Kyuden Shika

"This is..." Ishioka had listened carefully, and seen the look on her face that said things were perhaps even worse than she was saying. The Lion exhales heavily, trying to stay calm. He pounds a fist on the table, just once, but his face shows he wants to do more. "I don't... accept this," he says ...

The initial shock has worn off, though Ishioka still looks very confused. Watching Narumi from under his brows, head still bowed slightly, he asks, "What... Narumi-san, I don't understand..." He shakes his big head, letting go of the table. "You can't rest and are... going to do what?" He's clearly ...

The Lion blinks, not having expected either the explanation or the question. "Uh, Narumi-san was avoiding you," he asks, surprised and confused. "I hope she explained that, then... Uh, and I..." Ishioka is given pause by the distant fire he can sense behind Inoshishi's question. He wraps both arms a...

The Lion's heart falls from his chest, and his mouth even hangs open for a time. The usual control of the Stone Matsu slides off as his mind flails as it goes over a cliff. "That's... But, no, you... You wouldn't..." There are long moments of his attempts at denial, but all fail as the realization b...

As Ishioka calms enough to relax, he calms enough to notice Inoshishi's gasp, to notice she seems... off... and to notice she... As the Lion's eyes narrow in the dark, he tries to place the scent. It's common enough that... "You were having some late night tea, Ino-chan?" The question sounds slightl...

As the Otter continues, the Lion looks more and more perplexed, his eyes narrowing until they seem almost slivers. "Narumi-san," he says, disbelieving, "what... What in all the realms are you talking about? I was..." He scoffs a little, ignorant beyond his own imagining. "I was never in any danger f...

The answer is what he'd expected, and that provides some relief. Relief that helps him notice that Narumi seems different. His eyes narrow slightly, as she's used to seeing when he focuses on something. In this case, it's looking at her. "Hai, relieved is a good word. I had... I had begun to worry t...

Ishioka nods emphatically, and an almost goofy grin comes to his face. He sighs. "I had worried. I knew... There was at least a chance the Deer would see something else, match me with... who knows..." he says a little awkwardly, "But I'm glad that this was the answer. Ino-chan knew all along, I thin...

The Lion pauses a moment, thinking she's asking if Inoshishi is there, then realizes he'd misheard. "Hai. The Deer matched me with Ino--shishi-san," he says, adjusting to not use the very informal name. He looks like he might ask the next obvious question immediately, but he pours cups of water firs...

He gives another sniffle, then a happy sigh. "Today, all is right with the world," he says, voice wavering but clearly elated. He brings a hand to the vicinity of her cheek or temple, it still being too dark to be sure, but it's enough purchase for him to tip their foreheads to touch. Ishioka gives ...