(D3, LM, Yasu's room) Otterly Charmed (closed)

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu's had the servants send in tea as she prepares for her guest. A light kukicha, suitable for the morning, but not overly strong.

The room looks pretty much like every other room at the inn other than the belongings stowed throughout. Her naginata leans against a corner while a small wooden box with many compartments sits beside the table. She wears the yukata that will be familiar from their meeting in the market, her hair coiled in a loose, heavy bun at her nape.

[Usogawa Narumi]

Narumi had kept herself mostly in one- very embarrassed- piece until she got to her room, and then the dam overflowed.
As such, when she scratched at the Kuni's door, upon it opening, the Otter's eyes were rimmed red and she was flushed, her breathing still stuttering slightly. But she'd put herself back together, smoothed and retied her hair, changed out of her sweat-soaked kimono into more comfortable travelling clothes, and tucked in one hand that had only recently stopped shaking, is a small package.
"Kuni-san," she greets with a nod of her head, wishing desperately to lean against the doorframe for support but daring not to.

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu was smiling as she opened the door, an expression that quickly shifted to concern as she quickly stepped slightly aside to allow the Otter to pass, while also close enough to offer an arm. "Usogawa-san! Come! Sit! There's tea, but would water be better?" She doesn't ask if help is needed, but remains close enough for it until Narumi is seated, then pours whichever beverage is preferred, setting it on the low table.

Before taking her own seat, she sets a small bowl and cloth on the table, beside the simple clay pitcher of water she may have just poured from.

[Usogawa Narumi]

Once removed from potential prying eyes and securely in Yasu's room, Narumi takes the offered arm, wincing but trying her best to cover up just how uncomfortable she is with a practiced smile. "Tea is just fine, thank you," she lowers with effort to sit, sighs deeply, and places the package on the table beside her. "This one brought a few sweets for us to share, if you'd like."

[Kuni Yasu]

The tall woman is, perhaps, surprisingly gentle. As the eldest of her siblings, she's had plenty of practice handling fragile humans. "tch...I can't imagine kemari is popular on your boats. Shifting decks and balls lost to the water."

Tea poured, supplies gathered, she settles to a cushion beside the Otter, pouring a small stream of water over the cloth, wringing it out and folding it into a small rectangle to pass to Narumi. "For your neck," she pats at the back of her own. "It's restorative." For her own part, the Kuni woman seems at ease, here in space she's made her own.

[Usogawa Narumi]

"Thank you, Kuni-san, the simple kindness you've shown this one will not be forgotten."
The cool cloth is gratefully accepted and placed to the back of her neck with a noticeable and distinct wince at the movement. She shook her head slowly. "If it is, it's not played when I'm out on the decks- I try to avoid the hottest part of the day, being out under the direct sun is taxing. For obvious reasons now, I suppose."

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu nods. "I was just telling your clanmate the other day how important we find it to be honest with ourselves about our abilities. I don't think they'll mind us skipping their tests when they challenge our weak spots so we can show off a bit more where we're stronger."

"No reason to break yourself for a match. Kind of defeats the purpose." She tries to recall if there's a lot of etiquette about something like the sweets brought to share, do you refuse like a gift or just accept like a meal? The latter seems sensible. "And thank you for adding something sweet. They'll clear the taste of some willow tea if you'd like some. Good for the aches that are sure to set in." She'll make that when the servants bring the next pot of hot water.

"I'd guess with the heart ailment, you've always dealt with a bit of weakness?"

[Usogawa Narumi]

She sighed, and even such a small thing hurt. "My aunt has made sure to impress upon me that my own needs come second to what is expected of me. That I should always be willing to rise to any challenge presented, and perform as if I were capable. That it was the only way to recover, that it would ...impress upon others my dedication to be whatever was asked of me." The cloth is removed as it's warmed now, and Narumi holds it delicately in both hands, which have thankfully by now stopped shaking. Her expression crumbles as she nods at Yasu's question.
"Not always, no. I lost my parents when I was very young, and was nearly lost with them. Since then, my aunt and uncle took me in and raised me as they saw fit."
Clearly any walls Narumi maintained were no match for the kindness of this Crab.
"I couldn't bare disappointing my aunt by not trying. But I'm sure she'll be disappointed in my failure, she'll say I should've preserved face instead. She's right, it was a reckless mistake. And now I suffer the consequence and surely marr my standing."

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu takes the cloth setting it in the water once more, to use as needed. "There's something to that, I guess. Safe enough here for a false front not to endanger people as it would back home. Can't say I think it's good though. Have to imagine even here it's best to set people so their strengths help their family and clan and their weaknesses are compensated for." She nods toward the sweets with a small smile. "Should open those, you could use a bit of something more substantial than tea, probably. Can ask for a few onigiri when they bring the hot water too, if you like."

"So the weakness came after that trial?" She nods slowly "May have strained something past healing fully, particularly so young."

"I wouldn't worry too much about standing. The Deer are pretty sharp. I don't think anyone is leaving without a match. There's someone here that you're suited for as you are, Usogawa-san. Probably not a Crab. I don't think it would be kind to bring you into our duty.

[Usogawa Narumi]

"Hai," she went about unwrapping the small package, revealing the treats within but didn't take one just yet. "I don't know if i can eat much. After that disaster... And i had a large breakfast... A very nice breakfast with a very large Crane. You know, before everything fell utterly and completely into a flaming pile for me. You said you spoke to a clanmate of mine though? Who?" Narumi looked to Yasu curiously.
"Hai," she agreed again, she had been pushed being healing right from her parents death.
"...Hai," a third time, this one full of bitterness, "I don't suppose a Crab husband would tolerate such weakness in his wife. Let the matchmakers be kinder than that."