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Fandom: Samurai 7
Title: At Sundown
Author: Guanin
Pairing: Heihachi/Kyuuzou
Rating: PG
Summary: Set after the second Night Visit fic right before ep. 23. Heihachi and Kyuuzou talk.
Disclaimer: Samurai 7 belongs to Gonzo.
“I didn’t think you’d let him follow you around.”
The grass swished silently under Heihachi’s body as he sat down.
“He was my employer. I shouldn’t treat him shabbily.”
Beside him, Kyuuzou folded his legs under him, his gaze fixed on the pale water flowing before them.
“I can’t argue against that. But can we trust him, considering what he is?”
“Ukyo has no more use for him. He doesn’t have anything to offer him or us.”
“So he’s a non-entity now. That can’t sit well with him. But you know him better than me. I just know him from his policies.”
“He has no power to affect anything now.”
Heihachi frowned, recognizing the sense in Kyuuzou’s words, but he still wasn’t satisfied. Old memories knocked against each other like stones at the bottom of the river.
“How is your sleep?” Kyuuzou asked.
Heihachi smiled. “I sleep well. It was just that one night. And even that one wasn’t that bad. Your presence did a lot to alleviate the pain.”
“I’m glad.”
The sleek form of a fish appeared on the waters’ surface, its orange streaked back gleaming in the ochre rays of the setting sun. Heihachi’s lips parted, but the words he meant to say stuck to the roof of his mouth. A shade of sadness wavered in the air.
“It wasn’t really the bandits who troubled me,” he said.
A tiny white butterfly fluttered over the ground before disappearing on a blade of grass. Heihachi gripped the katana lying next to him.
“I know you won’t ask,” he said. “I suspect that you already know.”
“One who refuses to trust others cannot himself be trusted. Changing sides can be as easy as overturning a blanket.”
Heihachi smiled bitterly. “It’s hard to forgive when I can’t forgive myself.”
“It’s reasonable. I might have acted the way you did with that farmer. But the villagers’ trust would have been lost.”
“Yes. Kanbei made the right decision. I should have thought of that, but… I was angry. At least Manzo’s betrayal didn’t cost any lives.”
“Yours did.”
“My whole platoon. I was a coward. I feared death. I never fought anyone; I just ran away. It wasn‘t until the first fight with the bandits that I found the will to cut down anyone. Then I found a purpose, a way to wash away my betrayal.”
A frog hoped into the river with a soft splash. Ripples circled outward where it fell, lengthening in the warm light of the coming dusk, like the filament of a dream vanished before its fulfillment.
“I’ve never had any interest other than perfecting my skill,” Kyuuzou said. “I took masters based on the possibility of battle. I sought the enemy and always walked away victorious. After the wars ended, I joined the side that built itself on our blood. I wanted to survive. But surviving isn’t living.”
“I survived by chopping wood. Fresh firewood and toothpicks in exchange for a warm meal.”
An amused smile warmed Kyuuzou’s face. “Each has his own way.”
“Yeah.”
The current seemed to pick up his worries and scatter them far away, where they would no longer trouble him.
“That night wasn’t the first time I watched you sleep,” Kyuuzou said, his voice soft as the wind.
Heihachi looked at him in surprise. Kyuuzou still stared straight ahead, but his eyes glimmered with a light Heihachi had seen only once before. When Kyuuzou had held the doll on his katana.
“It was on the night before the first battle,” Kyuuzou continued. “You passed by me and the villagers I was instructing. You nodded at me and I saw how tired you were. Ten minutes later, I let the farmers go so that they could also get some rest. Then I followed you. You were already asleep when I entered the house. I watched you and I wondered about your actions, your thoughts.”
A fresh breeze swept Heihachi’s hair against his neck.
“How long were you there?” he asked.
“Some minutes. I had to go seek my own rest as well.”
“I wouldn’t have minded if you stayed.”
“I didn’t want you to think ill of me.”
“I wouldn’t have. I liked having you with me the night after the battle.”
Kyuuzou lowered his eyes, saying nothing. Then he looked at Heihachi, his face finally revealing what lay hidden behind his silence.
“This is our last night before we head to war. I’d like to spend it with you. If I may.” He bowed his head.
Heihachi returned the gesture. “Of course. If you hadn’t, I would have asked for the same thing.”
Kyuuzou's smile shone with the last rays of the sun.
Title: At Sundown
Author: Guanin
Pairing: Heihachi/Kyuuzou
Rating: PG
Summary: Set after the second Night Visit fic right before ep. 23. Heihachi and Kyuuzou talk.
Disclaimer: Samurai 7 belongs to Gonzo.
“I didn’t think you’d let him follow you around.”
The grass swished silently under Heihachi’s body as he sat down.
“He was my employer. I shouldn’t treat him shabbily.”
Beside him, Kyuuzou folded his legs under him, his gaze fixed on the pale water flowing before them.
“I can’t argue against that. But can we trust him, considering what he is?”
“Ukyo has no more use for him. He doesn’t have anything to offer him or us.”
“So he’s a non-entity now. That can’t sit well with him. But you know him better than me. I just know him from his policies.”
“He has no power to affect anything now.”
Heihachi frowned, recognizing the sense in Kyuuzou’s words, but he still wasn’t satisfied. Old memories knocked against each other like stones at the bottom of the river.
“How is your sleep?” Kyuuzou asked.
Heihachi smiled. “I sleep well. It was just that one night. And even that one wasn’t that bad. Your presence did a lot to alleviate the pain.”
“I’m glad.”
The sleek form of a fish appeared on the waters’ surface, its orange streaked back gleaming in the ochre rays of the setting sun. Heihachi’s lips parted, but the words he meant to say stuck to the roof of his mouth. A shade of sadness wavered in the air.
“It wasn’t really the bandits who troubled me,” he said.
A tiny white butterfly fluttered over the ground before disappearing on a blade of grass. Heihachi gripped the katana lying next to him.
“I know you won’t ask,” he said. “I suspect that you already know.”
“One who refuses to trust others cannot himself be trusted. Changing sides can be as easy as overturning a blanket.”
Heihachi smiled bitterly. “It’s hard to forgive when I can’t forgive myself.”
“It’s reasonable. I might have acted the way you did with that farmer. But the villagers’ trust would have been lost.”
“Yes. Kanbei made the right decision. I should have thought of that, but… I was angry. At least Manzo’s betrayal didn’t cost any lives.”
“Yours did.”
“My whole platoon. I was a coward. I feared death. I never fought anyone; I just ran away. It wasn‘t until the first fight with the bandits that I found the will to cut down anyone. Then I found a purpose, a way to wash away my betrayal.”
A frog hoped into the river with a soft splash. Ripples circled outward where it fell, lengthening in the warm light of the coming dusk, like the filament of a dream vanished before its fulfillment.
“I’ve never had any interest other than perfecting my skill,” Kyuuzou said. “I took masters based on the possibility of battle. I sought the enemy and always walked away victorious. After the wars ended, I joined the side that built itself on our blood. I wanted to survive. But surviving isn’t living.”
“I survived by chopping wood. Fresh firewood and toothpicks in exchange for a warm meal.”
An amused smile warmed Kyuuzou’s face. “Each has his own way.”
“Yeah.”
The current seemed to pick up his worries and scatter them far away, where they would no longer trouble him.
“That night wasn’t the first time I watched you sleep,” Kyuuzou said, his voice soft as the wind.
Heihachi looked at him in surprise. Kyuuzou still stared straight ahead, but his eyes glimmered with a light Heihachi had seen only once before. When Kyuuzou had held the doll on his katana.
“It was on the night before the first battle,” Kyuuzou continued. “You passed by me and the villagers I was instructing. You nodded at me and I saw how tired you were. Ten minutes later, I let the farmers go so that they could also get some rest. Then I followed you. You were already asleep when I entered the house. I watched you and I wondered about your actions, your thoughts.”
A fresh breeze swept Heihachi’s hair against his neck.
“How long were you there?” he asked.
“Some minutes. I had to go seek my own rest as well.”
“I wouldn’t have minded if you stayed.”
“I didn’t want you to think ill of me.”
“I wouldn’t have. I liked having you with me the night after the battle.”
Kyuuzou lowered his eyes, saying nothing. Then he looked at Heihachi, his face finally revealing what lay hidden behind his silence.
“This is our last night before we head to war. I’d like to spend it with you. If I may.” He bowed his head.
Heihachi returned the gesture. “Of course. If you hadn’t, I would have asked for the same thing.”
Kyuuzou's smile shone with the last rays of the sun.
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Beautiful writing!