The Asai Clan [complete]

[Asai Yuuto]

It was uncanny how well he and Yuudai flowed together- so different, and yet so aligned. Their rows, which were short and far between, never sent either of them to bed angry, or made them take out frustration upon their family. They may suddenly flare hot, but their tempers were just as fast to cool.

"Not yet given up," Yuuto retorted, sitting heavily upon the ground and bending his knees up. He rested his weight back on flat palms, and angled his head to give Yuudai a small, yet genuine, smile.

"But even I'm not immune to the pitfalls of humanity." Yuuto shrugged, then reached up to playfully yank Kohana down atop his legs. She went down with a squawk, and while very amused, Yuuto's smile still seemed a little too tight around the eyes.

"It's been a very long day," he admitted to them both.

[Asai Kohana]

Kohana wrapped her arms around Yuuto's neck, grappling for balance across his long legs. When she was no longer in danger of face-planting into the ground (not that she thought Yuuto would've let her fall), she smacked their leader on the arm, a slightly sour look crossing her features at Yuuto's sweaty skin.

"Yuu-niisan," she said in a fashion that only those who knew her would understand as scolding. Yuuto looked perfectly innocent, but she couldn't help but roll her eyes.

Not willing to backtrack into the prior argument, Kohana merely glanced between cousins, her affirmation supportive.

"Tomorrow will be better."

[Asai Yuudai]

Feeling relieved he nodded his head when his cousin genuinely smiled. It was always distasteful to fight with a family member. Yuudai stretched his arms over his head in the mean time while taking a few strides towards Kohana and Yuuto. "I apologize about my behavior towards Orie-kun," he said quietly, wanting to get that off his conscious. Then he sighed, it probably wasn't a good idea to bring the younger male up so soon.

"Tomorrow will be better," he echoed the girl, while seating himself in front of the other two. Trying to change the subject once more.

[Asai Yuuto]

The mention of Orie marred Yuuto's brows. Deep down, Yuuto was very aware that the aggravation he was feeling with the young man was mostly his own fault. He didn't understand why he couldn't just let it go- couldn't leave Orie to his own devices. All he did know is that no feelings about another had the right to make him so tired. He'd never put forth so much effort in someone else before. And for what? Mere scorn?

Yuuto had just opened his mouth to ask Yuudai to oversee his afternoon tutoring, leaving Yuuto open for some relaxation, when Kohana prodded the open subject.

[Asai Kohana]

"Orie-kun?" Kohana wondered aloud, at first not comprehending how Sensei had anything to do with the current happenings. Then it dawned on her, and she asked with more intent.

"Sensei's grandson is here? Orie-san?" Leaving no room for an answer, she immediately plowed on. "What's Orie-san like?"

[Asai Yuudai]

"Hmm, what he's like.." Yuudai said, eyes averting to the left side while he thought about it. "Based on first impression he is good on the eyes, rough on the edges - a bit stale, so to speak. But very polite, a nice young man.. who hates to be judged," putting Orie into words wasn't too difficult. Nor did he realize that Yuuto had been strained by his presence.

[Asai Yuuto]

For some reason, Yuuto felt like he had been given the revised version of what Yuudai had planned to say. He wasn't sure what had transpired after he left his cousin alone with Orie, but given both their characters, it probably wasn't sunshine and flowers.

Yuuto's chuckle was dry, lacking humor. "Orie-kun is pretty and very serious. Rather dislikes me, too," he added, his lips tilting with a smirk.

It was true, the more he considered it. As hard as Yuuto tried, he was sure the young man still found his company preferable only to few things. Such as inhumane torture, he thought with a smile.

Kohana seemed to be a tad surprised at that, and Yuuto realized he didn't want the girl to dwell on what she might think were "faults." Orie was still a good man- still worth what friendship Kohana might offer him. Yuuto even believed she could get along well with the archer, and it was unfair to force preconceived notions upon her. She should decide her opinions on her own.

"He'll be a welcome member to our group. Orie-kun's skill with a bow is surpassed only by Sensei's, and he's already saved my life once thus far."

[Asai Kohana]

Despite Yuuto's words, his face told a different story. Kohana considered what Yuudai had mentioned about smiling for someone else, and she couldn't ignore the way Yuuto's mouth relaxed into a fond grin. Maybe their leader was just sentimental, but even if he claimed Orie disliked him, Kohana was sure Yuuto's feelings weren't the same.

"Yuu-niisan," she started to question further about the 'saving' incident, but without warning, Yuuto interrupted her with a crushing hug.

"You're sweaty!" she exclaimed disgusted, trying to push him away as he laughed at his own antics.

Taking pity, Yuuto stood and released her. Yuudai, rising as well, allowed her to cling to his haori while their leader sheathed his blades at hip.

"Dai-niisan and I will clean them for you," she offered, tugging on the aforementioned's sleeve. "Won't we?"

[Asai Yuudai]

Pretty? he thought, almost bursting out in laughter but he thought 'pretty' was too good of a word for Orie. It was hard for him to concentrate on Orie but Yuuto made it hard to miss, that something about the boy was more valid than him being Sensei's grandson. Shaking his head he brushed his hands together as he stood next to his cousin's side, feeling a slight tug. He glanced down towards Kohana and then back up to Yuuto's hip-area.

"Huh, yeah," Yuudai paused in thought, "we will." He tried not to make it sound like a question but with the girl being near by he knew it was a hint for privacy.

[Asai Yuuto]

It wasn't the subtlest thing Kohana had ever suggested, but nevertheless Yuuto nodded in acknowledgment. After all, he knew his kin well enough to understand they simply wanted some privacy- not the ability to plot and scheme behind their leader's back. Besides, Yuuto would rather retire to his quarters than stick around to eavesdrop on their gossip.

Handing Kohana his sheathed swords, the general made a motion for them to follow and trudged toward the fence-line. Yuuto's long legs cleared the jump easily, but as the petite Kohana begin to scale the logs, Yuudai grasped her around the waist, lifting her over to Yuuto.

Together they began the trek back toward the village commons, Kohana hurrying along to keep up with the cousins' strides.

[Asai Kohana]

Kohana trailed behind the Asai cousins, not knowing what to say in the face of their silence. Like usual, she avoided the townspeople's eyes, instead concentrating on the rivulets of sweat that trickled down Yuuto's spine.

"Yuu-niisan," she suddenly remembered, squeezing between their larger frames. "I sent our courier to Edo this afternoon, as you requested." She wasn't at liberty to say more in the open streets of Chiba, but she knew both Yuuto and Yuudai understand know she was referring to the Shogun's correspondence.

"I gave him extra rice to trade for herbal burn salve," she informed Yuudai. "For your guest."

[Asai Yuudai]

Yuudai's expression transpired into a look of amazement. He had forgot about his so-called guest and mumbled a slight thank you for the girl's memory. Still, it was unsettling to be near Yuuto's silence so his gaze merely flowed over Kohana's form. "It shouldn't be too much longer until he's recovered," he said with some excitement, wanting his privacy back.

[Orie Hidehira]

He heard them before he saw them, being that his attention was focused on the weapon in his hands. Even if Orie was not yet well-acquainted with the town, he had, unsurprisingly, memorized the way to and from the archery grounds after being shown them. It was on this path - where the road turned back on to the main street of the village, that he picked up on the sound of familiar voices. He stopped rewrapping his bow and looked up, stopping before he crossed their vision.

Asai-sama and his cousin - Yuudai, wasn't it? - were accompanied by a slight girl he had never seen before, but considering the way she hung off the both of them, she was very close. So he left so hurriedly after tea to meet with a woman? He raised his brows. He had to admit, even if he hardly could call himself an expert on the man, he hadn't expected this. He watched them approach, and even pass him without notice.

That was odd, he thought, trailing them with his eyes as they drew further away. Usually the general even went out of his way to greet him, even if it wasn't necessary. Asai had seemed rather involved in his thoughts, though, so either the man was so deep in thinking that he had become oblivious, or Orie was being ignored. Frowning thinly, he took a moment to just stare after them in confusion.

[Asai Kohana]

Noticing the stranger, Kohana's steps slowed. If the bow in his hands and the resemblance to Sensei was any indication, the new-comer could be no other than the newly acquired Orie-san. She struggled to recall the entirety of their previous conversation concerning the young man.

Kohana's first impression was of how handsome he was, and her second was how right the Asai cousins had been- about everything. Orie's expression was withdrawn, a little morose, and Kohana realized she instantly felt a certain kinship with the archer. The people around him parted and moved without notice of his presence, no one going out of their way to openly greet the man. It was hard not to imagine herself standing in his place.

"Asai-sama," she stopped, clutching Yuuto's swords to her chest. He turned back to her, frowning, and Kohana tried not to let her eyes obviously dart between Yuuto and Orie.

"Yes?" He questioned patiently when she gave no further explanation.

Orie wasn't moving, and his gaze seemed to be studying the disarray of their general with curious, surprised eyes. Yuuto absently wiped his hand down the center of chest, chasing sweat drops that tickled over his muscles, and Kohana gulped.

"I... nothing, Asai-sama," she assured, attempting a tiny, reassuring smile.

[Asai Yuuto]

"Come along, then," Yuuto chastised lightly, and her slight body was instantly hurrying along to latch onto his side. The general wrapped his naked arm across her shoulders, and it seemed the girl no longer had any complaints about the sticky moisture of his skin. Her head kept tilting back toward the direction they had come, and Yuuto gave her collarbone a small squeeze.

"We're almost there," he said, mistaking the fidgeting for her usual dislike of the overwhelming marketplace and loud villagers.

"I'm fine," she retorted quietly, looking back one last time before focusing her gaze to the ground they treaded upon. Her long eyelashes dipped low, timid or ashamed, and in his current state of emotional distress it was hard for Yuuto not to feel his heart crack.