Hurt. Kept behind a thick veil of hate.
Yasuo played again and again the memory of that morning in his head. For sure, he liked the fuzzy warmth settling in his chest when he thought of the small affection showed after. But he couldn't forget that gaze.
The nightmare must have been terrible. Something serious, without a doubt linked to Yi's past. As much as the reflex was spectacular, it also revealed the violence the latter experienced. All is a matter of equivalence. For a man seeking reasons before actions, it was more than unnatural to jump directly on the more extreme answer, attack.
Yasuo considered all this but he wouldn't try to get an explanation. After all, himself refused to tell more about his own tragedies. He sighed.
A deadly gaze. This was supposed to be the last thing he saw before he died, if he was Yi's ennemy. Enough to run a shiver down his whole frame.
After this incident, the usual banter came back as quick. Yasuo would have expected some time to pass, allowing Yi to get over this event but it seemed that he didn't need it. A bit too much, if it was possible. Once again, he avoided completely the subject, with quite ease. Back to his calm self, nothing to worry about.
As they were sitting in the kitchen, sharing dinner, Yasuo felt a bit this silence. The unsaid. It stung to know that Yi suffered, maybe was still suffering but he wouldn't even acknowledge it. But it was also Yasuo's fault. He wouldn't push further the other man about this matter.
Then he noticed.
A presence. Not in the house but outside. In the village. It was really faint but impossible to miss.
« Someone is there. » he said it, maybe he thought out loud.
« Really ? » Yi's ask was quick, taking him seriously. Just a few seconds ago he saw Yasuo still, like in concentration.
« Yes. Outside. » he was sure. There was another person, alive, he could tell. « But you said you were the only one living here ? »
There was some tension in the air. Not safe.
« No one is supposed to come here. Everyone is already dead. » Yi's tone proved the urgence of the situation.
Despite everything, that last sentence fell heavily in Yasuo's heart. But they had to move. The stranger wasn't yet a threat but they should be ready.
Yi stood and went to his room, taking his blade without a second-thought. He was followed immediatly by the ronin, looking for his own weapon. Just in case. He paused an instant and reached for his mask, though it was odd to wear it now that he was used not to. When Yasuo went to go back and see outside, he stopped again as he turned to Yi. The latter had been watching him and he didn't stop once found out. No words but a curious gaze, a sort of pain with melancholy.
From his point of view, Yi saw the glance, cold as ice as some result of the mask. It scared him a little. Now he faced the demon and not the man anymore.
Yasuo broke the instant, opening the door to step outside and find the intruder.
His steps were followed by Yi, who took the lead without leaving much choice to Yasuo. Alert, blade ready. Looking at him, it reminded the ronin of something else. Ha. The last intruder was me. He felt a bit sorry for the other person.
With cautious but sure steps, the duo made its way in the village. Yasuo's senses urged him further in one direction.
Then they found someone. A man, the first thing both could tell. And immediatly the latter noticed the two warriors, hand going to his blade.
There was a few second where the three of them just stared at each other, assessing the situation.
A samurai. Not from the island, Yi deduced. It was rather uncommon to meet outsiders, especially here. The village was kept safe in the mountains for a reason. How did he find this place ?
His armor reminded him of Yasuo's, a clue he didn't miss. He sighed mentaly. Not so well hidden if strangers can stumble on the village.
Something passed through the features of the intruder then his stance changed to defence. He drew his blade, defiant. This will not end well.
« Yasuo » it wasn't a shout but the heavy silence of the place made it louder than intended.
Yi heard Yasuo take a step, reaching him. Hand still on his own weapon, ready to fight back. So he recognized him. Even with the mask ?
« I'm here to make you pay for your crimes. Be ready and face it if you still have an ounce of honor left. » his stare showed a rare kind of disgust. Then he turned slightly to Yi : « Back off, you have nothing to do with this. »
The ways of justice in Ionia were various but it was never good to interfere. Yi didn't want to comply though. Even if he wasn't one for disrespecting laws, his first thought would be to protect his guest. The heart got its own reasons.
But in the end he didn't have to make a quick decision when Yasuo spoke up : « I didn't kill Elder Souma ! When will you stop chasing me ? »
That's new.
Yi didn't budge an inch, making a clear show of his determination to stay between Yasuo and his pursuer. At the same time he was at loss. Several informations arrived at once, without him knowing a bit of it. What to do ? Yi opted for the only reasonable thing, wait and see. But if there was any sort of fight starting, he wouldn't hesitate to get involved and spill blood. If he dares to harm Yasuo...
Out there, the tension increased. The samurai laughed in feigned amusement : « They told me you wouldn't cooperate, under the lie of innocence. » then he went serious again, words tinted with venom : « Stop denying it ! If you weren't guilty then why would you have fled ? Only cowards refuses to face their trial. »
Yasuo made another step, intimidating : « I didn't kill him ! For staying after his death I would only have been taken down and stripped of my honor ! »
« You have no honor ! You murdered your own master ! Only a matter of time before you joined Noxus. »
It escalated quickly. Yi saw Yasuo's self-control crumble slowly but surely. That's what the other wants. Nothing made sense for him now but he had to keep in check the ronin. If he's the one attacking first he will give a reason to fight back.
He grasped Yasuo's shoulder : « Keep calm. Replying with steel would only prove him right. » the light shaking under his hand wasn't a good sign. At all.
« You're interfering in a matter beyond you. For the last time, if you don't stay aside, you will be charged with complicity. » the intruder's tone seemed more neutral when adressed to Yi, just disdain.
Yi kept Yasuo in his reach, making sure he wouldn't do something foolish. « If I may, you're the one that disrupted the peace of these lands, in a more than hostile way. You talk of justice but you don't even let Yasuo a chance to defend himself from these accusations. For someone following orders, you seem really eager to see blood pour today. Lackey. » the last insult thrown without much more than a cold tone and a sigh. Two can play this game.
Maybe the samurai expected another answer, more agreeable. Maybe the ice in those words burned a bit his patience. In either case, he paused and tilted slightly his head : « So you take his side. Tell me, what lies did he drowned you in for you to make this poor choice ? He presented himself as a martyr, didn't he ? Or he completely avoided mentioning his past ? »
« He told me enough. The rest of the decision is common sense. » Yi didn't like the turn taken by it. Talking back to this man was wearing. A man armored with honor but speaking like a snake. Yi felt the turmoil within Yasuo, dangerous.
The latter spoke again to the accused : « So he doesn't know. » a disbelieving laugh echoed one instant, as he pointed at Yi with his blade. « That's exactly what I said, you're a coward fleeing the truth ! »
« I am not ! » Yasuo raised his voice again, now with renewed anger. He pulled a bit on Yi's grasp, in an attempt to go forward.
« Yasuo, stop. » Yi still wanted to keep a bit of control over the situation but he knew all could go wrong at the smallest slip.
« What part did you 'forget' to tell ? The dozens of innocents folks you killed across Ionia ? Or worse, the fact that you fed yourself of them ? As the disgusting blood-sucker you are. »
« Shut up ! » Yasuo struggled under Yi's touch, trembling, clutching his weapon. He just burned to cut that man, so badly.
« What ? I struck a nerve ? You thought you could hide but everyone can see the corruption radiating from you. You're just a monster ! »
He snapped. In one second Yi's hand was grabbing thin air, not quick enough to keep that demon at bay. A blood stained blade was drawn, determination guiding its aim.
Fast was the wind, willing to cut down the damned man. Yasuo didn't made a sound, just silent hatred. Hoping that the samurai wouldn't be able to protect himself from the deadly blow.
The familiar clash of swords resonated in the quiet village.
But instead of facing directly his opponent, Yasuo found Yi. Having stepped in the unavoidable fight, he was the one directly confronting the intruder, blade to blade.
Yasuo's heart missed a beat. No, he didn't miss his target. Yi had stopped Yasuo's blade bare hand. No…. Right now, all he could see was the hand painfully clutching steel, without falter. Blood dripped gently down to the elbow. Staining his sleeve.
Blood. Oh gods. Yi's blood.