The Day of Thunder

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru tilted his head, his own smile turning playful. "I would never dream of abandoning my quest, Satsuki." He teased. "I very much want to prove my worth."

His lips quirked, amused, as Satsuki booped his noise. He caught her hand as she drew it back, kissing her fingers. "But also seducing you, well, the thought is very much on my mind right now." He murmured, heat evident in his voice.

But then he sighed, releasing her hand, his other sliding from her back to her waist. "If we were alone, that is." Hikaru said, sighing, casting a regretful glance towards the Crab camp. "I don't wish to be the cause of your honor being besmirched."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"And I have faith you will," she smirked, confident in both her challenges and in Hikaru's ability to rise to the occasion. I wonder if Doji had as much fun with this as I am now.

"Seduction in broad daylight does sound quite scandalous," her grin was more playful than before as he kissed her fingers. Somehow her hand even felt warmer than usual, as if their inner fires were intensifying even more by being close to each other like this.

Satsuki's eyes followed Hikaru's in the direction of the Crab camp, and stifled a laugh so hard that she had to hold on to him for support. "Do... do you think Anjing's going to come out here with her club now?" she almost snorted between her laughs.

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru took a breath, his eyes alight. He knew that Satsuki had faith in him, but hearing it meant something more.

"You're right, of course." Hikaru hesitated, but he was feeling bold now. "Besides, the night is much more discreet. And more romantic."

But when Satsuki laughed, Hikaru laughed with her. His hands slid around her once more as she held on to him. "Can't you imagine it? I can almost picture her, with that very large club. I fear she would both tell us to step apart, and criticize my kissing technique."

Smiling, Hikaru tilted his head to meet Satsuki's gaze. "I can tell she very much wants you to be happy, Satsuki. She said as much to me, and Lady Anjing strikes me as someone who always says what she means."

[Togashi Satsuki]

Giggling still, Satsuki wiped tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes. "Yes, she probably would." A few more good chuckles, and she placed a hand on her stomach to calm down. "But yeah... she does. I mean, she's a good person. People can say she's rough around the edges and hard to talk to, but really, she means well." She's just had a hard lot in life.

Her grip on him shifted to be more of a hug than holding onto him to avoid falling now. "Speaking of romantic night-times though, maybe we could do something like that tomorrow? Drink tea and watch... well, we don't really see the nightsky here I think, but watch the fog-clouds, I guess?"

One of Satsuki's hands gently stroked Hikaru's back around the shoulder-blade. "We can talk about what auntie Anjing's been pestering us about too then, mhm?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru grinned, enjoying Satsuki's laughter as much as he was their shared joking. "She is. When I first met her, I was patrolling the camp. She told me I was too skinny, and insisted that I eat a bowl of her stew." He laughed softly, shaking his head. "The taste was good, but the spice she uses... I had to bow so she wouldn't see the tears running down my face." His smile softened.

As Satsuki's hands shifted, so did Hikaru's, coming back to rest on her waist. "I would like that very much." He said in his soft voice. "I cannot think of anyone I would rather watch fog with." He chuckled softly. "Tea is as much about company as anything else. That shall make up for the lack of stars."

He took a deep breath, his shoulders shifting under Satsuki's touch. His own fingers stroked her side with that same firm yet gentle pressure from before. "And I would like that very much, too." Hikaru breathed. His lips curled up into a special sort of smile, just for her.

Then Hikaru sighed, his smile quirking. "But that's tomorrow night. For now... perhaps we should risk Lady Anjing's wrath no longer?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

"And you can do that fancy tea ceremony thing you Crane do," she suggested with a smirk. It wasn't something she had gotten the hang of herself, but Satsuki did like watching Hikaru do it. "I can bring some snacks."

It sounded like quite a nice plan. Which made it easy to not think about the doom on the horizon (which wasn't Anjing).

Satsuki chuckled and nodded, and took the chance to steal a small kiss from Hikaru's lips before they would break away from this embrace. "Yeah, you're right. Who knows what the Crab do to deal with impropriety!" With that, her arms eased their hold on him, and let him go.

[Doji Hikaru]

"It's a date." Hikaru confirmed with a smile and a nod.

In fact, Hikaru had just started to lean forward to steal a kiss himself, when Satsuki beat him to it! He blinked even as he kissed her back, a surprised laugh escaping him as they parted. "In that duel, I seem to have lost." He said, smiling. "But we shall see, when we have a rematch."

It was almost hard to let go. Even as he stepped away, Hikaru let one hand linger, maintaining contact with her for as long as possible, until finally his last finger slipped off her form. Sighing but smiling, he returned to his stance.

"I practiced with Genji-sama this morning." Hikaru looked at Satsuki, his expression curious. "One of your clanmates joined us. Saru Ranmaru?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

He could probably feel her squeezing his hand a little before their fingers touched, then slipped away from one another.

"We can practice iai against eachother now, maybe? You'll probably win that one!" she offered cheerfully to Hikaru, knowing fully well that she had nothing to compete with when it came to that.

The mention of Genji earned a nod. Then the mention of Ranmaru earned a groan. And an eyeroll. "Oh no... not Ranmaru. He didn't come on to you, I hope?"

[Doji Hikaru]

"As you wish." Hikaru began to enter his stance, but then...

"Ah." He smiled. "Yes, he didn't seem like other Saru I've met. I admit his muscles are impressive, but..." Hikaru shook his head. "I can only imagine your mother must have issued him something to cover his chest at some point. He just chooses not to."

Hikaru's lips twisted, and he brushed his hand back across his temple. "I was not certain, but if you're asking that question, yes, I believe he did. Several times. And also Genji." Hikaru's lips quirked again. "I gather he has a type."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Oh, he has a type, alright. Male. Swords. Physically fit. Handsome." Satsuki counted her fingers as she listed the types Ranmaru seemed drawn to. "As for my mom... maybe? She's probably just smiling and nodding at him, letting him do his own thing as long as he isn't hurting anyone."

Satsuki really wished Saruko would sometimes be a bit firmer with idiots like that.

"Do I have to go defend your honor against him or something now?"

[Doji Hikaru]

"He seemed very taken with my sword." Hikaru murmured, intending exactly zero double-meaning.

At Satsuki's suggestion, Hikaru flashed a grin. "That will not be necessary. Deflecting him was easy enough. I suspect it will not be the last time, but I do not think it will become any more challenging either."

Then his smile took on a hint of a smirk as he lowered himself into his stance once more. "Although, I would like to see how you would defend my honor. Show me your stance, Satsuki." He said, his eyes seeming to glint as he looked at her, his mind not entirely on swords... what would Ranmaru think?

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D3EA, fluff iai assessment | 6k3 ⇒ 17

[Togashi Satsuki]

"...," Satsuki stared blankly at Hikaru and his seeming obliviousness to the double-meaning there.

But a challenge? Similarly to Hikaru, she wasn't one to back down from one! And she assumed her stance with gusto. "Challenging a Dragon? Tch, you have no chance," she smirked with exaggerated confidence and swagger.

Her stance needed work, but it was absolutely not bad for someone who was still very green to the whole iaijutsu-deal.

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D3 EA Fluffy Iaijutsu assessment. | 3k3 ⇒ 20

D3 EA Fluffy Iaijutsu focs. +1k1+3 Center Stance | 4k4+3 ⇒ 25

[Doji Hikaru]

Frowning, Hikaru studied Satsuki's stance, studied her posture, studied her attitude. His gaze shifted upwards, meeting her eyes, studying her resolve.

Firmly, he nodded. "Very good, Satsuki. You need practice to excel, but the foundation is there." His voice was quiet, but firm; there was no doubting his sincerity.

Hikaru took a deep breath... and suddenly his sword was in his hands, his body extended, although he stopped well short of his target. "Draw!" He said as he did so, urging her forward.

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D3EA Fluffy iai Focus Center nanzi +2k2+7 | 9k6+7 ⇒ 65
Hikaru declines to even pretend strike; he wants to see Satsuki go!

[Togashi Satsuki]

His frown was met with a grin, as she felt pretty confident in her own abilities right now. Which was completely off the mark, as Hikaru's draw focus and draw were both far beyond her skill.

Her wakizashi left its sheath without a sound, slower than Hikaru, but at least its aim was mostly true if she had been looking to actually strike him down. Like him, she stopped well short of her target.

Standing there with her blade drawn, the tension of the moment eventually subsided and she breathed heavily a few times to let go of the nerves. "Damn, you're fast."

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D3 EA Fluffy Iaijutsu Strike! +1k1+3 Center Stance | 4k4+3 ⇒ 20

[Doji Hikaru]

Once more, Hikaru frowned as he studied her strike. And just as with the first time, he gave an approving nod; it would have struck him. "You're pretty good..." He said.

He took a deep breath as he straightened, returning his own sword to his sheathe. "I have been training for most of my life, and taught by one of the best." Hikaru said, smiling ever so slightly. "And yet, I can name a dozen who are better."

Looking at Satsuki, Hikaru smiled more gently, watching her recover. "I suppose that it is good to remember that no person can master all things. Many cannot even master one thing. There is only so much time to devote; we must choose what is important to each of us."

[Togashi Satsuki]

She chuckled and relaxed out of her stance. "Thanks. But yeah, got a lot more to learn." At least she managed to take her eyes off Hikaru to sheathe her sword.

"I can't really say I have any one thing I feel like I'm trying to master... unless magic counts? What made you decide that the sword was important enough for you to master though?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Hikaru regarded Satsuki, tilting his head. "Magic, perhaps. Can one master determination? That is what I think of when I think of you, Satsuki." He smiled fondly. "Well, one of many things."

He took a breath, eyes lingering warmly on her, then shook his head, his white lock briefly seeming to drift in the air between them before falling back to his shoulder; it seemed that it escaped his ponytail yet again.

The question made him frown. "It was part of my studies from a young age." Hikaru said. "Along with the arts, music, conversation, samurai ways... I've tried to master them all, although I'll admit I focused on some more than others. I felt they were the skills a samurai should know..." Hikaru trailed off. "It is hard to explain."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Determination, huh?" she said breathily, grinning as she looked back to Hikaru. "I guess I've always been willful."

As she listened to Hikaru, she smoothed out her hair a little and closed the distance between them. Her hand came up to brush his white lock of hair and tuck it behind his ear. "So... what I hear is you want to master being a samurai? Like Doji and Nanzi have taught you?"

[Doji Hikaru]

Hair was not alive, and yet Hikaru could almost swear he felt a little tingle as Satsuki's fingers caught his rebel lock of hair. He took a breath as she tucked it behind his ear, smiling as his pale eyes met her green.

"I've wanted it for as long as I can remember. Perhaps even since my first memory." Satsuki would already know that Hikaru couldn't remember the first few years of his life, before Lady Doji and her retinue found him. "I... am not sure I want it the same way I did when I was a child." The thought made him frown. Had he changed, or just become wiser.

Smiling, Hikaru shook his head. His arms gently slid around Satsuki once more. "That used to be all I wanted. Now there I more that I want." He said, his strong fingers sliding along her back.

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki chuckled warmly, and the hand came down from his head to rest on his shoulder as Hikaru held her close once more.

"Reasons can change all the time, I think. I started on this journey originally wanting to help my dad, and then Doji, and now... well, everyone, I guess? Maybe it's the same for you?" she asked, bringing up the second hand to link together with the first to hold Hikaru there in a firm embrace, their eyes focused on each other.