Mutually Beneficial Agreement (D4 EM)

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga let the moment linger. Not because it was something one was supposed to do after a toast. It was that he rather found he enjoyed her eyes, meeting them with his own soft brown orbs.

But it couldn't be held for long. Smiling, Tomonaga lifted his cup up one more time, before bringing it to his lips. He sipped gently, but, as was his custom, one eye was on her, judging her reaction to the drink.

[Iuchi Yukarin]

As Yukarin took a sip she found the sake had same of the same rough richness as her shochu... but it was cleaner and sharper, like a frost covered leaf of mint melting on the tongue all at once. It was definitely a sipping drink in the same sense too; Any complex notes would have been wasted gulping a load.

Her smile stays as she lowers her cup, "Truly rich and complex... much like the man who poured it?"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga grinned. "Oooh. I like that idea." His expression turned more thoughtful as he looked at her. "I don't always think of myself as complex, but..." He opened his hand, conceding agreement.

"I'm glad you like it, though." He said, his tone warm. "This one, I actually helped with a bit. Not much, it's my eldest sister who does most of that work. But a bit of it, I can fairly say I'm responsible for." Blinking, he took another slow sip.

[Iuchi Yukarin]

"You can be proud of your family's legacy either way; I can almost taste the generations of effort leading up to this."

She gave a small happy sigh after another sip, as much to let out the burn as in pleasure, "Mmmmm... that is the biggest reason I am so excited to be back in the Empire; To see the fruits of generations of art, craft, and tradition."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga gave a pleased smile, appreciating her enjoyment at least as much as her praise. "We're still working on it, too. There's always more to try..."

"Yeah? Huh. It goes the other way too, you know." He leaned one forearm on the rock, relaxing, his cup in his other hand. "Lots of people were, no, are, really interested to see what the Unicorn have become, what your culture is like." His eyes flickered down noting the various accouterments, lingering noticeably on her necklace. "It's an interesting time, I guess."

[Iuchi Yukarin]

Yukarin nodded a little, "I've had mixxed signals there; Some seem very interested to hear about the cultures and struggles of the Unicorn during our Journey... others seem in a hurry to integrate my people and help us lose our less Rokugani ways. I can see both sides myself."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga blinked. "Why not both?" He cleared his throat. "Uh, I mean, each Clan has a bit of their own culture, really. No one wears masks but Scorpion. Crane have their arts." His lips twist. "Crab drinking songs can get pretty involved. I don't see why the Unicorn can't keep being Unicorn, even as they integrate more."

He smiled at her. "Besides, I don't want kumis to go away."

[Iuchi Yukarin]

"Hai, NEVER kumis," she said with a look of determination on her face.

She seemed to calm after a moment, "But that is about what I am trying to do, yes; Pull in the best parts of Rokugani culture that we missed while still preserving the best parts of the Ki-Rin."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

The look of determination brought a smile to Tomonaga's face. Well, a slightly bigger smile; he was already smiling. His gaze flickered briefly down to her lips, then back to her eyes.

"What you're trying to do?" Tomonaga shifted, his expression interested. "It kinda sounds like there's something you're working on, Iuchi-san." He said, his tone inviting.

[Iuchi Yukarin]

"Only informally; I have a goal of opening up trade routes and beyond through the Unicorn, so there can be a lively exchange of goods and ideas. Which is something I can work on mo matter where this miai takes me. Though it seems it may be harder if I were to somehow end up in a minor clan..."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Oh!" Tomonaga said. "Well, that sounds like a worthy goal, Iuchi-san. I'd be happy to discuss it further with you. Opportunity permitting, of course. After all, my family has a great interest in trade."

"Ah." He said. His lips twitched. "Well, we'll have to make sure that won't happen then, won't we?" He glanced at her, smiling.

[Iuchi Yukarin]

Yukarin chuckled, "With the way everything is laid out, it seems an unlikely result regardless. Even I secretly impressed some minor clan man lurking around somewhere with my beauty and prowess."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga grinned. "Oh, beauty and prowess! Well, what minor clan man would be able to resist such a combination!"

His grin faded just a touch, his brown eyes seeking hers. "I can't really disagree with it, though. I only hope that charm and... and a thorough knowledge of sake can inspire as much admiration."

[Iuchi Yukarin]

Yukarin shook her head with a wry grin, "If I'm beautiful, which was supposed to be sarcasm, then you are gorgeous. In a manly kind of way that is. Yasuki-sama."

She added the last part after a pause.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga couldn't help but laugh at that. "Ok. Fair enough, Iuchi-san. I can accept that. I'm gorgeous, but specifically in a manly sort of way. Okay, that's fine."

He raised his eyebrows, smiling at her. "But then, you have to accept a non-sarcastic beautiful, yourself. In a, uh, womanly way. That probably was clear already." His eyebrows went up a little further, and his smile grew a touch broader. "Do we have a deal, Iuchi-san?"