[Closed] Be my Nurse?

[Willoria]

Megumi had spent the last day or so in bed, and so far her mother hadn't let a medical shinobi come by to look at her wounds. She had reset Megumi's nose and jaw, bandaged her cuts on her nose, lip, and jawline. She had even kept her on liquid diet so her jaw could have time to heal, but so far she hadn't permitted a medical ninja to come by, all as part of a lesson to Megumi about picking fights she couldn't handle.

But after a couple days, her mother was finally changing that. She hadn't told Megumi who was coming, only that she had clan business for the next few days and she was inviting someone with medical knowledge to help nurse her back to health. She hadn't used a name, only that it was an Aisu and a male.

By time the knock came at the door there was a slave who would open it, and show Naohiro the way back to Megumi's bedroom where the girl lay.

[Valkier]

Only a few days after his fateful meeting with the indomitable Aisu Miyako, Naohiro found himself standing outside of her door. It was a very strange feeling.

The woman had not appeared unsettled or dissatisfied with his answers during their meeting, but even so he had worried over whatever impression he may have left. What’s more, he’d worried over her surprisingly accurate assessment of him - to the point that he had not slept the night after, but had instead retreated to a quiet place to be alone with his thoughts. He’d found little solace there.

‘She has that effect on people,’ Naoshige had admitted afterwards, ’particularly on men’. His father had smiled and left him with a reassuring pat on the shoulder, aware of his son’s inner turmoil but unable to help him conquer it - it was a task for him alone. But the issue had been pushed aside temporarily while he instead focused on his Chuunin exam. And then, immediately following that, Miyako had sent her summons again. Was this planned all along as part of her assessment, letting me weigh her words for a few days between meetings? Did she forget something the first time? Did I disappoint in my exam, maybe?

He took a deep breath and tried to still his nervousness, then raised a hand and knocked. The door was opened immediately by a brown-clad servant who simply ushered him inside. His apprehension was quickly replaced by confusion as the servant led him not to a formal meeting room, or even to a casual sitting area, but upstairs and towards the back of the house - an area decidedly more intimate than he'd expected.

”Are you sure this is—” the servant stopped suddenly and turned, bowed, then opened an adjacent door and all but shoved him inside. He began to object, then froze. A few paces away lay what was, in equal parts, the most beautiful and most tragic sight he’d encountered to date. Black hair, sleek and rich, framed eyes like late-summer twilight. Skin that would've been porcelain beneath the bruises and bandages. Who could find reason to do such a thing?

Without realising that he’d moved, he found himself kneeling beside the stranger’s bed. Without thinking he raised a hand and gently turned her face upwards so that he could follow the line of bandages, examining the first-aid. It was neat, clean work, held securely and relatively fresh. Why then was he here? He sat back, frowning. As much as he tried, he was hardly a skilled medic. In truth, the only things he’d been able to heal so far in his fledging medical career were several rubber training dummies. Most of them, anyway.

And then, slowly, he began to comprehend that he was sitting inches away from an attractive young girl in her own bedroom, unannounced and staring. Say one thing for the iconic white skin of the Aisu - it made for a fantastic blush.

[Willoria]

Megumi couldn't help a blush as Naohiro was shown into her room, and as he reacted to the sight of her, that blush only deepened. She allowed him to tilt her head up to look at her bandaging, and she watched a blush come to his own cheeks even as the slave spoke from the corner. "Mistress has instructed that you will help Lady Megumi with her healing while she is away for the next few days." the timid woman began. She was dressed much like the other slaves but her speech and demeanor made it clear she was the slave in charge of the others. "You may use what Iijutsu you know, but if you cannot fully heal her do not fret. A long healing process is ideal as punishment for her rash actions that lead to this." Megumi of course rolled her eyes at this statement painfully. The slave motioned to a bedroll on the floor in a corner of the room. "This space has been made up for you to best facilitate your work with her, and anything you have need of simply ask... myself and the others have been instructed to help in any way we can." The slave raised an eyebrow however as she took a deep breath and carefully stated her last piece. "I will be in and out as well to ensure the Lady Megumi's... virtue." And at that the slave deftly dodged a well aimed pillow from Megumi before disappearing from the room.

With a deepening blush Megumi turned her attention back to Naohiro. "I'm Megumi..." she said quietly, chuckling. "...but really you knew that I guess..." she added, reaching up a hand to touch her face. "I kinda picked a fight I couldn't handle... got lucky he didn't decide to cut my hair afterwords I guess." she said, sighing quietly. "Mother said my nose was broken, jaw fractured, and I'm stuck on a liquid diet until the latter heals." She frowned as she looked at Naohiro again, attempting a smile despite her own embarrassment. "What's your name?"

'Did she have to send a cute one to be my nurse?'

[Valkier]

Naohiro jumped as the slave began speaking, and quickly turned to give the woman his attention. It wasn’t that he’d forgotten her. Not at all. There were just… distractions, that’s all.

To help with her healing - so that is the reason? But, hold on— ”A few days?” he blurted, eyes flicking between the bedridden girl and the slave. Isn’t that a bit excessive? Surely an occasional housecall would… slowly, the rest of the the slave’s words settled in. This was Miyako’s arrangement, but she was one of the most influential members of all the Aisu; the woman could have had Kirigakure’s finest doctors at her beck and call with a snap of her fingers. She didn’t need to rely on some half-trained hospital apprentice such as he, nor did he need to be here so persistently. He was still recovering from his chuunin exam himself - though those bandages were neatly concealed beneath his clothing, so hopefully wouldn't ruin any feeble reputation he may have as a medic. He briefly entertained the idea that Miyako was simply over-protective of her daughter, but no. Punishment for rash actions, in addition to the woman’s attitude during their meeting, had taught him enough about her to know that she wasn’t the coddling type.

He glanced at the bedroll. He tried to regain control over his face, but still paused to swallow. ”You… want me to sleep here?” A house such as this probably had a half dozen spare rooms, and not to mention the fact his own home was only a short walk away. At mention of Megumi’s “virtue”, he snapped his eyes back to the slave. She seemed to be serious.

”Miyako-sama… Isn’t very subtle, is she?” He sighed. This situation was all too carefully arranged - aside from the girl’s injuries, he hoped - which meant that he didn’t exactly have much choice. Not without seriously insulting one of the clan elders and her family, at least. As the slave left, he turned back to Megumi.

”Actually, I didn’t,” he confessed, and knelt down again so he was more level with her. ”Honestly, I thought I was coming here to be lectured by your mother. I only met her the other day, too. I guess I left an impression.” he glanced over her bandages again and began considering whether he could do anything to help the wounds; though as the slave said, he wouldn’t take any risks if he wasn’t sure.
”I’m Naohiro. It looks like we’re in this together, huh?” He offered her a smile. He almost added ‘if there’s anything you need…’ - but caught himself. She already knew he was here to help, and he was certain that the slaves would still actually be taking care of anything she wanted. Likely she knew that, too. Instead, he asked, ”She really expects me to stay in here and sleep on the floor ‘til she returns, doesn’t she?” he chuckled, running a hand through his hair awkwardly.

[Willoria]

The slave didn't even crack a smirk at Naohiro's comment about Miyako being blunt, though Megumi tried to bury a snort of laugher. Though in doing so she managed to clench her jaw in the process and whimpered slightly. She watched Naohiro try to process what was going on, and smiling as he finally introduced himself. "One of the slaves can take a message to your family." she mentioned. "So they know where you are... but knowing my mother they already know what's going on and whatever she has planned for this." she added, making a face as she sat up and shifted herself so she was leaning against the wall in her bed, legs dangling over the edge.

Megumi wasn't wearing her usual outfit. She had set aside the kimono style outfit for a simple pair of dark sweatpants and a loose-grey t-shirt that fell off her left shoulder. Her hair was a bit messier than usual, and it was clear she was in some pain from her jaw still. She smiled a bit again as Naohiro commented about sleeping on the floor and nodded. "We have a spare bedroom, I can have it made up for you instead." she told him, sighing quietly as it crossed her mind what might really be going on.

"Knowing my mother though this is come kind of test... knowing her and her role...." She raised an eyebrow and looked at the boy before her a moment, patting the spot next to her to invite him to sit with her. "You said you just met her? She didn't happen to promise you or a family member that she was going to arrange a match for you, did she?"

[Valkier]

”It’s okay - you’re right. My father was the one who told me about your mother’s summons.” The man had been grinning at the time too come to think of it, as if he was playing a practical joke. That was beginning to make more sense - quite aside from the fact that he wasn’t usually the joking type at all. ”Something tells me that he’s neck-deep in the same plan anyway. He seemed to know your mother better than he initially let on.” He shook his head and watched absently as Megumi shifted around on the bed to sit up. A distant part of his mind wondered how someone could still appear so stunning while tousled and dressed for bed. The rest of his mind concentrated on the gingerly way she’d moved so as to not exacerbate the pain she was clearly feeling.

He opened his mouth to agree about the spare room - knowing that it was probably wise, even just for the sake of appropriateness - but then hesitated as Megumi continued to speak. He sank down onto the bed beside her and nodded.

"…Yeah. Actually, it’s almost all she spoke about. I was meant to meet with her about a promotion, but I think she was really speaking to my father for most of it. Indirectly.” Slowly, he turned to look at Megumi and met her eyes.
”But, surely she wouldn’t… Well, not her own daughter? Aren’t you exempt by default, or something?” He trailed off, knowing that it wouldn’t be the case; he got the impression that Miyako did not joke about her matchmaking. She was probably a true-hearted Aisu in that respect, and familial bonds be damned. A chill ran unbidden down his spine, and suddenly he felt like Miyako was there in the room, watching them.

Then he blinked and forced his eyes away. He’d been staring again. That wasn’t going to help matters. Not that they were much within his control anyway, it seemed, but nevertheless he grasped the first other thought that came into his head.

”Oh, and I was meant to be helping heal you, too. I’m sorry, I’m not being a very good doctor, am I?” He turned to her and performed a rapid set of handseals with apparent ease before leaning in slightly and reaching to place two fingers gently against Megumi’s temple. ”Let me see if I can help. May I?” If she didn’t object or move away, he’d close his eyes and concentrate while beginning with a simple pulse of carefully-moulded chakra into her skin.

Working carefully, he’d guide the chakra across her head and feel its shape. It wasn’t actually a physical sensation - his hand wouldn’t move a fraction - but he’d grown accustomed to thinking of it as such, for it was a feeling quite unlike any other sense he knew. He’d learn that girl’s nose was indeed broken - in two places - and wasn’t currently set quite straight beneath its wrapping. The jaw had several hairline fractures and some impaction against the socket. It’d be painful for a while, but wasn't in itself serious. Thankfully that would be the worst of it, though a number of heavy bruises must be almost as painful as the rest.

Techniques Used…Show

*[Iijutsu • Medical Diagnosis Technique]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
Prerequisite: 5 Iijutsu
Perhaps one of the most important Iijutsu techniques to date, the *[Iijutsu • Medical Diagnosis Technique] allows its users to probe another's body in search for medical answers. After focusing chakra into his/her hands, the user will begin to channel it into the patient's body. Using this chakra as an internal extension of his/her hand to feel for abnormalities and other issues, the user is often able to determine the problem after some time and concentration. In order for a thorough examination to provide sufficient answers, the user will focus for up to one (1) post, seeking signs of internal and external damage, organ malfunction and disease among other ailments. Although skilled medical-nin have the possibility to work faster, skill cannot be substituted in for thoroughness.

[Willoria]

Megumi chuckled as Naohiro spoke of his promotion, and the discussion that clearly hadn't gone as expected. "Sounds like her." she remarked. "She thinks an arrangement is key to promotion. When I became a chunin she started trying to set one up for me..." A small smile crept across her lips. "...I kept sabotaging them." she added, turning her head to look at Naohiro. "She got so mad... she finally asked me what I wanted... and I told her. I didn't want some pretentious idiot that was going to treat me like a breeding animal." She blushed a bit and turned away from Naohiro, looking down at her hands. "I got her to promise she'd try to find me someone who was at least nice... and she hasn't tried to set me up with anyone since."

She sighed and stared off at the wall across from her. "I honestly thought she was done trying until this." She pointed at her face and looked at Naohiro again. "She went off on him for it, slipped in front of me and went off on him about how he dared to do this on the eve of my arranged betrothal..." That blush started creeping back but she didn't look away this time. "I guess I should be glad for the beating, it gave me a heads up." she added, chuckling, before pushing at Naohiro with a hand almost playfully.

"That way one of us did."

[Valkier]

Following his quick examination, Naohiro withdrew his hand from Megumi’s temple and nodded. ”Thankfully there won’t be any lasting damage. I can do something for the pain and I’ll need to reset your nose, but I’m afraid the jaw is just a matter of time. It’ll heal well though.” Unfortunately the liquid diet was wise in the mean time. If only he’d been able to progress a little quicker in his medical studies, he might’ve been more use. He sat back quietly as Megumi continued to speak.

”I.. Wow, then that makes me flattered,” he smiled at her and felt the tingling of a blush creep onto his own face too. He was still coming to terms with the situation, honestly; lately, everything seemed to be happening at once, and the feeling was disturbingly similar to being carried away to sea on a strong wave. A week ago he was a simple genin going about his daily life. Two days ago he fought to the bitter end with his best friend in the hope of a promotion. And now he was going to be betrothed? It was all a bit sudden. He was quickly growing to like Megumi, but truth be told he still barely knew her - and, if all went to plan, she would one day be his wife. That would take some getting used to.

”I hope she’s right.” He muttered, mostly to himself, and chuckled softly - then louder as she pushed at him. ”It would’ve been nice to know, but at least this way I got here without being too nervous-” he hesitated, remembering that he had, in fact, been very anxious when he thought he was meeting Miyako again. ”At least, not for the obvious reason.”

“Mi-, ah, your mother is impressive though. She read me like a book within minutes of sitting down with me.” he was still a little unsettled by the encounter, but sitting here with Megumi it was becoming easier to forget. ”It must have been tough for you to grow up with that. But then again, here you are smiling and chatting with a broken jaw, so clearly you’re stronger than you look.” He grinned. ”Does it bother you, knowing that she has all these plans arranged without your say?”

[Willoria]

Megumi couldn't help a sigh as Naohiro asked about growing up with her mother and these plans for her, the girl only shrugged in response. "It was going to happen at some point." she admitted. "I mean, in our clan its rare anyone marries for love isn't it? Everything is all about the bloodline. Even marrying someone from our own clan is a risk." She shook her head. "I'm almost jealous of him ya know?" She motioned to her face and sighed again as she realized she hadn't admitted who had done it, and it was getting hard to explain things without that.

"Aisu Kuro." she finally said. "I saw him in the market and... I reacted just how my mother would have wanted me to, or so I thought. I grabbed a knife from a nearby fisherman's stall and tried to cut his hair... all the times my mother ranted and raved about him, she never told me how strong he was." She motioned to her face. "He did this in three hits... after I tried cutting his hair and... said some things." Her blush now was more over the embarrassment of how rashly she had acted than anything. "He brought me home... mother actually came close to thanking him for not cutting my hair and bringing me back here discreetly." She snorted in a slight laugh, and grimaced at the pain it brought. "Then she said she was going to punish him by making him train me."

She shook her head though as she tried to steer herself back to what she was saying. "But I'm almost jealous ya know? He might be damn near an outcast... but he gets what he wants, and to be with who he wants. I almost wonder if that makes it all worth it." She looked down at her hands, knowing full well that what she was saying could mean Naohiro getting such a bad impression of her he might never recover from it.

[Valkier]

Naohiro nodded slowly. Maybe recent events had distracted him, but that single, absolute truth would always be there; everything was for the clan in the end. While at first the idea of an arranged marriage seemed foreign, stopping to really consider it now... Well, hadn't his whole life up until this point been a similar story as it was, always with the obligations and expectations of the clan? He'd been raised to serve them, his family, and his village - and it was, in many ways, his only purpose. Then Megumi changed topic, and he felt himself grow cold.

"Him..." Aisu Kuro, the black sheep of the clan if there ever was one. A man who spat on the pride and dignity of the Aisu and thought himself above them all, even while defiling his own body. The Gift of their bloodline wasn't enough for him. His reputation was so tainted that Naohiro felt like he had been personally betrayed by the man despite the fact that they'd never met. Still sitting beside Megumi, he realised that his fists had turned white from where he was gripping the sheets so tightly. "...He did this to you?"

He stood up and strode a few paces, then back again, thinking. "That bastard. I can't fault you for trying. I swear by the Mizukage's sodding beard I probably would've done the same." He confessed, but looked visibly angry at the sudden revelation. "But doesn't he have any dignity? I've heard he's strong-" it was difficult to admit, but the stories about Kuro made it true nontheless -"But that doesn't mean he should go around beating down anyone who crosses him..." He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. Kuro was well on his way to becoming one of the strongest members of their clan, yet everything he did seemed to shame them. And this? It was a step too far, even for him. Clearly the clan meant nothing to the man any more.

Nao forced himself to stop pacing and instead walked over to Megumi's window, trying to calm himself. Losing his temper wasn't going to help matters. In fact it was surely the worst thing he could do - not only was he probably meant to be making a good impression with Megumi, but losing one's self-control was one of the very things that he openly criticized Kuro for. After a moment to breath and calm himself a little, he turned back to Megumi, face a little ashamed.

"I'm sorry. I... I Get riled up easily when it comes to people like him. After everything I've heard, he just... gets under my skin." The fact that Kuro had then helped Megumi return home didn't make much difference when compared to the damage he'd done, and even the punishment didn't redeem the man in Nao's eyes. He owed more than that for attacking his supposed kin.

"I can't imagine that it's worth it... I don't think I could live that way." He paused to think about it - to really consider what life could be like without the clan - and fell quiet for a time. A minute or two of silence hung between them until he eventually spoke up again, much quieter and calmer than before.

"When I was a kid, all I wanted to do was to get out and see the world. I loved my family and the clan, of course, but I took awhile to learn my place. I was fascinated by stories of the world outside the village.
I craved adventure. During that time I wanted the same freedom he has now. Maybe that's why I resent him? It took me time to grow up out of that mindset and learn my place, whereas Kuro... Hasn't he done the opposite, starting as a clan prodigy before slowly slipping away? It feels... like a personal betrayal against all of us." He paused again, unclipping a small silver snowflake symbol that he always wore pinned on the inside of his collar. He cradled it in an open palm and watched it shimmer in the light from the window. The sigil of the Aisu.

"Maybe I'm a little jealous too." That was a grounding, near sickening thought. "...But what if this is what I want? I'm proud of who I am, damn it, and I'm my proud of my clan." he turned to look at her directly for the first time since she'd mentioned Kuro, meeting her eyes and holding them. "And just because decisions are rarely mine, it doesn't mean that they aren't the ones I'd make."

[Willoria]

Megumi could see the rage beneath the surface. She had only just met Naohiro, but it wasn't hard to see how angry it made him. Clearly the mention of Kuro made him mad alone, adding in that he was the one who had hurt her? He had probably assumed this had happened in the slums, some thief perhaps. But it wasn't the case and she had finally admitted that. As Naohiro rose from the bed to step away from her, she instinctually reached out to try and stop him by grabbing his hand, but she hadn't moved quickly enough. Her fingertips only brushed his hand as he stepped away, and she wasn't even sure he felt it. "Just-." She was cut off as he spoke, and the girl simply sighed, falling quiet as she watched him pace and listened to him as he ranted. "I don't think he knew I couldn't take it... I think he assumed that if someone was going to try that, they would at least be strong enough to take the response." It felt like a weak explanation, and she knew it was, it left her with a light blush as well. She felt weak, and even inadequate. As Naohiro stopped and tried to apologize, Megumi simply shook her head. "You're fine." she tried to assure him.

Though she had to admit, it stung a bit as he went on to counter what she stated about almost being jealous. 'Give it up, no Aisu will see eye to eye on that. You'll be lucky enough to find someone who doesn't treat you like a baby machine, don't push it and think there are secrets you can actually tell someone.' she reminded herself, her eyes dropping to the sheets she sat on as he spoke. She remained quiet as he spoke, addressing Kuro's betrayals against the clan and how nothing could be 'worth it'.

But she was surprised when he came back to the idea of jealousy, and admitted he might be too. She only looked up at him as he made what seemed to be a pointed comment about her, though she wasn't certain. She wanted to smile at that, but at the same time she couldn't. "You don't know that you would yet." she remarked quietly. "You've only just met me." She slowly pushed herself to the edge of the bed and gingerly stood. Letting her breath out slowly she briefly closed her eyes as she found her balance, still feeling dizzy from the blows to the head she had taken from Kuro.

Once she was certain she could, she turned and walked over to where Naohiro stood she brought one hand up underneath his to cradle his hand in hers, the hand that held the Aisu symbol and for a moment she looked down at it as well. "When I feel jealous... its brief. It doesn't due for a fish to look at a bird and wish it could fly after all. I follow the clan, wherever that leads me." she remarked, turning to look up at Naohiro again. She looked him in the eyes briefly before looking down again and bringing her other hand up to rest over his and closing his hand over the clan symbol. She guided his now closed hand up, and gingerly rested her lips against his knuckles.

"Wherever that leads me... and to whomever." she added, her breath light against his knuckles before she turned to look at him again.

[Valkier]

”You're right," he flushed quickly as he realised how his words must’ve sounded. "I guess I mean that, from the clan's point of view, it makes sense. It is a good decision..." his eyes quickly flickered over to hers again, "...But I would like if it worked for us, too, beyond just what the clan wants.” He blushed a little more before adding quietly, ”And… I can see that happening with you.” Although it was true that some clan marriages involved little more than a contract, many other couples did become close whether from an immediate passion or by working at it over time. His parents were one of the latter cases, but the fact remained that they did love one another. It was possible.

He watched as Megumi unsteadily got to her feet, though she did find her balance before he could move over to help. Then his breath caught as she approached and took his hand. The softness of her touch was unexpected; despite her beauty, their conversation so far hadn’t fooled him into thinking she was a delicate doll of a woman - she was a ninja of Kirigakure, as bold as they came - but as he closed his fingers with hers he felt no calluses or scars marring her skin. That reminded him of her earlier fears about ending up as nothing more than a breeding animal, and he found himself smiling a little at the ridiculous thought.

”I have only just met you, but I can tell already - only a fool could see you as a mere trophy wife for the clan. You deserve far better.” Looking down into her eyes, he became lost in the moment of her closeness as she stood with her hands around his. The whisper of her kiss on his skin and the softness of her voice made everything else in the room seem to fade away - there was only her. And him. An urge kindled to simply lean in just a little, and...

…And a floorboard squeaked outside of Megumi’s door.

[Willoria]

When it came to arranged marriages, there were so many ways for things to end up "wrong" or men to turn on their women. Especially when it came to marriages arranged purely for continuing bloodlines, her mother had told her many horror stories. There was a time when Megumi thought those stories were just to keep her in line, to make her "grateful" for whatever her mother tried to set up, so she wouldn't fight an arrangement. As Naohiro spoke, those stories slowly came back to mind. He seemed to be a smooth talker, and all the stories she'd been told once upon a time made her wonder briefly if he was a liar. She really didn't know him after all, he really could have been a liar. His words could be prettied up to make her compliant, or to lull her into lowering her guard. But it was the first time her mother had introduced her to a boy that spoke this way, and that alone made her think she could, at the least, trust her mother's judgment on what kind of person he was. When he leaned in the girl tilted her head up towards him and her eyes closed.

But as that sound came from outside her door a smile came to her lips and she chuckled, turning her head to look at the doorway and the slave now standing in it holding a tray. "Yes, Ria?" Megumi asked with a disappointed sigh.

The slave blushed visibly and turned to Megumi's cluttered desk. "I am sorry, Mistress, I was told to bring this to you." she said, carefully pushing scrolls, books, and papers aside to set the tray down, bow, and quickly leave the room.

Megumi looked over at the tray and saw a bowl of miso soup, probably for her, a pot of hot tea and two cups, as well as a plate with about four pieces of sushi, some edamame, and three pieces of sweet dango. She couldn't help a bit of a smirk. 'They had no idea what he liked.' she thought to herself before turning to look up at Naohiro again. "I guess they decided we should eat something." she said, a blush on her cheeks as she realized news about to travel to her mother very quickly that her and Naohiro came so close to a kiss already. 'Oh that'll make her happy I guess....'

[Valkier]

Naohiro’s eyes popped open and he jumped a half step back at the appearance of the slave, though Megumi’s grip on his hand - and, admittedly, his on hers - prevented him from pulling too far away. His face melted from shock to embarrassment as Megumi, appearing totally unfazed by the sudden intrusion, spoke to the woman in the door. He glanced between them in confusion for a moment. She doesn’t seem surprised at all… Is this normal? Surely that slave was standing out there listening, or watching…? Slowly he realised it might simply be due to his own presence; whatever Miyako’s plans, she probably didn’t entirely trust him alone with her daughter so quickly. That must be it, he decided, they were probably asked to watch me, not her…

But simply working it out didn’t make him feel any better about the situation. If anything, now that he had gotten over the shock and remembered what had been about to happen - might have been about to happen, he corrected himself mentally - he felt all the more dismayed. At least the slave seemed to realise what she had interrupted. He hoped he didn’t look quite as red as her. She left quickly, and once again it was just the two of them. Probably. He still stood at Megumi’s side, hand enclosed within hers… But that perfect moment had slipped away. He met her eyes for a moment and began to laugh at the silliness of it all. Mostly at his own reaction - he was supposed to be becoming a respectable adult, not a jumpy teenager.

Still smiling, he used Megumi’s hand to guide her gently back towards the bed, then let go to prop up some pillows so that she could sit up. ”In you get now, doctor’s orders,” he tried to mimic the commanding attitude of a hospital worker, but ruined it by still smiling. ”You shouldn’t really be up so soon after what you’ve been through.” If she got in, he’d pause to help her get settled then go to fetch the tray.

”I know it won’t be comfortable, but try to eat what you can,” he suggested, hoping that she wouldn’t take him as condescending. ”Once you’re done, I’m going to use a technique to numb your jaw and nose, and reset it. I shouldn’t wait too long to do that, and both should help with the pain. But you could bite your tongue if I do that before you eat.” he smiled again, and moved to sit nearby on the bed before handing her the bowl. Only after she agreed and begun to eat herself did he move to take any of the delicious looking sushi.

[Willoria]

Megumi couldn't help a laugh of her own as Naohiro laughed, shaking her head at the situation before them. It really did seem quite silly, but it was also something else. It was comfortable. She was already at east with herself around Naohiro and she couldn't help but to see that as a good thing. 'We've been thrown into this together... and maybe that won't be such a bad thing.' she thought to herself as she turned for the tray. Yet much to her disappointment, Naohiro was beginning to insist she get back into bed. She put on her best pout and glared at him of course for several moments before finally climbing into bed as she was told, carefully getting settled before pulling the blanket up over her again.

But her attempts to pout and grumble were rather quickly cut short as Naohiro began to insist she eat, apparently because of the pain she would have to endure when he reset her nose. Megumi couldn't help a small smile. "Pain is familiar to me." she mentioned to him as he brought the trap over and she retrieved the bowl of miso soup from it. "I study chiton... blood and pain are quickly becoming just part of my life and my jutsu at this point." she added before taking a sip from the bowl.

After a few sips of her soup, she looked at Naohiro a moment, a look of curiosity on her face. "What do you work with? I mean, other than clan techniques of course..."

[Valkier]

Once Megumi started to eat, Naohiro followed suit. The array of sushi, dango, and edamame looked delicious and tasted better still - it was difficult to beat earnest, home-cooked food. Whoever the chef was, they were excellent. He nodded appreciatively as Megumi began to chat. It was surprising how quickly he’d begun to relax around her. It was beginning to feel entirely natural already.

”Chiton?” he whistled softly, ”That’s impressive. I’ve only heard stories since it’s so rare, but I know it’s not something your everyday ninja can achieve. I’d love to see you fight.” He popped another piece of sushi in to his mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

”I don’t know if I can compete with that - I’m afraid I’m a little more boring. Most of my arsenal is clan techniques, really, with a mix of raw suiton and fuuton too.” He turned and glanced at her to gauge her reaction; with her own use of chiton, he might seem a bit mundane in comparison. ”It’s worked well for me so far, but I’ve been too focused on it. Most of my work over the past few months has been learning new things and becoming more versatile. That’s how I ended up studying Iijutsu actually, though that’s just one part that my mentor more or less forced me into.”

He paused to select a dango and fell quiet for a moment as he ate it. ”I've got a good grounding in genjutsu and fuuinjutsu, though I’m still finding my way with those. They’re useful, but not my first choice in combat. I trained with the former overseer of the Seven Swordsman to learn a thing or two, too.” He didn’t directly mention Kohon by name - that was still a touchy subject among some in the village due to the man’s actions before his death, especially given that one of his victims was from an elder of the Aisu - but neither did he feel the need to hold anything back from Megumi. Perhaps they both had a knack for running into undesirables.

”For the most part though, what you see is what you get. I'm still learning, but Hyouton is my usual go-to approach in a fight.” he shrugged and made a mental note to keep pushing himself towards new things. He was making good progress, but he was always hungry to learn more. Not that the feeling was limited to techniques - he definitely wanted to learn more about Megumi, too.

”So what do you like doing - for fun, I mean? So that I’ll know where to take you when you’re better, of course.” He grinned.

[Willoria]

Megumi almost snorted on her soup as Naohiro mentioned seeing her fight and she shook her head. "I-I just know little things right now..." she stammered, blushing slightly. She wasn't sure why the idea of showing off for Naohiro suddenly embarrassed her, but it did. It made her incredibly nervous. "Besides, fighting with it just gets downright messy." she added, trying to hide her blush by sipping on her soup once more, quietly listening as Naohiro spoke again. She was more than a little relieved when he went on to answer her question, bringing the conversation away from her for awhile. "There's nothing wrong with sticking more to our clan techniques and their parent elements." she told him, shaking her head as she tried to speak as if using these things somehow made him dull. "Honestly I think my mother wishes I would focus on them more than on Chiton. I think it makes her uneasy... some in the clan might see using my literal blood as a weapon as some kind of sacrilege or offense against the bloodline." Her own statements brought a frown to her lips, after all they weren't false. She had received some flack for practicing Chiton as an Aisu, but she had made sure to balance her training well enough so that her knowledge over Hyouton was still superior over that of Chiton. At least no one could accuse her of abandoning the clan techniques in favor of something else... right?

But that blush was going to be quick to return as Naohiro brought the conversation back to her and mentioned what she liked doing for fun. "Uh... I don't know..." she mumbled, eyes dropping to the nearly empty bowl of soup in her hands now as she tried to find an answer. "I don't really do much that others would find fun..." she admitted. "I spend most of my time training, researching, or reading." she added, sighing quietly as she looked over at her work desk and remembered something. But it was something her mother didn't know even, after all the woman would have found it to be a complete waste of time. "I like to draw... but mother doesn't even know that..." she remarked.

"She would say I was wasting my time." she added, sighing as she bent over the edge of the bed and picked up a scroll and pen that were tucked just under the edge of the bed and out of sight. She set them in front of her and unrolled the scroll a bit to show her sketches. There were only a few of them, but the first seemed to be a small brook by a blossoming cherry tree, the other was the start of an eye she had been working on. Both were detailed sketches, but fairly well done. "I have to draw diagrams when I research chiton sometimes so I started doing it more... it kinda helps me think..."

[Valkier]

Naohiro hesitated upon hearing Megumi’s comment about her Chiton; was it sacrilege? He could definitely see why it might offend the clan - but on the other hand, Chiton was still a difficult, oft-revered art. There might be an argument that using an Aisu’s blood for it made the style stronger than usual… “Still,” he commented at last, though speaking as if half musing to himself, “you have turned the Aisu blood into a literal weapon, even moreso than the usual Hyouton.” He glanced at her. “Offensive or not, that’s… kinda poetic.” He grinned. There was a crude morbidity to Chiton that, in additon to the mystery and difficulty of it, drew his interest. Though he didn't think he had any knack for it personally, he definitely wanted to see it at work someday.

While Megumi may have thought her usual activities dull, they appealed to Naohiro still - training and reading still took up large parts of his time. Not just because they were essential to growing stronger; he was simply passionate about both. His old teacher, Aisu Hisako, had once thought to quell his incessant curiosity by dropping a heavy and boresome tome of history infront of him, but instead she’d merely given kindling to a flame. Naohiro smiled at the memory, but didn’t interrupt Megumi. Instead he sat and listened to her voice, then leaned in to see what she unrolled from her scroll.

”Ah-! These are amazing, Megumi!” The delicate, precise penmanship struck him immediately, and he quickly found himself drawn into the pictures. The falling cherry blossom leaves hung in the picture, frozen in a moment of beauty. For a moment he thought he could smell their sweet scent in the air around him. The eye was more striking and lifelike than he’d thought possible, with bold lines and deep shades. He glanced up a few times while examining it, curious if Megumi had used her own eye as a model for her drawing. ”This isn’t a waste of time. It’s a real gift. He muttered. Lost in the pictures, he was totally unaware to how close he was sitting to Megumi, leaning over her shoulder to peer at the scroll. His mind didn’t register that the sweet scent might’ve been her perfume, or that her eye, when he compared it to the picture, was so close and detailed to his gaze.

"Could you... draw something now?" He asked absently after a moment, his mind still on the scroll. "Ah, I mean, you don't have to!" he quickly added, realising that the sudden request might be rude. She'd seemed hesitant over sharing her art, yet here he was asking for a live show.

[Willoria]

Megumi was blushing furiously as Naohiro was complimenting her work, and at how close to her that put him. She couldn't help it. She wasn't used to anyone complimenting her art, after all it wasn't something she had really shown anyone before. But as he asked her to draw something she found herself dumbfounded for a moment, her mind reeling as she tried to think of something to draw. Of course, staring down at the eye she had drawn only one thing kept coming to mind but it made her hesitate. 'Well... like the rest of us he's never seen it, I'm sure. Probably just heard about it. So he probably has no idea what it looks like...' Even she herself had only seen it briefly when she'd suck along behind her mother and seen her throw Kuro physically out of the house, she wasn't sure the mental image was all that accurate. 'Why not?'

Slowly she nodded to his request and took the pen out of the scroll, moving the paper along to give herself enough space as she started to draw. It was an eye of course, but it looked quite different from the first one. It was almost clearly more masculine, the design in it was strange. Being a quick sketch it only took her a few minutes to sketch out the basics of it and it made her frown. She tilted her head as she looked at it, resting the end of the pen against her lips before she started fleshing out the eyebrow above it. "I know it looks weird, but I wasn't sure what else to draw... I had just done the other eye so... why not, right?" But silently she hoped Naohiro wouldn't actually recognize the eye as Kuro's.

[Valkier]

Naohiro’s breath caught for a moment as Megumi fell silent and appeared to hesitate over his sudden request. She didn’t say anything, but eventually nodded and began to sketch. He relaxed and watched eagerly as her pen wove an outline and began dancing across the scroll. At first he was a little surprised by her choice of drawing as it began to take shape - hadn’t she already drawn an eye? Why another? - but soon he began to see the differences between this one and the last. The lines were bolder here, more angular there, and he noticed immediately that the lashes were shorter; this eye was certainly masculine. It was oddly satisfying to see a blank area of paper slowly transform and come alive beneath her hand.

As the drawing continued, he took the moment of quiet to consider what had happened in the last hour or so since his arrival. Between them, they had quickly seen the meaning for his coming; Miyako-sama intended to make a match between them and was apparently already planning their engagement. Surprisingly, he didn’t feel as shocked as he felt he should; though he hadn’t thought much about it thus far in his life, a logical part of him could see why it was happening… And another part of him had certainly taken a liking to his to-be-fiancé. They were still sitting close to one another. He was enjoying her company, and she hadn’t - so far - given any outward sign of reluctance. So… things look good?

Meanwhile, the drawing was already nearing completion. Despite it’s black-and-white nature, the shading Megumi had added suggested some sort of strange coloration to the eye, and her expert touch had given impressive depth to a large iris that was otherwise totally black. The obvious strangeness about it, though, had to be the odd cross-pattern that overlaid the pupil.
”This is great,” he commented as she finished, "is this a particular style - with the contrast here between the artificial lines of that cross, and the more fluid, organic features of the eye beneath?" He shook his head, impressed but unaware of any deeper meaning of the sketch. As a drawing, it was wonderful, but as an eye it was a little unnerving. ”It’s relaxing to sit and watch you draw. I like seeing the picture unfold. It’s.. satisfying.” He chuckled at how strange that sounded, though it was true. Soon, however, his mind returned to its earlier contemplation.

”So… This engagement.” He turned to look at her again, then reached over and gently laid a hand on top of hers. ”…I’d like to go ahead with it.” He swallowed, and forced down another blush as he watched her. The words were difficult to say - it was strange to be so open with someone - but they needed to be said sooner or later; and he’d rather learn now whether things could go well between them. ”But not just because Miyako-sama is arranging it, or because it could be good for the clan.. But because I want to. I’d like to see it done on our terms though. I think we should be involved in it, and make it mean something.. personal, rather than it being a formality forced on us by our parents.” This might all be quite sudden, but it was, after all, the real reason this meeting had been arranged between them. ”I’d like to see you again, but by our choice, not because someone is pulling strings behind our backs,” he tried a smile, hoping that she felt the same way. ”…How does that sound to you?”

[Willoria]

Megumi worked quietly, noticing from time to time Naohiro's confusion over the design of the eye. She shrugged as he asked about it and shook her head. "It's just a unique eye." she remarked. "I guess as an Aisu I shouldn't like something that isn't normal, but its fun to draw something different, its a bigger challenge." she admitted, still trying to leave out just where she'd seen such an eye before. She assumed Naohiro wouldn't be in a good mood if he realized she was drawing Kuro's eye. But it wasn't that she thought he'd be upset because she was drawing Kuro's eye, so much as it'd be just like seeing the eye. Likely it would upset him over the thought of an Aisu having such an eye rather than relying on their blood, the very reason so many in the clan hated Kuro.

Then Naohiro mentioned the engagement, and Megumi set the scroll and such aside, turning to keep her attention on him. She couldn't help feeling a little nervous, a blush creeping up her cheeks as he admitted that he'd like to go ahead with the engagement. She shifted her hand as he touched hers, intertwining her fingers with his as he spoke and she nodded. "I'd like that." she admitted, still blushing furiously as she smiled at him. 'I have a chance to be one of the lucky ones... regardless of arranged or not, I think I could really like him. Maybe even love him.' she thought to herself. Another thought crossed the girl's mind that only increased her blush, but after what Naohiro had said it seemed fitting and the girl leaned towards Naohiro, aiming a gentle kiss for his lips.

[Valkier]

It was taking all of Naohiro's inner control, carefully honed as it was since his childhood, to keep his face from showing the nervousness he felt inside as he spoke his proposal. It was even harder while waiting for Megumi's reply; when she agreed simply, the relief was like a dam bursting. When did I become so invested in the idea..? He found himself wondering. A few hours earlier he'd been ignorant of the entire situation, but now? Now.. I've already set hopes upon it. It was as if the decision to marry had already become a part of him, and the thought that Megumi might still decline was a shattering one. But then she leaned in towards him, and he felt her lips touch his.

It shouldn't have been so surprising. Given their earlier near-kiss, he should have been expecting another; and as the sensation met his lips, he realised he'd been hoping for it. Even so, he couldn't help a small jump of surprise. He stared at her; filling his vision, his senses, and his mind. It was simple magic. He moved the hand that wasn't entwined with hers to rest on her waist and kissed her back.

All too quickly it was over, and they pulled apart. His heart was hammering against his chest, and he watched her, lost for words. He moved his hand to touch her jaw, gently, and felt the urge to kiss her again before he remembered that she was still suffering from the broken bone. You lovesick fool...! He smiled at her, planted another quick peck on her lips, then withdrew his hands to perform a few quick hand seals. "I keep letting myself get distracted, so I should do my job here before that happens again.." seals done, he returned the hand to cupping her jaw gently, and a wave of chakra wove into Megumi's jaw. It would tingle and send a chill through her, but very quickly it would begin to numb the area and wash away her pain.

While waiting for it to work, his mind began racing again. She'd agreed to go along with the engagement, like he... But now what? What did that actually entail? "Hey, can I call your servant back? I'm saying all this, but I... Well, I don't know much about how engagements work in the clan. It's my first time." He shot her a grin. "But I'm sure Miyako-sama has plenty of books about it. We can find everything we need to know in those if the servant will bring them." As much as he wanted to stay sitting here with Megumi for the rest of the day, they'd no doubt have their work cut out for them if they wanted to stay ahead of Miyako's plans.

Once the numbing technique had taken effect - Megumi should still be able to speak, as he'd tried to guide his chakra through the bones and joints while avoiding her tongue - he turned and concentrated as he placed his hands carefully over her nose. With a quick twist, he deftly re-aligned the fracture and set it straight again.
"There - that should heal up just fine. And one last thing-" a second set of seals followed before he returned his hands. Wherever his fingers touched, chakra sank into Megumi's skin and began to rapidly stimulate the body's natural regeneration. While the technique could be used to create new skin, he instead toned it towards the existing tissue and helped it recover; and the network of bruises across Megumi's face began to fade. After a long moment of concentration, her skin was once again pale and pristine. Though the jaw was still fractured and would need to heal naturally, it was temporarily numbed and she no longer showed any outward sign of injury.

The effect was stunning, and Naohiro sat back, speechless before beauty.

Techniques Used...Show

*[Iijutsu • Numbing]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
This field-oriented technique is used in place of typical anesthetics when they're not at hand. After focusing chakra into the hands, the user will place them over a group of muscles. As the chakra is channeled through the chosen area, numbness will begin to creep throughout it, beginning with the flesh before seeping into the muscle below. Small areas of numbness require very little time, while medium-sized areas (equivalent to half a limb) require one (1) post to numb, and anything larger than an entire limb requires two (2) posts of concentration to numb. This numbing begins where the user has placed his/her hands and spreads outward until the hands are removed. The numbness can only cause pain equivalent to being stabbed with a kunai to be nullified. Once numbed, the effects last for four (4) posts before fading.


*[Iijutsu • Skin Generation]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
Often utilized by medical-nin to heal small, superficial wounds or for producing excess skin to use in skin grafts, the *[Iijutsu • Skin Generation] technique has its number of uses. After focusing chakra into his/her hands, the user will channel it into a small area of skin cells on the patient's body. This chakra will force the skin cells to multiply at an ample rate by confusing this area of the body into its reconstruction stage that is achieved during slumber. As this is a type of regeneration, users must keep in mind that each cell draws from nutrients in the patient's body, and as such, too much can cause serious harm. In order to regenerate medium-sized areas of superficial wounds, it takes one (1) post of concentration. Areas smaller than this take considerably less time. In the case that the skin sample is separate from the body, the cells can be multiplied more quickly than they could be otherwise. These types of samples are generally use for skin grafts. The *[Iijutsu • Skin Generation] technique can be held for four (4) posts.

[Willoria]

If it was possible, Megumi was blushing even more by time their lips parted. She was kinda glad for his joke and segway back to what they were supposed to be doing. She tried to relax as he performed his jutsu to help heal her so that he could do his job right. As he asked about calling the slave back, Megumi simply nodded. "I guess that's a good idea." she said with a chuckle. "I really don't know much about it either..." she remarked. "Mom talks about the importance of her work all the time, but she never really talks about what it all entails."

As Naohiro returned to his healing work, she had to fight to keep from grimacing. Though Megumi had always been treated by medics for the express purpose of remaining scar free, as insisted on by her mother, she hated how Iijutsu felt. Though silently she realized she didn't mind Naohiro touching her. By time he was done, the slave had returned and carrying a couple of books (having overheard the pair talking as she had been right outside the door the entire time).

As he had worked her blush had faded but as Naohiro leaned back to admire her, the expression on his face brought that blush right back. "Wh-wh-what are you looking at?" she stammered.

[Valkier]

Naohiro started, brought back to his senses by Megumi’s question. Immediately he blushed and glanced to the side, then chuckled as one of his hands went to smooth his hair in a nervous tic.
”Oh.. Nothing, sorry.” He glanced back up at her, and had to stop his eyes from flicking down to her lips again. He shifted, moving to sit a little closer to her, as the slave returned with the requested books. Nao looked at the woman and frowned; privacy was apparently not at all a privilege here. Even so, he remembered his manners and thanked the woman as she handed him a book.

The tome that he set in his lap was considerably larger than he’d expected. Its leather-bound cover was well looked-after, but clearly old and worn. The title simply read Tenets, IV beneath an embossed clan symbol. He whistled softly as he leafed through its many pages, each filled with tiny, neat writing that made every page resemble a contract.
”I knew the Clan liked its politics, but.. There are four books of this?” he muttered, only half to himself, as he searched for something relevant. He rested a hand gently on Megumi’s leg as he did so, without really thinking about it, and eventually he found a page and began to read silently.

Of all the impressions Naohiro may have given to Megumi so far, this may have been a new one; that of a young man hungry for knowledge. In another life, maybe he could’ve been a scholar. Despite the dry topics, he quickly became lost in the book and his initial frown moved to one of concentration as he read.

”All right,” he muttered, marked his place in the text, and looked up. ”I think I get it. The first official step for any betrothal is a public announcement. Usually it’s arranged by the parents of the couple… In fact, reading into it here, it sounds like we were actually lucky to have found out about it before that point… Though maybe the traditions have changed in the hundreds of years since this was written,” he mused, flicking back to the front of the volume to see if there was a date. There wasn’t.

”It’s probably safe to assume that Miyako-sama has already begun planning that. My father - he’s Naoshige, by the way - might try stall her so he can talk to me, but I bet it’s all already in the works.” He paused again, rereading the last section, then looked up to Megumi.

”I’m thinking we can take control of this by making that announcement ourselves, before they do. Making a move so early in the process will set a precedent. Plus, it says here that… ‘in the case of an amiable matching, an announcement by the betrothed without proxy is to be held in highest regard, for oaths personally given shall be strongest’. We’ll be in a good position then, and… I think I prefer to do it that way anyway.” He trailed off and, somehow, managed to only blush a little.

[Willoria]

As Naohiro was handed the books, Megumi did her best to shift her position so that she was sitting beside him, her feet dangling over the edge of the bed. She leaned against him, slipping her arm between his arm and his side and hugging against him lightly. It wasn't just about being close to him sadly, but also trying to remain upright. The numbing jutsu had also made her a bit sleepy but the girl wasn't ready to sleep just yet. What could have been a very bad day had turned out to be very good so far, and she didn't want it to end just yet. As the boy flipped the book open and remarked on the number she couldn't help a chuckle. "Remind me to show you mother's library sometime." she remarked quietly. "You'd never believe every single book in there is a written regulation or tradition of the clan..." she added, looking over Naohiro's shoulder to try and read along as well.

Megumi sighed quietly as he read and she nodded, trying to understand the entire process. Already it seemed a little overwhelming. "No one has to announce it for us?" she remarked, titling her head against his shoulder better as she thought about it. "I guess we could announce it ourselves then..." she trailed off, realizing just the other day she was childishly going off on another clan member, and here she was talking betrothal. "What is the announcement? Like is this some kind of party we have to put together with the clan in attendance? Or a document?" she asked carefully, her mind already running over ideas. "Maybe if its the former my mother might already have some plans in place... would certainly make things easier if I could just pick up where she's left off..."

She leaned against him further as she reached out to touch the book, tracing sentences as she searched for something. "I assume there's some sign for the engagement right? I mean I know others do a ring on the woman's finger but I assume our clan would have its own tradition in this respect, right?" She honestly couldn't imagine the clan deciding to do something 'normal' and assumed there had to be some kind of Aisu-only tradition here.

[Valkier]

”I think I’ll take you up on that offer,” Naohiro grinned and said when Megumi mentioned showing him her mother’s library. She might have just been joking, but he would probably enjoy perusing that treasure trove of knowledge. As she asked about how the engagement would be announced, he hesitated and turned a few pages to re-read. Something didn’t sound right. After a minute or two, he indicated at an addendum to a lengthy section of text, lost in the smallprint at the bottom of a page.

”Actually, you’re right. I must’ve skimmed past this part…” He frowned while he re-read and deciphered the flowery language, then sighed and looked up. ”We technically can announce it ourselves, but contrary to what the first part said, it’s… frowned upon. The traditional method is to have someone totally unaffiliated with us make the announcement instead. It’s apparently a way of saying that our match is so beneficial, or so perfect a choice, that even unbiased strangers are proud enough to praise it in public.”

“But then it’s not quite that simple,” he shared a glance with Megumi and shrugged as if to say ’of course’. ”Obviously its better if the person announcing it has a high standing among the clan, as it adds their support to the couple. But even better than that - surprisingly - is someone who has past grievances with one or both of the betrothed. If even someone who hates the couple, or who are in bad standing with the clan, can announce to everyone how good of a match they are… well, that’s as good as endorsements come. It makes an odd sort of sense. On the other hand, doing it ourselves gives the opposite impression - that our match isn't very good, or that there's some... 'necessary reason' for it to happen. If our families do it, despite their prestige, it could be seen as desperation.”

“The announcement sounds like a bit of a party, sure - it only really specifies ‘a gathering of important families, varied enough to represent the clan as a whole witnessing the words’. So it’ll be a pretty big group of people, but not actually the whole clan. I imagine only a small subset of them would linger after the announcement. As for traditions…” again he paused while he hastily flicked through the tome, searching through indices and chapter titles until he found something relevant, then skimmed through it.

”It looks like the clan follows a bunch, no surprise there. There’s the usual San-san-kudo ritual of drinking sake to seal the bond, and we might need to live or work with one another’s families at some point to prove the union is beneficial to each...” he continued browsing, every now and then finding another ceremony or ritual, document or rite that might be relevant. ”There is an exchange of gifts, though this book doesn’t specify what exactly. Probably not rings, given our ties to the Hirohito and their symbol-” he wiggled the silver ring on his thumb ”-but I’d expect something similar.”

He kept reading for awhile, and at some point glanced across at Megumi. It only then struck him how long they’d been sat like this, with him poring over the old tome. At first he thought the way she leaned just slightly into him was a sign of interest, or intimacy, but soon he realised that it might just simply be her sagging from tiredness, or from the jutsu sedative. Moving the book so it was supported in his lap instead, he wrapped a supporting arm around her.

”Do you need a break?” He looked down at her and smiled. They’d have plenty of time to focus on this later. After all, it was, amazingly - given how fast things were moving - still their first day together.

[Willoria]

Megumi sighed as Naohiro wrapped an arm around her and she settled slightly against his chest instead. Honestly she hardly heard the things he explained about the clan traditions. She was tired, and even nodding off at points, accidentally yawning as he asked if she needed a break and the girl blushed a bit. "Just maybe." she admitted with a chuckle, shaking her head as tried to sit up. Her wounds were feeling better, and honestly the girl found herself more than just content even as they talked more and more about their arranged match. Megumi had always been worried that whoever she would be matched with would but an awkward situation at best. But honestly she found she liked Naohiro, more than a little bit.

"I guess I'm tired... should probably sleep." she remarked, sighing as she leaned against Naohiro and looked up at him. "But if I go to sleep I'm supposed to let you go to the bed they made up for you... and honestly I don't really want you to move. I like you being right here."

[Valkier]

Naohiro looked down at Megumi and smiled at her admission. For a moment he thought she was going to get up, and felt a little disappointment that she might be moving away from his side.. But then she leaned back against him, apparently comfortable. His smile deepened and he shifted himself slightly so she was better tucked against him, under his arm. He’d never imagined how wonderful something so simple could feel.
”You can close your eyes if you like. I’ll stay,” he replied, voice soft.


The hours slowly slipped by as he sat like that, reading from the books that the slave had brought in earlier. The slave returned to check on them often, and though she seemed to be watching Naohiro closely to make sure nothing indecent was happening, she didn’t interrupt to insist he move away from Megumi or go to his own bed. Eventually he learnt to simply ignore the woman, no longer paying her any attention as she came and went from the room.

Slowly, Naohiro’s eyelids too began to droop, and, with the day beginning to fade into the evening, he gave up trying to follow the cramped handwriting in the aged tome. Instead he looked down to Megumi, still curled against him and dozing, and allowed himself another smile. Propped up with pillows for support and with his arms wrapped gently around her, he slowly drifted off to sleep amid bewildered thoughts, and feelings, towards the girl snuggled into his side…
~ fin.