needed items, in neon pink just to make herself feel better by picturing him in the girly color, she cracked the door and whipped them over his head and down the hall, followed by quickly closing the door and locking it again.
"Thanks a lot." He muttered walking back to the waiting couch.
Sitting on the edge of her bed, she ran slender hands over her face. Absolutely exhausted in every way possible, she flopped back onto her bed slinging an arm over her eyes. Five-thirty was coming way too soon.