He paused to listen, his fingers stopping their fiddling with the inhalator as the Lion spoke. He had never heard it before, but it was quite good in his opinion. The dark nature of the poem likely lead to it's lack of popularity though. Or that was his guess, it seemed more somethign a solider would enjoy.

"Well, you might not have a fair hand at writing poems, but you do a fine job of recitign them, Ikoma-san." He offered as she finished. "I quite liked that one though, peerhaps sometime you can share the authors name with me, and I can look into his other work?"

"I'm sure it is the Ikoma in me, although an actual bard would put my efforts to shame. The poem was by Asahina Suso-Age. He was famous in his time, although it's said his experience with war affected him greatly."

Shoan glances down and for a second it looks like she was going to swipe the inhalator while Hayato was distracted, but the temptation is resisted.

"I'm sure you've heard better works at the miai though, maybe from some of the other samurai you've met?"

Seeing her look, he pushed the inhalator towards the Lion, unsure if she wanted to smoke it or play with it. He was pretty sure it wasn't smoking it, but you never know.

"I'll remember the name." Which meant he would right it down the first chance he got. "And I think I can tell what you mean, even with that one poem you can see he has seen a lot of war and what happenes in it."

The drink he had been cradling was brought to his lips. "As for poems, I'd have to admit yours is the first I've heard at the miai."

Shoan looks down at the device, back at Hayato, back at the device, back at Hayato....and then starts spinning it quietly in the same manner the Tsuruchi had been.

"The first? Is that because you haven't been speaking to a lot of poets, or because you haven't been speaking to many potential partners?"

"Ithink it's most likely that not many of my potential partners are poets." Seeing her start to spin the inhalator, he smiled. Well that worked. "Or maybe I just don't inspire many to poetics?"

Reaching into his pocket he produced a silver lighter, and setting it on the table began to spin it. "Maybe it's because I haven't been speaking to many Lion though? Are poems popular among your clan mates here?"

Fidget spinners were dearly missed in Rokugan

Shoan considers her clan mates for a few moments
"...Probably not, not at all actually. They have....other interests, which are of course all very honourable and respectable. The only other miai participant I know who enjoys poetry is a Crane and she is....very popular with the other samurai present. Maybe if I had her skills I'd be more of a draw?"

"I think you've just described the majority of the Crane women at the miai, Ikoma-san." All the ones he had met were popular at the very least, they were also all beautiful which likely didn't help the Lion.

"Though i don't think you particularly need her skills to be a draw. Maybe just be more open?" He shrugs. "I'm no expert though."

"I am by nature not an open person, nor do I think a samurai should be open."
.....

"Oh, I see what you mean, say less things like that."
A slight frown
"Hmmmm. I suppose were it easy there'd be no skill to it at all. I wills simply have to trust in the fortunes that the miai ends as it should, despite the small cluster of Crane poets."

That brought a soft chuckle from his lips. "Yeah, more or less." He smiled "And maybe try not to be so concerned about what you're good at or not? You're looking for someone to spend your life with after all. So take risks?"

"Or that's my opinion on the matter." The Mantis finished, bringing his drink to his lips and downing the rest of it. "Course, I can't really fault you for relying on the fortunes either. There is wisdom in that."

"Risks? Perhaps....I might have taken one or two already. I prefer risking my life, it's simpler. That and the fortunes I think."

Glancing up
"Are you going to take risks Tsuruchi-san?"

"I suppose that depends on what you think is risky." He eyed Shoan for a moment a playful smile on his lips. "I mean I'm sure some would say asking a woman you just met to dance is rather risky. Especially when you're a Mantis and she is a Lion."

His expression turned a bit more serious. "Past that? Probably. I'm not going to catch someone's eye by holding back or being shy."

"It was pretty risky...."
The slightest of eyebrow quirks
"Still not sure if it payed off, I guess we'll find out."

Nodding at the more serious declaration
"Well, I know one samurai who might enjoy the company of a shy and quiet samurai...but I think you're right, why would you wish to marry someone who picks you as their safety option?"

"Me either." He offered with a slight smile on his lips. "I suppose time will tell though."

Placing his glass on the table, Hayato pondered his next drink or lack of one, finally deciding to order a water. "Mmmm... That's a hard one to answer. It would be a bit hard to swallow and leave the taste of ikebana in your mouth, but at the same time it might be the fate of alot of us?"

"It is a nasty acrid taste, the less who have to taste it the better....hypothetically speaking."
Shoan also orders again, this time a water on the rocks
"I suppose there are only so many good candidates and they cannot be shared. Still, to go through life partnered with someone who was only 'just good enough' .... "

"Hypothetically speaking." He agreed a whisper of a smile of his lips. He had no idea why the lion had eaten a bit of poisonous ikebana, but he wasn't going to ask either.

"Is fine?" Hayato offered after a moment. "We're samurai after all, our life is for our lords." He smirked a light laugh rolling from between his lips. "You can be friends with good enough after all, even good ones. It might not be optimal or what you want but.."

He shook his head. "I suppose that sort of thinking is why I'm not dismissing any candidate, even men. Though my preferences lie in the other direction."

"I am the same...uh, in not dismissing any candidates. As you say, you can have a solid marriage between two friends, and it even reduces some of the complications of child birth."
Slightly wry
"I....have someone I should probably have advised the same, but instead I only advised him on what I thought the perfect matches for him might be, that was probably a failing on my part."

Twitching a lip a list at Hayato's laugh
"Maybe I will recommend your name to him."

"If you like, I'm never against meeting new people after all. Though I can make no promises about his chances." Not knowing who it was, it was quite hard to say.

"I wouldn't actually say you failed in your advice though, as you said you did your best. Which without knowing all the circumstances is about as much as anyone can ask."

He flashed a grin. "Plus I'd really like to hear about the things you're good at. Besides just saving children."

"Of course, no promises."
leaning in slightly
"But you are on the list now, Tsuruchi-san."
Whatever that meant

"Things I'm good at other than saving children? Well, splash duels? Hunting whether it be man or beast. I consider myself a reasonable shot too I suppose, oh, and I know my history. Ah, and spinning small objects."

Inhalator spinning intensifies

"Ah.. Thank you, Ikoma-san." He replied with a polite dip of his head. That was probably a good thing.

"It seems I'll be up for some serious competition in any hunting events." He mused as she named her skills. "Though i admit im curious about this expertise in splash duels."

"I am not so great a hunter as your family is reputed to be....but I like forward to testing that. As for the splash duels...."
Seriously
"Matsu bathhouses. It is a sink or swim business. I trained in a hard school and learnt how to defend myself in the waters."