Short fic for this lovely couple 3

The Little Things

A nod of the head. An exchange without words. The warmth of his back pressed against hers.

It was how they'd always been. From strangers, to comrades, and finally to partners, Kiki and Mitsuhide were nearly always by the other's side. At first, it was because of Zen. They needed to watch over him, so it was expected that they were almost always together. Once the prince was mature enough to handle his responsibilities, Kiki and Mitsuhide found themselves working independently. Eventually, they occasionally went hours before seeing the other.

"Ah, so you were here, Kiki."

Kiki turned to see Mitsuhide approach her with a stack of files in his arms. She gazed at him, wondering what job Zen had given to him.

"What book are you looking for?" Mitsuhide asked, setting down the files on a table.

Ah. She'd forgotten that her arm was still outstretched, lingering just below the shelf that held the book she wanted. She pointed at the spine, and Mitsuhide easily reached above her to retrieve the book. She couldn't help but remember the first time he'd done this for her. Even then, he was as compassionate as ever, if not a worrywart.

"Kiki? Why are you staring at me like that?" Mitsuhide asked, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"…I was just thinking about the first time you called me by my name," she replied. "You turned so red."

Mitsuhide's cheeks went pink. Kiki smiled. It was so amusing to see her partner flustered. Her smile only made Mitsuhide's blush worse.

"No fair…" he mumbled, looking away in embarrassment.

"Thanks for the book, Mitsuhide," Kiki said, still with a smile on her face.

"…You're welcome," Mitsuhide replied, handing the book to her.

Kiki left the flustered Mitsuhide to collect himself and headed toward Zen's office to deliver the book he'd asked for.

A few days later, Zen had gone out of the castle to pursue bandits that were causing trouble near the border. Naturally, Kiki and Mitsuhide accompanied him. The prince teamed up with a small group of local soldiers to arrest the bandits. Things were going well until the leader of the bandits ambushed the group as they were passing through a forest.

Mitsuhide and Kiki immediately went to the prince's side, and they fought off any bandit that approached them. Kiki swung forward with her sword, successfully striking down a bandit. Pivoting on her foot, she blocked a heavy blow from another bandit wielding a sword much larger than hers. Gritting her teeth, she dug her feet into the ground to prevent being knocked down. There was movement in corner of her eye, and Kiki's eyes widened as she realized another bandit was coming at her.

She threw her weight forward, hoping to push back the bandit in front of her long enough to defend herself from the one running toward her. No such luck. Her opponent barely twitched at her attempt. She wasn't going to make it in time!

"Gyaaah!"

A familiar dark coat entered her vision, and Kiki knew it was none other than Mitsuhide who'd saved her. The scream startled the bandit she faced, and their strength lessened for just a moment. That was all Kiki needed to disarm the bandit and smash the hilt of her sword into their abdomen. The bandit fell instantly.

"Are you all right, Kiki?" Mitsuhide asked, falling back into his stance.

"Yes, thanks to you, Mitsuhide," she replied, settling into her own stance.

They were standing back to back, a familiar way of fighting to them. Mitsuhide had her back, and she had his. In unison, they lunged forward, striking down any bandit that came within range. The fight was over in an instant.

Zen and the rest decided to stay at an inn in a nearby town. They were too exhausted from fighting to make the journey back to the castle. The bandits were sent to the local authorities to be dealt with. Night fell quickly, and soon the moon was shining brightly in the sky.

Kiki stood outside of the inn, enjoying the cool air. She stared at the stars, trying to make out the constellations she'd learned as a child. Her long hair, freed from its usual ponytail, swayed in the breeze. Her hair was starting to get too long for her liking. Maybe she should cut it soon.

"Kiki? What are you doing out so late?"

"I was just enjoying the view," she replied.

"It's a perfect night for stargazing," Mitsuhide agreed, stepping next to her.

They fell into a comfortable silence and watched the stars together. It wasn't long before a shooting star shot across the sky.

"Wow! It's a shooting star!" Mitsuhide exclaimed excitedly. "Kiki, have you ever seen one before?"

Kiki smiled at the childish reaction from her partner. She stepped closer to him and bumped her hand against his. Slowly but surely, their fingers entwined and her palm lay against his.

"Um, Kiki?" Mitsuhide asked, not making any move to let go.

"I have seen a shooting star before," she said, leaning against his shoulder. "They are quite beautiful."

Neither of them spoke again, preferring to enjoy each other's company. Yes, this is how they'd always been. A smile here and there. A brief moment together. The warm feeling of her hand in his.