Chapter Text
When Koushi's father took him down to the port for the first time, the last thing his adolescent self expected was to fall in love.
Their family estate being hours away from the coastline and tucked on a mountain Koushi had only in his seventeen years of life familiarized himself with their own garden and little bits of the forest surrounding, and so when saw the glimmer of the blue waves under warmly shining sun, felt the soft breeze on his face and witnessed the endlessness of it all for the first time, he was in love.
During the infuriatingly long descend down from the mountain on a palanquin Koushi had planned on exploring the port and maybe meeting the foreign merchants his father often talked about, his thirst to expand his views and knowledge being incurable. But once he saw the sea, he ended up just sitting by the shore watching the waves with couple of their family servants until his father returned from his inspection visit to the shipyard and it was time for them to head back.
His father being daimyo, a feudal lord and the head of the Sugawara clan, Koushi was born into a noble family. He and his future were protected, and so far he had lived very sheltered life caged within the walls of their estate.
And so, after having the small taste of what outside of those walls had to offer, the curiosity to learn and to experience the real world little more wasn't giving Koushi any rest until he was able to taste it again.
”This is such a bad idea... young lord, you really shouldn't–” Asahi, a servant and a dear friend of Koushi, said.
” 'Young lord?' What happened to 'Suga'? ” Koushi feigned a scoff as he let a pleased grin take over his features, but his attempts to change the subject fell onto deaf ears.
”What if something happens?” Asahi pressed, but helped Koushi get on his horse with no further objections.
”Nothing will happen; I'll have Daichi breathing on my back as always,” Koushi reassured him, pointing his thumb behind him where he expected another servant and a friend of his to be on his own horse.
”Always a pleasure to company you to your adventures,” Daichi replied, and Koushi chose to ignore the little wit in his tone.
”See?” Koushi instead asked Asahi, who shook his head.
”All I see is sarcasm.”
Gathering the reins into his hands like he had seen Daichi do dozens of times, Koushi brushed off Asahi's worry. ”Cover for me. Father will not be back in three days and the only one who might need me is my teacher. Just tell everyone Daichi is teaching me archery or we're having a walk, or something. We'll be back before it gets dark.”
Not wanting to waste any more time Koushi ushered his horse to get going, burying Asahi's muttered protests under the rhythmic sound of hooves.
Koushi had waited for this day more than anything, so much so that he had barely slept the night before. Of course it came awfully handy when he had to get up before the sun so they could not only sneak out without being noticed, but so they would also be able to spend as much time down by the sea as possible.
Koushi wanted to take a better look of the town as well, as the last time he had been blinded by the beauty of the ocean view and hadn't had the time to do much.
He had borrowed clothing from Daichi so he would be able to blend in more among the commoners as his own clothes would immediately give away his identity and would also restrict him too much – in the matter of fact Koushi was loving how comfortable the clothes Daichi had borrowed him were. He liked the loose fit of his shirt and how instead of being wrapped tight around his middle the obi belt was resting on his hips and not only made of much more humble material, it was also narrower than what he was used to. The possibility to even sit on a horse thanks to the hakama he had tied from calf down so he wouldn't look too formal, all topped off with straw sandals and Daichi's tabi socks – his own would clash too much, as they weren't worn out enough to play their part in Koushi's disguise.
It all was much better than the layers and layers of kimonos Koushi was used to. While he didn't know how, just the thought that he was now able to try out a cartwheel in his current attire if he chose to was enough to brighten his mood and forget all about his lost hours of sleep.
The clothes weren't the only thing that lifted his spirits, as instead of having his long silver hair either fall all over his face and shoulders or have it styled with wax, strings and combs into an intricate and heavy design, Asahi had helped him to tie it up into a more casual topknot that gave even more of that sense of freedom. To avoid attention due his unusual hair color, Daichi had talked Koushi to take a bamboo hat with him to put on once they would reach the town.
”Daichi, you should teach me how to ride properly. I feel like my horse is just following yours,” Koushi spoke up after awhile. His horse was so close to Daichi's it was practically resting its head on the other horse's hindquarters.
”I'm not going to because then you would feel too confident to go out on your own,” Daichi replied, and made Koushi purse his lips in a pout. His friend knew him too well.
”What if my horse spooks and takes off?” Koushi asked.
Daichi breathed out a laugh. ”That one? I'd pay money to see that one to get wild even once in its life.”
Koushi shouldn't had expected anything less. Of course Daichi would give him the boring horse. Not only was the road down to the town long and uneventful, he would have to stick through it while sitting on an animal that was half asleep.
Just as the sun started bringing in more light though the foliage, Koushi found himself growing bored out of his mind. He couldn't decide whether this or travelling on the palanquin was the worst, but at least when riding he was able to see more around him – and see the first glimpses of the sea once they finally made it out of the thick forest that covered the mountains.
With his home nestled tightly in the middle of evergreen, the view of fields and meadows that unfolded once they arrived to the outskirts of the town of Sendai was a refreshing change of scenery. With the spring rolling along, the beauty of pink popping here and there in the midst of sea of green as sakura trees were starting to bloom was enough to keep Koushi busy as he tried his best memorizing every little detail so he could store the view in his mind and revisit it everytime he would close his eyes.
Even though it was early, so early that on a normal day Koushi would most likely still be in bed, he could see the first workers busying themselves in the fields. Koushi didn't know what they were doing exactly, but it appeared hard and exhausting by the way some of the workers would one by one stretch their backs when they would straighten up from their hunched down position to take a look at the two of them as they rode past. The curious glances made Koushi drop his own down and pull his bamboo hat tighter on his head, the fear of being recognized making him nearly freeze. Right then Koushi was glad his horse was as tame as it was and all he needed to do was to focus on forcing his own racing heart to calm down.
Even more so when they finally reached the town.
”Remember to call me Koushi,” Koushi reminded Daichi, his voice coming out stiffer and higher than he had intended.
Daichi slowed down his horse so Koushi would be riding right beside him. ”Not Suga?” He then asked. He had a frown on his face, the same frown he often had when he wasn't sure where Koushi's mind was.
Couple years ago Koushi had forbidden his friends from using his given name unless it was necessary, but as he had had no other name to give them to call him by just yet he had gone by the chopped up version of his family name. It had fit nice by the time being, but now he felt like he was ready to try out a name he had felt more fitting for him.
”Too close to Sugawara, don't you think?”
”You have a point.” Daichi nodded. He then smiled, clearly feeling great pride of being the first one to call Koushi by his new name. ”So, Koushi, where are we heading?”
Koushi didn't need to think twice, and he had a feeling Daichi knew the answer already. With the happiness from hearing someone else to use his new name so naturally on top of the excitement for being free to venture, Koushi shot to sit up straight as he forgot all about his previous nervousness.
”To the shore!”
With another nod Daichi took the lead. He knew his way around, so it was easy for him to guide Koushi through the maze that was the slowly but steadily growing city.
As they rode through the merchant district Koushi found almost all of the shops and businesses still closed with couple exceptions. There were also a lot less townspeople walking around as well in comparison to the first visit Koushi had made, as aside from those who worked in the fields as farmhands the others were only about to start their days and heading to fulfil their own respectable duties and earn their living.
Koushi felt envious of every single one of these people. He maybe had born privileged, but he also found himself often stuck within the walls of his home, bound under the one and only duty he had been given; to not bring dishonor to the family. There wasn't much room for him to breathe, no way to express himself, nothing that demanded him to get up in the morning if it weren't for their maids.
He often yearned more structure to his days, wanted to be able to wake up to a day with the knowledge there would be something meaningful to do and new people to meet. He wanted to explore what the real world had to offer himself instead of just reading about it.
Despite Koushi's thirst to reach the sea as soon as possible, his attention being also stolen by the charm of the town architecture and different kinds of buildings than he was used to, they ended up taking the longer route through the town.
He felt like a child gawking at the rows of two story houses, something their estate didn't have. All they had long corridors and big open spaces. He was enthralled by the smart solution of having a business downstairs and the living quarters on the second floor. It took everything in Koushi's power not to jump off of his horse and rush inside one of those houses just so he could see how buildings like that looked like inside.
By the time they finally reached the seaside the sun was high up and made Koushi be thankful for his bamboo hat, for without it he would feel almost blinded by the brightness. Although it was nice to have the warmth of the sun on him, Koushi also acknowledged that it only meant the time was flowing by faster than he would have liked.
Too often Koushi felt like he had nothing but time when he was up in the mountains closed inside the secure walls, but now it seemed he didn't have enough of it at all.
Daichi stopped his horse, and following the leader's example, also Koushi's horse came to a halt.
When Asahi had helped Koushi up on the horse's back, they didn't exactly go through how was he supposed to get down. Maybe Daichi or Asahi did mention it, but Koushi hadn't been listening at that point anymore.
Daichi hopped down with ease, landed on his feet softly and even patted his horse on its neck. It had seemed simple enough, so by following Daichi's lead Koushi tried to dismount his horse like his friend had just done.
However, the execution turned out to be way more difficult than Daichi had made it look and instead of being able to gracefully throw his leg over the horse's back Koushi's knee got caught in the back of the saddle and he lost his balance and met the ground way faster than he had participated. Lucky for him he still managed to land on his feet, even if the contact with the solid ground after hours of sitting high up on a horse sent tingling sensation through his whole body.
As he paused to get to know his body again, Koushi noticed how couple men walking pass were giving curious looks at their direction.
”Why are they looking?” Koushi whispered at Daichi, trying his best to hide behind his horse in case someone might recognize him despite his disguise.
”Because you looked ridiculous just now,” Daichi replied with a straight face but Koushi was able to detect a small snicker in his tone.
”Why didn't you help me!” Koushi hissed, pulling the brim of his bamboo hat down to hide his cheeks now burning with embarrassment.
”It would've made both of us look ridiculous.”
Koushi huffed, but let go of his annoyance when he looked past Daichi and saw the glimmering sea. Instead he pushed the reins of his horse in Daichi's hands, and forgetting all about his legs being stiff after sitting on a horseback he started towards the shoreline with long strides.
He wanted to take the opportunity and get close enough to the water to be able to touch it, but they had ended up to a spot where the shore came with a drop to a big stones. Although not exactly a cliff, Koushi wasn't confident enough to just jump down and take his changes.
But he ha to, needed to take the opportunity and climb down those rocks so he could touch the water. The last time he had visited the shore he wouldn't have been able to do so, but right now nothing was holding him back except Daichi's warnings of how the stones might be slippery.
”I'm reminding you yet again that the state you'll be in when we return home will reflect on my wellbeing as well,” Daichi said as Koushi flicked the bamboo hat from his head and let it rest on his upper back so it wouldn't restrict his vision before he started descending the small drop. ”You slip and hurt yourself, and I'm dead.”
If Koushi wasn't too busy using both of his hands to steady his body while balancing his feet on the rocks, he would've waved Daichi off. ”If you keep pestering me on things I already know, I'm going to lose my focus,” he quipped back at his friend instead.
Daichi's muttered reply was stolen by the wind, but Koushi didn't care much for it anyway. Not when he finally was standing on a stone with sea right beneath his feet, so close for him to crouch down and reach for the water and let the small waves meet his hand.
It was just any water, cold and wet, but also so much more. Every drop that now touched his skin had travelled a long way, had seen more of the world than Koushi could even dream of. Unlike streams that ran through Koushi's family's yard every spring once the snow melted from the mountains, this water was ancient. It even felt heavy, be it the salt it contained or the thousands of stories each wave held.
And there was so much of it.
A tiny crab not much bigger than the tip of Koushi's pinky floated up and was pushed on the boulder right next to his feet by the waves, and just as Koushi shuffled his feet instinctually away, the little creature ran to the opposite direction and jumped back into the water.
Again, Koushi could feel a tug of envy as he, too, wanted to run and jump into the waves and let the current take him somewhere, anywhere. If he didn't like where he would end up at, he could drop back into the water and float to the next place.
”Don't you dare to jump in,” came Daichi's voice from behind him. Koushi turned his head to toss a grin at his friend.
”How did you know?” He asked, and watched as color drained from Daichi's face. He might have been joking, but now came to realize Koushi was, indeed, maybe crazy enough to do so.
”We've known each other long enough I can hear your thoughts.” Daichi finally managed to say.
He wasn't wrong. They had practically grown up together.
As Koushi was about to turn back to face the sea, his eyes caught something down the coastline.
”Is that the shipyard? I want to go see.”
He didn't wait for Daichi's response, just stood and started walking along the rocks, remaining close to the sea and ignoring Daichi's requests to climb back up to join him on the proper walk path.
Eventually the rock formations ended and turned into hard sand – unless Koushi's steps took him too close to the sea where the sand turned soft and the waves managed to lick his feet, wetting both his socks and shoes. It didn't bother him, he was feeling way too happy in that moment to feel bad about anything really, but to spare himself from more scolding Koushi tried his best to avoid getting his feet completely soaked.
Before the shipyard there was a row of boats sitting on the sand and Koushi gave all of them a quick inspection as he passed by, but it was one bigger ship in the water a small distance away from the shore that made him pause completely just to take it in.
How wonderful would it be to be able to sail away on that thing, to travel and explore the world freely. How could he sell his father the idea so Koushi would be able to pursuit that kind of life? Sure it shouldn't be too hard. His father has as of lately expressed his disapproval on Koushi's preferred way of living more clearly, surely he would be happy if Koushi would just leave. But would he care enough to purchase Koushi a ship? Would he dare to allow Koushi sail away just like that all on his own, knowing that he would have to then face Koushi's mother afterwards?
Deep in thought, Koushi didn't pay too much attention where he was going before Daichi called for him.
”Sug- Koushi, you're being too bold.”
Koushi turned to look at Daichi still holding their horses little farther away on the road and off from the sand. Despite the distance Koushi could see Daichi's concerned frown.
”Calm down, Daichi. I'm just looking,” Koushi reassured.
Now back in the present, Koushi made a notice of how the ground beneath his feet had now more wood chips and shavings than sand. It formed a makeshift floor that was sturdier to walk on, but based on that Koushi was now standing on in the middle of what looked like an open air workshop with only two walls and almost see-through roofing made of twigs and straw, he figured the floor had come to be over years and years of woodwork on the shipyard rather than being made on purpose.
Koushi was intrigued. Charmed, even. It was one thing to see boats and ships when those were ready to sail, but now he was able to see few in various stages littered all around the workshop – one boat skeleton was even hanging from the ceiling, and Koushi wasn't too sure if he was more impressed by the gorgeous structure and design, or by the fact that the beams of the building were sturdy enough to hold the weight of the boat.
”Are you lost?” Came a voice somewhere behind him, making Koushi twirl around to look for the source and spot a young man crouched down next to a boat on a rack. Although his eyes were at Koushi, the boy kept holding up a brush in his hand. Tilting his head to the side, Koushi could see he was in the middle of painting something that looked like a family crest onto the side of the boat.
”Don't let me disturb, I'm just looking,” Koushi smiled and shook off his initial startle by gesturing towards the boat the young man was decorating. ”Did you make this?”
”Um, kind of. With my father,” the young man said. He then looked around as if searching for someone before turning his attention back at Koushi. ”It's kind of dangerous to be wandering around here, especially in that kind of footwear,” he said, eyes flitting quickly down at Koushi's feet before rising back up again.
Koushi chose to ignore the warning, mainly because he noticed that the other one's straw shoes weren't much different from his aside maybe being a bit sturdier. He knew how to be careful. There was nothing dangerous in just him looking.
”This looks great. Is it for fishing?” He asked instead, running his hand along the smooth wood of the gunwale of the boat the shipwright was currently working on.
”No, it's a ferry. But I guess one could use it for fishing, too, if they had nothing else.” The young man said. At first he sounded like he was going to leave it at that, but then he started repeating himself. ”Seriously, you shouldn't be wandering about here, it could be risky. Lots of pointy things.”
Koushi turned to gesture towards the direction he had wandered from, especially pointing out the bigger ship he had been eyeing. ”Is that a foreign ship? I read about black ships from... Portugal, was it?”
A heavy, slightly frustrated sigh came from behind him followed by quiet rustling as the young man stood and walked closer to Koushi to look at what he was gesturing at. At the sound of approaching footsteps through the wood shavings, Koushi turned just enough to see just how incredibly tall this new acquaintance was. Crouching behind the boat had hidden his true size, and for a split second his height was enough to make Koushi question if he was an actual human and not a yokai.
”They haven't made port here for a long time, the foreign ships are only allowed to port at Nagasaki. Our own ships bring goods from there, but it's rare because usually everything usually gets sold out in Edo. That's a warship.” Koushi was told, and when the shipwright paused to look at him Koushi realized he was still staring.
Embarrassed for being caught gawking, Koushi blurted out the first thing that came into his mind.
”Is there a war?”
The man blinked at him. ”If there was, that wouldn't be here. We use it for longer fishing trips. Especially when it's whaling season.”
Of course. ”Right, right.”
Koushi couldn't ignore how he was being now the one being stared at, how this young man was looking at him with a small, lopsided smile like he had just made a fool out of himself – which he had. But it was worse when someone was literally looking down on him, even when this tall man had no other options.
Lost in his embarrassment, Koushi nearly missed the question he was asked.
”Are you from the inland?”
”Huh?”
The young man shrugged. ”You seem like you are seeing ships for the first time.”
”I have seen them. Once.” Koushi said, defensive, even if the stranger's statement wasn't too far off. ”I live up in the mountains.”
The young man nodded. He then stepped away and made his way back to the boat he had been working on but paused enough to wave his hand at the direction of Daichi they could see standing some distance away with the horses.
”Are you with that samurai?”
Koushi was astonished. ”Yes, he showed me the way here,” he explained. ”You could tell he is a samurai?”
Daichi had dressed down for their adventure as well, and nothing in him exactly screamed that he was a samurai. He had left his swords behind, and even the dagger he had on him at all times just in case for protection was out of sight, safely tucked inside his kosode.
Technically Daichi didn't have any experience but his hereditary and his apprenticeship as there had not been any wars in decades, but he still counted as a samurai and would gear up in the time of need. The Sawamura clan had always been close to Sugawara's, so when the time of warriors came to an end and it was time to stop fighting meaningless wars, it was only natural for Daichi's family to continue serve Sugawara's as their guards and advisors.
”Just a wild guess. When you're around people you learn to pick up things like that,” the young man explained. He picked up his paint brush and crouched back down to continue his project. ”Like how you're not a commoner, either.” He then added, so casually and out of the blue it threw Koushi off even more.
As Koushi struggled to find words to either deny or admit that claim – he really wasn't sure which one was the way to go with – he could see Daichi approaching the coastline with the horses in tow. He didn't come to the shipyard, but close enough for his presence to steal both Koushi's and his new acquaintance's attention and for his voice to carry their ears.
”Koushi. Time to go if you want to catch something to eat from the town and make it back before dark.”
Nodding, Koushi started stiffly make his way through the sea of wood chips and passed the boat the young man had returned to work on. While he couldn't just leave without saying anything, Koushi was now afraid of this person knowing who he really was.
However, as Koushi walked past him all he could see was the friendly expression on that sun kissed face, and he had a feeling that even if this stranger might have been observant enough to know Koushi wasn't a commoner it didn't mean he knew how high up in the social hierarchy he actually stood nor that he would use his limited knowledge against Koushi. For all Koushi knew, he might have just thought that Koushi was Daichi's apprentice, a samurai in the making.
A part of Koushi wanted to flee as fast as possible, but deep down he knew it would be better to act like his title - whatever it could be - was no big deal. At least know who he had been talking to. So he paused on his way to offer a small, friendly bow at the man. ”See you again, uh...”
He was offered an awkward but polite bow of a head as well alongside what he had been looking for.
”Issei.”
”See you around, Issei.”