[Kaoru does have a habit of keeping an ear to the ground, and thus stays relatively on top of things as they progress even though he has to fight his way into a position of power. At least by the time he manages to do that, he's become a weapon in his own right.
But being named head of the clan does come with its share of responsibilities, and Kaoru has grown into a shrewd and capable leader; ruthless, but someone who can accomplish things that no one else can because of his penchant for viewing people as disposable pieces on a board. He keeps an eye out for Chizuru using the information that Sen had given him so long ago, but doesn't ever do anything with it. She doesn't remember him, and that's a bridge that hurts too much to cross, so he leaves it behind to tend to clan matters. He pushes the Nagumo name forward in the sphere of politics even without a hefty number behind it, masquerading beneath pretenses of surviving a massacre. He spearheads dangerous forays into research on ochimizu, wields the shield and sword of any respectable warlord even though he still can't bring himself to cut his hair or wear men's clothing.
It's not the life that he had once hoped for, but it's the one that he was thrust into, and he's made the most of it.
So it's a little surprising to him, too, when he senses Sen's presence nearby. Keeping an eye on Chizuru didn't mean obsessively following her every move because this isn't Okita route, but when Kazama got involved, he did step up his watchfulness a little, spending more time in Kyoto than he'd really like. He avoids her for similar reasons - because he doesn't know what he'd say. He doesn't even know how he feels. Memories of those days have faded, taking a back seat to things deemed more important (or at the very least, less traumatic.) He has become a person who discards the things that aren't necessary, and while that works well enough, it leaves him a little bereft when things are suddenly thrust into his lap to deal with. "Unprepared" is a good place to start.]
Oh, my— [Not quite as good, but still a place to start. Kaoru steps his way out of the alley that he had been passing through, all elegance and grace and none of the fumbling that had cursed him in his younger days. Years have been added to his face, but his smile is lovely and his features are soft, though there's a sharpness to his stare now like a beast of prey.]
I hope that you can excuse my manners... If I had known the Princess of Yase was passing through, I would have cleared the path.
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But being named head of the clan does come with its share of responsibilities, and Kaoru has grown into a shrewd and capable leader; ruthless, but someone who can accomplish things that no one else can because of his penchant for viewing people as disposable pieces on a board. He keeps an eye out for Chizuru using the information that Sen had given him so long ago, but doesn't ever do anything with it. She doesn't remember him, and that's a bridge that hurts too much to cross, so he leaves it behind to tend to clan matters. He pushes the Nagumo name forward in the sphere of politics even without a hefty number behind it, masquerading beneath pretenses of surviving a massacre. He spearheads dangerous forays into research on ochimizu, wields the shield and sword of any respectable warlord even though he still can't bring himself to cut his hair or wear men's clothing.
It's not the life that he had once hoped for, but it's the one that he was thrust into, and he's made the most of it.
So it's a little surprising to him, too, when he senses Sen's presence nearby. Keeping an eye on Chizuru didn't mean obsessively following her every move
because this isn't Okita route, but when Kazama got involved, he did step up his watchfulness a little, spending more time in Kyoto than he'd really like. He avoids her for similar reasons - because he doesn't know what he'd say. He doesn't even know how he feels. Memories of those days have faded, taking a back seat to things deemed more important (or at the very least, less traumatic.) He has become a person who discards the things that aren't necessary, and while that works well enough, it leaves him a little bereft when things are suddenly thrust into his lap to deal with. "Unprepared" is a good place to start.]Oh, my— [Not quite as good, but still a place to start. Kaoru steps his way out of the alley that he had been passing through, all elegance and grace and none of the fumbling that had cursed him in his younger days. Years have been added to his face, but his smile is lovely and his features are soft, though there's a sharpness to his stare now like a beast of prey.]
I hope that you can excuse my manners... If I had known the Princess of Yase was passing through, I would have cleared the path.