Kyuden Shika

Ishioka thinks for a moment, then says solemnly, "I think that's a very good deal."

He takes a small drink from his cup. "Gotta pace myself for explaining this all," he says with a bit of a groan in his voice. "Ok."

At some length, the Lion describes the chattery and passionate Dragon story-teller, who wasn't great at respecting personal space even though he didn't exactly mind that, the mysterious and flirty Otter nakodo-in-training, who's much more similar to him but still exciting, and the ongoing possibility that others might be... equally suitable?

"So you see, I am..." He huffs in annoyance with himself. "One, from the clan that killed my sister," he says, voice a little high and face pained just to say it. "One, from a minor clan that... What, two generations of ancestors? Not even? And, I should probably be... you know... I mean... All of the things that my parents would say I should be looking for." He stops, looks at Yasu for a moment, and then slumps in his seat. "I am not being a very good Lion, am I?" he grumbles at his sake cup, not wanting to look up at his friend.

Yasu shrugs. "I'm not fit to judge. You've been a fine Crab. But I'm not trained in judging Lion."

She's listened through his descriptions, making small comments, refilling cups as they start on another bottle. "Well, at least last I heard, Usogawa-san was at least a bit interested in another, so there may be competition? I can ask if you like, we're having dinner tonight?"

"She's...at least third-degree close to the Otter daimyo though it sounds like, so not entirely a nobody there. But no...I think your parents won't approve." She thinks of the woman's weak heart. Definitely not someone his parents would be pleased with. But the matchmakers might still find them the best match for reasons having nothing to do with his parents.

"I mean, sounds like you're having feelings but...nobody's really dug into anything yet?" She sips thoughtfully at her sake. "Taking a Dragon into the Lion... well, they're losing a daughter for the one they took. Seems the kind of fate the matchmakers might like. And that one's been down among the Crab before. Something to think of if you're keeping your assignment there." After a moment she adds. "Are you?"

Kuni Yasu wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 14, 2021 11:26 pm

"Well, at least last I heard, Usogawa-san was at least a bit interested in another, so there may be competition? I can ask if you like, we're having dinner tonight?"

"Hai, yes... But, subtly. I mean, not that I asked directly?" He probably sounds too eager, even as muted as the eagerness seems on such a stoic frame. He immediately closes a fist in front of his mouth and, thus promising to be silent, waves for her to continue.

Kuni Yasu wrote:"She's...at least third-degree close to the Otter daimyo though it sounds like, so not entirely a nobody there. But no...I think your parents won't approve."

Ishioka scowls a little to hear it, even though he knows it's true.

Kuni Yasu wrote:"I mean, sounds like you're having feelings but...nobody's really dug into anything yet?" She sips thoughtfully at her sake. "Taking a Dragon into the Lion... well, they're losing a daughter for the one they took. Seems the kind of fate the matchmakers might like. And that one's been down among the Crab before. Something to think of if you're keeping your assignment there." After a moment she adds. "Are you?"

"Um, Yasu-san, did you mean... 'dug into' like I think you do?" His face, fairly expressive now with sake-freed emotion, looks confused. "I mean, I'm having a hard time not... digging into anything..." He says honestly.

Matsu Ishioka wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 15, 2021 3:45 am

"Hai, yes... But, subtly. I mean, not that I asked directly?" He probably sounds too eager, even as muted as the eagerness seems on such a stoic frame. He immediately closes a fist in front of his mouth and, thus promising to be silent, waves for her to continue.

She grins, and waves off the concern with an 'of course I can be subtle!' expression, that may be a bit ironic on the six foot Kuni in striking face paint.

Matsu Ishioka wrote: ↑

Sun Aug 15, 2021 3:45 am

"Um, Yasu-san, did you mean... 'dug into' like I think you do?" His face, fairly expressive now with sake-freed emotion, looks confused. "I mean, I'm having a hard time not... digging into anything..." He says honestly.

Yasu looks at him blankly for a long moment, and then her eyes go wide. "I did not mean it like that!" Her paint covers any blush on her cheeks, but her throat, and the bit of her chest visible between the collars of her kimono are flushed with embarrassment. "I mean, there's obviously plenty of it happening, to judge by the nightly noise at the inn..." she averts her eyes, covering a slightly silly grin with a long, steadying drink of her sake.

"I _meant_ nobody's made any, strong declarations of interest or ahh physical displays of affection? Like kissing! not...digging." she frowns. "Ugh..digging is such a horrible word for that anyway. Plowing maybe?"

Ishioka blinks dramatically twice. "You think plowing sounds much better?" he deadpans. "How about... Ok, stop, this isn't the point," he shakes his head furiously, finally coming back to the real subject.

"No, just holding of hands, arms intertwined when walking..." His voice drops sheepishly. "A very close conversation under an umbrella. Like..." He stops himself again. "Anyway, it's not... Nothing's too far along," he says with certainty.

"Although... I did give each a gift." His eyes flick up to meet Yasu's. "That... maybe was too soon?"

Yasu's hand covers her mouth as she laughs. "Ohhh, see I skipped the gift part, maybe that's where it went a little wrong." She shakes her head. "I think gifts are fine at this point in the miai. As long as you're not...promising more of your affections than you can actually offer. It should be fine."

Yasu can see Ishioka's relief, and then the look on his eyes as he processes what she's implying she's been up to. He politely lets that go, for now.

"I am trying to be clear that, even thigh I have strong feelings, I can't... None of us can commit to anything. Who knows what the nakodo will find. Or even what we may find ourselves in the next several days." He looks like he feels a little guilty. "We shouldn't... even rule out the ones we haven't gotten to know yet, right?"

Yasu nods. "Yep. Definitely don't quietly make it seem like you're falling for anyone without that clear message. At least if you want a clear conscience" She has another drink. "But...maybe I'm just.."

There's a slow shrug. "Life is very short, and if you find love?"

She speaks while pouring."I'm taking hold of it while I can, even if we do not end up together on the Shika's list. So it's only fair that I tell anyone else that, well...my heart's not free now, even if we might be well matched. That's the right thing to do, right?"

The Lion drinks, and listens, then drinks again.

"Honesty is good. I mean... It should be good. If none of us know anything for sure, we should at least be honest with what we feel, right? That's... The most knowing that we have." There's the faintest sense of Ishioka's mind swimming as he speaks, clearly out of his element and trying to puzzle through it out loud.

He looks at his cup thoughtfully for a moment, a vague sense that his next question is insensitive holding him back. "Um, Yasu-san? I don't... I'm not trying to argue with you. I'm just, um... Do you really think you're in love? I mean... How, er, what tells you that?" The logical, methodical Lion had had enough sake that out was clear on his face that he felt lost.

Yasu nods with a somewhat buzzy grin. "The most knowing that we have. That's a good way to put it. That's what we can offer honestly."

At his question though, she sits back a bit, thoughtful. "We know what we feel, right? But I know...that's not entirely enough. When I was very young, I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment when caught playing with mom's face paint, but here I am, neh?"

Rolling her cup between her palms, Yasu stares into the cloudy sake as she thinks back and tries to put things into words. "I could talk about all the things like the rapport we had so quickly, and admiration for his strength, and..." She pauses, smiling a bit at Ishioka. "But I can say all that about friends too, right?"

"We talked about what it means to serve as a Crab. And I'm not going to say I think he gets it entirely. I don't think you can till you're there." Her smile fades into something small and a bit bemused. "He said my spirit was unbreakable...It isn't. I know that. But... the fact that he thinks so, makes me feel a little bit more, a little stronger." Pausing she finishes what's in her cup and refills it, offering to pour for Ishioka if needed as well. "I think that's the start of it. Seeing him is like the sun...like sunrise after those late shifts on watch and everything in you just...wakes up a little at surviving the night." Her smile suits the slightly stunned look on her face.

"He looks at me like my da looks at mom. I can't see to know if I've got her look on my own face, but...If we can have what they do? Even just for the length of this miai? I'm going to hold onto that."