Sapphire Ambassadors

"Good morning, wife," comes a familiar voice, and the smell of tea and a simple breakfast of porridge, soup, fish, and pickled vegetable surrounds her.

Hatsuki yawned and let herself come out of sleep a little before she responded.

That's not a weird way to address your spouse at all...

"Good morning, Kumaji," she said once she got the wherewithal to get up and bow to him. She used her fingers to sort out her hair, her face in its rare unadorned state. There was definitely more of a delicate Crane maiden vibe without it. "You're still welcome to use my name. Thank you for breakfast."

She settled down at the table, looking over toward her husband.

"You look well, Hatsuki," he says. "Do you feel well?"

She gave a small smile. "Yes... There's not much morning sickness lingering, though I'm still quite tired. From my understanding, that will only increase, though. So, comparatively well."

"How have you been, Kumaji? I'm surprised to see you away from the dojo."

What are you doing here?

"Only so much can be said on that score," he replies. "Progression up the ranks requires certain actions be taken at intervals."

A slight shrug.

"Nothing of value is awarded without trial."

"Itadakimasu."

She took up the chopsticks and took a bite, waiting to chew and swallow as he spoke before she continued.

"I'm surprised I wasn't the first person you contacted here. I suppose I should be glad we got to each one another at all."

"Oh?"

Kumaji has set aside his mask for the moment. The face is the one she knows.

He eats.

"If I hadn't asked, I wonder if I might never have seen you at all."

"Given my work, Hatsuki-chan, you're not generally supposed to see me."

He grins just a bit.

"This isn't Painted City, after all."

"That doesn't mean I don't want to. You are my husband, and it can get a bit lonely here, after all." She returned the grin with a small, amused look. "I suppose I don't have the right to pull you from your work, though. My apologies."

There were certain... frustrations she could perfectly acceptably deal with with him, even if he wasn't her ideal target for them.

"I've missed you too, Hatsuki-chan," Kumaji says, warmth in his voice. "I truly have."

He eats a bit more, considers.

"It gets lonely on...about the work."

On? On what? That made her curious, and she calculated briefly on whether she could prod further information out of him. She decided not. Perhaps it would reveal itself in time.

She ate a little bit more, going through a bit of it before continuing. "Do you have much time here this morning, or will you need to rush back?"

"I have the morning," Kumaji replies. "I'll have to report in before midday."

As Hatsuki looks at him, she will note signs of fatigue. He lampshades as much by saying "It's been a long hitch."

She finished and moved over toward him, brushing a gentle finger along the dark circles visible under his eyes. They had reached the point of friendship, and while she didn't love him, she was worried about him when he was this obviously tired.

"I can see that. It's not usually this obvious," she noted softly. "I was going to suggest a particular way to spend this time, but now I wonder if it would be better to suggest resting with me for a bit instead."

He chuckles.

"Rest would be nice," Kumaji agrees. "Though I'd not say no to other things, were my wife offering them to me."

She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his lightly, her hand moving down to his jaw. "Split the difference, then? A little rest, a little... nonrest?"

If it encourages you to see Choudai as less of a threat, I'm happy to do whatever you need.

Kumaji kisses her hand.

"Lead the way," he says.

She does, rising and drawing him back over to where her morning began.

/ftb

/scene