[Log] Kisuke, Rangiku

[lcpdragonslayer]

Title: Making the Mark
Characters: Kisuke Urahara (lcpdragonslayer), Rangiku Matsumoto (some_scribbles)
Timeline: March 18, 1950
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Kisuke and Rangiku go slumming - they didn't expect to meet each other at the same place.

It had not even been a day since that dead body was discovered outside of Black Cat. It was disconcerting, and even though the police reassured him that he would be informed if they have any new information, Kisuke knew he had to do things himself if he was going to get untainted information. Word spread like an uncontrolled fire, and the sooner he got down to investigating the issue, the better - there was less time for witnesses to get bribed, informants to get silenced and information to get distorted like a twisted game of Chinese whispers.

So he found himself at a popular club, Tony’s, casually asking around and fishing for any leads. It didn’t help that a lot of people here knew him - but he didn’t really want anyone else to be doing the researching for him. The night had been more or less uneventful - he hadn’t found out anything he didn’t already know, and there weren’t many stones left unturned here. He sighed and took a long drag from his cigarette, glancing around casually. He should probably pester a couple more people before taking his leave and moving on to the next bar.

Except, of course, in his casual look-around, he spotted something - or rather, someone - who he knew. He couldn’t see her face, but he could ascertain who it was, more or less, with those clothes and that hair. She wouldn’t know anything, of course, but it was nothing like a bit of familiarity amidst a crowd of strangers.

He weaved through the clusters of people and made his way over to Rangiku. He squished his cigarette out on the ashtray at the end of the bar, turning his head to the side and blowing smoke into the air before approaching Rangiku from behind. He had never really spoken to her, but she was one of the regulars at Black Cat Lounge, and she was also one of Dante’s ‘good friends’. Now, whether she genuinely was just a ‘good friend’, or if Dante had meant ‘good friend’ as a euphemism for something else, he wasn’t entirely sure. It wasn’t any of his business anyway - even if it did bring a smirk to his face.

He placed his hand on her shoulder, no doubt catching her offguard. When she turned around to look at him, he grinned. He had been right - it was Rangiku.

“Miss Matsumoto,” he greeted, his voice raised a little so he could be heard the hullabaloo. “What are you doing here alone on a Saturday night?”

It had been a long time since Rangiku had a chance to indulge in one of her favorite escapes. Even though she was a ‘respectable businesswoman’ now, there was something so satisfying about leaving that part of her life behind, if just for a few minutes, and proving herself she could still run a good grift.

Once upon a time, she’d been able to drag Shuuhei with her just so they could play with knives out in the open. He even put up with her when she decided to run the con. But things had gotten…complicated in that area of her life. Just as life had gotten complicated in so many areas recently.

Which was why she was out on the town by herself. She needed the familiar adrenaline rush, that sense that she could still stand on her own, and Tony’s was the perfect place to get it. She had purchased a cup of corn on the rocks and was eyeing the dart board out of the corner of her eye when she felt someone come up behind her.

Ran tensed when she felt the person place a hand on her shoulder. Her hand tightened on the glass in instinctive preparation, but when she heard the vaguely familiar voice, she forced herself to relax and turn around with a smile.

“Mr. Urahara,” it was easy to match the voice to the face, but he was the last person she’d expected to see here. Ran knew a bit about the owner of The Black Cat as his joint was one of the best places in town and Kisuke Urahara was always busy rubbing elbows with his customers. They’d exchanged a few words from time to time, and she supposed they could be considered acquaintances. But Ran knew enough not to trust the kind of person that could employ Dante on a semi-regular basis, just as she knew enough to know that The Black Cat was no ordinary club. She didn’t let a trace of her suspicion show across her face. After all, if she knew anything about Kisuke Urahara and The Black Cat, she knew it was none of her business.

But his appearance did put a crimp on her plans. Now she’d have to play out her part as the respectable, if fun-loving woman he knew her as. Well, maybe he wasn’t planning on staying around long. After all, as a respectable businessman, Tony’s was hardly his kind of place.

“The same thing as you, I expect,” Ran said, shifting around so she could lean her back against the bar and bring her drink up in half-salute. “Just enjoying a night on the town. I’m surprised to see you here, though.”

“Well, I can say the same. You’re almost overdressed for a place like this,” he said, grinning. He wasn’t exactly enjoying his ‘night on the town’, as it were, but perhaps that would change with this unexpected twist of events. Maybe he could even get Rangiku another drink and have a bit of a chat - it would probably be more productive than anything else he would try to do for the rest of the night.

“I’m on a bit of a hunt for some dope, actually,” he said. “And I figured I might try poking around here. Haven’t been lucky tonight, though - in fact, it’s been quite… painful,” he added, being as forthcoming as he could without delving into too much gritty detail. He had to put up with a lot of pleasantries and bootlicking, and all hopes of being able to just casually ask around for some information, lounge around and relax was thrown out the window practically as soon as he stepped in.

“Huuuh~ Smart of you to get a drink. I just might need a few of those if there is to be any relaxing around here,” he commented with a sideways smirk.

He invited himself to sit next to her. She didn’t seem to mind and she hadn’t slapped him yet, so that was probably a good sign. When the bartender came over to serve him, he asked for one of whatever Rangiku had in her glass. Making himself comfortable on the stool, he entwined his fingers and sat it in his lap loosely, resisting the urge to spin back and forth in his chair.

“I must admit it is nice to come to a place like this once in a while,” he said while waiting for his drink. “It’s a lot less… pretentious.”

Well, so much for him going away, Ran thought wryly as he took the seat next to her. She took a sip of her drink before turning back around to face the bar. Actually…the quality of this bourbon was not made for sipping. Maybe she’d have them mix it with something next time. Ran tilted her head as she tossed the rest of her drink back.

Setting the glass back down at the bar, she glanced at Mr. Urahara out of the corner of her eye. So, he was out looking for information. She wondered what could be so important that it would bring the boss out pressing the flesh himself. Must be harder to get that sort of information when you’re so well-known.

She couldn’t help being curious. Maybe if he took the shine out of her flimflam he could provide something else interesting for the evening? She wouldn’t mind snooping about. But then…that would be telling him far more about herself than she should.

“It’s a pretty decent place for its sort,” Rangiku admitted. “But if you’re expecting the same quality hooch you serve, you’ll be disappointed.”

She rested her elbow on the bar and cupped her chin in her hand. Ran sent a glance down towards the bartender then slid her elbow over so she could move unobtrusively towards Kisuke. She flipped up her hand to mimic the telling of a secret as she spoke in a low tone, “I think they water it down.”

He smiled. As much of an optimist as he was, he knew he couldn’t expect much from a place like this. He leaned in a bit as she spoke softly, chuckling a little at her little secret. With his arm on the table, he leaned over towards her a little, casting a sideways glance at the drink the bartender left behind, making sure to speak softly only when the bartender was out of earshot.

“Do they really? Think anyone else knows it? We could sell this secret and make lots of money if no one else knows,” he said with his lazy smile, winking before he straightened up again. He reached out for his drink and held it up, peering at the contents in the glass before bringing it down to his lips and finishing it in one go. His face contorted a little before he sighed softly, replacing the empty glass on the bar counter.

“It’s not too bad~” he said. “But how about I buy you something else that doesn’t taste like drain water?”

Rangiku grinned when he played along with her dramatics. She shifted back in her chair, swiveling it slightly so she could face her unlikely companion more fully. “Sure! If you can manage to find anything.”

She waited until he’d turned his gaze away before dropping hers, quickly assessing him. He was dressed more casually than she’d ever seen him and-ha! That’s what had been bothering her. There was no cane. She’d won a cool five kale if she could ever get anyone to believe her. Ran’d always guessed it’d been for show. He had never walked like he needed it.

She smiled at him, “Guess you came prepared for dancing tonight.”

Well, it might take a bit of trial and error, but if he exhausted the list of alcohol beverages they serve, he was sure he could find something that tasted decent. He started by ordering two martinis.

“I hope you like gin,” he said, seeing as martinis were mostly gin with a bit of vermouth. “Anything you don’t drink? We’ll have to avoid those while we go through the list.”

Prepared for dancing? He looked down at his clothes before a smile spread across his face. Miss Matsumoto had probably never seen him like this - in a pair of dark jeans, a black polo t-shirt and without his cane. Truth be told, he had tried his best to fit in with the crowd, changing out of his suit and even leaving his cane behind for this mission.

But obviously it didn’t work very well - almost everyone still recognized him. Maybe he’d have to do something crazy next time like wear a wacky green and white striped hat or something. He was sorely missing his cane - he didn’t need it to walk around, of course, but… it felt like a part of him was missing without it.

“Is that a subtle suggestion, Miss Matsumoto?” he asked in a teasing, suggestive tone, smirking. The bartender returned with their martinis, placing it on coasters on the bar counter. He looked at it critically with a slight tilt of his head.

“Looks promising. I was half-expecting it to come in a coffee mug with a toothpick skewering a half-eaten olive…”

Ran lifted up her martini and eyed it dubiously. Well, she just hoped that it was stirred, not shaken. If the gin was already watered down, as she suspected, shaking it would only make it worse. Well, it was worth a try. After all, she wasn’t paying.

She turned to face Mr. Urahara, her eyes sparkling in response to his tease. Vaguely, Rangiku wondered why she’d never spoken with him more. She’d had no idea he was so fun. “Just an observation, Mr. Urahara. But of course, the gentleman is free to take it as he wishes.” She tilted her glass up in a salute before taking a sip.

It wasn’t bad. At least they’d managed to mix in the right proportion of vermouth and hooch. “I’m a bourbon girl, as a rule, so no rye or barley for me. Usually take it straight up on the rocks, so it doesn’t really matter with these mixed things.” She grinned at him, “Though it’s fun to try something new every once in a while.”

She took another sip of the martini and cast an eye around the room. There was a likely rube stepping up to the dart board now. She couldn’t hear him bragging from here, but she knew the type. Rangiku masked a sigh. No matter how fun Kisuke Urahara seemed, it was probably not a good idea to run a grift around him. Oh well. Even if he was sticking around for a while, maybe he would ask her to dance. At least that way the night wouldn’t be a total waste.

She glanced over the dance floor and took another sip from her martini, unconsciously draining it. She picked up the toothpick with one hand and slid the olive between her lips before turning to set it back on the bar.

He remembered briefly thinking the martini was a lot better than the bourbon as he drank half of it. So, what was the next thing on the list they should try? He’d have to keep away from the whiskeys… Perhaps some sort of brandy next? A cognac, maybe? Or was that hoping for too much?

He picked up the toothpick of an olive and twirled it between his fingers, watching it spin around in his martini glass. He picked it up and sank his teeth into it, pulling it off the toothpick. He was never really too fond of olives, but when served with a martini, he didn’t quite mind.

“So,” he said, pausing to finish his martini. He swallowed it and set the empty glass back onto the coaster, pushing it across the counter a little, the toothpick rolling around a little. “May I ask Miss Matsumoto for a dance? Or shall I have to get you a little more drunk with a few more alcohol beverages first before you will accept my offer?”

Ran perked up at his question. The music at this place wasn’t half bad-in fact, it was probably one of the reasons why Tony’s was so popular. It certainly wasn’t for the giggle juice. And sitting there drinking, even if it was with a surprisingly interesting companion, was not why she had gone out alone.

She dropped her gaze and eyed him up with suspicious interest. “That depends. Are you going to step on my feet? Because if that’s the case, then I am going to have to ask for a few more drinks. To numb the pain, you see.”

He grinned and laughed a bit. He wasn’t usually that bad at dancing, but now that she had mentioned it, it was going to make him nervous and he just might end up stepping on her feet.

“Oh, I’m not that bad of a dancer~ Can’t guarantee someone else wouldn’t step on your feet while we’re out there, though,” he said, looking over to the people on the dance floor. At least the music was half-decent and something they could dance to.

“Maybe we’ll have one more, just in case,” he said softly in a light tone. “Anyway, I’m not quite drunk enough yet to exhibit my skills on the dance floor with a fine dancer such as Miss Matsumoto and not feel embarrassed about it afterwards,” he teased. Not like it would change after just one drink, especially if it’s been diluted or tampered with.

He made the order of their… final drink, as it were, and looked at what the bartender served to them nonchalantly before taking a sip. So. Two things not to order at Tony’s - the bourbon and the brandy. Maybe it had something to do with them starting with the same letter. Next time he’d have to order something that didn’t start with ‘b’.

Somehow he managed to finish the drain water, and he slipped off his seat when Miss Matsumoto had finished hers. He extended his upturned hand towards her, smiling as a gracious gentleman should.

“Shall we?”

Rangiku was far from an expert on brandy. If it all tasted like that, she never would be. But she was willing to give the drink the benefit of the doubt, all things considered. She tossed the drink down like it was something foul (which it was) and put the glass down on the bar with careful deliberation.

If Kisuke hadn’t slid off his chair and asked her to dance, she was about two seconds away from charging behind the bar and asking the barkeep to give her the good stuff. She knew they had to have something back there worth drinking.

She slid her hand into his and smiled at him. “I’m sure you’ll be fine, Mr. Urahara. Besides, good dancers bring out the best in their partners. It’s all part of the game. You set the pace, I’ll follow, and we’ll tear up the floor.”

Well, he wasn’t too sure about ‘tearing up the floor’, as such, but he hoped she would at least have a good time dancing with him. His fingers slowly curled around her hand in his, and he led her over to the dance floor. He never really had a chance to dance even though he was in Black Cat Lounge seven days a week, three hundred and sixty four days a year. There were just too many things to do while he was there - people to talk to, things to sort out, planning to do and the like.

So he might as well make the most of what little time for enjoyment he had. The more upbeat, rock and roll type songs had given way to slower, more emotive jazz music. And while he was quite comfortable around Miss Matsumoto, he wasn’t too sure how she felt around him.

Oh well - she’d probably step on his toes if she didn’t approve of him slipping his arm around her waist and leading with a step to the left.

He wasn’t bad, really. She was just glad that the music had slipped into something a little slower. She couldn’t imagine Kisuke Urahara doing the Charleston. She had a feeling she’d never be able to look at him without laughing after. Although, people did have the tendency to surprise you…

He was a little tense, and he was concentrating a little too much on the steps to actually be enjoying himself. Really, that wouldn’t do. She followed him through the first couple of measures and then subtly shifted her weight, hoping he’d subconsciously pick up on her clues to loosen up.

She met his gaze and smiled at him, “You dance very well, Mr. Urahara. So far, my feet are safe. Good thing, too, since I don’t think the hooch here would take much of the edge off.”

He smiled back at her, their feet moving in synchronization with the beat, with each other, moving around the dance floor. She had grown comfortable with him almost instantly, and that did help to make him a little more relaxed. Although, really - it was Miss Matsumoto’s fault. If she hadn’t mentioned stepping on her toes, he wouldn’t have to be so wary…

“Don’t worry,” he said, loosening up the tension in his shoulders and back a little. “We’ll probably try the ice instead of the alcohol if I happen to step on your foot. If it’s really that bad, I’ll just buy you a new foot,” he said, grinning and giving her a wink.

He may not be a regular dancer, but at least he looked like he knew what he was doing. There was a glint in his gray eyes, and he kept his gaze fixated on the lady in his arms. He had never really taken the time to admire her, but tonight they were standing relatively close together, moving to the music, and he almost felt negligent - not really noticing how stunning she looked.

“You look gorgeous, Miss Matsumoto,” he said softly, even though it was probably the millionth time she had heard someone say that to her. “It’s an honour to have you as a dance partner tonight, even with the prospect of me stepping on your toes.”

There, that was much better. A few minutes more on the dance floor and he might actually start having fun. They moved through the measures of the dance easily enough, and as he relaxed Rangiku gave him an encouraging smile. He moved well, and she really wished someone else was around to see this. She’d never seen Kisuke Urahara dance before, and this would prove once and for all that he needed that cane like he needed a third eye.

Well, well, wasn’t he a charmer? She grinned at him. “Flattery like that, and I don’t think it’s my toes I have to worry about, Mr. Urahara.” She shook her head, still smiling engagingly, "I can see why you don't dance at the club--how would you get any work done if you developed a throng of admirers?"

Well, who was the one doing the flattering now? “Well, I suppose that’s a better reason than not wanting to make a fool of myself... or the excuse that I can’t move around without my cane. I’ll say that the next time someone asks.”

He tilted his head a little. It looks like he had given away the fact that he didn’t need the cane to walk - even if it was only to one person. He had perfected his limp to accompany walking with the cane, which he sometimes did (on the occasions he did feel like it) - but it looks like he couldn’t fool Miss Matsumoto anymore.

“No one would believe that I would ever step on the dance floor, anyway~ There’s a good deal of people who still think I need my cane just to walk,” he said, a light smile on his face. “I’ve had it for a very long time - I must admit it feels strange without it.”

They did a bit of a twirl on the dance floor. He gave her that small, almost lazy smile, his gaze locked on to hers as they moved. He didn’t have to look at the floor, either - he managed to fall in step with her as their feet moved back and forth, and the thought of making a mistake or stepping on toes didn’t even cross his mind.

And appeals to the ego worked every time. He was moving much more naturally now. She didn’t miss the assessing look he gave her when he mentioned just how unbelievable it would be to anyone that he could not just walk, but dance without his cane. The corners of Ran’s lips tweaked up. Really, he should have thought of that before he asked her to dance.

He twirled her, and he did it so well-eyes looking at hers and not on the floor or anything-that Ran decided she could keep his secret. It’s not like anyone would believe her anyway. She gave her most dramatic sigh. “It’s too bad, really. I could have won a sizable bet…”

She tilted her and gave him a small smile, “I suppose I can keep hush. It must be an interesting story, what made you decide to pick up the cane?”

Hmmm? Not many people had ever asked him that question before. He picked it up nearly twenty years ago when he opened Black Cat Lounge, and what was meant to last a few years ended up sticking with him even until now.

“Black Cat Lounge was opened a couple of years before the Prohibition period ended - but of course, back then, no one really knew how long more Prohibition would go for. I still supplied alcohol during that time, and access to my cache involved my cane, which I had with me all the time. No one suspected it either, so it served me well. I’d gotten so attached to it that I kept it even after ’33.”

And that was the real history of the cane.

“Though officially the story is I was involved in an accident where I was drunk, wandered onto the street and got hit by a raging taxi driver and displaced my hip,” he said, trying not to laugh at his own spur-of-the-moment story that had stuck with him for almost two decades.

“I prefer the latter story, though. It’s a lot more exciting and sounds like something stupid I would do on a Friday night.”

Ran listened closely when Mr. Urahara shared his story-so he had used the cane as a key, huh? Very clever. She remembered some of the tricks the speakeasy she had worked in had used, and none of them were quite that brilliantly simple. And the best part was that he was able to keep it on him the whole time. Her opinion of Kisuke Urahara’s slyness climbed up a notch.

But when he started telling her about his preferred story, Rangiku couldn’t help but laugh at him. “Well, I think I’ll be able to remember that. Though you’re lucky you escaped with just a displaced hip,” she winked at him. “Those taxi drivers can be vicious, especially if you dented their cab.”

Their dance was nearly done. She grinned at him, “I must say, Mr. Urahara, I am very impressed. You seem to have come through the ordeal very well. Our dance, I mean.” Because of course that was what she meant-even if coming through the Prohibition without getting caught and keeping his key a secret with such a silly story (which no one would doubt because of its ridiculousness) was equally impressive.

Oh yes - he had had his fair share of crazy taxi drivers whom he had a hard time believing drove sober all the time. He preferred walking around - there weren’t any places he needed to go that was far enough to warrant the use of a car, after all.

It was when she had pointed out that his dancing was not too atrocious that he noticed that the song was coming to an end. It was just as well - he had no intentions of embarrassing himself for too much longer, and he still had intentions of asking around and investigating into the dead body outside Black Cat Lounge before the night was over.

“I am glad you enjoyed it. That is what is most important, after all,” he said.

Ran shook her head, smiling, “Such a charmer, Mr. Urahara. I hope you enjoyed yourself as well.”

The song ended and Mr. Urahara slid his arm from her waist to latch on to her elbow and escort her from the dance floor. Kisuke Urahara had been considerably more fun than she had given him credit, and he had trusted her with a secret. Not much of a secret, true, but it was enough to be a bit of an inconvenience for him if she ever had reason to change her mind.

She gave him an assessing glance out of the corner of her eye. Really, he’d been a very good sport. Maybe…maybe she could use this. Maybe this was just the kind of challenge she needed. There was nothing quite like running a grift in the open as if nothing was wrong. And even if he caught on, well, then they’d just be even, wouldn’t they?

“Do you play darts, Mr. Urahara?”

A charmer? Hardly. It all came naturally for him. Had the Black Cat Lounge and played host for far too long, he gathered.

He quirked his eyebrow when she had asked him if he played darts as they headed back towards the bar. He wasn’t too sure how to reply to it - would she challenge him to a game of darts where he would embarrass himself more than he did on the dance floor.

“I have a dartboard on the wall in my office where I occasionally throw darts at… or pin up important memos, or notes from secret admirers… but otherwise, no,” he said, smiling at her before glancing over at the darts area where a small crowd - mostly males - had gathered.

“I suppose Miss Matsumoto is secretly a world dart-throwing champion and practices all the time in her office or at home when no one is watching?”

“‘World dart-throwing champion?’ Hardly. It’s not any fun if you’re good at something and everybody knows,” she gave him a pointed look. “Like with your dancing-you’d be hard pressed to escape those secret admirers if every knew you could dance.”

Confident her point had been made, Ran decided to try a little bit of Kisuke Urahara’s brand of ‘honesty.’ “And as for if I’m any good…” she smiled and tilted her head so she could look up at him through her lashes, “let’s just say that you’re not the only one who has to deal with annoying love notes. After all, it would be rude to just throw them away.”

“Oh, well. I must say I am quite surprised that you would let your endless supply of love notes suffer the same fate as the occasional one or two I get slipped under the office door…” He was looking at her whilst wondering how modest she really was being. All he knew about Miss Matsumoto was her name, her alcohol preferences, her friend Dante and her flair on the dance floor. It wouldn’t be too big of a surprise if she could win at darts blindfolded.

“It looks like they’re having a lot of fun there, if the amassing crowd is anything to go by,” he said, indicating the dart-playing area with a jerk of his head. “Were you thinking of going over and showing them all the skills you have built up over the years of skewering love notes?” he teased. “I will watch and give you moral support,” he added, as if she needed any incentive to play.

“Hmm… the thought had crossed my mind, Mr. Urahara.” She would have been halfway through the grift by now, if he hadn’t shown up. It looked some sort of serious competition had struck up. She didn’t usually like to run something like this in front of a crowd already out for blood. But it would be a perfect opportunity, to hang about on the edges and challenge the winner. He’d be flushed and overconfident and it would be…perfect.

Ran cast a glance at her former dance partner out of the corner of her eyes. The question was still if she felt comfortable enough to expose this side of her to a virtual stranger. Still it wasn’t really anything…

Plus, it might be fun to see just how well he could play along.

Rangiku pulled away from his casual hold on her arm so she could meet his gaze, “Thank you for the dance, Mr. Urahara. I’d like to go see the end of that game. You can feel free to accompany me, if you like. I don’t want to keep you from your business.”

He had a feeling he would be missing out on something spectacular if he were to leave. And besides, someone had to be there to defend her if her opposition was a sore loser. If anything did happen to Miss Matsumoto after he left, he would probably feel guilty about it.

"I think I will accompany you, Miss Matsumoto," he said. "Perhaps I will find out whether those obsessive notes from 'secret' admirers do have a good use... and how much of 'not being a world dart-throwing champion' is true," he added, an almost coy smile on his face.

He had already lost most of his motivation to continue his information gathering for the night anyway. If he was going to be productive, at least he could enjoy himself in Miss Matsumoto's company tonight.

Well, that settled it then. It wasn’t as if she could get rid of him without drawing the wrong kind of attention. She’d just see what would happen and deal with the consequences. Really, the set up was almost too good to waste.

“What reason would I have to lie, Mr. Urahara? The truth is so much more fun,” Ran smiled at him before turning to walk towards the crowd gathered around the dart board. He could follow as he liked.

It was relatively easy to weave her way through the group of men circled around the dartboard. Rangiku was long since inured to the looks and nudges and under the breath comments her presence always caused. Men were always stunned just long enough for her to be able to maneuver so that she could stand as she liked. And she liked to stand in the front row, slightly off center, and with a perfect view of the way the two competitors positioned their feet.

She adopted an adoring, slightly glazed look and settled in to watch.

He followed behind Miss Matsumoto, making their way over towards the dart playing area. As she had managed to slip through the bodies that crowded around the area, he followed closely behind her. After all, he came here to accompany her, not to step on everyone's feet and cause an uproar.

He stopped as he slipped into an empty space, blending into the crowd discreetly. He stood behind and to the side of the orange-haired lady, a person or two standing between them. His gaze shifted from the back of her head to the commotion. The man with the smug look on his face had been playing for a while now, and he seemed to be doing quite well against his opponent.

Kisuke had to admit the player was quite good. One in the bull, one in the iris and the last one landed in the triple ring. The player probably had good reason to gloat.

Well, this was going to be even easier than she had thought. They were playing 301, not Cricket, which was good because Cricket took longer and it was harder to hide just how good you were. Really, that bird had no reason to look so smug. A strong wind would knock down his bulls-eye and really, that last throw had no style at all.

It would be like taking candy from a baby. She almost felt guilty except…not at all. The only trick would be getting him to lay down dough. He was eyeing that cabbage on the table and practically drooling.

She sighed. Gross. Yeah, Ran would feel no guilt at all.

She turned to the stranger on her right and asked just a little too loudly, “So how does this work, mister? It looks like they’re just throwing things at the board-that can’t be all it is, can it?”

The man cast an eyeball over her and then grinned. “‘S’not exactly the way it works, sister. Smart of you to pick up on it. They each start out with 301 points, see? Then they throw the darts to knock it down to zero.”

Well, that was basically it, but she’d need to ‘know’ a bit more than if she was going to be able to win. “So, when they hit on the edges of the board, that’s less points?”

Her helpful stranger beamed at her like she had discovered how to turn beer into gold. “That’s right, doll! In the wedge, it goes with the number, see? Then the double ring is twice the number, and that third ring? That’s three times the number. So it goes up each time, see? And that outer ring, the one closest to the red one? That’s the outer bull, it’s 25. The red one’s double bulls-eye, and it’s worth fifty. So the trick is, at the end of the game, to line it up so’s you get exactly zero.

“Oooo,” Ran said, pitching her voice so she could make sure that smug bird heard it. “That sounds awfully complicated. I mean, you have to throw like that and keep all those numbers in your head.”

She turned back to the game with wide eyes. Sure enough, that winner was eyeing her like she was his next meal. Ran giggled and dropped her gaze, but she couldn’t bring herself to blush. What a sap.

He bit his bottom lip in an attempt not to laugh out loud. Miss Matsumoto had feigned cluelessness very well - if she was feigning, anyway. He had to hand it to her though, when she asked about the scoring on the dartboard and made the man standing next to her explain it in reasonable detail. He briefly wondered if he could believe anything she said, now.

She had more or less been truthful, talking to him. Although, he really did know nothing about her, so it would not be too difficult to slip a lie or three in. He really only had short, brief conversations with her, but surely she did not act this way if she were really clueless about darts.

No - she had to be hiding something. She did say that it was no fun at being openly good at something, and she had at least indicated she did have a dartboard in her office, of some sort, even if it was just used to 'deal with annoying love notes'.

He was quite certain she was lying. But as for whether she could win a game here at 301 remains to be seen.

The game was nearing its close. It amused Ran how the favored winner had started strutting just a little bit more due to her obvious ‘admiration.’ He shouldn’t count his opponent out just yet, but Ran hoped, for the sake of things being simpler that the cocky bird would win. It was so much easier to bamboozle someone who was full of themselves.

She cast a sidelong glance at Mr. Urahara. He was looking at her with a trace of amused skepticism, and she really couldn’t blame him. But he had demonstrated a similar sense of…humor in telling her his story about his cane. She just hoped that she was guessing right. Ran wouldn’t blame him if he never trusted her after this, but then, she didn’t trust him either, so they were even.

And maybe sometime they’d have occasion to play together. If that was the case, at least they could be assured that the other was competent, even if they weren’t entirely sure the other would watch their back.

A loud cry sounded all around her, and people started passing Washingtons back and forth. It looked like the arrogant bird had won with a double bulls-eye. Not bad. She assessed him briefly, taking in the slightly stooped shoulders and hulking bulk of the man. His black hair was slicked back and he had little sparkling pig-eyes. Oh, he obviously thought very highly of himself.

“So who’s next?” Pig-eye asked the crowd. His beady eyes swept the crowd and landed on her, like that hadn’t been his intention all along. “What about you, dolly? Fancy a lesson? I promise I’ll be real gentle.”

Oh, classy. Ran resisted the urge to roll her eyes and tittered instead. “I’ve never had a lesson before,” which was true, she had taught herself, “but if you think I could learn…”

She stepped out of the crowd and glanced pointedly at the table before raising wide eyes to meet his, “What’s the fee for one lesson?”

He found it to be quite ironic that she was asking for the lesson, seeing as Miss Matsumoto was probably the one who was going to be giving the man a lesson later. He glazed over all the faces in the crowd gathered around casually - at least, until he saw a familiar face in the crowd.

"Excuse me~" he said softly as he made his way over. How convenient - there would be no need for hunting around for this person later.

There was about five or six people between them before his target spotted him. But by then, it had been too late to slip away. The most painfully artificial smile was shot at him, and he returned it with something more earnest.

"You're just the person to make my night, Mr. Cor-de-ro~" he said, careful to keep his voice down so he could still hear what was going on behind him.

"Ahaha... Am I really?"

Pig-eye chortled, and was it an ugly sound. He looked her up and down and said, “What do you feel like payin’?”

Oh, goody. An invitation to set the terms. “So…” she strolled over to the table and casually picked up the folded dough there, “this is the ‘lesson fee,’ right? And whoever wins is the one who taught the ‘lesson?’”

Pig-eye crossed his arms. “That’s the way it works. But,” here he started laughing, “a girlie like you don’t need to worry about what she’s taking home. Just what she’s putting down.”

Ran withdrew a small wallet from her pocket and took out three dollars, “Is that enough for the ‘lesson?’”

Pig-eye grinned at her. “Good enough for me. I’m sure we can work out something agreeable if the price gets too steep.”

The worst part about running these grifts, Ran decided, and not for the first time, was that she just had to smile back at idiots like this. She had never been the most patient of customers, and even though she knew that he wouldn’t be smiling for long…it was still hard to resist the urge to speed up the process.

Instead, she put her wallet back in her pocket and smiled, coming to stand just before the line drawn on the ground. “OK, so how does this work?”

Pig-eye smiled and blustered, and began to demonstrate the wrong way to throw.

“Oh, you are so nervous,” Kisuke said in his singsong voice. No need to hide seeing as the man had recognized him before they even spoke anyway. “Relax~ I just have a few questions to ask. You’ll help me out, won’t you?”

“Errr… You’re asking the wrong person, Kisuke. I don’t know anythin-”

“Awwwh, come on. Surely you know something~”

“Look man - you’re really asking the wrong person…”

“Huuuh~” he said, and he made an effort of putting on a big frown. He cast his gaze over to Miss Matsumoto and saw that the man who had won the game earlier was starting a new game with her. This should get somewhat exciting.

“At least you could tell me someone I could ask, couldn’t you? Hmmm?”

Ran honestly couldn’t decide if Pig-eye was throwing poorly on purpose or if that was giving him too much credit. She was honestly amazed he was getting those darts to stick to the board. He finished his requisite nine warm-up throws and then turned to her with a leer.

“Your turn, doll.”

She smiled and took the position just behind the line chalked onto the floor. It wouldn’t be hard to throw wrong if she mimicked Pig-eye’s posture, so she was careful to make her mimicry as obvious and awkward as possible. The darts were familiar in her hands, and she had to try to fumble when she picked it up.

The trick to pulling off this grift with no hard feelings was if she could manage to portray someone with just enough natural talent to get lucky. So while her first three darts went embarrassingly lower than the dart board, and her forth one went wide, Ran made sure to throw them with enough power behind it that they hit and stuck in the wall for at least a minute before falling.

She turned to Pig-eye and bit her lip. “I’m not sure I’m doing this right?”

He chuckled and shook his head, “Sorry, sweetheart. You’ll just have to watch and learn.”

So it was possible that he was smarter-or stupider-than she’d been giving him credit for. She adjusted her feet so that they were pointing at the board and her next hit landed on the outside of the board. She threw her next two darts too hard, so they bounced right off, but they were somewhat closer to the center of the board. She had two shots left, and she made a big deal about aiming each of them, pulling her hand back and forth a few times before she let fly. One hit-perfectly-on the fifteen. The other one with the exact awkward angle she had aimed for on the third ring. It didn’t last long, and fell after about twenty seconds, but it would have been plenty long enough for her to collect her points.

She turned to her mark with a bright smile, “So who goes first? You?”

Pig-eye was giving her an assessing glance, but he moved up to the line willingly enough. Ran stepped back to give him plenty of room as he began to throw.

Mr. Cordero was still clearly very hesitant to speak. Kisuke sighed, ruffling up the hair on the back of his head. Really - why did it have to be such a difficult mission to get a little bit of truth around here? He turned to observe the current dart game. Miss Matsumoto was throwing darts for the mandatory pre-game warm-up, and her shots looked pretty... dismal.

“Tell you what. You wanna play a game with me?”

Mr. Cordero’s slanted eyes widened a little.

“It’ll be a real easy game~ Or, well, really - it’s a gamble.”
“A gamble?”
“The dart game.”
“You want to challenge me to a game of darts?”
“Nooo~ nothing like that. I was thinking more along the lines of the two current players...”
“...Go on?”
“If the lady wins, you’ll give me a name.”
“A-Are you serious? Can’t you see the way she’s playing?”
“ That’s my problem~ I’ll stop bothering you and leave if the lady loses. That fair enough?”
“...Yeah... I guess...”
“Goooood~ That’s settled, then.”

There was a glint in his eyes as he shifted his gaze from Cordero to the game. It was a huge gamble - he knew nothing about Miss Matsumoto, and with her stance he was unsure if she was intentionally making herself look like an amateur or if she really had no sense of aim.

However, the worst thing that could happen was that she would lose the game. He would leave, as promised, and move on to the next club to poke around. If Miss Matsumoto did win, well then it would make things a lot simpler and more convenient.

Having said that, though, winning would be nice.

Pig-eye’s first three darts hit the third rung by the fifteen, the second on the 17, and the outer ring on the 19 for a total score of 98. Not bad, really. She had no idea how he did it, his posture was all twisted, but he only had 203 points left to go.

Still, she could easily make that up. And it wouldn’t do to give away too much early in the game. Still doing her best to mimic his posture and exaggerate her movements, Ran took aim at the dart board. It really was harder doing it this way. Instead of the 17 at the third, she hit the second on the 3, and instead of the 20 on the second she hit it on the third. Her last dart, though went right where she wanted-the outer on the four. They were tied, 203 to 203.

He was gaping at her. She could see it out of her periphery vision and she knew what he saw-there was no way she should have made those shots. And really, if it had been up to her, she wouldn’t have hit that twenty. It really was as awkward as it looked throwing like this.

Ran turned to him with wide, sparkling eyes. “Wow! So that’s what they call beginners luck, huh? I can’t believe they all stuck! What’s that make it now-how much are you winning by?”

Pig-eye’s jaw twitched before he answered, “I’ll tell you after the next round, doll,” and he walked up to retrieve the darts.

Kisuke couldn’t help but snicker. ‘Beginner’s luck’, did she say? That was just about as believable as his cover story regarding his cane. The look on her competitor’s face, though, was priceless (as was the look on Mr. Cordero’s face. Hopefully the gentleman would not decide to sneak away in the middle of the game, although it was obvious that he knew Kisuke was watching him from the corner of his eye.)

He folded his arms and leaned back a little. He wondered briefly what Miss Matsumoto would think and say if she found out he was betting on her to win - not that she needed to know, of course… Even so, maybe he would properly thank her for it later… surely there was something he was able to do for her.

It was turning out to be quite an interesting night, wasn’t it? Kisuke could walk without a cane - he could even dance, according to Miss Matsumoto, and in turn he found out she could probably play darts. She hadn’t won yet, so there was no need to get ahead of himself just yet. Nevertheless, he had… a good feeling about it.

Pig-eye played a little better this time. He’d loosened up his form and landed his first dart on the outer bull, his next doubled on the 14, and his last tripled on the 15-again, a total of 98. That knocked his score down to 105. He could win in his next turn, but Ran doubted it. Precision didn’t seem to be his strong point.

So she took the risk and shifted her feet so she could send the darts exactly where she wanted them to go. Her first dart hit the 11 on the double, her second hit the twenty on an odd angle, but Ran knew it would hold just long enough for her third to hit the 18 on the double. The 78 knocked her score down to 125 and gave Pig-eye reason enough to strut.

“So I’m ahead by twenty now, doll,” he winked at her. “It’ll be over this round.”

She made her eyes go wide, “Wow, just that quick! Too bad. I still feel like I’m just starting to get the hang of it.”

He ran his eyes over her, “Well, you’re always welcome to come back for another lesson.”

Ran reached into her pocket, retrieving her wallet before intentionally dropping it on the floor. “Opps!” she laughed.

Pig-eye laughed with her, as did the men across from her who also got an eyeful. She frowned into her wallet and shook her head, “No, I think this will be it for me. But you go ahead, mister! I’ll be watching closely."

Kisuke noticed the slight change in Miss Matsumoto's form - it was the way her feet were positioned now, and it was different to what she had been doing before. Even though she was trailing behind by a few points, he couldn't rule out the possibility that she might still win. 125 points is after all obtainable within one round, even though it was not an easy task.

Mr. Cordero, standing off to the side, was grinning madly. The man obviously felt like the game had already been won.

'Don't count your chickens before they hatch', was how the saying goes. Although Kisuke was not hoping too much for it, it would be all the more rewarding if Miss Matsumoto could wipe Cordero's smile off his face.

Pig-eye had just enough confidence to go for the bulls-eye, and so he did. His first dart landed on the outer bull, his second actually managed to land on the inner, but the third tripled on the 3, bringing his score to 84. A muffled curse escaped his lips. He must have been going for the double 15, but instead he was down to 21.

He tilted his head and tried what he thought was a sly grin, “‘m up by 104 now, babe.”

Oh, he was so helpful. He wasn’t good enough to make the twenty-one in the next round, but she was so done. Tittering, Ran moved up to the line. “I guess it’s no point in even trying, then,” she said as she completely relaxed her stance. Briefly, she debated closing her eyes but decided that it would be overkill.

She had to make 125 exactly. So her first dart hit the 20 on the triple, her next hit the double on the 10, and she felt the skin on the back of her neck crawl at the intensity of Pig-eye’s stare. But fair was fair, after all, and she aimed her last dart as casually as she could. It landed perfectly on triple 15. Game.

Turning with wide eyes to meet Pig-eye’s astonished gaze, she asked, “So how was that? Better? What’s the score now?”

There was a sort of stunned silence in the crowd when Miss Matsumoto won. Kisuke was grinning like a Cheshire cat, and there was that unmistakable sparkle in his eyes. Mr. Cordero, on the other hand, was still flabbergasted with the results.

So shocked that he didn't realise Kisuke was making his way over until the blond poked at his informant's arm. He felt Mr. Cordero tense up - almost jump - at his touch before relaxing.

"I won~" Kisuke declared in his singsong tone, still grinning. He really owed Miss Matsumoto one this time. Begrudgingly, Mr. Cordero pulled out a scrap of paper and scribbled a name onto it.

Peeerfect~

"Sankyuuuu~" Kisuke said cheerily, his reward in his hand. He turned the paper the right way up and read the name. Huuuh~ He'd heard of the person before, but never actually met him face to face...

She watched Pig-eye scan the crowd before he answered her. Probably wanted to check and see if he could get away with scamming her. But with a crowd like this and a dish like herself unexpectedly winning at darts, well, he knew just as well as she did that wasn’t gonna pass muster. Still, a little push couldn’t hurt.

“What’s the matter, mister? Are the numbers harder to figure this time?”

He twitched.

“Actually, doll,” a burly bird with a full head of red hair stepped forward, “what our friend here is having a hard time saying is that you taught him the lesson this time. Congratulations, toots.”

Red picked up the money on the table and held it out to her. “Looks like you get to keep the fee for this round, unless you’re fixing to go again.”

Pig-eye twitched.

Rangiku took the money with wide eyes, “No, no. I know better than to test this kinda luck. Thanks, mister!”

Red winked at her and moved to stand next to her with his arms crossed, “No problem, sister. Now if you need any help spendin’ that mazuma, you just let me know.” He paused at her side to glare at Pig-eye, before laying a meaty hand on her shoulder.

Rangiku suppressed a sigh. Oh well. Not everyone could be a hero. She turned up to Red with a smile and then stepped forward, paging through the money. She must have over twenty kale here, she could afford to be generous-especially if it got her away from ‘heroes’ with intentions.

She separated her original three Washingtons from the pile and laid them on the table in front of Pig-eye. “For your next lesson,” she said with a wink.

Folding the rest of the money into her pocket, she kept her hand in there as she turned around with a wide smile at the gathering crowd. She saw Mr. Urahara talking with someone, and she really didn’t want to bring him into this in case anyone got…antsy. He was without his cane, after all. And running out directly after winning was a bad idea.

There was no hope for it. She’d have to go back to the bar. Maybe she’d cut to the chase and order a water. With a smile and a nod, Ran started making her way back through the crowd.

His gaze moved to Miss Matsumoto, and after bidding Mr. Cordero a hasty farewell, he slipped the note into his pocket and walked over towards her.

“Hey~” he said, giving Miss Matsumoto a light touch on her shoulder. He greeted her with his grin. “I feel somewhat lucky now, not playing against you at darts. It would have been pretty humiliating,” he said.

“At any rate, that was a good game. I would offer to buy you a drink, but I don’t think we can handle anymore drain water… Perhaps the next time you visit Black Cat Lounge, we can arrange something there instead.”

Ran smiled at him, “Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” She cast a glance down the bar, back towards the dart game…it looked like Pig-eye and Red had started to play. Leaving now should be eggs ‘n coffee.

Returning her gaze back to Mr. Urahara, she widened her eyes, “And I don’t know about that, Mr. Urahara. You shouldn’t count out beginner’s luck, after all.”

Easing off the bar stool, she came to stand in front of him. “I think I’m going to call it a night. Thank you again, for the drinks and the dance. It was nice being able to talk with you.”

She started to turn to walk away, and then paused, glancing at him over her shoulder, “And if you’re ever in the mood for a chocolate malt, The Double Dip’s the best shop in town. Feel free to stop by for a visit.”

Again with the 'Beginners Luck' talk. Did she really expect him to believe that?

He tilted his head a little, slightly confused. Chocolate malt? Double Dip? Was that where Miss Matsumoto worked, perhaps? A malt shop? He could have never guessed - what with her looks and the way she dressed. Although, the confident manner in which she promoted the place to him - perhaps she owned the place?

At either rate, it was definitely worth checking the place out. He mentally added 'ordering a chocolate malt at the Double Dip' to his list of things to do.

"I will," he said, treating her to his smile. A rapid movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he found his gaze occupied with a couple of people who just walked into the substandard bar.

Oooh~ He was in trouble now.

"May I at least walk you out? I have no intention to stay here either, and I would feel better if I were to send you off," he offered, the sparkle in his eyes and that smile masking his true agenda.

Ran couldn’t help the raised eyebrow at his request. She hadn’t thought him to be quite this courteous. It seemed like she just couldn’t shake this man. Oh well, it’s not as if he’d been a huge deterrent, and she had enjoyed getting to know the eccentric owner of The Black Cat a bit better. At least he had a sense of humor.

She put a hand to her heart and batted her eyes once, slowly, “Why, Mr. Urahara! I’d be honored to have you escort me out. A lady never can me to careful.”

She dropped her hand and gave him a mischievous grin.

He returned her grin with his smile, his gaze focused on her even though he was paying particular attention to the people in his peripheral vision.

Making sure he stood next to Miss Matsumoto on the other side, they made their way out of the bar. He fell in step with her, and even though he was a little taller than her, he managed to act in a seemingly normal fashion and make it out of the bar unharmed.

Kisuke felt the chilly night air bite into him as soon as they stepped out onto the pavement. It was not too bad, but it did make him want to go back indoors again - or back home, curl up under the warm sheets and sleep through the cold.

"Thank you for spending a part of your evening with me, Miss Matsumoto," he said. "It would have been quite a different experience without you."

It was nice to breathe in the cool night air. Rangiku was used to the smell of smoke and liquor, but there was something about that first fresh breath that always made her feel like she had just come alive again. The adrenaline in her blood was starting to recede, but the fresh sense of release, of having gotten away with it, made her feel the rush like the finest bourbon.

She turned to face Mr. Urahara when he started to speak with a pleased smile on her face. It would have been different for her too. She would have been in and out a lot quicker. But then…she wouldn’t have had a chance to dance. Or experience…’brandy.’ “The evening was delightful, Mr. Urahara. Well, everything but the hooch. The company, however, made up for it.”

"Yes. Do feel free to come and find me the next time you visit the Lounge; I will be happy to demonstrate what a proper brandy should taste like."

He reached into the warmth of his pocket and felt around for his box of Dunhill cigarettes. Pulling out the pack, he tapped on one end of the box, flipped the lid open and pulled one out.

Planting it between his lips, he transferred the pack of cigarettes to his other hand and pulled out his lighter.

"You don't mind me smoking, do you?" he asked, the cigarette wiggling between his lips as he spoke whilst his hand occupied itself with playing with the lighter. They may be about to part ways, but it was still impolite to smoke in front of her if she particularly did not approve.

“Go right ahead,” Ran said automatically. She eyed him up for a minute. The streetlight lit his hair and the lighter flared in his hand, illuminating half his face and casting the other in shadow as he brought it closer to his gasper.

Ran didn’t smoke as a rule, but on a night like this, when she was feeling like this… “Actually, if you don’t mind…” she held out a hand, “I’ll take one of those.”

He tilted his head a little, mildly surprised. Well, that was... possibly the last response he was expecting to hear. His smile widened, and he flipped the lid on the pack of cigarettes open, holding it out to her.

He closed the lid when she had pulled one out and slid the pack back into his pocket. Taking a step closer to her, he flicked the lid of the lighter open and lit it, cupping his hand on one side of Miss Matsumoto's cigarette where the wind had been blowing.

When her cigarette had been lit, he proceeded to light his own before slipping the lighter back into his pocket.

"I'll have to remember that," Kisuke said as he took a drag from his cigarette.

There was a click and a flare from his lighter as he lit the end of the pill. She watched it spark against the night and begin to smoke as she lifted it to her lips. Taking a long drag from the cigarette, Ran tilted her head away from Mr. Urahara and up before she moved her hand out of the way and let out a narrow breath of smoke.

That felt good. Tapping the ash from the end of the gasper with one finger, she watched them spark and flare and fall onto the pavement. “Thank you, Mr. Urahara.”

She lifted the cig to her lips one more time as she turned to face him and took a second, shorter drag. Tilting her head down to blow out the smoke, she grinned at him. “Watch out for runaway taxis on the way home.”

He grinned, reaching up to pull the cigarette away from his lips, letting his hand hang loosely by his side.

"I will try, Miss Matsumoto. Wouldn't want to really displace my hip now, would I? It would be a waste, seeing as you find my dancing acceptable."

He flicked the cigarette with his thumb, sending ashes falling to the ground before placing it between his lips again.

"I shall take my leave, then," he said after a short moment of silence. "I hope to see you soon, Miss Matsumoto."

The genial atmosphere between them combined with the cigarette and the fresh night air must have been getting to her head. Because Rangiku found herself extending her hand, “Likewise, Mr. Urahara. And you can call me Rangiku.”

Kisuke extended his own hand and gave Rangiku's a brief, firm shake.

"Well then," he started, taking the cigarette out from his mouth to speak. "I must insist you call me Kisuke," he finished.

His smile widened, and he bowed ever so slightly before taking a couple of steps back, turning around to take his leave.

Kisuke, huh? Well, she supposed she could manage that. Her little evening out had proven to pay off in more than one way.

Taking a final long drag of her gasper, Ran grinned into the night. Not bad. Not bad at all. She let the cigarette drop onto the sidewalk and ground it underfoot before turning and making her own way home.