Jiro sat at a seat and folded. And folded. And folded. When counterpart showed there would be a small stack of origami flowers.

Kasumi ducked into the tea house with a strange mixture of emotions.

Excitement to be seeing him again.
Sadness that they were likely, well... done being anything more than friends.
And a whole tangled mess to go with it.

But all the same...

She couldn't help smiling.

"Oi, Jiro-san!"

He indicates the seat across from him and smiles brightly. "Please join me, Kasumi-san."

Her presence creates a tempest in his heart. His eyes tell the story of those feelings.

Now that I KNOW he's a good kisser I keep trying to-

No.

No more.

"Glad we're here'n not th'sake house. I was startin' t'worry 'bout how much time I was spendin' there."

The feel of his heart hammering against my chest... damn it.

Still.

I don't regret it. So I got that goin' for me.

He chuckled at that. "Can't have you living out of there."

Pouring a cup of tea for her. "You know. It's..."

He pauses to collect his thoughts. "I said it then, and I will say it again now. Thank you. For being amazing. I know what you think people see you as. But I see you Kasumi-san, and I appreciate you." His smile is warm, and the way he grips the edge of the table, she could likely tell he wanted her hand there instead.

And she really wanted to take his hand.

But the venue had been well chosen.

"Plenty'a thanks t'go 'round, Jiro-san. I mean, I got m'very own octopus t'guard m'tea set. Yoritomo hisself can't claim th'same."

And she also had the memory of moonlight, and "yes" carved twice into a tree, and the feel of his hands under a bundle of silk, and... And, and, and.

"An' y'never... seem t'be anythin' but who y'are. Rarer'n you might think."

"I enjoy being me being with you," he replied with a smirk.

"I... want to give you even more," he said, his tone soft. "I messed up the silks a bit. I will see if I can recover something from them. But I told you I wanted to see you in them. I will make that happen. Even if not here. You may get a package from me. Don't worry, I've got your measurements."

And I would love to double check. But...

"You don't owe me a blessed thing, Jiro-san."

She smiled.

"But a gift from a friend is always appreciated. 'Sides, I've had little luck findin' you a shark t'look at."

"Not about owing Kasumi," he says, getting personal without the honorific, but not suggestive with a chan. "It's about what I said I would do. And besides, there are probably some things we can save for the next time we meet. Might have a pet shark then."

Maybe... no, bad thoughts.

"Well, that is a thing, innit? Who knows where I go next? Def'nitely not me. Too many more performances like t'day's they'll have me swabbin' decks."

"I've mentioned it to you and others before," he says with a gentle smile. "You are competing against the best new graduates in the empire. Even the worst performance here will be seen in the light of the fact that you could compete. You just didn't win. Plus, we still have another test and the dueling," he says, his tone both warm and encouraging.

"It's too bad they don't have a Test of the Beautiful. I would definitely expect you to win that. And just because I am definitely biased because of obvious preferences doesn't mean I'm not right," he says with a smirk.

She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"Aw, Jiro-san, too kind... but s'far as th'duelin' goes, don't know that I'll even be competin' in that'un. Rckon I might just be sittin' in th'stands."

"I know that I will be," he says with a nod of understanding. "But you never know. As I understand it, Mantis crews all know how to fight, so a warrior test is probably as much in your skillset as the sailing test was."

"Remains t'be seen. Think m'last best shot was th'archery event, personally."

The one where she'd missed a stationary target.

"But that's as may be."

He nods at that. "So, we've talked about each other with on another. But something I haven't asked, what do you want in life?" he asks leaning on an elbow on the table and looking into her eyes.

"What is it that you daydream about when your mind wanders, what do you work towards when you get the chance to choose for yourself?"

"T'be fast, free, an' fierce."

She smiled.

"I don't think I could ever give up th'sea an' be happy, an' gettin' m'own ship? That'd be a fine thing. I'd like it t'be... honest, though, y'know? Maybe carry diplomats an' messages an' other stuff that's... important in a way most cargo ain't."

A pause.

"An' you?"

"That passion is amazing and I truly hope that you get all you want, Kasumi. I expect you have the drive and boldness to get it too. I'll need to keep you in mind if I ever need to sail somewhere. I would like to see your face when you are in the element that I suspect you love more than anything."

He smiles, looking at the pile of paper flowers. "Teaching. I want to teach others, share what I know and have figured out. Pass on to the next generation and prepare people for their life."

"I'd say you'd be damned good at that."

She grinned.

"I mean, I've learned a bit, and it's only been a week!"

"I'd say that if I focused my attention on you we might have accomplished more. But, its not proper to lie," he says with a smirk.

As he talks he turns the teacup on the table.

"I have learned a lot thanks to you as well, particularly about myself. So thank you for that. Truly."

He smiles warmly, looking into her eyes.

"Well, that's what friends are for, innit?"

Even friends you really want to do unspeakable things with.

"My life's th'richer for meetin' you, anyhow."