D7LA, Is *This* a Date? (Expecting, but Open, sure)

[Miya Kisha]

Kisha listens to the Bayushi's words and nods.

"Tell you what," she says. "You forgive me running off at the mouth, and I'll do the same for you.

"But about where I've been...it's been a lot of places. I come from the homeworld, studied at Kyuden Miya itself. It's pretty quiet there, or it was for me. I've spent time working in the Archives, but that's not unusual for anyone in the Family, really. My parents insisted that I learn some things to make me good company for the loftier sets, so I can hunt a little, and I can shoot a little.

"Anadan, I mentioned to you. I also spent some time on Bunabayashii. There's not a lot of land, to be honest, and most of what there is is pretty close to sea level. Unlike Anadan, it does have abundant sea life. Grows a lot of peppers, too, which find their way into pretty much all of the food. Peppy music, too, with lots of stuff on upbeats and the use of corrugated metal in the percussion. Zaideko, I think they call it there."

She smiles wistfully, remembering.

[Bayushi Hinata]

H elts out a soft laugh at her proposal.

"I can do that."

He listents intently, attention never veering from her accounts.

"A traditional upbringing I guess. Served you well it seems. Conversation, outdoorsy talents, even a little self denfense. I was told that's an ideal samurai Miya-sama." He compliments her, now having lost the innuendo and undercurrents.

"Bunabayashii sounds a bit like here. Were the landmasses less hospitable than Green Carp? I love spices! I might have to visit just for the cuisine and music, good food and entretainment make the whole package."

He resists the urge to comment on her smile. He simply lets her continue.

[Miya Kisha]

"'Masses' might be a generous description for the land there," Kisha notes. "But the seafaring expertise of the Mantis whose world it is serves them well, there; construction is much like some of the smaller docks and such back home, as well as floating homes and the like."

She chuckles. "Dento was not fond of that world at all. And the people there were at something of a loss for how to stable her.

"Not that they didn't try, of course. They went out of their way to be hospitable. It's just that that terrain is no good for horses, so there's not a lot of expertise with them there. Just as I took a while to get used to the floor moving so much; I'm, what do they call it, 'a landlubber' through and through. But it takes all kinds to make the Empire work."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Less solid land means more waters to explore in the end no? More exotic construction techniques. More fish to eat. I'm sorry Dento didn't have a good time though."

He refills his teacup, eyeing it for a moment, attention broken if only for a spell, but his eyes don't return to her as he asks a question.

"You ever think of going back home? Yours I mean, Rokugan. Kyuden Miya..."

[Miya Kisha]

"I'll be called back eventually," Kisha replies. "But I don't expect it will be soon, unless my parents have made some kind of arrangement for my marriage by now. I think they'd tell me if that had happened, though; it's not the kind of thing that does well sprung on a person, after all, especially if the participants need to prepare for things."

She shrugs. "There's a lot I'd need to come up to speed on. Some of the events here on Green Carp have pointed that out to me. So that's another way coming here has been good for me!

The emptied parfait is set aside.

"And do you want to visit the homeworld, see Kyuden Bayushi in its glory?"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"You're young... well we both are! Marriage isn't really on the table if it wasn't already..."

He took a sip of his refilled cup of tea. Meeting her eyes once again, more serious this time. "You had a much more traditional upbringing, you believe your parents will arrange for you? Or will you be able to pick if the opportunity arises?"

"Iam likewise reconsidering a few things. Though I guess everyone is in some way." He commented on her shifting views.

"I would! If the opportunity arises. Not just Kyuden bayushi though. There's so much more to see, the Kaiu Kabe, Zakyo Toshi, Otosan Uchi, the colonies."

[Miya Kisha]

"If marriage goes like my duty stations have," Kisha says, "I'll have a few options. Think of it like this place; you get to pick which parfait you like, but they set the menu. I've been doing well enough that they don't order for me, but I'm not so large a figure," and here, she smiles at the obvious joke at her own expense, "that I get to choose the restaurant.

"That said, with work, I've found something I've liked on most menus I've seen. For the other, I haven't really looked much. I just haven't really had the time for it, or I haven't taken the time, anyway, even though I know that most of my cohort has done a lot of that kind of looking and thinking."

The Miya blushes a bit again. "I think I got left out of a lot of things."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I think I get it. More options is always good, doesn't mind you cant find one you like out what's offered...." He eyed the tea, it was something to consider. Was he happy with his choice? Was he content? A bit too deepo perhaps, tea is a lot less complicated than marriage.

"We're still young. There's time to get that big yet" He smiled optimistically to her. Taking a deep sip of his tea, letting out an audible 'Aaaahh!' as he puts the cup down. "I think you've got a pretty solid start. Imperial, already have made a solid following for yourself. I think you could very well get to choose the reataurant soon enough."

"I... can relate I think. I hope you still enjoyed yourself in Oshidama. I know I went a bit overboard with the fanservice." He puts on a sheepish smile as he scratches his neck. The image if his glistening body fresh in the collective conciousness of the spec tators. It had only been a handful of hours after all.

[Miya Kisha]

"I don't think I've got much chance of getting large anytime soon," Kisha says. "I haven't grown an inch in years.

"But about your fanservice...it wasn't too much, really," the Miya adds. "I'll admit I might've liked it better without having to dodge a ball coming at me like it was going to kill me, but I'm not complaining about the view. I suppose you get tired of getting ogled all the time, though; I wouldn't know, myself, but I think I might."

[Bayushi Hinata]

He snickers at her joke. "Don't sell yourself short Miya-sama"

He seems to fidget a little bit at the mention of the pleasant view. "I may have gotten a little bit too into it with Kakita-sama, I do apologise for that. Iam glad you like my looks though! It's a mixed bag?"

He shrugged, giving her a sheepish look. "I guess it depends on who's looking."

[Miya Kisha]

"Well, I can't exactly sell myself tall, can I?" Kisha rejoins, laughing.

The laugh winds down, and she follows up on the Bayushi's later comment. "I gather, then, that there are some people you like to have look at you. Or is it that there are some people you like to look at?"

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I'm not talking highly of myself either way." Some more laughing,

"You're not wrong... You're kind on the eyes yourself Kisha-sama, and I don't mind you having your eyes on me." Silence thickens for a moment before he continues.

"I'm sure you're used to some sort of unpleasant attention though! It's not the attention itself, it's how people draw conclusions from how they perceive you."

[Miya Kisha]

"Me, kind on the eyes?" Kisha says. "That's not something I've gotten to hear a lot. At least, not without some other icky things with it."

She heaves a sigh, shakes her head. "Don't ever read the comments section, Bayushi-san. It'll do you no good.

"But you're right: I am used to people thinking things about me. Some of it's from Comments. What I do draws views, draws clicks, draws favor, but it also draws a lot of people who I just don't think have very happy lives.

"It's honestly kind of sad."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"Drawing eyes does that to you. You take the good with the bad." His eyes linger on her face once more. He smiles, as he so often does.

"Try to be kind on yourself. As kind as you are to other's eyes." His tone is overtly poetic, the joke for a man barely a year older than her lecturing her on attention it's 't lost to him

"I try too. It keeps me from getting sad."

[Miya Kisha]

"Flatterer," Kisha says to Hinata.

"I'm not complaining, mind you," she adds, smiling. "Just not used to it, really."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I'll ease off when you start believing it." He smiles her way.

"I think it's sad when you get used to it really. Being appreciated shouldn't become mundane."

[Miya Kisha]

"Voice of experience, there?" Kisha asks.

She'll flag down the server to order a cup of coffee, then raise an eyebrow for Hinata to add his own, if he wants.

[Bayushi Hinata]

"I don't get complimented all that often really. I appreciate each and every one!"

He asks for a cappuccino for himself.

"I'm sure there's a joke about 'having coffee at my place' I just can't find it."

[Miya Kisha]

"I don't understand," Kisha says, and she gives every evidence of that being true.

"I like to laugh," she adds. "I like jokes. But I think people have tended to avoid them around me for some reason."

She shrugs.

"I'm not sure if missing out has been good or bad for me, in the end. I do pretty well for myself, I think."

[Bayushi Hinata]

"O- Oh it's um... You know movies or dramas when umm..."

He considers his explanation carefully.

"It's um... It's an invitation to go into another's room to... You know."

His expression grows more and more distressed with every word. His gestures don't really help guide Kisha to it's meaning.

"That's... Have you felt excluded because of that? I mean It's great that you find yourself comfortable with your own company. Bit would you prefer to have people seek you out or put in the effort to make you understand them?"