Love isn't easy.

"Ari..." The more she spoke of her love for Toshiro, the more distant she felt to him. He couldn't do anything more for her if that was the true depth of her feelings. Had she felt that way since prior to his leaving? Or was this new to her, too? Either way, he would respect her feelings, no matter who they were for, even if he had a hard time accepting it as truth.

For once, not seeming to know what to say, Jungi found himself staring down at the box with the ring in it. He couldn't bring himself to close the box though, and pocket it again. If he did, he was admitting defeat. He'd promised Shiro that he would fight for Ari, and he'd made the best move he knew how. After all was said and done though...what could he do if her heart was so unwilling? Jungi felt completely stumped; didn't know what to do next. As far as anyone else knew, he'd never been turn down by any woman, so this was going to have to be a first. Maybe that's what threw him so off guard. Yet, even in the past, if they played hard to get, he'd always found a way to lure them into his arms.

Ariadne was different though. She was different in his eyes because he truly had feelings for her. Could he just let her go? If he loved her, would he have to?

Through the long silence, Jungi had sobered, his good mood deteriorating into feelings of utter rejection and anger. He would not show it to Ariadne though.

Nodding his head, Jungi was letting her know he understood. The little box in his hand was closed and returned to his pocket. He would have to fold for now, but that didn't mean he'd given up completely. "Alright. I'll wait. I can wait as long as necessary." Surely she would start so see...there was only more hurt for her if she stayed with Toshiro. He wanted to believe so badly that she could want to be with him even more; she just couldn't see it now. But in the future, when things had played their course, things could change, and he could be waiting for her.

Ari watched as he put the ring away. Well she couldn’t tell him not to wait because he wouldn’t listen. Why was it so hard for him to believe that Toshiro would be good to her? Why was it hard for him to believe that it would last? He was Toshiro’s friend, he should know that the man had a good heart but he hadn’t really shown it much, she supposed. Still she did not see why so many people thought Toshiro would hurt her, including Toshiro himself. They were going to prove all the doubters wrong. Ariadne knew what she was feeling and it wasn’t just a passing inclination. She loved the man more deeply than she could express. Obviously because she seemed deaf to any and all warnings for her not to love him.

“ Okay.” She said, turning away from Jungi, “Be safe Jungi.” She meant it, because she might not love him in the way he wanted her to but she did care about him. If he could be content to be her friend, they would be such good friends but he couldn’t. And who was she to deny him his own feelings. Ariadne began to walk back to her parent’s house. She needed to take care of Thessaly.

Regardless of what Ariadne thought, no matter how things turned out, Jungi would always be her friend, and always be there to protect her. He would continue loving her. But for now, he desperately clung to any lingering hope that things might turn out the way he wanted them to be.


Saying no more, they went their separate ways, Jungi digging his hands into his pockets as he strolled rather aimlessly back in the direction they'd come. Of course, he knew where he was headed. He was going back toward the Guard Hall where he should be able to find Toshiro. Since there were no more training classes, for the next few weeks considering a class had just graduated and even those who didn't wouldn't have scheduled classes for the time being, Toshiro should have plenty of time to hang around his usual spot.


Probably a candlemark later, Jungi walked onto the open training field infront of the Guard Hall where he'd hoped to find the Captain. Not seeing him right away, Jungi raised his voice for it to carry, "Toshiro!" Taking another step forward, Jungi sat on the bottom couple of steps leading up to the hall, hanging his head as if in defeat. Right leg extended, his left knee came up to rest of the one stair below him so that his knee was close enough to lean his forearm over.

It only took a moment for him to hear a reply. "You're noisy." The Captain had been resting in the cooler shade provided by the porch overhang, leaning against the column there instead of sitting out in the sun. Glancing sidelong around the column though, he looked down the steps to find the Trader sitting there. Jungi could hear the bemusement in his tone when he spoke again, "Did you really meet with her? You look defeated. Did she end up telling you to go away?"

Jungi's jaw clenched and then he thought of something. He started to laugh, smiling though he still hung his head. "Do I really look like a defeated man? I'm just tired is all."

Letting Toshiro wonder why he would claim to be tired, Jungi continued to let that rogueish smile play across his features, seeming very pleased with himself. "She had to go home to take care of Thessaly, but after I walked her home and her parents ended up leaving, so I told her goodbye with a kiss. Only...she wanted more. How could she be satisfied with just a kiss anyway?" Jungi seemed to sigh then, thinking back to that time which never existed, "When it comes to 'those' kinds of moments, she really is so girly."

Now, Toshiro could feel as jealous and deprived as he did.

Since he started speaking those words, Toshiro had turned to face him, standing from where he sat. The Captain was obviously growing very angry, leaving his weapon out of reach on purpose. As Toshiro made his way down the few steps between them, Jungi also got up, knowing just what anger he must have awoken the wrath of. Advancing until they were both all the way down the stairs, Jungi back pedaling so that neither of them would have to combat an uneven surface at their feet, Toshiro threw the first punch.

Jungi wasn't about to let Toshiro's swing land. He was too quick for that, and had expected it anyway, so his body easily angle aside of it, blocking the immediate next strike from Toshiro's left hand. The two exchanged multiple strikes and blocks, each having a hard time punching through the other man's defenses, until finally Toshiro caught an opening, using some fast foot work to sweep Jungi's legs from under him.

For most people, once they hit the ground was when the fight began rolling against their favour, but for Jungi, it was when the fight began. Jungi rolled out of the way of another strike, swinging his legs to try and catch Toshiro's own in a tangle to bring the Captain down with him. Even as they fought, the two found a way to keep talking things out, "Stop acting like you own her! Any way you look at it she's mine! You broke her heart already. I won't let you do it again!"

Toshiro evaded, but Jungi had the foresight to expect him to, making fall back plans -which worked. Toshiro found himself in the dirt, though he was used to falling and was able to take much of the force out of a landing that might typically have broken something. The two went back to it. Toshiro growled back at him, "Why don't you go make some tea or something! That way you can stop pretending you know anything more about love than I do!"

Jungi found himself at an advantage finally, straddling Toshiro on the ground, throwing a couple of punches at his face. "After she told me she loved you so much...I thought about just stepping away! But, I would have felt too deprived if I did. So I came back to get a couple good hits in."

Toshiro's lip bled immediately, and he winced, thinking that maybe Jungi had broken his nose. He realized what Jungi was saying, then; that Ariadne had turned him down completely, and he felt so deprived because of it, that he came back to pick a fight. Which is where the story about he and Ariadne being together came in. At least that made him feel better. Yet, at the same time it didn't. The Captain was still pissed that Jungi would lie about Ariadne like that.

In a flurry of motion, Toshiro and re-gained the upper hand, freeing himself of Jungi, and for now, getting back to his feet instead of continuing to roll in the dirt. His nose started pouring with blood, and he brought his hand up to feel at the cartilage there, making sure nothing was too terribly misplaced. Didn't seem to be, but then again, they had both been holding back a bit, too. If Toshiro'd wanted to, in a single strike of his fist, he could have broken just about any bone in Jungi's body had he wanted to. But that hadn't happened yet either.

Jungi stood up from the ground too, taking a breather, watching Toshiro across from him, gauging his mood, "If you're so sincere about her Toshiro, then convince me of it." Jungi smirked, "After all, the sincere thing to do would be to propose to her. I did."

That elicited another swing through the air from Toshiro, aimed at him. Toshiro knew it wouldn't hit, but he was just aiming to get the fight moving again. The two of them went into a renewed round of hand strikes and kicks that never seemed to determine a victor. Rather, it was for the pure enjoyment of beating eachother. If it could be called enjoyment? Either way, it was apparently helping to work a few things out and come to some sort of resolution between the two. Maybe. Hopefully.



"You asked her to marry you?"

"I told you I was sincere!"

Toshiro threw a knife-handed strike Jungi's way, which was expertly blocked and countered; which in turn was also blocked. "What makes you think I'm not?! What makes you think I don't love her!? What makes y-" The words were interrupted by another jab from Jungi. And now Toshiro was angry for a whole new reason. Growling, Toshiro tackled him in a grapple, throwing both of them back to the ground.

The two of them became locked in a knot-work of arms and legs that looked like they might strangle eachother. Jungi managed to speak, only barely, as they struggled together, "Then don't give up on her ever. Work hard to protect her and never let her go! Because if you do, then that makes my love, that has never had a chance, look pathetic!"

Jungi's muscles started to relax a little from where they were both entwined in grapples of eachother, and then he finally sat back, resting on his elbows on the dirt, "At least if I can say I lost to a great love, then I won't look so bad."

By that point, Jungi's tears had returned to the edges of his eyes, where Shiro saw him, and saw the truth behind his conviction. Both men laid on the ground in the dirt then, Toshiro staring up into the sky, "I promise. I will love her better than you do. So that your love won't be diminished. I will protect her and never let her go."

Then he whispered, "I promise you a great love."

Ariadne had not lied to Jungi when she said she was going to go home and take care of her daughter however when she arrived to find her parents out with the little girl, she decided to change her plan. She cleaned up, taking a shower and putting on one of her nicer work dresses. Her hair was left down. Since she didn’t get to surprise Toshiro much at the Barracks she thought she might stop in, just to say hello and let him know what had happened with Jungi. She was about to head up when she heard Jungi shout, Toshiro’s name. She decided not to advance towards the barracks but stayed where she was out of sight but not out of ear shot.

She could almost feel the bitterness in Jungi’s voice despite him trying to make it sound like he had gotten what he wanted from her. She didn’t know what was happening at first but began to hear them fighting. The fighting came closer to where she was standing so she found a group of shrubs and hid behind them. This was too amusing not to watch, besides she wanted to see what they did and hear what they said.

It wasn’t as bad as it could have been really. Well other than Jungi being completely heartbroken. She never thought he would care so deeply about her. He seemed to be so happy being a play boy, seeing different women whenever he felt like. She thought it would be safe to allow him to be her friend because of that. Ari had never thought he would be interested in her as more than a friend. Toshiro may have broken her heart a little but it was partially her own fault for allowing him to push her away. She wasn’t going to let him get away with it again.

When they spoke, she thought about what was being said, ignoring the fighting for the most part. Then of course Jungi brought up the proposal and that sent Toshiro into thinking. She’d never want him to propose because he thought he should, because it was the “right” thing to do. Maybe Ariadne was strange but she didn’t care what everyone thought of her relationship. If Toshiro wanted to marry her at some point, then she would gladly marry him but she didn’t need a ring or a promise to know her feelings were not going to change or that he would stick around. She already knew that.

The whole thing seemed to catch Toshiro off guard for a moment. Jungi’s heart was in the right place really, because he wanted to make sure Toshiro was serious about her but she already knew he was. The confirmation that he would love her and protect her forever brought a smile to her face. She wanted to come out of the bushes then but it seemed like bad timing. Instead she waited for them to quiet down.

They were both laying on the dirt, so she approached quietly, they wouldn’t have seen her, all they would see was her shadow on the dirt then. “I thought you trained up a little higher.” Whether she meant standing or at the actual training grounds was for them to determine. She didn’t say anything about their wounds, physical or emotional.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything. I can come back later.”

Nearly jumping out of their own skins, it could be seen the line both sets of eyes traced to get to her. Their own eyes reflected surprise and then the process could be seen as their minds tried to decide if Ariadne had been there watching the whole time.

As if they might find some answer in eachother's gaze, both looked back at eachother and then quickly returned to their feet, brushing the dirt that that they could from their clothes. Of course, there were some stains there that would have to be worked out in the wash.

As soon as he got up again, Toshiro's nose started dripping blood again, so he tried holding it, tilting his head back. He also took the time to elbow Jungi in the ribs as hard as he could, for punching him in the face to begin with.

The way they both stood there then, was almost as if they were both children caught red-handed by their mother in the middle of something they weren't supposed to be doing. Both kind of shuffled, finishing straightening themselves up.

"Not interrupting anything." Jungi answered her first since Shiro was still tipping his head back awkwardly trying to stem the blood flow. "We were just finishing. I think I won, just so you know."

Putting aside the fact of his nose bleed at that moment, Toshiro was shooting Jungi looks of astonishment, and would have jumped him again but for the fact Ari was there. Instead of trying to defend himself in the matter, he went back to holding his nose. "Whatever. I'm gonna go clean up before dinner." Toshiro acknowledged Jungi as if nothing ever happened, "Later, Jungi."

The Captain went to take up his weapons and then came back down the stairs, motioning for Ariadne to follow him, Jungi having already waved his goodbyes and went his own way. "Why are you here?" He didn't really care asking at what point she'd gotten there. After all, why not just go ahead and assume worst case scenario -that she'd been there to see /hear the entire show down between the two?

Guiding them back to the officer's barracks which gave him his own room though it was small, Toshiro placed both weapons on a display stand, or rack of sorts, that was meant to house them, one atop the other. Since he wasn't in uniform, having been enjoying a day off from the regular training routine, Toshiro didn't have to worry about undressing from layers.

Shucking his bloodied shirt off, he threw it across the bed and then went to a wash basin where a wash cloth and hand towel hung beside a mirror. Splashing the cold water into his face,he went about ridding himself of the dirt and blood.

She was smiling, amusement dancing in her blue eyes. Neither of them asked how long she had been there so she played along with them as if she had heard and seen nothing. As Jungi and Toshiro stood up and wiped the dirt off of themselves, she couldn't help but see them as children for a moment. There was no doubt in her mind they were both trouble when they were young.

As Jungi boasted his victory, Ari looked at Toshiro who seemed to think that was an unfair statement. It didn’t matter to her who had won, although perhaps to the two men it did. She shrugged and watched Jungi make his leave. Waving goodbye, she followed Toshiro. She hadn’t expected him to ask her why she was there. Wasn’t it obvious?

“I left work early, had a talk with Jungi and went home to find Thessaly out with my parents so I thought I would come and see you. I was going to tell you what had happened because I know you and Jungi are friends. Seems he beat me to it though.” She almost said beat me to the punch but thought that would be a horrible joke, although it made her laugh a little on the inside.

Ariadne tried not to read much into his brusqueness as he took his shirt off and began to wash the blood and dirt away. She didn’t know how much of what Jungi said was upsetting him or what part of what Jungi had said was bothering him but she felt like something was other than the obvious physical pain from being in a fight. She didn’t press him though, as she figured he would tell her if he wanted her to know.

“May I look at your nose?” Ariadne wanted to be sure it wasn’t broken.

After the bleeding seemed to have stopped and he'd washed himself clean, Toshiro sat himself on the edge of his bed so that Ariadne could take a look at his nose.

Of course, until she made him look up so that she could inspect him, his eyes roamed up and down her figure, and when she got close enough, his hands went to her sides, holding onto her. And even if she wasn't through taking a look at him, he was already lifting the hems of her dress to get to what interested him underneath. She was right about him. Trouble indeed.

His hands on her sides she could feel his desire. Ignoring his touch just long enough to look at his nose, she leaned in Smiling down at him she said, “I don’t think it is broken.” Even as she said the words she was moving in to kiss him. “Remind me, what was I doing here?” She said with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Her arms had lifted over her head so he could easily remove her dress.


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