Beautiful work, as always. Looking forward to seeing the actual reunion between Yukino and Roji... (And I wonder what Kotori must be feeling... after all, she loved and lost, too.)
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

Beautiful mood setting! Nice job with the dialog.

Reposting - because ate the first one...

Beautiful, beautiful insight, not just into Kotori, but also into Yukino.

It's such an interesting study, really: Kotori is the one reassuring Yukino that Shichiroji will return, when she is the one who has lost (or assumes she has lost) the man she loves. Her statement of "Sometimes promises can be enough" is not only the best line in the entire piece, but also perhaps its most perfect encapsulation. What makes it so poignant is that she excludes herself from that statement - or at least, it's fairly easy to conjecture that she does.

You wrote Yukino beautifully here too. I like how she tries to be strong and to keep herself busy so that she doesn't think about Shichiroji too much, but deep down inside her heart she does worry about him a lot - and the only one she can really talk to about it is Kotori. Also, the fact that Kotori understands her even without having to see her and that she puts Yukino's emotions and her own into her koto shows how closely these two women are bonded, that each can understand the heart of the other so easily.

The way you've written the dynamics between Yukino and Shichiroji are perhaps the most unique for them that I've seen so far. Given that this is the early part of their relationship and Shichiroji doesn't have his arm yet, it's interesting to see just how...less stable they are right now. Their relationship is mercurial and rather physical at the moment, but already you can see signs of what is to come for them. It's easy - far too easy - to paint them as completely and utterly in love with one another right from the get-go (you know...noble knight saved and healed by the beautiful princess), but the way you wrote them is far more realistic, considering the trauma that he's been through after the war plus the fact that he lost his limb.

That last bit when Yukino says she knows nothing about caring for the blind is an interesting point regarding the fact that Shichiroji's disabled - interesting analogy to the fact that Kotori's disabled too, though in a different way.

This is a scene that breaks my heart: Kotori, lost and alone, sitting on the porch of the Firefly House in the rain. It's a heartbreaking scene that, I think, you subtly emphasize with the broken sandal in her hand, which shows just how far Kotori's come before this.

Also, considering her original status in life, the fact that she repeats "please" to a person who is of lower rank than she is fascinating.

I've said it before, I'll say it again: you write Kotori beautifully - even better than I ever could, to be honest. I can't help but think this'll be canon for Kotori - well, considering just how much of her story you've got written already (both here and elsewhere), I suppose we can call it that.

*grins*

Out of curiosity, how much of the Threads triptych will you be fleshing out? (Not that I'm complaining, you're doing a beautiful job so far, and I love your take on it - I just wish I could find the music.)
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

Yep, I was right! Lovely again, and nice that someone finally deals with the awkward possibilities that Roji and Yukino face...
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko

Ah, I know who THIS is. Beautiful imagery... Welcome to the S7 category, I can see you're going to be a welcome addition!
Michelle
aka
Samuraiko