Ei

"Y/N!... Y/N!"

When Ei spotted you, she shouted and ran to you.

You

"Ei!"

Ei

"Are you okay?! Did they hurt you?! Are you hurt?!"

You

"Ei- Ei I'm fine!"

Ei examined your face with both of her hands to see whether you had any scratches.

Ei

"Are you sure?"

You

"Yes!... Yes, I'm sure."

Ei

"What happened? Please, explain to me Y/N."

You

"He's here."

Ei

"... Kaedehara Kazuha."

You

"He hugged me."

Ei

"Hm. Is that so?"

You

"And... He tried tricking me into getting captured by them. But it's okay- I didn't fall for his trick."

Ei

"Good. I'm glad you know better. You know that he's no good, correct?"

You

"Yeah, I know..."

Ei

"Where are they now?"

You

"Down there."

You pointed to the entirely ruined area that lay under you. There were some Watatsumi Army soldiers' bodies visible, but Kazuha or any of his subordinates were nowhere to be seen.

Ei

"Ah... How are we supposed to clean this mess up?"

You

"I'm sorry."

Ei

"No, don't be sorry. You did what you had to do. It must've been hard, seeing Kazuha after all this time. I won't ever let that boy get close to you again. Ever."

One part of you was grateful that Kazuha was spared from the disaster you made, while the other part of you would have been ecstatic if Kazuha had finally left this world.

You

"Okay."

Ei

"I'm going to get more of the Tenryou Commission to guard the area. Plenty of them will be on the lookout day and night. You're safe here."

You

"I'm safe here."

You repeated after her.

-A FEW HOURS LATER, WATATSUMI ISLAND-

Gorou

"Damn it! What was that, Kazuha?!"

Kazuha

"I-"

Beidou

"Woah, Gorou, chill! They were old friends and Kazuha didn't know that Y/N was N/N. Honestly, neither did I."

Kazuha

"Could we please... Continue to call them N/N?"

Kokomi

"Why does it matter? We know their real name now."

Kazuha

"Y/N- I mean- N/N says that they prefer to keep that name hidden."

Gorou

*Scoff* "And what, you want to obey what they said?"

Beidou

"Gorou, they used to be friends. Kazuha's been looking for them for almost... A year now. Of course, Kazuha would miss them."

Kazuha

"... I don't understand."

Kokomi

"What is it that you don't understand, Kazuha?"

Kazuha

"Y/N's so different."

Gorou

"Yeah- Well it's been a year since you last talked to them."

Kazuha

"I never expected Y/N to take the side of the Raiden Shogun. They despised her for life, and now look at where they are - Working for her as if the past doesn't exist. She even executed Y/N's friend in front of their eyes, and they still take her side."

Beidou

"Yeah, well... Kazuha."

Kazuha

"... Hm?"

Beidou

"You're the one that left them."

Kazuha

"I-I know- But I came back..."

Beidou

"And by the time you came back, Y/N was already under the Raiden Shogun's care."

Kazuha

*Sigh* "I still don't get it."

Beidou

"Think about it, Kazuha. From what you told me, N/N is one who doesn't have much knowledge of this 'outside world'. They're being manipulated by the Raiden Shogun."

Kokomi

"Manipulation..."

Beidou

"Right as we speak, the Raiden Shogun's probably telling N/N stuff like... 'Y/N, stay away from that Kaedehara Kazuha guy.' As if she's their own mother."

Kazuha

"I want N/N to join us."

Gorou

"Kazuha- You're insane!"

Kazuha

"That isn't N/N!"

omg N/N this isn't you! you can change!

i'm so sorry i had to

okay moving on 😋

Kokomi

"Kazuha... Even if we try to get N/N to get on our side, it won't work. They'll insist on staying with the Raiden Shogun."

Beidou

"I mean... It's worth a shot, right?"

Gorou

"Beidou- No way you're actually agreeing with this!"

Beidou

"Hey- Listen- I believe that N/N can take the right side. I'm very convinced."

Kokomi

"Beidou, you haven't gone through dozens of wars with them. You don't know how they are."

Beidou

"Yeah- Well Kazuha knows how they are, and he's travelled with them for a year, known them for two."

Kazuha

"..."

Gorou

"Yeah- Well for that second year, Kazuha's been separated from N/N. In that same year, Kokomi and I have suffered through those painful wars. You don't know what they're really like!"

Kazuha

"Please. I'd like to try."

Gorou groaned in frustration.

Kokomi 

"Alright then."

Gorou

"Kokomi?! You too?!"

Kokomi

"I want to see if there really is another side to N/N that we don't know. Come on Gorou, I know you're interested."

Gorou

"Ugh..."

Gorou crossed his arms and took the time to contemplate before turning to face Kazuha.

Gorou

"... Fine. But!- If anything ever goes wrong, the blame's all on you, Kazuha."

Kazuha

"Thank you."

He grinned, utterly oblivious to the insult Gorou had hinted at him.

-ANOTHER FEW HOURS LATER, ON YOUR SIDE-

You were lying in bed, unable to shake the thought of Kazuha and couldn't sleep. If you were being completely honest with yourself, you truly wanted to see him again as it had been so long.

Kazuha was doing the same exact thing, laying in a sleeping bag, wondering what you were doing. 

The way you hugged him that day, a year ago, was cherished by him. The way you were lying in his wide sleeping bag so close to him. Kazuha likes to imagine that you're still there with him, holding his pillow close to him as if it were you.

no stfu ik u do that too, reader 🙄

... and so do i 

ANYWAYSYYFAYFYAGAJDSGHA

All he wanted was you. He needed you back after he saw that you were still alive and well but on the side of what he considers to be "bad."

-TWO WEEKS LATER, MORNING-

Despite knowing that it wasn't the best idea, you went shopping in Inazuma City. But then again, you've always been reckless and dangerous. In Inazuma City, soldiers were present near every single open business. 

Inazuma City is now considered to be the safest and most secure city in all of Teyvat thanks to Raiden.

You

"Ei, I'm back."

Ei

"Thank you... You bought everything on the list."

You

"Of course I did."

You were eating with Ei when you remembered you needed to ask her something. Ei never really let you explore your surroundings since she was always looking out for you and was concerned about any danger that may come your way. 

She would only ever permit you to leave the city if you were causing trouble with the Watatsumi Army.

Ei

"How do you find the food?"

You

"Good as always."

Ei

"I'm glad you like it."

You

"Ei."

Ei

"Yes?"

You

"Is it okay if I could... Explore Kannazuka a bit?"

Ei

"... Explore?"

You

Shit... "Yeah... Is that okay? I-I just feel like... I mean- That's where I stayed before all of this happened and I kinda wanna... Go back to revisit my memories, y'know?"

Ei

"Y/N."

You

"Yeah?"

You instantly replied.

Ei

"It's very dangerous, and you know that."

You

Come on... You're not my mom. "I know, I know, but I know how to defend myself. It'll be a quick trip."