Thanks and hugs to everyone who reads this story and especially those who reviewed: Illegitimi, orangexxpopsicle and Wishes I Was Human. Sorry for taking so long to update. To make it up to you, I've posted a drawing of mine with Kyuzo and Chidori on deviantART. You can find the link in my bio. I hope you like it!

I finished covering the one hundred and twenty seventh bobby trap for that day and let myself fall on my back, releasing a long, frustrated sigh. I was almost done. Only three more traps and my job was done, but I was sure Kambei would quickly find something else for me to do. It must have been pretty easy for him to supervise everything and just say if it was okay or not. I knew he was a wise man, but I had never seen that side of him before and it was really pissing me off. I couldn't stand taking orders from him. I didn't even know why I still listened to him.

Suddenly realizing I was being watched, I raised my head in the dirt and saw a pair of black boots I knew very well. I frowned and let my head fall back to its original position on the grass. I hadn't expected him to speak first.

"If I were the enemy, you would have been dead by now." he said grimly.

"Yeah, I know." I replied, a bit taken aback by how many words he had used at once. "But you're not the enemy. What have you come here for? Need my healing ointment?"

I realized I was more bitter than necessary, but still, he didn't say anything and I decided to keep my mouth shut. I had no reason to be angry with him, and even if I were, he wouldn't care. I sighed, trying to ask the questions nicely this time.

"What are you doing here? I doubt you came just to see my face this evening."

"Hn."

"He sent you on patrol, huh?" I smirked, looking at the sky. "Then why are you here? I'm not a part of the patrol. The outpost is in that direction." I pointed to the east.

"I'm done." he replied.

My smirk faded and I rolled on my stomach, looking up at him. If he was done, why was he there instead of just wandering around or taking a quick nap in the forest? Then, without a word, he took his twin blades and cut the air where my head had been the moment before. I had jumped back merely a moment before. If I hadn't, he would have cut my head off my shoulders.

He didn't give me time to get my own swords and attacked swiftly, the point of his sword cutting a strand of my hair. I flipped backwards, gasping in shock at how close that was. I used a smoke bomb to buy myself a few seconds to draw my swords and got ready for the serious duel. I was tired, but, as usual, he wasn't. Apparently, he had decided to give me one last lesson before the battle.

He came out of the shadows and stroke even before the smoke dissipated, making me once more look up to him for his great senses. I saw his eyes for a moment, when our four blades clenched furiously. A frown darkened my face and I pushed him backward, giving myself some space and a second to breathe before I attacked again, swiftly avoiding all his counter-attacks.

Our battles had always seemed more like a dance, at least to me. Of course, I didn't have his elegance and probably my moves looked a bit stiff and not quite under control, but I loved dueling with him. But he had never tried to kill me until then. I wondered if I had done something wrong and looked for the answer into his eyes, like I always did when something troubled me. I couldn't find anything and that saddened me somewhat, making me inattentive. I didn't even realize where his katana was until I felt its cold metal on my neck.

"Keep your focus." he snorted.

"Kyuzo?" I asked weakly after he turned around, putting his katanas back into their sheath. He didn't say anything, which meant that I could speak. "I want to tell you something tonight… after I finish placing the last three bobby traps."

He looked at me from the corner of his eye and I saw a shadow on his face that made me think he knew I was going to tell him what he didn't let me say that night, after my little quarrel with Kyogo. I could still remember those whispered words: "Not here. Not now."

"You know where to find me." he said before walking away, leaving me alone on the dark, empty field.

"Yeah…" I whispered to the wind. "Somehow I'll always know where to find you."

--

I pulled the blanket around my trembling body, jealous of his ability to resist to even the harshest conditions. It wasn't really that cold, but the wind made it feel like it was in the middle of the winter.

"How can you sit here all night and not freeze to death?" I asked, annoyed by the fact that I was a mere weakling that couldn't stay in the cold for even half an hour. "It's cold tonight. I know it's my room, but I can make an exception for you. Besides, there's plenty of room on the floor." I sneered.

He turned his gaze on me and I stopped trembling, looking at the dead leaves at my feet. I brought my knees to my chest and curled my arms around them. I had to find the best words to tell him. And still, all I could mutter out eventually was a blabber even I couldn't understand. Apparently, he could, because when I looked in his eyes again he nodded slightly.

"I'm not saying you shouldn't kill him, though." I added quickly, rising from the ground. "I'm cold. I'm going back to the house. If you get cold later…"

I shrugged and walked away, not knowing what else to say. I knew he heard everything I said, but I had no idea if he actually listened. I would have been surprised if he did.

When I got back to the house, ready to have at least a bowl of rice to eat, I was surprised to see Kirara and her little sister with the rest of the samurai. They had just brought dinner. I sat quietly on the floor after muttering some half-hearted greetings and took a bowl and a set of chopsticks from the tray in the middle of the 'circle' the samurai had formed.

Kambei was still reviewing the progress for that day, asking everybody for details about their work. The kid next to him was glaring at me, having already finished his rice while I hadn't even begun eating mine. Then, the white-clad samurai looked at me, obviously waiting for whatever information I had to 'report'.

"I finished planting the bobby-traps. One hundred and thirty." I said in a plain voice.

"Good." he nodded, apparently pleased. "Tomorrow I want everybody rested and ready for battle. I fear we don't have much time left."

"So enjoy this bowl of rice." Heihachi chuckled. "It might be the last one you taste."

I frowned at the joke and suddenly felt too sick to eat.

"Isn't Kyuzo-dono coming to eat?" Kirara asked me from the other side of the circle, bringing a few curious gazes upon me as they waited for an answer.

"I don't think so." I replied, taking the bowl with me as I stood and walked toward my room. "Good night."

And the wooden panel slammed against the wall as I found myself back in the comforting small room. I felt a presence and immediately drew one of my swords, with the bowl of rice still in my right hand. Kyuzo didn't even flinch in the corner he had claimed as his already. I sighed and put the katana back in its sheath with a lazy move, letting myself fall on the 'bed'. My back side protested, only to be ignored. I considered him for a moment, and then held out my hand to give him the bowl.

"Just take it." I said as he soundlessly refused it. "You'll die of starvation and miss the big party tomorrow."

He looked at me coldly and I put the rice next to him, too tired to stay on my feet any longer. I muttered 'good night' and slipped under the sheets, falling asleep almost instantly. An entire army of nobuseri could have chopped me there and then and I wouldn't have awakened.

An hour before dawn, I woke up and saw the half-empty bowl of rice.