Ichika nodded, smiling, raising her glass in turn, "A good idea, I think, Daigotsu-sama."

"Kampai" and he drank it down to the ice, then slide the glass over to resume his straight sake. He drew a cigarette from his jacket, with a gesture he offered her one, but didn't expect she would accept.

"So Doji-san, what will we do for fun tonight?"

"Kampai!" she returned, finding that merry tone. Drinking it most of the way, but it still had just a bit left yet. When he offered her a cigarette she raised her hand as to deny it. Dipping her head in thanks for the offer.

"Well.. I had expected to see what it was like in a place like this, maybe find someone to talk to," she said with a little laugh. Looking out over to the club, taking in the sight to remember it for later.

"Do you dance?" he asked.

Of course she dances, she's a Crane.

"I don't, but if you want I can shift about uncomfortably while you make me look good."

Ichika looked back, the words caught up as she did, "O-oh! Uh.." she chuckled awkwardly, bringing a hand to the back of her neck as she lowered her head a little. "Not really, no. Well.. I have and I do but I'm not very good," she chuckled again.

"Good, I'm terrible too", he said confidently, them rose from his seat, leaving his drink on the table and bowed to her, extending a hand. "Shall we?"

The music was up beat, at least.

With the hand in front of her, Ichika first took the last sip of her drink and then looking up to him, nodded. Offering up her hand in turn she slid to the side of her chair so she could stand with the motion easily. Collecting up her purse with her other hand, it was small and easily held.

"You sure about the purse? No one is going to steal anything from a samurai here...", he said and escorted her to the dance floor. "But if you need something on hand to hit me with, I get it." he winked.

When they got out there, Shokomaru danced a little mutedly, trying to find his rhythm, but did in time. He wasn't much of a dancer, but it looked like he was having fun.

With what he said, just before they left, she glanced to him and then the table. Tossing it back down she allowed him to lead her to the dance floor. All the while looking down, nursing a subtle red on her cheeks visible just barely through the makeup she wore.

Ichika, for her part, didn't know what she was doing and it was clear, but she did still have that inner sense of Crane grace. Though it was certainly muted, not reserved, just... well, she was having fun. Fun enough that eventually she spoke up in the middle, "So, Daigotsu-sama do you dance often?" she chuckled. Glancing passed him for a moment to the others, furrowing a brow as she watched how they moved for a moment.

"No, not at all, in fact...", he said over the music, and it suddenly dropped. Not cut out, but the beat had vanished, only for a much softer tune to start. "Uh...in fact..." he was surprised to be much better heard suddenly. "Yesterday was the first time since I left the dojo, I guess."

He looked left and right, a lot of people had cleared away, but they'd just gpt there. Those who remained were getting...well, closer.

Right.

He took a quick breath and closed the distance. He gulped slightly, but took one of her hands again, and placed the other around the small of her back, doing his best to keep eye contact. If he could do that, this might not be cause for concern. It was just dancing, after all.

Ahem.

Just as he looked left, she looked right, he right, she left. Ichika was looking up, about to say something, when he was suddenly much closer and nothing verbal left her mouth but a quiet squeak of surprise. With her hand taken, the presence of his hand on her back, her face turned red and she looked down and to the left. Hiding her face, and expression, until she could reclaim control of it.

Meanwhile.. back on the table, Ichika's communicator, tucked carefully in her purse, gave a little notification sound that went unheard by any who might acknowledge it.

"It's just dancing", he said to her, trying to keep his cool. Oh, he was nervous as hell right then too. "They're playing a good moody song, no one's staring. They're all doing the same thing."

It was likely true, not that he was looking anywhere in particular.

And he moved, one foot after the other, trying to keep his body from doing something stupid, and counted beats in his head to occupy his brain so his feet could move naturally.

After a measure or two, he chanced a look down at Ichika.

"R-right," she managed, swallowing as she tried to focus on her steps. In slow motion, she could excel a little while. Moving without really thinking about the steps, following the flow that the music introduced and her lead, Shokomaru, guided with. Leaving her mind to focus on other things.. like her hand in his, his on the lower of her back, how close they stood. All of it so...

When he looked down at her, she had her head still turned to the side but she was looking up and over his shoulder. Carefully measuring every step, every motion, all the a distant expression revealed she was caught in a thought.

He opened his mouth to speak, but felt if he did he'd croak like a frog or his voice would crack so he gulped down and started moving them in a wider circle.

Still quite slow, however, and he tried not to grip her hand too hard, or sweat too much. Really he doubted he had control over anything at that point. He needed to focus. Focus or do something very stupid.

So he waited a bit until they drifted too close to some other dancers, just a moment is all it took and he tugged her slightly, to get away. Also, though to get her to look at him.

When he could look her in the eye, he felt a little more confident about talking.

"You're doing great", he said, smile tugging at his lips, trying to ignore that his arm around her back was starting to tense a little from actively trying not to touch except for his hand. "But as this song's barely a quarter over...i think we should relax a little."

So he let his arm lose some tension, which made it so they ended up a little closer, and he changed grip on his hand to be holding hers a little more tenderly, naturally, and a bit closer to both of them.

It didn't stop a bead of sweat from going down the back of his neck.

Yeah, relax. Seems just like relaxing.

Still it wasn't nearly as wild as some of the actual couples there. If anything, they stood out less.

It was a play that worked, when he tugged she looked. Catching him looking at her she blinked, looked down without turning her head just as he started speaking. It wasn't long though, as she looked up in time to catch the smile. "Y-yea," she said, a laugh that was alike an exhale a little. Nodding her head, "Yea," she focused in on the thought, smiled.

Letting her hand relax, in the moment, in his. Losing the tension in her back the gracefully slightly-reserved movements merely a moment or so prior became far more fluid. "I'm.." she swallowed lightly, smiled as she glanced down without turning her head. "I'm sorry, I'm not very.. used to this kind of dancing, Daigotsu-sama. This kind of.."

There were levels of intimacy he had been through that were...well beyond this in some ways, but fell quite a bit short in others. He'd seen some thing, done others, but this he could safely say was new.

That was the word though, wasn't it?

"Intimacy?" he said and whirled her around a little, keeping eye contact. "Well, it's a good thing we're here, at a miai, getting to know each other."

His smile and closeness tried to tell her that he wasn't any danger, after all, isn't that what this is for? He was just glad he hadn't been drinking all day, or that it wasn't the latest part of the night, because he might start to get crazy ideas.

Maybe she'd feel that, hopefully she'd trust him a little if she did.

Returning from the ranch and readying herself for the club had taken some time. She also had to make sure Ren was alright before leaving him in the flat. But, hearing the music made all the effort worth it to Hoshiko.

She immediately made her way to the dance floor, waving to the DJ as she began to dance.

Ichika held on, a little, if only from what felt like a sudden whirl. Even though it was softer than her reaction made it seem, and he kept her steady otherwise, it merely took her by surprise. Ichika broke that eye contact when she glanced down again, "Y-yea," she said, but before he could say more she spoke again, "Is it not still.. too soon, Daigotsu-sama? We have only just met and already.." she looked elsewhere, still not managing to look to him.

He was doing it again, it seemed. Like with Akemi. This was just the more elegant version of shoving him and running away. He didn't feel too heartbroken, it was likely his own fault.

But before he could answer, the Shiba arrived and waved to the DJ. Who, knowing her (at least Shokomaru assumed), laid a heavier beat down, destroying the mood, crashing hustle and bass into whatever the Spider and Crane had been doing up to that point.

Shokomaru stepped back, face a bit red.

"Seems you're right", he said nervously, scratching the back of his neck, then he bowed from the waist. "I've offended you, i see."

He kept still even thought he dance floor was filling up again.

Ichika's head was yet down, now looking to the floor between them. With Shokomaru stepping back she brought her arms up to her chest, crossing them and holding a little tight. "I- I'm sorry, Daigotsu-sama," she said, her voice sheepish. Glancing up, she found Shokomaru bowing and.. her voice caught in her throat as she looked right back down, pulling herself in a little tighter.

Even as the dance floor started to fill again, the Doji girl stood looking down as if she were on an island.