There for Each Other Chapter Six (Bleach, Rose/Love)
Title - There for Each Other Chapter Six
Disclaimer - Don't own any of the characters, I just lock myself in my room and make them bend to my muse's will.
Rating - Doesn’t start out at M but it will find its way there, we’ll just start out with T for now.
Word Count -3,185
Warning - There is het in here (Lisa/Love & YoruHara) but this will be yaoi so there are some overtones, if that bothers you (or vise versa).
Summary - It began with a stranger rescuing a stranger and went on from there. Love & Rose's story from Academy, Soul Society & beyond. There will be angst, UNF to the max, meddlesome YoruHara with help from a certain raven-haired be-spectacled visored - & let's throw in a Kuchiki!
Back to Chapter Five!
Earnest Truth After Breakfast
Momentarily confused by the roof over his eyes Aikawa lay very still in his new futon, thinking over how he’d come to stare at wooden planking instead of stars.
Yesterday’s events rolled through his mind and one corner of his lips twitched with a grin. Maybe town don’t always mean trouble…He thought as he gave a full-body stretch.
“Do you dream?” A soft voice asked in the semi-dark.
With a small turn of his head he saw his new roommate, the blond hair impeccable; as were his clothes…Did he sleep? The noble had been laying in his futon last night so one could assume he’d slept at some point in the night…right?
“’Bout dark caves mostly,” He admitted and at those words he sat up, the thin blanket he’d picked amongst the thicker ones that had been piled on his futon rolling down to pool in his lap.
“What do you mean?” Rōjūrō asked as he took note of the man’s bare chest in the dim lighting. When he’d gotten up he hadn’t turned the lights up very much and hesitated now thinking that perhaps Aikawa needed some privacy.
“Just darkness…drippin’ water,” Aikawa gave a shrug and ran his fingernails along his chest, scratching along his torso. “Not much else.”
“Like the one you first woke up in?”
Having forgotten that he’d mentioned that yesterday Aikawa looked at the noble in surprise for a few silent moments, “Uh, yeah.”
“How do you feel?”
“What?”
There came a sigh and then, “Does it feel like the day you woke up in the cave? Different? Comfortable? Scared?”
“Hm,” Aikawa thought a moment, reaching for the shirt he’d discarded in a thoughtless pile at the foot of his bed in response to the stifling heat of indoors. “Tired…like I been doin’ somethin’ hard to do…exhausted sometimes.”
Rōjūrō was quiet and after pulling his shirt on over his head Aikawa turned to toward the other man, who looked deep in thought, nodding his head in agreement. “I used to be tired in my dreams.”
“Yeah?” Aikawa turned a little more fully toward the blond, interested in the similarities…from Yoruichi’s tour he had learned just how unique dreamers were, no one without spiritual pressure had them, and just a few of the reiatsu-wielders themselves had dreams they could remember.
“Now I’m suffocating…still tired too…” He said the second part as if he had just realized it. “I couldn’t really get past the idea of suffocating to death so I hadn’t realized I was as bone-weary as I had been in the earlier dreams until just now talking to you about it.”
“You actually die in yer dreams?”
“No,” Rōjūrō shook his head, his unbound hair slipping over his shoulders. “I just can’t breath the entire time.”
“That’s fucked up,” Aikawa shook his head with a frown. “Y’hear anything?”
“I…” Rōjūrō tailed off his eyes sharp with curiosity. “I don’t know…I’m just so concerned with the dying.”
“But you don’t die.”
“No.”
“So you dream about not bein’ able to breath all night?”
“Yes.”
“Well,” Aikawa threw the blanket aside showing the worried blond that he had kept his drawstringed-pants on. “Then stop thinkin’ about the dyin’ part ‘nd listen.”
“Wha…” The noble stuttered a moment before going quiet as Aikawa got out of the futon, did a half-ass job of straightening the blankets on it before going to find a new tea tray outside the door along with an assortment of diced fruit large enough to feed two of him and then-some.
While Aikawa worked at balancing both the trays Rōjūrō went to raise the light thinking all the while of his roommate’s offhandedly-delivered advice. “Do your dreams not feel very real?”
“I don’t really know I guess,” Aikawa set down the trays, watching as Rōjūrō took the tea set-up and started to pour them each tea. “M’just layin’ in a cave.”
“Explore,” Rōjūrō ordered softly as he blew on his tea and sipped it.
“All right…I will if you’ll listen.”
With a soft exhalation of mirth Rōjūrō nodded and picked up his chopsticks. “I hope you can eat all of this.”
“About as much as you could,” Aikawa shrugged and picked one of the bowls up and tilted it up toward his face like a cup.
The only answer he received was to witness Rōjūrō pluck a single melon cube from his bowl to nibble at.
Although he had to put his bowl down to stare Aikawa didn’t bother to hide his observation as the blond continued in much the same fashion, less than halfway through the bowl. Less than half a bowl and more than four cups of tea.
After dabbing his face with a cloth napkin the blond opened his mouth to speak only to have Aikawa hold up a hand. “What?”
“Eat.”
Lavender eyes looked down at the bowl and a queasy look came on his pinched face. “I’m done.”
“Don’t waste.”
“You can eat it can’t you?” Rōjūrō teased and poured the second-to-last cup of tea in the pot.
“Yeah ‘nd have the shits for days,” Aikawa nodded.
“Oh…” He made a scrunched up face of displeasure at the imagery. “Not necessary,” Rōjūrō squinted across the table to Aikawa.
“Get used to it sister,” Aikawa finished off his bowl, taking Rōjūrō’s to split the fruit inside it, dropping it back in front of the noble. “Eat.”
“We aren’t doing anything strenuous today, no class for two days,” When there was no change in the other man’s face Rōjūrō continued. “If I eat too much it turns into lead in my stomach.”
“Later we’ll stop by Noboru’s office ‘nd talk to her about meal size,” Aikawa nodded toward the bowl in front of the noble. “Now you eat that.”
Since the only person that could alter the meal delivery menu was the Head of Mess, Rōjūrō really couldn’t argue about eating too much all the time. He gave an exasperated sigh that Aikawa felt was his by rights, then dug into the rest of the bowl with some gusto. “I’m staying close to you…within range of projectile vomit.”
“That sounds gross, shut-up,” Aikawa made a less-scrunched-more-scowl face of disgust at the noble’s imagery. “Food. In. Your. Face.”
“I am!”
“Right, cuz nobles talk with their dainty mouths full of food,” Aikawa shot back, slurping the last of his breakfast and leaving the last half-cup of tea in the pot for Rōjūrō, snatching the second-to-last half even after having noticed the noble preferred to pour tea for everyone.
Shooting Aikawa his darkest look yet the blond finished the fruit and pushed the bowl toward Aikawa’s. When the man pushed it back Rōjūrō grumbled, “What?”
Aikawa only pointed at the bowl which only had juice at the bottom, then stood and took the tray to set by the door.
“You’re kidding,” Rōjūrō made a face very close to a pout and tipped the bowl up to his lips too fast, juice dripping down his chin before he could slurp it up.
With a guffaw Aikawa took the bowl to put it with the other as Rōjūrō patted at the juice with the napkin. “Turn into lead yet?”
“Not yet,” Came in an overly-dignified manner and when Aikawa turned from closing the door Rōjūrō had his arms crossed over his chest, the challenge in his face somewhat lessened by the bit of juice he’d missed on his chin.
“Then let’s go use some of it,” Aikawa had seen a few things on yesterday’s tour that he wanted a closer look at, things Yoruichi had dubbed boring. “Oi…” He reached forward and gave the blond’s chin a swipe of his thumb getting the last of the juice.
“Wha--I…” Rōjūrō stuttered and stepped back making a show of getting the teapot.
Aikawa didn’t notice Rōjūrō’s reaction, nor the expression that spasmed over the noble’s face as he stuck said thumb in his mouth momentarily. “Y’all right?” Aikawa mumbled around the digit.
“What did you have in mind?” Rōjūrō jumped as his roommate moved to intercept him as if he was going to touch his face like that again, only to take the teapot from the blond’s numb fingers and turn away as if he hadn’t sent the noble’s heart hammering.
“Noboru?”
“Sounds good,” Came back sharp and with a nod. “Yasu’s on the way.”
“Let’s walk, that’s how I keep it off,” Aikawa picked up the stacked trays. “Gotta drop these off.”
“We’ll stop at Wardrobe on the way back then.”
#
Although smug Aikawa was smart enough not to gloat as the Head of Mess laid into Rōjūrō at his request. He pretended disinterest as the short aging woman cowed the noble like she was two feet taller instead of shorter.
“Until I get your specifics there will be no change in proportion sizes! Today’s breakfast was small in comparison to our usual student’s meal when engaged in heavy reiatsu use!” Her rough voice, which had sounded ten shades of lethargic not to mention laid back, that is it had until Rōjūrō had made his request.
“There wasn’t even any protein today!” Noboru threw up wrinkled hands in exasperation and turned away, spying Aikawa.
Oh shit.
“And you!”
“Um, just stretchin’ my legs, walkin’ off the meal…good mix of fruits Noboru-sensei.”
“Hm,” Noboru crossed her arms over her ample bosom and harrumphed. “You like berries?”
“Yeah…there used’t be these yellow ones in the forest--”
“Raspberries,” She nodded, silvering-black hair towering in a tightly woven braid crown. “I only put a little of those in the cocktail they’re too susceptible to squishing.”
Aikawa nodded in understanding and watched her move to a large metal cupboard and proceed to putter around in it up to her shoulders. “The menu is on the counter there if you want to know what’s for lunch.”
Rōjūrō beat Aikawa to the large ledger book titled, Reiatsu Study: Light. There was a small collection of similar books on a shelf just above the counter, each a different color and one almost three inches thick.
“The Reiatsu Study: Light assumes minimal activity levels…you aren’t sedentary I presume?” Noboru asked in an official tone as her head finally emerged from the cupboard.
“No,” Rōjūrō answered as if offended. “Neither of us are.”
“Uh-huh,” Noboru turned and deposited a small basket of golden raspberries on the large butcher’s block that served as an island for the middle of the kitchen.
“You have ‘em.”
“Of course, I make a three berry scone for the students in heavy study…I think you’ll both like it, everyone does, with tea,” She gestured a wrinkly hand at the basket. “Eat some; they’re almost overripe I’ll have to throw them away soon.” Noboru quickly went on to remind Aikawa to eat them while mindful of just how much fruit he’d eaten this morning. Aikawa nodded and took a handful. Noboru gave him an encouraging nod before swooping on the basket and tucking it away back in the cupboard.
“Thank you,” Aikawa ate a few at a time as he made to leave the kitchen.
“Yes thank you for your time,” Rōjūrō said, even though he hadn’t gotten what he came for.
Aikawa was totally fine with that.
“There are smaller copies of the menu at Registration,” Noboru told them in parting, along with, “Tell Kisuke-kun and Yoruichi-sama ‘hello’.”
The noble’s ulterior motive became quite clear as they waited at Wardrobe to see if any of Aikawa’s clothes were ready. The answer was no on the uniforms which were tantamount to Gotei military dress, way more than just altering already made hakama, which was how they already had a few things for Aikawa to wear day-to-day.
Before they could leave the blond wondered aloud about socks and shoes and purposefully avoided the perturbed look his roommate sent his way.
They left with a set and enough kimonos and pants for Aikawa’s own small chest of belongings. It was weird carrying them folded over his arm back to their quarters -- and equally bizarre -- having the living space to go to and even the partner in said space. He had left the shoes behind but soon had Rōjūrō catching up to him after going back to get them, hissing, “You are going to wear these.”
Once back in their quarters the shoes were deposited on Aikawa’s futon, the noble moving to the large horizontal-opening chest. “I have a few things I can take out of here and move to my standing trunk…” Rōjūrō muttered to himself, suddenly turning to face Aikawa who was standing just inside the shoji the door closed with his toe. “Do you mind putting your things with mine?”
“That’s my line,” Aikawa borrowed the blond’s earlier line, it was quite apt. “Silk ‘nd shit.”
“They’re perfectly clean,” Rōjūrō moved to show the clothes he’d worn the day before, neatly folded in the empty base of the vertical-opening chest. “I don’t always wear things long enough for them to need too much washing…I think I might take advantage of the school’s washing facility however…”
With a roll of his brown eyes that the noble couldn’t see Aikawa moved up behind him with his armful to see the entire upper right quarter of the chest empty, a smaller box taking up the lower right quarter of the space. The night before Aikawa had discovered the small book on Rōjūrō’s pillow on Academy Rules…and as soon as the jig was up the blond couldn’t stop about the “uniform protocols”.
The little book’s words (and Rōjūrō telling him of course he wasn’t going to read the thing) was how he knew the uniforms were required a wash after every day’s use. Most of the clothes Yasu had given him were simple kimonos and the type of pants he currently wore, a single drawstring at the waist -- some had two at the ankles -- but there were also a pair or two of hakama.
“Drop those in here,” Rōjūrō leaned forward and took the small box out for him, moving it to a spot at the head of his futon, tucked in the corner underneath, making the mattress curl up at the corner.
“What’s in there?”
“Never you mind,” Rōjūrō answered as he returned to observe how he put away his clothes. “You should alternate so each outfit is paired…then you won’t have to search in the morning.”
“Outfit?” Aikawa looked at the collection of clothes he’d just dropped into place in the chest. There were different colors and patterns but there wasn’t really a theme that would help to pair them together. The only organization so far was that the hakama were at the bottom of the stack.
“Here…” Rōjūrō said with a long-suffering sigh, lowering to sit on his knees next to Aikawa while reaching in to take the collection back out. “Oh see…” He set a folded kimono with a pair of pants. “Most of them aren’t vibrantly colored so it’s easier to mix and match.”
“That’s what I figured.”
“Then say it,” Rōjūrō still paired each kimono with a pair of pants…and then some because there were more tops than bottoms. Once done he put them back in the trunk…noticing fundoshi that had been stacked underneath. “These are called staples for a reason, you’re supposed to wear them.”
“Right,” Aikawa nodded as he ignored the noble and went to sit on his futon thinking maybe to appease the man with the waraji…and maybe the tabi. “The shoes I’ll wear…none of those…” He gestured with his head vaguely toward the chest, pulling on first socks then slipping the sandal on, fingers going through the motions of tying them as if he’d done it a million times.
Looking up Aikawa caught lavender eyes watching him those eyes easily seeing the surprise on his face when he put on something he’d never worn before like a veteran. “You also could have told me you’d never worn them before, Love.”
“I have…see,” Aikawa deadpanned, sticking his feet out for inspection.
“I mean in this life,” Rōjūrō leaned forward to look at the simple knot and tucked ends of the sandal. “Nice…how about the fundoshi?”
“Don’t matter,” Was the answer to that, along with the shucking of both sock and sandal.
“I would be inclined to agree with you but they’re Academy uniform standard.”
“Don’t care,” A shake of the head this time as he set the tabi and waraji together by the door.
“I don’t either, but I’m not going to be able to make it through the next couple of months without you, and I need to be here because I have a tasteful and expensive collection of masterpieces at home depending on it,” Rōjūrō gave a wistful sigh at the mention of his musical instruments.
“Why am I so important?” Aikawa asked ignoring the masterpieces part of the statement.
“You’re my roommate,” The noble gave an elegant shrug. “The first time I met you, you came to my rescue.”
“The first time I met you, you were buck-ass naked in an alley.”
“I was there. I distinctly remember a wall,” The blond pursed his lips a little in thought.
“Heh, yeah you two did meet before we did.” With a grin Aikawa nodded and stared at the expression on the noble’s face. “What the hell does that have to do with you gettin’ through this?”
“You…” Rōjūrō sighed and shook his head as if his words weren’t right. “You came and rescued me…at first I thought it was ten times nobler because I thought you knew where you were and were helping me regardless…” He stopped for a breath and bit his lip, lavender eyes lowering to look at where his hands were knotted in his lap. “It’s still noble…anyway…you came here to do something else good.”
“And the shinigami uniform’s nice lookin’,” Aikawa half-joked since -- in truth -- he did actually like the look of it.
“No argument here,” Rōjūrō held a hand up. “What I mean is…I originally came here to save my beloved instruments…I really like your reasons better.”
“You know ‘em?”
“Not really, would you tell me?”
“Don’t know…” Having just chosen the direction at random, it had been chance he’d had the Academy in his path…even if he’d felt there had been something guiding his choice. After thinking about it the answer came easier, “Learn how to protect better?”
“I was right, I do like it.”
Aikawa looked away a moment not knowing how to take the compliment, or the tiny, less-than-sad smile on the noble’s face. “So what happens if I fail ‘nd they kick me out?”
“I’d probably burn-out…”
“So I have to wear fundoshi to keep you attendin’ Shinō?”
A laugh escaped the blond making him only able to nod.
Watching the mirth crack apart the fragile stiff way the noble held himself Aikawa couldn’t help but smile. “I suppose since it’s got such an effect on yer learnin’ drive.”
“You’re a constant reminder of my reason Love,” Rōjūrō admitted, the mirth settling down.
“Too bad I ain’t a lute.”
Onward to Chapter Seven!
Disclaimer - Don't own any of the characters, I just lock myself in my room and make them bend to my muse's will.
Rating - Doesn’t start out at M but it will find its way there, we’ll just start out with T for now.
Word Count -3,185
Warning - There is het in here (Lisa/Love & YoruHara) but this will be yaoi so there are some overtones, if that bothers you (or vise versa).
Summary - It began with a stranger rescuing a stranger and went on from there. Love & Rose's story from Academy, Soul Society & beyond. There will be angst, UNF to the max, meddlesome YoruHara with help from a certain raven-haired be-spectacled visored - & let's throw in a Kuchiki!
Back to Chapter Five!
Earnest Truth After Breakfast
Momentarily confused by the roof over his eyes Aikawa lay very still in his new futon, thinking over how he’d come to stare at wooden planking instead of stars.
Yesterday’s events rolled through his mind and one corner of his lips twitched with a grin. Maybe town don’t always mean trouble…He thought as he gave a full-body stretch.
“Do you dream?” A soft voice asked in the semi-dark.
With a small turn of his head he saw his new roommate, the blond hair impeccable; as were his clothes…Did he sleep? The noble had been laying in his futon last night so one could assume he’d slept at some point in the night…right?
“’Bout dark caves mostly,” He admitted and at those words he sat up, the thin blanket he’d picked amongst the thicker ones that had been piled on his futon rolling down to pool in his lap.
“What do you mean?” Rōjūrō asked as he took note of the man’s bare chest in the dim lighting. When he’d gotten up he hadn’t turned the lights up very much and hesitated now thinking that perhaps Aikawa needed some privacy.
“Just darkness…drippin’ water,” Aikawa gave a shrug and ran his fingernails along his chest, scratching along his torso. “Not much else.”
“Like the one you first woke up in?”
Having forgotten that he’d mentioned that yesterday Aikawa looked at the noble in surprise for a few silent moments, “Uh, yeah.”
“How do you feel?”
“What?”
There came a sigh and then, “Does it feel like the day you woke up in the cave? Different? Comfortable? Scared?”
“Hm,” Aikawa thought a moment, reaching for the shirt he’d discarded in a thoughtless pile at the foot of his bed in response to the stifling heat of indoors. “Tired…like I been doin’ somethin’ hard to do…exhausted sometimes.”
Rōjūrō was quiet and after pulling his shirt on over his head Aikawa turned to toward the other man, who looked deep in thought, nodding his head in agreement. “I used to be tired in my dreams.”
“Yeah?” Aikawa turned a little more fully toward the blond, interested in the similarities…from Yoruichi’s tour he had learned just how unique dreamers were, no one without spiritual pressure had them, and just a few of the reiatsu-wielders themselves had dreams they could remember.
“Now I’m suffocating…still tired too…” He said the second part as if he had just realized it. “I couldn’t really get past the idea of suffocating to death so I hadn’t realized I was as bone-weary as I had been in the earlier dreams until just now talking to you about it.”
“You actually die in yer dreams?”
“No,” Rōjūrō shook his head, his unbound hair slipping over his shoulders. “I just can’t breath the entire time.”
“That’s fucked up,” Aikawa shook his head with a frown. “Y’hear anything?”
“I…” Rōjūrō tailed off his eyes sharp with curiosity. “I don’t know…I’m just so concerned with the dying.”
“But you don’t die.”
“No.”
“So you dream about not bein’ able to breath all night?”
“Yes.”
“Well,” Aikawa threw the blanket aside showing the worried blond that he had kept his drawstringed-pants on. “Then stop thinkin’ about the dyin’ part ‘nd listen.”
“Wha…” The noble stuttered a moment before going quiet as Aikawa got out of the futon, did a half-ass job of straightening the blankets on it before going to find a new tea tray outside the door along with an assortment of diced fruit large enough to feed two of him and then-some.
While Aikawa worked at balancing both the trays Rōjūrō went to raise the light thinking all the while of his roommate’s offhandedly-delivered advice. “Do your dreams not feel very real?”
“I don’t really know I guess,” Aikawa set down the trays, watching as Rōjūrō took the tea set-up and started to pour them each tea. “M’just layin’ in a cave.”
“Explore,” Rōjūrō ordered softly as he blew on his tea and sipped it.
“All right…I will if you’ll listen.”
With a soft exhalation of mirth Rōjūrō nodded and picked up his chopsticks. “I hope you can eat all of this.”
“About as much as you could,” Aikawa shrugged and picked one of the bowls up and tilted it up toward his face like a cup.
The only answer he received was to witness Rōjūrō pluck a single melon cube from his bowl to nibble at.
Although he had to put his bowl down to stare Aikawa didn’t bother to hide his observation as the blond continued in much the same fashion, less than halfway through the bowl. Less than half a bowl and more than four cups of tea.
After dabbing his face with a cloth napkin the blond opened his mouth to speak only to have Aikawa hold up a hand. “What?”
“Eat.”
Lavender eyes looked down at the bowl and a queasy look came on his pinched face. “I’m done.”
“Don’t waste.”
“You can eat it can’t you?” Rōjūrō teased and poured the second-to-last cup of tea in the pot.
“Yeah ‘nd have the shits for days,” Aikawa nodded.
“Oh…” He made a scrunched up face of displeasure at the imagery. “Not necessary,” Rōjūrō squinted across the table to Aikawa.
“Get used to it sister,” Aikawa finished off his bowl, taking Rōjūrō’s to split the fruit inside it, dropping it back in front of the noble. “Eat.”
“We aren’t doing anything strenuous today, no class for two days,” When there was no change in the other man’s face Rōjūrō continued. “If I eat too much it turns into lead in my stomach.”
“Later we’ll stop by Noboru’s office ‘nd talk to her about meal size,” Aikawa nodded toward the bowl in front of the noble. “Now you eat that.”
Since the only person that could alter the meal delivery menu was the Head of Mess, Rōjūrō really couldn’t argue about eating too much all the time. He gave an exasperated sigh that Aikawa felt was his by rights, then dug into the rest of the bowl with some gusto. “I’m staying close to you…within range of projectile vomit.”
“That sounds gross, shut-up,” Aikawa made a less-scrunched-more-scowl face of disgust at the noble’s imagery. “Food. In. Your. Face.”
“I am!”
“Right, cuz nobles talk with their dainty mouths full of food,” Aikawa shot back, slurping the last of his breakfast and leaving the last half-cup of tea in the pot for Rōjūrō, snatching the second-to-last half even after having noticed the noble preferred to pour tea for everyone.
Shooting Aikawa his darkest look yet the blond finished the fruit and pushed the bowl toward Aikawa’s. When the man pushed it back Rōjūrō grumbled, “What?”
Aikawa only pointed at the bowl which only had juice at the bottom, then stood and took the tray to set by the door.
“You’re kidding,” Rōjūrō made a face very close to a pout and tipped the bowl up to his lips too fast, juice dripping down his chin before he could slurp it up.
With a guffaw Aikawa took the bowl to put it with the other as Rōjūrō patted at the juice with the napkin. “Turn into lead yet?”
“Not yet,” Came in an overly-dignified manner and when Aikawa turned from closing the door Rōjūrō had his arms crossed over his chest, the challenge in his face somewhat lessened by the bit of juice he’d missed on his chin.
“Then let’s go use some of it,” Aikawa had seen a few things on yesterday’s tour that he wanted a closer look at, things Yoruichi had dubbed boring. “Oi…” He reached forward and gave the blond’s chin a swipe of his thumb getting the last of the juice.
“Wha--I…” Rōjūrō stuttered and stepped back making a show of getting the teapot.
Aikawa didn’t notice Rōjūrō’s reaction, nor the expression that spasmed over the noble’s face as he stuck said thumb in his mouth momentarily. “Y’all right?” Aikawa mumbled around the digit.
“What did you have in mind?” Rōjūrō jumped as his roommate moved to intercept him as if he was going to touch his face like that again, only to take the teapot from the blond’s numb fingers and turn away as if he hadn’t sent the noble’s heart hammering.
“Noboru?”
“Sounds good,” Came back sharp and with a nod. “Yasu’s on the way.”
“Let’s walk, that’s how I keep it off,” Aikawa picked up the stacked trays. “Gotta drop these off.”
“We’ll stop at Wardrobe on the way back then.”
#
Although smug Aikawa was smart enough not to gloat as the Head of Mess laid into Rōjūrō at his request. He pretended disinterest as the short aging woman cowed the noble like she was two feet taller instead of shorter.
“Until I get your specifics there will be no change in proportion sizes! Today’s breakfast was small in comparison to our usual student’s meal when engaged in heavy reiatsu use!” Her rough voice, which had sounded ten shades of lethargic not to mention laid back, that is it had until Rōjūrō had made his request.
“There wasn’t even any protein today!” Noboru threw up wrinkled hands in exasperation and turned away, spying Aikawa.
Oh shit.
“And you!”
“Um, just stretchin’ my legs, walkin’ off the meal…good mix of fruits Noboru-sensei.”
“Hm,” Noboru crossed her arms over her ample bosom and harrumphed. “You like berries?”
“Yeah…there used’t be these yellow ones in the forest--”
“Raspberries,” She nodded, silvering-black hair towering in a tightly woven braid crown. “I only put a little of those in the cocktail they’re too susceptible to squishing.”
Aikawa nodded in understanding and watched her move to a large metal cupboard and proceed to putter around in it up to her shoulders. “The menu is on the counter there if you want to know what’s for lunch.”
Rōjūrō beat Aikawa to the large ledger book titled, Reiatsu Study: Light. There was a small collection of similar books on a shelf just above the counter, each a different color and one almost three inches thick.
“The Reiatsu Study: Light assumes minimal activity levels…you aren’t sedentary I presume?” Noboru asked in an official tone as her head finally emerged from the cupboard.
“No,” Rōjūrō answered as if offended. “Neither of us are.”
“Uh-huh,” Noboru turned and deposited a small basket of golden raspberries on the large butcher’s block that served as an island for the middle of the kitchen.
“You have ‘em.”
“Of course, I make a three berry scone for the students in heavy study…I think you’ll both like it, everyone does, with tea,” She gestured a wrinkly hand at the basket. “Eat some; they’re almost overripe I’ll have to throw them away soon.” Noboru quickly went on to remind Aikawa to eat them while mindful of just how much fruit he’d eaten this morning. Aikawa nodded and took a handful. Noboru gave him an encouraging nod before swooping on the basket and tucking it away back in the cupboard.
“Thank you,” Aikawa ate a few at a time as he made to leave the kitchen.
“Yes thank you for your time,” Rōjūrō said, even though he hadn’t gotten what he came for.
Aikawa was totally fine with that.
“There are smaller copies of the menu at Registration,” Noboru told them in parting, along with, “Tell Kisuke-kun and Yoruichi-sama ‘hello’.”
The noble’s ulterior motive became quite clear as they waited at Wardrobe to see if any of Aikawa’s clothes were ready. The answer was no on the uniforms which were tantamount to Gotei military dress, way more than just altering already made hakama, which was how they already had a few things for Aikawa to wear day-to-day.
Before they could leave the blond wondered aloud about socks and shoes and purposefully avoided the perturbed look his roommate sent his way.
They left with a set and enough kimonos and pants for Aikawa’s own small chest of belongings. It was weird carrying them folded over his arm back to their quarters -- and equally bizarre -- having the living space to go to and even the partner in said space. He had left the shoes behind but soon had Rōjūrō catching up to him after going back to get them, hissing, “You are going to wear these.”
Once back in their quarters the shoes were deposited on Aikawa’s futon, the noble moving to the large horizontal-opening chest. “I have a few things I can take out of here and move to my standing trunk…” Rōjūrō muttered to himself, suddenly turning to face Aikawa who was standing just inside the shoji the door closed with his toe. “Do you mind putting your things with mine?”
“That’s my line,” Aikawa borrowed the blond’s earlier line, it was quite apt. “Silk ‘nd shit.”
“They’re perfectly clean,” Rōjūrō moved to show the clothes he’d worn the day before, neatly folded in the empty base of the vertical-opening chest. “I don’t always wear things long enough for them to need too much washing…I think I might take advantage of the school’s washing facility however…”
With a roll of his brown eyes that the noble couldn’t see Aikawa moved up behind him with his armful to see the entire upper right quarter of the chest empty, a smaller box taking up the lower right quarter of the space. The night before Aikawa had discovered the small book on Rōjūrō’s pillow on Academy Rules…and as soon as the jig was up the blond couldn’t stop about the “uniform protocols”.
The little book’s words (and Rōjūrō telling him of course he wasn’t going to read the thing) was how he knew the uniforms were required a wash after every day’s use. Most of the clothes Yasu had given him were simple kimonos and the type of pants he currently wore, a single drawstring at the waist -- some had two at the ankles -- but there were also a pair or two of hakama.
“Drop those in here,” Rōjūrō leaned forward and took the small box out for him, moving it to a spot at the head of his futon, tucked in the corner underneath, making the mattress curl up at the corner.
“What’s in there?”
“Never you mind,” Rōjūrō answered as he returned to observe how he put away his clothes. “You should alternate so each outfit is paired…then you won’t have to search in the morning.”
“Outfit?” Aikawa looked at the collection of clothes he’d just dropped into place in the chest. There were different colors and patterns but there wasn’t really a theme that would help to pair them together. The only organization so far was that the hakama were at the bottom of the stack.
“Here…” Rōjūrō said with a long-suffering sigh, lowering to sit on his knees next to Aikawa while reaching in to take the collection back out. “Oh see…” He set a folded kimono with a pair of pants. “Most of them aren’t vibrantly colored so it’s easier to mix and match.”
“That’s what I figured.”
“Then say it,” Rōjūrō still paired each kimono with a pair of pants…and then some because there were more tops than bottoms. Once done he put them back in the trunk…noticing fundoshi that had been stacked underneath. “These are called staples for a reason, you’re supposed to wear them.”
“Right,” Aikawa nodded as he ignored the noble and went to sit on his futon thinking maybe to appease the man with the waraji…and maybe the tabi. “The shoes I’ll wear…none of those…” He gestured with his head vaguely toward the chest, pulling on first socks then slipping the sandal on, fingers going through the motions of tying them as if he’d done it a million times.
Looking up Aikawa caught lavender eyes watching him those eyes easily seeing the surprise on his face when he put on something he’d never worn before like a veteran. “You also could have told me you’d never worn them before, Love.”
“I have…see,” Aikawa deadpanned, sticking his feet out for inspection.
“I mean in this life,” Rōjūrō leaned forward to look at the simple knot and tucked ends of the sandal. “Nice…how about the fundoshi?”
“Don’t matter,” Was the answer to that, along with the shucking of both sock and sandal.
“I would be inclined to agree with you but they’re Academy uniform standard.”
“Don’t care,” A shake of the head this time as he set the tabi and waraji together by the door.
“I don’t either, but I’m not going to be able to make it through the next couple of months without you, and I need to be here because I have a tasteful and expensive collection of masterpieces at home depending on it,” Rōjūrō gave a wistful sigh at the mention of his musical instruments.
“Why am I so important?” Aikawa asked ignoring the masterpieces part of the statement.
“You’re my roommate,” The noble gave an elegant shrug. “The first time I met you, you came to my rescue.”
“The first time I met you, you were buck-ass naked in an alley.”
“I was there. I distinctly remember a wall,” The blond pursed his lips a little in thought.
“Heh, yeah you two did meet before we did.” With a grin Aikawa nodded and stared at the expression on the noble’s face. “What the hell does that have to do with you gettin’ through this?”
“You…” Rōjūrō sighed and shook his head as if his words weren’t right. “You came and rescued me…at first I thought it was ten times nobler because I thought you knew where you were and were helping me regardless…” He stopped for a breath and bit his lip, lavender eyes lowering to look at where his hands were knotted in his lap. “It’s still noble…anyway…you came here to do something else good.”
“And the shinigami uniform’s nice lookin’,” Aikawa half-joked since -- in truth -- he did actually like the look of it.
“No argument here,” Rōjūrō held a hand up. “What I mean is…I originally came here to save my beloved instruments…I really like your reasons better.”
“You know ‘em?”
“Not really, would you tell me?”
“Don’t know…” Having just chosen the direction at random, it had been chance he’d had the Academy in his path…even if he’d felt there had been something guiding his choice. After thinking about it the answer came easier, “Learn how to protect better?”
“I was right, I do like it.”
Aikawa looked away a moment not knowing how to take the compliment, or the tiny, less-than-sad smile on the noble’s face. “So what happens if I fail ‘nd they kick me out?”
“I’d probably burn-out…”
“So I have to wear fundoshi to keep you attendin’ Shinō?”
A laugh escaped the blond making him only able to nod.
Watching the mirth crack apart the fragile stiff way the noble held himself Aikawa couldn’t help but smile. “I suppose since it’s got such an effect on yer learnin’ drive.”
“You’re a constant reminder of my reason Love,” Rōjūrō admitted, the mirth settling down.
“Too bad I ain’t a lute.”
Onward to Chapter Seven!