Inception

Chapter 12: The Dancer

The next time Lena Ichikawa crossed his attention was one morning after he'd come back with his platoon after morning exercises to find a woman in the men's dormitory gym.

A woman dancing.

A man who faced the epitome of shocking as his job shouldn't have frozen in place like he had. But he'd open the door and the cold scolding had died on his tongue the moment he saw her.

It hadn't been any dance he'd recognize or some exercise fad. It had been all hips and breasts, curving in ways that should have been more at home in a strip club. And yet, it had been far more elegant and tame than should ever be allowed near a pole, and her lifted arms were used to frame her curves and caress the air rather than go anywhere near her tight, black tank and workout clothes. A silk scarf of golden coins jangled to her steps, seeming to still and move at her command till a beat was created out of their music. Her long, silver ponytail followed after her like a ribbon.

The actual music she danced to was far quieter than anything he'd ever heard during a workout session. He'd almost miss it if it weren't for the keening flutes hitting the higher notes. It had been something exotic. Perhaps Indian?

He didn't get to watch long. An artful spin on the ball of her foot had her turning and spotting him in the doorway. Her limbs dropped and she went rigid as a pole.

"Vice Captain," she said. "The women's dorm gym was under repair and Captain Ashiro said I could use this while the men were out. Now that you've returned I'll be on my way."

She scuttled to the wall where a lab coat and her phone, the source of the music, lay. He barely had time to get out of her way let alone say a word.

...When the hell had she had the time to learn to do that?

The vision of her twisting, breasts held high, hair swirled about her, followed after him like a bad cough.

Relationships in the Defense Force were discouraged for reasons Soshiro understood completely, having to be the one to help Captain Ashiro face devastated family members with the bodies of their loved ones. He himself waved aside the idea of marriage for that blue moon day of retirement, or if he got a position in the brass like General Shinomiya. Since his brother had laughed in the face of guidelines and already shuffled through a few girlfriends, he'd always figured he'd be the one to carry on the venerable Hoshina bloodline.

So despite the way Ichikawa tickled his curiosity, he ignored it.