[D8, EE] Cri de Coeur

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Taemon considered that.

"I would prefer not being sneezed at, it's true." he said deadpan. "But I would be interesting in further discussion of how to build a fortuitous marriage to honor Musubi."

He pauses.

"You also have a nice voice." he added, remembering to offer an honest compliment.

Hajime smiled at Taemon's joke, and then a little more broadly at the compliment. "Thank you, Shiba-sama. I would like that as well. What would a fortuitous marriage look like for you?"

[Shiba Taemon]

Taemon looked to the shrine trying to put into words what had been in the back of his mind.

"Someone I can protect with my strengths, and be protected in turn by theirs. I have trained to protect someone, but not everything can be dispatched with the thrust of a spear. Life is far more complicated than that. Someone worth fighting for, who at the end of the day makes one feel not so alone in the world....I think that is fortuitous indeed."

"What...would Kitsuki-san find fortuitous in a marriage?"

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Taemon looked to the shrine trying to put into words what had been in the back of his mind.

"Someone I can protect with my strengths, and be protected in turn by theirs. I have trained to protect someone, but not everything can be dispatched with the thrust of a spear. Life is far more complicated than that. Someone worth fighting for, who at the end of the day makes one feel not so alone in the world....I think that is fortuitous indeed."

"What...would Kitsuki-san find fortuitous in a marriage?"

Hajime found himself melting a little bit at how earnest this man is. "I am hoping for someone who will respect me, and whom I can respect. Someone who is who they say they are. I...really like your idea of a partnership, protecting each other. I think our skills would be complimentary. And...I think I need someone who will remind me from time to time that my skills have value as something other than commodities, who encourages me, and whom I can support in their endeavors."

He took a deep breath. "Ano...does that sound...good?"

[Shiba Taemon]

"It does." he said simply with a nod.

After all, what more needed to be said?

[Kitsuki Hajime]

"It does." he said simply with a nod.

After all, what more needed to be said?

Hajime smiled more broadly.

"That's great! Then it is just a matter of convincing Shika-sama that a marriage between us would be as auspicious as Musubi-no-kami seems to think." He leaned forward. "And, of course, finding out if time spent together frames matters differently. It could be that I am an insufferable person to be around. How are we to know?'

[Shiba Taemon]

Hajime smiled more broadly.

"That's great! Then it is just a matter of convincing Shika-sama that a marriage between us would be as auspicious as Musubi-no-kami seems to think." He leaned forward. "And, of course, finding out if time spent together frames matters differently. It could be that I am an insufferable person to be around. How are we to know?'

Tameon thought about that.

"Are you an insufferable person to be around?" he asked.

[Kitsuki Hajime]

Tameon thought about that.

"Are you an insufferable person to be around?" he asked.

Hajime found himself fighting back laughter as he used both hands to gesture back towards himself.

"I don't think so, Shiba-sama." He paused as his brain screamed at him: Dummy! Stop trying to talk yourself out of a good thing!, and decided to let Taemon respond to that as he wished.

[Shiba Taemon]

A small shrug.

"A samurai's word is his bond. I will trust in your honor then that you will not be insufferable to be around." he replied.

He paused for a moment.

"But if you would like further assurance, we could....do something together."

[Kitsuki Hajime]

A small shrug.

"A samurai's word is his bond. I will trust in your honor then that you will not be insufferable to be around." he replied.

He paused for a moment.

"But if you would like further assurance, we could....do something together."

"We could. Perhaps Shiba-sama might like to join me in the gardens tomorrow afternoon. For tea, and perhaps a song?"

[Shiba Taemon]

Taemon nodded.

"I'd like that." he said simply.