The Park, Tuesday Afternoon

[1000yearstoolate]

Issa wasn't in a tree. Issa was under a bush close to the pond, tail whipping back and forth as she watched the ducks.

This meant Seivarden could relax on a nearby bench, sipping her tea and swiping through her instagram feed, occasionally letting out an amused snort and liking something.

[Open]

Comments

[sake_shinigami]

'Twas the season for park bench naps, and Tuesdays were particularly good for them since Shunsui had so much terrible work to attend to on Mondays and Wednesdays that it was the perfect respite between the two of them.

"Ah ♥," he smiled a bit to see someone else taking advantage of the benches (although not exactly for their best usage), and he had almost started to remember Seivarden's name, but it had been so long that it was very clearly escaping him at that moment, though he did look around for that lovely cat of hers. His smile brightened when he spotted the bush with the swishing tail, with a small chuckle. "Out enjoying the weather, are we ♥?"

[1000yearstoolate]

Seivarden turned her eyes away from Issa, smiling a little. "I think Issa enjoys the ducks more than the weather."

[sake_shinigami]

"Well, one can hardly blame her there," Shunsui mused with a note of wry amusement, "it's hard for anyone not to enjoy a duck, though I think the real question is, do the ducks enjoy her ♥

"And," he added, of course, lest he forget his manner and because now that he'd made it to his destination, it was practically required to enjoy a drink in celebration, and he already had the cups and was pouring, besides, "would you enjoy some sake ♥? I see you've already got some tea, of course, but they do say variety is the spice of life, neh ♥?"

[1000yearstoolate]

"I think they just ignore her," Seivarden said.

"I've nearly finished my tea, so I wouldn't mind some sake. Whoever says that has a point."

[sake_shinigami]

"They," said Shunsui, leaning over from behind the bench to present Seivarden with the first cup, "usually seem to have good advice ♥."

Assuming it wasn't the they that Nanao-chan liked to quote, with all their talk about the benefits of hard word and other such nonsense.

"It's been a while," he then noted, "hasn't it ♥? Shame I didn't think to bring any little treats to distract your lovely Issa-chan from her ducks for a bit ♥. Perhaps I'll have to keep that in mind for my future forays into the park ♥."

[1000yearstoolate]

"I'm sure she'd love you," Seivarden said, "At least as long as they last."

She accepted the cup.

"Thank you."

[sake_shinigami]

"Yokatta~ ♥," Shunsui drawled lightly, brightly, with a dismissive wave of his hand, before pouring his own cup, "such good weather and good company deserved good sake ♥.

"And," he mused, with another grin toward the tailed bush, "if I remember correctly, your lovely cat is won over by more than just treats ♥."

It was part of why he adored her so, based on just the one encounter.

[1000yearstoolate]

"It depends on the mood," Seivarden said, "And the person."

She took a sip from her sake.

"So, how are you?"

[sake_shinigami]

Shunsui was wholly convinced that the person, in this case, could conquer any mood with that cat.

"Oh," Shunsui's drawl was light and blithe as he sipped his own sake and seemed thoughtful in the answer, "can't complain ♥. I suppose I could do without my class being so dreadfully early in the morning, but there are worse things...This island rarely disappoints in keeping one amused, anyway ♥.'

"And yourself ♥?" he asked, and even managed to sound mildly interested in the answer.

[1000yearstoolate]

"I just moved to a new apartment," Seivarden said, not really caring about whether Shunsui was interested or not. "Both Issa and I consider it an improvement."

Issa suddenly appeared, taking a seat on the bench next to Seivarden.

[sake_shinigami]

"And here I was just pleased to have my old apartment back ♥," said Shunsii, incredibly relieved by the arrival of the cat, because sometimes he really did have trouble conversing with people if it wasn't filled with blatant flirtations.

"I should really see what's happened with my old office, now that I think about it...."

But, there was an incredibly lovely cat joining them now, and, after that thought faded, all his attention shifted that was. "Konnichiwa, Issa-chaaan ♥," he sang, wiggling his fingers at her a little before holding them of for her to decide whether she wanted to be pet. "Decided to deign us with your glorious presence after all ♥? Always make them wait for it, neh ♥. You're as clever as you are beautiful, I see ♥."

[1000yearstoolate]

Someone appreciating Issa was always going to make Seivarden happy, so she smiled.

"And she's not up in a tree today."

[sake_shinigami]

And Shunsui did love showering attention on that cat. Or any pretty little thing, really.

"Does she enjoy trees, then?" he asked, tilting his head forward enough to entice the cat with that long stray strand of his hair. "Or merely happen to find herself in them often?"

[1000yearstoolate]

"You'd have to ask her," Seivarden said with a laugh.

She would be worried either way. Taking another sip of sake, she continued:

"Do you have any pets?"

[sake_shinigami]

To that, Shunsui could only laugh. "Me ♥?" he asked. "With a pet ♥? I can barely be responsible for a houseplant, much less a whole living being ♥!"

Forget the fact that he was actually in charge of a whole Division of the Gotei 13 and had been for centuries, not to mention a life-long duty to watch over his own lieutenant...But he couldn't just let people know he was actually responsible in any way....

The laugh whittled down to an amused chuckle and he shook his head, scratching Issa behind her ears. "No," his voice was a bit softer, his smile beaming at the cat. "No pets for me ♥. And, well, lovely Issa-chan, which is it? Are you fond of the trees, or can the trees simply not get enough of you, my dear ♥? I can hardly blame them, if it were the latter ♥."

[1000yearstoolate]

Issa purred, her eyes half-closed.

"You're spoiling her," Seivarden said, trying to hide her approval.

[sake_shinigami]

Well, now, that just meant Shunsui was going to have to set aside his sake cup so that his other hand could scratch under Issa's chi while the other worked behind the ears.

"This," he declared, not even bothering to try to hide his amusement, "is a cat that was made to be spoiled ♥. Isn't that right, Issa-chan~ ♥. Lovely, lovely Issa-chaaan~ ♥ ♥ ♥."

[1000yearstoolate]

"She's good at making people give her that kind of attention," Seivarden said fondly.