Jinkies, A Mystery! (D8, MN)

[Kuni Koyuki]

It was strange, and there was enough of a minor reaction in the way her brow bent that revealed that much. Yet, it was perhaps less than Yakumo might have expected from someone like her, or the woman she was when they'd first met. That contention in her own heart having had to struggle and settle over the last days it brought her something new. A type of willingness that she may never have had before, but she left it voiceless. One that had brought her to the Shrine of Passion recently.

Will to seize it, it was such a strange thing to be so familiar to her and yet here she was.

"What if I can't?" she asks, and there is a void in her heart as she leaves that ledge and relies on trust.

[Susumu Yakumo]

"Then you can always return when you feel you have grown stronger," Yakumo assured her, understanding that sometimes one needed to cultivate strength in order to be strong enough to overcome a hurdle in life. Strength could be spontaneous, but it was also something that needed to be nurtured and grown, growing ever stronger as one defeated the inner demons everyone carried with them.

"You know where she is now. Unless you think she will leave here? Or perhaps there are other paths to get what you want. You mentioned she was married, yes? You could perhaps seek out her spouse, talk to her, see if that might offer a solution?"

[Kuni Koyuki]

There was a look in her eye, like she was about to correct Yakumo on something but didn't. Holding that thought as she sits with all she'd said a bit and just letting it really all sink in. Nodding a little at first, but not speaking right away. Nodding again. Then, one final more pronounced nod.

"Maybe, yea. Speaking with her wife might help me, Bayushi Seki. I'll.. I'll have to remember that. I'm-" she hesitates, and stops. That idea that she doesn't want to kill or even hurt Moriko settling in. She shakes her head at the thought because to put that to words with such finality to her decision would mean letting everyone down she swore to avenge. Yet, could she really do it? Kill Moriko? Solution. That doesn't sound like a solution. Which must mean...

"Thank you," she says, voice weary and soft. Shifting her attention to focus on Yakumo again, looking her over with that soft quality of appreciation in her eye. "For so much I would not know where to begin. I-" Koyuki shakes her head, saying that she didn't deserve it wouldn't be fair. She knows that, even if it feels true. Without anything else to say she lets out her calming breath and pulls in toward Yakumo for another moment and just holds her warmth close. Fighting a yawn when she does.

"I'm exhausted," she says, softly. Little murmur of someone far too tired for their own good.

[Susumu Yakumo]

"Shh, don't worry about it," Yakumo gently squeezed Koyuki's hands, providing that reassuring presence and the words, along with her warm and steady breath against her so that she could feel and hear the calm state of being Yakumo was in this moment.

"Mm, me too. It's been a long day," she held back her own desire to yawn, but it was too infectious to resist. "Let me drive you home ok? Some sleep sounds good about now."

[Kuni Koyuki]

"No," she says, shaking her head. Freeing herself a bit from Yakumo so she can meet her eye more directly. She felt shy about it, and yet didn't shy away from the contact. Koyuki's eyes were less vibrant and open then normal, not quite half-lidded but certainly already relaxing a bit into that ease. Fighting back a yawn she gives her shoulders a little shake to bring herself back and fight that need.

"Back to your place," she says, with sleepy determination. Offering the touch of a smile, feeling that shyness creeping up her back again, "I won't sleep well otherwise. Please," she adds, feeling the guilt well up afterward for how forceful that sounded.

[Susumu Yakumo]

The "no" caught her by surprise and she looked confused at Koyuki first while sliding more back into her own seat in the car. She felt like maybe she should argue the point, but frankly she was too tired herself to do it. "Alright. Back to the hotel then," she said, giving a nod and a gentle smile in return.

To keep herself more alert and awake, she turned on the radio of the car and buckled her seatbelt again. Once Koyuki was likewise strapped in, the engine turned back on, and the couple drove off into the night, fading in with the other cars of people heading home from late night parties, or those who were heading out to work in the early morning hours.

Some sleep would do them both good.

/scene?

[Kuni Koyuki]

/scene!