White-Gold Respite [Yuuto, Abalia]

An invitation to the Kyoraku estate was the last thing he ever expected to receive. He didn't really know what to do at first. The surname didn't exactly evoke the most pleasant memories with the first name that came to mind. But, it wasn't from him -- it was from Abalia. That was enough to make him take pause.

Eventually, he made his way across the Seireitei, flashing across at otherworldly speed, yet silent as a ghost. Not even his clothes fluttering in the wind made a sound. Eventually arriving at the doorstep to the Kyoraku estate, Yuuto took in a breath, quickly composing himself and dusting his clothes off.

A notable change, compared to the regular shihakusho and Captain's haori that he usually wore. Dressed in a sky-blue kimono, with vertical yellow-gold lines on the garment, as well as illustrations of cranes in varying places, isolated.

Despite the less professional attire when attending matters of the Gotei, his Zanpakuto remained at his side, a hand idly resting on it as the other hand lifted, gently knocking.

It had been a rather long while since Abalia last sent a direct invitation for someone to visit the Kyoraku estate, hadn't it? She had implied such, certainly, but ever since Kazuya and Ojo had moved in with them, there had been little reason to send formal invitations to anyone. Still, that hardly meant she was unfamiliar with the process, or out of practice. Smiling faintly as the front gate was opened, Abalia gave a nod of greeting to Yuuto, and gestured for him to enter.

"I do hope you've not waited long. Are you well?"

Despite the seeming simplicity of the question, Abalia naturally knew that it was asking a great deal, given the recent events. However, she was not a woman who was willing to step delicately around an important matter.

As the front gate opened and was gestured to enter, Yuuto found himself returning the same faint smile. Without a sound, he stepped forward, fingers still lightly coiled around the handle of his sword.

"Hardly, Abalia. I have been learning to slow down a bit more as of recent, as ironic as that sounds. Thank you for having me, regardless."

At her question, however, his gaze shifted to the ground. A wistful, yet hate-filled look came to his eyes, and his fingers ever so briefly tightened around his sword. He wasn't angry at her, or really anyone else in particular. Moreso, he was furious at himself, his failures, his inadequacy in those recent events that had turned his entire world on its head. Taking another breath to compose himself, he shook his head lightly.

"I've had...better days, truth be told. Never mind me, though. How have you been? I hope retirement is treating you well."

"One would imagine that your concept of 'slowing down' is rather different from my own. I imagine few are still able to keep up."

An incredibly light bit of humor, spoken with only the faintest smile, was in itself perhaps the most immediately obvious sign of how massively Abalia had adapted to this more domestic existence. It was pleasant, after all, not to perennially concern oneself with every facet of the wider world, to think of everything one could or should be doing.

"I have been well. Though, I think you should know well that I would not have invited you here simply to speak about myself, hm? I may have stepped away from the Gotei, but I still keep well-appraised of the goings-on here in the Seireitei."

After all, it was hardly a secret what had happened recently. Even outside the Soul Society, it had been spoken of. She kept enough contacts even now to know that.

"Metaphorically. I've just been trying to slow down and...enjoy this life a bit more. I've done a lot in how long I've lived, and...I've finally come to realize that I don't need to be solving everything immediately."

Despite how long it had been since he'd seen her last, to see such a pleasant warmth from her, as opposed to the seemingly eternal calculating and stern woman that he knew before, brought him comfort. It seemed that she too, in her retirement, had undergone a similar enlightenment.

For him, however, it was simply realizing that he didn't need to try so hard to race to the end. He had learned to be as patient as time was being with him.

"Right. Of course. It's hardly surprising that the news has reached here."

A soundless gait continued to carry him through the estate as he thought back to the event, still ever fresh in his mind.

"A surprise and tragedy to be certain, but thankfully, many made it out okay. Though, I hope such a grim topic is not the only thing you'd like to discuss."

"I've learned much the same, though I have hardly lived as long as you have. Of course, when trouble arises, it is still in my nature to think about it, and how I would address it. That is, after all, why I brought up such grim conversation to begin with."

As former Captain Commander, former leader of Realm Enforcement, and above all, as a woman with family within the Seireitei, Abalia had kept herself exceedingly well-appraised of the situation, probably better than most active members of the Gotei. It was simply in her nature to do so, even if she had no immediate manner of assisting.

"I had thought, for a time, to insist on my own return as captain of Realm Enforcement. Not that I would find much joy in that return, of course, but you know me well, Yuuto, and know how difficult it can be to avoid assisting when it is within one's capability."

Leading him into a small tea room within one of the estate's expansive gardens, Abalia took a seat and poured two cups, her rigid pragmatism quite transparently ignoring many of the more ornate and traditional steps of making tea for a guest. Even having taken up her place as Lady Kyoraku, she was not one to waste time with what she considered trivial.

"That is why I invited you here instead. It is a better way of assisting to look after my friends, wouldn't you say?"

It often slipped his mind how young she was compared to him. Two lifetimes of a human, compared to her, barely to half of one. Even now, the thought baffled him at times. Perhaps it was the way she carried herself, how she spoke, or even just the look in her eye -- she always seemed so much older than him. But, perhaps it was all just a misapprehension, merely all in his head.

As he took a sea across from her, quietly setting his Zanpakuto next to him, his expression shifted at her thought of returning to the Gotei. Part of him was joyous at the idea of working with her again, yet, something bigger shared in the lack of joy. It wasn't the idea that she would be in danger -- even if she was, she not only had him to protect her, if need be, but was more than capable of handling herself.

"A sentiment I share. Standing around idly can be...testing, to say the least."

He took one of the cups in his hands, cradling it carefully as he took a moment to look at its contents before finally looking back to Abalia, the expression gone, as if it had never been present at all, taking a silent sip from the cup.

"To a degree, I suppose so. Particularly helps prevent stepping on people's toes, as well as...unwanted ears listening in."