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The wind brings trouble. You repeated that phrase in your head as a harsh gust of wind blew across Fort Fujitou. The flowing pieces of clothing that were attached to your battle wear snapped as another gale rippled across. Rain battered down on the camp, and water droplets clung to your lashes as you stood outside the officials’ tents, observing the others who ran through puddles in search of protection from the harsh weather. Tension in the camp was high, with the Raiden Shogun cracking down on Vision bearers, and the arrival of the traveller stirring up a commotion in Inazuma City. You could only watch from a distance, reading through reports sent by undercover members of the resistance in Inazuma City. The news was always troubling, with the Tenryou Commission cracking down on those who opposed the Raiden Shogun’s rule. And yet, you had no choice but to remain in Tatarasuna and aid in commanding the resistance Forces. But now, the mysterious traveller had found their way to the resistance camp in Tatarasuna, claiming to want to join the cause. You had let Gorou speak to them but offered a welcome before they were whisked off for a quick tour of the camp. Both you and the general stood next to one another in silence, looking for any sign of trouble.
“What’s on your mind?” He asked, arms crossed as he watched a group of men haul boxes of materials to the medical tent. You remained silent for a moment, choosing your words carefully as you spoke, “The wind brings trouble.”
Gorou glanced over at you with an unreadable expression before he let out a huff and a half smile appeared upon his lips. His ears twitched in the rain as he held his hand up as if to feel the wind. You scowled over at him when he jokingly claimed that he felt nothing of that sort. But a small part of you felt thankful for your companion as he never failed to try to make you smile when he sensed something was bothering you.
“Strong winds are never good news.” You said quietly, words almost lost in said wind. Gorou sighed and moved to place a hand on your shoulder, squeezing gently. Unspoken words passed between the both of you, your head falling back so you could let the rain hit your face. Another gust of wind blew around and you closed your eyes, letting the memory wash over you like the rain that pattered down on your face.
——–
A storm slammed down on Inazuma City, the wind howling outside as rain battered streets and homes. Everyone knew what had happened just hours ago with the Raiden Shogun: the duel between a deity and a Vision bearer that resulted in the death of a close friend to many. And now, said close friend was sat at your dining table with red eyes cast down at the wooden table. Kaedehara Kazuha couldn’t find the words to speak as he stared blankly at the now dead Vision sitting on your table. You kneeled next to him, gently wrapping his burned hand in bandages while waiting for him to say something. He had been unnaturally quiet since showing up at your door, eyes puffy from crying beneath the large coat he wore to protect his identity. Kazuha didn’t need to say anything as he collapsed in your arms in the privacy of your home, the weight of his lost friend fresh in his mind.
“When are you leaving?” You asked quietly, tying the bandage on his hand and leaning back as you stared up at him with sad eyes. He blinked, once, twice, and sighed, his head dropping as he mumbled, “Tomorrow.”
You pressed your lips into a thin line before speaking up again, “Can I go with you?” Kazuha’s head shot up, his eyes narrowing at you intently. You were taken aback by his action, leaning away slightly when he shook his head with a scoff. Your chest tightened at his actions and you could only ask why in a small voice.
“It is far too dangerous. You’re not fit for this either.” His words and tone lacked their normal grace, and it hurt to hear Kazuha so upset. Though a part of you knew he was right, you still wanted to be with him. The knee injury you sustained argued otherwise. It was a commission that resulted in you taking a harsh tumble down the side of a small mountain that left you with an injury still healing. And yet, you still wished Kazuha hadn’t been so harsh with his words. You’d be lying if you claimed that you never harboured any feelings for the Anemo sword user. After spending so many years by his side, it was inevitable that you would fall for the graceful samurai. He spoke in poems and grace and his movement was elegant like the wind he commanded. A gentleman at the core, Kazuha had swept you off your feet without even knowing, and yet there was nothing you could do while you finished patching up his badly burnt hand.
“You can’t go alone, that’s far more dangerous!” You argued, glaring in return. “I’m coming with you. It would be safer if we could protect one another.” Kazuha remained silent at your words and at that moment, you thought he was finally agreeing with you. And so you went to bed with packed bags, ready to wake up and leave with the person you had fallen in love with.
But when you woke up, he had already gone, leaving you with nothing but a neatly made bed and the engraving of his family’s crest.
———
You were shaken from the memory when a soldier ran up to the both of you, eyes wide and heavy pants escaping his lips as he frantically alerted both of the Raiden Shogun’s forces on Nazuchi Beach. In an instant, both you and Gorou were rallying forces to head to the location. As Captain of the resistance Army, you ranked below Gorou but those titles meant nothing in your friendship with the General. You both saw one another as equals and more often than not, you both could be found in one another’s tents discussing battle plans or attempting to relax by sharing a bottle of alcohol. But at the moment, you both were shouting orders to your subordinates as you were met with Kujou Sara standing firm with soldiers behind her.
“So you are the only ones here? Hm… I thought I might get to meet your grand strategist.” The General sneered and you met her cold gaze, “She is the one that’s been causing our forces so much trouble. The fact the resistance has even held out for this long is thanks to her. But soon, the resistance will fall. They are no match for the might of the Shogun’s Army… her schemes mean nothing now. We have already rooted out those behind the resistance. All who have dishonoured the Almighty Shogun will be punished.”
“I have faith in Her Excellency, and in the soldiers of the resistance.” Gorou snapped back, “The Vision Hunt Decree is a brutal injustice. Our resistance has only just begun!”
“It is futile.” Kujou Sara stared at him with an amused look on her face as she scoffed, “There is one other thing. I’m sure you’ve seen the recent arrest warrants. I trust that the blond traveller is somewhere among your forces now. I will make you a deal. Hand them over to us, and you’ll buy yourself some time. A respite from the bloodshed would be advantageous to both sides, would it not?”
“So that’s why you brought reinforcements, just to get—” You were cut off by Kujou Sara who scowled at you, “She is of great importance to the Almighty Shogun. But the way I see it, she is expendable to the resistance.”
You moved forward slightly, hand ready to summon your weapon when Gorou held his hand up slightly, pressing against your hand as he warned you not to draw your weapon. Instead, he chose to speak up again. “That’s where you’re wrong—she means just as much to us. As a member of the resistance, she’s a comrade. We’ll never surrender her to you. ‘The resistance never betrays its own.’ Her Excellency made that clear to everyone from the very beginning.” You held your head higher at his words, waiting for Kujou Sara to make a move. But before she could make a move, the shout of your name prompted you to look away to see the traveller running towards you, claiming they had come to help. You watched in silence, assessing the situation as they fought three soldiers from the Raiden Shogun’s army. The one on one battles gave you the opportunity to look over at the Shogunate army and the harsh realization hit you quickly. The resistance army was in no shape or form ready to take on the army in front of you. And with Kojou Sara at the lead, your efforts might likely be crushed quickly. You swore quietly at the thoughts and glanced over at Gorou who looked to be sharing the same thoughts. But the two of you remained calm and composed as the battles finished and Kojour Sara stared coldly at the traveller. One second it was calm, the next she had drawn her weapon, Vision flaring to life as she commanded for the army to surge forward.
“All of you, with me!” You and Gorou drew your weapons and jumped into battle. You fought near the Geo bow user, swinging your polearm as you fought back against the Shogunate army. But just as you were slowing down, so was the rest of the resistance army, the Raiden Shogun’s army slowly pushing you all back. You rolled out the way to avoid arrows from Sujou Sara and glared at her from your position. With one leg bent and the other extended outwards, you stayed close to the ground with one hand on the ground in front of you and the other holding your polearm behind you. Snapping your head up you jumped back into battle, slamming your polearm into the bodies of the soldiers from the Shogunate army. You only hesitated when the water around you began to glow a brilliant blue, rising from the ground. A grin found its way to your face as you ran over to Gorou and looked up to see Kokomi standing on the ruins of a shipwreck.
“Now is our moment!” She exclaimed, extending one arm forward. Resistance soldiers poured out from behind her, working to push back the Raiden Shogun’s army. Her eyes met yours and Gorou’s and you dipped your head in greeting and respect. She smiled brightly at you before turning back to the battle. You jumped up and slammed your polearm down on the ground, looking back up to see a claymore user come swinging, eliminating the soldiers that had come running at your side.
“I just hope you can afford all these mercs you’ve gathered!” The familiar voice of Captain Beidou yelled out as she slammed her weapon again. Your eyes widened in shock as she sent you a wink then moved to swing her weapon again. Turning back to the soldiers in front of you, you raised your head in challenge and flashed forward, pulling your weapon with you as you swung and striked with precision. It was a dance to you, the way you jumped back and forth while fighting with your polearm, not once having to use your Vision to cause more harm. But a stray rock in the ground caused you to stumble forward, a sharp pain flaring up from your knee as it twisted at an odd angle. You grumbled a curse, knowing Gorou would scold you once the battle was done but you brushed aside the thoughts, instead leveling your weapon as you stared down a much larger soldier. But before you could even attack, a flash of black and red crossed your vision, cutting down the soldier in an instant. The figure kneeled on the ground for a moment before they stood and looked back. You froze as you took in the person in front of you and your breath hitched in your throat as you made eye contact with Kaedehara Kazuha for the first time in so long.
“Kazuha!” Gorou’s voice came from your side, the General looking excited at the arrival of the Anemo user.
“We meet again, old friend.” Kazuha dipped his head in greeting to Gorou before he looked back at you, “You look well.” A small smile graced his features. Your eyes narrowed at him before you sneered and gripped your polearm tighter and whirled away from him, putting all your force into your next attacks. You swore you heard Gorou snicker but you brushed it off as you advanced towards Kujou Sara.
“Tch… all forces retreat!” She glared at her surroundings, already beginning to run back herself. You stopped moving towards her as you all watched the Raiden Shogun’s army retreat. Shouts and cheers of victory filled your ears but you tuned them out as you moved towards Kokomi who was already ordering most of the resistance forces to head back to the camp to recuperate. You waited in silence as Kokomi introduced herself to the traveller, ignoring the stare of a red eyed native Inazuman. You felt Gorou nudge you and he subtly jerked his head in the direction of Kazuha, only earning him a glare from you in return.
“I’ll return to the camp at once and oversee recovery.” Your tone was flat as you spoke. Kokomi tilted her head slightly in concern but she made no comment as you walked away, ignoring the way your knee flared in pain with every step. You faintly heard Gorou grumble something and Kazuha snap something back but you paid no mind, choosing to focus on your task at hand.
———
“You can’t avoid him forever.” Gorou’s voice came from in front of you. You cracked your eyes open to find the General standing over you with his arms crossed over his chest. You had been sitting in your tent with your back to a barrel as you rested your injured knee. The General sighed as he knelt down and grabbed bandages to wrap your knee properly.
“I most definitely can.” You argued back, “I don’t have anything to say to him.” Gorou fixed you with an unimpressed look, a clear sign that he didn’t believe you. It was moments like these where you hated your friend because he could read you so easily after being your friend for so long.
“I’m sure you have more than enough to say to him.” Gorou joked and you glared at him. “But hey, do me a favour. As your friend, and as his, take my advice. It wouldn’t hurt to talk to him, yeah?” You rolled your eyes at his comment but held out your hand for him to help you up. You didn’t miss the way Gorou’s tail flicked back and forth, a tell-tale sign of his approval and excitement as he led you out of your tent. It was already nighttime and most of the resistance soldiers were turning in for the night. There was no sign of Captain Beidou or Kazuha so you let Gorou lead the way. He glanced back at you every few seconds, almost as if he were afraid that you would bail at the last second. And with every look back, you fixed him with an unimpressed one, urging him to walk faster.
Standing alone atop one of the sentry towers, Kazuha stood with his back to the both of you, both of his hands out in front of him to hold onto the railing as he stared out into the ocean just up ahead. With a jerk of his head, Gorou motioned for you to head up to talk to him, and you reached out to pinch his arm as you walked past, causing him to hiss out in pain and scowl at you. Kazuha’s head barely turned as if he was disturbed by the noise, but not once did he fully look back. Climbing up the ladder, you winced with every step, trying not to make any noise climbing up, or let out any pained sounds as your knee screamed in protest.
“You’re as silent as a hilichurl, Gorou.” Kazuha spoke plainly when you finally pulled yourself to the top.
Straightening up, you cleared your throat, “I’m not Gorou.” Kazuha did a double take, his eyes wide as he stumbled back slightly, his cheeks flushing red as he spouted apologies. You waved your hand to dismiss his comments and moved to stand next to him, your shoulders dropping as you rested on the railing.
“(y/n)—”
“So you’ve returned.” You cut him off, still not bothering to look over at the travelling samurai. Kazuha winced at your tone and he glanced at your hands that were tightly gripping the railing as if you were about to fall.
“I have travelled for so long, away from home. I intend to aid in the resistance and face the Raiden Shogun’s oppression head-on.” Kazuha replied smoothly. He chose his words carefully, afraid that one word would make you draw your own weapon and send him tumbling down the sentry tower. “I—I must apologize to you, for leaving so suddenly. When we came back to Inazuma I went to search for you at your old house. Yoimiya told me you had fled and become a Captain in the resistance.”
You glanced over at him with a flat expression, “You were the last person I had left in that city. And you left so much without a word.” He winced at the way you snapped at him, yet Kazuha could only feel guilt as he took in your figure for the first time in so long. Upon sneaking back into Inazuma through the help of Yoimiya, he had immediately gone to your home with high hopes, eagerly waiting for you to open up your front door. To his utter disappointment, someone else had opened the door just seconds before Yoimiya had showed up in a hurry, dragging him away to explain that you had left shortly after he did. He didn’t understand the feeling of hurt that speared through him as the Inazuman fireworks expert recalled stories of your efforts as a part of the resistance and how you had quickly climbed up the ranks. He knew that Gorou was still leading as the General of the army, and he could only hope his old friend would welcome him. When the Crux Crew had come across Kokomi seeking help, Kazuha was quick to agree to return back to the islands once more to aid in the battle. But at the same time, the small sliver of hope remained within him, that he would once more see you again.
And now, you stood before him, still slightly leaning on your uninjured leg as you stared out into the vast ocean. You had changed since he last saw you, not that he hadn’t expected you otherwise, but now you held yourself up higher with a new sense of pride. There were new scars on your skin and Kazuha refrained himself from reaching forward to run his own calloused fingers over them whilst quietly asking about the story behind them.
“I did not intend to hurt you. With the Raiden Shogun and her army in pursuit of me, I did not want to further pull you into this mess.” Kazuha explained, subtly shifting closer to you. Whether you noticed or not, you remained still until your shoulders dropped and a heavy sigh escaped your lips.
“You leaving only pushed me into this ‘mess’” You gave him an unimpressed look, watching the way his eyes flashed with excitement.
He returned your remark with a wry smile, “Quick as ever with your words.” You rolled your eyes but relaxed your position, turning fully to stand in front of Kazuha. Your eyes traced his figure, taking in the new changes to his hair and outfit, and the way his maple red eyes softened as he waited for you to reply.
“I’m… glad you’ve returned.” You admitted quietly, “It’s been different without you.” You waited as Kazuha processed your words, eyes falling upon his still bandaged hand. Memories of the last night you shared with him flashed in your mind, a reminder that Kazuha was like the wind, always moving from place to place without much of a heads-up. You were drawn from your thoughts when Kazuha’s half gloved hand moved to cover yours, gently lifting it so he could press a gentle kiss to your own gloved knuckles.
“I will apologize as many times as you deem fit, until you forgive me. These arduous journeys across the sea felt like eternity without you by my side.” You felt your cheeks warm at his words, silently cursing yourself for becoming so flustered by Kazuha’s words. You had forgotten how easily the man in front of you was able to use words to elicit all sorts of emotions. And despite the fact that you were still upset at him for leaving so suddenly and then returning without warning, the feelings of comfort and adoration had come rushing back, a reminder of everything you felt towards Kaedehara Kazuha.
“You don’t intend to leave again so suddenly, do you?” Your tone betrayed you, a clear sign that you were still grasping at the hope that he would stay. To your utter relief, Kazuha shook his head and gripped your hand tighter.
“I have no intention of leaving anytime soon.” He promised and looked out at the ocean for a second before turning back to you. “I pray you won’t kick me out of this camp?” A playful smile crossed his lips, earning a scoff from you in return. You tugged his hand gently, a sign for the both of you to climb down the tower. He stopped suddenly and you glanced back at him under furrowed eyebrows to see him staring at your knee.
“Gorou let you climb up here, with your knee still injured?” He raised his eyebrows. Your eyes narrowed at his statement, about to throw back a remark claiming you were fine but Kazuha waved his hand in dismissal, mumbling something under his breath about giving his friend a piece of his mind. Laughter spilled from your lips and his entire face lit up at the sound, mouth curling up to smile as if it was the first time he had ever seen you do so. You didn’t see the way Kazuha’s eyes softened, and the way his cheeks were now red as his heart thundered in his chest. He knew he had so much to make up for, and he swore he would spend as long as he needed to get your forgiveness.
“Welcome home, Kazuha.” You smiled gently and moved forward to pull him in for a hug. His head dropped onto your shoulder, face buried in your clothes as he held you impossibly close, silently praying to the Archons to never let him leave you again.
Unbeknownst to the two of you, two quiet figures stood together, huddled in the shadows, spying on their friends who stood locked in embrace atop a sentry tower amidst a war. Gorou and Beidou held their hands up at the same time, slapping them together in delight at the sight of both you and Kazuha finally making up. Gorou thought back to the words you had muttered earlier: the wind brings trouble. He could only scoff with a gentle smile on his face as he watched you let down your guard to someone other than him. Perhaps now you would rethink your words and consider now, the wind brings new adventure.