Flame and Heaven [Rei]

[Rei Yoshida]

She supposed sometimes she was the more grounded of the two. She was at least more realistic in terms of long term goals. Rei gently ran her fingers through Kai's hair. "I know you will. When you're determined nothing stands in your way!"

[Kai Shiba]

He lowered his head for her sake, "I just need to find the time. Time is always my greatest enemy." He didn't have enough time for her, for the team, for the company, for himself...he was too thinly spread. He hated it, but it was the life he was stuck with. He could change it by removing the company from his life, but he had to be there, it was part of his family.

[Rei Yoshida]

"It's all about prioritizing," she said gently. "There's only so much time. You have to determine how you want to spend it. Don't expect more to pop out of thin air and don't expect it to rearrange itself. You have to make hard choices." Balancing wasn't easy. But Rei felt she did it better than most her team. She knew when she was at her limit. She knew when she needed me time even if her limit wasn't quite there. She knew how many hours she needed to practice to keep her skill from slipping. And she knew when she had to work. No...There wasn't much free time. But she'd never deluded herself into thinking there would be. She'd simply resolved to spare some for her. Because even machines broke down if over worked. And it was more than that. She was entitled to some joy, some fun.

[Kai Shiba]

"I know," he said, "I just can't organize it the right way. I have too many responsibilities to handle, too many things to do in general. I just have no time to get it all done. And now our fight is only going to grow more difficult and put more obstacles in my way, consuming more of the time that I need..." He felt trapped in a cycle. If he could even have a few days where his workload somewhere was lessened, he could at least get a start and feel that he was getting somewhere in business, but that had yet to happen.

[Rei Yoshida]

"Do you want me to help you manage?" she asked. "We could come up with a plan." And if he was really serious about the business thing if he'd allow it he could cut back on the Shinkenger thing for a few days. He had a team now to cover the slack. It wouldn't all fall apart just because he wasn't there. She'd been fighting on her own before he'd even become ShinkenRed and done pretty well considering

[Kai Shiba]

"I appreciate the offer, but I'm fine on my own," he told her, "You have your own life and own job to do, I don't want to give you more burdens with my family's company." That was the truth of the matter. He had others helping him already, so it wasn't the whole Shiba thing, and that she wasn't one, he just believed she had better things to do in her own life.

[Rei Yoshida]

Rei rolled her eyes. "That's bullshit and we both know it." She took a sip of tea. "Us Sheinkengers have a team because we can't do it alone. You have business managers to help you. If I end up marrying you I'll have to worry about the company too," she pointed out. She chuckled. "And only a fool doesn't take advantage of others strengths. I'm better at time management than you are and you know it." Asking for help was never her problem. She came to Kai without a second thought when she needed something. She was prideful, particularly about her specialties but no one could be on top of everything all the time.

[Kai Shiba]

He sighed, "And what about the computer you have to build?" he asked. It wasn't that he was trying to find a reason to get rid of her for this, it was that he was more interested in her taking care of her own things. If she could take care of both, then he'd might as well take her offer, as long as there were no conflicts on her end.

[Rei Yoshida]

She chuckled. "You realize that for something on this scale they don't employ one person. I'm part of a team." She'd built computers on her own before but that was more of a hobby or just making stuff for people who wanted something really specific. When you were talking industrialization, large scale stuff...Teams happened. "Relax, Kai. I can manage my time and help with your planning," she assured him. Some of her other teammates could stand to ask for her help too.

[Kai Shiba]

He nodded, "As long as you're sure you can take care of your own matters," he told her, "I wouldn't want to keep you from being able to do what you love." He figured she'd probably say that helping him was something that she loved, and he wouldn't mind that. He smiled a little on that thought, but it vanished soon enough.

[Rei Yoshida]

She playfully tugged at Kai's hair. "Relax! I love helping you! You're such a worry wart," she scolded. It was true. Helping him meant spending more time together and it mean she could hopefully ease some of his tension so she really enjoyed it. "And it's not like I don't ask you for help at stuff you're way better at! Don't make me feel like a worthless parasite here!"

[Kai Shiba]

"You're far from that," he told her. He moved closer to her and circled his arms around her, drawing her to his chest as he sat there, "You could never be that. If you want to help me, then I'll let you help me. It'll just take a little time to get things in order, but I'll let you know when the affairs are in order."

[Rei Yoshida]

She leaned her head against his chest, relaxed, and listened to his strong heartbeat. She didn't ever want it to stop beating.

Rei smirked. "As if you could stop me! I'm helping you whether you like it or not!" she asserted. But no matter what he said he did seem to appreciate her help. He certainly valued her input.

[Kai Shiba]

"Then help me," he told her, "I won't resist your help, if you feel this strongly about helping me."

[Rei Yoshida]

"I will," she assured him. She closed her eyes, still resting her head against his chest. "But I don't have to do it right now, do I? I like it like this." They really didn't spend enough time, just the two of them close together like this.