milliways_bar | (no subject)

Wait. He seems to have something on his pants...

It's Mallory! She's getting sneakier with her training!

"Hi."

Oh, well...

Teacup is set aside.

Fiancée is tugged gently, invited to settle on his lap, then kissed.

"You are getting sneaky."

"I've been trying."

She will take him up on the unspoken invitation and cuddle up.

"Miki and some others have been teaching me."

"I've heard rumors." He smiles and nods. "Miki seems to take pleasure on your advancement as much as she does on showing off her own skills."

"You've been busy, lately."

She says it with affection and just a hint of worry, as they haven't had a lot of time for more than just idle talk between her school and training and his work and teaching.

"Is everything all right, out there in Ninjaland?"

"Yes, just very busy. The news that I'm getting married caused a stir, and everybody wants to talk about future... including trying to secure marriages with our future children."

Her mouth might fall open slightly. In fact, she might look just a little stunned.

"But...but..."

She shakes her head.

"I know things work a little differently, especially when you're at the head of an important and powerful clan, but...our kids? That we don't even have? I've had it easy, it looks like."

"Be ready to have people, newly-weds and engaged, come talk to you about future children and try to give you a good impression of their families."

"Should I throw them into a complete panic and tell them that I don't plan to have any children?"

She has a definite gleam of mischief in her eyes.

"Or that if we have twins, we'll only allow THEM to marry twins?"

"You are evil." He chuckles and grins. "Neither of those would be unheard of, but would make people panic a bit."

"We might see a surge in fertility drug procurement, to increase chances of twins for those hoping to increase their chances."

Then a thought occurs to her.

"Your parents didn't try and set you up with someone suitable as a baby, did they? Is some woman going to show up and challenge me to a duel, or something?"

"No. They did not set anything up like that. Of course, there was some panning, but no marriage contracts." Ryu cups her cheek, smiling. "Besides, you could kick anyone's ass."

"Of course, but I'd hate to have to do it."

She kisses his hand.

"I wouldn't want a marriage contract for our kids, either. I want them to love whomever they choose to spend their lives with."

"Ah, but we are sneaky that way: more than a contract, it often goes as making sure the children grow up knowing each other." Why force, when you can just let things happen?

"You grew up knowing Miki, and lots of other girls in the village."

A handful of which would not lose any sleep if Mallory were to disappear forever and leave their chances with him open once more.

"True. Which just proves the wisdom of my parents." Not arranging anything.

"For which I will be eternally grateful."

She doesn't want to imagine what her life would be like--what she would be like--without him.

"I hope that we will be as smart as they were, when it comes to our family."

"I think you will be plenty smart for us both." Ryu wraps arms around her waist. "I am the luckiest man in two worlds."

"I won't argue with you, there."

She laughs as she says it, ruining the effect of any seriousness.

"We're going to have to make it through the wedding, before we worry about children. I need to finish school, though I'm happy to say that's going very well."

"I am quite confident that we will do just fine." Ryu smiles to her. "With your smarts and good looks, how we could not?"

"Yes, because clearly I'm the one who will be able to take sole credit for all of it."

She snuggles in closer.

"Oh. My father wants to meet you. I called and told him we were engaged and that I was moving to Japan. He thinks I'm there now, going to school, and that I'll be home in a couple of weeks for Christmas."

Time is about two weeks behind in her world, at the moment.

"I think it's just fair, since you are the one moving to a whole new world."

The news of meeting his future-stepfather makes Ryu raise a brow. "Do I really need to?" He does not have much of appreciation for the man's existence, besides the fact that without him, Mallory would not exist.

She smirks.

"I'm getting the better end of this deal."

Then, a sigh.

"Need to? No. I won't even ask you to, if you don't want to--I can tell him that you couldn't get away from your businesses for a trip to the states. You would probably scare the crap out of him, anyway."

A small sigh, and he nods. "It would be better to keep things civil... and meet with him." Ryu also does want to encounter the man face-to-face, and get a better grasp of his character.

"He's probably not as bad as I've made him out to be. He's mellowed out a lot since he got married again."

She's still a bit bitter about her past with him, but recognizes that he does try.

"And it will completely catch him off guard to meet a successful businessman who can obviously look out for me a million times better than he ever could, no matter what. I think he's expecting to meet a scrawny college kid that I met on a fencing team, somewhere."