Ryuken repeats the words, displaying his understanding then returns to the self imposed task of table laying. Items are removed from their resting places in the cabinet and arranged in a way that feels distantly familair to him; a remenant from a time when entertaining at home had seemed like a good idea and way to further his career.
He straightens up with a grunt, eyeing his handiwork and noticing Uryuu still standing there, resigned to this fate and going nowhere. Ryuken wacthes back, folding his arms and not saying a word. He’s rolled up his shirt sleeves, lost the tie and jacket; a concious attempt to look less intimidating considering how their first unoffical, meeting went. It’s a concious effort to keep the evening atmosphere free and put their guest at ease. None of it, however, is for Uryuu’s benefit.
His attetion stays on Uryuu, the silence between them beginning to fester the longer the remian silent. Not, Ryuken thinks, that’s there’s ever been any such thing as a comofrtable silence between him and this boy. He opens his mouth, searching for something to fill the void and coming up blank. A part of him thinks he should be telling his son not to be nervous or offering an anecdote or two to assure him these first meetings are no big deal. He has no such words however. He’s not even sure it’d be the truth if he knew what to say. He has no comparrative experience after all; how could he when the woman he’d married had served his parents for years?
He swallows har then looks towards the kitchen, suffocating in the silence and his inability to fill it, when he hears a knock on the door. Just like that he’s back to himself; sharp, efficient, confident. A man who knows what needs to be done. He turns his head towards the sound then looks to Uryuu.
“Well,” he says, his voice holding an edge of impatience “are you going to greet your guest?”
Uryuu is sensitive to the tone in Ryuken’s voice, asking if he’ll greet his guest.
“Gladly,” he says with a dry voice.
Truly, he’s overjoyed that Orihime has arrived. As awkward as some parts might be, he knows that he feels so much better with her by his side. And maybe, just this once, he’ll be comfortable in his father’s presence, for the first time in years, with the woman that he loves seated at his side.
He walks to the door while keeping his cool. He doesn’t want to appear as overly eager to see Orihime as he feels, but truly he’s so relieved that she’s here. Opening the door, trying to appear rather nonchalant, he sees her there, holding a box, which he can only assume is some kind of sweet given his girlfriend’s tastes. Her hair is a bit damp, and he doesn’t want her to feel cold so he quickly stands out of the way to let her in.
“Come in, please,” he says with a smile. “Would you like a towel? I didn’t know that it would be so wet today. I can lend you an umbrella for getting back home if you like.” He looks at Ryuken. “Or perhaps we can give you a ride home if its dark when you wish to go.”
He accepts the box from her and shuts the door behind them. Right now, he wants nothing more than to hug her with how much better he feels with the sunshine of her presence, but he holds back. After all, Ryuken is nearby, and he’s not exactly sure just how he feels about how much affection to show, given what his father walked in on earlier. But he balances the box in one hand, and takes Orihime’s hand in the other, drawing strength from it, and then approaches his father, stopping a few feet away.
He looks at Ryuken, eyes level. “I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Orihime Inoue,” he says. His eyes are softer as he looks back to Orihime. “And this is my father, Ryuken Ishida.”
A little bit of stiffness creeps back into his posture. “We’re honored to have you this evening,” he says. Eying the box he tries to guess the contents. “You didn’t have to bring us anything, but I know that you don’t like to go anywhere emptyhanded. What did you bring?” he asks.
