"I should likely do more running myself." Hayato replied with a sigh. "Haven't been doing enough of it here, too easy to get out of shape if you're not keeping up with it too."

"Maybe I'll get on that when i get the little guy tucked away and after i grab a shower."

“You should. I took Kitsu-san running and look how well that worked out. Then Matsu Hide-san and I had a race which also ended... relatively well. Only good things happen when you run.”

He raised an eyebrow at that? "Have you been flirting with Matsu Hide as well then?" He conveniently left out that he had used a race as an excuse to flirt just a few days prior, but it was in a pool and thus didn't count.

"Suppose there is no harm in giving it a try though, most bushi I know enjoy exercise."

"N-no! She is an honourable samurai and it would hardly be appropriate. I trained with the Matsu, it would be like marrying a cousin."

Hayato watched Shoan for a moment, that was kind of suspicious. He wasn't going to call her on it though. "Well I can respect that. I'm pretty sure you both would want to keep your duties too, and that would just be a complication."

"Absolutely, and she's very athletic and strong and outgoing. I can't imagine her wanting to take nearly a year off to have a child."

"I mean, just do it together." Hayato replied with a shrug. "That way at least you can spend the time with each other."

"Though I suppose you could also just ride of." He paused. "That probably goes for any two ladies though."

"Hayato-san, you are not an entirely unwise samurai, but would you really want to be part of a household where everyone is pregnant?"

"I mean, I'm never going to have that problem myself. I'm betting you're going to say no though." Hayato replied with an amused smile on his lips.

"Do you really think you would drive each other that crazy though?"

"Well I hope not...I've never been pregnant and....I am almost completely sure she has never been pregnant. A few months of reduce duties could be..difficult though."
Gesturing at her gear
"I am in the habit of staying as active as possible."

"Well, you should probably at least consider the ide, shouldn't you?" Hayato asked his smile invisible under the mask. "Even if it's you and Kitsu-san, would you want her to be the only one of you going through that?"

"No...not really. I did...discuss it with her. I thought she..I mean, if it does happen, we talked about her taking the first child and then I could take the second. Her duties are less physically demanding than mine, but she's not a broodmare, we should share the load."
A slight frown
"...I admit, it is not a topic I have previously focused much effort on."

"Did you really even give much thought to marriage before you made your way here, Shoan-san?" Hayato asked raising an eyebrow.

"Though if it's any worth, looking at how you handled kitten-kun. I think you'd have a fair shot at making a good mother."

"Well marriage was always something that was just supposed to happen to me. I think if I hadn't received my jade appointment one would already have been arranged."
Shoan really wasn't sure whether the miai had made everything more or less complicated

"Kitten-kun..I mean, that was easy. He just needs to feel safe and be treated right."
She tried to picture herself doing the same with a really furry baby...hmmm...maybe
"You think so?"

He nodded, that was the common way for many samurai and it was no surprise that it was what Shoan had expected to happen as well. "I think that's pretty much what a baby needs too, for the most part. Of course there is a bit more too it then that."

His lips twitched into a smile. "But if you can make a kitten feel safe and treat em right, I think you do have the qualifications. Though I'm not exactly an expert"

Like some kinda....fur baby

"Well....that is something, I would not want to be a bad parent."
Eyes widening
"But what if they can speak with the kami? How do you parent a baby which can burn the house down?"

That was something that Hayato could not answer so he offered Shoan a shrug.

"Maybe invest in fire retardant curatins?" That was likely super helpful.

“....”
Hmmm, that definitely was a good idea
“Kitsu-san will know, she almost certainly grew up without burning her house down.”

"Maybe her parents used fire retardant building materials?" He glanced around. Did mushrooms burn?

"Either way she will likely know better then us."

“And if things do get set on fire at least she can swiftly put them out.”