Amiko Kobayashi (hotlittlehands) wrote,
@ 2011-12-13 17:37:00

AU: A Real Lady
Many called Clan Yashida's holdings a corporate empire with multiple security contracts with the Japanese government. Others called it the closest contemporary Japan could get to a shogunate. Everyone, however, knew about the young daimyo's... fixations. Living fairly austerely for one so wealthy, Amiko Kobayashi used her financial savvy to direct all clan resources to two things. The first was the protection and well being of people throughout the clan. The second was the devastation of every Hand operation they could track down.

Some months ago, she had interfered in an incident in the middle of the street out of concern for the safety of the arresting officers.

It had proven quite lucky, although at times she felt like a dirty old woman for enjoying the view.
Tonight, Amiko asked Hajime to see her in her office.

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	get_medieval 2011-12-15 05:44 am UTC (link)
	"I... am not certain what to say." he replies honestly, trying to judge her tone. "But I have always been very fond of you as well, Amiko-sama. Since I got to know you better after my arrival." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hotlittlehands 2011-12-15 05:53 am UTC (link)
	"..As your lord, as a friend, or as a woman?" she asks quietly. "You can see now, perhaps, why I was trying to hide my own shame in this particular matter," she adds, looking back on her paperwork though they are still a long way and she has it memorized already. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	get_medieval 2011-12-15 05:55 am UTC (link)
	He considers that carefully. "I have your permission to answer honestly? There... is no shame for your part, in any case." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hotlittlehands 2011-12-15 05:56 am UTC (link)
	"Of course you may." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

get_medieval
2011-12-15 06:08 am UTC (link)

He nods. "Admiring your skill as a co-worker, appreciating that you consider me a friend, however awkward it is at times, I am sure. And while I have been trying very hard to steel myself against improper thoughts, I have not had much chance to think of anyone as a woman since... near the time the Yashida honor sword was forged. So... yes, I apologize, but I have looked on you as a woman before. I will try to stop, if it makes you uncomfortable."

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	hotlittlehands 2011-12-15 06:18 am UTC (link)
	"It is not that it makes me uncomfortable, Hajime. You hid it very well. It's that I am not any better at steeling myself against improper thoughts." She grimaces. "I am falling in love with you, and, like a fool, I am saying it when we will soon have a job to do." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

get_medieval
2011-12-15 10:22 am UTC (link)

He considers that for a moment, understanding slowly lighting on his face. "I... had not realized." He takes a deep breath.

"The job has been there, this job, this goal, no matter what else has happened. Everything else has existed alongside it so far... and whatever else happens, it does not change this job. If I admit that, when I allow myself to consider it... I love you too... that does not change what must be done... only that we must address this as well first, so we are not distracted. It obviously has been weighing on you."

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	hotlittlehands 2011-12-15 05:59 pm UTC (link)
	She blinks. "...You don't have to." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	get_medieval 2011-12-15 06:06 pm UTC (link)
	"Yes, I do. Now that it has been said, it cannot be unsaid. So best we address it... one way or another." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hotlittlehands 2011-12-15 06:14 pm UTC (link)
	"...What do you want, Hajime?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	get_medieval 2011-12-15 06:33 pm UTC (link)
	"To talk this through. We have some travel time yet. What would you prefer come of this, given the choice?" (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hotlittlehands 2011-12-15 06:40 pm UTC (link)
	She looks at him pointedly. "You first." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

get_medieval
2011-12-15 07:08 pm UTC (link)

He nods, she is still his daimyo, after all. "I am aware of your references to your lady-mother and 'her samurai'. If you would wish me to become as yours... if that is your wish, I would love and protect you to the best of my ability. Though such a relationship, while not outwardly, before others would... change our relationship between us. I have learned it is somewhat different now... but in my time, and in my teaching, a man has a certain role within the bedroom."

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	hotlittlehands 2011-12-15 07:20 pm UTC (link)
	She listens. Swallows. "Yes. I...I want what they had. Nothing changes in our work, but in... everything else. I'm... I'm afraid it will take me some time to be any good at such things, though." She looks down. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	get_medieval 2011-12-15 07:23 pm UTC (link)
	He moves in closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder, voice lowering a bit. "Do not worry, Amiko-chan... I will show you. I love you... and tonight, we can celebrate a victory over the Hand together." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

hotlittlehands
2011-12-15 07:38 pm UTC (link)

She shivers just a little. "I love you, Hajime. And that... that will be nice"

And Amiko manages to relax, and be her usual on-top-of-things self.

And eventually, it is time for the raid on the laboratory/weapons compound, which goes according to plan. It's in the midst of the place that they find the aforementioned Dr. Oh, whose talent for weapons design is, to be frank, much better than his aim.

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	get_medieval 2011-12-15 08:41 pm UTC (link)
	The place was well guarded. He'll give them that. How the doctor managed to defeat samurai, even in his age, he's less sure of. "Your amulet... you do not have the skills to have taken it. Where did you get it?" he asks, at sword point, sparing the doctor for the second. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hotlittlehands 2011-12-15 09:09 pm UTC (link)
	"I commissioned the retrieval with an experimental time platform." "We'll be taking care of that," Amiko says. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	get_medieval 2011-12-16 03:20 pm UTC (link)
	He nods. "Who was your contracted killer? You were behind the travel... but I must find the assassin as well." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hotlittlehands 2011-12-16 04:13 pm UTC (link)
	He names a known Hand operative. He looks suddenly uncertain about whether he's going to die, but then he remembers the 'as well'. Amiko's not uncertain at all. Personally, she'd hardly given a damn about who held the knife. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

get_medieval
2011-12-17 03:20 pm UTC (link)

Hajime nods, then glances to Amiko. "I remain an agent of the law. If you wish to arrest him for the information he possesses, I must ask that you push for his execution, no matter what... but I will arrest him if you wish." He doesn't want to, but even in his day, a trial, even if its a show trial, could be necessary. And Hajime is a samurai, not an assassin, and the man was not killed in battle. He will gladly be an executioner, but he needs his lady's say so to become such with someone with potentially valuable information.

"Your life is hers... if you have anything you wish to volunteer in information to attempt to convince her to spare you, I am bound by honor to give you that chance... provided you kneel before her and tell her what you know."

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hotlittlehands
2011-12-17 07:06 pm UTC (link)

There's a controlled-detonation explosion a ways away, and perhaps the doctor's pouting in rage or perhaps it's something else, but he's certainly not quick enough to make himself useful. Not when Amiko's looking at Hajime's face.

"I think, in this case, we'll get sufficient information from his computer files. Please clean up this mess and meet me at the exit, Hajime-san."

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	get_medieval 2011-12-17 07:13 pm UTC (link)
	Hajime nods. Given permission, and more work to do - almost as he moves his head to signal his agreement, the doctor's life is over in a clean stroke of the sword, almost too fast to follow. He breathes a small prayer to his ancestors, then turns to precede his daimyo to the exit, to make sure its as safe as possible under the circumstances. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	hotlittlehands 2011-12-17 07:25 pm UTC (link)
	She has several well-ordered arguments in her head for why this breach of her normal protocol, tending towards arrests in such circumstances, is okay, but she knows she did it for Hajime, and in truth, it doesn't bother her. Out they go. Data retrieved, the time platform destroyed, and on their way home. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	get_medieval 2011-12-17 11:16 pm UTC (link)
	He knows her normal protocol. All the more reason to ask. He likewise has no problem being her executioner, when needed - and he knows she bent her usual ways for this, and is grateful. He'll need to deal with that assassin agent eventually still, but now he has a name. "Thank you." (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

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hotlittlehands, 2011-12-17 11:20 pm UTC

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get_medieval, 2011-12-18 04:24 pm UTC

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hotlittlehands, 2011-12-18 09:49 pm UTC

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