Because I stayed up all night and watched all of it. And I ship Kyuzo/Kirara like burning and there are two fics here for them. So what do you do when you don't have fic for your ship? You write some damn fanfic.

Enjoy!

He had thought that he would die from the gunshot. Kyuzo understood death and did not fight it when it came for him. Perhaps it was this humbleness that had spared him. And perhaps also the soft hands that were changing the bandages. His skin was sticky from fever, but he did not suffer from it any longer. He did not open his eyes, instead sensing who was around him rather than give away his return to consciousness. His palm itched for the sheath of his sword.

"You don't have to pretend to be asleep, Kyuzo-dono," the priestess's soft voice intoned. He did not play coy after that, instead opening his eyes to look into hers. He could see why the spoiled merchant's son wanted her. He could see why she did not fall victim to the promises of comfort and riches for the price of her body and obedience.

She was under a greater vow of obedience, and such vows must be fulfilled and honored before all others. He had followed her to this village in order to fulfill his own vow to eventually claim Kambei's life, and nothing in his life would ever take greater importance than that vow. At least, that he'd so far run into.

"The people of Kanna believe us to be lovers," she said, gently checking on the tightness of his bandages. He knew himself to be embarrassingly weak and did not try to move. He could wait another day to try to feed himself. If the priestess decided to help him that was on her own conscience and he would not depend on it.

He watched the blush deepen on her cheeks as he let the silence linger. Kyuzo stared at her, willing her to understand the quiet. Almost all who crossed his path did not know or love stillness. Stillness was the opposite of motion. Chaos was motion, control was stillness. Samurai, vows, and silence were still.

She stayed at his side nursing him, which meant she had not bowed to the rumors to allow another to care for him. She must have vowed to save his life, and some vows carried greater obedience than others. Oathbreakers spoke of it as sacrifice and looked at in the light of pain.

"Such shame is removed through marriage," he said, sliding his eyes away from her face to her hands. Her fingers began to tremble, and no words passed her lips. His eyes flicked back to hers, "Am I mistaken?" her hands clenched and the shaking stopped.

"You are not mistaken, Kyuzo-dono."

"Then I offer myself as husband, and if I will not suit then I will find a man to remove the shame I have brought on you."

Her face cracked into a smile. Wry, but like unrippled water.

"You would have to search far afield to find a man willing to live in this town for a wife like me." Kyuzo looked at the ceiling after these words, letting them settle. The quiet always gave him answers when he required them. She would get used to it—she was a water priestess after all, and water was silent. He breathed deeply, letting his eyes sink half-closed. She had left his offer unanswered and therefore rejected. He did not take offense.

"You are skilled and kind. Your face is pleasing as well. It will not be difficult to find such a man."

"Your words do not match your intention, Kyuzo-dono," her voice was teasing, though still soft. "You offer to find me one who would appreciate my kindness and skills and finds me beautiful. You do not need to look far. Close your eyes," he obeyed her and listened to her shuffling movements as she dragged a basket nearer to herself and lifted something out. She shifted to kneel a little closer to his side.

"The first face you first look on will be of the man you must bring to me for my wedding day," she said and he could hear the smile in her voice. "Open your eyes, Kyuzo-dono." Mirrors were precious to those outside of the noble classes, this one must have been in her family for generations. He looked pale, and there were bags under his eyes. The reflection he stared at was of a man who had been wrenched from the jaws of death. He'd seen enough and understood her point. His eyes slipped shut.

"If that man's face is what you desire to wake to each day, I will see it done when I am strong enough." He did not tense up when one of her hands fell to his belly. Her hands were cool, and he told his body to relax towards sleep. The vow to claim Kambei's life still stood, but his debt to the priestess was of a life as well. It was more difficult than he liked—blood loss—but he raised a hand to cover hers. She would continue his line and he would teach their sons to speak in silence and move with purpose. He knew nothing of daughters and would leave them to her.

"I had never thought I would marry for affection," she said as he was almost asleep. Kyuzo glared at her through narrowed eyes. She would hopefully understand his value of silence sooner than later or he would have to spend much more of his time training villagers to be violent than he'd ever anticipated. She did not move her hand from his skin, though, and that was welcome.

"Do priestesses in your village not marry for such things?" She was determined to be awake and so he would indulge her. He would know his future wife better since he had the chance. She turned her hand over and grasped his fingers.

"Not often. When a priestess reaches the age of nineteen she dowses with her crystal for her husband. It leads her to the man and he marries her as soon as possible. It is rare out here in the country that tradition is gone against."

"The people of your village do not seem to pay mind to traditions. I feel at home here more than I have in any other place."

She stayed quiet, trying to use it to dissolve mystery as he did. Her skin had long ago warmed to his and he could feel her pulse in her fingertips. There was no time to explain the hierarchies of duty to her. He had spent a lifetime doing so, and she had already lived a quarter of hers. She was fifteen years behind him on the path—but she was intelligent. He was confident she would find her way.

"You follow your path despite when it meanders. Just as we have begun to."

Kyuzo shut his eyes and squeezed her fingers briefly to acknowledge her correct answer.

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