Sake and Stars [D9 LE, expecting]

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Okay, sure." Tomonaga said, nodding. "That's fine. I've been sorta hoping for a chance to say this, anyway." He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling.

He sat up a little, the better to be able to look into Yukarin's eyes while speaking. "So... the reason my family sent me here was to make a connection with the Unicorn. What I've been hoping for has been a bit more than that. See, the return of the Unicorn is the biggest opportunity for trade in years. Decades. I don't know how long. As the one making the connection on a, uh, personal level, I'm probably going to be in the best position to be a part of that opportunity."

He took another deep breath. "Or rather, me and my wife. And that's why I haven't just been looking for any Unicorn woman, I've been looking for... well, you. Someone brilliant, and good and experienced with matters of money and trade. Someone who can help me to work out deals between the Crab and the Unicorn, to the benefit of both. I want my wife to be... to be my partner."

His gaze on her softened. "And... I want her to be my partner in all things. My parents are business partners, and good at that, but they barely even look at each other any more. I wonder if they would be more effective if there was more between them. Real affection. Maybe even more." His arms tightened around her for just a moment. "And even if it wouldn't well..." He smiled. "I want that anyway. Maybe I'm just greedy." He paused, glancing at Yukarin, judging her reaction, and waiting for possible questions.

[Iuchi Yukarin]

Yukarin's eyes glint as Tomonaga speaks but she holds off on saying anything until after he finishes, "That puts many things I have thought into very good words, Tomo-sama; The opportunity for exchange and trade is one of the great things that needs to be thought about, not just the questions of culture and politics. In fact, they seem like they are things that could very much be intimately related, in an intertwined sense that is. But also in the sense of what you said in inserting a very real passion into the process, a partnership of interest that could bring these questions out of the realm of logic and into something more tangible."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Leaning against him as she was, Yukarin could probably feel the excited tension building in Tomonaga. "Yes, exactly! It works on a number of levels." He beamed at her. "The exchange is most effective by bringing two Clans together, which is done by bringing the right two people together, which is done by bringing two hearts together. The synergy is astounding." He said.

Taking a deep breath, he sighed, his own eyes glinting as they met hers. "Yukarin-san..." He began. "That is what I've wanted since the beginning. But I was worried that, at some point, my head and my heart might be in disagreement. That the smart thing to do and what I personally wanted would be in disagreement." His smile grew. "I can't tell you how happy I am that they're in perfect agreement. You're both the smart choice, and the choice that I want."

[Iuchi Yukarin]

She gave a soft smile, "And I am happy that is the way you are thinking about it to. Still... I must admit, there are still comcerns I have, doubts... I feel like there is so much more about you I don't know. And there's the matter of Soshi Yuuru-san..."

Yukarin hated bringing down the man's excitement, or even bringing this up... but time was running out, and she needed answers for herself.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Oh." Some of Tomonaga's excitement did deflate, his smile fading to a more normal level. "Ummm... okay." He is silent for a moment, but it didn't really take him long to puzzle out her meaning. "Not... a name I was expecting; he wasn't one of the other singers. But okay." His smile grew a little crooked. "I shouldn't be surprised you have other suitors. I couldn't be the only one to see how special you are."

He straightened a little, giving her a nod. "Well then. What can I do to answer your concerns, dispel your doubts? You can ask me anything you like. Pretend I'm an open book." He grinned. "Except, if you don't mind, I'm going to keep holding you, instead of the other way around."

[Iuchi Yukarin]

"Deal."

She nodded before sliding closer to make that part easier, "But, to boil things down... well, I am less confused than I was at least. I was NOT expecting so many people to sing for me. And Yuuru-san, Udo-san, and Tenzo-sama all said they were considering it but could not for one reason or another. So for me, someone who you know has image problems and self doubts... I suddenly find myself with half dozen or more serious suitors. And I have no idea what to do about it."

Yukarin let out a sigh, "After my talk with Yuuru-san I know things a bit better, like the fact my heart tells me that certain people amongst those, like you, are much more special to me. But my mind does not know what to do with those feelings, how to make sense of them or how to balance them with opportunity and duty. There are just so many factors to consider from who is joining who's Clan to personal compatibility, opportunities for the Unicorn to opportunities for the Empire, personal ambitions to selfless choices... And then there's the matter of offending people or breaking hearts..."

She tucked her legs up until her knees were under her chin, arms around her legs, "...I wish everything were as simple and concrete in being right or wrong as mathematics are. Where I could just write down a formula and everyone, including myself, could look at it and say 'yes, this is the choice she should make'."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

The smile on Tomonaga's lips grew as she mentioned him as special. He bent his neck, kissing her head again, this time more fiercely passionate than before.

As she finished, Tomonaga chuckled at her humor. "Yukarin-san, after how well you did on that languages event, I wouldn't dare to underestimate you. But I think that such a formula might be too complicated even for you, if it existed."

He sighed. "For the question of offending people or breaking hearts... if Soshi-san feels about you the same way I do, than I suppose someone's heart is going to be broken, whether his or mine. But we're responsible for our own feelings, so don't... don't let that trouble you."

"For the rest of it..." He smiled. "I guess it's like the other night, when you weren't sure what you wanted. Maybe if you tried to talk about that, it would help. Sometimes just saying everything out loud is good." He took a breath. "Or... maybe we just need to think about it like the merchants we are. You've got a number of factors to consider. You want to maximize your return. Maybe that's possible?" He grinned at her. "It's not quite a formula, but it feels like a step in that direction, maybe."

[Iuchi Yukarin]

"We... kind of did that earlier when I was speaking with Yuuru-san; I was maybe thinking of it a bit differently, but when he was talking I was reminded of supply and demand. In other words, what can I supply and what is in need."

She wiggled her head under his chin a little as she thought, "I also had an interesting talk with Moto Butaj-san from my own Clan where he said my suitors and I were all thinking too much and not deciding or acting. And I can see that side of things as well."

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Mmm. Well, make sure that goes the other way, too." Tomonaga said. "You can't give of yourself, unless the other person is giving just as much back to you, or so it seems to me. That's the only way that you can both give your everything to each other, but never run out."

He murmured pleasantly at the feel of her moving under his chin. "Hmmm." Tomonaga said. "Maybe Moto-san had the right idea." He turned her in his arms, shifting, so that they were face to face. His eyes were alight, his face flushed and exhilarated as he looked into her eyes. "I suppose that by Moto standards, I'm already doing fairly well. After all, I picked you up and carried you away, didn't I?" He leaned a little closer, his voice dropping to near a whisper. "And so, maybe it's time to stop thinking, and just act."

He pressed his lips to hers, hungrily, with more passion than she'd seen him display ever before. His arms tightened around her slender body, holding her to the solidness of his chest, even as his lips continued to move not roughly, but firmly, against hers.

[Iuchi Yukarin]

The kiss was not expected, or at least certainly not this sort. With Yuuru earlier, perhaps, but it was part of who she knew him as. For Tomonaga...

Yukarin's hands settled on his sides as she kissed him back, reveling in his firm but gentle hold. The kiss was exhilarating, but that did not stop her mind from racing with thoughts at the same time.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga kept the kiss going for an impressively long time, moving against her, holding her. Finally, he broke it to gasp for breath. Panting heavily, he drew back, but only just enough, his lips still just inches from hers.

"Wow." He said, grinning with exhilaration. "I... I've wanted to do that for a while. Maybe I was playing it too safe, I don't know." He took another breath. "But I've been told that if I want something to happen, I need to make it happen. So I guess that's what I'm going to do."

He took her hands into his, squeezing them. "So, I've told you what sort of life you'd have with me. I know you can see how it would fit you. I guess all I can do is... tell you what else I can give you."

He took a deep breath, his brown eyes intense as they met hers. "I've kissed women before. A fair number. There was one time that I even thought that I was in love." He took another deep breath, his chest shuddering. "But I never felt about any of them the way I feel about you, now." He hesitated there, biting his lower lip.

[Iuchi Yukarin]

Yukarin was definitely blushing more deeply than he'd seen her before; She looked flushed and a little breathless.

"Oh my... Um... well..." she bit her bottom lip briefly as her thumb rubbed his hands, "Being kissed like that takes some getting used to. And seeing you so passionate... did something happen Tomo-sama?"

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

"Yes." Tomonaga said, smiling. "Time passed." He sighed. "I wanted to do that back... what was it, five days ago, when we met alone for the first time. And I wanted to do it our second date, too, but I just gave you, you know, a pretty good kiss."

He breathed, leaning in again, his brown eyes intense, hungry. "And there's another reason I asked you out here tonight, Yukarin-san. It's sheltered. We're alone. If I cover the lantern, we might as well be in the deepest, darkest, forest. There's nowhere with more privacy." He leaned forward, kissing her tenderly, lingeringly this time. "Let me love you, Yukarin-san. If you thought you'd seen me passionate before..." His brown eyes glinted in the lamplight.

[Iuchi Yukarin]

To be fair, Yukarin HAD mentioned this possibility before... "Will... will you keep me safe? I would feel very vulnerable out here, in the dark. In such a... unprotected state."

She felt like her face was burning up. Truthfully, her biggest objection was one she could not bring herself to voice. And that fact just got her face even hotter.

[Yasuki Tomonaga]

Tomonaga smiled, but his eyes still held that heat. "Of course, Yukarin-san. Always."

Gently, he eased her back, lying her down on the blanket. Lips followed, finding hers, kissing her hungrily, possessively. From there, hands, stroking her with gentle strength, exploring the shape of her. And then, one of those hands found the lantern, covering it.

Things went on from there, of course, but when the lantern was covered everything...

/faded to black