Time Without Distraction [Closed]

When the morning came and Maaya woke, J. was not in the room. He was not training. He was not showering, though evidence of a recent shower was apparent. Instead, J. was off to the markets in the Rukongai. He had a list: gift, flowers, chocolate. That is exactly what Kazuo told him to do. He figured there was an 'or' somewhere in there, but was not aware of which would be better. He decided all three and had the gift wrapped as well. As he returned to the Rukongai, J. received a few looks of shock, awe, and confusion. One of these was from the Captain Commander, who stopped him from going on until she got a few answers about what he was doing. "Is this for the woman you spoke of?" Kaminari asked and he nodded. "Yes, Head Captain. And thank you for approving that matter. It will be executed soon, but I'm giving Maaya a grace period to recover." "That's fine. Take good care of her."

J. returned home and got the same looks that many others were giving him. Before he returned to his room, he stopped at the kitchen and looked in, "Is what I requested ready?" A young maid turned to him and bowed, "It will be in ten minutes, no more than that, Lord Saionji." He nodded in approval and continued to his room. When he arrived, he could hear the shower running and actually dismissed four guards he had placed on the outside of each door. Whether she was aware that he had done that or not, he didn't know, but he didn't exactly warn her of their presence. The bed was made, whether by maid or Maaya, he didn't know. He set a large teddy bear that the shop woman had convinced him to buy up against the pillow, laid the flowers in the bears lap and leaned the chocolate box up against both. And then a small gift wrapped present was set in front of the bear like he had been told.

Once it was 'perfect', he stepped in the closet and began changing his clothes into something a bit 'nicer' than his Shihakusho. As he was almost ready, he could hear Maaya enter the room. He always dressed himself in the closet, so she wouldn't see him. He quickly straightened out his jacket and peeked through the cracked closet door to watch her. He wanted to see her reaction. Once he got it, he took a deep breath, put his hands behind his back, and stepped nervously out of the closet. "Good morning, Maaya." he said with his normal tone. He was nervous as hell, but hiding it like a pro.

"You should be ashamed of yourself." J,'s inner thoughts yelled at him as he watched Maaya. She entered the room naked. Every part of her body was exposed to him, excluding one. His eyes honed in on the bandage she had on her shin, wondering what exactly had happened. She didn't look scared, so it was likely an accident of some sort. It was then that she saw the gifts and crossed her arms. Seeing her bust push up, J. leaned forward just a bit to get a better look. "Stop it!" he yelled at himself mentally and looked away for a moment. He didn't know when to step out now! Should he make himself known? Was this inappropriate? Yes, of course it was! But would she be angry?

He heard the rustling of the paper wrapped around the flowers and looked back. That smile of hers always warmed his heart, even at times he didn't realize it. He was just glad that she seemed to like it. It was now that he decided to make himself known and startled the ever living heck out of her. A momentary look of shock appeared on J.'s face when he got that reaction. She fell and he stepped forward as if he was going to help, but stopped when she grabbed the teddy bear to cover herself up. He watched her with a calm expression as she stuttered along almost every word. Before he said anything more, he stepped up to her and ran his finger down her forehead, then tapped her nose.

"There is no need to apologize, Maaya. I should have made myself known. I was merely changing clothes." he explained and placed his hands on her sides, pulling her back to her feet, "I do hope you like these. They were... difficult to pick out." J. pointed toward the teddy bear and all of the other gifts he had gotten her. Seeing that she hadn't opened the wrapped one yet, he picked it up and presented it. Yes, he was ignoring the fact that she was naked. "Please, open this one now." As she opened it, J. tilted his head slightly to the side, eyeing her body up and down. For a moment, he felt a strange urge that he didn't entirely recognize, but he knew exactly what it was and why it was there.

"I'd like to take you somewhere today, Maaya. It would be just the two of us. Would you mind that?"

The fact that she liked the gifts pleased J. quite a bit. He had taken his brother's advice and it worked; he would do so again, if he ever needed help with anything similar. She practically began to sparkle when she saw the hair piece. That wast he hardest thing to pick out. He didn't want anything too fancy, it had to last, and had to be something she could use. He watched her move over to the mirror and got one hell of a view as she put the hairclip in. This was the first time J. had gotten a good view of her back end. Her body was beautifully shaped. Once she finished putting in the hairclip, he returned his gaze to her eyes and made sure that it stayed that way. He nodded as she thanked him so much and sat down on the edge of the bed after giving his proposal. Yes, J. wanted to take her out on a date.

He felt a small weight lift from his shoulders when she accepted his offer. Good. "Yes, I have a place in mind." he nodded once and quickly went through a list in his head to make sure things were on track, "Wear something comfortable and easy to walk in. We will be outdoors, so keep that in mind as well." He stood up and stepped toward the door. "I will meet you out front; There are things I need to make sure have been done. The guard here will escort you out to meet me." With that, J. nodded his head respectfully toward her and stepped out of the room. He made sure the guards knew what to do and then headed back toward the kitchen. Things were ready now, so he just made a few final preparations. Once he was done, he made his way out to the front courtyard and waited for Maaya at the gate.

"Where we're going is outside of the Seireitei. If we walked, it would take quite a while to get there, so do you mind holding this?" J. held up a decent sized basket that was pretty heavily packed. Assuming she'd take it, he'd gently pick her up and hold her close. "Hold on to it tightly." he told her, "You ready?" Once she said she was, he'd use shunpo to get going. He made his way through the Seireitei, including an already open gate, into the Rukongai, and then to one of the fields away from residential areas. Once they arrived, Maaya could look around and see a vast green valley in one direction and on the other side was the beginnings of a forest. He walked her over to a tree and set her on her feet, gently taking the basket from her hands. He opened it up and pulled out a blanket, spreading it on the grass.

"I thought being away from the manor for a day to clear both our heads would be ideal." he explained as he sat the basket down on one end of the blanket. He too sat down and looked to her, patting a spot near him so she would sit there as well. The air was so crisp out here. There was a very small breeze, but it was nice and cool. It made the area feel rather peaceful. "I feel I must ask... How has your stay been at the Saionji manor? And please, do not include that one night. It will never happen again." J. closed his eyes for a moment in shame. He did not want to think of that here, not now. He opened his eyes again as she answered and looked to her, listening intently to what she had to say. If there was something he must improve on, he would do it. Now, he just had to figure out how to keep conversation.

Until that question was asked, J. had not put much thought into her calling him 'My' Lord. He had become so conditioned to being called a Lord, that it didn't seem strange to him at all. Now that she asked, he began thinking rather strongly about a few things. When did she make that change? Why did she make that change? What significance did the word 'my' have to her? There were other people in the Saionji Manor that called him that, he remembered this. He decided then that he would have to correct these people. He was not 'their' Lord. He did not 'belong' to them. Wait, no. That would be more awkward. He technically was 'their' lord. Agh! This was a frustrating and confusing subject.

To get his mind off the current subject and actually continue conversation, he asked Maaya a rather basic question. He watched her closely as she answered it, just like he always did. He observed her reactions, especially the expressions she held. Her eyes were the most important factor in J.'s mind. He used them to see if she was telling the truth; Not once had she lied to him up until now. "Is that where the scrape on your shin came from?" he asked after her shower comment, feeling a twitch at the side of his mouth when she giggled, "And you say you feel cared for?" J. looked into the picnic basket, thinking for a moment before closing his eyes. "Good. That is the ideal."

Her answered did indeed need to sink in. The addition of 'by him' to that final bit made him question himself. He knew in his mind that she was worth his time. She would make a good wife, mother, and honored member of the Saionji Family. What he did not know was whether he actually cared for her. He was protective of her, yes, but did he care for her? The biggest question he asked himself at this moment was did he even know how to care for her? His thoughts were brought back to the current event and he turned his attention back to Maaya. The question she asked confused him. How was he supposed to answer it? What did she mean by 'can't quite tell'?

"Unlike most women, you do not bother me in the slightest." was the immediate reply she received from him, "You are not bossy, loud, or disrespectful. You know your place within my Manor. You're a kind and gentle woman. You are beautiful. Even with your upbringing, you've become a good and respectable woman. Your presence is quite enjoyable. Beyond that, the servants have complimented you repeatedly; Kazuo has as well. I take my brother's opinion quite strongly, so if he had spoken of you in a manner opposite of what he did, we would not be having this conversation. Overall, Maaya Ishino, I can confidently answer with 'You are a nice addition to my life.'"

J. began sifting through the picnic basket and pulled out two tea cups, a kettle that was already warm, and a small container of sugar. He poured them both a cup and put two spoons of sugar in his own. Taking a small drink, he looked around at the scenery and nodded to himself. He had chosen the area well. "Maaya, have you ever considered returning to the Gotei Thirteen?" he looked back to her as he asked a rather serious question, "It would be a good way to hone your skills and develop your defensive and offensive abilities. You have potential to be a strong Shinigami." He motioned toward her Zanpakutō, "I can sense it growing. It's why I wanted it beside you always."

J.'s ability to read people varied greatly. He could tell when someone was lying. He could tell when their intentions were positive or negative. He could tell who he should not trust and who he could trust. The things he could not tell were the emotions that seemed to directly link to the heart; fear was the only exception. He could tell when someone was frightened. He could not tell, however, when someone loved or longed for. He could not tell when someone was joking or when someone was trying to send hidden messages. J. was a blunt man, a very straight forward man. If you wanted him to know something, you had to tell him straight up. This was something Maaya would later learn. Right now, she was unaware of this, so the tenseness that he was able to see come over her was not something he understood. Conversation about the Gotei was normal for him, it was not something to be 'feared'. To him that was not the reason for her change in demeanor, so he unknowingly brushed it off.

"Wrong." J. stated bluntly and stared Maaya straight in the eyes, almost in an intimidating manner, "The only thing the other night proved was that you felt safe in my home, my guards weren't paying attention, and your will is very strong." J. took another drink of his tea and reached into the basket again. He pulled out practically everything at this point, laying it out carefully so nothing would be knocked over. "The only thing that proves you need to strengthen yourself is the thought of you wanting to do it." J. placed the final dish on the blanket and looked back to Maaya, "If you want to be able to defend yourself, that's all you need. The want to do it is more important than anything else. If you want it, I will help you attain it. And the Gotei Thirteen is the best place to get that started."

"And what are they?" J. asked when she mentioned her concerns. The first was her family, which did not surprise him. When she mentioned the second, he raised an eyebrow. "Your joining the Gotei Thirteen would have no effect on your ability to be my secretary. The only thing it would effect is the amount of time you'd put into it. Your training and missions would come first and your secretary duties after. I would not replace you either, if that is another worry as well." And then came the second problem she was having with the idea: her family. The Ishino were proving to be a pain in the ass; it was bothersome. "As for your Family, Maaya, they offered you to me, did they not?" he said with an eyebrow raised, "They no longer house you, shelter you, protect you, or support you in any way. They have no control over you while you are with me. They hold no power here. And as long as you wish to stay within the Saionji, they won't have any power over you or any decisions you make. Understand?"

It was good that she understood what he was saying. A lot of people within noble houses always felt obligated to do things they didn't want to do. J. was once in a similar mindset. After some time, he realized what he wanted was the most important thing. What he wanted ended up being good for the Saionji Family, so no one has complained. This was something that he would do his best to teach Maaya; she was allowed to want and what she wanted was important. He nodded in approval toward her and fell into his own thought process again. He wasn't good at this and he knew it. He had to figure out a way to keep her entertained. Sitting and talking was not exactly his strong suit and it bothered him. If there was one thing he did not want to do today, it was bore Maaya in any way.

The light breeze that blew through the area was quite comfortable. J. found himself closing his eyes and taking a deep breath to relax. He brought his hands up to his neck and rubbed along it as if there was a bit of tension there. Maaya seemed to catch on. He looked to her as she attempted to speak to him. Her mannerisms at the moment were confusing him, so he narrowed his eyes in suspicion. There was a small part of him that wanted to yell "Will you spit it out?" but he did not such thing. He knew it'd startle her and this was supposed to be a good day. When he finally got what she was trying to say, J. found himself staring at her in surprise, even blinking to show it. She... wanted to give him a massage? J. thought on it and actually decided it would be nice. A little stress relief was needed.

"I was unaware that was part of your skill set. It would be appreciated." he said in an lighter tone than normal. His eyes even softened at her. There was something about this offer that pleased him. He brought his hands up and removed the upper part of his clothing. There were two reasons for this. For one, he had to watch her reactions to being able to touch his bare body. For two, he had this want to feel her touching his body. He'd let her choose how she went about giving the massage, whether she wanted him to lay down or continue sitting up, and would actually follow her directions. During this process, he would also make sure to watch her, noting her reactions, where she looked, and how hard she concentrated. J. enjoyed testing this woman quite a lot. "Thank you for this. I do need it."

The offered massage was definitely welcomed. The first time she laid her hands on his bare skin, he felt a soft chill shiver up his spine. Her hands were soft and gentle. She was doing quite well. There were a few times that he felt the need to adjust himself. She'd either grip a little to tight or just hint a spot that tickled a bit. Yes, there were spots on J.'s body that, if she touched, he would notice he'd twitch a bit. He'd hope to god that she didn't notice, but he'd not fault her for doing otherwise. About five minutes into the massage, J. found himself almost leaning back into her hands. "A little higher..." he'd request calmly to get her to his higher back/neck area. He closed his eyes and just enjoyed her touch. He could feel his muscles loosening and tension fading away. His original intentions were to watch her reactions to his body (ego), but he couldn't even pay attention to her like he had wanted.

For someone who said it wasn't in their skill list, she was doing well. There were a few moments where J. had fallen from being alert. He let his head fall a little too far forward and his mind began to fade. Yes, he was falling sleep. He didn't even realized how much time had passed before he heard her voice again. His eyes slowly opened and he realized he was staring at the ground. "Did I really fall asleep?" he asked himself, feeling his body more relaxed and his mind just a bit more rested. He raised his head and looked back to Maaya, giving a slow nod. "Well done, very well done." He put more emphasis on the word 'very' just to show he meant it. He arched his back and moved around a bit to stretch. He even felt that a knot that had been in his neck was practically gone. "Are you positive this was not something you practiced prior to my request?" He asked her with a curious and surprised look.

For a moment after that, J. could be caught staring at his hand for a few seconds. "Hm." was the only noise he made after that and then he looked to her. Subject change. He looked to the food he had pulled out and then back to her again. "I made sure to have a few sweets packed, if you'd like. This..." he picked up a cooled glass bowl that had been sitting on ice, "... is yours. I noticed you prefer fruit." The bowl consisted of various melons mixed on one side. On the other were sliced oranges and strawberries. When J. picked up what he would be eating, it was practically matching hers, but instead of strawberries, he had grapes. He began eating some of the grapes first and then returned to his tea. He looked around at everything again, closing his eyes as a slightly heavier breeze blew through and even lifted his hair a bit. Everything out here was so comfortable; No Distractions.

"Maaya." he turned back to her after a few moments of silence, "I feel this question may bother you, but I must ask... Why do you stutter so often when speaking with me? I cannot tell whether you are nervous or you fear me. I would rather neither be an issue between us, but I do not hear you do it when speaking to others... Are you not confident when you speak with me? I will not harm you." And when J. asked this question, he did not look at her. He was, in fact, very worried about this answer.

He had noticed it before, but it didn't entirely register. The moment her body lifted from his, he almost missed the touch. This was a feeling he was not used to, nor was he sure how to comprehend it. Once she did though, J.'s shirt did not return to it's original position. He turned back toward Maaya and asked a question he really needed answered. She hesitated. She hesitated for a long time. With each passing second, J. felt like the worst answer was about to come out of her mouth. He kept himself calm, as usual. If it were bad, he would just have to do what he could to fix it. He'd have to better himself for her and increase her trust in him. At least, he thought he would have to until she finally answered.

That first bit made J.'s stomach curl. He continued staring at her with an expression that was almost too blank. There wasn't a person in this world or the next that would be able to tell you what J. was thinking at that moment, not even Kazuo. As she continued, that blank stare felt a lot less dead. He looked down to his hand as she touched it and then back to her. Not once did he break eye contact and his stare was intense. What she was saying was hitting him hard and fast. He blinked rapidly a couple times, watching her closely. "She cares for me." A new feeling raised within him. Those words meant something strong coming from her, and very different than others that have said them to him before.

"Wrong. Wrong. Wrong again." J. fought raising an eyebrow and looking at her like she was stupid. She was smarter than most he had met, more beautiful than any he had thrown at him, and more charismatic than she dare to think. With the right words, she'd probably be able to get J. to do anything she wanted. Luckily, she wasn't that type of woman. She wasn't a manipulator or user. She was just a beautiful person. And as he felt her grip tighten, he listened very well to that final statement. "Maaya..." he brought the hand she wasn't holding up to her chin and pulled her up to look at him, "For as long as you wish to stay with the Saionji, you can stay, even if that time is as long as forever."

~End Thread