[D1EN] Spot With a View

[Usagi Rei]

"That's two questions." Rei smirked, but then it faded. "And that second one is a very big one. So I'll answer the first one..." he flashed a quick wink at her, "-but don't worry, I'll make sure it's good."

He started off with a sip of his drink. "The short answer was, I requested it. I had the training. I fit the profile." He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling. "But the real why is... Hare have a reputation, just like most clans. Ours is that we love excitement. It's why our troops are the ones that do the high atmo jumps. Gotta get that fix, right?"

A quick shake of his head, then he looked at Yakumo again. "I like to match wits. To banter and spar." His lips curled up. "To tempt and be tempted." Another quick sip. "So the same thing that makes my cousins jump out of orbital transports is what made me request the World of Dreams. The greatest challenge."

Another deep breath. Rei sat forward a little, leaning closer, as they shared secrets. "What do you feel, when you sing?" He asked, his voice low.

[Susumu Yakumo]

"Some would probably say you're not quite right in the head for wanting to fling yourselves out of a flying-craft at high atmo," Yakumo laughed softly, clearly not being that kind of thrillseeker herself. Not that she had a fear of heights, but like most sensible people she didn't want to do high atmo-jumps. "I think some Scorpion said once; It is double pleasure to deceive the deceiver. That seems like an apt quote for you, if you wanted to stake out your path here."

As Rei leaned in, she mirrored his movements. Arms crossing over her knee. "When I sing... I feel very much in the moment. I don't think about concerns or worries. I just... am. Some monks would call this mindfulness, or a state of zen, I suppose. It's just, hm, feeling the music and just letting all the emotions out. It is something we practice, at the Kakita Artisan Academy - to be a part of the music, and that his how we'll be able to really make the audience feel it too. It's sadly one of those things that get lost in recording; the magic of the moment of listening to an artist just pour out their soul and heart on stage."

She sighed after such a long-winded answer and leaned back into her chair, bringing the glass back up to her lips for a sip. "Whew, I guess I get rather wordy on these things."

[Usagi Rei]

Rei fell entirely silent as she spoke, listening. Closer in, the clean masculine scent he wore, a touch of something citrus and spicy would linger. Rei's eyes went half-lidded, enjoying listening to her speak about something she loved.

Likewise mirroring, he sat up as she did. "Not at all." He said, shaking his head. A brief moment, as Rei looked at her. "I think I really want to see you sing." He said.

Again, he smiled. "Your turn." Rei drank, relieving some of the tension he suddenly felt.

[Susumu Yakumo]

"Right." She had gotten so carried away with her own answer, she had forgotten. At least there wasn't much need for a lot of time to think of this question "Since you're such a thrill-seeker, I can't imagine life has been dull here on World of Dreams; what's been the absolute most exciting adventure you've had here?"

[Usagi Rei]

"Hmmm." Rei sat back, considering. "I'm tempted to say the time I had a date with a gorgeous pop-star." His pale eyes glinted at her over his glass. "And I don't know that it would be wrong. But I should tell you something else, too."

His expression turned entirely serious. "Deceiving the deceiver... there was a case where we suspected that a file had been stolen by a Scorpion agent. We had three suspects, and needed to figure out which one did it. Since they appeared to just be heimen, and it was on Embassy property still, we were able to ask them some questions." It was just a touch questionable, but the Scorpion had agreed. And they'd used a light touch.

He took a deep breath, his frown deepening. "It took eighteen hours. And we got the file back. But I'm not sure we got all the answers. We never figured out who they worked for." Rei smiled, just a little, looking back at her. "You see, as it turned out, all three of them were agents, playing their own game. They all wanted the file. And it wasn't about us."

Finally, he sighed, taking a drink, then giving her another smile. "Sorry for giving you a story without a real ending. But that challenge, and seeing a glimpse of the real game the Scorpion play... I guess that was my biggest thrill." He paused again, looking out the window, his expression strange.

[Susumu Yakumo]

While Rei spoke, Yakumo listened attentively, leaning in slightly again. Her perfume was more noticeable as she leaned in; complex scents of spices... cinnamon, vanilla, something floral, and the undertones had some kind of scented wood to them.

"Hmmm sometimes the exciting stories don't have an ending. At least not yet," she mused. "Is that kind of dramatics common here on the World of Dreams? Spies, stolen information...?"

[Usagi Rei]

Just as before, Rei found himself leaning in, just a little. How could he not? Her presence was as much a lure as the scent she wore, mingling with his, activating something in him.

"All too common." Rei murmured, his expression as serious as it ever was. "The Scorpion love it, and they draw others in with the promise of that, and so much more. The question is, how much of it is real, and how much of it is a Dream?" Tilting his head, Rei regarded Yakumo, something like a question in his pale eyes.

Then he smiled. "I believe it's my turn. I suddenly find myself wanting to know... if you engaged in romance, what sort of partner do you imagine yourself with?"

[Susumu Yakumo]

"My," she averted her gaze slightly at that, taking in a deep breath, "that's an... intimate question."

Her gaze remained lowered as she considered her words, the dark lashes obscuring her eyes. "Someone... handsome, or beautiful, at least." Chuckling a little at how shallow that sounded, Yakumo raised her head an inch, meeting Rei's gaze again. "But someone who enjoys the moment. Appriciates the time the romance has, and acknowledges the fleetingness of such. Like two ships passing in the night, I think some would call it in the old days, yes?"

[Usagi Rei]

Slowly, Rei nodded, acknowledging the intimacy without regret.

"Or out in the dark of space, among the stars." Rei said, meeting her eyes with his. "I think it means as much today as it did then."

Slowly, Rei lifted his glass. "I think that, with the right two people... even something fleeting can be something beautiful. I think we see eye to eye, Yakumo-san." He brought his glass in proximity to hers, invitation to clink together.

[Susumu Yakumo]

Her glass was brought up to meet his, and the two touched eachother with a soft sound of glass against glass and ice cubes. "I think we do, yes." Much of what they were seeing eye to on eye on specifically was left unspoken, as it had to be for them both. Especially on this world of dangers seen and unseen.

"By the way, I would very much like to see... Airi, was it? Your spine drake. It would be nice to see her sometime. Does she like being outdoors, or does she feel more safe indoors when meeting new people?"

[Usagi Rei]

The sound of glass and ice clinking together had a note of a promise made. Rei found himself taking a deep breath. And then, slowly, letting it out. It seemed both of them were all too aware of the dangers of anything more.

Rei smiled. "Yes. Airi. And I'd be pleased to have you meet her. Ah... hmmm." Rei sat back, considering, in part to recover his senses a bit. "She enjoys both, truthfully. But for meeting her, indoors would be better. She's a bit flighty, so a controlled environment would be better." His smile grew. "Chasing a small flying animal around a park is exactly as challenging as it sounds, I assure you."

[Susumu Yakumo]

She couldn't help but to giggle at the mental image of Rei chasing after an unwilling little dragon, trying to capture it. The dragon might've stuck its tongue out tauntingly at him in her fantasy, much like an animated character in a tv-show.

"Yes, I can see that. Hopefully a suite would be easier to run around in after her, hm? I know it can be complicated to visit embassies..."

[Usagi Rei]

"I do bring her to the embassy sometimes." Rei admitted, smiling a touch ruefully, grinning at her giggle. "But while it's a fine place for business meetings, it's a little drab for dragon meetings."

He shifted in his chair, elbow on his knee. "But if a suite is a possibility, well... " He smiled. "I have heard lovely things about the House of Blooming Nightshades. And I think it would be a fine place for introductions."

[Susumu Yakumo]

"I do so happen to have a suite at the Blooming Nightshades." No big secret really, at least to her. "I think it would be a bit too much for me to stay at the Spider embassy while I'm here. Most of those working there aren't used to housing celebrities and all that comes with that."

Like needing to have an entire wing to themselves just for their luggage, the random demands of drink and food in the middle of the night, sounds of rehearsal, and fans trying to catch a glimpse. Hotel staff on the other were used to dealing with such primadonnas.

"How about the day after tomorrow sometime?"

[Usagi Rei]

"The day after tomorrow would be perfect." Rei said. "I very much look forward to it." His lips parted, then pressed together, albeit in a smile. Not too much too fast.

Rei glanced towards the window, then back at Yakumo. "You wanna get out of here? If we hurry to the Wicked Wasp, we might get there at the end of Soshi Kazumi's set." Rei's smile was still there, but it was different somehow. Less playful, more real.

[Susumu Yakumo]

She gave a gentle shake of her head. "Mm, you go ahead. I'll see you there." There would probably be all sorts of rumors if she arrived with him.

"Thank you though. For the drinks, and the conversation tonight."

[Usagi Rei]

Rei nodded. "Of course. I understand."

After paying, Rei rose to his feet, pausing a moment to smooth out his clothing. "And thank you, Yakumo-san. For..." He considered a few moments, then smiled. "For sharing this evening with me."

A gentleman, he would wait to see if she needed anything else before departing.

(/scene?!?!)