I Need You to Love Me

Rachael woke up feeling warmer than usual, in a very content and protected state of mind. She shifted lightly and opened her eyes to see Ban’s arms wrapped protectively around her as she used his chest for a pillow. Glancing at the clock she saw that it read 11:30, and she had half an hour to get ready, and walk twenty miles to work. “Ban, Ban wake up!” she gasped.

His eyes shot open and he woke up ready to fight, while also holding her in a way that would ensure his ability to protect her. “I have half an hour to be at work, I need to get ready. I’m sorry I had to wake you up, but I didn’t have a choice.” She explained with a guilty blush. “Don’t apologize, it’s okay. Did you sleep all right?” he yawned, but neither of them got out of bed. “I slept okay once you were here.” She admitted, cuddling closer to him as they sat on the bed. “Well I did promise you I’d protect you, didn’t I?” he smirked, and shocked them both when he kissed her forehead. She decided to take the risk, and follow her gut as usual, hoping the outcome wouldn’t be as bad as when it told her to explore the Limitless Fortress; she leaned up and kissed his lips, letting hers linger on his for a second before pulling away.

He caught her before she could actually lean away, and pulled her right back in, adding more passion to the kiss before releasing her. “I… uhm… I-I… wow.” She blushed, looking down at the bedspread. “One hell of a way to say good morning.” He smirked. “Yeah.” She nodded, still blushing. “Hey, get ready for work, and I’ll drive you there. It’ll only take about ten minutes to get there that way.” He smiled and left her to her embarrassed thoughts as she dressed for the day.

She settled on basic blue flare jeans, and plain black T-shirt that fit loosely, but over the tight jeans made her look very thin. She pulled her hair into a top-notch, and put on a pair of bright pink tennis shoes with black laces. Hevn couldn’t see why she wanted those, but she retorted at the store with “And I can’t see why you like your tits hanging out.” And bought them anyway.

“You ready to go?” Ban asked as soon as she came jogging down the stairs. “Yeah.” She nodded. “Wait, at least eat something on the way.” Paul said handing her some buttered toast. “Thanks!” she smiled and ran out to the car.

“So when does your shift end?” Ban asked as he drove through Shinjuku.

“At eight tonight he said.”

“Okay, I’ll pick you up. You’re not walking all the way back to the Honky Tonk from there. One, it’s too far. Two, it’s too dangerous.”

“Thanks Ban.” She smiled, but was distracted by the knowledge of the awkward silence that would follow.

“Hey, uhm, Ban?” she asked finally.

“Yeah?”

“This morning, when we… kissed…”

“Which time?” he smirked.

“Well the first time… when you kissed me on the head. Why did you do it?”

“I don’t know, felt like it? You can’t say you were mad at me for it, you kissed me on the lips.”

“Yeah, about that,” she blushed, looking down at her feet.

“Don’t be sorry for that, Rachael. This was one of the best mornings I’ve had.”

“Well I was just wondering… I mean, if it… if we, uhm… W-what does it mean?”

“What do you want it to mean?”

“I don’t know. What do you want it to mean?”

“I like you, Rachael. A lot, I really wouldn’t mind kissing you like that more often, if that’s what you’re trying to ask.” He smirked.

Rachael felt butterflies in her stomach as soon as he said that, and blushed deeper. Was he saying he wanted to be her boyfriend? No, that’s impossible, no one wanted to be her boyfriend, she was the dorky girl at school who no one liked. “I’m the invisible, dorky, cellist/violinist, who is a supposedly suicidal orphan, and can’t take care of herself. No one sees me that way, they just don’t. They’re not supposed to love me!” She thought to herself.

“Rachael, we’re here.” He laughed, finally breaking her from her thoughts. “Oh, thanks.” She blushed, and went to leave the car but he caught her by the wrist and pulled her back and into a very gentle, but meaningful kiss. “Don’t think that because your old life was like that, that this one is the same. I do see you like that, and people are supposed to love you. If that kiss wasn’t convincing enough, I can try a better one.” He said as soon as he pulled away. She was speechless, and breathless. He kissed her again and pushed her out of the car. “You’re gonna be late for work, Rachael!” he laughed and sped off.

“Hey! Awesome, you stuck to the dress code, I love it!” Eito beamed as she walked into Lyfestile. “Hi.” She laughed nervously. “So first thing’s first here, introductions.” He announced, and pulled her by the arm around the store to a guy around her age with blue hair in a stereotypical EMO style, with a black lip ring, black skinny jeans, and a tight black T-shirt with a rainbow peace sign on it. “This is Jun. Jun, this is Rachael, Mick’s replacement.” He smiled. “Hey there, it’s nice to meet you Rachael. You’ll love it here… well that is if you’re open-minded.” Jun laughed lightly, shaking her hand in greeting. “It depends on what I need to be open-minded about.” She shrugged.

“He’s a fag!” a woman yelled from the Back Room. “Jinx, get out here and meet your new co-worker!” Eito ordered. “Yes Master!” she laughed, and hopped out to join their group. Jinx had shaggy blonde hair that was styled up in a faux-hawk, with black tips. She had her tongue pierced with a rainbow stud, and her left arm was sleeved in tattoos. She wore black and sea green, baggy striped pants, a tight black tank top, and combat boots. “Jinx is our Back Room operator.” Jun explained. “Hey, nothing wrong with knowing where the good stuff is stashed at.” She shrugged and shook Rachael’s hand. “Hi.” Rachael smiled, still nervous as she was on her first day at school.

“Eito, baby! Didn’t your break start five minutes ago? That only leaves us with ten!” an agitated woman whined as she leaned against Lyfestile’s counter. “Go get messy, I’ll show her around.” Jinx laughed. Eito nodded and ran out of the store with his girlfriend.

“Okay, so everything’s pretty much as it looks. Clothes are here, changing rooms are behind them, jewelry is on the wall, and ‘body’ jewelry is in the glass case beside the register. Gage charts are right there so you shouldn’t need too much help, but if you do, don’t be shy; we don’t fire people for not knowing how to size a nose ring.

“Music section, again pretty easy, just help them find things, and answer questions. And again, if you don’t know the answer, just ask one of us together we pretty much can cover everything that’s here. The only thing we don’t have, since Mick is gone, is someone who knows about the classical crap. Cellos, violins, sheet music, guitars with the funky white strings, that kind of shit.” She explained, walking Rachael around the store

“I play cello, and violin, and know a bit about classical guitars too. I can’t play them, but I know a little about them.” Rachael smiled.

“Great! Now to the easiest crap: passing the buck! If someone comes in for a piercing, tattoo, or haircut, come get me, or Jun. Eito is certified to do those things, but he’s not confident with it. I’m one of our two tattoo artists, and the piercing giver. If they come in for the pervy stuff, send them to the Back Room, whoever’s working there, will take care of them. Any questions?”

“What exactly do you want me to be doing?”

“Right now, the same thing we’re all doing. Stand around and wait for someone to have a question, or need Snatch.”

“Who’s Snatch?”

“Snatch is what we call the big rod with the hook on the end, that we use to get things off the top shelves and racks.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Oh, and since Jun’s a shy guy, and the back room only has the sex line, I need you to answer the phone if it rings. It’s the big plastic hamburger on the desk. I gotta go, come get me if you need anything.”

“Okay, thanks Jinx!”

“No problem!”

Rachael stayed behind the counter, watching customers come and go. Eito came back twenty minutes late from his break and got chewed out by Jinx for it, since he was supposed to work the Back Room so she could get something to eat on her break, but other than that, nothing eventful happened.

Suddenly the plastic burger began to ring beside her, making her jump and knock over a stack of flyers for some local band. “Hello, Lyfestile, this is Rachael speaking. How can I help you?” she answered, trying to sound as not startled as possible.

“Hi, do you have any piano sheet music for the Devil May Cry theme?” a woman asked.

“Uhm… I’m not sure, could you hold on a second? I’ll go ask.”

“Sure.”

“Okay great, just a second.” She smiled and set the phone down. “Hey, Jun!”

“What’s up?”

“Devil May Cry theme sheets, for piano?”

“Yeah, I think so let me look.” He nodded and came back with one small booklet. “Yep, this one here. It’s the last one!”

“Great thanks.” She smiled and picked the phone back up. “Okay we have one booklet left.”

“Great! Okay, can you hold it for me?”

“I’m so sorry, can you hold on another minute? Today is my first day, I’m sorry.”

“No problem, ask your questions.”

“Jun!”

“Yes we can hold it, but only until the end of the day!”

“I heard him. Thanks, I’ll be over to pick it up before you close. What are your hours?” the woman asked.

“We’re open until eight tonight.”

“Okay, thank you.” And she hung up.

“Newbie?” a redheaded woman, with the perfect body asked, leaning lazily against the counter. “Yeah.” Rachael nodded with a blush. “God, Eito will hire anyone these days. Shouldn’t you have…I don’t know…learned how to do your job before jumping in like this?” she scoffed, leaving Rachael standing nervously in silence. The redhead just rolled her eyes and walked into the Back Room.

“Don’t worry about Ayumi. She’s a bitch.” Jun sighed, noticing Rachael’s discomfort. Jinx walked up to the counter after finishing up a tattoo and frowned steeply. “What happened?” she demanded. “Ayumi finally showed up for work, and slammed Rachael hard just now.” Jun answered. “I’ll work the front.” She sighed. Jun nodded and put his arm around Rachael, and guided her into the hair salon part of the shop.

“Need a tissue? Carton of ice cream, chocolate, herbal tea, a hug?” he asked after closing the door. “No I’m fine.” She smiled. “Bull. Honey, I’m gay, I can see through that façade of yours.” He frowned and hugged her anyway. “Why are the gays always the nice guys?” she laughed, returning his embrace. “Not all of us are nice, a lot of the gays I know are bigger bitches than Ayumi.” He grinned and sat her down in one of the two salon chairs.

“Oh my good god! When was the last time you used conditioner?” he gasped as he played with her hair. “I don’t remember.” She muttered. “Girl! Fear not, you have the best hair savior in Shinjuku behind your chair, come on, let’s get you shampooed, and conditioned and then I’ll style you right. Maybe chop off these horrid split ends while I’m at it.” He smirked and pulled her over to the sink.

Ten minutes later she was done, and ready to get back to work. Her hair was hundreds of times better than it was before, and Jun was already one of her best friends. Right there with Ginji, and Emishi. Eito charted the “Hair emergency” as Jun declared it, as her break, and she agreed with him and went back to the counter, only to be attacked by Ginji, while Ban talked to Ayumi.

“We wanted to come say hi!” Ginji beamed, “And wow your hair is soft!”

Jun grinned proudly and went back to stocking the jewelry wall.

“Thanks.” She smiled.

“Let me feel.” Ban smirked as he hugged her. “You know each other?” Ayumi asked, still acting like a snob. “Yeah, this is my girlfriend.” He answered heatedly. “She is?” Ginji gasped, at the same time as Rachael asked, “I am?”

“Well, if you’d like to be…?” he asked, suddenly looking uncharacteristically insecure. “No… I wouldn’t like to be.” She frowned. Jun dropped the earrings he was holding and Ban froze. “Shit,” Jinx breathed and went back into the Back Room, patting Ban’s shoulder on her way past. “I’d love to be, Ban.” Rachael smiled, throwing her arms around him, “Sorry for that, I couldn’t help it.” She whispered against his ear.

“YES! THAT’S MORE LIKE IT!” Jinx roared from the Back Room, hearing her last public statement before the door closed. “Oh that was better than Lifetime, Oxygen, and Logo combined!” Jun swooned. “I know it’s your first day, and I should be nice to you, but after that this needs said: Rachael, you’re an ass.” Eito laughed. Ayumi rolled her eyes and huffed before walking away, and Ginji followed Jinx to look around in the Back Room, leaving Rachael defenseless against Ban’s claiming kiss; though it was obvious she didn’t need saving.

Suddenly Jinx’s laughter echoed through the shop, making the customers turn and look in curiosity as Ginji flew out the door as a blushing chibi, and standing beside Ban. “Yeah, we also call that the Naughty Closet.” Jun smirked as the innocent blonde tried to recover.

Hours passed after the boys left Rachael to finish work, and it was five minutes to closing when a young woman with long pink hair came rushing through the door. She was wearing blue jeans, a red shirt, and a black jacket over it, and her hair was soaked. “Hi, I called earlier about some sheet music?” she smiled as she walked up to Rachael, who was still working the counter. “Devil May Cry theme?” she smiled. “Yes, do you still have it?” she asked worriedly. “Of course, it’s right here! That’ll be… Eito the sticker’s missing, how do I tell how much the sheet music is?!” she yelled, since he was in the salon eating pudding from the mini fridge.

“I got it, watch carefully, because this is tricky.” Jun laughed as he walked up beside her. “Okay first you look at the music, and you type it into the search base on the computer here… what? Oh come on, it’s not here? Okay fine, fifteen yen.”

The pink haired girl nodded and paid him before taking the booklet from Rachael. “Thank you so much, I’ve been looking all over for this, but no one has it! The sheet music has all been either classical, or some lame pop songs.” She laughed, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, we kind of pride ourselves on having the cool stuff. This morning Rachael here found a cello book, with sheets for Iron Maiden!” Jun beamed. “That’s awesome. You guys have a good night; I’ve got people to meet up with. Thanks again!” she smiled. “No problem, bye!” they waved in unison before bursting out in laughter.

Lyfestile closed for the night, and Eito, Jun, and Rachael were the only ones left. The mall was closing as well, so they had to wait in the parking lot, in the rain. “Oh no honey, we’re not leaving you out here alone; bad things happen to pretty girls who stand alone in the rain, in dark empty parking lots.” Jun frowned when she told them to go ahead and go home. “He’s right, I’ve been hearing stories about the Mafia abducting women, and… well, the outcome isn’t nice.” Eito sighed. “I know,” she muttered, looking down at her feet and flinching when Eito touched her shoulder.

“Oh my god! No, you weren’t… I’m so sorry!” Jun gasped, hugging her tightly as soon as he realized what had upset her. “I didn’t know, if I knew I would have never brought it up!” Eito swore. “It’s okay, they didn’t do anything. They never got the chance to take it that far.” She explained. “What happened?” Jun asked curiously.

“There you are!” Ban yelled out the driver’s window of his car suddenly, pulling up in front of them. “He saved me.” She smiled as he got out of the car and hugged her. “You go boy!” Jun cheered as she got into the car. “See you tomorrow, Rachael!” Eito waved before getting into his black truck. “Bye!” she waved. “Bye-bye!” Jun sang as he got into his purple Volkswagen bug.

“So where’s Ginji?” Rachael asked as Ban drove her back to the Honky Tonk. “One of our friends stopped by, so he’s hanging out with her. You’d like her I think, Aya’s pretty cool.” He answered.

“Hey, Ban, were you serious about wanting me to be your girlfriend?” she asked suddenly. “Yeah, why?” he asked seriously. “I just wanted to make sure you weren’t just trying to get rid of Ayumi.” She shrugged. “Well, I did want to get rid of her, but showing off my beautiful, talented, great kisser, girlfriend didn’t just seem like a good way to get rid of her, Ginji didn’t know we kissed yet; as far as he knows, that was our first kiss.” He laughed. “So… we’re boyfriend and girlfriend?” she asked.

“Yeah… am I your first boyfriend?” he asked, coming to a sudden realization. “Yeah,” she blushed.

“So this morning was your first kiss?”

“No… t-those men at the house you took me from… they took my first kiss.”

“Rachael, look at me,” he sighed as he parked in front of the Honky Tonk, “What they did, and tried to do to you, doesn’t matter now. They won’t hurt you anymore. If you don’t think that kiss was real, then it doesn’t count for you. If you don’t think our kisses were real, then they don’t count either.”

“Ban, if that’s how you’re looking at it, you were my first… one, two, three, four… at Lyfestile five… six… you were my first six kisses.” She smiled.

Ban sat counting in his head for a minute before frowning; “You’re counting the time I kissed your head?”

“Nope.”

“Then we’ve only kissed five times.”

“Oh… well then,” she smirked before leaning over to him and kissing him playfully, “Now we’re at six.” She smirked and got out of the car.

As soon as the door opened, Ginji had her in a crushing hug, and was leading her to their usual booth. “Aya! Aya she’s here!” he announced excitedly, “Aya, this is Rachael, Ban’s girlfriend! Rachael, this is Aya!” he beamed.

Rachael and Aya both started laughing as soon as they saw each other. “What?” he asked in pure confusion as Ban snaked his arm around Rachael’s waist. “We’ve already met! She sold me the sheet music I was so proud of.” The pink haired young woman giggled, and before long both girls were engaged in rapid, girly conversation about music.