Healing (D6, EE, Open)

[Otomo Saisei]

Taking the opportunity to revisit since yesterday, Saisei finally reaches the shrine with mudded feet and hakama. The straw hat for the rain and the crutches he borrowed from the monks were sure a help. He sits down in a bench for the elderly and groans a bit while waiting for a monk to come by. He needed to show his gratitude and potentially have his wounds checked again.

Sadly, the rainy clouds were in the way of the sunset the abbot mentioned previously.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku is still at the Shrine from earlier, and she sees the Otomo find a seat. Her own graceful steps are somewhat hurried as she goes over to him--not the company he has sought, mind, but company that has found him, even so.

"Otomo-san," she says, approaching with a bow, "what happened?"

Concern rings in her voice.

[Otomo Saisei]

He opens a bright smile to Yuuwaku, and replies, "Kakita-sama! Happy to see you here. I hope Inari-kami has been kind."

The young man gives provides a seated bow and explains wuth a chuckle, "I... well... shouted... a bit too loud."

He wasn't lying.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku takes the seat next to him, asking "Last night?"

She holds her umbrella such that it keeps rain off of both of them--at least in part.

[Otomo Saisei]

He nods, and opens a grin to say, "Hai. Last night, Forgive me, I haven't explained much. Since our meal, I found out some things about the... ahm... curse."

Saisei looks sideways to check on ghosts and then back at Yuuwaku after he notices at least one. "Kakita-bugyo had a group here with the items necessary to unmake it. I felt compelled to come. A bug had bitten me before and I started to have visions and ill thoughts during the past couple of days. I apologize if I acted weird in some fashion."

He provides another seated bow, and goes further, "Then I mistook the words for the sacred ritual and the... g-ghost. Hai. Appeared. It looked like there were evil things trying to pull it, and me with it. So, I shouted out, asking for the Heaven's blessings."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Strange things have been afoot," Yuuwaku agrees. "I do not hold you to account for them. But I am glad you were here to aid Kakita-bugyo, and I am gladder that you are still here. Even if you are injured, it is better than what could have been."

She looks him in the eye. "I would be grieved were you no longer with us."

[Otomo Saisei]

He maintains eye contact for more moments than he should, especially with the redness painting his eyes. Saisei closes them along with a grin and says, "Fortunes wouldn't be so kind to my ancestors and remove me from ningen-do in haste. There's still much I need to do to satisfy them."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Why would it be a kindness to them?" Yuuwaku asks, thinking Do I attract uncertain men? "Surely they would want their line to endure."

[Otomo Saisei]

“History says otherwise.” He chuckles a bit and continues, “Although I think like Kakita-sama. I consider myself too stubborn to give up.”

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

There's a story there, Yuuwaku thinks. She says, though "I am glad of that stubbornness, Otomo-san. As I said, I would rather you be here than not."

She scoots a little closer in to him, the better to share the umbrella.

[Otomo Saisei]

Saisei tries to move his butt to the side to make room, but it hurts like Jigoku to move even a little which provides a poor result in terms of space. Then again, the Crane was rather small.

Feeling so close together with Yuuwaku, he straightens his spine up looking forward, making his head touch the umbrella bottom and push it a bit.

He mumbles internally something like he's sorry, looking forward awkwardly after her move.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"What was that, Otomo-san?" Yuuwaku asks. "Are you hurting just now?"

[Otomo Saisei]

"Iie! Eto... hai. Eto... it only hurts when I breathe too much." Still looking forward, he opens a flat smile.

Then, slowly, he casts his eyes to the side to look at her, as his heartbeat accelerates.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Are you having trouble breathing, then?" she asks. "Do I need to trot up to the Shrine, proper? Will you be alright if I do so?"

[Otomo Saisei]

"Iie." He shakes his head negatively, "No need to go away. I mean, unless Kakita-sama wants to. I am feeling good here. Don't worry about the pain thing. It sounds worse than it is, and I am just complaining. I shouldn't do that."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"My valiant Otomo-san," Yuuwaku replies. "Would you like me to stay with you, then?"

[Otomo Saisei]

"It's... raining." He extends his arm to feel the drops, and then looks back at the Crane, "Much better to have Kakita-sama close."

"... and her umbrella." Saisei completes after holding his breath for a moment.

"Thank you for being kind."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

She looks at him, smiling.

"Why wouldn't I be? Has Otomo-san done something to deserve unkindness?"

[Otomo Saisei]

He shrugs, "Perhaps I am not up to Kakita-sama's expectations. Yet I am unsure. Have I?"

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"I know of none such," she says, "though I must wonder what Otomo-san thinks my expectations are, that he feels himself not to have met them?"

[Otomo Saisei]

Looking to the shrine in front of them again, he lowers his arm slowly, and, since they're close together, it rubs down her own arm.

Gently, Saisei puts his hand –– that is still rather dryish and with black spots –– on top of her thighs and holds it there for a moment, to say, "I feel like a Crane maiden would want a gentleman to sweep her off her feet, and then later become the match of her life. One that will support in her endeavors without wavering."

The young man squeezes a bit, and gets the hand back on his own lap. He takes a deep, pained breath and chuckles, "I am not such gentleman."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku is still at the hesitant touch. But she does not move away from it, nor cry out.

"What kind of gentleman is Otomo-san, then?" she asks as his hands find his lap again. "I would not fault an injured man for not sweeping, after all."

[Otomo Saisei]

The Otomo gently takes the upper shaft of the umbrella and lowers it down. The lowers himself a bit with it too, in a way it covers their faces as courtiers do with big fans.

Then, he leans closer to her ear and whispers, "I am no gentleman, as I would devour such maiden with these sinful thoughts running in my head I better leave unsaid."

He leans back to his position once again, and coughs a bit with a hand over his mouth, as the umbrella adapts itself back to his height.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Perhaps after Otomo-san has recovered somewhat," Yuuwaku says, "I might invite him to dine. I believe I have such a feast as would sate him fully."

She smiles somewhat enigmatically.

[Otomo Saisei]

He either didn't blush at all, or he was getting a bit sicker. He opens a pursed smile and nods to mention –– as smooth as an Otomo could –– "If Kakita-sama doesn't mind I wouldn't stay for the finishing tea, I would be honored."

The Otomo might have grown more just right there.