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In fact, Amikai had been right on time. Tensa was being openly mocked about his apparent lack of any and all Gehaka. Somehow, the absent minded Haka had let it slip that he'd done most all of everything in his shop himself. His silvered eyes seemed withered under the verbal battery, as he picked apart one of the very things Tensa was most proud of himself for. Instead of arguing his case with the higher class Haka, instead he stood there and took the abuse for a good five minutes before Amikai stepped inside.

"Actually." Tensa suddenly broke through the Haka's tirade, "I could not have done a lot of this work without my dedicated employee, Muruyama." Tensa motioned for Amikai to step closer to him. "See his muscles? I put him to good work here."

"Well! That's more like it. A good Gehaka knows his place in the hierarchy, and should be ashamed to let a Haka even lift a finger of manual labor."

The two Gehaka escorting this particular Haka rolled their eyes behind him. The young child appeared not to be listening as he played with the Haka doll from the earlier experiment.

"Hmm... No bracers I see--"

"Will this be all for you?" Tensa interrupted again, eager to change the subject for everyone's sakes. The mother nodded and pushed the child toward the counter. The total in Yen, several thousands precisely, dropped on the desk, enough to cover the total and then some. He had bought no less than five music boxes of different melodies, two clocks of moderate size meant for tables, a multiple magnifying glass, and the small toy from the earlier failed Haka flight experiment.
"You!" The Haka pointed to Amikai, "Shop boy, carry these things to my cart. Follow me."

Tensa nodded silently at him to comply. He had just made a large sale, one he was intent not to let go to waste. Though, he felt bad for Amikai, he knew the Gehaka had to be much older than this snotty Haka, and had to deal with being called 'Shop boy' because he was unmarried...Err, currently unmarried.

The customers all turned to watch Amikai load the cart with the valuables, the one Haka chattering away about where to put what, and to be careful, as though Amikai would be careless with his own merchandise. Tensa's eyes were following the dark skinned Gehaka wordlessly. In fact, in the few minutes it took to get them all packed in and on their way, he seemed to have lost his mirth entirely, and appeared forlorn at his desk when Amikai reappeared.

His black ears twitched slightly when his employee returned back inside, and the haka wrestled a smile back up, though it had lost quite a deal of its earlier sincerity. It faded quickly enough, becoming an honest introspective gaze as he regarded Amikai again for the umpteenth time, trying to consider something seriously. He shook it off,
"Well, did you enjoy your lunch?" A little bit of a lame joke, something to break his funk. Tensa locked up the money and sat still again, thinking.
"You did arrive very early for work today. Normally I'd have you stay into the late afternoon, but you have already almost put in a full day's work. Did you want to stay?"

His expression read plainly he'd rather have company, at least for a few hours more, but the longest he felt acceptable to allow Amikai to work in a single day would be about nine or ten hours.

Tensa illuminated at Amikai, both at the good news of the enjoyable lunch, and at the willingness to stay with him. His mind ran a mile a second, a little bit too fast paced at times for his employee, who took a while to respond, but was usually cut off when Tensa's mind switched gears and ran off in another direction.

His wistful smile emerged again, like the blooming of a wildflower. He remained silent this time for several moments, not expecting an answer of any kind, but thinking through his labyrinth for a task Amikai could assist him in at the moment. He'd sanded and oiled, they'd already punched the picks into the music boxes, he'd had him deliver the grandfather clock. It seemed some assembly work was in order again.

Standing, Tensa disappeared into the workroom yet again, emerging this time with some incomplete music boxes. The knotted bits of machinery needed to be secured in their protective casings, and then secured again inside the wooden box and tested. He set the various pieces beside his parchments and pulled up another chair to the side of the desk, so both of them could see the door, and yet talk to one another.

Motioning for Amikai to listen, he began. This work was more delicate, and required steady hands. Tensa explained the special glue for the glass boxes, and how to fit the mechanical bits into the glass casing, so the wind up-key could fit inside the proper slot for it. The case then had to be inserted into a hidden compartment in the box, and the panel (for easy repairs) screwed into place. He withdrew another chart with illustrated instructions and set it down.
"Also, if you start to get stiff, or your hands begin to falter, please get up and stretch. I can't afford broken casings. Also, if you need help, don't be afraid to ask." He smiled warmly and watched to see how Amikai fared with this newest task.

Tensa at first dipped his head to continue his studies on his invention, but soon Amikai distracted him, not by any particular effort, either. There was something, he realized about his employee, something decidedly interesting in the very determined way he went about everything in his life. He was patient, to be sure, and street-wise, and just...well he couldn't say charming, but there was a lovely appeal in him. Something...assuring.

His eyes traced the salt and pepper hair, which his own would mirror, if pepper was blond. His hair was not caused by age however, but was a genetic trait he was born with, along with his eyes. Tensa didn't even notice how unnerving his stare could be, as he spent very little time looking at himself, or thinking of himself.

When Amikai straightened, he noticed that once again, he looked everywhere but at him. Tensa's brows knitted together softly, it only now dawned on him just how tiring this new kind of work could be. Without thinking another moment on it, he reached out to lightly grasp Amikai's large hand in his own. The differences were immediately apparent, Tensa's hand, though well structured, was small and soft, but with long fingers. Despite years of tinkering with metal objects, he had maintained velvety skin. Though it was surprisingly resilient, it was not, nor probably ever would be calloused and rough, though the texture was one of immediate intrigue, as he felt Amikai's hands for the first time.

"It does take a while to get used to such precise work," He said, taking over the task of massaging Amikai's hands, knowing that someone else taking care of it felt ten times better than doing it yourself. "But your hands are steady."

Tensa felt Amikai stiffen once again. He was a bit of an easily startled thing, wasn't he? But, this time he did not let go. Indeed, Tensa had a task of working the growing ache out of the larger hands, and even hand to release one so he could devote his attention to the other, his remarkable perception tuned to it now. Most else would fall away lost behind him.

His ears flickered as Amikai cleared his gruff voice, the smoky quality causing him to smile. It was rare to find a voice so...uniquely worn.

"You shouldn't let Hanze like that into your shop," Amikai said, a rather unusual statement. Tensa was only half paying attention, so focused was he on kneading the dark hands in his grasp.

"Hmm?" He replied quietly, looking up to see Amikai now gazing at the door.

"They're disrespectful; you shouldn't tolerate that. It's your perogative to do business with whoever you please."

Tensa sat up more, regarding what was said thoughtfully. His employee did not speak up much, but his words were usually weighty. And in this case, he expressed he valued Tensa, at least in some small part. The reply that came to the gehaka before him was quiet and thoughtful, lacking the fire and excitement that was behind most everything else he said.

"I cannot judge the Hanze who walk through my door, and yet, attitudes like his are all too common. Besides, word of mouth travels quickly, especially to those who run it so endlessly. If I thought too much of myself to allow anyone to find a small bit of innovation in my shop, no matter who they were, I'd be a hypocrite. Besides, a shop with as many..."

He faltered suddenly, glancing uneasily at his multitude of clocks, "Debatable wares and few necessities such as mine can quickly fall out of business. But..."

Only then did he release Amikai's hands. Again his head was working through both sides of the argument with himself.
"You are right. He was disrespectful, and the fact I have to stand aside and allow them to believe they're in the right all the time really catches my pendulum. I am sorry."

Had he known about the shoulder twinges, it would be certain he would have tried to assist again, though with Amikai as strung out over having his hands touched, it was doubtful the Gehaka would tolerate a shoulder rub. Still...

Tensa watched him pull his hands back, wondering if perhaps his employee was just shy, or if Tensa repelled him in some way by simply being. Being able to throw such nauseating customers out was a delightful little fantasy, but not one he was physically, mentally, or financially equipped for. His eyes became faraway again as he watched Amikai work, a sense of pride in that wee box that was so painstakingly constructed, and handled as though it were made of diamonds.

His employee spoke up again, head bowed to his task, and Tensa was brought back to reality again.
"Sleeves?" He frowned, "I see no reason, unless you wish to. Sleeves too often get in the way." He looked helpessly at his kimono, wishing not for the first time he could shed it for something lighter, like Amikai was wearing, but could not, out of prudence.
"So the question becomes, would you rather be regarded as shop boy, or be remarked upon as my husband? Sleeves won't make the talking cease."

Tensa carefully steered it away from his own opinion on the matter, knowing that if haka thought Amikai was his husband, he'd get a lot less flak; but to him it was more or less irrelevant.

Tensa's mood became even more sober at the story. He was never insensitive, no matter how oblivious he could be at times. And it was true, he had heard of Haka dying in childbirth. It was a little less common now-a-days, but still a very real risk. He'd had a friend, when he was much younger whose mother had died while delivering his brother. It wasn't enough to dissuade Haka from having children, but did provide a bit of frightening pondering on Tensa's part. He wasn't afraid of his mechanics, he was more afraid of flesh, of the organic flaws that could not be fixed by replacing a part of adding some glue.

His ears drooped slightly from their perked position, knowing Amikai was sharing a personal fact with him. He seemed very tense, more than usual.
"I'm sorry." He said at last once more, but he smiled at Amikai's joke.
"You must have lived a long time alone." Perhaps...Tensa's mind was ticking over again, adding this new information to his mind.

He shifted to sift through miscellaneous items on his desk, withdrawing a small brass turnkey. He held it out to Amikai,
"Don't overwind. If you feel resistance against the key, let it go."

This song was one called New Leaves. It was about, when one sang lyrics with it, the change from winter to spring, and the change and renewal of life. It started out slow and a little melancholy, but soon became a much more uplifting tune. Children in particular liked it.

Tensa wished all at once to provide Amikai with peace of mind. He wanted to work the kinks out of his body, to smooth the worried features and clenched jaw, and to be provided with a smile that wasn't forced or self conscious. Overwhelmed by it, he sucked in a swift breath, almost a closed mouth gasp, and fought the urge to fuss. He calmed swiftly, and passed it off as being moved by the music, something he had picked up unconsciously from the Gehaka beside him.