AND IGNITE YOUR BONES
by Tangerine Tales
Kotoha is happiness and light, and Takeru's almost tempted not to give her the Shodophone the first time they meet. Battle corrupts (as he knows very well) and he doesn't want to be the reason for why she loses that innocence. But there's little he can do to change the course of their destiny: he is her tono; and she, his retainer - and there is nothing they can do but finish their mission and defeat the Gedoushi.
He listens to her, sometimes, when she plays her flute. He knows little about music, but knows how important it is to her. So he listens carefully, trying to detect any change in note, any possible indication of her feeling troubled. She doesn't know that he's listening, of course, which makes him feel a bit of a creep, but he tells himself it's important to get to know his retainers. (Why he doesn't feel the same urge to follow Chiaki to an arcade, help Mako as she tries new dishes, or join Ryuunosuke's kabuki practice is something he chooses to deliberately ignore.)
Which is why his heart breaks a little when she says: "Tono-sama is tono-sama."
Why he always feels a little pinch of envy when he sees her with Chiaki - laughing and open, unafraid to be herself. Such a privilege doesn't extend to him - tono-sama, as if that means anything other than being born into the right family.
But he keeps this in and bottles it up (he's good at doing that). It's enough to be in her presence, to see that she's still as carefree and innocent as ever, even after battle after battle.
Because that's what he's fighting for: to protect her, to keep her safe.
And maybe after all of this is over, when the dust settles, they can meet, under different terms, as equals, maybe then, he'll finally just be Takeru.