[D6, EN, Open?] Thoughts in the Rain

[Seppun Unsei]

"I... have my own confession to make, but it might ruin the moment. In the meantime, if Benten has cursed you then maybe... we can... y'know... bypass..."

As he struggled to finish articulating his thought.

"Well, maybe Musubi-no-kami... and maybe Ebisu-no-kami... hmmm...."

More of a struggle, until finally...

"I'm asking you to marry me!" He finally got out, after a long struggle, perhaps a little louder than he had intended.

Unsei was flabbergasted. Utterly speechless as they stood there with their eyes wide open and mouth agape.

Unfortunately, it was for several long seconds that they looked at him like he had grown a second head.

Then they seemed to finally manage to get their senses back together and talk.

"I... Um..." Tears began to well up in their eyes. While they knew it was likely not meant badly, all they could think of was that he was doing it to make fun of them. After all, why else would someone want to so happily marry someone cursed by Benten if not doing it in jest, just like how their classmates would jokingly ask them out on dates, only to never show up in order to make Unsei look like an idiot.

"I... Are you lying to me?" They asked softly, a few stray tears beginning to roll down their cheeks. "It's okay if you are... I just... I've... I've enjoyed our time together, but I do not want to be made a fool for some cruel prank."

(And if possible, I'd like to roll air/sentiment to see if it is actually a lie, as Unsei is definitely trying to figure out.

D6, air/sentiment. To see if it's a lie. | TN: 1 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1 )

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

(And if possible, I'd like to roll air/sentiment to see if it is actually a lie, as Unsei is definitely trying to figure out.

D6, air/sentiment. To see if it's a lie. | TN: 1 | Success: 4 / Opportunity: 0 / Strife: 1 )

((OOC: Moshumaru is not lying in any capacity, and will be neglecting to use any kind of active roll defence or whatever on his intent.))

"I... Are you lying to me?" They asked softly, a few stray tears beginning to roll down their cheeks. "It's okay if you are... I just... I've... I've enjoyed our time together, but I do not want to be made a fool for some cruel prank."

"Wh-" quickly he shakes his head.

"No, I'm not lying to you. I genuinely - Heavens, I should have prepared more for this. It was a spur of the moment to ask, and I-"

He stopped himself, picked himself up, and kneeled in front of the Seppun.

"Seppun Unsei. When I first met you, you were patient, kind and professional with me. The first evening we spent together wasn't the first I'd spent with anyone in a very long time - I've had partners before, for better or worse."

"But the time I spent with you was the first time I wasn't just ..coping, you know? It was the first time in a long time that I felt, well, happy. Not because I was fulfilling some duty or because it helped me endure another grieving family, but seeing you happy just filled me with such emotions I couldn't even describe it. It was like I had forgotten what happiness once and my body wanted it burst out of my chest."

He was beginning to tear up a little.

"I asked if you were okay with us because we've been lightning fast, but somehow everything has felt right. I realized around this evening, when you dashed to my door with such joy and excitement that I realized I wasn't helping someone cope, Like I had been, but that I was genuinely making someone happy. Sometime after that, I realized that I was also making myself happy. And when you said you were cursed by Benten, I just followed my heart and-"

He stopped to catch his breath.

"..So. Seppun Unsei. I don't have anything to seal my proposal with. I don't have much of a plan - but I do love you. More than I've somehow loved anything before in my life. Will you make m-"

Whatever he was about to say was lost as his sandal gave out, causing the Kitsu to slip and fall onto his face.

"Hnnngh..."

He wiped some blood from his nose and looked up to the Seppun with an earnest smile.

"I'm sorry, that was unprofessional of me. So uh, will you marry me?"

[Seppun Unsei]

They were still stunned. Even after all of that. Even after realizing it was the truth, it was still something that shocked them to their core. At the end of it all, they reached forwards and with the sleeve of their robe, gently wiped away the blood on his face. It felt... wrong... to be hopeful, but the worst that could happen was that this was just a big joke and Unsei would get their revenge later.

Briefly, they thought back to Hikimasu, but things had been so shaky between the two of them that they weren't sure what to do.

But, before anything, there needed to be a few things known.

"Moshumaru-kun... I... I do want to say yes, but I think first there... there are a few things that should probably be cleared first. The first is that I will not marry out of my family. If this was to actually happen, it would be under the pretense that you would marry into the Seppun. The second is that... This is how I would look. This would be me." They gestured down at their androgynous, soaking wet form. "There would be times that I'd look like a lady or a guy, but it's just whenever I feel like it or if you'd want one or the other on a day. Not always though."

They then nodded. "If all of that is okay with you, then... I would enjoy trying to see if we could come out of this miai together."

Unsei leaned forward, kissing his forehead. "I enjoy getting to be around you and I'm always excited when I get to talk with you or spend more time with you. It has been quick, yes, but... we don't exactly have the luxury of going slow. At least not here and not in this time."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"Moshumaru-kun... I... I do want to say yes, but I think first there... there are a few things that should probably be cleared first. The first is that I will not marry out of my family. If this was to actually happen, it would be under the pretense that you would marry into the Seppun. The second is that... This is how I would look. This would be me." They gestured down at their androgynous, soaking wet form. "There would be times that I'd look like a lady or a guy, but it's just whenever I feel like it or if you'd want one or the other on a day. Not always though."

The Kitsu nodded from his place on the floor.

"Of course. If your appearance was a problem, I would have walked out on that first night. What's important to me is the Seppun Unsei underneath the clothes. The one I can talk to, one who I can enjoy the company with, the one who I'll have a lifetime to come to know - and yeah, when the Seppun Unsei when the clothes come off. Sorry, I remember you said you didn't want compliments a while ago - should I stop?"

They then nodded. "If all of that is okay with you, then... I would enjoy trying to see if we could come out of this miai together."

Unsei leaned forward, kissing his forehead. "I enjoy getting to be around you and I'm always excited when I get to talk with you or spend more time with you. It has been quick, yes, but... we don't exactly have the luxury of going slow. At least not here and not in this time."

"So that's it, then? Just do as well in the Miai as possible and we're home free? I know Katsuteru-sama quite well, I could probably pull some strings and have us married in a couple of days, if that would be better?"

He slowly made his way to his feet, smiling and giddy.

"But yes, I accept these conditions. I'll give my all to making sure I return with you to the Imperial Palace."

Another fall.

"...Could you pass me my spear, please? I think carrying drunk people back home, missing dinner and the fact we went as hard as we did has drained my energy some."

[Seppun Unsei]

The Kitsu nodded from his place on the floor.

"Of course. If your appearance was a problem, I would have walked out on that first night. What's important to me is the Seppun Unsei underneath the clothes. The one I can talk to, one who I can enjoy the company with, the one who I'll have a lifetime to come to know - and yeah, when the Seppun Unsei when the clothes come off. Sorry, I remember you said you didn't want compliments a while ago - should I stop?"

They shook their head. "No, it's fine. I just hope that what you find underneath is what you'll want and enjoy."

"So that's it, then? Just do as well in the Miai as possible and we're home free? I know Katsuteru-sama quite well, I could probably pull some strings and have us married in a couple of days, if that would be better?"

He slowly made his way to his feet, smiling and giddy.

"But yes, I accept these conditions. I'll give my all to making sure I return with you to the Imperial Palace."

Their brows furrowed as they tried to think over it and not have another heat of the moment. "When I say this, please don't take it the wrong way. I am more than just interested at the possibility of getting to be with you. I'm ecstatic at the thought, but I also don't want this to be a tragic ending in... what? The six or seven days we have left together here? I think it would be best if we did hold onto these feelings and get to know each other more over the next few days while also just seeing how it goes with others potentially. After all, I'm... I'm not at all doing well in this tournament. I'm very far at the bottom and honestly have no chance at all at getting to the top of their little game of theirs."

Not to mention that Benten could very well just decide to be an asshole and destroy this potential marriage anyway, or make you hate me as soon as we get married. They thought.

"For all we could want, they might just decide that we aren't a good match and marry us off to others, too, if neither of us win this stupid game. And... if we're so set on marrying each other only for the matchmakers here to say no, we've got to marry someone else, then... It's going to be heartbreaking and not at all good and I don't want that for either one of us. Hope is... It's such a beautiful thing, but so fragile at times, and when it breaks... the shards will rip you to shreds. I don't want us to be ripped to shreds. I don't want you to be ripped to shreds."

Another fall.

"...Could you pass me my spear, please? I think carrying drunk people back home, missing dinner and the fact we went as hard as we did has drained my energy some."

When he fell, Unsei reached out to try and catch him, though they weren't exactly the strongest in the castle, or at least help ease his fall in some way. "Do I need to fetch a healer? Are you okay? Here, here, sit on the rock and catch your breath. Did you hit your head harder than it looked? Are you dizzy?" As they barraged him with questions, they tried to get him up onto the rock as best they could without touching the spear that they still were more than a bit wary of. "I know a bit of medicine, but I don't have a kit with me and it's too dark for me to really find any herbs."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

When he fell, Unsei reached out to try and catch him, though they weren't exactly the strongest in the castle, or at least help ease his fall in some way. "Do I need to fetch a healer? Are you okay? Here, here, sit on the rock and catch your breath. Did you hit your head harder than it looked? Are you dizzy?" As they barraged him with questions, they tried to get him up onto the rock as best they could without touching the spear that they still were more than a bit wary of. "I know a bit of medicine, but I don't have a kit with me and it's too dark for me to really find any herbs."

Sitting on the rocks before answering, a sheepish look on his face.

"...I'm just really hungry. You forget we completely skipped dinner and I was helping people to and from the sake bar and the Inn. I think I can walk back if I lean on my yari, or if you happen to have a bowl of rice or some food on you..."

Their brows furrowed as they tried to think over it and not have another heat of the moment.

The Kitsu's expression furrowed - thinking over her words before nodding in acceptance.

"You're... right. You're right. In my passion and excitement I forgot about our circumstances. I suppose we could consider just asking, but I can see why you'd be against it - still. Do you want to keep skipping plays together while we look for other prospects? I don't want to give up on you, but you're much smarter than I."

[Seppun Unsei]

Sitting on the rocks before answering, a sheepish look on his face.

"...I'm just really hungry. You forget we completely skipped dinner and I was helping people to and from the sake bar and the Inn. I think I can walk back if I lean on my yari, or if you happen to have a bowl of rice or some food on you..."

"Um... I've got mochi? Maybe a bit of sugar would help you? I've got peach, red bean, and one vanilla left. After that, that's it since I only managed to get it through a Unicorn trader in Otosan Uchi." They reached into their sleeve and pulled out a box of mochi.

The Kitsu's expression furrowed - thinking over her words before nodding in acceptance.

"You're... right. You're right. In my passion and excitement I forgot about our circumstances. I suppose we could consider just asking, but I can see why you'd be against it - still. Do you want to keep skipping plays together while we look for other prospects? I don't want to give up on you, but you're much smarter than I."

"I'm not against it. By no means am I. I just also don't think we should really be getting our hopes up for this just in case the nakodo decide to do something else with our futures. Also... there's still Benten-no-kami. I don't know what she'd get up to in order to make my romantic life miserable. But, I do think that if we just ask, the answer would not be pretty and some nakodo could take it very badly if we try to look like we know a better match than them, which could only lead to more unpleasantness for us."

They moved up, sitting beside him again as they offered out the mochi. "I don't want to give up on you either, so I think for now maybe we do continue to skip those kami awful plays while just keeping an open mind? Or rather... I guess this would be considered more an open relationship? I don't know a lot about these things. I just really don't want either of us to be heartbroken at this end of this damned miai, because I do like you."

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"I'm not against it. By no means am I. I just also don't think we should really be getting our hopes up for this just in case the nakodo decide to do something else with our futures. Also... there's still Benten-no-kami. I don't know what she'd get up to in order to make my romantic life miserable. But, I do think that if we just ask, the answer would not be pretty and some nakodo could take it very badly if we try to look like we know a better match than them, which could only lead to more unpleasantness for us."

"I know this may seem like something you've tried, Unsei-chan, but have you considered seeking Musubi-no-kami's blessing while you're here? Perhaps their blessing might help with the curse or...something. Forgive me - I am not very versed in spirits."

They moved up, sitting beside him again as they offered out the mochi. "I don't want to give up on you either, so I think for now maybe we do continue to skip those kami awful plays while just keeping an open mind? Or rather... I guess this would be considered more an open relationship? I don't know a lot about these things. I just really don't want either of us to be heartbroken at this end of this damned miai, because I do like you."

"Maybe just friends with benefits."

Moshu's tone is decisive.

"Nothing good has ever come from open relationships - trust me. I've seen what that idea has left behind too many times."

His tone softens considerably as the mochi is presented.

"And thank you, kindly."

He accepted the mochi, feeling his strength rekindle.

[Seppun Unsei]

"I know this may seem like something you've tried, Unsei-chan, but have you considered seeking Musubi-no-kami's blessing while you're here? Perhaps their blessing might help with the curse or...something. Forgive me - I am not very versed in spirits."

"I've had this talk with someone once before. Musubi-no-kami is the fortune of marriage. Nowhere on this plane does it mention that they're the fortune of *happy or romantic* marriages. People just assume it, but one should never, ever, assume anything with anyone, especially not a Fortune. But, I could go ask them. I don't think it'll do anything, since... big difference I'd say between the two. One of romantic love while the other is just... marriages." They shrugged some, a bit deflated now, but hoping that it'll at least be for the best. "But I'll try it. Just to hope. Besides, it may look a bit somber now, but if all goes well, we could end up married to each other at the end of it. Or, we could find that maybe we don't like each other as much as we thought, though I do sincerely hope that doesn't happen."

"Maybe just friends with benefits."

Moshu's tone is decisive.

"Nothing good has ever come from open relationships - trust me. I've seen what that idea has left behind too many times."

His tone softens considerably as the mochi is presented.

"And thank you, kindly."

He accepted the mochi, feeling his strength rekindle.

They nodded, trusting his knowledge. "Friends with benefits then. And maybe more in the future, Moshumaru-kun?" They smiled sweetly, once more gently leaning against him, though not terribly much since he was already having his legs go out from underneath him.

[Kitsu Moshumaru]

"Whatever the future brings, this was fun while it lasted."

It took a while but, eventually strength returned to the Kitsu. He picked up his Yari and Parasol - making sure that Unsei could fit comfortably underneath - and suggested they return to the inn.

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