The Drunkard Yoi

The dirt road was quiet, the air heavy with the smell of rain on stone as they walked side by side, the river mirroring under the sun.

"Oh right, about those chains... I remember when I first found you, you had some on you...?" Yoi asked.

"About that... It's strange, and I'm not so sure myself what they even are now; however, I still feel them with me... We could try to find out at that bar or whatever." Hikari muttered.

"Hmph. You're a weird samurai, you know that?" Yoi kicked a pebble down the road. "Aren't you supposed to be off chasing glory or something?"

Hikari's eyes stayed on the road. "I saw what happened in Hasakura. The screaming. The fires. The bodies. That's what 'glory' looks like."

Yoi went quiet, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"I'm not here for glory," Hikari continued. "I'm here because if I stop moving, I'll fall apart."

"Damn," Yoi muttered, trying to keep his tone light, "and I thought I was the depressing one."

They walked a few steps in silence.

"What about you?" Hikari asked.

Yoi blinked.

"Me? I just wanna get drunk enough to forget I was ever born."

"Great ideal."

Yoi smirked, eyes shining. "Better than dying for someone else's banner."

Hikari glanced at him, a ghost of understanding passing between them before they both looked away.

Some time passed as the two were walking.

The bar was tucked between crumbling walls, lantern light spilling onto the dirt. As they stepped in, warmth and the bitter smell of sake wrapped around them.

The bartender was an old woman with hair tied in a loose bun, wiping a cup with a rag that had seen better days.

"Yo, Granny!" Yoi called out, waving his hand. "Give me the special!"

The old woman looked up, scowling fondly. "Yoi, you worthless brat, bringing trouble with you again?"

"Probably," Yoi grinned, throwing himself onto a stool. Hikari sat beside him, glancing around as the regulars returned to their quiet drinking.

Granny placed two chipped cups in front of them, pouring a cloudy liquid that smelled stronger than death itself.

"Special?" Hikari muttered, sniffing it.

"Best way to burn your insides clean," Yoi replied, raising his cup. "Cheers, princess."

They drank, the liquid scorching their throats. Hikari coughed, eyes watering, while Yoi laughed, slamming the cup down.

"What the hell did you make me drink, you weirdo!?" Hikari yelled.

"Heheheheh! You'll be just fine; you've got to learn to relax every now and then!" Yoi said as he laughed.

They sat with the old cups between them, the bar's lantern glow flickering on their tired faces.

Yoi took a long drink, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Ah, this is the only time I feel alive, you know?"

Hikari turned his cup slowly in his hand. "You drink to feel alive?"

Yoi snorted, leaning back. "What, you kill people to feel alive?"

Hikari's eyes narrowed, his voice low. "Well... I was imprisoned most of my life, more accurately since my childhood, so I wouldn't really know…"

Yoi blinked, the grin slipping for a moment. "Damn… You're really just throwing that out there, huh? Fucking degenerate princess." Yoi said, as he let out an awkward laugh, half drunk. 

Hikari didn't look away, his grip tightening on the cup. "You asked."

A silence settled between them, the clink of cups and muttered conversations around them the only sounds.

Yoi let out a short laugh, scratching his cheek. "Guess we're the same, huh? Just trying to feel alive however we can."

Hikari's expression softened, only slightly. "You're still a drunk."

"And you're still a chained-up samurai with no clue how to live," Yoi shot back with a lopsided grin. He raised his cup. "Cheers to that."

Hikari hesitated, then clinked his cup against Yoi's.

They drank, the warmth burning down, lifting the heaviness in both of them for just a moment.

Suddenly—

The door creaked open.

A gust of humid air followed as three figures stepped in, heavy boots scraping against wood.

They wore patched kimonos, faces marked with the carelessness of boys who thought themselves men, laughter echoing as they shoved past a hunched drunk.

The bar went silent, the quiet thick enough to choke on.

Yoi was already three cups deep, swaying slightly as he turned to look at them, a stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Ah, shit," Hikari muttered under his breath.

Yoi didn't notice. He was still laughing softly, raising his cup again, the alcohol affecting and swirling in his glassy eyes.

"Don't worry," Yoi slurred, grinning at Hikari. "Tch, can't even drink in peace without bottom-feeders squeaking around..."

Just then, the thugs heard Yoi's comment.

"Oi!" one of them barked, voice sharp. "What the hell are you muttering about, huh?!"

The bar fell silent, tension snapping as four filthy thugs stomped over, reeking of sweat and cheap smoke. The biggest slammed his hand on the table, sake cups rattling, leaning down until he was inches from Yoi's face.

"You think something's funny, blondie?"

Yoi blinked, sake bottle in hand, eyes unfocused, head tilting lazily. "Huh? Nah, just talking with my princess here."

"Princess?" The thug's lip curled. "You trying to be funny with me?"

Yoi looked at him, eyes drooping, then gave a slow, crooked grin.

"Yeah."

The thug's eyes widened in rage, his fist pulling back—

Before he could throw it, Yoi's hand shot up, catching his wrist with a casual snap, the crack echoing through the bar. The thug screamed as his arm twisted unnaturally.

The second thug lunged with a bottle, swinging it down toward Yoi's head.

Yoi didn't even look, shifting his foot slightly as his elbow struck the thug's gut, folding him over, before a sharp flick of Yoi's wrist sent the thug crashing to the ground, out cold.

The last two paused, fear flickering in their eyes.

Too late.

Yoi's grin widened, eyes glinting under the lantern light, the lazy drunk gone for a split second. He stepped forward, his knee driving into one thug's chest, sending him crashing into the wall, unconscious before he slid to the floor.

The final thug tried to run.

Yoi grabbed him by the back of the nape, yanking him off his feet before slamming him face-first into the table, the wood splintering, the thug dropping limply.

Silence.

The bar returned to its usual hum, patrons looking away quickly, pretending nothing happened.

Yoi sighed, rolling his neck, the grin returning. "Tch. I was trying to enjoy my drink."

He picked up his sake cup, draining it in one go before licking a drop from the rim.

Hikari, still seated, raised an eyebrow. "Well, I didn't know you had actual skills ya weirdo."

Yoi shot him a lazy grin, slumping back into his chair. "Of course, I thrive in this atmosphere; it's my way after all."