[ It's late in the afternoon when they head back to their respective hotels - Ichigo, apparently, is staying not too far from where Renji's booked him in which is obviously something that will never, ever happen again in any conceivable reality. The booking, that is, not the coincidental proximity. That part, he... can't be too certain of, actually, at this point in time. They'd finished their visit to the tea shop on a quiet but comfortable note and by rights, Byakuya should have no trouble at all, simply focusing on other things, on what comes next in this assignment. Because half-brained and undercooked as it is, it is an assignment and he should have something prepared for tomorrow when they switch places, him and Renji, yet all the data he's managed to collect pertain to Ichigo and his mind, for some reason, isn't entirely willing to put what he knows aside and recalibrate.
Perhaps a night at this awful excuse for a hotel will get his mind back on track. He pauses, leaving Ichigo to change his own step as he wishes, to stare down the small, derelict passage towards the dark, shabby building hiding near the end of the alleyway. It looks exactly as decrepit on the inside and from the roof, a strange light keeps blinking on and off behind blocked-out windows. He'd thought, perhaps a night club of some kind - but he's heard no music or seen no visitors coming or going.
Either way, yes, he'll have clarity or his gigai will be stolen for something utterly depraved like organ harvesting. An either-or situation, surely.
Sighing, he puts his hands in his pockets. The sounds of traffic and pedestrians from the main street make him feel restless, which doesn't improve his mood or his opinion on this whole situation. It's rather like having a barrage of flies buzzing around one's ears. ]
Perhaps the temple gardens would be preferable.
[ If nothing else, the maple leaves truly were a beautiful sight. Even at night, even if it rains, he's certain he'd rather have a soggy leaf landing on his nose than whatever might descend from above in that hotel. ]
[ It kinda ended on a quiet note. After finishing tea, or half his hot chocolate, as far as Ichigo was concerned, they walked back to their hotels, that they'd accidentally discovered were situated pretty close to each other. Ichigo hadn't recognised the name of the hotel Byakuya was gonna stay at, but honestly, the amount of hotels in Kyoto - if lain down side by side, they'd reach into Soul Society, no problem.
Now, he realizes, standing next to a very tired-looking Byakuya, why the hotel name didn't ring any bells. It's crap. An utter shit place, are you kidding him? He looks for a long time from the hotel facade that looks rotten and inside it's probably even worse to Byakuya and back again.
What the hell was Renji thinking? That place has, like, one star at the most and doesn't Byakuya have, like, all the money in the world to find a stupid hotel for? Ichigo blinks, then he blinks again.
Then, he straightens up and rolls both shoulders, sighing loudly, audibly. ]
Really.
[ Turning to Byakuya, he looks up into his face, raising his chin to make sure the other man isn't gonna argue with him for his petty principles' sake. In this hotel, even principles can't survive. Should they live, they'd still get scabies, right? ]
You're sleeping with me tonight. No way I can allow you to go any closer to that rat's nest.
[ He's resigning himself to sleeping outside for the night and leaving what little things he's brought for his gigai in the hotel as a parting gift for the criminals that are surely planning on ambushing him in his sleep when Ichigo straightens next to him, sighing loudly enough to make him glance sideways at him. He looks exactly as he tends to do before jumping into action and Byakuya is instantly on alert, perhaps slightly skeptical.
Then, Ichigo turns towards him, looking entirely too self-assured for what comes out of his mouth two seconds after. Byakuya blinks, again - for a long moment, he doesn't know how to say anything at all. It's one thing that the hotel is, objectively, generously speaking, a hole in the ground but though he's certainly used to luxury, Byakuya can potentially sleep in most places if he must. To make his lieutenant happy, no, he's not going to subject himself to the indignities of this hotel but there are options, surely, that he'd survive just fine.
Options that don't include - and when he says sleeping with, what exactly does he mean?
His mind chooses to punctuate that question with a re-wind of Ichigo licking cream off his spoon.
Sigh. ]
If you insist.
[ Clearly, they will require extra bedding and there'll be a couch, presumably, or something. If only he hadn't counted on Renji setting things up, he could have brought a way to get money for himself - next time, definitely. Assuming there'll be one.
[ Sure, there's gonna be some additional trouble they have to go to now, of course. Can't be helped.
Ichigo will need the reception ladies to fix him up with extra bedding and, naturally, he is gonna take the couch in his suite, since he's not any taller than it should be doable, even if he won't be able to swim in the space the way Rukia would, right? Yeah, Byakuya might be taller, he notices as he turns away and starts down the street towards his own hotel, a four-star deal with comfortable accommodations that Tanaka had scouted out for them, once Byakuya has accepted, no arguments. But their height difference is a head at most.
Since when did Ichigo start caring about these kinds of things anyway, huh? He can't remember how tall Jamie is, or Tanaka for that matter. Height never meant anything, he can beat most people at the height he's grown into. It's fine.
Still, he looks at Byakuya one extra time over one shoulder. ]
I insist, you know. If Rukia found out I let you fend for yourself all night, I'm in big trouble.
[ While it's said with his back turned, his expression as such obscured, Ichigo still sounds direct and unapologetic, his tone coming clearly through. He doesn't mind leading them back to his hotel and he wouldn't mind leading them anywhere else, and any instinct in him that thinks he shouldn't just has to recall Byakuya against that wall, falling apart, dying.
Swallowing, Ichigo thrusts his hands into his pockets and stares straight ahead.
In battle, height means nothing. But there are other venues, supposedly. What does he know? He's gonna take the couch. ]
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saviorcomplexed) wrote2025-03-17 12:16 pm
no subject
Perhaps a night at this awful excuse for a hotel will get his mind back on track. He pauses, leaving Ichigo to change his own step as he wishes, to stare down the small, derelict passage towards the dark, shabby building hiding near the end of the alleyway. It looks exactly as decrepit on the inside and from the roof, a strange light keeps blinking on and off behind blocked-out windows. He'd thought, perhaps a night club of some kind - but he's heard no music or seen no visitors coming or going.
Either way, yes, he'll have clarity or his gigai will be stolen for something utterly depraved like organ harvesting. An either-or situation, surely.
Sighing, he puts his hands in his pockets. The sounds of traffic and pedestrians from the main street make him feel restless, which doesn't improve his mood or his opinion on this whole situation. It's rather like having a barrage of flies buzzing around one's ears. ]
Perhaps the temple gardens would be preferable.
[ If nothing else, the maple leaves truly were a beautiful sight. Even at night, even if it rains, he's certain he'd rather have a soggy leaf landing on his nose than whatever might descend from above in that hotel. ]
no subject
Now, he realizes, standing next to a very tired-looking Byakuya, why the hotel name didn't ring any bells. It's crap. An utter shit place, are you kidding him? He looks for a long time from the hotel facade that looks rotten and inside it's probably even worse to Byakuya and back again.
What the hell was Renji thinking? That place has, like, one star at the most and doesn't Byakuya have, like, all the money in the world to find a stupid hotel for? Ichigo blinks, then he blinks again.
Then, he straightens up and rolls both shoulders, sighing loudly, audibly. ]
Really.
[ Turning to Byakuya, he looks up into his face, raising his chin to make sure the other man isn't gonna argue with him for his petty principles' sake. In this hotel, even principles can't survive. Should they live, they'd still get scabies, right? ]
You're sleeping with me tonight. No way I can allow you to go any closer to that rat's nest.
no subject
Then, Ichigo turns towards him, looking entirely too self-assured for what comes out of his mouth two seconds after. Byakuya blinks, again - for a long moment, he doesn't know how to say anything at all. It's one thing that the hotel is, objectively, generously speaking, a hole in the ground but though he's certainly used to luxury, Byakuya can potentially sleep in most places if he must. To make his lieutenant happy, no, he's not going to subject himself to the indignities of this hotel but there are options, surely, that he'd survive just fine.
Options that don't include - and when he says sleeping with, what exactly does he mean?
His mind chooses to punctuate that question with a re-wind of Ichigo licking cream off his spoon.
Sigh. ]
If you insist.
[ Clearly, they will require extra bedding and there'll be a couch, presumably, or something. If only he hadn't counted on Renji setting things up, he could have brought a way to get money for himself - next time, definitely. Assuming there'll be one.
He looks at Ichigo. Then, he looks away.
Probably, there will. ]
no subject
Ichigo will need the reception ladies to fix him up with extra bedding and, naturally, he is gonna take the couch in his suite, since he's not any taller than it should be doable, even if he won't be able to swim in the space the way Rukia would, right? Yeah, Byakuya might be taller, he notices as he turns away and starts down the street towards his own hotel, a four-star deal with comfortable accommodations that Tanaka had scouted out for them, once Byakuya has accepted, no arguments. But their height difference is a head at most.
Since when did Ichigo start caring about these kinds of things anyway, huh? He can't remember how tall Jamie is, or Tanaka for that matter. Height never meant anything, he can beat most people at the height he's grown into. It's fine.
Still, he looks at Byakuya one extra time over one shoulder. ]
I insist, you know. If Rukia found out I let you fend for yourself all night, I'm in big trouble.
[ While it's said with his back turned, his expression as such obscured, Ichigo still sounds direct and unapologetic, his tone coming clearly through. He doesn't mind leading them back to his hotel and he wouldn't mind leading them anywhere else, and any instinct in him that thinks he shouldn't just has to recall Byakuya against that wall, falling apart, dying.
Swallowing, Ichigo thrusts his hands into his pockets and stares straight ahead.
In battle, height means nothing. But there are other venues, supposedly. What does he know? He's gonna take the couch. ]