Keep Shinnin' [ Tento | Hiroe ]

The war with Asher was over. The Gotei United and its allies on the battle field were triumphant. But loss were still had, and the impact upon Africa and its people would be a long one in Tento’s expectation. As people rebuilt some went back to their normal lives, continue day to day as if it had never happened. For others it was another mark within their frame that carved out a newer person. Haunted or refined by the experience. But despite that and its intensity, there were still many things to celebrate. The protection of souls of the living, the cleansing of hollows to allow them to move in purification in the soul cycle continuing balance within the realms. And foer Tento’s case, after finally coming home from deployment on the frontlines and volunteering to help clean up as well as help the locals a bit. There was something to hold with joy.

He had heard that a little someone had finally graduated from Shino!!!

“Ahem”, sound the 5th seat as he cleared his throat as he stood in front of the 8th division barracks door. By all accounts he was beggin to worry if he was spending too much time over here. As much as he hoped to visit each division and get some familiary with them, he had only gotten a handful. And the often string of people he did know to seek out seemed to keep going back to specific division; this one one of them.

But it was what it was. And in the aftermath of such a dreary dry time, he had to take the chance to bug his precious junior. It was his job of course and he would not take no for an answer being at least one person in the Soul Society that would want to help make people forget about those past months and stay positive. Even if he was a bit of a goofball in his approach to it. Excuses excuses though, he just wanted to welcome her to the division and Gotei, even if he was not a fellow member of her new home.

Perrrrhaaps, using a bit of information from some female ‘friends’ he had in the division. He heard a little bit about how Hiroe was doing. Mostly getting adjusted and being her normal bubbly self. From what he could gather, she should be available today, and so he sent out a letter about a week ago hoping to schedule a meet up.

“Dear Ms. Miyashiro,

Hello! I heard the news, congrats! Sad to have missed it with all of the chaos that was going on. I’m a bit glad it is all over though in the end. I hope your new division has been a good experience so far, and I would like to meet up and catch up if you have the time next week. Let me know and if so I will swing by to bug ya”.

Sincerely,

5th seat of 4th Combat Divison, Tento Zefa

Aaaaaand here he was. Poking his head through the door once again after knocking like what felt like only yesterday the last time he visited. Maybe he could kill some time before she came….

Tento's wait would be short-lived as HIroe hurriedly made her way through the Eighth Division barracks. It felt somewhat surreal to spend extended time here. It felt as though it were yesterday that she was on the outside looking in, observing, and watching other soul reapers achieve what she'd wanted for years. And now, she had finally achieved that dream. She was a proud unseated member of the 8th, and in her opinion, making fine impressions on her fellow peers. Stepping through the door with a playful pout, Hiroe waved playfully in Tento's direction as she greeted him with a wink. She wondered if she could use her womanly charms to bribe a meal out of him...

"Long time no see, old man! I was wondering when you'd congratulate me on the biggest day of my life! Hpmh!"

Soon after he had called out, he could hear the soft poundings of footsteps dashing forward in a hurry. He heard no emergency drums being tip a tapped or flaring sirens. So, the chances of a serious situation going on right now were pretty much out of the picture. It took a second or two for him to figure out the direction, his coily hair shook from side to side as he turned his head before finalizing it. A hand going to his ear as he could definitely feel the rhythm of a pep in a step. He heard them coming. 3…2…...1, and…

Yep, there she was. Trademark pout to greet him. At first, he let his lips curl into a soft light mischievous smirk. As if there was a secret shared between his eyes and mouth, a fleeting moment of amusement at her playful entry. That was Hiroe alright. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly higher, forming a half smile, eyes twinkling with a hidden delight at seeing his precious junior. If she was up for doing this then he was more than happy to accept the challenge. Confidence showing in a raised eyebrow.

He waved back keeping up that smirk on his face, “oh, old man? No way! Iiiiii”, he said waving a hand and placing it on his chest. Taking a slight bow forward in exaggerated knighthood chivalry. “Am ancient. Much more cool and laid back little miss lady”. His head went down to draw out the act, a slight chuckle came after he held his position for a few seconds before rocking back up letting his laugh loose. “Ah I did not know you would miss little o me so much junior. An elegant princess like you getting a first step into her dream. Why, I thought you lose track of time and hardly notice”, he said in a slight tease. “I suppppose I can try and make it up to you today if you have time”.

"Bah. Ancient? Old? Same thing, gramps! Anyway, I'm on my break now, so you can spend your hard-earned dollars making it up to me... right now!"

With zero hesitation in her energetic stride, she winded an arm around Tento's, expediently dashing away from the barracks in search of a fitting location to enjoy a meal. Apart from her bribery, she genuinely did miss him. A familiar face was always pleasant to rely on in a sea of unfamiliar faces. That didn't mean she felt out of place with her new division, of course, but it certainly took some time to adapt to her new surroundings.

No longer was she confined within classrooms, training in dojos, or even gossiping about the hottest men with her fellow peers - on the contrary, her schedule consisted of communicating with other division members, attending weekly training regimens, and delivering pertinent information to her superiors.

In other words, it was a total divorce from the admittedly fun antics she used to get up to months ago. But that didn't bother her one bit! Nope! This was the dream she had yearned to achieve for years! Complaining about it after everything she'd been through would've gone against all she'd built. Like hell she'd let that happen.

"Sometimes I wish they'd treat me like an elegant princess, too, ya know? But I can't complain. It's just nice to see a familiar friend. It's been an arduous little process tryna' to learn about my division mates. Anyway, how have you been in that combat division of yours? You still flirtin' with women or are you being a good boy and following proper division protocol? Well... as proper as division protocol could be in the combat division, I guess..."

“Tch tch tch”, Tento said in a moment of false disappointment hanging his head low as he closed his eyes. “Young lady, you got a lot to learrrrn then”. He said continuing in tease before relaxing back into a casual seriousness. Or at least tried to as he let a brow raise ever so lightly with another bemused smirk. “Bet, you are on then, Hiroe”.

And with that Tento practically let himself be whisked away life a leaf in the wind. Let his feet slide into a quick shuffle as he was pulled by the energetic beauty out of the barracks gate. In the middle of this a soft rumble of his stomach sounded. “...was gonna do this anyway”, Tento said in a flat remark to Hiroe’s previous words. Bribery? Noooooo, mutual benefit. Yes. Be as it may he let himself be dragged for a few steps before following in stride with Hiroe, happy to see that so far, Hiroe was still Hiroe one hundred percent. If his memory of joining the 4th division as a seated member was similar to how Hiroe had been, she had been busy with a lot to do from the ground running. Training against fellow division members, running to deliver paperwork or verbal orders up and down the chain of command. Daily training and cleaning duty. A lot of weight on her shoulders as a newbie, but at the same time probably a wonderful level of freedom as well as purpose.

“Eh…”, he said in a low seriousness. “I did not know you wanted to be held so high up. I don't think any soldier in your division is gonna do that to you. If they did I would be concerned”, he said honestly, having a bit of concern about the idea of her being pampered and treated like an elegant princess. Hiroe needed to hold responsibility of her role as a member of the Gotei United. He would have to watch over her so she does not slip!! He would choose not to state that truth though, at least this time as he felt things were not worrisome as of right now. “After all, I would hate a lot of competition to treat my junior and have her off days elated. But even if someone did beat me at it, I’m just happy to see you again after so long”.

“I can get it. Everyone has that desire a little bit. I am glad to see you are giving your all. I won’t have to shake you out of any nonsense then”. He then turned his ear towards her as she asked her own questions to him. “The division has been...alright, I guess. Work is work, training hard and reaching new levels; pushing pass limits etc etc. I recently got promoted from 10th seat to 5th seat”. Tento then went quiet for a few seconds as his head seemed to tilt low ever so lightly. “Burying comrades, searching for remains, taking things to families as final requests or hoping to allow them to bury something”. He would quickly shake it off, acting as if his voice was fine and normal in the heavy fog that had momentarily clung to it. “Ahem…”. He said bringing a hand up to his lips in a fake light cough. Geez, this woman. “I, have always followed proper division protocol. I do not know what you mean by that”, he sounded giving a side eye to her”.

"Oh, relax! I didn't mean that at all! I'm not expecting anything to be handed to me on a silver platter, nor do I want things to go that way, either. Most of my success came from me fightin' adversity, anyway. Can't go growing complacent now, can I? Nope. Not. At. All."

Hiroe emphasized her declaration with a flex of the arm as they continued to head toward a place where they could enjoy a hot meal. Judging by that little grumble she caught wind of just now, maybe there was a mutual benefit here, after all. Where was a good place to find a good bite to eat in the Seireitei, anyway? Hiroe had reared herself on the Rukongai so much that navigating the Seireitei still felt like a new and foreign world to her. Up in the distance, her inquisitive golden eyes glimpsed an ideal location, her nostrils noting the mouth-watering aroma of seasoned meats in the distance. Perfect. Hiroe carried him along in that direction as she continued to listen to him.

There was a myriad of emotions to feel from what he shared. She was happy that he had been promoted and everything had, according to his account, gone well in his division, but then there was the part that came with any soldier's job in the military. The fate passed on to those who survived in the aftermath of war. Paying respects to fallen brethren. Hiroe prayed she didn't have to experience that any time soon, and though she couldn't quite offer any fitting words to console him, she simply hugged him close and nodded her head. Thankfully, Tento quickly shifted the subject, allowing her to avoid broaching a sensitive subject she had no business addressing. With a wide grin playing out across her features, Hiroe waggled her finger as though she had caught him in an act.

"Flirting with the female division members as always, huh? What do you see in those battle-axe women anyway?"

“Hehehehehe. Sorry sorry. I went into nagging teacher Tento odd didn't I? Apologies”, Tento said with a wink bringing a hand up to his face, fingers straight up in an apologetic fashion. A tongue stuck out slightly in a bit of a childlike manner before going back to normal. “I'm happy to hear it. I think you will be amazing in your growth before you even know it”.

“Oooo, you got some muscle. Maybe protein is what you need. There is a decent bbq place nearby. That or a good old-fashioned sandwich place could hit the spot too”, he mused out in conversation about food options. For once, he did not have a specific craving for a food item. The only thing he could nail down was that something tangy would hit the spot. And boy of boy when he smelt that smokey chicken and sweet sauce ally had to stop himself from bursting forward and dragging Hiroe with him like she was a kite rather than a person.

After that mixed storm of emotions, he was thankful for this boon of a distraction. As soon as he mouthed those words he wished that he did not. It was far too much to dump onto her head all of a sudden. She was still fresh from Shino relatively, and such a depressive mood was something he wanted to heal from today, not stew in. He let out a sigh, a release of those inner demons as well as comfort. How long had it been since he was hugged? Not in bliss of the flesh but from a closeness with a friend. Family.

Hiroe wasn't family nor a friend to that level. But that gesture was appreciated more than she could ever know. That wide grin and playful wag gaining a chuckle from his large frame. “It is not like I am a divisionist”, he said calmly. “I love all division ladies that wish for my comfort and catch my fancy. Buuuut, if I had to give a quick run down”, he playfully lifted fingers up in a count as he spoke. “Really good to spar with, we love to workout more than most people so them thighs are elite, amazing core you can drool over, and passion you have to respect as well as admire. I could go on but that would get annoying eh?”.

"Ya sure did, silly. You know I'm all about challenges. Do you really think I'd enjoy everything being handed to me? Hell no! Bwahahaha! I love a good challenge. I'd probably slot in real nice in your division if that was my first choice, too."

Hiroe bumped his shoulder with a chuckle as he hurriedly dragged her toward his destination of choice. And what a fine choice it was, truth be told! The aroma was mouth-watering and enticing, and the idea of enjoying barbequed meat was far too tempting to turn down even if she wanted to. His answer to her question was expected. The man adored the female form and wasted no minute talking about how much he enjoyed flirting with the ladies. So, that's what attracted him to those women? Their toughness and body types? Maybe that's why he hadn't ever flirted with her before. Grinning from ear to ear, she patted him on the back with a hearty chuckle.

"I know I'm a girl, but today I pride myself on bein' one of the boys, Ten! I don't care about how long you go on about those women. In return, I'll simply talk about all the attractive men in the other divisions. Like my captain, for example."

“I guess I have been wanting to teach too much lately. Haven't been able to in a bit”, he said in response to Hiroe’s first remarks. “I don't think you would enjoy things being handed to you. In fact, it would probably kill you from boredom”, he gave a thought and brought a finger to his chin. “To be honest, maybe, but no? You don't have a thrill for combat from my experience. But heck there are plenty in my division that don't so meh. I think division is just all about who you want to work under or what you want to do specifically, " he said a bit casually.

There was not much to go on and his explanation should have been pretty easy to get. Tento was just a man that loved women. Athletic, thick, take your pick. If she took care of her body there was always something he would appreciate. He also enjoys some size, a subtle curve, something to hold. Things that always caught his eye were a pretty face, nice legs, and a nice core though. They all had their own type of beauty that could be appreciated. A type of art in his eyes. Un(fortunately ) for him, there seemed to be a plentitude of women within the Gotei Unied that fit that. So much to avoid getting distracted as a result. But things were not all hard. Hiroe for example, had one of the most beautiful faces he had ever seen since coming to the world of the living. It was a strange miracle that he had not flirted at her.

Either way his response got something from her as she shook his body lightly with a few pats to the back, laughter in his ear. Reaching the soft savory smoke in the air had him craving. Standing in front of the door he could smell the sweet aroma of a slow cooked sauce marinating meat. Perfection! Being the ever fine gentlemen Tento opened the door and gestured for Hiroe to go in first. His eyes blinked at her words before letting out a laugh. “Nah, nah nah. You may be one of the boys but you are still a fine female. I am not gonna be talking about women like that nor do I want to hear about dudes unless you need help”, he said half bent over. Giving out a couple wheezes he gathered himself. “Although, I guess hearing about what other Captains are like would not be bad”.

"Fine female, my butt. If I'm such a looker, how come you haven't flirted with me even once, hm?"

Hiroe was a prideful woman at heart. She wasn't vain by any stretch of the phrase, but she felt quite good about her looks. If he was finding interest in so many of those women in his division, of course she'd assume he viewed her as a guy friend. That was just simple arithmetic in her eyes. Boys and girls being friends wasn't a common thing in her eyes, but then... Kaito was her friend. A friend who had potential to be her boyfriend, but proceeded to treat her more like a pal on their date. Naturally, she chalked that up to his inexperience, but still!

A lot of time had passed and she was still without a boyfriend. What wasn't there to enjoy? She had long black hair, silky and nice to touch. A pretty face. Golden eyes. And the thing men enjoyed most - a pretty prominent chest! Outside of her rear to bring the whole figure together, she felt she was a catch! As such, the fact that he hadn't made a move on her at any point, well... it was a strike against her feminine pride! Since he was paying for her meal, she could forgive this grave inaction, but she couldn't waste the opportunity to prick him about it.

"As far as my captain goes... outside of his looks, he's a pretty talented man with a nice ear for music. Real approachable, too. I couldn't ask for a better Captain, honestly. I thought about joining the seventh with my friend, and I think I would've enjoyed their captain as well, but I'm content with my decision. I think I'll do great things here if I put my mind to it.'