A/N I thank anyone for reading. Much appreciated. X3
I'm sorry, but I was just too lazy to reply!(and that makes me a sucky person) DX I'll reply to you all in the next chapter. C:
Eighteen pages! O.O Crazy!
In this chapter, we learn a lot about Shiko~! :)
Finished my media presentation. Finished it in one day... just before the day we were supposed to present it. :) It's sad, but I always leave stuff to the last second. Right now I just have to work on my research paper. XP Which is due in two days. And that seriously sucks.
To be honest, I seriously wasn't expecting this to be long. O.o
And... I actually have plots for Getting Home and How Are You? :3 I just have to work through the dang writer's block I've found myself in. XP
Disclaimer – I do not own Bleach.
Warning – Swearing.
-:-
"Be careful."
Byakuya looked to the side, working on his calligraphy before he had to head to his division. Renji had shown up at his manor to meet with Ichigo so they could leave. Rukia was just bidding them farewell. Pushing himself to a stand he turned and walked towards them, seeing both nodding when she told them to come back. They all turned, nodding at him when he came close.
"Just headin' out, Taicho." Renji said, bowing his head.
"When do you expect to be back?" Rukia asked, gazing at the two with a frown.
"Probably tomorrow. It'll take several hours to get there—as Renji says," Ichigo glanced at the redhead to see him nod. "But we're just going to go check it out and we'll be back before you know it."
"That's goo-"
"So you can buy me a steak." Ichigo fixed his robes and gave a wide grin.
Rukia gave him a flat stare. "Just go."
Ichigo and Renji nodded once again before they turned and walked out the front door, heading for the exit of the area. Rukia watched them leaving with worried eyes while Byakuya stared stoically. He had faith—though he would not tell anyone—that they were finish whatever mission they were on and that they were back.
"Onii-sama, I was... curious," The timid voice got his attention, glancing down at his adoptive sister to see her looking at the ground while biting her lip. "I heard that Kaori-san has..." She gestured towards him. "...taken you back?"
"She has."
"But I also heard she's..." Rukia cleared her throat. "...a little... mad at you."
"...She is."
"Oh... I wish you two luck, Onii-sama."
Byakuya nodded and turned, heading back to grab his zanpakuto before he went back to his division. Luck... He hated to say it, but he needed luck with Kaori.
"...Adorable..."
Zenaku and Ichirou started snickering, seeing Nikito glare at them from his futon... which was currently occupied by two others. The twins were laying in his bed, the grey haired man laying in between them, both hugging him tightly in their sleep. He went to sleep alone, and the next thing he knew he woke up in between the twins. How they did it without waking him up baffled him. Scowling, he tried to dislodge them, growing more impatient when they held on. He paused.
Wait a minute...
"Stop pretending to be asleep...!" Nikito ground out, the scowl growing when he heard them snicker.
"Aw, c'mon, this is our honeymoon~!" Renzo opened his eyes and gazed at the grey haired man with shining eyes and a bright smile.
"...You're taking this too far," He sighed before looking at the two men towering over him. "And Zenaku... aren't you supposed to be bedridden?" He raised an eyebrow.
The scarred man scoffed. "I'm sick an' tired of laying down, I'm walkin' an' talkin' so I'm fine."
"...Let go..."
The twins ignored him, continuing to lay down with him sandwiched between them. The door slid open, their tall leader walking in and pausing when he saw the three. He furrowed his brows in confusion, seeing the twins grinning widely while the grey haired man glared at the ceiling.
"Is everything alright?" Tetsuya asked, blinking twice when the two tall men and the twins started snickering.
"...Swell..." Nikito said dryly. "My beloved," Renzo froze. "...would you mind... finishing our honeymoon?" He purred, a smirk growing across his face when the twins scrambled away. He sat up. "Everything is fine, now."
Standing up, he turned and walked towards his shihakusho with a flat look on his face. Everyone watched him curiously as he walked towards the door, requesting one of the guards to accompany him to the bathroom so he could change. Ichirou, including all the others, had to widen their eyes slightly at what just happened.
"...He almost acted like himself!" Renzo yelled, standing up and grinning. He stayed silent. "...Except that was not funny." He crossed his arms and scowled.
Reizo started snickering, which made his brother send him a pout and a glare.
Shiko sighed loudly. "As much fun as this is... I have to go see Riko and her little friends." He stood up and made his way towards the door with a smirk.
"Why?" Zenaku asked, turning a little too quickly before he stiffened up and froze. "...Fuck...!" He groaned and bent forward, rubbing his chest and scowling.
Ichirou patted his back with a flat look on his face.
"I just wish to speak with them," Shiko gave a smirk and raised his eyebrows slightly, heading for the door while he put his hands in his pockets. "I don't like staying still, anyway." By his tone they could all tell he did not want anyone else going with him.
"Wish I could leave." Zenaku grumbled, sitting back down on his futon and scowling.
"Eh?"
"Always with the intelligent responses," Hitsugaya muttered dryly, looking to the side flatly. "He just told us, and it was clear." He said, sending the man a blank stare.
Kenpachi growled. "I fuckin' heard him, runt!" He ignored the dark glare from the prodigy. "I just wanna know why the little boy toy wants to fix this! I ain't havin' any problems!"
Byakuya delicately raised an eyebrow. "Boy toy?"
"Shuddap an' answer the damn question!"
"I required his help and asked. Kaori has yet to speak to me civilly," Byakuya answered, closing his eyes and ignoring the snort he heard from the tall Taicho. "I am surprised you answered my request to meet. Are you having problems?" He couldn't help the jab.
"I'm warnin' ya-"
"I'm also having problems," Hitsugaya crossed his arms and frowned, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Kayo has yet to speak with me."
He instantly started glaring when Kenpachi gave a wide grin. What? Why was he acting as if he didn't have any problems, either? Both he and Byakuya stared at him, both smirking when he slowly started frowning. He soon started growling that there was nothing wrong(even though that every time he tried to corner Riko she would run).
"So what? When's he supposed to talk with 'em?" Kenpachi crossed his arms, scowling when wide smirks crossed their faces.
"Today." Byakuya said.
"Can I ask another question."
"You're being polite?" Hitsugaya sounded surprised. "But yes, go ahead."
"Why the hell're we meeting in an alley?!"
Byakuya barely reacted while Hitsugaya coughed and scratched his cheek in mild embarrassment. There was nothing but awkward silence in the dark alleyway, which was soon broken when the tallest of the three snorted and said he was going to go look for the 'boy toy' so he could watch as he attempted to fix their problems once again. The other two were silent, watching as he stomped out into the open and tried deciding which way to go.
"...Should we follow?" Hitsugaya asked, staring blankly when the crude man looked pointedly at them. "I'll take that as a yes."
Byakuya followed Hitsugaya, though he wouldn't admit that he was also curious as to how that man was going to make Kaori... less hostile.
"You know, I've always wondered... how do men have sex?"
Riko and Kayo slowly looked up, staring wide-eyed at the redhead. Did she just say—? Kaori sat on the bed in Kayo's room, all three just lounging around and being bored. Which was rare. But hey, they were new subordinates in new divisions, they didn't care if they did their Taichos proud and did every order. Well, Kaori and Riko didn't.
"...What...?" Riko pulled a face and gave the woman a confused look.
"You know how women have sex with men, right?" The other two glanced at one another before looking back, slowly nodding in puzzlement. "How do men have sex with other men? They have no... y'know." Kaori gestured vaguely towards her hips and rubbed the back of her neck.
"...Where the hell do you get these questions?" Riko made a face and gazed at the redhead in slight disgust. "And how the hell would we know?"
"...I know..."
Eyes growing wide, both Riko and Kaori turned their heads, staring at their innocent looking friend. Kayo blushed profusely and looked down, trying to ignore the stares. Before they could even ask where in the hell she would know something like that Kaori blinked and turned her head. Huh... Reaching out she grabbed the stuffed animal, staring at it curiously.
"Where'd you get this?" Kaori asked, trying to ignore the person that was able to answer her question. "It's cute." She held the arms with her two hands and made it walk across the floor with a grin.
Riko sent her a flat stare.
"...Hitsugaya Taicho..." Kayo murmured quietly, staring at the teddy bear with a blush.
"Aaaaaaaww," Riko smirked widely, arms crossed over her chest as she sat against the wall. "Is it that one he got you when we took that trip to the World of the Living?" The petite woman nodded. "So adorable." She paused before glancing at the redhead. "Do you still remember how to dance?" She raised her eyebrows slightly.
Kaori huffed. "Little bit. Forgot. I was going to try and dance again... 'til Kuchiki Taicho ruined everything." She looked like a pouting child.
"Yep, yep, he ruined everything. Which you remind us every ten minutes." Riko mumbled, looking to the side flatly.
"How would you feel if you were transferred and demoted?!" Kaori snapped, pausing when she saw the other two women send her blank stares. "Oh... right..." She cleared her throat and nonchalantly looked away.
"...I just love how you forget so many things when you rant." Riko rolled her eyes.
"Do you miss anything from that trip?" Kayo asked, a bright smile crossing her face.
"The cakes." Riko almost started drooling when she remembered the taste.
"Making sand castles." Kaori nodded with a grin.
"...Wish we could go again." Kayo said, all three women nodding with smiles on their faces.
"And here's another question," Riko and Kayo groaned, though Kaori ignored it. She stared at them curiously. "Would we be considered zombies in the World of the Living?"
"No, we'd be more like ghosts," Riko said, sending her a frown. "Why would we be zombies? No one can see us, and to be considered zombies we'd need dead bodies."
"But what if we occupied dead bodies? Then would we be zombies?"
"I don't even think we can occupy dead bodies," She stayed silent before she glanced at the small blonde. "Can we?" Kayo shrugged. How could she know?
They jumped violently when they heard a knock at the door, the blonde staring at the door before she shot up to open it. She opened her mouth to explain—hopefully it wasn't Ukitake Taicho—and paused when she saw the man standing at the door. The brunette smirked down at her, his hands on his hips and a laid-back look in his eyes and posture.
"Good morning, Kayo-chan," Shiko smirked widely, nodding his head. "I was wondering if Riko and Kaori were here?"
"They are..." Kayo murmured, staring up at the man with wide eyes. "Do you need them for something?"
"Actually, I wish to speak with all three of you," Shiko said smoothly, raising an eyebrow and giving a grin. "What do you say?"
"Who is it?" Kaori asked, turning her head and chewing on the snacks they bought.
"It's Shiko-san." Kayo said, turning and blinking at her two friends.
Riko was immediately at the door, grinning at the man she considered to be a brother. The brunette smiled when he saw her and reached up to ruffle her hair, chuckling lightly when she pushed his arm away and scowled. Kaori gave a wave, soon giving a frown and pausing when the brunette's eyes stayed on her for a few moments longer. Why did he stare at her like that?
"I was wondering if we could... hang out," Shiko smirked and raised his eyebrows slightly, not used to saying such words. "After all, I haven't really associated myself with your friends." He held a hand towards himself.
"Uh... sure." Riko nodded, turning to stare at the other two to see them shrug.
"When you say hang out, it's almost like you want an orgy." Kaori blurted out, blinking when she was shot horrified looks from her friends.
"Mmm... We'll see." Shiko purred, his smirk growing when he saw both of Riko's friends shiver and move away from him.
He started laughing when Riko punched his arm, holding his hands up in surrender with a close-eyed smile. Hideo nodded to the women when they stepped out, shrugging lightly when they sent him confused stares. Shiko complained that since he wasn't trusted he couldn't go anywhere without at least one of the guards with him, which made the three nod in understanding.
"Why does he wanna talk to us?" Kaori mumbled from the side of her mouth, raising an eyebrow curiously.
"I dunno." Riko shrugged lightly with a frown.
"Maybe he wants something?" Kayo murmured, seeing the two women frown in uncertainty.
"Or maybe I just want your virginity," Shiko called back, smirking when he heard horrified squeaks. "It's not serious. I just want to meet you." He turned and smiled at the three, meaning he wanted to know Riko's friends. "Do you know where we can go? I'm still not used to the city."
"Yeah!" Kaori grinned.
They were getting stares...
The three women looked around the restaurant, chewing on their food slowly, seeing women glancing at their tables to look at the man that sat across from them with a confident smirk on his face. Shiko had one arm draped over his side of the booth, gazing at the women with hooded eyes that made both Kaori and Kayo blush faintly and look away. What was with this guy? Heck, not even their former Taichos made them blush so much.
Well... except for that one time Kaori walked in on Byakuya when he was changing...
She couldn't stop laughing after she got over the shock.
"It's like this guy's a walking wet dream for all women." Kaori mumbled from the side of her mouth, yelping when Riko slapped the back of her head. "What?" She rubbed the back of her neck and scowled.
"So," Shiko gave a smirk, raising his brows slightly. "how have you three been since we last spoke?"
"Good," Riko shrugged, pausing before she cleared her throat. "Though, you, uh... y'know, got hurt." She gestured towards his chest.
"I'm fine," He waved his hands dismissively and grinned. "This isn't the worst injury I ever received. The worst would have to be when both my legs broke and someone was about to slit my throat." He gave a sparkling smile at the memory. "So, I caught him off guard and broke his neck while trying to get his heart at the same time."
The three women across from him stared at him with wide eyes. Some of the people that were sitting nearby turned their heads to stare at him warily.
"Good times," Shiko said with a light chuckle. "How are you two?" He glanced at the redhead and the blonde curiously.
"I'm fine." Kayo murmured, almost frowning at the thought of trying to convince the scarred man of becoming interested in Seika.
"Great." Kaori said almost sarcastically, giving a scowl.
"Hmm," He smiled and raised an eyebrow, turning his head when he saw Hideo waving his arm like a maniac from the next booth, as if he thought Shiko couldn't see him. "Yes?"
"Do you mind if I go get some smokes?"
Shiko sent the man a flat stare, seeing the guard look to the side before he looked back and grinned. He waved his hand dismissively, rolling his eyes when Hideo shot up and ran towards the exit like a child getting treats. To him, he most likely felt like he was getting a treat. Looking back he smiled, seeing the three women looking at him curiously.
"So, uh... why'd you want to see us?" Kaori asked, raising an eyebrow curiously. At the semi-curious look, she snorted. "We're oblivious at times, but not stupid." She paused. "Though Riko might be." She yelped when the back of her head was smacked again. "Eh! That hurts!"
"Just wanted to talk," Shiko smirked, tilting his head to the right slightly. "Though I am curious as to why you are trying to convince Zenaku that this 'Seika' is a good person."
Kayo blushed brightly, seeing both Kaori and Riko frown before they looked down at her in confusion. They had questions, she could see that, but she was not going to tell them. Shiko smirked when he saw the questioning looks. Kaori thinned her eyes and glanced at Riko, seeing her shrug.
"Uh... talk about what?" Riko asked, glancing at the small blonde every few seconds while trying to keep her gaze on her brother.
Shiko glanced at the exit, raising his eyebrows slightly before he smirked widely. "Let's get out of here before he gets back~!" He almost looked like a teenager when he bounded for the door with a grin.
"Do you know why he wants to talk?" Kaori murmured, all three paying for their meals. "...Hold on... he has no money!" She pointed at the exit and stared at her friends with wide eyes.
"...Yeah..." Kayo said, looking down to stare at his plate. "...Why did I think he was going to pay for his food?"
"...'Cause he was confident enough to get us into thinking he was rich?" Kaori shrugged and scowled, seeing Riko roll her eyes and also pay for the brunette.
"Let's go before we lose him."
"Hold on...! He dances?!"
Kaori, Riko, and Kayo dropped their jaws, seeing the brunette give a wide smirk while he gave a nod. They all paused and looked up in thought, trying to imagine the quiet, serious man that was Nojima dance. Kayo's eyes started shining while both the redhead and raven haired woman pulled faces as they struggled to vision it. Shiko chuckled when they all stared at him, silently asking again.
"Yes, he can dance. Though he prefers to dance by himself," He raised his eyebrows slightly. "Actually, I'd say he dances magnificently."
"I'd imagine he doesn't like people staring?" Kaori asked, seeing the brunette nod once again. "So... why're we sitting on a roof? At the edge...?" She looked over the edge warily, her legs hanging over the side of the building.
"I like being in high places," Shiko said, raising his eyes to look at the blue skies. "So... having love troubles?" He turned and grinned at the three.
The three sputtered, all gawking at the man. Shiko stared at them, slowly raising his eyebrows while his grin grew. Kaori blinked before her eyes grew wide with realization, pointing at him with a scowl. He stared at her finger, unimpressed, with an amused smile on his face.
"Kuchiki Taicho talked to you, didn't he?!" Kaori snarled, eyes wide with anger.
"I'd be lying if I said no," If possible the amusement seemed to grow. The redhead hesitated, furrowing her brows when he denied no such thing. "He came to me, amazing for someone with a stick shoved so far up his ass." Riko and Kayo snorted, both smiling widely. "But yes, he was concerned with how you were being so... angry."
Kaori scoffed. "Nothing's wrong, just leave it alone!" She glared ahead, mouth in a firm line.
"Your tone begs to differ," He wasn't discouraged, raising his eyebrows and smirking. "You're sure you don't care?"
"Yes!"
"Not even if your attitude ended the relationship?"
Kaori hesitated, furrowing her brows. "It'd... be for the best."
Riko and Kayo turned their heads, frowning and staring at the redhead in shock. Shiko stared at her for a long moment, eyes narrowed and calculating. Kaori slowly started growing uncomfortable, biting her lip and looking away before she looked back. She was starting to feel wary of his intense staring.
"You're guilty."
She jumped and looked at him, eyes wide. "What?"
"You're guilty... Taking his attention from elsewhere..." Shiko smirked. "From a former lover? Someone he was intending to court? No, doesn't seem like him... Someone far more important." His eyes seemed to glow from the sun. "A late wife?"
She parted her lips slowly. "...Holy crap..." Kaori frowned. "How did you know that?"
"I'm not as analytical as Nikito, for example, but I do have intelligence," He chuckled lightly and looked forward, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees while he laced his hands together. The three girls stared warily. How can he sit like that on the edge? "You're guilty that you're taking his attention from his late wife. But if he's stayed with you this long he's probably moved on... You, however, still feel guilty." He looked at her from the side of his eye, sitting to the right of the three. "Kept it to yourself since you started?"
"...He loved—loves—his wife. He doesn't need me," Kaori mumbled, rubbing the back of her neck and clearing her throat. "Besides, I'm nothing but an immature woman that throws rants—and apparently forget what she's getting angry about." She looked pointedly at Riko.
The taller woman gave a wide grin.
"...I envy you..."
The redhead blinked in surprise and turned her head to the right, seeing the brunette smiling ruefully while looking in the distance. Riko furrowed her brows, sitting straight while she sat in between Kayo and Kaori. She's never seen him look like that. Kayo, who was sitting right next to him, staring up at him with curiosity shining in her eyes.
"...Well, it's not serious," Shiko drawled, turning to stare at them with a smirk. "But I guess you can say I'm unable to love anymore."
"...What?!" Kayo cried out, eyes wide with shock. Her outburst made her two friends jump in surprise, both staring at her. "No one's unable to love anymore! We can all fall in love with people!"
He smiled. "Thank you, Kayo-chan... really... But I haven't trusted another woman to give my heart to in years," He quickly glanced at them. "And before you ask, no, I will not tell you how old I am." A smirk crossed his face when he saw them close their mouths.
"Hold on... another woman?" Kaori narrowed her eyes and glanced at him. "You loved a woman before?"
"Yes, like any other human does in their lives... Though I'm not human," He shrugged lightly in a dismissive manner. "But, yes, I loved a woman before." Shiko looked at the sky, raising his eyebrows and smiling. "I loved her so much. I was happy when she walked up to me, of all people, and asked if we could spend some time together."
"W-Wait!" Riko held her hands up. She thinned her eyes and frowned. "You, of all people? Why do you say that? From what Kaori keeps saying you're a pretty hot guy." The redhead sent her a scowl.
Shiko stared at her blankly. "It's warm, but I'm not hot."
The three started snickering, which made the brunette raise an eyebrow curiously. Kayo quickly told him what it meant, smiling when he blinked in surprise. Looking up, he stared at the redhead. Kaori's eyebrows rose at the same time her face turned red when a smooth smirk crossed his face, hooded eyes staring at her.
"S-Stop that, man! You're my friend's bro, I can't look at you like that!" Kaori held up a hand and covered his face from her line of vision.
"But back to the topic," Shiko chuckled lightly, raising his eyebrows and smiling. "I didn't always look like this." He motioned towards himself, which made the three frown in confusion. "I guess you could've called me a... nerd, pretty much." He rubbed the back of his neck.
"...Eh?" Riko pulled a face, the three staring at him disbelievingly.
Shiko looked like a teenager once more when he blushed in embarrassment and gave a wide grin.
Some people snickered as the fifteenth seat walked by, messy hair covering his eyes as he stumbled over his too long shihakusho. He really needed to request a new size. This one was too big. The hair in the back of his head reached his shoulder blades. He pretty much looked like a bushy caveman to people. He tripped when he stepped on his pants, hearing people roaring with laughter nearby. He blushed profusely in embarrassment, reaching out to grab his books.
"Nakamura,"
"Y-Yes, Taicho?!" He yelped, turning to stare up at the Taicho through his eyes. He blinked in surprise when the man held out his hand, hesitating before he grabbed it and was pulled up to his feet. "T-Thank you, Taicho."
"You need to be more careful," The kind man smiled, reaching up and ruffling his already messy hair. "I also need you to transfer these to the division next door."
"Y-Yes, sir."
The three women gawked, seeing the brunette staring at them with a smirk. He stuttered? They compared his old description of him to the new him, all three blinked disbelievingly. Nah, he had to be lying. But by the serious look in his eye... Maybe it was true?
"But, at the time, I was surprised when the most beautiful woman of the division walked up to me," Shiko smiled and shrugged lightly. "I was happy. She was nice. As the months went by I slowly started falling for her."
The three stared at him, listening intently as they stayed silent.
"About eight months later I planned a dinner. I had the servants," At this he frowned and narrowed his eyes, which confused the three women. "help decorate the back. I got the most beautiful flowers I could find, had the cook make delicious food, and invited her over. She arrived and looked surprised at the decor."
Unconsciously, the three women leaned forward, listening intently.
"We ate. I told her I had something serious to say," Shiko smiled and stared at the sky. "I told her I loved her, and..." The three leaned more towards him. "She laughed in my face."
"What?!" Kaori cried out, her jaw dropping and eyes bugging out. "That bitch!" She paused, seeing the raven haired woman and the small blonde stare at her. "...Well, she is!"
"Yes, she was," He shook his head lightly and gave a grin. "She said she didn't want anything serious, said we shouldn't mention it to anyone, and left. Next day I was at the division people were pointing at me and whispering." He clicked his tongue. "Seemed like she couldn't keep quiet about it."
"That's so... mean." Kayo murmured, eyebrows furrowed.
"It was. I started questioning why she used me. Was there something wrong with me, I used to ask myself all the time. But the one thing that set me off was when I overheard her talking," That smirk remained on his face, which made the three frown. "'He was such a dork, it was so easy to use him. He bought me anything I wanted. I wish he didn't tell me he loved me, I could've used him a bit longer.' I was... Well, to be honest I don't know how I felt."
"You must've been pissed, for one." Riko said, seeing the brunette smirk and nod.
"I was. Definitely. But... I thought it was time for a change," Shiko smirked widely, seeing the three staring at him intently. "I changed."
Shiko pushed his bangs aside, staring at the mirror and the small dagger he had. He narrowed his eyes slightly and sighed. He needed to change... He picked up the dagger and started cutting his hair so it didn't look so bushy anymore. Cutting one side of his bangs he blinked when he finally stared at his face. He was so used to hiding his eyes. Putting the dagger down he reached out and grabbed the bandage, reaching back to tie his hair into a low ponytail.
It would be better if it was tied to manage it.
Now that he thought about it, why did he keep his hair so messy? Shrugging it off he went back to cutting his hair to thin it out. After he finished shortening his bangs he blinked, staring into the mirror. Huh... He... looked very different. An amused smile crossed his face, pausing before he let out a breath and looked up. Okay, he needed a new persona.
He also needed to start wearing the new shihakusho they finally gave him, one that was actually his size. He glanced outside, seeing the sun coming up. Good thing he woke up an hour early. There had been so much hair to cut off. Pushing himself to a stand he walked over to his shihakusho and picked it up, changing quickly.
New persona... New persona, what kind of persona? Sighing, he furrowed his brows and looked up. This was a hassle. He wasn't confident enough to—Wait!
That's it!
A wide grin crossed his face, jumping up and holding up his fists. He needed to be more confident! Then maybe people would stop laughing at him. Giving a firm nod he turned and put on his clogged sandals, heading for the exit of the manor.
"Clogged sandals?" Kaori asked, frowning and narrowing her eyes. "Now that I remember, you came here two years ago with clogged sandals. Do you like them more?"
"...I'm embarrassed to say, I'm not very good at tying sandals," Shiko held up a foot, the three girls staring at his poorly tied sandals. "And since I have no money I can't buy clogged sandals." He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled.
The three bit their lips, glancing at the man to see if he was serious. And by the look on his face they could tell he was very serious.
"...I can buy you a pair."
"Thank you, Riko."
The Taicho of the second division yelled out orders, teaching the new recruits how to work as a team. Some of the subordinates watched, arms crossed as the graduated students swung their swords with determination burning in their eyes. Though they turned their heads when they heard the familiar sound of the nerd's shoes clacking on the tiled ground. But looking up their eyes grew wide when a complete stranger walked into the courtyard. With a confident smirk and stride the stranger walked up to the Taicho.
"Good morning, Taicho! I trust you had a pleasant morning." Shiko drawled, raising his eyebrows as he smirked.
The man across from him widened his eyes. "Nakamura?" He asked in shock.
"Yes, who else would it be?" Shiko chuckled lightly. "Do you need any work to be done?" He crossed his arms behind his back, standing straight and waiting for orders.
"I, uh..." He shook his head lightly. "I need my paperwork to be done and delivered."
"Yes, sir," Shiko bowed and nodded. "Though I hope you don't let me do it all again." He looked up, raising an eyebrow and smirking.
"I-I don't let you do it all!" He cried out in shock, eyes wide and blushing in embarrassment.
"History begs to differ." Shiko chuckled lightly and turned, heading for the building with a smile and a laid-back look in his eyes.
The people that knew him gawked after him, their eyes wide with shock and jaws hanging. The women of the new recruits stared after him with blushes, all blinking and whispering to one another. He strode through the division, eyes hooded and mouth in a constant curve. The women in the division stopped and stared after him, asking one another who the new man was. The men of the division frowned in confusion when they saw him, asking the same questions.
Once he made it to the office he slid it closed behind himself... and once he did he slumped over and started breathing quickly.
He was not used to acting like that!
"B-But that's how you act now!" Kayo said, pointing at him with wide eyes.
"Yeah, I stuck with it," Shiko smirked widely and shrugged lightly. "I liked being more confident, anyway. It shocked the hell out of everyone when they found out it was me walking with such confidence." His eyes flashed, his smirk growing with amusement. "It sure made things different."
Shiko worked on the paperwork, as ordered, a bored look on his face. Why couldn't the Taicho do this? This was his work, after all. There was a knock at the door, causing him to jump in surprise. Letting out a sigh, it was most likely for the leader of the division, he turned and walked towards the door. Sliding it open, he blinked in surprise at the voluptuous woman at the door.
"Taicho is teaching the new recruits," Shiko said, pointing down the hallway. "Though you will have to wait for him to-"
"Oh, I'm here for you, Shiko-kun." She purred, staring at him with lidded eyes and a seductive smile.
Shiko-kun?
"...Excuse me?" He crossed his arms and delicately raised an eyebrow. No one ever asked for him. Well... except for the people that wanted him to help them clean. "Do you want me to help you clean the division, as well?" He snapped lightly.
People had their limits.
"Oh, no!" She shook her head and held her hands up. He stepped aside when she walked in, giving a smile and looking around. "I just wanted to... talk to you." He blinked and nodded for her to continue. "I have to say, I'm surprised of the new appearance and attitude. Why didn't you tell anyone you had such a handsome face under all that hair?"
"I didn't think it was anyone's business," Shiko said, giving a small frown and narrowing his eyes. He was handsome? "Did you need to talk about something?"
"Actually," She sauntered over towards him, her swaying hips gaining his attention. The shift in the air also caught his attention, leaning back against the desk when she drew closer. She pressed herself against him, running a finger down his chest and smiling up at him. "I wanted to do more than talk."
His eyebrows shot up.
They had yet to pick their jaws up.
Shiko stared at the three, his smirk growing the longer they continued to gawk at him. They were blushing, which was starting to look pretty cute. Too bad they were taken. Though he would never feel that way for Riko, ever. She was his little adorable sister, after all.
"S-S-S-She..." Kaori blinked owlishly. "She tried to have sex with you?!" She squeaked.
"Oh, she didn't try," Shiko chuckled lightly, seeing the three frown in confusion. "We had sex, alright... Right on the Taicho's desk." He frowned and looked to the side. "...I hope he never found out."
"Y-You had sex?!" Kayo stared at him with wide eyes.
"I was a nerd, I took it like it was the greatest present I ever received," Shiko grinned at the memory. "It was nice. Two orgasms later and she was content."
"We don't need to know that!" Riko snapped, sending him a glare. "And seriously? Only two?" Kayo sent her a horrified stare.
"Two of mine, Riko, dear." Shiko gave them a heated stare, his purring voice making the redhead and blonde blush brightly.
"EW!" Riko covered her ears and sent him a disgusted stare.
What was he supposed to do? He stared down at the woman, seeing her sleeping with such a content smile on her face. He pursed his lips and looked to the side before he started dressing her. Okay, he needed to find a friend of hers and hand her over. Picking her up, and making sure she looked presentable, he walked towards the door. Sliding it open he widened his eyes, seeing a large crowd standing outside the door.
Everyone looked up, all their eyes wide and faces red.
Shiko hesitated before he remembered his new persona and let a smirk cross his face at the same time he purred.
"...Is there something you need?"
Most of the crowd stuttered, all waving their hands and walking down the hallways.
"A-Actually, I'm getting off topic, getting too used to remembering how it all started," Shiko smirked widely. "But after two months of acting like this it started to become natural. I was used to acting like this, and I was used to women always sending me invitations. But, the woman that I had 'loved'," He rolled his eyes and scoffed lightly. "Found out about the new look and attitude. She approached me and said she'd take me back."
"I have to say, Shiko, I really like the new look," She purred, eyeing the brunette up and down with a smile. She walked around the man, smiling seductively. "And it hurts me to find out you took other women to your bed." She gave a pout and sighed.
"Oh, it must hurt you alright," Shiko glanced at her and smirked. "They were much better than you, that's for sure."
She stumbled back, eyes wide. "W-What?!"
"I taunted her for ten solid minutes, and she tried to defend herself," Shiko pursed his lips and clicked his tongue, staring at the sky. "She tried convincing me she would take me back. And that she loved me." He tilted his head and raised his eyebrows. "This time it was my turn to laugh at her."
"Good!" Kaori scoffed, crossing her arms.
"It was cruel," She blinked at him in disbelief, seeing him leaning forward and look at the ground. "Her friends laughed at her, any man that was near also laughed and started poking fun at her. She cried, ran, and I never saw her again... She didn't kill herself, if that's what you are thinking." He said quickly, seeing the women widen their eyes. "She transferred to another division and started over."
They stayed silent, the women frowning and looking at the distance. What a sad story. Was this supposed to make them think differently? All they thought about was that some women were cruel. Too cruel. So were men, but still... Kayo bit her lip and rubbed her arm, hesitating before she glanced upwards.
"Was she the only woman you loved?" Kayo asked quietly.
It was silent.
"...No."
"You loved another woman after that?!" Kaori asked, leaning forward, completely taken with the story. "Who was it? Someone else from the city?"
"No... I met her shortly after being 'recruited' by Nikito," Shiko said, a wry smile crossing his face. "She was unlike any woman that approached me."
"You met her in the Rukongai?" Riko asked, raising her eyebrows while her mouth formed a small 'o'.
"Yes," He closed his eyes while his smile became more soft. "Her name was Teto Kazumi."
"Nice to meet you," Shiko purred, staring down at the woman with hooded eyes. He heard a scoff from the crude man whose name was Zenaku. "My name is Nakamura Shiko."
"I heard of you," Kazumi said, brown eyes staring up at him while she frowned. "Everyone heard of the new recruit."
"Ah, so you know me?" The smirk on his face grew. He bent down to get closer, narrowing his eyes and smirking. "So you're-"
"Not interested." Kazumi interrupted, sending him a flat stare.
Shiko blinked, feeling his face heat with embarrassment when Zenaku barked a laugh. He stood straight and turned, sending the scarred man a glare when he leaned against the pillows. He found the man too crude to be friends with. When he turned he blinked in surprise, seeing his fellow brunette walking away. He sighed irritably and crossed his arms. He needed her attention, but how?
"I swear, Nakamura," He blinked and turned, seeing the tallest of the group sneering down at him. "You sleep with any of these women an' I'll rip your head off an' shit down your throat." Ichirou growled.
Shiko paled tremendously, slowly nodding. "I'll... remember that, Murakami-san."
"Actually... she acted a lot like you, Kaori-chan." Shiko turned and smirked, raising his eyebrows slightly.
Kaori blinked in surprise, both Riko and Kayo glancing at her before looking back. They had paled when he told them what Ichirou had said to him. What kind of threats did he make?
"Shiko-san..." Kayo furrowed her brows and bit her lip. "Where is she now?"
"I'm getting there..."
"So you clean?" Shiko asked, watching as the woman rinsed the cloth.
"Yes, it's the least I could do to help Reta-sama," Kazumi said, turning her head to narrow her eyes and frown at him. "You better not try anything else."
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," Shiko purred, smirking widely when she sent him a glare. "So, I'm a little curious... What did Reta do to make you so loyal to him?" He tilted his head, watching as she cleaned the floors.
She was quiet for a while. He almost left until she spoke. "I... was almost raped," The look in his eyes grew serious, a frown crossing his face. "He happened to be walking by when he heard my screams. He saved me before anything happened. He offered me to live here, but I could decline if I want to." She smiled gently. "He was kind, I could see it in his eyes."
"...So he saved you?" Shiko asked softly, seeing her nod while he leaned against the wall. "...He's a kind man... It's what everyone says here." He murmured, staring at the floor.
"He is."
It was silent before he pushed himself off the wall and cleared his throat. "I believe I did not introduce myself correctly," He gave her a smile and held his hand out. "My name is Nakamura Shiko, one of Reta's new fighters."
Kazumi blinked and stared at his hand before she slowly grasped it. "My name is Teto Kazumi, one of Reta-sama's cleaners." She finally gave him a smile.
"You should smile more often. It's nice," Shiko's smile grew, taking a step back to give her room. "I'm sorry, but I must go see Reta. He wanted to debrief my on some rules." He paused. "I imagine one of them is to not fraternize with anyone here."
"Yep." Kazumi grinned and started snickering.
"Damn shame." He shook his head lightly, a smile growing across his face when she laughed.
"I started treating her like another person instead of..." He cleared his throat, turning to see them staring at him with large eyes. "Like how I treated other women."
"So you treated women like trash for a while, I take it?" Riko crossed her arms and scowled.
"Unfortunately, yes. Though once Nikito 'recruited' me, I stopped all that. Another reason to be thankful towards him," Shiko said, raising his eyebrows slightly and smiling. "But Kazumi didn't take me seriously. Always joked and made fun of me. I didn't mind, I actually enjoyed it."
"She was different?" Kayo asked, giving a smile.
"Yes. We grew close in two years. I loved it," He sighed and rolled his eyes. "It was better than, 'Oh, Shiko-sama, you're so handsome~!'" He mocked, holding two of his hands together and batting his eyelashes. The three women started snickering. "You could tell they were lying. She was different and I cherished every moment."
"You know, you need to be more nice to Zenaku-sama."
Shiko sent her a look of disbelief. "Are you serious? He's always mocking me, why shouldn't I do the same? And he always calls me names."
"And you retaliate by jumping him and you two start fighting," Kazumi said, sending him a firm stare while they sat in the garden. "I'm sure you've noticed how self-conscious he is. You always make fun of his appearance."
"I'll be nice when he's actually being nice," Shiko said, crossing his arms and staring ahead with a pout. "Do you like him?" He asked, smirking at the woman while raising his eyebrows.
She scoffed. "As if. He needs someone that looks past all his scars... Or someone that's crazy about men with scars."
"Hmm... How about me?" Shiko purred, leaning in close and giving her a heated stare.
Kazumi blushed brightly, leaning away and staring at him with wide eyes. She stuttered before looking away and saying as if she would ever like a man that was so full of himself. He gave a wide grin, chuckling lightly. He soon started roaring with laughter when she punched his arm.
"Sounds like you two had fun." Riko said, giving a wide grin.
"We did... I knew her for five years," He held up five fingers and smiled. "Over the time I started trusting her... and fell in love with her." He leaned forward and furrowed his brows slightly. "...I loved her..."
The three women smiled before the small blonde frowned. "...Five years?" She instantly got a bad feeling.
His eyes grew pained. "...She..."
"You're sure you don't want me to come with you?" Shiko asked, giving a wide grin.
"I'll be fine. The newest addition just showed up. You should get to know him first," Kazumi said, giving a smile. "He's been here for three weeks and yet you guys aren't talking to him." She furrowed her eyebrows worriedly as she thought about the man.
"Yeah, because he's such a ray of sunshine," Shiko murmured, rolling his eyes and scoffing. "I don't see why Nojima-kun has such a stick up his arse."
Kazumi smirked. "Just get used to him. Who knows? Maybe you'll end up being friends with him."
"And when that happens Zenaku will tell me he loves me and wants to make love to me."
"Don't say that," She started snickering, both standing at the exit to the manor. "I'll be back before you know it."
Shiko nodded before he smiled, his eyes growing soft. "Come back safely, Kazumi."
"I will, Shiko-sama." Kazumi said, a gentle smile crossing her face.
"How many times do I have to say not to call me that~?" He whined, giving her a pout.
"'Cause I know it irritates you." Kazumi said, snickering before she walked out of the building.
Shiko raised his hand, seeing her wave back.
"It was just supposed to be a normal walk to the nearest village to buy food," Shiko said, staring ahead with narrowed eyes and mouth in a firm line. "It was nothing special. She was just supposed to walk to the village, buy food, and come back." He leaned forward and let out a sigh.
"...Something happened." Kaori said, eyebrows drawn together as she frowned.
"Yes..."
Shiko glared up at Zenaku, seeing the scarred man sneering down at him. He could see the damaged eye through his hair, the one he tried covering, both glaring at one another. They opened their mouths to start their new argument, though the brunette paused and widened his eyes. Kazumi had little reiatsu, but he grew used to it over the years.
Her reiatsu just now went down significantly.
He turned, ignoring Zenaku asking what the hell he was doing, and ran down the halls. He disappeared once he was outside, using shunpo to get to where Kazumi was.
'Kazumi!'
"She was supposed to be safe." Shiko said, hanging his head so his bangs covered his eyes.
He finally stopped, looking up and widening his eyes. A bandit stood over the brunette, holding the front of her blood covered robes while he searched for any money she had. He gave a scoff, dropping her to the ground. He made a comment that if she wasn't dying he'd have his way with her. She turned her head, eyes lighting up when she saw him.
Shiko's eyes grew wide, seeing the woman smile at him with tears filling her eyes.
The bandit turned, a muscled bald man. "Who're you?"
"I still don't remember what happened after that," Shiko murmured, staring at his intertwined hands with a blank look on his face. "One moment I'm staring at him, the next... he's in pieces below me." He heard one of the women gasp, most likely Kayo. "I made him suffer, I'm sure of it... and I don't regret it."
Shiko panted heavily, staring down at the mangled mess with a crazed look in his eyes. He gasped and turned. "Kazumi!" He ran towards her, dropping to his knees and pulling her up. His eyes grew worried when he saw the injury. He knew how to fight, and he knew where every vital spot in the body was. Her injury was fatal. "I... I'll get you to Zenaku!" He tried smiling. "He'll fix you up good as new!"
Kazumi smiled, furrowing her eyebrows. "...You're such a bad liar."
"I'm not lying," He tried grinning, closing his eyes and furrowing his eyebrows. "I'll get you to him and-"
"I appreciate you trying to..." She gave a pained groaned, wincing and closing her eyes tightly. "...to make me feel better... but we both know I'm not..." Reopening her eyes her lips trembled. "...Can you tell Reta-sama... I appreciate everything he's done for me?"
"...Y... You can tell him yourself," Shiko said, trying to move her and quickly freezing when she cried out. "...Kazumi...!"
"...Shiko," Her voice cracked. "...I cherished every moment we had together..."
"A-And we'll have more!" Shiko tightened his grip, closing his eyes to prevent tears from falling. "We'll have more and... and maybe even have a few kids."
She smiled. "I would have liked that..."
"But we'd get married first, of course," He chuckled and closed his eyes tightly, his arms trembling.
"...Shiko..." He opened his eyes when she placed a hand on his cheek, gazing up at him with a sad smile. "...I love you..."
His breath caught in his throat, eyes growing wide. He opened his mouth, trying to tell her... except insecurities got in the way. It was crazy! She was dying in his arms and he thought she was only going to run like the other woman he had loved! In a way, she was. Kazumi continued to smile, even when he couldn't utter the words. He hung his head, staring at her with a desperate look in his eyes.
"Kazumi, I..." He reached up and covered her hand with his own.
"...I know..." Her eyes started losing that light he was familiar with. "...Shiko..."
Her hand would have fell, had he not been holding her hand tightly.
Riko, Kaori, and Kayo stayed silent, staring at him with wide eyes. They looked distraught, all gazing at him with pity and worry. He kept his gaze forward, not longer smirking. He looked serious, for once. "...I don't know how long I stayed there, but eventually Ichirou and the others found me. Zenaku tried to heal her, but it was already too late." A wry smile crossed his face. "It was sad... She was dying... and I was too pitiful to tell her three little words... All I had to say were three... little... words..." He hung his head.
They held a funeral for her. He found out she had been living with Reta for years, and the man was obviously distraught when he found out. He stood there for a long time, even when it had finished. He stared at her grave, a stick in the ground to show where she had been buried. He let out choked breath, closing his eyes tightly.
"So," He jumped in surprise, turning to see Zenaku staring at him. "You loved her?"
"What are you going to do, taunt me?" Shiko asked, giving him a sneer and staring at the grave. "So what if I did?"
"I think nothing of it. I just see a mourning man that loved a woman," Zenaku walked forward, staring at the grave with a small frown. "We'll miss her, that's for sure. She was nice, and heck, she didn't care how I looked." He shrugged lightly and raised his eyebrows as if to say, 'who knew?'
"Is there a point to this?" Shiko snapped lightly, glaring at the ground.
"Nah, not really," Zenaku glanced down at him and elbowed him lightly. "She loved ya, eh?" He received a hesitant nod. "...She told me that seein' ya happy was one of the things that made her happy." He smirked. "She had a happy life."
"...I hope she did..."
Zenaku sighed lightly. "I'll help ya move on, though not completely."
Shiko blinked and looked up. "Wha-"
"Can't have the little shit gettin' all teary eyed on me every moment!" Zenaku said, ruffling his hair with a grin. "...I'll see ya inside." He said, giving him a nod and turning to head back for the building.
Shiko stared after him, eyes slightly wide. Was he trying to comfort him? Furrowing his brows he looked back at the grave, letting out a sigh and closing his eyes. Bending down to one knee and silently prayed. He would treat everyone better, and try to get along with them, like she wanted. He touched her grave with one hand before he rose to his feet to head back inside.
"I lost her... and I regret every moment that I wasn't able to tell her I love her," Shiko said, pursing his lips and looking ahead. "What I'm trying to say is... you could lose the ones you love, and if you did, you would regret it for the rest of your life." He glanced at them with a blank look in his eyes. "They were sad, when you left. And they are sad with the way you are acting towards them now." He gave a close-eyed smile, furrowing his brows. "Please... don't hurt them and yourselves..."
Tears filled Kayo's eyes, her lips trembling as she stared at the brunette. Kaori was breathing a little fast, hands trembling as she stared at him. Riko was slowly nodding, keeping her gaze off of him. Their eyes were red, all trying to prevent themselves from crying.
"But," They glanced at him, seeing him smiling. "About eighty years later, Ichirou found a baby." His smile grew. "Little Riko. He found you, and we all became a family instead of friends... I started to become happy... Well, happier. Zenaku really tried cheering me up after it happened." He chuckled lightly. "I was amused with some tactics he used."
"Like?" Kaori asked, wiping her eyes and sniffling.
"Well, for one, he pushed Nojima into a lake," Shiko frowned and cleared his throat. "We stopped finding it funny when we realized that Nojima was drowning."
The three women widened their eyes and stared at him.
"It turns out he doesn't know how to swim."
The three women pressed their lips together as if to prevent themselves from laughing. He almost drowned? He slapped his hands on his legs and nodded.
"So! Do you want to go back to your divisions, or shall we do something else?"
"Uh... I have to... go talk with someone," Kaori said, standing up and clearing her throat. "I'll... see you guys later." She nodded and turned, heading for the door to head into the division.
"...Me, too," Kayo said, biting her lip and looking up at the brunette. "Shiko-san... I'm sure she would be happy that you made friends with Tanaka-san." She gave a smile.
Shiko smirked and nodded, seeing the small blonde head for the door, as well. He turned his head, seeing Riko staring at her hands before she slowly started moving towards him. Reaching over she wrapped her arms around him, making him blink before a soft smile crossed his face. He leaned down, resting his head on top of hers before she moved away.
"I'll see you later." Riko said, nodding before she jumped over the edge and landed on the ground.
Shiko whistled and raised his eyebrows. Looking up, he stared at the blue skies with a smirk. Leaning back on his hands he started whistling a little tune.
"You know," Shiko drawled, raising an eyebrow. "If you want to talk to them, you should go now."
He turned his head, smirking when he saw the three Taichos come out of hiding. Letting out a sigh he pushed himself up to a stand and dusted his hands off, giving them a glance before he smirked. Byakuya was staring at him closely, trying to determine if his story was real. Hitsugaya frowned, eyes narrowed and mouth in a firm line. Kenpachi had his arms crossed over his chest, frowning at the man.
"Well?" Shiko asked, giving a wide smirk. "Are you going to thank me, or go frolic after your lovers?" He waved his hand off in the distance. "...If you want to thank me, I'll accept money." He chuckled lightly.
Hitsugaya stayed silent for a moment. "...Was that story real?" He asked, seeing the brunette smirk.
"...Who knows?" Shiko gave a wide grin. "If you'll excuse me, I want to leave before Hideo finds me."
He flipped back, over the edge of the building and landing silently on his feet. Turning, he put his hands in his pockets and started walking down the street with a smirk. The three watched him leave, blinking when they heard panicked yells and turned in time to see the guard skid around the corner. He started questioning if people jaw Shiko, almost panicking when they shook their heads.
With Shiko, he smiled, walking calmly down the street.
"Ah, Kazumi... I hope you see how much trouble we go through," He chuckled in amusement. "We go through a lot."
Hijoshikina gave ragged breaths, head hanging as he leaned against the tree. Aoi frowned, kneeling down in front of him. He passed out again. How long could he stay up without passing out? If he didn't eat... Closing his eyes, he lightly shook his head. He turned, seeing Rei give a frown with his massive arms crossed over his chest.
"He really did a number on 'im, eh?" Rei shook his head lightly.
"Poor son of a bitch." Koichi said, scowling when everyone around of the area sighed.
"Really? Really? Swearing? Again?" Aoi asked, sending him a scowl. "Stop it with the swearing!"
"I'll stop when Rei stops being the biggest son of a bitch of the group."
Koichi yelped when a large hand hit his back and sent him to the ground. Rokuro, the silent one of the group, stared down at the white haired man with narrowed eyes. Teru glanced at him, frowning when his calculating eyes remained on the crazy man. The thing about Rokuro was that he wasn't just silent...
He was silent twenty-four seven.
He never spoke, it kind of creeped him out.
"So when will he be back to a hundred percent?" Teru asked, arms by his sides.
"Probably a couple days?" Aoi guessed, rubbing the back of his neck. "He always got right back up after the punishments."
"They never lasted three fucking whole days," Koichi said, pushing himself back up with a scowl. "Hell, he can't even stay up for ten minutes! Let's face it, he ain't getting up anytime soon."
Rokuro eyes rose to look up, looking in the distance. Since he was usually silent, all the time, everyone gave him their attention. Rei frowned before he looked in the distance, pausing before his eyes grew wide. He cursed at the same time everyone surrounding the unconscious man tensed.
"Shinigami?" Aoi frowned and cursed. "Fuck! Hijo isn't up yet...!" He tried shaking him awake. "Hijo, wake up!"
He didn't move.
"Fuck!" Koichi cursed, again, almost jumping on spot. "Our greatest fucking advantage, and he's out cold 'cause of the fucking beating he got from Reta! Slap him awake!"
Aoi frowned and sent him a look of disbelief. "I'm not doing that!"
Without hesitating, Koichi ran up and slapped the man across the face. Everyone in the area held their breath, soon relaxing when he remained unconscious. Just when the redhead was about to do it again Rei got fed up and pushed him away. The massive man looked in the distance and snarled. Who the hell was heading towards them?
"We're close."
"Finally."
Ichigo and Renji looked up, staring at the hill. There were many reiatsu around the area, one that made them wary. Still, they continued on, intending to find out what was going on.
A stupid mosquito woke me up. XP
And... Shiko was considered a 'stud', 'cause he had money, the looks, and the rank. :] And he never gives a damn about anything. X3
June 2, 2013