A/N: this is my first fic, so it might sound a bit stiff. i’m nervous posting but tried my best! sorry for it being so long,,, do people still post longer fics on tumblr anymore?;; it’s the “he saves u” trope. enjoy :)
warnings: blood/light gore, knife, violence, cursing, needles, possible ooc, SPOILERS for Kazuha’s story/Ch.2 Prologue
SFW
word count: 7.6k
summary: You and Kazuha are sent into Liyue Harbor on a supply run, but the trip takes a turn.
If it wasn’t for the rising and setting of the sun, time would have felt unmoving. This feeling, however, was nothing foreign to the crew aboard the Alcor. Not much variety came with sailing at sea. Usually, gentle blues were painted across the sky, and ocean waves licked the battle ship’s hull. The scenery was peaceful but greatly lacked excitement. Because of this, feelings of anticipation and relief always managed to fill the air when Captain Beidou declared for the docking of the Alcor.
I set the last of some folded cloth into a small crate, then secured the lid shut. Beidou had chosen to dock us in Guyun Stone Forest, as she planned to hold the Crux Clash nearby in a few days. The crew was tasked with preparing the supplies to be sent to the tournament’s location. Since the event’s focus was on the fighting, no one minded reusing the boat’s supplies, which were slightly dull from their time at sea.
The contents of the crate were light, so I had no problem carrying it out onto the main deck. Everyone was casually loading their own crates and carrying various boxes ashore. Across the deck from me, a very unimpressed Kazuha talked with Sea Drake, who was failing at balancing a pile of large crates in his arms. The top of the stack predictably crashed down onto the deck floor, followed by several more boxes of the cargo. Kazuha sighed down at the large man, who began to dejectedly reassemble the fallen supplies.
Almost as if the wind had brushed his hair aside and whispered a secret in his ear, he looked over in my direction to see I had witnessed the ordeal occur. Kazuha’s usual gentle smile dawned across his face. The easygoing nature he emanated always managed to relax me—as if his kind eyes put me under a calming spell. Returning his smile, I continued on, descending the ship’s gangway. The feeling of the stable ground under my feet was a welcomed change after so many weeks at sea. I placed my smaller crate among the other cargo on the shore.
“(Y/N)! C'mere for a second.” Beidou called to me from her place next to Juza, who she’d been chatting with for a while. Earlier, I spotted Juza pointing around the area and Beidou nodding in turn, so I figured they were overlooking the packaging and transporting of supplies. Swiftly moving around the boxes in my path, I made my way over to the woman.
“Yes, Captain?”
“You’re heading into the harbor while we’re here, right? You doing anything special there?” I thought her question over briefly. I wasplanning on going into Liyue Harbor, but I had no dire plans.
“Not especially.” She smiled her big, toothy grin at this.
“Fantastic. While we’re here, I wanna take the chance to restock some of our supplies. I need you and Kazuha to pick up some stuff for the Alcor.” She turned her head up in the direction of the main deck. I realized Kazuha had been watching us talk from above after meeting his eyes. He looked away from me and nodded to Beidou, who was waving him down over to us. “The ride from here to the harbor will take a few hours, so it’s best to leave while it’s still early. Do you think you’ll be ready to go soon?” I returned my sight from Kazuha and answered Beidou.
“Uh—yeah, I’ll be ready. I just need a few minutes to throw some stuff together.” Beidou nodded and continued to speak, although her eyes were cast on something behind me.
“I’ll go ahead and leave the list of supplies needed with Kazuha. You go prepare, (Y/N), while I fill him in.” The person of her attention had quickly made his way off the ship and now took his place next to me, waiting to be informed of our trip together.
“Yes, Captain.” I gave Beidou a final nod and Kazuha a parting smile, before turning away. The voices of the two I had departed from slowly grew faint as I made my way back onto the ship.
Once I was left alone to gather my belongings, the blush I had been fighting back crept its way onto my face. I would be left alone with Kazuha while in Liyue Harbor. The two of us had been good friends ever since Beidou accepted him into the Crux Fleet, although he was a bit hard to understand at first. As Kazuha warmed up to the crew, it was quickly apparent how friendly and kind-hearted he was. After many nights of drinking and listening to him recite haikus in the crow’s nest of the ship, I found myself having feelings for the fugitive samurai.
In retrospect, it was truly an unwinnable fight. Kazuha was undoubtedly attractive. His silky white hair pulled into a side ponytail gave him a matureness that was nicely complemented by his softer features. His expression was naturally welcoming, but the passionate, bright red of his irises concealed a mysterious past. Even if I were to ask him a hundred questions, there would still be plenty I didn’t know about Kazuha.
I packed light, but I was sure it was more than my travel partner would ever consider bringing. Kazuha instantly proved me right as I made my way onto the shore. Per usual, the clothing on his back and his sword constituted as his luggage. It was a common saying of his that as long as he had his blade by his side, there was nowhere he couldn’t go.
“Good morning, (Y/N),” Kazuha greeted. “Have you finished preparing for our journey?”
“I have.”
“Then, let us be off.”
—
The sun began to kiss the horizon by the time Kazuha and I arrived at the harbor. The warm light emitted from the city’s traditional lanterns spread its famous nightlife ambiance through the streets. It was an impossible feeling to replicate out in the darkness of the ocean.
I looked over to inspect my partner. It was no secret he was fond of spending time in nature and had much intimate experience with the outdoors from his travels. Although this wasn’t his first time visiting Liyue Harbor, I wondered if there was a bit of a sensory shock going from the mostly quiet life aboard the Alcor to the busy city nightlife. If Kazuha was shocked, he concealed any hint from being apparent on his features.
“You’ve told me before that you usually opt for camping outdoors,” I began. “What do you plan to do for shelter tonight?” I was more than happy to spend time with Kazuha, but I couldn’t help but crave a warm bed and a room that didn’t sway all night.
“That is true,” Kazuha chuckled. Even if it was brief, his small laugh sent butterflies into my stomach. “However, the air has begun to stir. It’ll most likely rain tonight. I’d rather take my chances at finding an inn.” I might never understand how he was able to predict the weather the way he did, but his judgment had never been wrong in the time I’d known him.
“Likewise. Liyue Harbor is a popular location for tourists and travelers, so there’s always places open late for people like us.” The trip here was long and tiring, and I was hoping to take a shower as soon as possible. “There’s a nice place I know of only a short walk from here.”
On the way to the inn, I saw many of the night shops and vendors laying out their goods. The sun would be gone from the sky relatively soon, but that did little to discourage the citizens from staying indoors. Enthusiastic voices filled the streets as people conversed and bartered. The storytellers who entertained at restaurants echoed their tales, and the rich smell of Liyue’s cuisine ensued. I felt a bit embarrassed. Even though I was a local to the city, I had been looking around the streets more excited than Kazuha. Nonetheless, I was happy to be back for a bit.
“It’s been a while since I was last here. I grew up here, yet I still feel elated every time I return from a journey.” As the words were spoken aloud, I quickly felt regret in saying them. From what I knew about Kazuha’s past, he was unwelcomed back to his home. “Ah! I’m sorry, that was insensitive of me to say.”
Kazuha, however, was unbothered by my comment. His face held no sort of negative emotion. Rather, he seemed more at peace than usual, if that was possible for the already carefree soul.
“You need not apologize for appreciating your home… It’s a wonderful thing to still feel joy when visiting a place you know well. Often, a place well-traversed easily grows monotonous.” His forgiving eyes met mine, and I felt I would become weak if I looked into them any longer. “It also happens to be that your enjoyment is rather contagious.”
His smile might very well be far more lethal than any monster we face at sea.
I silently hid the blush his tender words caused by studying the stalls that lined the street. All kinds of colorful trinkets and gems were exhibited by the various stores. The renowned Mingxing Jewelry shop had elegant rings and necklaces displayed all along the store’s front, and thick jewels sat lavishly on the wooden shelves. There was a certain Mingxing good in particular that caught my eye. Several vibrant ribbons with delicate gold embroidery were splayed along a velvet case. They looked like they were intended to be hair accessories.
Not long after, we arrived at our inn. Once done checking in with the receptionist, Kazuha and I made our way to the two-bed room we would inhabit for the night. The inn wasn’t the fanciest place available in Liyue Harbor by a long shot, but compared to the rough conditions we faced on the Alcor, it could’ve been the very bedroom intended for the Jade Chamber. The room itself was on the cozier side, but having two separate beds would give us some privacy.
“Do you mind if I use the bathroom first? I’ve been craving a proper shower ever since Beidou said we’d be landing.” Bathing was difficult in the middle of the ocean, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss the relaxing feeling of a hot shower.
“Go right ahead,” Kazuha acknowledged as he made himself comfortable on the outdoor balcony overlooking the harbor.
—
It didn’t take long for the two of us to clean up, as it was now impossible to ignore our shared hunger. We had quickly decided on Wanmin Restaurant since it was high-quality food served late at night. After ordering, we found an open table off to the side of the restaurant. Sharing meals outside was the usual case for the Crux Fleet, but it felt special to do so with the wandering samurai under Liyue’s night sky.
“Beidou said she left the list of supplies we need to get with you,” I said, starting conversation. I didn’t mind Beidou requesting for us to run this errand, regardless of her being my Captain. She had done more than enough to earn my friendship and respect. Spending time with Kazuha in Liyue Harbor was also much more exciting than shopping alone, although I doubt Beidou knew what she was doing by arranging this. Kazuha made a sound of agreement in response.
“Since we got here relatively late, I thought it would be best for us to find a place to stay first and foremost. Fresh supplies will arrive with the morning shipments,” he breathed out with a light sigh, “but Beidou requested for so much, it would never fit on the boat we arrived in. We’ll need to find a sailor with a larger boat to transport it all in. Of course, this can wait for tomorrow.”
“She didn’t happen to include a shipment fee for the trip back, did she?” I laughed, already knowing the answer was ‘no’. Kazuha’s sigh was heavier this time, but a grin had broken out on his face. We continued to chat about the materials we’d need to obtain the next day.
The waitress eventually interrupted the conversation with our meals. The atmosphere was a comfortable one—laughing with Kazuha under the stars and surrounded by the lively city. I would without a doubt remember this night for a long time.
I knew Kazuha was a wanderer who made no promise to stay in one place for too long, and that eventually, he would leave the Crux Fleet to continue his journey. It would be unfair to try and convince him to stay with us for longer than he felt life intended, yet I couldn’t help but selfishly pray to the Archons to prolong our time together as much as possible. In moments like these, I couldn’t bring myself to look away from the man in front of me. If love had an expression, I imagined it would look similar to the one he wears. Light from the lanterns and the moon simultaneously dusted his features. It bounced off the highlights in his white hair every time he tilted his head or laughed. The scarlet irises of his eyes suffocated me in a warm ocean. Perhaps, it was these things that kept me afloat while at sea on the Alcor rather than the ship itself.
“Will you be leaving the harbor with the supplies tomorrow?” I asked, knowing he had no business in Liyue Harbor other than fulfilling Beidou’s request.
“Most likely. I’ll need to assist with setting up the tournament.” I saw him shift his arm from beneath the table. “I am also in possession of its prize at the moment.”
Kazuha had told me the story of how he obtained the “Masterless Vision” earlier in our friendship. It was an item that often aroused solemn feelings from him during the dead of night. I couldn’t help but frown at the idea of him offering it as a prize to be won by some stranger.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to have it be the winning prize for the Crux Clash, though? It’s just… It feels so sentimental.”
“I’ve tried many different experiments in order to test the possibility of it reawakening… I feel that if I do not abandon that sentimentality or keep the vision for myself, I will be doing an even greater injustice to my friend,” he spoke. His eyes were unreadable, but I had the feeling it was not as easy to use the vision in such a way as he made it sound. Kazuha had never been the type to act rashly or make impulsive decisions, so there was no reason for me to press his choice any further.
“I understand, Kazuha.”
—
It was late by the time we finished eating and returned back to our inn. Before entering, however, I remembered something I had to do before the night ended.
“Kazuha, there’s something I need to go to do real quick. I won’t take long. It’s okay if you head inside without me.” I was hoping there wouldn’t be too much resistance at my request for him to go without me. His expression told me I wouldn’t be so lucky.
“The air is distraught,” he frowned, “it’ll be raining soon, (Y/N).” I wouldn’t let his frown stop me, as this was something that could only be done tonight.
“I promise, Kazuha, I’ll be back shortly. The longer we wait, the more likely it is I’ll be caught in the rain.”
“Okay,” he hesitated. “Don’t take too long.”
We parted ways in front of the inn, which wasn’t far from my destination. I had remembered the ribbons being sold at the Mingxing Jewelry shop and wanted to buy a pair for Kazuha and I. Even if we were to part ways, I hoped to be a part of his life that he would always remember, just as he was for me. A ribbon to serve as his hair tie would be a nice gift to accomplish just that.
Upon arriving at the shop, I pointed out a bright vermillion ribbon and a (color) ribbon to Xingxi. She wrapped them elegantly around what appeared to be a thin, rectangular wooden charm, and then slipped a velvet pouch covering over the gift. Just as I had finished paying and stepped away from her booth, thick drops of rain began falling around me.
Kazuha’s weather-predicting streak continued to be flawless.
I attempted to shield the gift from the increasingly steady downpour as I quickly made my way back to our inn. There was no doubt in my mind that the samurai would scold me the second I walked through the door. It would only be worse once he discovered the reason I stayed out was for him. It was in Kazuha’s nature to care greatly for his friends’ well-being, yet I always managed to find myself feeling giddy when he expressed his concern for me.
With my mind distracted by the man waiting for me back at the inn, I failed to notice the long arms that reached out from the thin alley I was passing. Before I knew what happened, I found myself thrown onto my hands on the cold, wet alley ground. I looked around the space to be confronted with three figures. The man closest to the entrance of the alley was tall with slender limbs. I assumed he was the one who grabbed me in the first place. There were two people opposite of him—a man and a woman. Both were shorter than the first man but had a more muscular definition from what I could see through the rain.
It was a bad situation to be caught in. The heavy rain had sent all the residents back inside, and the low visibility cast by the now cloudy night sky wasn’t helping my case. No one would be able to spot my predicament in such dark conditions.
I was certainly not helpless in a fight as a member of the Crux Fleet, but being caught disarmed in a three against one fight has never been to anyone’s advantage. Still on the ground, I spotted Kazuha’s gift, knocked out of my hand from the impact of being thrown. When I reached out to grab it, the woman swiftly brought the heel of her boot down hard on the middle of my back, winding me. The second man picked up the pouch and placed it in the woman’s outstretched hand.
“This one was just at Mingxing’s. Might’ve bought some expensive shit,” the woman said. As she pulled the wooden rectangle out of the bag, however, her expression turned sour. “Ribbons? Are you kidding me?” She unraveled the red one I had chosen for Kazuha and gave her next orders. “Pat 'em down and see if there’s anything else.”
“Get the hell off me!” I tried to fight back, but the woman’s boot was still firmly planted in the center of my back. The two men now crouched over me and began feeling up and down my sides. One reached into my pocket and found the spare mora I had left from the day. Luckily, the majority of it remained back at the inn room.
“Not much left besides a handful of mora. Everything probably went into those ribbons, yeah?” The tall man who took the mora grumbled.
“Damnit. They’ll have to do then. Most of that shit from Mingxing’s sells for something, at least,” the woman chewed her lip, then shifted more of her weight onto my back, causing me to groan out. “Hey. How much’d you buy this string for?”
“None of your business,” I forced out. I wasn’t scared of some criminals like these, who couldn’t even compare to the notoriously weak treasure hoarders, but it was quickly becoming harder to breathe due to the pressure on my body.
This was apparently not the correct answer. The woman lifted her boot from my back, giving me a chance to inhale. Just as I tilted my head up to get a good look at my assailant, she swung her foot hard, colliding with the side of my head. The impact sent me rolling into the wall of the drenched alley. I moaned from the throbbing pain in my skull and slowly propped myself up on my side with my arm. Once my vision stopped swimming, I was met with a small knife the woman had shoved in my face. The two men with her seemed surprised as they stood some distance behind her. They most likely didn’t expect a small mugging to escalate like this.
“Are you sure you wanna talk to me like that, brat? I’m sure some blood would clear up just who exactly is in charge of this situation realquick,” she hissed out with an ugly look on her face. I knew she wasn’t bluffing. My pride and experience as part of the Crux Fleet wouldn’t let me be fearful, but the intensity of it all had really increased after the woman pulled out a weapon.
The lack of submission on my face must have irked the woman even further. This time, I received a nauseating kick to the stomach. It was much worse than the first hit. Since I was already against the wall, the momentum had nowhere to go but throughout my body. I let myself lie on the ground, trying to catch my breath and deal with the pain.
Leaning in close to my face, the woman asked again, “How much was the damn ribbon?”
I grimaced, feeling incredibly frustrated. At this point, my clothes were freezing and uncomfortably sticking to my body, which was aching in two separate places. The air was windy and agitated, and it was hard to think straight between a brutal headache and a knife pointed directly at my face. But, more than anything, I was mad regarding what they decided to steal from me.
It really was just some string, like the woman said. Kazuha’s ribbon dangled in her hand that wasn’t holding the knife, while mine was still wrapped around the wooden charm, discarded on the ground. I knew Kazuha wouldn’t want me to go to such lengths for a material gift, but I was angry—at them for stealing it, and at myself for being helpless to defend it. I was no use to anyone dead, so I conceded and told the woman the price.
“Twelve thousand… for both,” I said while sitting up from the ground as much as I could. There wasn’t anywhere I could move to put distance between myself and her weapon, so I tilted my head to the side while keeping my eyes locked with hers. The woman clicked her tongue at me, but didn’t respond. She seemed to be studying me over. There was a tense silence, and the relentless wind blowing the rain multiplied the strong, suffocating feeling in the air. The two men behind her grew more and more fidgety the longer the silence permeated.
“Hey…” the second man looked like he was going to reach his arm out towards the woman, but didn’t fully commit to the action. It was obvious she was the ringleader of their trio, but also the most unstable one. “We got what we could from them. Shouldn’t we just get outta here before the Millelith catch on?”
“Those guards won’t be able to see past their polearms with all this rain, let alone down a dark alley,” she snapped her reply back at the second man. “Damnit! What is up with all this wind?”
The wind had picked up substantially at this point, surpassing the rain in force and speed. It wasn’t as bad from low on the ground, but I was not spared from the brutal lashing caused by the air. In the darkness of the alley, I saw the bright red ribbon I bought for Kazuha, soaked and thrashing wildly in the woman’s hand. If she happened to let go, it would surely be carried off on the wind and never seen again.
I muttered out, “You should… put the ribbons back in their bag.” My female assailant whipped her head back to me and crouched down in my face.
“You know, you’ve had a real fuckin’ attitude problem from the start!” Her displeased face was scrunched up. It was obvious the speed of the wind had caused her to become more distressed than she already was.
“I’m sure your friends think the same about you,” I spat back.
The woman’s eyes widened and her brows furrowed tight. I knew provoking her wasn’t a smart move, but I couldn’t help my comment while watching Kazuha’s gift become ruined in her hands. Quickly, her hand with the knife retracted from my face and was thrust towards my upper chest. I reacted in time by shifting my body back down towards the ground.
A terrible stinging feeling flared from my upper arm, where her weapon had left a deep cut. I gasped in pain from the sudden stab wound. Dark red blood trailed down my arm and stained my clothing, then began to pool on the street beneath me. The injury was nothing fatal, but it was hot with pain and would become dangerous if not treated relatively soon. I had assumed the woman’s threats were serious, but part of me didn’t imagine her actually stabbing me until it was too late. The longer I was in this situation with the thieves, the greater the risk on my life was. The wind whipped violently around us and the hard rain slapping the pavement muffled my voice.
“Kazuha…” I groaned out. At this point, all I wanted to do was return to him and his warmth.
I was tired of the cold.
I gripped my hand over the bleeding wound on my arm. The second I had cast my eyes down, a yell came from the men on the other side of the alley. Two dull thuds were heard as their bodies fell into my line of sight on the ground. Frantically turning around, the woman found herself face to face with the blade that always adorned Kazuha’s side. It was radiating a bright glow due to the elemental energy infused. Wind and rain swirled around the sword, drawing my eyes towards the samurai himself.
His bangs were slicked down to his forehead from the storm and water trailed down the curves of his face. What was more shocking than Kazuha’s arrival, however, was his expression. The eyes that normally held so much empathy and care were brutally cold and unforgiving. Lightly pinched eyebrows pushed against his lidded eyes, and frowning lips parted to speak to my attacker.
“It appears I’ve been led to quite the vile situation now, haven’t I?” Kazuha’s voice was calm, but held none of his usual soothing tone. It was harsh and bitter, something I’ve never heard from him before—not until now.
The woman began stuttering out, shocked that she had been caught and overwhelmed by the vision user so quickly.
“L-led here? How? No one should’ve been able to see us here with all the rain!” She eyed the long blade held in front of her, but didn’t dare move a muscle.
“Foolish people say foolish things,” he bit. “Nature’s gaze witnessed your crimes, and the disturbance in the rain told me of your location.”
Of course, that was the case. I should’ve known Kazuha was aware of the danger I was in even before I did. His sword was unwavering in the face of the woman as he spoke his next words.
“As members of the Crux Fleet, we abide by the laws of the sea. For crimes such as this, the law calls for the thief to be thrown out to sea with their hands bound and legs broken,” Kazuha’s voice was pure ice at this point. “And I’m not one to break our law.”
Panic was evident on the woman’s face. Her eyes wildly darted around before she decided to test her luck and moved to run out of the alley. The back of Kazuha’s anemo-infused blade struck the back of her head sharply, causing her to collapse just as her two partners had. It was now just Kazuha and I, surrounded by the three unconscious bodies of my attackers, windblown and drenched.
He turned away from the woman’s body and moved towards me. Slightly in shock, I was unable to speak out to him. The passionate red eyes I adored were stoic and unreadable. They avoided meeting my own, and instead focused on studying my injuries. With his sword returned to its sheath, Kazuha unwrapped his scarf from his neck. Crouching down in front of me, he gently grabbed my arm and inspected the cut. Blood and water ran down the entire front side of my arm, and the rain had diluted the pool of burgundy below me, now running between the valleys of the street.
His frown remained as he spoke, “It’ll need stitches, but this will have to do for now.” Using his scarf as a tourniquet, he firmly wrapped it over the wound. In no time at all, blood had stained it several shades darker than it previously was.
Next, he traced his hand up from my injured arm to my cheek, where I assumed a visible mark was left. Sharp pangs had been coming from my face and stomach ever since I was first hit. My cheeks were wet from the rain, so I couldn’t tell if her kick had broken the skin or not. Kazuha’s fingers were barely felt as they brushed my hair back and ghosted over my face. It was as if he thought I would break the second any pressure was applied. Kazuha was close, yet still refrained from letting our eyes meet.
“Kazuha—”
He cut me off by lightly resting his hand on top of my head in a comforting gesture. I felt an ache in my chest, but I couldn’t tell if it was from the pain or his actions. I was dripping wet from the water, freezing cold from the now absent wind, and covered in blood. I was a mess, but I was okay because of him. Things surely wouldn’t have ended well if Kazuha didn’t sense the danger I was in.
“Thank you, Kazuha,” I bit the inside of my lip, beginning to feel emotional. “Thank you for saving me.”
Kazuha stood up off the ground, scanning the three unconscious assailants.
“I need to leave and bring the Millelith to take care of them, (Y/N). Will you be okay alone for a minute?” he spoke. I could tell he didn’t want to leave me alone again by the way he stared at the bodies, making sure they were out cold and not just faking it.
I reassured him, “I’ll be okay, Kazuha. You can go.”
I watched him hurry out of the alley to grab the nearest Millelith soldiers. The lighthearted feeling I had when the rain first started had quickly dissipated with the events that followed. Instead of getting scolded by him with his forgiving smile, I knew things would be grim and regretful. The original culprit of my prolonged outing was curled pitifully on the ground in front of me. The ribbon was soggy, but still a vibrant shade of red against the dark pavement.
Shifting, I moved myself to pick up Kazuha’s ribbon, tracing over the embroidery with my fingers. I hoped that letting it dry would restore it to its original condition. Shuffling across the alley, I picked up the equally waterlogged wooden charm with my ribbon still wrapped around it. The state of the gift put a frown on my face. Finally, the velvet pouch the gift came in was similarly abandoned in the middle of the alley, waiting to be picked up. Kazuha returned with the Millelith soldiers just as I finished reassembling the present.
Two soldiers made their way over to the unconscious muggers behind me, while one came to assist me. Kazuha remained at the entrance of the alley, talking with another soldier.
“Are you able to walk?” The soldier had a boyish face. If he was new, the sight of my blood didn’t alarm him.
“I think so,” I let him help me up. Once I was upright, the blood rushed to my head and I became dizzy. The soldier held me as I leaned on him for support, letting the spots fade from my vision.
“Dr. Baizhu usually isn’t available this late at night. I can bring you to the Millelith’s headquarters to get cleaned up,” he offered.
My savior’s voice intercepted, “No need. We’re travelers staying at an inn nearby, and I have medical supplies to treat their wounds. I’ll bring them to your doctor in the morning.” Making his way over to the boyish guard and myself, he replaced the guard and supported my weight. Even in the cold rain, his warmth bled through his wet clothing. I subconsciously leaned closer to him.
The soldier seemed to hesitate, looking my poor condition over. The way Kazuha spoke was forceful and blunt, as if he didn’t trust anyone but himself to handle me. Taking the hint, the Millelith soldier conceded the unspoken argument.
“Alright, sir. Thank you for…” the guard paused, eyeing criminals on the alley ground, “stoppingthese thieves. This sadly isn’t the first incident we’ve had with these three, but because of you, it’ll be the last.”
Kazuha and I said our farewells and parted ways with the soldiers. Once we stepped out of the alley and onto the street, I let out a sigh I didn’t realize I had been holding in. I was relieved to finally be out of that dark alley, but the tension in the air wasn’t gone just yet. Kazuha stopped us and moved himself to face me.
As I was about to question him, he bent his legs and carefully placed his hands under my arms, lifting me into the air. The shock of being picked up made me instinctively wrap my legs around his waist, which was his goal. Kazuha adjusted my position, tucking one arm under my thigh and another around my lower back. His eyes stared past my shoulder and his nose was tucked into my collarbone. This made our chests flush against each other. His wet hair tickled my neck and the side of my face.
The complaint on my tongue quickly disappeared when my body reminded me just how tired I was from the day, and the warmth Kazuha radiated made me relax into him. Tucking my chin over his shoulders, I let out another content sigh, closing my eyes and letting him carry me through the rain and back to our inn.
—
The atmosphere back at the inn was heavy, as I had predicted. Kazuha immediately carried me into the bathroom upon entering our room. Words had not yet been exchanged since we left the alley. I sat on the counter next to the sink while Kazuha unpacked our first-aid kit. Using a cloth, he wiped the blood from my arm. Once he felt my arm was clean, he held the cloth to my wound.
“Hold it there for a bit,” he ordered.
Our nurse on the Alcor always took care of our injured, but I thought it made sense that Kazuha knew how to treat wounds while watching him prepare to stitch my arm. He was a traveler before all else. There was no one around to care for his wounds but himself in the wild.
Kazuha moved away from the counter and grabbed a towel, handing it to me.
“I’ll be as gentle as possible, but this will hurt,” my current nurse frowned. “Try not to move too much, (Y/N).”
I nodded, relaxing my arm and turning my head away. It was hard not to whimper as the needle passed through my skin, but I stayed still in order to make things easier for him. I could tell he really was trying his best to make it less painful. His skilled hands didn’t make any unnecessary movements, and he was fast when piercing through the wound. My thoughts drifted off while I tugged on the towel and waited for Kazuha to finish.
I wondered what he was thinking this entire time. Was he mad at me for staying out and causing him trouble? I promised myself I’d wash his clothes since I was ultimately the one at fault for making them wet and bloody. It was no secret that Kazuha was more introverted, but his behavior now wasn’t a side he’s ever shown me before. There was complete silence as he worked, focusing on stitching the cut on my arm properly. The samurai was never easy to read, but at this moment it felt even more impossible than usual. I wanted him to open up to me, I wanted to know everything about him—his feelings, his worries, his past. I wished that he would spend hours telling me every detail about himself. It was frustrating being stuck on the outside, forbidden from knowing any of his thoughts.
“It shouldn’t leave too much of a scar,” his voice cut through the silence, startling me. Once again, he wiped my arm clean of any remaining blood, then wrapped it tightly with bandages. I could tell it would be tender for a while.
Kazuha brought his attention to the throbbing side of my face. A fresh, warm cloth softly cleaned my face from the dirt and blood. His face was close to mine, yet he still managed to dance around my eyes.
“Kazuha.” I tried.
He completely ignored me and continued to place bandages on my cheek. There was a slight stinging sensation from the medicine he applied, but it was much more bearable than the stitches.
“Kazuha—”
“I warned you not to stay out, (Y/N),” Kazuha spoke. A sigh fell from his lips as he pulled away, reaching back into the first-aid kit for another bandage. “I told you it would rain.”
His face was locked in the same serious expression. The frown wasn’t the same forgiving one I usually received with his lectures. It was heavy and added to the guilty feeling that was pooling in my stomach.
He busied himself by applying another bandage to my face. Once the tips of his fingers brushed my skin, however, I felt a strange tickle from them. Although it was barely noticeable, Kazuha’s fingers had begun to shake.
“Nature has always communicated with me, but that doesn’t make me invincible. I’ve lost many people in my life, even with my senses. What if I had been too late reaching you, (Y/N)? By the time I arrived, I could tell that woman seriously intended to…” he trailed off. Emotion had begun leaking through his voice. His concern for me, his anger towards my assailants, the sorrow he carried from his past. It was all hard to detect, but it was there nonetheless.
“I should have never agreed to let you leave my side. I should have known better.” Kazuha’s eyes had long since fallen from my cheek and down to my lap. I couldn’t stand listening to him blame himself for my decisions.
“If I had—”
“Kazuha!”
He fell silent as my hands cupped his face and forced him to finally meet my eyes, which were wide and trying to hold back tears as they stared into his glassy red ones. Kazuha was visibly caught off-guard by this. Through the blurriness in my eyes, I watched his serious expression crack into one of sadness. He mirrored my actions, cupping my face. His fingers swiped beneath my eyes.
“Please, don’t cry.”
My hands fell from his face to loosely hold onto his wrists. Big drops fell from my eyes, only to be caught by his loving hands.
“I’m sorry, Kazuha,” I cried. His lips were slightly parted and his face held the most caring expression I’ve ever seen. His sadness was a gentle one, one only saved for those he genuinely cherished. It just made me cry harder. “I’m sorry I made you worry about me… Please, don’t blame yourself for my mistakes. None of this was your fault.”
I let him wipe my tears while I mumbled apologies. The adrenaline from the incident had long since worn off, but it was only the man in front of me who was able to cause the state I was in. I loved him from the bottom of my heart.
My cheeks were red and puffy from the emotion Kazuha pulled out from me. I reached behind my spot on the counter to grab the gift I bought for him. The velvet was mostly still wet, but not much could be done about it except time. I set the dripping pouch down on my lap for him to see.
“This… is the reason I was out.” I held it up for him to take.
He slowly reached for it, wrapping his fingers delicately around his present. Kazuha looked up into my eyes as if he wanted to say something, but decided to stay silent and went back to the object in his hands. Slipping the wooden charm smoothly out of the pouch, he inspected the two colorful ribbons tied around it. His fingers untied his vermillion ribbon and lightly rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger. Equally red eyes stared into mine, silently asking a question.
“I know your time with us as part of the Crux Fleet is temporary,” I began. “Travelers are called so for a reason. It can’t be expected that we will be together for a long time, but still,” my voice felt thick with emotion thinking about Kazuha leaving the Crux Fleet. If I had it my way, I would follow the wandering samurai anywhere he asked. “But still, I don’t want to be a temporary memory. I want you to always have something to remember our time together by. I saw these ribbons at the Mingxing Jewelry shop on our way here… I thought they would be nice hair accessories. The red one matches that streak in your hair,” I weakly chuckled. “I got the (color) one for myself.”
Kazuha’s eyes were wide now, surprised at my confession and the meaning behind the two ribbons he held. He handed me the red ribbon intended for him and turned around to give me access to his ponytail. I took the hint and tied it over the band that held his soft white hair in place.
When he turned around, the (color) ribbon was removed from the charm and hung limply in his hands. A smile graced his lips and his eyes were lidded. Kazuha always had nice eyes, but his eyelashes were especially beautiful. They were long and dark and curled perfectly to frame his kind red irises. A delicate hand took mine and lifted it between the two of us. My cheeks grew warm as I watched him tie the (color) ribbon intended for my hair around my ring finger. When he was done, he raised my other hand to be held in his.
Kazuha had a way of making my heart race with the softest of touches. Sitting on a bathroom counter, facing the person I loved as he tied a pretend ring on my finger was enough to send me halfway to Celestia. His thumbs began to trace over my own hands in his.
“Just as the sun remembers to rise, the seasons of Teyvat will remember to change. Winter carries its cold chill, killing each leaf on the tree. The tree is blessed with the new life and purpose brought by Spring. Summer’s heat tests the will of the tree and its determination to protect what it has been given.” Kazuha’s voice was filled with affection as he spoke these words. “As long as the maples leaves of Autumn continue to turn red from love, I promise that I’ll never forget you, (Y/N).”
Kazuha slowly brought his face closer to mine until his lips brushed over my own. My head tilted as I let my eyes close, completely giving myself to him. His lips were soft as they gave me the gentlest kiss I’ve ever received in my life. The passion behind his words and actions filled my heart, and any trace of the sadness shared between us earlier was completely gone.
He leaned his body closer to mine in order to deepen the kiss. The feeling of his lips against mine quickly became addicting. I wrapped my uninjured arm around his shoulders and began to play with his hair, messy from the day’s events. It was strange how contrasting Kazuha felt. At times, he was utterly unreadable, not letting a hint of his thoughts or feelings slip out. But now, Kazuha had nothing to hide as he kissed me. The love I felt from him was genuine and pure.
I didn’t let him go far when he broke the kiss. Keeping my arm tossed around his neck, I rested my forehead against his.
“I love you, Kaedehara Kazuha.” I felt warm all over being so close to him. Kazuha pecked my lips in response.
I’ve been setting up my blog for a couple of days now, and I think it’s time for me to say hello. I go by my pen name Audrey (feel free to call me A), and am a new writeblr.
I’m currently in the process of writing my WIP (I just hit 13,000 words!) and I would love to connect with others to talk about writing and just get to know others in the community.
If anyone wants to talk or connect, please let me know! I’d really like to discuss WIPs and get to know others that like to write too.
This imagine series is going to include: smut, blood, gore, blood kink, knife kink, over all slash being a meanie, Stockholm syndrome?, dubcon?, noncon ( just in case), obsessive behavior.
