A Man Shut Out [Kyo, Igendai]

With another laugh, Kyo drank another one, significantly less of a lightweight than his slender companion. It was pretty entertaining seeing him go off like that, but Kyo certainly wasn't one to be outdone in poetry, either.

"First silence,
and then piercing even stone,
the cry of a cicada."

Kyo was definitely not sober enough to be composing anything of his own, but he still had all too many poems neatly in his head. After all, one didn't become a good poet without reading enough to understand it.

"I'm pretty much the norm for the Sawachika, yes sir. My father's got a few inches on me, and my grandfather was about that height too back in his prime. I figure I might still have a little bit more growing before I hit my peak. As for what they're like...well, you've met me, so that's pretty much all you need to imagine. Maybe a little louder, though!"

"How else am I supposed to be an ideal man? Every good man ought to be able to build a house, write a poem, cook a meal, make an income. How else can he provide for his family, after all!"

Ultimately, that was the true driving force in Kyo's life, and in the Sawachika household as a whole. Any man ought to be able to give the world to his family, and being able to do that, he had to be the best in everything he did.

"I have quite a few siblings. My brothers aren't so different from me, really, though they've got their own lives. I'm the loudest of them at the very least. And my sisters? Ah, they're off being perfect noblewomen. Calm, polite, strong warriors. You know the sort."

Kyo actually knew perfectly well that the description he'd given wasn't what most would call "perfect noblewomen," but as far as the Sawachika were concerned, it was better than what the actual noblewomen of the Seireitei tended to be.

"Just because she doesn't need those things from me doesn't mean she can't appreciate the artistry and the effort. As far as I'm concerned, if a woman doesn't care for my approach to life, then any interest I might have in her is misplaced."

A decisive, firm statement from Kyo, to be sure, but he would never budge on something like that. He was unilaterally proud of himself, his life, and he wouldn't change it for anyone. If a woman didn't care for it, that was perfectly fine, from any moral standpoint. But it would never work out, and he wouldn't try and make it.

"Ha, I'm not anywhere near 'hitched' yet. My eldest brother is married, and I have a sister currently seeing potential husband material. Something tells me she won't be finding anyone any time soon, though. Don't tell her I said that, of course, but not many noblemen around here are quite looking for a woman whose most prized possession is her naginata. Spineless, all of them!"

Kyo simply shook his head with a grin at all of Igen's speech, hardly surprised to hear something like that from him. Of course, he wouldn't have been Kyo if he just let it all slide, and he slammed down his drink before making his little comment.

"Oh I do, huh? You oughta show me how well that love poetry's doing in finding you a lady, then. Maybe I'll be convinced."

It didn't necessarily surprise Kyo to hear Igen agree with him on that point, though it did lead him to start thinking as his friend spoke. Hm, that might not have been a completely terrible idea, really...

"Eh, the nobles are too busy worrying about appearances. Wouldn't want a wife stronger than them, after all. I could always set you up on a nice date with her, though. She'd probably take my advice, and I'm pretty sure you probably wouldn't do anything to make her mad at me for the rest of our lives."

Despite his jab, it was a serious offer, and his tone made that much fairly clear. Helped a friend, helped his sister, everyone wins.

"Ha, you kidding me? Anyone keeping up with me in a fight's already leagues better than the pansies that are usually coming her way. Besides, you try some of that romantic poetry out on her, she'll love it. Pretty sure she's sick of hearing me and father recite haiku across the house. All that modern western stuff is bound to get her attention."

The longer Kyo spoke, the more he, frankly, considered this a wholly viable avenue. Of course, he couldn't force something like this, but at the same time, honestly, what was the worst thing that'd happen?

"Then again, I don't really know what your type is exactly. Hope you're not expecting a lady version of me, you'd probably end up a little disappointed."