Reluctant Relaxation [Sakura Sabou] (closed)

[Aki Sora]

After their spar that ended in a draw, Akina and a reluctant Riku arrived at the tea house in Seireitei.

Greeting the hostess with a smile, the mocha-skinned shinigami took seat at her regular table as she visited this establishment frequently.

"Come sit, Riku-kun," Akina beckoned to the younger shinigami. "Would you prefer jasmine or chamomile tea?"

[Suigintou]

Riku paused in the doorway, surveying the small tea house and those that sat within. It was a pleasant enough place, and one he hadn't been to before, but that was no surprise. He usually had other things to do besides frequent such establishments.

Attention shifting to her as Akina spoke to him, Riku stepped inside, then took a seat across from the woman. He considered her question for a moment before replying, his eyes focused on a wall to his right rather than on his companion; he wasn't good at being casual around people. "...Jasmine."

A shadow on the wall drew his attention, and he turned back toward the doorway to see a jigoku chou flying past. Someone had a mission...it had been a while since he had been on one himself, and as a result, he was growing restless. Upon thinking about it, he wondered if Kyouraku-taichou had been deliberately choosing not to send him, though why he would do that, Riku wasn't sure. The thought brought a slight frown to his face, but he didn't intend to question his taichou, especially not after everything he had done for him.

Still...he wanted to be sent out soon. He didn't like sitting around.

[Aki Sora]

Akina placed the order for the tea and a few pastries with their waitress and the young girl giggled and went off to do her job.

She noticed that Riku was looking a bit... restless, so to speak and she sighed. The boy just couldn't keep still and relax, could he?

"Something on your mind, Riku-kun?" she asked her light brown eyes locked on him. "You should relax, it'll do you some good, ne?"

[Suigintou]

Brought away from his thoughts by her words, Riku pulled his eyes from the jigoku chou, turned them back to Akina. Had he been so transparent?

"It's nothing," he answered simply. Likely his own insecurity more than anything else. "I am relaxing. I came here, didn't I?"

At least, he was relaxing to the extent he was capable. If he was a little tense, it couldn't be helped - it had become so natural for him to remain guarded that he didn't notice it anymore.

"Why did you want me to come here?"

He wasn't exactly the most talkative person in Seireitei.

[Aki Sora]

"Well, we had a good spar, didn't we?" the young woman replied with a smile. "This is my way of thanking you for that. Besides, I wanted a little company... no matter how quiet and confined he was."

She referenced a male in her statement because the truth was, she had been looking for the young man. Akina had seen him on countless occasions and wanted to have a bit of talk time with him. She saw now that she'll barely be able to get that today.

I wanna stick around this one, she thought. There's just something about him that draws me to him. And I intend to find out what it is.

[Aly]

The fragrant scent of tea leaves wafted to Renjiro's nose as he approached the tea house. Red-speckled black wings fluttering, a jigoku cho hovered near his shoulder. He'd received a mission and was told to use his own discretion in the numbers he chose.

The tall man's brow was furrowed as he strode in. Though Kyouraku-taichou had seemed like his normal, laid-back self when he'd given his 6th seat the jigoku cho, Renjiro couldn't help but feel there was something . . . amiss. As if the pink-clothed man, usually so carefree and friendly, was troubled by something. Renjiro knew his Taichou was an immensely strong and clever man beneath his flowery exterior, so to have someone like him troubled . . . This was big news.

Seating himself down at a small, vacant table, the man ordered chamomile. When it arrived, he spent more time staring moodily at the stray translucent petals floating at the top and the dark leaves at the bottom than actually drinking the amber liquid.

Silently he berated himself; his priority should be to find suitable members, not decipher his Taichou's mind using tea leaves. Renjiro actually began to drink - and savour - the tea, and as he did so his attention was caught by the colour of mocha. He recognized her as the 8th seat of Rokubantai; he'd heard rumours from its members that she was quite the handful for Kuchiki-taichou. But by the time this thought had entered his mind, he was drawn to her drinking partner: a youth with choppy ebony hair. As soon as the older man noticed the glint of silver that peeked through his locks, he knew who it was.

Renjiro was at their table almost instantly, a hand resting on the wood as he offered his other hand, the jigoku cho lazily opening and closing its wings on his index finger, to Riku.

"Kouyama-san. I request that you take this mission with me."

[Suigintou]

Company...hmm? Certainly there were others who would be much better for that. Others from rokubantai, perhaps. Her decision to bring Riku here instead made it sound almost as though her intention was to get him to open up, to become less "quiet and confined", as she put it - a wasted effort, and one he didn't like, being comfortable with the way he was and not wanting to change.

He didn't reply, therefore, a decision that may have come across as rude if the waitress hadn't returned a moment after Akina spoke with their tea, smiling and inquiring as to whether they'd need anything else before bustling off to another table. He sipped the hot liquid, then lowered the cup, watching as the steam twisted and curled before dispersing into the air. The quiet between them hung like a curtain over the table, one Riku found comfortable, welcome.

Sudden movement pulled away the curtain, and alertness caught Riku with an abruptness that was almost startling. He glanced sharply up to the new arrival, instantly recognizing him as sixth seat of his own division, and just as quickly noting the jigoku chou that he presented.

Riku's demeanor changed instantly. He stood, tea forgotten, eyes narrowed slightly in concentration as he took in the jigoku chou's message. The boy gave a quick nod, not intending to take the mission any less seriously due to its unclear nature. "I will. Do you have any more details?"

He looked back to Akina, but it was clear that his attention was now far from companionship and tea. "I'm sorry, Tsukamoto-san, but this has to take priority. Minamoto-san," and his attention had returned to Renjiro, "will it be just us, or are you bringing anyone else?"

[Aly]

A slight flicker in Renjiro's hazel eyes were all he gave the 8th seat woman before turning to Riku.

"No one but us. Kyouraku-taichou instructed me to use my discretion in selection. I've seen you train, and I know most of your public habits; I'm certain you are more than capable. Besides, if it is at all what I think it will amount to, the two of us should be more than enough."

The vagueness of the mission had troubled him, but from the sound of it, it was only a simple recon, for the Taichou's peace of mind. Straightening, he gestured for Riku to follow him and tossed his payment on the table next to his empty cup before leaving.

[Aki Sora]

Akina pouted slightly as her companion was scooped up for a mission. A sigh escaped her as she finished her sweets and tea.

Paying her bill, she left the tea house, but her mischievous nature got the best of her.

What was so damned important that they left like that? she thought. Hmm...