[D7, EM Jiro's Room] A Warning

[Shiba Haru]

Somewhat awkwardly Haru seemed to take a stance. To him this was in part a gift between duelists and he wanted it to feel that way, so he focused, he closed his eyes and listened to his heartbeat then with a soft brown paint he roughed out the dojo and wall that runs around the area.

Painting a gift with Jiro | TN: 1 | Success: 3 / Opportunity: 1 / Strife: 3

[Shiba Jiro]

As he needed to, he stepped in to detail, update, or guide through a perspective. The resulting painting turned out quite well.

"Very nice Haru. I think he'll enjoy it," he says with a nod."

[Shiba Haru]

"I thought painting took days, this is going really fast.

So..uhh...how is Natsuko-san?"

[Shiba Jiro]

"Things progress slowly but well. She's asked me along for some foraging in the forest tonight. So that should be interesting. Im glad to see how she is in the types of activity she chooses," he replies with a nod.

[Shiba Haru]

"Good. Good. I...I feel like I should find more time to get to know her and let her get to know more of our family, but the whole time we talked that morning I kept trying to dance around the subject of her past. She shared some but it really is none of my business and she doesn't seem to want to go into detail, not that she seems to remember much before coming to the Phoenix. Really those are the kind of questions for you if anyone is going to ask but you know how I am. What do you think?"

[Shiba Jiro]

"I think we've talked about that a bit, will continue to talk about it in the future. She has a rhythm that I can somewhat pick up on. She doesn't get embarrassed or uncomfortable in exactly the same way. She is curious and wonders about the nature of the way things are. She asks questions about certain things, I think, so that she can form her opinion about them in the context of a different perspective," he says looking to the painting.

"Get her to ask you about something. Relate parts of the conversation to each other. Ask questions that are along the same line. She wants to contemplate."

He moves to his tea cup and grabs Haru's for him as well. Sip.

[Shiba Haru]

"So you don't mind if I speak with her again?"

Haru took the offered cup and drank.

[Shiba Jiro]

"Why would I? I am her betrothed brother, not the gatekeeper of her presence and time," he says with a chuckle. "Speak with your future sister, get to know her and let her get to know you."

[Shiba Haru]

"Why? I don't know but right now I don't know much of anything, there is so much going on. If adult life is like this I am in serious trouble and it's a good thing I am not a courtier. But yes, I will, I don't know what we will talk about but I should spend more time getting to know her."

[Shiba Jiro]

"Talk about what you know, and listen to her when she talks about what she knows. It's not too hard," he says with a smirk. "The good thing is she'll be family, so if you bore her she still has to stick around."

[Shiba Haru]

"That doesn't worry me I'm much more interesting than you, the people here just don't seem to see it that way; I blame these strange breakfasts they keep serving us."

He stepped back from the canvas and gave it a thoughtful look.

"The trouble is understanding what I know. There have been times here when giving advice or talking on some subjects where I have felt like a wise sage but that's just because I understood an idea better than someone with no experience in it. I'm not sure there is anything I can say the would interest an Ishiken. She probably isn't much interested in the different methods of drawing a blade, especially with whatever happened to her. That's the challenge, the dance on eggshells to not bring up something that could upset her which I find much harder to do than with a non-Ishiken. Not that it's something I can solve talking to you, I'm just going to have to fumble my way through this one.

So does the canvas need anything else? No way we are done right?"

[Shiba Jiro]

"It needs to dry, and will require touches when the colors shif after drying. Some people use a clear lacquer to protect works, but I am not those people."

[Shiba Haru]

A dark thought suddenly crossed his mind.

SIGH

Haru's tone was somber, every word sounding like an apology. He didn't want to go down this path again but felt it was important.

"Before I do talk to her there is one really important question to ask. Does she have any idea about your close relationship with Kasumi? And before you try to deflect or say you are just friends which we both know isn't true I am asking this because I honestly have no idea if I am going to be able to lie to her. I think I would, for you but it is not strictly in my nature and she can see things beyond my understanding so even if I did she could know the truth. I don't EXPECT her to ask me any sort of question that could lead to such a moment but I would rather be prepared if it does."

[Shiba Jiro]

"Say what you will Haru. I'm not here to make choices for you. She doesn't know how I feel about Kasumi, but she doesn't know how I feel about most people. It's a difficult thing to bring up."

[Shiba Haru]

"Don't grow cold on me brother, I'm not going to run to her and tattle on you.

This isn't exactly fun for me, to know that you are so happy with Kasumi but duty demands other things from you. I'm honestly going to have words with mother and father about this when we return home, it's cruel what they have done to you and I swear upon our soul that my children will be given every opportunity to find happiness for themselves.

I may not be fond of Kasumi but that is because of this situation and the fact that you are so fond of her means more to me than my own feelings about her. But I am always going to try and protect you, it's in my nature AND my training. Just as you are more of an individual than I am, it's why there are some thing things you won't tell me when I tell you anything. It's probably my least favorite thing about you but I accept it because I love you and want you to be happy; if that means keeping some things to yourself then so be it.

I wish it wasn't like this."

[Shiba Jiro]

"They have not done it. It was some nakodo neither of us knows. It's not cruel, it's the nature of clan decisions. Nobody deserves blame for arranging a betrothal in line with the goals of the Phoenix."

He shakes his head.

"I'm not being cold. I'm releasing you from feeling responsible for my decisions. Don't. Make the decisions that are right for you. Also, I don't really hide things about myself from you, but I will unapologetically hide things about others from anyone, because it is not my place to share on their behalf. I'm a library, read any book that is mine. But there is a forbidden section that is all about others."

[Shiba Haru]

Haru smirked playfully.

"Nice words but all the interesting stuff involves other people so you can be hiding just about anything in that forbidden section.

Where as I would tell you anything if you asked about it." he said with mock smugness.

[Shiba Jiro]

"And that is why I don't ask about such things, brother. Because you share them with me freely. You realize that Kasumi-san probably felt as comfortable with Togashi-san as you do with me. In this situation, I am in the Dragon's position. I know things you trusted me with. I'm not going to be sharing them though."

[Shiba Haru]

"Yes but the big difference there is that we have known each other longer than a week brother, I would dare say we are closer than they could ever be given a lifetime of friendship. I understand your point though. I wish everyone was as easy to read as I think I am, it would certainly make this week a lot easier. I keep going back to Shinko, I wish I knew what was going through her head, I wish I knew what was going through the minds of the judges and i wish i could know what is going through our parent minds when we return and they learn how poorly I did here."

[Shiba Jiro]

"You are not winning against a group of people that win so much they were sent here. Seriously, stop focusing on that. You are here, that is great."