New to STRIKE

Ch11

You move to head back to your room, but halfway there you hear a light knocking at your door. You quickly pull your hair back in a bun and hope you don't look like a complete psycho. You also hope that, whoever it is, they didn't hear you.

You run your hand over your face and take a deep breath to calm yourself before opening the door.

"Rumlow?.." You're shocked, and confused.

He runs his fingers back through his hair. "I um...Well I'm only a little ways down the hall, and I..." He shifts his weight uncomfortably and sighs. You tense as you notice the whiskey bottle in his hand and start to understand. "I figured you could use some."

You look down, slightly embarrassed. He hands you the bottle and moves to walk off.

"Wait!" You call after him, he turns to face you, a questioning look on his face. "Do you mind having a drink with me? Drinking alone is a little...depressing. Especially when it's your whiskey in the first place."

He gives a short nod and you move aside to let him into your apartment.

You both sit on the couch, and he pours a glass for each of you.

"Thanks." You mutter. He swirls his drink and takes a sip before nodding. "I mean it. You didn't have to come check on me, much less stay and make sure I'm ok. So...Thank you."

He glances at you for a moment, locking eyes with yours, then he looks down at his drink and takes a larger swig.

You finally notice that he isn't wearing a shirt, and can't help but admire the view. You bite your lip before turning your attention away to take a drink.

Trying to distract yourself, you blurt out one of the first things to cross your mind. "How old are you?" He tenses and glances at you, clearly not knowing where the question came from. How old are you? What is this 20 questions? He probably thinks I'm an idiot. You debate on retracting the question, but to be honest...you're a little curious.

He looks down to his drink again. "I'm 41 actually." It's silent between the two of you for a moment before he asks, "What about you?"

"Well that's not a very nice question." You frown, he turns to you to protest, but he sees you starting to smile and he shakes his head, smiling into his drink as he takes another sip. "I'm 24."

He almost chokes on his drink before turning to you. "24?!"

You stare at each other for a moment. "I thought it would state that in my file..." You're not sure why he's reacting this way, but it's slightly entertaining.

"Pierce only gave me your combat stats and history over your training, that's all I needed to know." He takes a last sip before refilling his glass.

"So that makes us...17 years apart?" You bite back a smile as he tenses and downs his drink, filling it a third time. You laugh and smile as you take another sip of yours, still on your first glass. "It's alright Rumlow. You know... for an old man you're still pretty handsome."

He bites his lip shaking his head, then smiles. "Really? Not too old and beat up?"

You laugh and take another sip, then swirl your drink and enjoy making him wait for your answer. Shrugging you finally reply, "What can I say? I've always had a thing for older men."

He chuckles and shakes his head. "You're not too bad yourself." He glances over at you, smiling as he adds. "For a kid, of course."

"Oh, of course." You exaggerate a wink jokingly, and you both start laughing.