pullmeoutalive | 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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...

[ all right, she has to chuckle. She can't help it. It's not a lie to say that Takane greatly admired Masamune as a general and as a fighter, but what makes him endearing is his moments where she's reminded that he's got his stubborn, childish moments too. The ones where he really is nineteen. ]

[ ah, the chuckle he had been waiting for. so she was thinking things.

he stands, and makes a move towards the door. it's not annoyed or malicious but an extension of those small moments of nineteen-year-old. with a glance over his shoulder, one hand still on the door: ]

On track for something else before this happened, weren't you?

[ she rises (carefully) and steps (carefully) to join him, after she's retrieved the bucket yet again. ]

Katakura-dono has been preoccupied of late, so as to diminish his duties... [ yeah, she has no problem watering plants. ]

[ she's been doing a whole lot of "diminishing his duties", since she'd been keeping him on track too. not that he would admit that. she's not a right eye just as much as kojuro's not a princess.

... should she be walking out in tha-- actually, no, trying not to think about that. ]

Pegged you to be the type to water 'em out in the dark.

The nights call my attention to more than the plants, and Katakura-dono seems to prefer that time with them.

[ it's about as direct as Takane gets. It's a tad difficult to help out when he beats her to it.

... It really is a miracle she hasn't tripped yet. ]

Don't think there's anyone that could beat Kojuro to that place. Doesn't even need a horse.

[ at that, he only laughs. takane had her love with the moon to drag her away from the garden, and kojuro had his love for his garden to drag him away from everything else.

... trying to keep his eyes off of her. ]

Guess it'd be weird to see your face looking at the ground instead of the sky, anyway.

I am not particularly fond of looking down. [ she almost looks rueful. ] Though I can...

[ and her usual pace is nearly disrupted by one step on an overly-long hem, which not only forces her to take a few quick steps to correct her balance, but calls the attention of a few soldiers across the hall. ]

... certainly grasp the necessity of the act at times. [ ... w-well. ]

[ well excuse him as he unconsciously edges more in front of takane, kind of covering her from the unsuspecting view of those soldiers.

okay, perhaps this wasn't working. ]

Going to be doing a whole lot of grasping, it looks like.

[ Takane could care less who looks (though her raised eyebrow might go unseen once they start making questioning noises at their leader), and sighs beneath her breath, half-resigned and half-stubborn. ]

I shall only grasp until I can confidently secure myself. You need not be concerned, Date Masamune.

[ I WILL MOVE IN THIS DAMMIT. ]

[ ah right, this was shijou. masamune's not paying much mind to the soldiers, only giving them an occasional look that seems to imply that they should probably move on. ]

Once that happens, should we get to putting you in dragon scales more often?

Your scales suit you better, do they not?

[ you just like her wearing your clothes. ]

Hah, of course. No one wears 'em quite the same way.

[ well, d'uh. but he's not saying that. ]

Yours isn't bad.

To ease into your garments would require certain changes of my own, while mine do remain more fitting, I believe.

[ she's not as big as you are, Masamune. ]

. . . Huh.

[ like this is actually a point he needs to mull over. it's very obviously, but...

YOUR SOUL IS LARGE, TAKANE SHIJOU. ]

Guess there's no changing that part, is there.

[ she actually chuckles, bringing that hand-covering sleeve to her mouth. ]

Change may be inevitable, but my changes will most likely not consist of the physical.

[ takane's fine how she is but...

he's not going to say that... ]

Heh. If it comes to that point, we'll try it then.

One dilemma remedied. [ still with a touch of gentle humor. ] You truly are prepared for the unexpected.

No surprise.

[ he tosses her a look, a lazy grin. ]

I'd have a hard time keeping up with you if I wasn't.

You seem to have maintained your pace rather ni--

[ wow Takane tripping is not what ladies do. ]

[ woah there-- good thing masamune's got some war lord reflexes, because he's reacting almost immediately and reaching to catch takane mid-fall.

there's a sentence in his mouth… something like "that just makes one of us", but that was kind of his fault in the first place. ]

Kept it there, too.

[ good thing Takane doesn't blush.

Or that if she does, it's very pale pink and hardly noticeable. ]

I should like to aspire to achieve much the same. [ without having to run around in his clothes, probably. ]

[ he'll notice it... one day... the elusive takane blush.

but he pulls always from her, stays close, and looks toward the direction of the gardens. ]

Take it one step at a time.

[ a gentle sigh, little more than a breath, and she straightens.

And steps slowly, deliberately. It's good advice, after all. And those poor plants have surely been waiting. ]

Of Princesses, Dragons, and Conquest

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