This is a fic I originally wrote for a challenge on the samurai 7 LJ community (one character gives another a gift), but just worked up the courage to post here now.

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It was snowing in Kougakyo. As a matter of fact, it was beginning to look like a blizzard. Despite the inclement weather, Kirara was searching for samurai. After all, you couldn't expect her to give up because of a little snow. Although if she had to admit it, she was a little cold.

She sneezed, just as a horribly familiar voice from behind her purred, "Ah, Kirara-kun! I was wondering if I might find you here." She glared up at Ukyo, who looked both very smug and disgustingly warm in a thick winter coat.

"What are you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Walking. Is that such a crime?"

She scowled and continued walking down the street, hoping he would go away and leave her alone. Much to her displeasure, he easily kept pace with her. "You know, you won't find any more samurai today. It's getting quite cold out—maybe you should come with me." She ignored him. Unfortunately, he was right—the temperature was dropping rapidly, and she was starting to shiver.

Ukyo sighed and reached out, taking her by the arm. "Kirara-kun—" She smacked his hand, and he withdrew. "You just aren't going to talk to me again, are you? Well, take this, at least. I don't want you to get sick in this weather." Unceremoniously, he took off his coat and draped it around her shoulders.

A bright blush spread across Kirara's face. Wait, why am I blushing? This man tried to kidnap me! But still…

"T-thank you."

Ukyo smirked. "You're welcome." Kirara turned to go, but before she could move, Ukyo kissed her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Somewhere in the tiny part of her brain that hadn't been shocked into silence, a little voice noted, My, but he is a good kisser.

And then, despite all common sense and personal integrity, Kirara kissed him back. He tasted like strawberries and chocolate.

After what seemed like an eternity, they pulled apart and looked at each other. Once again, the part of her brain that refused to stop working noticed that really, underneath his makeup, Ukyo wasn't that bad-looking.

And then the rest of her brain kicked in, and she slapped him, hard, across the face.

He winced, touching his cheek lightly to be absolutely certain she hadn't knocked a tooth loose. "I probably deserved that." Kirara fumed, speechless. How dare he take such liberties with me!

Regaining his composure (and realizing that the young samurai was making his way through the small crowd that had gathered around them), Ukyo grinned. "Well, I should be going. Excuse me, my darling." And with that, he left, the crowd parting for him. She stared at his retreating back, barely noticing when Katsushiro reached her side and took her hand.

"Kirara-dono, are you alright? What happened?"

Dazed, she wrapped Ukyo's coat tighter around her. "Nothing…I'm alright now, Katsushiro-sama. Let's keep searching."

He kissed me...

Dimly, she realized that she was warm.

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