Match Me - Corner in Tenth
10. Corner in Tenth
Rangiku made her way down the warm sunny streets of Division Ten's compound that morning, a little earlier than usual, a mission on her mind.
After long and thorough deliberation, she was still adamant about nudging her pint-sized captain into his impending young adulthood.
She smiled as she walked. More than willing
to nudge him, actually, but she could see his reasoning about ages and propriety. She'd thought long and hard about a practical mentor.
She entered the Division Ten offices and found her desk, strangely feeling the absence of his reiatsu, as he was always earlier than her in coming in in the morning.
After a few moments she became aware of the cursing -- low-key cursing -- from the back quarters, a hidden corner of the building where Hitsugaya kept his more personal office and other matters. She followed the muted noise to where the small bathroom was partitioned off from his back office, an area she had visited only infrequently.
She moved slowly toward the sounds of water running and Hitsugaya's frustrated mumbling.
Inside the open door of the bathroom he was hunched over the sink, razor in hand, intent of his lathered image in the oval wall mirror. He scowled at his reflection, a bag of hygiene products on the vanity beside him.
Rangiku smiled, half in genuine appreciation, half in sisterly mischief. "Ooh, getting all spiffy, are we?"
In response Hitsugaya carved a new notch in his chin. "Dammit, Matsumoto, what're you doing here?"
He tapped the razor against the sink, a mere few hairs coursing into the basin.
She leaned against the wall beside the mirror, smiling. "Getting all handsome for anyone in particular, or just for office, Captain?"
He put a tissue to his chin, frowning at her profile in the mirror. "This is your doing, lieutenant."
She raised an eyebrow, taking the last step to him. "How am I responsible for this new spurt of man-growth?"
"Shut up," he muttered, putting the razor edge to his cheek again.
She watched for a moment as he pulled the blade along his smooth cheek, hand unfamiliar with the new territory.
She angled her head at his reflection. "You missed a few spots, Captain."
His eyes narrowed on the mirror. "There wasn't much hair there anyway."
A small trickle of red seeped from his chin. Rangiku wound a wad tissue and dabbed at it. He looked at her.
"If you care for some advice," she said, touching the tissue to the small spot of blood, "shave against the hair growth."
"Oh. Well, I guess." He looked in the mirror, which was a little too tall for him.
She took the razor from him and gave him a small smile. "It's a delicate movement, Captain," she said, drawing the edge of the razor against his throat in an upward fashion as her fingers lifted beneath his chin. "Only a dull razor blade needs to scrape. Take your time, and you'll get better results."
Her fingers left his chin, and the edge of sharpened metal maneuvered along the angles of his jaw, stopping at his cheek. He watched her eyes lowered over his face, a slight smile at her coral lips. She tapped off the residue from the razor -- mostly foam -- in the sink basin, and rinsed it.
"Got a hot date tonight, Captain?"
He frowned, not allowing the expression to affect the movement of metal against his skin as she drew the razor upward again at his cheek. "No, but I wanted to practice some before it was necessary."
She nodded, a smile at her lips. "I do miss this part," she said beneath her breath, catching herself from saying more. She gave him a grin and leaned closer, eyes on the angle of face that was shadowed by the overhead light. "Not bad."
He took the razor from her. She leaned against the wall once more, watching him attempt another swipe with the razor over the small patch of foam left on his face.
She observed for a moment, then looked to the bag of bottles he had on the other side of the vanity. "Ooh, goodies."
"Leave those alone," he said as she reached across the sink, blocking his view of the mirror, pulling out several bottle of cologne and aftershave.
"You got the good stuff." She opened a green bottle and sniffed it. "Very nice. Woodsy." She opened an amber bottle of aftershave. "Nice, but this stuff will sting like a bonfire, Captain," she warned. She rummaged through the other products as he reached across her back to the towel ring.
"Leave my stuff alone, Matsumoto."
She took two more bottles as he retrieved the hand towel and wiped his face. "These," she said, holding up two of the products with a nod, "are what you need." She opened the caps, took a discriminating sniff of each, and nodded. "This is good for you," she said, handing him a bottle, "and so is this," she handed him the other bottle. She took another whiff of a third bottle from the bag and set it to the side. "That's good, but not on you."
"What do you mean, not on me?" He took a sniff of the first two bottles.
"Some scents are good but not on everyone. This is very seductive, but those two are better," she said, nodding at the first two bottles. "Irresistible."
Under her influence, he shook out a sprinkle of liquid from the first bottle of aftershave on his hands and raised his palms to his face.
"No!" She grabbed his wrists in a vice-like hold before his hands touched his skin. "That'll catch you on fire, Captain." She patted her hands in his and touched them gently to his cheeks.
Which still sent him howling in flaming pain. "Ugh! Matsumoto!"
She pulled his hands down as he pressed them to his cheeks trying to squelch the tenderness. She smiled, taking the towel and dabbing it at the inflamed skin. "It'll cool soon, and you'll smell wonderful."
He balled his hands into fists, staring at himself in the mirror, expecting his face to glow red.
But it didn't. It just sizzled in flesh tone. After a moment he felt better, and smelled, well, pretty good.
She smiled mischievously at him, pushing his light hair back from his face. "Very handsome, Captain."
He cleared his throat, watching her lean against the wall again. "You think so?"
"Oh, yes." She sighed, eyes lingering on him, and then raised an eyebrow. "So, do you think you'll have enough to shave next week?"
He muttered something she didn't entirely hear, watching her press her back to the wall. "Maybe."
She watched him for a long moment, and then nodded, and moved past him on her way to the door. "Let me know if you need help, Captain."
He looked at her retreating form, at odds with himself over her willingness to help. "You promise not to tell anyone, Rangiku?"
She nodded, turning to give him a smile as she paused at the door. "Sure thing."
"... Thanks."
She left out the bathroom door, and Hitsugaya considered his reflection in the mirror.
"Too old," he told himself. "Much too old."