It was always the same nightmare. Sanjuro was fighting with the Ronins against Talpa. Then he arrived, the man in the black armor. Cutting through the Ronins one by one, even Kotory. It pained him the most to watch the man in the black armor strike her down in her armor. Then he turned on Sanjuro. Exchanging blows the fight always ended the same. Sanjuro was knocked on his back and woke screaming as the man in the black armor was delivering his final blow. Tonight was no different.
He laid in his bed the blankets askew and sweat coving his body. Breathing heavily he heard someone dash into the house. Looking he hoped for it to be Kotory, the kind Chinese Ronin who had been worrying about him. Through the darkness he saw a pale feminine figure approaching with two silver streaks framing a pale heart shaped face shrouded in darkness.
"Sanjuro are you alright?" she asked sitting beside him on the bed.
"I'm fine Kotory. You didn't have to come over here to check on me." He said propping himself up on his elbow.
"I heard you scream and besides if I did not you would never go back to sleep." She said stubbornly.
Shaking his head Sanjuro laughed lightly at her. She was always the first one to his side… her or Anubis. Kotory worried about Sanjuro almost to the point of causing herself to lose sleep. She smiled lightly in the darkness as she put her hand behind his elbow.
"You need to sleep." She said squeezing his elbow.
"How can you help when the Ancient one couldn't?" He asked with an arched eyebrow.
Smiling lightly again she pulled his arm gently from beneath him and pushed him back on his bed, Sanjuro felt his heart racing not knowing what she was thinking. Hie blue eyes widened as she moved closer to him on the bed. Brushing his hair from his forehead his heart pounded even harder in his chest. He wanted to just to pull her to him and kiss her!
"What are you doing? Sanjuro asked as she chuckled.
"Making sure you fall back asleep silly." She mused with a shake of her head. For a few brief moments he thought she had heard his thoughts.
Her hair was down and fell to her mid back and cascaded over her shoulders concealing the white training clothes she wore to bed. The two silver streaks danced through the rest of her black tresses and held him mesmerized. He longed to run his fingers through it but didn't dare.
He knew Kotory was reclusive about love… since she lost her first love, she said she was never the same inside. But how Sanjuro desired to hold her close to him and show her the love he felt. She worried about him so and when they were alone as they often were he found it hard to control himself.
Kotory longed to lie beside him holding him and comforting him from his nightmares. But she could never find the courage to. Taking a breath she began to sing softly in Chinese. It was a lullaby her mother used to sing to her. Slowly she watched as Sanjuro closed his eyes and drifted to sleep, the sound of her voice echoed in his mind, chasing away the nightmare.
When she noticed he was sleeping she ended the lullaby and smiled. She could not help but notice how serene he looked when he slept. Leaning over him she placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.
"Wo aino." She muttered.
Slowly sitting up she sighed her hair brushing his bare chest and arm. Standing she pulled the blanket over him before turning and leaving.
The next morning Sanjuro woke with a groan. Stretching he looked around not seeing Kotory he sighed. Part of him wanted her to have stayed with him. Another sigh seeped form him as he got out of bed and put on his kimono. Walking to his porch he looked out at the forest and he spotted Kotory.
Her hair was bound up in a bun in her usual fashion with two chopsticks. Clad in white traditional clothes she looks oddly light against the darkly shaded forest. Sanjuro leaned against the railing watching her. Her beautiful black and silver-specked eyes were closed as she was practicing Tai Chi. She looked so peaceful to him.
As Kotory moved to the flute music in her mind heightened by the wind through the trees images appear in her mind. Images of her past play in her mind as her expression shifted. Her stance began to falter and her breath became ragged.
The tranquil moment broken her eyes open and Sanjuro moves into the shadow of the porch. Kotory called her Ancient's staff to her and twirls it in her hand. He thought she looked lonely and shattered. Suddenly her eyes turned up and she meets his blue eyes.
They stared at each other a long moment. Kotory shook her head and broke the stare. She cleared her throat and returned her gaze to Sanjuro.
"I trust you slept well Sanjuro." She said leaning on her staff. He smiled at her and walked back over to lean on the railing again.
"Yes I did thanks to you." He said smiling down at her.
"Do you want me to make you something Sanjuro?" She asked. He thought for a moment then flashed her a smile.
"Sure. " he said and she smiled back at him.
"I knew you would say that. Come on over I already have some thing made." She said turning to walk back to her house.
With a smile Sanjuro walked out of the house to follow her. She walked into the kitchen to return a few moments later carrying a tray. He sat down on the pillow before the table as she set down the tray. It was filled with rice balls, sushi, a few bowls of different fry rice and two bowls of egg drop soup. His eyes widen as he looked from her to the food. She smiled and laughed at his expression.
"It's all that's left after Kento and the other Ronin's got through eating." She said.
"I'm surprised you had this much left with how much Kento eats." He said with a laugh. She smiled and picked up a set of chopsticks.
"Yes well I saved a bit for you." She said holding the chopsticks out to him. Reaching over to take them Sanjuro closed his hand over her's a moment. Her eyes fluttered a moment and he could not help but smile. Seeing the proud and stubborn Chinese woman flustered amused him. Drawing her hand back she folded them in her lap.
"Well this food will not eat it's self. Go on and stop staring at me." She said to her hands.
Sanjuro said nothing as he picked up a rice ball with his chopsticks. With a sight Kotory picked up a bowl of chicken fried rice and they ate in silence, externally. Internally both of their minds buzzed with thoughts, questions and feelings.