What a day. In fact, what a week!

The garden was quiet at this time of night. A few lanterns lit the pathway, enhanced by the gently waning moon overhead. But the paths themselves were mostly deserted, visitors and food carts both vanished for the day.

Except for Hirame!

The Mantis wore his fine new robes still, having worn them during the day's festivities. As a concession to being done for the day, though, he'd undone his hair tie, his medium-length hair framing his features, a casual note in his formalwear. His hazel-eyed gaze swept this way and that as he walked the quiet paths.

It had been quite the day indeed! And so many preparations to be done for tomorrow's last official ceremony where they would finally be acknowledged as adults.

But Ahiru was looking forward to seeing Hirame now the night before the big day. Especially since the duels hadn't gone as he had hoped, so was concerned if he was feeling down over it.

Spotting him near the spot they had agreed to meet, Ahiru picked up her pace a little. She was dressed in a nice kimono with a haori over to keep away the evening chill, but it wasn't as extravagant as her ceremonial clothes. "Hirame-san, good evening," she greeted.

Spotting Ahiru, Hirame smiled. Was his smile perhaps a touch more subdued than usual? Could be.

"Hey, Ahiru-san." He returned her greeting. His long rolling stride took him over to her before he bowed. "Good evening to you, too." He said.

He bit his lip before speaking. "I saw you watching today, at my duel." His lips quirked. "No Kakita, to be sure. Still, I wish I'd..." His lips pressed together, and he gave a tiny shrug.

Likewise she bowed to him as well.

"Of course I was watching. Your duel was the most important today, at least to me." It hadn't been the most important one to the others, but that didn't matter. "There was no shame in losing to a more skilled duelist, and Ikoma-san has proven to be very talented. Overall, there's no shame to have lost anything in this championship, since we've all been competing with the finest young samurai in the Empire."

That first sentence brought an immediate smile to Hirame's lips. "Yeah? Funny, that. I was pretty much just looking for one person in the audience."

He chewed his lip a moment again, brushing a hand back through his hair. "Yeah... I suppose so. I wondered if it made a difference, getting to the end and then getting knocked out immediately. It stings, losing, but I should be honored to have gotten a chance."

Then he smirked. "I mean, stings metaphorically. Physically, hey, I meant it when I said Mantis are tougher than that. Barely a bruise."

Her eyebrows rose slightly. "... Oh, are you sure? It seemed like quite the blow Ikoma-san gave you..." was she teasing, or just concerned? There did seem to be a playful quirk to the corner of her mouth.

"A shame I didn't get to face off against you though, but... I guess this means you won our wager."

Hirame's eyebrows went up. "Perhaps I should show you, and set your mind at ease?" He teased right back. The blow had been across his chest... Hirame's own lips quirked, his hazel eyes on her face, watching for a blush.

The smirk became a more normal smile. "Yeah, I guess I did. But you know, I was kinda looking forward to seeing what you're capable of." He took a breath, still smiling. "But I get the feeling that, once we're married, I'll have plenty of opportunity for that." No tease, this, but honest admiration.

His expression became more serious. "So, by the terms we set, I can decide whether I remain Mantis or join the Crane. Right?"

Ahiru pressed her lips together, supressing a blush. "N-not here, in public! ... Not that I would want to in private either. I mean, now. That is. Before we're married." She quickly brought out her fan to help her not be so flustered about it.

Not that they were going to be married right away after the tournament, but with everything over soon, it was pressing on her mind more.

"Yes, that is correct. As the victor of our wager, you hold the power to decide your future - our future."

Hirame's smile grew only more scoundrelly as Ahiru spoke. "I see." He said knowingly, a touch smugly, a bit 'oh no he's hot-ly'.

But he sobered quickly. "Our future..." He echoed. Tilting his head, he regarded his wife to be, his hazel eyes strange. Her beauty was the first thing he'd noticed, but her will was the next, and it had impressed him even more.

"I have always chosen my own path." Hirame began, speaking slowly. "As an officer, I sometimes choose for those I command. But I have never before chosen the fate of an equal. Not as a husband and a wife should be." He took a deep breath. "I'm not sure I can."

Slowly, he inclined his head to her. "So instead I will ask. My will is that I remain a Mantis, fulfill the destiny that I know I have there, captain my own ship..." Another deep breath, his eyes on hers. "If I ask, calling our bet quits, will you marry me, and join me there?"

Eyes with color of the sea watched him intently as he spoke, closing for a moment to gather her thoughts before answering Hirame's question.

"Unlike you, I've never had much chance to choose my own path - almost everything in my life, has been decided by somebody else." Her path as a courtier, her marriage... it was clear that it was a rare moment in her life he was presenting her with; the power to decide herself. And Ahiru realised that remaining a Crane, it would continue on those paths set before her. It was the safer choice, of course. Safety, stability, predictability.

But on the other hand, she saw the greater freedom tied to the greater uncertainity of a life as a Mantis. Perhaps a place she could choose her own terms, and to make her mark upon history.

Her lips parted, pressed together again, and then eased into a small smile. "I would be honored, Hirame, to join you there. While I still have some of the concerns I expressed before, I... I care about your happiness too, but I also see the challenge ahead, in being a Mantis on my own terms - how I want to live my life." And if Hirame had learned anything about Ahiru in this time here in Tsuma, it was that she welcomed a challenge.

As she finished, Hirame found himself grinning fiercely. It was the sort of grin he wore when he stood on the deck of a ship, facing down a storm, terrifying, but secure in the firm belief that they'd all get through it together. A fitting metaphor, perhaps. "You're really something, Ahiru." He said, still grinning. "You're right, it's going to be a challenge. But we'll face it, on our terms, together." Something he was looking forward to, actually.

He stepped a little closer. Not quite into scandalous scoundrel distance, but close, his presence a tangible thing. "I'd really like to kiss you now." Hirame murmured, his eyes on hers again. "I won't if you don't want me to..." his eyes flickered off to the side, "-but if you'd like, we could step underneath those willow branches, just for a moment."

He tilted his head, playful smile growing. "What do you say to that, Ahiru-san?" He asked, his voice rich, deep.

To meet his gaze properly, Ahiru tilted her head up slightly, and she felt very aware of his close proximity now. She glanced off to the side, to the mentioned willow-branches...

Her hand gingerly curled a lock of her dark hair around the slender fingers. "Yes... I like the sound of that, Hirame-san. Under the willow-tree." Her own voice, even if it was soft and pleasant, was not timid. Rather it had some of that fire she had often shown, indicating that she was quite comfortable with making her own decisions, including this one.

She let him lead the way at first, but soon enough matched his stride to walk alongside him as an equal. "I appriciate that you consider propriety in these circumstances... considering you are a scoundrel," Ahiru remarked as they stepped into the sheltering area of the weeping willow tree.

Hirame smiled, his heart beating faster as Ahiru met his stride, walking together with him under the tree. They'd kissed before, but something felt significant about the one they were about to share.

Once concealed, Hirame turned to her, hand coming up to brush gently across her face, cup her cheek warmly. "I've been trying more and more to be a gentleman, lately. In that, you've been both an inspiration and a help." He stepped closer, beginning to lean forward. "Perhaps I can inspire you to be just a bit of a scoundrel."

And with that he kissed her, deeper and more firmly than their first kiss on the boat.

"Well, if I am to be a Mantis..." she said with a smirk, but the words trailed off into a breathy whisper as they closed the distance between them, connecting as their lips touched. Her hand rested against his arm, near the elbow, as they properly shared this very brief and stolen intimate moment. Like straight from a pillowbook.

It felt exciting and scandalous all at once.

Hirame's arm tensed under Ahiru's touch as their lips met, his own hand on her cheek steady, confident, warm. Indeed, the slightly illicit excitement of it all leant it a spice beyond the softness and warmth of the kiss.

Hirame's lips curled up into a smile just before they parted. He exhaled as he stepped back, his hand leaving her cheek only at the last possible instant as his feet carried him away. For a moment, he stood there, handsome features just a little flushed, studying hers.

"My captain said to begin as you mean to go on." Hirame said, his voice just a touch breathless. "I think we're off to a good start, don't you?"

Her free hand briefly touched Hirame's hand as it left her cheek, allowing the shared warmth and connection between them to last just a second longer as they both stepped back. A moment passed and she brought her colorful sleeves up to her face, hiding her mouth and nose behind the silk in a demure gesture that still let her flushed cheeks be visible.

"... I think so too, yes."

Had her sister felt this way too for her upcoming marriage? It was hard to completely dismiss the thought.

"We've been fortunate. To have these days of the tournament to meet and talk."

"Yeah..." Hirame's expression was thoughtful, his head tilting as he considered. In the quiet of the garden, it was easy to think and talk about even difficult concepts. "It takes a lot of pressure off the wedding. I don't have to worry about if we'll get along, or how our first meeting will go, or..." Hirame grimaced, "-any number of other things."

He took a breath. "Instead, well, I'll know that if nothing else, we really like each other." He smiled. "And kissing you is very nice."

The grin turned rueful. "Of course, I'm still going to worry about some things. What are your parents like, for instance?"