Bullseye: 1, 2, 3, and CAPTAIN! [Private]

*Breathes in... Breathes out...*

Asuka Toshikage was standing in the middle of one of the training grounds. There were multiple wood posts placed in random areas around her and she stood in the middle of them all. Each had a target on the top, near where the head of an actual opponent would be. Her goal was to hit them all right in the center, the bullseye. She'd been out here for hours training. Not once had she lost her focus, and now she was just in the zone. Nothing existed but those targets and that little red dot in the middle. Separating and bending her knees a bit, she took one final breath in and jumped straight up into the air, using only her normal physical strength. As she did so, she twirled her body around, summoning multiple kunai and shuriken within the palms of her hand. Immediately she began throwing them in what seemed to be a sporadic and random direction, but each of them had an intended destination. The first three hit, hit, hit right on the marks of their targets. The second group of five hit, hit, hit, hit, hit either on target or near misses of the bullseye. She landed after getting those eight thrown rather quickly, but she didn't stop there. She kept maneuvering through the posts that surrounded her position, throwing the knives as quickly as possible, her moving making the aim a little more challenging, but still she was doing great. "Only a few more." she thought as her targets switched to those behind her, a much farther distance from her position. Without thinking, merely using reflex and her intense training she tossed the first kunai. And then the shuriken towards the next target, a kunai towards the next, a shuriken towards the next, and then a kunai towards the last. All of them were thrown at such quick succession that they could practically hit their targets at the same time. The only thing was, she had not expected someone to be there, especially... not him...

"Hmm... interesting form."

For Hijikata Toshizo, Captain of Squad Nine, today was simply another average day. Thankfully, things had been rather quiet recently for his squad, and as such there was a welcome lack of paperwork that required his attention. Of course, on the downside, this also meant that there was little actual work for him or his squad to accomplish. Sure, as with any day there were always a few odd jobs and minor tasks that had to be completed, but as of yet none of them even required a seated officer to be present. Well, if nothing else at least this gave Hijikata the opportunity to get a few of the newer members of his squad accustomed to the methods of "The Demon Commander". Still, this did leave Hijikata with an abundance of spare time, and as he usually did when presented with such, he planned to train; leading to his presence on the training grounds this day. However, once there, he was slightly surprised by what he saw. Actually, to be honest, the sight of his Lieutenant Asuka Toshikage training was not really surprising to him; simply the fact that she was doing so at about the exact same time he himself had chosen to as well. Then again, it was not a bad surprise; seeing as Hijikata held all members of his squad to the same to the same level he held himself, it was quite gratifying to see a member of his squad being so dedicated to training, especially seeing as she was his Lieutenant. While he had intended to begin his training right away, because Asuka had arrived there first and seemed to already be in the middle of her own training, Hijikata instead opted to observe her training; to get a better feel for her capabilities. Sure, he knew the generals about her, but there was much you could tell about a person from observing how they trained themselves.As such, though he had not intended so, Hijikata's presence apparently remained hidden to Asuka. It wasn't as if he were consciously masking his presence to remain hidden; he simply did not say anything as he entered so as not to interrupt her training.

Unfortunately, because of Hijikata's little oversight, Asuka... well, did not notice he was there, or that he was in the way of one of her targets. To be honest, if Hijikata had not been more interested in how his Lieutenant was training he might have noticed the small target off to his side, but as it were, it really wasn't a concern to him. Well, that, and he had simply made the assumption that Asuka had noticed his presence. And so, after commenting upon her form as she took down eight of the targets in a rather elaborate jumping maneuver, Hijikata soon found himself face-to-face with an oncoming kunai... basically meaning that he had about a second or less to react. Luckily for the both of them, Hijikata was by far no amateur, and without so much as having to think, his right hand had grasped the hilt on his Zanpakuto and easily had it drawn in a slashing arc. Because of his mastery over the sword, as well as countless hours of intense training, he was able to move not only with the necessary speed, but also the perfect timing and cutting angle. Having drawn his Zanpakuto in a slash, a technique learned through his familiarity with iaido, he was not only able to block the incoming projectile, but managed to deflect and redirect it; having it land firmly in one of the targets Asuka had already hit. Sure, the hit may not have been a bullseye, but given that he was actually able to deflect the oncoming projectile with any amount of accuracy given how little time Hijikata had to react was an impressive feat. Lingering for just a second after the feat, Hijikata soon resheathed his Zanpakuto; but not before a slight grin, the kind normally only shown during combat, crossed his face. "Well now, I must say, you do have a rather impressive form, however I suggest focusing not only on how efficiently you can dispatch your targets, but also which 'targets' are actually enemies" Hijikata spoke, his tone quite lighthearted given the situation. Of course, he wasn't mad, and his tone did well to reflect this, but he did have a few words for her.

Frozen in place as she let go of the final weapon. Her mind shot with dread when her eyes made contact with a being standing right in front of her target. It wasn't just any person though. "Oh god..." Asuka thought, as her mind came to notice her own Captain being the one standing in front of a target that she had just tossed a rather well aimed kunai at. Out of fear, her own mind seemingly froze down time to watch this well aimed counter of her kunai. In such a short time, he brought his hand to his Zanpakuto, unsheathed it, pulled of a nice upwards crescent swing of the blade, and redirected her kunai towards another target. And at that, all of it was done without hesitation, all upon muscle memory and reflex from an immense amount of training. He was something she aspired to be. That skill was magnificent, so fast and precise. "Beautiful...." she mumbled and then finally let go of the breath she had been holding through out the entire maneuver. Snapping back into reality, Asuka dropped her arms back down to her side and set a hand on her stomach in relief. She was practically speechless at what she had just done. Luckily, he broke the tension that she had created between them by speaking up first. She was honestly expecting to be scolded, but he was much calmer about having a blade thrown at his head than most people would have been. Though the two of them never had many personal conversations, if any that she could remember at all, she always tried being as professional as she could within his presence.

"Oh my..." she said towards her Captain while trying to keep herself on the more calm end of things. Asuka always spoke in a calm soft voice. It wasn't high like a young hyperactive child, but smooth and mature. "Captain Hijikata, I apologize for that. I was focused. I did not realize that you were there." She said as she held her hands up to the sides. Upon a mental command, all of the kunai and shuriken that had been thrown were raised up and vanished, seemingly disintegrating in front of their eyes. "I'll clean up here and get out of your way. If you'll give me a moment, it will only take a few minutes and I will be out of your hair." Of course she was assuming he was there to train. Why else would a Captain come to the grounds? It's not like he would come there to see her! Ha! That would be ridiculous.

As he watched Asuka's reaction to both his quick deflection and words, Hijikata had to admit, at least to himself, that he was rather amused. Though he couldn't quite make out what she had mumbled while his Zanpakuto returned to its sheath, it was much more subtle than most would have given. In all honesty, he wouldn't have been surprised had Asuka simply shouted out as soon as she realized he was there and began repeatedly bowing in apology. Well, not that he suspected that was the type of person she was, but more that it would have been a common reaction and subordinate would have after inadvertently attacking their superior. Sure, she was visibly shocked by the sudden turn of events, but he did admire the fact that she was able to keep so calm. "Don't worry, you seem to have been much more focused than myself; if anything, you should take some pride in the fact you almost got me" he said in response to her apology, his tone still relatively light given the atmosphere, though it did hold a bit of an undertone of seriousness. Under normal circumstances he might have scolded a member of his squad who had made such a mistake, not only was he in a much lighter mood given the relative lack of work; but how could he punish someone for training so intensely? Besides, if nothing else, it was a good warmup for his reflexes before his own planned training.

As Asuka began to follow through on her words of cleaning up and getting out of his way, Hijikata held up his right hand as he took a few steps towards her. "Please, Lieutenant Toshikage, do not interpret my intrusion as wishing for you to leave; what kind of Captain would I be if I denied my members the chance to grow stronger?" he asked, rhetorically, to keep her from leaving. Of course, there was more to his decision than just this. Although Asuka had been promoted to his lieutenant only a number of months ago, Hijikata had taken notice when she was rendered out of commission for two weeks due to both physical and mental stress. While a normal Captain might view this as a means to dismiss her, to Hijikata, who had noticed she was taking on more and more missions, it was a sign of a fierce determination... albeit a little too single minded. Hell, if anything, he would much rather have the lieutenant who gave it their all than the one who simply played it safe. "Besides" he spoke, continuing his train of thought from before "I can only imagine that after your absence you are quite eager to return to a proper training schedule" he added, his tone a bit more serious as, at least from what he figured was the case, he could very well sympathize with. "Though, if you wouldn't mind, I would be more than willing to lend you my assistance in your training; after all, it would be a shame to lose such a dedicated soldier as yourself once again" he said, some of the levity from earlier returning to his tone. While to an outsider it might have seemed odd for Hijikata to take an interest in Asuka and offer to personally train his lieutenant, to him it seemed more like a natural conclusion. Though she may have still been fresh, Hijikata could already tell she held the values he expected from a member of his squad, and in all honesty he could see a bit of himself in her. "Unless that is you find training with a demon too intimidating" he added, the slight grin returning as he referenced his title. Should his assumptions of her character be correct, his last statement would be just the push Asuka needed to accept his offer; a small challenge that would help with her determination. Then again, if he was wrong, she could end up simply walking away; either way, it was a good test for him to determine just what type of person his lieutenant was.

Well that wasn't a reply that she expected at all. Not only did his words surprised her, but they were quite flattering when someone like him said it. He told her to be proud of the fact that she almost got him. She never thought of that. Well, he did have to draw his sword to deflect it. Was it too fast for him to dodge? Or maybe catching a blade by the handle while it was being thrown at your head wasn't a skill of his. Either way, when he put it in the manner that he just did, she was taken slightly aback by it. She even move her head back a bit, in that "wow really" type manner you see many people do, glanced off to the side as if she were fighting a soft blush and then turned her attention back to him. Quickly regaining her composure, she nodded to him, "Thank you for that Captain Hijikata. It's nice to hear that my training is worthwhile." Even with that said, after a bit more thinking, she figured that his reaction towards that unintentional attack was just what he preferred to do. No sense in getting ahead of herself. She had much more training to do. As such, Asuka decided it was time to get out of his way and let her Captain have the grounds. As she began to clean up, he raised his hand and stepped towards her and implied she should do otherwise. Hearing him question the character of a Captain that would stop his subordinates from training, she understood where he was coming from. She turned her head back towards him, stared for a moment, nodded, set the post back in place, and turned to face him completely. "If that is what you wish, Captain." she spoke in a calm, respectful tone. He continued on and mentioned her absence from the squad, which she was personally ashamed of on multiple levels.

"Yes... I am." she told him with a determined nod. She turned back towards the training field and narrowed her eyes, "I can't believe I allowed myself to be gone for so long. Disappointing..." Suddenly he spoke up about assisting her to train. Taken aback by yet another statement her Captain made, Asuka turned to him with a straight face, but almost as if she were asking confirmation for what he just said, or was she hearing things? It did make her wonder... "What are his intentions towards me?" she thought to herself, "I wonder if he is merely interested in testing my power... Being his new Lieutenant, I doubt he just wants to sit here and train with someone like myself... He's quite above that, especially in skill. Maybe he does just want to help me get better... Either way..." Asuka snapped back out of her thoughts when she heard him speak up once more. "A demon?" she thought and raised an eyebrow out of curiosity. "A demon? Captain? Isn't that what some call you?" she asked, "Frankly I do not see you as a demon. I see hollows more as demons. You are a warrior. A man of grace and skill, driven by honor and duty, as I feel a Captain of the Gotei should be. A demon... A demon is not." She never really knew whether he enjoyed his nickname as a 'demon', but hoped that her words would not offend him in anyway. For all she knew, he preferred the name. "Though, I wouldn't mind taking you up on your offer to train. It isn't often that I am ever able to merely speak to you one on one, so only if you feel you have time. I do not wish to be responsible for you being late for a meeting or keeping you from important paper work, but if that is not the case... How shall we train?"

Once again Hijikata watched Asuka's reaction to his statements, though this time her reactions did not seem as surprising; a good sign seeing as he was trying to read more about her character. Well, she still did manage to surprise him a bit with her physical gestures, though judging by the glance to the side after his compliment he would let such observations lie. Still, it was nice to have her responding more and worrying less about the kunai she had thrown at him; not to mention that it really helped build trust once you can carry out a conversation. However, as Asuka continued, he noticed the slight change in her speech as she mentioned the period of time she was out of commission. Judging from what he had gathered so far about her, he could tell such an incident would obviously leave some kind of lingering effect, though Hijikata decided that now was not the time to dwell on such a matter. He did not hold it against her, but at the same time, him saying such most likely wouldn't have the desired effect of alleviating her worries. Besides, Asuka, from what he could tell, was strong, and it would be an insult for him to assume that she could not recover from this minor setback. Luckily though, her following words gave Hijikata the perfect opportunity to change the subject, as well as continue his analysis. "Well then, perhaps I have simply been too lenient on you Lieutenant Toshikage" he said jokingly in response to her claims that he was not a demon. "However, my own men should never fear me as a demon, it is only my enemies who should call me a true demon" he added, his tone having shifted to a slightly more serious one, as he had just essentially revealed the philosophy behind his title.

Of course, as Asuka accepted his offer to help her train, the mood became much lighter, and the grin returned to Hijikata's face as she spoke. "Ha, there is no need to worry about inconveniencing me Lieutenant Toshikage, even if the past few days hadn't been devoid of any true work, I would still make time for what I deem to be a worthy cause" he replied to her worries, not only bringing back the levity, but also expressing his confidence in her. "However, before we do get back to training, seeing as there is an apparent lack of healthy communication between us, why don't we get to know each other first?" Hijikata suggested, crossing his arms in front of himself as he spoke. Seeing as he had gotten a good initial reading on Asuka, and because she seemed to show promise, he felt that the best path now was to be direct. Not to mention that Asuka did have a valid point; aside from orders and the usual conversations of a Captain and their Lieutenant, the two of them had not really conversed much in a personal manner. Sure, Hijikata wasn't the type to go around telling everyone his life story, however, when it came to a potentially vital future companion, it was important that they each knew where the other was coming from. "It may not be the traditional form of training, however I can assure you that getting to know your allies can be just as important if not more so than getting to know oneself" he said, his gaze upon Asuka as he spoke. "And besides, the better I know you, the more accurately I can help you train" he added, his gaze shifting over to the target he had obscured that started their whole conversation.

Asuka smirked at the comment he made on his enemies considering him a 'true demon'. In that case, the name had a different meaning. If an enemy considers her Captain a demon, she was only more proud to be the one standing by his side in battle. With what he said after that made the fact even more so. He did not seem to want his allies to fear him, good. Some would say they should 'fear his power', but Asuka disagreed with that. She believed that they should hold a high respect for his power and his leadership. As she accepted his offer to train, his mood seem to lighten a bit more. He even smiled, something she had yet to do. She wasn't one to smile easily, or very often. She usually kept a straight face and remained serious. "Worthy... Captain?" she mimicked his choice of words with a slight sense of pride behind them. Did he really notice that much in the short time he had watched her? It did make her feel proud to have him speak in a confident manner when referring to her, so she would definitely not correct him. It only gave her the motivation to work harder and fight harder. She asked him about how he wanted to train and he pushed the subject off. He crossed him arms in front of his body and she looked up to him, tilting her head slightly to the side in curiosity of what he was saying. "Get to know each other, Captain?" she asked him. A moment later he continued, speaking of getting to know our allies being just as important as getting to know yourself. She thought about it for a moment and he went on saying that it would help him accurately train her. "I see..." she thought for a moment and then glanced around, "Well... If I were to tell you anything about myself, it would be things along the lines of my skills in weaponry and hoho... But I'm sure that is not what you mean and you could look that up in my file, so... Well... Hm..." Asuka began stepping back and forth, pacing around with one arm across her torso and the other on her chin. She was trying her best to think of something that he would care to know, but her mind was going towards things that have to do with battle. "I don't know... What about you, Captain? If we are supposed to be getting to know each other, what would you tell me about yourself? I am unsure what I should share." she told him as she stopped pacing and looked towards him.

Hijikata returned his gaze to Asuka as she repeated and reacted to some of his words, his slight smile returning as she repeated the word "worthy". Yes, while she had only served as his lieutenant for a few months and this was one of their first actual personal conversations, he had noticed enough about her from both her files and the work ethic she displayed to know that she was a very competent member of his squad, if not one of the best. As such, once he actually began talking to her here today, it was clear to him that Asuka was the exact person he wanted as his second-in-command; another reason he wanted to get to know her better. Simply put, the better they can get along, the better their performance on the battlefield. Of course, there was more to it than simple military strategy; and from what he could tell so far he was interested in getting to know her for that end in itself. Because of this, as Asuka asked him to share some information about himself, Hijikata met the request with a slight grin. "Well now, normally I might be offended, but seeing as I do come in with the upper hand knowing about you as your superior, I suppose it's only fair that I go first" he mused, his tone still light hearted despite his words. Of course, she was right, he did know about her combat abilities from reading her profile during her promotion, however, that was not really what he was getting at. This "exercise" as one might call it, was not simply about telling each other their pasts or hobbies or other personal topics, but was also about a willingness to share such information; a factor that worked both ways for them. Trust is never an easy thing to build, but it is completely impossible if you cannot share anything with the other person.

"So then, where to start off?" Hijikata pondered rhetorically aloud, looking around a bit as he thought before returning his gaze to Asuka. "Well, I don't know how much you might know about my family name, but back before I became a Shinigami, I lived in the Rukongai, and along with my family helped both make and sell a special kind of medicine called Ishida Sanyaku. Chances are, if you've ever been to the 4th division barracks to get healed and they used medicine instead of healing kido, it was my family's recipe. It may not be as powerful as kido, but for smaller wounds it works like a charm, not to mention it's other health benefits. Seeing as the medicine does not actually carry my family's name, some people are surprised to find out that my family has a medicinal background; though I suppose it helps out quite a bit when you are young and learning to fight with a sword to know that you can heal your wounds" Hijikata concluded his story, lowering his arms back down to his side. While it may not have been the most interesting story about his life, nor something he is most known for, to Hijikata, the memories of his younger days held a fond sort of nostalgia to him; and as such seemed the perfect introduction to getting to know more about each other. "As I said, getting to know your allies is important, however it is not simply learning how the fight, but learning where they have come from" he said, hoping to better illustrate his point. "Now the, Lieutenant Toshikage, your turn."

"Please trust that I do not mean to offend you in any way, Captain." she told him the moment she felt she had the ability to, which was when he stopped speaking for a moment. "I am merely unsure of what you would even been interested in knowing about me and wish to use your answers as inspiration for me own." Whether many realized it, Asuka had an interesting way with her words. She would not ever wish to offend her Captain, so she chose a specific set of words that went together in a manner that would let him know that she was merely asking for his help, not digging for information. What better way to learn how to do something than to watch and listen to your superiors, right? Even with his tone being as light as it seemed, Asuka was one to take things seriously, so her reaction may of seemed a little forward, maybe even overreacting, but she still spoke in as calm and respectful manner that she could. Mere moments later Captain Hijikata spoke up and was figuring out where he should start. Asuka stayed silent and kept eye contact with him, she did not stare, but did not want to seem like she was ignoring what he was telling her. And what she got was highly unexpected. She was definitely not expecting his back story, but she was really making sure that she would remember it. One part of it caught her attention deeply though. The medicine he spoke of. It made her remember and she unknowingly reached back behind her, grabbing onto the back of her shirt where a scar she always kept hidden would lay. She continued listening to him, keeping quiet until he was finished. Once he did finish and his arms dropped to his sides, she felt as if his story meant something more to him than what it would normally seem.

"If I may be so bold, Captain..." she said with the continuing respect held in her voice, "I did not expect you to give me part of your background... I'm honored." Asuka was sincere in her words, actually having a softness his her voice when she said her final two words of that statement. Captain Hijikata spoke up about getting to know your allies again and she nodded. She could see where he was coming from, and understood it, but she had never bothered before now. It was new for her. And then it was her turn. Out of respect, she felt the need to tell him something about her back story, but was unsure what. He spoke of his family and gave her light to what kind of background she came from. She glanced away as she thought about it. She didn't really feel like she had anything like that. "Well... Captain..." she spoke slowly as she stepped off towards the left a couple of times, "I don't have a story like that... I don't really have an actual family... At least I don't think." The way she was speaking seemed like she was attempting to remember and maybe a little confused. She turned her head back towards him, her body still facing away from him and then shrugged lightly. "The first memory I have is when I woke up in the Rukongai... An older woman, Yoko... She took care of me. I don't know whether I got hurt, whether a Shinigami sent me there from the World of the Living, or even if I had a family and was in an accident causing me to lose that part of me... I remember none of it. Yoko was really everything to me. She sheltered me, fed me... We thought my memories would come back, but they never did." Asuka turned away and continued remembering as she slowly paced along, "When she passed on, I buried her under a tree she loved... After that I was just alone... I began traveling around, moving from place to place... I was weak and undetermined at the time, so I did nothing more than that for quite some time..."

As he had told Asuka his story, Hijikata had noticed her hand reaching for her back, and given the context, he was pretty sure he could tell why. Of course, that being said, he wasn't going to bring it up; he was more tactful than that, and besides, if Asuka wanted to she would simply bring it up herself. However, Hijikata did learn another thing about Asuka both through how intently she seemed to listen to his story and her words when he had finished; that being she respected him. He almost would have said admired, however for once that most likely wasn't the case, or at least not how Hijikata was usually "admired". That being said, he didn't mind it; in fact, he found it rather relieving that his lieutenant did not fawn over him like many other women did. Not only would it make their professional relationship easier, but Hijikata found that he was actually enjoying her company as a person. Well... it would help if she was a little more comfortable, but the only way to fix that was with time. Of course, as Asuka did mention being honored, he chuckled softly, his slight smile returning. "Please, do not worry about it; so long as we can understand each other better then it is an even exchange" he replied, closing his eyes for a moment as he finished speaking. As his lieutenant and someone he saw potential in, Hijikata wanted Asuka to feel comfortable around him, and as such she did not need to worry about "being honored", especially while off duty; he would treat her as an equal.

As Asuka began to speak, though she took her time, Hijikata waited patiently for her. Even from her tone of voice as she spoke about not having a story like his, he could tell that this wasn't as easy for her as it had been for him. Then again, that was all part of the discussion; to make it easier for her to talk to him. Of course, he could also tell in general that it was probably a difficult memory for her as she finished her sentence and through her body language, and really, no matter of familiarity could help that. Still, as she began, Hijikata kept quiet and listened to her story; showing Asuka the same respect and attention she had to his own story. As he listened, his guess that the story was difficult for Asuka was confirmed, and rightly so as it was a difficult experience. In the grand scheme of things, Hijikata's own past had been much easier than hers, even though he had never simply been handed anything he had achieved. However, seeing how Asuka, at least from what he had seen, did not let this past affect her, Hijikata could easily confirm that she was exactly who he wanted as his lieutenant. As Asuka turned away and finished her story, Hijikata knew that there had to be a response from himself. He had never really been a motivational speaker, at least not outside of battle, but he could tell that Asuka needed to hear something. Waiting a moment, he slowly approached her, and though she was still facing away from him, Hijikata reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder; an act meant to help comfort her. "Well, I can only say that I am even more pleased to have you as my Lieutenant now, Toshikage Asuka" he spoke, using her full name in the same attempt to comfort her. Of course, his words were true, and though it may not have been much, he did now have a better understanding of her.

Asuka finished telling her story and would honestly tear up if it wasn't for him standing right there. Showing emotional weakness in front of her superior was not something on her list of 'okays'. Still facing away, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath. What happened next she was not expecting at all. She felt a hand on her shoulder and her eyes snapped back open again. She froze for a moment, confused and unsure of what to do, but hearing his words she calmed down and has a small content smile form on her lips. Her gaze was still away from him and towards the floor when she instinctively brought her hand up to her shoulder and set it on top of his. For that single moment she was relaxed and let able to let her guard down. "Thank you, Captain." she said in a soft mumbled, but it was definitely loud enough for him to hear her. Having him compliment her in the manner that he had just done made her feel quite good about herself. And then she realized something. Her head snapped up and looked over to her hand but a moment later and removed it. "I mean... I.. Uh.. I apologize, Captain Hijikata." she said as she turned towards him and brought her guard right back up, "That was terribly unprofessional of me." Asuka actually bowed towards him in apology, feeling foolish for the stupid thing she had just done. To most it wouldn't be that big of a deal and from what she had seen in the past, most girls would have fainted if he ever placed his hand on their shoulder, but she was not one of those girls. She was much more composed and respectful of him than that, so to actually place her hand up on his must have offended him. She had no right, no right at all. "Please, Captain... If there is anything else about me that you wish to know, do not hesitate to ask." she told him and then stood up straight once more, "I may not be the best at telling stories of my past, but I can let you know specific things about me. It is just better to ask those specific questions."

As he felt Asuka's hand upon his own, a faint smile crossed Hijikata's face at how he didn't mind the contact. Well, it wasn't as if he didn't like the touch of a woman, but when you had multiple women fawning over you like Hijikata did, you wanted something more. Actually, being so close to Asuka, he was beginning to notice that she was pretty attractive herself. Well, that's not to say that he thought she was ugly at first or anything, simply that he wasn't really paying attention to attractiveness. Of course, given the situation, such thoughts would have to wait till later, as right now Hijikata could easily tell that the memory had affected Asuka a lot more than he had originally suspected. However, before he could say anything in response to her thanks, Asuka apparently realized that she had touched his hand, and along with apologizing turned back around towards him and his hand fell away from her shoulder, resting back at his side. "Come now Lieutenant Toshikage, if I was going to have a problem with it, I would not have placed my hand upon your shoulder in the first place" he responded to her, his tone light as he tried to assuage any fear or unease she might have of the situation. And, of course, he wasn't going to mention that her hand was a lot softer than he had expected; this was neither the time nor place.

Crossing his arms once again, a more serious look crossed his face, though it was still considerably light given its tone. "Well, I can tell how hard it must have been for you to tell me that story, so I won't force you to tell me anything that would make you uncomfortable" he began, looking down for a moment before returning his gaze to Asuka. "But that being said, I believe that I have a much better understanding of where you come from Lieutenant Toshikage, and hope you can say the same of me" he added, this time his tone much lighter again as the faint smile returned to his face. Of course, while there was more Hijikata would have liked to learn about his lieutenant, he felt that it would be best to give her some time to recuperate from what she had already told him. Well, that, and he felt that it would be better to save such questions for a more natural and relaxing setting than the training field. Chuckling slightly at this thought, Hijikata looked around for a moment, noticing each of the targets still set up around the area, before looking back at Asuka. "Well now, I do believe that I said I would help you train, now didn't I?" he asked rhetorically, closing his eyes momentarily as his smile returned more to the grin he held when he had deflected her kunai. "However, while the offer is still on the table, if you'd much rather rest for a moment after our little story time, I could arrange to share a cup of tea with you, or simply go about my own training if you would rather be alone" he spoke, turning to the side as he finished to let her decide. This, of course, was not meant to get rid of her at all, he simply didn't want to push Asuka to train with him if she still needed time to recover... that, and to be honest, he wouldn't mind sharing some tea with her either.

Asuka wasn't one to deny that the contact between them wasn't a little comforting. Actually, it was a bit of an eye opener for who he really is. Through acute observations, one could guess the traits of a person rather quickly and she was starting to catch on to a few things. There was something within his actions and words that finally clicked in her mind, telling her that he really was trying to get to know her as a person, not just as a Lieutenant. She wasn't sure whether that was a good idea or not because she thought everything was supposed to be strictly professional. That is something that she always believed, but he spoke otherwise. Was she wrong? Maybe it was okay to create a personal trust with your superiors, not just a professional one. For now, she would just go along with her Captain and hope for the best. Because either way, she felt that moment of contact between them actually opened a door. To where? She wasn't sure yet, but she'll figure it out soon enough. "Captain, it wasn't the actual contact that I felt might bother you, but the manner in which it was done. Hand to hand contact is usually something on a higher personal level from what I've observed in other people, and I assumed you'd find it disrespectful, even though I meant no such thing." she told him, "Though since you have accepted it and seem to be okay with such, I thank you for your leniency." Asuka was easily able to calm down when she realized that it did not bother him, or at least he did not show his annoyance at her. Ha, and he called himself a demon. A demon would do the complete opposite, likely striking her for daring to insult him in the manner of a "lowly subordinate" touching his hand. A funny thought that she would definitely keep to herself at this point.

The conversation moved on and Captain Hijikata seemed to think it was hard for her to tell him the story. That wasn't the complete truth. It was actually easy to tell him it. It was just a sad memory that she usually put behind her. She let that go and listened to his next statement, which she could easily nod to. "I can. I always thought of you as a man of honor, Captain. To hear that your family even concentrates on something as noble as creating medicines is shedding light on where you might have gotten to where you are now. It is nice to hear of a past behind this so called 'demon'." she said, using demon in a slightly playful tone and even allowing a smirk, almost a smile to move onto her face. She was sorta testing him, figuring out her limits on how she could interact with her Captain. Some are very strict and don't even want to be spoken to, others are quite light-hearted and kind, wanting to make friends with their members. He seemed to be somewhere in the middle of that, so she felt like she should push a few limits while having a conversation with him, at least she decided that in the last ten seconds. And again the conversation moved along. He looked around the training area and Asuka sorta mimicked the action by doing so as well. When they returned their attentions to one another, he spoke of helping her train. "Yes you did, Captain." she said, answering his obviously rhetorical question. She was a little interested in what he had in mind for training, but he seemed to change his mind. He either wanted to have some tea or continue his training if she wished to be alon-... Tea... "Tea... Definitely tea." she said with a nod. Though she kept calm about it and didn't show any emotion, her quick answer would likely show some kind of enjoyment in the subject. In fact, she loved tea. She has her own little obsession over it, more or less a hobby to help her relax when she's not training. "I've been out here for a few hours now, so it would be nice to relax and I doubt the you actually need any practice." she said, although a compliment she was also trying to convince him to stay with the tea idea.

To be honest, Hijikata was finding his time with Asuka to be more and more interesting, not only because of her responses, but also the apparent thought process behind them. While he had confirmed that she was a much more serious woman than some of the other members of the Gotei 13, he could also tell that, well, this serious side might not be all there was to her. Granted, as of yet he only had implications of this from her responses and physical cues. Either way, Hijikata was interested in getting to know his lieutenant more, and not just as his subordinate. Of course, while this was not something he normally did, as most of his soldiers simply knew him as their Captain, Asuka had the advantage of not only being an interesting person and a woman who didn't swoon upon any form of physical contact with him, but also, well... she was really lucky that they had met like this while there was no work to be done. Either that, or perhaps he was the lucky one, as his duties and normal demeanor as Captain normally left him little room to forge relationships with others; and while he may have been a demon on the battlefield, he was still a man the rest of the time. Of course, as Asuka spoke up again, Hijikata realized that he really didn't have the time to think on such matters, and instead should simply spend this time getting to know his lieutenant as he had planned.

As Asuka mentioned his past, a faint grin formed upon Hijikata's lips, before he let out a chuckle as she mentioned his title of demon in a much lighter and more playful tone than he had expected from their conversation thus far. Not only that, but as he caught a glimpse of her smirk, Hijikata was further caught off guard, though he did not show it; finding her to actually look a little cute with a less serious look. "Well, I would hope I had not earned the title of demon through my family's medicine, otherwise it would have made more sense for us to label it as poison" he responded with a lighthearted and joking tone, his grin growing a bit as he looked at Asuka. Of course, as he mentioned tea, Hijikata took notice of how fast Asuka was to respond to the offer; probably the quickest she had responded to anything he had said so far. "Well now, judging by your quick response I guess that is one hobby we both share" he replied with another chuckle as he crossed his arms. As Asuka mentioned doubting whether he needed any practice, Hijikata closed his eyes for a moment, though the grin remained upon his face. "I wouldn't go that far, but at the moment I would much rather have tea with you" he replied, before turning slightly to look at the way he had came in. "So then, if it is fine with you I should have everything we need in my office" he began, before the grin returned to his face. "And perhaps while it brews I can tell you the stories of why they call me a demon" he added; his tone, though still on the light side, held a slightly darker inflection. Of course, this was not meant to scare Asuka off, but more so to drive home the fact that there was a reason for his title.

Well... her little smirk seemed to have worked because right after that he replied with a rather humorous crack about poison. For the first time in quite a while, Asuka's lips moved into a full blown smile, her mouth opened and she let out a cute 'haha'. May not have been the longest of laughs, but it was better than what most people were able to get out of her. Something about the way he said that just tickled her funny bone enough to actually pull a small chuckle out of her. The smile faded moments after and the conversation turned to tea. It seemed they both had a love for it, though Asuka wondered who enjoyed in more. "It's good to have something in common with those you know, though tea wasn't what I would have expected..." Asuka told him, "Fighting, training, a sense of honor or duty... but tea? I would think the others were more along the lines of what I would expect us to have in common." Asuka ended up commenting on his lack of need for training, and he must have disagreed. She was more or less trying to compliment him in her own way, not tell him he didn't need to train. She didn't know anyone that didn't need to train. Everyone should strive and work to get better at what they do, to master their skills, and once the skills are master to move on to another and master that one as well. At least that is what she felt about it. Keeping eye contact with him, she noticed his gaze drift towards the exit. He offered to go back to his office, well that's what his statement implied, and to even tell her another story, but this one on why he is called a demon. "That does sound quite entertaining, Captain." Asuka said and then nodded to him as she turned towards the exit. "Well since we're going to your office, shall we walk there together or do you wish for me to just meet you there?" Either way, no matter his answer, Asuka would make her towards the exit and then out towards the direction of Captain Hijikata's office. If he chose to walk with her, she'd stay silent until/if he spoke to her all the way until the two would make it to his office.

As Hijikata saw Asuka's smile, he found his earlier presumption to be correct; she was cute with a smile. Of course, the sight was a little funny as well, if only because Hijikata had not seen his lieutenant with anything other than a serious look on her face. And, while it was that seriousness that assured him she would be perfect as his lieutenant, it was still nice to see that she could also look happy; as well as having a sense of humor. Of course, as Asuka mentioned not expecting him to have liked tea, Hijikata was not surprised at all. In fact, most of the members of his squad would have no clue that he enjoyed tea or was well practiced in calligraphy; simply because they only saw him either being their leader or in the heat of battle. However, it also wasn't a huge secret that he enjoyed a few pastime activities that marked him as an example of a well cultured eastern man, as many a female admirer had learned such after the Shinigami Women's Association spied on him to find out his likes and dislikes. That being said, as Asuka clearly wasn't an obsessed "fangirl", he was not surprised by her, well, surprise. "Come now, a man has to do something besides work; in fact, I'll also have you know I'm well practiced in calligraphy" he replied, his tone light and joking.

As Asuka asked whether they should walk to his office together or separately, a sly grin crossed Hijikata's face as he began to walk. "Oh? I would much prefer your company Lieutenant Toshikage; that is unless you would be embarrassed to be seen walking with your Captain" he replied, obviously joking but making his answer to her question quite clear. Of course, seeing as his office wasn't too terribly far away it really wouldn't have mattered either way, but he preferred to have the company... and the chance to tease his lieutenant a bit. In fact, this was another side to his personality that not many people saw, or at least recognized; that when he was not on duty, Hijikata enjoyed joking. It was nothing major, just a way to have fun, though given his background and experience some of his jokes did tend to be on the darker side. Still, as they headed to his office, Hijikata remained relatively quiet; not so much because he had nothing to say, but mainly because he would just much rather wait until they were in his office and could actually face each other to talk. Well, that, and if he made Asuka smile again, he would prefer to be able to see it. After a minute or two of walking, they finally arrived at his office, Hijikata swiftly opening the door for Asuka and letting her in. Inside, the room looked... well, pretty much like most of the other Captain's offices. It was a rather large room with enough space for at least two to three people to share, mainly because a Captain could receive many visitors and would occasionally have others in to help out. Near the back center of the room sat his desk; large enough to hold multiple stacks of paperwork and still offer enough room to actually get it done, though at the moment it was devoid of any such stacks and simply had a few books upon it. Aside from the rest of the normal furnishings, the room was also adorned with a few wall scrolls with his calligraphy upon them as well as a hotplate and tea kettle off to the side. "Well then, if you'd like to take a seat I'll put some water on to boil" he said, before going to do just that. "So, is there any particular type of tea that you would prefer?" he asked while getting everything ready.

"Calligraphy, huh? Well, I guess I'll have to keep that in mind." Asuka replied. Calligraphy wasn't something she was really into, but it was an art that she respected some for. She went to leave and found that her Captain was apparently enjoying her company and didn't mind walking back with her. Though, his comment on her being embarrasses was something she raised an eyebrow about. "What person in the right mind would feel embarrassed when walking with their Captain?" she asked him with a straight face, "Well... I guess the women around here would be a little shyer than I, but they are also quite foolish in their actions and tend to embarrass themselves...See a handsome man and start fawning over him like fan girls at a concert." Well there was an unintentional hint that she too found him attractive, but she wasn't going to dare be like the girls who'd squeal at his presence. A few minutes passed and they arrived at his office. Asuka looked around and noticed it was fairly clean. She inwardly smirked, not letting it show on her face, and let out a 'heh' sound through her nose. "Organized, clean... no paperwork anywhere, tea kettle off to the side, and..." Asuka's eye was caught by some Calligraphy he had on the walls, "... He's... pretty good." She walked up to one of the wall scrolls and tilted her head to the side, sort of examining it. Yeah, he was good alright, better than the few pieces that she had seen before. It was actually quite impressive. She heard him speak up and turned towards him. She nodded and sat down like he asked, keeping her posture perfectly straight as she did so, seemingly to keep her professional appearance in front of her Captain. This was the first time she had been in his office without it being for a mission or things along those lines. She wasn't sure whether she should act more casual or keep up the regular appearance that she usually had. He asked her about what type of tea she would prefer and she shook her head, "Chamomile and one spoon of sugar and a squeeze of lemon if you can..." Asuka began fiddling with her fingers while sitting there, unsure of what to do or say at this point. In fact, it was likely a little obvious that she was nervous.

Though he did not comment on it while they walked, Hijikata had caught the small hint through Asuka's words of referring to him as a handsome man. Of course, Hijikata knew full well that he was an attractive man, but it was interesting to hear it from Asuka, seeing as she had not made a point of it before now. Hell, even the way she had mentioned it was more of a secondary affect to her telling him that she was not shy nor would she fawn over him. Granted, he could already tell by now that she wasn't affected by his looks, as that was yet another reason why he was enjoying spending time with her so far. Still, it was amusing to hear it from her, and a small grin crossed his lips as he thought about it. As he went to go start the water for the tea, Hijikata noticed Asuka looking at his calligraphy hanging on the wall and he grinned again. "Yeah, when I was a younger man I learned the art and have been practicing it ever since; though it may not seem like it, the concentration and attention to detail it requires can come in handy during combat" he spoke to her, before turning back to the tea kettle. Moving to his left slightly, he opened up a small container that held a few varieties of tea leaves that he had already prepared and bound, and as Asuka replied with what kind of tea she preferred, a small smile crossed his face as he was glad that he had some chamomile ready. "At one time I considered offering calligraphy lessons to anyone interested, but seeing as the last Captain to do so ended up being a traitor I decided against it" he said in a joking tone, continuing his previous thoughts. Of course, the Captain he spoke of was none other than Sosuke Aizen.

After a few more minutes, the tea kettle began to whistle, signifying that the water had reached a full boil, and Hijikata quickly turned the burner off. Placing the tea leaves into a tea pot, he quickly added the hot water before covering it, picking up two cups and bringing them all over to the table next to where Asuka sat. "Here we are, there is some sugar already on the table, though I am afraid that I do not have any lemon in my office; I would have to go back to my personal quarters to get that" he replied, before taking a seat across from Asuka. Of course, as he got close to Asuka again, he noticed her fidgeting and could tell that she was most likely feeling a bit nervous. Smiling again, he began to pour the tea into the two cups before looking up at her. "Come now Lieutenant Toshikage, there's no need to feel nervous; please, feel free to relax" he said, before picking up his cup and taking a sip. The tea was a little bitter as he had not added any sugar, but since he was not quite in the mood for anything sweet it was rather refreshing. "So then, is there anything you would like to ask me about?" he asked, inviting Asuka to ask him any question she might have wanted to ask. Basically, he was trying to help her feel more comfortable, as well as offering her the chance to get to know anything about himself that she wished.

"A younger man? Captain, if you don't mind me asking, how old are you?" she asked bluntly, as she sat down where he had previously offered, "With how Shinigami age, I'm sure that you are no teenager, but I am curious to know your true age." Hearing him speak of his calligraphy was pleasant. There was something in his words and tone that showed he really did enjoy the art. It actually ended up upsetting her when she realized the truths behind what he had said. That isn't exactly fair, to put something you enjoy off because of the mistakes and foolishness of a psycho in the past. In fact, she decided to speak up about it. "How is that fair for you, Captain? If it is something you love and you wish to share it with those interested, go for it. I don't care what Sosuke Aizen did, I highly doubt his teaching of calligraphy had much to do with his traitorous plans." Asuka said in a rather serious tone, unlike the joking one he held. It was tone that she wouldn't normally have dared use towards her Captain. The moment she stopped speaking, a knot of fear formed in her stomach and she wondered how he would react to her words, especially the tone brought along with them. She felt the need to apologize, but why apologize for something she actually spoke from the heart? Apologizing would imply she did not mean what she said or how she said it, which would be a lie in itself. What a dilemma for her. She wasn't one to speak out like that, nor would she lie. Either way, she kept silent and waited for his reply on the subject.

A few minutes later the kettle began to whistle and the tea was soon to be done. Captain Hijikata kindly prepared the tea and brought it over. He pointed out the location of the sugar and that there was no lemon. "That's fine, thank you for the tea." she said as she continued fidgeting with her fingers. It seemed he noticed it as well. As he poured the tea, including her own glass, he spoke up and told her not to feel nervous. Asuka's eyes sorta shifted around the room as if she was thinking on what she could do to 'relax'. A moment later, she merely shifted her body and slouched like half a centimeter. Relaxing wasn't something she thought she could do in the presence of her Captain, at least not at this point. "I'll try..." she said and took a deep breath as she picked up her cup. She brought the cup to her face and closed her eyes. She took in the aroma and a small smile formed on her lips. As she opened her eyes, she kept them slightly narrowed, but was genuinely happy and unknowingly relaxed a moment later. She brought the cup to her lips and took in a small sip, careful not to burn herself. Her Captain spoke up again and she turned her attention to him. "Actually yeah, but you do not have to answer it, obviously..." she said calmly as she set the hot tea down on the table while she was not drinking it, "The girls... All of them swooning over you. Doesn't it bother you? I know some people enjoy the attention, but you truthfully don't seem like the type." Asuka picked up the tea the moment she stopped talking and leaned back comfortably on the couch. She crossed on leg over the other and took another sip, awaiting her Captains reply.

As Asuka asked his age, Hijikata let out a soft chuckle, showing an obvious amount of amusement at the boldness his lieutenant was showing with her question. Of course, he didn't mind answering the question, especially seeing as he had led to it with his own remark; he just found it amusing how straight forward Asuka was with it. "Well, I am no old man, but last time I paid notice I believe I was around three hundred" he responded, before taking another sip of his tea. Given the lifespan of a Shinigami, Hijikata didn't really bother too much with age, though he still did keep a rough track of his own. Of course, what Hijikata found most interesting was the reaction Asuka had in response to his comment about calligraphy lessons. While he had cited Aizen as the reason he had not acted upon the idea, in truth there were other actual reasons as to why he had never started them. What was interesting, though, was the tone she had used when replying, as it was obvious that she was quite serious, almost as if chastising the reason he had stated. And, of course, judging by how quickly she fell silent after the response, Hijikata could also tell that she was feeling embarrassed for having used said tone. Once again he chuckled, hoping that his lighthearted response would help put her at ease; seeing as he had only really meant the blame as a joke. "Why yes, I agree if that were my only reason than it would be quite inane, but alas, with my other duties as Captain, I simply do not have the time I would require to devote to such classes" he replied, his features slightly more serious to illustrate that he too was being serious; though they quickly lightened. "Besides, there's not as much interest in the art as you might imagine in this day and age, and I'd much rather have the time to devote to bettering my squad" he added, his tone much lighter.

As he waited for Asuka to finish preparing her tea and to ask him a question, Hijikata momentarily returned to his own tea, taking a few sips as he waited. Of course, he was caught slightly off guard by the question Asuka chose to ask him, though thankfully he had enough control so that his only visible response was to quizzically raise his eyebrows. "Oh? are you perhaps feeling a little jealous Lieutenant Toshikage?" he asked with a chuckle, his tone obviously joking. "Ah, I merely tease; in all honesty, it does tend to get annoying from time to time, though it seems than any attempts to stop such behavior only end up encouraging it more" he responded, looking at his lieutenant as he spoke. "In all honesty I much prefer a more reserved woman; I have been told all my life how good I look, so such words easily lose their meaning" he added before once again sipping his tea. Of course, though he meant nothing by it at the moment, his words were a glaringly obvious hint to his preferences in a woman. Normally he wouldn't have just come out and said something like that, but seeing as Asuka had brought up the whole issue, and seeing as he was simply relaxing at the moment, he saw no reason why such a revelation would be any issue. Besides, he was still trying to build trust between himself and Asuka, and revealing a personal fact or two couldn't hurt.

"I see. I myself am exactly two eighty, not by the day... Just year." she explained, feeling the need to answer her same question since he was polite enough to answer hers. Usually the women were ones to not be asked their age, but Asuka didn't mind. What was the point in keeping it a secret? As the conversation moved forward and Asuka became uneasy with the way she had just spoken to her Captain about his reasons on not providing calligraphy lessons, it seemed that he was still trying to lighten the mood. "My god Asuka... calm yourself. Why are you freaking out!?" she asked herself, keeping a rather stern and frozen look on her face. There were moments she was more blunt and relaxed, but then she'd immediately move back to being cold, nervous, and aware. She hadn't been able to find a happy medium as of yet. Sure, Captain Hijikata could be as relaxed as he wanted. He was the person of higher authority! Asuka was so nervous about offending him or saying something wrong that she could not relax. It was in her nature to be blunt and slightly insulting to those she spoke to, and she knew that, which is why she was concentrating so hard on watching her words. "I see..." A short response in reply to his extra explanation. She wanted to say 'well if Aizen can do it why can't you', but there was no way in hell she was going to compare her Captain to one that was deemed traitor in the manner Aizen was. At the same time one could take it as a compliment, seeing the statement in a manner that said 'you're better than him, I know you can do it', but why take the chance? No. She stayed silent, at least until her next question.

Asuka actually asked him about the girls, yep. She was curious. Who wouldn't have been? She wouldn't be shocked if a few of the other Captains and Lieutenants were a little jealous of it. Once she asked, she took a sip of her tea and *SPIT TAKE, cough, cough, cough*. No, that didn't happen. That was just a vision that went through Asuka's mind for a brief moment when he retaliated towards her question. Yes, she called it a retaliation. Instead of the spit take, Asuka froze. "Um... What?" she said and he soon explained that he was merely joking, teasing her about it. She kept silent and let him explain. "So he is sick of it..." she thought, actually feeling kind of bad for him. Asuka listened to what he had to say and finished her tea. Before she spoke again, she set it down on the table in front of them and leaned back into the chair, keeping her perfect posture as she sat up straight. "Don't let words like that lose their meaning completely..." Asuka told him as he finished speak, her tone being light-hearted, but serious at the same time, "If you do that, then when the right woman comes along, you might mistake their attraction towards you as the same as one of your fangirls... If I were in your shoes, I'd watch the way they say it and pay attention to the type of person they are. For instance, if I were to tell you that I found you handsome, I'd be a little to highly offended if my compliment was thrown away in the same manner." Asuka glanced away and then shook her head, a small smile on her face. "Why am I spouting all of this?" she mumbled, "It's not like he's an idiot, he knows all of this shit..." Asuka did not realize she had just said that out loud, but that was a little annoying habit of hers, mumbling loud enough for people to hear it when she really would have preferred otherwise.

As one might expect, Hijikata was able to tell that Asuka still wasn't really "at ease" around himself, even in this formal setting. Granted, he knew, or at least assumed that he knew, the reason why; he was her Captain and she was a serious, "by the books" Lieutenant. While he did still appreciate his lieutenant's seriousness, as it mirrored his own while on duty, he wanted to show her that while off duty, she could relax and be at least a bit more formal around him. Yes, from their meeting today, Hijikata had taken an interest in Asuka, more so than just seeing her as his Lieutenant, and as such, he wanted her to be able to, well, be herself around him. Of course, at the same time, he knew that getting her to relax was not gonna happen just like that, and that it would take some time to get her to act natural around himself while they were not on duty. However, along with that, Hijikata himself was not quite sure just what sort of "interest" he had taken in Asuka just yet; only that he'd prefer to be more than just Captain and Lieutenant. Of course, such thoughts were not in the forefront of his mind at the moment, as it was more important to actually establish a familiarity with each other before thinking about anything long term. Either way, Hijikata wanted to help her relax, and make sure that they could have meetings like this in the future as well. Of course, as he listened to Asuka's response to both his joke and words, his mind quickly changed tracks, and a small grin began to grow on his face.

While Hijikata had said that such words of praise had lost any meaning to him, he had not meant it so absolutely as Asuka had apparently taken it. Yes, while he usually didn't put any stock in the words of his admirers who chose to focus on nothing more than his appearance, he hadn't closed himself off entirely to the compliments and affection behind said compliments. Instead, what he had hoped to get across, especially with the addition of his comment on his preferred "type" of woman was that it took more to faze him than just compliments alone. While he had been about to make this distinction clear, the last of Asuka's words made him pause and think; allowing him to catch some of her mumbling to herself. "Well then, you have nothing to fear Lieutenant Toshikage, for if you were to say that I was handsome then I would have no choice but to believe you; as I do not believe that you would lie to me" he replied, the grin on his face more evident now. Yes, while Hijikata may not have liked all of the attention he got from women just because of his looks, he was in no way oblivious when it came to women. "Besides, such words mean much more when instead of being thrown around haphazardly they are spoken with thought; and especially when both parties share a mutual attraction" he continued, his gaze focused on Asuka as he spoke. Now, while his words may have seemed a little confusing, if Asuka were paying attention, she would hopefully be able to tell that he had essentially returned the implied compliment from her little speech; as he was sure by now that he did find her attractive. Finishing off his tea, he placed the cup down on the table, and waited for Asuka's response to his words; hoping he had not stepped to far and offended her.

Captain Hijikata's reply wasn't one she was expecting, but he had already surprised her multiple times through out their time together, so it was beginning to dull, at least until his next statement. His implications on a mutual attraction was quite intriguing to her. No, that wasn't what it was. She as actually not sure of what that made her feel. Actually, she was stuck. She froze in her position on the couch and stared blankly at him. She kept silent, her face beginning to flare up. There wasn't exactly a way to hide the fact that she was blushing at this point. She cleared her throat and glanced off to the side. She began fiddling with her fingers and was no longer able to make eye contact. "Captain, do you mind if I step outside?" Asuka asked him. She didn't exactly wait for an answer. In fact, she stood up rather quickly and walked to the door. She slid it open and stepped out for some fresh air. It was starting to get a little stuffy in there for her. She did not close the door behind her, instead standing off to the side in case he would choose to step out with her. She closed her eyes, took in a very deep breath, and slowly let it out. This allowed her to relax a little bit, and her blush faded completely. "You know, Captain..." Asuka spoke out to him, glancing over to his position (wherever that may be at this point), "You're not exactly what I expected. The nicknames you're given, the constant mobs of mentally underdeveloped women fawning over you... I pegged you to be a little more, and please excuse the language, but.. full of yourself. I figured you'd be all about you, but you're not..." Asuka crossed her arms along her chest, much more comfortable now than she had been the entire time while sitting in his office. She kept a serious expression, continued to stand perfectly straight, but she was relaxed in her movements and words. "Your multiple attempts at getting me to relax while talking to you was the first eye opener, along with the offer of tea, the openness to your past, and that.... quite flattering compliment you snuck in a few moments ago... It's really not what I thought you would be like..."

As soon as Hijikata saw the blush cross his lieutenant's face, he had to hold himself back from chuckling. He didn't want to further embarrass Asuka, hence why he kept from showing any amusement at her blush, but he was still slightly surprised to actually see her blush. Given what he had seen of her so far, Asuka was definitely the serious, work-oriented type, so it was surprising to see her blush like that. Of course, just because she was serious most of the time didn't mean that she couldn't blush, it was just that Hijikata had not expected to have made her do it. Unfortunately, he wasn't given much time to think about this, as Asuka was soon asking permission to step outside. While he was more than willing to give her the permission (though he would have said that she really didn't need to ask during an informal meeting such as this), before he could even speak she had already gotten up and stepped out the door. Of course, judging by the fact that she simply stood outside of the door instead of leaving, Hijikata could safely assume that, at least for the moment, their little meeting was not over yet.

Instead of following Asuka out immediately, Hijikata gave her a few moments alone to regain her composure; allowing her the space she needed to feel comfortable. Of course, as soon as it seemed that she had calmed down and began speaking to him; Hijikata slowly got up from his seat and walked over to the door, looking at Asuka as she spoke. As he listened to her words, this time, Hijikata could not fight back the grin that crossed his face, and as she finished, he even let out a small chuckle. "Well then, I must say that I am glad to have proven you wrong Lieutenant Toshikage" he replied, his tone slightly joking, but his words were still true. "As I said before, my titles come from battle, not how I treat my soldiers, and as for the admirers... what sort of man would I be to let such praise go to my head?" he began, closing his eyes for a moment as he thought about his next words. "However, if you don't mind me being so blunt this time, do you mind if I ask what you think of me now Lieutenant Toshikage?" he asked, his tone slightly softer than he had used before.

Asuka may be the more serious type of people, but she's still a woman. Compliments on her beauty can and will still effect her, depending on who from. Not many had the ability to make her blush when complimented so vaguely. It wasn't like he came out and said 'Asuka, you're beautiful', which was a good thing because she might not have been able to handle the shock. Either way, she suddenly began feeling the need for some fresh air, though the reasons were likely different to what Captain Hijikata would assume. As she stepped out to relax, she was thankfully not followed. Although she wouldn't have minded too much, she was concerned to what his reaction would be. After a few moments, she spoke. He stood and walked over to the door and looked at her while she was talking. If she hadn't been so concentrated on what she was saying, she would have likely began stuttering or something. She ended up unintentionally staring right back as she told him what she had been thinking. She was literally stuck in eye contact. Her eyes even widened just a small touch when she saw him smile. It wasn't too much different, if different at all, than his other smiles, but something about it made Asuka's mind jump back and forth through random thoughts. Once he chuckled, Asuka tore herself away from his gaze and looked away from him. She lowered her head a bit, her eyes extremely wide, though he would not see. "What the hell is wrong with me?!" she thought to herself. Captain Hijikata began speaking to her, and though she was listening, she didn't have the nerve to turn and look him in the eye at the moment. As he went on, something in his tone shifted again. He asked her what she thought of him now. "Oh that's so not fair." she thought. Asuka slowly turned her head to him, though her head wasn't able to complete the fully journey.

"I.... Uh...." Asuka shifted her eyes all the way over to him, glancing him up and down for a moment and then looking away. "Well..." she cleared her throat and forced herself to relax. "I'd have to say you're..." Asuka froze mid sentence and began contemplating a few things. This was a question she felt she had to be careful to answer. After probably three or four seconds of pure silence, Asuka turned herself fully to him. She stood up perfectly straight, momentarily returning to her normal demeanor. "You're a good Captain, sir." she said in a professional manner. Right after saying that, Asuka calmed, relaxed, and stood there like a normal person. "Now beyond the relationship of Captain and Lieutenant, but as if speaking to a friend..." she looked him straight in the eyes, tilted her head slightly to the side, and brought out a smile, "You're an intriguing man, a good man in my eyes."