Stealthy Shopping Soirée

[Iuchi Prashant]

"Pfft, It's not a gift if it's just coin, and it's coin I only have because those shiftless...what's Tegensai for dung piles?" Laughing at the thought that they probably don't teach that one in any formal class, she goes on. "Anyway, so don't make me think of a dozen ways to say you should have it when it's just a bit of metal with no...y'know...life to it. Much better if it's something that your family would like."

The Shugenja initially seems to relax after Nesrin's cheerful, easygoing answer "Well I had called one of them kwaräse - or 'shit'", he says, laughing a bit. "But 'group of dung' would be melteṣṣe kraupe!", he says, still laughing happily. "Weeell I'll see if I find something they might like then, thanks lareṣk... ahm, Washamo Nesrin!" - his voice trails off a bit as he corrects himself in the last words.

Ichiro holds up his hands in a placating gesture "woah there just messing around Nesrin-san. No need to look like you want to knock my head off."

"Ah! I... washamone Ichiro sai Nesrin*, it's... It's all good! We can leave those bouts for the Naadam, ma?", he says, giving Ichiro a little punch on his arm as well - with a joking face that seemed at the same time slightly worried that his actions would cause a fight between the friends!

For the space of two breaths the usually chatty girl just stops, blinking, she glances between the pair of them, checking for the joke, but if nothing else, the past week and change have really boosted her ability to pick up those undercurrents, and they're not there. "What? No, that's...I mean, see, that's something your sisters might like." Pause. "Because that's a real gift." Pause. "Um, refused like a real gift.. that isn't a coin."

She's almost thankful for Ichiro's joking so she can stop babbling and punch him in the arm. "Hey!"

He then tries another deep breath, but it ends up a bit unsteady. "Ahhh right! I mean, of course that is a... Uh, not a coin... I mean!" He then breathes again, this time more successfully, although his cheeks are scarlet by now. "I mean... washamo Nesrin, my ṣerne, er, my sisters will be close to me at home, while we will be apart for at least some time!" He pauses for a while, breathes again, his eyes shifting to the Moto besides them for a while as he blushes a bit more, then setting on the Battle Maiden's for the last. "So...I'd... like you to keep this... ailñe - ah, not a coin! I mean, gift!" He blurts out, then breathes in again...
"To remember us by.", he then says, his voice finally more steady, apparently finding back some of its usual calm.

*Washamone would be "two friends" (I'll use 'washamoi' for more than 2!), 'sai' would be 'and' - I'll just assume Prash would have told you two that before already!

[Utaku Nesrin]

(note, ignoring language lessons because I don't think flustered Nesrin's in a state to pick them up, not because the player is ignoring them. ^^)

"I'm not going to forget you." The battle maiden says forcefully, as she looks from one to the other for a moment, as if checking whether they actually believed that she would. Scratching at the back of her neck as she looks down, a bit embarrassed at her outbursts. "I mean..um..obviously I don't need an object to remind me, because it's been such a memorable time here, with training and escapades and midnight ambushes and...well I missed the goblins, but I'm going to remember that they happened."

"You should keep it to remember the tournament, since that's what it was for." Her hands held before her waist, the flushed Unicorn attempted a proper delivery of the required refusal.

[Iuchi Prashant]

(note, ignoring language lessons because I don't think flustered Nesrin's in a state to pick them up, not because the player is ignoring them. ^^)

"I'm not going to forget you." The battle maiden says forcefully, as she looks from one to the other for a moment, as if checking whether they actually believed that she would. Scratching at the back of her neck as she looks down, a bit embarrassed at her outbursts. "I mean..um..obviously I don't need an object to remind me, because it's been such a memorable time here, with training and escapades and midnight ambushes and...well I missed the goblins, but I'm going to remember that they happened."

"You should keep it to remember the tournament, since that's what it was for." Her hands held before her waist, the flushed Unicorn attempted a proper delivery of the required refusal.

(Note too - That makes sense! And actually after the first bits, Prash going back and forth using Tegensai words is mostly him slipping back to his heritage language due to his nervousness! )

Prash is clearly at least as ruffled as she is, and keeps scratching his hair, at first looking up and apparently fretting a bit, but then unable to hide a happy, if a bit silly, smile as she speaks about the group's time there.

After she finishes the second refusal, he takes another breath - and this time manages to speak in a somewhat calmer, warmer voice, a bit closer to his usual self - although it still wavers in parts.

"Lar...washamo Nesrin, the tournament's prize was to share games with you and the others! And... this is not lest you forget, but as something to... to keep us closer before we meet again! It... it doesn't shine as bright..." his voice then wavers and he breathes in again, closing his eyes for a moment.

Ah, Really!? Well, now I've started...

"It... it doesn't shine as bright as your smile, Lariya Nesrin! But... I think it fits your sunny nature", he finishes with a shy, but happy smile, extending the golden hairpin to her for the third time.

[Utaku Nesrin]

She kind of wants to punch him as well, for some reason. But that would be super rude, and confusing for everyone involved.

Instead, she reaches to take the offered pin, blushing fiercely at the complement. "Ah, thank you, then," she mumbles, though her words get clearer as she goes along, "I'll remember you, when I wear it, and your...um, generous nature, Prashant-san...ah, washamo Prashant."

Palms still grubby from climbing the wall, she tucks the pin securely into one coiled braid. "It's a pretty pin," she offers, as the least awkward comment in a bit. "So..."

Casting around for a topic, she ends up with..."Ah, speaking of changing names, I got a letter from Otomo-sama the other morning. I thought kind of thought she'd be pursuing a match with you, Ichiro-san. Or was all that just rumors?"

[Iuchi Prashant]

The Shugenja has a shy smile on his face when she takes the pin, then takes a short step back and holds his hands awkwardly, as if not entirely sure what to do with them, as she looks at Nesrin place the pin on her hair, then nods slightly at her comment and smiles again. "Ah... glad you like it, washamo Nesrin!", is all he manages to say in a soft voice, smiling slightly again... and then he seems happy to see the focus of attention change to the Moto as she changes the subject.

[Moto Ichiro]

Ichiro shrugs "I dont pretend to understand Imperials and the way they do things. I like her she says she likes me but that its not her place to make those decisions. She says she has to give one to everyone who is a good match and let her family decide though apparently after all this she can tell them her preference." He said with a light air of confusion to his voice "All I know is she has to marry into the Unicorn if we go that route cause I couldn't handle being an imperial."

[Utaku Nesrin]

"oof, yeah. That would be...stifling." Nesrin frowns, trying to imagine life in the capitol. "I mean, I have to pass the letter on to my family, cause that's proper. But I guess I'll tell them it's not a match I much want." She keeps absentmindedly touching her hair, and the pin as they continue through the market.

[Moto Ichiro]

Ichiro gives Nesrin a knowing smile seeing how she fiddles with the pin so "That is very kind of you Nesrin-san to turn down an Imperial engagement because of our friendship."

[Utaku Nesrin]

"Not turning it down, that's for my family t'do. But...if they want to, I'm fine giving them reason, you know?" She steers toward the sugar and sweet rice smell of the wagashi stall. "You've got something going there and I don't, though she seems nice enough and all. Besides, I don't want to go be an Imperial either."

[Iuchi Prashant]

The Iuchi looks at some other of the stalls around while he hears the others' conversation - apparently a bit lost.

"Ah, I had thought you and Otomo-sama seemed somehow... close, washamo Moto - so it wasn't just my imagination, I guess?", he says smiling, maybe a bit uncomfortable. "But... do you think... her family is likely to take her preferences into consideration? I... can't say I have much experience with such matters at all"