Day 10, LE, Asano's Room - Fresh Plums

[Asahina Asano]

Asano seemed to stare at the letter for some time, as if in disbelief, barely even listening to Yoshino. Finally, she looked up and nodded and immediately set the letter on fire, the thing starting ablaze quickly since it was thin, dry parchment. It burned Asano's hands lightly before she crumpled it up, letting the ashes fall onto her lap.

"There."

[Doji Yoshino]

The Doji's jaw dropped. This was the single most shocking thing she'd seen during her entire stay. The hand petting the tanuki flew to her mouth as the other set down her cup.

"Asano!"

She barked out a laugh.

"I can't believe you just did that... you know, no fire spells indoors, and that's before... Asano. Honestly! I... I know, but, it is what it is." Yoshino goes on to say, flustered.

[Asahina Asano]

Asano raised an eyebrow, "And here I thought you were good at pretending you didn't see anything?"

She smiled and picked back up her cup, Yoko having fled from Yoshino's lap at the display.

"Anyways... you can't follow orders if those orders never reach you, no?"

[Doji Yoshino]

"You startled the tanuki." Yoshino points out.

The not so innocent suggestion is met with a hard stare from Yoshino. "There are some things I'll do, and some I won't. It reached me." Nonetheless she sighs. "As much as I wish it hadn't or was otherwise."

[Asahina Asano]

"Not even for me? Your little Asano? Even if I'm not so little anymore?"

Asano pouted slightly with a frown.

"...I would do literally anything to keep you close to me. From having your lord send you to the tournament here, to starting rumors around the town that you were cursed, to convincing the Isawa to call you that name and reinforce my own work. Not to mention that he needed my help. ...I can't have done that all for nothing, right? You understand, right?"

The cup shook in her hands a little.

[Doji Yoshino]

"Duty doesn't work like that Asano..."

The first words were harmless enough. The rest, not so much. Surprise, confusion, hurt, anger, sadness. The emotions flashed across her face in order, undisguised.

"... Why?"

[Asahina Asano]

Asano sipped the wine, closing her eyes.

"...you don't remember fifteen years ago, do you? At your parents' place. When I was visiting. I looked up to you so much, I said I would marry you when we were older. And you promised you would."

Her eyes opened, looking over the cup, "I've never forgotten that. And I never will. We're not related by blood, after all. What's the harm? And wouldn't it be dishonorable not to keep a sincere promise, even one forgotten?"

[Doji Yoshino]

Yoshino placed a hand on the wall to steady herself. "Fifteen years ago? Asano, I must have only been six. We can't marry." She gulped out. Her mouth was suddenly very dry. "We're both samurai-ko. You didn't really... didn't really do all that, did you?"

Her voice trembled with emotion. "Do you know how much that has hurt me? Strangers now call me curse-chan. And, for what? I'm ordered elsewhere."

Yoshino took in some deep breaths. "I can't. Can't lie and ignore it. Why would you. You. You..."

She pushed herself up to her feet. She felt sick. Her turned to her futon and things. Then the cup. She was tempted for a moment to gulp it down. Or throw it across the room. Or on her cousin.

Her hands clenched into tight fists at her sides. Her knuckles turned pale. "You were my only remaining family Asano." With effort she eased them open. They needed to be so she could wipe her eyes. Some dabs of her kimono sleeve dried them. "But, as you say, we're not related by blood, are we."

[Asahina Asano]

That pout turned into a genuine frown, and a look of confusion crossed Asano's face.

"But... why not? We could be together, as long as we still perform our duties. I wouldn't hold that against you. And being cursed isn't that bad, is it? Not as long as you have someone like me to look after you."

Asano stood and stepped over her tray, looming over Yoshino with a gentle but creepy smile, "I just want to take care of you and have you with me, after all. I would never hurt you, Yoshino-san. If you just think about it, you'll know I only ever did what's best for you. After all, you said you enjoyed your time here, no? And you won a prestigious position, one you can share with me since we both have it now. Isn't that very convenient?"

[Doji Yoshino]

"No."

Yoshino took a step back.

"You've already hurt me. You're breaking my heart Asano." Her right hand was pressed to her chest as she turned her back on her cousin. She moved over to her things. Asano received a wary look before she crouched down to begin packing them.

"I-I'll be leaving in the morning."

[Asahina Asano]

While it was true that Asano would basically do anything to get what she wanted... actually hurting Yoshino had never been part of the plan.

"I... really did hurt you? Genuinely?"

Asano didn't follow Yoshino as she stepped back, too taken aback and lost in thought to do so. She just watched her distant cousin moving and packing, feeling her world shattering around her.

[Doji Yoshino]

"..."

The Doji somewhat hurriedly packed away her things. She felt unsafe and unbalanced. Maybe she would ask for another room... or stay at the shrine. Her mind vaguely cycled through options as she stuffed her furoshiki with her things.

[Asahina Asano]

The silence was all the answer Asano needed. Hanging her head and shuffling back, she accidently knocked over one of the trays with the mochi and wine on it. That snapped her out of it enough to turn and start dabbing at the spill with her sleeve, murmuring and keeping up the motion even after the small amount of liquid was dried up.

[Doji Yoshino]

With her things packed she gets up to her feet. Her body felt stiff. She took a step toward the door and stopped. Hesitated.

"You could have... told me earlier. Your feelings. There were other paths that... that were not this." Her shoulders, already tense, rose a fraction higher. She searched for the words that usually came easily to her.

"We were children then. We're adults now. Actions have consequences and it is... time you learned. Time you grew up. It is good you have only hurt me and not anyone important." She fumbled her furoshiki over one shoulder. Everything was stuffed hastily inside so it was bulging. She steadied it and her wakizashi. "I need to be alone. Do not contact me."

Yoshino took a last quick look at her cousin. Then she made a beeline for the door. She would soon be quick stepping down the corridor and out into the evening air.

/ Exit unless stopped

[Asahina Asano]

Asano looked over at Yoshino as Yoshino spoke, her bird Tenten having landed on her shoulder and Yoko at her feet. She looked as much the princess she always was, outwardly, except for her face. It was blank, very much so, looking stiff and dead.

"But... No. You are right. I need to quit living in my childhood, clinging to it..."

She saw Yoshino beeline for the door... and said nothing else, watching the door close before turning back to the tray with mochi and wine of Yoshino's that were barely touched.

What now, Asano? Will you do as your told and grow up? Be a good girl, take a husband, take your duties seriously? Is your storybook really going to end like this?

All she could do was shake her head at her thoughts and move over to her futon, sitting on it unmade and staring at the tray of food long into the night...

[/scene!]