Takasugi's fingertips lightly brushed across the surface of several bottles as he walked forwards behind the bar, the chilled glass warping his reflection with a myriad of refracted colours, the sensation of smooth glass and the smell of fragrant whiskey tickling at the locked doors of his memory - this place felt familiar, in an odd sort of way. Something from his life, perhaps. He shook the thought away as he poured himself an inch of Yamazaki, the amber liquid flowing smoothly over the chilled square stones at the bottom of the glass.

It was quiet here, but not in the same way his Headquarters was quiet. This space felt warm and lived in, with its low orange lights and worn barstools. There was a faint whiff of tobacco in the air, but it wasn't recent - age old, etched into the fabric of the boothes and curtains. Everything lay before him, pristine - even the bar towel had been freshly laundered. It was one of the only spaces within the Sanbantai that welcomed all without prejudice - a no-man's-land of relaxation and thoughtful chatter. There would be time enough for war, yes. Time and place. But not here.

Takasugi took a careful sip of his whiskey, humming at the burn. Familiar, yes. Like a kick to the teeth.

He hummed an old tune, reminiscent of the olden days and carried by the soothing reverb from deep in his chest. A luxury dark-red colbert, a clean white towel neatly folded and draped over his shoulder, Gau put away a crystal cognac glass back in its spot and awaiting the next customer. He turned towards Takasugi and leaned on against the counter like only a barkeep could.

"That is an excellent choice, sir. May I suggest this exquisite Hibiki next? The twenty thirteen Sakura no Hana edition carries floral notes which reminds of hibiscus and smoked cherry," he spoke. Briefly he turned and reached behind him and presented to Takasugi an unopened oval bottle. It was obviously crystal as well.

"It shan't disappoint."

Takasugi nodded to himself with a smile, his drained glass returned to the spotless bar counter with a quiet clink. Taking a seat on one of the stools closest to the Arrancar, he hummed thoughtfully. "Can't say I'm such a connoisseur that I would usually notice, but I'll take my time on your recommendation."

He had absolutely nothing against any of the Gotei's supposed foes - perhaps in another setting, at some point in the future, he would be required to think of Gau as an enemy. In his own bar? Off the clock? To hell with duty.

"I'm Takasugi Masao. Would you join me for a glass yourself, friend?"

There was a quiet sense of power about the man, as plain to see as the eloquent way he moved about behind the bar as if he had been there the entire time, and Takasugi knew he would sooner avoid the day they would eventually clash if he could help it, even if inevitability demanded otherwise. 

With a quick slight of his hand, two white felt girders appeared from his sleeve. The Sanbantai logo was embossed upon them. He reached for the shelf behind him and took two heavy, square whisky glasses. With a deft flick, he turned the Wedgwood crystal around and placed them on the felts. Off came the elaborate screw cap and he brought the bottle to the first glass. "No ice," he spoke softly and without spilling, Gau filled the glasses to equal heights. 

He righted himself and looked over at the grand piano, behind which a man sat with his back turned towards them. "Pianist, Chopin nocturne fifty five, number two please," he spoke.

The pianist nodded briefly and began playing.

He took his glass with a swoop and swirled it around in the air before bringing it to his nose. His eyes fell on Takasugi and waited for him to drink first. "Gau Mephistoless."

"A pleasure to meet you." Takasugi sipped at his drink thoughtfully - he hadn't tried this particular edition, and his palette so dulled by his inexperience with anything more exclusive than a standard top shelf whiskey left much of it lost on him. He did, however, appreciate the dramatic flair with which it was served - the skilled slight of hand and attention to detail a rare treat. The Hibiki went down far more smoothly than his typical fare and unwatered down by unnecessary ice (another point greatly appreciated by the Captain), and Takasugi found himself smiling genuinely.

"You know how to pour a drink, that's for sure. If there's one thing the Sanbantai has plenty of, it's good alcohol. I never had the chance to meet my predecessor, but he was an avid collector - seems a shame to waste, admittedly."

Gau watched the Shinigami drink and immediately sipped from his own glass too. He made a small nod and smiled. "Seeing as the majority of the water used to produce this has been evaporated, it would be a downright environmental catastrophe should we not drink it all," he opined and took another sip. The taste brought back many memories. In particular how he saved a man from a tsunami wave at one point, and that he had this man promise not to taste a single drop of alcohol ever again. Agreeing to this, he was given the man's whole stash of whisky. It wasn't Hibiki, but from the same region.

"What brings the Taichou out all alone, with naught but a simple barkeep and a drink as his company?" he asked mid-way through his glass. He had by now pulled a stool over and sat down, legs crossed the masculine yet eloquent way. 

When he was done with his, he took the bottle and held it up questioningly, wordlessly asking the Taichou if he wanted another round of Hibiki. 

Drinking with the supposed enemy was... strange. It brought mixed feelings and doubts that weren't welcome in his current position, yet he felt it was also part of his duty to analyse the conflict. And he would. Later. "A downright catastrophe, yes indeed."

He nodded a confirmation with a smile and returned his glass to Gau's masterful care, putting the intrusive thoughts well aside. They found themselves home in a deep corner of his mind allocated to the troubles of tomorrow, carelessly disregarded with all the caution he could afford whilst playing host.

"I've been finding myself more inclined towards solitude recently, or rather..." he trailed off, removing his red-glassed goggles. Behind them, his eyes appeared tired and a little sad - a soul troubled with unwanted burdens and not enough rest to counterbalance them properly. Still, his gentle smile told a story that was quite the opposite - he appreciated Gau's company and the steady, quiet stalemate between them. With nothing by way of a subordinate/superior relationship between them, Takasugi found himself relaxing in a way he had missed since he had taken up with the Shinigami. There was something to be said for the simplicity of it. "The lack of proper company without paperwork or expectation has gotten the better of me I'm afraid. I don't think your appearance could have happened at a much better time."

Gau nodded in understanding and, looked at the ground in search of the words he had once heard so long ago. With a furl on his brow he recited: "Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, is our destined end or way; But to act, that each tomorrow find us farther than today."

He took another sip and savoured the taste for a long time before passing it along to the place the previous sips has been sent. "I know what's missing still, if you permit me," he said, stood up and walked to the far side of the counter. He looked underneath the countertop and then behind him. "Ah!" he let out when he found what he was looking for. He picked up a hickory box, square but with elegantly rounded edges. He walked back over to Takasugi.

"It seems your predecessor had not only fine liquor as a virtue," he said, opened the box and presented its contents.

Fine cigars laid arrayed in the humidor.

"I normally sell Cohiba and most of the rank and file are satisfied with that. But for the Taichou, only the Gurka line of His Majesty's Reserve would suffice," he explained and took one himself as well. 

It took a while for Takasugi to respond as he pondered the words. Though unfamiliar to him, he understood enough to know they were well placed for the situation and he appreciated them as such. There were gaps in his knowledge that spoke of an adolescence less concerned with their education, and the scars on his knuckles and the ache in his fingers and wrists filled in the gaps. He knew he must have been a terrible delinquent, and through some great effort had surmised he had taken up with less reputable sorts and had been a 'family man' in life. Where he had found he lacked the basic skills that came with being well socialised in polite and acceptable society, he hoped his efforts to be courteous and at the very least well mannered smoothed over the rougher edges of his mannerisms that sometimes threatened to scuff and leave splinters behind.

"Well said.", he finally responded, perhaps a tad too late to be acceptable. Still, he nodded to Gau as he moved to the furthest side of the counter, head cocked in curiosity. Perhaps he could learn some level of refinement from the man - it was easy to see he didn't quite fit the broad shoulders of his haori just yet.

"Cigars?", he replied a little dumbly. He watched as Gau removed the tube of tobacco from the ornate box, and the stronger scent of its premium contents overpowered the much more common counterpart of the hi-lite pack of cigarettes in his pocket. He had never smoked one before, but it sparked a fuzzy, discolored memory - a dimly-lit room, a larger man with a faux-cruel smile that didn't quite reach gentle eyes wrinkled with good humor. "You may have to teach me how to appreciate such a luxury, I... don't think I've ever tried one before."

Gau took a cigar from the box and the clippers as well. After taking the cap off, he took a swift sniff and then a taste. He lit the cigar, not entirely customarily, with a lighter and took a few strong sucks. The smoke escaping mouth twirled graciously in the warm light of the bar. "Luxury? Nonsense! These are the simple things in life one needs to enjoy. Just remember not to inhale it into the lungs and you'll be fine."

He lifted up his Hollow mask a bit and scratched his cheek while taking another, deeper inhalation. He expounded the smoke from his mouth. "That hits the spot. Wonderful deep taste, unsurpassed. And only 750,- a pop!"

He looked at the Taichou again and his expression became more serious. "I'm glad you came. I'm looking for someone. Someone important and who I really need to meet again on short notice."

Takasugi barely restrained a grin - another memory, precious and as harmless as they came! In his mind, he saw a blonde youth. All nervous energy, knelt before a large ornate desk in a dimly lit room. His forehead was pressed so utterly to the carpet it would be a wonder if the pile didn't leave an imprint. 

"Did you take my cigarettes, brat? Then how about something stronger?", the bald man behind the desk mused out loud.

Takasugi remembered the youth being offered a cigar, and his lip twitched in amusement as it was lit and, the youth so cocksure and wanting to impress, immediately exploded into a horrendous series of coughs that wracked his whole body. Cigars were not cigarettes, after all.

"I'll keep that in mind." Takasugi said, copying Gau to remove the waxed end with the clippers. He sucked the smoke into his mouth and held it there, tasting the premium tobacco; it was far, far stronger than his hi-lites and threatened to tickle the back of his throat. Gently exhaling, he cocked an eyebrow. His already deep voice, smoke-saturated rasped out "Oh? Anybody I know?"

Gau twisted the cigar between his lips, took another waft and slowly blew the smoke. He watched it twirling up into the soft glow of the lamps. "You ought to know them, I guess. His name is Lucius Verus. Tall, kind of gaunt. Packs Reiatsu like a warehouse," Gau replied.

He leaned in closer towards Takasugi. "I'm surprised he hasn't found me to be honest."

His mind trialed off for a second towards yesteryear. What an interesting this person, Lucius was. The fact of the matter was, he came to Soul Society for the specific purpose of finding him. Him and, perhaps make a few new friends.

Takasugi cocked his head, wracking his brain. It wasn't a name he was familiar with, even if Gau seemed to think otherwise, though it occurred to him that even if he had known exactly whom he was searching for and despite the easy atmosphere and non-aggression pact of a sort, it would hardly have been wise to give any sort of intel to a man whom in any other situation would be an enemy. Choosing his words carefully, he took a sip of his drink and hummed.

"Nobody I know, unfortunately." 

He took another sip of his drink, frowning. Information was so valuable that even admitting having a lack of it was a dangerous game. And would Gau truly believe him?

"I'm fairly new to being a Captain and couldn't even tell you the names of everybody in my Division, so don't let it get you down. I'm sure they'll turn up."