"The past." Kenzo's eyebrows went up as he smiled. "That's the one that I hadn't considered." Still smiling, his eyes grew a bit more serious. "But it is a fine toast. Because being here with you has brought be a great deal of joy indeed."

"So, to our memories." Kenzo's mind flashed back to the last time they'd made a toast together like this, under the moonlight with the turtles. He smiled at the thought; no need this time to kiss by transfer via the cup, although the illicit nature of the act had lent it an extra thrill. Still, the thought made Kenzo slide closer, his knee coming to rest warmly against hers, as he tilted his glass back. His eyes were on hers as he drank.

"To the memories," Utsusemi smiled as their knees touched, and her eyes did not leave his as she sipped gently of the drink. Her mind was on how these memories they had made together on this island would be with her for many years after this, no doubt giving her strength in dark times ahead... even more so when Kenzo's duty would eventually call him away from her, as he could probably not escape marital duties for the clan forever.

And she would hate to come between Kenzo and a woman who had probably done nothing to deserve an unfaithful husband. With her and Ryuden... it was different, right?

She pushed such thoughts away, knowing it would not lead her anywhere for now, and it would only ruin a pleasant evening with her beloved.

"Ah..." her lips curled in a playful smirk as she put aside the drink. "But what shall we play? Is there any song in particular you like perhaps? I think I've learned most of the popular ones in Dragon lands, and I know many of the traditional pieces and Crane-favourites."

The port seemed even stronger and sweeter than Kenzo remembered, the taste of it filling his mouth. As before, his eyes flickering down to watch Utsu's playful smirk, Kenzo couldn't help but wonder how her lips, gently colored with the liquid, would taste.

But there was time yet. "Hmmm..." Kenzo's lips pressed together thoughtfully. "Perhaps one for each of us? Something from your past, and something from mine? Hmmm..." Again, his lips pressed together as he considered.

Taking another sip, he glanced at her. "There is one... I have some memory of it from my youth." He hummed a little; Utsu would probably recognize it as a Dragon folk song. And she might have heard Kenzo humming it from time to time as he cooked.

"Oh! I know this song, yes," she nodded, eagerly picking up the instrument again. Not only had she heard Kenzo humming the tune before, but it was one her children had learned as well from other Agasha.

"I shall play, and you shall sing then...? And I will try to sing one from my past afterwards, yes?" Utsusemi chuckled, already starting to think of what she might choose. There were so many options for someone who grew up in the cradle of culture and art. "Though, I must apologise that I am still just a novice with music, but I will do my best to keep up with your singing." She gave him a quick, playful wink.

Some would probably say she was already immensely talented, in that she could play almost any instrument that she picked up, but for Utsusemi the thought of just mere proficiency was just not enough, as she always sought to perform at her very best no matter what. And as Kenzo might have noticed since he returned from the battle, it seemed more difficult for her to really push herself to those attempts at greatness. But in return, it seemed she had grown more to accept that she could not always be a master, and indeed, she did not always need to try and be a master.

So when she put the pick against the strings to start up the tune for Kenzo to follow, it was pleasant and simple music, performed with satisfactory competency of the instrument.

---

D13 Fluff. Perform: Shamisen/Agility.: 4d10o10k3 16

That made Kenzo laugh cheerfully. "Oh. Yes." He said dryly. "I do hope you can manage."

As she began to play, Kenzo paused a moment, looking at her. While he'd been through a battle, in many ways so had she. It seemed they'd both survived, and perhaps more.

Kenzo began to sing... more or less. His voice was fine, and he could follow the tune, but it was one thing to hum a song, and another to sing it. Still, Kenzo gamely carried on, humming and muttering "something something" for the lengthy periods he didn't know the words.

"Ah..." Kenzo gave her a sheepish grin. "Perhaps I only knew part of it. I could remember hearing it..." He shook his head.

Utsusemi had to keep herself from laughing as Kenzo mumbled over the words, eventually joining in herself a few times to help him remember the words like she often did when she taught her children songs and nursery rhymes. The laughter glimmered in her eyes, and the way her lips pressed together into a smile was also telling that she was rather amused by it all.

"Ara, have I found a weakness in your hero-persona, that there is actually something you cannot do?" she teased and gave his thigh a playful poke.

"But, I do believe the deal was that I return the favour... hmmm..." the pick tapped against her chin as she considered the many possibilities.

Kenzo laughed, shaking his head as Utsu poked his leg. "Ah, well. It's best that I have something to keep me humble. This shall work very well." He grinned at Utsu. Her obvious enjoyment made took away most of his embarrassment, a goal achieved in its own way.

"Indeed, that was the deal." Kenzo leaned forward, resting his head on his chin, his lips curling up into a smile. "I'm very much looking forward to hearing it." He lifted his head for another sip of the port.

A few more moments of consideration, and she settled on a popular winter-piece... seeing how it would have been fashionably in-season back home with the time for winter courts approaching.

"Mhm, well, I hope you will enjoy a popular winter-themed piece from the Doji lands then," she bowed her head in the same fashion of a musician before beginning a performance, and with a flourish placed the pick against the shamisen's stings again. Playing the simple folk song Kenzo had suggested had been a warmup as these notes came easier to her. But her voice on the other hand was much more practiced than her shamisen-skills.

Like the previous time she performed a Crane-piece, she conveyed with a soft voice the feelings of the lyrics. Not as masterfully as she had done for her poem earlier, but the emotion was something Utsusemi placed great emphasis on.

"In the woodlands low, born of ice and snow,
there's a maiden weeping tonight.
Snow falls softly 'neath the winter moon

Forest bare and white, she dwells there by night
Listen to her cry sorrow's song.
Snow falls softly 'neath the winter moon

Breathless, icy, bright. Daughter of the night.
Oh, who do you cry for?
Keening softly 'neath the winter moon

Winter moon, winter moon, sorrowful winter moon
Freezing winter moon, the flowers freeze as the snow maiden visits the land
Dressed in snow she traverses the icy forest

Traveler passing through, feet all bare , his smile was true
His eyes shone with starlight
he waked softly 'neath the winter moon

Love made my heart soar, you're the one I've waited for
Stay with me forever
she cried softly 'neath the winter moon

In the snow he stayed, from my side he did not stray
My hands could not warm him
He died softly 'neath the winter moon"


----

Winter Moon by Erutan
D13 Fluff. Perform: Shamisen/Agility again: 4d10o10k3 29
D13 Fluff. Perform: Song/Awareness. 1 raise: 6d10o10k4 28

Song may not been Utsu's most favored medium. And yet, for Kenzo at least, she could inspire emotion all the same. He listened, smiling quietly, his brown eyes wide.

As she finished, Kenzo gave a seated bow. "That was... very impressive, Utsusemi. Very impressive indeed." His voice was soft, his love shining in his eyes.

After a moment, his lips twisted. "And you even knew all the words."

"Of course I did," Utsusemi chuckled, poking his thigh once more as she put away the instrument for now. "What sort of child of Doji would I be if I forgot the lyrics to a song?!"

With the instrument out of the way, her hand moved from his thigh to his arm, gently tugging on the sleeve of his kimono to pull him closer. "I do not imagine that music and art is a large part of the life of the Mirumoto, hm?" her tone lowered to a soft timbre as she leaned closer to him, with those port-flavoured lips just slightly out of his reach.

"Of course." Kenzo said, laughing again as Utsu poked his thigh a second time. "Not that I doubt any of your abilities, but you're right, this one least of all."

And then he felt that gentle tug on the sleeve of his kimono. Kenzo responded automatically, leaning closer. Her touch, the soft sound of her voice, the way she moved, all compelled him.

"Indeed not." Kenzo said, his own voice growing rough. He took a breath, his eyes flickering once more to Utsu's lips. He leaned closer still, his hand crossing over to rest warmly just above her knee. "But I assure you, any deficiencies there are made up elsewhere."

Kenzo's mind flashed back to another time he thought Utsu was going to kiss him, and sudden betrayal led to her pushing him over instead. Well, certain things were worth a risk, and Kenzo was supposed to be the bold one, after all. He leaned closer still, tilting his head just the right amount...

Utsusemi seemed to lean closer too, her voice like a seductive whisper. "Hm, and how do you make up for these deficiences, I wonder..." she smirked playfully.

Kenzo had a reply ready, but it was lost as he closed the rest of the distance. Some things were better demonstrated, anyway.

His lips parted as they met hers, soft and sweet. The combination of alcohol and desire made him bolder, his want for her almost tangible as the kiss deepened. His hand found her cheek, cupping it gently before sliding back into her hair, a gentle contrast to his rising passion.

Their lips did indeed taste like the port, she noted, eyes closing as they kissed. Her hand tightened its hold on his arm as she returned the kiss in kind, before breaking away gently.

"I did not know the Mirumoto taught this to its students..." her giggle giggling breath was warm against his skin when they were so close.

Kenzo grinned, chuckling softly. Goodness, he loved her sense of humor. "In fact, they do not." He murmured softly, his breath mingling hotly with hers. He turned to face her fully, his other hand sliding once more around her waist. "But they did encourage individual expression." He brightened. "Which is a feature of the Crane, I believe. Do let me know if I'm not expressing myself clearly enough."

He kissed her again then, his arms tightening around her lithe form, gently pulling her to the solidness of his chest. Not quite so desperately hungry as the last one, the intensity nevertheless remained, Kenzo growling softly as their lips met once more.

Her soft moan of approval against his lips was at least one sign that he was expressing himself well and clear. With one hand caressing his arm, the other found its way up his neck and into his hair. The manicured nails traced a pathway along his scalp as the fingers brushed into his hair.

Tonight she did not rush, but rather savoured every moment of their kisses and caresses.

Kenzo, too, seemed inclined to savor their time together, his kisses intense without urgency. Which, in truth, very much suited Kenzo. He responded to her touch, his arm flexing under her group, a purr escaping him as her hand brushed through his hair, soft to the touch.

And yet, time moved ever forward. Kenzo's arms around her began to move, stroking her back, caressing her through her kimono. Two kisses became three, and then more, Kenzo murmuring soft approval as he tasted her lips again and again.

He parted with a breath and a grin, his eyes bright. "This has been a lovely evening so far, Utsusemi." He murmured. "And to think, it's not nearly over yet. Who knows what else could happen?" His tone was soft and playful, much like the kisses he trailed along her jawline, down to her neck.

"Mm, who could possibly know what else might happen," she chuckled as he kissed her jawline, then tilting her head back as his lips moved to her throat. Her voice was more like a pleasant purr now than before. "And we haven't even touched the sweets yet..."

The way he caressed her back made Utsusemi's arch slightly more against him. "... But I have a feeling there is a different kind of 'sweet' on your mind now, hm?"

The way Utsu responded to his caresses, his kisses, always sent a thrill through Kenzo. He growled his passion as she arched against him, arms tightening and kiss deepening in response.

"Indeed." He managed to gasp out. "Something very sweet indeed." One more kiss, and he rose to his feet, his hands drawing her up with him. "But perhaps we should withdraw, or I should be tempted to enjoy it right here and now." He grinned, but his voice was rough and intense.

He frowned as a thought suddenly occurred to him. "Ah... but give me a moment. I left the water on to heat. I should extinguish it before we, ah, retire."

She rose with him, holding onto him tightly until she steadied herself.

Where Kenzo frowned, Utsusemi's eyes widened slightly and her smile widened. "Hm... enough water for a bath then?" Now it was her turn to lean in and cover his neck with a few light kisses. "... A bath before retiring for the evening sounds good, no? And we can bring the sweets and port with us afterwards...?" her whispered words were like a hot caress against his skin.