KINTSUGI ⊳jin sakai x yuna

じゅういち (eleven)

Kin is colder than he remembers it to be. A think blanket of snow covers their surroundings where ash doesn't. The moon is on the horizon, and Yuna rides beside him, shoulders raised and chin lowered in an attempt to preserve her body heat.

Jin's own breath fogs his vision while he speaks.

"We just need to cross that bridge over there and that'll be it."

"Good. The horses need a rest." Yuna rubs her palms together before blowing warm air on them. "And they're not the only ones."

Jin huffs, then agrees. His back feels sore, as do his legs. Laying down on a tatami mat, no matter how cold his surroundings are, sounds like heaven.

"Jin, wait—"

He looks at Yuna, then follows her glance. There are figures standing in the pampas grass across the river, and also near the small barn and house.

Of course someone had gotten there before they did.

"Mongols." He concludes based on their armor. "Let's walk."

He doesn't finish his sentence before Yuna already dismounts from Hotaru and reaches for her bow.

He follows, unsheathing his katana. Fighting again had been unavoidable, but still, he would much rather not have to do it now.

As if she had sensed his thoughts, Yuna turns to look at him over her shoulder, her hand barely grazing the arrows in the quiver on her back.

"Do you feel strong enough to fight?" She asks. "We can try to look for shelter somewhere else if not. Your call."

He shakes his head no.

"Let's take out as many of them as we can silently." Jin crouches, though his muscles protest against every move. "Follow me."

Together, they sneak under the cover of the pampas grass. When they encounter the first two enemies, only a fugitive glance is enough for the two of them to come to an agreement. Jin sneaks towards the enemy on his left, Yuna towards the other, and almost in perfect synchronization, they dart out of the grass just enough to knock the mongols over, then sit their throats.

The process repeats itself with the remaining enemies that are in killing range. Even just an extra pair of hands speeds up the process immensely, Jin notes. And it's refreshing to have someone that adapts to his approach by his side, much unlike Masako, Ishikawa, or any other samurai, really.

They meet again beside the river, and Jin can't help but notice how different Yuna looks when she kills: face devoid of emotion, brows furrowed with concentration, blood on her face and clothes. If anything, the mongols should fear her, not the Ghost.

"I'll sneak around the house," she whispers, nodding at the building across the river. "And climb onto the roof."

"Good. I'll climb the barn."

"And tear open the healing wound on your shoulder?"

"I won't." Jin argues, slight frown on his face. He's been useless for long enough; it needs to end now. Letting Yuna take care of the remaining mongols all by herself is out of the question. "Come on."

If they didn't need the shelter, he would have simply tossed a smoke bomb into the house, then finished off the remaining mongols. Unfortunately, they have to work as non-invasively as possible.

They cross the bridge together, then split up. Jin finds a hole to squeeze through the shabby wooden fence, which just so happens to be behind the barn.

What unfortunately isn't behind the barn is a box, or just anything to climb onto first before making it to the roof.

With an annoyed exhale, Jin leaps upwards, grabbing the edge of the roof with both hands, and finds that Yuna had been right. His shoulder starts to hurt like he's been shot with an arrow again.