Barrier gate. Hidden in the ice clouds. The station and the bar is famous for it's welcoming atmosphere. The bar is usually crowded, but today, it was nearly empty. You could see a man sitting on the barstool, talking to the bartender. He talked quite loud, so that everyone could hear his story.
" ...And the next thing I remember, is waking up on a sofa, and that creepy lady is starrin' at me..." The repairman explains to the bartender, who nods slowly and gets him another drink. " You should be happy. Most of the pirates would've killed you. Instead she spared your life. And she even pays for your drinks, and for a room, where you could stay... "
Kurumi was waiting for him. She walks up and down in the room impatiently. " The only thing I want is to have fun, but he doesn't seem to realize this... The only thing he wants is to fine me in the name of great justice... how could I catch his attention...." she speaks aloud, as she turns on the loudspeakers, which play some smooth jazz.
A Liberty vessel approaches the station, appearing out of the misty clouds, bumping to the small rocks as it tries to speed past them. It's being followed by a couple of sabres along with some smoke and fire that come out of its left wing.
"Oeey! Leave me alone, already! I'll fine you later if you want to... I am late, goddamit!" the pilot shouts over the radio, the sabres ignore him, and continue to spit orange flame towards his tail.
"Open up! Barrier!" the pilot makes circles around the hangar bays, trying to dodge the sabres' meanwhile.
"Do not approach the station while you're in an engagement, Liberty Navy, we don't want any trouble here," the tower personnel reply. But the Navy Guardian speeds towards a hangar door, which is sliding open for another ship already.
"I'll take that..." the navy pilot grins as he speeds past a poor freelancer waiting for his turn to dock, into the half open hangar bay. He can barely slow down his ship as he's about to crash into the docks, but he manages to catch the landing pad accurately enough, through what seems like sheer luck only.
As he opens the cockpit and jumps out of his ship, smoke flush out with him. The dock personnel rush to his side, and immediately start to tend to the flaming ship.
The pilot coughs and dissipates the smoke from his face with a motion of his hand. He's wearing his Liberty Navy uniform still, with dancing shoes, a red rose in his pocket on his chest. He walks nonchalantly away from his burning ship towards the station security who rush to greet him.
"Don't worry, I'll pay the fine, whatever it is... Meanwhile... tell me which way is the bar, my good man," he pats on the shoulder of the security officer and smiles to him. The guy looks back, narrowing his eyes, trying to make sense of this man.
They pull him from his shoulders and take him into custody for questioning.
----
Later than two hours to the agreed time, the naval pilot appears finally in the bar. The rose in his pocket had already started to wither, looking a darker red.
He takes the rose out from his pocket, and shakes it to the bartender, right on his nose.
The bartender looked at him questioningly. "It's not that kind of pub" He replies, then turns to an other costumer, then moments later nods in his direction. "...or... you must be looking for her...the lady with the different coloured eyes"*the bartened grins.*" Apartment 24. The second corridor, to the left. If I were you I'd hurry. She was rather upset, when I have last seen her." the bartender pats his back, giving him a light push.
It would not take too long to get to her apartment. It's one of the many apartments on the station. After the third knocking on the door, it opens by itself.
Kurumi sits on an armchair, and as he appears, she stands up, and walks towards him.
"You are late. 2 hours 15 minutes and 23 seconds late, to be precise. You'd better come up with a good explanation... or should I just torture you a bit?"*she smiles sadistically, and takes the rose from his pocket, and puts it in her hair*
The pilot pouts as the bartender tells him that the person he's supposed to meet is upset. He sighs but he can't even think of how unlucky it all was before he immediately rushes towards the direction of the apartments.
Knocks on a few wrong doors, gets chased out by a questionable guy with a shotgun, who's surprised yet happy to see a naval officer so far from his powerhouse.
Panting breathless, he knocks on the right door at last. The door opens itself, and he finds the person he was looking for all this time, sitting on an armchair and waiting for him.
He gulps as she walks closer, and watches her in silence until she picks up the rose and smiles at him dangerously.
"U-uh..." he stutters, thinking about that honesty he demanded from her earlier, and how he couldn't keep his own end of the bargain already. "I am sorry... It was... just a very unlucky, and adventurous journey..."
He scans her briefly before he looks around, "But it is no excuse... I should have thought better, and prepared better," his uniform still smells of the smoke in his ship caused by the fight, as it could be sensed by Saeki when she walked close.
"There'll be a discount on the fine, alright?" he grins fakely and apologetically, trying to make up for the late appearance in his own silly way.
"You are the worst. But at least you have managed to get the two things I have asked from you" she steps close to him, and gives him a kiss on his cheek. " 2 hours late, you smell like a campfire... At this rate, I should be fining you" she whispers.
She admires the face of her victim for a few more minutes, before continuing her plan.
" Then, let's dance shall we?" She grabs his hands and leads him to an empty room. The room itself is painted black, the tiles are as crimson as blood diamonds. There are loudspeakers on the wall, playing some classical music. " You lead. Waltz. It's easy. Hold me tight.*she smiles when his eyes wander downwards.*My eyes are up here!" She stops for a moment, so he might compliment her looks "Step on my feet, loose a finger. Quite simple isn't it?"
He looks back a little bit confusedly with the kiss on his cheek, and staying there silently.
Surprised more with her quick initiation, he allows himself to be dragged around without any resistance. They appear in the empty, and somehow weird looking room, slow music in the background. His hands are put in place around Saeki by Saeki herself. There's some height difference between them, as Rowe is kind of long.
His attention is taken by her with her command to look her in the eyes. He looks back as he was ordered, with a slight quirk of his eyebrow, showing gentle expressions of confusion and excitement on his face. He sees his own reflection on her brighter eye easily.
'Why are her eyes different colored?', he wonders to himself. He again wonders why hasn't he realized that before...
"Like this?" he asks, as they take a step in Rowe's lead. He manages to do it somehow, keeping his eyes on hers, holding her tight. But he feels extremely nervous, and at the next step he barely misses her feet, moving to a wrong direction and stumbling upon her body.
He recovers and pulls her to his body before she'd fall. "Uh... I am sorry..." he says as their dance is already interrupted.
Kurumi seems to enjoy the situation. Making him confused, with every word she says, with every step she takes.
"Like that exactly." She replies, as Rowe takes the first step forward. She gazes into his blue eyes, smiling.
A moment later he steps in a wrong direction. Saeki would fall over, but he manages to pull her close. *she smiles maniacally*"Nervous?" She leans closer to him, whispering: " Don't worry. I have promised not to hurt you. Or... is there anything else, that bothers you?" She smiles, then takes the lead, showing him what to do.
They would dance for a few more minutes, with Saeki's lead. "It's your turn, don't worry...just enjoy" *she smiles*
He doesn't answer her questions, just looks back into her eyes, focuses on the task at hand to try to do his best with his limited ability.
His face gets calmer and calmer as the dance goes on, stepping with Saeki's lead for a while, until it's his turn again.
"M-my turn?" he raises his eyebrows slightly as he asks with a stutter. He looks down for a second, on his feet, to make sure he places them properly. He takes a deep breath, waits for the rhythm of the music to pick up then whispers to himself, "Alright... here we go..."
He starts to lead the steps, as best as he can, with what he learned from Saeki's movements earlier. He mentally focuses on the steps as he actually does them, counting; left, right, right, left. His face is really concentrated as he does that, making it apparent to Saeki. He's a bit off the rhythm of the music, late with the steps at times, but he manages to dance without hurting her at least.
Just as he was feeling comfortable again, when his lips were slowly curling into a smile, he takes a wrong step, and steps on her thumb lightly. The dance is interrupted again, he looks at her apologetically for a second.
Having enough of all this care and complexity, he shrugs his shoulders. He pulls her up from her waist, raises her up and makes her feet leave the floor. In that way, the dance starts again, and Rowe just steps as he wishes with the rhythm of the music, attaching her upper body on his own with a wink, making her legs swing around him as he turns around himself.
His lips start to curl again as he eases up and leaves himself to the music and into Saeki's eyes.
Saeki enjoys his attempts above all else. His struggling face almost makes her laugh. Though his moves are a bit chunky, he still manages to at least dance without any sudden interruptions.
Though after a few minutes, his moves began to worsen, and steps on her feet. She didn't said anything, not wanting to interrupt him. Then suddenly he pulls her up. In her surprise, she does nothing at all, just lets him dance as he wishes.
She puts her hands around him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder. " You have proven to be much more useful than expected" she laughs softly, enjoying the peaceful moment.
She would wait as long as he gets tired, and puts her down. She stands on the tip of her toe and gives him a kiss on his cheek, slightly blushing. "Don't get used to it though." she winks after kissing him.
" I'll let you ask any questions you might have... and you may fine me if you really want to."*she sighed*
The music slows down and so does his movements, but his heartbeat keeps up the pace as it could felt with the connection of their bodies. The music finally stops, her legs stop to swing around to be left on the floor softly after a brief pause.
He looks back silently and calmly to her as she kisses him on his cheek. When she allows him to ask questions, he gives her a nod that's barely recognizable. He holds her hand to gently drag her back into the room with chairs and a couch. He sits on the couch and bids her to do the same with a gentle pull.
When he looks into her eyes, there's a little bit of a sadness in them, barely hiding in his calm appearance. He looks down and asks, "Is the repairman fine, Saeki-san?". Then he looks up on her face again, raises his eyebrows gently and asks another, "Are you fine?"
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