Kyuden Shika

Matsu Ishioka had left a note earlier at the room that Inoshishi and Oubaihime shared, written politely in case the Phoenix found it, asking if the Dragon would join him in his room to continue a previous conversation. All perfectly respectable.

Ishioka's room didn't necessarily look like it was arranged for company, but rather for him to turn in early for the night. Clearly because the conversation with the Dragon would be brief.

Inoshishi finds the note and removes it, checking her face in her mirror. Serviceable. Hopefully after their conversation, Ishi-kun would be a little more…present. Which was all to the good. He was decent enough even when his mind wasn’t there, but if their own shadow play was to ever get better, she needed the man’s mind, not just his body.

Without hesitation, she slides the door to his room open, shutting it behind her and bowing in greeting.

She can feel Ishioka's finger slide under her chin and lift her gently out of the bow as he comes closer. She'll see in the low light of the room that he's smiling happily at her arrival as he continues to raise her chin and leans in to kiss her. It isn't a tidal wave of passion, but hints at things, like the first pinpricks of fire springing to life in a dry forest.

She rises happily, moving closer to him. "Oh, is this what you meant by an itch you needed scratched, Ishi-kun? What a day you must have had. I heard about your...meeting with Asahina-san. But we don't have to talk about that now. My day involved a long bath and pleasant words with pleasant people, so you decide how best to relax tonight."

She smiles, enjoying her chosen role in this room.

"No, we are not going to talk about him. That was fine," he says, sliding right past the topic as he slides closer to Inoshishi and turns her into the room, back toward his futon and cushions.

The Lion slides his left hand behind her head, pulling her into another kiss that lasts longer than the last. It's followed by a shorter kiss, and a smiling whisper of "I'm glad you've had a pleasant day..."

“Let me make your day more like mine.”

Her eyes ignite with passion She wraps her hands around his hips, smiling up at him, urging him on towards the pile of cushions, walking backwards as he kisses her.

Smiling at Ino's pull, Ishioka lets her lead him most of the way before stopping. As she gives a quizzical look, he slowly takes her arms by the wrists and lifts them toward his neck. Leaning forward to aid her reach, his own arms go behind her and slide down until he's got a convenient position to lift the woman's body up onto his.

Inoshishi grins as he's thinking about hoisting her up, her eyes flaming with mischief and delight.

"Just don't throw me out the window. I went flying enough yesterday and wherever you put me, if you stay with me, I'll be more than content there."

The Lion's head leans in for a kiss, and he gives a tiny nibble to Inoshishi's bottom lip before running his nose alongside hers.

"No, you're staying very close tonight," he says with a grin, slowly carrying her toward the futon and cushions.

Inoshishi grins happily, her face blushing. "So close we won't be able to tell where one ends and one begins." She nudges into him gently, eyes slightly downcast. "Ishi-kun, I have loved every time we've been...you know, close. But I was thinking, perhaps, that I could tell you some things. Perhaps some ways to improve your, ah, swordsmanship?" She looks at him out of the corner of her eyes, never having had this conversation with someone so...different from her.

She knew talking with men about their...swordsmanship could be tricky, but she thought this would go well.