SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE...
KUROXTOMO
He was back. To the country that he could only see and feel in his recurring dreams; to the person who was always on his mind.
He was back. He was alone this time, but he was not afraid. Or maybe he was. Deep down in his heart, he knew five years was enough to change everything. He knew he wasn't the same Kurogane as when he left. But his heart never did.
"This is where my heart is," he whispered. "With you. In Japan."
It was a moonlit mid-Autumn night. He took slow paces about the Shiraseki castle. He knew those scalloped, tiled roofs. Those rice-paper lanterns hung at the corridors, swaying to the scented wind. Those exquisite carvings framing every window, the brightly lit room on the third floor, second from the right, where the familiar silhouette busied about with an air of untouchable grace. Long raven mane, deep amethyst eyes and a half-moon smile.
She was so beautiful.
The way her doe eyes lit up at the thought of an intelligent answer. The way she always had a way with him. The way she always had the last say. The way she made him feel so warm, so at home. She was the only person who could make him -listen- smile.
And he smiled at the very thought of her.
There was a quiet rustle of leaves behind him and he turned sharply with his trained reflexes. "Who's there?" he growled gruffly, drawing his katana. His gaze softened at the scent of a familiar smell.
"Well well, you've been back for less than ten minutes and here you are, about to pick a fight with someone again?" the gentle voice came, followed by a melodious laughter- oh how he had hated, yet loved that tinkling and irritating sound. Kurogane rolled his eyes.
"Tomoyo-hime-"
"Tomoyo," she insisted, taking him by the arm. "It's been a while, Kurogane."
Kurogane? Since when did she drop the kun? He raised his eyebrows in wonder.
"I'm back." he said softly in wonder. Then he stiffened. "How are things going here?"
She smiled. "The same. Can you believe it? We've had a very peaceful five years here. Except for a couple of assassins but we took care of those- oh I started learning a bit of katana from Souma, I think I'm handling it well-"
"What?" Kurogane's eyes widened. This Tomoyo... was she the same Tomoyo?
She did not notice his shocked expression. As usual, she kept rambling on in her cheery voice, "And my onee-san keeps hinting to me that I should accept one of the marriage proposals soon else-"
"What!"
She noticed this time. "Are you alright, Kurogane?"
"I-I'm alright. Nothing's wrong." He tried to suppress his jealousy and kept a stern face, but he had the impression that he had a screwed-up look.
Tomoyo burst out in peals of that -irritating- laughter. "You look so funny! I missed you. Really."
And without warning, she looped her arms around his neck and kissed him right on the lips. Kurogane blinked for a couple of minutes, then looked away.
"Are you alright? You look... a little uncomfortable..."
He looked back into her eyes. He couldn't stand it anymore. Those emotions were flooding out of his heart, but Kurogane does not express them well. He decided to keep calm.
She smiled at him expectantly, never letting go of him.
"I guess some things will never change," Kurogane started finally. He hated himself for saying such... stuff but he couldn't help it anymore. "I missed you too, Tomoyo. I'm glad I'm back. I-I love you."
She averted her face this time. "You're wrong, Kurogane. Some things do change."
His heart fell.
Then she looked at him with a soft, tender glance. "I-I love you. More than I ever did last time."
Then she broke into a giggle. That irritating, but lovely noise. She had him once again.
Kurogane couldn't help it but - smile.