((If the tete-a-tete with the Unicorn and such is still going on, I'm perfectly ok with moving this time slot back a bit))

The days in the Sea of Shadows had been rough on the small Shiba, having never before experienced it's like. When the sun broke free of the clouds that morning, Nozomi had only once felt such a rush of warm gratitude. It seemed only appropriate that she come quietly shuffling into the map room afterwards.

Thanks and devotions were obviously in order.

Scratching at the door, Nozomi remembers the Captain's promise of remembering to be dressed if she kept the hour fairly consistent. The tips of her ears turn slightly pink at the recollection, and she waits a bit to see if she gets a response before entering.

There is no response. When the Shiba enters, the door leading to man's personal quarters is firmly closed.

Thankful she's not interrupting anything, Nozomi enters the room and moves to the shrine to Suitengu. Gently, she kisses the base, and settles herself down into a kneeling position in which to begin her prayers. Her soft lips move faintly as she offers words of praise to the Kami. The familiar sound of the ocean outside the ship's hull eases the tightness that had been growing in her chest during their voyage.

Few moments later, someone else scratched the door.

Pausing in her prayers, Nozomi responds, "Mmm... er... come in..." Her voice is very distracted.

The man enters, only to look around as she did. Seeing that he was not alone, and that there were no officers in the room, the man made his way to the altar. Not wishing to disturb Shiba's prayers, he only nodded to her, before kneeling down himself.

Bowing his head, the man raised his right hand, hi slips moving in a silent prayer, his low murmur filling the otherwise silent room.

Nozomi presses her forehead lightly to the floor slowly, then rises. She has no incense, but a tiny slip of paper is tucked under the base of the statue. Slowly finishing her devotions, she lightly kisses the base of the statue, then rises.

Not wishing to interrupt Xiao Hua's prayers, she stands over the maps, idly wondering what all the lines mean.

Finishing his prayers as well, the man stood up.

"Good morning, Shiba-san." she greeted the petite woman, smiling. He felt so much better, after all.

Smiling shyly, the Shiba says,"It is, isn't it?"

No screaming, no wailing, no disturbing whispers... it was an amazingly good morning comparatively.

"it is." the man nodded eagerly. "The sea around... well you know." he chuckled, simply happy. "So, you were stationed in the sick bay, then?"

"Of c-course." The assignment had been ridiculously obvious.

"You're on the s-same shift, aren't y-you? But I thought you were s-sent as a healer?" The other Iuchi had been assigned as such...

"Yes, but it seems that the crew has talented healers aplenty, but few men with keen eyes." he chuckled. "So I'll be spending most of my time on the foredeck, or up in the nest."

"It's good actually, I like to be out, and feel the wind against my skin." the man continued. "So I am not complaining."

She carefully avoids the subject of keen eyes, for more than one reason. "Ah. So."

There's a distinctively awkward pause. "W-well..." He really doesn't seem that bad... just... Nozomi seems unable to shake her discomfort around the man.

"I hope the f-food gets better from h-here on out. D-do you know anyo-one on-board who m-might like to help t-teach someone to c-cook?"

Ooopse. Iuchi grimaced, realizing what he had said. it was not that he didn't know the etiquette, his father had schooled him well in that particular topic. It was just that he wasn't always enough aware of all the circumstances.

"I definitely hope so. At least we can fish again. There is nothing quite like fresh fish."

"Cooking, hmm... yeah, I do know." he winced mentally. "Ask Shiba Naomi-san about it. She is apparently well versed in such things."

Unfortunately.

Nozomi's expression brightens considerably and she clasps her hands together, "R-really? I'll b-be sure to d-do that. Skills like th-that can be s-so valuable sometimes..."

A Phoenix who could cook! What luck! The little Shiba had little doubt that Naomi could cook all the traditional favorites, and if it even vaguely resembled her own mother's style of cooking, they'd be in for a real treat. Nozomi's little head was abuzz with ideas already.

"Yes, apparently her family is... less than well of." he admitted, blushing a little. he was talking about his betrothed after all. "And she helped her family by running the household." Naomi had readily admitted as much, so he couldn't consider it as a secret.

"You think so? Most of the time there should be servants for that.."

This time she gives him a funny look and her tone becomes rather defensive. "If it's o-one way she sh-shows her family she c-cares about th-them, what d-does it m-mu-matter about servants?"

Nozomi's small nose wrinkles slightly in distaste. Apparently the Unicorn had some issues with getting their hands dirty with honorable work. Every time she thought she might be able to get along with him, the Iuchi said something to bother her.

"But she is a noble born woman." he insisted, somewhat upset that his assesment had been questioned. "She should such menial tasks to others..." Maybe the Nozomi was from a poor family as well, the man thought.

"The caring part seems fitting though." he admitted, finally.

The Phoenix raises one eyebrow underneath her bangs and takes a small, steadying breath. "Wisdom can be found in many places, but you must always begin at home."

It wasn't how the well-known quote was usually used, and she knew it. But she found it a little amusing that the Unicorn would get quite that unsettled about a Phoenix who liked to cook.

Xiao Hua had never been to a kitchen himself, barring the vendors that sold food on the street. Their estate was well manned, and his father was careful to employ as reliable heimin as he could find. Among all things, this ensured that the samurai could devote their time to the nobler aspects of life, such as etiquette and manners.

"They do say that. I have heard that few times before." he nods, chuckling. "Which of the sutras? And which section?" the man asked curious.