It Takes Time
By: Le tired
Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach or its characters, blah blah blah, etc.
Rated: T for some language and…stuff?
Author's Notes: Once again, sorry for the lapse in updating. My health has continued to deteriorate because, as it turned out, the surgery for removing my gallbladder went wrong, and my bile ducts got damaged. I was in the hospital until this past weekend for stents and labwork since I kept becoming jaundiced. I will probably eventually need major surgery where they attach my intestine to my liver. Yay. I have to admit this has put a bit of a damper on my mood, and writing has become harder. But, I'll try to work on this when I have enough energy. Moving on…I'm not a fan of songfics, but I ended up having to incorporate a smidgeon of lyrics in the story. Guess I sort of had that coming, since I chose a karaoke bar. At least the song should be recognizable to everyone (Shojo S by Scandal, the tenth Bleach opening theme, I believe).
bandgirlz: Thanks for the well wishes! I can't say I'm feeling that great right now, but I'm hoping too that things will improve soon.
sagitgirlth: Thank you! You seem to describe my story and approach to romance quite well, in my opinion :).
kriitikko: Hehe thank you, I'm glad you liked my explanation.
Prince of Winter Dragons: Thank you for your concern about my health as well as the super nice comments about the fic! As for your question, I believe (and Hitsugaya probably does too :P) that he's more than made up the date by agreeing to come down to the human world with Matsumoto. At the same time, I think the two of them probably knew they were going to be hanging out/having more dates once they got there, which is kinda what they both want in the end, so the whole "making up for the date" idea in some ways was really just an excuse or means to an end, and never a major point in either of their minds. Matsu just liked having another thing to bother Hitsu about, and Hitsu could tell himself and others he was doing stuff out of obligation instead of admitting aloud his feelings. But if you prefer a more concrete interpretation, since this karaoke thing isn't an official date, Hitsu does still owe his lieutenant another date. Either way, definitely more dates and hijinks awaiting in the near future!
Kohryu: Thank you, I appreciate the compliment!
Plandapattipus: Aww thanks, that's really flattering to hear this story is a favorite! I hope you'll continue to enjoy the fic!
therealesther: Thanks! I love reading your reviews, they're always so encouraging! And thanks for the well wishes, too!
pucflek: Thank you very much!
Chapter 20
Since the karaoke bar had been recommended by one of the human punks, Toshirou didn't have very high expectations of the place at all. Not that he knew what karaoke was to begin with. Unlike Matsumoto, he didn't feel any compulsion to learn more about the human world than necessary for completing missions. It was constantly changing and he saw no point in trying to catch up on whatever new developments had occurred since the last time he crossed worlds. Still, Matsumoto's excitement had stirred his curiosity and he couldn't help but wonder what was this mysterious place that was considered so ideal for a date?
He hoped there was food involved. He was starting to feel hungry.
Matsumoto did all the talking when they entered the establishment and they were soon ushered into a private room with a square table and long benches. Toshirou was pleasantly surprised at the clean and simple décor. Even better, Matsumoto was waving two menus at him. "Here, taichou, let's order some drinks and food!"
"No alcohol, Matsumoto," he warned, immediately on alert.
"Ah, don't worry about that, taichou! Didn't you see how that balding middle-aged manager was looking all disapprovingly at us? He thinks we're two students playing hooky in the afternoon, and that means we're underage. There's no way he'll serve us any alcohol." Matsumoto giggled, clearly amused at the misunderstanding. "Well, there's no helping it! I'll just have a soda this time."
"Well we are wearing school uniforms." Toshirou sighed, much less amused than his lieutenant. The uniforms really made them stand out in public; the sooner they changed into less recognizable clothing, the better. "So, why did you want to come here? Isn't this just another restaurant?"
"Oh! Taichou, you don't know what a karaoke bar is, do you?" Matsumoto smiled at the realization. "But you agreed to come anyway? I think you're growing soft."
He glared at her. If he didn't do as she pleased, she whined and harassed him. If he did, she made fun of him. It was a lose-lose situation. "Just answer the question."
"Oh, well it's quite simple, taichou. You see that setup over there?" Matsumoto gestured to one side of the room where a television and microphone and various electronic equipment lay. "That's the karaoke. It's for singing."
"Singing?" Toshirou had a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Yup! You and I are gonna sing, taichou!"
"…this is ridiculous. I'm leaving." He got to his feet and prepared to leave, but just then, a waiter entered the room.
"Have you decided on what you would like this afternoon?"
"Yes, thank you!" Matsumoto chirped. "I'll take a Coke and the beef yakiniku."
"And you, sir?" If he was surprised at serving a young white-haired boy, the waiter did not show it.
"Uh—"
"He'll have the omu-rice and some green tea," Matsumoto said quickly. Toshirou spun around to glare at her. She blinked back innocently. The waiter looked confused.
"Fine. What she said." Toshirou slumped back into his seat. The waiter bowed and left.
"Thank you, taichou!"
"I think after this, we can say my debt to you has been repaid in full." He scowled.
"Mmm that depends on how well you sing, taichou." Matsumoto snuggled over to him, and lay her head on his shoulder.
"I am not singing, Matsumoto." He tilted his head away so he wouldn't breathe in the soft scent of her hair too deeply and forget that he was supposed to be irritated with her. That's how it always was with Matsumoto. Less than an hour ago, he was dreaming up punishments for her once they got back to Soul Society for getting him in that fracas with those mortal boys. But then, she'd been so genuinely upset and uncertain about herself that he'd soon forgotten everything else except that he needed her to be happy again. It was infuriating, how she always made him forget himself—whether it was in murderous rage or in that strange yearning tenderness that he found himself succumbing to around her more and more often. Toshirou thought briefly that maybe growing closer to Matsumoto would make her less capable of antagonizing him. But no, that was wishful thinking. As it was, his emotional reactions towards her remained the same…just more extreme and even more difficult to manage.
"Well, taichou, if you're not going to sing, I will." Matsumoto grabbed a book off the table and began flipping through it. "This has the songs they should have available here. Hmm…" She made quiet comments to herself as she continued to look. "Ah, I know this singer! …mm but these songs must be new 'cuz I don't know them… oh look they have songs in English! …ah, I've always wanted to sing this one! There are so many choices, what should I do?"
"Oi, Matsumoto, how long is this going to take? I still have to find a place to stay after this," Toshirou reminded her.
"Don't worry, don't worry, taichou! There's plenty of time for that!" Matsumoto resumed her search. "Ah, I've got it! I'll start with this one!"
She hopped over to the karaoke machine and began fiddling with it. The TV screen lit up and loud upbeat music began to blare from the speakers. The waiter returned with their dishes. Toshirou started in on his meal, all the while watching Matsumoto with mounting trepidation.
"This one's for you, taichou!" Matsumoto grabbed the mic and started singing.
Sakki made to iteru koto chigau ja nai
Chotto dake sugao miseta keredo
Zutto iraira iraira shite wa
Atashi o mono mitai ni atsukatte
Sakki made to iteru koto chigau ja nai
Toshirou winced at the noisy tune. The melody was unfamiliar to him, and its lyrics were annoying him already. 'You're always doing irritating things to me, handling me like an object'? This had better not be some commentary about me, Matsumoto. As if she read his thoughts, Matsumoto winked at him and belted out the next few lyrics with even more gusto. Toshirou shot her a warning look. Matsumoto just smiled and began to dance. Toshirou sighed. When it came to Matsumoto, the more embarrassing the action, the more likely it would be that she'd do it.
Anata ga inai to iya iya tte ieru wagamama
Aijou yuujou shiritai koto wa nandemo
Itsuka kokoro no oku no doa o tataku anata o matteiru
Anata o matteiru
This was…a horrible song, Toshirou decided, and karaoke was shit. It seemed the entire point behind its appeal was to look and sound as idiotic as possible. Of course Matsumoto would love it. He hunkered down and focused on his meal, but alas, Matsumoto was too loud to block out entirely.
…Well, it was mildly impressive how well she stayed with the beat, and she wasn't as off-pitch as he might have expected (then again, the only times he'd heard her sing was when she was drunk). And…she looked really happy singing her heart out, just carefreely enjoying the moment. Her strange little dance was obviously unrehearsed and artless, but there was something endearing about it too—in the way her long golden hair flounced behind her when she tossed her head, and the lilt of her hips as she skipped back and forth. It was goofy as hell, but…it was sort of cute.
Hah. Matsumoto cute? Beautiful, yes. Sexy, yes. But…cute? Toshirou squinted at his singing lieutenant. He'd never really thought of anything as truly cute. Children were cute, and puppies were cute, he knew, because everyone else said so and got upset if he refused to coo over them. But to actually be struck with the sheer cuteness of something…that had never happened. The closest he'd ever come would probably be Hinamori when she was younger. He grimaced slightly at the thought. Hinamori had been such an innocent and light-hearted girl…but Toshirou was fairly certain he'd never see the same vivacity in her eyes again; he'd practically witnessed its death when he found himself staring down the point of her shaking blade drawn to end his life. He thought any such light would have also been lost in Matsumoto, after Ichimaru left her, but there she was now, laughing and dancing guilelessly in this practically empty room, purely enjoying herself. Despiter her mature figure, she actually appeared for a moment to no more than a teenaged schoolgirl.
Hoka ni wa nanimo iranai ya iya iya
Ashita mo shinjiteitai iya iya iya
Matsumoto finished with a flourish and saucy pose. "How was that, taichou?" she asked breathlessly, blue eyes bright from activity.
"Fine, I guess," he grunted.
"It's your turn then, taichou!" She tried to hand him the songbook, but he pulled back and crossed his arms.
"I told you I'm not singing."
"Mouu, taichou!" Matsumoto stuck her hands on her hips. "There's only two of us here! If you don't sing, I'll have to go again, and you don't want to watch me sing the entire time, do you?" She stopped, and broke into a wide mischevious grin. "Or…did you enjoy my performance that much?"
"Don't be stupid. Who would enjoy that?"
Matsumoto shrugged and took a swig of her soda, but the merry twinkle in her eyes said everything. "Well then, taichou, what would you have me perform for you next?" She leaned in closer, provocatively. "It doesn't have to be a song, either, you know."
"Very funny, Matsumoto." He batted away the suggestive hand she'd laid on his knee. "Did you forget we're in public?"
"Eh? Does this mean it'd be okay if we weren't in public, taichou?" She made that mock-innocent face that he was starting to hate more than being called Shirou-chan. He focused on his irritation so he wouldn't have to think of the ramifications of answering her question.
"If you're done singing, we should get going. I still need to find a place to stay overnight."
"Wha-a-at, taichou!" She looked up at him with her bottom lip jutting out in a pitiful pout. "No one leaves a karaoke box after one song!"
"Then hurry up and sing!"
Of course Matsumoto picked a wildly inappropriate song after that, just to spite him. The heavy bass beat rocked the entire room and threatened to split his head open. The song was in English, so he had trouble deciperhing the lyrics, but he caught enough about licking and asses and taking clothes off to guess what it was about. And of course, Matsumoto was no longer dancing cutely. Her head was thrown back, and her eyes were closed as she twisted and thrusted to the raunchy beat. Her sleek curves flowed like water as she arched and ran her hands up and down her body in a seductive cadence to match the music.
There's no way I'm getting through this mission without being fired. Toshirou was almost positive Yamamoto-soutaichou himself was going to suddenly trot through a senkaimon any moment now just in time to see his tenth division captain sitting back and watching his skimpily-dressed lieutenant parade around like a dance girl ordered from one of the Rukongai red light districts.
He certainly felt enough like one of the perverts who frequented the whorehouses, or a Peeping Tom—looking in on something he was never meant to see, this side of Matsumoto. It was stupid. He knew Matsumoto was a sexy woman who knew how to use her physical assets. Yet, she'd never used them quite like this, in regards to him. No matter how much she teased, she'd always been the playful silly Matsumoto he knew. And Toshirou had been content to believe that was all there was to her—that deep down inside, she was as innocent in such matters as Hinamori. But there was nothing playful or silly about this now. There was no smile on her face, no laughter in her eyes telling him they could always play this off as a joke later. This was for keeps. She was reminding him again, that they had crossed the line of friendship and casual flirtation long ago, and that she'd never settle for returning to their previous relationship.
Well, it wasn't as if he were going to settle for that either, but…it was too overwhelming, seeing all these new faces of Matsumoto. He could only deal with so many revelations. One moment he found her cute and now…he couldn't stop thinking about her in the same way for which he'd despised other men.
It was only because he knew she wanted him to think of her like this, that she was dancing like this for him and him alone, that Toshirou didn't look away, despite the incredibly strong impulse to flee the premises and not stop possibly until he reached Soul Society again.
Matsumoto finally opened her eyes and looked at him. They were the same beautifully open blue eyes he'd always known, but it was as if a thin film had been peeled off of them, and he was struck for the first time with their true intensity. It was like…when he'd looked into Hinamori's eerily bright and haunted eyes as she prepared to fight him to the death, and realized she was a woman in love and capable of all that entailed—not a little girl with hero worship, as he'd largely believed. It had been ignorant of him, to believe he was the only one who had matured over the years, and he'd paid for it. He'd jailed her, expecting her to just sit quietly and weep, too gentle and frail to take action into her own hands, while he took care of things for her. If he'd spoken to her and taken the time to acknowledge the depth of her feelings for Aizen, maybe invited her to investigate alongside him…perhaps things would have turned out differently, and his childhood friend wouldn't be lying in a coma now.
Toshirou had sworn never to make such a mistake again, to never underestimate the strength of someone's emotions, especially when it came to love.
Only he had, in so many months. And with Matsumoto Rangiku, the lusty beauty of Seireitei, who openly suffocated people with her breasts and out-drank and out-fought half the men in the Gotei 13, and who'd been his co-worker and confidante for years. Who he'd actually walked in on once while she and her dinner date were…mutually entertaining one another (it hadn't stopped him from giving Matsumoto her folder of overdue reports and reminding her they needed to be on the desk the next morning).
Toshirou sighed. There was really no excuse. He'd probably be laughed straight out of Soul Society if people knew he'd somehow convinced himself that she'd wait shyly and meekly for his lead, instead of making her wants and needs known like the independent, assertive woman she was.
"Matsumoto, stop."
"Why, taichou?" She continued her sensual writhing, with the same grace and boldness that she possessed in battle. That, coupled with the predatory heat emanating from her eyes, made him feel a strange kinship with all the Hollows she must have hunted in the past.
"Just stop. I don't need to see you dancing like that."
Matsumoto obediently stopped and sauntered over to him, although she didn't turn off the ghastly music, much to his chagrin. "Taichou, you're always so boring! I was really enjoying myself there." She sounded perfectly exasperated, but a triumphant smile toyed about her lips.
"Is that so?" he replied drily. "It honestly seems like too much work and exertion for someone as lazy as you."
"You know me well, taichou," Matsumoto responded brightly as she climbed up to sit saddled across his lap. Toshirou couldn't help sharply drawing in his breath as her weight settled across his lower regions. His lieutenant's eyes had turned smoky, like the ocean before a storm. "However…I can work hard if given the proper motivation, taichou."
He rolled his eyes and reached up to draw her face down towards his. "Maybe you're working harder than necessary, when you could have just asked."
"Now where's the fun in that, taichou?" Matsumoto's eyes were dancing.
There was just no winning against her. Toshirou sighed in resignation, and crushed his mouth against hers. He could have sworn he heard Matsumoto purr in contentment, and he had to admit it felt remarkably good to hold her again, to feel her soft yielding body molding gently to his. She was warm from dancing earlier, and his hands felt almost singed from the heat of her body as she shifted impatiently against him. She was already nipping at his lips, eager for more contact.
Please please please do not let Yamamoto-soutaichou show up now. That was pretty much his last intelligent thought as Toshirou opened his mouth and felt a shock as their tongues entangled, hot and almost desperate. It was a horribly wonderful sensation that filled him yet left him wanting more. He pulled Matsumoto forcefully against him in a blind bid for more closeness. She seemed to understand because suddenly, he realized she'd drawn her hands down to rub his chest and undo his shirt. At the same time, her tongue was darting and flicking playfully against the roof of his mouth and teeth, drawing him closer and closer to madness as just about every other aspect of hers did.
Toshirou was painfully aware he was far from experienced in this area, but he refused to give in to her games. Matsumoto whimpered in protest when he took his time to slowly caress her tongue and dip further into her mouth, but the whimpers soon turned to delectable moans. He'd heard people describe kisses as tasting like chocolate or strawberries and he thought he'd never heard anthing more ludicrous. Now, he thought he could understand the sentiment a little better, although Matsumoto still didn't taste like a specific food to him.
Instead, she tasted like…summer. It was a more complex sensation than a simple flavor. When he kissed her and breathed in her scent, Toshirou was reminded of the warm gentle summer breezes of his childhood that always left him too sleepy and lazy to be troubled about anything. She tasted of soft juicy watermelons, rolling fields of fresh green grass and wildflowers, and the golden rays of the midday sun. It was ironic, because summer had to be Toshirou's least favorite season…but maybe that made sense too. Matsumoto always got on his nerves, but nevertheless he could not deny she was sweet, clean, and warm all at once. And Toshirou was losing himself in her essence…
"Excuse me," came a firm angry voice behind them.
Captain and lieutenant sprang apart in surprise and spun around. The middle-aged manager of the karoke bar stood in the doorway, his wrinkled face tight with disapproval.
"Our establishment is a respectable one and as such, we strictly prohibit the inappropriate conduct of minors in our private rooms. Please, I must ask you to leave now." He bowed once, stiffly.
There was a moment of confused and awkward silence. Still not entirely oriented, Toshirou looked around and realized with vague horror that Matsumoto had gotten his shirt open and had her hands trailing down his stomach and was possibly in the process of delving lower. Thankfully, Matsumoto was not in such a state of undress, although his hands had come to rest around her waist and had begun creeping of their own accord under her shirt to stroke the small of her back.
Mortified, Toshirou turmed to Matsumoto. He should have known better to expect any empathy. His crazy lieutenant just giggled like a fiend and tucked a lock of blond hair back behind her ear. "Looks like we got caught, taichou."
He looked at her suspiciously through narrowed eyes. "You don't sound very surprised."
"Of course not, taichou." Matsumoto looked positively devilish. "They have video cameras in these rooms, you know."
"WHAT?"
"Well, we're hardly the first lovebird couple to come in here hoping for some private time." Matsumoto smiled and continued flippantly playing with her hair.
"Matsumoto, you-!"
"Young sir," the manager cut in severely, "I'm asking you and your female companion to leave now, or I will be forced to call security."
"No, there's no need for that." Toshirou shoved Matsumoto off him and hastily redid his shirt, all too aware of the eyes on him the entire time. "I'm ah, very sorry for the trouble." He shot Matsumoto a murderous glare, but she didn't seem inclined to apologize or readjust her clothing, and just stood there humming quietly with a mysterious smile on her face. As if she wanted the whole world to know what had transpired between them.
Finally, when he thought he looked semi-presentable again, Toshirou bowed deeply several times while mumbling how sorry he was, then grabbed Matsumoto and dragged the both of them out of the bar. Once they were a safe distance away from the critical eye of the manager, he let her have it.
"Matsumoto…are you insane? You knew that we were being monitored, and you…you initiated that…!"
"Sorry, taichou, but it was fun, wasn't it?"
"What part of that was fun!"
"Well," Matsumoto said, with one finger held up in the air like a lecturer, "it's all part of the wild uninhibited feeling you get when you're in love, isn't it? You end up doing it in public and other weird places because you can't wait to get home to touch the one you love. You can't control yourself."
"Except we can." He glared at her, but couldn't quite maintain it when he saw her swollen lips and slightly mussed hair, with one strand stuck teasingly against the long of her neck. She was flushed and her eyes were still hazily clouded with desire. I didn't do that to her. I couldn't have. She looks like she's been tied to a bed and ravished for days. All we did was kiss.
As if reading his thoughts, Matsumoto ran her tongue wetly along her bottom lip, her eyes never leaving his. Toshirou's brain started fluttering restlessly. His stomach danced. Well it's finally happened. Matsumoto's finally done it. She's finally turned me into another drooling pervert. I hope she's happy.
Sighing, he started to look away, when he found his face smooshed against something soft, bouncy, nice-smelling…
"MATSUMOTO!" He wriggled furiously against her tightening arms. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Aww, taichou, you looked so down for a moment, I thought surely this would cheer you up."
"Since when has that ever cheered me up!" he roared, barely able to hold on to his reiatsu and keep it from blasting her away. Matsumoto must have felt it, but she held on anyway. Either she wasn't afraid of getting hurt, or she trusted him greatly.
"Buuttt, taichou, you were all worried about being a pervert, right?" She fearlessly gave him another squeeze, and he felt his nose crush against her sternum. "If that were the case, you should be snuggling in bliss against my deep and beautiful valley. But you're not! So it should cheer you up!"
"Your reasoning is convoluted as usual, Matsumoto," he snarled into her aforementioned cleavage. It was childish, but he wanted to stay angry at her a little longer. But it was like water slipping between the cracks of his hands. He was already calming down at the realization that the simpler warmth he felt at her touch had not changed. It was a huge relief. If he couldn't touch Matsumoto without experiencing those strange ticklish urges to hold her and do unspeakable things to her, it was time to start looking for a new lieutenant. He grimly imagined the conversation with Yamamoto-soutaichou.
"Hello, yes, soutaichou, I would like to put in a request for a new fukutaichou. Why? Because I'm having trouble not violating my current one. Now in my defense, I've put up gamely with her flirtations and seductions for decades, and I'd like to point out there have been many witnesses in the past to how she practically throws herself at me, but no one seemed to take my protests seriously, and this is the result. Really, sir, I am a victim of a negligent, uncaring society. There, I've had my say. Now can I have my new fukutaichou, or should I just resign in shame?"
Well, it looked like he could delay that talk a little longer. Although the possibility of it still occurring was still quite high in his mind.
Matsumoto must have sensed her captain's pique was over, because she released him. "I'm sorry about teasing you so badly, taichou. I'm just so excited about having a real date!"
"You've had real dates," he pointed out. "You've brought them into the office to introduce them to me."
"Yeah but…" Matsumoto scrunched up her face and sighed. "I was never really that excited to be with them. They were just…substitutes." She looked at Toshirou, eyes searching for his understanding of the unspoken man they were substituting. "I didn't want to go to karaoke or shopping with them. That's a more special date for me." She laughed, a little self-consciously. "Well, they're meant to be special dates for young girls and their first crushes. Haha I guess I sort of missed my chance when I was younger, but you know! I'm not that old yet, and everyone says we all get a second springtime!"
Toshirou made a face of his own. "Come to think of it, Hinamori did mention something a few times in the past. Things she thought would be fun to do with Aizen…I didn't really get it. So this is what she meant?" He sighed, the crease between his eyebrows deepening. "That idiot. She really loved him that much."
"Like I said, taichou," Matsumoto said softly, "it's what every girl wants, to go out and have fun with the guy of her dreams. We should all have one young inexperienced love, right?"
"Should we?" He looked at her, still not entirely sold on the idea.
Matsumoto smiled. "Absolutely, taichou! You've never had the chance either, right? You've got to throw caution to the wind when it's your first love!" Her voice tripped slightly over the last word, and she covered it by clearing her throat, Toshirou noted with amusement. "That's why you shouldn't worry so much about the karaoke, okay, taichou?"
"All right, Matsumoto." He had to admit he wasn't having a bad time. Although he didn't think he'd ever understand the allure of karoke, or ever shed tears over missing out on such 'special' dates for first loves. It was just intriguing being with Matsumoto outside of work alone like this. It wasn't as if she was really acting any different, and yet he found himself learning something new about her every moment. He was…getting to know her more, he supposed. It sounded a lot better than what he called it in the office: monitoring and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of your subordinates. "I'll follow your lead then." He paused to give her the evil eye. "But no more surprises like video cameras, is that clear Matsumoto?"
Matsumoto broke into a wide grin. "Yes sir!"