The Day of Thunder

He reached for her hand giving a light squeeze

''It is not your fault.'' the dragon recalled the night two day prior ''I had a dream a few days ago, my fear manifested...a world that had been bled dry and left for death. I walked for what seemed to be like ages, digging graves and building pyres, until I managed to find some grain I could plant. I returned here when I did...to this village...and the world slowly began to heal. Colors came back, life came back, but I could never leave this house for long for the one thing I missed the most was you.''

''I know your time is limited...that is why I want to take in full whatever time we have left.''

"I do, too," she replied firmly, then added. "No one's ever shown as much care for me as you have. So much understanding. It's... something I never thought I would know. "

''Yet I do not know anyone who is as deserving of it as you are.'' He hugged her tight once more and breathed

''Care for some Cranes?...'' he glance towards a glaring Shou ''...before someone manages to ruin all the paper?''

She laughed and nodded. "Yes... To support Lady Doji."

Zhe chuckled and said, quite seriously

"I love you, Chouri."

She stared at him with enormously wide eyes for a moment and she trembled for a moment before finally saying, "I love you, too."

The bushi smiled like an absolute idiot has he raised a hand to cup her cheek, leaning in to give her a kiss.

She returned the kiss, smile wide and a little silly as well. "I know... that love is supposed to take time. But we don't know what will happen. I didn't want to regret not saying it when I feel it."

''I was thinking the same thing...I do not know what tomorrow or the day after holds for us but at least we have now''

She nodded and picked up the paper, sitting back with a warm smile. "Shall we make those cranes?"

Zhe eyed Shou warely, the panda already crouching low and getting menacingly closer

he nodded ''Yeah let's''

/fade to paper cranes and panda rascality?

/scene