Beloved || Blue Eye Samurai

Spar Down to the Tar.

He couldn't go a day without trying to spar.
The same way Ringo couldn't go a day without wrecking Mizu's head.

"Once we're fully healed you owe me a match!" He said. But he said that every day.

In fact, when was the last time he went a day without saying that?

She didn't reply, unfazed, as she struggled to keep a grip on the hammer, as they had both been left out in the rain.
Turns out Taigen thought that was an opportunity to try something different. Slippery weapons? Strange. He was a strange boy in her eyes. He followed her like a dog.
Heh, dog.. A word she was too familiar with.

"You're strong, but some of your technique is poor. The 'Shindo Dojo' needs to work on its training," she said.
Suddenly Taigen lost grip of his hammer, and so Mizu rested hers down too, but after she jokingly pretended to hit him in the head with it.
"My maAa-" she went to muster out. But of course, before she could finish Taigen tackled her.

"You played a good 'maaAaaA'," He announced, mocking her and they tumbled around, giggling like 5 year olds.

Eventually she managed to climb on top of him, gaining higher ground.
"Stop before you pop a stitch, idiot," she giggled.

He looked up at her, cupping her pale face, yet tanner than most, admiring her eyes.
"You're beautiful.." he muttered, thinking out loud.
"Not a dog anymore?" She said with a little frown, obviously not able to forget all he did.
"I'm so, so sorry.. I was an idiot. We saw someone different and saw it as disgusting, repulsive, horrible. I couldn't do that to you purposefully ever again," Taigen replied, feeling guilty.

"Your eyes are like the fierce ocean as you fight, yet like the calm hot springs on the solemn occasion you relax," 
He pulled her down to lie on top of him, both of them gently holding each other.
He softly stroked her hands, which unlike Akemi's they weren't so nourished and clean. Hers were full of cuts and sword calluses.

But he didn't care; She was beautiful.

Her body was full of cuts, scars, bruises, stitches and bandages.

But he didn't care; She was beautiful.

She got angry, hurt or distrustful easily.

But he didn't care; She was still beautiful.

He undid the ribbon confining her hair, letting down the long, brown locks. For always being up and not washed often, it was miraculously shiny, straight and beautiful.
He loved every bit of her.

..............................................................................

A while later he ended up cooking, since the last time Mizu tried to do that they ate rations that night, to say the least.

"You're being weirdly nice to me today.." she spoke up, breaking the long silence.

"I find it hurtful you don't think I'm always nice," he replied.
"You're usually really annoying," she said simply.
Taigen gave a jokey hurt look, replying once again. "Well, I guess I'm being a little less of a 'disturbance' today," he said.
"And why is that?" Mizu asked.
"Well you're always saving my 'sorry ass' according to you. And you really helped me with those stitches. Plus, I love you,"

She gave a little smile at that last one, looking away.
"Fair.."

"I saw that.." he said, a smirk creeping up on his face.

"You saw nothing.." she hissed.
"I did see, haha! The big bad samurai finally has a smile on his grumpy face!"

After another round of pouncing on each other and then realising that they forgot the food, they eventually stopped.

Apart from a little bit of black on the bottom of their skewers, they were pretty good and a great find from the town. They were always up for something different.

Once they were done they left some for Ringo, who still hadn't come back from his fun time he was sent off to her in the village, enjoying local events. It wasn't surprising though, as it wasn't too late and there was a big light show at 10:30pm and of course Ringo had to see it.

Once they cleaned up they headed to bed. Only for Taigen to climb into Mizu's floor bedding five minutes later. They slept well that night, and so did Ringo with his extra pillow from Taigen's bed.

The needed the sleep, as they had a long journey ahead of them..