Having a skip to three days into the future of the previous read, Scaramouche had come to notice that he should go to Sumeru to check on Nahida or the Dendro archon. Still, he was adamant about it, wanting to stay in Inazuma but reminding himself he'll only be gone for a singular week, still, his friend, he didn't want to leave because of his stupid wine-red hair and gentle smile. He did ask Heizou about it and Heizou told him to go, go check on the archon and have a nice week with them, reassuring him he'd be fine. So now in the present, Heizou was watching as Scaramouche left for Sumeru.
The sun was rising and Heizou hoped that Scaramouche wouldn't forget about him the week he was gone, he would be devastated at losing another person in his life, he did have an anemo vision for a reason after all, just like his friend. Heizou did have work so that's what he did, working on some minor treasure hoarder cases and came to the commission with sometimes minor injuries. Sara would be extremely concerned when this happened and started visiting Heizou in his office more as he seemed less talkative. Soon she learned that Scaramouche was off in Sumeru or will be in a day or two for an entire week before coming back to Inazuma. Sara visited Heizou everyday to bring him all different foods from uyuu restaurant and check up on his wellbeing, having a casual conversation with Sara just made him think of a mother, she gave the feeling of a mother when around him.
Now Heizou has finished the cases he was assigned for the week he had nothing to do, he did go to sara for advice and a day later she came to his door with a bag of something that was yet to be revealed. "Hello Heizou, may I be able to come inside?" Heizou agreed and Sara walked inside, taking off her shoes and following Heizou to the couch with the bag in her hands. She opened the bag sheepishly and showed Heizou what she had got him, it was some food from Uuyu restaurant and some seeds for different trees, flowers and berries. Heizou who was struck with a feeling of gratitude, couldn't stop thanking Sara for the 'trouble' as he himself put it, Sara called it a gift and didn't think it was any trouble at all.
Sara left for the commission as her own work wasn't done and just took a small break to deliver the simple gifts to Heizou; Heizou was in his garden picking out spots to plant the berries, one of the species was from mondstat and Heizou never got to ask how Sara got them, but the beautiful pink berries termed as valberries. He planted them along the edges mirroring the other side as all of the valberries were placed to keep the garden looking like the exact replica of the opposite side to the other. Planting the flower seeds up to the front as the specific breed of flower grows low and wouldn't make an appearance at the back or middle of the garden.
By sunset Heizou felt accomplished with his garden, Fresh soil on top of the seed that he himself had sewn across the ground; water dripped from the old watering can he used to water every single plant that had and was living in his back yard, the water was watering every plant today including the new additions that Sara had given him, not to mention Scaramouche was supposed to arrive back to Inazuma the next morning, he was exceptionally excited to be able to greet his friend at the docks in the sunlight. He smiled at the realization he would have his friend back and smiled at the fond memories they had recently made together, smiling at his existence.
The sun was coming down and the blazing hot of the noon was replaced with a subtle breeze of the evening, cherishing this moment as always, Heizou picked berries and some flowers while the sun was beginning to rest. As stars decided to start littering the sky with light, he went inside to start making some food for his dinner, it was a simple food, little known fact about Heizou he quite enjoys making his own food most of the time, although he eats out during workday lunches as his own home is rather far on the out skirts of Inazuma city and a decent walk away from the high-ranking commission headquarters. He made and ate dinner with a smile before once again retiring his outfit and tossing it aside for laundry tomorrow and grabbing his night robe before sitting on his futon with the ability to sleep.
Still, thoughts raced through his mind, would Scaramouche even be happy to see him? Would he have decided he wanted to stay in Sumeru and abandon Heizou? What if he wasn't at the docks? Would Scaramouche still care about him? Heizou scolded his brain while tucking himself in, no tears fell from the thought, but it still hurt to know it was a possibility. A possibility that Heizou was scared would come true, if not tomorrow then in due time. 'Due time'... he hated the word, it meant that it was going to happen, he just had time to start preparing for it, but preparation would never stop from the struggle of the real thing, mentally or physically. Nothing can prepare you for something you might lose, nothing will, and nothing hurts more than loving something for it to only leave, even if it has happened, it hurts every single time... not matter what you do or try to do to make the pain fade, when it leaves it hurts... maybe in different ways but it will hurt not matter what you do, not matter if you talk about it, the thing comes back, you ignore your feelings, it'll hurt. And that is something Heizou will never be ready for, ever.
The sun started to shine through a small window with shadows of paper flowers Heizou made over the years he's lived here. Groaning he rolled over and looked through the window towards the islands past the mountain. Having a stroke of realization, Heizou got up and got changed and left his house in a hurry, Scaramouche was supposed to appear at the docks 20 minutes after the sun started to rise, 20 minutes. The wind moved his hair across his face and looked along the ocean seeing a small boat go to the docking area and he was relived, it was the exact boat Scaramouche had left on, it would make sense for it to be the one to bring his best friend back. He waited at the entrance and soon saw a hand waving in the oh-so familiar way he was always welcomed by.
