(D3, LM, Yasu's room) Otterly Charmed (closed)

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu shrugs, "some wouldn't. We're a rough lot. But more, it would be harsh to push you into that life. There's a lot of fear to face, and that's not what *your* heart is made for, I think." There's no sense of judgement in her words. It's just matter of fact. "Not every Crab serves with strength either. We've scholars and merchants and so on. Those wounded beyond fighting teach. Those aged past strength do what they can."

"Susaki Tanabe's the one I've been speaking with, sparring too. He's.." her smile lights up as she continues, "Impressive." Her smile wavers a bit, something uncertain in her look. "If it's any consolation, I have my worries even with him, if it's fair to draw someone into our duty who isn't, can't be, fully aware of all they might face. It's not about strength."

She smiles at the treats. "And some just brighten others' days. Everyone needs those little things to give them strength when they're pressed. Are they from the market here?" She sort of skims over talking about a certain large Crane for a moment, keeping an eye on an older thread still in progress.

[Usogawa Narumi]

She nodded thoughtfully, enjoying listening to Yasu speak- finding the way about the Crab incredibly comforting, and she took a deep, shuddering breath to calm herself further.
"Tanabe-san? He's a good man." That was a surprise! "And sparring, too..." Narumi spotted the way Yasu's face brightened when speaking of him. "None can be fully aware of what their future holds when given choices in front of them... Although you're right that the Crab and the Wall they guard and maintain, that's a very real, very literal life-or-death decision. One that begs the querent to ask if it's worth the risk before they have the complete picture... That you consider it for your suitor speaks again of your kindness, Kuni-san." She wondered if she could facilitate them any further, but the Crab was a capable woman. She likely didn't need Narumi's meddling.
Regarding the treats: "Oh, hai." she considers what's said; that some are 'just' meant to brighten the day. They didn't need to have any more meaning than that, and the idea plants itself so securely inside the bruised Otter's mind.

[Kuni Yasu]

"Have you known him long? I know the Otter are a small clan, but not whether they're 'everyone knows everyone else'-sized. I definitely don't know all the Crab, or even all the Kuni." She sips at her tea, trying not to be *too* interested.

"But you also mentioned seeing a certain large Crane again. Any...symptoms?" she asks carefully."

[Usogawa Narumi]

Narumi thought for a moment, taking a sip of tea.
"We swim in similar circles, but don't reside on the same boat." she tried on a smile over her cup. "The Otter are small, and he's Emiko-sama's yojimbo... My aunt stays close to her father, the daimyo... so I know Tanabe-san."
She laughed, and then groaned, and put a hand to her chest to dull the ache. She wrinkles her nose and continues.
"Oh. You'll be happy to know I held it together better than I did at the gift-giving ceremony. For the most part. Moderately. Barely..." she pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, wincing. "He, well, offered to make me breakfast this morning. So that happened." Her hand moves to rub the back of her neck passively.

[Kuni Yasu]

"Sooo...less of the whole faintness and breathing issues around him?" Maybe it had been a panic attack? The man was fearsomely, unnaturally large, after all. "If it's any reassurance, I'm pretty sure he's not corrupted at least. Other spiritual influences are harder to pinpoint," she said, with what she hoped was a calming tone. Still, there were investigatory instincts to appease. "He...cooks? What sort of things did he make?"

She stills other questions with her cup of tea, held in both hands as she drinks. Duty first.

[Usogawa Narumi]

"'Pretty sure?'" she laughed, and groaned. "Thank you for your investigation on my behalf," she continued a smile, strained as it was, but also is pretty sure this is the Kuni's way of looking out for her, and Narumi wasn't used to having a friend.
"Oh! Uh. Tamagoyaki, donburi, okonomiyaki, hot noodles for onsen tamago... It was a nice breakfast."

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu offers an apologetic shrug. "It's hard to do thorough testing, and if he's attracted the attention of something like a kitsune, you can't really test for it, you just have to spot them in the act." She looks up as a tap at the door offers a few seconds' warning before it opens with a servant bearing a fresh pot of hot water. "That's a really fancy breakfast. So much...well I guess none's going to waste with him around, neh?" She sets the willow to brew and carefully sets out the sweets. You really needed something to go with willow's astounding bitterness. "His mother seems skilled."

[Usogawa Narumi]

Finally she feels up to trying a treat.
"I don't think anything by it... I mean, I think he just really likes cooking." she pops the brightly dyed treat in her mouth and chews for a moment.
"His mother?"

[Kuni Yasu]

Yasu nods. "He showed me a necklace she'd made, very delicate, covered in prayers to Benten. Makes sense sending her son to a miai. It's obvious she cares a lot for him." There's a bit of faraway smile as her hands work at getting things brewed without much attention on the task. "They seem close. A lot of powerful family ties here...bunch of us carrying someone else's hopes with us. Got to be a lot of intersecting fates for the Deer to divine through."

She returns to the other candidate of the conversation. "Susaki-san seems...hmm, definitely hard to miss. You've known him a long while. Some of the boasting sure seems warranted, not sure how much though?"

[Usogawa Narumi]

"Oh.... That's really nice.
And hai... there's so much at stake, at a miai." She said ruefully.
Regarding Tanabe, "It's warranted. He'd make someone a very proud wife, for the man he is," she sings her cousins praises without sounding like she's hyping him up, only speaking matter-of-factly.
Tired eyes watched Yasu prepare. She may have stolen another sweet in the meantime.