she blinks in confusion at that and manages first - ]
Congratulations.
[ . . . ]
How long are you staying...?
[the implication is there but - it's up to him, isn't it? she's said that there's always a place for him with her, but she doesn't want to assume that he'll be there forever if he ever wants to go somewhere else... she has no intentions of keeping him captive.]
she pauses at that again, surprised into silence for a moment - even though in the next she reaches for his hand, covering it with her own so that he has something of an answer even as she tries to find the words that she wants for this situation.]
... you can leave whenever you want.
[because it's up to him - because people can lose affection for one another, or he might not agree with something she decides, and there's no obligation that'll tie him to her but.]
Otherwise you might just be stuck with me forever, you know.
I know. I do plan to go see the others sometime - or they’ll find me, if I don’t.
[ he turns his hand under lili’s so that he can give it a light squeeze, the corners of his mouth tugging into a small smile. he didn’t really think she would turn him away, but it’s… a big deal, for him to know he won’t be left alone again, for as long as lili is here.
maybe she’ll recognize the way his eyes soften as relief, because of that. it’s just too hard to leave behind the expectation that he’ll be alone, after so many centuries that he can’t help it ]
...I don’t think I’d mind being stuck with you forever.
[ she's too human for that to really be possible... but that's okay. he still wants to be here, with lili, for as long as he can. it's a choice he's made for himself, one of the first he's ever really been allowed to make ]
[she nods to the first - because that's good. if his comrades didn't come to visit him, then lili would find a way to track them all down herself to make sure that they all got time together. don't leave her sword behind.
but she's thinking about complications to the idea of forever too, in her own way - she won't be able to keep this a secret from her father forever, even if she was planning on putting it off for as long as possible. issues such as succession, arranged marriages, all types of problems that are probably incoming....
except it all pretty much pales in comparison to the fact that the person that she wants to be with also wants to be with her - forever.
so she blushes a bit even though she's the one who proposed it, and nods her head]
[ kara smiles then, and it’s the first time in years that he thinks he’s been truly happy - at least, since sada joined them at the citadel. even if it can’t really be forever, he’s glad for the time they have together going forward from here ]
Will me staying here make problems for you?
[ she’s mentioned the arranged marriage before, but he’ll also have to find somewhere more permanent to stay, maybe even work?? kara will have to figure out what it means to live his own life, without a master directing him where to go or even how to live in their citadel. he was planning to ask lili about all of that, but that can come after her newest mission. ]
[well... if she's going to be honest, she can't say that the answer is no. because there are a few things that she'll have to consider now, even as she holds onto his hand and lets her chin rest in her other one thoughtfully.
but what she can say honestly is:]
Well, I would be making my own problems even if you didn't.
[so it really doesn't make much of a difference to her.]
It doesn't really matter - I'd rather you be here and we can deal with whatever comes with that.
Well... Things are fairly calm around the kingdom for now, but the Generals have been called to arms with greater frequency lately. If it ever comes down to something happening with the Water Tribe that forces my father to make a move, we'll probably have to go, too. [even if they'll try harder than ever to cage lili up during those times]
Or if there's something that he should be doing that he doesn't, then I'll want to take over again.
As is, there's always the lurking trouble of nadai - but trying to catch it early before it plagues towns again like this is good enough. Aside from that, I want to make sure that Yona and her friends are kept safe....
[she's just thinking out loud, about all the things that she wants to do, and everything that she intends to prepare for. kara might always want to live for some kind of mission but well - lili's not exactly the type of person to sit still.]
If you really will stick with me... then I'm sure we'll be busy.
But I do already feel better, knowing that you'll be around.
[ lili always seems to have so much on her mind… but that’s the life of a noble, he supposes. swords and soldiers like him have never had to think about such things. ]
You know I don’t mind being busy.
[ honestly? having the freedom to choose what he wants to do is so foreign to kara that he hardly knows what to do with it, aside from offering his help wherever he’s needed. but he knows that he wants lili to be happy, and that means helping her tribe and her country, so he’ll gladly lend her his sword. ]
Yes. It's a drug so potent that it can be a poison after multiple uses - it's the one that I summoned during trials to prove my power.
[because if you tell lili to name a poison she'll always say nadai first??? it's fine. but she sighs before explaining more about the situation]
It's highly addictive, and can ruin someone's body after just one dose, but they'll crave more. Letting it spread to people injuries their bodies and minds, and can completely eat away at a village from the inside. It can't be allowed to take ahold of any more innocent lives.
[it's one of those rare moments where she actually sounds like proper nobility, full of idealism and intent, and her hand tenses involuntarily in his hold.
and then she seems to realize how serious she got]
[ there have been times where he wondered why he liked this girl, because she's so much, but it's moments like this that always remind him. lili always has the best interests of her people at heart, and she always tries so hard for their sake. after serving a master like masamune, he can't help but admire that in her, as well. she may not be one to dive into a fight as quickly as he did, but it's just as well. she uses what she has, and that's enough for ookurikara. ]
...We'll stop it before it spreads any further through that village.
[ but first, he'll lean down to press a light kiss to her forehead ]
If you want to leave tonight, we can.
[ kara understands the anxiety that comes before heading out on a mission you care deeply about ]
her expression softens at the kiss, even if it makes her face heat up a little bit. she's not sure if she's ever really going to get used to receiving affection from him, but it's not like she hates that either. she looks away]
... it's alright. I need a little bit more time to secure horses for us.
[so they can rest for the night, and then their journey won't be so difficult.]
There's a few Water Tribe soldiers doing joint drills here, so I'm sure that I can borrow some.
[steal. she means steal. but they're technically her tribe's horses so they might as well be hers?
she wants to leave as soon as possible, but... well, there won't be a large difference in postponing their departure for just a few hours, she thinks. and maybe selfishly she wants to spend just a little bit of time with him, before they immediately move on to the next thing.]
[ he wouldn't mind jumping straight into the mission at all, but at the same time... kara does think it would be nice to just. spend some time with lili before they go. he came for her, after all.
and maybe he also thinks it's kind of cute how she blushes after a kiss. who can say? kara sure won't. ]
...Are you staying here tonight, or will you be going back?
You can't just - say things like that...!! Don't invite girls of a marriageable age to stay the night with you! If you ever say that to anyone else, I won't forgive you!
[lili doesn't know a monogamy but she does know a jealousy]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ simple as that. and once his shoes are off, he straightens to busy himself with removing his sword so he can sit too ]
The saniwa told us we can choose where we want to go for ourselves now. None of us need a master anymore.
[ the implication being that… he chose to come here. and that he’ll stay, as long as lili wants him to. ]
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she blinks in confusion at that and manages first - ]
Congratulations.
[ . . . ]
How long are you staying...?
[the implication is there but - it's up to him, isn't it? she's said that there's always a place for him with her, but she doesn't want to assume that he'll be there forever if he ever wants to go somewhere else... she has no intentions of keeping him captive.]
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For as long as you want me to.
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she pauses at that again, surprised into silence for a moment - even though in the next she reaches for his hand, covering it with her own so that he has something of an answer even as she tries to find the words that she wants for this situation.]
... you can leave whenever you want.
[because it's up to him - because people can lose affection for one another, or he might not agree with something she decides, and there's no obligation that'll tie him to her but.]
Otherwise you might just be stuck with me forever, you know.
[but she can't imagine wanting him to leave her?]
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[ he turns his hand under lili’s so that he can give it a light squeeze, the corners of his mouth tugging into a small smile. he didn’t really think she would turn him away, but it’s… a big deal, for him to know he won’t be left alone again, for as long as lili is here.
maybe she’ll recognize the way his eyes soften as relief, because of that. it’s just too hard to leave behind the expectation that he’ll be alone, after so many centuries that he can’t help it ]
...I don’t think I’d mind being stuck with you forever.
[ she's too human for that to really be possible... but that's okay. he still wants to be here, with lili, for as long as he can. it's a choice he's made for himself, one of the first he's ever really been allowed to make ]
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but she's thinking about complications to the idea of forever too, in her own way - she won't be able to keep this a secret from her father forever, even if she was planning on putting it off for as long as possible. issues such as succession, arranged marriages, all types of problems that are probably incoming....
except it all pretty much pales in comparison to the fact that the person that she wants to be with also wants to be with her - forever.
so she blushes a bit even though she's the one who proposed it, and nods her head]
... then as long as you don't mind -
You'll have me.
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Will me staying here make problems for you?
[ she’s mentioned the arranged marriage before, but he’ll also have to find somewhere more permanent to stay, maybe even work?? kara will have to figure out what it means to live his own life, without a master directing him where to go or even how to live in their citadel. he was planning to ask lili about all of that, but that can come after her newest mission. ]
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but what she can say honestly is:]
Well, I would be making my own problems even if you didn't.
[so it really doesn't make much of a difference to her.]
It doesn't really matter - I'd rather you be here and we can deal with whatever comes with that.
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You always do. Now I can be here to help you with them.
[ ...well. he frowns. ]
...Most of them. I’m not good with politics.
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If I get dragged to a fancy, boring political party, will you help me escape?
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Sure, if I can.
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[neither of them are good at politics
sure, she's trying to get better, but she also is the type to brute force her way into things forever]
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Good. But I’ll help with anything else you need me for.
[ what is he without some kind of mission ]
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Or if there's something that he should be doing that he doesn't, then I'll want to take over again.
As is, there's always the lurking trouble of nadai - but trying to catch it early before it plagues towns again like this is good enough. Aside from that, I want to make sure that Yona and her friends are kept safe....
[she's just thinking out loud, about all the things that she wants to do, and everything that she intends to prepare for. kara might always want to live for some kind of mission but well - lili's not exactly the type of person to sit still.]
If you really will stick with me... then I'm sure we'll be busy.
But I do already feel better, knowing that you'll be around.
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You know I don’t mind being busy.
[ honestly? having the freedom to choose what he wants to do is so foreign to kara that he hardly knows what to do with it, aside from offering his help wherever he’s needed. but he knows that he wants lili to be happy, and that means helping her tribe and her country, so he’ll gladly lend her his sword. ]
Is it nadai you’ll be looking for tomorrow?
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[because if you tell lili to name a poison she'll always say nadai first??? it's fine. but she sighs before explaining more about the situation]
It's highly addictive, and can ruin someone's body after just one dose, but they'll crave more. Letting it spread to people injuries their bodies and minds, and can completely eat away at a village from the inside. It can't be allowed to take ahold of any more innocent lives.
[it's one of those rare moments where she actually sounds like proper nobility, full of idealism and intent, and her hand tenses involuntarily in his hold.
and then she seems to realize how serious she got]
... well - that's tomorrow.
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...We'll stop it before it spreads any further through that village.
[ but first, he'll lean down to press a light kiss to her forehead ]
If you want to leave tonight, we can.
[ kara understands the anxiety that comes before heading out on a mission you care deeply about ]
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her expression softens at the kiss, even if it makes her face heat up a little bit. she's not sure if she's ever really going to get used to receiving affection from him, but it's not like she hates that either. she looks away]
... it's alright. I need a little bit more time to secure horses for us.
[so they can rest for the night, and then their journey won't be so difficult.]
There's a few Water Tribe soldiers doing joint drills here, so I'm sure that I can borrow some.
[steal. she means steal. but they're technically her tribe's horses so they might as well be hers?
she wants to leave as soon as possible, but... well, there won't be a large difference in postponing their departure for just a few hours, she thinks. and maybe selfishly she wants to spend just a little bit of time with him, before they immediately move on to the next thing.]
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[ he wouldn't mind jumping straight into the mission at all, but at the same time... kara does think it would be nice to just. spend some time with lili before they go. he came for her, after all.
and maybe he also thinks it's kind of cute how she blushes after a kiss. who can say? kara sure won't. ]
...Are you staying here tonight, or will you be going back?
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[maybe if she jokes about it then she doesn't have to think he's being serious]
I'm not going to let you sleep on the floor on your first night here?
[and there's only one bed? CLEARLY he's not being serious about this
(or maybe it's more like she'll implode if he actually is)]
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It's your choice.
[ he is definitely serious about the offer! it just doesn't mean the same to him as it does for lili hahaha ]
But if you're going back, you probably shouldn't go alone.
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her face goes from lightly blushing to bright red]
Wait—
You can't be—
[she's just going to cover her face before he can comment this time - not that it helps, when she's blushing up to her ears]
You....!!
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...What?
[ after all those years of fighting the history revisionists, he is still a dumb sword ]
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really need kaoru for this]
You can't just - say things like that...!! Don't invite girls of a marriageable age to stay the night with you! If you ever say that to anyone else, I won't forgive you!
[lili doesn't know a monogamy but she does know a jealousy]
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I wouldn't say it to anyone but you.
[ dategumi aside, of course. but why would he?? ]
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