kaedehara kazuhaβπ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
scarletleaves) wrote2021-06-30 10:11 pm
scarletleaves) wrote2021-06-30 10:11 pm
for β qiquan
( more and more, it seemed as though the Masterless Vision would become kin with the last samurai of the waning Kaedehara Clan β two wanderers with nowhere to call home.
or no one, perhaps.
Captain Beidou and her crew have been an anchor to Kazuha, so long adrift in the sea of the world that the ocean carrying them together felt like nothing other than a simple change of scenery. residing on the Alcor for a time was a small return to being rather static, the ornate battle capsule giving him a renewed taste of idle life, a strange juxtaposition of movement and staying still. he liked working, contributing to the ship and crew, and musing on the presence of the natural world when every horizon around is nothing but varying shades of blue. a reprieve from movement and survival β effort and musing, a tandem, the ebb and flow under the aquatic deep and the open sky.
the scent of sky, of ozone, the strangely-dry scent that precedes...rain.
has he lost his land legs? now out of Guyun Forest and on the continent of Teyvat, Kazuha feels the phantom shifting of the rocking deck under his feet as he stands on the wooden pier of the harbor, but... it's nothing more than a matter of returning to his roots.
which will have to be fiercely remastered. the hour is growing late, and when Kazuha breathes in, eyes closed and lips parted, he tastes the flavor of the incoming storm even stronger than half an hour ago. roiling clouds are coming in almost completely masked by the moonless night sky, the stars only visible when he gazes up and northward. as if Baal herself were sending out one last swipe of her rage at his back, where his Anemo vision glows like a quaint beacon in return toward his home land.
there aren't many merchants still awake and present on the harbor this late, but there are still a few. from one, Kazuha can manage to purchase a wide-brimmed hat for field tilling. the merchant asks him if he's come to Liyue to take up work. Kazuha smiles softly and affixes the wide hat atop his head. 'No. The only umbrellas you sell are paper. They will not hold against the coming rain.'
the merchant packs his wares quickly when Kazuha departs, rain drops pin-pricking along the delicate and vibrantly-colored decorative umbrellas on display.
the rain begins and it builds quite fast. the only inns in Liyue Harbor have filled occupancy, an unexpected ripple from the waves that Captain Beidou's tournament has caused, according to the receptionists turning him away with regret. Kazuha is directed to Wangshu Inn by every one, and it's the third and final receptionist that he asks for the necessary whereabouts β and it's quite a walk, apparently.
'No matter. Where there are roads, my feet will continue to carry me.'
though it is not due to the middling severity of the downpour that sinks Kazuha's head into a somewhat heavier slump as he walks down the alley of Liyue's city β but a desire to rest on solid earth. being swayed to sleep at night once they cleared the turbulent storms of the Raiden's tempest has been a pleasant experience, but nonetheless an undeniable experience in freely floating with nowhere to clamp safely onto in a moment's notice. serene earth can shudder and peel open with a deadly force, same as tranquil water can churn and become a serrated blade, but... something about the earth underfoot here...
ah, the land of the Geo Archon. perhaps that is why Kazuha finds it feels so magnetic under his feet β carved with intent and great care, curated and cherished for eons. made for its people to thrive upon. Kazuha would greatly like to rest here tonight.
but the rain falls heavier and faster as he begins to reach the northern upper half of the city, the water becoming like a sheet and difficult to cut through. even his hat is beginning to soak through, the cool water slowly saturating his hair.
he will have to find other means for resting tonight. Kazuha darts up the stairs into Feiyun's Slope's elevated and maze-like avenues of local businesses. it's under the relief of the winding stairs here that he can pause in safety from the rain. )
Winds bring the tidings of change, and with rain, the washing dust of the past they exchange. A clean slate. Albeit a dreary one...
( never one to shy from weaving his musings into verbal threads for the open air, Kazuha's soft voice does not snap into silence when he senses something else in his vicinity β quite. he catches a scent in the air, difficult to do over the rain that dominates all of the present senses, of a flower foreign to him; the perfume of it is almost earthy but still soft and floral, and with it, something...utterly perplexing. the quality of it reminds Kazuha of the ancestral shrine in his old family home, of the wardrobes of heirlooms, ancient samurai helmets and masks worn for protection and detailed into the faces of supernatural beings to intimidate their adversaries. old metal and countess generations of lives lived, come and gone, from breathing in the present tense, to static and quiet in the past tense.
it's a reaction that Kazuha cannot stub out when it sparks in his nervous system β his curiosity alight in an instant, at the waist, he swivels his perception around, realizing that he hears footsteps softly upon the wooden slats of this deck he is apparently found to be sharing with someone else at this moment. )
or no one, perhaps.
Captain Beidou and her crew have been an anchor to Kazuha, so long adrift in the sea of the world that the ocean carrying them together felt like nothing other than a simple change of scenery. residing on the Alcor for a time was a small return to being rather static, the ornate battle capsule giving him a renewed taste of idle life, a strange juxtaposition of movement and staying still. he liked working, contributing to the ship and crew, and musing on the presence of the natural world when every horizon around is nothing but varying shades of blue. a reprieve from movement and survival β effort and musing, a tandem, the ebb and flow under the aquatic deep and the open sky.
the scent of sky, of ozone, the strangely-dry scent that precedes...rain.
has he lost his land legs? now out of Guyun Forest and on the continent of Teyvat, Kazuha feels the phantom shifting of the rocking deck under his feet as he stands on the wooden pier of the harbor, but... it's nothing more than a matter of returning to his roots.
which will have to be fiercely remastered. the hour is growing late, and when Kazuha breathes in, eyes closed and lips parted, he tastes the flavor of the incoming storm even stronger than half an hour ago. roiling clouds are coming in almost completely masked by the moonless night sky, the stars only visible when he gazes up and northward. as if Baal herself were sending out one last swipe of her rage at his back, where his Anemo vision glows like a quaint beacon in return toward his home land.
there aren't many merchants still awake and present on the harbor this late, but there are still a few. from one, Kazuha can manage to purchase a wide-brimmed hat for field tilling. the merchant asks him if he's come to Liyue to take up work. Kazuha smiles softly and affixes the wide hat atop his head. 'No. The only umbrellas you sell are paper. They will not hold against the coming rain.'
the merchant packs his wares quickly when Kazuha departs, rain drops pin-pricking along the delicate and vibrantly-colored decorative umbrellas on display.
the rain begins and it builds quite fast. the only inns in Liyue Harbor have filled occupancy, an unexpected ripple from the waves that Captain Beidou's tournament has caused, according to the receptionists turning him away with regret. Kazuha is directed to Wangshu Inn by every one, and it's the third and final receptionist that he asks for the necessary whereabouts β and it's quite a walk, apparently.
'No matter. Where there are roads, my feet will continue to carry me.'
though it is not due to the middling severity of the downpour that sinks Kazuha's head into a somewhat heavier slump as he walks down the alley of Liyue's city β but a desire to rest on solid earth. being swayed to sleep at night once they cleared the turbulent storms of the Raiden's tempest has been a pleasant experience, but nonetheless an undeniable experience in freely floating with nowhere to clamp safely onto in a moment's notice. serene earth can shudder and peel open with a deadly force, same as tranquil water can churn and become a serrated blade, but... something about the earth underfoot here...
ah, the land of the Geo Archon. perhaps that is why Kazuha finds it feels so magnetic under his feet β carved with intent and great care, curated and cherished for eons. made for its people to thrive upon. Kazuha would greatly like to rest here tonight.
but the rain falls heavier and faster as he begins to reach the northern upper half of the city, the water becoming like a sheet and difficult to cut through. even his hat is beginning to soak through, the cool water slowly saturating his hair.
he will have to find other means for resting tonight. Kazuha darts up the stairs into Feiyun's Slope's elevated and maze-like avenues of local businesses. it's under the relief of the winding stairs here that he can pause in safety from the rain. )
Winds bring the tidings of change, and with rain, the washing dust of the past they exchange. A clean slate. Albeit a dreary one...
( never one to shy from weaving his musings into verbal threads for the open air, Kazuha's soft voice does not snap into silence when he senses something else in his vicinity β quite. he catches a scent in the air, difficult to do over the rain that dominates all of the present senses, of a flower foreign to him; the perfume of it is almost earthy but still soft and floral, and with it, something...utterly perplexing. the quality of it reminds Kazuha of the ancestral shrine in his old family home, of the wardrobes of heirlooms, ancient samurai helmets and masks worn for protection and detailed into the faces of supernatural beings to intimidate their adversaries. old metal and countess generations of lives lived, come and gone, from breathing in the present tense, to static and quiet in the past tense.
it's a reaction that Kazuha cannot stub out when it sparks in his nervous system β his curiosity alight in an instant, at the waist, he swivels his perception around, realizing that he hears footsteps softly upon the wooden slats of this deck he is apparently found to be sharing with someone else at this moment. )
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Ordinarily, a man such as Zhongli - aristocratic, professional - ought to go home and take shelter like the rest. It's late, late enough and heavily raining enough that most already have. But he finds himself unable to resist the call to wander...not that he tries terribly hard in the first place. After so many centuries spent on decorum and expectations with only small excursions without wearing the recognizable face of a god, perhaps there is something almost playful in the decision to stay out in the rain.
Zhongli doesn't jump through the puddles - not like the small bunch of children he ends up passing, on his way up the stairs to Feiyun Slope's bridges and network of open tunnels built up in the air - but there is a certain aura of aged amusement to him. He's enjoying the rain, today. This is something that will erode earth with enough applications - he's seen it happen personally, has lived long enough multiple times over to see it change mountain faces slowly or hillsides immediately via sudden erosion and rapid mudslides.
It's the promise that things will continuously change, and tonight, that's a comforting promise.
--And then there is a new change, or perhaps simply an old one returned. Zhongli comes up a last set of steps and is ready to simply seat himself at a table there - he's outside the area where the storyteller would usually stand, although of course such a stage is vacant at this moment. And there is a man across the way from him, also taking shelter from the rain, considerably more soaked through than Zhongli himself.
Zhongli has long since closed his umbrella once embarking up the stairs to wander under the cover of the tiled roofs here, and he leans it against his table. The tall cup of tea, still lightly steaming from one of the last sellers to close shop earlier, is deposited in front of himself as he sits.
Zhongli can't miss the telltale Inazuman design of his clothing, and perhaps it's merely for show, but after the Decree, it's unlikely. No one advertises a link to the place, no matter how popular and fascinating the people found it in prior years, not after that sort of dramatic showcase. This man is from a place few hail from, in that case, but much more arrestingly--
Zhongli appears to have startled him, with how swiftly he turns. ]
I apologize. [ And he sounds sincere, albeit deeply calm at the prospect of having surprised a newcomer. ] The sound of the rain makes it all too easy to accidentally sneak up on each other.
[ He leaves his tea alone in front of himself, instead clearly focused entirely on the young man in front of him. Short and well-dressed, soaked through and with a local's hat doing little to have helped matters. Almost as if he is, in fact, a traveler from the lands he's dressed in the clothes of...he wouldn't be the first, to get deposited on Liyue's shores after leaving. Zhongli has heard of how the Traveler assisted Atsuko in locating a job mere weeks back.
Of course, it could just as easily be for Beidou's competition. He's heard about that strange little game, too. ] I didn't recognize the verse you quoted. Or is it your own?
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but...this man, certainly, poses no threat such as that, or even the threat of a more local and advantageous kind. his manner of dress, even to Kazuha, looks intriguingly ornate for appearing leisurely; hardly the sort to be doing dirty work of treasure hoarders or bandits. it's difficult to face the concept of being wary of each stranger he meets, but knowing what is possible for him under departure from Inazuma, combined with being in a wholly new part of the world, it's prudent to be cautious.
though, Kazuha would rather let his responses float freely on the breeze that is carrying him to each new face. briefly, the thought of these new transient presences that will undoubtedly trace their traveling footsteps through his memory aches, attention turning for a moment to the empty Vision tucked away on his person... but that flare dims down into a glow of bittersweet joy, too fond of the memories he's been able to print into his heart of those in the past, and when his eyes focus on the man before him, he feels the call to approach nonetheless.
and it would be rude not to, after being prompted by him, confirming to Kazuha that his idle and impromptu verse was shared, a leaf cast down from its branch into a draft of fate, to unwittingly touch someone else in the world. )
Simply musing to myself. Due to the hour and the sudden weather, it seems there will be few other things for a wanderer such as myself to do this evening. ( Kazuha knows how he appears, and will forego pretense pertaining to how foreign he is to be here in Liyue Harbor. still, he tilts his head toward the gentleman, angling his upper body by just a few degrees, in respectful acknowledgement of him. ) But I am pleased that I will enjoy a freshly-washed Liyue to greet me in the morning. With any luck, the sun will join us uninhibited. ( in design, on paper, it may read as small talk...but with the softness he speaks his words, the earnesty in them making them not unlike petals of a flower, it seems that Kazuha's concerns truly lie here in the topics of idle time and the condition of the weather. )
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Zhongli's smile, when it finally settles into place, is a soft and real thing, and it reaches his eyes. ] The way you talk about it, it almost sounds as if you came to Liyue for nothing other than the scenic outdoors.
[ Zhongli's clothes are fine, nearly ostentatious, and he wears them in a firm no-nonsense fit and manner. Even after having walked through the rain, he is dry until his mid-shin, having shielded himself as best he could with his umbrella. But the way he watches this newcomer belies absolutely no misdirection when he says on a happy sigh, ] It's not often one comes to a city for its mountains.
[ He considers it but only briefly; the man is already showing interest, and Zhongli is not shy about meeting new people. Especially ones that are open to learning about this place, that might see it with new, young eyes.
He nods at one of the other chairs at the small table. ] If you're not busy, please, have a seat.
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this softly-spoken stranger makes for Kazuha a bid of welcome at his borrowed table. now this is something that the samurai is familiar with, it just...usually requires some vying for it first. the ease of it is intriguing and pleasant, and if it will only be a brief encounter with this man, at least it will remain vibrant in Kazuha's memory as atmospheric and scenic as the sound of rain chatters across every surface of the harbor around them, the beautiful city drinking it all in.
Kazuha's pause at the offer is notable, brief but pointed, but he turns around fully and lowers himself into a respectful bow, the large hat swinging down as it remains crowning his head. ) Thank you for welcoming me.
( Kazuha rises, same as his hands do, one draped impeccably in wrappings, and grasps the wide brim of the woven bamboo hat. it's pulled from his head and he surfaces from its gratuitous shape to look at the man with a finally unobstructed version of himself, the very edges of his loose locks tinged with rain water. his smile can now be given over without a veil of added shadow against the lamplight around them.
he comes to the side of the table and rests the hat on the wood-slatted floor, leaning against one of the vacant chairs, and takes his seat at the man's right side from around the curve of this circular table.
Kazuha takes in an indulgent lungful of air, eyes slipping shut, and breathes softly out with his words. ) Some time ago, I visited unknown lands solely to see their true nature, nothing more.
( the scent of oolong doesn't escape Kazuha as he sits beside the man, and its earthy quality generates a comforting scent with the rain that curls up kindly into the pit of his stomach. he casts his gaze out over the balcony, looking to the marred view of the harbor and the cliffs across the water, a rippling picture of mountain and ocean and a few structures in the middle distance. ) Under different circumstances, perhaps in another time, I might have stepped on Liyue's shores only to explore its natural wonders β but while I am here, I will not sully my introduction to these lands with ignorance. This harbor alone is much too beautiful to ignore.
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Of course. Travelers are often interesting people to talk to.
[ Who wouldn't invite a wanderer from another land to their table? Well...many wouldn't, of course, but then there are so many who would. Zhongli has seen enough variety of dispositions over so many years that it's impossible to think of himself or his offer as particularly noteworthy.
This man speaks like a poet even as he forges forward with sharing his goals here, ambiguous and beautiful as they are. Zhongli's eyes remain on him - on the rain-soaked sleeve and leggings, on the hat dripping water against the floorboards once rested against the far chair. At the fact that this man, once surprised at the invitation, doesn't fear seating himself diagonally instead of across the entire breadth of the table. ]
I will not pry into anything you would rather keep vague...but I am sorry if your visit to Liyue was under any duress. [ To his credit, Zhongli doesn't glance at that spot on the man where he recalls seeing his Vision before he turned around - it's not necessary. His eyebrows pinch with sincerity at what he says...Raiden has clearly fallen to paranoia in recent years, and it's a shame to see.
He finally looks away when a renewed downpour rushes against the roof, staring instead off the short balcony. The rain comes down in sheets, masking the surroundings in layers of impenetrable grey. ] Your appreciation for Liyue's beauty is wonderful to hear. I wonder if you've contacted any guides, to properly give you context as you wander through.
...Although I will admit that your dedication to sightseeing surprises and impresses me... I myself have admittedly misjudged the storm and overstayed my welcome outdoors, but it's not often a traveler would try to enjoy the view in this sort of weather, instead of tucking themselves in at a hotel.
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his smile turns a little bittersweet; Kazuha appreciates the sympathy paid to him over the purpose of his coming here, but he knows he cannot be enticed to share something like that with a gentle stranger that he's crossing paths with, not just yet at least. so burdensome it is to give to just anyone, the story behind this masterless Vision, his life on the run from Raiden. all he can do is accept the words with his quiet expression and let the flow of the conversation guide them forward β he must always move forward. )
Any guidance I take for my travels is by passing word of mouth, where the sun lies in the sky, and in which direction the wind goes. ( which is to say, no, Kazuha does not expend what precious Mora he keeps on tour guides, plus β everything he truly needs to know he can learn from the land itself.
but there is an irresistible treat when Kazuha meets someone along the way that can give the depth and knowledge that no one but a native is capable of; such a unique way to give living and breathing lands a history and personality that only the minds of the living creatures within it can preserve and validate. to channel the ancient life and the contemporary life of things that the land cannot speak of on its own. is this man keen to such things himself? Kazuha looks around them, to the empty tables and chairs on the patio here, many of them showering down under the heavy rain fall, to the empty stage with its silk screens painted in natural sceneries. it seems that performances may be done here; is that what this man visits this pavilion for usually? )
My fate was not in misjudging, but in unfortunate timing. The ship that brought me here only docked but a few hours ago. Since then, I have found that all of the hotels on the harbor have been filled up for tonight; I've been recommended Wangshuu Inn, but it sounds to be quite the walk, even in pleasant weather.
So, I am here, enjoying the sound of the rain, but not more than enjoying not being soaked down to the bone by the summer rain. ( and hoping it will cease at some point soon before Kazuha is overstaying his welcome here on the balcony and ushered away by the tea house managers, or the Millelith.
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I see, [ is what he says quickly enough after the pause for his laughter. ] I'm sure it's much more in keeping with the spirit of whatever caused you to be bestowed with an Anemo Vision. But if ever you should like a guided tour, I know...a few stories about the surrounding area and harbor itself. I would be honored to tell them to a traveler who is already so taken by Liyue's scenery.
[ And then the rest of the tale...is so incredibly human. A lack of lodgings for the night; and the man doesn't ask for help directly, either. Nor does Zhongli immediately think to give it - much like Kazuha examining the surroundings for clues as to its rhythm when it isn't pouring rain, Zhongli looks about as if seeking a solution that involves himself the least.
...Not because meddling in mortal affairs is beneath himself, of course, but because of a fair more simple reason: offering up his own abode as if it is merely another room in a hotel just doesn't occur to him yet. ] ...I see. An unfortunate, albeit hardly ruinous, start to your visit. Hm...
[ He muses as if thoughtful about the dilemma, and he is. He's only just met this man, but that hardly matters - as Rex Lapis, he can hardly say he'd really met most of the humans who he incidentally crossed paths with or assisted indirectly. ] You are correct in your thoughts that Wangshu Inn is quite a walk from here. Ordinarily, a stroll of a few hours would be only pleasant time to take in the view, but tonight... [ It is at this moment that a particularly determined breeze lifts a sheet rain nearly horizontally across the balcony; the spray of it isn't frigid, so deeply into spring that it's nearly summer, but it's certainly a bit of an unexpected chill.
Zhongli wipes the side of his face down with a gloved hand. ] ...perhaps the walk would not actually be a worthwhile endeavor.
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and in the aftermath of his visceral response, Kazuha...finds himself intrigued that the man makes a commentary on what are apparently his observed qualities, how they emphasize his entitlement to his Anemo blessing. Kazuha has never heard such remarks before; observations about a Vision-user's manifested abilities, yes, but as for the reason... that's a new one, and intriguing. is that how people view Visions here in Liyue, or the mainland of Teyvat?
as interesting as philosophies of the gods are, the thought is no more than a perfume on a breeze snuffed out of the air with the force of the slam of rain that comes sputtering at them nearly fully sideways from the open end of the balcony.
Kazuha's predicament is blatant, the presence of challenge inarguable, but as the other man notes...not exactly the most disastrous situation a man that has come from Inazuma can possibly claim to navigate. still, even so much as mere discomfort is enough to compel a person for a reason; Kazuha can already feel his skin going clammy from the rain that can still reach him, the splashback of hundreds of droplets arriving through their own momentum, or brushed upon him by the breeze carrying this storm into the hills and cliffs. Kazuha knows his clothes are already beginning to soak; he would dearly love to not have to sleep in them.
hope is not entirely lost, though, is it? Kazuha looks back at the man again. ) As a man of Liyue yourself, perhaps you may have a more nuanced understanding of the harbor's many facets - might you have any suggestions for where a wandering traveler like myself may be able to rest his head for a stormy night?
( but still gently smiling, hands calmly resting in his own lap as if he were this man's own guest here at this table (isn't he, though?) Kazuha's eyes slip shut as his head tilts by mere degrees forward and down, a polite and settled motion. ) If not, I do not mind keeping you company here until the late hour finally beckons you home.
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Zhongli looks Kazuha over again, briefly, but a clear once-over - he isn't dressed for rain, and all those nice layers will do is keep him wet and cold for longer, in this weather. They're already quite soaked at the edges, in fact... His hand finds its way to his chin in thought. ] I will happily speak to you as long as we can make time for it, but...
Unfortunately, I myself am only familiar with hotels that are likely full or inaccessible, either due to popularity or cost. [ And guess who has been living as a mortal for juuuust long enough that he's finally starting to remember that he actually has to have Mora to pay for things? The Traveler, bless her, is getting ready to move on, and Childe is less accessible as well - busy with new work now that the Tsaritsa doesn't need him to linger and think he's been sent to kill a god on her behalf.
He sighs, thoughtful and with finality. ] But the Millelith are still a bit...exhausted and on-edge after the event with Osial, quite frankly. It would be unwise to spend your night sleeping on the balconies here, for more reasons than just the weather.
Perhaps you ought to ask someone to open their home to you for an evening. [ And if you think this man right now, as he leans elbows onto the table and says these things so sincerely with eye contact, is hinting to you, Kazuha...well unfortunately no, and only because sometimes he forgets that he himself is a 'human' option involved in all of these more mundane problems. ]
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the man gives Kazuha now a vital piece of information β the status of the Millelith currently, after their recent encounter with a resurrected deity. it might be best not to stir their sharp-edged caution, a thought that makes Kazuha feel slightly wearier. out-dodging local military does not get easier with time.
this is the first person he has met in the harbor in any sort of prolonged encounter; Kazuha has no pride keeping him from asking for help from even someone he's spoken to even less than this, but before he dares to attempt, a thought crosses his mind.
as if the past few minutes of conversation had never occurred, or perhaps that it were not so much a pressing matter, Kazuha shifts his focus to something else, something pertinent to him and him alone. ) Sir β could I ask your name?
( Kazuha doesn't always make introductions before vying for help as a standard rule... but this man occurs to him has poised and respectable, based purely on observation. isn't it only sensible to treat him as such? it seems rude to ask of him, without ever asking his name.
and, it only makes sense to make things fair...more than fair, if Kazuha can manage it. ) I am Kaedehara Kazuha. ( simple enough, isn't it? what is so significant about this?
well...it could have something to do with the masked Fatui he's seen meandering about. it could have something to do with the fact that they can come and go out of Inazuma freely, giving them the front-row seat to every event being conducted under Raiden's hand. it could have something to do with a very real possibility, that the Fatui could at any point, if not already now, be commissioned to turn Kazuha in on sight. who knows? how badly does Raiden want him captured?
and, on the off-chance that the name Kaedehara Kazuha has slipped out of Inazuma as freely as the man himself has...if this man could have heard it, even if it's a risk to give it over β Kazuha will not take advantage of him if he would prefer to not engage in more contact with him.
all of these are mere imaginative possibilities, however...possible nonetheless.
so from here, Kazuha keeps his gaze on the other man's, calm...but attentive, waiting to read him. )
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[ And then - the other man offers his own first, which is polite. And for another, might be considered a distraction...but to Zhongli, it's simply another stop along a journey he wasn't rushing through anyway. Recognition does indeed light in his eyes, but they don't go sharp with suspicion - only distant with memory. Zhongli looks to the side and hums to himself, visibly thoughtful first. ]
Kaedahara Kazuha... Information from Inazuma these days is few and far between, as I'm sure you're aware...but that is the name of one of your country's samurai families, is it not?
[ The slight problem of keeping track of changing tides; Zhongli is not sure if his information is woefully outdated or not, so he says nothing further on it.
And he has not, as it happens, heard a thing from the Fatui about such a name...not in eavesdropping to ones he doesn't know, nor from the Harbinger he occasionally shares lunch with. ]
My name is Zhongli. [ His smile here is a little more practiced, but no less sincere - it's perhaps clear that Zhongli introduces himself frequently. ] And since I may have just guessed your own past occupation, I will share mine. Although it's far less exciting. I'm merely a consultant for a respected funeral parlor in the area, on specific historic rites.
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but, no β while recognition presents itself, which in itself is surprising enough to leave Kazuha momentarily speechless, the man beside him recognizes him for...his family's historical reputation. he recognizes him for the Kaedehara Clan. is the man familiar with Inazuma itself? the region had been openly accessible only up until quite recently; and as neighbors virtually, it isn't impossible...
to have knowledge of this withered reputation, of a glory long-since crumbled as rock is ground back down into the very sand that had once been pressed with impossible strength to create cliffs and density, still confounds Kazuha. at best, it would nearly take a scholar to know the name, if coming from outside of Inazuma. )
...Zhongli. ( softly, testing the syllables on his tongue with a gesture of validation and confirmation. even more quizzically, he admits to a career in historical funeral rites in Liyue. it explains even less about how he knows...
well. a historical buff must not be simply sated by the work that makes his livelihood; Kazuha knows this above all else. perhaps it does make for an adequate explanation? )
I'm heartened to make your acquaintance, and that the old glory of my family name can still survive, even in the wake of the clan's due and quiet demise. ( Kazuha lifts his wrapped hand and holds it over his heart. ) I am the final Kaedehara heir.
( Kazuha can catch himself feeling keen to the topic blooming before them, of old histories and, well, funeral rites actually do sound intriguing! but even as the storm itself is not the most harrowing thing, the irregular pattern of gusting breeze tossing rain carelessly into their direction enough to re-dampen the bamboo-woven hat he had hoped to air out makes for an impatient cue. ) I hate to interrupt our introductions, much as I would like to learn more about yourself, but I did not want to be so rude as to make a request of you without introducing myself, or learning your name.
Zhongli-san, would your household happen to have enough room for one lone wanderer to rest his head in seclusion from the storm? Even so much as a patch of floor space β so long as I can sleep somewhere that I can dry my clothes, I would be most content.
( Kazuha closes his eyes and bends forward for a few degrees, bowing with respect to punctuate his plea. ) Should there be anything I can do for you or your family to express my appreciation, I would not hesitate to repay you for putting me up for one night. I could cook, or address any repairs to your home that you might have yet to complete. You need not hesitate to make use of me.
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(Has it really been that long, since Zhongli knew the previous Electro Archon? Has it really been that long, since Baal herself had come to visit Liyue's tables with Barbatos and the rest?)
Zhongli inclines his own head, averting his eyes for a moment out of respect, not shame. ] I'm sorry to hear that. It's been quite some time since stories came abroad about them, but I hadn't realized that that was why.
[ It wasn't just the swirling of cultural exchange missing a few good stories each year, or of Rex Lapis having been too busy to hear such unrelated gossip - perhaps there simply were no stories to tell.
But Kazuha moves them along, and Zhongli cannot blame him - but neither can he say, despite all clues pointing them so steadily in this direction, that he saw this coming. ] ...Ah. [ A soft sound of surprise, as if this turn of events has awakened him from the incoming stupor of trading family histories and folklore. He looks around them again, briefly, at the rain - at Kazuha's sleeves, and the poor hat, still damp and still an inadequate umbrella, at the other chair. ]
...Yes. Yes, of course. [ And despite his clear surprise and what may sound for a moment like hesitation, when he turns back fully to Kazuha, there is no sign of awkward squirming or regret to be found in his expression.
--Or rather, there is a pinch to his brow a moment later, as he regards his own umbrella. ] I apologize, however - while my home has enough room for you to comfortably stay the night, I only have the single umbrella with me at the moment. Our travel back to my apartment may end up leaving us rather damp.
[ Implied so clearly by his words but not addressed: that Zhongli intends to share said lone umbrella, and split the burden of its inadequate coverage equally, despite having brought it there himself. If this is a task he is accepting, then he will take it seriously...and this man is a human, after all, and more easily prone to colds. ]
In that case, let's move on now. We can continue speaking on whatever we'd like once you're safely indoors. [ And Zhongli is rising from his seat - not in a rush, but in a very decided fashion. He regathers his umbrella first so as to open it - it's black and sleek, but a geometric design stitched into it in golds and silvers is visible once it's opened.
And then the tea, of course, although he's quite sure it's gone a bit too cool in its ceramic mug.
Zhongli has not, in fact, shared his living space with another being within the past millennia - the last time was Guizhong, and before she was taken from the world, it was Xiao for the brief week after his rescue, when he was still so injured and bedraggled that it was only sensible to be inseparable until he was healed, and then immediately left. He's traveled with Lumine under the stars, of course, at brief camps out in the wilderness, but this...
This will be new, and he finds he's curious to try it. ]
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ultimately, it's of no consequence. not more than what comes next β Zhongli seems surprised, but not quite abashed; responds as if the concept of housing Kazuha had truly not occurred to him before it was blatantly suggested. should Kazuha be self-conscious about the truth in this trajectory, that offering was so apparently absent from his mind? not really; Kazuha watches Zhongli settle upon his accepting approach and doesn't read embarrassment or intimidation on him. it seems more that Zhongli is discovering that this is the easiest outcome for either of them. efficient and comfortably possible.
Kazuha is...incredibly relieved. )
Between your umbrella and this hat, perhaps we can make it to our destination without completely drowning... ( despite the challenge, Kazuha smiles calmly, laughs softly even. being given shelter for the night, he is no longer wary of the severity of the rain he will have to brave to get there. Zhongli has a roof and four walls, and somewhere dry to sleep; far be it from a longtime wanderer to balk at having to dash through a downpour to reach it.
Kazuha rises to join him, grasping the wide woven hat by the brim. )
Ame ni mo makezu. ( 'Be not Defeated by the Rain.' )
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(Now that he's decided this is a temporary aid he will offer, he'd rather this be done the correct way - would rather this man stay dry as long as possible, but of course that's not practical. Instead, he supposes he'll just need to ensure he's warm once they arrive.) ]
We shall see. [ Zhongli's own voice carries an echo of that laugh, albeit in a richer tone. For all that he appears subdued, his laughter is not a thing he hides.
--Nor is the way he looks over at the poem. ] Hmm. [ He takes a few steps forward, leading them towards the first flight of shallow, curving stairs. ] Kaze ni mo makezu.
Or so I believe the next line goes. My Inazuman is not nearly as good as yours. [ Zhongli simply leads the way, steady and trying to balance moving quickly enough to get them out of the chilled rain with not actually forcing them to run while they're not yet under the downpour. ]
I also believe it continues on to say 'neither praised, nor a bother'... Is this merely a favorite of yours, or an aspiration?
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Quickly now. ( Kazuha curls down while holding the hat high, overlapping with the edge of Zhongli's umbrella as they reach the street, and β Kazuha laughs with alarmed surprise, finding his feet nearly fully submerged immediately in a heavy build-up of draining water at the cornered-edge of the laid bricks here. gathered rain flows gratuitously toward two points where the street slopes, in the direction of the centering point before the commerce guild, and conversely into the opposite, toward Chihu Rock and ultimately, the docks.
Kazuha fees the rain spattering against his legs, where his clothing is most fitted to the most susceptible part of his body, and against his hand and arm where his sleeve has fallen against gravity β the wrappings around his fingers becoming saturated in mere seconds.
he is keen to stay at Zhongli's side, given perhaps the barest amount of hesitation as he keeps a similar clip with no confident sense of direction that can rival his host's. elbows knocking together, shoulder's grazing β but barely any of the unconventionally close proximity of two near-strangers goes noticed under the onslaught of the harrowing summer weather attempting to drown them. it's a fight that they're doomed to lose, or at the very least, their clothes; but Kazuha's huffing breaths come from a smiling mouth and wincing eyebrows, flying virtually blind as he magnetizes to Zhongli.
life as a fugitive giving Kazuha a childlike moment in the rain with a pleasant stranger β it was only weeks ago that he took the Masterless Vision into his now-scarred hand, his heart shattered as the blade his friend confronted the throne with. someone dear to him has been locked into a permanent stasis of past-tense; but Kazuha moves forward, through the battlegrounds, through unknown streets, through the rain, and...not alone, on his first night on the ground of his first foreign nation. )
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Well. As much as Zhongli can even hear such a sound over the downpour. Zhongli himself has, to put it simply, memorized the streets enough to avoid the areas where puddles naturally gather. To put it another way, he can't really forget the shape of the stone underfoot. Is it another sense, or memory alone? Likely both, and--
And he definitely just stepped in a puddle regardless, because the rain is merciless this evening and the lined walkways can only do so much to protect them from them - in some places, it's simply one small vernal pool in the lowest portions. Zhongli sighs heavily, but Kazuha beside him bumps against his elbow as he makes another gasping laugh of surprise, and Zhongli...smiles despite himself.
And then the rain picks up again, impossibly so, and Kazuha ends up leaning too far out from under the umbrella because Zhongli doesn't guide him correctly towards an unexpected turn to the left. A sympathetic pinch appears between Zhongli's brows and he tuts, half at himself and half at the young man he's attempting to usher away through the rain and to his home. ] I apologize - please, stay close. We're nearly arrived.
[ He reaches out and, with a gentle touch, gentler than anything he'd have been able to attempt for the first several centuries he'd been looking after Liyue, before the War was over and before they settled into this valley, Zhongli keeps a few fingers pressed lightly to the outside of Kazuha's far shoulder. He means it both as a guide to their swiftly-changing direction and simply to keep him closer, and more tightly tucked underneath the umbrella.
The door, when he finally stops at it, is heavy and politely ornate; not so ostentatious that it screams absolute wealth, but far too subtly nice not to quietly state such a thing. ] Here-- please. [ He passes over the umbrella to free his hands and find the key, and then in a moment--
The door is opened. ]