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Tezuka watched Lerato lazily, plotting heavily on the couch that served as a bed for the Captain of Squad 9 and smiling a little as Lerato congratulated him on his promotion. "Eh, it ain't nothin' too big t'fuss about. But thanks." He chuckled a little bit, picking at something on his knee and examining it with a criticizing gaze. "Decent. I think I killed the squad, though. Bein' lazy n' all, but that's just me. It'sno fun t'get this in perfect workin' order anymore. Gotta keep myself busy somehow." Another chuckle rolled from his mouth as Lerato continued, speaking of how he would have joined the squad back in the day. "Then who woulda been my replace in 1st?! Can't 'ave the cap'n lieutenant-less now can we? He'd probably get himself killed or somethin' without a babysitter." Tezuka joked, knowing full well what the Red Man was capable of and how many times he himself had been close to death at that very same man's hands.

IT wasn't really a sobering fact as much as it was humbling, seeing the future generations of shinigami taking up the mantles of those long gone. He was happy for Lerato, but in a way most people would find sadistic. "One day yer gonna sittin' in his shoes, or mine."

It was Tezuka's turned to gain a new expression, leaning forward to lay his palm against his knee and his other arm against the adjacent thigh, the blue discoloration in his iris giving him a fiery gaze in his normally cool eyes. "I didn't say right fawkin' now you barvy nutmunchkin! Jesus Christcakes that ham sammich 'r retirement ain't that good looking just yet...!" Tezuka sighed and leaned back, propping his right foot up on his left knee; and leaning his head against the back of his left hand. The frown stayed, but the fire in his dwindled and died, coming back to his usual blank stare. "As fer fixin' up the squads t'fight each other I'm game. We need to kick each other's asses every once 'n a while anyways. Might as well start early and look like hipsters 'r some s**t." He sniffed loudly, eying Lerato's wounded frame absently. The boy could take care of himself. No need to ask him why he's still limping around like a wounded drama queen. "Fef already approve a' this?"

Tezuka watched Lerato leave, weary about his words of Fefnir's current condition. He had always been close to the man, both of them in fact, and it pained Tezuka to think that his age was finally catching up with him. But the thought dissipated as a familiar blueish grey coat came into view, Tezuka's free hand coming over to gently pet Gino's head, causing the cat to stir. It purred in an upward inflection, autumn eyes staring up at Tezuka sleepily as he scratched behind the furball's ears and then under and around his neck. His fingers tickled at the sensation of vibrations caused by Gino's purring, the cat's tail flicking every so often in complacency. " 'Course not. The ol' man'll never go down without a fawkin' fight." He chuckled to himself, speaking in soft tones as the cat migrated to his lap and set about pawing his crotch to soften it up. It laid down quietly and curled up into a ball as Tezuka slowly brought his hand about its soft frame, petting Gino as he sat pondering his own amusement in muted silence.

Tezuka looked up as the door opened, clearly too distracted with lavishing Gino with love to realize he had an incoming visitor. His eyes, originally moving towards a coldly dispassionate gaze, shifted to a soft curiosity as his guest showed herself in. 'Well hello again.' He smiled, that characteristically lop-sided grin that defined him as a punk in the eyes of even the younger crowds coming into the ranks of the Gotei 13. His roguish facial expression withered just a tad as Yomi inquired about his name, a small defeatist feeling squirming its way into his mind as he regarded her. He hadn't forgotten her name. Hell her hadn't forgotten that figure either! Damn it was nice... His eyes wandered for a second, drinking her in with a hungry stare that could easily be mistaken for absentmindedness on his part.

He blinked a few times, regaining his lax state of being as she called him 'kid'. "Kid?" He said with a temporary frown. Not in his many years had he ever been called that, even when he was in the Academy. It was, disheartening to say the least. "I ain't no kid, girly. And the name's Tezuka. Tezuka Matsushima. Hasn't changed since th'last time you 're in here." That last little part did make him chuckle at himself, though. He lightly combed the top of Gino's head as the cat investigated the intruder from a distance, sniffing the air as he stared at Yomiko and then back up at Tezuka. Tezuka sniffed, smiling down at him and lightly tapping his nose before looking back at Yomiko. "Guess it's good I'm wearin' pants this time at least, eh, Yomi?" Another smile solicited from his lips as he stared up at her with those off-color blue eyes.

Tezuka smiled, being tossed back into his seat as a muffled chuckle escaped him, his well-toned abdomen muscles bulging as he laughed about Yomi motioning to him doing something that was quite common and natural for Tezuka. Running around with the minimally acceptable amount of clothing was how he stayed comfortable. As she continued to talk Gino slipped from Tezuka's lap, scooting silently over to Yomi. He approached her ever so slightly, his front right paw not touching the ground as he quietly sniffed at her before deciding to take another step. He continued this pattern until he was almost all the way in front of her, finally straightening up and rubbing his head gently against her leg, letting out a small series of mews that were barely audible before rubbing his entire body against her.

Tezuka's eyes moved to watch Gino preform this ritual upon meeting a new person, answering Yomi in turn without looking at her. "The only reason I trudge around here in my skivvies 's 'cause there ain't really nothin' to do 'round here right now. s**t's retard quiet 'nd, yes, I'm bored outta my mind waaay too of'en." His gaze turned away from Gino as the cat made his approval of Yomi's presence, now looking at her directly. " But it does give me time t' do all that paperwork that piled up while I was busy earlier. Nice no longer bein' captain t'be honest...hated the job. Now I got all the time 'n the world to do what I want", he paused for a second and sort of gave her a mischievous look, a smile hinting at his lips," and pursue things I could never pursue until now."

Gino pawed at her leg now, not declawed but somehow managing to rubbed at her without extending them. He did this a few times, sitting on his haunches and staring up at Yomi as if waiting for her to pick him up. He let out another small mewl tilting his head slightly at her.

"Tch tch tch." Tezuka drew Gino's attention back to him, smiling at both the cat's quick retreat to his lap and to Yomiko's want to bond. He laid his hand gently on the cat's side as it settled into his lap, blue eyes slowly coming up to look at brown eyes on the face of a woman he would very much enjoy bonding with in all sense of the work. She was very beautiful, even the nervousness of her laugh was appealing. The way she made herself comfortable, assertive. She knew what she wanted and wasn't particularly afraid to go after it. Was he on her list of procurement? This thought made him smile at her. Genuine, the corners of his eyes creasing as he blinked, looked down for a second, and then back up to her. "Sounds good t'me. I don't really got much t'do, as you say, so that would be ah good use a' my time.

Tezuka leaned back against the couch, his right arm coming up to rest on the back's top as he addressed her earlier inquiry. "Kinda made the decision myself t'not be a Cap'n anymore. Just plain boring if you ask me." He shifted, petting Gino lightly. " I'm still stickin' around t'help Zaine, though. Kid's good, but he don't have a Lieutenant yet so I'm helpin' out with paperwork n' filing most of the time." He chuckled a little bit, realizing he just made himself sound like a glorified secretary. But no matter. He really didn't care about technicalities. Zaine did need his help and he had nothing better to do with his time so there was really no alternative to demolish his ever-growing boredom. But, maybe, this strikingly beautiful woman could help alleviate some more of that boredom. He could only hope, staring into those eyes. He smiled at her again.