Drinking Buddies For Life

Lakshmi stalked down the halls of the Shirakawa mansion, having actually entered through the front door as per regular normal person protocol. Waving off anyone being sent to warn Masaru, she quickly pattered her way down the wooden floors until she got to an office that he usually spent his time in.

He apparently had some sort of girlfriend now too. Whatever! He could still drink with her, it wasn't as if she was interesting in that sort of relationship with him!

Lakshmi tossed open his office door dramatically while pointing, as she was a bit tipsy already and just didn't care for appearances entirely at this point. "Masabutt, I have a request. Nay a demand. You are required at my mansion for some work of the utmost importance!"

She leaned against the side of the doorframe, her arm falling from her dramatic pronouncement. She needed a drinking friend tonight, his presence was required.

Almost done with this paper work... There was a full pile he'd had to get done with by lunch tomorrow, and he figured he might as well just get it done. That way he'd either have free time or have a head start on any work thrown his way tomorrow!

Well... He that was his plan...

Hearing a familiar voice, he looked up and...blinked.

Lakshmi, and she was...

"D-Demand...?" She needed him for some work? "Alright..."

He supposed that wouldn't be a problem, and she claimed it was the utmost importance. Hearing that, he stood from his desk and walked around it towards the woman. "What is it you'll be needing my assistance with?"

She...was being a bit dramatic so he was concerned...

"I have rather important questions I must ask you, but it is of the utmost secrecy and requires a place that I can seal off. The work will come at that point in time, I can not speak here." Lakshmi blinked as the not lie rolled off of her tongue so easily. The workaholic's desk was filled with work that could definitely wait and she waved her hand almost imperiously again as she turned to head out of the room.

"You should take a change of clothes, this may be an all nighter. And givie Nozomi hugs." She nodded firmly as she began heading down the hallway, stumbling a bit as a wall jumped out of nowhere at her. Super secret...super important work to be done...

T...That... It was that secret? Masaru blinked at Lakshmi's explanation; important questions of utmost secrecy...and the work would come once they had the privacy that was necessary.

What... What in the world could Lakshmi have to talk to him about that was so secret...?

Well, he would find out and as she suggested he take a change of clothes he had to blink again. ...An all-nighter? "I-I see..."

The work was that important it seemed...

"I'll gather a change of clothes and meet you at the door then? If that's alright?"

"No worries! I'll just head back to the mansion. Taaake your tiiiime." Lakshmi reached into her uniform and pulled out the flask she had filled with strong liquor for this trip to Masaru's place, after giving a look around the mansion for anyone else to see.

She took a large swig and was pleased to remember she could still shunpo while completely drunk, so partially drunk was good to go. "I'll be there waiting. Its really important, really super important but very secret."

Lakshmi headed off at a quick pace now that she had Masaru's attention and agreement. He would definitely show up!

Masaru gave a nod as he headed down to his room, he would meet her at her mansion then. He would gather his clothing and head over there so he could help her with this urgent and crucially secret work she needed help with.

It sounded really important... Lakshmi was being quite dramatic over it.

Once he had his things he headed off, stopping by Nozomi's room to let her know he had to help with some work and that he might not be back until late or in the morning.

Giving his goodbyes he left his mansion and headed to Lakshmi's with a quick flash of shunpo.

Despite Lakshmi knowing he was coming, he stopped at the door and gave a knock.

Lakshmi had reached her home quite quickly, it wasn't too far and well she was moving fast so she could get out of these annoying work clothes. Stripping as soon as she stepped inside and closed the door, she grabbed a pair of pajamas she had left on the couch before slipping it and its matching short robe on over it. Pjs...were the best...

No one had been by today to clean, so it was a bit of a mess and she had a few bottles of various liquor sitting on the coffee table in her living room that she was stuck between picking for her amazing adventure tonight.

Stupid Masaru had gotten a girlfriend before she did! How dare he... Lakshmi picked up a sake bottle whole and took a large drink of it before she heard the knock. "COME IN! I'm in the living room."

Her normal more formal tones were utterly gone, she laid sprawled out almost upside on the couch at this point. She was well on her way to being drunk, but unlike some other times she was definitely a miserable one this time.

Stupid everything...

Hearing her words and tone Masaru paused for a moment before opening the door, she was much less formal than usual...

Heading towards the living room he stopped, seeing...many alcohol bottles sprawled about before his eyes finally landed on Lakshmi as she downed some sake.

"I...The important work requires..." Unimaginable amounts of drinking!? "L...Lakshmi, are you alright?"

He blinked, and blinked again as he approached the other captain, setting his bag with his change of clothes down.

The important work.. Oh right she'd gotten him here by lying. Lakshmi's eyes were not entirely wasted yet but she definitely was feeling the alcohol.

"I'm really not all right. I'm so... so blasted stupid! My whole life should just go up in flames, I hate it all." Lakshmi downed more of the sake as she spoke, her eyes darting to Masaru as she waved her other hand over the table. "You are required to drink with me tonight and maybe give me stupid relationship advice. How did you get a freaking girlfriend?!"

The man who talked to lamps while drunk got...a date... a serious date... who was apparently always visiting!

E...Eh?

Masaru's eyes widened as Lakshmi began cursing her own life as she downed more sake. Quickly moving to seat himself as she waved her hand over the table and gave her orders. Drinking...then...

He had agreed that they could share a drink...

When she mentioned the girlfriend though...

"E-Eh!? A-Ah well..." H-H-How was he supposed to explain that without actually explaining how those confessions had come about!? It was much too embarrassing!

"Spill! Spilll. And then maybe I will see if you can help me with my own messed up, convoluted sex life and how amazingly blasted everything should ever be." Lakshmi ordered, chugging more sake before setting the mostly empty bottle down and grabbing another. She nudged a bottle with that bottle over, pushing it towards the man.

"Drink too. Drink lots. I need the companionship that isn't filled with fucking drama and feelings." Her voice was filled with pain that she quickly drowned in more liquor.

S-Spill...

"W-Well, Mia and I had become friends shortly after m-meeting and recently...a-ah, I mean...well...Mia, the Tenth's lieutenant..." He added, quickly realizing just a name might not be enough... "A-And recently we b-became a c-c-couple..."

It was still extremely flustering to say and attempt to explain out loud!

He accepted the bottle from Lakshmi as it was nudged over to him, glancing at the woman as she began mentioning drama and feelings. It...It seemed there was plenty going on in her life then...

That sounded like Masaru, making a cute new friend and then falling for her. Sounded cute, though lacking in details of HOW they became a couple... He was probably shy about it... Wait....wait... tenth...Lieutenant...

"...No way in hell..." Lakshmi sat up immediately and spluttered for a moment before getting that out, looking at the liquor she had in her hands before setting that bottle down. It wasn't nearly strong enough, not by far for that news. She was lucky she hadn't CHOKED! What kind of fate was this? What kind of torturous fate was this!?

Grabbing the strongest drink on the table, she took a swig and shuddered as it burned down her throat. Her flirty drunkenness was gone for the night, she was just purely miserable this time.

"...If you want to share more I'll listen?" At least Kaimu's daughter... probably has a nice sweet relationship with Masaru when she wanted one with her father... She took another drink before she recovered from the first, coughing a bit.

Masaru was quite shocked by Lakshmi's reaction. N...No way in hell? No way in hell, what? He had barely sipped at his own drink yet when she'd started sputtering. She... Why was she so surprised!? W...Was it him being in a relationship part!? No she'd already shown her reaction towards that much...

"M-More... W-Well I'm not sure what all there is to share... Um... It was Aoi that initially forced me to accept my own feelings towards Mia, as I had been in rather...heavy denial, I still was for a bit after and...Mia had come in shortly after which...was rather awkward, I believed I upset her but...later we t-t-talked and that's...that's how it happened."

She had come to his home after hearing he'd dumped work for a few days out of his own misery and then they'd had one of the more embarrassing confessions he'd ever heard of in his lifetime...

Lakshmi looked away, taking another large drink and this time not choking as Masaru finished the story. "Sounds like it was...sweet. Sounds like you as well. Mr Oblivious to all his own feelings?"

Her miserable tone from earlier was fading, her more normal words and tone coming back out despite how drunk she was and was quickly becoming. She smiled just a bit at the thought of Masaru being in denial. "Did it have anything to do with that three day vacation you took? Why such strong denial too? If you liked her, you should have been more open about it."

Her own problems would wait for a little bit, she was fine with waiting... Despite her initial reactions, she was happy for him and didn't want to sour his happy mood with her own issues.

Masaru began actually drinking now that Lakshmi's shock had worn off... such extreme shock... He had a high tolerance, but these were rather strong types of sake. He figured he wasn't really allowed to watch his drinking in this situation, so he paid no mind to how much he drank as Lakshmi continued speaking.

Th...That...

He had froze slightly when she mentioned the three-day vacation...

"Y...Yes..." He had been a miserable pile of...well, misery at the thought that he'd actually upset a friend... Friends were extremely important to him, feelings such as...beyond friendship were to be ignored if it meant risking losing said friend...

Those feelings...

"Feelings like those mean I risk losing a friend if they are seen as unrequited; I would rather not take such a risk, and even before...those are emotions I...well not just those emotions, I'm a liar...well, a liar to myself I ignore the feelings... even if it hurts to do so.

Friends are important, I didn't want to risk losing her as one..." He hadn't been allowed friends, and so now the relationships were something he took most seriously. He wasn't going to risk...risk losing them over...things like that.

They had...been mutual...feelings though...

Lakshmi's drunken eyes were still alert enough to pick up on Masaru's freezing for a moment and she laughed but let him have his little

"I...am not sure you understand who you are and how you are, to be worried about things like that. Though I understand that worry... But that sort of happiness is rare you know? So... Ugh, I mean... that you probably had no worry of losing the person's friendship even if the feeling was unrequited. Its not rare for people to still be friends even if one still has strong romantic feelings for the other. I have them for someone and he knows, but we still are friends." Lakshmi gave a firm nod, as firm as it could be with her quickly growing drunken state. "Friends who have sex on a decently regular basis."

She grumbled that last part, knowing that wasn't Masaru's situation. She waved the bottle at the man who was finally drinking. "I guess I am saying just... it is good for you two to have found each other despite your own lying nature. And...you are handsome and a sweetheart, if a bit of a loser. So she should be happy with you, as pretty as she is you will make cute babies one day I am sure."

Who he was and how he was...

Masaru looked to the side and up at hearing that, as if trying not to hear it...b-but...listened to Lakshmi speak nonetheless. Still... Yes it worked out for some people, they remained friends but...that didn't always happen! He hadn't wanted to risk such a thing at all!

Friendships were too valuable to him to take such risks...

Lakshmi had someone who she held strong romantic feelings for...? It was the first he was hearing of it, but it wasn't like they met on a regular basis...

He was drinking more as she began speaking again, causing him to choke as she mentioned... L-Loser!? B...Cute babies!?

"W-W-W-We have only j-j-j-just started a r-r-r-relationship!" There...There was no thinking of such things at such a stage!

Masaru was trying not to hear her words? The silly loser~ He knew she was right, Lakshmi did not think Masaru was entirely unaware of his physical attractiveness or the other features that had many a shinigami enjoying him.

His choking wasn't dangerous, just surprised and thus Lakshmi took a drink herself before she lounged herself comfortably against some pillows like an ancient queen in her throne room.

"And I am a doctor. I know you aren't the type to but... babies might eventually come. And if they do? They will be the cutest as far as things go. Even your elders shouldn't object when they see the size of her breasts and child bearing hips." Lakshmi's eyes looked away as she spoke that, almost innocently. He had spluttered so much over the other part, she wondered how he'd take her words now? Besides, it was nice to vent like this. Kaimu's daughter was a good subject to poke fun at. "Have you kissed her?"

Masaru could only gawk in what was akin to horror at Lakshmi's explanation. Doctor or not there was no...no need to mention her...a-a-a-attributes right now!

He could only sputter further, unable to even respond to such...such a statement!

Ch...Children were...were not something to think about right now! Not at all! They had just begun their relationship and still blushed at the gesture of holding hands!

K-K-Kissed... "Y...Y...Y..Yes... Shortly after the...becoming a couple..." He said as he took a rather heavy drink. He felt like he needed it now...

Masaru's lack of a response told Lakshmi she had hit the jackpot. Well...time to tease him until he got so drunk it was fine. Holding up her free hand, she made a squishing motion with her hand. "Since you've kissed her... Are they as squishy as they look? You must have felt them pressed against you when you hug her. It'd be impossible not to."

Kaimu forgive her for this. Thinking his name, Lakshmi covered her face and groaned. "At least you only had her and not three of them. Uuugh what am I to doooo?"

More drinking, just focus on the drinking!

Masaru's expression still held that of horror, his face reddened due to his fluster and embarrassment at Lakshmi's teasing. How could she ask such a thing!?

"Th-Th...Th-That is the farthest thing form my mind!" H-H-He did not have such thoughts! N-N-Not at all!

More drinking, lots of drinking...

Th...Three of them!? L-L-Lakshmi felt for three...

Lakshmi felt bad for her extreme enjoyment of Masaru's horror, but it was too much fun and much too easy. It was a nice distraction and the nicer parts of Lakshmi were surfacing above the despairing hate filled sides. She smiled and took another drink as she rest against the pillows. "...Your response tells me its not the furthest, but you just ignore it~ Just like the other feelings you pretended you didn't have. They must be really soft then."

Masaru's shock only grew as she admitted there were three and she pouted lightly as she looked at him, a frown taking the place of the smile that had only briefly surfaced. "Eeeh do not look like that! I-It isn't like I want this. Alexander, the Research Captain, asked me on a date and I wanted him but... well Setsuna's disappearance caused me to withdraw as you well know! And I still want him, I still want to touch and kiss him and go on more dates... B-But... There's someone I've been... since before then. He lives in the rukon and well I rather like him but... but he's... our situation is impossible to be romantic in the sense I want. Plus I am not even sure he'd like being with me, he's a bit of a... well he's a flirt. But we do enjoy each other's company and bodies a lot..."

"A-And recently Esmer, from the ball, contacted me with a request to meet up and have a date? But I can't add anyone else to this whole...convoluted mess. I know I would like Esmer, I hit it off with her well while drunk but... but I like those two already and the one I want most I can not have!" Lakshmi groaned as she let all of that pour out, the bottle being lifted up as she drank deeply from it. She wiped her mouth as a bit spilled when pulling it away, her face one of misery. "Not even being sure of his feelings makes it the worst. If I knew for sure I could move on, if I knew he didn't care like that I could see Alexander again and break it off. Or if Alexander was not prepared to strike things up again, Esmerelda would be nice to see... But now I am stuck in limbo! And this is why I am drunk and discussing your girlfriend's boobs, because they are the nicest things I can think of at this time."

"T-Th-T...T-They most certainly are the farthest thing from my mind!" He ignored feelings yes but...but he did not think such things! He did not think things such as...as...about the woman he had just begun to see!

That would be beyond unsightly of him!

He continued to drink as Lakshmi explained her own situation, and the three she held feelings for. Her strongest feelings lay in the one she claimed she couldn't have.

As flustered as he still was, he couldn't help but feel the need to say something, offer some advice.

"You should perhaps spend more time with the one you hold the strongest feelings for, try to see his if his feelings are genuine, and after time question him if you can... I... You claim the situation is impossible, but... Perhaps it's not? A slim chance maybe, but not outright impossible...

Have more hope on things..." He really wasn't one to talk about admitting feelings, or anything, but... He didn't mind helping others with problems like these, or at least trying to help them. Just like when Aoi had needed advice, he'd helped her and now he would try to help Lakshmi...

Even if she was subjecting him to absolute horror...

"It's best to see how the one you feel most strongly about feels...you might not be able to get an answer now or see clearly how they feel just by actions but...perhaps in some time...it's...I know it must be hard to...let things continue like this but perhaps there's a chance..."

Lakshmi sipped her drink instead of gulping it at Masaru's response, knowing she had hit a rather strong nerve. The White Pure Prince getting a girlfriend like that amused the Captain to no end, just wondering how much like her father the girl was...

Which caused her sipping to become a large gulp.

She listened quietly and...shook her head very slowly, very resigned and very sad in equal parts. "I can not...explain the situation. But the man is someone outside of the laws of the soul society. It is hard enough to see him as it is, but for us... to be together would mean my leaving. Luckily you've drank enough by now to get to the memory loss parts... So I hope Ikari will keep his mouth shut please on this when he reminds you in the morning?"

"This all depends on how he feels and it is not likely he feels much more than friendship and kind companionship, he is always alone you see... So having someone close to him he does not have to hide anything from must be nice, someone he does not have any worries over. But... if I get hope, I may... I may wish to be with him more and that would be bad. Very bad. I already ran away from one home, I do not need to repeat that..." Lakshmi felt she had sobered up a bit by these words, not liking that idea and chugging the rest of the bottle that had been half full. That would hit her strong in a bit, for sure. "He has burdens, he does not need the burden of my wanting him and not being able to return those feelings. Even if I need the... answer to move on, I will not accept replacing my pain with his."

She dropped the empty bottle to the floor as her arm fell over the edge and dangled there, despair written on her features. "Always wanting people to share my life but it was much less complicated before... So, Prince, how did your date go?"