The show the three women had provided certainly lived up to their expectations, clearing the bar by more than half by the time they were done. Despite being chased out at an admirable time, Hirako-taicho was still late to work the next day and he'd groaned his way through most of the morning. Come lunch, Gin is ready to emulate Sarugaki-fukutaicho and put her foot through her Taicho's face.
"It was a waste of a perfectly fine night," Hirako is whining once more. "We'd barely gotten started before Hiyori came bustin' in. Eh, Gin, couldn't you have headed her off?"
"My apologies, Taicho," Gin replies by route. "I done learned not ta mess with Sarugaki-fukutaicho. 'Specially when she's focused on ya, Taicho."
Hirako drops his head to the desk, moaning something or another under his breath while Gin continues organizing the papers by order of precedence. Done, she pushes a moderately sized pile towards her Taicho. "These are the reports that need ta go back today, Taicho."
Hirako eyes the pile with a look of disdain. He gives Gin a cajoling look and opens his mouth but before anything can be said there is a knock at the door and it opens to reveal Muguruma-taicho and Ōtoribashi-taicho. Hirako jumps up, face transforming in complete relief. "Thank kami, please tell me you're here to switch duty rosters or need help with something extremely harrowing."
"So you can beg off?" Muguruma scoffs. "No luck. A new place opened that Mashiro won't shut up about. Figured I'd go see what the hell the woman's on about."
Foooooood," Hirako moans. He practically jumps over his desk and swans over to Muguruma and Ōtoribashi.
Gin holds in a sigh and offers her usual carefree smile. "I take it I'm ta forge ya signature again, Taicho?"
"You're such a wonderful little Third," Hirako coos, reaching back to ruffle Gin's hair before he focuses on Aizen who is sitting unnoticed in his own corner of the office. "Sousuke, you comin'? Kensei's buying."
Muguruma glares after Hirako, snapping, "I'm not payin' for shit, you cheapskate. You can buy your own food, moocher."
Aizen glances between the three Taicho, Ōtoribashi watching the other two with a look of indulgent humor, before he turns and bids Gin a quiet farewell. As the four men are leaving, Muguruma glances over his shoulder, seeing her moving the needed stack of papers to her own desk.
He pauses, the others passing him. "You're not coming, Ichimaru?"
Gin looks up in surprise at the offer but quickly brushes it aside. She motions to the stack of papers, "These are due by end of lunch. I'll get somethin' later, once Hirako-taicho and Aizen-fukutaicho have returned."
Muguruma grunts, taking in the size of the stack before he shrugs and follows after the other men.
Gin is three-quarters of the way through the stack before she hears them returning. There is a loud commotion outside the door and Gin lets out a slow breath. She can hear a hushed argument though she can't quite make out the words. Whatever it is, it soon escalates and she can hear them wrestling about as they continue arguing, all pretense of quiet gone. Gin ignores it all, pushing the noise to the back of her mind as she continues working.
She is nearly done by the time the office door finally opens, spilling in a cursing Muguruma while Hirako stands in the doorway with a poorly concealed smile.
Gin glances between them, taking in the devilish look in Hirako's eye and the dusting of red across Muguruma's nose and cheeks. Aizen and Ōtoribashi are both watching with bemusement as a still blushing Muguruma turns to glare at Hirako who only grins wider.
"Oh dear, it seems I must've left Sakanade back at the restaurant," Hirako grins smugly at Muguruma. Gin casts an eye to said Zanpakuto that is tucked securely into Hirako's obi. "Sousuke, Rose, will you accompany me to retrieve her?"
Gin watches as the door closes behind the three and has a feeling that none of them have gone very far. Well, Ōtoribashi might have returned to his division but undoubtedly Hirako has his ear blatantly pressed to the door while Aizen watches reproachfully, all while straining his own ears to hear.
Mentally shaking her head, she focuses on Muguruma who shifts uncomfortably. "Asshole didn't forget shit," he spat, glaring at the door. "They're probably listening right now."
Gin knows he isn't expecting an answer, simply buying himself some time. A few moments pass in silence before Muguruma seems to gather himself. He stalks forwards and places a wrapped bento on the edge of her desk, mindful of the precarious stacks littering it. He shifts again, crossing his arms over his chest, the dusting across his nose darkening as she glances between him and the food offering.
"Look, it didn't sit right us all just leaving you while we went to eat, especially with you staying back to complete that lazy asshole's work. It wasn't like it was much trouble to get an order to go," he quickly explains. "Wasn't too bad a place, though I'll never admit it to Kuna."
Gin glances at the bento again and when Muguruma doesn't make any move to leave, she carefully pulls it closer and begins opening it.
It must've been the right move because Muguruma's shoulders relax and he rubs a hand over the back of his neck. "I figure I'll end up going there again for dinner. If you like it, I thought you might want to join me."
She had just taken a piece of sushi when Muguruma makes the offer and she freezes mid-chew, glancing up at the Taicho with her eyes open wide. He shifts at the look and glances away.
"You don't have to if you don't wanna," he barks, his tempter starting to rise with his unease. "I'm not orderin' ya to join me or anythin', just figured that if you liked the food you might want company. It's never as good when you eat by yourself."
Gin slowly chews her food, contemplating his words. Once she's swallowed, she cocks her head to the side, eyes now only half-open as she studies him. "Are ya tryin' ta ask me on a date, Taicho?"
There is a poorly concealed laugh from outside the door and his blush explodes into full color. He glares at the door before scowling back at her. "Look, I'll be there at seven. If you're not interested, fine, I get it. If you are, I'll be there."
Without further words he turns and rushes from the room, steaming past Hirako who is trying unsuccessfully to smother his laughter. He jumps to his feet quickly enough though to chase after his fellow Taicho. Ōtoribashi gives her a friendly wave and a commiserating look before following them. With what she's heard of Muguruma's temper and with Hirako's own personality, no doubt they will end up at one of the training grounds before long, Ōtoribashi there acting as a referee.
"You should go."
Gin looks up to see Aizen closing the office door. Light glints off his glasses as he moves to his desk. She cocks her head in an unasked question.
"We all have a role to play and it could take several decades before I can achieve my goal," Aizen elaborates readily enough. "It will be good if you have ties outside of simply Hirako and myself. Your relation with that girl from the Tenth is a start, but it won't hurt to cultivate a few more."
Gin forces herself not to react at the passing reference to Rangiku. She instead nods, understanding where he is coming from. "Tōsen already has a grasp on Muguruma-taicho though, would it really be necessary for me ta foster anythin' with him?"
"You can get a handle on him that Kaname can't," he points out.
"True enough," she agrees readily.
Gin glances down at her meal. It really is good.
"Do ya think Hirako-taicho would mind if I took off a little early to get ready?" She asks airily. "He did set this up after all."
Aizen smirks. "I'm sure I can find something suitable to distract him with."
It has just reached seven before Gin is able to escape her quarters and Rangiku. The woman had insisted on helping Gin with every minute detail of how she looked.
"If you want to keep his interest you have to make an effort, Gin," Rangiku is scolding her playfully.
"Can't keep what ya've barely captured," Gin returns moodily, trying to duck away from Rangiku's hand. She smacks them away when they go to tug on her kimono again. "I'm not flashin' my chest ta grab his attention, Ran-chan. He liked me well enough when I was dressed in my uniform, I don't need ta go flashin' half of Seireitei."
Rangiku pouts but relented. She steps back to give Gin a quick look over before finally announcing her approval. "Though you'd look much prettier if you'd just grow your hair longer. Maybe a few ornaments to help..."
She is fondling one of the silver strands but Gin easily bats her hand away again. "I like it short. Easier ta clean. And I don't need hair ornaments, all they do is get tangled in my hair. Now can I go before he thinks I'm not comin'?"
The moment Rangiku nods Gin is slipping away, pulling on a pair of geta on her way out.
"I won't bother waiting up!" Rangiku calls after her. "So stay out as late as you want!"
Gin laughs softly at her teasing. She makes it to the restaurant just a few minutes past seven and for a moment she worries that Muguruma really had thought she wasn't coming. She twists her fingers in the sleeve of her kimono and casts a careful eye around. She breathes an honest sigh of relief when she sees him leaning slouched against the furthest corner of the building.
She approaches him carefully, mindful of the geta and their knack of tripping her. "Muguruma-taicho?"
His head shoots up and Gin bites back a smile as he glances at her in wide-eyed disbelief. When the moment carries on, she finds herself shifting, uncomfortable at the prolonged gaze. She twists her fingers in the sleeves of her kimono again and resists the urge to chew on her lip. She'd allowed Rangiku to advise her on how to dress so she'd ended up in an evening kimono of dark green with a pattern of mint blue sakura flowers dancing up the side. She'd also allowed Rangiku to apply a little pink lip paint and a light dusting of blue powder to her eyes.
She takes in his appearance, noticing that he'd dressed out of uniform as well, exchanging the black hakama and kosode for a simple dark blue. "You left your haori?"
Muguruma seems to come out of his thought and he nods. "Yea, wanted to make it clear that I wasn't asking you here as a Taicho, but as a man."
Gin smiles, an honest smile, and nods. "Good. Should we head inside, Muguruma-taicho?"
"If this is a date then I think we can drop the formalities."
