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The sound of the wind and the water was quiet and peaceful, making it almost seem as if there hadn’t been a battlefield just moments earlier. Kazuha sighed, watching the Traveler and Sangonomiya Kokomi disappear in the distance, looking only little disheveled after such a fight.
Together they had made Kujou Sara’s army retreat, but he knew this wasn’t over. Not yet.
He stared at the familiar ears and tail in the distance, in the other direction. Gorou had stayed behind, staring at the open sea, his tail moving a little in a way that fascinated Kazuha.
“Heh. You can go! Don’t mind me~” Kazuha looked up in surprise when Beidou give him a playful push. “I can see you want to catch up with him. So why don’t you?” she said, a bright smile on her face. Kazuha blushed.
“Eh...” Busted. Well, yes, he kind of did feel that Gorou was waiting for him. He would like to talk to him properly. Their time together had only been brief, with Gorou and the Resistance supporting him in one of his hardest times. Gorou had made quite the impression on him during that time. He smiled.
“Alright. I will see you back at the fleet,” he said, excusing himself. Beidou nodded and turned.
“Sure! Take your time~” And their ways parted. Kazuha carefully made his way towards where Gorou was standing, his feet leaving a subtle trail in the sand as he walked. When he reached him, Gorou looked up before he said a word or made a sound.
“I was afraid you wouldn’t come!” he said. He turned around, and the two stood before each other in some sort of manner that would be considered awkward to anyone else. But without feeling awkward at all, Kazuha stepped forward and received Gorou in his arms for a warm reunion hug.
“Have you been well? I was worried,” Gorou said, patting his back. Kazuha nodded. “The high seas have taken me to many places. Like a falling leaf in the yard, I was carried away by the wind. It was a pleasant journey. However, it feels good to be back. How have you been, my friend?”
They pulled apart, and Gorou smiled sweetly. “Quite well. Just... glad to see you here in good health,” he said.
“I would like to stay a while, but unfortunately there is not a lot of time. For us both, I am afraid,” Gorou added. Kazuha nodded. He knew the Resistance was waiting for their General’s return. As were Beidou and the Crux Crew, waiting for him. This was no time for happy tea times, long conversations and challenging sparring sessions, as he remembered they once had.
He smiled, reflecting a bit of sadness at the lack of time, and he stepped back, taking a familiar stance. He noticed from the look on Gorou’s face he recognized it.
“Then, how about.. before we go: just one. One rematch?” Kazuha asked, his hands spreading and forming into little claws. Gorou smirked.
“I see. Well, I am sorry that you won’t be able to treat me to a dinner though,” he said, indicating the many losses Kazuha had endured with these sort of games.
“Let it be a friendly rematch. Also, I find it quite endearing you think I am still the same old vulnerable man as last time,” he said teasingly while Gorou also stood in position.
“Go!” Kazuha charged, as did Gorou, dangerously close to the water, but soon Kazuha was the first to jump, tackling Gorou into the sand and rolling both of them away from the sea.
However against all expectations, Gorou was still the one to end up on top, growling playfully: “You may have changed, Kazuha, but I guess this just hasn’t~!” while his fingers clawed playfully at Kazuha’s lower sides.
“P-pffhaahah! N-nohoho!” Kazuha squirmed, wriggling beneath the General and sending waves of nostalgia all over him. Their random tickle battles, something that lightened his days at the Resistance after the loss of his friend. Their discovery of each other’s tickle spots had been coincidental, mainly when Gorou was there when Kazuha had some wounds and sore spots treated.
“Ticklish~?” he had chirped when he recognized some of Kazuha’s restrained laughter.
“Of course not,” had been Kazuha’s reponse, however somehow Gorou would still call out Kazuha’s sensitivity from time to time, sparking this current comptetiveness within them. It ended up with regular ‘sparring sessions’ that resulted in the silliest tickle fights, with Gorou often winning them and demanding food as a prize. The last one they had included one major defeat for Kazuha, with him ending up one panting and blushing mess, completely out of breath from Gorou's deadly tickle attack.
It was silly, maybe quite stupid given the circumstances, but it was fun. Kazuha had been looking forward to a rematch all along, a tickle fight in which he could have the upperhand sometime.
“Gh-hahaha! Ehehehe!” Kazuha giggled, watching how Gorou bent over him, his tail wagging cheerfully as he went after Kazuha’s tickle spots with scribbling and poking fingers.
“I still win, look at that!” Gorou said gleefully, his hands moving to where Kazuha was clenching his stomach, and wriggling a few fingers through his defense just to scribble against his ticklish tummy.
“AHAhahahah!” Kazuha threw his head back. He thought of his improved skills. He thought of his many sparring sessions with Beidou, and her similar tickle attacks. Surely there should be something he had learned over the time he spent out on the sea with her and the crew.
Oh, but he did. Kazuha snapped out of his ticklish flurry and Gorou seemed anything but prepared when he threw up his legs with all strength and force that sent him on a swift and flexible backwards roll, slipping out of Gorou’s grasp and actually taking him along, flipping him over and switching their positions. Kazuha smirked, now finally on top.
“What was that?” he panted, referring to Gorou’s early cry of victory just now, but before the blond could utter out a reply, Kazuha lowered his hand and pinched his side. Gorou cackled.
“HAha! Hehehey! Waahait!” he yelled, his ears moving back in the cutest way as he laughed loudly, and Kazuha moved his hand and scribbled his tummy, feeling a little guilty for using the scratching movements he would’ve used on a dog. He couldn’t help it though. Too precious.
Gorou squealed, struggling and squirming in his hold, barking out the loudest laughs and giggles. “Kazuhahahah! Hahahahah!” he cried out, but Kazuha firmly pinned him down by just using his lower body, his legs holding down Gorou’s legs quite strongly, and he used both hands to scribble all over Gorou’s tummy.
“STHAa-nahaha!” Gorou shook his head, his tail wagging to the side, catching Kazuha’s attention. He wondered if Gorou was enjoying this in such a way, or if it was just the tail’s reflex to the tickles like how Gorou’s arms were flailing and his legs were kicking, but he decided not to ask.
“NAhahaha!” Gorou cackled when Kazuha’s hands traveled up his torso and clawed at his upper ribs, his arms already squeezing together in anticipation of where Kazuha might be heading.
“What are you hiding there, my friend?” Kazuha taunted, his fingers scribbling higher and higher despite Gorou’s attempts at defending his underarms.
“Nohohoh not thehehere! Kazuhaaa~!” he whined, his nose scrunching up in the cutest way. “Dooon’t!” he cried, his teeth clenching together as he let out an adorable little growl through his hysterical laughter.
“GRRrhrhrhehehe!” he laughed when Kazuha finally reached his armpits, and it didn’t take him that much effort to tickle them playfully, no matter how much Gorou squeezed his arms together.
“AAHahayayaha!” Gorou arched his back and squealed. “STAahahaaaap!” he whined, laughing and even snorting adorably. So many varied sounds. Kazuha was genuinely amazed.
“You wihihiin! You win! Gahahah!” Gorou roared. Kazuha smiled, and couldn’t help himself as he moved one hand op and fondled one of Gorou’s soft ears, making him squeak and giggle as he tickled the soft fur.
“What did you say?” he taunted, copying the way Gorou would actually claim his victories during their past tickle fights.
“You win hahaha! You’re the wihihinneheher!” Gorou cackled. Kazuha stopped tickling his armpit and moved up his other hand too, tickling both Gorou’s ears fondly and making him let out the softest giggles.
“Alright then. Good. Good to know,” Kazuha said, and finally he stopped, allowing Gorou to catch his breath. Gorou wrapped his arms around himself and sat up, wheezing loudly.
“Y-you got a l-lohot stronger,” he complimented tiredly, a cute smile lingering on his lips. Kazuha nodded.
“Glad I could show it to you,” he said proudly, extending his hand to help Gorou stand. Gorou accepted it and stood on wobbly legs, but once he stood he bent down again, his hands on his knees while he gasped for air.
“I... I’m sorry. I would’ve treated you to a nice meal,” he panted. Kazuha thought for a moment, and stared at the water where a small school of fish dared to swim near the shore. He smiled.
“That’s alright. Actually, if you would spare a little bit more time, I could make us something to eat. It is my new specialty, you may like it,” Kazuha said. When Gorou cocked his head sweetly, Kazuha chuckled.
“I will only need some fish, and salt,” he said, gazing at the sea. Gorou’s ears perked up happily at this, his tail moving from side to side again.
“I’d love that,” he said. And so they caught some fish together, made a campfire, and Kazuha prepared his special dish while they had talks about their experiences after Kazuha’s departure. Gorou was especially interested to hear about Liyue, its cuisine and the scenery.
At last, the fish was finished, and Gorou sniffed eagerly, his eyes sparkling in excitement.
“All-Weather Beauty,” Kazuha said poetically, presenting the Dry-Braised Salted Fish on a piece of large cleaned wood as a plate, and he gave it to Gorou. Gorou’s eyes widened in wonder.
“Smells delicious,” he said, and he put his teeth in it, his eyes closing in delight.
“Tasty, so tasty~” Gorou chirped, while Kazuha ate some of his own. “I am glad,” he said with a smile. Gorou tensed up, squeaking softly when Kazuha reached out and squeezed his knee, also ticklish, and he chuckled.
“But remember, you owe me one,” he said with a smile. Gorou smiled back, nodding with the fish still in his mouth.
“Yeah!” he said with his mouth full, and they ended up making both the Crux Fleet Crew and the Sangonomiya Resistance wait a liiittle bit longer as they enjoyed each other’s company for the time being, catching up and having fun after their silly friendly rematch.