|Goodbye Again| kazuscara

一

Kazuha nodded and took one end of the fabric to pull over to the other side to tie. "By the way, what should I call you?" he wondered why the Inazuman allowed him to travel along, even if they hardly knew each other.

As the sea flows, the other feels the sound of the waves calming him, thank an Archon it did, any more dirt on him and he would have lost it. He had to think of a name. Giving up his name or any part of it would immediately provide his identity, and that was far from what he wanted. "Erm, well...I'll tell you my name once the time comes. In the meantime, feel free to call me whatever you like." Even if the decision was impromptu, it saved him the growing dread as he waited for that question.

"A name..? Let me think then..." As poetically gifted Kazuha was with poetry and connecting with nature, giving someone a nickname was completely out of the question. "How about just 'Wanderer' for now?" he smiled.

Setting up the tent, the other tilts his head as he goes over to find another large piece of fabric, laying it down so he doesn't get as dirty as nature intended. He plopped down onto the fabric with a sigh of relief, "That'll do."

Now that that was settled, now they could rest. Kazuha glanced at Wanderer, thinking more about what secrets he had. Was it too cold for him? Or is the ocean too loud? Did the sand bother him when it got into his shoes or was he bothered by his presence? He had many questions, but he decided to allow Wanderer to slowly open up to him. After all, Kazuha wouldn't like it if someone were to pressure him into answering personal questions.

Wanderer shifts as he takes off his sandals to blow sand out of them, only to realize the fabric wouldn't work minimizing the dirtiness on him. Growing more and more irritated, brushing off as much sand as he can, but the wind just loves annoying him to the core.

"This wind is being a little...!" He stopped, realizing he was about to lose his facade, immediately bringing it back up. "Windy!.." He puts a small smile on his face, though hesitation was obvious in his tone.

Kazuha laughed a little and nodded. He didn't know why Wanderer had been so good at building tents, but it also seemed it wasn't from experience.

"You don't camp out too often, hm?" he said as he took off his haori to place onto the floor next to the other.

"I could go look for more to keep the wind out if you'd like."

Kuni- no, Wanderer's eyes widened, immediately softening them, smiling at Kazuha and flipping a mora towards him.

"Thank you so much, here's something for that, I don't like physical touch so you get mora instead, also no, I don't camp too often."

He laughed.

He truly felt grateful, if the wind had gotten any more in his way his veil could have been blown away, along with putting his haori on the floor for him.

Kazuha caught the coin and put it in his pocket along with the rest of the mora. At this rate, he would be able to buy another haori with how much the other gave him. This gave him an idea.

"I'll be back with more then. I won't go too far," he said as he waved and set out along the shore.

Wanderer nodded to Kazuha, waving him goodbye. He watched as Kazuha left along the distance of the shore until he couldn't see him. It was quiet again.

Then he remembered he can run around. So, he got up and ran around the beach, feeling the cold wind rush through his long indigo hair and the odd enjoyment of getting dizzy. He hadn't felt so free as then. It felt amazing to the Prince, running in circles around the tent. The sand getting between his sandals didn't bother him as much anymore. If anything, he would trade being uncomfortable and dirty for being cooped up back in Tataratsuna.

When Kazuha came back, he could see Wanderer running around in circles like a child. He smiled and began to set up a fire in front of the tent without bothering the other. He was glad to have approached him after docking in Liyue.

Wanderer began to stop and turn to Kazuha, immediately turning away to sit back down as if he were caught doing something illegal.

"You really are interesting," Kazuha muttered with a smile before he set the rest of the spare fabric around the tent just as Wanderer had taught him.

Gaining the courage to look at Kazuha, he sees a fire in front of his very eyes, he could feel a finger twitch at the sight of it. "I.. guess?"

Wanderer tilted his head in confusion, mouthing his words of 'Thank You' for minimizing the wind before noticing something in the sand. "What is that bamboo thing?" He lifted his eyebrow, pointing at the item.

Kazuha just finalized the tent, now with patchworks of all worn cloth, but much better than before. He turned to Wanderer and smiled as he picked up the bamboo hat he had found to show him.

He placed it on his head and motioned towards the other, "I saw it in an abandoned camp nearby and figured you might like it along with your veil."

He took it off with one swift motion and handed it to Wanderer, "You don't have to feel compelled to take it, but travelling under the sun for prolonged periods of time might hurt you. I do take you to intend to go somewhere distant, yes?"

The prince looks at Kazuha, then takes another look at the hat, before motioning to take it from the other, "I do like keeping cool, thank you." He began to stand up closing his eyes before turning around to take off his veil, putting the hat on before sliding the veil over the hat and his face.

Kazuha looked away just in case, even if his curiosity screamed at him to sneak a peak. He didn't want to get on the bad side of Wanderer so soon.

"I'm gonna be travelling a long way for my destination, so I really do thank you for this." Wanderer looked at him, before tossing another piece of mora in return.

When Kazuha turned back around, another coin came flying in his direction which he caught. He laughed and put it in his pocket, "I do wonder how many good deeds I can do before your mora runs dry, but thank you as well."

"Quite a long time," Wanderer pat his pockets making the mora clang together.

Kazuha sat down near the fire, sitting on a spare log and motioned inside the tent. "You could get some rest first. I'll keep watch just in case," he said as he pats the sheathed katana at his side.

Wanderer watches Kazuha sit down near the fire. His finger twitched. "Ah, thank you, but I insist on keeping watch next time," he announced, walking over to the tent, and waving to Kazuha. "Goodnight."

Kazuha sensed something he couldn't put into words emanating from Wanderer, but he decided not to question it too much, "Goodnight. See you in the morning."

As he lay down, he brought himself to focus on the sounds of the sea and the crackle of the fire. He began to wonder if The Tri-Commission was still after him.

All the while the traveller slept, Kazuha kept the fire kindled nicely. The wood that burned created a nice scent that carried with the ocean breeze. The moon was hidden behind the clouds high above, but he felt at ease.

Just before he decided to get some shut-eye, he glanced at the tent once more before he leaned back to look up at the stars. "I wonder what secrets tomorrow holds," he whispered to the winds before sleep washed over him.