Akemi lightly brushed the Bayushi's hair:

"I'm kind of in a weird place emotionally right now. This miai has been more intense than expected in many aspects.

But in the middle term, after I got this sorted out... I wouldn't mind sharing with you."

"I would like that, Hida-san. You make me feel safe, and not just in the way a bushi usually can; Safe to be me, around you. And that is a precious thing to me. Besides, you're pretty cute."

She'd decided to add that last part just to try to make things a little more light hearted. The kiss on Akemi's skin was also for that, before looking up at the Crab woman.

"Anyways, I've interrupted your swimming with my wanting to see you. You wanna get back to working off some stress?"

Akemi smirked. From the Scorpion I learned teasing indeed.

She rose, stretched, and bend her knees, ready to jump back.

"No issue, that was the nice kind of break. Want to race?"

"Would I?"

Tenma popped onto her feet before Akemi could blink, not even need a pushoff to do so. She did a couple hopping steps over to another one of the starting blocks and climbed on.

"That's the best idea I've heard all day."

She said that well aware of the irony, but it was still true.