User blog:Maggosh/Rendezvous Part II

'''WARNING: The following contains mature themes. Viewer Reader Discretion is Advised.'''

He walked down the wooden hall, his feet weighed with regret. Almost at the end, he lifted the haori off the peg and swung it over his shoulder. Sighing, he turns to the exit and steps forward, determined to return. “WAIT!” He whips around to face the scream; as the haori whacked the wall, his vision began to dissolve. As the pounding of footsteps reached him, everything had almost faded to black. As the steps were brought to an end, and the world had almost completely faded, he could make out a feminine silhouette rush into the doorframe. And everything went black. Nathaniel’s eyes snapped open, meeting the white washed high ceiling. He sat up, keeping his legs lateral on the couch. He rotated his head left and right. He was back in his office, untouched since he lay down. The tall stack of papers on the tan wood desk was still the same height, and the writing brushes were still lined up on the desktop. The low sun hadn’t budged in the sky, still yielding the same red-orange hue. Nathaniel looked down at the floor at the couch’s feet. Sticking vertically out of the ground was his Zanpakuto, with its curved silver guard, red hilt, and three-inch gap in the blade’s edge. He grabbed the sword by the hilt and pulled it out of the wooded floor. As he sat up, he stuck the sword’s tip in the sheath at his side and slid it in as he stood up. Stretching his arms in every which direction, he woke himself up and walked over to behind his desk. Sitting down, he slipped the sole paper from the tray on his left over to his work space, grabbed a brush from the inkwell, and got down to business. Minutes later, Nathaniel made the last stroke with a flourish; he spun the brush in his fingers, held it in a vertical position, and dropped it, landing perfectly in the inkwell below. He picked up the page, waved it in the air, and placed it on top of the large pile on his left. The moment the two pages were acquainted, a knock sounded from the door. Nathaniel sighed, shaking his head at an angle. “Captain Koro-shi-ya~!” “Come in.” The door slid open, and in stepped a well-endowed young woman with a pink sash and strawberry hair, the top of her uniform left loose to accommodate for her large breasts. She was grinning deviously. “Lieutenant Matsumoto, perfect timing,” Nathaniel began, as he patted the large stack of papers. “I was just about to start on my paperwork; perhaps you’d like to join me.” “Oh, no no no no…” came the reply, as she held her hands defensively and waved them, as if to ward off the pile’s existence. “I think I’ve had enough paperwork for today,” she said, laughing nervously. Nathaniel laughed. “Relax, I was just kidding. This is my ‘Done’ pile.” He stood up and walked across the room to the Lieutenant. “Was there something you needed?” She smoothed the back of her hair with her hand as she looked to her left. “There was, actually. Seeing as you’re finished here, would you want to, oh, I don’t know…” she looked back at Nathaniel, “go out drinking with me?” “Well…” Nathaniel said, stroking his stubbled chin with his forefinger and thumb before smiling, “I don’t see why not, sure.” Matsumoto pumped both her arms in the air, swinging her hips to one side as her exposed breasts bounced. “Great! Let’s get going!” she said as she made for the door. Nathaniel straightened his right arm and flexed its muscles. “I’ll be there in a bit. Juust need to stretch after working so long. You go on ahead; I‘ll meet you there, Rangiku,” he said, lightly grunting as he weaved his fingers together and forced his palms outward. Rangiku twisted her torso and looked back. She pouted. “Oh, come on, Captain!” she whined as she hooked her forefinger in the base of her kimono’s opening, tugging it down slightly. “Alright!” he said, shaking his arm as if something was stuck to it. “I’m flexible again. Let‘s go.” Rangiku smiled. “Right.” She turned back around and continued her way out the door, unhooking her finger. Nathaniel followed, but he stopped before the doorway. He grabbed onto the hilt of his Zanpakuto and slid it out of its sheath and turned it, the guard facing him. Lightly, he kissed the silver metal and placed his cheek upon it before sliding it back in. He walked through, slightly faster to catch up to the redheaded Lieutenant. As he reached her, he slowed his pace. “Does your Captain know about this?” Rangiku shrugged. “More or less. I may have mentioned it to him when I slipped out of the office.” “You may have?” Nathaniel queried. “Well…” she replied, twirling a lock of her hair, “I guess it was more like I said it once I was on the other side of the door.” Nathaniel chuckled. “You certainly are a fascinating woman, Rangiku Matsumoto.” “Don’t need to tell me twice, Captain!” He furrowed his brow. “I only told you once.” Rangiku giggled as she flung the lock behind her. “I know!” Nathaniel smiled and shook his head, then sighed. “Just when I think I have you nailed…” She giggled again, putting her hand over her mouth this time. “I didn’t think I was that mysterious!” Nathaniel wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Flattery, my dear. Despite how the saying goes, it can very well get you anywhere,” he said with an illustrious tone, flourishing his free hand about in the air. “I’m sure,” she said, half-laughing. “It all depends on how it’s used, see,” he continued, “You can’t use it too little, else they’ll think you’re stingy. The proper amount will yield the proper result, but that’s not exciting at all, is it? No, if you want to both make the fitting impression and keep it interesting, you have to…” he moved his arm to around her waist as he hovered his mouth over her ear and lowered his voice to a whisper, “layer…it on…a little…thick.” The two walked in silence for almost a minute, stuck in their positions, before simultaneously bursting out in laughter. Nathaniel brought his hand back up, resting it on her shoulder, using his other hand to keep his glasses from falling. Rangiku’s hands went to the folds of her uniform to keep them from becoming too lose and exposing herself. Surrounding bystanders stared for a brief moment before returning to their business. After a good laugh, the two found themselves breathing deeply, but slightly unstable, as they clutched at their midriffs. “Whew…” Rangiku gasped, “I don’t think I’ve laughed like that in so long…and I‘m not even drunk!” “Then I guess there’s no point in going drinking then?” Rangiku’s bliss quickly became shock as her eyes widened in horror. “Don’t even joke about that, Captain!” Nathaniel instantaneously laughed upon seeing her face. “Always keep them guessing, Lieutenant,” he said as he patted her low on the back, “always keep them guessing.” Rangiku’s part-pout-part-frown transfigured into a half smile. “I think you’re the one who’s mysterious, Captain.” “How so?” The incomplete smile melted. “Well…” she looked down, with a look of uncertainty upon her face. “You just…appeared last year, and all of a sudden you’re made Captain. And then, a few months later, you get your own Squad!” She stopped walking. “That doesn’t just happen!” Nathaniel stopped a few steps ahead of her. He ran his bony, metal hand through his hair, letting a sigh deflate through his nostrils. “It’s hard to explain.” Rangiku placed her hand on her hip and shifted her weight to the same side, knitting her eyebrows together. “How hard is it?” Nathaniel turned towards her, contemplating. He looked her straight in the eye. “More or less, hard to explain without privacy.” “Will that be all, Captain?” Nathaniel tilted his head up, smiling and sharply nodding. “Yes, thank you.” The white-clad maid smiled as she stood straight and exited the small room, sliding the paper-thin door behind her. The room was quaint and simple; the closed-in walls were seemingly weaved and had a flower-and-stem pattern painted across its bottom third. In the middle was a short, dark red wooden table, bearing two clay-crafted bottles of sake, conical drinking cups and an assortment of finger foods. The two sat across from each other - Nathaniel with his legs crossed and Rangiku with hers spread to the side - as their Zanpakutos leaned in the corner to Nathaniel’s left. Nathaniel selected a red saucer-cup and picked up a bottle by the neck, tilting its mouth inside to allow the drink to escape. On his discretion, he snapped the bottle vertically before closing the lid and passing - more or less tossing - it to the Lieutenant, before she did the same, albeit with a slightly larger cup. With a satisfied clunk, Rangiku replaced the bottle on the table, and thrust her cup to the space above the centre of the table, clinking as it met with Nathaniel’s. “Cheers!” They retrieved their cups and sipped until the cup’s insides were nothing more than slippery, placing the cups on the table shortly after. The two exhaled, their heads bent down slightly. “Alright,” Rangiku said as she wiped the excess sake from her lips, “We’re alone. Now, could you please tell me what happened?” Nathaniel’s jaw shifted to the right, his eyes dropping to his left. He remained silent for a minute, before inhaling, righting his jaw, and looking up at the person opposite. “It started a hundred years ago. I was the Lieutenant of Squad Two. The Captain of Squad Twelve back then got into a mess, and, I got him out of it. I was helping him with this portal system, see. One that could just bypass the Gates we use. He got through just fine, and I…heh…” He chuckled as he picked up the smaller bottle of sake by the neck. “I got lost.” He took a swig, then looked back at her. “Not exactly becoming of me, eh?” Rangiku’s head was tilted to the side. “I was in an entirely different world,” he continued, “Not here, not the World of the Living, not Hueco Mundo…it just blew my mind. And then I found there were more. As many as there are stars in the sky.” He took another swig. “In the last hundred years, I’ve…seen things you people wouldn’t believe.” Rangiku straightened her head and leaned forward, reclaiming the larger bottle. She popped the lid open and poured herself another cup. “And that’s how you got that… Keyblade?” Nathaniel nodded. “Exactly. Well, not exact, per se, but you get my drift. Anyway…the King found out about it, and, as the great poets say, the rest is history.” He took a celebratory gulp and half-slammed the bottle on the table. “Not as thorough as you were expecting, but I think it got the point across.” She gulped the sake in her cup before slamming it onto the table, hand open, with an exasperated exhale. She then sat straight up, flicking an errant lock of hair to the side. “I mean, if I gave you the whole story, we’d be here all night.” Rangiku looked up at the ceiling, putting her forefinger to her chin. “Of course, you wouldn’t have a problem with that…” “Hey, Rangiku? You in here?” The door slid open, and a spiky, black-haired head poked in. “Oh, Captain Koroshiya.” “Shuhei!” Nathaniel looked up. “Lieutenant Hisagi.” “Am I disturbing something?” “Not precisely.” “Then would you mind if Rangiku came with us for a bit?” With a grunt, Nathaniel stood up and faced the Lieutenant. “Mind if I joined you?” “And then I said…‘Soldier, that’s insubordination! To the brig with you!’” Rangiku nearly cackled in reply as the two walked - more or less stumbled - through the empty streets. She hiccupped, placing her hand up to her mouth with a slight delay, causing her to lose her balance and would have fallen down completely had her arm not have been linked with Nathaniel’s. “Excuse me…” she giggled, hiccupping once again at the end. “Don’t worry, love, happens all the time,” Nathaniel slurred with a pirate‘s accent, pulling on her arm with his own as she was hoisted back on her feet, only to have her sway on spot. He grinned as he shook his head vigorously. “We’re almost there,” he said, with his normal tone and pacing. They continued down the road, Nathaniel retaining his steady walk while Rangiku lost her footing every now and again. At last, they reached the doors marked with the number ten. Nathaniel reached his free arm towards one of the doors to pull it open, before a slender hand grabs it. “It’s alright,” she said, “I can get in on my own.” “Are you sure?” Nathaniel unlinked their arms, leaving Rangiku to her own devices. She took one step before stumbling. Nathaniel wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her up. “Clearly you’re not.” “No, no, it’s alright…” “No, it isn’t.” He pulled the door wide open and walked her inside. The Squad Ten office was essentially a carbon copy of his own; the only visible difference being the back of the couch faced the desk, and the stacks of paper that were piled upon it. “I thought you said you did your paperwork.” “No, I just said I had enough of it…” Rangiku grumbled. Nathaniel shook his head and smiled. He lay Rangiku down on the couch, being careful not to touch her excessively. He propped up her head with a pillow and placed her Zanpakuto on the floor below. He stood up straight, with a content look on his face. He decided to turn around. “Captain…” he hears her moan. Nathaniel turns back around. “Yes?” “Come a bit closer…” Raising an eyebrow, he complies, bending over her still figure. “A little more…” He drew his eyebrows together as his face hovered just above hers. His eyes widened. Her lips had come in contact with his, not letting go for a few minutes. “Thank you for tonight,” she whispered, “I had a good time.” “You’re welcome.” She smirked as her eyes glided closed. Nathaniel stood back up and walked out the office doors. In a flash, he disappeared from the entrance and reappeared at the one to his own. He walked straight inside, past the desk and through the door to the side, entering his living quarters. He shrugged his haori off upon entering and approached the sink, turning the taps, taking off his glasses, and splashing cold water on his face. Repeatedly. He closed the faucets and dried his face off. He grabbed his glasses and walked over to his futon, sat down and untied his sandals, slipping them off with his socks. He slipped under the covers and grabbed his Zanpakuto from the ground. Unsheathing it, he stabbed it into a pre-worn slot in the flooring. He replaced his arms underneath the covers as he drifted off to sleep, the sword receiving a reddish glow. Nathaniel opened his eyes. He was already on the deck of the ship. The time of day was a far cry from the last time; the Sun had seemingly just finished setting, as the entire sky was filled with a dark blue hue. He walked over to the door and twisted the knob, still yielding the same click. He pushed, the door less than gracefully opening with a creak. He waltzed right in, not bothering with the peg - he didn’t have anything to hang anyway. He stopped in the doorway. Flintlass was lying on the bed, in her normal attire, her hat hanging on the headrest. The room was now lit with two oil lanterns burning brightly. She looked up from the book she was reading and smiled daintily. “You’re late.” She snapped the book shut, smirking, as she swung her legs over the side and stood up, walking over to him, her heeled boots clacking. She draped her arms over his shoulders, her hands holding onto each other on the other side. “All day with nothing to do but read…you really know how to keep a woman waiting.” Nathaniel wrapped his arms around her middle. “Isn’t it worth it?” She smiled playfully. “I could have waited a thousand years, and still I’d wait more.” “That’s why I love you.” “And I you.” They drew the other in, and their lips locked. They stayed like that for a minute before separating. They both got on the bed and continued, with free reign. “So, that’s all that happened?” Nathaniel nodded as much as he could. His head now laid in Flintlass’s lap, who stroked his hair and face. Flintlass grinned. “Does that mean you’re cheating on me now? That’s not very nice…” she said with a pouty voice. “Of course not,” Nathaniel replied, “we were drinking, she kissed me while she was drunk. That’s as far as it goes.” “I guess…” she said as she drew circles in his hair, “but that would have been exciting, even just a little bit!” “Then you’re saying I should cheat on you?” Flintlass slapped him on the cheek. “Ow!” She giggled. “See? Just a little excitement.” “Yeah…” Nathaniel mused. “I’m sorry about how I left you earlier.” Her hands stopped moving. “No. It’s not your fault. I was just…” She sniffed. A tear trailed down her cheek. “I just felt a little…” Another sniff. A quiet sob. The tear fell on his forehead. Slowly, Nathaniel sat up and turned towards her. She was quivering with every sob as her tears ran down her declined face. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tightly. The sobs and tears didn’t stop, but they did slow down. “Tonight will be different. I promise.” Flintlass was silent. She returned the embrace. “…thank you,” she whispered. He nipped at her neck as she sniffed. “I love you.” She wiped her eyes. “I love you too.” Her hands went to her boots, pulling the zipper pulls down all the way and pulling them off her feet by the heels. She tossed them onto the floor. “Don’t you…think it’s time we went to bed?” Nathaniel pulled away carefully and looked at her face, which now bore a weak grin. He couldn’t help but imitate it. He reached for the rolled up comforter at the foot of the bed and pulled it over the two of them as they slid into position. Nathaniel reached for one lamp, as Flintlass did the other, and the room went dark. They held each other in their arms, and kissed once again. “Good night.”