Set in the middle of volume 28. Kept buzzing around my head.

Disclaimer: Samurai Deeper Kyo belongs to Akimine Kamijyo.

"He talked about you, you know," Onime no Kyo suddenly said, startling Shihoudou. He, Sarutobi Sasuke, and she were heading towards the exit of the labyrinth.

She turned, looking up at him in confusion. "Who?" Shihoudou asked.

Kyo grimaced slightly, as if regretting bringing up the subject. "The old jerk – the former King."

"Why?" She looked surprised. "What about?"

"Random shit, nothing important. Though, he did tell me about the time when you two were walking over a koi pond and you fell off the bridge into the water." He grinned. "How'd you manage to do that, anyway?"

Shihoudou's cheeks coloured, partly from learning that her lord had spoken about her, partly from remembering an embarrassing situation. "I was trying to balance on the railing and he startled me," she explained, crossing her arms defensively. She sighed heavily and met his eyes. "Why are you telling me this, Oni-chan?"

"Because you need to know that you did make him happy," Kyo told her, his eyes oddly sympathetic. "He always used to get this stupid smile on his face when he talked about you, looking more like an idiot teenager in love—" Shihoudou's blush increased "—than a king. He'd still smile like that even if he was talking about how much he missed you since you fled to the labyrinth."

She broke the gaze then, her expression both tightening and softening in sadness. "But I..."

Kyo resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "He also said that he knew you probably wouldn't be able to keep your promise, which is why he made the same to me." When she sharply looked back up at him, he added, "He didn't blame you. He understood."

Shihoudou drew in a shaky breath, her smile pained. "I just wish..." She trailed off sadly, shaking her head. "No use wishing," she said in a falsely strong tone. "Past is the past, right, Oni-chan?" Kyo nodded slowly. "And the future is the future. All I can wish, all I can hope for is... is that I can make him smile once more."

Kyo nodded again. "If anyone can, it's you."

"Damn straight – now, on ward!"

The "oni-chan" Shihoudou uses does not mean "older brother." It's "baby demon," at least that's how Tokyopop translated it. Kyo feels a little out of character, but he did give Shihoudou a bit of a pep talk in volume 28, why not give another?

I am on a roll, though. Hopefully I can channel this inspiration into finishing the four/five drabbles I have half-written for Remembering Fireflies.