She noticed the flinch and narrowed her eyes. As much as she wanted to help, Magoichi knew Motochika would not let her in this time around. It made her upset herself, but she could get over it.
“Well feel better then.”
“What about you, though?" Motochika peered closer, wanting to change the subject.
"I’ve been hearin’ lots of rumors about you and that Gin lad.”
The two tumbled down, and Ieyasu felt himself fall much harder atop his friend than he had intended. The air went right out of him. Awkwardly, he tried to right himself, and found himself with his legs straddling the sides of Motochika as he rose, while the other lay flat, unresponsive.
“Motochika? Are you alright?”
He couldn’t have hurt him by accident, could he?
It wasn’t that hard of a fall–the wind may have been knocked out of him, but he recovered shortly after.
“Aye…” Motochika groaned. “I’m fine. What about you, though? Are you alrigh–” As he glanced up at his friend, he happened to realize what exactly Ieyasu was doing. Now… wasn’t this an awkward position?
He breathed in, and narrowed his eyes in focus. He could do this. They were friends.
With a spring in his step, Ieyasu barreled forward.
“…?!”
Well, this was unexpected, nor did Motochika have the time to react. His middle was suddenly trapped by Ieyasu’s embrace and he could feel himself falling backward, due to a loss of balance. He wasn’t quick enough to catch himself and met the fate of colliding against the ground below.
Ieyasu struggled through his frantic thoughts, and placed a shaking hand on his chest. Though he still wore his breastplate, he could tell that his heart beat fast beneath. Was this nervousness? Anxiousness, perhaps. But they were friends! What was it that brought his heart to this rapid pace?
“Motochika!” he called out—and fast felt his determination slide.
