(no subject)
Public
Who: Anko and Ukitake
Where: Coffee shop, University, then the Park
When: Afternoon
Warnings: Mild language and Creepy snake talk?
"You know I earned more than this you son of a bitch," Anko yelled at her ex ex boss as she tried to reclaim her last check from the old coffee house she hated so much. Her hand came out to swipe at a half empty cup of java and it flew a few feet away from the table, spilling the contents on his shoes. He looked down in shock, but Anko was already turning on her heel to leave, the measly excuse for a final check in her right hand. Some bewildered customers were staring at her blankly, but her nose was in the air and she behaved as if she had every right in the world to make a scene. She was dressed in a black turtle neck (her favorite lately) and some dark jeans. Her black sneakers squeaked as she made for the door, a fine sense of accomplishment causing a proud smirk on her lips.
Standing in the door way of the coffee house, Ukitake watched the scene. It was a little shocking to see Anko acting in such a way Though, she seemed a little angry. Obviously it had something to do with the money she earned in her time working here. That was as much as he could gather from the slight bit that he heard as she yelled at her boss. " A-Anko-san" Ukitake said as he waved to her slightly with a smile on his face. A little sweat was on his face as he called her out. He didn't want to catch her on a bad day and have her yelling and getting angry with him. He took a few more steps into the coffee shop. He had came here to get a cup of coffee on his day, it was rare that he got them. He was kind of a workaholic, even though he had bad health and now that college started again, he was working even more.
She stopped dead in her tracks, a little shocked to bump into someone she knew. "Ukitake-san," she said. "Uh... come on," she insisted, sliding her right arm through his and attempting to drag him back out the doorway. She knew it would be a little surprising to him that she was so rudely imposing on him when he had just walked in the door. But she couldn't possibly stay in there and she did want to chat with him. Anko was a creature of impulse, very seldom thinking through her actions and simply doing whatever sprung to mind. If he had wanted coffee so badly, she would offer to buy him a cup in exchange. She did owe him one from when she was still working at the University. "Lousy jerk, stiffed me on about 12 hours," she grumbled, still a little pissed that guy had the nerve to duck her pay.
Ukitake blinked a few times when he felt himself behind dragged back the way he came. Instead of questioning or trying to pull away from he, he just went along. He did want to get a cup of coffee. But if something was going on with her and this place, then he could just wait for that. By now, Ukitake had a little understanding of what kind of person she was. He knew she wouldn't get mad over something petty. "Ah, is that what happen?" He said after hearing her words. "Your old boss is withholding money from you?" Money wasn't all that important to him, he had enough to get by and live. But he'd still dislike it if his boss didn't pay him the correct amount for the work he had done. She really should pay attention to how she carried herself. It would be bad if people started to think ill of her.
Since people were already staring she wanted to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. "Let me buy you a drink," she said, letting go of her grip on his hand once they were outside. "Not here though, okay," she winked and smiled brightly, eyes lighting up as if she had already gotten over the incident. In fact, she probably already was over it and would not linger on the injustice. She didn't fancy ever going to that place again and she could likely cross that off as a reference for any future applications. However, her new job promised to be most satisfying so she would more than likely not be taking on any new positions for a while.
Ukitake smiled. Maybe from her sudden changed of mood. "Alright, Anko-san." He figured after that she wouldn't want to go right back into that place. "Where would you like to go then?" He said as he motioned for her to lead the way. It didn't matter to him where they went. Alcohol, coffee, juice or even water. He'd drink whichever just as long as he could share it with his friends. Though, it was probably a little too early for alcohol. He started to walk when ever she did. "I haven't met with you since our trip with Urahara-san. How have you been since then?" He hadn't met with Urahara as well. He hoped that neither of the two thought that he was avoiding them.
She started walking towards the University coffee house which wasn't quite so far. "If you're still in the mood for coffee we can drop by the school. They actually like me there." Although, they probably liked her because they hadn't known her long enough to experience a mood swing at someone grabbing her ass or something. Book worms didn't tend to be that lecherous though, so she probably wouldn't have gotten much of that treatment. "I got a new job at a reptile specialty store. If you ever want a Burmese python I can get you a good deal," she quipped. "How have you been doing, well I hope?" Ukitake's condition tended to worry her, more so since they had become friends.
Reptiles? They weren't so bad. He was frightened of spiders more than them. Probably because of the ticklely feeling that give when they crawl on you. "I've been meaning to get a pet. Maybe I could come down there look over the ones you guys sell?" He smiled again, but he looked away slightly as she asked how he was doing. In Brazil, she had probably seen just how bad his condition could be. It was at it's worse when he was coughing up blood. "As well as could be expected. I've just been doing a lot more work down at the bakery since we've had a few employees quit on us. But it's nothing that I can't handle." As long as he didn't over work, his sickness wouldn't be a problem.
She looked down as he spoke, watching her feet tread over the concrete. "Just be careful," she said, not really wanting to stick her nose into his business, but feeling the obligation to at least say something. "I love the way a bakery smells," she added, effectively changing the subject so they didn't dwell on something that could not be helped. "I am afraid to go there sometimes because then I might not want to leave." Anko's sugar addiction was particularly bad so, for her own sake, she often avoided sweet shops and bakeries altogether, choosing to buy her favorite snakes from restaurants or the store. Anyone who knew her even the tiniest bit knew it was a terrible crutch. It was a wonder she managed to stay so slim. Then again, she was as active as a hummingbird.
Ukitake laughed a little. "I would make sure to cut you off at some point." He enjoyed the smell of the place as well. He had to get used to it because he'd often come home still smelling of the place. "We always have a little extra lying around the shop at closing time. We alternate on who gets to take it home. Next time It's my turn, how about I bring it by your place?" Ukitake was almost as bad as her when it came to sweets. But really, he just enjoyed eating. Sweets or not. He had to make sure he kept up his strength in someway. He raised his hand and ran his fingers through his long white strands of hair. He had often thought about dying it just so he could have some color in it. Though he might look a little strange if he just showed up with some bright colored hair.
She looked up at him, eyes shining like a small child who'd been presented with a new toy. "For real? That would be great!" Poor Ukitake, little did he know Anko would probably hog most of the cache, though hardly on purpose. She really couldn't stop herself once she got started. As they continued on their walk, the campus came into view. "One smell I don't mind living without," she said bitterly," is coffee. Too bad I am a caffeine junkie too." Honestly, working in places like these had really killed the entire atmosphere for her. Plus, regulars at those places could really be annoying. "Want to grab a cup to go," she asked. "We could keep walking if you're up for it." She wouldn't press the matter if he wanted to sit down and she instantly regretted saying anything because she didn't want to add any extra exertion to what he might have wanted to be a calm afternoon.
He didn't know he was falsely assuming that Anko had some restraint. He knew that some smells cold be tied to bad memories. He wasn't sure if that was the case with coffee. He himself, didn't mind the smell all that much. "We can get a cup to go. I'm always up for a walk." He said as he looked over to her and smiled before looking back ahead. He had never had a cup of coffee from the shop on campus. Only at some of the shops he had near his work place or some homemade "Did you have a particular place that you wanted to walk to or did you just want to walk around?" The setting didn't matter. He was just enjoying her company. He didn't actually expect to run into anyone he knew today, but he was happy that he did. "And is there a certain coffee that you could recommend from this place?" It didn't matter to him, just as long as he got his caffeine.
"We could just walk around," she said easily as they entered the place, the smell hitting her nose like a ton of bricks. It was the scent of cheesy dime-store philosophy books and cheap roast. "No particular place," she added. "And um, let me get us a couple of mochas," she insisted. "They're pretty good." In all honesty, she wanted to indulge both the sweet tooth and the need for a coffee kick. But they really were quite good, and she knew the girl working tonight had a particular knack for throwing in a dash more chocolate than she should, which - to Anko - was a fantastic flaw. She got to the counter and ordered the two drinks quickly, smiling casually and charming the guy at the counter with a wink as she flashed her credit card (which was almost maxed out).
Ukitake stood near her, but not at the counter. Just close enough to where they could still talk. He trusted her taste, so if she thought that those drinks were good, then they probably were. "Walking around is fine, then." He watched as she placed the order, then he looked away. It wasn't that loud in here, but that was to be expected. He could see that some people were trying to read or others were on their laptops. It was as quiet as a Library. Except! They had the bonus of coffee. "Did you enjoy our trip to Brazil? It was my first time actually leaving Japan." But that probably could be told by how nervous he was on the plane. It wasn't until that moment that he remember Anko finding out about the..club that him and Urahara went to. IT was a little embarrassing for her to know and for him to actually go to a place like that.
Anko slipped her hands around the two cups, offering one to Ukitake. She could feel the heat through the protective carriers. "It was a lot of fun," she nodded. "I had gone to Europe once when I was younger. My father went on a lot of business trips and we got to come along one time. It wasn't that great but, then again, I didn't get to do much as a kid." Anko felt a little sense of sadness creep in at the thought of her parents, but she fought it off. And she did indeed recall finding out about the strip club. She had been a little irked that they had not taken her with them, but she wouldn't mention that. Instead, she started back out again. "Do you have any plans for another trip," she asked. No one could be as well travelled as Urahara, but it never hurt to try.
Ukitake reached out and took the cup from her. "Ah, Europe? I don't have an definite plans, but I will try to leave the country again on a break on in the summer." He lifted his coffee and blew on it a little before he sipped it and started to walk. Heading over to the door and opening it for her. "My brothers and sisters missed me quite a bit when I was gone, though. They left so many messages for me on my answering machine." He was actually glad to be missed while he was away. "What about you? I can imagine that you are the kind of person that would like to travel a lot." That was just the kind of person that she seemed like to him. If she did have plans, maybe they could travel again. It was fun in Brazil with her and Urahara. They probably couldn't repeat that experience, but they could come close.
Once they were outside of the shop she took a deep breath. She was also letting the coffee cool naturally, choosing rather to speak than to rush the drinking. "I didn't know you had so many relatives, how many brothers and sisters do you have?" He made it sound like there were a lot, which made her happy because family was important. Ukitake was a good person and deserved to be surrounded by people who really loved him. Anko had learned to live without that for a long time and she believed she didn't really need it anymore. "And I did tell Urahara-san that I wanted to travel a lot more, just like him. He's got it so good. But my funds are rather depleted right now," she laughed.
"Seven siblings. Five brothers and two sisters. I'm the oldest, though." So it was safe to assume that they all kind of looked up to him. He'd helped to take care of all of them when he was younger, not that his parents really needed or wanted his help. They knew how bad his health was, but he still insisted on helping. He even still did so even though he was living out on his own. "They can all be a handful. What about you, do you have and siblings?" He wasn't all that shocked by hearing that her funds was depleted, if they weren't then she probably wouldn't have made such a big deal about her old boss. Not that it was a bad thing, but it just gave him a little more insight on her situation. He would always loan her money if he she needed it.
Anko thought for a moment on the question. She hadn't seen her parents in almost three years, so she wasn't sure about having any siblings. She very well could have by now, for all she knew. "No, last I checked I didn't. I'm terrible with kids, I would have been a bad sister," she smiled up at him. It's true, she was really terrible with kids and she often frightened them with her over-the-top personality. That probably made her a lousy candidate to be a wife. Luckily, Anko was completely opposed to serious relationships at the moment. "I bet you were a great big brother, though," she said honestly. "It was no doubt they missed you while you were gone. I think I would have liked an older sibling." It might have saved her a lot of the trouble she found.
Ukitake smiled as he looked down to his coffee cup. He could still feel the heat from it. "I don't think that, Anko-san. I think you would make a great older sister. The next time I babysit for my parents, you can come along and prove it to yourself. I'm sure they would love you." He blew on his coffee again before taking another sip from it. His brothers and sisters never had any problems with his friends. It was just that some friends he had, they liked more than the others. He was positive that they would really like her, though. "I'm sure my parents would like you as well too." He lifted his gaze from his coffee and looked back over to her with a small. It must've been a while since she talked to her parents since she didn't know if she had a sibling or not.
"Ha, don't go making plans to introduce me to you folks just yet Ukitake-san. I'm terrible at making a good impression to kids and parents. I always say something weird and then they just... freak out." In truth, she wasn't so much nervous about the way she would come off, but she just didn't want to deal with the whole parent thing... it might bring back some memories she didn't want to deal with. "I'll swing by and keep you company though, I don't mind that," she smiled, finally taking a sip of her coffee. It was nice that he had so uch faith in her abilities. She was sorely lacking in any experience with real tenderness. It's not like her history had given her much of that.
"Ah, I introduce all of my friends to my family." It wasn't like he need their approval on the people he chose to hangout with. He just liked for them to at least meet his family, even if it was only once. "Well I'm sure it would be fine as long as you don't..offend them or anything like that." He couldn't even remember what his first impression of her was. It couldn't have been a bad one sense he didn't try to avoid it or anything. "But all I end up doing when watching them is watch a movie." With or without them near by " Play some video games or read a book." It was calm for the most part. Mainly because they didn't want to make trouble for him. He took another sip from his coffee. "And this is really good, Anko-san."
She nodded as he spoke. Maybe she would take him up on the offer if he insisted. She took another sip of the coffee and laughed a little. "It's because the girl that prepared our drinks always adds extra chocolate. I used to do it too, only I think I would get a little carried away just between us. Not that I heard any complaints." For the most part, people loved extras. "Next time you should try the frozen one... if it's a hot day." Spending time with Ukitake was nice and she felt rather calm in his presence, maybe because all his talk of his family made her feel as if she were there and that was kind of relaxing. "Are you working tomorrow," she asked, to keep the conversation going. "I'll stop by if you are and then you can throw me out," she smiled.
Ukitake laughed a little. "That is kind of disappointing then. It makes me wish it was you behind the counter rather than her." Too much chocolate could be a bad thing, but he had yet to find his limit. He probably wouldn't even have complain if the taste of the chocolate overpowers the taste of the coffee. He nodded his head when she asked if he was working. "Yes, I am. I'll be going in in the afternoon once I've finished all of my classes for the day." Though, he didn't think he could ever forcefully throw one of his friends out of the shop, he smiled anyway. "If it gets that bad, I'm sure I could lead you out of the store with some sort of cake." He said in a playful tone. " Though, something tells me it will be a little tough, no matter how I choose to do it."
Anko laughed genuinely, a sparkling kind of laughter. "Yeah I don't think the cake would get me," she smiled up at him. "So what classes are you taking," she asked, taking another sip of the coffee as they walked. One could already see that it was late afternoon and they were getting close to a park which seemed like it might be a good place to continue their stroll. "I wish I had some sort of direction with my classes, but I kind of feel like I'm just taking a bunch of stuff randomly... without any kind of guidance." In truth, most of her friends seemed pretty well positioned in like, which made hers seem all the more chaotic in comparison.
"Just some language classes and business classes." He responded before taking another sip from his coffee. "I should probably be taking a few more business classes. I want to open my own restaurant." As soon as he had the more or maybe when he was finished with school. Though, if he did, he'd ask Urahara to go into business with him. That was one person that he knew he could trust with that sort of thing. They had been friends for quiet a few years now. "I'm sure you could get some sort of direction if you want to, Anko-san. You seem like the kind of woman that can do anything she puts her mind to. Just do something that you enjoy."
Anko had heard that many times, from many different people. She did believe she could persevere and make her life into anything she wanted it to be. The only problem was she couldn't figure out what that was. "I guess my only problem is I don't know where to put my efforts." She hadn't intended to go into some period of self reflection, but she had been behaving that way for quite some time anyway. Anything seemed to bring it out. "I suppose I'll find something eventually. And this new job really excites me. I might have found my calling." Strange to call reptiles a calling, but she was really good at taking care of them.
Ukitake smiled when he heard her words. "Then you should pursue it." There was no point in doing something that you hate for the rest of your life. "Snakes always seemed a bit frightening to me, though. I don't know if it's the way people depict them or if they're actually as dangerous as they say." He know he'd never go up to a snake and pick it up. Poisonous or not. Not because he was afraid, just because he wanted to be safe. "And where did you say the place you worked at was again?" After she visited him on his job, he would have to go and do the same to her. He sipped some more of his coffee, already halfway finished with it.
"It's a few blocks from the school, which is pretty convenient," she responded, taking another sip or so. She was nearly done with hers. "Snakes are not dangerous really and the venomous ones only use it in self defense. Generally, if you respect them, they won't just attack." Anko had a strange affinity for snakes in particular, and they never seemed to be aggressive towards her. Dealing with Orochimaru's prize, Manda, was never difficult and Anko was about the only other person she seemed to like... as much as a snake could like a person anyway. "You don't have to come visit me though, if you think they're creepy," she winked.
Ukitake smiled again and finished off what was left of his coffee. "Even if I thought that, I would probably still come. It's not like they will break out of their cages and attack me as soon as I walk through the door, right?" At least he would certainly hope they wouldn't. He might not have been able to handle them as easily as her, but he was sure he could deal with them. "So have you had a lot of experience with snakes and such?" For all he knew, she could've grown up around them or just hug around a place where they were really abundant. He knew that he learned to love cooking when his mom was too busy doing something else and he had to take over.
She laughed a little at the thought of Ukitake battling a million snakes all throwing themselves onto him. "I think you should be fine." She finished off her own coffee and started idling rolling the cup around in her fingers. "You could say I had a lot of experience when I was working at this place. The owner had a lot of snakes and he sort of taught me to deal with them." Anko was reluctant to say who because Ukitake likely knew (or had at least heard of) Orochimaru. And it was still rather painful for her to recall anything having to do with him. The snakes were really the only thing she took from that experience that meant anything to her. "I'm a natural, I was told. And that helps with creatures like this."
"Ah, so you aren't completely new to the whole thing? Well I hope you do well in that field. I wish you the be-" His words were cut off as he felt a coughing fit come on. He raised his free hand up to cover his mouth and he turned his head away. He rested his other arm on some structure the best way he could for some support. It wasn't too bad, it only lasted for a few moments before it passed. He slowly lowered his hand and cleared his throat a little bit. " S-Sorry about that, Anko-san..I wish you the best of luck with your new field of work." He waited for a few moments before he took his arm off of the place that he set it for support. The cough fits were always unpredictable.
Anko was standing beside him looking very concerned. She instinctively placed a hand on his back and rubbed gently until he was done, letting her hand drop when he had finished coughing. She hated to see him like that, it genuinely pained her and she thought she wouldn't be able to handle it in Brazil when he'd fallen ill. In her opinion, she was a horrible nurse maid and even worse at making people feel better. "Want to go sit down someplace," she asked, still looking very worried. She was suddenly very fearful she'd forced him to walk all this way. She nodded her head in the direction of some park benches. "How about over there?" Already, she was making her way over to them.
It didn't seem as if he was going to have a choice in the matter. He noticed a trash can and discarded is coffee cup before he started to follow her. "We really don't have to, Anko-san.." If he really didn't think that he would be able to handle walking then he would've asked to sit down earlier. He knew his illness made him weak, but he never really wanted to feel like he was. Though, her rubbing his back was comfort enough. That was all one really could do when someone coughed. He really didn't want to burden her or cause her to worry about him. Once they reached the bench, he sat down anyway. If only because it might ease her mind a bit.
She had taken a moment to toss her own empty cup into the trashcan. When they had reached the bench she fell into a sit beside him, stretching her legs and her arms out in front of her, simultaneously. "Much better," she smiled and relaxed, pressing her back against the bench and leaving her legs stretched out on the grass before her. Her hands were folded in her lap. She wouldn't linger on his health because she knew Ukitake was the kind of guy who didn't like to dwell on that stuff. She couldn't really blame him because she would react the same way. "It's been a good day I think," she commented, moving her head back so she could look up into the sky. People were idling in the park, playing with their pets, etc. It made for some nice scenery.
Ukitake nodded his head a little. It has been a good day. The incident at the coffee shop from earlier was completely out of his mind. "I hope the night will be equally as good as well." He looked over to her as she looked up to the sky but then he looked away to the others in the park. It seemed like they weren't the only ones who were out enjoying this nice weather. The only plans that he had for tonight was to curl up on his couch after making dinner and watch a movie or read a book. He couldn't think of a better way to enjoy his day off. He leaned back against the bench a little as he shifted a little to get into a comfortable position. "Ah, and thank you for the cup of coffee, Anko-san."
"No trouble at all," she waved her hand calmly. "It was my pleasure. I owed you one anyway." Her dull, lavender eyes moved down to survey the other patrons. Some kid playing with his dog caught her eye and she started watching them. "So what are you planning for tonight? I probably have to do some cleaning, or I could avoid going home and not have to listen to my roommate yell at me about the mess I left in the kitchen. It's like having a mother all over again, but she's not related to me so I have no internal conflict with wanting to strangle her." Sometimes, it really made her want to move out, but at least Emi kept her in line.
Ukitake couldn't help but laugh a little. " I can't say that I know how you feel. I stay in an apartment by myself." It had been two or three ears since he had a roommate. " I only have dinner and maybe a book or movie planned." Though a movie seemed much more likely. Not that he didn't enjoy reading. "Though your night seems like it's going to be quite a bit more exciting than mine is if your roommate starts yelling at you." He still watched the people in the park even as he spoke. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves. He couldn't help but feel really old sitting here like this, though. And the fact that his hair didn't have any color to it didn't help him feel young at all.
Anko shrugged. "I'd rather the book than Emi, wanna trade," she asked with a smile, glancing back at him as she tore her gaze from the boy and his dog. "Although I don't think you could handle her, she's a tyrant with a mop and dish rag." She pretended to shudder and shook her head. "But she's been pretty good about my cash flow situation so I can't complain. Once I start this new job, things should even out. I probably couldn't afford living on my own either way." It was a shame, Anko did enjoy having time to herself. Maybe that was why she felt so out of sorts, it felt like people were constantly around her and sometimes it was uncomfortable not to be able to self reflect. But it was probably part of life that she should have to learn to accept companionship.
She would probably be surprised what he could handle. "If you're that desperate for a book, I could always loan you one." He said this in a joking manner of course. "It's good that she is easy on you about that, though. " He knew that some people would yell at their roommate a lot or kick them out if they couldn't make the rent. So having someone that was nice and understanding about it was good. "But if you stick with this job you won't have to worry about money for too much longer." He honestly didn't know what he would do if he lost his job. His parents would probably send him money or pay his rent for him, but he wouldn't be too happy about that. He felt a gentle breeze pass through the area, causing the trees to sway a little with it.
Anko laughed lightly at his mention of lending her a book. She supposed she wasn't much of a reader. It was more about action with her. "This job seems to be promising to shape my life in good and important ways," she reflected. The air smelled of moisture, as if it might rain later, perhaps during the evening. It was probably the reason the day was so nice. "It might rain later, you think?" She looked up at the clouds but they seemed to be as white and fluffy as they had been before, not a trace of stretching or dark tint. She shrugged again. "You sure you're okay hanging out here this long," she asked again, wondering if he was at all tired. "I could walk you home," she offered with a smile at the absurd thought of reversing the roles, but she would feel better seeing him get home safely.
"I thank you for your concern, Anko-san." He lifted his hand and moved it through his hair once again. "But I'm okay. Though I guess maybe I should be getting home and starting on dinner before it gets too late." He could manage getting home by himself, he always could. He hadn't over exerted himself today so he was more than sure that he would be fine. He placed his hands down on the bench and pushed himself up to his feet and he gave a little stretch. " Are you going to stay here or will you be heading home as well?" If she really wanted him to, he could just give her a call once he got home so she would know that he was okay. He hated to go home and end such a relaxing day, but he couldn't stay up too late tonight. He did have to work tomorrow after all.
She wouldn't press the issue of walking him home, she knew guys got weird about that kind of stuff. "I might hang out here a while longer, so just give me a call on my cell. Otherwise I'll have to go over there and check on you," she smiled. Ukitake probably knew that she was serious too. She wasn't above doing anything that unorthodox.
He smiled and nodded. "Alright. I'll make sure to do that" Unless he felt the urge to have her drop by. Then he would just pass up calling her. He gave her a light wave as he turned and started to walk off, heading in the direction of his apartment. "I'll see you later, Anko-san! Don't stay out too late!" He shouted back to her as he left.
Who: Anko and Ukitake
Where: Coffee shop, University, then the Park
When: Afternoon
Warnings: Mild language and Creepy snake talk?
"You know I earned more than this you son of a bitch," Anko yelled at her ex ex boss as she tried to reclaim her last check from the old coffee house she hated so much. Her hand came out to swipe at a half empty cup of java and it flew a few feet away from the table, spilling the contents on his shoes. He looked down in shock, but Anko was already turning on her heel to leave, the measly excuse for a final check in her right hand. Some bewildered customers were staring at her blankly, but her nose was in the air and she behaved as if she had every right in the world to make a scene. She was dressed in a black turtle neck (her favorite lately) and some dark jeans. Her black sneakers squeaked as she made for the door, a fine sense of accomplishment causing a proud smirk on her lips.
Standing in the door way of the coffee house, Ukitake watched the scene. It was a little shocking to see Anko acting in such a way Though, she seemed a little angry. Obviously it had something to do with the money she earned in her time working here. That was as much as he could gather from the slight bit that he heard as she yelled at her boss. " A-Anko-san" Ukitake said as he waved to her slightly with a smile on his face. A little sweat was on his face as he called her out. He didn't want to catch her on a bad day and have her yelling and getting angry with him. He took a few more steps into the coffee shop. He had came here to get a cup of coffee on his day, it was rare that he got them. He was kind of a workaholic, even though he had bad health and now that college started again, he was working even more.
She stopped dead in her tracks, a little shocked to bump into someone she knew. "Ukitake-san," she said. "Uh... come on," she insisted, sliding her right arm through his and attempting to drag him back out the doorway. She knew it would be a little surprising to him that she was so rudely imposing on him when he had just walked in the door. But she couldn't possibly stay in there and she did want to chat with him. Anko was a creature of impulse, very seldom thinking through her actions and simply doing whatever sprung to mind. If he had wanted coffee so badly, she would offer to buy him a cup in exchange. She did owe him one from when she was still working at the University. "Lousy jerk, stiffed me on about 12 hours," she grumbled, still a little pissed that guy had the nerve to duck her pay.
Ukitake blinked a few times when he felt himself behind dragged back the way he came. Instead of questioning or trying to pull away from he, he just went along. He did want to get a cup of coffee. But if something was going on with her and this place, then he could just wait for that. By now, Ukitake had a little understanding of what kind of person she was. He knew she wouldn't get mad over something petty. "Ah, is that what happen?" He said after hearing her words. "Your old boss is withholding money from you?" Money wasn't all that important to him, he had enough to get by and live. But he'd still dislike it if his boss didn't pay him the correct amount for the work he had done. She really should pay attention to how she carried herself. It would be bad if people started to think ill of her.
Since people were already staring she wanted to get the hell out of there as quickly as possible. "Let me buy you a drink," she said, letting go of her grip on his hand once they were outside. "Not here though, okay," she winked and smiled brightly, eyes lighting up as if she had already gotten over the incident. In fact, she probably already was over it and would not linger on the injustice. She didn't fancy ever going to that place again and she could likely cross that off as a reference for any future applications. However, her new job promised to be most satisfying so she would more than likely not be taking on any new positions for a while.
Ukitake smiled. Maybe from her sudden changed of mood. "Alright, Anko-san." He figured after that she wouldn't want to go right back into that place. "Where would you like to go then?" He said as he motioned for her to lead the way. It didn't matter to him where they went. Alcohol, coffee, juice or even water. He'd drink whichever just as long as he could share it with his friends. Though, it was probably a little too early for alcohol. He started to walk when ever she did. "I haven't met with you since our trip with Urahara-san. How have you been since then?" He hadn't met with Urahara as well. He hoped that neither of the two thought that he was avoiding them.
She started walking towards the University coffee house which wasn't quite so far. "If you're still in the mood for coffee we can drop by the school. They actually like me there." Although, they probably liked her because they hadn't known her long enough to experience a mood swing at someone grabbing her ass or something. Book worms didn't tend to be that lecherous though, so she probably wouldn't have gotten much of that treatment. "I got a new job at a reptile specialty store. If you ever want a Burmese python I can get you a good deal," she quipped. "How have you been doing, well I hope?" Ukitake's condition tended to worry her, more so since they had become friends.
Reptiles? They weren't so bad. He was frightened of spiders more than them. Probably because of the ticklely feeling that give when they crawl on you. "I've been meaning to get a pet. Maybe I could come down there look over the ones you guys sell?" He smiled again, but he looked away slightly as she asked how he was doing. In Brazil, she had probably seen just how bad his condition could be. It was at it's worse when he was coughing up blood. "As well as could be expected. I've just been doing a lot more work down at the bakery since we've had a few employees quit on us. But it's nothing that I can't handle." As long as he didn't over work, his sickness wouldn't be a problem.
She looked down as he spoke, watching her feet tread over the concrete. "Just be careful," she said, not really wanting to stick her nose into his business, but feeling the obligation to at least say something. "I love the way a bakery smells," she added, effectively changing the subject so they didn't dwell on something that could not be helped. "I am afraid to go there sometimes because then I might not want to leave." Anko's sugar addiction was particularly bad so, for her own sake, she often avoided sweet shops and bakeries altogether, choosing to buy her favorite snakes from restaurants or the store. Anyone who knew her even the tiniest bit knew it was a terrible crutch. It was a wonder she managed to stay so slim. Then again, she was as active as a hummingbird.
Ukitake laughed a little. "I would make sure to cut you off at some point." He enjoyed the smell of the place as well. He had to get used to it because he'd often come home still smelling of the place. "We always have a little extra lying around the shop at closing time. We alternate on who gets to take it home. Next time It's my turn, how about I bring it by your place?" Ukitake was almost as bad as her when it came to sweets. But really, he just enjoyed eating. Sweets or not. He had to make sure he kept up his strength in someway. He raised his hand and ran his fingers through his long white strands of hair. He had often thought about dying it just so he could have some color in it. Though he might look a little strange if he just showed up with some bright colored hair.
She looked up at him, eyes shining like a small child who'd been presented with a new toy. "For real? That would be great!" Poor Ukitake, little did he know Anko would probably hog most of the cache, though hardly on purpose. She really couldn't stop herself once she got started. As they continued on their walk, the campus came into view. "One smell I don't mind living without," she said bitterly," is coffee. Too bad I am a caffeine junkie too." Honestly, working in places like these had really killed the entire atmosphere for her. Plus, regulars at those places could really be annoying. "Want to grab a cup to go," she asked. "We could keep walking if you're up for it." She wouldn't press the matter if he wanted to sit down and she instantly regretted saying anything because she didn't want to add any extra exertion to what he might have wanted to be a calm afternoon.
He didn't know he was falsely assuming that Anko had some restraint. He knew that some smells cold be tied to bad memories. He wasn't sure if that was the case with coffee. He himself, didn't mind the smell all that much. "We can get a cup to go. I'm always up for a walk." He said as he looked over to her and smiled before looking back ahead. He had never had a cup of coffee from the shop on campus. Only at some of the shops he had near his work place or some homemade "Did you have a particular place that you wanted to walk to or did you just want to walk around?" The setting didn't matter. He was just enjoying her company. He didn't actually expect to run into anyone he knew today, but he was happy that he did. "And is there a certain coffee that you could recommend from this place?" It didn't matter to him, just as long as he got his caffeine.
"We could just walk around," she said easily as they entered the place, the smell hitting her nose like a ton of bricks. It was the scent of cheesy dime-store philosophy books and cheap roast. "No particular place," she added. "And um, let me get us a couple of mochas," she insisted. "They're pretty good." In all honesty, she wanted to indulge both the sweet tooth and the need for a coffee kick. But they really were quite good, and she knew the girl working tonight had a particular knack for throwing in a dash more chocolate than she should, which - to Anko - was a fantastic flaw. She got to the counter and ordered the two drinks quickly, smiling casually and charming the guy at the counter with a wink as she flashed her credit card (which was almost maxed out).
Ukitake stood near her, but not at the counter. Just close enough to where they could still talk. He trusted her taste, so if she thought that those drinks were good, then they probably were. "Walking around is fine, then." He watched as she placed the order, then he looked away. It wasn't that loud in here, but that was to be expected. He could see that some people were trying to read or others were on their laptops. It was as quiet as a Library. Except! They had the bonus of coffee. "Did you enjoy our trip to Brazil? It was my first time actually leaving Japan." But that probably could be told by how nervous he was on the plane. It wasn't until that moment that he remember Anko finding out about the..club that him and Urahara went to. IT was a little embarrassing for her to know and for him to actually go to a place like that.
Anko slipped her hands around the two cups, offering one to Ukitake. She could feel the heat through the protective carriers. "It was a lot of fun," she nodded. "I had gone to Europe once when I was younger. My father went on a lot of business trips and we got to come along one time. It wasn't that great but, then again, I didn't get to do much as a kid." Anko felt a little sense of sadness creep in at the thought of her parents, but she fought it off. And she did indeed recall finding out about the strip club. She had been a little irked that they had not taken her with them, but she wouldn't mention that. Instead, she started back out again. "Do you have any plans for another trip," she asked. No one could be as well travelled as Urahara, but it never hurt to try.
Ukitake reached out and took the cup from her. "Ah, Europe? I don't have an definite plans, but I will try to leave the country again on a break on in the summer." He lifted his coffee and blew on it a little before he sipped it and started to walk. Heading over to the door and opening it for her. "My brothers and sisters missed me quite a bit when I was gone, though. They left so many messages for me on my answering machine." He was actually glad to be missed while he was away. "What about you? I can imagine that you are the kind of person that would like to travel a lot." That was just the kind of person that she seemed like to him. If she did have plans, maybe they could travel again. It was fun in Brazil with her and Urahara. They probably couldn't repeat that experience, but they could come close.
Once they were outside of the shop she took a deep breath. She was also letting the coffee cool naturally, choosing rather to speak than to rush the drinking. "I didn't know you had so many relatives, how many brothers and sisters do you have?" He made it sound like there were a lot, which made her happy because family was important. Ukitake was a good person and deserved to be surrounded by people who really loved him. Anko had learned to live without that for a long time and she believed she didn't really need it anymore. "And I did tell Urahara-san that I wanted to travel a lot more, just like him. He's got it so good. But my funds are rather depleted right now," she laughed.
"Seven siblings. Five brothers and two sisters. I'm the oldest, though." So it was safe to assume that they all kind of looked up to him. He'd helped to take care of all of them when he was younger, not that his parents really needed or wanted his help. They knew how bad his health was, but he still insisted on helping. He even still did so even though he was living out on his own. "They can all be a handful. What about you, do you have and siblings?" He wasn't all that shocked by hearing that her funds was depleted, if they weren't then she probably wouldn't have made such a big deal about her old boss. Not that it was a bad thing, but it just gave him a little more insight on her situation. He would always loan her money if he she needed it.
Anko thought for a moment on the question. She hadn't seen her parents in almost three years, so she wasn't sure about having any siblings. She very well could have by now, for all she knew. "No, last I checked I didn't. I'm terrible with kids, I would have been a bad sister," she smiled up at him. It's true, she was really terrible with kids and she often frightened them with her over-the-top personality. That probably made her a lousy candidate to be a wife. Luckily, Anko was completely opposed to serious relationships at the moment. "I bet you were a great big brother, though," she said honestly. "It was no doubt they missed you while you were gone. I think I would have liked an older sibling." It might have saved her a lot of the trouble she found.
Ukitake smiled as he looked down to his coffee cup. He could still feel the heat from it. "I don't think that, Anko-san. I think you would make a great older sister. The next time I babysit for my parents, you can come along and prove it to yourself. I'm sure they would love you." He blew on his coffee again before taking another sip from it. His brothers and sisters never had any problems with his friends. It was just that some friends he had, they liked more than the others. He was positive that they would really like her, though. "I'm sure my parents would like you as well too." He lifted his gaze from his coffee and looked back over to her with a small. It must've been a while since she talked to her parents since she didn't know if she had a sibling or not.
"Ha, don't go making plans to introduce me to you folks just yet Ukitake-san. I'm terrible at making a good impression to kids and parents. I always say something weird and then they just... freak out." In truth, she wasn't so much nervous about the way she would come off, but she just didn't want to deal with the whole parent thing... it might bring back some memories she didn't want to deal with. "I'll swing by and keep you company though, I don't mind that," she smiled, finally taking a sip of her coffee. It was nice that he had so uch faith in her abilities. She was sorely lacking in any experience with real tenderness. It's not like her history had given her much of that.
"Ah, I introduce all of my friends to my family." It wasn't like he need their approval on the people he chose to hangout with. He just liked for them to at least meet his family, even if it was only once. "Well I'm sure it would be fine as long as you don't..offend them or anything like that." He couldn't even remember what his first impression of her was. It couldn't have been a bad one sense he didn't try to avoid it or anything. "But all I end up doing when watching them is watch a movie." With or without them near by " Play some video games or read a book." It was calm for the most part. Mainly because they didn't want to make trouble for him. He took another sip from his coffee. "And this is really good, Anko-san."
She nodded as he spoke. Maybe she would take him up on the offer if he insisted. She took another sip of the coffee and laughed a little. "It's because the girl that prepared our drinks always adds extra chocolate. I used to do it too, only I think I would get a little carried away just between us. Not that I heard any complaints." For the most part, people loved extras. "Next time you should try the frozen one... if it's a hot day." Spending time with Ukitake was nice and she felt rather calm in his presence, maybe because all his talk of his family made her feel as if she were there and that was kind of relaxing. "Are you working tomorrow," she asked, to keep the conversation going. "I'll stop by if you are and then you can throw me out," she smiled.
Ukitake laughed a little. "That is kind of disappointing then. It makes me wish it was you behind the counter rather than her." Too much chocolate could be a bad thing, but he had yet to find his limit. He probably wouldn't even have complain if the taste of the chocolate overpowers the taste of the coffee. He nodded his head when she asked if he was working. "Yes, I am. I'll be going in in the afternoon once I've finished all of my classes for the day." Though, he didn't think he could ever forcefully throw one of his friends out of the shop, he smiled anyway. "If it gets that bad, I'm sure I could lead you out of the store with some sort of cake." He said in a playful tone. " Though, something tells me it will be a little tough, no matter how I choose to do it."
Anko laughed genuinely, a sparkling kind of laughter. "Yeah I don't think the cake would get me," she smiled up at him. "So what classes are you taking," she asked, taking another sip of the coffee as they walked. One could already see that it was late afternoon and they were getting close to a park which seemed like it might be a good place to continue their stroll. "I wish I had some sort of direction with my classes, but I kind of feel like I'm just taking a bunch of stuff randomly... without any kind of guidance." In truth, most of her friends seemed pretty well positioned in like, which made hers seem all the more chaotic in comparison.
"Just some language classes and business classes." He responded before taking another sip from his coffee. "I should probably be taking a few more business classes. I want to open my own restaurant." As soon as he had the more or maybe when he was finished with school. Though, if he did, he'd ask Urahara to go into business with him. That was one person that he knew he could trust with that sort of thing. They had been friends for quiet a few years now. "I'm sure you could get some sort of direction if you want to, Anko-san. You seem like the kind of woman that can do anything she puts her mind to. Just do something that you enjoy."
Anko had heard that many times, from many different people. She did believe she could persevere and make her life into anything she wanted it to be. The only problem was she couldn't figure out what that was. "I guess my only problem is I don't know where to put my efforts." She hadn't intended to go into some period of self reflection, but she had been behaving that way for quite some time anyway. Anything seemed to bring it out. "I suppose I'll find something eventually. And this new job really excites me. I might have found my calling." Strange to call reptiles a calling, but she was really good at taking care of them.
Ukitake smiled when he heard her words. "Then you should pursue it." There was no point in doing something that you hate for the rest of your life. "Snakes always seemed a bit frightening to me, though. I don't know if it's the way people depict them or if they're actually as dangerous as they say." He know he'd never go up to a snake and pick it up. Poisonous or not. Not because he was afraid, just because he wanted to be safe. "And where did you say the place you worked at was again?" After she visited him on his job, he would have to go and do the same to her. He sipped some more of his coffee, already halfway finished with it.
"It's a few blocks from the school, which is pretty convenient," she responded, taking another sip or so. She was nearly done with hers. "Snakes are not dangerous really and the venomous ones only use it in self defense. Generally, if you respect them, they won't just attack." Anko had a strange affinity for snakes in particular, and they never seemed to be aggressive towards her. Dealing with Orochimaru's prize, Manda, was never difficult and Anko was about the only other person she seemed to like... as much as a snake could like a person anyway. "You don't have to come visit me though, if you think they're creepy," she winked.
Ukitake smiled again and finished off what was left of his coffee. "Even if I thought that, I would probably still come. It's not like they will break out of their cages and attack me as soon as I walk through the door, right?" At least he would certainly hope they wouldn't. He might not have been able to handle them as easily as her, but he was sure he could deal with them. "So have you had a lot of experience with snakes and such?" For all he knew, she could've grown up around them or just hug around a place where they were really abundant. He knew that he learned to love cooking when his mom was too busy doing something else and he had to take over.
She laughed a little at the thought of Ukitake battling a million snakes all throwing themselves onto him. "I think you should be fine." She finished off her own coffee and started idling rolling the cup around in her fingers. "You could say I had a lot of experience when I was working at this place. The owner had a lot of snakes and he sort of taught me to deal with them." Anko was reluctant to say who because Ukitake likely knew (or had at least heard of) Orochimaru. And it was still rather painful for her to recall anything having to do with him. The snakes were really the only thing she took from that experience that meant anything to her. "I'm a natural, I was told. And that helps with creatures like this."
"Ah, so you aren't completely new to the whole thing? Well I hope you do well in that field. I wish you the be-" His words were cut off as he felt a coughing fit come on. He raised his free hand up to cover his mouth and he turned his head away. He rested his other arm on some structure the best way he could for some support. It wasn't too bad, it only lasted for a few moments before it passed. He slowly lowered his hand and cleared his throat a little bit. " S-Sorry about that, Anko-san..I wish you the best of luck with your new field of work." He waited for a few moments before he took his arm off of the place that he set it for support. The cough fits were always unpredictable.
Anko was standing beside him looking very concerned. She instinctively placed a hand on his back and rubbed gently until he was done, letting her hand drop when he had finished coughing. She hated to see him like that, it genuinely pained her and she thought she wouldn't be able to handle it in Brazil when he'd fallen ill. In her opinion, she was a horrible nurse maid and even worse at making people feel better. "Want to go sit down someplace," she asked, still looking very worried. She was suddenly very fearful she'd forced him to walk all this way. She nodded her head in the direction of some park benches. "How about over there?" Already, she was making her way over to them.
It didn't seem as if he was going to have a choice in the matter. He noticed a trash can and discarded is coffee cup before he started to follow her. "We really don't have to, Anko-san.." If he really didn't think that he would be able to handle walking then he would've asked to sit down earlier. He knew his illness made him weak, but he never really wanted to feel like he was. Though, her rubbing his back was comfort enough. That was all one really could do when someone coughed. He really didn't want to burden her or cause her to worry about him. Once they reached the bench, he sat down anyway. If only because it might ease her mind a bit.
She had taken a moment to toss her own empty cup into the trashcan. When they had reached the bench she fell into a sit beside him, stretching her legs and her arms out in front of her, simultaneously. "Much better," she smiled and relaxed, pressing her back against the bench and leaving her legs stretched out on the grass before her. Her hands were folded in her lap. She wouldn't linger on his health because she knew Ukitake was the kind of guy who didn't like to dwell on that stuff. She couldn't really blame him because she would react the same way. "It's been a good day I think," she commented, moving her head back so she could look up into the sky. People were idling in the park, playing with their pets, etc. It made for some nice scenery.
Ukitake nodded his head a little. It has been a good day. The incident at the coffee shop from earlier was completely out of his mind. "I hope the night will be equally as good as well." He looked over to her as she looked up to the sky but then he looked away to the others in the park. It seemed like they weren't the only ones who were out enjoying this nice weather. The only plans that he had for tonight was to curl up on his couch after making dinner and watch a movie or read a book. He couldn't think of a better way to enjoy his day off. He leaned back against the bench a little as he shifted a little to get into a comfortable position. "Ah, and thank you for the cup of coffee, Anko-san."
"No trouble at all," she waved her hand calmly. "It was my pleasure. I owed you one anyway." Her dull, lavender eyes moved down to survey the other patrons. Some kid playing with his dog caught her eye and she started watching them. "So what are you planning for tonight? I probably have to do some cleaning, or I could avoid going home and not have to listen to my roommate yell at me about the mess I left in the kitchen. It's like having a mother all over again, but she's not related to me so I have no internal conflict with wanting to strangle her." Sometimes, it really made her want to move out, but at least Emi kept her in line.
Ukitake couldn't help but laugh a little. " I can't say that I know how you feel. I stay in an apartment by myself." It had been two or three ears since he had a roommate. " I only have dinner and maybe a book or movie planned." Though a movie seemed much more likely. Not that he didn't enjoy reading. "Though your night seems like it's going to be quite a bit more exciting than mine is if your roommate starts yelling at you." He still watched the people in the park even as he spoke. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves. He couldn't help but feel really old sitting here like this, though. And the fact that his hair didn't have any color to it didn't help him feel young at all.
Anko shrugged. "I'd rather the book than Emi, wanna trade," she asked with a smile, glancing back at him as she tore her gaze from the boy and his dog. "Although I don't think you could handle her, she's a tyrant with a mop and dish rag." She pretended to shudder and shook her head. "But she's been pretty good about my cash flow situation so I can't complain. Once I start this new job, things should even out. I probably couldn't afford living on my own either way." It was a shame, Anko did enjoy having time to herself. Maybe that was why she felt so out of sorts, it felt like people were constantly around her and sometimes it was uncomfortable not to be able to self reflect. But it was probably part of life that she should have to learn to accept companionship.
She would probably be surprised what he could handle. "If you're that desperate for a book, I could always loan you one." He said this in a joking manner of course. "It's good that she is easy on you about that, though. " He knew that some people would yell at their roommate a lot or kick them out if they couldn't make the rent. So having someone that was nice and understanding about it was good. "But if you stick with this job you won't have to worry about money for too much longer." He honestly didn't know what he would do if he lost his job. His parents would probably send him money or pay his rent for him, but he wouldn't be too happy about that. He felt a gentle breeze pass through the area, causing the trees to sway a little with it.
Anko laughed lightly at his mention of lending her a book. She supposed she wasn't much of a reader. It was more about action with her. "This job seems to be promising to shape my life in good and important ways," she reflected. The air smelled of moisture, as if it might rain later, perhaps during the evening. It was probably the reason the day was so nice. "It might rain later, you think?" She looked up at the clouds but they seemed to be as white and fluffy as they had been before, not a trace of stretching or dark tint. She shrugged again. "You sure you're okay hanging out here this long," she asked again, wondering if he was at all tired. "I could walk you home," she offered with a smile at the absurd thought of reversing the roles, but she would feel better seeing him get home safely.
"I thank you for your concern, Anko-san." He lifted his hand and moved it through his hair once again. "But I'm okay. Though I guess maybe I should be getting home and starting on dinner before it gets too late." He could manage getting home by himself, he always could. He hadn't over exerted himself today so he was more than sure that he would be fine. He placed his hands down on the bench and pushed himself up to his feet and he gave a little stretch. " Are you going to stay here or will you be heading home as well?" If she really wanted him to, he could just give her a call once he got home so she would know that he was okay. He hated to go home and end such a relaxing day, but he couldn't stay up too late tonight. He did have to work tomorrow after all.
She wouldn't press the issue of walking him home, she knew guys got weird about that kind of stuff. "I might hang out here a while longer, so just give me a call on my cell. Otherwise I'll have to go over there and check on you," she smiled. Ukitake probably knew that she was serious too. She wasn't above doing anything that unorthodox.
He smiled and nodded. "Alright. I'll make sure to do that" Unless he felt the urge to have her drop by. Then he would just pass up calling her. He gave her a light wave as he turned and started to walk off, heading in the direction of his apartment. "I'll see you later, Anko-san! Don't stay out too late!" He shouted back to her as he left.