Shokomaru waited in the private room for his guest to arrive. He wore his suit, tie done properly, sitting seiza while he tapped apps on his densai.

His hair wasn't done up quite, but he actually preferred that, and there was time yet to show his guest some true formality. He smelled nice, at least. It was proper to get the feeling right.

Akemi entered, wearing, as every day, her usual suit.

Wait.

Actually no.

This particular night, she was wearing an ornamented blue dress. Both of her arms were hidden under long dark gloves. Her hair were slightly less messy than usual and traces of makeup could be seen on her face, but not that much, more of a last minute fix than anything else.

She looked embarrassed as hell and barely managed to look at him in the eyes.

"Hi."

At the signal that someone was being shown in, he expected Akemi anyway, so he stood and prepared to receive...her...wow.

He stayed calm. It was a little difficult.

That was an amazing dress. He had to admit. He wondered how to admit it to her, though.

Shokomaru bowed.

"Lady Hida, welcome. And here I was only expecting Akemi-hohei", he said after they had complete privacy again.

Akemi was red as a tomato as she bowed excessively properly in response:

"Daigotsu-chuui."

She failed hard at making a proper courtier disdain face for her next line, lost somewhere between embarrassment and the urge to burst out laughing at his surprise:

"I recall telling you I was a princess. Did you maybe think I wasn't truthful in my claims?"

"On the contrary", he said and closed the distance between them with a step, and his hands went around her waist, resting on her hips. "I am dazzled, but never in doubt."

he squeezed her a bit, pulling her body toward his.

She immediately went for a kiss, utterly breaking the proper princess character. Her brain couldn't help but register that her arms wrapped around his body felt weird, her touch dulled by the thick gloves. That only encouraged her to hold him tighter.

The Spider took all the tension she was letting out readily, and greedily. He returned her sudden action hard, pushing her back, like he was trying to walk into her while also pull her into him as he kissed her.

He also had a bit of a wandering hand, but what can you expect given the sudden lunge? Shokomaru also showed little sign of stopping.

"Watch the table", he warned. Though was he so willing to go that far in a restaurant?

Akemi released the Spider with reluctance.

"Yeah. You're right. Don't want to draw in the staff with a racket of broken plates."

She smiled:

"And I intend to get some food eating done tonight. I am hungry as hell. Day has been long and full of wrestling or other flexes."

And grinned:

"Well, the princess persona didn't last long did it? Back to Akemi-hohei the devouring ogre."

He didn't let her go, actually. He kept her close and listened to her voice.

"Both are welcome at this table", said the Spider, and he kissed her again, then withdrew finally.

"Have a seat and we can start with drinks, some gyoza should be showing up soon."

Akemi sat, not without stumbling a bit on her own skirt. She was still showing a wide nuance of red and pink on her face, but looked extremely happy.

"That's the first time I put on a dress of my own volition you know? It's kind of a strange experience.

So, how was your day? Not banished yet?"

He sat down as well, having resisted swatting her butt when she turned around.

"And miss this night? Are you kidding? Honestly I'm more concerned about you. What happend?"

Akemi laughed:

"Kuni Eriko... I was expecting her to send us on a wild goose chase through the most ill-famed neighborhood of the city and straight into an ambush where we would have been shot down like rabbits. Instead we went to find some family heirloom of her that she lost. My main contribution was to look under beds and force open uncooperative doors. Thanks for the equipment though. I've returned it and I appreciate that you trusted me with it."

Though everything she said was technically true Akemi might be leaving out some details that Sho-kun doesn't have to know here.

He arched an eyebrow. "A Kuni lost an heirloom out here?" He reached into his pocket and grabbed his pack of smokes. "Wasn't any difficulty with the deadly shit out there, or are you just trying to not make me worry?" He lit the smoke.

Maybe he didn't need to know, but it didn't change his curiousity.

"We... might haven gotten into a fight. But nothing dangerous. As long as the other side does not have heavy weaponry close to nothing can get through my Kaiu-forged armor.

But yeah... It's not safe outside the city. Don't be an idiot and go out there without good armed friends with you. Some people were attacked by savaged beasts not two days ago. We were today. Would hate seeing you die because you felt like taking a stroll along the river all by yourself under the moon.

And if you drop your family seal into the wild or something and really need to get it back... Call me first."

"I'll keep that in mind", he replied and blew smoke. "Though at this point I hope you've figured out what I am looking to tangle with."

He winked and a servant opened the door after a knock, then deposited gyoza and sake before leaving. Shokomaru snatched some chopsticks and a plate.

Akemi shook her head before gobbling up one gyoza:

"Sho-kun, if we already had each other figured out, none of this would be half as fun. I don't have the slightest idea of what you do of your days here when you're not chasing girls and trying to keep your comrades out of troubles. Though I guess both activities are time-consuming."

"Incredibly", he said flatly. "Though if i have free moments I actually like to sketch a bit. Feel like posing?"

Akemi tilted her head, smiling, between two mouthfuls:

"Artistic skills? You seem to always have yet another ace up your sleeve.

Why not. I have no idea how to pose in a dress though. I guess flexing wouldn't do it. Am I supposed to crease the clothes in some way that you can show off by getting the drapery exactly right?"

She tried to rearrange her legs to sit sideway, making a mess of her skirt and unveiling her (sock-wrapped) feet.

He popped a gyoza in his mouth with his chopsticks as she spoke and chewed fast. Then she started to move and he chuckled silently to himself, hand over his face a moment.

"Akemi-chan...no...here", he stood up and walked around to her side of the table. And with a surprising amount of strength, pulled her and her chair out away from the table, tilting it her back a little he looked down on her.

"Let me."

And then he scooted her to face away a little, toward the wall and he walked around to her front, looking at her intently. Her face, the contour of the dress as it followed her body, the fidgeting while she sat, the slight burning in her cheeks and ears. He nodded and knelt down, and took her foot in one hand, her calf in the other, and lifting, crossed that leg over it's twin. Then he tugged the hem of her dress to smooth it out, and shook his head. No, wrong. He lifted the hem and rested it on her crossed knees, showing her calves and feet. Then with gentle care, he peeled both her socks off.

"Hands crossed over your lap at the wrists", he said and stood up, walking back around behind her. Fingers touched her jawline from behind, and her neck, moving her head slightly. Another hand just below her throat, while the other at the center of her lower back, gently adjusting her posture straight, a bow made of her back.

he stepped around in front and after a moment he nodded.

"Just like that. Perfect."

Akemi tried to keep the pose, though she was already fidgeting:

"I cannot see myself so I can't help but worry you're just trying to force me into a ridiculous position and take bets on how long I will need to realize it."