pullmeoutalive | Of Princesses, Dragons, and Conquest

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Of Princesses, Dragons, and Conquest

[ she's no stranger to the idea. In times of war and strife, the heads of factions would most certainly not remain idle. Takane had known, and yet, she would have expected someone responsible for Oshu's well-being not to go about making idiotically reckless moves. And perhaps any other girl would be able to set it aside, realizing that for all of his bravado and skill and experience, Masamune was only nineteen.

But for someone who behaved far more responsibly than people twice her age, that wasn't an acceptable excuse. Any opposition wouldn't have seen it as one.

And truthfully, Takane's not fond of how it felt, knowing he'd risked himself to the point of being bed-bound for days, that he should have known better, that her chest squeezed - aching and sharp - whenever she went in to change bandages and exchange cool cloths, that she'd felt so helpless. Kojuro has probably already lectured him, but she's not the type to remain silent when she has things of her own to say.

Masamune should be mobile today. She's carrying a bucket of water to one of the vegetable gardens before she abruptly changes her course to seek him out.

At which point she will oh so subtly block his path. ]

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[ she had perhaps given more thought to the statement than she ought to, as it's her turn to pause when he voices the question. This one she understands, that chuckle, and truthfully, she's relieved that she can still read his subtleties and nuances in the midst of something that's at once unfamiliar and yet so natural.

They've always responded to each other, generally in gestures, after all. Two tones, his and hers, where neither was drowned out in favor of the other. A natural rhythm that didn't quite conflict so much as it drew those possible conflicts into a lively harmony instead.

Takane's mind rings of music until she answers him, easing forward and still not quite touching. ]

Were you to dislike something, you tend to harbor no qualms about making those around you aware of it.

[ there's more movement. masamune stays steady--there's a way to this, after all, and he lets takane set the pace for what she wants to do. she had let him have the first move, so, in respect of their equilibrium, it was only right he let her have her own.

the answer is correct, as it was prone to be; he would expect nothing else. how long had they done this, really? though from the start he had to admit there was just a click and it worked, somehow. like sanada yukimura, but different. like kojuro, but different.

this time he just laughs. ]

That's it.

[ there's both appreciation and trepidation there, when he stays still. She does understand the implication there, that he's pulled her, and she's moved on her own accord, not simply through his own will. He's waiting, and she knows it's not his specialty, which makes Takane think that, truly, this is the situation that requires the most care of all.

She steps again, and now she stops. Close enough to touch with the slightest movement, however accidental, but she lifts an eyebrow. His turn.

... Takane laughs, though. She can't help it. ]

Your choice of earlier wording is rather unique then, Date Masamune.

[ his move. it's like an organized battle, really, except there's a different rush here than on a battlefield. this time he does move her forward just the slightest; this is intentional, but with how subtle it was it might seem like a mere mistake.

she's close, but he's not quite holding her.

completely screwed. ]

Look who you're talking to. [ unique. he does that a fair bit. ] Let's hear what you would've said, Shijou Takane.

In substitution of your condemnation?

[ she's quiet for a moment, taking his words and running them through her mind, translating it through her own comprehension and rewording it.

But what she says isn't what she concludes. ]

I can no more speak for you than the moon could fail to rise. If I were to speak of the topic, however...

[ another pause, and there's quite the natural pull to him now, one she concedes to with lifted chin. She rests her free hand on the crook of his arm, just above his elbow.

Contact. ]

I do not consider myself ensnared.

[ it's perhaps an odd statement, but her meaning is clear enough to her. It's not being trapped, doomed, screwed, caged, if it's something she wants. ]

Heh.

[ he gets it, like he always does. her touch is very rare, but it's not strange; masamune's not surprised by that, of course--there would be something wrong if he was. maybe there's a relief, even if he'd known--

( it's a hold now, an arm around her waist--something new. ) ]

Don't think we'd be able to tie you down, either way.

[ --takane wouldn't be here if she didn't want to be. ]

[ it's the foreign/familiarity that ultimately puzzles her, makes her want to temporarily withdraw into the back of her mind to understand why, why she's comfortable with his arm there, when they rarely touch.

But it's not so much the touch as it is Masamune, and what's associated with him grants her the same level of comfort. Her fingers flex on his arm, gently sliding towards a shoulder. ]

Would you desire such a thing?

[ and then they dance!!

but no, not quite. masamune doesn't make much moves now ( there's only so much closer he can bring her, after all ), all is still but the arm that holds her, which just slightly shifts.

her touch is very distracting. ]

Nah. [ it's a quiet denial, an honest one-- ] That ain't how we are.

[ her own movement slows once her hand reaches his shoulder, curves subtly towards his neck.

And she smiles, pensive but trusting. ]

How are we, Date Masamune?

[ the touch is almost like an anchor; a bit heavier than what he would've expected it to be, but takane always had a way of grounding him.

( questionable choice of words that kojuro would most likely raise an eyebrow at. )

it pushes him forward, his face a little closer. ]

You want it in words?

[ an intriguing question, and a sense of amusement that he's 'offering' the choice. Though she'll interpret it more as we both already know it anyway.

She remains still now, eyes locked on his single one, and there's that inexorable pull of his. Of course; it never ceased. ]

I believe you comprehend what sort of response would suit you best.

Dangerous choice, leaving that call to a dragon.

[ . . . though it's not, really. it's just another way to play along, and he doesn't push her but only moves to meet her. all cocky grins are dropped, and suddenly there's a moment where he things and maybe--

-- before he realizes it, he's kissed her. ]

[ dangerous, she wonders, really--

and it's not because Masamune isn't dangerous, but she's never feared him, only grown curious and then amused and then fond, and at that point

-- he's close, and maybe she's reminiscing to being surrounded by a bunch of his avidly worried men, being encouraged to reach out to him, because he needed some sort of comfort that they themselves couldn't offer, and now she truly understands. Why Kojuro hadn't spoken against it.

Masamune is strong. But like anyone, he can falter, or grow tired, and when that happens, he's got his men. He's got Kojuro.

And he's got Takane, too, who's finally concluded that perhaps she's the one who truly needs this, this connection, him, and it's why she kisses him back before she's even realized it. And once she does, she doesn't pull away, letting the sensation settle properly.

A dangerous choice? No. The right one. ]

[ ah.

there's a pang in his chest when she kisses back. he'd taken this step by step, not really envisioning the next; he wouldn't say he'd thought she'd reject him, he wouldn't say he'd thought she'd kiss back… rather, he'd simply… not seen it at all.

it's then his fingers curl into the material of her shirt; it's then he pulls her a little closer, leaving it at that. he doesn't let go, doesn't want to.

it's calming. ]

[ he doesn't let go; she doesn't want him to, but not for any of the cliché reasons. Not because she particularly feels like swooning in his arms, or seeking safely there. Takane doesn't remain with him out of a desire for security, after all.

No, it's affirmation. An announcement, as solid as if she'd spoken it aloud. Whatever had brought them together, they'd always had a say in how things would turn out. And she'd found a place here. Right here. It's a thrill, but a steady one.

She does have to draw back slightly, having never actually learned how to breathe through a kiss. And she's only a little flushed, breathing unsteady, fingers gripping his shoulders. ]

An... excellent answer.

[ when they're no longer kissing and he's making space in between their lips, he doesn't really shift much-- his fingers are still where they are, he's still holding her close, and--

-- so much happened, nothing at all. he can only laugh at her response, linking everything together like this was just another method of conversation. and it was, maybe--it's how they spoke. wordless words. ]

I'd say you gave it a bit of an edge.

I may only assume partial credit for it.

[ she just kissed Date Masamune. Well, to be accurate, Date Masamune just kissed her, and she kissed him back, and she's aware that she ought to be appalled for what she just did to history, but she's not. She's content. He looks more relaxed now. ]

[ he wouldn't have imagined getting to this point when takane came here. he was a guy who had oshu ( which takane was a part of, he knew ) in mind, the country in mind, but never lips on his mind. not kisses. still, with takane, it's not quite romance--romance seemed too flat for that. it's a little bit more than that, like a fight on it's own. ]

Heh. For me, it's full. [ it takes a lot, after all. ]

[ she knew very little about romance, save for the idea she'd developed as a child that a true love meant demolishing all obstacles in your way. This, she thinks, isn't quite like that theory. It wasn't all-consuming, and it didn't make her knees weak or her head swim (much). If anything, it felt like the next natural step, and she's not sure how to feel about that, except to accept it for now. ]

Eh...? But it was your answer, was it not?

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Of Princesses, Dragons, and Conquest

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