Taking a Day Off (Open)

"I know you meant nothing by it, there's no need to feel bad." Alexander laughed as he also stood up. By now the two had been talking so much that the kids who had previously been playing with their little new toys were all vanished and the burlap sack was totally empty. Not surprising in the least.

"So it is settled. The cloak issue can wait for a little while then." He replied with a chuckle. It was something special to her and he would have to look at it on her terms, which he completely understood, being a man who appreciated his own creations and possessions.

"Would you like me to escort you back to your division? These districts can be filled with bandits and gangsters at night, not very safe for anybody let alone a nice young woman like yourself. I would kick myself if anything bad happened to my new friend." He smiled in a warm sort of way. Alexander and warm in the same sentence, damn.

Mia would try not to feel bad, but she was sure to go back over this moment in her head a few more times and feel shame before she could get over it. Alexander seemed okay with the cloak arrangement as well, which was just as good. It was an arrangement she was fine with, which is why she offered it and it had been accepted!

His offer though was too nice. She looked nervous for a brief moment and opened her mouth to say yes before closing it and shaking her head. Her eyes were determined as she looked up at Alex, the warm smiling he had on his face causing one to appear on hers as well.. "N-No! I will...go back alone. I can do it. I have to...get better at things."

Still he was really nice...and if she thought about it he seemed like a big brother of sorts. She had always wanted a sibling... Moving forward, she wrapped her arms around Alex in a quick hug that had taken a lot of courage to do. Her face was red as she stuttered out a goodbye. "Thank you so much!"

Then Mia shot off like a cheetah, fleeing with her hood up.

The captain was taken aback by the quick hug she gave him. A...hug? Alexander had never really hugged anyone before...what exactly did one do to hug? Would it be awkward if he hugged her back? How much force should he apply to the hug? How much...well it didn't matter now, because she had fled a moment later. His social ineptitude had shown itself once again.

Well...perhaps next time he could practice it. Looking towards the Seireitei proper, the R&D head then disappeared with a flash step, the only remnant of his trip being the empty bag on the playground.

(Le Fin.)