Chapter Text
Since the voyage would take some time, they’d finally had some time to relax. They decided that it’d be wise to practice using their visions. It felt inconvenient to not have their own visions and therefore not being able to use one. That’s why they started these sessions together.
“Take a deep breath and tell me what you hear, what you feel. What is the wind trying to tell you?” Kazuha asked, ever the patient man. “I don’t know!? I hear you” Kuni grumbled, clearly frustrated. They were currently sitting in the crows nest, or Kazuha and Kuni were, Heizou sat on top of the sails staying secure by holding the mast. “Good, what else?” Kazuha smiled. “I- I guess I hear the crew below and…the ocean?” Kuni said hesitantly, still sounding frustrated yet he still made an effort. “Good, anything else?” Kazuha asked softly. Heizou envied Kuni at that moment. There Kazuha was, with all the patience in the world and his soft voice (well- Heizou’s voice…but he spoke super softly so it counts!) teaching Kuni slowly but efficiently. Meanwhile, Heizou’s teacher was Kuni himself, the grump, the myth, the legend (though he didn’t mind looking at Kazuha’s face while learning, so it wasn’t all bad).
All in all, Heizou didn’t find the situation to be the worst. It was certainly inconvenient and he’d much rather stay in his own body but… he was spending time with Kazuha and Kuni, who he’d grown increasingly fond of. Plus, the voices weren’t even too bothersome. Heizou’s guess was that they’d been more talkative in the beginning since he was a new person and it seemed Kuni was the only one they could talk to besides each other and, likely, Nahida. Now it seemed they’d gotten bored, they still talked to him of course but they were hardly ever bothersome. The only real bother was when Scaramouche made some snarky comment about something and Heizou had to try and not look insane by laughing at seemingly nothing.
Another thing Heizou had noticed was his fascination with Kuni. He’d known already but never really consciously thought about it but now that the only thing they had to do was sit on a boat and wait…well. Heizou was never really the type to sit still so he used the time to think. To him, he felt as if Kuni was a puzzle. An enigma. He was made by the electro archon himself. He had a difficult past and clearly some issues regarding being seen as human because of his inhuman nature. He had voices in his head and one of them claimed they were the 6th of the Fatui Harbingers and mentioned ‘this reality’. Kuni said one thing and meant the other, he acted like he didn’t care yet always seemed to help in inconspicuous ways. What a mystery.
Another thing, Heizou was highly confused. Well confused wasn’t exactly the word. More like in denial. His care for Kuni ran quite deep and…well… he liked Kuni. He thinks. Maybe. Well it feels similar to how he feels about Kazuha but they’re like total opposites! Sweet, asshole, soft, harsh, peaceful, violent…unless Kazuha was really angry, then he was a little scary (and extremely hot). What stumps him is how. He’s known Kazuha for a while and had a crush on him for ages yet here comes Kuni, shows up and steals the show! Well not steal the show, more like steals half of it. Because he still liked Kazuha! What a mess. Perhaps puzzles are the true way to a detective’s heart.
He tried imagining a relationship with both people separately. Waking up to soft kisses from Kazuha, his hand running through his hair, soft spoken sweet nothings…cooking together, walks in nature, kissing…. Heizou was sure he felt blush!! He swears it, even if puppets can’t blush. Then…sparring, bickering with Kuni, reading together while he works on his essays, taking Kuni to see who would win an ‘intimidate-off’ with Kujou Sara, dragging him on cases with him, teasing, passionate kisses… he…didn’t mind either. But then…what if they were all three? Silly competitions, cooking all together, Kazuha with his poetry while Heizou reads and Kuni writes, teasing each other, little sweet moments, cuddle sessions with Kuni’s embarrassed expression yet not pushing them away and Kazuha giving both of them soft kisses… Heizou realised he loved both. That…was a lot. Not in a bad way though, not necessarily, anyway.
Oh! You love Wanderer! I think that’s very good for us. Kabukimono piped in, managing to divert Heizou’s attention from his previous thoughts.
“Well, that’s a pretty strong word but yea, maybe I do” Heizou said fondly with a small giggle.
…tch. He’s got no room for love. Humans can’t be trusted. Scaramouche said stiffly.
Heizou rolled his eyes but before he could answer, Kuni raised a brow. “What?” Kuni asked, his brow raised. Heizou immediately remembered he wasn’t alone and that he’d said that aloud. “Oh sorry I was lost in thought and Kabukimono asked a question and- yea” Heizou stammered, feeling a little embarrassed. “It’s no problem” Kazuha said softly, smiling. “What did he ask?” Kuni then asked with an unreadable expression. “Oh it doesn’t matter- wait Kuni, why do they call you Wanderer and not a name?” Heizou asked curiously. How strange that he said he has many names yet the voices who are, allegedly, a part of his psyche call him such an impersonal name? “Oh because that’s why my current incarnation was called” Kuni answered disinterested. “Incarnarion?” Heizou questioned. Kuni’s eyes widened slightly but his expression betrayed nothing else. “Don’t worry about it” Kuni said dismissively. “Does it have something to do with ‘this reality’?” Heizou then asked. Kuni then whipped his head to look properly at the detective. “What did they tell you” it wasn’t a question, it was a demand. Kuni had almost a wild look in his eyes. Fear. “Scaramouche told me he was a Fatui harbinger in a different reality” Heizou said warily. What a strange reaction. “Don’t listen to him, it doesn’t matter” Kuni said quickly, looking away.
Heizou hesitated. He wanted to push, to know more. But the sheer panic that had appeared for only a split second in Kuni’s eyes…it reminded him of the look Kuni had given when he’d seen the Shogun. Heizou’s heart clenched a little, knowing there was little he could do to help but be there for Kuni in case Kuni ever wanted to talk about it.
“Maybe they were talking about a reality where you’re nicer” he said instead of prying and grinned slightly, a bit cheekily. Kuni’s brows furrowed but behind the irritation was a hint of relief, gratitude even. “Tch. Humans.” Kuni merely scoffed in response.
Kazuha chuckled before continuing to teach Kuni how to meditate, how to listen to the wind. Heizou sighed softly, smiling faintly as he observed. The moment felt right. Isolated. Like the ship below didn’t exist in this simple bubble of the three of them, Kazuha patiently instructing Kuni, Kuni huffing in frustration and Heizou making witty comments in between.
Maybe there was no need to rush anything. Heizou knew he was in love. But it could wait, for now. First, they’d find a way to switch back. Then…he wasn’t sure. But he knew that whatever the future held, he hoped he’d face it besides the two men that had captured the detective’s heart.