[D0, LA] Late Afternoon is for Tea (Open)

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"Hope is like a freshly drawn wakizashi, it's shiny but you're going to kill yourself with it", Hikimasu replied evenly. "So I don't waste much time on wanting things."

[Seppun Unsei]

"Ah, yeah. There's that Scorpion edginess." They answered plainly, not bothering to say anything different about it.

Still a sincere smile bloomed on their face. "But that's fine. It ties your personality together nicely, making you even more attractive. You should use that to your advantage, Shosuro-san. Own it. Woo the masses with your gentle voice and deep eyes."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"The masses make do with withering stares, if i turn on the charm any further they'll move on to tsukai tsugasu and the more judgmental Asako."

[Seppun Unsei]

"I doubt you'll move them away with your charm, but might move them on to the next life because, you know." They mimicked fainting.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

Hikimasu simply rested his face in his hand.

"Seppun-sama, I can guess what your answer will be, and I might need to apologize ahead of time for assuming, but I am wondering if you are a Scorpion also, pretending to be a Seppun sent by my captain to torture me with compliments so I act with confidence so when I fail its even more painful than usual?"

[Seppun Unsei]

It took Unsei a moment to register what was just said to them. They had been accused of being many things, mostly a dumbass, but never a secret member of another clan. It was funny, because they really were just a regular Seppun Astrologer,

Buuuut... Unsei was also a mischievous bastard that would never let an opportunity like this pass them by.

The smile faded from their face and was replaced by a more semi-serious face.

"Ah, overdid it on the compliments, did I? Or was this character a bit too over the top with the airheaded Imperialness?" They shrugged.

"If it matters, I wasn't sent to boost your confidence up to make it sweeter when you failed. The compliments I said weren't lies."

What the fuck is my new Scorpion name gonna be? Soshi... uh... fuck. What's a good Scorpion name? Lee? No.. too masculine... Jixiang? No.. too feminine! Maybe... Soshi Yamana? If he asks for my name.

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

Hikimasu affected an eyebrow arch.

"You know, we don't actually do that, right?"

[Seppun Unsei]

"Actually, you do, but I understand it's a rare thing. My family has a story of an Otomo that did actually turn out to be a Scorpion, but it took them years to figure it out and it was by complete accident as well." They shrugged. "I don't think she did much other than steal a few secrets, among a few other things, but I understand that the Scorpion has a duty to do, just as the Seppun do as well."

"I also am actually not a Scorpion, but thought it would be amusing to see how long that would go on. I also still wasn't lying about the compliments."

[Shosuro Hikimasu]

"You know, my clan has its honor, right?" Hikimasu was suddenly very uncharacteristically serious.

[Seppun Unsei]

"Yes, it does. Never did I say that it didn't." They answered with an equal amount of seriousness.

Apparently saying the Scorpion clan is doing its duty implies it's dishonorable. Noted.