Looks Can Be Deceiving [Kasha, Kyo]

"Of the notable members that come to mind? Her vice-captain, the norse man; her boyfriend, the substitute; her third-seat, the redhead."

He considered Rukia Kuchiki but she seemed unlikely, if she was not a seated member then he couldn't imagine she had any ambitions. Saiko Mori had a terrible history and a former defector, untrustworthy. The others didn't seem suitably powerful and he wouldn't have even said that Alastor was suitably powerful but the point of being her boyfriend made it ntoable enough to allow leeway for nepotism.

"Who of those do you think might be the most likely option and if they might be more receptive to the construction of the barracks?"

"I've talked to her enough that I doubt she'd hand it over to her boyfriend. She seems like kind of an airhead, but she's got the right ideas about the Gotei, at least. As for the other two... Mm, that's a tougher question."

Of course, Kyo kept up with the situations around the Gotei, and that only made things all the more confusing. He'd heard about all the issues going on with the 4th Division, but that was something he didn't know much about other than the fact that Elyss had won the challenge.

"I think the vice captain's the more natural choice, if only because he knows the leadership. But he's pretty similar to the captain commander, so odds are he'd keep the tents. Elyss, though...hm, I've talked to her before about it, but she seems to like the tents too."

He shrugged after that, biting into his okonomiyaki. He was, after all, here to eat and chat with a friend.

"Unfortunately, it would seem the threads are tangled and not in your favour, Sawachika."

He chimed before taking another bite of his meal, it seemed that everything was moving against that division ever receiving barracks. Though Kasha was not the type to fret, it was more a small tragedy fhat Kyo's artistic nature was not allowed to flourish and demonstrate itself.

Once upon a time, he might've seen such a gatekeeping be overriden by the nobility and giving the go ahead over the organisation itself but those days were behind them - and for better really in some ways.

"Oh well, there are more than one ways to express artistic passion."

"It is what it is. No sense getting too caught up in it."

Kyo took another long drink of his tea, already past the thought of his barracks design. Maybe it wasn't really anything special, maybe it was. Who could say? When it came to architecture, there wasn't much value in a building you never built.

"You're right about that. If I only had drafting and the like to keep myself occupied, my desk would probably be full of buildings that'll never see the light of day. Whenever something crosses my mind, I try and get it out quick. Here, have a look."

The pride returned to Kyo's voice once more, as he carefully pulled the spear he kept on hand off of his back and handed it toward Kasha. Etched into the shaft were countless assorted poems that had crossed Kyo's mind at some time or another, some in neat blocks, others intertwined with engraved patterns that matched the tone of the poem itself. Really, it was probably a bit excessive, but Kyo did need some way to pass the time.

There was something incredibly surprising about being presented with Kyo showing his spear and the amount of meticulous pride that he took to carve them into it. Kasha took no small amount of time to appreciate it, reaching up to run his fingers over the wood and assess the depth and consistency of the carvings. It was immaculate and that was beyond him, no one he had ever met had this kind of dedication towards a passion except maybe the kind that he saw in some Koizumi towards their schools.

Kyo was no such thing.

"This is exceptionally beautiful, Sawachika."

He gave a faint smile while handing it back, a hand reaching up into his hair to pull out a senbon and twist it in his fingers.

"I can't say my pursuits are so permanent, it's all related to my school of fighting and my abilities with accupuncture to help the body. Well, I suppose my ability with makeup and appearance are something I take pride in as well."

Also hinder and maim but that was the unsightly aspect of his hakuda that he preferred to not acknowledge as much, he could do it but whether he liked to do it or not was a different matter entirely.

"Hey, that's something to be proud of on its own. Beauty in impermanence and all that, you know enough about aesthetics. And you sure take enough care of how you look to be proud of it, I doubt anyone in our class put half as much time into it as you do. Or maybe they do, and you're just doing better with it."

Kyo laughed to himself at the notion, though he'd still meant it as a very genuine compliment. Besides, Kasha had spoken so highly of his work, it was just polite to do the same in turn, even if he hadn't meant it. But he admired that sort of work, the aesthetic of something so impermanent.

"Lotta commitment to something you'll have to do again and again. I think that's impressive, especially for how well it always turns out."

"It does take a little bit more than I'd like, though when you develop a system you find that you can become quite effecient with it. I will admit it was a little difficult to try and do it for someone else, I found that when doing Shishiyuki's makeup it took me a bit to adjust to her different features and what might reflect well with her natural beauty."

Kasha explained while finishing his spinning of the senbon between his fingers and returned it to his spot inside his hair where it was invisible. Apparently placed in such a manner that he was at no risk of hurting himself with it by his own confidence.

"Oh, that reminds me. Valentine's Day was the occasion that she poised such a request for me. How goes your pursuits if you care for such a holiday, Sawachika?"

It was a bit more personal but no more than small talk as Kasha went back to taking another bite and let the man formulate an answer to if he had any romantic pursuits ongoing.

"Oh, doing the makeup even for the family head? That's impressive! You ought to be proud of an honor like that."

Of course, Kyo didn't doubt that Kasha was proud of it, but how else could you compliment something that impressive? Besides, he'd be lying if he tried to act like he knew anything about makeup or the like. Better to let Kasha talk about that.

"Valentine's? I haven't thought much about it, really. I focus more on work, and I'm not so sure I can expect much other than the usual obligation chocolates, and probably a few admirers who don't quite have the courage to come face me directly."

Well, there was also Asami, and he felt at least somewhat confident that he could expect chocolate from her. But Kyo wasn't going to talk about that with someone else in the division. Even if he didn't have an issue talking about his personal life, he knew she was far more professional than that.

"What about you? You probably get swamped every year, eh?"

"Yes, I suppose. It was a nice change of pace and a new perspective to consider."

He took a bit while he listened to the man's plans. That seemed about right though Kasha couldn't say that he was very fond of the holiday, it felt like such a shallow way of doing things. A little shrug while he showed his own blase attitude towards that.

"I'll admit I do have a couple, the odd ones from the Academy but I doubt I left much of an impression to have people give me any this year. I don't get out very often besides work, I guess I'm expecting none since my sister most certainly won't give me one."

Kasha chuckled in a way that was far more feminine, boarding on a faint 'oho' than he should be able to put out. Maybe there was some kido at play or he was just that well-tuned to his voice.

"Ah well. Nothing to fret about."

Kyo was actually slightly surprised by the laugh that left Kasha's lips, and while most people probably would have found that attractive, it was a bit too...haughty, as it were, for Kyo to think that was the case. Of course, Kasha was a friend, so he really wasn't thinking about whether or not he was attractive.

"That's true. Any guy that's worried about how many girls they're getting chocolate from is thinking about the wrong things. You'll get more chocolate if you don't think about it! Stay on top of your work, improve yourself, all that. Way more respectable when you make yourself presentable just for your own sake, right?"

That was Kyo's entire reason for maintaining himself as well as he did, after all. He didn't have any huge sense of noble pride, any particular need to impress others. He just wanted to be the best he could be, because that was the way you should be.