"…well, I guess you do have a point there. It still doesn’t make this situation any less surprising for me, to be truthful." How odd was this - a peaceful Espada was something never heard of before. Wait, no. There was that one kid who made friends with Kurosaki Ichigo, was there not? A quick, short shook of a pretty head was performed without any proper thought behind it just as a sigh formed to accompany the movement. "Zaraki-taicho will never forgive me if he hears that I ran into a strong opponent and did not fight it with my life on the line…"

Malachite eyes simply slid closed in response to the shinigami's reply. She was well aware of the juuichibantai's reputation so far as combatative behavior. And most assuredly she understood that this was, perhaps, an outlier among the squad, given their current lack of aggression.

"Then you may take solace in knowing I am no opponent. I have served my debt to the letter. I am no longer a combatant to you shinigami at present. Once the quincy are exterminated I shall very likely simply fade into the background of Soul Society's history." 

"I get it. It’s a hypothetical." She takes the sign off.

"But I have kicked people in the throat in self defense. I thought that was what you were talking about.”

"It seemed to fit your profile. In any case suffice to say I'm sure that with legs like yours..." She nodded down to the limbs in question.

"I doubt that they would have much of a capacity to do anything. Let alone break your legs."

"No, she just doesn’t praise anyone under lieutenant rank. And she rarely speaks positively of anyone above it. She’s just incredibly difficult to impress, I’m fairly certain."

"So I see. I suppose that is natural given the duties involved with the squad. The disciplines upheld are of the highest standard, so I suppose she would be very hard to impress indeed. Especially since the bar of her predecessor was set so high."

"Oh. Okay. I, uh, acknowledge your flirtatious actions…?" Candice replied uncertainly after a pause. "Now, are you going to hand over that cake??" 

"…Why even are you trying to emulate humans, though??"

This she chose to ignore. She simply handed the woman her cake. She had no interest in continuing to debate the action she had undertaken. Additionally she had already specified that she had attempted to sympathize with the quincy's semi-humanity. 

"That wasn’t a threat, was it?" Damn, sometimes how calm she could be really annoyed her, but then again, it was even more of a challenge to see what could make her tick..if anything.  

"Aww, it sounds like you don’t enjoy spendin’ time with me." A fake pout and mock offense was in her tone. "An’ here I was thinking we could get to know each other better."

"Threat is a manner of perception, if you perceive me as a threat that is your prerogative. I myself do not bother to try and illicit a threat response. If something occurs that I do not like, I act. It is far easier to remember a scar than a baring of teeth." She explained calmly. 

"I would think that several decades of riding my coattail would have given you all the information you could seek Grimmjow. If you wish to know me better, perhaps a shift in attitude would facilitate your learning."

"Flirting? You were flirting?”

"…Oh. But you could have just said so earlier!!"

"Wait. I never heard of any customs involving people flirting before having cake. Just where are you getting your information from again??" 

"It is not exclusive to cake. Chocolates and other such sweets are more common, lunches and breads. The woman did it quite often to her friends. Though perhaps not in the same fashion. Humans do tend to subtly infuse such acts in their everyday actions. They are horribly instinctive creatures."

"What do you mean you do not romp when you go to sleep? Isn’t that boring? You sleep like the dead or what??"

"I am not particularly active in my sleep so far as I am aware."

"But I didn’t even kick you in the throat-"

"I'm well aware dear. I was implying that it is what I would have done were I in the shoes of the one you HAD, But I digress. You can take that sign off."

"Ah, but a captain such as mine doesn’t make any attempt to compliment me. Or… anyone else, really. But I appreciate the compliment, thank you."

"Is that so? Surely you conceded to being unsure as to my own compliment. Do you think it impossible that your Captain is simply more clandestine in her praise? But I suppose I hardly know them and you may indeed be correct."

"-I guess? That seems pretty fuckin’ overboard, though…"

"In response to being kicked in the throat?"

"It just doesn’t sound like a compliment the way you said it. More like a threat."

"So I see. I understand that I do not exude sincerity. Though with a captain such as yours, I had assumed you would be used to such tones. But I assure you, you do look lovely. "

"It’s fuckin’ called a shaming sign. It’s a punishment, I’m pretty sure."

"I'm afraid I'm not entirely sure I understand the premise of such a practice. IF I wished to punish you, would it not be more prudent to simply break your legs?"

Well, she wasn’t yelling at him, so that was a good sign… hopefully.  ”Um… Y-Yeah, I did..” he confirmed and bowed to her politely before he moved to take the offered seat.  He looked at the woman carefully… she seemed like a person that was hard to approach, but she had been nice enough to him so far  So he could at least try to relax.

"u-Um, my name is Hanataro Yamada… it’s a pleasure to meet you, Cifer-san," he said politely, bowing his head again as he looked at her, "I… Um… haven’t talked to many Arrancar before… so, I’m a little nervous, … sorry," he said, wondering if he was being a little racist for being worried about her just because of what she was… probably.  And that was simply not how Hanataro wanted to see people.  Every one deserved a chance, right?

     ----†----     A brow quirked slightly in response to the admission so far as having never talked to an arrancar before, considering for a moment before she took a small bite of the flan. It was an interesting dish, perhaps not as good as the scones she usually liked. Of course they were something far more rare, an item she'd procured from the world of the living during her brief endeavors in her gigai. But she focused on the matter at hand.

                    "Your assumption is, for the most part, correct. There are very few Arrancar that are particularly friendly toward shinigami, especially  one with a constitution such as yours. I would hardly recommend approaching them in such a manner as you have I. Perhaps Tia or Neliel, but you would be hard-pressed to find any sort of welcome among them."

What kind of "charactershaming" sign would you hang around my muse's neck?