Bushidrill and Okamaitachi, 1?
Not a pairing I’d considered before, but whoops, now I love it.
The students usually shared aroom on the road, when they slept indoors at all. Iaian, as always,slipped off to meditate or train through the night. His position asnumber one disciple was a tenuous one, especially now, and Bushidrillcouldn't fault him for his dedication.
That left Bushidrill andOkamaitachi alone. They cleaned their weapons, diligently tending totheir tools as was proper. They both spent some time in prayer ormeditation, whichever helped them at that moment. And then there wasnothing left to do but prepare for bed.
Bushidrill didn't watch. Tosay he was watching would be an exaggeration and an insult to hisintegrity. But he saw, he couldn't help but see, there in the smallroom. See Okamaitachi remove her lipstick with a tissue. See herbrush her teeth. See her place her false eyelashes in a tiny case,see her remove the rest of her makeup with colorcoded wipes, see herreplace it with lotion and creams, see her braid her hair to keep itneat for the next day of travel.
He lay down on his futon asshe shut off the light, keeping her face turned away from him.
“I don’t know why youthink you have to hide so much of yourself from me.”
“It's not you,” she saidsoftly. “It's me.”
He stifled a dry laugh withhis pillow. “Heard that before.”
“Go to sleep,” she said,and he could hear the fondness in her voice. “You need your beautyrest more than I do.”
“Well, that's something weagree on.”
