Viðarr is composed by the time he makes it to the Maze. There are so many thoughts in his head, a war raging between his ears, but his intentions are clear. There are things he needs to say to Hattori. He would not be leaving without Tenshi, and he wasn't much of a diplomat. Still, the shadow recognizes that there are relationships he should not damage. Somehow, he's ended up in the koi orbit a bit more than he'd typically seek out.

The shadow isn't so dense, so proud as to forego an apology as well. Two bottles of honey mead in his possession-- a peace offering. One for Hattori, one for Sedna. Viðarr wouldn't show up for such a conversation empty handed, after all. Drawing to the edge of the maze, the shadow tips back his head and lets go a call for the alpha. It's a deeply haunting sound, neutrality firmly in its grasp. Around him, the afternoon sun struggled to bite through the clouds that seemed to be ever-present down here. Viðarr is an immense, soggy figure waiting patiently at the borders.

"Viðarr"

Hattori had already spent a deal of time deciding what needed to be done and said. He cared little for making a scene and being overly dramatic, but Viddar had slighted him and thus he felt every right to feel offended, to take issue with how he had conducted himself. Tenshi was her own woman and certainly one of value, Hattori felt little need to act out in a territorial dispute over her, not when he'd already given his word she was free to leave.

The Viking was wise not to delay this meeting, drawing things out would only serve to displease the Kaicho further. And thus the shadow called for him, deep and sombre, a sound that cut through the bamboo like sharpened steel. Hattori did not leave him waiting, though if he were a petty man it might have been amusing to let him stew in his thoughts, to see if he would stand firm or begin to squirm. Pushing his way through the thickest of the stalks to the thin, Hattori saw him soon enough, disbelieved but standing tall all the same, with some gifts to appease the Kaicho in tow, it seemed.

Letting the silence prevail for a moment longer, the Kaicho thought on what he wanted to say, always using the least amount of words as possible. Short, curt and to the point.

"Do you understand how this looks?"

Hattori appears moments after his call, something Viðarr is grateful for. A prompt man, timely. He offers a respectful nod of his dark head, before righting his posture. The momentary silence is enough to collect his thoughts, enough to think through what was about to transpire. Viðarr doesn't know him well enough to know just what he will do, and it would be best he prepared for anything. He would wait, silent and still.

Do you understand how this looks? In some ways he did, in some ways he did not. Cultural differences and all that-- but he knows enough. Viðarr will not claim ignorance, no. "I do. I apologize." He offers a bottle of mead, a peace offering. His tone is earnest. The shadow knows that he's overstepped, but when it came to Tenshi... he couldn't help it. She was something else. Something different.

"I do not want this to put a rift between us in a way that cannot be repaired." Us is the closest he can get to saying what he wants.
Families, bands, packs-- they all mean roughly the same things, but they carry different weights. The words are as carefully chosen as he can muster, Viðarr watching Hattori's face. Their families were connected, entwined. The shadow had adopted Celeste, and the relationships between in-laws... he didn't want them to be strained. The idea of his love for Tenshi, his actions, throwing the balance of things off... it was a concern. A real concern. Not the politically minded sort, he would offer an apology and see how Hattori would like them to proceed.

"Viðarr"

He understood, that was one thing at least. Hattori did not feel like laying it all out for the man, having to explain that it appeared as though he was a poacher, had ill intent and merely wanted to take take take, that his feelings towards Tenshi may not be genuine at all. She was her own woman and Hattori had no interest in denying her desire for the mountains, but there was a degree of wariness that lingered in his mind. The way the puzzle pieces all slotted together, it was only natural the Kaicho come to such a conclusion, no?

Viddar would gain nothing by keeping Hattori's ire, no one would in the grand scheme of things.

"She said you promised her the mountains, what else did you promise?" He thought on it for a moment, recalling their last proper conversation. How they spoke of goals, paths they wished to take and where they thought it all might lead. "What else do you have in mind, now that you seem to be ready to take action?"  There was no attempt to hide the judgement in his tone.

Reckless, but he doesn't regret it. Viðarr remains earnest as he speaks with Hattori, genuine. He would hide nothing regarding Tenshi in this moment. A small smile plays on his lips as he speaks, thoughts only of the mountain woman. "I promised she would not have to be alone. I promised her pups, and a place by my side, now and for as long as she wants it." Here and in Valhalla, there would be a seat saved for her, right beside Viðarr. The words he speaks carry weight. Unusually long winded, but hell, maybe she does that to him. "I am going to ask her to marry me." It's the first time he's voiced that plan.

He shifts, now. Other plans-- that's true. Viðarr can feel the judgement, and he straightens up subconsciously. "I have put together a band. My sisters, and some likeminded to us. We will look to settle down soon enough." Viðarr's tone shifts to something thoughtful, something confidential. The kind of thing spoken between two men within the secrecy of the bamboo. Tipping his hand. "It seems north Boreas is... stagnant." There's a bit of bite in his tone, regarding that stagnation. It's not the first time these men have spoken of changing things, no. Viðarr will be the harbinger.


"Viðarr"

Hattori supposed those were all things Tenshi would want to hear, that she could be swayed by those if nothing else. She was a woman deserving of marriage, a fine woman, even Hattori and his skewed way of viewing the world recognised that. But Víðarr's ambition, would it be enough? To want something, to put it into words was hardly the same as laying down roots, sewing them deep. And even if he succeeded, was that enough to warrant offending Hattori so? The Viking certainly seemed to think so, that the world had to be broken and bent into shape to fit his design, to be as he wanted it to be.

And Hattori too had broken things, twisted it out of shape knowing it would hurt, that it would change others lives. Was he being a hypocrite? Maybe, Venom and his children would likely think he was. To step on the remaining toes Hattori had was offensive to him and the Viking had done just that, a response in turn was warranted, regardless of what words passed between them here and now.

"It is." He agreed. "But know this, I only allow this because it is what she wants. You owe me a debt, one I expect to be paid, in time."

A response. Viðarr knows that what he's done is enough to warrant a response, and perhaps more than that. Though true retaliation hadn't come, and for that, he could be grateful. Hattori was a reasonable man, or at least, it seemed he was reasonable enough. Viðarr knew better than to judge him off of a spare few meetings. He stands carefully, watching the koi before him think and process. In the meantime, his own head spins.

It's true enough. He would form the world around him into a shape of his own making, his own design. Bending and twisting, perhaps breaking some things in the process. Breaking... this was one of the relations he would prefer to not break. Most of all, it's for Celeste and his own grandchildren. But in the longer term... to not stand alone against the world was likely in his best interest. With the things Viðarr had in store for the rest of their world, it wouldn't do to see him take it on alone. That would be farther down the line, with fences mended and debts settled.

Debts. Hattori spoke of debts, of expectations. The shadow does not waver, not on the surface. There were deep implications when it came to a blank check, but he wouldn't waver. This was for Tenshi, and he wouldn't lose sight of that. "Very well, then." It is an anti-climactic answer, and Viðarr is filled with thoughts on what it could mean. Time would tell. As always, time would tell.

"Speech"

What this would amount to was yet to be seen, but Hattori was determined to see something of this. If nothing else, Tenshi's happiness was on the line and he did not wish to deny her a life she wanted to have. The maze was not a bamboo cage, he did not wish to imprison those who called it home. Víðarr's words still left a sour taste on the Kaicho's tongue, were he a more temperamental man he would have considered taking more immediate action. Shed blood with tooth and claw, had the debt paid right here and now. But he could wait, the time would come soon enough.