Marks of War

By: theunknownvoice

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Anger. He felt it course through him. It was the emotion that everyone always said he most reflected. Everyone that is except for her.

Understanding rage was something he didn't waste time on. He knew what Ryuhou thought him an animal. He lived his life so different from the other man. He refused to be caged while Ryuhou welcomed such a thing.

He didn't have time to contemplate the universe. The world was crashing down around him and that was enough. He didn't sacrifice for people unless you count the girl. He didn't love people unless you counted her.

He had whispered goodbye to her. He couldn't tell her the truth: He didn't intend on living. He didn't intend on coming back if he survived the blacklash. She didn't need such a broken person in control of her fate.

The world had spit up and trampled over him. He wasn't worthy of anything she felt towards him.

He stood overlooking the broken valley. The land was scared and jagged like he was. It bared the marks of the quake and the rages of war. It was broken and desolate, unloved and unwanted.

He didn't hear the footsteps behind him. He didn't realize that he was no longer alone until a slender hand grasped his.

"Kaza-kun, what are you doing out here?" Kanami whispered.

He turned to see the little girl watching him.

"How did you get here?" he asked.

"Ryuhou told me where you were," she said softly.

"He had no right. It's not his business."

"He thought you might need the person you loved."

"Why the hell can't he just butt out? He should go fix his own problems," he grumbled.

"Kaza-kun, come home. I need you."

His brown eyes met the little girl for a second.

"You need me like you need a kick in the head."

"No, I need you. I need you so I'm not alone."

"Kanami, the others will take care of you. They'll make sure you're safe. I'm just bad luck."

"Kazuma," she said her voice sounding commanding, "we are going home now."

With that she grabbed his hand and dragged him over to Cougar's car.

"You ready for radical good speed?" Cougar asked.

"I swear if you go speeding down the highway with Kanami, I'm going to kill you. You can't subject a little girl to that," Kazuma said glaring at Cougar.

Kanami just smiled as she got into the car. Life went back to normal.

That was how he wanted to remember her. He wanted to remember her as the smiling little girl. He didn't want to think of her as ever changing. She would always be the little girl to him because if thought of her differently then he would cause his own damnation.

She wasn't going to let him continue that way though. She stood in front him completely changed. She had returned after spending some time with Mimori. Mimori had married Cougar of all people and had needed to return to the mainland to visit her ailing father. Kazuma had put his foot down but Kanami had gone anyway. It had been the first time that she had ever disobeyed him and he was still reeling from the blow. Their existence had changed when she had packed her bags regardless of his words.

The shock of being without her for four months had finally caught up to him. He had missed her every morning but now he felt the change. He stared at her not comprehending.

When had she grown into a woman? She was taller and her body had gained curves. He tried to not look at her that way but his eyes didn't obey. In fact nothing of his was obeying him at the current moment.

She smiled at his realization. He had been home for eight years. She was sixteen not a child of ten anymore. It ignored the changes for years but now he couldn't.

She moved closer to him her eyes shining with a darker light. It was almost predatory the look he was giving him. He gulped. Since when had she become a vixen?

She came closer until her face was only a few mere inches from his. In surprise he gasped when her lips met his. She kissed him fiercely.

Gently she removed the wrap around his right arm. Tenderly she ran her fingers over the marks that lay beneath the fabric.

"Why are you afraid of this?" she asked softly.

"I never said I was afraid," he replied his voice shaking.

"I know you better than you know yourself Kazuma. You always think you are so unworthy of love. You think you are unworthy of being wanted."

He tried to deny it but he his tongue refused to obey.

"These marks are marks of war. You did what you had to do so we would survive. You gave up so much for me. Can't you just give me the one thing I want?"

"What is that?" he asked.

"I want you to love me. I want you to love me like a man loves a woman not like a little sister. I love you, Kazuma. I want to be with only you. Can't you see that?"

"Kanami it's not that I don't love you. I do but you deserve someone—"

"No," she interrupted, "there is no one better than you. There is no one I would rather love. Even if you reject me and send me away I'll still love you. I was made to be with you and no one else."

"But I'm broken. I'm not a whole man or person. I—"

"You're not perfect but you are who I want. Not Ryuhou or Tachibana or Elian. Only you."

Gently he kissed her back. He might as well surrender to her. After all she wanted to no one else and she would win this fight.

The End