Shooting the breeze

-Zeik had just left Hollow, he expected her to show but he wasn't entirely sure if she would. She had a habit of fighting how she felt and putting up a facade, something Zeik aimed to try and understand today-

"...Hmp I feel weird now"

-Zeik says as he walks over to the wooden port and places his feet in the water. The moon was high in the sky and delivering its beautiful light over the lands.-

-Hollow would emerge from Zeiks shadow placing her just next to him as he sat on the port. She looked at him for a moment, swaying his feet against the current, and then eyed the wooden port with a tinge of disgust. She hated getting her clothes dirty after all. She imagined the moisture sticking dirt to her jeans and cringed-

Is there...somewhere else we can sit?

-Hollow was aware that upon her entrance Zeik placed his pentagram on her back. This would allow her to get close to him without experience the lag of his origin range-

"well I dont know about that. I was in the mood to get my feet wet and this is a safe distance from Zk and kham fight. If its about messing up your hair, we can stop back at our house before I head to soul society"

-Hollow looked at him blankly for a moment, wondering if he had realized that he said "our house". She decided it was simply a slip of the tongue due to Kurai's presence and ignored it. She sighed and decided she would just sit and burn the pants later and have her dad send a new pair. She lowered herself cautiously into a cross legged position in a way that she would touch the port as little as possible. After sitting trying to ignore her distress at the uncleanliness of the situation she realized something else that Zeik had mentioned-

Soul Society? So it does exist then...

-Zeik gazes at the sky and kicks his feet like a child who hadnt seen water before-

"Yeah they are very much real and they dont like us in the least bit"

-Hollow watched the water splash and made odd face as if she had smelled something pungent-

How can you do that?

-Zeik's face flares up with confusion-

"Do what? Know that they dont like us?"

-Hollow trys to relax the muscles in her face, knowing that her expression must have been unattractive. But the feeling distaste was still quite obvious-

Just...stick your feet in the water like that...doesn't it feel gross?

-She couldn't help but cringe at the imagination of all types of weird water dwelling organisms eating away at her skin-

-Zeik laughed at the sight of Hollows expression of discomfort, he was truly amused by them but he was so very happy that shino made this Headband for him-

"You are something else"

-Zeik said as he pulled his feet from the water and walked to the edge of the port. He had just remembered why he wanted to talk to Hollow-

"Hollow..."

-Hollows heart thumped in her chest at the sound of Zeik saying her name. She pulled her knees up to her chest, pressing against them trying to ignore it-

Yeah?

-she said in an excessively bitter tone to distract herself from her "sickness"-

-Zeik really didnt wanna see what Hollows reaction was to what he was going to say and it pained him more then it should have to say it, but it is what it is-

"Hollow, the "request" you asked me off...I"

-Zeik took a small pause in his sentence before just blurting it-

"I can not give you"

-Zeik didnt expect Hollow to try to hear him out, he expected to get shoot and she warp off somewhere.-

-For a moment Hollow buried her face farther into her knees. In truth, she had thought over this immensely since that day in Zeik's office after their fight with Ra. Her request, she knew,was unreasonable, and honestly, she wasn't quite sure why she had blurted out such a ridiculous thing. She didn't know a thing of marriage if that was even an endeavor she wished to take. She just wanted something to appease this feeling, to make it go away and stop bothering her and forcing her into such awkwardness. Though in time she started to realize how foolish this was, though, it didn't stop Zeiks refusal from hurting any less. With every passing day Hollow was beginning hate Kurai and everything she had forced upon her. Hollow lifted her head just enough to uncover her mouth-

That's...fine.

-She stated simply. There was no aggression in her tone, no hatred, not even her usual cynicism. If anything, her voice was uncharacteristically soft and even...sweet-

-Zeik tensed his muscles up expecting a bullet to pierce his body at some point, but when he heard Hollow's voice he knew he hadn't the need to worry anymore. Hollow's voice sounded like it was receiving reason, Zeik figured Kurai had talked seem sense into her or something, either way Zeik had dodge another bullet. Hollows feat of rejection had saved Zeik from an even more awkward conversation, but he knew sooner or later it would have came up-

"I figured you were going to shoot me."

-Zeik said to break the silence that was starting to become all to awkward-

"You know...ugh never mind"

-Zeik said as he looked at the shifting sun. It was growing time for him to go to soul society and kick some ass. He had probably another hour or so, before he was behind schedule-

-Hollow looked straight on at the rippling flow of the water, it was oddly calming.-

Whatever you have to say is fine. I don't mind...

-The pain pricked at her chest again, she pushed it away and pressed on-

I'm...

-Her face twisted, her very soul choking on the words it couldn't believe she was about to say-

I'm...er...I mean...I...regret, being so, hasty and unreasonable with my request and how I acted. It was childish...

-In the end, she couldn't quite say it. But she felt she got her point across, and felt a bit relieved for it. It was like vomiting when your ill. Repulsive and painful, but afterwords, you realize it was better than holding it in-

-Zeik sighed a heavy sigh as he took his blindfold off his face. He wanted to wet his face and give his eyes a break.-

"Hmm You know my decision has nothing to do with weather I like you or not. It was more of a...a safety issue"

-Zeik said leaning over to the water splashing his face a little-

-Hollows brow arched, thoroughly confused. She wondered if he was insulting her, as if to say she couldn't "handle" him or something of the sort-

Safety issue?

-she asked somewhat aggressively-

-Zeik didnt know how exactly to explain this to Hollow without making her anymore volatile then he figured she was growing with every passing second, so he just tried to go for it-

"It's...just not safe"

-Zeik didnt know how to say he had lost a many of wives without making himself feel anymore shitty then he already did, so he hoped he could avoid the conversation with vague answers.-

-Hollow unfolded her legs, skillfully hoisting herself onto her feet without using her hands, to avoid touching the port of course. She had taken Zeik's vague answers as an escape around a lame excuse used to cover up the face that he simply didn't think she was good enough for him-

You know, Hellgate, if you're not interested in me that's fine, but dont insult me by feeding me sugar coated excuses like I'm some child who needs pampering.

-She spoke haughtily and with her hair flipping around her face turned sharply to leave-

-Zeik quickly turned around hoping his sudden movement would halt Hollow's leave-

"You've got me all wrong. I honestly dont think "I" deserve you or anyone else for that matter."

-Zeik snickered a little. He hated when trying to avoid one conversation, made an even bigger one forcing him to reveal twice as much.-

"I'm not nearly as arrogant as you may think I am. Honestly if you took the time to look past my facade you'd see just how broken I really am. I have lost friends,wives...children"

-Zeik said this with the true face of Zeik. The one filled with sorrow and sadness. The one that was torn o bits by his own self guilt of what his weakness and bad judgment had brought upon him-

"...I simply dont wish to put you in a situation to become another voice in the back of my head...Have you not wondered why I never speak with Kurai...I cant...I cant speak to her knowing I ruined her life in a time shorter then a year...I"

-Zeik stopped himself from talking, before anymore tears ran down his face. He didnt even realize his was spewing his guilt all over the port and to Hollow at that. He normally keeps his feelings inside,but Looks like the Hellgate's tongue was loose today

-Hollow turned to face him. Her face seemed stuck in some look of horror that could just as easily be mistaken for disgust. Watchin Zeik Hellgate spill his guts so uncharacteristically it...she couldn't quite decide how should should feel about it. Naturally she thought it was deplorable, someone so powerful and holding such a position as a ruler should not be breaking down this way, she'd never seen her father so much as lose his temper. On the other hand...seeing him in such distress and pain seemed to twist and tear at something inside her chest. she felt her stomach curling inside out as he confessed. It was almost as if...as if she was feeling his pain as if it were her own but why? His pain was not hers, in fact, it had absolutely nothing to do with her. and yet....She walked closer to him, feeling and undeniable need to be near to him as if it would help. She placed her warm hand against his cheek-

I'm...sorry...I...

-Suddenly she noticed her hand was wet against his skin. She scanned over his face for the cause. His eyes...his eyes were dripping some kind of liquid.-

What-what is this? Whats wrong with your eyes?

-she asked concerned but also freaked out pulling her hand away and looking back and forth between Zeik and her wet hand. She couldn't recall ever seeing such a thing. Were his eyes bleeding? But bleeding something clear? That couldn't be could it?-

What is this?

-Zeik wiped away the few drops of sadness on his face and laughs slightly. He rubs his hair as Hollows horrible upbringing allowed him them to change the subject from his even more horrible life-

"..these?"

-Zeik said as he lifted a tear to his finger-

"...they are tears...they come out of your eyes when one experiences great sadness...of course a shinobi isnt suppose to express such things...so im not surprised you didnt know this"

-Zeik was quite surprised Hollow had walked towards him. He knew of her style and figured she was going to listen to him and then walk away...honestly he kinda wished she has done just that. At least then she didnt have to stand before a person who was no doubt judging him for the disgusting display of weakness he had just shown.-

"I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one day"

-Zeik said trying to pass it off as a joke-