[D4, EA] Lunch to Go (Open/Expecting)

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh come DESCRIBE it to me, make me feel it. Tell me of some of your adventures won't you?"

He began to plan a plucky and jaunty tune that he hoped would inspire her and reminder her of a sea shanty.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Y'mean like th'time we realized all our rice had bugs in it?"

She winked.

"Or maybe th'time we were becalmed for a week an' we started goin' insane from th'boredom 'cause our shugenja had indigestion from th'bad food?"

[Shiba Haru]

"I honestly don't know which of those sounds worse to be honest with you. So are there a lot of islands out there, I mean besides the ones you hail from, or is it all just empty?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Oh, there's a few islands, but there's plenty of empty sea. More of it than islands, 'least the parts'n'charts I've seen."

[Shiba Haru]

"So how do you navigate during the day with no stars and no landmarks; when your out in the middle of nowhere?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Lady Sun lets us know east from west, an' a lotta routes're pretty well-known t'cap'n'n'crew alike. An' if y'hear waves or spot shorebirds, y'keep a steady back'n'forth with th'lookout."

[Shiba Haru]

"And that would be you yes? You said you spend a lot of time up the mast."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"When I can. But even I can't spend a whole watch up there. Even if it's the closest I think I'll ever get t'flyin'. But aye, I spend a deal'a time shoutin' down what I make out."

[Shiba Haru]

"What makes it so difficult?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

She gave him a bland look.

Sighed.

There really was no way around it.

"Y'ever wonder what it might be like to try'n take a crap up there?"

[Shiba Haru]

"Oh, No I hadn't, I was thinking that the sun starts to get to you. But that makes sense. Forgive me if I seem like I'm prying but you don't seem very interested in detail or prose. I'm not boring you am I?"

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"S'just... I don't do... flowery words s'well. Like. At all. An' shipboard life... it's like tryin' t'talk about exactly how I breathe."

[Shiba Haru]

Haru stopped playing and looked her in the eye.

"Kasumi-san, have I said or done something to suggest I have an issue with the way you talk or sound? I think it fits you well and when I said you have a lovely voice I didn't just mean when you sing. If you don't want to talk about yourself I understand, what would you like to talk about?"

He began playing again but it was a simple tune so he could keep focusing on her.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"'Round here? I honestly dunno. I... dunno what th'hell anyone in Tsuma talks about. These people c'n spend half'n hour talkin' 'bout some damn teacup."

[Shiba Haru]

"So pretend we aren't here, were on your ship or in a port you like to visit. You usually talk to the same people for weeks at a time so you must be a good conversationalist."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"We mostly bitch 'bout th'food, an'lunch was pretty good. Or we just trade lies."

[Shiba Haru]

"Trade lies? Okay that you need to tell me more about."

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

"Oh, y'know... lies. Like, Old Goro would talk 'bout th'time he caught a whale with his bare hands, an' let it go when it promised t'find 'im a ningyo wife. An' then Tsuji'd cut in with how th'ningyo got one look at Goro's face and near died'a fright, an' Tsuji hadda swim down with a chunk 'a gold t'pay the ningyo off fer th'insult of tryin' t'marry Goro t'one'a them. That kinda thing."

[Shiba Haru]

"Ah so amusing lies, not actually trying to convince anyone. Like how I've convinced you I'm my brother this whole time."

"Haru's" posture and expression changed in an instant and for a moment he looked even more like Jiro then he always did.

[Yukikaze no Kasumi]

Kasumi rolled her eyes.

"Please, his responses t'my whispers were a bit less... back'n'forth."