Somewhere in the middle of all of that, one Hikaru Shinta had walked into the Great Hall. He was fresh from doing his usual morning rituals (a quick meal on his own, coffee, cigarettes, sword forms in the Shatterdome, initial checks on the networks, Zangyaku Leader Things), and was therefore dressed down in an old pair of fatigues, combat boots, and a black tank top.

That didn't used to be his "casual" getup, by the way. What was that again, LaRue? "Too many layers"?

And since we're on the topic of Joshua LaRue, it didn't take all that long for Hikaru to pick up the familiar scent of his boyfriend, and the sound of his voice. That kind of happens when you're not quite human, and it most definitely happens when you're not quite human and very in love with somebody.

Please excuse him then, Esperanza, as Hikaru sidles over right at that moment, drapes his arms over Josh's shoulders (he has nice tattoos on his arms, by the way), and greets him, not with words, but with a good, solid kiss on the mouth.

Then the words come.

"Good morning, love." Then he notices Josh's company and smiles. "Hi there. You must be new."