EYE OF THE STORM | k.kazuha

08: THE BANQUET II

SIDENOTE: Crow's nest is the little place up in the ship. The one above the sails :]] Had to learn ship anatomy for this-

The rest of the night was all a fuzz to you. It must have been the sake messing with your memory, you thought.

You laid on your bed, a bit tipsy, but a childish grin on your face nonetheless.

"Hmm~ Hmm Hm Hmm~ Da da da da~" You hummed the tune of the song you and Kazuha slow danced to. You fiddled with a piece of mora as you remembered the title. Color, was what the band said it was called.

Still humming, you lay on your side, feeling a sense of sleepiness washing over you. Today was a good day, and you only hoped that tomorrow would be too.

🍁

The second day of the banquet, more or less, went down the same way. It was less crowded, seeing as the first day was filled with people even from outside the Crux. The second day, rather, was filled with close friends and family of the crew.

You and Kazuha didn't join the festivities, not having any close friends or family to invite in the first place.
You weren't exactly in the mood to dance either, and he can no longer use your first meeting as an excuse.

"I was stranded in the ocean for more than a week. Fortunately, I made it to Liyue right before I passed out. I woke up by the dock, a few fishermen helping me up. I... you know, and then set off to find shelter for the night. The next day, I met you."

Your story of reaching Liyue was quite different from his. Whilst he had the privilege of meeting Beidou, you had to use what you had. It was quite impressive to him how you survived such a journey.

"You said you were raised by Nobushis, how was that like?" Kazuha asked.

"Well, my whole childhood was filled with banditry, sometimes kidnappings, and in worst cases... other criminal activity. I never liked it, but it wasn't like I had a choice." You explained, looking at the sea.

"What about you?"

"I was the last son of my clan. Unfortunately, once the fortune was time to be passed down to me, there was nothing left but the title of Kaedehara. That is when I started wandering. I do not mind that I was left with nothing but my sword, in fact, I was quite relieved."

"So you were pretty important in Inazuma, huh... Funny, I'm a former bandit talking to a nobleman."

Kazuha chuckled whilst you continued gazing at the sea. It was dark, but the reflection of the lanterns made it look like a starry sky. It reminded you of Yoimiya's fireworks during her shows or festivals.

"What made you leave the Nobushi?" Kazuha asked, making you pause for a moment.

You felt an ache bubble up in your chest. Kazuha noticed how your mood changed, about to apologize until you looked towards the blonde. A look of sadness was in your eyes while your lips held a smile.

"There was a little girl I met back in Amakane Island. She has the cutest eyes, so big and round. She had pale blue hair and the kindest heart." You said, your tone softer than what he was used to.

Yui was your only thing left. Was.

"I see she's very important to you. I'm sure she understands why you left." Kazuha said, placing a comforting hand above yours while you nodded.

A moment of silence was shared, yet it was comfortable.

"Do you... wanna get away from the banquet for a bit?" Kazuha suggested. You only gave a nod of approval before standing up and following the samurai.

He led you back into the Alcor where there were no sailors in sight. He climbed up to the crow's nest, looking back down to see you nervous.

It wasn't that you feared heights, it just... made you a little nervous. You followed shortly behind, the shaky rope scaring you a bit.

"Don't worry, I'll catch you if you fall," Kazuha called from above, sensing your worries.

"You better!"

Fortunately, you made it up safe and sound. It was quite a view from where you stood.

The moonlight glazed the ocean, whilst you could overlook the city and the nightlight. The soft breeze cooled you down as you took a seat beside Kazuha. Your feet were dangling in the air as you let the wind hit your face.

"You can see the light emitting from the Grand Narukami Shrine from here." Kazuha pointed out.

He was right, there was indeed a strange light coming from Inazuma's direction.

"The Alcor somehow always anchors at a place that faces Inazuma. When I miss my hometown, I sit here for a little bit."

"What's your hometown like?"

"It was beautiful, especially during fall when the streets would be littered with crimson leaves."

"I'd love to see it. Let's visit it together one day. Of course, only when we're both ready."

Kazuha was pleasantly surprised by your words. He faced you, seeing you look ahead. He smiled before leaning back.

"Yes, let's do that."