"You think I trust you?" He laughs at that. He doesn't trust even his own two hands. He kind of trusts his metaphorical right and left hands: Hideyoshi and Mitsuhide, but only so far as to their mutual dream and ambition. It's a shame there really aren't any history books around, because most people would say Nobunaga was betrayed by Mitsuhide Akechi ending the dream short. That's where trust gets you.
His eyes light up even more as she insists she's stubborn and hates authority. "Now I can't settle for anyone else."
To be fair, he would normally make his opening overtures for someone to join him a lot fancier, but also they wouldn't have nearly backed him into a corner asking if he was willing (or able to even do otherwise!) to conquer the world and take on any gods in his way.
"I don't need yes-men without conviction or pointless platitudes. And stubbornness..." Red eyes light up even more with mirth, meeting her challenge head on. If she thought that was a rejection, she's going to have to do a lot better with him. And get ready for endless persistence. "I can think of nothing more attractive in an ally." Oops. He glances her over checking her out for the first time for more than just lethality and skills. Honestly, until then he kind of had a vague bookworm-tactics-spy-quiet + shiny glock eeeeeee - impression of her in his head. It's also a weird note for him, it's been awhile since he looked at another woman like that, and never someone who wasn't Japanese. But he's not getting too ahead of himself, just testing her on this front as well. Ranmaru's about her age, and she's smart, he can definitely tell that, but as smart as Ranmaru? IS that even possible?
"I know you kept notes on everyone else's skills here, their fortes, their weaknesses, their magic. I did hope to assume you had the technical capacity to apply such data too, unlike others who simply catalog and memorize it. You're patient, and quiet, and as you've seen -- I'm not. So if I'm going to take on an ambitious project, we both know I'll need someone to fill in my gaps." That's safe to say right? Because it'd be a huge stretch to sound flirty. He's pretty sure. "I know you've faced hardships I can't imagine that steeled your face and heart beyond anything I could ever do." A small laugh and he shakes his head. "Again, something I'll need help with. I can blaze in boldly, but hiding my true intentions? Never." This is the downside she'll have to face now, because Nobuanga will forever have a tough time knowing if she actually wants him to shut up, or is doing it for some other secretive reason.
"You were taught your gun by a friend, so I suspect you expected me to have the same sort of attachment to the way I learned other weapons. But more interestingly to me, rather than balk when I dismantled that entirely, you kept absolutely calm. You processed every single part of it, despite the veritable tsunami I threw at you to see if it would make you back off, and instead you completely rose above it, floating like you'd meant to be there all along." A smile proud of her despite just meeting! And a nod.
"There's a lot I'm desperate to learn about you. Your world, your time. You, yourself, individually. Those things are personal, and will take time. That's a separate offer as a human being intrigued by another," the red light flickers again, "But when it comes to war, things like personality conflicts don't matter. Only winning or losing. But, I shall make one more temptation I think might be attractive to you."
He grins, and gets extra close, while invading her personal space, he's very careful not to touch her, despite how touchy-feely he is, she's definitely right that it's too soon to go that overboard. Instead it's just so he can drop his voice to a rumbley near whisper near her ear.
"Politics and fighting religion are my forte." He's unsure whether to take the gamble. That she's enough like Ranamaru that it'll work. She has none of Mai's pacifism however, and certainly a dark edge Mitsunari lacked, that Nobunaga was much more used to recognizing in Ranmaru. "I can teach you how to handle any weaknesses, use your stubbornness to its fullest, and fight against authority in a way no one will ever see coming."
Pulling back, he's still grinning as he folds his arms. "I'm not trusting you. I'm trusting my skills as a commander to make sure I never go against your best self-interests or you'll have ample opportunity to take my place." Same with Mitsuhide, actually.
no subject
His eyes light up even more as she insists she's stubborn and hates authority. "Now I can't settle for anyone else."
To be fair, he would normally make his opening overtures for someone to join him a lot fancier, but also they wouldn't have nearly backed him into a corner asking if he was willing (or able to even do otherwise!) to conquer the world and take on any gods in his way.
"I don't need yes-men without conviction or pointless platitudes. And stubbornness..." Red eyes light up even more with mirth, meeting her challenge head on. If she thought that was a rejection, she's going to have to do a lot better with him. And get ready for endless persistence. "I can think of nothing more attractive in an ally." Oops. He glances her over checking her out for the first time for more than just lethality and skills. Honestly, until then he kind of had a vague bookworm-tactics-spy-quiet + shiny glock eeeeeee - impression of her in his head. It's also a weird note for him, it's been awhile since he looked at another woman like that, and never someone who wasn't Japanese. But he's not getting too ahead of himself, just testing her on this front as well. Ranmaru's about her age, and she's smart, he can definitely tell that, but as smart as Ranmaru? IS that even possible?
"I know you kept notes on everyone else's skills here, their fortes, their weaknesses, their magic. I did hope to assume you had the technical capacity to apply such data too, unlike others who simply catalog and memorize it. You're patient, and quiet, and as you've seen -- I'm not. So if I'm going to take on an ambitious project, we both know I'll need someone to fill in my gaps." That's safe to say right? Because it'd be a huge stretch to sound flirty. He's pretty sure. "I know you've faced hardships I can't imagine that steeled your face and heart beyond anything I could ever do." A small laugh and he shakes his head. "Again, something I'll need help with. I can blaze in boldly, but hiding my true intentions? Never." This is the downside she'll have to face now, because Nobuanga will forever have a tough time knowing if she actually wants him to shut up, or is doing it for some other secretive reason.
"You were taught your gun by a friend, so I suspect you expected me to have the same sort of attachment to the way I learned other weapons. But more interestingly to me, rather than balk when I dismantled that entirely, you kept absolutely calm. You processed every single part of it, despite the veritable tsunami I threw at you to see if it would make you back off, and instead you completely rose above it, floating like you'd meant to be there all along." A smile proud of her despite just meeting! And a nod.
"There's a lot I'm desperate to learn about you. Your world, your time. You, yourself, individually. Those things are personal, and will take time. That's a separate offer as a human being intrigued by another," the red light flickers again, "But when it comes to war, things like personality conflicts don't matter. Only winning or losing. But, I shall make one more temptation I think might be attractive to you."
He grins, and gets extra close, while invading her personal space, he's very careful not to touch her, despite how touchy-feely he is, she's definitely right that it's too soon to go that overboard. Instead it's just so he can drop his voice to a rumbley near whisper near her ear.
"Politics and fighting religion are my forte." He's unsure whether to take the gamble. That she's enough like Ranamaru that it'll work. She has none of Mai's pacifism however, and certainly a dark edge Mitsunari lacked, that Nobunaga was much more used to recognizing in Ranmaru. "I can teach you how to handle any weaknesses, use your stubbornness to its fullest, and fight against authority in a way no one will ever see coming."
Pulling back, he's still grinning as he folds his arms. "I'm not trusting you. I'm trusting my skills as a commander to make sure I never go against your best self-interests or you'll have ample opportunity to take my place." Same with Mitsuhide, actually.