Prompt: without a name

The first thing that Issei thought when he saw her was that she was beautiful.

The second thing he thought was that Kuzuki had chosen wisely. His brother called her mysterious and shady, but Issei was certain that she had to be a good person. It only took one sight of that shy smile she gave when thanking them for allowing her to stay, and then he would have accepted her as a sister-in-law then and there.

And he could never have hated anyone who spoke of Kuzuki with such warmth and affection. Never. Not even if they were the worst person in the world could he have hated someone who loved his brother.

They did not speak after that, but Issei caught sight of her around the temple, cleaning or drawing water from the well, and each time his first thought was that she was beautiful.

It was strange. He hadn't thought himself preoccupied with these things before, and yet... there was no denying it.

The first thing that Issei thought when he saw her, years later, was that no, no it couldn't be her. She disappeared along with Kuzuki.

But it was her, and it was entirely ridiculous that he was running over across the shopping district. He must have looked like a fool. He must have been a fool.

"I-I'm sorry-" and it occurred to him that she may have forgotten him. They had only spoken once, after all. "I'm very sorry, but you… You were Kuzuki Souichirou's fiancée, right? My elder brother?"

She blinked at him, startled. "I… don't know who that is."

"Oh…" And it was painful to know that she had forgotten the man she adored so dearly, but perhaps it was a case of mistaken identity after all. "My mistake. I'm sorry to waste your time." He turned to leave.

"Wait." (He could not have known this, but in her mind the gears were turning and she wondered if the sixth heaven's feel coming so near after the fifth one and the fact that Servants did not retain their memories after each summoning meant that-) "I don't remember… anything from longer than a few months ago, so…"

"Amnesia?" he asked. She nodded. "…hah, I should have asked you your name after all. I suppose it's too late now."

"I suppose, but - I was engaged?" she asked, eyes wide. "I never thought…" (After Jason, who she had killed and torn apart her own brother for - but again, he could not have known this.)

Issei smiled. "Why don't we sit down?"

"I'm afraid I don't know much about you, since we only spoke once," he began apologetically, "but I'll try and remember as much as I can. First of all, you loved Kuzuki."

She listened in rapt attention, hanging on his every word.

"He was the world to you. It was obvious in the way you looked at him, and I am absolutely certain that he loved you back just as much. It may not have been as apparent, but it was there."

"What kind of a person was he?" she interrupted.

"He was…" Issei shook his head and smiled. "Serious, and not prone to sudden displays of emotion, but at his heart a kind person. Every word that came from him you knew to be sincere, because it was not in his nature to speak otherwise. I think he said that you two met when he found you injured out in the rain, and he tended your wounds…"

"I see…" Her tone was wistful. "I could have loved such a man. Does he - could I-?"

"…He disappeared at the same time you did. I approached you because I thought you might know his whereabouts, but…" He trailed off.

She nodded and rose to her feet. "I should be going, my-"

"Wait! I…" The unnamed woman waited for an explanation. "…you were a good person." Shouldn't she have known this already?

She smiled warmly at him, patting his head lightly before turning away. "Thank you."

And the last thing he thought when he saw her was that she was beautiful.

It was fitting.