An Evening Stroll

[Kiriyama Sadako]

It was a quiet afternoon in the Golden Crystal District as a carriage from the Yamazaki Estate rolled down it's streets, carrying the head of the household and his beloved. He had gotten a day off, requiring a break after all the time he had spent trying to keep the medical branch together, what with the destruction of the medical center as well as the disappearance of it's Sennin. With Chizuru away at school he thought it could be fun to take a walk through the district, smiling as he leaned over to gently nuzzle Itami's cheek. The love of his life, his fiance, soon to be his wife. His heart always beat a little faster, a little harder when he was around her, his arm resting across her shoulders. Soon the carriage would come to a stop, the man opening the door before stepping out, extending a hand to help Itami get off as well. "I'll call when we're ready to leave." He would tell the driver, a hunched over figure shrouded in a black cloak. As the carriage took off he would look towards his beloved, offering her an arm. "Feels good out here today, doesn't it? If there's one good thing about living in a controlled environment it's that you never have to worry about terrible weather." He would say with a grin as he moved down the sidewalk with her. It wouldn't be long before they started catching the eyes of those around them, much like they had during their first date so long ago. Tall, beautiful, wealthy, carrying an air of class and importance about them, the envy of all that looked upon them.

 

[Kokomo]

Kanashimi Itami
dNPC​

How she had waited for a bit of alone time with her fiancée. He had so long been working in the ruined hospital, and they hadn't been able to be together much. With Itami spending as much of her time with Chizuru as physically possible and him working, they spent a lot of time away. She wanted to be the best mother she could be, and he had a job he was sworn to do. In a way, she was pleased she had dropped her work. She could see how taxing it was on him.

But now, with soft curls in her jet black hair, and a cute dress the pale princess was able to hold her lover's hand as he helped her out of the carriage, her silver heels clicking against the metal steps and then the cobble stone. "Thank you, Iori." She smiled sweetly as she took his arm, and he commented on the weather--small talk--"Oh, yes. I love it. It's never too hot, and never too cold, except with the drafts roll through." She walked with him, her hips swaying beautifully as her doll-like features accessorizing his. "But I've never left the village." She said, shrugging, "I was born here, and I'll die here, I suppose." She laughed, squeezing his arm lovingly as they walked.

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

"There are so many people like you here, so many who've never been to the surface." He would say as they continued on, looking down at her. It's unfortunate...no matter how blue the 'sky' is here it doesn't compare at all top the real one above us. Of course, you'll be able to be the judge of that yourself." He would grin as he leaned down, gently nuzzling her cheek, not at all shy about showing affection for his beloved out in public. "For our honeymoon I plan to take us out of the village on vacation, let you experience what life is like above ground. Perhaps even go to the beach so I can have an excuse to see you in a bikini." He would tease her, giving her a soft kiss on her cheek. "It'll be a good chance to satiate Chizuru's curiosity about the surface as well, the last time she was there she was much too young to remember...in any case, do you know of anywhere you would like to travel to?" He would ask as he kept his eyes on her, admiring her beauty, that which he had crafted with his own hands. "I hear Leaf is beautiful this time of year and has some amazing forests...Mist has fantastic oceans, and Cloud is known for it's mountains. They're all very good choices, especially considering we're not at war with any of them."

 

[Kokomo]

Itami listened to him, nodding slowly as they walked. She loved the way he looked at her. He would look over and give that familiar smile and squeeze of her arm. His lips nuzzling her and kissing her cheek in public. People would watch, as usual. Their bodies so tall and gorgeous--artificially, of course. They fit in this little cave world, honestly. They were all fakely built and ran on fake personalities. It was almost as though that's who they were supposed to be in that exact spot. "Out of the village?" She squealed, getting excited, "Are you kidding me?" She laughed and smiled, stopping to turn and look at him, grinning up at him, "I want to see the ocean, Iori!" For a moment she got very childish. Her eyes lighting up as she tugged on him. "I want to feel the sun and the breeze!" It was as though someone had told her her favorite story book was real. That she had a chance to see them and act in them.

"Mist. We have to go to Mist." Her eyes were soft as though she was so happy, her heart was melting. "I've never seen the sky. I heard it's bright blue. Not like....normal blue. But...bright bright blue!" Her arms wrapped around him as she squeezed him tightly. "Thank you, Iori. Thank you so much."

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

Iori would stop as Itami turned to look at him, his smile only growing as she expressed her excitement for his plans. She wanted to go to the beach, which to be honest was his first choice as well. It was a complete change of scenery from the dry and dusty desert, and it had been years since he or Chizuru had gone to one. She tugged on him childishly, her smile as bright and warm as the sun itself, the man feeling his heart beat faster as he looked down at her. "Mist it is then! I'll make sure to get us a room at their finest hotel!" He would chuckle as she wrapped her arms around him, his hands moving to rest on her hips and pull her close. "The sky is even more blue than you can imagine, dear. Clouds so white and trees so green...." His words would trail off as he looked into her eyes, his mind beginning to draw a blank as he just took in how beautiful she was, how brightly her face lit up in her excitement. There was no thinking involved as he leaned down to kiss her, lips pressing against lips, closing his eyes as he held her. It started innocently enough, chaste even, but as the world melted away the kiss began to deepen, a hand moving to hold the back of her head as the other rested on the small of her back, not caring at all that there may have been people looking at them. He loved her, he loved her so goddamn much, and he would never pass up a chance to remind her of that very fact.

 

[Kokomo]

It took her a moment or two for it all to sink in. Iori romanticizing the scene for her as he described that she didn't know color like he knew color--and how she believed him! He made his promises she was sure he'd keep as she leaned against his and smiled brightly, his voice trailing off as he caught her eye and looked down at her. The pink tint rising in her cheeks as she looked embarrassed down to the right and gave a bashful smile as his hand tipped her chin up and planted a soft kiss onto her lips. His arms moving to wrap around her as he held her and kissed he deeply, caressing her as though she was the most precious diamond in the word.

Her lips pulled away as she smiled softly, taking his arm again as she moved to continue to walk down the street with him, squeezing it for a moment, "It'll be so great to see you and Chizuru out--" She paused, suddenly realizing what rolled off of her tongue, "Wait," She paused, stopping and turning to face him as she scowled in a moment of confusion, "You're bringing your daughter on our honeymoon?" She pressed her lips together for a moment, trying to pick out the best way to word it, "Oh, Iori...I... I mean we're always in the house with your family...isn't a honeymoon supposed to be...you know...private?" Her voice was hesitant as she struggled not to say the wrong thing in front of him.

 

[Kiriyama Sadako]

Iori would slowly release her after that kiss, wishing that moment wouldn't end despite the looks the duo were getting from people passing by. They would continue their walk anew, the woman taking his arm as she spoke before their steps would be halted once more. He chuckled as the woman finally caught the part where he mentioned Chizuru, knowing that such a subject would be awkward. He looked down at her once more, knowing she had very good reasons for objecting his daughter's involvement in their little trip. "I....I know." He would say with a sigh, a hand moving to run through his hair. "I almost lost Chizuru once and after that I...I worry a lot." He would laugh, try to mask how nervous he felt talking about such a personal subject. "It was hard for me to start sending her to the Academy by herself, she had to eventually talk me out of always escorting her. So the idea of being a whole country away from her just...just unnerves me." He let out a sigh, a finger moving to idly play with one of his crimson locks as he looked away. "I know if I told her she would be coming with us on the honeymoon she would object, because she has more sense than I do. Well...she has Sunako at home with her, and I'm sure Suzuhime wouldn't object to her staying at the Toraono Estate..."