Reasons Why First Dates Are Actually the Best Medicine: A Dose of Laughter and Adventure! [Tento | Hana]

As the first whispers of spring breathed life into the Seireitei, Tento found himself strolling through the vibrant streets of the Gotei United, the air filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. A mini patrol, for patrol sake and to check it off a list. It was then, amidst the gentle warmth of the sun and the soft rustling of new leaves, that he spotted her—Hana, an acquaintance whose smile was as bright as the season itself. Or at least he imagined so as he never actually got to see one yet. Their previous and first meeting, was a bit heavy and stiff to be frank. Heartstringing.

“Hey Hana,” Tento greeted, with a playful twinkle in his eye. “Fancy meeting you here among the cherry blossoms. I must say, the springtime sun has nothing on your radiance today. How are you doing?”, Tento said in a bit of playfulness hoping to get a laugh or a happy facial feature from her. From their last encounter, Hana had a plentitude of heavy things on her mind. He hoped those got lifted off her shoulders even a little bit. Just like the spring breeze that softly lifted the fallen leaves to dance whimsically to the ground painting their background in hues of amber and gold.

Endless training and routine patrols in the world of the living left Hana yearning for a genuine day off. She decided a visit to one of the gardens nestled within the Seireitei streets was just what she needed. With a book in hand, Hana settled on a blanket under a tree, a small bag with a snack and a cold bottle of juice by her side. Lost in the pages of her novel, she was startled when a somewhat familiar voice called her name. She looked up to see Tento and quickly recognized him, though she couldn't quite recall his name. The flourish of compliments he sent her way did nothing to lessen her embarrassment, bringing about a deep blush.

“Oh, hello,” Hana replied, opting to avoid the name issue for now, hoping it would come to her. “I decided to take a day off and unwind, so I came here to relax and lose myself in one of my old books. How have you been doing? Well, I hope.”

Oh well that was a good sign. The sight of a woman's blush always did wonders for Tento’s mood. Paperwork, dedicated training, and physical work duty, all things that gave him some satisfaction, pride in his work type of thing. But man, did some things heal his soul. But uh, maybe he could have had better timing when he saw Hana. He was so excited to greet her again after so long and speaking to Hiroe, he saw flashes of the items when he stopped. The pleasant tree with shade, hugged by flowers in a garden shielded from the world. A book in hand, a blanket, and food around her. She was most definitely taking a break and enjoying some private time. Whoops.

“Ah”, Tento said adjusting himself. “I have been doing good actually. I got promoted recently. I hope you are doing better, the last time we talked you were having family issues”, Tento began as he looked down towards Hana. “Sorry, I’m interrupting you at a bad time aren't I? My bad”, Tento said pointing to the book Hana was obviously really enjoying. Giving a slightly apologetic bow as he spoke.

Hana had begun to learn the important of interaction with others. She also had been finding that she enjoyed it almost as much as she did reading her books. So, being interrupted was no longer met with a glare and bad attitude. Hana shook her head at the apology, slid the book away in her bag, and pat the ground next to her. “No worries. The book is going nowhere. Would you like to sit?”

"I have been doing much better. I feel I am close to obtaining shikai. My confidence in battle is growing, and I am getting much stronger," Hana said, her face glowing with a smile. "I never thought I'd be happy to become a true combatant."

Tento did really hope he did not stop a good break for Hana. Hana looked like she was at a moment of peace, and honestly, pretty cute too. With the pat next to her side Tento took that as his invitation, sitting down next to her under the tree as he adjusted himself to make himself comfortable. “Yes actually, thank you”. Tento said after finishing sitting down.

Turning his head to give Hana his full attention, he watched her words with a bit of a relaxed preposition as he stretched a little by arching his back out. A soft pop sounding from his large frame. The last time they talked she was still so new in the Gotei. By now he would not be surprised if she heard more about his, mixed, reputation. Be as it may, she had some hard things put on her plate. Join up or be forced into a marriage. And by gods she took a changeup in what her parents expected. “Oh? That is a surprise to hear. I’m glad to hear that!”, Tentos said in a chuckle. “You must have bonded a lot in this amount of time. Your zanpakuto was not doing you any favors back then”, Tento said back in regards to when they last talked several months ago.

On as she talked Tento seemed to keep that happy relaxed look on his face growing with each positive note Hana gave about her development. Mentally better, growing closer to her Shikai. Confidence in the battlefield matched with a growing strength. Well it was just a string of ups for this silver beauty. “You never know, I heard some books can run off if there are too good of a read”. He said in a little joke. “It sounds you are in a much better place Hana, thats good to see. Tell me, what were you reading??”. Tento said hoping to open further communication. Hmmm, maybe he would ask what else she had been up to too. “Oh! And what ya been up to? With how happy you look, you gotta have more news to share”.

Hana giggled at his joke about her book running off. Of course, he could have meant someone would steal it, but that seemed to go over her head. She glanced over to the book and pulled it out. “It is this adorable fantasy-romance novel about a young woman trying to find her childhood love after he left to follow his own dream without her,” Hana held up the book to show him the title: Magic so Warm

Giving consideration to his last question, Hana had to think. “You are right in that I am in a much better place than I was,” Hana said, her smile still glowing. “As for what I have been up to… nothing too bi-… Oh, I went on my first ever date, but…” Hana rubbed the back of her head, her face turning red. “I doubt that is of interest to you. It seems rude to speak of a date with another man…”

A light-hearted comment in the hopes of keeping a good vibe talking to hana, it was a little bit of A little bit of B. Okay, mostly A. A good book was awesome but really, who would steal a regular book that you could get anywhere else if you had money as a Shinigami?? Tento only smiled at the giggle and gave a soft look of interest as she pulled the book out. His head cranking up, a rather unnecessary thing given his height, trying to look at the book cover. It had a nice color to it and if he spotted it right with his designer eye, a nice design as well.

As she pulled it out and gave a quick explanation of it, it sounded like a status quo set up. Fantasy, probably some action bits given the world it was in. Magical world different from theirs and all that jazz. Romance, an interesting sub plot or main if done right. Now…a young woman trying to find her childhood friend. “Magic so Warm”, Tento said reading the title. “Not a bad title, hope that it is interesting using the childhood friend as a plot device”, Tento said with a bit of a hopeful thought. “I dislike when romance books just have stuff spoken but not shown”.

After that Tento nodded his head along. Leaning back a bit against the shade, mhm mhm mhm. Better place, reading books. Chilling and handing the normal- wait did she just say date? Turning his head with a peek of an eyebrow raise before letting it quickly drop, that sure did gain some interest. Given her issue of her family trying to force her into relationships he was surprised she felt like looking for something now.

“Oh! Your first one ever I hope it was wonderful. Those are important memories you are making”, Tento started well before. Having a foot in his mouth after Hana spoke the last part rubbing the back of her head. A soft grimace came on his face as he turned his face away, hiding his face in the book. Yep, bad experience likely, embarrassing actions and silliness. But hey, if she thought about it right she could still laugh about it as a good memory living her life on her own terms. He did this face, aiming to act all was normal before peeking his eyes over the book cover over the book. “Well it is a private thing. As long as you don't speak bad about the dude I don't mind talking small details I guess? Don’t have to though”, Tento said with a shrug.

“Oh, I would not have anything bad to say, honestly,” Hana said, still smiling. “He was kind, gentlemanly… He was a little rough around the edges, and seems to enjoy fighting more than I ever could, but he was interesting to talk to. I will admit, I was a little bored at first, but that was likely my fault. I realize I have very little to talk about in a casual setting, especially if I speak about my childhood.”

Hana rubbed the back of her head, her cheeks a little red. “It feels very strange to talk about it… I am uncertain whether talking about a date is socially acceptable, even if someone is willing to hear about it. Why not tell me about yourself? How has your training been going? Have you interacted with any interesting hollow?”

Finishing looking at the book cover, Tento leaned back against the tree. Listening to Hana’s words. Not quite sure if she was just playing the civil respectful young woman role about her opinion of the date, or if she was speaking sincerely. “Well that sounds quite alright then. Just not a good fit then maybe, " Tento said with a gentle nod of his head. Be as it may, if she had nothing to say about it then it would not have been a bad date. It would not have been a ‘good’ date, but she would not have said it was bad. In Tento’s opinion at least.

…wait a minute, that sounded a bit like him. A lot like him actually. WHO WAS THIS DUDE HE HAD TO SEE. With a tilt of his head though Tento let that thought stay at the back of his mind. Maybe with a bit of snooping and puzzle pickings, he could figure out who this guy she went on a date with was, and what division he was a part of. For all he knew though, it could just be one of the nicer dudes in his division. Given the whole rough around the edges and enjoys fighting a lot characteristics.

With a pause Tento raised a hand to the bottom of his chin and rubbed it a little before dropping it. If he was interesting to talk to then it really had to be their fit together. Looks? Mannerism and personality? Or maybe just the vibe? Wait, why the heck was he thinking about it so much? It was not his date and she did not ask him to reflect on it! “Well, it definitely sounds like an alright guy just from that. If that is the case you just need practice being a bit of a goofball”, Tento said before, quite randomly making an attempt at a silly face. A bit of self amusement for it he let out a light chuckling laugh before talking more. “But honestly, that’s okay. Not everything starts good, just how it goes and ends. Small talk is a practiced art, specially mixed with flirtation pretty lady”.

He would then let out a cough, a little nervous one given what he knew about the heck of a family life she had. “Yeaaaaaah. I do not blame you for that one Hana”, Tento said raising the same he used before to scratch the side of his head. “It must be hard finding good things you want to talk about, given what you told me before”.

He then blinked more at her as she blushed. The light rosy hue getting a soft smirk on his lips before he fixed it. Turning his head down a little further to see her cheeks more Tento said, “Well well well. If you show off that stunning blush. I can see why he had a hard time focusing on making the date good at first”. Letting that comment quickly pass Tento would move on to answer Hana’s question. “It can be, can not be. Sensitive topic and all. Let’s just drop it, rather not make you uncomfortable”.

“As for me, well, my training has been hard and challenging as always. I’ve been reading a book that has challenged my understanding of kido. And I have been working with my zanpakuto to understand and use their abilities better. What about you? How has your blade been treating you?”. Tento would give a thought about that. Hollows, well, there were a lot. Well, not them. “I have seen and fought some arrancars. One I think very interesting and notefull is an Arrancar that is able to impact memories”.

Maybe it was their fit… Koga seemed more friend material than possible husband. Still, Hana wasn’t sure what would be a good fit for her. She wasn’t entirely sure what her standards in a man even were at the moment, ant that was a little scary. She couldn’t just jump from man to man to figure out what she liked, as if it were some sort of buffet. She should come up with a couple of standards that she knew she liked… “Yeah, that’s a good idea… I can do that.” Hana whispered.

Hana looked back up to Tento, waving off what she had whispered and wanting him to ignore that. She let the conversation move on and giggled at the silly face he made. Then she looked to the floor, blushing in embarrassment. She was an open person, so she couldn’t exactly remember what she told him. It was probably about her family with what he said, so she just gave him a quick nod and moved on.

And then Tento had her blushing again. Hana’s hands came up to cover her face. She looked away, even more embarrassed. She didn’t understand why ‘showing off her blush’ would do anything! Thank god, they moved to more normal conversation. Hana thought about her zanpakuto spirit. “Well, she talks to me, but refuses to tell me her name! She is certainly a stubborn woman!” Hana pouted, her cheeks puffing out as she glared over at her zanpakuto. "You hear me! You are a stubborn woman!"