He hadn't meant to save the man
It just happened
Shigure saw the sword swing
The scream
The blood
And then he moved
By the time he realized
The bandits were dead
And the man was alive
Coughing
Thanking him
Crying like someone who forgot how
"You saved me
Thank you
Thank you so much"
Shigure didn't answer
He just stood there
Watching his own hands shake
Not from effort
But from memory
The man's name was Daigo
A merchant with no wares
A father with no children left
A survivor by accident
He offered Shigure shelter
Food
A name to call him by
And for some reason
Shigure said yes
Maybe because he was tired of walking
Maybe because he was cold
Maybe because something in Daigo's cracked voice reminded him of an older version of himself
The one that died long ago
The house was small
But warm
Too warm
Like kindness was trying to melt his armor
He hated it
Daigo talked too much
Laughed too easily
Cooked like he was still feeding a family that wasn't there
And every time he smiled
Shigure saw his face
That same smile he used to wear
Before the fire
Before the screams
Before immortality became a curse
One night
Daigo handed him a knife
"You can sleep safe here
But if you want to go
Use this on anyone who follows"
Shigure held it
Stared at it
So clean
Too clean
It would be stained soon
Because kindness kills
It opens the heart
Lets things in
And then twists when it's too late to pull back
He didn't sleep that night
Just watched the ceiling
Listened to Daigo snore
Wondering if kindness would be the death he was never allowed to have
Or the curse that reminded him
He was still too broken to accept it