(D4 LM) Imaginary Flowers (expecting)

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

As Nadeshiko rests against her shoulder, Sriyani lightly strokes the Crane's remarkable hair, almost absently. "Otherworldly...exactly! And he's a monk, I think he's been kicked by more dangerous opponents. He'd be fine." Her hand slips away and she uses a moment to sample a bit of fish. "Need to find you someone to watch in the moonlight too...or you should invite him to read poems under the moon some night and watch him.

At mention of the tattoo she nods and says, "I was thinking of maybe a ki-rin to remind me of where I'm from and of this competition." Then her smile sharpens. "But I don't think pompous young Phoenix are fond of tattoos...probably. Particularly ones that nobody sees while you're dressed, hmm?" She reaches to pat the Crane's knee. "Can you imagine his face on our wedding night?"

Unsaid is the reminder that such a tattoo means the artist has had their hands intimately involved with that private bit of skin, possibly for quite a long span of time.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

snip!

At her friend's touch, Nadeshiko sighs softly, content. "I'd like that..." She murmurs.

"He'll learn to live with it." Or die mad about it. It's hard not to be spiteful when she thinks of that... that... that boy... spoiled little brat! "Oh, that would be very, very funny. Though..." The Crane whispers softly. "I was thinking of something similar." Her cheeks turn bright pink at that admission. But -- it's Sriyani -- she'll understand.

Hopefully.

It's hard not to be nervous about it.

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

"Oh?!" She sits up a bit straighter, taking in the pink cheek with a delighted smile. "Something private?" Patting he knee again, she adds, "don't worry, I'm sure he's very professional when he's working." She wasn't 100% sure she wanted him to be, a percentage that would shift dramatically by this time tomorrow.

"What sort of image?" She imagines flowers, but perhaps she's thinking of a reminder for some event or person.

[Doji Nadeshiko]

snip

Nadeshiko hides the bottom half of her face with her sleeves, looking over the silk with puppy-dog eyes. "A-a little... I thought... it might be nice... to have something special only my spouse would see..." She mumbles before totally hiding her face. "Definitely flowers. Sakura. I want them to be sakura... I think."

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

About to say something, the Unicorn pauses with a not-so-elegant snort of laughter at the pair of eyes gleaming atop the dainty sleeve, like eager wrens gossiping atop a fence. "Only your spouse and the artist, unless...you hope to make them the same person..." Despite her interests in the silver Dragon, her tone is only curious and a bit teasing, eyebrows lifted questioningly.

"And sakura suit you. A samuari soul and all the beauty of spring." She grins, "And then I can tease you and ask if Sakura-chan's seen anything interesting at court! All the private things a hidden flower sees!"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"Only your spouse and the artist, unless...you hope to make them the same person..."

"And sakura suit you. A samuari soul and all the beauty of spring." She grins, "And then I can tease you and ask if Sakura-chan's seen anything interesting at court! All the private things a hidden flower sees!"

Nadeshiko shakes her head; while the Dragon is beautiful, he has not charmed her. Moreover... she could never steal a chance for happiness from her precious friend.

"SRIYANI!" The Crane squeaks -- but it's only a moment before she starts to laugh. "Well, then, I'd tell you every time there's not much to see!"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

"Some year or other, you'll be lying to say that and I'll see just how poetic you can be!" she says, pretending to be smug.

More seriously, she adds, "you'll be a Sapphire Ambassador, maybe Champion...no, don't even deny it, you're so obviously the best of the lot of us. If they don't appoint you, it's only because the Crane are trying not to look like they're playing favorites. And then they're going to want you getting married, of course. Need to start thinking of how to set that up to make you at least as satisfied as everyone else's ambitions will be, neh?"

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"you'll be a Sapphire Ambassador, maybe Champion...no, don't even deny it, you're so obviously the best of the lot of us. If they don't appoint you, it's only because the Crane are trying not to look like they're playing favorites. And then they're going to want you getting married, of course. Need to start thinking of how to set that up to make you at least as satisfied as everyone else's ambitions will be, neh?"

Her blushing just grows worse and worse. "I don't..." Nadeshiko mumbles something, but Sriyani's gotten to her; she has to force herself to speak up. "I-I think, that does a disservice, to all the amazing artists here... yourself included, Sriyani-chan..." Eventually she again peeks over her sleeves in an effort to present as being calmer than she actually is. "Oh... but... how would I even do that? A miai? I don't think they'd let me go to a miai..." Oh, she wants to go to a miai so, so bad.

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

"No shame to come in second to you, you know? We're learning...just being in the same competition." She grins. "As to a miai...Why not? But as an ambassador, you'll be sent from court to court, I'd think. Better than a miai. You can meet folks who aren't all set on sizing up what you bring to a contract as the first thing on their minds."

"So many more chances for someone to charm you and offer names to pass the nakodo..."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"So many more chances for someone to charm you and offer names to pass the nakodo..."

"Oh..." There's a gentle sigh at that thought. "I'd like that... I'd like to meet someone, and... they want me for me..." But then she breathes in quick at that thought; it hurts a bit, to think like that.

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

There's a grin. "I'd kiss you if it wouldn't cause a thousand kinds of gossip...and also not really be what you wanted." Reaching to take her friend's hands. "But I do love you for you, Nadeshiko-san." She can't help teasing, "and not just out of hope for lurid tales from Sakura-chan!"

Sobering, she squeezes her fingers. "Pretty sure I'm not the only one who does or will. But I suppose you're right, if you're the Champion, you'll see those wanting to get close to your status, or fame, or beauty. Which isn't all bad, but you'll need to be more careful than someone nobody recognizes." She leans closer, "Just let me know if you need someone to poke them in their motives, ok? You're way too trusting sometimes, otherwise, neh?" Little does she know that's going to see her friend chewing some poorly chosen dish later that night."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

There's a grin. "I'd kiss you if it wouldn't cause a thousand kinds of gossip...and also not really be what you wanted." Reaching to take her friend's hands. "But I do love you for you, Nadeshiko-san." She can't help teasing, "and not just out of hope for lurid tales from Sakura-chan!"

Sobering, she squeezes her fingers. "Pretty sure I'm not the only one who does or will. But I suppose you're right, if you're the Champion, you'll see those wanting to get close to your status, or fame, or beauty. Which isn't all bad, but you'll need to be more careful than someone nobody recognizes." She leans closer, "Just let me know if you need someone to poke them in their motives, ok? You're way too trusting sometimes, otherwise, neh?"

At the touch of Sriyani's hands, her own squeeze back, Nadeshiko's blush intensifying as their gaze meets. Her shy look quickly melts into a smile; "You're darling, you know," The Crane murmurs.

"Beauty?" She meeps. "Yes, if, IF it happened, I'd have to be... careful..." There's a far-off look in her eyes as she remembers the last time she was taken advantage of. "I'll absolutely call upon you if I need help -- oh, I hope I won't, though... I'd rather you win, Sriyani. Then so much would open up for you, wouldn't it?"

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

There's a thoughtful pause, wistful hope, soon suppressed. "Maybe. There would be a renegotiation, certainly. Perhaps I could at least suggest one of his brothers, the second eldest is supposed to be halfway charming, though I didn't meet him. Or maybe, I'd have the status to stay with the Unicorn and they'd have to offer someone they were willing to lose." She continues rolling through wishful possibility, "Or the nakodo feels that I'm more valuable remaining in the Unicorn and the whole thing is called off and starts over with my new situation and all..."

Her smile is softer as she taps her right thumb on Nadeshiko's left hand. "I hope you don't need help either, but I'd always offer it. So would plenty of others."

[Doji Nadeshiko]

"Or the nakodo feels that I'm more valuable remaining in the Unicorn and the whole thing is called off and starts over with my new situation and all..."

"I hope you don't need help either, but I'd always offer it. So would plenty of others."

"Oh, that would be wonderful -- if you won, they'd HAVE to -- they'd HAVE to see you for who you really are --" Nadeshiko's eyes glisten, but she closes them, trying to hide it. "I really hope it's you, Sriyani..." One of her hands pulls away so she can cradle the Unicorn's between her own. "I know. I have been deeply blessed by love and I -- I'll never forget that. I will always, always be here for you."

[Horiuchi Sriyani]

snip

There's no real upset in Sriyani's tone as she says, "part of who I am is...well, the status of an unconnected orphan, from a barely-known family in a clan not known for art. Even the title of Ambassador changes that." That's just how it is.

Her own freed hand clasps around Nadeshiko's around her own. "So things changed just being invited here. ... And we got to meet! I'm never going to be sorry about that." She leans in to press her forehead against her friend's, a few of the charms there a cool counter to human warmth. "And you'll find love again. There's all kinds of time."

Pulling back she glances at the food and laughs, "But we haven't eaten or started our story! The sisters..and a reserved young man with silver hair...and? Someone mysterious?..."