Dog Days Are Over[Hana, Koga]

"Let's see..."

Koga stroked his chin in contemplative silence, pondering any information she might find interesting. Truth be told, he genuinely didn't know what else would be pertinent or entertaining to a girl like her, but he never was one to hide behind a mountain of falsehoods and lies. No, he preferred being honest and direct about his origins. If she found that distasteful? Well, it wasn't meant to be. After all, he prided himself on being the genuine article with stuff like this. He wasn't going to stray from that to impress anyone no matter who they were.

"If it wasn't obvious before, I was born in the Zaraki district. My mother was the former leader of a ragtag group of bandits known as the Stray Dogs. As you can imagine, we engaged in what any group like that gets into. Eventually, I grew tired of that life though, and decided on enlisting in the academy and making a name for myself - to turn a new leaf and explore what else this place has to offer outside of crime and violence. Honestly... that's where I discovered how much I enjoy learning something new and applying it to combat... and even my everyday life. The mind can be a powerful thing if you pay attention and pick up the right tools, and I'm pretty damn grateful my time in Shino taught me that.'

Hana was clearly listening and taking mental notes of what he was saying, but something was bothering her. He never asked about her at all. The date felt very one-sided in the getting to know each other category, and she was beginning to feel more uncomfortable. She started glancing around, bouncing her leg, and wishing for something to change or for this to be over. It was disappointing.

“Well, that’s good,” Hana said and looked over to the waiter. Thank the heavens! Their food was finally set at their table. Hana’s smile brightened again as she started trying what she ordered. She took it slow, wanting to really enjoy the flavor, and also trying to think of something else to ask since he didn’t seem to interested in her. “Um, so… these Stray Dogs. Were they a gang of criminals?”

The question was blunt and maybe a little too obvious, but she wasn't sure what else to grasp at. Maybe accusing him of being a bad guy would spark something.

"Sure were."

He answered without missing a beat, stating it as plainly as though it were a natural fact of life. He didn't find any shame in his background. Koga never thought he was given a bad hand during those days. In fact, had he found some merit in it beyond being an infamous bandit, perhaps he would've continued that way of life forever. Compared to that, the life he lived now was leagues above his past. Grabbing a pair of chopsticks, Koga leaned an arm against the desk as he indulged in some of the appetizers he ordered. Koga couldn't quite describe his mood currently about this date. On one hand, she was pleasant to talk to. On the other, she had only ever asked him questions, which felt comparatively one-sided. She was a complete unknown. That sort of mystery may have been appealing to other noblemen, but he wasn't built like those guys. Raising an eyebrow in response, he bluntly shared his thoughts on how things had been proceeding so far.

"This is starting to feel more like an interview than a date, though. I don't mind the questions, but there isn't much else I can tell ya about me apart from what I just said. I'd like to know more about you, too, ya know."

Hana perked up, her smile more of a line than anything else. She sighed and nodded in agreement. “You are correct; my apologies,” Hana said and leaned back in her chair. She fiddled with her hair a bit, the silence between them continuing for a bit longer. She was hoping for a lead, a new question she was willing to answer.

“I am not very good at this, it seems…” Hana admitted sheepishly, her head lowered and cheeks flushed with red. “I just keep asking questions to fill the silence.”

Hana couldn’t keep eye contact with Koga for a bit, but when she finally looked up at him, she had a hard time looking happy. “What exactly would you like to know?”

"Now, now. Don't go beatin' yourself up. I'm not callin' you a terrible date or anything. I'm not exactly the spittin' image of a pro at this thing, either..."

He offered reassuring words, accompanied by a sheepish chuckle. Koga dared not let this woman look down on herself for what was, quite frankly, a negligible error at best. If anything, he simply desired to learn more about her and avoid boring her to death with his largely uneventful tales of life back in the slums. Stroking his chin softly, leaning against the chair for a moment, he supposed exchanging similar questions to her own would be his best option.

"What can you tell me about yourself? What do you enjoy as a hobby? Do you enjoy your division? Anything yer willin' to share, I'm open ears."

‘A-A terrible date?’ Hana’s mind went wild! Was she that horrible? It was like her mind registered nothing else he said. Her face instantly turned red and she looked down at the table. He was trying to make light of it all, but maybe she was really boring. He was able to comfort her with his last sentence though, and she looked up with a weak smile, trying to seem happy and like she was having fun.

“Oh, well, I… Um…” Hana’s mood perked right back up when he asked her about herself. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered more, and she tried really hard to quickly think of something interesting. “Well, I mostly read, like we discussed before, and I recently began pushing myself in my training a lot more, trying to obtain my shikai. I, um… My Division comes with some great perks. For example, even during the lockdown, I have the capability of traveling to Earth to patrol.”

“I see a lot of beautiful things because of it, and meet many interesting individuals. My life was saved by a Quincy once, and I made friends with this young girl who seemed even more sheltered than I am. I also went gambling with a friend, though that was not about my Division, that was a day off in the Rukongai.” Hana seemed to focus more about the things she did. Her experiences spoke volumes in comparison to her background. She wasn’t ready to talk about her past…

"Is that so? From what I'm hearing, it seems like you enjoy experiencing a bunch of what life has to offer. I can't recall a time I've been able to spend time on earth, at least not for any extended period or a trip or anythin'."

Koga noted the nervous aura Hana seemed to exude, unsure if he said something wrong or if she was simply as inexperienced as he was. As a noble, he genuinely assumed this was customary for a woman like her. With her pretty looks and graceful way of speech, he imagined there was no small shortage of suitors trying to marry her. To know she experienced so much outside of that life was refreshing. Experiences were just as essential to a warrior's journey as a battle.

His days in the eleventh taught him that much. Sure, there wasn't a day that didn't go by where he wasn't fighting tooth and nail with his men, but those quiet moments of engaging in antics still maintained a significant fixture in his life. Precious and sacred memories that always brought a smile to his face. Reminiscent of the past, Koga decided to pose another question, wholly curious about her life in the seventh division.

"Do you enjoy being in the seventh? Are there any fond memories you have of spendin' time with your peers?"

Hana’s nervousness lessened the more he made her feel like part of the conversation. She may not have wanted to talk about the stuff in his first question, but this was all much better. Her smile grew and her blush came to an end.

“No, not really,” Hana answered bluntly, and with a smile, which did not match the question. It was like not enjoying her Division did not bother her. “One young woman tried helping me with my combat ability when I first joined, but I never interacted with her again. My Captain is unremarkable, and I have yet to meet my Lieutenant. My friend, Josh, is the gentleman that took me gambling.”

“If you have not seen Earth much, when things settle down, I can take you on a trip there. I was able to do that before, with my best friend Hiroe, and she seemed to enjoy it. Once the lockdown is lifted, would you like to go?” Hana's question was more innocent in her mind than it likely would be in anyone else's. She was offering a gift, though another may feel like they were being asked on a date.

"Oh?"

Koga blink softly at her question. He was too oblivious to read whether it was a date request, truth be told. If anything, the idea of sharing the experience with her felt like a genuinely nice thought. He didn't know when the lockdown would be over, but he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity spend time with her and get to know her more. In truth, even if he failed at earning her affections and becoming a boyfriend, a friendship sounded just as welcomed in his books. Flashing a wide grin, Koga nodded his head affirmatively. In return, he offered something he hoped would serve as an equal interest.

"I'd like that. Who could turn that down? In return, if ya want, I don't mind opening time in my schedule to help ya train. A good spar or two to help whenever you're captain or vice-captain aren't trying to give ya the time of day. I know division work can get busy. Not a lotta time for captains and their second-in-commands to be paying attention to everybody. Would rather ya not get lost in the shuffle, ya know?"

Hana’s smile brightened even more, her hands instinctively coming to lay over her heart, a dramatic, but genuine gesture from her. “You would really do that?” she asked, elated. “I would greatly appreciate that. I have so many aspects of combat that I must improve on, and I am determined to become a well-rounded Shinigami.”

Hana had finished her meal and had no interest in desert. Anytime she ate sweets, she ended up without much energy, so she had been avoiding them lately. She waited patiently as the waiter came and cleared the table. Once it was cleaned up, Hana placed her elbows on the table and leaned forward toward Koga.

"Hearing your offer, you know what I realized? I have talked to so many Shinigami, and yet, only one of them within my own Division has actually proven to be happy to help me. The rest were chance encounters or were offput by my existence. Thank you, Koga, for being so kind to me. There are many who are not."