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The tides came in slowly, a harsh contrast to the harsh Inazuman waters that had grazed the ship's oars mere minutes before they arrived at the port. Compared to minutes ago, the sea was calm, almost silently wrapping its waves around the supporting beams that held the worn deck in place. The air was the same as any other port, full of saltwater and the breeze calmly making its way south and blowing back to ruffle the hair of passing sailors. Although the port seemed calm, the air held a certain dread to it, a feeling of being locked in a cage with no way to escape. This goes unnoticed to most, but to the ears and mind of a travelling samurai, it fills his being with uncomfortable claustrophobia. The sea may be calm, but the ruling Shogun rains a heavy storm over her people. Not that anyone is unaware, but to the sensitive, it's a blaring alarm, a notice shown as a threat of power.
The sound of his captain's foot stepping next to him on the deck snapped Kazuha out of his intense observations of a place once called home.
Kazuha's hair was ruffled as a voice broke through his eardrums, coming down on his quiet demeanour.
"Look kid, I know you haven't been here in a while, but we've got a battle to interject. You can gaze off into the distance with your poetry once that's dealt with." Beidou states, asserting as always. She smiled at him slightly, a contrast to her commanding aura. She may come across as commanding and sharp, but there's an array of personality hiding under that eyepatch. A loving older sister figure, a captain, and a compassionate pirate.
Beidou walked forward with confidence. She had already called transportation to the resistance's camp once the traveller had sent a message stating that things with the Shogun's Army had been getting tenser by the minute. They had politely requested backup in case things went south. It was around a day ago that they had received the message, knowing Beidou, they turned around and began sailing to Inazuma.
Kazuha had been hit with a wave of dizziness at the news that he would be properly sailing back to Inazuma to stay.
For however long he is needed, the rational part of his brain had offered.
For however often he pleases, a more selfish part of his brain countered.
As unforgiving Inazuma was to Kazuha; letting him wash up on the shores of Liyue, an outlaw and a vision bearer left to rot. He still considered it his true home, it was the ground he once walked on, free as the wind, a place where he felt safest, a place where he felt loved.
Oh, how could he forget those teal eyes?
The real reason he had considered Inazuma his true home, a blunt, commanding general that awaited his arrival. Gorou had been there, through it all. He was a hurricane of a friend, that kept to his goals and ambitions, forcing the rest of the world to bend to his wind.
A friend, he reflected.
His only friend.
Kazuha took a deep breath, snapping out of thoughts.
He treaded forward behind Beidou, ready to breach a land so foreign yet so familiar.
If you had told Kazuha, that his grand reunion with his oldest friend, would be among the Raiden Shogun's greatest army, he would've told you he wasn't going.
The tension in the air was as thick as the blade he was mindlessly thrashing into the Raiden Shogun's best men. The adrenaline high had long taken over his body, alongside the internal thrill of finally reuniting with a long-lost friend. The traveller had given the Sangonoimya troops a second chance, facing off Kujou Sara herself. Quickly arriving afterwards was the infamous Crux Fleet, Captain Beidou quickly taking the spotlight with her electro vision crackling in the air and sending dozens of troops into dust. Kazuha himself had arrived quietly amongst the intensity of the fleet, not wanting attention drawn to a run-away with a bounty on his head.
The fuss of not being caught was worth it as he felt the wind shift with the presence of General Gorou, the right-hand man of Sangonomiya Kokomi, and General of the Resistance. Animated as always, Gorou had been giving his all to set back as many men as possible, his presence was intimidating despite his appearance. Gorou thrashed through a battle with his goal straight in his mind, with laser focus attention on defending his ambition. The geo vision lit up as Gorou send men falling with a shake of the earth underneath them, his arrows infused with geo had been precisely aimed to the best places he could manage. Gorou was just as he described earlier, a hurricane, the wind around him swirling and bending the trees and the grass to his will. It was a nightmare to those scared of storms, but Kazuha had been blessed with the power of the wind itself.
Kazuha flung himself back into battle.
Luckily this time, Gorou had noticed.
"Kazuha!" The General had called out.
Time slowly came to a stop, it was just them now.
Kazuha looked behind him, a remark already on his tongue, simple and to the point.
"It's been a while, old friend." It spoke a thousand words, yet the phrase broke through Gorou's barrier.
The smile that had adorned Gorou's face, made everything worth it.
The long nights Kazuha spent wishing he was by his side, the long journey that separated them for almost a year, the pain, the scars and the tears, it had been worth it. It was worth it to see his personal wind storm smile again.
The dust had finally settled, the Sangonomiya troop had taken their win, forcing Kujou Sara and her troops to retreat. This was a major step forward to overtaking the Vision Hunt Decree, so naturally, Gorou had been swept away from him.
Kazuha had given the troops an appearance early on in the night, gave them his pleasantries and mingled among the men and woman that he had fought alongside. Unfortunately for Kazuha, Gorou had been swept into a sea of congratulations and thanks, as well as toasts and socializing that had been more immediate than Kazuha's presence. Kazuha was a patient man, thankfully, so after hitting his social cap, he had taken to walking to a looming Otogi tree to rest his battle-worn body. If Gorou had still cared and knew him, then he would seek out Kazuha's presence, like he always did.
Although, Kazuha did not expect only a mere five minutes of peace before he heard the familiar shift in the ground that he had come to know as Gorou's footsteps. Lifting his head, he observed the dark surrounding forest, waiting for Gorou to pop out, a beacon of light that contrasts to the moon and all the stars in the sky. Lucky for him, it only took a few more moments for the familiar shape of the boy to appear within his field of vision, shifting the winds to move out of his way.
And oh, poor Kazuha's heart was only so strong.
Gorou had the biggest grin on his face, tail wagging back and forth like he just found treasure, or a ball, as he approached Kazuha. His cheeks were slightly red from the warmth of socialization and his armour lose and forgotten about as he attempted to walk calmly towards Kazuha's waiting figure. His ears shifted and perked up at the excitement growing on his face. Even with the traits of a dog, he looked more like a puppy than Kazuha had seen in the years they had known one another. Teal eyes were blown wide with happiness the closer he got to Kazuha, although the presence of slight dark circles only tugged on Kazuha's heartstrings more. So, being the weak man that he is, Kazuha stood up and welcomed Gorou into his arms, where he secretly thought he belonged.
As soon as Gorou fully entered Kazuha's arms, was Kazuha fully lost in that wind that so easily took over his body and mind. He felt the curves of Gorou's body, and the warmth of his skin, alongside the slight smell of alcohol and food from the previous socialization with the other members that had been left on his body. Of course, there was always the true scent though, the smell that could only be described as just Gorou that calmed Kazuha's nerves and heart as he leaned closer to push the hug closer than it already was. With Gorou's arms wrapped around him securely and the slight rise and fall of his chest was when Kazuha truly felt he was home. Even as a travelling samurai that did not see "home" as anything but the woods around him and the breeze in the air, he felt the safest in Gorou's arms. He wished to be here always, to be dragged along with Gorou wherever he went, to be lost in those eyes and forget things that weren't as important as the man right in front of him. Everywhere else felt hollow compared to the warmth he felt at this very moment. He wants this hurricane of a soldier to wreck his plans to be a wandering, traveller and let him find a place with him, together.
Gorou squeezed him slightly one more time before letting go. Feeling the warmth leave him so soon, Kazuha opened his eyes and stood back with a calm look on his face, a slight smile with large eyes that showcased pure content. He opened his mouth, ready to speak his truths into the world when Gorou decided to go first.
"I missed you so much." That was all that Gorou had said before Kazuha felt tears in his eyes, the wet feeling covering his cheeks and his shirt slowly being watered. Gorou immediately sprang to hug him, ever the affectionate one and ran his hand calmly up and down his back, shushing Kazuha gently as he felt more tears come and wet Gorou's clothes instead of his own. Not being one to cry very often, Kazuha began apologizing profusely.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm not upset I can promise you that." Kazuha had said, before immediately sobbing again and holding onto Gorou tighter.
"I'm just so happy." He croaked out and sobbed again. His emotions were turned up to the max dial. He truly didn't realize how much he missed Gorou being around him. If distance made the heart grow fonder, then Kazuha was already at his limit of distance. He didn't want to leave again, he wanted to stay here forever, platonic or not he needed Gorou with him more than he cared to admit. His breathing slowed as he tried to calm himself down, small mutters of It's okay I'm here now filled his ears while he grounded himself back to reality. The ever intense wind of Gorou had finally swept him away, he knew he couldn't go back now even if he tried.
He slowly, very slowly stopped his tears and pulled back to really look at Gorou.
He was so beautiful a voice in his head had stated, even if he was slightly wet due to Kazuha's tears and hair a mess from Kazuha's intense hugging, a look of worry adorning his face, he was still beautiful to Kazuha.
Kazuha quickly wiped his tears and was about to apologize again, when Gorou spoke first.
"If you had missed me that much, I would've made the traveller write sooner," Gorou spoke with a slightly teasing tone, Kazuha was so weak, because instead of getting upset at being teased, he admitted defeat.
"I had longed for your presence throughout my entire journey, give me a break." Kazuha huffed as a reply, making sure he had wiped all the stray tears from his face. Gorou only laughed slightly before putting a hand on Kazuha's shoulder casually.
"Maybe if you had written, you wouldn't have missed me so much," Gorou stated bluntly, ever the one-way thinker. In reality, Kazuha had wanted to write to him thousands of times, but he never felt his words on paper would be good enough for his friend. Although, he'd rather eat a raw beetle than admit that right now.
"When you find out how to transport personal letters from the sea to this closed nation, do be sure to let me know." Kazuha bit back, already falling into rhythm talking with Gorou. He sat down, once again resting his back to the tree, and motioned for Gorou to do the same facing him. His knees suddenly feeling weaker than before. The moon shone dimly above them, and the sounds of people had slightly died down, leaving only the sounds of nature and their voices passing back and forth throughout their space in the forest.
"You got me there, but still, I did miss you and your voice all the same." Gorou sighed once he settled across from Kazuha on the ground, sitting slightly cross-legged in front of him. His arm was long gone from Kazuha's shoulder, but the twitch of something missing went through Kazuha's suddenly cold body. Kazuha's heart fluttered at the admittance, hiding behind the cage of his ribs. He felt himself growing warmer at Gorou's words. He sat comfortably with Gorou across from him, unsure what to say next, and instead of revelling in a bit of silence. He sighed and closed his eyes, just listening to the wind for a moment, letting Gorou's presence calm him even if his heart was restless under his friend's watchful gaze.
It took around five minutes before Gorou spoke again.
"It was a dark time without you here you know," Gorou said, suddenly a bit more serious. Looking up at the stars, as if they held an answer he was looking for.
"I wish I hadn't left, but it's difficult with a bounty on your head," Kazuha said back, before following with a huff and looking down. The last thing he had wanted was to leave Gorou behind, but he did not need Gorou getting into the same situation he was in, he could not do that to a friend.
"I know I know, but a selfish part of me wanted to fight with you, not let you leave," Gorou said solemnly, he chuckled and placed a hand on Kazuha's face, much closer than before. Kazuha's eyes had dried from the tears, but they were still raw-looking, glassy and shone over under the light of the moon. He looked so fragile like this, of course, Gorou knew he wasn't, but the illusion was still there nonetheless. Gorou felt an urge to protect Kazuha, he always felt the need to protect his friends, but Kazuha felt more precious than a fallen maple leaf.
Gorou laughed slightly, as Kazuha's eyes watched him intently, waiting for elaboration.
"I think I just want you all to myself." Gorou blurted out before he could realize, his eyes widened at his own words and looked to Kazuha for a reaction, who held the same slightly surprised look he had.
He began to pull away when Kazuha put his hand over the hand on his face, stopping Gorou from getting any further. He took a deep breath and made eye contact with Gorou, teal eyes meeting a calm red flame.
"Then have me." He stated simply.
Gorou was the first to lean forward, closing the gap between his and Kazuha's lips.
Despite predicting it would happen, Kazuha still let out a gasp at the feeling of Gorou's mouth on his own. It was unfamiliar, yet felt so right as they began to move together. It wasn't hungry, it wasn't needy, they only needed each other, they had all the time in the world for the rest. Gorou left his lips as soon as he entered but pecked them one more time before hugging Kazuha again, this time gently, letting them bask in the experience of giving in to their desire. As always Gorou was the first to speak.
"Thank you," He said, smiling into Kazuha's shoulder.
"For what?" Kazuha asked.
"Coming home."
Kazuha chuckled into Gorou, letting himself indulge in something that seemed so far away. He let himself smell and feel Gorou all around him, he didn't need to talk, he just needed to feel. "Home" was always where Gorou was, that's something he can admit out loud.
"Home is wherever you are darling," Kazuha said and pulled back to look at Gorou's face. Only to be met with a large blush on the other boy's face. It was so liberating to be loved, better than any freedom given to him.
"Then all I ask is that you stay," Gorou said, before leaning in to kiss Kazuha again, slowly this time, it only lasted a moment. When he pulled back he smiled and stroked Kazuha's cheek, really taking in his appearance. While he was studying Kazuha's face, Kazuha quietly said.
"Then I'll stay alongside you as long as I can." He almost whispered into the night, a promise so fragile that even speaking it felt like it would shatter into dust. Gorou just smiled again, wider this time, and kissed Kazuha's forehead, before going to sit beside Kazuha and lean into his weight. Kazuha took this opportunity to lean back into the comforting tree alongside Gorou, bringing his arm to wrap around Gorou's slim waist, not letting the newest scar pass his gaze. He took his thumb and gently rubbed over it, following its shape.
"You'll have to tell me the story of this one another time," Kazuha said before resting his hand on the curve of Gorou's waist, fulling leaning into the weight that was the other boy.
Gorou hummed in acknowledgment before properly speaking again, processing Kazuha being so close to him after so long.
"I give you permission to find them all, and tell me all about how reckless I am later, but for now, just hold me," Gorou said, usually not one for leisure time, but Kazuha assumed everyone has their limits eventually. Kazuha just held on tighter, letting Gorou rest and his own mind relax. The forest stood as a guard around them, shielding them from the world, containing Gorou's now unusually calm winds. The feeling in the air could be described as contentment, love finally boiling over and being welcomed with open arms. The storm that was Gorou was sedated for once, the willow tree of life existing around him, not being forced out of the way like usual. Kazuha may be a falling leaf on that tree of life, but he'll follow Gorou's wind wherever it may go, no matter how far or how intense.
Life was a willow, and it bent right to your will.