Not a Date! (Rio/Hakuyou)(Private)

Rio had come to sort of lament whenever Hakuyou's firm hands pulled away from her own. It was the type of lament that seemed childish in its nature. To be in contact with him, to be regaled with such venerable words - it was certainly enough to leave her speechless a thousand times over. For a man with such imposing height, he appeared to her as a man of regal image. Perhaps other noblewomen would've rejected him for his stripped nobility, seeing him as little more than a tall brute with no future. Rio believed in his future, in his path, and she would support him in whatever way he desired. Rio gathered her own composure and bowed apologetically for getting lost in the moment.


"Ah, yes! Yes. It is not my intent to serve you such a cold meal. Come, let us make our way inside."

Rio would lead him to where the dining table was in the center of the room. Guiding him to sit down and relax, she would walk towards the kitchen with a composed gait before she returned with servants holding various plates of food. There was a dazzling array of Japanese cuisine, Chinese cuisine, and even Indian cuisine. Rio had assumed that since he was a tall man, then surely he would have a large appetite.


"Don't worry about it, Hakuyou. I, too, found myself getting lost in the moment. But can I truly be blamed for it? You are a very charming man who knows his way with words. That said, I sincerely hope you enjoy the food I've prepared."

Hakuyou would follow her taking note of the designs of the Shihoin estate, taking note of the well kept mansion. The many servants spoke to their prosperity, which briefly placed a thought within his head; would he be enough for the princess? He was within his own right the heir to the Shiba and their fortunes, but was it enough? He had no idea how fallen they had come, so some doubt remained within his heart as he would walk over to her.

"Of course, Rio. It all looks pleasant, almost as much as my host, allow me?" The man would gesture to the chair intending to pull it out for the shorter woman, giving her a smile before taking his own seat. All the food looked absolutely lovely, as he began to make a plate for himself simply making sure to sample it all. He moved with an elegance of a man who understood well how to navigate such tables, after all at one point the Shiba held their own feasts.

Once the food was passed around and he had a few bites, he'd compliment it. "This is.. marvelous, you cooked this? I am a lucky man." The man would allow a sly comment to past, a flirtious thing. "I must admit.. with the state of the Shiba I know not if I can provide such things for you. I will try tho, with all my might!" He'd quickly add the second part on.

Hakuyou was a true gentleman, allowing the Shihoin Princess to be seated first before himself. Rio smiled up at him before she sat down. Gazing at him as he respectfully sampled all the food she cooked before preparing his own plate, Rio inwardly hoped that everything was to his liking, that the meals were well-suited to his pallet.

When he finally finished the preparation of his plate and took a few bites of the cuisine, he had deemed it marvelous! Even though her expression was a soft smile and an affirmative nod, her internal reaction was one of joy and elation. She had always had confidence in her culinary skills, but to hear such compliments from Hakuyou, it had made preparing this feast all the more fulfilling. To add to the compliments, he even spoke about he would do his best to meet her standards, voicing it as a declaration - a declaration that believed would come true. He was not a man who seemed as if he was dishonest in his resolve.


"To already be within the presence of such a noble and esteemed soul, I say that you have easily provided me with so much. A sense of security, a bright future on the horizon, and a gentle spirit who is both my friend and could very well be my husband one day. Oh... Ah! I mean..."

Rio let her mouth speak before her thoughts and hadn't really intended to be so straightforward! An awkward slip of the lip was somewhat unlike Rio. Bringing forth her best efforts to brush the subject away, Rio began to indulge in her own meal and ask a question.


"So, how has the Gotei treated you so far during your return, Hakuyou-San?"

"If I have anything to say in the matter, I certainly shall endeavor to be." The man would roll with what she said, offering another smile. It was clear he was a bold man, and if she already had such thoughts- who even know how long this courting would last. He supposed he'd hold off on any actual declaration until he held an estate once more, even more incentive to restore some of his family prestige.

"Please, just Hakuyou or kun works. I would say we are far too close for such honorifics." He'd insert slyly, before cutting a piece of meat before chewing it. The man seemed to speak with that refined grace, or even eat with such. He'd eventually fix his gaze on her once more. "It's treated me well, I am revisiting the academy for this 'graduate' course. I seek to gain a captaincy spot, which is in the talk with the Captain-Commander." He'd pause, thinking.

"What are your goals, Rio? Your drives or ambition? I wish to know so much about you; please speak whatever comes to your mind. Even your favorite color, as childish as that sounds." He'd speak almost.. bashfully, in that moment. "A flower perhaps?"

Hakuyou was so calm and collected with how receptive he was towards her slip of the tongue. Composed always, he merely agreed with the thought and allowed the conversation to move along in a smooth transition. Rio started to consume a meal once she prepared her own plate. It would be rude to simply watch him and converse, though she very much doubted he would've cared. Honor would not allow her to look ungraceful or unmannered in his eyes. Rio took a bite of the Indian cuisine she had prepared, alternating between consuming the grilled chicken or indulging in small spoonfuls of curry.

"Pardon... It is a habit of mine to use honorifics. I suppose you could say it is my noble teachings coming back to haunt me," Rio finished with a chuckle as she waved her hand. "That said, I will refer to you as Hakuyou. Kun as an honorific attached to a figurehead of maturity such as yourself seems odd, for a lack of a better word."

Rio would resume eating her meal as she listened to Hakuyou talk about his experiences so far with the Gotei 13. From what he said, he seemed to be doing incredibly well. Most men of pride but a lack of respect would've claimed they didn't' need to go to any course for an academy. Hakuyou, however, held no qualms about the challenge and if all things seemed to go well, captaincy seemed to be on the horizon in his future.

"Words cannot describe how proud I am of you so far, Hakuyou. I truly hope you can achieve captaincy in the future. You are certainly well-equipped to lead any division that pledges its loyalty to you. "

Rio moved some of the hair by her eyes as he asked some questions of his own. With another bright smile, Rio answered every one of them with flawless precision.

"Let's see... my goals in life have always been tied to what I can do for my family. It is also comprises my drive and ambition. It might seem simple in the eyes of others, but in my life, my purpose has always been to protect my family. My sisters, my cousins, even Papa. I recall moving up through the ranks of the Gotei myself before I retired from my position. My peers said I could've easily been a captain by now but it hardly bothers me."

Serious goals aside, she continued on.


"My favorite color is black and white. And as for flowers, I do enjoy roses even though they tend to be a little prickly. What else would you like to know about me? I am willing to tell you anything you wish to know."

He listened attentively to every word she spoke, his fingers cross for a moment as she had his complete attention. Offering a few approving nods as she spoke, remaining silent for a moment. He was processing much of it, after all she held very much noble beliefs and ambitions which aligned well with what he viewed nobility should be as. He had not expected them to match so well, and it brought a thin smile on his lips.

"You have very noble ambitions; I foresee our goals aligning. Provided our union becomes solidified; you may expect that those ambitions will become my own. I believe a marriage will never work if one tries to tame the other; such things will cause rebellion and dissatisfaction." The man would invoke, seemingly offering his views on matrimony. "A partnership must form; where ultimately goals align. Such a thing will cause our wills to be undeniable."

If a man and a woman could unite their goals, could work in tandem than one for the other, they could achieve many great things. But he'd go about sampling some more of the food. "My last question, Rio, is there any other suitors I should worry for?" It was a tongue in cheek question, evident by the playful smile.

"Please, ask any you have of me."

Rio was elated by hearing how noble her ambitions were from a noble soul. It was the highest compliment she could receive in her eyes. To be told by family members to outsiders was one thing, but to receive such praise from the head of a clan? Why it filled her with a sense of pride that was indescribable. He then spoke about the hope that they both shared, in hoping that this burgeoning bond would be solidified, that it could become something so much more than dates.

Such thoughts were truly inexplicable, almost as if they didn't even belong to the unfaltering shielder, the Shihoin Aegis. Love was not an emotion she had ever expected to experience, To have the affection of such an honorable man was equally abnormal. Had she not been told she was a cold woman who would not find love? Had men of the past not accused her of being frigid and unwelcoming?

Hearing him speak about how he did not wish to change her goals and allow them to become his own had almost made a tear fall from her eyes. If he saw it, she hoped it would be played off due to how spicy the curry was but she was not embarrassed to feel so passionate about a compassionate man. To hear him say these words, she only smiled and smiled brightly before it was her turn to speak.


After finishing, it seemed as if he had wondered about whether or not there were any suitors he had to worry about. Rio shook her head, before gazing in his direction as he ate.

"To be honest, Hakuyou... most men who have ever met me had told me that for all my attraction, my fierce nature had left me with a reputation of being a "cold-hearted bitch". Ill-tempered whenever I was approached, the growing reputation had led me to believe they were right, no matter how much my family told me they were wrong. Who would date a woman as cold as ice? I suppose it is why I distanced myself from the idea of marrying nobles, let alone a man who would try and control the way I lived my life. If I may be so bold to say this, you are truly the first who as ever seen me for me and praised me for my life's work as if it were his very own. If that humiliation was meant to happen, then I am truly thankful the path has led me to you."

"Then it appears you have been in the presence of boys, and not men, my dear Rio."

The man would reply without missing a mark, his eyes closing as a singular hand lifted the bowl upwards. His other hand carefully eating some of the lovely food she had prepared. Of course once he had an acceptable amount he'd lower it once more as amber eyes opened to gaze at her, holding all the wisdom in the world for that moment. It seemed he knew a thing or two about the difference between being a boy, and a man.

But with that a smile would appear on his lips, hearing her speak so fervantly and articularly was quite pleasant. She was proving with every word she was as studied and well learned as any great noble family leader; in truth provided this union worked she would make a wonderful wife. The fact she was not put off by such a notion too only show'd that the future hold a great many things in store for them.

"It appears our dinner is almost done, have you prepared a dessert? Truthfully, I find myself more enraptured with your presence as the night moves on."

Hakuyou, as always, had such a way with words that any self-doubts or troubles of the mind were merely washed away with his tone and his advice. It was indeed true that, in all her time of existence, she had never once met a man as mature and composed as Hakuyou.

Noblemen held this air about them that made it often seem as if the women who married into their families were obligated to follow their every order. Those outside of noble families simply ignored the idea of even approaching her based on reputation.

Hakuyou just so happened to have this magnetic attraction about him that reeled Rio in from the moment they met. His grace, his frame, and his ambition.

He did not wish to impose himself on anyone and welcomed the path of working to regain everything his family lost. It was hard not to find a common ground based on that goal alone.

To know that, even in a theoretical - if not very likely - marriage, she would still be respected and viewed as an equal, filled her with such a sense of joy that words could not properly illustrate.

As he seemed to be finishing her meal and him his own, he had inquired about whether dessert had been made and Rio found herself blushing in embarrassment. She had forgotten all about making dessert. Shaking her head and bowing apologetically, Rio rose up from her seat.

"Ah, well, I actually neglected making dessert. However, if you wish to stay longer, and wait for me... I will prepare it in no time at all."

Turning to smile at him as she walked towards the kitchen, she spoke in a gentle tone that seemed to be filled with joy.

"Stay as long as you like, Hakuyou. If I may be so bold as to say this, I do not believe I would enjoy the thought of seeing you leave just yet."