[D10ME, Unsei's Room, Expecting] - You might wanna see this

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

Before the curtain fully pulled, the Kitsu gave...something a knowing smile. He had time for a single thought,

Still got it.

before losing himself to that familiar, comforting blackness.

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

(After the curtain raises...)

Looking back at his first real painting, the Lion had time to doubt - was it really any good? Was he any good, or simply an acceptable alternative to nothing? Thinking back to his conversations with Soyokaze and Oubaihime, he devised a plan.

"Say Unsei-chan, I was wondering; Would you like to go somewhere nice tomorrow afternoon? I found a lovely little teahouse by the river and I'd like to share it with you."

Sometimes, 'take someone you like somewhere nice' is all the plan you need.

[Seppun Unsei]

"Mmmmmm?" Unsei hummed, still a bit spaced out after all their fun yet again. After a moment to realize and comprehend what he said, they nodded. "Of course. Sounds like a perfect date."

They paused for a moment. "Should I get dressed up fancy? Or is it like a casual thing or should I surprise you?" After asking, they shifted around, getting in a more comfortable position, which was simply laying directly on top of him like they were a frog on a log.

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

Apparently she thought this through further than he had.

"A surprise does sound tempting," three guesses where his mind went, "but mostly I was thinking of showing you where I painted the thing while we got tea and lunch. So with that in mind, something casual would probably be better."

[Seppun Unsei]

They chuckled a bit mischievously. "Paint me like one of your stars, Moshu-kun." After saying that, they burst into a fit of giggles. It took them several moments to get it under control, but after doing so, they spoke up again.

"Alright. I can do that easily. Something nice and breezy then. Maybe I'll even compose another terrible haiku for you."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

The Kitsu sighed like a man defeated.

"Maybe In another ten or twenty years I might make something half that good, but..."

He looked to the painting, remembering the incredible bounds of emotion within when constructing it.

"I don't know for certain if I can ever paint something like that again. It was just kind of in the moment, under the eclipse I felt like I was... blessed, you know? Like the ideas and the hand motions were mine but the spirit flowing between brush and canvas was directed by something else entirely. I think that was my one shot at painting, but I'm glad I used it wisely."

At the mention of a haiku, his smile returned.

"But haikus? Things with words in them? That I can do. There's even this old style of poetry from the Otomo regency which the Otter are going to pioneer which I'd like to show you."

[Seppun Unsei]

"Hey. You stop that." They placed a hand on either side of his face and squished his cheeks together lightly. "I love that painting and I will love any painting that you do. The effort, time, and sweat you put into making it is clearly apparent and perfect." WIth that said, they kissed him for a moment, but didn't move their hands away even after it was finished. "Not to say that you have to keep making paintings, but my point is that it is amazing and anything you do, I will see as amazing and love, because it was done by you."

Then they let go of his face and settled back down. "I'd love to see the old style. Is it tanka? I enjoy tanka a lot, but it's rarely used since it's so old."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

Huh. Alright then. That acceptance was... Moshu wasn't sure how to feel about it, so he settled with a simple soft "thank you."

"Actually, it's a Saibun - it's a kind of combination of prose and haikus, aimed at a kind of mid-point. Although sometimes, if they're good enough or talk about despair enough they were called Saibans, for some reason. I'll tell you more about it tomorrow - I'll need to write one, after all."

[Seppun Unsei]

"Also, if I didn't stress it enough earlier, I also love it because it is actually good." They added to clarify. "Like your haiku's, but in painting form."

Then they nodded. "Alright. That sounds a lot more complicated than what I was first thinking, but it sounds like it's... fun? Yeah. Fun. Can't wait to talk about it tomorrow with you."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"Wait, it's good?" The Moshu asks, surprised.

"Oh, thank the fortunes. Even if Kaito-san said it was a masterpiece it was my first time painting so I thought she was just humouring me."

He gave a wry smile.

"Well if you can't wait until tomorrow, perhaps we can keep talking tonight? My schedule's clear for the evening so I am, as they say, all yours."

He leaned into his favourite star in the sky.