Shizuku wasn't sure if she could scrub herself enough in the cleansing area to get rid of the feeling from this afternoon. Besides the feeling of glares... there was the implicit feeling that she had been a much lesser choice in everyone else's eyes. That she was some kind of scum. She thought she'd gotten numb to the feeling of everyone around you thinking you're worth nothing, but this was a whole new low.

She rinsed herself, rubbing her eyes fiercely to get water out of them... and that was all. She definitely wasn't tearing up. Taking a breath, she headed over to the hottest pool once more to ease the tension.

They'd get through this. They'd make it together.

Akihiko relishes the quiet of the bathhouse at this time. After more attention than desired for much of the day, a quiet locker room and the promise of time with Shizuku sounded just heavenly. After everything on this world, not only today but everyday for almost two weeks, the hot pool was his destination. He was pleasantly surprised to see Shizuku had beaten him here and was already in the pool.

Seeing his betrothed calmed him almost as much as the pool would. He approaches loudly enough that she won't be startled, and when he's close he greets her with a warm, "Shizuku-san, I am so glad to see you."

She turned and then smiled warmly, face brightening from the melancholy it had settled into. "Akihiko-san. I was going to say the same. You beat me to it!" She was surprised to find that, despite the day, seeing him let her laugh with her usual ease. "Today was sure a day, huh?"

It's been a terrible day for both of them, but Akihiko can't help laughing a little, and smiling in the way that comes so easy with Shizuku. "It was," he nods his head. "The first day of something even better than before, though."

He hesitates for a moment about removing his towel. Then he laughs at himself, realizing how silly it is to feel immodest now. He turns, tosses it gently, and steps into the pool.

She grinned. "Definitely! Even if things start out a little rocky, I'm going to make sure and prove myself as quickly as I can," she said, looking toward him again once he was in the bath.

She quirks an eyebrow and grins wider. "We're betrothed. Does that mean I get to make overtly flirty comments at you now?"

He can't help but continue to smile affectionately at her energy. He moves a bit closer in the pool, but stays near the side. Staying proper still.

"I would imagine you can say anything you want to me now. I'm not going anywhere." He raises an eyebrow himself, trying to mimic the cute look on her face.

"Hmm... how about..." She tapped a finger on her chin, then finished with, "I told you you needed to be less perfect when we first met, and the more I learn and see, the more I can tell you're just not going to. Of course, now I can just enjoy it without having to give other suitors a fair shake."

He snickers. "That is a good one. Although," he says, just a little bit mischievously, "I can tell you honestly that you did not give the competition a fair shake."

She looked mock-affronted. "You insult me, sir! I absolutely did. They just didn't suit me as well for perfectly legitimate reasons."

"Ah, you are right," he corrects himself. Maybe I'm more tired than I realized. "I meant that in courting me, anyone else was always playing catch-up."

"I mean, in all seriousness, you might be right. It's hard to tell from within your own head whether you're being objective, and you're probably not," she said. Her hand found his between the two of them and rested hers on it. "Though it's also true that everyone was playing catch up. You're just... so genuine, and fun to talk to, and you're willing to get excited about stuff... We like enough of the same things to have fun together, but are different enough to be interesting and learn something new... I never feel like I'm on the back foot with you."

Even here and now, after everything, that first touch of Shizuku's hand on his means so much. He closes his eyes, serenity on his face from everything in this moment.

He slowly opens his eyes after hearing all her kind words. He smiles, tired but so in love, and says, "I came here with little thought of anything, and almost the first thing I did was meet you. So warm, so caring, so... So much what I needed without even knowing. But this is right. I hadn't thought much of the future until you. Now I want every minute of that future I can get. Our future."

"What I needed without even knowing... Yeah, that sounds right." She leaned over to rest her head on his shoulder. "I thought I'd be content just doing my duty and marrying whoever. I don't always... well, considering what I might want never occurred to me before I met you."

"Now... Looking forward, I wonder if I can think about that with the rest of my future, too. It'd be nice to be able to switch to programming full time."

He smiles at her, although she can't see it from his shoulder. He speaks with his voice even a little more gentle than usual, not used to having her ear so close.

"I can't promise anything, but i think my clan will welcome your skills. Being a clan of traditionalists, we are better at technology that's dependable than innovative. Like my Swiftclaw, kami bless its grumpy targeting system." He chuckles a little. "Actually, you and my father will get along well. He's a retired gunnery officer, values all things computers and engineering. It's funny, I hadn't thought of that until just now." He gently bumps her head with his. "I think better with you around," he whispers.

He can feel her nod against him. "It sounds like there might be an opportunity there, then. I want to find a way to prove myself after all this."

She paused and squeeed his hand. "Everyone's reaction... I felt everyone was seeing me as just pond scum compared to who they thought you would choose."

When she mentions proving herself, he starts to say, "No, you shouldn't have to..." But the squeeze of his hand stops him.

Hearing the hurt in her voice as she continues, he cringes. This is partly his fault, for bringing her into a spotlight she didn't deserve. But the burden of that thought doesn't slow his response: "They do not know either of you like I do." He sighs. "I will not speak ill of her, but know that you are in no respect her lesser."

"But I do have to." She straightened and looked down at her free hand. "I want to start off on the right foot. I don't want to leave some place where no one wants me around just to go to another one."

It's Akihiko's turn to squeeze her hand, and to look her squarely in the eye if she looks up. "I cannot believe anyone would not want you around, but I assure you that the Lion will not make the same mistake as the Crane. And it's important to you, so I will make sure you get the opportunity." Another gentle squeeze of her hand.

She smiled a little and nodded, squeezing back. "Thank you. I appreciate your support. Don't forget to let me do the same for you." She bumped his shoulder playfully with her own.

He smiles, a touch nervously actually, and then nods. "Of course. I will try to remember." He looks into her eyes again. "You know, the first time you bumped me with that shoulder. That may be when I fell in love with you."