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1. Glaze Lily
For the first time after a while, Heizou was stuck.
It had been a month since he was handed the case regarding Kaedehara Kazuha.
Kazuha became the talk of the town after defying the Almighty Shogun herself. Not only did he withstood the Musou no Hitotachi, but he also allegedly wielded two visions in doing so. Some would think he was famous, some said infamous. Either way, he was still Heizou’s to capture.
For a month, Heizou couldn’t figure out Kazuha’s precise location. Since the fugitive was famous after the stunt he pulled in front of the Tenshukau, the public was aware of him and the bounty on his head, and Heizou tried to use it to his advantage. He interviewed the people who allegedly saw Kazuha in Inazuma, and he would go there only to see that the location had already been cleared.
The slick bastard was as quick as the wind.
It didn’t help that the first reliable clue regarding Kazuha’s location was delivered to Heizou’s doorstep. The hint was in the form of an ancient flower with light blue petals that complemented the white flowers in the inner layer while the yellow pollen sat in the very middle.
It was a Glaze Lily. A fully bloomed one, at that.
Heizou looked at the Glaze Lily before his feet, staring at it incredulously because he was aware of the rarity of this flower. An ancient flower known to only grow in specific parts of Liyue, so rare that it became a subject of illegal trade among nations.
One of the people whom he interviewed reported that Kazuha was in Ritou, boarding the Crux Fleet headed to Liyue. It was highly possible that Kazuha was the one who plucked the flower and had it sent to his doorstep. Who else could make such a bold move to let a detective know his location?
Stealing rare flowers from another nation would definitely grant him a year in prison, along with the other activities he’s wanted for, and Heizou didn’t doubt that Kazuha was aware of that.
Heizou sighed as he grabbed the flower in the most delicate manner. He went inside his house before putting it on top of his kitchen countertop. He looked over his cupboards, grabbed the only vase he owned, added water and put the flower in it.
Carrying the vase, he went to his bedroom and tried to clear out the contents on top of his bedside table to make room for the Glaze Lily.
Of course he was going to display it in his bedroom. A fugitive might have given it to him but it still added color in his bedroom filled with work-related things.
Adding another crime to Kazuha’s long list of criminal activities didn’t do well to treat his growing headache, but the fact that Kazuha went out of his way to bring an illegally acquired flower from Liyue all the way to Inazuma and gave it to him , out of all people — well, let’s just say that his heart was touched by the sweet gesture, nefarious intentions aside.
2. Dandelion Seeds
It’s been exactly a week since Heizou received the Glaze Lily; a week since he displayed the vase holding the ancient flower on his bedside table as a reminder to capture Kazuha as soon as possible. He didn’t display it to admire it and to ponder over what Kazuha could possibly give him next. Definitely not.
Just as Heizou was about to leave his house, he saw a white box on the floor upon opening his front door. He looked both of his sides, trying to see if the sender of the box was still there yet there was not a soul there. Still, he grabbed the box and took it inside his house.
When he opened the lid of the box, he was half-surprised to see a bunch of seeds inside with a dandelion sitting right on top of the pile. Dandelion Seeds.
So Kazuha was in Mondstadt. Or still in Mondstadt, assuming that he asked another person to deliver these to him in his stead. It was more than likely since Kazuha was not stupid enough to send Dandelion Seeds out to Heizou personally… right? It was too risky to step foot on Narukami Island, let alone Inazuma. Someone might have acted as a delivery person to be able to hand it to him.
Yet his intuition told him otherwise.
Heizou inspected the soil on the ground that led to his front doorstep and found no footprints that could indicate anyone arriving at his house, like the last two times. He knew that Kazuha was light on his feet — it was one of his rare talents that Heizou found rather interesting annoying because it made him more difficult to capture. If it were anyone, he was sure they’d leave a trail, but that wasn’t the case here.
So that concludes it. Kazuha personally went to his house in the middle of the night to deliver him a handful of Dandelion Seeds.
All in the name of taunting him.
But Heizou didn’t know what to do with the Dandelion Seeds. He couldn’t plant it in his backyard because the soil in Inazuma wasn’t compatible with it. So he grabbed and cleaned the nearest jar he could find, put the seeds inside it, and placed it beside the vase of Glaze Lily sitting on top of his bedside table.
3. Sango Pearl
It had been a week since Heizou received the Dandelion Seeds.
Within the week, he’s been admiring the Dandelion Seeds and the Glaze Lily whenever he wakes up and before he sleeps.
Within the week, he failed to get any leads regarding Kazuha’s location, with the Glaze Lily as an exception. Although he didn’t report that to the Tenryou Commission.
So, maybe he wasn’t giving his hundred percent towards Kazuha’s case even though the fugitive might have been taunting him for the past two weeks. He wanted to solve the puzzle that was Kazuha, but at the same time, a part of him didn’t want to see him behind bars because that would be within the favor of the Vision Hunt Decree.
Suffice to say, he didn’t want to contribute to this type of injustice by incarcerating someone solely because they have a Vision, didn’t want to have a hand in this atrocious decree, didn’t want to be a part of stealing ambitions from people such as himself — and Kazuha.
Besides, he had more pressing cases to work with. At least, that’s what he told himself to convince him otherwise.
Kazuha had been stuck in his mind ever since he received a Glaze Lily from him, and became worse when he got the Dandelion Seeds. The whole situation gave him an excruciatingly long week because his mind had been too focused on Kazuha.
So imagine the headache he received when he was greeted by a brown wooden box with a metal lid in front of his doorstep, the same place where he saw the items he’s been receiving for the past two weeks.
A week without Kazuha in his mind. Was that really too much to ask?
It was very likely that Kazuha was the one who had this item delivered to him. Again. But this time it was properly sealed in a box. Who knows what the fugitive might give him this time?
Heizou knocked on the wood, trying to see if it contained an endangered species. But it didn’t seem like it when he didn’t hear any noise inside. He then shook the box, only to hear a hard object inside – like a ball – bounce around in it.
Slowly, Heizou opened the box and let a breath out because of the unexpected sight.
The box only contained a large pearl, a Sango Pearl, judging by its unique powdered pink color that glittered under the moonlight.
Sango Pearls grow on Watatsumi Island alone. Kazuha must’ve spent time there with the Resistance when he got the pearl, but by now Heizou was sure that he wasn’t there anymore. But why would Kazuha give him a Sango Pearl out of all things?
This was Kazuha’s way of deliberately announcing to Heizou that he was a free man in Inazuma and that Heizou was still miserably failing to capture him despite the proximity of their locations.
Heizou knew it was a hasty generalization but what else could the Sango Pearl and Glaze Lily indicate? For a detective to receive exotic things from a criminal he’s trying to capture, that was definitely a form of mockery… right?
“That little shit is taunting me.” Heizou muttered under his breath as he opened his supplies closet, trying to see if he owned a nice, pretty cushion that could properly showcase the majestic pearl.
+1: Arrest Warrant (?)
It had been a week since Heizou received the Sango Pearl from Kazuha; a week since he displayed the Sango pearl right next to the vase of glaze lily on his nightstand.
It was late at night when Heizou waited in his living room in the middle of the night, trying not to fall asleep this time to finally catch Kazuha in action of probably giving another gift.
The warrant for Kazuha’s arrest sat beside him, all rolled up, and neatly tied with a red string by Heizou personally because it was his gift to the fugitive. He was ready to shove it on Kazuha’s face for all the taunting he had endured from receiving gifts (that he still kept because it would be such a waste to throw them away), and he was going to do it tonight.
Heizou looked at the window overviewing his porch. The light on his front porch wasn’t turned on, hoping that Kazuha would assume that he’s asleep. The faint lamp posts on his street, however, would help him indicate if anyone walked to his front door.
There were a handful of reasons why Kazuha wasn’t behind bars. He had outwitted him, for one, purposely boasting it on his face through delivering cute silly gifts on his front porch. He also moved like a shadow; difficult to catch in daylight, constantly disappearing at night and blending in the silhouettes.
These were the things Heizou had been mentally reminding himself. Otherwise he’d think that it was because he was not as committed recently ever since Kazuha started giving him thoughtful gifts.
Time went by until midnight came. Heizou’s eyes were starting to droop from sleepiness but then he heard the doorbell ring.
Why would Kazuha actually have the decency to use the doorbell? Why now? Heizou doubted that Kazuha had done this to deliver his previous gifts. He was a light sleeper, after all.
Heizou bolted to his front door and opened it to see Kazuha standing right in front of him.
“I hope I didn’t wake you up at this hour.” Kazuha greeted, sounding like a neighbor asking for some sugar instead of a fugitive knocking on a detective’s front door.
“I find it hard to believe that you didn’t know I was awake the whole time.”
Kazuha let out a small yet confident smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Well, as a matter of fact, I’ve actually been waiting for you to arrive.”
“Waiting for a fourth gift from me?”
Heizou scoffed. “Care to explain why have you been sending me gifts while you’re a wanted fugitive in the country?”
“I saw them while I was traveling far away. Left them on your front door since I couldn’t give them to you in person.”
Kazuha was… traveling this whole time? Like a tourist? While he was a wanted criminal throughout Inazuma?
“You’ve been traveling?” Was all Heizou could ask while his brain tried to gauge the audacity of the criminal standing in front of him.
Kazuha simply shrugged. “I merely follow where the wind takes me.”
“Is that how you ended up here tonight?”
“Perhaps,” Kazuha said, biting his lips before asking. “Do you like them? The gifts? They reminded me of you while I was away from Inazuma and thought that you’d like them.”
Heizou was stunned at the unexpected revelation. He just stared at Kazuha’s wide-eyed gaze, scarlet eyes glimmering under the faint light emanating from his kitchen, waiting — hoping — for a confirmation from the detective.
This was certainly not how he planned his night to turn out. He planned to shove the arrest warrant right in front of his face like how the samurai has been delivering strange things right to his doorstep to boast how he’s still uncaught by him. Yet here he was, with Kazuha asking him if he liked the gifts he received.
“I do… like them, I mean.” Heizou finally said out of honesty.
“I’m glad you do.” Kazuha earnestly said, his smile stretching out that made his eyes wrinkle, and that made Heizou’s heart twitch just by a bit, knowing that his appreciation was the one that caused him to smile like that.
But wait.
“Let me get this straight. All this time, you’ve been giving me gifts from your travels solely because you thought I’d like them?” Finally saying it out loud made him realize how that was a more plausible reason than what he initially thought.
“Yes,” Kazuha replied with a hint of uncertainty, his smile disappearing completely into a small frown. “Why do you think I would risk being caught by the Tenryou Commission sending gifts to you?”
“Because you want to taunt me by showing how you’re a free man that I can’t catch.” Heizou said, becoming unsure of what he’s saying ever since Kazuha went to his house.
“Oh.” Kazuha said before pursing his lips. “You misunderstood my actions. I was trying to flirt with you.”
He was trying to do what ?
“Are you even aware that I’m the detective in charge of incarcerating you?”
It only made Kazuha grin and say, “Yes. I think my intrigue in you started because of that.”
Heizou only sighed as he stared at Kazuha, hoping the fugitive would not see through his disappointed façade.
They’re both just standing on his porch, and Heizou’s brain was still too caught up with the fact that Kazuha was actually here in Inazuma, in front of his house, actually confessing that he was trying to flirt with him. Oh gods.
“You’re impossible.” Heizou groaned out, prompting Kazuha to give him a sly grin.
“Would it be a reach to assume that it’s one of the things you like about me?”
Heizou failed to suppress another groan.
“Do you want to come in?” Heizou asked instead and he was surprised by how normal he delivered the question despite his inability to tame the pounding on his head and of his heart. “It’s cold outside. Best we talk in the living room where it’s warm.” He immediately added to prevent Kazuha from getting the wrong idea.
Kazuha entered his house, and Heizou tried not to notice how Kazuha’s grin was beginning to falter. Just when he was about to ask what’s wrong, Kazuha eventually spoke.
“You didn’t keep the gifts?” Kazuha eventually asked, and Heizou hated how he could notice the hurt from the fugitive’s tone.
He shook his head. “I kept them,” He said, debating with himself whether or not to let Kazuha know the location of the gifts.
“It warms my heart to know that you did.” Kazuha said with a small smile.
Heizou tried not to think about how he liked seeing Kazuha smile genuinely.
“I didn’t know what to do with them, to be quite honest.” Heizou cleared his throat. “I made them decorations. In my bedroom.”
“Even the dandelion seeds?”
“Planting them in my backyard doesn’t seem to be an option and throwing them away would be a waste.”
Kazuha was silent for a moment before he commented, “It symbolizes the romantic spirit of love and freedom.”
Heizou shrugged, trying to play it coolly even if he’s losing his mind over what Kazuha said. “I wasn’t aware. I’ve never been to Mondstadt.”
“Allow me the pleasure of taking you there someday.”
“Do I have to remind you that you’re one of the most wanted fugitives in Inazuma and that I’m supposed to put you behind bars?”
“Mondstadt is not within your jurisdiction.”
“You’re in my house, and that’s very much within the law’s and my jurisdiction. I should arrest you here and now.”
Kazuha stood up from the couch and took his time walking to Heizou’s own personal space. He held a challenging gaze towards Heizou and said, “Then by all means, arrest me, detective.”
His words were all it took for Heizou’s heart to speed up. Something stirred in him, upon hearing the words’ implications. But from his peripheral vision, he quickly saw the arrest warrant sitting on the couch and was reminded of what he should be doing.
Change of plans.
Slowly, Heizou wrapped his own hands on Kazuha’s wrists before leaning closer to the fugitive’s ear. “I would, but my handcuffs are in the bedroom.” He whispered, his own lips merely a few centimeters away from the cheek before he pulled his head away.
There was a sense of satisfaction that washed over Heizou when he saw Kazuha’s face starting to become pink-tinged.
But Kazuha didn’t seem willing to give up just yet. He quickly recovered from Heizou’s unexpected words, if there’s anything the sly grin on his face indicated.
Kazuha leaned to his face, whispering a response to Heizou’s ears. “Guess you’ll have to take me there.”
Heizou matched Kazuha’s grin with his own before gently grabbing his wrists, leading the two of them in front of Heizou’s bedroom. Before opening the door, he made a mental reminder to himself to dispose of the arrest warrant tomorrow morning. He wouldn’t need it anyway.
“You’ll have to stay for tonight. then.” Heizou pulled Kazuha into his bedroom. He just hoped that nothing on his bedside table would break tonight.