The DATE??
Characters: Matsumoto Rangiku & Hisagi Shuuhei
When: Friday, May 1st
Where: Seireitei --> the Living World
Rating: PG? PG-13 for Shuu's internal dialogue/fantasies
Summary: The date that Shuu has been waiting YEARS for.
To say he was nervous would be the understatement of the century. His stomach and been doing flips and dives every time he thought about it since she finally agreed. The conversation itself had been nearly eating him alive, the suspense too much. He felt like hiding under his futon at her initial reaction, but the more they talked, the more his determination grew. She may not be interested in him like the way he was in her, but he could see her reluctance steamed from something else. No, it was most likely the fact that her last relationship had turned out so poorly. She had been off the market, so to speak, for years while Ichimaru was around. It was not until recently that any man felt comfortable enough to place in their bid. Shuuhei just waited.
What finally got him to suck it up and ask her, though, was a little unusual. His talk with Izuru had been eye-opening in a way, though it was really about Izuru and dealing with his own emotions. But Shuuhei saw what waiting and hoping had done, and eventually those feelings slipped away. As frustrating as it was some times, he rather liked the way he felt about Rangiku. He did not want to end up like Izuru, silently waiting on the sidelines in the hopes that some day she would turn and notice. He had to make her notice him and prove to her that he could be worth her time, or at the very least, that it was okay for her to move on. Even if it was not with him.
The only inkling he had given Rangiku of what they were going to do was his reminder to her that she should have her gigai prepared. He figured that was fair warning, for once they needed to be seen in the Living World. His man posse had been more snarky than helpful, so Shuuhei had enlisted the help of what he assumed would fix all this problems: women's magazines. Yes, it was terribly emasculating, and the woman at the little convenience store gave him skeptical looks, but he figured it was all worth it. Unfortunately, most things did not tell him so much what women wanted to do, but how they wanted men to act. So besides the copious amounts of ads for make-up, he had humiliated himself for no reason.
It was not until Fujita found him with his head down on his desk, not moving for a good fifteen minutes, did he get some real advice. He never told her who he was going out with, only that it was very important to him and he wanted to make a good impression, and for her to have a good time. After some teasing and planning, she helped him research some literally 'out of this world' activities that would certainly leave a lasting impression. He would outdo Ichimaru if it killed him.
Hopefully it would not.
Friday seemed an eternity away, and then it came too quickly. Shuuhei had left the office in Fujita's care for the remainder of the work day, wanting to get down to the Living World in time to do everything he had planned. Running around and doing last-minute errands took a bit longer than he thought, so Shuuhei got into his gigai in a rush. He wore something modern and mostly casual, white-washed jeans with a black dress shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows. Nothing fancy, but he wanted to at least presentable. He had told her to wear something comfortable, for he had fully intended on taking her shopping as she so wished to do. (He had a feeling he was going to be carrying a lot of bags, best be comfortable as possible while doing it).
After numerous deep breaths, pep talks, and second guesses, Shuuhei forced himself out of the Ninth Division, heading right next door to the Tenth. He nearly turned back around four times, but -- after receiving quite a few questioning gazes -- marched himself over to Rangiku's quarters. It was still relatively light out, moving into the late afternoon. Normally, she should be in the office, but this was Rangiku. That was the last place she would want to be.
Another round of deep breaths, and Shuuhei tentatively knocked on the wood beside her door, a fresh bouquet of red roses calla lilies in hand.
When: Friday, May 1st
Where: Seireitei --> the Living World
Rating: PG? PG-13 for Shuu's internal dialogue/fantasies
Summary: The date that Shuu has been waiting YEARS for.
To say he was nervous would be the understatement of the century. His stomach and been doing flips and dives every time he thought about it since she finally agreed. The conversation itself had been nearly eating him alive, the suspense too much. He felt like hiding under his futon at her initial reaction, but the more they talked, the more his determination grew. She may not be interested in him like the way he was in her, but he could see her reluctance steamed from something else. No, it was most likely the fact that her last relationship had turned out so poorly. She had been off the market, so to speak, for years while Ichimaru was around. It was not until recently that any man felt comfortable enough to place in their bid. Shuuhei just waited.
What finally got him to suck it up and ask her, though, was a little unusual. His talk with Izuru had been eye-opening in a way, though it was really about Izuru and dealing with his own emotions. But Shuuhei saw what waiting and hoping had done, and eventually those feelings slipped away. As frustrating as it was some times, he rather liked the way he felt about Rangiku. He did not want to end up like Izuru, silently waiting on the sidelines in the hopes that some day she would turn and notice. He had to make her notice him and prove to her that he could be worth her time, or at the very least, that it was okay for her to move on. Even if it was not with him.
The only inkling he had given Rangiku of what they were going to do was his reminder to her that she should have her gigai prepared. He figured that was fair warning, for once they needed to be seen in the Living World. His man posse had been more snarky than helpful, so Shuuhei had enlisted the help of what he assumed would fix all this problems: women's magazines. Yes, it was terribly emasculating, and the woman at the little convenience store gave him skeptical looks, but he figured it was all worth it. Unfortunately, most things did not tell him so much what women wanted to do, but how they wanted men to act. So besides the copious amounts of ads for make-up, he had humiliated himself for no reason.
It was not until Fujita found him with his head down on his desk, not moving for a good fifteen minutes, did he get some real advice. He never told her who he was going out with, only that it was very important to him and he wanted to make a good impression, and for her to have a good time. After some teasing and planning, she helped him research some literally 'out of this world' activities that would certainly leave a lasting impression. He would outdo Ichimaru if it killed him.
Hopefully it would not.
Friday seemed an eternity away, and then it came too quickly. Shuuhei had left the office in Fujita's care for the remainder of the work day, wanting to get down to the Living World in time to do everything he had planned. Running around and doing last-minute errands took a bit longer than he thought, so Shuuhei got into his gigai in a rush. He wore something modern and mostly casual, white-washed jeans with a black dress shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows. Nothing fancy, but he wanted to at least presentable. He had told her to wear something comfortable, for he had fully intended on taking her shopping as she so wished to do. (He had a feeling he was going to be carrying a lot of bags, best be comfortable as possible while doing it).
After numerous deep breaths, pep talks, and second guesses, Shuuhei forced himself out of the Ninth Division, heading right next door to the Tenth. He nearly turned back around four times, but -- after receiving quite a few questioning gazes -- marched himself over to Rangiku's quarters. It was still relatively light out, moving into the late afternoon. Normally, she should be in the office, but this was Rangiku. That was the last place she would want to be.
Another round of deep breaths, and Shuuhei tentatively knocked on the wood beside her door, a fresh bouquet of red roses calla lilies in hand.
