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It was a night like all the others where. Plain, a cold breeze, silence, uneventful as of now.
Yasuo sighed, closing his eyes and taking in the cold air. His feed hurt but whose wouldn't after a day of walking? It's silly, really, to run around for hours as if someone was behind him while all that truly ever followed him was the wind. Out of sheer habit, Yasuo reached for his bag to drag out a bottle of sake, drowning his empty thoughts down in a big gulp.
This really isn't it.
He thought. It's boring. Life shouldn't be this boring. Maybe it's time to finally live up to the pretty bounty on his head and do something, rob a noble for all they're worth.
He scoffed about how this was the most evil he came up with on a whim. If anything, he'd do better hunting those thieves down rather than being one himself, not that he was interested in the slightest to begin with.
His gaze landed on his blade. If he already has it, might as well put it to good use instead of solely using it for self defense. The life of a bounty hunter doesn't sound so bad, some sort of hero, some sort of "fixing things", some sort of redemption.
In the near distance, Varus spotted a light, a fire, someones night camp probably. He drew closer, trying not to make a sound. All he saw was a lone drunkard, pathetic, even for human measures.
With feather-like steps he approached the lonely swordsman, wanting to use his advantage of surprise. Sadly however, the wind is quite the snitch.
"If you want to rob me then sorry to disappoint you but all I have on me is liquor, I'm willing to share though."
The swordsman holds out his bottle of sake while keeping his other hand on the hilt of his sword, just to make sure.
Varus stood there for a second, dumbfounded. Not expecting the man noticing him, NOT expecting him to start with such a stupid statement. Whatever bestial urge he had drowned in newfound curiosity, accepting the offer and walking to the other man.
Yasuo looked up at the shadow slowly passing by as the darkness lulled itself in the soft firelight, exposing a rather pretty and dangerous face. If he wouldn't be that much of a dumbass, he would probably have a heart attack at the sight of a darkin, at least he figured the man was one. But no, lucky him, he had weirder companions before, probably even more dangerous ones at that.
Still holding out the bottle.
Varus gave him a look that wasn't clearly readable, at least for Yasuo. Yet he took the bottle and sat down across the swordsman, who's only reaction was to fiddle out another bottle outta his bag.
The air did not become thicker, there wasn't tension, it was odd.
"Yasuo"
"Hm?"
"My name"
"... Varus"
Varus' gaze fell down to the bottle he was now holding. It wasn't the first time he drank alcohol but he was still skeptical. Why would a mere human invite him to a drink? Sure, the man didn't see him at first, didn't see his skin, eyes, the clear sign that he means danger. Varus considered that the swordsman, Yasuo, wasn't all that right in the head. A bit suicidal, maybe on a very suicidal mission where death didn't matter? It certainly wasn't the first time he met someone like that. He took a sip.
"I don't mean to pry but what does a darkin do here in Ionia? Looking for some mighty weapons? Ancient text? Fellow brethrens?"
That question burned on his tongue the second he saw that demon. It was out of character for him to ask this bluntly but he decided that this night won't be like all the others.
Varus took another sip and hummed.
"That what a lonely traveler always does, searching for something- someone"
This wasn't like him, why would he be so... open? Something inside him just told him that this was actually quite nice, that he should continue conversing with this individual. He cursed in his mind, innerly snarling at how these two morons can actually influence him. What a joke. The audacity of these idiots. Yet, he didn't feel any anger.
“And who might that someone be?”
“My sister, you wouldn’t know her, let’s leave it at that. ...What are you searching for?”
A dry laugh. “Used to search for a murderer, never found ‘em, probably never will.”
The fire crackled, the sparks causing both men to diverge their attention and let the fire consume their mind. The fire calling to Varus, screams of hatred, voices saying that he should kill the swordsman, that he should hate him like all the other humans.
-If he even truly heated humans to begin with.
No no, he did, that was just the alcohol talking, making him feel warmer than he really was. Yet he remained calm, relishing in the others presence while continuing the drink and train of thought. So caught up, that he didn’t realize that Yasuo was looking at him, at his pretty face.
The more he straight up rudely stared at the other man, the more he knew that he wasn’t like the other darkins, for the most part that is. Varus looked like someone who clings themself on a delusion, an idea that no longer holds any truth.
After the darkin told his name, Yasuo knew who he was, he heard the rumors- “The arrow of retribution” they say. Now, looking at Varus, the rumors seemed laughable. He was sure that the darkins heart lost all anger within, that he just thinks that he has to hate humans, that he has to cause retribution, that’s what he’s supposed to do now right?
“Found something interesting? You humans really don’t have any manners and then you call us beasts? Slander.”
Yasuo awkwardly looked away, pretending like nothing happened, like his heart didn’t just skip a beat.
---o---
Surprisingly, nothing bad happened that night. Quite the opposite! They decided that they will be traveling companions. Well, neither of them really said that out loud, they just kind of kept tagging along. And that was fine, both are lost idiots and if you put 2 idiots together, then they might find what they are looking for.