There for Each Other Chapter Seven (Bleach, Rose/Love)
Title - There for Each Other 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 -3,050
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 Six!
Trying Not To Find Trouble
It felt like it should have been the middle of the night.
Aikawa’s eyes cracked open as soft-but-hardly-polite curses and thumping woke him. He felt hours-shy of the right amount of sleeping time. Thinking to get back to sleep he didn’t move, Rōjūrō coming into his line of vision fretful, irritated and…sloppy.
Well to Aikawa it was really what anyone looked like after sleeping, rumpled and just as deprived of sleeping time. His long blond hair was bound in what might have been a braid before it had started coming loose, in a pair of those pants that had drawstrings at both the ankles and waist and little else.
As he came into sight he was pulling a thin kimono on over the pale defined muscles of his torso…
What the fuck eyes? Aikawa shook his head at the treacherous aims of his sleepy gaze and the motion was enough to gain the blond’s attention with the light streaming in through the door. “Wha’time’s’t?” Aikawa managed.
“Dawn’s in probably an hour or less…Otousan’s sent for me, he’s come to visit,” Rōjūrō’s voice sounded as tense as he looked, the gold strands of hair glowing lit from the lamp behind him.
“He comin’ to the room?” Aikawa muttered, diction getting a little better as his brain started to wake up.
“No,” Rōjūrō said it like a protest as if he might have just dodged such a situation in reality. “Then he might see…” He shook his head. “Never mind…I’ll be back.”
“In that?”
At that question the blond spun around to face him in the doorway, the ends of his kimono swirling out around him. “What?” He sounded affronted.
Aikawa shook his head, “I think the only other time I seen you less put-together was when we first met.”
Nimble fingers lifted to work at the disarray of his hair a tentative smile twitching the noble’s lips. “We’ll Otousan has seen me worse than this, and worse than you’ve seen me.”
“I don’t know how that works,” Aikawa sat up and lifted his hand for a handshake. “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” Rōjūrō took his hand and their fingers squeezed more than shook. “I might be a while.”
“If I ain’t here I went lookin’ around.”
“Don’t get into trouble,” Came tutting over the blond’s shoulder as he joined the servant waiting in the hallway, before he slid the shoji shut behind him.
“Sorry s’kinda unavoidable.”
#
Aikawa tried to go back to sleep, he felt himself slip into slumber not but a few seconds it seemed before there was a loud knock on the spot beside the shoji of his room. “Girl you ain’t gotta knock!” He called gruffly at Rōjūrō trying to pull the blankets up over his head to block out the sounds of someone moving around.
“I feel honored Aikawa-kōhai,” Lisa’s voice found it’s way in though.
“Oi, thought you were Rōjūrō comin’ back from his meetin’,” Aikawa thrust an arm out to push the blanket back, looking up to see the senpai in casual clothes, what looked a lot like the shinigami uniform, only a bit shorter (almost mid-thigh) and in a light grey, inner kimono in a sharp teal color that matched her eyes.
A strange look came on her face at the familiar first name used, but by then Aikawa had managed to climb out of his futon to make his way to the trunk he shared with his roommate. “I thought you had only just met Rōjūrō-kōhai.”
“We met a while back, I saved him from some trouble…then met again on the day we came to test to get into the Academy,” Aikawa opened the trunk enough to find a top to go with the loose bottoms of the jinbei he’d gone to sleep in, actually glad that Rōjūrō had organized his clothes before stacking them inside.
Even though his back was only turned a moment to snatch the light shirt off the top of the stack he missed the parade of emotions that crossed the senpai’s face. The off-hand way he recounted his past with the blond would have made the envious tinge to the girl’s eyes intensify but then they caught sight of the lines of muscles in Aikawa’s back as he leaned over the trunk and then his words registered.
“Aw…you’re his hero,” Lisa cooed and Aikawa let a guffaw out mostly because both the raven-haired girl and blond noble had voiced that sentiment in much the same way
“I ain’t no hero,” Aikawa managed between mirth, shaking loose the dark blue shirt. “He was holdin’ his own just fine.”
“Hn,” Nimble fingers adjusted her glasses as she realized he was going to put the shirt on before he turned around. Unless… “I had an idea to get between the two of you,” She murmured as if reluctant to admit.
“The two of us?” Shirt forgotten in his clutches Aikawa turned back to her, giving her the full view of his muscular chest.
“What!” Lisa grinned as her plan succeeded. “You swoop in to rescue him and when the two of you meet you become roommates? Really, Aikawa?”
“Yeah, really,” Aikawa reached over and intensified the lighting so she could clearly see the glare of reproach on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest but at her vantage point Lisa could still see his abs so missed the scowl. It was on the tip of his tongue to explain why Rōjūrō had been so keen on them bunking together, but then he just gave a loud sigh and threw the shirt on over his head instead. “We’re roommates…allies,” He defended.
“The more of those you have the better off you’ll be,” Lisa said with a nod of agreement, easily hiding her disappointment at the man garbing himself. “Especially smart ones like me.”
“Glad we’re…” Aikawa wondered how long it would be until breakfast. “Allies.”
“Aren’t we?”
“Of course I mean…” He moved and pulled the blankets up getting them almost completely smoothed out. “Naw,” He shook his head deciding against saying what was on his mind.
“Oh goodness now what you were going to say will bug the ever-loving shit out of me,” Lisa sighed and shot him a half-way irritated glare, softened by the glare of glasses. “I must know.”
“We ain’t gonna be allies, like Rōjūrō ‘nd me ‘re allies,” Aikawa met her eyes as she did that thing with her head that rid her spectacles of all glare.
“Of course not,” Lisa gave a cluck of her tongue and turned to crawl the few feet to the shoji pushing it open enough to fit the trays in the hall through. “I see you took advantage of the great Shinō Academy Wardrobe.”
“They had stuff lying around, s’a little short but it’s just for sleepin’,” Aikawa stood and demonstrated the pant cuffs ended just above the ankle.
“Dashing loungewear Aikawa,” Lisa gave him a deferring bow of her head.
“Thanks,” He watched as Lisa set the trays on the table. “Want some tea?”
“We’ll have to bring Rōjūrō-kōhai more,” Lisa said in answer.
“He does like his tea,” Aikawa recalled. “S’all about pourin’ it for everyone too.”
“Is that so?” Lisa mused as the man poured. “You do notice a lot about him for not being a ‘two of you,’ as you say.”
“What?” Aikawa over-tipped his cup drinking and scalded his lip. “I like women.”
“Me too, they’re exquisite,” Lisa admitted. “I also like men…Why limit the scenery to a little less than half?”
“Hoh,” Aikawa pointed at her in an accusatory manner. “Yer tryin’ to match-make us.”
“You’re such a unique individual why would I let you get away from me?” Lisa continued before sipping at her tea demurely.
“Really?”
Lisa only nodded eyes protected by the glare of her glasses once more as she continued to drink.
“No wonder ya wanted to tutor me.”
“That was a legitimate offer…although in an ulterior context tutoring would lead to more time in each other’s company,” Lisa adjusted her glasses as she lowered her cup to the table.
“Yer almost as wordy as--” Aikawa realized his habit a moment too late and he saw the knowing grin curl Lisa’s lips.
“Among tutoring and more leisurely pursuits we must talk at length about your fascination with your roomie,” Lisa teased, snagging the teapot to refresh her cup a bit.
“No we must not,” Aikawa teased right back in her clipped tone. “Those other two work though.”
“I thought they might.”
#
Rōjūrō passed the cafeteria staff on his way to meet his father. The idea of the fabulous tea he was missing put him in even worse spirits.
A bit disgruntled at being left outside while his father’s attendant went in to announce him the only good thing was he didn’t have long to wait. “Otousama,” He murmured with a bow once ushered inside.
“Rōjūrō, good morning. Sit,” The older man offered without making it seem a non-negotiable command, which he was good at, hard black eyes their usual calculating and aloof.
“Thank you,” Rōjūrō moved to sit, purposefully slouching.
“I had the opportunity to sample the Academy’s oolong, it is delightful,” Lord Ōtoribashi observed, bringing Rōjūrō’s attention to the tea tray on the table between them.
“I’m fine,” Was Rōjūrō’s answer.
A sigh came in reply, “You are still angry with me.”
“I don’t believe you’ve done a thing to change that,” Rōjūrō bit out.
“Sakura said you’d still be upset but I didn’t believe her.”
“Okaasan would never do what you’ve done.”
“She holds your musical toys ransom all the time. It’s the only way to get you to behave!”
“You broke my harp! Okaasan would never--”
“Quiet boy!” The Lord snapped. “It worked…I’ve come to remind you--”
“I’m well-aware you hold every piece in your cruel tyrannical hands,” Rōjūrō stared a bit sullenly as his father poured his own tea and drank it, obviously enjoying it.
“Now, now Rōjūrō…” A tsking issued from his lips. “I only wish to ensure the incident which brought you into this situation doesn’t reoccur.”
“Don’t worry Otousama the male bordello I frequent won’t be attacked by bigots,” The blond sneered.
“I’m fairly certain you can’t promise me that Rōjūrō…just see that you don’t find yourself inside it the next time it happens,” He suggested.
“I think I’ll be plenty busy studying,” Rōjūrō shot back, liking the surprise on his father’s face. “I trust you’ll hear of all my test scores.”
“And your class attendance.”
“Of course,” Rōjūrō gave a curt nod. “Anything else?”
“Your mother and sisters send their love.”
#
“There anything I need t’know for tomorrow?” Aikawa murmured as he divided the breakfast portion he’d been given. Although not saying so aloud, he was going to make Rōjūrō eat every last bite of his own. “Should I…dunno…take notes?”
“In kidō if you have any wits about you, you will,” Lisa finished the designated half of hers and Aikawa looked at her in surprise.
“Damn girl you can put it away,” Aikawa started in on his portion. “Miss breakfast?”
“No, but I work on my hakudo kata’s before breakfast and kidō incantations afterwards,” She gave him a sheepish grin and he laughed softly around his rice.
“Y’tell Noboru I’m sure she’d give ya more food,” Aikawa suggested.
“I eat anymore and I’ll get fat,” Lisa protested.
“Don’t want you passin’ out,” He knew just how it felt, having gone without food many times before.
“I know how far to push, don’t you worry,” She stole a bite of rice from him. “No taking advantage of me while vulnerable.”
Aikawa immediately shook his head, “Uh-uh don’t think so.”
“And here I thought you were interested.”
“Not like that,” He let the disgust show on his face. “If you ain’t interested I ain’t gonna take advantage just to make myself happy.”
“Didn’t even say that,” Very suddenly Lisa’s hand was on his, where he clutched his chopsticks on the tabletop. “Such a gentleman.”
“I guess,” Aikawa let his eyes look at where she touched him, mostly to hide the surprise in his gaze but the focal point he chose was enough of a tell.
“So you are?” Lisa’s fingers did soft patterns over the back of his hand. “Interested I mean?”
A little distracted by the caress of her fingers Aikawa gave a shallow nod, “Don’t wanna get you in trouble.”
“I get myself into plenty of trouble on my own…what do you mean in this particular instance? Sōjun?”
“I meant with yer ma, but that works too I guess….Not the kind to tread on another man’s territory,” The tightening of her fingers was noticeable, and it increased until he was trying to remove his hand. “Oi!”
“I’m not Kuchiki’s, never will be even if I wanted to be--which I don’t.”
“Right,” Aikawa succeeded in freeing his hand, positive he had only won free because she had let him. “He can’t be such a bad guy if he’s related to Yoruichi-sama.”
“He’s not a bad guy.”
“Then what’s yer problem with him?”
“I don’t have a problem with him…other than I’m being forced to marry him…that he could stop this whole betrothal bullshit but won’t because he’s a good little heir,” Lisa moved both hands to rest in her lap, looking off enough to shield her eyes with glare. “And they’re not even related.”
Since Yoruichi had hinted at such Aikawa wasn’t surprised. “Maybe he don’t love his girl enough to?”
“Hoh!” Lisa darted a glare back at him and he leaned back from the heat of the look. “Doesn’t love her enough?” She pushed to her feet abruptly and moved to put her shoes on. “Come with me.”
“What?” Aikawa sat there watching her like a bump on a log.
“Come with me,” She hissed before reaching a hand down to him and yanking him to his feet as soon as he took the offered appendage, surprising him with her strength. “I’m going to show you something.”
#
Lisa treated Aikawa to his first shunpo an experience he thought might be better if he were doing the flash step and not along for the ride, with a student still learning the skill. It wasn’t long before he was asking if they could walk the rest of the way, and she had cooled off enough to relent.
They weren’t far from their destination as it turned out.
The floor of the courtyard was covered with a thin layer of sakura blossoms as they walked in through the perimeter wall. Aikawa looked up and around at the surrounding trees as their fuzzy pink branches swayed in the breeze. Other than the sound of the wind in the trees the area was quiet.
“Pretty.”
“Mm-hm,” Lisa moved into the circle of trees toward the three in the center, two pink like the rest the other the palest of white. “Beautiful.”
“Why’d we come here?”
“This is where Sōjun shows off the milestones of his life,” Her hands reached out enough to let the fingers of each hand light along the branches of the pink central tree. “These pink ones are Sōjun and his zanpakutō…” She moved to the white-blossomed tree, keeping her hands to herself at first. “The white one is Matsuo.”
Remembering the name of Sōjun’s girl he nodded, “So the other ones are like…what? His first shit or something?”
Having been dour and irritated up until this point Lisa surprised him with a laugh. “These are the things he accomplished while he was here…his father might have more back at their estate.”
Aikawa followed, getting closer so she wouldn’t have to yell across the space at him, the getting closer was a surprise bonus. “Oh so learnin’ kidō ‘nd fightin’?”
“Yes…” Looks around them at each of the trees, naming off aloud what each one was for without hesitation.
“You been here a couple of times.”
A more sarcastic laugh and a nod this time, “He used to bring me here…it’s the best place for studying, quietest place on Academy grounds….I don’t think I’ve been here even once this past semester.”
“Where do you study then?”
“In my quarters, if I can get Sarugaki to close her yap it’s almost completely silent where they’re located,” Lisa gave a wistful sigh not paying attention as she shuffled over and leaned back against a nearby white-tipped tree branch. “She’s always bitching about Hirako-senpai so really it’s more about finding a reason to get her bitching at him and out of our room.”
“I’m sure you don’t have a problem,” Aikawa leaned an arm on the branch she was leaning against, not even bothering to hide that he was trying to make her feel better.
“Not very often.”
“If y’need it our side of the Academy seems quiet…might change when teachin’ starts up again, but the offer still stands.”
With a soft laugh that didn’t sound as if much mirth was behind it Lisa turned to lean a shoulder on the branch as well, facing Aikawa. “Add that to all the ‘tutoring and leisurely pursuits’ and I might never leave…won’t Rōjūrō-kōhai have something to say about that?”
“It’s my room too,” Aikawa reminded her. “’nd he seems to like you.”
“He thinks he likes me, but when we’re doing things like…” Her hand lifted across the small distance between them, fingers coming into contact with the back of his hand, making those lazy patterns again. “This…He might find some objections.”
With a shake of his head Aikawa turned his hand enough to catch hers in his, lacing their fingers together as he leaned in closer and murmured, “I don’t think so…but if he does we’ll just have to find somewhere else quiet.”
“There are a few places that almost match in solitude,” Lisa noticed the movement and made sure to keep herself still, not to throw herself at him, there was still room for misinterpretation and she wasn’t as good at reading in this situation as she was with other more-scholarly texts.
“Problem solved, ne?” Aikawa’s gaze lighted along the woman’s soft pink lips as she wetted them a bit nervously.
“Yes--” He rudely interrupted her answer with a kiss.
She didn’t mind.
Onward to Chapter Eight!
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 -3,050
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 Six!
Trying Not To Find Trouble
It felt like it should have been the middle of the night.
Aikawa’s eyes cracked open as soft-but-hardly-polite curses and thumping woke him. He felt hours-shy of the right amount of sleeping time. Thinking to get back to sleep he didn’t move, Rōjūrō coming into his line of vision fretful, irritated and…sloppy.
Well to Aikawa it was really what anyone looked like after sleeping, rumpled and just as deprived of sleeping time. His long blond hair was bound in what might have been a braid before it had started coming loose, in a pair of those pants that had drawstrings at both the ankles and waist and little else.
As he came into sight he was pulling a thin kimono on over the pale defined muscles of his torso…
What the fuck eyes? Aikawa shook his head at the treacherous aims of his sleepy gaze and the motion was enough to gain the blond’s attention with the light streaming in through the door. “Wha’time’s’t?” Aikawa managed.
“Dawn’s in probably an hour or less…Otousan’s sent for me, he’s come to visit,” Rōjūrō’s voice sounded as tense as he looked, the gold strands of hair glowing lit from the lamp behind him.
“He comin’ to the room?” Aikawa muttered, diction getting a little better as his brain started to wake up.
“No,” Rōjūrō said it like a protest as if he might have just dodged such a situation in reality. “Then he might see…” He shook his head. “Never mind…I’ll be back.”
“In that?”
At that question the blond spun around to face him in the doorway, the ends of his kimono swirling out around him. “What?” He sounded affronted.
Aikawa shook his head, “I think the only other time I seen you less put-together was when we first met.”
Nimble fingers lifted to work at the disarray of his hair a tentative smile twitching the noble’s lips. “We’ll Otousan has seen me worse than this, and worse than you’ve seen me.”
“I don’t know how that works,” Aikawa sat up and lifted his hand for a handshake. “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” Rōjūrō took his hand and their fingers squeezed more than shook. “I might be a while.”
“If I ain’t here I went lookin’ around.”
“Don’t get into trouble,” Came tutting over the blond’s shoulder as he joined the servant waiting in the hallway, before he slid the shoji shut behind him.
“Sorry s’kinda unavoidable.”
#
Aikawa tried to go back to sleep, he felt himself slip into slumber not but a few seconds it seemed before there was a loud knock on the spot beside the shoji of his room. “Girl you ain’t gotta knock!” He called gruffly at Rōjūrō trying to pull the blankets up over his head to block out the sounds of someone moving around.
“I feel honored Aikawa-kōhai,” Lisa’s voice found it’s way in though.
“Oi, thought you were Rōjūrō comin’ back from his meetin’,” Aikawa thrust an arm out to push the blanket back, looking up to see the senpai in casual clothes, what looked a lot like the shinigami uniform, only a bit shorter (almost mid-thigh) and in a light grey, inner kimono in a sharp teal color that matched her eyes.
A strange look came on her face at the familiar first name used, but by then Aikawa had managed to climb out of his futon to make his way to the trunk he shared with his roommate. “I thought you had only just met Rōjūrō-kōhai.”
“We met a while back, I saved him from some trouble…then met again on the day we came to test to get into the Academy,” Aikawa opened the trunk enough to find a top to go with the loose bottoms of the jinbei he’d gone to sleep in, actually glad that Rōjūrō had organized his clothes before stacking them inside.
Even though his back was only turned a moment to snatch the light shirt off the top of the stack he missed the parade of emotions that crossed the senpai’s face. The off-hand way he recounted his past with the blond would have made the envious tinge to the girl’s eyes intensify but then they caught sight of the lines of muscles in Aikawa’s back as he leaned over the trunk and then his words registered.
“Aw…you’re his hero,” Lisa cooed and Aikawa let a guffaw out mostly because both the raven-haired girl and blond noble had voiced that sentiment in much the same way
“I ain’t no hero,” Aikawa managed between mirth, shaking loose the dark blue shirt. “He was holdin’ his own just fine.”
“Hn,” Nimble fingers adjusted her glasses as she realized he was going to put the shirt on before he turned around. Unless… “I had an idea to get between the two of you,” She murmured as if reluctant to admit.
“The two of us?” Shirt forgotten in his clutches Aikawa turned back to her, giving her the full view of his muscular chest.
“What!” Lisa grinned as her plan succeeded. “You swoop in to rescue him and when the two of you meet you become roommates? Really, Aikawa?”
“Yeah, really,” Aikawa reached over and intensified the lighting so she could clearly see the glare of reproach on his face as he crossed his arms over his chest but at her vantage point Lisa could still see his abs so missed the scowl. It was on the tip of his tongue to explain why Rōjūrō had been so keen on them bunking together, but then he just gave a loud sigh and threw the shirt on over his head instead. “We’re roommates…allies,” He defended.
“The more of those you have the better off you’ll be,” Lisa said with a nod of agreement, easily hiding her disappointment at the man garbing himself. “Especially smart ones like me.”
“Glad we’re…” Aikawa wondered how long it would be until breakfast. “Allies.”
“Aren’t we?”
“Of course I mean…” He moved and pulled the blankets up getting them almost completely smoothed out. “Naw,” He shook his head deciding against saying what was on his mind.
“Oh goodness now what you were going to say will bug the ever-loving shit out of me,” Lisa sighed and shot him a half-way irritated glare, softened by the glare of glasses. “I must know.”
“We ain’t gonna be allies, like Rōjūrō ‘nd me ‘re allies,” Aikawa met her eyes as she did that thing with her head that rid her spectacles of all glare.
“Of course not,” Lisa gave a cluck of her tongue and turned to crawl the few feet to the shoji pushing it open enough to fit the trays in the hall through. “I see you took advantage of the great Shinō Academy Wardrobe.”
“They had stuff lying around, s’a little short but it’s just for sleepin’,” Aikawa stood and demonstrated the pant cuffs ended just above the ankle.
“Dashing loungewear Aikawa,” Lisa gave him a deferring bow of her head.
“Thanks,” He watched as Lisa set the trays on the table. “Want some tea?”
“We’ll have to bring Rōjūrō-kōhai more,” Lisa said in answer.
“He does like his tea,” Aikawa recalled. “S’all about pourin’ it for everyone too.”
“Is that so?” Lisa mused as the man poured. “You do notice a lot about him for not being a ‘two of you,’ as you say.”
“What?” Aikawa over-tipped his cup drinking and scalded his lip. “I like women.”
“Me too, they’re exquisite,” Lisa admitted. “I also like men…Why limit the scenery to a little less than half?”
“Hoh,” Aikawa pointed at her in an accusatory manner. “Yer tryin’ to match-make us.”
“You’re such a unique individual why would I let you get away from me?” Lisa continued before sipping at her tea demurely.
“Really?”
Lisa only nodded eyes protected by the glare of her glasses once more as she continued to drink.
“No wonder ya wanted to tutor me.”
“That was a legitimate offer…although in an ulterior context tutoring would lead to more time in each other’s company,” Lisa adjusted her glasses as she lowered her cup to the table.
“Yer almost as wordy as--” Aikawa realized his habit a moment too late and he saw the knowing grin curl Lisa’s lips.
“Among tutoring and more leisurely pursuits we must talk at length about your fascination with your roomie,” Lisa teased, snagging the teapot to refresh her cup a bit.
“No we must not,” Aikawa teased right back in her clipped tone. “Those other two work though.”
“I thought they might.”
#
Rōjūrō passed the cafeteria staff on his way to meet his father. The idea of the fabulous tea he was missing put him in even worse spirits.
A bit disgruntled at being left outside while his father’s attendant went in to announce him the only good thing was he didn’t have long to wait. “Otousama,” He murmured with a bow once ushered inside.
“Rōjūrō, good morning. Sit,” The older man offered without making it seem a non-negotiable command, which he was good at, hard black eyes their usual calculating and aloof.
“Thank you,” Rōjūrō moved to sit, purposefully slouching.
“I had the opportunity to sample the Academy’s oolong, it is delightful,” Lord Ōtoribashi observed, bringing Rōjūrō’s attention to the tea tray on the table between them.
“I’m fine,” Was Rōjūrō’s answer.
A sigh came in reply, “You are still angry with me.”
“I don’t believe you’ve done a thing to change that,” Rōjūrō bit out.
“Sakura said you’d still be upset but I didn’t believe her.”
“Okaasan would never do what you’ve done.”
“She holds your musical toys ransom all the time. It’s the only way to get you to behave!”
“You broke my harp! Okaasan would never--”
“Quiet boy!” The Lord snapped. “It worked…I’ve come to remind you--”
“I’m well-aware you hold every piece in your cruel tyrannical hands,” Rōjūrō stared a bit sullenly as his father poured his own tea and drank it, obviously enjoying it.
“Now, now Rōjūrō…” A tsking issued from his lips. “I only wish to ensure the incident which brought you into this situation doesn’t reoccur.”
“Don’t worry Otousama the male bordello I frequent won’t be attacked by bigots,” The blond sneered.
“I’m fairly certain you can’t promise me that Rōjūrō…just see that you don’t find yourself inside it the next time it happens,” He suggested.
“I think I’ll be plenty busy studying,” Rōjūrō shot back, liking the surprise on his father’s face. “I trust you’ll hear of all my test scores.”
“And your class attendance.”
“Of course,” Rōjūrō gave a curt nod. “Anything else?”
“Your mother and sisters send their love.”
#
“There anything I need t’know for tomorrow?” Aikawa murmured as he divided the breakfast portion he’d been given. Although not saying so aloud, he was going to make Rōjūrō eat every last bite of his own. “Should I…dunno…take notes?”
“In kidō if you have any wits about you, you will,” Lisa finished the designated half of hers and Aikawa looked at her in surprise.
“Damn girl you can put it away,” Aikawa started in on his portion. “Miss breakfast?”
“No, but I work on my hakudo kata’s before breakfast and kidō incantations afterwards,” She gave him a sheepish grin and he laughed softly around his rice.
“Y’tell Noboru I’m sure she’d give ya more food,” Aikawa suggested.
“I eat anymore and I’ll get fat,” Lisa protested.
“Don’t want you passin’ out,” He knew just how it felt, having gone without food many times before.
“I know how far to push, don’t you worry,” She stole a bite of rice from him. “No taking advantage of me while vulnerable.”
Aikawa immediately shook his head, “Uh-uh don’t think so.”
“And here I thought you were interested.”
“Not like that,” He let the disgust show on his face. “If you ain’t interested I ain’t gonna take advantage just to make myself happy.”
“Didn’t even say that,” Very suddenly Lisa’s hand was on his, where he clutched his chopsticks on the tabletop. “Such a gentleman.”
“I guess,” Aikawa let his eyes look at where she touched him, mostly to hide the surprise in his gaze but the focal point he chose was enough of a tell.
“So you are?” Lisa’s fingers did soft patterns over the back of his hand. “Interested I mean?”
A little distracted by the caress of her fingers Aikawa gave a shallow nod, “Don’t wanna get you in trouble.”
“I get myself into plenty of trouble on my own…what do you mean in this particular instance? Sōjun?”
“I meant with yer ma, but that works too I guess….Not the kind to tread on another man’s territory,” The tightening of her fingers was noticeable, and it increased until he was trying to remove his hand. “Oi!”
“I’m not Kuchiki’s, never will be even if I wanted to be--which I don’t.”
“Right,” Aikawa succeeded in freeing his hand, positive he had only won free because she had let him. “He can’t be such a bad guy if he’s related to Yoruichi-sama.”
“He’s not a bad guy.”
“Then what’s yer problem with him?”
“I don’t have a problem with him…other than I’m being forced to marry him…that he could stop this whole betrothal bullshit but won’t because he’s a good little heir,” Lisa moved both hands to rest in her lap, looking off enough to shield her eyes with glare. “And they’re not even related.”
Since Yoruichi had hinted at such Aikawa wasn’t surprised. “Maybe he don’t love his girl enough to?”
“Hoh!” Lisa darted a glare back at him and he leaned back from the heat of the look. “Doesn’t love her enough?” She pushed to her feet abruptly and moved to put her shoes on. “Come with me.”
“What?” Aikawa sat there watching her like a bump on a log.
“Come with me,” She hissed before reaching a hand down to him and yanking him to his feet as soon as he took the offered appendage, surprising him with her strength. “I’m going to show you something.”
#
Lisa treated Aikawa to his first shunpo an experience he thought might be better if he were doing the flash step and not along for the ride, with a student still learning the skill. It wasn’t long before he was asking if they could walk the rest of the way, and she had cooled off enough to relent.
They weren’t far from their destination as it turned out.
The floor of the courtyard was covered with a thin layer of sakura blossoms as they walked in through the perimeter wall. Aikawa looked up and around at the surrounding trees as their fuzzy pink branches swayed in the breeze. Other than the sound of the wind in the trees the area was quiet.
“Pretty.”
“Mm-hm,” Lisa moved into the circle of trees toward the three in the center, two pink like the rest the other the palest of white. “Beautiful.”
“Why’d we come here?”
“This is where Sōjun shows off the milestones of his life,” Her hands reached out enough to let the fingers of each hand light along the branches of the pink central tree. “These pink ones are Sōjun and his zanpakutō…” She moved to the white-blossomed tree, keeping her hands to herself at first. “The white one is Matsuo.”
Remembering the name of Sōjun’s girl he nodded, “So the other ones are like…what? His first shit or something?”
Having been dour and irritated up until this point Lisa surprised him with a laugh. “These are the things he accomplished while he was here…his father might have more back at their estate.”
Aikawa followed, getting closer so she wouldn’t have to yell across the space at him, the getting closer was a surprise bonus. “Oh so learnin’ kidō ‘nd fightin’?”
“Yes…” Looks around them at each of the trees, naming off aloud what each one was for without hesitation.
“You been here a couple of times.”
A more sarcastic laugh and a nod this time, “He used to bring me here…it’s the best place for studying, quietest place on Academy grounds….I don’t think I’ve been here even once this past semester.”
“Where do you study then?”
“In my quarters, if I can get Sarugaki to close her yap it’s almost completely silent where they’re located,” Lisa gave a wistful sigh not paying attention as she shuffled over and leaned back against a nearby white-tipped tree branch. “She’s always bitching about Hirako-senpai so really it’s more about finding a reason to get her bitching at him and out of our room.”
“I’m sure you don’t have a problem,” Aikawa leaned an arm on the branch she was leaning against, not even bothering to hide that he was trying to make her feel better.
“Not very often.”
“If y’need it our side of the Academy seems quiet…might change when teachin’ starts up again, but the offer still stands.”
With a soft laugh that didn’t sound as if much mirth was behind it Lisa turned to lean a shoulder on the branch as well, facing Aikawa. “Add that to all the ‘tutoring and leisurely pursuits’ and I might never leave…won’t Rōjūrō-kōhai have something to say about that?”
“It’s my room too,” Aikawa reminded her. “’nd he seems to like you.”
“He thinks he likes me, but when we’re doing things like…” Her hand lifted across the small distance between them, fingers coming into contact with the back of his hand, making those lazy patterns again. “This…He might find some objections.”
With a shake of his head Aikawa turned his hand enough to catch hers in his, lacing their fingers together as he leaned in closer and murmured, “I don’t think so…but if he does we’ll just have to find somewhere else quiet.”
“There are a few places that almost match in solitude,” Lisa noticed the movement and made sure to keep herself still, not to throw herself at him, there was still room for misinterpretation and she wasn’t as good at reading in this situation as she was with other more-scholarly texts.
“Problem solved, ne?” Aikawa’s gaze lighted along the woman’s soft pink lips as she wetted them a bit nervously.
“Yes--” He rudely interrupted her answer with a kiss.
She didn’t mind.
Onward to Chapter Eight!