[D4, LM, expecting] Not quite like hunting

[Matsu Ishioka]

In the castle's gardens, despite the persistent rain, stood an imposing Lion beneath a standard-sized umbrella. It left his broad shoulders to take occasional drips and splashes, depending on the wind, but he seemed totally unphased as he stood there. For a moment, perhaps, the Stone Matsu was so stoically disposed that he might seem a part of the garden statuary.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Grinning widely, if slightly fixed, the young Dragon woman enters the garden, most of the feathers gone. Her belt is still the one reminiscent of Lion colors. She debates continuing her poem and teasing the Lion into a chase, but decides, at the moment, that there’s something more she wants.

She approaches the Stone Matsu artlessly, her hands clasped behind her back in an effort to make sure she behaves herself. There was…a lot of passion in her poem.

Approaching, she bows deeply, allowing her wet braid to hang down one side of her face.

“Well Ishioka-San…did you…like my poem?”

She remains bowed for longer than is proper, clearly not wanting to look the Lion in the eyes until his response.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Ishioka, moving his umbrella to shelter Inoshishi without a thought, gives a flicker of a smile that she won't see. His voice is quiet when he speaks, meant just for her even though they seem to be alone with the rain.

"Agasha-san is a most talented poet, in both writing and delivery," he says warmly. "I am... certainly no expert at poetry... But if yours today isn't a great poem then the word has no meaning." His projected coincidence might just make it feel a little extra warm near the man, though that's only a feeling.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Inoshishi straightens, a smile on her slightly cocked head. On the one hand, Ishioka used her family name, which is in keeping with the Stone Matsu image. On the other, he doesn’t seem offended. She could play it safe, push a little, or take a risk and be forward.

Her decision is made in barely a flicker of thought.

She steps closer so both of them can be sheltered from the rain. Surely that’s the only reason, not because it brings her closer to his warmth. Perhaps if she hadn’t compromised herself so thoroughly at the poetry reading, that’s all she would have done. But she’d left it all on stage and her On hadn’t fully returned. Her usual image is as cracked as any rift she’s managed to make in the Stone Matsu’s mien.

In a quiet voice, not looking up, even though it would have afforded the perfect cute look through her long lashes, she says, “Ishioka-san, when a woman writes a poem that you are in, you may call her by her name.” After a moment, the tips of her ears turn red.

[Matsu Ishioka]

The Matsu makes no effort to move away, though Inoshishi might have heard the soft inhalation as she'd gotten so close. She can definitely hear his heavy exhale as he tries to stay calm after she speaks.

"..." Ishioka seems about to speak, but the only sound from him is his breathing. He closes his mouth and tries again, but still there's a hesitation.

"Inoshishi-san," he finally says, softly, almost breathless. "You... Um..." There's another long exhale, and perhaps the Dragon can sense that the Lions heart is beating fast already.

"I..." He bows his head and closes his eyes as he tries to compose himself amid swirling thoughts.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

"Inoshishi-san," he finally says, softly, almost breathless. "You... Um..." There's another long exhale, and perhaps the Dragon can sense that the Lions heart is beating fast already.

"I..." He bows his head and closes his eyes as he tries to compose himself amid swirling thoughts.

Inoshishi’s head stays bowed, her eyes flushed. Surely the Lion can hear her heart pounding as she nears him, her sweet scent wrapping both of them together under the umbrella. When she speaks, it’s in a soft voice, almost to herself, in words that aren’t quite hers. She’s sharing lines from some poem or play long forgotten, lines that seared themselves on her heart long ago.

“What does the hunter do when he finds a quarry willing? How can he know that he’s succeeded? If on his pursuit of the most elusive, it hunts him instead?”

She reaches up one hand, slowly, placing it gently, just so, on Ishioka’s chest.

“Oh what terrible morning, that leaves me with feathers three, her colors only left.”

With her other hand, she pulls three feathers from her hair, two Dragon green, one Dragon gold. She tries to press the feathers into Ishioka’s hand.

[Matsu Ishioka]

Despite great effort, the Lion's breathing is clearly noticeable, especially to the woman so literally close to his heart. As the feathers are pressed into his hand, he looks at them, clearly trying to form a coherent thought. They're Dragon colors, says an ominous voice in his mind. Is that what you want?

Heavy breathing transitions to almost hyperventilation for a moment before the tall man fights it back. "Ino-Inoshishi-san," he says, barely a whisper as he seems to be out of breath all of a sudden. "Are... Are you sure..." He can't seem to organize a complete sentence as he stares at the feathers, but he continues to try. I have to say *something*.

'It... Th-there are... You don't know... about me..." His big shoulders rising and falling heavily, but steadily, he continues to stare at the feathers.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

“It... Th-there are... You don't know... about me..." His big shoulders rising and falling heavily, but steadily, he continues to stare at the feathers.

Noticing the big Matsu’s discomfort, Inoshishi pauses, debating again whether to take a risk, explain herself, or back off.

Again, the decision is made in moments, and there was never a chance she’d back off. But how to best combine the two, since there was never a chance she wouldn’t talk.

She steps in closer, eyes now locked with Ishioka’s. “So tell me, Ishioka-san. These feathers are my token to you. You may tell me anything and they’ll still be yours. And you may do…”

She trails off, her lips forming the perfectly round ‘oo’, head tilted up to keep eye contact and perhaps extended slightly towards the Matsu.

[Matsu Ishioka]

The Stone Matsu had never been so afraid that he might actually die in his life. Even on that ill-fated fact-finding mission to the Wall, there was no hesitation and no real fear. Here, looking at the little Dragon woman, and her very gently raised lips...

Inoshishi was a force of nature, the likes of which he'd never seen, nor even understood at a theoretical level. With logic and propriety as no defense, he was stuck. And he didn't want to resist her. In his rapidly pounding heart and his eyes that were large with terror but alight with other emotions as well, she could see he was weak to her advances in this moment.

"I have a gift. For you, too!" He blurts in a last desperate attempt to restrain this moment. It's not smooth, not really romantic... The Lion looks rather ridiculous in fact, trying to tuck the feathers from Inoshishi in one sleeve pocket while drawing his gift from another... and not having accounted for this putting the Dragon directly between his arms as his hands try to come together to access the gift.

[Agasha Inoshishi]

Being the helpful sort, Inoshishi recognizes that Ishioka might need some room to maneuver to get to this gift. So, she makes some space in the simplest way possible. She lets the gentle, accidental pressure of his arms guide her in closer, nestling her head under his chin comfortably, her sweet, mochi smell wrapping both of them against the even the smell of freshly fallen rain. With her head against Ishioka’s chest, she can hear the thump thumping of his heart, just like her long ago stories said she would be able to.

Assuming Ishioka doesn’t need to access his kimono directly, Inoshishi should pose no particular problem at accessing his present. While she’s not as thin as she was upon arrival (3+ squares a day will really help a girl), she’s still very tiny, especially when she’s trying to be unobtrusive in the most obtrusive way possible.

Her hands are still at her sides, she’s not embracing so much as leaning on Ishioka. She certainly could ry to embrace him, but thus far he’s shown no sign of particularly wanting that. So Inoshishi contents herself with listening to his heart, hearing all the words he’s trying not to say and is content,