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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jun 22, 2016 18:09:54 GMT -6
"A Noble Outing":It was a beautiful day that Saturday afternoon. The sun was high and warmed the earth below as a gentle breeze with a slight nips billowed about. Saya had gathered her things for painting that day and left the estate directly after lunch. The painting she had received the night before inspired her and it had been so long since she had actually picked up a brush to paint she was not too sure if she even remembered how.
She made her way to the park that was set in the center of the small village she lived with in the Soul Society. It was not far from her manor so going it alone with her supplies was not a large chore. It was finding what she wanted to paint that took more time than any part of her day. Once she found the perfect setting she set everything up and started her painting. It was prefect. The lake cast out before her with snow capped mountain setting behind. The trees were barely changing in colors so it added an array of many colors she got to work with. After a few hours into her painting, the breeze started to become chiller. Stopping for a second she reached into her bag and retrieved her scarf with the sparrows that she bought a few days before. She draped it over her shoulders and head and went back to work on her painting.
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jun 22, 2016 20:25:38 GMT -6
She was not the only one who had taken advantage of the day’’s splendor, though he was oblivious to her at the moment. Across the lake, underneath a wide tree, Byakuya sat reading. The lunch he had brought for his meal forgotten on one side. Though he had more work waiting on his office desk or within his office at the restored estate, his recent outing and evenings in contemplation had led him to set it aside for a few hours once more. To listen to the whim whispering inside him to enjoy the natural beauty he admired.
His lieutenant would be shocked at his recent care to find time for what he had long deemed trivial in the face of his duties.
It was a good thing to remember. One could only capture so much by memory…
His hand paused in turning the page of his book, looking up as butterfly twirled in a pool of sunlight on the lake. The sun was moving. It would soon be necessary to move. He closed his book. But he had finished the passage now. It would be more efficient to take action now.
Tucking his book under his sash, he adjusted his kimono and rose from his place.
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jun 22, 2016 20:39:59 GMT -6
Saya looked from her painting back at the scenery to get another glimpse as the light changed above her. As her eyes lowered she noticed a certain Noble standing from under a tree. It was Byakuya. She smiled warmly watching him as he just so happened to turn her direction.
Positioning her brush so she would not drop it, she waved to the man catching his attention, her warm smile remaining across her lips as she turned her attention back to her painting. She could not believe he was there enjoying the day as she was. She thought for a moment about calling him over so they could speak, but she decided against it figuring he was leaving since he stood from his resting place.
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jun 22, 2016 21:46:05 GMT -6
As the woman raised her hand to him, Byakuya realized it was Saya. He turned in her direction as she returned to her painting. Taking his time to reach her and letting her take advantage of the lighting before it changed. It was easy to admit that his interest was piqued. Perhaps it was vain of him, but he wondered if receiving the painting had led her to pursue such at this time and how often she did spend her time as such.
A light smile lifted his lips as she frowned in concentration. And he walked around her to take a look at the scene forming on her canvas, noting the detail to a certain branch of leaves.
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jun 22, 2016 22:00:55 GMT -6
"How nice to see you again, Kuchiki-sama." She replied to him as he stood behind her. "Enjoying your day?" She heard him hum as he watched her paint. Finishing up the one area of the clouds before they moved away she then turned with a bright smile across her lips as she faced him and wiped the paint from the brush on to a rag in her free hand.
"The painting you sent me inspired me to pick up my brush again. Thank you very much." She looked down at the brush then back to Byakuya. "I am not sure how to top that painting. Its very beautiful." She paused, curious as of if he painted it or not, she was about to ask when a large gust of wind blew past. She turned quickly and grabbed her painting with one hand the other to her scarf so she would not lose it as well.
"It seems the wind wants to change on me all of a sudden."
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jun 22, 2016 22:14:22 GMT -6
Byakuya nodded. "So it would seem, but it would be a shame to stop at such a moment in the process." He stepped closer, pulling her scarf aside - away from the paint - and set a hand to the corner of the canvas. "Horin," he murmured. Two golden ropes formed in his hand, following his direction to tie around two corners and the easel. His free hand indicated the canvas. "And if this is the result, I am glad to have inspired you, Lady Saya. The colors caught in the leaves are quite stunning."
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jun 22, 2016 22:26:35 GMT -6
She smiled shyly with a soft blush in her cheeks at his compliment. "Thank you, Kuchiki-sama. That's very sweet of you to say, and very sweet of you to help keep it in place." She looked to the painting again as it was now anchored so she could finish it. Stepping back up to the easel as she continued to speak to to him.
"Are you out for lunch or enjoying your day off?" She looked his way as he looked to her, their eyes meeting as he now stood next to her. Her cheeks warmed at his closeness as she looked away as inconspicuously as she could.
"Its a beautiful day." She blurted out feeling foolish. "I mean," she looked his way then looked quickly back at her painting. "I mean to enjoy your lunch outdoors that is."
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jun 22, 2016 22:38:17 GMT -6
He chuckled quietly and took a step back to keep her from losing her concentration. “I came out for an undetermined amount of time because it was a beautiful day,” he replied. “And I meant the words I said. It is not polite to bestow compliments on an artist if they do not deserve it. Then they will not endeavor to improve themselves.”
He took another step back and looked over the lake. “I offer my apologies, Lady Saya. I did not mean to lecture. You would believe my honesty.”
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jun 22, 2016 22:56:09 GMT -6
She nodded slowly as she continued to paint and he watched her over her shoulder. "Yes, I would have no reason to doubt you, and I do not see your conversation with me as a lecture. Only stating the obvious." She looked his way and smiled, her eyes sparkling with a new found passion.
It was awhile longer as the two still stood enjoying the others company as they partook in light conversation as she painted. Before Saya or even Byakuya realized it, Saya had finished her painting. Stepping back she looked at the work and smiled with a nod. She then realized that it had been at least an hour that she had been holding up Byakuya. She turned and bowed quickly.
"I am so sorry. I have held you here with my prattle. I am sure you have much more important things to do than standing here talking to me."
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jun 22, 2016 23:30:19 GMT -6
Byakuya allowed a small smile of genuine feeling to form on his lips. “Only if that important thing is a book…” he replied, reaching for it and extending it to her. He let her take it to glance over it as he continued, “then I suppose you are - but I believe it is a worthy distraction and not ‘mere’ prattle.”
He had already decided that the occasion of seeing her was something rare enough to merit leaving his work longer, and as Saya’s cheeks darkened, raising a hand to her lips to keep back a laugh, Byakuya’s own smile grew by a fraction.
He frowned a moment later, recalling the fact that he still did not know her full name and bowed his head. “It has been a pleasure, Lady Saya, but as you have pointed out so succinctly, we have-”
But before he could finish, the wind blew over them again, much fiercer than before. The noble’s eyes narrowed as he reached for the easel, Saya grabbing the other side. The two exchanged a look and then Saya dropped his book as the scarf on her bag blew upwards.
He watched with baited breath as it twirled in the air, missing the branches and then soared over the lake. The shadow of the sparrow pattern seemed to blink and then it descended. Another puff settled it on a cattail.
Byakuya looked to Saya. “Protect your art. I will retrieve it.” She nodded and he released the painting. He walked over to the cattail, eyes narrowed in what appeared to be deep irritation.
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jun 22, 2016 23:45:00 GMT -6
Saya quickly gathered her things wiping the paint from her paint pallet. Once it was all safe she made a quick path toward Byakuya as he was reaching out toward her scarf that snagged to a tall cattail growing in the water. She was about to say something, but did not want to pull his attention from his task at hand.
However, it did not work that way as he looked over at her as she walked his direction at the water's edge. Suddenly the wind shifted catching the scarf once more. Byakuya turning his attention back to the scarf. He quickly grabbed at it the wind shifting again...another attempt to grab it as it drifted over the water once more. Saya's eyes widened as she saw Byakuya's footing slide on the damp grass and he started to tumble forward.
She gasped darting forward she grabbed at Byakuya's hand. Another failed attempt on their part as Byakuya's weight against her own pulled them toward the water. Both of them landing in the lake.
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jun 23, 2016 10:47:54 GMT -6
As the shallow water settled around them, Byakuya surveyed the woman who had fallen on top of him in the ‘scuffle.’ Her hair dripping, longer locks slick against her high cheekbones, which were at the moment elegantly darkened by a rose hue of embarrassment.
“I offer my sincerest apologies, Kuchiki-sama,” she muttered, bowing her head. “I was clumsy and you suffered for it. Please forgive me.”
However, in spite of his current circumstances, soaked quite within the public view, he was not mad. True, on one hand, the black silk of his kimono was probably utterly ruined by this event and his hair was probably worse off than her own. But this instance was clearly his own fault. Given his training, it should have been much easier to retrieve her scarf AND prevent both of them from falling into a frog’s pond. It would serve as a lesson as to how far his attention was straying.
Eyes narrowing slightly, he pulled them both to their feet, frowning at how his own hair slipped over his face, limiting his vision. But his mood changed when he caught sight of the scarf on the grass beyond them. It would have been a shame for a piece that suited her that much to be ruined.
“It seems that your scarf escaped our predicament. That is what matters,” he intoned. As she turned slightly to check on it herself, he shed his haori and kimono to cover her body. He paused as the floral scent rose from her hair as he settled them over her. Taking a moment to place the sweet airy fragrance.
Sweet pea.
He pulled away and pushed a mop of dark hair out of his face. His mood turning again as his mind urged him to do something else. He sighed. “Lady Saya, I was clearly the heavier person, so the blame of falling into the lake lies on my shoulders.” He turned slightly away from her, folding his arms over his bare chest.
He had never been this exposed before.
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jun 23, 2016 11:55:30 GMT -6
Saya smiled sweetly at the man as she held tightly to the garments he had placed over her shoulders. Releasing one of them she took hold of the top layer which was his kimono and draped it over his shoulders. Her hand then gently resting to his shoulder. "It will work for now until we can get you dry clean clothing."
He turned to look at her, his hands lowering to his sides, letting her own hand lower she slid her hand into his. Turning she tugged softly on his arm the two making their way from the water. Once on the bank again she released his hand turning to look at him. A soft giggle escaped her as she covered her mouth.
"We are quite the sight that is for sure." Her hand lifted, brushing away a lock of his soaked dark hair that had fallen to his face. Lowing her hand she smiled brightly at him. "I blame neither of us for this. It happened. You could have all the training the Gotei has to offer or even the Soul Society has to offer and still find yourself in a mess you cannot control. Our training cannot prepare us for everything."
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Post by Captain Byakuya Kuchiki on Jun 23, 2016 12:36:01 GMT -6
A small chuckle escaped him at her sweet explanation. “Tell me something, Lady Saya,” he murmured, his confusion fading in the face of another wave of pleasant amusement. “Do you have an explanation for everything that happens?” His own hand lifted as he pulled a leaf from her hair. “Or is there something else that leads you to set the circumstances in your favor?”
His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than necessary before he turned and fixed the kimono over his shoulders. “Our misstep should be a sign to return to our former duties – for our health more than anything else.” He walked over to retrieve his book. Brushing off the dirt from the spine.
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Post by Saya Masanobu on Jun 23, 2016 12:54:52 GMT -6
Another chilled breeze blew past them as Saya shivered pulling his haori around her. She could not help but blush slightly at his remark about the circumstances. "Well then, if this is the case. Then by all means I must take advantage of it being in my favor."
She scooped up her scarf as she walked past it to her painting equipment. Picking up her bag she took hold of Byakuya's hand next. "It's too far of a walk for you to your manor in those wet clothes. I live right there." She motioned with her head looking toward her own manor. Taking a step forward she tugged lightly at his arm again like she did in the water.
She looked back at him over her shoulder and smiled. "Since you were such the gentlemen in trying to save my scarf. I owe you a clean set of clothing of the finest silks and to get your clothing cleaned." Her smile widened as he stepped up beside her.
"I must say though," she giggled so softly it was almost unheard as her cheeks turned rosey once more. "You are rather cute when you are all wet."
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