Kurogane laughs, draining his bottle and picking up another, sealed for now.
"I bet he wasn't expecting that." He says, grin vicious as he looks over at Souma, perched right beside him on the rooftop, matching bottle half empty in her lap, hand around its neck deceptively slim.
"No- they never do when I'm travelling with her- think I'm some sort of chambermaid or something for her- as if the princess hasn't been more than capable of dressing herself since she was at latest five." She says, grinning at him just as wildly.
"One day we'll run out of towns where they don't fear the women travelling with Tomoyo-hime." Souma says, laughing, raucous as she resettles her position at the peak of the roof's slope.
"Hopefully," Kurogane agrees, pulling the cork from the bottle he holds with only a token resistance, "any word from the sailor you were talking to?" He asks, leaning in conspiratorially.
Souma sighs, wistful with her chin in her hand as she looks out over the plan of the compound, gaps between buildings dark holes in the night.
"No- not for a while. I suppose it's pretty difficult for messages to get to us all the way here though." she reasons, "a shame though if she's forgotten- she was very pretty and had the cutest laugh. Could have sailed away with her if I ever stopped working for the princess, you know?" Souma says, sighing again, heavily.
"Thinking of quitting over some girl? Thought you were better than that, kid?" Kurogane teases, teeth bare in the moonlight as he reaches over and ruffles her hair with a big hand.
"Talk like that and I'll rip your hand off," she threatens with no heat, laughing the whole time, "besides I'm older than you." The woman reminds him, a devilish expression lighting up her face for a moment.
"I mean- the princess is pretty too…" She muses, side-eyeing Kurogane for the horror which passes over his face before she cackles, almost slipping before she puts her foot down properly.
"As if- I've known her since she was a baby- it'd be gross to think anything like that." Souma cries, laughter clear in the night air, tears in her eyes with her amusement.
"Thank the gods- I think I'd kill you myself." Kurogane says, face somehow both very pale and very red as he drags a hand down his face and takes a swig of his drink.
Souma hums, smiling, coming to the end of her laughter.
"But I have been seeing someone new though." She says after she's done, quiet, edge of her lip quirking up with a fondness that Kurogane knows well, knows means that she is head over her heels once again.
"Mhm?" He says, drinking again and leaning back against his hand.
"Yeah- she is one of the girls learning to shield. I hadn't really spoken to her at all but I caught her looking when I was watching Tomoyo-hime show them all something last week. Got her name and we're going to walk through the gardens when we've both got some time off." Souma says, not looking at the man as she thinks of the unnamed girl.
Kurogane snorts.
"Walk through the gardens?" He says, air-quoting the words with tone of voice alone.
"Shut up- I swear to the gods you live to say stupid shit!" Souma hisses, blushing from head to toe and attempting to shove him off the building half-heartedly.
"I hate you, you big idiot!" She groans, kicking him in the shin and standing up, arms crossed.
"What about you then? You found a boy yet?" She asks, clearly trying to change the subject from metaphorical gardens.
The man huffs, looking away, letting her get away with the change of conversation just slightly.
"Course not. Someone's got to look after the princess when you run away with your shrine-maiden." He mocks.
"I suppose it's hard to find a man who'll put up with you and your need to always be within ten meters of the princess." Souma teases back, poking out her tongue.
"Who needs romance?" Is Kurogane's gruff response, smirking up at her.
Souma smirks back down at him, snagging his bottle and drinking it down.
"No one needs it but it sure is nice though." She tells him, putting out a hand.
Kurogane lets her pull him up, pats her heavily on the back in the way they have.
"See you next shift." He says, stretching.
She replies in kind and knocks his shoulder.
"Get some sleep." Souma tells him with affection.
"You too." Kurogane says, already picking his way across the moonlit roofs to find his sleeping quarters.