[AIM Log] [Iruka and Gin] [Testing the Waters] [Complete]
One of these days, it would be nice to find out that he had mail other than bills, junk mail or the suspicious pink envelopes he just knew had something to do with Rangiku and her ferocious dating service thing which clearly ranked even lower than junk.
Iruka eyed the pile of drab looking rectangles within his allocated box and gave something of a rather hefty sigh. Monotony was all well and good for the blood pressure, but there were times when even his staid soul wished for a little break from the usual routine. Maybe he should actually try to remember to keep up correspondence with his foster family - he vaguely remembered receiving crayon-coloured sheets of paper from his nieces that had graced his refrigerator until they had been lost in his move to Lysgar.
Putting that on his mental checklist (eggs, more contact lenses, for God’s sake go out and actually buy that coffee press before I die of caffiene deprivation) Iruka rifled through the pile one-handedly, turning to wander back to number five. It certainly was convenient living on the ground floor, but if climbing a few stairs was the price he paid for moving into a much more sensible (yet unsettling) living arrangement, he certainly wasn’t much of a martyr.
Nose buried in said mail, his free hand running idly through hair he’d forgotten to tie back in his customary horsetail, Iruka moved across the hallway with the slightly meandering step of one who really wasn’t paying attention to where they were going…
Gin had all but thrown his things into his new apartment. His nicer attire was well wrinkled from the trip and he'd have to see if either Hanatarou or Mizuiro had an iron he could borrow. He'd told them he wanted to check out some help wanted ads, but truthfully he just wanted out for a while. This new place was much livlier than he'd expected.
He twirled the key on his finger as he left, glad for the freedom that having his own set granted. One for the apartment, one for the mailbox. He tucked them into his pocket as he stepped quickly down the stairs...
And found the air knocked out of his lungs by yet another of the apartment's cheery neighbors. Wonderful. He coughed once, as much to get air in his lungs as to make sure everything was still working properly. He'd have to be more careful in this place. The man before him was fairly average, the only really distinguishing feature a scar that ran across the bridge of his nose.
"Pardon," Gin managed when he'd got his voice back. He bent to help pick up the mail that had spilled across the floor. "Didn't see ya comin'."
Iruka only had an impression of tall, skinny and silver (and a vague one at that from behind a heating bill he surely didn’t need in the stuffiness of Lysgar) before they collided. He seemed to do this far too often - at least he wasn’t carrying stacks upon stacks of papers this time.
Just mail.
“Oh geez, sorry.” Iruka looked suitably sheepish as he bent down to battle with reluctant slips of brown paper, scratching at the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Guess I should try looking where I’m going once in a while."
Straightening up, the teacher took the opportunity to inspect the poor person he’d run into in his absent-minded carelessness. Taller than him, or so it seemed, and it was certainly an interesting accent that he had.
“You’re a new face,” he said with a certain amount of cheer, offering both a smile and an extended hand towards the newcomer. “We seem to be having an influx of those, these days. Umino Iruka.” Well, if he was going to walk into the man, he might as well be polite and give him his name.
"Not at all," Gin said easily, a smile on his lips. He brushed a bit of imaginary dust from his shirt front before he met the handshake. "Ichimaru Gin. I jus' got all moved in 'ta number eighteen."
He handed over the mail he'd picked up. "I gotta say, I wasn' expecting this place to be so lively." With a slight shrug he put his hands back in his pockets. He might as well ask around and do a little of what he'd told his roommates he'd set out to do. "I don't s'pose you know of any places that're hirin'?"
“Ah, eighteen…that’s with Hanatarou, right? I’m in number five with a young lady called Orihime,” Iruka replied easily, retracting his hand so he could juggle his mail before it ended up on the floor once again. “But I’m just about to move upstairs to number fifteen. Room changes.” A wry smile.
That same smile turned even more amused, accompanied by roll of the eyes that said volumes. “You get used to it after a while - Lysgar attracts the odd sorts so there’s never really a dull moment around here. Lively’s as good a word as any.”
Gin’s next question was one that needed a certain amount of pondering - it had been a while since he’d actually needed to be aware of employment in the area (a position he was somewhat lucky to have in comparison to those he shared the building with.)
“I’m not precisely sure…I’m not aware of any places that are actively looking for workers, but maybe you should check with my new roommate - she’s often looking for work, so maybe she could find you something through her employment agency?”
Well, you could never accuse Iruka of ever being anything less than helpful. A little too helpful some of the time, maybe, but definitely helpful.
"Yes," Gin returned, "Hanatarou. He seems t'be a little under th' weather though. I thought I'd give him a little space."
He raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, "Ah, and a room change." It was obvious from the expression Iruka wore that it was for more reasons than just the change of scenery. "How exciting." He could only surmise that this new female roommate of his was the obvious reason for the change.
Well, a free handout was a free handout and maybe she would have something he could use. God-willing something new that wasn't going to bore him out of his skull. "Issat so? I'd be most appreciative of that. Very neighborly of ya."
Iruka’s inner prude (okay, outer prude as well, no need to make a fuss out of it) would have been having spasms at Gin’s reasoning for his move if it had known - something along the lines of ‘It’s efficient!’ or ‘We’re just sharing rent!’ or simply the ever popular ‘Nononononono!’
But, oblivious man that he was, Iruka just nodded in the blithe, unassuming way that only people who were frequently mugged usually demonstrated. Not that Iruka had ever really been bothered - he was probably a tad tougher than he appeared. Just a little.
“It’s not a problem to pass you on to her - just go to number fifteen and ask for Matsumoto Rangiku. I’m sure she won’t find it a bother either.”
There might have been the trace of a slightly fond smile, but it would never be clear because Iruka caught himself and covered it up with a light, discrete cough into one hand.
Matsumoto Rangiku. Good Gods it'd been ages since he'd heard that name. He almost dared to wonder if it was really her, but with a name as unique as hers...
What was she doing here, in a place like this? And sharing an apartment with this bastard... His smile slipped for only a moment and if he was lucky Iruka was too busy coughing to even have noticed. If anything Gin's smile seemed to grow a little wider. Much as he'd like to crack his knuckles and punch the man through the paper-thin walls of this shitty old apartment building, he had to remind himself that he was the one who left her. He was the one who had turned tail and never once looked back.
He told himself it was because she deserved better, but was that really it? Sometimes he wondered if it was just because she'd gotten too close.
"Ya don' say. Pretty name. After th' wild chrysanthemum if I'm not mistaken." He gave a shrug as though it were common knowledge. Well, to him it certainly had been. Speaking her name had once been as common as breathing.
Iruka, however, seemed to be suggesting he pay a visit right away. He caught himself shrinking from the idea. Something cold was growing in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. He didn't have regrets. Didn't dwell on the past. That's what he'd always told himself.
Part of him wanted to take Iruka up on the offer. Run up to the apartment and take her in his arms and never let go. Never let a prick like Iruka take her away. The other part, damn his logical side, told him that he'd missed his chance. That ship had sailed and he'd just have to move along. 'Sides, she probably hates yer slimy guts.
All of this, however, would have to be considered at a later date. "I think I'll have t'bother her another time. I was jus' on my way out. Nice meetin' you Iruka." A lesser man might've choked on his words, but he still managed to make them sound more like a friendly neighbor and less like he wanted to stab Iruka in the face. Whoever'd given him the scar across his nose had had the right idea.
Iruka tipped his head to one side, then the other in an ‘if you say so’ gesture. It wasn’t as if he paid much heed to the meanings of names or anything - the last time he’d talked to someone who did, they’d called him a dolphin and there was really no need for marine insults to the face, was there?
Wild chrysanthemum, eh?
The man nodded amiably, tucking his mail under one arm. “It’s always good to meet the new neighbours, right? Just luck that I ran into you so early on.”
Pleasantries over and done with, Iruka turned back towards number five, ready to return to lesson plans, a new set of bills and the dubious coffee a sullen coffee maker was less and less inclined to give up these days.
Nice guy there. Seems friendlier than most around here.
There were times when you just really wanted to whack Iruka over the head. Hard.
Iruka eyed the pile of drab looking rectangles within his allocated box and gave something of a rather hefty sigh. Monotony was all well and good for the blood pressure, but there were times when even his staid soul wished for a little break from the usual routine. Maybe he should actually try to remember to keep up correspondence with his foster family - he vaguely remembered receiving crayon-coloured sheets of paper from his nieces that had graced his refrigerator until they had been lost in his move to Lysgar.
Putting that on his mental checklist (eggs, more contact lenses, for God’s sake go out and actually buy that coffee press before I die of caffiene deprivation) Iruka rifled through the pile one-handedly, turning to wander back to number five. It certainly was convenient living on the ground floor, but if climbing a few stairs was the price he paid for moving into a much more sensible (yet unsettling) living arrangement, he certainly wasn’t much of a martyr.
Nose buried in said mail, his free hand running idly through hair he’d forgotten to tie back in his customary horsetail, Iruka moved across the hallway with the slightly meandering step of one who really wasn’t paying attention to where they were going…
Gin had all but thrown his things into his new apartment. His nicer attire was well wrinkled from the trip and he'd have to see if either Hanatarou or Mizuiro had an iron he could borrow. He'd told them he wanted to check out some help wanted ads, but truthfully he just wanted out for a while. This new place was much livlier than he'd expected.
He twirled the key on his finger as he left, glad for the freedom that having his own set granted. One for the apartment, one for the mailbox. He tucked them into his pocket as he stepped quickly down the stairs...
And found the air knocked out of his lungs by yet another of the apartment's cheery neighbors. Wonderful. He coughed once, as much to get air in his lungs as to make sure everything was still working properly. He'd have to be more careful in this place. The man before him was fairly average, the only really distinguishing feature a scar that ran across the bridge of his nose.
"Pardon," Gin managed when he'd got his voice back. He bent to help pick up the mail that had spilled across the floor. "Didn't see ya comin'."
Iruka only had an impression of tall, skinny and silver (and a vague one at that from behind a heating bill he surely didn’t need in the stuffiness of Lysgar) before they collided. He seemed to do this far too often - at least he wasn’t carrying stacks upon stacks of papers this time.
Just mail.
“Oh geez, sorry.” Iruka looked suitably sheepish as he bent down to battle with reluctant slips of brown paper, scratching at the back of his neck in embarrassment. “Guess I should try looking where I’m going once in a while."
Straightening up, the teacher took the opportunity to inspect the poor person he’d run into in his absent-minded carelessness. Taller than him, or so it seemed, and it was certainly an interesting accent that he had.
“You’re a new face,” he said with a certain amount of cheer, offering both a smile and an extended hand towards the newcomer. “We seem to be having an influx of those, these days. Umino Iruka.” Well, if he was going to walk into the man, he might as well be polite and give him his name.
"Not at all," Gin said easily, a smile on his lips. He brushed a bit of imaginary dust from his shirt front before he met the handshake. "Ichimaru Gin. I jus' got all moved in 'ta number eighteen."
He handed over the mail he'd picked up. "I gotta say, I wasn' expecting this place to be so lively." With a slight shrug he put his hands back in his pockets. He might as well ask around and do a little of what he'd told his roommates he'd set out to do. "I don't s'pose you know of any places that're hirin'?"
“Ah, eighteen…that’s with Hanatarou, right? I’m in number five with a young lady called Orihime,” Iruka replied easily, retracting his hand so he could juggle his mail before it ended up on the floor once again. “But I’m just about to move upstairs to number fifteen. Room changes.” A wry smile.
That same smile turned even more amused, accompanied by roll of the eyes that said volumes. “You get used to it after a while - Lysgar attracts the odd sorts so there’s never really a dull moment around here. Lively’s as good a word as any.”
Gin’s next question was one that needed a certain amount of pondering - it had been a while since he’d actually needed to be aware of employment in the area (a position he was somewhat lucky to have in comparison to those he shared the building with.)
“I’m not precisely sure…I’m not aware of any places that are actively looking for workers, but maybe you should check with my new roommate - she’s often looking for work, so maybe she could find you something through her employment agency?”
Well, you could never accuse Iruka of ever being anything less than helpful. A little too helpful some of the time, maybe, but definitely helpful.
"Yes," Gin returned, "Hanatarou. He seems t'be a little under th' weather though. I thought I'd give him a little space."
He raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, "Ah, and a room change." It was obvious from the expression Iruka wore that it was for more reasons than just the change of scenery. "How exciting." He could only surmise that this new female roommate of his was the obvious reason for the change.
Well, a free handout was a free handout and maybe she would have something he could use. God-willing something new that wasn't going to bore him out of his skull. "Issat so? I'd be most appreciative of that. Very neighborly of ya."
Iruka’s inner prude (okay, outer prude as well, no need to make a fuss out of it) would have been having spasms at Gin’s reasoning for his move if it had known - something along the lines of ‘It’s efficient!’ or ‘We’re just sharing rent!’ or simply the ever popular ‘Nononononono!’
But, oblivious man that he was, Iruka just nodded in the blithe, unassuming way that only people who were frequently mugged usually demonstrated. Not that Iruka had ever really been bothered - he was probably a tad tougher than he appeared. Just a little.
“It’s not a problem to pass you on to her - just go to number fifteen and ask for Matsumoto Rangiku. I’m sure she won’t find it a bother either.”
There might have been the trace of a slightly fond smile, but it would never be clear because Iruka caught himself and covered it up with a light, discrete cough into one hand.
Matsumoto Rangiku. Good Gods it'd been ages since he'd heard that name. He almost dared to wonder if it was really her, but with a name as unique as hers...
What was she doing here, in a place like this? And sharing an apartment with this bastard... His smile slipped for only a moment and if he was lucky Iruka was too busy coughing to even have noticed. If anything Gin's smile seemed to grow a little wider. Much as he'd like to crack his knuckles and punch the man through the paper-thin walls of this shitty old apartment building, he had to remind himself that he was the one who left her. He was the one who had turned tail and never once looked back.
He told himself it was because she deserved better, but was that really it? Sometimes he wondered if it was just because she'd gotten too close.
"Ya don' say. Pretty name. After th' wild chrysanthemum if I'm not mistaken." He gave a shrug as though it were common knowledge. Well, to him it certainly had been. Speaking her name had once been as common as breathing.
Iruka, however, seemed to be suggesting he pay a visit right away. He caught himself shrinking from the idea. Something cold was growing in the pit of his stomach and he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. He didn't have regrets. Didn't dwell on the past. That's what he'd always told himself.
Part of him wanted to take Iruka up on the offer. Run up to the apartment and take her in his arms and never let go. Never let a prick like Iruka take her away. The other part, damn his logical side, told him that he'd missed his chance. That ship had sailed and he'd just have to move along. 'Sides, she probably hates yer slimy guts.
All of this, however, would have to be considered at a later date. "I think I'll have t'bother her another time. I was jus' on my way out. Nice meetin' you Iruka." A lesser man might've choked on his words, but he still managed to make them sound more like a friendly neighbor and less like he wanted to stab Iruka in the face. Whoever'd given him the scar across his nose had had the right idea.
Iruka tipped his head to one side, then the other in an ‘if you say so’ gesture. It wasn’t as if he paid much heed to the meanings of names or anything - the last time he’d talked to someone who did, they’d called him a dolphin and there was really no need for marine insults to the face, was there?
Wild chrysanthemum, eh?
The man nodded amiably, tucking his mail under one arm. “It’s always good to meet the new neighbours, right? Just luck that I ran into you so early on.”
Pleasantries over and done with, Iruka turned back towards number five, ready to return to lesson plans, a new set of bills and the dubious coffee a sullen coffee maker was less and less inclined to give up these days.
Nice guy there. Seems friendlier than most around here.
There were times when you just really wanted to whack Iruka over the head. Hard.