Moving Up, Tiger [Rio, Igen]

"Hiya! I'm here to see Rio!" Igen chimed as he greeted the guard to the Shihouin estate gates.

Naturally he had hoped to keep up with Rio a bit more often! And so this time he'd decided to see her at her family's estate! Despite the sortof so so introduction, he had quickly grown accustomed to the place! It didn't quite have the SAME vibe as the Sawachika. But there was an unmistakable ....similarity? Or perhaps, divergence from the OTHER Noble estates that he quite enjoyed. A hum to himself as he waited to be let in. Pausing to send Rio a little text letting her know that he was here! And with gifts!

Under his arm was a small gift basket, as well as some spirits! HE had been impressed enough when he'd heard Rio had gotten herself a spot as a Third Seat, but Lieutenant! THAT was cause for celebration!

Perhaps he might have prepared a little better if he'd....known that things would be a bit different. They had both been through quite a lot hadn't they? Hell, Rio had taken on a whole new leaf thanks to him. She was a very close friend and honestly he trusted her considerably. In comparison HE had ...honestly stayed much the same. He had grown stronger, but was that much in the way of what changed him as a person?

But this time wasn't quite like that. A sentiment had budded at the Sawachika estate, one that had admittedly not really been roused with his visit to Lady Koizumi. Well, not to much of a degree. So when he saw Rio he smiled, giving a wave and a friendly smile, right up until she gave those sharp little jabs, and instinctively, he let out a chuckle and got ready to strike back! A nice little back and forth! And instinctively, he watched her frame, ready to give her a little surprise counter!

When he ....got a look at her. A REAL look at her. And the memories of how they'd met, their interactions all suddenly hit him all at once.

Oh. She was ....REALLY pretty.

"AHAH, RIO! Awesome to see you!" He all but shouted, only to be SOCKED in the gut when he heard how he sounded. "EHEM, heh, listen to you. 'What's the occassion'?" He put on slyly, giving her a light little elbow before promptly beaming from ear to ear. "I heard about your promotion! You're lieutenant now!" He pointed out! Immediately going in and pulling Rio into a one armed hug before raising the bottle. "We gotta celebrate!" He insisted! Thankfully, the nervousness smoothed out as he was reminded of why he WAS here. Pull yourself together Igen! His friend had accomplished something very few in the gotei ever would! And so he managed to push the spaghetti back down into his pockets to be happy for his friend!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAokay calm down. That little reciprocation briefly made him tense before he refocused. A light chuckle as he held up the basket. "Oh this? Ahah uh.............food! RIGHT!" He took a moment, having to tear his thoughts back to the situation as he stared at te basket. and briefly realized how modest it was. Then again, he'd always been a simple guy. Just some food he'd made. Was this too personal though? He didn't give off the wrong impression did he? HE really WAS so ...friendly? Was that creepy? Oh boy.

"I actually made some food for us! Like...for lunch! But I guess it's more like dinner now, ahah, not that I'm just randomly making you dinner. It's more to go with the sake! We have TWO promotions to celebrate after all." He pointed out and brightened. "I've been promoted to Co-Third Seat." He added but uh, with slightly less enthusiasm. True, Rio had absolutely earned her position. But ....he ...uh....he had no idea how he'd landed Third seat of all things! Sure he'd gotten stronger, and he was dependable but he was so NEW! It felt unreal almost. Rio had her own exception. She was technically a veteran Gotei member who had retired to serve her family. SHE was a shoe in for a high position. But HIM? It was weird to think about.

"SO! Where do you wanna sit? I know we kinda usually hang out on the lawn." He chuckled, internally kicking himself for having done such a thing in the past. Was that lame? Did it just kinda emphesize the fact he was from the Rukongai?

Hhhhhhh.
Ah yea, the transition from a one armed hug to a full frontal hug certainly exacerbated te inner turmoil and pained screaming as he struggled with this new....perspective. "Ahah right!" He managed to grunt out as she hugged him. A glance down, after all she was shorter than him. Yep, that was a bad idea. And his back went almost entirely rigid.

However, those words did jar him a little from that tense state. Considering, for a moment, the sentiment she expressed. It was......it really was too much! He smiled, breaking throug that shaky demeanor. And for just a moment, he just saw her as Rio again. His friend. And he felt ....touched that she thought so highly of him. that she STILL thought so highyl of him. And promptly, he put his arms around her, hugging her firmly and smiling brightly as he took just a moment to hold her close.

"Rio..... its friends like you who help me wanna work as hard as I do." He noted softly, that big smile of his bleeding earnest intent before he promptly cleared his throat and relaxed, raising that bottle up high and grinning. "Alright, in that case lets go inside!" He declared! And ....gestured for Rio to lead the way. After all he sure as fuck didn't know his way around the estate yet.

He smiled, chuckling lightly as she promptly turned his compliment on him and gave a bit of a big old grin. "Well ditto. But I feel like we could go back and forth on this one a lot." He chuckled, giving her another little squeeze before relaxing as they parted and Rio began to lead the way. Just for one fraction of a second, Igen let out a soft, silent, exaggerated WHEW, letting that disheveled wave wash over him before composing himself as he followed along behind her!

Truly the Shihoin estate was .... amazing! The architecture was really nice, and yet not quite as ........uptight? As some of the other Noble places he saw. There was a sense of personality behind the place that he really liked. And before long, they found a nice little tucked away room! Igen promptly made his way to a little coffee table and set down the basket, putting on something of a proud grin as she asked about what he'd brought. "Well, nothing TOO fancy. But I DID get some pretty nice Beef and Rice! Stir fried it myself, I even got something from the world of the living! It's called Dirty rice! It has onions, peppers, spices, and some cooked sausage! I figured it was really nice on it's own, but with the stirfried beef on top it'd be perfect! I call it, Dirty Wagyu Yasai!" He chimed, certainly a little proud of himself before ......his eyes widened.

Ah shit.

"Ahah...uhhhh just the Sake. I guess I didn't really think about getting normal drinks too." He admitted, screaming internally at his own misstep.