Utter Destruction

"Mhmm, he did." Kaimu chuckled, giving a small nod when Mia asked about the nobility thing. "By marriage yes."

He watched her expression fall soon after answering though, watching as her thoughts processed the information of three dear, late family members before her hand reached out. He couldn't stop himself from gaining a soft smile though as Mia's hand came out to pat his head like he'd been doing with her.

"We can go on a day off or a vacation then, but you don't need to sneak me off to the human world you'd get in trouble for it."

At her apology about Lakshimi not being here his expression was confused for a moment. Why...was she apologizing? Sure, Lakshimi hadn't come but he'd gotten to meet her which was something amazing and good for them both.

"No apologizing. It's alright, I can always see Lak-tan later." He said, his voice light in tone. "I got to meet you and it makes me really happy that I did."

"Its...just most of the things I like to do are there is all. O-Or well my house. I-I just wish I could show you papa. I have tons of costumes and clothes made. R-Rukon...scares me sometimes. I-I...still remember getting yelled at and hurt..." Mia was rambling again, but she...really wanted to show him. Kaimu wouldn't make fun of them, she thought. She...was trusting him and wanted to share with him her whole life and everything!

"I'm glad too! I...am so happy!" Mia's voice cracked as she laughed, rather pleased he was okay with missing out on seeing Lakshmi. If...well it should be obvious right? He seemed to want family. She was being stupid! Really stupid. Flushing red, her excited face fell as she looked down, pushing her fingers together as she reached for more cheesecake she had pulled out. "S-Sorry...I'm...just really happy."

"Rukon can be frightening..." He replied, offering an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry it's the only place we can really talk."

It couldn't be helped really but it was a shame the Rukon was their only real way of spending time with each other. There were bad memories here for her, frightening ones...

His smile brightened though when she mentioned her happiness as he went to take a bite of the cheesecake snacks she'd pulled out. At his bite his eyes seemed to sparkle a little. It was good, really good. There was good food in the Rukon, good sweets but this tasted amazing.

"You don't need to apologize, not at all!" He replied, after the awe of delicious food wore passed. "I'm really happy too!"

Shaking her head strongly, Mia made a nuh uh sound in her throat. "Mm, its fine. I shouldn't...be so worried anymore."

Still she brushed a bit of hair from her face and looked out at the windmill and lake. It was pretty out here, admittedly. Sometimes it was nice to spend time outside? Turning back, she caught Kaimu's face as he ate the cheesecake, a bright grin matching his own appearing. That sparkle...he was enjoying the food! In fact he seemed to like it lots... Would he like cupcakes? Pushing the box towards him surreptitiously she tried to make sure he would eat his fill.

"O-Okay. I'm...still nervous. Even with...all the work... its hard for me to speak...but its easier with you! So... I just... wanted to make sure you knew I was happy." Mia was overthinking things again, like usual but she just wanted to make sure that he knew beyond a doubt. Burying her red face in her hands, she tried to cover them for a bit, wishing the red would go away!

"Shyness won't go away easily, but it's alright; if you want to be able to become more sociable just don't give up on it." He smiled, glancing down at the box after Mia had pushed it towards him.

He took one of the cupcakes from it and took a bite from it, his reaction was much the same as it had been with the cheesecake before he gave a small, happy laugh.

"Your cooking's amazing!" He complimented, though he was sure to become spoiled at this rate...

"I w-won't! I won't give up... I shall..make so many friends and be able to talk to people!" Mia looked up, determination in her eyes as she clenched one hand and raised it. She could do it! One day she could be nice and friendly and see others!

Realizing how ridiculous she looked with this motion, her hands went back to her face for a brief moment. However she heard Kaimu reach for more sweets.

"T-Thats...good...thank you." Mia flushed more, uncovering her face as she glanced up at Kaimu. He seemed to happy with her sweets, she couldn't help returning his smile with one just as bright. "I...can bring you more whenever I visit. I-I'm good at making sweets especially, e-even if I am tired of them."

"Bring something you like too." Kaimu replied, "it doesn't have to be just sweets. I can also try to do the fish like promised."

It'd be better if they could eat something they both enjoyed. They could both be eating instead of just him, it'd be more fun that way.

"...I shall bring sweets and drinks and you supply fish. That way its split." Mia smiled and stole the rest of the blackberry cheesecake bites. Popping them into her mouth, she held them out. "Mm, see I like these because its not too sweet. S-So don't worry. I have stuff I like in the cloak... Lots. Its easier to get work done when you don't have to run around looking for food. The Library can be like a maze sometimes and there are dangerous places in it."

Like the Mirror. How had Hideki found it? She... had hoped it was well hidden. That curious captain of hers...

The sound of that sounded good, she could bring that and he could provide the fish...though, he hoped it could live up to her expectations.

As she continued however there was one thing that caught his attention over everything else.

"There's dangerous areas in the library?" Kaimu questioned, he'd...not been able to venture in there as much when he'd been working. He remembered it being very, very large but...dangerous areas? He would have never thought a library of all places to have things like that.

Kaimu seemed confused by the library being dangerous, though to be honest most outsiders never dealt with it. It seemed like a perfectly normal library on the outside, but the older areas... The places you could find hidden, the ruined spots of older times...

Mia was pretty sure, at least in some way, after all these years the Library had gained some form of sentience. It really was no other explanation. "Well, yes honestly. You don't go into some areas without worrying about it shifting around, theres weird objects stored in there hidden away. My cloak is an artifact I found when I was younger... There's a scary mirror you do NOT flip upside down. Um, and thats not counting the hallway that never ends... Also there's a giant hole where a room used to be that is so dark and deep I don't think anyone's tried to go down it. Its a giant mystery factory!"

The library possibly had...sentience?

It was almost amusing, if he weren't concerned for Mia; this was apparently the afterlife and yet it was haunted. Ghosts among ghosts.

She'd apparently found her cloak there...he supposed, with what she was telling him it made sense. The library sounded quite strange, but he supposed there was some entertainment to be found it with such happenings; just as long as she didn't get herself hurt out there.

"It sounds really interesting, I would have never imagine things like that happened in there."

"Well....it'd be bad if random shinigami knew about it. They'd try to adventure and end up hurt in those older areas, or dead. The few who know tend to keep it a bit low key and most new members never really learn about the areas. Most honestly don't know... Which reminds me I never gave Captain a huge rundown of things!" Mia looked shocked and a bit worried. Of ALL people he needed to know and she had failed him. Though....he seemed to be learning on his own as she had. Maybe it was best this way?

Smiling, she brushed hair behind her ears where it promptly fell back as she tried to make Kaimu feel better. "Don't worry! Its...its fun. And I am careful. I haven't gotten hurt too bad yet."

"That's true. If anyone knew they could get hurt. That's...good that you haven't gotten badly hurt." He replied, though...she'd said badly hurt, so she had been hurt there before...from his understanding anyway.

It was silly, they were shinigami they dealt with danger all the time but still...that logic was momentarily overruled. He'd been worried about Tatsuo becoming a shinigami back then, despite knowing his brother's power...so it was completely acceptable for him to worry about his own daughter!

"Is...something wrong Papa?" Mia noticed Kaimu's slight hesitance and lack of super bright smiles. He was one for smiling and being happy when not surprised she had noticed, it was that that had put her entirely at ease. Especially since when he had come into the office he had been so friendly. It seemed his default was that.

She was sure her mother had seduced him because of it.

Mia was just confused at this, being a shinigami was dangerous and honestly she had one of the safest jobs of them all. She rarely had to fight hollows, didn't have much combat practice other than on her own... It was mostly a desk job.

"H-Huh? No, no. Nothing's wrong!" Kaimu replied, quickly; waving his hands slightly in response as he gave a reassuring smile. "It's just me being silly."

He gave a small laugh, "I used to worry all the time about Tatsuo being a shinigami, so...ahaha even if your job's not as dangerous it's...it's only natural for me to be concerned!" He added quickly, glancing off to the side for a moment before his eyes returned to Mia, his smile having turned into a sheepish one as he gave another laugh.

Kaimu moved quickly to reassure her though Mia wasn't sure it was entirely the truth until he spoke up next. She tried to smile but felt a bit mopey about her previous words. She had worried him unneeded. He was someone who worried a lot apparently over silly things.

"Oh but you are allowed to worry...Please don't too much... Mm, you aren't hiding anymore stuff like that are you? I...don't want to make you worried or upset. Its not silly though to be worried either..." Mia looked so sad, upset she had worried him as her face fell. A sad upset puppy look. He could tell her these things...

Again, he shook his head; his reassurance quite animated as he tried to keep her from being upset.

"No, no! It's...ahhh, I'll try not to worry too much; I swear! I'm just being ridiculous, you're a lieutenant you can handle yourself. I realize...i-it's common for parents to worry!" He explained, giving another light, sheepish laugh before he let out a huff...

He rarely got embarrassed but that entire reassurance was ridiculous, laughable even.

With another laugh and smile he brought his hand up to her head again. "It's alright, I promise. I haven't...had family to worry about in a long time so...guess it's all coming back in a giant rush."

To an outsider this scene would probably be amusing, two grown adults acting like ridiculous nervous teen children. If Mia was thinking about it, she would realize most interactions she had with people ended up with both of them overreacting or freaking out. Still her mopey sad face transformed back into a rather sheepish one as she watched Kaimu

"It...you already are worrying and... Its...sweet." Mia blushed brightly, looking down as she tried to fight that urge to just fall over and curl up under her cloak. He...was worrying over her so much and he had just found like maybe an hour ago? She leaned against the hand on her head, trying not to cry with how happy she was. "B-But you are right... I...can take...care of myself...mostly...you can...still worry a little though..."

A small wave of relief washed over him when it seemed his words had worked some, "Right"

He was glad she found it...sweet, he was a bit worried that maybe it was weird for him to worry already but as he'd said...family wasn't something he'd had to worry about for so long and those feelings were probably flooding back to him.

He continued petting her head though as she tried to keep herself from crying, offering her another smile as well.

Mia calmed her rather still in turmoil emotions. It...was all right right? To still be all freaked out inside. To still be really emotionally frazzled.

She glanced back up to see Kaimu's sweet smile again and looked down, trying hard not to laugh now. He was so just nice! "...You smile a lot. Even as I make a fool of myself..."

Mia didn't stutter once! She felt a small victory at this and gave another smile, her hand covering her mouth as she then almost laughed outloud. What if he felt she was laughing at his smiles?

He smiled a lot?

Kaimu gave a nod at that, "I can't deny it; I do smile quite a bit."

He gave a small, sheepish chuckle after his words as his finger went up to lightly scratch the side of his mouth. When Mia moved to cover her mouth his smile softened, she'd almost laughed; that was good, and she was smiling too!

"You're not making a full of yourself either." He added.

"O-Okay. I-I'm still really nervous is all. But its still... really nice." Mia closed her eyes, her head tilting in a happy smile. Was that mouth scratching like Masa and Hideki's neck rubbing? A nervous tic? Had she made him nervous?! Well at least he didn't think of her as a fool for her reactions.

"Do... I have other siblings Papa?" A question bubbled up before she could stuff it down, her eyes popping open in surprise at her Own actions. T-That was too personal! Why... Well not too personal. It was important to her. Besides she had fully accepted him into her heart in a rather silly attachment already. He could turn out to be evil... but she didn't feel he was.

"It's fine to be nervous, don't worry."

He wasn't sure if those were proper words of reassurance but hopefully it'd provide some comfort. She was nervous and that was fine.

Her question caught him off guard though.

Other...siblings...?

"Um...ah, well...No, you're the only one." Kaimu replied, he felt...well he wasn't sure if that was completely true but...but he was careful! He didn't know for sure but...

He directed a glare over towards Kuroshi, who had begun laughing again due to the question and likely the answer that was given to it.

"Ah...good..." That was a relief. Nervous was something she was normally, so Mia felt better knowing it was okay with Kaimu to be so. I mean who WOULDN'T be? meeting your father for the first time ever, waiting over a century to...

His words though caught her off guard. He was glaring at Kuroshi, who she assumed was making comments as Mia tried to process his words and tone. It was rather unsure. Her face turned bright red of embarrassment as she tried to speak the words that seemed to hang in the air. She wasn't dense!

'...Mia I sense something off here. I really think you should be a bit wary~ In a sense that I don't think he knooows for sure. Is he a rather manwhore like your mother perhaps? Hmmm?'

"...that you know of?"

The direction this conversation was going definitely didn't seem like one that was appropriate for a father to be...discussing with his daughter.

Clearing his throat, Kaimu began speaking again.

"I'm almost positive." He replied, "I-I'm...careful whenever...S-So i'm mostly positive of it!"

Not an appropriate conversation, not an appropriate conversation, not an appropriate conversation...He was trying to...answer without...giving Mia the wrong assumption but a conversation like this...