A Stroll to Remember

"Y-yeah.." She said in response to his thinking aloud about cars. She smiled, her stomach feeling like it had tumbling rocks in it. She gave a small 'hm?' and looked up at him when he asked about her.

She smiled and gave a tiny little laugh, slipping her hands around his arm and holding it close. She closed her eyes and rested her head against him. "Y-yeah.. I'm fine... Just... nervous... good nervous..." She frowned, hoping she wasn't giving him the impression she wasn't looking forward to it. She tried to rub his arm pleasantly. "It's just been a while and... erm... I.. Hrrrm..." She puffed out her cheeks, as if she were having trouble forcing out her next words.

"Hrrrm...and... pfffff.... And I think I really like you?" She said, squeezing her eyes shut.

He kept his usual expression, but what she'd said...

Not having done this in awhile was fine, that wasn't what had caught his attention. Liked him? Well...if she didn't she wouldn't be wanting to do these things with him, likewise for him but he knew that wasn't the 'like' she meant. She meant more than just a fling like...which worried him.

He didn't hold relationships for a reason. He was a rogue. Wanted. He had to constantly move from place to place. Traveling and seeing all those things were nice but...he didn't travel just to see the sights, he traveled because he had no other choice but to do so.

All that constant moving, it took a lot out of someone; it was a lot of stress on the mind and body. He had grown accustomed to it, after centuries of doing so...but if someone chose to follow him, he knew that could potentially cause more harm than good. That constant moving, the stress it caused...it wasn't healthy.

"Like me?" He asked, though secretly a bit on edge about what her response might be. Perhaps he shouldn't of asked, perhaps he should have changed subject and saved this particular one for later...it would be preferable...but...he and his big mouth.

She looked up, a little surprised at his response. She blushed. She'd expected teasing, or affection or.... maybe... a cold 'I'm sorry' speech... Confusion was something she hadn't accounted on. "Y-yeah... I.. I um..." She held her hands in her lap, trembling just a little. She glanced at him, then back down, then just sighed and sort of sagged.

She snuggled up closer to him, laying her hand and head on his chest, the other sliding around him. She knew it was stupid, considering he might be turning her down... that she might feel stupid... she didn't care. There was no point taking a leap if you weren't going to do it with a running start. "Yeah.... I like you... You are sweet and pretty and... And charming and.. well.. .dangerous..." She bit her lip for a moment.

"I...I dunno... you... make me feel safe... but alive.... Like... scary guys just seem nasty... but nice guys just seem predictable..." She frowned. "I don't know what to say... I'm not a girl or an Arrancar. I'm a girl arrancar... I don't like sweet things or dangerous things... I like dangerous sweet things... I like you...." She frowned, blush spreading. Oh god, Elly. Shut up shut up shut up shut up. Even if he liked you, this is super weird what you're saying. WHY WOULD YOU SAY ALL THIS BEFORE HE SLEPT WITH YOU, STUPID.

Although the answer to that was... simply that she was afraid of how much more she would like him afterwards...

In response to her moving closer, he moved his hand to rest on her head; his thumb lightly moving over her hair in an attempt to be soothing despite the discussion. For once in a long while, the rogue was at a loss for the most part. What was he supposed to say? He had his own concerns about this that Elly needed to know so that would be something he needed to say...but was now the time? Perhaps some thinking time on this whole...thing was needed.

"Elly, would it be alright if maybe we could take a few days or so to really think about this?" He asked, "I...I can't exactly give a response right in this moment, because there are some obstacles to think on. I wouldn't be asking to think on it if I didn't like you, so..." He was being serious, having tossed aside his playfulness as it was certainly not the attitude to take in this situation. "If you don't want to continue to the spa I understand, I just think a few days worth of thinking this over would be for the best since it's a rather serious area."

He looked down at her, offering her what he hoped could be seen as a reassuring smile.

He could have told her she smelled like bad tuna. He really could have. His words became so much less relevant the second his hand caressed her head. She felt... at ease... safe.. secure... She listened to his words but it was through a slight haze of happiness and comfort. "I... I understand..." She said. She knew, logically, that she couldn't know anything about how he felt... but.. the way he held her... even Elly, who wasn't always optimistic about her romantic prospects... There had to be SOMETHING, right?

She looked up suddenly though, dismayed by SOMETHING he had said. "N-n-n-no... No no!" She pushed away, waving her hands in a distinct 'no' fashion. "W-w-we should still go to the spa!" She blushed, but she had no time for bashfulness. It was important, nay VITAL, he understand. "Um... Yeah... A few days makes sense. That's very fair." She was more with it now, mentally. "I just um..."

She gave the most sheepish smile, sulking a little, less then proud of what she was saying, but saying it with far more confidence then the confession that came before it. "I reaaaaallly need to go to the spa with you... more than ever." she blushed more. She had no problem giving him as much time as he wanted to think about a relationship... but the hormones in her body had more immediate concerns she wasn't too ashamed to admit to.

He blinked a bit at her rather animated response when it came to the spa, his eyes slightly widened before his expression returned to his usual one that Elly was more familiar with as he gave a light chuckle; his fist moving to cover his mouth a bit as if to hide his smile, not that it was working.

"Right, then the spa's the next stop!" He grinned, happy that she was agreeing to take a few days to think on things.

She nodded, going to raise a fist in a little awkward pump before the taxi ground to a halt. The driver looked back at them. "Well, whatever you weird kids are doing here, this is it." He said, gesturing to the spa they'd pulled up to.

"O-Oh!" Elly pulled out her money and paid the man, before practically scrambling out of the car, already circling around to get Kaimu's door and open it for him. "We're here we're here we're here!" She was as excited as she would allow herself to be. She could not look TOO silly. She forced herself to calmly wait for Kaimu. After all... even if... even if a few days from now he decided not to be with her... She pouted at the thought... She still was... having FEELINGS for him... Even the two times she'd slept with someone in her relatively short life... she hadn't really felt anything towards them like this....

At the driver's words, Kaimu glanced out the window; noticing the new location while Elly paid the man and exited the vehicle. He was about to move to get out as well before she had circled around and opened his door for him.

He gave a smile at her excitement as he stepped out the cab, feeling Elly would be jumping with every step if she allowed herself to. The area looked nice, just like the mall had but it had a more...peaceful atmosphere to it. "This is the spa? It's really nice."

She glanced over with a smirky little grin.  "Well, this isn't the dark ages.  We take spas very seriously, thank you very much."  She walked ahead and opened the door for him, before following into the cool, air conditioned lobby.

Up ahead a woman at the front desk looked up with a professional smile.  "Hi... Welcome to Heaven Springs Spa.  Do you have a reservation?" She asked pleasantly enough.

"Er... No... We don't.  Is that okay?"  Elly asked with a sudden frown, not having thought of this.

The woman looked between the two of them.  "Well... There is an extra fee..."

Elly shook her hands.  "Oh.  We don't mind.  Money isn't an issue."  She walked up and began pulling bills out of her pocket.  "Um... We want... If possible... A private Jacuzzi?  Aaand a private sauna..."

The woman eyed the bills suspiciously, but counted them and shrugged.  "Very well.  Here is your key, if you go down the hall on the left, it will be lodge 113.  You should find lockers, a Jacuzzi, sauna and a shower in there."  She said pleasantly before putting the money in a box.

Elly walked back to Kaimu and handed him the key, slipping her arm around him.  "Shall we?"

"Oh." The woman asked Kaimu, instead of Elly. "Would the two of you like a Heaven Springs swimsuit?"

Elly looked up at Kaimu and simply shrugged, leaving it to him.

Once inside, Kaimu couldn't stop from himself from taking in the lobby. It was cool, quiet, very well kept...He almost felt like a commoner walking into a noble's residence...

He continued observing the area in slight awe as Elly spoke with the woman at the desk, getting the key and what they'd need to be here. His attention was pulled from the interior as he felt something being placed in his hand, that being the key.

He gave Elly a small nod and a smile as she moved to slip her arm around him. "Mm, let's."

Kaimu had heard vaguely where to go, mostly half hearing but he remembered the woman's directions; thankfully.

She blushed as he ignored the woman's question. O-okay... No swimsuit... Maybe she would go in her Arrancar uniform... Or maybe... She blushed more as he led her down the hall. When they got to the room, she gave him an anxious squeeze as they opened the door.

Immediately to the right were some small personal lockers and a table with some clean towels. Further in, in a lovely lit room was the jacuzzi, the controls on the wall. To the immediate right from where they were was a shower stall. Further in to the right was the door to the sauna.

Elly slipped from him to turn and lock the door. Once it was locked, she wasted absolutely no time walking over to a chair by the lockers and sitting in it. A quick moment later she was pulling out of the gigai and then loose.

She took a moment, pulling back her Kitty hood to fix her hair. Ah she had missed her hair... She glanced over at Kaimu, blushing before pulling her robe off, leaving her in the skintight two piece segments underneath. She laid the robe carefully over the gigai before walking up to Kaimu, slipping her hands around his waist.

"Still think I'm prettier then the gigai?" She asked, happy her voice was back to normal.

At the squeeze, Kaimu gave another smile towards Elly before they reached the room. Once inside, he took a moment to look around at everything. He heard the door lock behind him, before noticing Elly move to a chair to make quick work of getting out of her gigai.

They could get out of them now, right. Thinking that, he left his own gigai. He felt a lot better once he was free from it, his smile growing brighter now that he was out of it. With the gigai on, it compressed his abilities a decent bit which in turn made being in the gigai feel a bit cramped.

He glanced down when he felt Elly move to him, her arms slipping around him, and moved his fingers to her chin again before leaning down slightly. "Mhmm, much prettier than the gigai~."

Elly squeezed him, laying her head on his shoulder. This squeeze would also immediately remind him of one of the most notable changes between her and her gigai. She looked up and gave a small noise when he took her chin, just looking him in the eyes, lips ever so slightly open. She blushed. "Th...Thank you.." Unable to look away, she slowly closed her eyes. "S-So..." She spoke, keeping her eyes closed. She didn't want to make it too easy for him, which it would be if she let him keep looking into her eyes like that.

"Sh..Shall we take a dip in the hot tub, the sauna, the..." Nope.. Even with the eyes closed, couldn't do it. She swatted at her hand, looking down, although opening her eyes. "The...Sh..sh-shower...?" Her hands clutched at him, more than a little nervous about which he picked.

As the seconds passed Elly seemed to get more nervous about things, it showing as she tried to speak and lay out the options the spa had provided them with. Kaimu brought his hand to her head, softly running it against her hair softly in an attempt to calm her.

"I'm not exactly sure of proper....spa protocol." He chuckled, though it was true...he wasn't sure if there was an order to this or if you just picked whatever first. "Which one would you be more comfortable with first, Elly? Personally I'm fine with anything."

Elly continued to clench her teeth together, still barely believing this was happening. Her hands clutched at him, and she might have started seriously shaking, but then his hand gently moved along her hair. She took a deep sigh and buried her face into his chest again. She was still blushing but at least she was smiling now. She eventually looked up.

"Well...If... I mean..." She glanced over at the shower. If he'd just asked what they should try first she might not recommend something that would lead so... directly... Not out of playfulness, but not wanting to look like... well... not wanting to seem desperate... "It would be unsanitary... if we got into the hot tub or went in their nice sauna without taking a shower... right?" Her tone of voice was weak but clear. She was saying this because it was true, but she wasn't trying to hide the subtext. Especially noted when she looked up at him with a pout. "You really get off on seeing me embarrassed like this, don't you..." She tried to growl, which was undercut when she ran his hands appreciatively up his sides.

True...It would be...Those were his thoughts as he listened to what Elly said before she began pouting. He gave a small chuckle, "It's cute though, Elly-tan~" He replied, giving her a grin. "Though you are right, it would be unsanitary."

She blushed when he called her cute, but managed to somehow keep her head from burying itself as deep into his chest as possible this time. She just sort of giggled and looked around for a moment. "W-Well... If we're being clean then..." She gently pushed away from him and walked over to the shower, disappearing into the stall, with one last bedroom-eyes filled look at Kaimu. A few moments later the water would turn on.

And a moment after that, a hand would tauntingly reach out, dropping the upper half of her outfit on the floor.

Kaimu watched as Elly left him, heading for the shower. He couldn't help but smirk slightly when he saw her arm reach out after the water had been turn on, dropping the remains of what she'd been wearing before beckoning him to follow.

He removed his clothing, it falling to the floor in a pile before he approached the stall; standing outside of it for a moment before finally entering it, his smirk remaining.

As he had said before; she was much prettier than the gigai.

She blushed when he finally entered, having removed the rest of her outfit and tossed it outside with the top. Although blushing, she had a rather inviting smirk on her face and stood under the water. Clearly nervous, her hands covered her chest and her legs were pressed together and shifted a little to hide anything.

"So, Kaimu Miura? You've got me all alone in the shower now? I don't think we need to worry about peepers or our gigais here."

His smirk returned when he caught view of hers as she spoke, a finger moving out to her neck before gliding up and resting under chin after he'd stepped closer to Elly under the water.

"True." He replied, leaning his head down closer to hers, their lips almost touching. "In here we have all the privacy we need. What to do...~"

She slipped her arms slowly around his waist, looking down and then slowly gliding her eyes up to his, smiling with his fingers around her chin. "Whatever we want~" she answered before pressing her lips to his, pulling him into an embrace.


~~~~

Some very exhausting amount of time later, Elly curled up next to Kaimu, nuzzling her face into his chest, the hot water of the jacuzzi bubbling around them. She gave a small little contented shudder of relaxation. With no swimsuit and feeling awkward unclothed when not in the midst of more intimate things, she'd adopted a towel-dress after the sauna, which, drenched anyway, she'd tightly tucked together and worn into the Jacuzzi once they were... finished.

"well...I certainly hope you're satisfied, mister rogue shinigami." She said, poking his chest. "Couldn't just let a girl do her job, could you." She teased, drawling little patterns on his skin with her nail.

Kaimu let out a soft chuckle as they sat, having wrapped a towel around his waist once they'd decided to slip into the Jacuzzi, and his hand having gone to Elly's hair to gently play with it.

"I'm quite satisfied, Elly-tan~" He replied, "I do apologize for interrupting your duty, but, I'd say the day was plenty enjoyable and well spent."

She sighed gently, glancing up. She smiled, enjoying having her hair played with, too content to properly snark him at the moment. "Well.. I suppose I can forgive you. And yes, I would say today was.. .quite acceptable.'' she giggled at how much of an understatement THAT had been. She had not felt this relaxed in yeeaaars.

"I'm glad I'm forgiven." Kaimu smiled, "and it also makes me happy to hear you've also enjoyed today, it's been a lot of fun."

What'd started out as a day of trying to help in stopping a hollow had turned into a rather nice time in the human world; the bus, the mall, the spa...it'd been a great time.

She giggled. "You couldn't already tell I enjoyed it? I would have thought all the shouting was an indicator." She said, a little embarrassed at the comment. She wrapped her arm around his and nuzzled him a little tighter. "I think saying I looked forward to doing this again would be equally understating as the last one." She said with a chuckle.

She spent a rather large amount of time in the Jacuzzi with Kaimu, chatting and simply resting before they had fully enjoyed the spa. Once they were done, it didn't take long for them to get their gigais and leave. Elly wasn't entirely enthused to be back in that gigai, but soon she'd be home and have her own back. Next time she met with Kaimu, she'd make sure to get hers.

Soon they were back in the Rukon district. Elly stepped out of the garganta, stretching before exiting her gigai again. She held it up. "Here... Um... If you want, you can try and take this back to that one guy... I'd hate for you to owe him for it... although I could use it to visit my family." She hadn't gotten it done today for obvious reasons, but it was something she wanted to do sometime.