(D6, LM) Green Tea

[Seppun Yuzu]

He fucking nearly grins. But he stops midway to flatten his lips and then nods. Satisfied with her wits.

“Very well.”

He looks to the tea and back to her again, “I hope the tea is of Agasha-san’s taste.”

[Agasha Inoshishi]

She carefully picks up the cup, momentarily uncertain whether slurping is a good or bad thing down the mountain. With a faint shrug, she drinks, no slurping, a full mouthful.

She swallows and wipes her lips daintily.

Meeting the Seppun’s gaze, she replies, more formally than usual but with a sparkle in her eyes, “I have no great pallet for tea. Mushrooms, on the othe hand, I have a very broad and nuanced pallet for. I do not detect mushrooms, nor do I detect any of the other things various people of the Empire put in tea. At heart, I am still a simple Agatha, more at home with the smell of soot and the taste of metal than finer things. So in all things fine, I shall defer to your wisdom, oh wise Seppun-sama. And if it is up to my standards, does that mean it’s below yours?”

Her tone by the mushroom comment has become less clenched, and by the end she’s nearing her usual mildly joking tone.

[Seppun Yuzu]

Yuzu politely deflects his eyes as the Agasha wipes her lips. He listens attentively and raises an eyebrow at the joking flattery. There’s a sigh, and looks to the empty tea cup — that was his — and replies, “I wouldn’t know if it is to my taste. I haven’t tried it yet.”

Looking back to Inoshishi, to the kettle, to his cup, and then to Dragon again, he tries to reinforce etiquette, with a potential lesson, “Please, treat me kindly. I would be interesting to hear more about mushrooms.”

[Agasha Inoshishi]

“Oh, of course.” She blushes, having forgotten proper etiquette in the moment. She swiftly but carefully pours the tea, shamefacedly.

“Mushrooms have much lore. I can tell you some over tea, but not all. My favorite is called the candy cap, and it tastes faintly of mochi either dried or fresh. I have some on me, if you wish to try some in exchange for such lovely tea.”

[Seppun Yuzu]

“Soka. Mochi. I confess I felt that aroma as soon as Agasha-san bowed. I would enjoy some, but wouldn’t want to impose.”

The boy goes forward to fetch the tea cup and sips, saying, “Not to my taste in a first try. I could get used to it, though. Is this tingling sensation ginger, maybe?”

He shrugs and puts the cup on the tray to rest. “Which kind of mochi does Agasha-san enjoy?”

[Agasha Inoshishi]

"I would enjoy some, but wouldn’t want to impose.”

That's all it took for the bag of dried mushrooms to peak out from beneath her kimono. She places it carefully out of the way and off to the side, open and inviting. She slips her hand in, retrieving a few.

"As to the smell, I don't know that it is related to the taste. Every time I've smelled them, they never seem to have a particular odor. I...I believe it is I who smells of mochi. Which is odd, because I don't have mochi very often."

"Is this tingling sensation ginger, maybe?”

Trying to lighten the mood, Inoshishi makes a probably REALLY poorly advised joke.

"If it isn't, perhaps some ninja has finally gotten us both!"

Because potential assassination always lightens the mood. Regardless, she continues to the next part of the conversation.

"I like the kind made with mochigome."

She smiles, acknowledging her sweet tooth.

[Seppun Yuzu]

That's all it took for the bag of dried mushrooms to peak out from beneath her kimono. She places it carefully out of the way and off to the side, open and inviting. She slips her hand in, retrieving a few.

"As to the smell, I don't know that it is related to the taste. Every time I've smelled them, they never seem to have a particular odor. I...I believe it is I who smells of mochi. Which is odd, because I don't have mochi very often."

Trying to lighten the mood, Inoshishi makes a probably REALLY poorly advised joke.

"If it isn't, perhaps some ninja has finally gotten us both!"

Because potential assassination always lightens the mood. Regardless, she continues to the next part of the conversation.

"I like the kind made with mochigome."

She smiles, acknowledging her sweet tooth.

Yuzu produces chopsticks from his sleeve and extends it to fetch one of the mushrooms. Yet, he stops middair, and retracts the item, saying, "I imagine Agasha-san would like to have these for later. I was rude."

At the ninja joke, he just squints his eyes. It was a bad joke, and it deserved silence. His left hand does, instinctively, hold his iron scabbard –– something a bushi would notice.

With her smile, he says, "Sodesuka... quite... sticky. I am growing fond of peach-flavored daifuki. Although melon..."

Yuzu closes his eyes with a sigh.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi hangs her head slightly, she knows what that silence means. Still, there’s no guards running, so it wasn’t THAT bad.

With her head still hanging, she says, “No, I have plenty, and am going to woods shortly to see if I can find more, please have them.” She’d meant them as a trade, but he’s clearly seen it as a gift. She’ll try!

She peeks up. Looking at the Seppun through her lashes, flicking her hair out of the way.

“You have such refined taste, Seppun-sama. As a simple provincial girl, I must seem very…rough to one of your rarified status.”

[Seppun Yuzu]

Inoshishi hangs her head slightly, she knows what that silence means. Still, there’s no guards running, so it wasn’t THAT bad.

With her head still hanging, she says, “No, I have plenty, and am going to woods shortly to see if I can find more, please have them.” She’d meant them as a trade, but he’s clearly seen it as a gift. She’ll try!

She peeks up. Looking at the Seppun through her lashes, flicking her hair out of the way.

“You have such refined taste, Seppun-sama. As a simple provincial girl, I must seem very…rough to one of your rarified status.”

He takes chopsticks again and –– with everything he does –– he's courteous to show he wouldn't trade, and neither abuse of the Agasha's good intentions. Yuzu says, "I would feel bad if me taking one of your mushrooms would imply in you having to go to the woods to replenish your stock."

As her eyes go up to meet his, he finds a mushroom to divert the gaze and mentions, "As long as there's honor and the will to evolve into a shining exemplar, rough diamonds are a good treasure to keep. A good name, helps."

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi carefully bats aside that excuse.

“It does not imply that, Seppun-sama. I spend many of my afternoons in the forest, seeking mushrooms. It is a way of taking time for myself and familiarizing myself with the area. It is no inconvenience.”

She tilts her head slightly, the implications in his words stirring some of those fiery embers in her soul.

“But Seppun-sama, my path is already determined. I may never be a diamond, but I am as useful to my clan and the Emperor as jade is to the Crab, or steel to the Lion. I may be rough and provincial, but that is what allows me to use the strengths the Kami gave me to their fullest extent. I may never be your treasure, but I WILL be the stories told to Seppun children long after I’m gone.”

While this would be disrespectful if said loudly or angrily, Inoshishi maintains her level tone throughout, her proclamation of her status stated as casually as one talks about the weather.