[story]
It was not uncommon for Shinichi to be banished to Agasa's as punishment for neglect of his training or lack of respect towards his betters. In fact, barely a week went by without some manner of lapse followed by an empty space at the meal table. Ran actually preferred this to the arguments or the fights she inevitably had to break up, but the third day that morning came and she found herself sitting down to breakfast alone with her father she decided it was time to broach the subject.
"Shinichi left the water on the step as usual, Tou-san."
Kogorou grunted. "It would be well if he left."
Ran pesevered. "Tou-san, you do not speak fairly. Whatever Shinichi's done this time, it is not worth this. He's been three days at Agasa's. I know that he is not the most ... attentive of apprentices, and he does not take practice as seriously as he should, nor does he show the proper respect to our peers. As far as personality goes he is arrogant and lazy and usually distracted and frequently idle but for all that he is--"
"Ran," her father interrupted. "Do you really think that?"
"Eh?" Ran blinked. The conversation was escaping her. "Ah, it is true that Shinichi has many faults! But for all that, he is a good apprentice and I do not think it right to send him away so long."
Kogorou shook his head. "And here I thought -- ah, you are wise as usual, Ran. It was only my foolishness to think his presumption had any root in reality."
"Eh?" Now Ran was truly lost.
Kogorou reached a hand across the table to pat her shoulder. "Do not trouble yourself. Shinichi forgot himself enough to ask your hand; I banished him the house to remind him his place. I was worried -- but hearing you speak so bluntly--"
Ran stared, breakfast entirely forgotten. Had she heard right? Had he really ... ? she blushed, barely able to find her voice. "Yes."
"As if a daughter of mine could -- yes?"
"Yes," Ran repeated, happily this time. She found herself unable to keep from smiling. "I accept him."
"You will do no such thing! You yourself just said he is idle, good for nothing--"
"He might not be the best apprentice," Ran said with some heat. "But that does not mean he lacks good qualities. Besides, he would be my husband, not my apprentice."
"Enough of this talk! I forbid it!" Kogorou roared. "You will go to your room until I have made some sense of this madness!"
Ran had only taken the merest mouthful of breakfast but she didn't care. She might have been banished to furthest North and Shinichi sentenced the South; nothing could change the fact that he'd spoken for her. It seemed nothing might match her happiness -- unless it was Shinichi's joy when he arrived to beg penance and was instead told never to darken the Mouri residence with his presence ever again.
Kogorou ranted and stormed and threatened to behead Shinichi, and Ran soothed him and wondered what she would need for her wedding and what they would keep house on. Unfortunately, merely broaching the subject of a dowry was enough to provoke another tantrum and pointing out that she would have to marry at some point only resulted in being banished to her room for life. Ran sighed and prepared to wait it out. When a week had passed, Kogorou still sulked and the only contact Ran had had with Shinichi were the haiku he wrote her and threw into her window, she decided that enough was enough and went to stay with her Mother.
Eri-kaasama took the news cautiously. "It is hard to imagine Shinichi ever changing his ways," she warned Ran, brushing out her daughter's hair as they prepared for bed.
"I do not want him to change. I like him as he is, even if he is occasionally aggravating."
"There must be something good in him for you to like him as much as you do despite your acquaintance with his faults," Eri observed wryly. "Still, if you must marry it is just as well you pick someone who you are used to managing. You will have your work cut out keeping Shinichi in line."
Ran's heart lightened. "You do not disapprove?"
Eri pulled her daughter close. "It is not the choice I would have made for you," she admitted. "But I do not know I could find a man good enough for my Ran-chan. And as you say, Shinichi is a good young man, even if he is occasionally irritating."
It was a full two weeks of doing his own dishes and eating by himself before Kogorou finally caved and Shinichi was sent to fetch Ran with the news that they'd been accepted on the proviso that the wedding did not take place until all their parents and the daimyo were satisfied that they were both old enough to make the commitment, that Shinichi's father formally receded rights to him and Shinichi adopted the Mouri name, and that Shinichi did not take any liberties with Ran.
They broke that last provision on the way home, but Kogorou never found out and the engagement was formally recognised.
"Shinichi left the water on the step as usual, Tou-san."
Kogorou grunted. "It would be well if he left."
Ran pesevered. "Tou-san, you do not speak fairly. Whatever Shinichi's done this time, it is not worth this. He's been three days at Agasa's. I know that he is not the most ... attentive of apprentices, and he does not take practice as seriously as he should, nor does he show the proper respect to our peers. As far as personality goes he is arrogant and lazy and usually distracted and frequently idle but for all that he is--"
"Ran," her father interrupted. "Do you really think that?"
"Eh?" Ran blinked. The conversation was escaping her. "Ah, it is true that Shinichi has many faults! But for all that, he is a good apprentice and I do not think it right to send him away so long."
Kogorou shook his head. "And here I thought -- ah, you are wise as usual, Ran. It was only my foolishness to think his presumption had any root in reality."
"Eh?" Now Ran was truly lost.
Kogorou reached a hand across the table to pat her shoulder. "Do not trouble yourself. Shinichi forgot himself enough to ask your hand; I banished him the house to remind him his place. I was worried -- but hearing you speak so bluntly--"
Ran stared, breakfast entirely forgotten. Had she heard right? Had he really ... ? she blushed, barely able to find her voice. "Yes."
"As if a daughter of mine could -- yes?"
"Yes," Ran repeated, happily this time. She found herself unable to keep from smiling. "I accept him."
"You will do no such thing! You yourself just said he is idle, good for nothing--"
"He might not be the best apprentice," Ran said with some heat. "But that does not mean he lacks good qualities. Besides, he would be my husband, not my apprentice."
"Enough of this talk! I forbid it!" Kogorou roared. "You will go to your room until I have made some sense of this madness!"
Ran had only taken the merest mouthful of breakfast but she didn't care. She might have been banished to furthest North and Shinichi sentenced the South; nothing could change the fact that he'd spoken for her. It seemed nothing might match her happiness -- unless it was Shinichi's joy when he arrived to beg penance and was instead told never to darken the Mouri residence with his presence ever again.
Kogorou ranted and stormed and threatened to behead Shinichi, and Ran soothed him and wondered what she would need for her wedding and what they would keep house on. Unfortunately, merely broaching the subject of a dowry was enough to provoke another tantrum and pointing out that she would have to marry at some point only resulted in being banished to her room for life. Ran sighed and prepared to wait it out. When a week had passed, Kogorou still sulked and the only contact Ran had had with Shinichi were the haiku he wrote her and threw into her window, she decided that enough was enough and went to stay with her Mother.
Eri-kaasama took the news cautiously. "It is hard to imagine Shinichi ever changing his ways," she warned Ran, brushing out her daughter's hair as they prepared for bed.
"I do not want him to change. I like him as he is, even if he is occasionally aggravating."
"There must be something good in him for you to like him as much as you do despite your acquaintance with his faults," Eri observed wryly. "Still, if you must marry it is just as well you pick someone who you are used to managing. You will have your work cut out keeping Shinichi in line."
Ran's heart lightened. "You do not disapprove?"
Eri pulled her daughter close. "It is not the choice I would have made for you," she admitted. "But I do not know I could find a man good enough for my Ran-chan. And as you say, Shinichi is a good young man, even if he is occasionally irritating."
It was a full two weeks of doing his own dishes and eating by himself before Kogorou finally caved and Shinichi was sent to fetch Ran with the news that they'd been accepted on the proviso that the wedding did not take place until all their parents and the daimyo were satisfied that they were both old enough to make the commitment, that Shinichi's father formally receded rights to him and Shinichi adopted the Mouri name, and that Shinichi did not take any liberties with Ran.
They broke that last provision on the way home, but Kogorou never found out and the engagement was formally recognised.