So is having some weird issues and won't let me upload, so I'm trying to see if I can't copy and paste over a document already stored on . We'll see, wish me luck! If this doesn't work, I'm just heading to bed, have work in the morning and it's already late .
Thanks to: MissTeak, crazyfreakazoid, and Lynne Harrow
23. Patience
Rangiku and Gin went into the dining hall together the first night. They had heard it was going to be a feast, and Rangiku was so excited she was practically dancing. She could scarcely imagine such a thing. The pair took a seat along a long bench with the other new first years.
An old man stood, his bald head a sharp contrast with his long mustache and braided beard. Rangiku nearly giggled in the silence that came just before he spoke; his eyebrows were the strangest ones she had ever seen, hanging down his face like floppy puppy ears.
"I am the Head Captain of the gotei 13 Yamaoto Genryuusai Shigenkuni and founder of the Central Spiritual Arts Academy. I welcome you all to the new year. Do enjoy the feast, and do your best to become strong shinigami," the old man said, then took a seat.
The end of the speech seemed to signal a slew of servants—Rangiku wondered if they were from the noble families—who brought out covered platter after covered platter.
The platters were uncovered, and Rangiku gasped. She and Gin could have eaten one platter for a week between them, and there were eight platters near her. A glance at her friend told her that he was in as much awe as she was; Rangiku could see his eyes, just barely. It was his version of gaping.
Rangiku was about to fill her plate in a mad rush, but she waited a moment; she did not want to be the first to dig in. Instead, a noble delicately took a few small servings. Rangiku followed suit, biting her lip. She did not want the nobles to look down on her for bad table manners. As she added to her plate, she noticed Gin also followed the noble's direction.
She ate more than she had ever eaten before, until her stomach felt taut. Then dessert came, and she ate even more, until she could not force another bite down. Gin matched her, three bites for her every one.
Eventually, the students and teachers began to drift out of the room, but Rangiku stayed. Her stomach did not feel right, a sort of sloshy acid mixed with a hard, heavy block weighing her down.
"Ya ate too much, didn' ya?" Gin said, sitting on the edge of the table; few people were left by then.
Rangiku nodded a bit. She kept swallowing.
"Ya'll feel better if ya lay down, let's go back ta yer room."
"But you're not allowed in the girl's dorms…" she said and she stood. She wanted Gin there though, she felt terrible, and he always took care of her.
"I'll sneak in. Don' worry, jus' give me a few minutes," Gin said at the door to her dorm.
There was a flight of stairs, and by the time Rangiku made it up, she was sweating in strange places, she felt cold and hot at the same time. She swallowed hard several times, as she had done all through the short walk to her dorm.
It didn't help. Seconds later, she was reliving her feast with the toilet.
When she was done, Gin handed her a glass of water and stroked her back. "Feelin' any better?"
"Not really…"
"Ah, I'm sorry," he said. "I shoulda warned ya. Gonna be a long night."
"Warned me?"
"Not ta eat so much, specially since we're not used ta it."
"How come you're fine?"
"Guess I can jus' eat more 'an you."
There was such a horrible taste in her mouth. It made her sick again. Gin pulled her hair and out of the way.
When Rangiku was done, Gin laid her head on his lap and stroked her hair. Gin always took care of her. He was always so good to her when she was sick; it did not seem to matter how much time Gin had to spend waiting on her to get better again. Even now, when it was her own fault, even as she began to feel better, lying on the bathroom floor, Gin continued watching over her.
How was it? Originally, Gin was the one who was going to be sick, but eh. Solar Kitty and I were talking and we always think off Gin as a bottomless stomach with a will of steel who'd never let himself get sick from eating too much, haha.
