Wedding at Fire Shrimp Village an L5R PbP

Once again at the beach, Toritaka Hanatsuko offered her prayers. The wedding reception probably in full splendor but she isn't one to be in a party with the Crabs. She knows how things can get rough. She sat in the sand with her new piggy on her lap. Sari at her side lay lazily and Kuma lay at the other side tired as well. He didn't think that dancing would be so exhausting. She nodded at the sea and smiled petting the boar on her lap.

The Crane nikutai, confident not only that he'll find who he's looking for on the beach but also that he knows almost exactly where she'll be, heads out from the Blue Bird House with a lantern and his flute, wearing his usual nice clothing, not the extra fancy of the previous night's party.

The lantern moves down the beach at an intentional speed, not someone just out strolling, and soon the Kakita comes within earshot of the Toritaka and her crew.

"Toritaka-san? Kuma-san?" Soon the circle of light reaches them, and they can see Masao smiling, but with a little sadness around the eyes.

Kuma raised a lazy wing to welcome to the group the Kakita. Hanatsuko would stand if it wasn't for the piglet on her lap. "Kakita san, welcome." She gave a seated bow. Noted the sad face of the Kakita and sighed. "You don't like it do, you? Little Tora... will not be welcomed in your state."

The Crane sighs, sets down the lantern, and then sits facing Hana and the others.

"I do not know about that. I expect the question will be how he behaves when he's older. Your care will not make him cease to be a boar. For now, he seems quite harmless." His smile at the small creature chases away some of the sadness.

"I was sad to not see you at the wedding party, but I think I understand. And I was pretty sure I would find you all here."

Hanatsuko nodded. "I needed to be of right mind to do my rituals." She smiled at the piglet "I know I can make it tame. Tora is starting to respond to its name." She gave a devious smile. "I have tame the heart of a wild bird... I think I can tame a pig."

The Crane laughs happily. "A wild bird, eh? I think this animal trainer overstates her work. A big bird, certainly, but was it so wild before you?" He looks at her, genuinely curious what she'll say. As he watches for the answer, he shifts the lantern a bit farther away, carefully places his daisho near the light with his feather tied to the saya of the wakizashi, then he lays down on his left side still facing her.

"Not that big of a bird but a lovely blue one. Yes, a wild one that was more flight than fight." She moved closer.

"Toritaka-san wounds," he says, half joking but half distressed. "A warrior bird does not like to be called more flight than fight."

Masao loses his breath as she moves, taking a deep breath to recover. "Ok," he whispers, "maybe a little flighty."

She moved to whisper in his ear. "I don't mind training a flighty bird." She place a small kiss on his cheek.

Grandson. Grandson. Don't do this. Grand--

Masao rises partially, reaching out with his right hand to touch her cheek. He lets it linger for a moment, looking into her eyes that glint from the tiny light of the lantern.

"Are you sure... Hanatsuko-chan?"

"Yes, Masao kun." She placed her hand on top of his. She closed her eyes and let his hand caress he face.

Maybe the informal names shouldn't have been the last thing that was holding Masao back, but it was, and there was a change in him.

His hand remained on Hanatsuko's cheek, but he moved closer and drew her forward a little. The Crane's nose brushed alongside hers as their lips drew close, then he kissed her firmly. It was an exclamation point, an unambiguous statement of the connection he felt.

He drew close Hanatsuko slowly was drawn to him. Her lips followed his and they met. Her arms instinctively moved around his back forgetting about the piglet on her lap. The piglet squealed. She didn't care.

The thrill of their kiss -- their first real kiss -- is great and terrifying at the same time, but Masao seems to have found his courage this time. Gentle but insistent, he pulls her to the sand beside him as their lips stay close and then find each other again. Half by intent and half by luck, it gives Tora an escape to join Kuma and Sari.

Tora escapes just to be stopped by Kuma and Sari. She moved along with his gentle pull. She lowered her arms and placed them around his waist. The woman smiled at the man as she moved closer. Their bodies were touching to keep warm in their embrace.

Every moment now felt like a new and glorious experience for Masao, and he both wanted to savor them and see what came next.

In that moment, with Hana pressed against him and smiling, the Crane did both. He squeezed her firmly, protectively, against him with one arm, and his right hand slid up to her hair, gently exploring the beautiful braid that he's been admiring.

Hanatsuko smiled at the man. She moved a stray hair on his face admiring his features. The silence between them was broken. "Masao kun...I... I love you." She said somewhat shyly. She pressed her lips against his.

Masao fully engaged the kiss, savoring every moment. When their lips parted, he pressed his forehead to hers and said, quietly but passionately, "I love you, Hana-chan. More every day that I'm with you."

He kept his head close to hers as his hands slowly drifted lower along her back.

The smile on her face would not fade. "I wrote a letter to my lord... asking for his blessing." Her thumb rubbed his cheek. She moved to whisper in his ear. "The moon is beautiful and perhaps we stay away from Onotangu's watchful eye." She giggled as she placed a kiss on his cheek.

With a grin, he softly replies, "I would stay wherever you ask me right now." The allusion to her 'training' comment is subtle but intentional, but he is not being passive.

With his hands on her back he gives the slightest lift, pressing her toward him and allowing a kiss without craning their necks. His kiss this time is not rough, but it is more impassioned than before.

His bold kiss made her stay where they were. Her hand started to move ever so slightly to remove the top of his kimono to feel his muscles.

He is wearing layers from the wedding, impeding Hana's hand for a bit. But without a word, Masao relaxes, rolls his shoulders and gives a couple small tugs at fabric, and then the garments are loose enough for Hana to explore.

Lest she hesitate, he gently tips her chin up and kisses her again, but after just moments he draws his lips back. He nuzzles her nose with his and draws back, inviting her chase.

As he made it easier for her to peel the layers and find his skin. He was warm and muscular. As her hand caressed his exposed shoulder slowly she moved to take his arm out of his kimono sleeve.

Her lips followed the chased but she quite missed some marks kissing his cheek instead. The woman giggled.

Masao smiles at the off-target kisses and the giggle. He steadies himself on his knees, raises his uncovered arm so the hand can touch her cheek, then kisses her gently once, twice, then longer on the third time.

Drawing back just slightly, the Crane whispers, "One wing is free. Will it be two?"

Hana accepted the kisses. Then his comment made Hanatsuko smile devilish. "If I am to rescue the bird, I must free the two wings." With that she started to remove some of the layers of his kimono while kissing his neck.