[D8 ME, expecting] - A stroll by any other name

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

They arched a brow and tilted their head to the side. "Hm? What about them?"

Well, it was now or never he supposed.

...But first, he'd need to start with some lighter conversation, he imagined, and some scouting.

"How are children raised in the capital? Are there people to help raise them, playgroups, educators, what?"

[Seppun Unsei]

"How are children raised in the capital? Are there people to help raise them, playgroups, educators, what?"

Unsei gave him a bit of a sweet smile before poking his nose lightly.

"You going to get to the point or are we going to dance around the bush all evening? We can do the dance if you want, but getting to the point is always fun, too."

They might be dumb, but they weren't that dumb and had honestly been expecting a conversation along these lines for the past few days.

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

Unsei gave him a bit of a sweet smile before poking his nose lightly.

"You going to get to the point or are we going to dance around the bush all evening? We can do the dance if you want, but being to the point is always fun, too."

They might be dumb, but they weren't that dumb and had honestly been expecting a conversation along these lines for the past few days.

She almost had him, but not quite.

"There is a separate point, but also it's a legitimate question of mine. I have no idea how children are raised in the Capital and, like you said, if we are wed then I will be following you to the capital. I'd prefer to know what to expect - should I expect one of us to manually manage the estate, is it common practice to have a non-samurai guardian who looks after the children while we work, so on and so forth. Who knows? My point might not even matter since it'd be a non-worry in the capital."

[Seppun Unsei]

"Depends on how wealthy and influential you are. Given my duty and yours, we'll likely have someone to raise the child or children since we'll be away most of the time. Some of the larger houses have a retainer that does the managing as well. Like, in my family's case, I was raised by a maid, who actually taught me quite a bit, while my parents were away. They'd pop up every now and then to say some rude things and then go on their way, but that was about it. My father oversaw most of the managing, but had a servant for help, but he'd always triple check their work to make sure it was correct." They answered.

"Raised like any other pompous samurai with parental issues really."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"Depends on how wealthy and influential you are. Given my duty and yours, we'll likely have someone to raise the child or children since we'll be away most of the time. Some of the larger houses have a retainer that does the managing as well. Like, in my family's case, I was raised by a maid, who actually taught me quite a bit, while my parents were away. They'd pop up every now and then to say some rude things and then go on their way, but that was about it. My father oversaw most of the managing, but had a servant for help, but he'd always triple check their work to make sure it was correct." They answered.

"Raised like any other pompous samurai with parental issues really."

Upon hearing those words, the Kitsu seems to unsag, straightening out like a burden of unimaginable weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His smile seemed to return with ease, as if he had never worried in the first place.

"Oh, okay. I was raised mostly at the edges of the Lion lands before our family was assigned a more central position, so my childhood had some instability; sometimes my father would care for me, sometimes my mother, sometimes I was sent to spend time with Hide-sama. Knowing that whatever we have or want to do there'll be a stable, secure place for our children to grow brings me great relief."

He gave Unsei a peck.
"I'm sorry if I worried you, Unsei-kun."

[Seppun Unsei]

"Oh, okay. I was raised mostly at the edges of the Lion lands before our family was assigned a more central position, so my childhood had some instability; sometimes my father would care for me, sometimes my mother, sometimes I was sent to spend time with Hide-sama. Knowing that whatever we have or want to do there'll be a stable, secure place for our children to grow brings me great relief."

"I'm glad to hear it, but yeah... as long as we don't get stationed out somewhere else, we'll have a steady place. Not to mention most of my immediate family will also be in Otosan Uchi, so they'll have their grandparents around too, even though I'd be rather wary of that personally. Or rather, at least one set of grandparents, unless yours decide to come live with us too. Then it'll be both and we'll have a very, very busy household."

He gave Unsei a peck.
"I'm sorry if I worried you, Unsei-kun."

"You didn't. If anything, I was worried you were going to be like Shosuro-san and ask how I could make babies, even though adoption is a thing, and I was going to be very concerned if you did.

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"You didn't. If anything, I was worried you were going to be like Shosuro-san and ask how I could make babies, even though adoption is a thing, and I was going to be very concerned if you did.

That put a stop in his tracks.

"Hold on. But we've, y'know, how any times now? Three? Four? Is this another side effect of Benten's curse?"

[Seppun Unsei]

That put a stop in his tracks.

"Hold on. But we've, y'know, how any times now? Three? Four? Is this another side effect of Benten's curse?"

"I know. Don't get me wrong. Trust me, I do remember the time we've spent together in vivid detail. Just... I've also learned to never underestimate someone. This isn't me saying you aren't smart, because you're brilliant, but it was a minor worry very far in the back of my mind."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"I know. Don't get me wrong. Trust me, I do remember the time we've spent together in vivid detail. Just... I've also learned to never underestimate someone. This isn't me saying you aren't smart, because you're brilliant, but it was a minor worry very far in the back of my mind."

The Kitsu looked concerned - that didn't answer his question, but he took a breath and returned to peace.

"As long as you're okay with adopting my children, so to speak, we'll be fine. As a red-haired Kitsu, that'll be a demand they have, but we can always hire the mother of the child to raise it or somesuch. But I would need to understand some things. Not things that'll determine if I love you or not - I do, but for future planning. You say 'but we can adopt' - I assume that's a side effect of Benten's curse, or is that something else?"

[Seppun Unsei]

Oh by the kami this again. People and their babies...

The Kitsu looked concerned - that didn't answer his question, but he took a breath and returned to peace.

"As long as you're okay with adopting my children, so to speak, we'll be fine. As a red-haired Kitsu, that'll be a demand they have, but we can always hire the mother of the child to raise it or somesuch. But I would need to understand some things. Not things that'll determine if I love you or not - I do, but for future planning. You say 'but we can adopt' - I assume that's a side effect of Benten's curse, or is that something else?"

"As far as I know I can have children, but I've never exactly tried for a kid because I'm not going to raise a bastard and my family would've disowned me at that point. I'm sure I can though. What I meant by adopting was for when Shosuro-san was asking how I could have kids. We've never slept together, but he's so insistent on making sure he marries a woman in order to have his children. He seems to forget that there are many ways to go about it if two spouses can't make a kid together."