[Hatake Toshizō]

"to warm the soul". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." SHOW ME THE WAY Toshizou arched one of his brows at her words, as they rang sincere, and yet, how could she be so in charge of her own destiny? How could she be so in charge of her own path, her journey? That required significant power, one that only those who call themselves shinobi can claim to have, and not just your average shinobi... No, it requires someone to be among the very few who can truly call themselves strong in this wicked world. "Bold statement, lass. You are just making me more curious." he admitted, with a widened smirk and a soft chuckle that followed. When she asked if he was one of the strong ones, he nonchalantly nodded. He wasn't bragging, that was just reality as it was, and when she said she would love to see what he was capable of one day, and he folded his arms in front of his chest, tilting his head to the side a bit. "Sure I could show you. But then I would have to kill ya, and that would be a waste." he teased her; having such a beautiful woman dead would be a waste for this world, and someone like him, who had been spreading kids out in the world left and right would feel rather saddened by that. To his surprise, however, the place the woman suggested them to go was a hot spring, which would be quite welcoming in this cold weather. "Hot spring, you say? Now that makes it for a special occasion indeed. Show me the way." he said as he walked over to the door and held it open for her. Once she passed through it, he would follow closely behind her. He didn't seem too bothered by the cold wind, but he didn't enjoy it. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Random Bar Leaving the place [Ryuujin Shiina] [308 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

The woman smiled, "Curiosity is great, isn't it?" She leaned back in her chair again, her eyes shining a little under the light of the bar. "You make me very curious too, to be quite honest..." her voice trailed a little. "I've always been very curious about those who say they are strong. Not at all trying to discredit people but self-proclamation usually ends up being less than what it seems to be." Shiina almost giggled at the idea of being killed. "I'd love to see you try, Toshi-san." She wasn't even drunk yet and already she had dropped half of his name and gave him a nickname. But she did it anyway, just to see his reaction, if he would give her one.

Of course, she didn't mean that he didn't have the ability to kill her because she was certain that some people from other villages were definitely able to have her head if they chose to. But there were really only a very selected few that would. "But you can try, I'll make sure to give you a run for your money..." She was glad that the man took her offer at relocating to a hot spring. She knew of this ryokan that was both sophisticated and warm. The purple-haired woman got up from her chair, throwing on her black overcoat. She flagged to the owner of the bar, putting down some coins for both his and her drinks. The fact that they hadn't touched their drinks was obvious how they felt about the quality. He scoffed and cleared the table even before they left the establishment, muttering about ungrateful customers.

"This hot spring is a personal favorite place of mine. I always reserve a room with a private hot spring there." Shiina took the lead and walked out of the bar, the bitter cold air hitting her face like a truck. The two of them walked in silence for a few minutes, the man behind her as they went. They weaved through the half-empty streets until the giant lanterns of Aozora Ryokan came into view. From the outside, it looked like a big Japanese-styled home, with a nice stone path that led up to the entrance. The entire building was only two stories high and made out of wood and paper. She opened the sliding door, revealing the scent of fresh flowers and soap, the perfect combination.

"Welcome to Aozora Ryokan! We only have one private room left, is that okay?" The woman behind the counter addressed them both as they entered. Shiina turned her head to Toshizou, waiting for his answer.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"to warm the soul". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." RYOKAN Toshizou nodded when Shiina mentioned the greatness of curiosity. "At times, yes." his tone was quite relaxed, but he firmly believed that curiosity could be detrimental at times; dangerous even. She had a point about people who declared themselves strong. Most of the times they were just clowns who were way too arrogant for their own good, but that was not the case with him. He was up-front about his strength as a way to give people a fair warning. Still, when she said she would love to see him try, he chuckled softly, shaking his head, but not saying anything in return. Still, he took a mental note of that; she seemed confident enough, so he was almost certain she had shinobi training, and at least a decent level of strength. "I would like to see that. Perhaps one day..." he said in a vague, yet curious tone. Now a decent part of him wanted to see what the woman was capable of, and his mind was starting to try and theorize as to where she could be from, and what abilities she could have at her disposal. He had a sharp mind, but at the same time he didn't like to jump into baseless conclusions. But whatever thoughts were crossing his mind, he kept it in his head as the two of them left the shitty bar and headed towards the hot spring place she mentioned. Shiina would talk about the place, mentioning a private hot spring. "Private? That is even better. It will be quite the upgrade from our previous establishment, I'm sure." he said with a firm nod. As they walked in silence through the town's streets, they soon arrived at a far more interesting establishment. The Aozora Ryokan looked quite traditional, and it was very pleasant to the eyes. The aromas of the place showed it was quite the high quality place indeed, and Toshizou felt rather pleased. As they arrived, the woman behind the counter asked if the same room was okay, and Shiina turned to Toshizou, who nodded without hesitation. "It's perfectly fine." he said in a nonchalant tone. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Reception [Ryuujin Shiina] [359 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

Shiina's eyebrow raised a fraction at how quickly Toshizou responded to the hostess. Of course he wouldn't mind, and to be fair, neither would she. They were both flirtatious, although she was unsure of where his boundaries lay. This was the perfect chance to find out, the woman mused, while they were both taken to the room. It was quite a nice room, from the fluffy futons that rested side-by-side, to the flowers and snacks provided, she knew that she could stay here forever. It was much better than any other place she had stayed at. She sat down on one of the chairs, her legs tucked underneath her as she sat, the owner of the place entering with a bottle of sake. "This is a welcome drink, complementary of our staff here. Please let us know if you need anything." Shiina nodded her head, all the while taking in the fresh scent of the flowers and tatami mats.

"I suppose we should get comfortable..." Her eyes wandered to the man, though she was grounded in her seat. There were yukatas provided by the ryokan folded neatly on the futons. "If you would like I can give you some space to change..." She stood up then, her eyes lifted from Toshizou and onto the balcony-like area that overlooked the village. She had always dreamed of staying in a place like this, not because she wanted to be lavished and pampered. Many years of sleeping in forests and wilderness made her long to have a home, of sorts. Shiina made her way to balcony, the light breeze gently caressing her body as she waited for her companion. The night was still young, her eyes fixated on the moon shining brightly above.

She let out a small sigh while she waited, lost in thought. It had been quite awhile since she had been able to relax. The life as a neukenin wasn't easy, regardless of her strength. She always had to worry about keeping her façade, worry about what would happen if someone ever found out of her status. And most importantly, she wanted to be Ryuujin Shiina, not Miitake Ran, to be herself for once without fear. Her head tilted in the general direction of where Toshizou had been, wondering if this man would be the first person she revealed her secret to. But the repercussions...or possible repercussions couldn't be ignored. What would happen if he turned on her...what would happen if he didn't?

These thoughts raced through her head as she stood, taking in a deep breath of the fresh air to try to calm her senses.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"to warm the soul". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." HOT SPRING The place was indeed a step up from the bar they were at. As the two got into the room, those scarlet orbs of his looked around the place. At first, in search of potential traps and anything that could - even remotely - pose any danger to him; he found none. But his search allowed him to pay attention to all the fine details there and it pleased the man. As the owner entered with a bottle of a decent sake as a complementary treat from their staff, Toshizou nodded to the man. "Thank you for your hospitality." he said with a simple bow with his head. When the man left the two to their privacy, Shiina suggested they should get comfortable, and Toshizou nodded in agreement, but when she offered to give him some space to change he chuckled softly. "That won't be necessary. I'm quite comfortable." he responded, following her to the balcony-like area with a nice view of the village, painted white by the touch of winter. "It's a nice view." he commented as he turned back around and went into the room, placing his scroll on the table so that they could later unseal it and appreciate it. After pouring it, Toshizou would remove his outer layers, placing them on a hanger nearby. "Which of these doors lead to that hot spring you mentioned? I think that will be a perfect place to enjoy some harm sake, don't you think?" he suggested as he unveiled his torso. Despite his many years as a shinobi, he didn't have very many scars on his toned body, a testament to his skill in the battlefield. It was hard for his opponents to land a blow on him, and fighting with a blade also helped keeping them at bay. Speaking of blades, he would remove his daishou, and place both swords against the wall rather carefully. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Looking for the private hot spring [Ryuujin Shiina] [324 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

The woman nodded her head at Toshizou's rather adamant refusal of her leaving the room to allow him to change. In fact, she would be pleasantly surprised as he joined her out in the balcony briefly. Even though she had been within her own thoughts, the woman couldn't help but notice his movements with the corner of her eye. You must keep your composure! The woman practically yelled at herself, in her own head, when she came to realize that she had been allowing his movements and words take on more weight than any other man she had met before. This was dangerous territory, emotionally speaking, for a neukenin to become any form of attached and to fall victim to their own heart. No...she was better than that. "Of course, if you say so..." was all she said in response, her body turning just in time to see the man set the scroll he had shown her earlier on the table.

Sake...

Another triggering word, perhaps, for the purple-haired woman. She smiled at his comment that the view was nice. "Yes, indeed, it's rare that the moon is out as clear as tonight." Was this a sign? Was the skies trying to tell her something? Shiina almost shook her head, as though to physically shake the thoughts out of her head. She must remain the refined and sophisticated lady after all, and there was something very unattractive about women who stooped to the level of allowing her heart to be worn on her sleeve. No, she was definitely not stooping to that level. Or so she hoped...

"It's the one on the right," pointing to the right door. The left was the bathroom, where one was expected to take a shower first to cleans their body before entering the left, a small side door from within the bathroom joined both rooms together. The hot springs had become like her second home. Shiina watched Toshizou put down his weapon. "Would you like to take a shower first and then proceed to the hot springs?" An obvious question that demanded an obvious answer. From his previous flirtatious manner, she wasn't sure what he wanted to do, if anything. One thing was clear though, he really wanted to enjoy the hot springs, which was expected at one of the most luxurious and expensive ryokan the village had seen.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"to warm the soul". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." SEE YOU THERE Toshizou nodded as a subtle smile make its way to his feature. "I do enjoy the moon. I'm more of an evening person myself. I guess I grew used to the darkness." he mused, chuckling softly at his own statement. Being a member of the ANBU since he was a young teenager, Toshizou had forfeit the light in more than just the traditional way. He had embraced the darkness and the evil he had to do in order to achieve a greater good for his village and for his nation. He didn't care if he had to sacrifice his own humanity and truly become the thing people called him: a Demon. Still, if that allowed him to slay evil immediately, it was worth it. And yet, on his recent years, his scarred heart had been craving human connection, and he was still learning how to deal with that. When Shiina told him which door led to the hot spring, he nodded, grabbing the scroll once again and heading towards the left door, so he could rinse before entering the hot springs, as he should. "Yes, I will rinse and meet you at the hot springs in a bit." he said, looking back at her with his scarlet eyes for a moment and giving her an inviting smirk before disappearing through the door. Once inside the shower room, Toshizou would undress and let the water wash over his body, hair and all. It was cold, but he enjoyed it, it was a nice contrast with what was about to come. After a couple of minutes making sure he was clean, he would wrap up a small around his waist and leave the shower room. In the brief moment he stood back at the main room, he would look back at Shiina and give her a nod. "See you soon." and with that, he would finally go to the hot spring. The steam coming out of it was a tempting invitation, especially when his body felt the chill breeze touching it. The man would quickly make his way to the warm water, placing the towel just outside of it, near the scroll. He would then proceed to unseal his premium sake and pour it into two cups as he waited for Shiina to make her way to the place. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Showers and goes to the hot spring [Ryuujin Shiina] [400 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

The woman nodded her head, acknowledging his comment about being more of an evening person. In fact, she was one too, for perhaps a different reason than his. She liked the tranquility of the night, the bustling of the city during the day would all be lost. Shiina heaved another small sigh, and would turn her attention just as Toshizou agreed to her suggestion of rinsing off and meeting her at the hot spring. She blushed slightly, the flush of pink barely visible where she stood as she tilted her head downwards to the ground, not giving him an actual reply. And it wouldn't be until he resurfaced, reminding her yet again that he would see her soon, did the slight blush would become more noticeable.

Keep your damn composure, Shiina!

If only the man could hear her words in her mind, he would be able to understand just how much control she was trying to exhibit as he peeked out from the bathroom, his towel covering the lower half of his body. She again nodded her head, to acknowledge that she had heard him at least and would wait until he disappeared, before she made her way into the room again. The girl could hear the faint sounds of running water, the constant flow of hot spring water inside the tub behind the door. She waited until she heard without a doubt when Toshizou entered the left room from the right, the sound of the sliding door connecting the two places open and close. And that was when Shiina made her move, opening the door of the right and beginning to undress.

The process was quite quick as she rinsed her body and her hair. The feel of hot water falling from the shower head made her shiver slightly. The woman loved hot water, loved how it relaxed her muscles and gave her a sense of warmth that she couldn't and wouldn't get anywhere else. As she finished, Shiina would wrap a towel around her chest, allowing it to hug her frame, stepping from the shower to the hot spring room. She knew she was beautiful, knew that she caught the eyes and heart of many along the way, but there was something about Toshizou that made her lose some of the confidence and composure that she would otherwise not. The half open air bath was a great mixture of outdoor and indoor, being covered partially by the roof of the hostel so that even if it rained or snowed, the place would be safe. Yet, it was open enough to allow the gentle breeze of the night to provide the perfect balance for the hot waters of the spring.

How she loved ryokans...

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"to warm the soul". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." A DRINK OF THE BEST SAKE With his sharp eyesight and attention to details, Toshizou didn't fail to notice the slight blushing of the woman's cheeks, but he didn't say anything about it, at least not yet. Still, on the inside, he was happy he was able to cause such a reaction on her. As cool as he was playing it, he was interested in the woman, but he wanted to get to know her a bit better, let the night flow and see where it would lead them to, and for that, he would continue to keep his relaxed and nonchalant attitude as he walked from the shower room to the hot spring. After a while, when Shiina finally made it to the hot spring room, the woman would notice the premium sake he had teased her with before was already out of the scroll, with two cups resting beside it, with a faint line of steam coming out of it, almost imperceptible due to the steam generated by the hot spring itself. When his eyes rested upon her figure, he took a couple seconds to just appreciate the view of her body covered only by the towel; it was indeed a sight to behold. Toshizou would grab both cups and look at her with a smirk on his face. "Now this makes for an special occasion woth of a proper drink. Care to join me?" he invited her, as he rested inside the hot spring with the cups of sake. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Hot Spring [Ryuujin Shiina] [255 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

As she slipped into the hot springs room, the chilling winter breeze could be felt. She shivered slightly under the chill, making her way slowly towards where Toshizou seemed to already be very comfortably seated. When she neared the brink of the tub, the woman would take off her towel, or rather allowed it to slide off of her body smoothly. She didn't blush nor look embarrassed as she climbed in opposite the man, the size of the tub capable of fitting perhaps six of the two of them. Part of hot spring etiquette was to bathe without towels, as towels was seen as a form of disrespect. Not allowing her eyes to wander anywhere other than Toshizou's face, the young woman held his gaze firmly, sitting on the other side of him.

Sinking in deeper into the bath, Shiina allowed the almost burning water to take over her muscles, the chill she had felt just seconds before instantly made the already hot water feel even hotter. For a moment she bathed in its heat, the warmth capable of melting even the coldest of hearts. This was why she loved onsens and would give her life savings to own one. It also had the obvious health benefits of being a muscle relaxant, the minerals found in hot spring water able to soothe aches and pains. If one was under the hot water for about fifteen minutes, it would be become a little overwhelming to the head, causing dizziness and even palpitations for some. However, Shiina was used to the hot springs by now, capable of going for about half an hour before the dizziness set in. She let out a deep sigh and closed her eyes for a moment, the cold winds felt nice against her face.

It was all about the contrast after all.

"Of course..." she said in a low whisper, opening her eyes and smiling at Toshizou. She would wait for the man to pour her a drink, the sweet flirty nature of her now replaced with a somewhat more genuine personality. The woman gazed into his eyes, using her arms to gently move the water so that it could reach her shoulders and her neck. "I haven't been to an onsen in some time, at least not one with good company." She wasn't trying to be flirty, more so stating a fact. The last time she had been to an onsen, she had bathed alone, looking out at an evening sky while the sun set.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"to warm the soul". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." A TOAST Her movements were rather gracious, and he beheld her frame gracefully slipping into the room, letting her towel slide off her body as she made her way to the hot spring. He didn't try to hide that he watched her, with a smirk in the corner of his eyes as he held both cups of sake, waiting for Shiina to join him there. It was quite the sight to behold, and he appreciate it. As her tanned form was then hidden by the steamy waters, embracing her with its relaxing warmth, he could feel the small tension he perceived on her - back when she entered the room - melting away. The contrast of the water and the wind was pleasant to him as well, it helped compensate for the almost burning sensation, and if one learned to balance the feeling, they could enjoy it for a longer period of time. Shiina closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying that as he slowly approached her, in time for her whisper to be heard, and for their smiles to grace one another. Offering her the cup, he would wait for her to take it before offering it as a toast. "For this moment." he toasted before drinking the content of the cup. The warmth of the sake sliding down the throat also perfectly matched the overall feeling of the evening. Shiina admitted she hadn't been in a hot spring, especially with company, in quite some time, and he nodded. "Neither have I. And in all honesty, I do find you rather alluring, even though I don't know much about you." he said as he grabbed the bottle to potentially refill their cups. His scarlet eyes reaching for her own golden orbs, showing a genuine and deep interested in uncovering more of the woman's mysteries. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Sake and a Toast [Ryuujin Shiina] [308 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

"I find that very hard to believe..." Shiina would continue to hold his gaze, knowing that his intent gaze could mean only one of two things. "Especially from a man of such an appearance and stature." She hoped that he took this to be a compliment, since it was without a doubt that she felt a particular type of way for this man. She was still holding her composure, more so her resolve, even with the intense stare that they both seemed to be so caught up in. Shiina took the cup Toshizou offered her, smiling at the toast. "You are most interesting as well, if not equally as captivating..." she chose the word carefully, knowing that it held a strong undertone.

She threw back her head, taking in the sake for all its worth and a genuine smile danced across her face. The woman could tell even without Toshizou telling her that the liquor was that of a premium grade, the soothing texture that sake usually had was amplified, like skating across an open rink. The aromatics was also unparalleled, the richness of the liquid almost overpowering her. "You are right, Hatake-san. It is my honor and pleasure to have tasted this, and am almost glad you withheld it from me..." She meant it with all her heart, having had very few exposures to something as rich and nice as that.

"I could say the same about you. I know of your name and that you have a nice face." She said rather teasingly, knowing that she would have to have some very difficult conversations with him in the future, if they both chose to keep each other in their lives in any shape or form. "But for now, I would love to just enjoy the moment, with such good company and such a relaxing atmosphere. We can save conversations for later..." She smiled genuinely, the heat of the springs starting to make her cheeks flush.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"to warm the soul". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." UNDER THE MOONLIGHT He couldn't help but to chuckle softly when she challenged his claim that it had been a while since the last time he enjoyed a hot spring with company, but it was actually true. Still, she used to opportunity to give him a compliment and he accepted it with a happy nod, sipping on his sake cup once again. "Once again seems like we are likeminded. I'm also quite appreciative of the company this evening. Your gaze is hard to avoid." he admitted. When Shiina tried the sake, her expression showed she was pleased with its flavour, but that was hardly a surprise; someone of Toshizou's status had plenty of access to good quality products, but even he liked to save them for a moment where its enjoyment would be worth it, moments like this one. When he mentioned wanting to know more about her, she retorted saying she was also mostly ignorant to who he truly was and he nodded. "Fair enough." and still, seemed like she wanted to enjoy that oblivion a little longer, as she wanted to enjoy the moment, the company, and the atmosphere. Toshizou nodded at that, refilling her cup with some more sake, and then doing the same for his. "You are wise... There are much more pleasant things than that conversation for now... Much better use of our time, our sake, and this atmosphere..." he said as his scarlet eyes rested its gaze upon her gold circles. Ever so slightly, he leaned forward a bit, his hand reaching out for a lock of hair that was near her eye, gently moving it out of the way, as his fingers would lightly rub against her cheek. "The moon is your friend, I rather enjoy looking at you under its light." he said, with a flirty smirk. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Hot spring & sake [Ryuujin Shiina] [309 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Hatake Toshizō

NOTES -

Shiina couldn't help but blush, and knew as her cheeks turned a bright crimson that she was certain had nothing to do with the hot spring waters. He had the upperhand, this much both of them knew, especially in the game of flirtations and play. Contrary to popular belief, despite the flirty nature the woman seemed to portray as a person, she was very true to her emotions. Every man she had fallen for or felt any which way for had been with genuine feelings, rooted by the desire to find a man who would treat her right. The one man who didn't need to be her Mr. Right, but needed to be very close to that depiction. With the flirty smirk, she was almost certain that Toshizou was not that man.

But was he?

There was still so much to him that she didn't know. In truth, she could have found out a lot more, before this conversation took the turn that it found itself in at that precise moment. But Shiina was careful, careful to not allow her façade to slip, for any slip of it would be truly detrimental. She wasn't a hopeless romantic, but when she fell for a man, she was not afraid to act on those feelings. As the man reached out to brush a strand of hair near her eye and subsequently touch her cheek, she could feel her body tremble slightly at the touch. It was electrifying and it made her shiver slightly despite the warmth. Still, she maintained her gaze, her golden hues staring straight into his crimson and for a moment she would sit there, not a single word escaping her lips.

After a brief moment, she would speak, finding just the right words. The woman inched in closer to Toshizou, the moonlight shining on both of them. Under the moonlight, his fair skin made him glisten a little, not helping the pre-established image she had of him. "Oh really? I suppose you'd have to tell me..." her voice was soft and melodic, with a hint of sweetness. She reached an arm out, her finger gently pressing against his lips as she moved in even closer. "Or show me..." Her heart skipped a beat at touching his lip, and again if he could just read her mind or her heart, he would know that he had received a right of passage to them a long time ago.

MADE BY MIZO

[Hatake Toshizō]

"to warm the soul". "A man who can't uphold his beliefs is pathetic, dead or alive." A DANCE He liked the hue of red her skin would assume when she blushed, and it just made him feel slightly more attracted to her. She was beautiful and mysterious, and he wanted to unveil whatever she was hiding underneath her exterior persona, yes, but right now he had other things in mind. The hot spring, the warm sake, the presence of their bare bodies hidden under the water. The man was no stranger to the seduction game, and he fooled around quite a lot, but in the past year, he finally felt the urge to settle down, to try and create a better life for himself, and - who knows - perhaps find someone to share it with. The thought was still a bit alien to him, but a more frequent visitor the more time passed. When he brushed her hair aside, and touched her cheeks with his fingers, he could feel the warmth of her face, and it was indeed electrifying, even though he was capable of sustaining quite the poker face. His scarlet eyes, however, did move to look at her lips when his thumb brushed against it, moving his hand to the back of her neck, stroking her hair with the tips of his fingers, and as she inched closer to him, he responded in kind. And when she responded to his teasing, he smirked again, and without saying a word, feeling the touch of her fingers pressed against his lips as she asked him to show her what he meant, and he would. He could feel her emotions, and with all those indications as clear as the moonlight above them, he would pull her closer to him, leaning in for a kiss, and if she didn't resist it, their lips would touch. Lightly at first, playful, exploring each other in a slow embrace, before intensifying as he pressed his lips more firmly against hers, his tongue inviting hers for an intimate dance, while his other arm reached out for her waist, wrapping itself around it. "You can train a dog with food. You can buy a person with money. But there isn't a man alive that can put down the Will of Fire. Some things will never change. The Will of Fire will never be extinguished" Aozora Ryokan Hot Spring & kiss [Ryuujin Shiina] [343 words]