(D0, EE) Otter in the Water (open)

[Susaki Tanabe]

"Appreciated Kuni-san, I can never guess what great clan samurai will and won't be offended by a mere minor clan like myself not using the appropriate address. As for our stations I'm sure a member of the Kuni family is much more well respected than the yojimbo for the heir of a bunch of upjumped ronin and performers." He said laughing "there are many samurai who lived before my clan even existed. We have....a bit of a reputation." He said grinning.

He cocked his head a little when she asked about his hair running a hand through the thick mane he shrugged "I'm not really sure, I've seen hair like it here and there but I wouldn't say it's the most common. We have only been a clan for about 40 years and before that we were a loose group of travelling performers and their ronin bodyguards I guess travelling around the Empire you gather a lot of different traits. For all I know I could have some gaijin in my bloodline."

[Kuni Yasu]

"If by more well-respected you mean feared, I think it'd be accurate." She raises a hand, touching her cheek. "At least, I tend to get kind of *different* looks when I'm in face paint than you've offered here." There's a small smile and hint of a blush at the reminder. "Probably folks will be a little less wary at a miai, maybe? And probably less worried about reputation if you're considered good enough for the Deer to work with." She pauses a moment, thinking. "Hmm, mind if I ask what reputation? The Otter *are* a young clan and...my studies didn't really touch on them much other than to note that it's worth looking at river travel if there's an odd looking pattern of incidents far from one another. But they're just another minor clan otherwise"

"hmm, yeah, I think the few times I have seen that much curl, it's been visitors from the Mantis or Unicorn. So maybe some more distant lineages." She doesn't seem too concerned with such."

[Susaki Tanabe]

his lips turned down and he made a gesture with his hand conceding the point to her "Well perhaps but I think that fear breeds a certain kind of respect no? maybe not what you always look for but can be a good thing sometimes." he watched her touch her cheek and that smile returned as her cheeks flushed a bit "It'll be a shame when that blush is covered up by face paint for sure." his tone equal parts sincerity and teasing.

"As for the reputation of the Otter it is well less than spotless. We have a reputation as smugglers. Moving things and people from one place to another, not asking too many questions." he shrugged "We aren't all like that but the reputation isn't entirely undeserved. We live very different than most clans we don't really have lands of our own. Our life can be difficult our income can be feast or famine. But we trust in each other, our family and friend bonds are some of the strongest I've seen."

he gave her a look for a moment "Now a question for you, Kuni have a reputation of their own for being very serious and well, not very friendly. You seem to be much more nice than I would expect from a Kuni. Why is that?" he said honestly

[Kuni Yasu]

"There's a certain respect to fear, yes. People jump faster for me sometimes. I don't know if that's conducive to a good match though." Her blush deepens a bit at his teasing, but her smile brightens. "Maybe I should meet more people in the baths to avoid that? Or...mix a bit of color to paint a blush on it that might help?" She's teasing a bit herself, certainly, but the smile is sincere.

And it remains through his explanation of the Otter's reputation. "Sounds very practical, and very close. I think the Yasuki would approve so long as you weren't smuggling things *out* of our lands." She holds up a hand, laughing, "Don't tell me if you have been though! I don't want to have to carry tales like that back!"

His last question quiets her laughter, though she offers again that honesty of meeting his eyes as she answers. "It's not an easy duty we have, trying to learn everything we can that might protect our kin. And mostly? We're trying to protect their souls, knowing we'll lose most of their lives. Or we're finding ways to let them hold on to themselves a tiny bit longer to keep fighting, or pull their broken minds into a rage that will take some of the enemy with them when they go. That makes a lot of Kuni hard and dour."

She presses he lips together, biting them a bit as she tries to explain how her family is different. Not unique, certainly, but not common. "But there's also a joy in discovery, there's eagerness to dig out those secrets, whatever it takes. If you can let go of caring what happens to you, you can embrace that. My moms have, and that's how we were brought up." The smile that lifts her lips is warm with fondness for her family and what she's received from them. "And...they hold on to every joy because it might be gone tomorrow. I don't want to regret being cold or mean to someone I might only see again when we're burning them."

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe sits and listens he as well starts off smiling laughing at her teasing but then as she describes her duty hos smile falls, not quite to a frown but into a more serious expression. His hand comes up off the rock and hos weight begins to shift as she finishes but he shakes his head and settles back "Kuni-san, that. That's one hard job for sure. To be as kind and approachable as you are when that is what you deal with...." the sentence fades a little "your spirit is unbreakable, I admire that Kuni-san to take your joy and protect it from that darkness. To find happiness in such a hard and dark duty." He shakes his head again "You impress me." His lips lift in the corners once again in a very small smile and his eyes have a very clear sense of Sincerity as he looks at her.

[Kuni Yasu]

"Nothing's unbreakable," she says quietly but with complete certainty'; a small smile still on her lips, her eyes dropping to the water. "It's one reason matches are important. A good partner is like..." her hands lift from the water, sketching shapes in the air as she tries to describe what she's seen between the adults in her family. "Bows have all these layers to be strong enough to bend without breaking when it wants to spring back so hard that letting it do it will carry the bowstring hard enough to drive arrows through bodies. A good match is those layers supporting each other to make the whole bow strong enough to do its job." Her eyes lift again to meet his. "Those bonds you talk about with family... Nothing's unbreakable, but that makes me think there's someone who understands how those bonds can maybe keep you from breaking as soon or as often."

She stands slowly, weigh shifting forward, tentative before she looks away and shifts back to press the heels of hands to he pool's edge, hoisting herself up to sit there. Dripping a puddle on the stone there, she pauses, not quite rising to go yet. "If nothing else, I hope you'll believe me if I come up after a match someday to tell you I'm your biggest fan.

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe nodded as she spoke "Yes, I know exactly what you mean. On the river all we have is each other, we can't rely on anyone else. We support each other. when things are hard we are there to soothe, and when things are good we are there to celebrate. I wouldn't dare want to think our hardships the same but yes I know what you mean, familiy is our most important bond." He replied

He watched as she stood and sat on the edge of the baths unlike the last time she did he didn't grin, his eyes didn't roam her form but rather stayed on her face, looking at her eyes when she finished speaking he rose himself due to his height little was left under the water. She could see it wasn't just bravado earlier when he mentioned everything under the water was just as big, he was massive, his body large and well muscled but with just a touch of softness.

Tanabe walked toward her only needing one step to close the distance. One massive hand landed on her hip as he got as close as the stone seat against his legs would allow. The Otter looked down at her "I would believe you." He said softly before leaning down slightly and pressing his lips against hers in a firm but gentle kiss.

[Kuni Yasu]

Her smile widens as Tanabe speaks. There's an honest pleasure in hearing of those bonds that tie the small clan together. As he rises, that smile twitches a bit at the amused thought that all confidence in his size is well founded, though her eyes lift quickly to meet his again, thinking to offer the polite farewell the evening deserved.

Instead, the words pause on her tongue as he steps forward, one hand lifting between them in surprise, resting against that broad chest as his she feels his hand against her hip. Eyes wide, frozen for a moment of confused instincts tangling with one another amid the feel of his hand and hers and damp skin and heat and desire and. His eyes are the entirety of her vision for a moment before her own close as her fingers curl against his chest and she leans just slightly into his kiss.

This is not her very first, but it's close. So there's more enthusiasm than skill as her lips press, slightly parted, against his for a long moment in which she scarcely breathes. The hand against his chest lifts to his cheek as they part, her cheeks and shoulders flushed. She seems about to say something, but in stead nods twice, searching his eyes.

She sits back a bit, hand trailing more slowly, fingertips against his cheek, voice quiet and wondering. "Sweet dreams, Tanabe-san," she says, drawing her knees up to bring her feet back onto the stone floor.

[Susaki Tanabe]

Tanabe himself was not thoroughly experienced in such things either. He had long focused on training and duty, but the Otter's way of life was to go with the flow. He let his instincts guide him to navigate the heat between them as their lips moved, a dance of its own learning each other in the moment. His hand on her hip shifted to her lower back his other coming to her face and slowly the back of her head.

As they separated his body showed he rather enjoyed the exchange as well, and his cheeks for the first time were suffused with a color of their own. He took a moment to catch his breath as Yasu stood his eyes only briefly travelling her body a hungrier look than before but they came back to hers soon enough "Only if you are in them Yasu-chan." He said back to her his voice a little quieter and a little huskier on his reply.

[Kuni Yasu]

Tanabe himself was not thoroughly experienced in such things either. He had long focused on training and duty, but the Otter's way of life was to go with the flow. He let his instincts guide him to navigate the heat between them as their lips moved, a dance of its own learning each other in the moment. His hand on her hip shifted to her lower back his other coming to her face and slowly the back of her head.

As they separated his body showed he rather enjoyed the exchange as well, and his cheeks for the first time were suffused with a color of their own. He took a moment to catch his breath as Yasu stood his eyes only briefly travelling her body a hungrier look than before but they came back to hers soon enough "Only if you are in them Yasu-chan." He said back to her his voice a little quieter and a little huskier on his reply.

"I.." she take a breath, swallows, her hand coming to rest along her tattoo, feeling her racing heart. "If my steps in Yume-do bring us together, I'd have no complaint." Picking up her towel, she wraps it carefully around. "If either remembers the other, I guess we'll have a tale to share tomorrow." Her eyes echo his, wanting; her stance is open, but somehow hesitant; her smile soft as she dips her head in a silent parting before padding quietly back to find her things in the bathing room.

/exit