Beach. Everyone has been working so hard lately so why not take a break and enjoy the beach? You can make sand castles, play in the water, and there are even umbrellas for those who'd rather just relax in the shade. There's a nice row of water melons ready to be smashed later in the day and when the sun goes down, that's when the sparklers come out.
Suffering. It's the hottest time of the year and the citadel doesn't have central air conditioning. The few air conditions that were installed have given up on life after being used so much and now, we really have to make do with what we can while the Konnosuke try to fix it. There's a limited number of fans, plenty of ice cream to go around, and the citadel should be built to circulate air, right? ... Right?!
Spooks. In Japan, summer is a time for horror. Gather around the camp fire and hear some spooky ghost stories or maybe head out into the woods just outside the citadel for a good ol' fashioned test of courage. It's all good, harmless fun! Of course, with so many spirits gathered in one place, what's to say a stray or curious outsider spirit won't join the mix...
Rain. Summer is also known for sudden and torrential downpours of rain. The clouds always seem to grown and darken suddenly and the next thing you know, it's raining sheets and the ground is shaking from thunder. Once it starts, it never seems to stop. Maybe you were caught out in the rain or maybe this is day 7 stuck inside.
Other! It's summer and there are tons of things to do. Go to the general store and stock up on ice cream, wake up in the middle of the night uncomfortable with heat, or run around screaming because cicadas are dying and flying at your face.
Izuminokami had gotten really into brushing the horse out. He was so focused on him and quietly complimenting his beauty that he hadn't even realized Tonbokiri had returned until he heard his voice. He jumped at the sound of his voice and whipped his head around so fast to see the other man standing there.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about. Of course he'd naturally just be attracted to me. I'm a charming person...!"
Oh-hoho, he even surprised Izuminokami! Sorry. (kinda.)
Tonbokiri can't stop grinning. He knows Mikuniguro's preening when he sees it.
"You are two of a kind. A charming person," he gives Izuminokami a stout pat on the shoulder, "and a charming steed." He slaps Mikuniguro on the neck affectionately.
Pulling his hair over his shoulder he continues speaking to the horse, "we shall braid your hair like this, so that you can be even more charming. You'll enjoy that, won't you?"
Mikuniguro's just spent a handful of minutes being brushed and complimented. He's game for anything.
Izuminokami quickly holds the brush back out to Tonbokiri as he tries to hide his own face a tiny bit. Look, it's embarrassing being caught being sweet to others, even if it's an animal..!
"He'll be the best looking one here. Braids are charming on anyone who wears them"
Izuminokami has a very low threshold of what he considers 'being sweet' on someone becoming embarrassed over odd things. Not that Tonbokiri doesn't get embarrassed over odd things, too. Such is the way of being human.
So he just takes back the brush with a kind smile and looks Mikuniguro over.
"You did a lovely job brushing out his hair. Good preparation is essential to good execution, right?"
He then slips one hand into his yukata's sleeve and pulls out a handful of small, purple ribbons.
"We are now properly prepared, so I shall take your instruction."
(I'm so sorry Tonbokiri is completely missing the subtext that he's charming too because he has a braid now?)
"Alright. Since his hair is a lot shorter we'll be making smaller braids obviously. So you're going to take a large amount of his hair and divide it into three sections."
His hands folded over his chest as he watched Tonbokiri. This horse honestly looked like he was made for him.
(Like Tonbokiri is somewhat larger that other swords, Mikuniguro is somewhat larger than other horses...)
Large, but smaller braids. Tonbokiri has large hands, so it's easy for him to take a large handful of hair. But comparing it to how his own braid is... maybe a little less than a large handful?
He fiddles with his handful of hair for a moment, trying to work it into even thirds. Although he is good with fine, dexterous movements, it does take a bit of practice to get the feel of it first.
At last he presents his parted hair to Izuminokami for approval. He hopes it's about right.
Hopefully he didn't mind Izuminokami moving in on his space to inspect what he's done so far. Since he was teaching Tonbokiri and everything, he wanted to make sure everything turned out perfectly!
After a minute of looking, he gives him a grin and a thumbs up. He approved of what he's done so far.
"Now here comes the fun part. One by one you're going to take these parts and cross them over. And you'll keep doing that until you feel like the hair might be slipping out of your fingers too much. Now give it a try."
Ah... he suppose it is a little easier with visuals than it would be just saying it. He gives him a small smile before reaching out to where Tonbokiri's hands were.
"No worries, it's a little tricky at first. It took me a while to get used to them in my own hair."
He chuckles a little and takes the hair out of Tonbokiri's hands before slowly crossing one over and then bringing the third up to cross over.
Tonbokiri hums thoughtfully as Izuminokami makes the braid.
"Ah, it seems a bit easier once it's been started. So the part that is on the outside, you bring to the middle..."
Tonbokiri takes up another handful of hair beside Izuminokami and sorts it into three parts again. Then he begins the braid, frowning over how awkward it is to start. But once he has a few plaits going, his expression softens.
"This rhythm is rather relaxing, isn't it."
And then he realizes, he's left Izuminokami to finish that one braid on his own, so he'll need something to tie it with. But Tonbokiri can't let go of his braid!
"My apologies. My hands are full now, but if you reach into my sleeve, you can get a ribbon to tie your braid off with."
Awkwardly his fingers shift to hold onto the braid he had finished up so he could reach into his sleeve with his free hand. He tugs out a couple ribbons and his hand accidently brushes against his arm as he tugs them out.
"It's not my favorite color, no, but it's still rather gorgeous and your horse deserves to look gorgeous, don't you think?"
He gives Tonbokiri another grin as he starts to tie off the braid he put in his hair. When it seems secure enough he turns and makes a grand dramatic gesture toward his horse.
Well... It's good that it's a gorgeous colour? (Considering horses can't see red or purple, it won't matter much to Mikuniguro.)
He of course smiles at Izuminokami's question.
"As expected of one of your experience, it looks gorgeous. How about this?"
He pauses in his work to show what he has been doing. Slow but steady, the braid is taking shape. Although he's no judge, it seems sufficiently smooth and balanced. (But it is too loose.)
It wasn't too bad, but being braided so loosely, it might fall out soon after tying it up. He gives Tonbokiri a small smile and pats his shoulder.
"Not too bad for your first braid. Though if you want it to stick a little easier, when you do the braiding, if you tug the hair up a little it tightens it up so it doesn't fall loosely."
Izuminokami was looking at him with a lot of pride though. He was impressed with Tonbokori even trying.
"Ah, I see..." He is disappointed in himself, but he is just learning, and it is just the first braid. The pride that Izuminokami is showing him is the final wind to completely blow the disappointment away.
So with a decisive gesture, he pulls apart the braid he'd been working on.
"I see. I shall do better this time. Please watch me."
Again starting the braid is difficult, but he takes the advice to tug the hair snugly each plait.
Okay, that sounded a little stranger than he had meant for it to sound, but he couldn't take it back now. He wanted to see the look of excitement on his face when he made the braid tighter. He wanted to see Tonbokiri being happy.
Of course he had to be one of dramatics when it came to silly things like this, so he leaned down inspecting it for a long time. ( Sorry Tonbo its his own form of teasing ) Every once in a while he lets out a loud hmmmm as he moves around to check the other side. Finally...
He stands up and gives him big grin. "Now this? This is a braid worthy of my own hair."
Tonbokiri has a moment of thinking Izuminokami is being serious, and then as the inspection drags on he understands that this is just teasing. So he puts on a serious face of his own as he waits.
Finally, he can return Izuminokami's grin.
"Is it? That is high praise, indeed. My thanks."
Taking another ribbon from his sleeve he asks, "Shall we continue and finish his whole mane?"
"Of course. We won't stop until is mane is as gorgeous as mine"
Izuminokami even goes as far as to pump his fist up before slipping a hand into Tonbokiri's sleeve to grab a few more ties for himself. He might have been okay with watching before, but now he couldn't help but want to join in as well.
Even though his hands were free, Izuminokami helped himself to the ribbons in his sleeve... But perhaps being so familiar is also part of being friends.
He laughs, bending to carefully peer at Izuminokami's face.
"Oh? You call your hair a mane as well? Perhaps you are secretly the tsukumogami of a horse?"
Izuminokami's face heated up pretty quickly. Even without trying it seemed like Tonbokiri caught on pretty quickly on how to embarrass the younger sword.
"Th-that's not what I meant at all! I-It was just a saying! There's no way I would be an actual horse no matter what you say!"
On one hand, Tonbokiri is glad that Izuminokami didn't take that as a slight against his pride as a sword. On the other hand, he'd not expected such an amusing reaction! He's embarrassed over that? (To be fair though, he doesn't have much room to talk himself.)
"Of course. Of course." Tonbokiri gives Izuminokami a sound, reassuring pat on the shoulder. "In apology, I'll get you an apple as a treat when we go back inside. They're very delicious right now." (Is he still teasing? Maybe just a little.)
Mikuniguro knows that key word, and wants an apple too! Hey! He shoves his nose into Izuminokami's side.
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"I-I don't know what you're talking about. Of course he'd naturally just be attracted to me. I'm a charming person...!"
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Tonbokiri can't stop grinning. He knows Mikuniguro's preening when he sees it.
"You are two of a kind. A charming person," he gives Izuminokami a stout pat on the shoulder, "and a charming steed." He slaps Mikuniguro on the neck affectionately.
Pulling his hair over his shoulder he continues speaking to the horse, "we shall braid your hair like this, so that you can be even more charming. You'll enjoy that, won't you?"
Mikuniguro's just spent a handful of minutes being brushed and complimented. He's game for anything.
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"He'll be the best looking one here. Braids are charming on anyone who wears them"
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what he considers 'being sweet' on someonebecoming embarrassed over odd things.Not that Tonbokiri doesn't get embarrassed over odd things, too. Such is the way of being human.
So he just takes back the brush with a kind smile and looks Mikuniguro over.
"You did a lovely job brushing out his hair. Good preparation is essential to good execution, right?"
He then slips one hand into his yukata's sleeve and pulls out a handful of small, purple ribbons.
"We are now properly prepared, so I shall take your instruction."
(I'm so sorry Tonbokiri is completely missing the subtext that he's charming too because he has a braid now?)
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His hands folded over his chest as he watched Tonbokiri. This horse honestly looked like he was made for him.
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Large, but smaller braids.
Tonbokiri has large hands, so it's easy for him to take a large handful of hair. But comparing it to how his own braid is... maybe a little less than a large handful?
He fiddles with his handful of hair for a moment, trying to work it into even thirds. Although he is good with fine, dexterous movements, it does take a bit of practice to get the feel of it first.
At last he presents his parted hair to Izuminokami for approval. He hopes it's about right.
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After a minute of looking, he gives him a grin and a thumbs up. He approved of what he's done so far.
"Now here comes the fun part. One by one you're going to take these parts and cross them over. And you'll keep doing that until you feel like the hair might be slipping out of your fingers too much. Now give it a try."
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"Cross them over?"
He crosses two parts one over the other, but blinks down at the third. How does this work?
"My apologies. Could you show me how?"
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"No worries, it's a little tricky at first. It took me a while to get used to them in my own hair."
He chuckles a little and takes the hair out of Tonbokiri's hands before slowly crossing one over and then bringing the third up to cross over.
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"Ah, it seems a bit easier once it's been started. So the part that is on the outside, you bring to the middle..."
Tonbokiri takes up another handful of hair beside Izuminokami and sorts it into three parts again. Then he begins the braid, frowning over how awkward it is to start. But once he has a few plaits going, his expression softens.
"This rhythm is rather relaxing, isn't it."
And then he realizes, he's left Izuminokami to finish that one braid on his own, so he'll need something to tie it with. But Tonbokiri can't let go of his braid!
"My apologies. My hands are full now, but if you reach into my sleeve, you can get a ribbon to tie your braid off with."
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Awkwardly his fingers shift to hold onto the braid he had finished up so he could reach into his sleeve with his free hand. He tugs out a couple ribbons and his hand accidently brushes against his arm as he tugs them out.
"Purple? How fitting..."
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He is a little surprised at the complement, but smiles.
"You think so? They are just ribbons from my armour..."
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He gives Tonbokiri another grin as he starts to tie off the braid he put in his hair. When it seems secure enough he turns and makes a grand dramatic gesture toward his horse.
"So what do you think?"
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He of course smiles at Izuminokami's question.
"As expected of one of your experience, it looks gorgeous. How about this?"
He pauses in his work to show what he has been doing. Slow but steady, the braid is taking shape. Although he's no judge, it seems sufficiently smooth and balanced. (But it is too loose.)
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"Not too bad for your first braid. Though if you want it to stick a little easier, when you do the braiding, if you tug the hair up a little it tightens it up so it doesn't fall loosely."
Izuminokami was looking at him with a lot of pride though. He was impressed with Tonbokori even trying.
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So with a decisive gesture, he pulls apart the braid he'd been working on.
"I see. I shall do better this time. Please watch me."
Again starting the braid is difficult, but he takes the advice to tug the hair snugly each plait.
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Okay, that sounded a little stranger than he had meant for it to sound, but he couldn't take it back now. He wanted to see the look of excitement on his face when he made the braid tighter. He wanted to see Tonbokiri being happy.
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Careful and steady, his expression becomes calm as he regains the rhythm of plaiting. It is satisfying to see how nicely a tight braid holds together.
When he gets to the end he looks up at Izuminokami happily.
"How is it this time?"
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He stands up and gives him big grin. "Now this? This is a braid worthy of my own hair."
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So he puts on a serious face of his own as he waits.
Finally, he can return Izuminokami's grin.
"Is it? That is high praise, indeed. My thanks."
Taking another ribbon from his sleeve he asks, "Shall we continue and finish his whole mane?"
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Izuminokami even goes as far as to pump his fist up before slipping a hand into Tonbokiri's sleeve to grab a few more ties for himself. He might have been okay with watching before, but now he couldn't help but want to join in as well.
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He laughs, bending to carefully peer at Izuminokami's face.
"Oh? You call your hair a mane as well? Perhaps you are secretly the tsukumogami of a horse?"
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Izuminokami's face heated up pretty quickly. Even without trying it seemed like Tonbokiri caught on pretty quickly on how to embarrass the younger sword.
"Th-that's not what I meant at all! I-It was just a saying! There's no way I would be an actual horse no matter what you say!"
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On the other hand, he'd not expected such an amusing reaction! He's embarrassed over that? (To be fair though, he doesn't have much room to talk himself.)
"Of course. Of course." Tonbokiri gives Izuminokami a sound, reassuring pat on the shoulder. "In apology, I'll get you an apple as a treat when we go back inside. They're very delicious right now." (Is he still teasing? Maybe just a little.)
Mikuniguro knows that key word, and wants an apple too! Hey! He shoves his nose into Izuminokami's side.
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His face was completely red now. He was thrown off his whole "cool guy" act and it was so embarrassing.
"D-don't get mad at me! Tonbokiri is the one offering apples get mad at him!"
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