Chapter Text
Heizou was more than excited to shove the the paperwork into his desk where it wouldn't be seen unless someone was snooping. Only Inspector Kujou may and that was only if she got complaints. A few days to be 'working on the cases' wouldn't merit that and it wasn't often that Kazuha returned home.
Letters were something common but he often didn't have an exact date of his arrival so this was something Heizou had been looking forward to for over a month now, since he'd learned Kazuha had left Sumeru and was headed back this way with a shipment for the local food vendors.
"Walking right up to the station. That's not like you." Heizou was smiling widely, trying to hold it in and not jump up and hug the man in front of him, how still had a bag over his shoulder and smelled of too long at sea. It wasn't a bad smell but he knew Kazuha would want to bathe soon.
He also knew that what he just stated was true, a small part of his mind nagging at him that something was wrong for Kazuha to be in these settings. Normally he'd catch him outside or after work. Heizou knew he had unpleasant feelings about the Tenryou Commission and he would never blame him for it.
Everyone had the right to their emotions and Kazuha had been harmed by the actions of the people here, even if they weren't the ones who had given out the orders to chase him in the past. That lied wit the Shogun and where most of Kazuha's insecurities still lay.
"It is only after mid day and I know your shifts can be long. I wanted to see you when I arrived and this was more efficient then sending word to you that I was here."
Kazuha's returning smile was just as kind as it always was. There wasn't any shake to his words and he appeared as well as he say.
Well, except for the fact that, once he shut his eyes, Heizou could see that he was carrying bags under them that weren't typical. Kazuha didn't often lose out on sleep. Of the two of them, Heizou was the one who was scolded for that slip of the mind.
"Were there storms?"
Kazuha returned him a puzzled look and a very cute tip of the head that nearly made Heizou forget the whole conversation and want to take his hand, disappear out of here right now, and sit under a tree where they could talk for hours in private. But then… then he might get lost in his own conversations and he wanted his mind active right now.
"Not many. Most were inland as we left port though there were a few out in the ocean. It's typical when sailing for storms to form from the clashing climates. Why do you ask? Are my clothes wet?"
Kazuha lifted his kimono sleeve and checked. As if the man wouldn't know if he'd gotten himself wet.
Wouldn't he…?
"Kazuha, what's wrong?" Heizou stood, hands on his desk and tone serious. Something was off. "Are you okay?"
The downward look and Kazuha reaching for his arm as if to make himself smaller were more than enough to show he was making himself vulnerable. The smile on his face was gone and his eyelids fell half shut as he blinked slowly.
Heizou waited as patiently as he could. It wasn't like Kazuha to be at a loss for words.
"I'm not sure. I can't say anything is particularly wrong. My nights have been more restless than normal and I have heard things that puzzle me. As much as I would like to say this is a friendly return trip home, I may be in need of a detective more than my partner at the moment."
Heizou was too worried about the way Kazuha was reacting to blush. They'd only been going out a few times. It was nothing more than dating and only when Kazuha was in town. The world 'boyfriend' was something both of them were too embarrassed to say out loud and 'partner' didn't get them as many looks as the former. It made it easy to relax and get to know each other at the same time.
He'd only heard Kazuha say the word towards him half a dozen times at most, and it made him happy to hear, but his focus went elsewhere quickly.
Kazuha was quick. He was smart. There were things Kazuha could do, and hear, and find out that Heizou only wished he could while he was on a case. If Kazuha needed his help, something was really wrong.
"Alright. Lets talk somewhere else about this. I need to know what's going on and what you've noticed. I can't really pinpoint what the problem is until I have more information. Have you eaten?" It didn't sound as if the case had to be discussed in private unless Kazuha stated that it did. The more he looked at him, the more he resembled his pale hair. "I'd be surprised if Captain Beidou didn't tell you to do so first thing after docking."
"She did. I wanted to be sure to visit you first. Don't worry, I'm not neglecting my meals. I do not have much of an appetite. I'm sorry if I've worried you somehow." Kazuha rubbed one of his eyes, relaxing. It was obvious he'd been stiff. Until they left, that would likely stay. "It is only my sleep that's been effected by it, and not terribly."
"You're like a cat. I've seen you sleep in the middle of that day if you're tired and didn't get rest. Your body needs it and wants it. If you can't sleep even when you feel like you have to, something is wrong. Come on, I'll pay." Heizou took out one of the clean sheets of parchment and wrote 'on a case' before placing it on his desk.
Inspector Kujou could be angry about his lack of work ethic all she wanted but he got the job done. When he found a case he wanted to investigate like this one, he wasn't going to stop. She knew it and this was all he needed to leave to stop half the force from going on a search looking for him if he didn't show up tomorrow.
There'd be an earful waiting for him if he took too long, but that was something he was used to dealing with.
Kazuha had arrived at a busy time. There were a lot of people having lunch and Heizou had gone to their typical spot on reflex. He was good with anything from a cart when he was on lunch himself, but for sitting down and talking it made things easier to be somewhere noisy and crowded.
The more people there were, the easier it was to have a conversation in public without issue.
Though Heizou had to give him a sideways look when Kazuha tried to decline lunch, they both had something ordered and sat comfortably around each other, making easier conversation while the food was ready. Kazuha spoke of Captain Beidou dropping off the supplies in Ritou where they'd be distributed to a few vendors that were working there, as well as some others across the islands.
From the sounds of it, the crew was planning to take a short break here while the weather was warm. The summer festival was still some time away but they weren't sure if they'd make it back in time to celebrate it, so Kazuha was giving him a warning in advance that he may not be there. It wasn't much of a surprise. Being a sailor didn't leave him much free time and, even if they were dating, he didn't expect Kazuha to be free for everything.
Heizou waited until the food was brought to them and he had a few bits himself before he spoke. His breakfast had been light and there was a high chance, depending on what Kazuha needed of him, that food may not be on his thoughts for a while.
"Can you tell me what's wrong?"
"It… it's a little complicated and not so complicated at the same time, though I don't mind sharing. You're one of the few that wouldn't find me words as silly as I do inside my own head." Kazuha chuckled, playing around with some of the rice in his bowl. "I have been hearing things, things that don't make sense to me. I have no place of reference for these sounds and they leave me uneasy."
Sounds were something else for Kazuha. Heizou couldn't hear half of what he could. It was as if his sensitivity was turned up double what humans were supposed to hear. "With your travels I do find it strange that sounds would disturb you."
"It's not as if they're… uncommon sounds. It's more that they're out of place." Kazuha was thinking and it was obvious it was having a hard time with his phrasing. Strange. That told a lot more about his issues than his words were. "Imagine you were to hear a clock and instead of a ticking sound you heard the sound of a river. That is the closest comparison I can give and even that is not what I wish I could provide you."
"Do you think something is off with your hearing? Or whatever you use to rely on your hearing?"
Kazuha shook his head. "No. I've always been able to hear things that others couldn't. It has been like a sixth sense or the like, since I was little. My Vision has helped a lot with the development of it but I don't believe anything is wrong with the winds. I don't sense anything off about them, and the scents they carry are the same. It is only the sounds that appear off."
"Hmm. Anything else?"
"Well…" Kazuha took a few small bites.
He continued eating, not looking at him as he entertained his food.
"That bad?"
"More I do not want you to think less of me for what I'm about to say. I have not spoken to Beidou about this either. I feared that she may have stopped our trip and have me looked at by a doctor. I don't believe I'm sick but I'm starting to become unsure of that fact the longer this continues. I have been sure that I am not in the beginning and I don't want to give into the thoughts so easily."
"Kazuha, if I think you're sick, I'll tell you. Whatever you decide to do is up to you, okay? Does that make you feel better?"
Kazuha let out a breath. "Yes. And I trust your words. Alright. I have… seen things. Things that have made me question if I'm awake or asleep. They have never been large things but small, out of the corner of my eye. A book I've placed down hours before will move, the pages turning before me as I'm in my bed or a door opening or closing that I've passed through. No one else has mentioned seeing any of these strange anomalies." Kazuha rubbed his eyes. "I have tried to ask. They only appear to happen when I'm alone."
"That's why you can't sleep well."
He nodded. "It is not as if I'm afraid. I don't think any of these actions are outwardly negative but they do appear to be aimed in my direction. Part of me is worried I will miss something I shouldn't. I am not sure if another part of me is worried about what could happen while I'm not awake. Will they worsen if I'm not there to witness them? I just don't know. I'm sorry for coming to you with this and not with open arms."
"Don't worry about it." Heizou wanted to hug him. Kazuha didn't need to burden himself more. "That's what I'm here for. I'm your partner and a damn good detective, right? I'll figure this out." He winked. "We've got this. So… for the time you're here, you're staying over. No leaving my side. Let's see if we can get anything to happen around me. I'd like to see some of these strange actions too."
Kazuha relaxed, his eyes half shutting.
Then he was leaning against him, half-tied hair tickling Heizou's neck as he leaned into him as much as their seats would allow. "Thank you."
Heizou couldn't help it. He leaned back into him, taking in the smell of the sea and everything Kazuha as he nuzzled into his hair. "Don't thank me yet. All I did was buy you lunch you barely touched. Eat. Then we can go for a short walk to my house and you can get some rest. You need it."
"Mmmm." Kazuha didn't move.
"You need to eat first."
"I'm comfortable here."
"I can see that." Heizou wrapped one of his arms around him, Kazuha's clothing dirty under his touch as he gave him the best hug he could. "But you need to care for yourself. I can take care of the bedding and wash, but you need to eat and walk there. People will question if I carry you back unconscious."
"I will welcome the questions. I no longer care about trying to court you in the shadows. I believe openly dating will pose little problems. We'll have to deal with it… eventually…"
Instead of running out of breath or thought, Kazuha started to fall asleep.
"Hey! Seriously, Kazuha! I'm fine with open affection but I really don't wan to carry you—… ahhh…" Heizou gave up.
Great.
Kazuha was more exhausted than he appeared.
He should have said something, the idiot.
Taking a few bites of his food that he could manage with his fingers, Heizou shifted. Carrying Kazuha back to his house from here really would get him questions and, more than that, Kazuha was a grown adult. No matter how much training he had, Kazuha was dead weight right now.
And his place was up hill.
There was no way to get him on his back without support so Heizou had to get him in his arms and do his best not to drop his unconscious loved one onto the ground. It was very hard. Kazuha was impossible.
The owner didn't mind when Heizou told him he'd pay him the next day, seeing his predicament and realizing he hadn't gotten the mora out before he'd attempted this impossible feat. Someone got the door for him, which he was grateful for.
The first five minutes of walking were the worst.
It had been a while since he'd stretched, let alone practiced anything. Martial arts were like second nature to him, basic breathing exorcises something he did at night and a little be of warm ups in the morning. It had been a long time since he'd been in a dojo though and the effort he needed to carry someone who weighed near his own weight was— probably a couple months, but still, he'd had adrenaline working for him then.
It was a hot day. Heizou was thankful for his choice in clothing but even with it, he was sweating by the time he was halfway to his place.
If Kazuha wasn't sleeping peacefully, with his panting above him and everything, as if he wasn't noticing his struggles, Heizou might drop him there and scold him for sleeping without eating.
It was a huge relief when, far longer than it should have taken, Heizou reached the front door and shruggled with the key in his pocket before he got the door open and stumbled inside without removing his shoes before dumping Kazuha on the couch.
He would have be softer about it if his arms weren't killing him.
Rotating his shoulders, Heizou let his muscles relaxing, stretching them out to get the fluids moving. That was more painful then it should have been and his muscles were screaming at him.
Kazuha woke slightly when he was plopped down before shutting his eyes against, half curling up on the sofa.
"Such a cat." Heizou continued his routine before he felt better.
Once that was done, he took both their shoes and left them at the door, locking it. Then he changed and took a shower because he felt sticky and disgusting. Kazuha would take one later, he was sure, after he rested. Though Heizou wanted to watch over him while he was sleeping, a few minutes rinsing off wouldn't hurt.
Changing into more comfortable clothes and removing his badge and other official items while he was at his place, he went back to the main room and sat on the table, watching Kazuha breath in and out calmly in his sleep.
Maybe he could get a book or something.
It was nice to watch Kazuha sleep. It wasn't often Heizou had the chance. When they slept, they often slept together and Kazuha was up at the same time he was, often sleeping once he had. In the dark, it wasn't easy to see the calmness that never quite fell over Kazuha the same way it did while he was awake.
Even more so now, he looked so much better than he did than when he had walked into the office.
"We could have come here instead of the restaurant, you idiot. Tell me next time."
Kazuha didn't answer and Heizou had to hold back every instinct to reach forward and brush his hair out of his face or fix his clothes or get a blanket. It was too warm, Kazuha needed to change, and right now he needed rest more than irritations that would wake him.
Heizou got comfortable, folding one leg over the other and letting arm rest on his leg and his chin rest on his hand in turn. Waiting was part of the detective game. Watching Kazuha while he was doing it was a bonus.
It was hard not to start zoning out and letting the natural lull of his house and it's noises relax him too far.
The sun went down as he watched the shadows grown. It was tempting to put on the lights but there was no reason. His vision was adjusting and the lights on both their sides gave off a faint light when the sun was eventually gone over the horizon.
Heizou felt his eyes shutting when all his senses jumped into action.
The front door unlocked. He heard it click out of place before the handle turned and door itself opened.
Heizou didn't move, listening.
There were no footsteps, no sound of breathing, no anything.
After a few minutes of silence Heizou stood. He went down the hall to turn where his door was. He stared at it, seeing it open to the semi-darkness outside, lit by a few distant streetlights.
Going forward, he shut and locked it again before returning to the table to sit, much more awake now as he renewed his vigilance on the rooms around him.
Approximately ten minutes later the burner in the kitchen turned on.
The light was bright and yet there were no shadows. The kitchen was jointed to the main room and yet there was no one to be seen to have started the fire.
Unable to leave a fire be, Heizou stood and shut that off as well. Leaving gas burning was a bad idea.
There was no other sound.
Waiting for at least an hour, Heizou went back to the main room, feeling his legs tire from standing in one place too long.
Kazuha was resting but it was becoming obvious restlessness was getting him. He was either dreaming or the world around him was effecting him. Those closed eyes were tightening now and then and Heizou could see his fingers flickering as his hand tightened.
Taking a new spot below the couch, Heizou placed his arm gently beside Kazuha. "You can rest."
Kazuha calmed down immediately, letting out a breath in his sleep.
Heizou narrowed his eyes, unable to see over the couch and into the rest of the room. He could hear though and he had to focus if he was going to stay where he was. Kazuha was right. Something strange was going on and, as of right now, he had no idea what it was.
The night passed slowly.
The door to his room opened.
Something was moved inside the bathroom — the door there never shifted. It didn't sound as if the object broke. He'd check in the morning.
He watched the curtains in the main room be pulled aside as if someone was holding them a moment before they fell. No one was at the window.
One of his books that was on the shelf fell to the floor. It was an older book he had on the regions. He wasn't sure what page it was opened to but a few pages were flipped through before the book stopped moving.
Then morning came.
Kazuha woke slowly with the sun, moving just as slowly, as if he was sore. "Heizou… I'm sorry. When did I— I didn't mean to fall asleep."
"You were tired. You should have told me." Heizou punched him lightly in the side. "Jerk." He said the word with a smile. "Meanwhile, I have some good news for you."
"Hm?" Kazuha sat up all the way, wiping an eye. "What is it?"
"I've seen the same things you have. You're not imaging them. I can't tell you why they're happening but it was going on while you were asleep." Heizou stood and sat next to him, feeling how stiff he was from not moving much. His hand went to his chin while he thought. "So they happen in front of you and now have happened in from of me. Odd. You said before it was only occurring while you were alone so I was worried nothing would happen while we were together. That is not the case. More so, there is no evidence of this being the actions of a person. Like you, I could only hear and see strange phenomena. Their cause is still an unknown."
"While I am slightly relieved about that, I am a bit more worried. I have been with Beidou for some time and nothing strange has happened when I was in her presence. Why has it only happened while I was with you?"
"Another good question." Heizou shut his eyes. "Nothing happened on the way here or at the restaurant. You would have noticed if I didn't. I don't want to assume it's because you're in Inazuma again then. Hmmm."
Kazuha was worried. A hand went to his leg but Heizou ignored it. He was thinking.
"Are you in danger?"
"I'm not sure what this is. I've heard of invisible things before but they were rumors or children's stories. This is the first time I've seen something like this happening and, of the stories that were told to me, the creatures I heard of were either youkai or monsters of some sort. Youkai are known to play tricks like this but if this started while you were in… Sumeru right? I doubt one would have wandered so far. That is where is started, isn't it?"
Kazuha nodded. "It was shortly after I had arrived though I couldn't give you a date. It's been nearly two months since I noticed the strange occurrences but no harm has come to me or those around me. It has only been difficult to sleep."
"Have they been getting more frequent? Last night at least half a dozen things moved that I noticed."
Kazuha nodded again. "I'm not sure if it was with time's passing or with drawing nearer to here, but they were more common while I was on the Alcor than while I was on land. I had assumed it was due to the fact that I had more time alone than I did while working on the docs and with gathering the transport supplies."
"Possible. I'm also a variable. Whatever this things it, it doesn't mind my presence, though you said it has singled out others, like Captain Beidou, before, and not made an appearance. Hmm." There was a lot to think about. There were also a lot of unknowns. There was a lot about Sumeru that he was unfamiliar with. "Aside from costing me some mora if I had let it be, I don't believe that anything last night meant either of us any harm, but I can't be sure. None of the actions this creature or thing took appeared connected as of yet."
"Are you sure you're safe. I can find a room nearby. It will be just as easy for you to investigate without endangering yourself or this house." Kazuha's hand tightened on his leg.
Heizou couldn't help the smile as his eyes opened. "Don't worry about it. I'd rather you be here and be in a familiar setting for both of us as we deal with this than a rented room. I don't mind a little inconvenience."
Kazuha's hand shifted to his face and Heizou drew back in shock, some of his hair being brushed aside as they stared into each others eyes.
"I kept you from sleep last night with this. I apologize."
"Don't." Heizou wasn't tired. He was curious and, until he started to sort out what was going on, his mind was working. He needed coffee and sugar. Sleep was the last thing on his mind. "I'm not tired. I like difficult cases like this." Stretching felt good. "Breakfast would be great if you're up for it. I'd like to keep watch, see if anything happens."
Kazuha snorted before letting out a real laugh. "You just want to watch me cook."
"I wouldn't mind that either."
"Very well. As compensation for your hard work, I will make breakfast. I hope you do not mind me taking from your ice box and using your rice. I hope you remembered to shop this week."
"I did. There should be a weeks worth of fish in there, a small bird — sorry, I didn't know you'd be here so soon or I would have bought two — some fruits and vegetables I froze, and some sakura sake."
Kazuha stopped after he had gotten up, eyeing him. "Have you been drinking a lot? That is a very strong spirit."
"Only when I need it. It's half a bottle. Don't touch it while you're here, by the way. If you have a drink I don't you'll be talking coherently for a week."
Kazuha shook his head with a smile and disappeared behind him into the kitchen. "Keep it to a minimum, please Heizou. For your health. I'd like someone to come back to."
"I will, mother."
"Call me that again and this dating will turn into something you will not be happy with, son."
Heizou blushed. "Right, right. Not doing that again. I said I wasn't drinking much. I'll buy something without alcohol in it later. I can usually get it while I'm at work so I don't keep much at home. You know that. So… while you're cooking, answer me a few questions?"
"As much as I can. What would you like to know?"
Heizou stayed on the couch, listening as Kazuha moved items around, turning on the water to wash the rice. He didn't need to face him to know if anything was wrong. He'd hear it. Even if his senses weren't as good as his partners, his hearing was still more than decent.
"Were you doing anything in Sumeru when this first started?"
"Not anything I wouldn't normally do. I first noticed the third day after we were docked, while I was alone in the cabin I occupy while onboard. I thought I heard footsteps near me. When I looked there was no one there. There was no one outside my door either when I opened it to check. Nothing else happened that day but I cannot forget how uneasy I was. The following day some folded clothing I had laid out were knocked to the floor though there were no waves."
"So, your third day there… I'm guessing Sumeru itself had nothing to do with it then, since it didn't start the first day you arrived. What about places you visited? I know you like to go around and check out everywhere you can when you arrive somewhere. Any new places you went to, areas you discovered, anything at all?"
"Typically I only do that sort of thing when visiting Liyue. The country is… odd. There are many places hidden from sight and they are difficult for the regular populace to reach. My Vision helps grant me access to those wonders and I find joy in the sights there. As for Sumeru, I did not go anywhere except the port. We were exceptionally busy those first few days and I did not get the chance to wander."
"Did you buy anything? Talk to anyone strange? Touch anything? Even the smallest event could be important."
"Not that I recall. Captain Beidou spoke to the man and his workers who were providing the provisions we shipped here. I was beside her but I did not take part in negotiations. The shops were nearby but I did not have the time to see the wares. After she was done with her work, most of us went back to the ship while he readied the amount needed for the shipment."
"You didn't all touch the same boxes."
"Heizou." He could hear the raised eyebrow in his name. "I cannot tell you which boxes I touched but the chances that I unloaded the same ones I brought on board are slim. Besides, it took us two days to load all of the boxes and it only started happening after the second one. While there was a chance that I did come into contact with something strange, there is an even higher chance that someone else would have done so as well."
"And would they have told Captain Beidou? You didn't."
"That is… different. I knew I could speak with you instead."
Heizou was quiet. Kazuha really trusted him. Were it anyone else, the words would have meant little. He was well known as a detective. A lot of people came to him with important cases that they couldn't turn to anyone else with.
This was Kazuha though. Kazuha could take care of himself. Kazuha could go to anyone he wanted to for help. If anyone were to have connections around the world, and get help with anything without consequence, Heizou would bet it was the man in his kitchen right now.
And he had come to him. It warmed his heart. That was a lot of trust.
Now to figure out what was going on.
Out of the corner of his eye, Heizou watched the curtains move again, like an invisible wind brushed them.
His windows were closed.
The noise in the kitchen stopped. Kazuha had been doing something with a knife, likely cleaning the fish. "Are you alright? It feels strange in here."
"Nothing to worry about." The smile was easy. There was no worry in his heart right now, only excitement. "You can keep cooking."
"Hmm. Sometimes I am not sure if you're being too optimistic or keeping secrets."
"Just the wind. Seriously, Kazuha, stop worrying so much. If something was wrong, I'd tell you. Any little thing moving shouldn't startle you anymore if this has been going on for months now. Relax, we're both fine."
"I— Okay, I will but make me a promise. I want to you tell me if the situation becomes dangerous to either of us."
An easy promise. It didn't mean he'd stop investigating even if it did. "Promise."
Lying to Kazuha in the short and long run was a bad idea anyway.
Kazuha went back to cooking while he rested his arm on the table in front of him, watching the window. Nothing appeared there, just like last night. So, this thing didn't care if it were light or dark out. There was no connection to an object that he knew of, and he'd have to do some digging into Sumeru once he had a chance to get to the small library in the city.
Going to the publishing house was a bad idea. The Miko would never let him go once she got her hands on him. It was more her editors than the woman herself that he was scared of. They were always looking for a good story and he'd provided them with a few too many in the past. They were like vultures now whenever he passed by and his cousin didn't help matters, giving him away whenever he went to visit, so he did his best to hide from her now too.
While he was still thinking, Kazuha came back into the main room with two bowls of pan fried fix and rice. Heizou was more than happy to take it and eat, his body wanting food badly as his mind craved the nutrients.
Another part of him watched Kazuha, making sure he ate this time.
"You should have had lunch yesterday."
"I needed rest more than food. Thank you for watching over me as I slept. I was able to get a peaceful night's rest because of it and a good meal now. I appreciate it. This is part of my thanks for your hard work." The coy smile on Kazuha's face was rare as he licked his lips. "The other part will come later, when the case is solved."
Heizou blushed, his mind now a mess. Thank you, Kazuha! That does not help. Doing his best to get his thoughts back in order, he shook his head. "I have a few ideas but most of them are wild guesses. I need to know more about Sumeru to narrow it down. I have heard of invisible creatures in most nations, we are far from the only one. Here, we have Youkai. I have heard that Sumeru has spirits that work with the dendro archon. I find it hard to believe they'd leave the nation to follow you."
"The aranara." Kazuha nodded. "There are many stories of those that the children there tell. They are supposed to be playful or helpful depending on the story. I, too, find it difficult to believe that a creature native to the land would find it in them to follow me here. If I cannot interact with them, it is more sad than not, and I don't see a reason to keep itself hidden from the others."
"The others with me as an exception." Heizou raised a finger. "That's what I keep wondering about. Why me? Why am I the exception? What would decide that? Captain Beidou is a good friend and companion to you. You'd confide in her. This time is a rare one but that is only because you were headed here. So… why? That is why my thoughts being it's one of those is even lower. It can't read minds, at least I have never heard of them doing so. So unless it knew you were going to speak with me to discover it, I don't believe it would remain hidden until now."
"That makes sense… I suppose. So both those reasons make it unlikely but possible."
Heizou nodded. "A traveling youkai is just as possible but they don't have to remain hidden. If this one wanted us to see it, it would. It's not which is strange. If it was trying to toy with just you it wouldn't have shown itself to me. It would have kept tormenting you in secret, to make others disbelieve you. It didn't so I find it being a youkai just as unlikely."
"You're whittling down the options without having to do much research."
"There could be more lifeforms aside from those you called the aranara that I'm unfamiliar with. I didn't recall their name other than they were fairy-like before you spoke it. If I'm overlooking possibilities I'll be angry with myself for doing so. Having only an option or two at the moment shouldn't be my conclusion."
Humming to himself at the two instances that could possibility be, Kazuha let him think. It was only after his food had gone cold and neglected that he found himself prodded with a chopstick and a bit on the end.
"You encouraged me to eat. Please, finish breakfast at the least. I know you have gotten no sleep last night. Would you like to discuss with me what you're current thoughts are?"
"I only have two options. Both are a little outlandish so you'll have to bare with me the way I did with you." Raising an eyebrow, Heizou couldn't help but smirk at Kazuha. "No thinking me a little reaching for answers."
"I would never."
Heizou raised a finger. "Keep in mind this is without new information. First option, you picked up a stalker, someone who realized you'd be staying with me and doesn't care to hide their presence around me. This person has the ability to manipulate object but only in a small space or of a certain weight or mass. That is why nothing large has moved and why no harm as come to either of us."
"I would have noticed eyes on me."
"Likely. So my thoughts on it being this are either low or the person is able to mask the sounds they make. If they can move the air around them — and I have seen it, it's likely they can control the sound they emit as well. My thoughts on it being a stalker and having this kind of power, though, as I said, are low. They'd have to have an anemo Vision and that would glow using it anywhere near us. I didn't see anything of the like last night. There is a possibility of someone able to use anemo without a Vision, so I won't rule that out completely."
"Possible." Kazuha nodded. "Your second option?"
The grin on his face couldn't be more authentic. "A ghost."
Kazuha laughed. It was rare to hear more than a few chuckles from him so hearing the seconds of laughter both lifted his heart and made him blush at the thought he was being laughed at.
"Heizou, I know you really want to find a ghost story, but I have heard few to none from this land. Only in places where the souls have a difficult place to depart from have there been whispers and Sumeru is not one of them. I find it unlikely I picked up a foreign ghost and brought it back here, only for it to show itself to you."
"Yes, I was considering that too until I thought more about it. Sumeru isn't a place rich in spirits but it is known for something else." Heizou patted the sofa. "Ley lines."
"Hm?"
"The ley lines in Sumeru. I haven't thought much about them. To us, energy enriches the land. It doesn't have a great impact on the world around us. There have been visual phenomena recorded as well as sounds and the like from ley lines. In Sumeru they reach the closest to the surface, which is why the soil is rich and the plant life abundant in those areas, or so I'm told. I'm certain climate has something to do with it as well, but I won't forsake legends when they have proven to be correct in the past."
Kazuha lost his smile, a calmness washing over him. "I was at the docs and roamed into the forest on several occasions while we were waiting for transport to be readied. It has not been my first time in those woods but it is possible…"
"Do you know how long it's since the Vision Hunt Decree had need started now, not when it was abolished?"
"Hm?" Kazuha was like a curious cat, his expression changing as Heizou made his thoughts shift. "More than a year. I can't say I've been keeping track of the date."
"Not a date you'd like, I'm sure. There were a lot of backdoor talks and issues going on that kept me busy as well that I can't be certain of the date myself. I can, however, tell a different date. I remember the summer rains. I remember… other bad memories." Thinking he'd lost Kazuha when he'd first started to know him, had feelings for him that he hadn't spoken back then, and then been charged with arresting him had been and would be one of his least pleasant memories for the rest of his life.
Kazuha was quick to catch on. "I wasn't harmed."
"You were." Heizou reached out and grabbed Kazuha's hand. Under the bandage there were burn marks that were still healing. Even with salve it would be a few more years before they were cleared up enough that Kazuha could remove them without being questioned. "But that wasn't why I dredged up old memories. I was giving a reason why there may be an anomaly that could have started happening in Sumeru, around this time, and have followed you back to Inazuma."
If ghosts were real, there was one that would forever be reaching out to Kazuha. One person and memory that Heizou would never want to override in Kazuha's memory and had been there long before him, helping Kazuha when he hadn't been able to.
Both of them were silent, their even breathing the only sound in the house as Heizou let that sink in.
"You think it's Tomo…?"
"It's only a possibility."
"How high of a possibility? You claimed your first thoughts were unlikely. What about this one?"
Heizou hummed out a sigh. "I can't say for sure. Higher than the others. It's the only reason I can think of for the strange occurrences to not reject me. It's not as if we didn't know each other. I wasn't as close as the two of you but we were good acquaintances still. As for Captain Beidou, he never had a chance to meet her. It's the only reason I'm voicing my thoughts. Me being a factor in this is odd and I don't have many reasons to justify that. I have no connection to Sumeru."
"I have heard of memories of the past being relayed through ley lines, but… spirits?"
It was one of the reasons Heizou had been unsure of speaking up. He knew nothing of ghosts. For years he'd been trying to find a ghost story he could work on. There were so many questions without answers. How amazing it would be to get a few to the greatest mystery — what came after. This life couldn't be all there was and, even if it was, why ghosts? Why remain in a place where you had lost your life?
Snapping himself out of those thoughts, questions would help neither of them, Heizou shrugged. "That's something I don't have the answers to. I'd like to learn them, if you want. I'm not giving up on this case unless you want me to."
There was chance Kazuha wouldn't want it solved. It might make everything stop.
And 'finding an answer' might not be what he wanted.