Day 3, MM - Yummy Breakfasts (closed)

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku shivers at the touch.

I wouldn't have thought such a thing could thrill so!

Her hand reaches up to hold the hand that has touched her lips, taking it tenderly and kissing those fingertips again.

"And your touch is gentler yet.

[Kitsuki Naida]

Naida's look broke into a small smile, "I would never treat such a precious flower roughly. At least not unless she asked, neh?"

She watched her fingers getting kissed quietly otherwise, letting her hand be moved and kissed as the Crane desired.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Still holding the hand, Yuuwaku replies "Does Kitsuki-san have experience handling flowers roughly, then?" Her smile turns salacious. "I've not studied ikebana closely, but I am happy to take her instruction in arranging, if that is her interest.

"I try to be an accommodating hostess, after all."

[Kitsuki Naida]

"Rough Ikebana would be a first for me. Though there are other ways of arranging pretty flowers that are not Ikebana I suppose. Ways I have much more experience with. So many different blooms to see across the Empire... though I think I've found one here in Fire Shrimp Village that could put any flower in any Clan's lands to shame."

Naida sat there with a soft smile, chin in one hand as she watched the saucy little courtier playing with her other.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku brings her other hand to Naida's, turns the Dragon's palm up, and begins to massage it.

"Such fine hands on a warrior. I imagine you excel in all of your arts."

The stroking, pushing in the direction of the heart, starts to move to Naida's wrist.

"Tell me of your...arranging, Kitsuki-san. Please."

[Kitsuki Naida]

"I... mmm. A hand massage? That feels strangely wonderful. Like the parts that grip my sword are all letting out a sudden sigh of relief."

She enjoyed it for a second before continuing, "And are you sure you wish to hear about flower arranging, Kakita-san? I am not shy about talents, but should all my attention not be on the flower in front of me?"

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku continues up Naida's forearm.

"How would you...arrange with what you have here?

"I've only...limited practice with such blossoms as are on offer here, and I've enjoyed working with them," she admits, "but I gather that Kitsuki-san is a master of that art."

[Kitsuki Naida]

"Part of my goal in traveling the Empire is to meet new people, make friends, try new things, have new experiences... I have found flower arranging is an experience that can be all those things at once. So much so that one might dare call it a hobby. I am not sure if that makes me a master of the art, though it does mean I know when a flower can bend, when it will break, and when it will bloom. This flower..."

She watched Yuuwaku's hand pushing up her sleeve, fingers creeping up her arm, "...this one seems to need some room to grow and explore the space it shines in. I might have a better idea of what would make it bloom to best effect then."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Oh?"

Yuuwaku's hands pause in their work upon Naida's.

"How might such space be opened? I defer to your expertise, Kitsuki-san; please teach me."

[Kitsuki Naida]

"It's called collaborating, exploring... I suppose we've both had our fill of breakfast it seems, so I don't see why we can't move on to lessons. Though I admit, I am almost tempted to ask for a small massage for the other hand; I didn't know that could feel so relaxing~"

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Gladly," Yuuwaku says, and takes Naida's other hand, beginning to work upon it.

"And I can hear a lecture part of the lesson while I help you limber up."

[Kitsuki Naida]

A happy little sigh, "...somehow I think many bushi do not give enough thought to the health of their hands."

She let the moment and relaxation sit for a bit, briefly closing her eyes before opening them and continuing, "You say you've worked with flowers before though?"

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"A bit," Yuuwaku replies as she continues rubbing, now moving to the wrist and forearm.

"There are some blooms in Crane lands that do not prefer the hummingbird or the bee, but still have a sweet scent and yield nectar. Youthful blooms, cultivated in youth.

"None so fair as a mountain flower I have seen, nor yet so bountiful."

[Kitsuki Naida]

"Mmmm... I simply wonder if you had any preferences in what you've worked with in the past. Though it seems you already have found a preference in this mountain flower you refer to. Perhaps, rather than a lesson, we can simply explore that bounty and see what it has to offer? Show rather than tell, as it were."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"It is a beautiful blossom, but every flower is different," Yuuwaku says. "I would scarcely know where to begin--save by listening. An open ear is among the best teachers, I have been told, and I endeavor to be a good student."

[Kitsuki Naida]

"I see."

Letting the hand massage go on a bit longer before speaking again, she shifted her legs from sitting on them to sitting with one to each side, "I think the best place to start is with exploring. Mutually, preferably. Touch, talk, look, listen, get an idea of to mood and the preferences of your partner. Even if neither party knws their preferences outright, it will give ideas, directions, and inspirations. Personally, even if something has been decided upon, I'll take a little bit of time to do this anyways to warm up, get any uncertainties out of the way, and get those wonderful little ideas for later."

It was clear the layers of metaphor were peeling away like the petals of that selfsame metaphorical flower; At a certain point a lily was a lily and a person was a person.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"Well," Yuuwaku says, setting the florid imagery aside, "you seem to like what I've been doing with my hands. Shall I continue further in? Take a gentler touch?" And she trails her fingers up the inside of Naida's forearm, following the line where the muscles meet until reaching her elbow.

[Kitsuki Naida]

"I would like that to start. It also would mean I can share my little surprise and allow you to explore what you started exploring in the bath."

Drawing her hand back and untying her sash, Naida shrugged off the green yukata to reveal she was wearing only her festival fundoshi and chest wrap under it.

"I decided to compromise between wearing only this here for you and wearing my yukata. I did say I would try my best to make this happen for you."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku stops suddenly, surprised by what she sees.

"Exquisite," she breathes as she looks on Naida, her admiration clear.

After a few breaths--deeper and more ragged, perhaps, than she might have expected--Yuuwaku begins to trail her fingertips up the bared upper arms, cupping the shoulders and massaging the toned swordswoman's muscles she finds there.

That it draws her closer in to Naida does not hurt, either, and she breathes deeply again, savoring the smoky scent of her.

In a voice that is not quite a whisper, she says "You amaze me, truly."

[Kitsuki Naida]

"I am happy I can provide that for you, Yuuwaku-san."

Naida spoke softly as well as she put out a verbal feeler for the intimacy of the moment by using the Kakita woman's name. Normally a day or two would be too early for most, but calling the woman 'Kakita-san' while being massaged did not feel quite right to Naida.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

My name? Yuuwaku thinks. Yes. Yes, here, now, yes.

Her hands work up towards the back of Naida's neck, alternating tracing and working the muscles beneath the skin, drawing her in closer to the Dragon until her lips are at her ear.

"How can I make you happier, Naida-san?"

[Kitsuki Naida]

""Well... perhaps you could do a dance for me? You did say you would offer a demonstration. And ever since I saw you emerge from the bath water in front of me, I've wanted to see you in motion, doing what you have trained for~"

A simple request, perhaps, but Naida seemed quite genuine in it.

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

Yuuwaku nods at the request, gives Naida's shoulders another squeeze, and stands gracefully. Taking up her fan-- never do dance as well without it--she begins to move her body through an intricate series of evolutions, hips rolling, torso undulating, feet stepping lightly, arms waving gracefully. It is a solid performance (27), though not the best she's done. Perhaps because her kimono has come slightly further open than is usual amid her gyrations.

She bows to Naida with a smile.

[Kitsuki Naida]

It may have been as technically as good as what Yuu was capable of, Naida certainly didn't know that. Nor would she have cared if she had; The dance had been for her eyes only, and was from one of the most beautiful samurai she had ever met. That made it the most special of dances to her. Naida sat seiza, hands on her knees as she watched at attention, the room silent except the swish of cloth and pat of feet on the tatami.

Eventually the short dance ended of course, and Naida light clapped two fingers against her other palm in adoration, "That was one of the most beautiful dances I've ever seen; So graceful, so flowing... like a vibrant autumn leaf floating on a playful warm southern breeze."

[Kakita Yuuwaku]

"The audience makes all the difference, Naida-san, and it's not often I have one that inspires me so."

Yuuwaku returns to sit before the Dragon, adds "I'm glad you liked it."

She leans forward toward her. "Very glad, indeed."