D5 LE - A Dance Deferred (Expecting but public location)

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Snip

Suh-Hyun's eyes met his and for a moment he saw through the mischief, the bravado, even the self-conscious weariness and got a glimpse at a soul likely far to gentle for the horrors war demanded of her. She merely smiled as the glimpse faded, "I enjoy the role and yes it's dangerous."

The playfulness slowly crept back into her smile, "I'd tell you a few stories but then we would both be in hot water."

As his hand moved up her waist she closed in tighter. They were close now, the fabric brushing with their movements. "Tell me of your work." She blushed and looked away, "I mean if...you...if it's not..." painful was the word that caught in her throat.

[Hiruma Akito]

Suh-Hyun's eyes met his and for a moment he saw through the mischief, the bravado, even the self-conscious weariness and got a glimpse at a soul likely far to gentle for the horrors war demanded of her. She merely smiled as the glimpse faded, "I enjoy the role and yes it's dangerous."

The playfulness slowly crept back into her smile, "I'd tell you a few stories but then we would both be in hot water."

As his hand moved up her waist she closed in tighter. They were close now, the fabric brushing with their movements. "Tell me of your work." She blushed and looked away, "I mean if...you...if it's not..." painful was the word that caught in her throat.

Akito was very attracted to this Shinjo, he wouldn't deny that. Her playfulness, her courage... and yes, her legs, as well as some other parts. But his lips parted as their eyes met; windows to the soul, surely. That gentleness that he saw sent a little twinge of tender feeling through him.

And then the moment faded. Gone, but most certainly not forgotten. "I can stand a little heat." Akito murmured, smiling. "But for this, I'll follow your lead, pilot."

While new dancing did allow for touching, it still didn't allow for kissing, Akito reminded himself. Still, that closeness was pleasant, especially as the music slowed. "It's not." He assured her, tilting his head to find her eyes again, smiling gently. Still, for a few moments, he was silent.

"Most of the time, it's much, much more boring than you'd think." Akito spoke suddenly, as the two swayed together, cloth brushing cloth. "Yeah, we're in space, but you wouldn't know it. It's just being in a small metal military base dirtside, except you don't see the sun. Sometimes you can see the stars though..." He was silent for a few moments again.

He took a deep breath. "And then, suddenly, it's way too exciting. And I like exciting. We drop into hell... figuratively, I mean. Sometimes the only reason you know what you're fighting is because they told you. All you see is flashes in the dark, and someone drops." Despite his assurance, a bit of tension rose in his shoulders; perhaps Akito wasn't as fine as you thought. "And then it's quiet again. Maybe you help dig some holes or set up some structures, and you're on a planet for a while. Or maybe it's back to the ship."

Akito chuckled softly. "But I gotta say, it really helps me to appreciate everything else. Food never tasted so good as after my first helldrop..." he smirked, "-and I bet you've had that same shipboard food, eh?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Snip

Suh-Hyun closed her eyes, softly she said, "I meant your artwork. I'm....sorry for the confusion."

She hated talking about her own tour. It had a torrent of emotions attached to it. Sadness, bursts of excitement, shame at the joy she had taken in callous taking others...even scum like the Spider pirates she had faced...lives. That the swirl of the close in dogfighting we had been drawn into time and again had excited her. She had loss friends in those brutal melees and still that child in her that jumped off tables and flew gliders to close to buildings had loved every adrenaline fueled second.

Her smile had faded, "I hated the mess hall. It's where the duty roster was. Felt like every time I came back there was one less name on it."

She managed to bring something like a smile back, "Sorry lost in my own thoughts." Her body shifted closer to his, seeking some comfort in closeness to another, "Let's just get back to dancing for the moment."

[Hiruma Akito]

snip

"Oh." Akito chuckled. "My artwork, not my dutywork. Yeah..."

He trailed off; this close, he was aware of ever little movement Suh-Hyun made. Could tell when her feelings began to spiral, when her thoughts turned inward. When her smile faded...

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Akito murmured. He felt her move closer, and his arm slid around her waist without a thought, holding her gently against him, warm and strong. "I'm glad you're here tonight. With me." His heartbeat was tangible, steady and solid, as he held her against his chest, enjoying the dance. Enjoying her.

For a time, he was silent, letting each savor the moment. Then he spoke again. "I could show you my work sometime. I do charcoal drawings. Shapes and forms, things I've seen, even people. I liked it better than working in paint for some reason." Tilting his head to find her eyes again, Akito smiled. "Would you like that?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Snip

After a moment Suh-Hyun's emotions had settled, "Yes...I would like that, Akito-san."

Her face was red again and she muttered, "Damn it, twice now I ruined a moment." Her eyes weren't looking at his, "First the rookie dance movies back on the boat and now..." Her eyes suddenly snapped to his, horrified then resigned, "Well twice I have been off balanced in your presence. Destroyed my own reputation." She did squeeze him a little tighter, her tone more serious, "Thanks, bad memories. Got the better of me. I'm better now. I think."

[Hiruma Akito]

After a moment Suh-Hyun's emotions had settled, "Yes...I would like that, Akito-san."

Her face was red again and she muttered, "Damn it, twice now I ruined a moment." Her eyes weren't looking at his, "First the rookie dance movies back on the boat and now..." Her eyes suddenly snapped to his, horrified then resigned, "Well twice I have been off balanced in your presence. Destroyed my own reputation." She did squeeze him a little tighter, her tone more serious, "Thanks, bad memories. Got the better of me. I'm better now. I think."

"Alright." Akito said, smiling. "Maybe next date, then." A tiny bit of emphasis on the word date. It was pretty clear what this was, but he wanted to push that to perfectly clear.

His arm tightened around her for a moment too, returning her squeeze. "Happens to all of us." Akito reassured her. Then he tilted his head to better look her in the eyes. "And you haven't ruined anything. Just... been honest." His thumb gently brushed her back as they danced. "I like that."

For a few moments, he held her, then Akito grinned. "Hey, you wanna try something? I've never tried it with a taller dance partner before... but I think we can pull it off."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Snip

Her smile still hadn't fully recovered but it did grow a fraction, "Is this plan ill conceived and risky?" Suh-Hyun asked, then she blinked and her smile disappeared again. Her face turned a shade redder, "...yeah I suppose this is a date. You sly bastard. Looks like I am the one who lost sight of their opponent."

She nodded, "Alright hotshot, what's this trick you want to try."

[Hiruma Akito]

Her smile still hadn't fully recovered but it did grow a fraction, "Is this plan ill conceived and risky?" Suh-Hyun asked, then she blinked and her smile disappeared again. Her face turned a shade redder, "...yeah I suppose this is a date. You sly bastard. Looks like I am the one who lost sight of their opponent."

She nodded, "Alright hotshot, what's this trick you want to try."

"Eh, on a one to ten, it's maybe a three. A bit of embarrassment if we mess it up, especially if I let go." His expression turned more serious for a moment. "But I promise I won't." He meant it, too.

His smile returned. "And point to me, then. Don't worry. Game's not nearly over."

Akito took a breath. "Just follow my lead... and then I'll dip you. I bet we can pull it off. That's all about center of gravity. You just have to hold onto my shoulders, and I'll hold onto you..." He grinned. "What do you say?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Snip

Suh-Hyun blinked, a little of the earlier mischief returning to her eyes. "Alright but," She brought her leg up bumping into his leg. "If you do drop me, I'll be more the capable of re-tal-i-a-tion." Then she added in a whisper, "I trust you." Her other hand moved up to his shoulder. She gave a slow nod, not bothering to look behind her or down at the floor. A bit of her own recklessness manifesting itself?

[Hiruma Akito]

Suh-Hyun blinked, a little of the earlier mischief returning to her eyes. "Alright but," She brought her leg up bumping into his leg. "If you do drop me, I'll be more the capable of re-tal-i-a-tion." Then she added in a whisper, "I trust you." Her other hand moved up to his shoulder. She gave a slow nod, not bothering to look behind her or down at the floor. A bit of her own recklessness manifesting itself?

Akito gave her an exhilarated grin. "I don't doubt it. Suh-Hyun-san." The grin softened at her whispered words, tender warmth flickering in his pale eyes. Trust... It meant a lot, actually.

And then, as her hand moved up to his shoulder, Akito took a breath. "Alright. Let's do this."

It was a stylish maneuver, but just about every dancer knew it well. He spun her out briefly, and then pulled her back in, turning as he did so. True to his word, his hand stayed firmly on the small of her back. That his other hand went to one of her long legs to help her stretch out properly... well, he hadn't actually considered that, but he certainly found that it was a bonus.

He held her, him kneeling, her lying back, lips mere inches apart, his eyes locked with Suh-Hyun's. Akito wanted to kiss her, and if he tilted his head forward, he would. All that was stopping him was... thousands of years of samurai tradition, and the damage to their honor and reputation.

Akito's eyes closed briefly, then opened. His lips twisted; all of this had been fairly plain to see on his handsome features.

"How was that?" He whispered, breathless.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Snip

Suh-Hyun let herself fallback, part of her life was lived being flung by gravity. The Hiruma has stopped her fall, she saw his joy in the maneuver then they desire in his eyes. One he might have seen mirrored in her own. But just as he knew the costs of acting on these desires in public, so did she and even her daring was no watch for the weight of social mores. As Akito lifted her back and the two resumed their dancing, she couldn't help but whisper back, "It could have been so much better. Expectations...such a burden."

Any fear he may have head would be quickly quieted by her downcast eyes, seems emotions of a different and perhaps more pleasant sort had manifested. And as before she was bringing them under control, a small smile on her lips.

[Hiruma Akito]

Suh-Hyun let herself fallback, part of her life was lived being flung by gravity. The Hiruma has stopped her fall, she saw his joy in the maneuver then they desire in his eyes. One he might have seen mirrored in her own. But just as he knew the costs of acting on these desires in public, so did she and even her daring was no watch for the weight of social mores. As Akito lifted her back and the two resumed their dancing, she couldn't help but whisper back, "It could have been so much better. Expectations...such a burden."

Any fear he may have head would be quickly quieted by her downcast eyes, seems emotions of a different sort and perhaps more pleasant sort had manifested. And as before she was bringing them under control, a small smile on her lips.

Finally, all that working out paid off somewhere besides carrying his gear and helping his mother with yardwork. Akito's strong arms pulled Suh-Hyun back upright and into a brief embrace, before they shifted back into dance mode.

"They really are..." Akito murmured, the corners of his lips just turning up. "Perhaps sometime we might find ourselves freed from them, if only for a little while." He let that linger for a few moments as they danced.

"Tell me more about New Hope Castle. What's it like?" Akito said. "Gliders... that sounds amazing. Wonder if there's something like that here..."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

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"Perhaps," She responded, still not quite meeting his gaze, "New Hope Castle?" The Unicorn blinked in response, "It's one of the largest stations in the Empire, most consider it to be a work of art unto itself. And well it is, though I tend to think less of that and more of it's inside."

Suh-Hyun glances up, catching a glimpse of the Hiruma's own eyes and drops her gaze again. She breathes in a little, falling back on the exercises pilot's use to stay conscious in high-G turns. "It teems with life, a good portion of my kin are live and work there in vast habitation complexes." She smiled at the memory, "Gliding was done in one of the large garden complexes, a sort of communal space but it served another important purpose providing food and oxygen."

"There was a tall tower they would hall the gliders up to and we would drop out, swooping near vertical until we had the speed to nose up and soar." She laughed, "I used to almost skim the ground. The longer the dive the more speed you would get, and I wanted all I could get." Suh-Hyun leaned in close, whispering conspiratorially, "The instructor punished me the first time, but when I keep proving I could do it, she finally relented."

"You could catch the currents of the air circulators if you aimed just right an they would left you up high over the garden. If you timed it well you could stay up all day, drifting from current to current."

[Hiruma Akito]

Snip

Seeing that downward sweep of Suh-Hyun's eyes, Akito resolved to kiss her before the night was done. Something in that intention showed in the heat of his gaze as he look at her.

But he didn't want to rush, not when they were both enjoying the moment. "That sounds amazing." Akito said. "And so different. I've never been on a proper living station like that. It's planets like this, with life... well, sometimes." He pressed his lips together before he went on about that. "Space is aboard military ships or military stations; at least those sometimes had a greenhouse. A garden complex in space... I'd like to see that."

Suh-Hyun's description as she leaned made Akito grin, his fingers briefly dancing along her back. "I'll bet. Huh. Seems like you used to get in trouble a lot, Suh-Hyun-san. How about that?" He chuckled. "But drifting like that, it sounds really nice..."

One club song flowed into another, slower. Akito sighed, still smiling. "That kinda reminds me of when I was a kid, I'd go to the beach and hang out. Lots to do there. But sometimes I'd just relax in the sand. And sometimes I'd just float in the water, looking up at the sky... I guess that's pretty much weightless."

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

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"Floating in the ocean," She mused, "I've never been swimming in an ocean. Just the pools on ship and station. One of the gardens had a large fresh water lake but..."

Suh-Hyun's eyes flicked up again and stayed this time, "I think I'd like to try that before I leave here. I've been floating in space, drifting with nothing but a tether to keep me from disappearing into the great void. I wonder how your ocean compares to that."

A little fire twinkled in her own eyes, no matter how much she worked to hide it.

[Hiruma Akito]

"Floating in the ocean," She mused, "I've never been swimming in an ocean. Just the pools on ship and station. One of the gardens had a large fresh water lake but..."

Suh-Hyun's eyes flicked up again and stayed this time, "I think I'd like to try that before I leave here. I've been floating in space, drifting with nothing but a tether to keep me from disappearing into the great void. I wonder how your ocean compares to that."

A little fire twinkled in her own eyes, no matter how much she worked to hide it.

"it had a lake? Wow..." Akito shook his head "Damn, I'd love to see that someday. My brother's gotten to travel, and see nice places..." Akito chewed his lip thoughtfully for a moment.

Then he shook it off. Instead, he met Suh-Hyun's gaze again, smiling as he did so, especially as he saw that fire. "That can certainly be arranged. Just the two of us, floating in the ocean... I think I'd like to try that, too."

His pale eyes narrowed, his smile going playful again. "Have you already got a swimsuit?"

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Snip

"A date then," Suh-Hyun replied, "Well after that meal I believe you promised." There was some of the playfulness trickling back.

She chuckled, "I did say New Hope Castle was large. And it's just one of three in my home system. The biggest of them. I work in Open Hand Castle, the home of the Ide and Iuchi. There's also Castle of the Winds, the Utaku's home station. Well theirs is more a really big ship."

"I do...," She remembered the tacky cheap one she bought for the silly LARP costume, "...not have one, yet."

The Unicorn canted her head slightly at the way he mentioned his brother. She just smiled sympathetically, "Siblings can be a real pain." Her words were sincere, an invitation to Akito to speak more or simply leave as an empathetic comment.

[Hiruma Akito]

Snip

"Sounds like we've got a few lined up." Akito smiled. "I'm looking forward to that. Just like I'm looking forward to seeing what swimsuit you end up with." Something leggy, I hope. His gaze very briefly traced her form appreciatively.

The music began to swell, building towards a crescendo, still slow, but with rising vocals. "Damn..." Akito murmured, holding Suh-Hyun as they swayed. "I'd love to see that. There's so much I want to see, want to do..." There was a wistful expression on his handsome features.

Akito chuckled roughly. "Tell me about it. My brother and I, well, he's a bit of a prick. But he's good, I'll give him that." He fell silent a few moments. "About expectations, he's got a lot on him. I don't. Sometimes that's not great either."

He was about to say more, but the song came to an end. Reluctantly, Akito stepped back, holding the contact as long as he could, fingers tracing from her back to her hip. "You're quite the dancer, Suh-Hyun-san." He said softly, his eyes on hers.

[Shinjo Suh-Hyun]

Snip

Suh-Hyun 'accidentally' bumps Akito, "It's all in the hips."

"I would love to show you some time." She smiled broadly, "If you're lucky I won't push you off the glider tower and see if you can master the controls before ground level." The Unicorn gives him a mischievous wink. "Like a baby bird. Crabs can fly right?"

"There's always one in every family." Her eyes met his. "You're a pretty good dancer as well Akito-san."

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Dance Magic Dance. Is Suh-Hyun actually a good dancer? | 5k4 ⇒ 22 Apparently she is!

[Hiruma Akito]

Suh-Hyun 'accidentally' bumps Akito, "It's all in the hips."

"I would love to show you some time." She smiled broadly, "If you're lucky I won't push you off the glider tower and see if you can master the controls before ground level." The Unicorn gives him a mischievous wink. "Like a baby bird. Crabs can fly right?"

"There's always one in every family." Her eyes met his. "You're a pretty good dancer as well Akito-san."

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Dance Magic Dance. Is Suh-Hyun actually a good dancer? | 5k4 ⇒ 22 Apparently she is!

At that bump, Akito gave Suh-Hyun another one of his hot looks. "Seems like we're pretty well matched."

He grinned, laughing in enjoyment at her teasing, at her wink. "They can if they're sufficiently motivated. And believe me, I can be motivated. Especially with the right push."

He took a breath, and just then the music started up again. Akito's lips quirked. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm not quite done dancing. Shall we?"

And so they did, for a while. As it turned out, they were pretty well matched. But finally, it was time to go, and Akito lead the way to the door.

It was pouring rain outside.

"Ah, hell." Akito chuckled, casting a smile towards Suh-Hyun. "Dare I hope that you brought a car, and parked really nearby?"