Aftershocks

Aoi's grumpiness towards his laughter only made him want to laugh again, but he held it in, though perhaps it was obvious in his expression he wanted to do so again.

"I know you're serious, Aoi; I won't laugh." He smiled before glancing down at his now tied sash. It was tied then, and his yukata at least was packed. His scarf though...

He made a move to pick it up off of the desk where he'd placed it, moving to wrap it around Aoi's neck properly before smiling again. There, Aoi was now trusted with the most important thing they had to bring along.

Aoi looked up at Rin, staring at the man holding in his laughter. That expression wasn't a tired one or a calm one... He wanted to laugh and she narrowed her eyes as if just daring him to. He could try it... Try laughing, but he'd not like the consequences... The pout strong in her voice, she turned her head dramatically and looked away with puffed up cheeks after. "No but you want to. Its just the same as not laughing."

She stood there in perfect pout form as Rin moved to the desk and grabbed something, her eyes darting over but unable to see in her pouting form. Wasn't worth it! Closing her eyes again, Aoi only fidgeted slightly before she felt something around her neck. Eyes opening, her hand reached up to feel Rin's scarf as her cheeks deflated and a smile reappeared. "Thank you Usa."

Lifting her head up, she pursed her lips for a kiss and made a 'gimme' sound in her throat before waiting. Her hands were too busy playing with his scarf.

Aoi was pouting, pouting strongly at that answer he'd given; he was refusing to laugh though, just like she wanted! Well...she wanted him to seriously not find it amusing, which...well, was impossible. He was at least holding in the laughter...

Her pout was gone though with his scarf, and his smile was warm as she waited for a kiss. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers while she let her hands busy themselves with playing with his scarf.

Aoi knew Rin was holding in more laughter and tried not to pout this time but... It was hard! At least his kiss distracted her for a bit and she definitely responded to him. She had been the one wanting it so why wouldn't she?

As she pulled away, her hands continued to play with his scarf while she blushed softly. "How come you find it funny? I don't find it funny. I'm being serious... What's there to laugh over?"

His smile before the kiss had been nice but she had to know damn it!

Why he found it funny...?

"It's amusing...ah...well, cute...?" Rin tried to put his feelings into words as Aoi questioned him now that they'd broken from the kiss. "The way you're so serious about it, it's cute...though it's your insistence for me to believe it myself that's amusing to me...I think?

It's not so easy to just agree I'm handsome, your words made me happy though, Aoi."

He wasn't entirely sure how to explain it, but he hoped she could...maybe understand what he was trying to say...

"...But how can you not see it? Like how? Hoooow!? Its almost impossible!" Aoi reached up finally and gripped Rin's chin delicately enough to not hurt but not allowing him to escape. Her eyes were determined and she pursed her lips as her other hand came up.

"Soft, delicate skin. Pretty pretty eyes, with really pretty eyelashes. Mm your dark tiredness to them gives you the air of just mystery too. Very very nice hair too! Dyed like this or your normal black... Though your ears are the best! Mmm, I think you are objectively very handsome. By lots of standards!" The hand hand settled against his skin reached up to pinch and pull his cheek lightly as she blushed. "...is not cute."

Rin wanted to laugh again, finding Aoi's insistence on this cute, but kept it in as she took his chin in her hand and spoke to him. He was glad she liked all of these things about him, glad she found so many traits of his attractive...

There was a smile on his face at her words...until she seized his cheek and pulled lightly which caused a second's worth of a surprised expression on his face before his eyes returned to her.

"It makes me happy to hear you think that well of my appearance...but yes, you may deny it but I say your insistence is quite cute." He wasn't going to let that go, just like she wasn't letting this.

Aoi was happy Rin was smiling, though she wasn't sure if it was holding in laughter or from actually happy. She leaned up and kissed him again, softly and quickly with no time to respond after he gave her a surprised look. At least his acceptance and admission he was happy was nice...

"Good, it should make you happy. I love you so much and I love your looks too. Also... Not cute!" Aoi's cute and pleased smile turned into a pout as she reached up as if to pull his cheek again. "If we weren't in a hurry I would show you how not cute I am! I would!"

"Cute." Rin answered, though it came out a bit slurred due to the hold Aoi had on his cheek as she pulled it again. He had to resist a chuckle, which luckily he managed to do.

Right, they were in a rush; they needed to get to the Seireitei then... He had his second yukata packed, and Aoi had his scarf...

Before he moved to pack anything else though, he leaned down as soon as he cheek was free to kiss Aoi, a quick one like she had just done moments ago. "I love you too."

"Weh!" Aoi replied to his continued insistence on cute with a whining sound and dropped his cheek forever. Rin was done! Done! He had to be done or else she was going to boot him in the butt. Even his quick kiss, given to her and adored, was not enough to stop the pouting.

"Weh weh weh weh!" Aoi bent down to grab his back, whining every step of the way as she stalked towards the door. "Weh!"

W...Weh?

Eh...?

Aoi was pouting, pouting strongly... Had his words really done that much to her? It brought her to the point of extreme pouting? He would not smile at this...

He didn't have time to as Aoi began to stalk off; "A-Aoi, w-what about...other things to pack?"

He only had a single yukata!

Pout pout pout all the way to the door. "Not cute..." was muttered more than a few times as she did so, now that the weh fest was over.

"...Other things?" Aoi's pouting was interrupted by the introduction of new terminology to her vocabulary. What other things could Rin possibly need? "You've only got these two Yukatas. I mean I'll get more... Y-Your...r-ring is around my neck..."

What else could he want?

Y-Yes...other things, he...didn't he need like...at least some other articles of clothing just in case! J-Just one yukata... Get more? A-Ah... H-His ring...

He felt himself blush as that was brought up; Aoi was wearing... T-That was good...

"I-I see..."

Aoi noticed Rin's blush, but it wasn't like she was unaffected. Her blush was just rather small at the moment, though it was feeding off of his. I-It was okay! She wore this all the time! No need to... to... be all flustered now!

"S-So you are ready? Nothing else?" Scooting towards the door, Aoi blinked and completely forgot about her pouting. Whatever it had been about was not important! Heading out was.

Ready, was he...

"A-Ah, if you...believe the extra yukata is all I'll need than...y-yes." Rin gave a small nod; two yukatas...and they'd get more for him at a later time... I-If that was the case... W-What else could he need?

Now Rin couldn't even think of anything...

"I'm gonna get you some more too! When we go...go...shopping. Yes. We can get some measurements and stuff." Aoi was nodding, definitely not able to bring up his ring getting while she like this. Nope! Totally only shopping in just a general normal not weird or unsure sense!

She didn't even count underwear as part of the itinerary. They got in the way on him~ Stepping out of the room, she stuck her head back in and blew a raspberry at the man. "Come on! If you keep standing here I might have to take Ruka as your replacement for my buddy this trip!"

As if she'd want to take Ruka more than Rin... but it was teasing it didn't have to make sense.

"R-Right! Right..." They would worry about getting more yukatas for him in the Soul Society, along with getting his measurements and such as well for them. T-They had those plans then...

He knew...they were also supposed to get his...r-r-ring...as well, but his mind couldn't linger on that for too long before he felt himself become flustered.

T-Take Ruka instead!? He knew Aoi was teasing but-!

"C-Coming, coming!" Saying that, he followed after her out of the room.

Aoi laughed as Rin followed her finally, hopping up onto the banister again and sliding down it to reach the first floor quickly. All set now! He wouldn't be able to lie to her once they were entirely alone either and she could get the bubble story out of him too!

Whatever he was keeping from her would be drawn out slowly but surely. Or quickly but surely! The woman looked around to find his twin though, intent on saying goodbye before they left and giving her another promise to keep her brother safe...

Rin followed after Aoi, quickening his step a bit as he reached the stairs. She had already slid down the banister but he was following behind.

Ruka had seated herself in the living room area with the plate of sandwiches Rin had made, swallowing her bite of one as Aoi made it to the bottom of the stairs, with her brother shortly appearing behind her.

Seeing the two of them, she offered a smile; they looked ready to head out.

Aoi rushed over to Ruka, saluting her with a grin once she was close enough. "I have successfully packed Shiro-usa up and will now be stealing him! I promise to return him in the condition he left in~"

Maybe a bit happier and less tense... She didn't say that because Ruka would be upset and Aoi was trying to be all considerate and stuff after the weird bubble stuff. Looking back at Rin though, she gave him a smile and bounded back to his side before looping her arm through his and tugging.

"We gotta go! My break's only another hour!" They could portal back from right outside of the house, that was the nice part now... Nice and secret from anyone else now that Ruka knew~

"Right, have fun!" Ruka gave a smile as Aoi announced the two were about to leave; they'd gotten him packed and dressed and were heading out. She would be fine, she planned on staying home with all of the bubble stuff, there was no telling if it was done with for sure yet and she wasn't going risk it!

Plus, her work for the day had been cancelled out of precaution anyway... She could just relax at home~

Rin gave a small wave just before Aoi took his arm, leading him off. They needed to hurry, definitely hurry then...

"I'll see you when I get back, Ruka." To Rin's words, Ruka gave a nod and waved the two off.

Aoi just took Rin out of the sliding glass doors that lead to the pool area out back, giggling softly as he was tugged along. It'd be bad for him to disappear outside of his home in the front! The butterfly darted out ahead of her and opened the gate with a bright white light, Aoi not stopping as she walked up to it and then through it.

They stepped out into a rather busy area, the gates opening and closing all over as shinigami rushed around. It seemed the bubble situation was still being investigated and searched, but Aoi really had nothing to do at the moment other than keep her squad prepared. She was getting reports of what she needed to know and that was about it...

Tugging Rin along gently, she looked back with a grin. "This way! Its a bit father than my barracks room... But I think you'll really like it. Its like that, but much bigger. Kinda empty... But I have a really soft futon!"

Rin followed Aoi as she led him out, letting her lead the way as she tugged him along out back. Just up ahead he saw the butterfly dart off and shortly after it did a portal was visible in his line of sight.

The... Soul Society was quite busy, or this area anyway. There were a few portals constantly opening and closing as shinigami went about their business. The...bubble situation still had everyone in a panic...

His attention was on Aoi as she spoke, and he gave a nod as a smile appeared; "The extra distance isn't a problem."

He was excited to see her new home, until now he'd only been able to hear about it; he knew he was supposed to help decorate it and such as well.

"Here, we have to leave sixth so you'll get to see so much more of the Seireitei~" Aoi chirped, happy and pleased with how much Rin seemed pleased. Well he had gotten to see a bit last time as they had left it to head to the rukon but really! This was like the interior interior!

She lead him along, quickly but not overly hasty as she headed for her Division, the new one that he'd not seen yet... It wasn't long before they were walking along a well traveled road, heading straight for Eleventh and ignoring the looks that were given to the tiny Captain and her friend. Aoi explained all the sights as they went, when they were passing another Division or not or just an interesting thing she'd remember. Rin liked details like this so she'd practiced memorizing things to tell him!

Reaching Eleventh took a bit, but definitely not overly long. It wasn't too much different than Sixth, stylistically as they entered the gate and her members guarding it bowed, but really the layout was more open and the place was definitely full of people practicing all around. Spars of all sorts were going on, goodnatured teasing ones or serious and angry...

Aoi waved to the members with her free hand as she smiled, some of them giving Rin the weirdest expressions. The weird looks quickly spread in a wave as spars stopped, the guards also freezing and staring.

...

That... was a pretty man... Obviously they were not expecting someone who...who looked like Rin to show up with their newly beloved Captain.

"Alright..." Rin gave a nod as Aoi explained they'd need to leave Sixth; he would get to see more of the Seireitei this way... He was a bit excited about that, considering they'd mostly been in the Rukongai the last time he'd visited.

Getting to see more of this place would be really nice, he felt.

He followed Aoi as she led him along, listening to everything she had to say as they made their way towards the Eleventh. There were looks being directed at them, but Rin was too focused on listening to what Aoi had to say to really pay much mind to them, his eyes occasionally glancing around at all the new sights as they continued on.

The Eleventh's building didn't look too much different from the division they'd just left, though...it did seem more open. Aoi's division was the vanguards so he supposed they needed more of a training area than the rest.

There were shinigami practicing all around he noticed as they stepped through the gates; they were working hard, which made Rin smile considering Aoi was their captain.

Though... They all seemed to stop as they entered as Aoi waved at them, something seemed...odd to them though? He blinked, unsure of what to make of their appearances...

Were they...looking at him? E-Eh?

Rather than letting himself look awkward, he attempted smiles, even if he was confused by the weird looks...