A Sheathed Blade Still Cuts [Midori, Alastor]

"Of course, whatever you're most comfortable with."

Midori thought it was pretty adorable that he seemed so unsure on that topic, but it was entirely fair, she had to say. She'd assume any guy would have been the same way with her mother. Though her mother hadn't been nearly as friendly, or cool.

"No, I haven't seen her yet. We're meeting up tomorrow, she wants to show me around and take me shopping. I think she probably wants me to see how well she's been doing, so I've got no intention of saying no to a tour. She's earned the right to brag, I think."

If there was one thing that Midori had never been able to do, it was brag. Someone was always criticizing her, holding her to account for even the most minor failure, and the one thing in her life she was most proud of had only been seen as another failure until the last few years. If Murasaki got to be proud of herself, though, that was enough for her.

"Oh? That's great."

Girly stuff like that wasn't really his thing. I mean clearly, he radiated masculinity after all had to remain cool and all that. It was already embarrassing enough when Murasaki dragged him out to do shopping and make a day out of it but compromises, you know? It wasn't like he said anything about whether he liked it or not. The things you do to keep your girl happy.

"I imagine you're probably a little tired of going out shopping, huh? It seems like that's her go-to when she talks about your dates."

Midori gave him an understanding, almost apologetic smile, knowing exactly what her daughter was like. Even if not for all the letters, the two were simply very similar. But those letters definitely spoke fondly of Alastor, so she could only assume he didn't mind all that much.

"So, I guess you're the sort who prefers older women, hm?"

Maybe it would have been funnier if she'd asked that with a straight face, but honestly, she thought it might have been too mean. She simply giggled quietly, thinking it genuinely endearing that the difference in age seemed to be such a non-factor. She was pretty certain even she couldn't have gotten past something like that, but then again, she wasn't one to talk about getting over roadblocks in a potential lover.

She he was tired of shopping but he wasn't going to complain, only pansies complained about stuff like that. If they didn't want to do it then just grow some balls and say it. It was a little hypocritical of him to find it a chore to go sometimes but frankly, he was a pansy if he used that as an excuse not to go. Spending time with her was more than enough after all.

"...Uh, what?"

What was she getting at here? Was she trying to put the moves on or just being funny? He didn't like what she was getting at here especially with that giggle there. Was it a suggestive one or just her being a girly girl looking like a mature woman?

"Ugh, women. I don't care about stupid things like that. 25th century and all that crap."

He gave his head a bit of a scratch while trying to fob it off.

While to this point Midori's shows of amusement had only been small giggles, this time she couldn't help but laugh outright. But even if those little girlish showings had seemed at odds with her appearance, her laugh was almost stereotypical, the inarguable laugh of a woman who had been born to a noble house.

"I don't think most young men would be quite so straightforward in this position, you know. But that'sgood, and I don't think you're wrong. We girls just like to ask questions like that."

Taking another pull from her kiseru, Midori ruminated on the young man in front of her. Had she had any ulterior motives in this meeting? No, not really. It was nice just to see that he wasn't the kind of man who would squirm if she messed with him a bit.

"I'm glad you don't think anything of it. I'm pretty sure it's not something that's even crossed her mind."

"Tch."

He gave a small scowl. Girls should just stop asking stupid questions like that then but he guessed that was what made them girls. Wasn't this chick supposed to be a mature woman? Her appearance was a deceiving thing, despite her whole older woman look it really was clear to Alastor that she was still around the same age as her daughter or something up in that head of her's.

"It's whatever anyway, who cares about stupid things like that. Got better things to think about or do than get my head hurting over thinking about ages and crap like that."

Gotta keep that cool, couldn't let Midori get to him with all this teasing. A guy couldn't crumple under pressure you know.

Oh, now that was a handsome look on him. Not that Midori had any thought of Alastor in that sort of way. It was more than a little bit difficult to find your own daughter's boyfriend especially attractive, at least for her. She had no doubt other women were a little less principled.

"That's good. And what does someone like you focus on instead? I'm curious."

If she were a different sort of woman, a different sort of mother, Midori likely would have worded that in a way that was more akin to raking the young man over the coals. But she really just wanted to know the answer, honestly. It was one thing to ask him all sorts of questions about his relationship with Murasaki, but she was just as interested in actually getting to know him.

"Nothing too complicated. Just whatever, training and getting everything that needs to get done. I guess I help people out too. Got to make sure that red gorilla in our division keeps her head on straight and doesn't fly off the rails, keep Murasaki happy too uhm, yeah just lots of stuff like that."

He'd have said girls too but that'd just be a fucking lie considering he barely even bothered to deal with them now that he was with Murasaki. Looking from afar was cool and all but when you weren't trying to get in their pants he found that there was very little things he actually got along with them about. Except Elyss but she might as well be a guy with her attitude, a real hot one but you know.

"That sums me up pretty good, I guess."

"How dutiful of you."

Really, Midori had a fairly good idea of all this already, but she liked hearing about it straight from him. It added such a nice sense of intimacy to the conversation, and besides, it wasn't as if Murasaki could convey all Alastor's thoughts on these things.

"I hope you don't mind if I ask about your training. You asked about mine, after all, so it only feels right to ask about yours too."

Better to leave things a little casual for now, but behind that friendly smile, something of a plan was forming in Midori's mind.

"That's me."

He said about being dutiful, training though. That was something he had to contemplate. Where was his training at the moment? He still got his ass kicked by Elyss, fair enough there. Murasaki was obviously still leagues above him, the two of them weren't really comparable really. He'd still give it a good shot though frankly, he wasn't a pussy.

"I guess I'm okay, nothing really special. I can fight hollows and random demons just fine on patrol but eh, tough guys probably be a bit more work frankly. I think I could still take the giant fox girl in the division but I think she has achieved her shikai by the way she talks about it so maybe not."

Sure he didn't have any fancy powers and shit but Alastor was pretty sure he could take someone in a fistfight. As long as they didn't pull out any of that fancy spirit crap they had. Fair fight though was free game.

"Why'd you ask? You gonna teach me or something."

It was mostly just a facetious throwaway comment, it wasn't like these Zero Division people were renown as teachers or anything like that.