#oc Thai Bulan

[the12thnightproject]

Title: Help Wanted

Event: Mayday Heyday OC Exchange 2024 organized by @lorei-writes and @olivermorningstar

Giftee: @fighting-and-drawing

OC/Fandom: Thai Bulan / Ikemen Sengoku

Genre: Urban Fantasy AU

Warnings: Very Large Spider, some violence (involving said arachnid)

Word Count: 1500

See notes/dedications at end

As the sun sunk, building shadows elongated, creating patches of darkness on narrow, meandering streets. Parts of the city had been planned; every road numbered and set out in a precise grid. This was not one of those parts. If anyone planned out the Echigo district, they had done so by tossing noodles onto a map and putting the streets where they landed.

Thai was following their progress on a phone app, and wondered if his driver actually knew where to go. At least once the Uber doubled back, taking a longer, indirect route. As a precaution, Thai made an obvious show of texting the driver’s information to “a friend” (his own cloud account).

In truth, there were no friends to wonder or worry if he disappeared into a void, never to return.

Too many things had disappeared for him this year, the most pressing being a promised job, the one he had uprooted his life for. He’d travelled over 1000 miles, only to discover the job no longer existed. The entire company no longer existed – it had fallen victim to a takeover by Oda International, then dismantled. All previous employees were fired, all pending job offers rescinded.

Now trapped in a new country, with unpaid moving expenses, a dwindling bank account, and no solution for either, he was desperate for work… any kind. Having burned his bridges back home, in fact, having firebombed those bridges, he –

Screech!

The Uber slammed to a stop in the middle of the street, nearly garroting Thai with his own seatbelt. “Get out.” The driver flicked the automatic locks. “Now.”

He checked his phone. “We’re nowhere near-“

“Get out, or ride back to the city with me, but this car goes no further. Not here. Not after sunset.” The driver pulled a thick cudgel out from under the seat. “Yokai. It’s not worth my life to drive through the district.”

No use arguing with superstition. Grumbling to himself, Thai climbed out, then leaped for the gutter as the car zoomed away. He was surprised it hadn’t taken his leg off with it when it sped into the night.

The lights and press of the city’s humanity were far behind. Here in this strange neighborhood, the sounds were alien. No traffic hum or buzz of neon, just a steady drip drip drip of thick liquid onto pavement. The road was gritty, he could feel tiny grains of gravel and dirt slipping under his feet. A stench of rotting garbage hung in the air, dense, motionless, as if not even the wind would dare come to this place. Even the graffiti was different: its colors sharper, appearing bioluminescent, glowing talismans against evil.

Or warnings.

No… he was being fanciful. The driver’s obvious fear had gotten into his head. He wasn’t a big man, but he moved with strength and purpose. He wasn’t worth attacking, was not, even in his best interview outfit, dressed in a way that would not suggest wealth. Because there was no wealth. Even less now that most of his remaining funds had just sped away with the Uber. He’d have to walk the rest of the way.

At least he was within walking distance, as confirmed by his smartphone’s GPS. The voice of the AI (“Alex,” programmed with a soothing attractive Australian accent) told him to continue along this road another 500 meters.

Good thing I’m still within view of a satellite.

Plonk.

Something wet dripped on him and he squinted up at the tangle of ivy that covered the wall of a warehouse. Ivy? In the middle of the city? No time to investigate, he was already late for the interview. Besides… there was something sinister about that mass of ivy, as if it hid watching eyes.

When, as Alex directed, he turned left at a street so narrow he’d have hesitated to call it a street at all, something skittered past his leg, something furry and malevolent.

Yokai…

It had been a cat. Or… a very large rat (not that that possibility was reassuring).

Still, with Alex giving him updated directions he felt almost comforted. As if the AI was his friend, a non-judgmental friend who would help him navigate the worst of life’s bumps. If only Alex had told him, “Stay in college. Don’t move to a foreign country, don’t break up with -.”

Crash! Thud. Ooof!

“You have arrived, mate.” The AI went silent.

Arrived where?

The noises were coming from the bar on his left. With late summer humidity streaking the window, he’d missed the sign. Kasugayama. Through the fogged glass, he could see two shapes locked in battle.

Anyone might have been forgiven if they’d performed a 500 meter sprint back to relative safety. But acting on instinct, an instinct that he cursed a moment later, Thai ran into the bar. He didn’t know what he’d been expecting. Expectations and instincts did not generally go together. Still, one might have expected a simple bar fight, or a less simple robbery. And not… a spider the size of a pony.

Yokai…

There was probably a more proper name for a spider demon, but Thai’s language skills temporarily deserted him.

Of all the gin joints…

Spiders… why did it have to be spiders?

Why am I thinking in movie quotations?

Fighting the spider was a man who wielded a pool cue as expertly as a spear. But the spider had a six arm advantage and…

Sproing!!!

Holy fuck… it can jump!

That damn instinct took over again and Thai grabbed a chair and threw it at the spider. This had the stunning effect of breaking the chair and getting the thing’s attention. It charged toward him, then screeched when the other man drove the pool cue into its butt.

Now it’s just pissed off.

Taking advantage of the momentary distraction, Thai flipped himself over the bar top, grabbed a bottle from the speed rail, and smashed it on the edge of the sink. The scent of fermented rice mixed with the aromas of spider goo and blood. The blood belonged to a rather nasty looking slash on the man’s leg. The spider goo was … well, obvious.

At the sound of the breaking glass, the spider scuttled toward him again, a glare of uncanny intelligence in its red eyes. Thai slashed furiously with his improvised weapon, drawing more goo from the spider, and dammit, there was a paring knife right there on the garnish station.

The spider jumped to the bar top, stretching out a spindly leg (arm?) toward him. Thai switched the bottle to his other hand, grabbed the knife, and slammed it down on the arm/leg, severing it at a joint. The limb snapped off with a sickening crunch and slid halfway across the room. The spider emitted a high-pitched shriek, then the other man drove the pool cue through its head.

It twitched three times, then went still.

In the sudden silence, Thai could hear himself and the other man breathing.

Later, he might think back and take in details – the man’s warm brown eyes, the feel of the sticky floor under his feet and the flicker and hum of fluorescent lights. But the instinct that drove him into this place took over again. While the other man retrieved a well-used first aid kit and treated the slash on his leg, Thai soothed his jangled, spider-hating nerves with the ritual of cleaning. Wipe down the bar top. Sterilize the knife. Sweep up the glass…

Noticing the pool cue samurai was eyeing a bottle of iichiko Shochu, Thai poured him a glass, adding blood orange juice, tonic water and ice when prompted.

Finally the other guy spoke. “No idea why you came crashing in like a wild boar, but… thanks.” The blunt speech was softened with a wry smile.

“Job interview? Advertisement for a barback?” Thai unearthed his phone, getting ready to pull up the confirmation email. “I’m Thai Bulan.”

“Oh, shit.” The other man raked his hands through a mop of sweat-soaked brown hair. “It completely went out of my head. Sanada Yukimura.” He bowed. “Any chance you still want the job?”

It had been listed as minimum salary, but it did come with the mention of a studio apartment above the bar. “Um.” Thai indicated the spider. “Is that what happened to the previous barback?”

“No. This… was new. Never seen one those in here before.” Yukimura took a deep breath. “The last guy quit. Kasugayama’s owner is a bit… unique.”

Then, with what might have been called perfect timing, the front door opened and a man with heterochromatic eyes entered and surveyed the scene. He eyed the dead spider. “Good. I was in the mood for takeout.”

He pulled a sword out of the scabbard on his waist and cleanly sliced off a limb. Then, gnawing on it like it was a turkey leg and he was some medieval king, he disappeared into a back office.

Thai took the job.

Thank you @lorei-writes and @olivermorningstar for organizing this event (and it was super organized with check ins and google docs and everything I could ask for. If they ever do another event, jump at the chance to join).

To @fighting-and-drawing , I really hope I have done Thai justice. Heart of The Warrior has been one of my favorite Ikemen Sengoku fanfics (I've read it more than once), and I was thrilled when I learned you were the giftee. I'm not nearly as confident writing fight scenes though, so I hope it made sense. And yes, I was the anon who asked you what Yukimura might order in a modern bar (and then had to figure out whether he would still drink a sweet cocktail after killing a giant spider).

To anyone else reading this, I encourage anyone interested in reading a fantastically well written, well researched Ikesen longfic to read Heart of The Warrior either here or here

[fighting-and-drawing]

⭐star⭐ Anything about Heart of the Warrior you want to talk about? Or about the sequel that you began, and then it vanished?

There are a few general trivia I could elaborate on that is referenced or cut in Heart of the Warrior.

The Takeda Clan and Aikido—In Chapter 5, Sasuke references the Takeda Clan being the founders of a progenitor style that led to the creation of Aikido, a modern Japanese martial art involving joint locks and throws against armed or unarmed opponents. This is historically true in a certain roundabout way. Aikido was derived from a traditional Japanese Martial Art known Daito-ryu Aiki-Jujutsu founded by a samurai known as Minamoto no Yoshimistu in the Heian Era who would settle in Kai Province. His great grandson would adopt the Takeda surname and become part of the Takeda Clan where he would later develop this school and Takeda-ryu to pass down through their family lines. However, it wasn't until the 19th Century that Takeda Sokaku (belonging to a minor line in the Takeda Family) had begun to publicly teach and restore Daito-Ryu and Takeda-Ryu which would produce one of Sokaku's best students, Morihei Ueshiba, who would later go on to invent Aikido.

Thai, the Moon, and the Bakunawa—Thai's surname, Bulan, and his fascination with the moon is reference to a pre-colonial Filipino tale of Sidapa, Libulan, and the Bakunawa that was regarded as an insight to LGBT culture in the ancient Philippines. To summarize, the God of Death, Sidapa, was enraptured by a moon deity, Libulan and saved him when a giant serpent, the Bakunawa, tried to devour Libulan and they lived romantically forever after. Now, that's a badass story and an awesome example of LGBT culture in pre-colonial civilizations and a huge inspiration for the creation of my OC, Thai Bulan. Thai even has a large back tattoo of the myth where the Bakunawa erupts out of the ocean and consumes the moon made in reminder of his bad luck with love. Now, the tale is inspiring and awesome, but there's one teensy problem—it's fake. Unfortunately, midway into the creation of Heart of the Warrior and still using the tale as inspiration for Thai, I had found out that although those deities and the serpent were real mythological figures, this specific tale was nothing more than a frankly disappointing and unfortunate misconstruction of Visayan myth. (And, before I go more into it, I want to point out that out of ALL the examples of ACTUAL LGBT culture in pre-colonial myths, I just happened to use the only fake one.) This was heartbreaking for me, to say the least. This tale not only gave hope to Thai, but to me as a Bisexual person of Filipino descent as well. So, what to do? Well, I could have removed a big part of Thai's beliefs that were already introduced in the story, or I could instead go on a slightly poetic retcon of Thai knowing this story was fake all along, but it was still the one he needed. If you want to know more about this unfortunate story, I'll post a link here.

Takeda Shingen and Masanobu Kōsaka—in Chapter 8, Sasuke tells a worried Thai about Takeda Shingen having a previous relationship with one of his generals, Masanobu Kōsaka. Unlike the last bit of trivia, Shingen's and Kōsaka's relationship was not only a real-life thing, but also well documented. Their relationship together was an example of shudō, or the practice of male same-sex relationships that was often practiced by samurai. Shingen pledged in documents to never harm Kōsaka due to his romantic intimacy towards him. However, Shingen would die five years before Kōsaka would die due to illness and I have yet been able to find (or afford to buy) scholarly resources to further research into their relationship. Now, this bit of history might be conflicting with the ever flirty Shingen we all know and love in Ikemen Sengoku, but this could be farther from the case. Shudō practiced by samurai was a relationship contracted between two samurai, mostly between an older male (nenja) and a younger male (chigo), where they wouldn't take any other male lovers and the older male would teach the younger male martial abilities, education, etc. until the chigo came of age and the relationship will end. The taking of female partners was not excluded in this kind of relationship. If you want to read more into Shudō and homosexuality in ancient Japan, a great source is Ihara Saikaku's The Great Mirror of Male Love, a collection of short stories depicting homosexual relationships. Here's also another link to read a bit more about homosexuality in Japan.

The Patua and Corpo Fechado—Thai, and eventually Yukimura, carries with them a Patuá, a cloth amulet filled with specific ingredients sacred in the African Diasporic religion of Candomblé that grants the wearer corpo fechado, or "closed body," which means you're literally invulnerable to all forms of attack and damage. A famous historical capoeirista, Besouro, was said to have this and was never harmed by blade or bullet. Now, while Thai is not a practitioner of Candomblé, Thai still believes in the amulet's protection. And, what was supposed to originally happen in the very first scene of The Heart of the Warrior was Yukimura watching as Thai fought off the samurai trying to kill him and not getting hurt even though Yukimura could see Thai getting struck or slashed by numerous katana and yari. It would mimic the stories of Besouro fighting off multiple armed men with guns and stuff and it would have been like a testament to Thai's fighting abilities and the idea of the supernatural and whatnot. So...I forgot about all of that entirely while writing and Thai is seen injured in the actual opening of the novel. In retrospect, this was a good thing as Thai still getting injured didn't make him a Mary Sue character that was invincible while still displaying that he is still an impressive fighter. It also, in a way, was more respectful for the amulet to just be a piece of filled cloth as again, Thai never practiced Candomblé and it wouldn't make sense for the protection to be granted to him without even being a practitioner.

"Don't fall in love"—Sasuke gives this warning to Thai and eventually MC/Mai when she arrives. Yeah sure, in Ikemen Sengoku, that clearly doesn't get heeded and we fall in love with the man of our dreams. But, if we are to be concerned with the implications of what that would do to the future, it's far worse for Thai to fall in love than MC/Mai. At least with MC/Mai, she could potentially replace the suitor's historical wife and bear the children they would eventually supposed to have. With Thai, however...the bloodline just ends. But, Yukimura was fated to die in battle anyways, surely that means their relationship won't cause too much of a ripple? That would be the case if Yukimura was also never a father...which he most certainly was in History, in fact having two wives. Although his more notable son, Daisuke, also fell in battle, he was still survived by numerous daughters and sons. Ooof....so, if we're to talk about a sequel and knowing the Shudo relationship, are we now heading to an ending where Thai will never be with Yukimura in the end to preserve History? Well, Life's a Mystery....

To end on a good note, I am planning to jumpstart not only the sequel, but a potential director's cut, but I won't make a huge spectacle out of the latter. I hope this post was somewhat entertaining.

[salmonpiffy]

Finally, I have Transformers oc and also his human partner!

His name is BeatStrike (His vehicle mode is Tuk Tuk). The girl’s name is Bulan, She is Thai student.

I don’t have a clear story yet but the story was setted in TF Prime universe.

[fighting-and-drawing]

Heart of the Warrior Chapter 15: Iuli Kanamo Ang Among Bulan

Fandom: Cybird Ikemen Sengoku

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

Yukimura Sanada x Male!OC

      There were no windows in his jail cell, yet it was always as cold as the long, dark nights he used to enjoy. Back In Kasugayama, he would often go to the roof of the large castle, peering out towards the starry night sky that was missing from the Modern World. His eyes would stay plastered on the bright white moon, a smile if the moon was full and deeply golden. He would often remember the myth of his last namesake, a story he held within that comforted him in the harshest of times. 

     True, it wasn't a real story or myth, but it was the one that he needed—the one that used to give him hope in life. Life was a mystery, after all, but that did not mean he needed to wallow through it without comfort. 

      But, time and time again, the story had lost its magic. His actions back home betrayed his story, and in turn, the story became nothing but a sordid reminder of the happy ending he could never obtain. Through the awed eyes and the occasional smile, he did not see hope, but a dream turned to fantasy, a reminder of the life he now ran away from, yet still envied. The dragon had swallowed the moon, and no one wanted it to return.

      There were no windows in his cold, dark jail cell, but he needed to see the stars. He needed to see the moon one last time. He wanted to see his lost happy ending one more time before he fell to his horrid fate. He pleaded to whatever gods he knew, from the Orixás that used to protect him to even the moon deity he used to worship. He cried softly in his cell, the agonizing cold and the sharp pain with every twitch of his bruised and battered muscles forcing him still. His vision was blurry and his mind jumbled. His body felt weak, crumpling down on its knees. He did not know how long it was ever since he was captured, but he knew his end would come soon.

      He needed to see the moon. As if abandoning all reason, Thai struggled to stand up. His nauseous head made it feel as if he was trying to stand on the deck of a ship in the middle of a hurricane, but he kept rising. Nothing mattered to him anymore. He slipped but caught himself before his face met the ground. One of his eyes didn't want to open, the other seeing a darkened room shifting around him. Yet, he kept himself straight, gathering strength as he slowly stood back up.       He took an unsteady step forward. He drew in a raspy breath as he continued forward. He needed to see the night sky. He needed to feel the grass under his feet. He needed to breathe in the cool, night air. He needed to see...

      A face revealed itself in his mind. For a brief moment, his heart jumped, a wave of warmth welcomed by the freezing Thai. He could see the short, disheveled almost-auburn-colored hair over his head. Under it was a young, handsome face, a pair of chestnut-colored irises looking at him. Soft, pink lips rose to a warm smile that greeted him, a hand extending out towards Thai.       "...Yuki..." Thai raggedly breathed, taking another shambling step towards the jail bars.        Yukimura stood under the moon, dressed in his normal red kimono. He stood tall over the grassy knob, his soft gaze bidding Thai to join him. Thai's heartbeat grew excited, his steps growing faster. He was close—he could feel the warmth of his hand just inches away...

      But, the frozen iron cage bars stopped him. His body collided with the cell doors, Thai letting out a frustrated, pained gasp as his body slunk to the ground. His eyes grew heavier. His mind was spinning, his gut sick. Thai let out another strained gasp, his cold body finally relaxing as his eyes closed.

      Nobuyuki watched just inches away from the other side of the jail cell bars. Mitsuhide was thorough in torturing the captured foreigner, yet seeing his handiwork made the elder Sanada brother sick. He extended a hand towards the jail bars, his fingers clasping its cold iron surface. The motionless Thai beneath him on the other side of the jail bars made him think that he was dead, yet he could still faintly hear the raspy breath going in and out of Thai's nose.   Nobuyuki looked down the hall, making sure he was alone. Mitsuhide should be in his manor, planning whatever schemes the silver kitsune was fond of. He winced, remembering Yukimura's words to him in their short time together. The man responsible for the carnage below him was the person he swore loyalty to. The demon responsible for the desolation of everything his twisted heart sought after was the thing he swore loyalty to. 

      His father's words and decree were unquestionable. Nobuyuki would always follow them. Under his father's command, he would be the one to make sure the Sanada Clan prospered and lived through the war-torn era they lived in. 

      Nobuyuki let go of the cage bars before crouching down to meet the unconscious Thai. His hand reached through the bars, his fingers pressing down on the side of Thai's neck. He nearly gasped upon feeling the faint beat of blood still pumping through his veins under Thai's stone-cold skin.        He stood back up. There was no telling that his younger brother would come to rescue his subordinate. Nobuyuki smiled, knowing that Yukimura was too headstrong in allowing himself to leave his comrades to suffer a horrible fate. Just like him and his father, Yukimura valued every person's life. He knew exactly where Yukimura was going to infiltrate the castle. He studied every nook and cranny of Ueda, knowing its every weakness and exploit—knowing where a shinobi could easily infiltrate to reach the jail cell to recover a captured warrior.        Nobuyuki sighed, hearing the door at the far end of the hall open. He turned to the approaching figure.       "Inahime," Nobuyuki breathed. 

      Komatsuhime stepped to him, gasping at the sight just across the cell bars. "Oh my—! Is that....?"

      "Yes," Nobuyuki simply answered. He held Komatsuhime's hands, his wife's eyes plastered on the fallen foreigner. "Nobushige will come for him soon."

      Her eyes darted to her husband, her mouth agape. "What?! But, he'll be captured? And, if he is..."

      "I know," Nobuyuki gulped, the thought of seeing his brother in a jail cell sending shivers through his spine. "But, we need to plan accordingly if all is to go well."

      Komatsuhime shuddered, her husband's grip firm on her hands. "Then...you mean to—"

      "Alert our shinobi," he said. "Tell them this..."

      There was a passage hidden in the stone walls of the moat around Ueda Castle. Not everyone knew of its existence, its purpose both as a point of infiltration should the castle be occupied and as an escape, if the barbarian-like enemy should ever capture Ueda. Yukimura vividly remembered using this passage to escape as the enemy surrounded him. He would have fallen to the demon if not for the knowledge of this door.        Throughout the day, both Sasuke and Yukimura methodically observed the patrolling guards around the castle. With the cover of night shrouding them, they donned dark blue garb before making their way into town. They infiltrated the castle grounds, silently descending into the moats without alerting the incoming patrol rounding the corner. There was an area of stone big enough to allow someone to walk along, Yukimura and Sasuke hugging the walls of the moat as they made their way closer to the door—a grate that seemed to be built into the foundation but could be opened with enough force. 

      Yukimura knew their plan was extremely risky. Even the chance of a wrong move could end with them being captured. His actions already may have spelled disaster for Lord Shingen and Lord Kenshin's plans. The honorable thing to do would be to return home and face judgment for his treason. He knew his death would be assured, so why not risk it instead while rescuing Thai.

      Thai...that dummy! Yukimura did not know whether to hug or berate him for what he pulled off. He was such a wild boar—why did he just charge into the enemy like that!? He sighed; he already knew the answer to that question. There were fewer forces intercepting them at the river when they escaped due to Thai staying behind. If it was not for him, they would not have escaped the river and onto dry land. It was because of his sacrifice that they made it out of Ueda alive.       Yukimura gulped, his fingers cautiously prying open the grate leading to a tunnel small enough for them to crouch inside. His mind stayed fixed on Thai, hoping that this mission wasn't a waste and that he was still alive somewhere within. He was always there to save him, even when he did not know who Yukimura originally was when he saved him in that forest so long ago. His foolishness could easily be confused for brevity in the face of harrowing opposition. But, it was that foolishness that he started to like about him. No matter the situation, Thai acted on his feet to protect him, even if it meant facing down a hundred men, just like—

      "Yuki," Sasuke said, breaking the Peerless Warrior out of his thoughts.          Yukimura found themselves within the tunnel, cautiously making their way inside. "Yeah?" he responded softly to Sasuke. 

      "The castle will be full of guards," Sasuke said. "Maybe it's best if you stay here to cover our exit, and I'll continue in to—"         "No," Yukimura said. "Once we get Thai, one of us needs to carry him if he's injured. If we do run into the guards, we'll need someone to cover the other carrying Thai."

      "Understood."

     They reached a panel at the end of the darkened tunnel. Yukimura carefully pried it open, the two dropping down into a dimly lit room. Their eyes opened wide at the sight, Yukimura nearly gasping. The tunnel was supposed to lead to a storage room, but instead of crates of rice and goods, they were met with the seemingly never-ending sight of guns, black powder barrels, and even cannons. Sasuke replaced the panel back as Yukimura stepped over to a nearby cannon. His heart tensed upon feeling its cool surface.        "Nobuyuki..." Yukimura grimaced silently to himself. "...you're really preparing for war?"

      "With this much ordinance, they could easily wipe us out," Sasuke said. "Like shooting fish in a barrel, so to speak."

      "That is the plan," a familiar voice called out.

      Yukimura and Sasuke spun around to the voice. From the shadows, Nobuyuki silently stepped out, his tachi in his hands. Nobuyuki sighed, shaking his head slowly. "You really came back for him, didn't you?" Nobuyuki said coldly.

      Yukimura's brow furrowed. He stomped toward his older brother but was quickly held back by Sasuke. "You!" Yukimura growled fiercely. "Where is he!? Give him back to us!"

      "Quiet your voice," Nobuyuki calmly said, biting back his own anger. "...no doubt that snake is slithering around here somewhere."

      "Snake?...Mitsuhide," Yukimura winced, venom dripping from his tongue. 

      "The very same," Nobuyuki said. "Already, your follower is gravely injured. I doubt he has long to live if Mitsuhide continues his...work."

      Yukimura suddenly lunged at his brother. The latter remained unfazed as Yukimura grabbed the lapels of his kimono, Sasuke frozen in place. A mad streak was glazed over his eyes. Nobuyuki kept his calm as he stared right back at him.        "Kill him, and I'll—"

      "Kill me, too?" Nobuyuki interrupted. 

      Yukimura stayed silent, his balled-up fists turning white. His face grew flustered, his teeth bared and clenched. Nobuyuki merely drew in and out a deep breath.       "...if you don't want to see your follower die...then I would suggest you hurry and save him," Nobuyuki said.

      Yukimura gasped. His tense hands let go of his brother's kimono as he stepped back. Nobuyuki sheathed his tachi, fixing his kimono. "You know where the jail cell is, younger brother," Nobuyuki continued to say. "I would caution you not to move him too much. He's...he's hurt badly."

      "Why...why are you helping us?" 

      Nobuyuki shrugged his shoulder lightly. "...if all goes to plan," he said. "You wouldn't need to worry about the weapons in this room."

      Sasuke glanced over at Yukimura. The latter stood confused, his jaw dropping slightly agape.

      "Believe me, don't believe me—it doesn't matter," Nobuyuki said. "I was tasked by our father to make sure the Sanada Clan prospers. You were tasked to continue their legacy and fight against the demon. It's time I held up my end of the bargain. Any moment now, a distraction will cause me and the entirety of the forces within to deal with a 'surprise attack.' Use this time wisely and save your friend."

      Yukimura stood in place for a moment. His eyes began to tear up, his body suddenly lurching forward. Yukimura's arms wrapped around Nobuyuki's, eliciting a surprised gasp from the older brother. Nobuyuki sighed, patting his brother on the head.        "Always such a crier," Nobuyuki smiled.

      "Shut up," Yukimura scoffed through the tears. He felt a long-forgotten warmth spread across him. 

      "Hmph."

      A faint explosion in the distance lightly rattled the castle walls. Nobuyuki cleared his throat, softly pushing Yukimura away. "Wait for a moment, and when the coast is clear, go and save Thai," Nobuyuki said as he turned away. 

      Yukimura sniffed back the tears, wiping his reddened eyes on his sleeve. "Th-thanks," he said. Yukimura turned to Sasuke, the two nodding.

      Nobuyuki left promptly, the voices of his concerned men ringing through the halls before being silenced by the door closing. Yukimura and Sasuke ran to the door, hugging the sides of the door with their bodies as they listened for the voices outside to die down. Within a few moments, the two quickly made their way out of the storage room. True to Nobuyuki's word, the entire castle was empty.        Yukimura's heart was racing—he really did get through to Nobuyuki after all. True, all of this could be a setup to capture him, but so far, his older brother's words rang true. A spark of hope lit a fire inside Yukimura's heart as he and Sasuke darted through the castle, finally making their way down to the lower levels where the jail was.

      Just as they were about to turn a corner, Sasuke pulled Yukimura back. Sasuke held his mouth shut as he peered around the corner. Two guards were still stationed outside of the jail. Yukimura glanced at them, kissing his teeth in frustration as Sasuke let go of Yukimura. The two guards didn't wear red armor or kimonos.       "Mitsuhide's men, probably," Sasuke said. 

      "Damn!" Yukimura grunted. He huffed, looking at Sasuke. "Alright, you take the one on the left. I got the right."

      Sasuke produced a small pellet from his kimono, nodding silently. He threw the pellet at the guards, a small pop igniting a large explosion of smoke that surprised the guards. In the confusion, Sasuke and Yukimura quickly lunged at their respective targets, swiftly incapacitating both at the same time. Once the smoke cleared, the two guards lay motionless on the floor with Sasuke opening the jail door for Yukimura to enter. 

      The two quickly went down the jail hall, looking from cell to cell, until they found—

      "Thai..." Yuki breathed.

      The sight of the collapsed foreigner shocked him. Sasuke gasped, quickly picking the lock of the door. Thai was still unconscious, barely breathing as Sasuke opened the cell door. Yukimura quickly crouched down, enveloping Thai in a gentle embrace. The Peerless Warrior lifted Thai's torso up, a twitching hand brushing back the overgrown bangs from Thai's eyes. His pulse was weak and his tanned body pale, his ragged breath alarming the two.       "Thai..." Yukimura repeated. "Hold on just a little longer."

      The muscles on Thai's face twitched, his dry lips slowly opening. "...Yu...Yuki?" Thai breathed softly.

      "Shh...I'm here," Yuki softly whispered.

      Thai's eyes were shut closed, yet he began to grow conscious. "...Você...você voltou por mim?"

      "I don't know what you're saying, dummy," Yukimura lightly snorted. He gently caressed his cheek with his calloused hands. He bit back the tears upon seeing Thai in such a disastrous state. He had to stay strong. "I'm not gonna leave you to die."

      Thai weakly chuckled, the chuckle turning quickly into a pained cough. "You...you should have—"

      "Stop," Yukimura interrupted. "I'm not leaving you. Never, and that's final. I intend to keep my promise to you, whether you like it or not."

      "Tsk...so stubborn."

      Yukimura threw Thai's arm around his shoulder, gently picking up his light frame by Thai's upper back and legs. Yukimura nodded to Sasuke, the two quickly escaping the jail. Heading back into the storage room, they slid Thai through the tunnel before cautiously hauling him out. In his feeble state, they couldn't escape the way they intended to, though.       "Thai," Yukimura softly asked. "How are you feeling?"

      The foreigner scoffed weakly. "...sério?"

      Yukimura sighed. "Right...sorry."

      "We cannot swim out of here, then," Sasuke said. "We have to escape through the back of the castle and disappear into the forest."

      "Damn!"

      "Yuki..." Thai breathed.

      "It's alright, Thai," Yukimura said, the two carefully making their way through the moat. "I got you."

      "Vejam isso..."

      "Huh?"

     Thai giggled softly, the gaze in his eyes pointed up. "A Lua...é tão brilhante, não é?"

     Yukimura started to panic; Thai was starting to ramble nonsense. "Hey! Keep it together," he said. The trio found their way out of the moat, Yukimura carefully placing Thai over his shoulder as they started to climb up the moat and onto the outside of the castle. "We're almost there. Just...please...stay with me."

      They quickly reached solid ground, Yukimura carrying Thai bridal-style as they made a dash towards the distant trees. They looked behind them, seeing the town behind them illuminated by a large fire spewing smoke and flames that towered over the land. Yukimura grimaced at the sight, Sasuke urging silently with a hand on his shoulder for the two to keep running. Yet, a few emerging figures stopped them in their tracks. Yukimura whispered a curse, a few samurai surrounding them. Again, they did not appear to be Nobuyuki's men, meaning that they were followed by Mitsuhide's spies.       "Where do you think you're going?" spat one of the men as he drew his sword. 

      Sasuke drew out his own sword, yet they were outmanned four-to-one. The duo placed their backs to one another as they were circled by Mitsuhide's men, yet the kitsune himself did not appear.       "You can either come with us, or we'll take your heads to our lord instead," another man sneered.

      Yukimura winced, clutching Thai tightly to his person. "Any ideas, Sasuke?"

      "I'm thinking," the ocular ninja muttered.

      "Lord Mitsuhide would very much appreciate your cooperation, little Sanada vermin!" said a third man.

      Yukimura grunted. "Step one foot closer, and you'll regret facing me," Yuki growled back. 

      The men drew their swords and began to inch closer. Sasuke took one hand off his sword hilt, reaching for the kunai attached to his belt. Yuki prepared himself to drop Thai. He would have to risk Thai's injuries to fight off the men surrounding them. The area grew silent, the cacophony of voices in the distant town muffled.

      Just as the attackers were about to leap forward, one of them grunted in pain and clutched his neck. Yukimura gasped as the man fell down lifelessly to the ground. The others gasped as well, frantically searching around. One by one, figures shrouded by the darkness emerged from the shadows, each taking down the attackers before they could react. Yukimura and Sasuke watched silently as their attackers fell before them, numerous men shrouded in dark clothes that matched the night approaching them. Yukimura huffed, adjusting his grip on Thai.       "It took you long enough!" Yukimura scoffed.

      Saizou took off his mask. "Apologies, my lord," Saizou smiled. "We were momentarily distracted by this."

      Saizou produced something from behind his back, its metallic surface making Yukimura sigh. "Oh...right," Yukimura groaned, Saizou slightly fiddling with the golden gunbai in his hands. "You know that's just for show, right? I don't actually care for it."

      "Mission still completed," Kamenosuke grinned.

      Thai's guttural groans alerted Yukimura, the Peerless Warrior kneeling down on the grass. Thai's eyes opened once more, his throat letting out a scoff as he stared up toward the sky.       "Hey, come on!" Yukimura grunted. "We're almost home free."

      Thai coughed. "Alright-alright," he breathed, retracting his arm from around Yukimura's shoulder. "Hold on...I can walk, just—"

      "Nope! You're in no condition to walk," Yukimura scoffed. 

      "He's alright," Saizou smiled.

     "Not really...." Thai groaned. "Esse filho de puta has my razor blade. W-we might...have to do this mission again just to...get it back."

      Yukimura couldn't help but gawk. Even injured, Thai was still the stubborn mule that he was. He will be fine, he thought. He wrapped Thai's arm around his shoulders once more before lifting him off the ground. He nodded to everyone before they quickly ran to the trees where their horses awaited.  

      It would be a few days' ride back to Kasugayama, the group needing to make necessary detours to shake any trailing spies off their tail. They would have to wait until they were well outside of Shinano to check on Thai's wounds. The foreigner would still have to endure the pain for now, but the sweet relief of freedom eased his injured body. He could feel the cool night breeze blow across his skin, and smell the fresh pine and dirt of the forest. His eyes opened again, still directed up to take one last look before he closed his heavy eyelids. The last thing he remembered seeing before falling into a deep sleep was Yuki's face peering down at him, the moon shining bright just above him. Thai couldn't help but gawk softly—the moon had returned. 

[fighting-and-drawing]

Heart of the Warrior Masterlist

Heart of the Warrior: A New Beginning

   Thai finally did it—he finally followed his old dream of living in Japan and started his new life abroad. One night as he was coming home from his job, he was suddenly thrust into an ominous storm as he passed by a memorial dedicated to the Honnoji-incident. Minutes later, he finds himself fighting off a group of samurai, saving the legendary Yukimura Sanada. Alongside Sasuke, another spontaneous time traveler who was thrown into the Past, he follows the risky strategy of becoming Yukimura's bodyguard in order to survive Sengoku Era Japan until they can make it safely back home.

   As time passes, the friendship between Thai and Yukimura grows, Thai soon finds himself falling madly in love with the Peerless Warrior. However, he wrestles with the implications of revealing the truth to Yukimura, fearing the ever-well-known consequences of rejection and pain. With the looming threats of both rejection and ruining another relationship, Thai resolves to stay by his side as his faithful bodyguard. However, when things take a turn for the worse, will he find the strength to reveal his feelings? Or, will he forever be lost to the shining moon that once lit hope inside his heart?

AO3 Link

Cybird Ikemen Sengoku Fanfic

Yukimura Sanada x Male!OC

Blood, Violence Warning

Chapter List

Chapter 1: Rough Beginnings

Chapter 2: Inoshishi

Chapter 3: The Raven and the Wolf

Chapter 4: Potential

Chapter 5: The First Mission

Chapter 6: Meia Lua

Chapter 7: A Special Request

Chapter 8: Hajimari

Chapter 9: Sempre Lembrado

Chapter 10: Enter Ueda

Chapter 11: Ōkami no Naka no Hitsuji

Chapter 12: Truth Revealed

Chapter 13: Machibuse

Chapter 14: Shatter the Moon

Chapter 15: Iuli Kanamo Ang Among Bulan

Chapter 16: To Protect the Heart

Chapter 17: Risk it All

Chapter 18: All In

Chapter 19: Life’s a Mystery

Chapter 20: End of the Beginning

[fighting-and-drawing]

Heart of the Warrior Chapter 18: All In Fandom: Cybird Ikemen Sengoku Previous Chapter | Next Chapter Yukimura Sanada x Male!OC

      Vassals from both the Takeda and Uesugi surrounded the sides of the tenshu. Both Lords Kenshin and Shingen sat on the upper dais, their eyes plastered to the opposite side. Meanwhile, Yukimura, Thai, Sasuke, and the rest of the "Ten Braves" were sitting across from them, both Thai and Sasuke sitting to their front. The entire hall was emptied of any obstacles, a lingering air of trepidation filling the room. A white sheet was placed in the middle of the tenshu floor. Everyone waited in silence as Shingen and Kenshin discussed with each other quietly. Although no one could hear them, it was clear that Shingen was more heated, whereas Kenshin was calm in his discussion.

      Yukimura kept his mouth shut. His ears kept ringing, sweat dripping down his forehead. His breathing grew shaky as his heartbeat accelerated. Anxiety fueled by the growing wait pooled in his already sick stomach. Fear petrified the warrior, yet he noticed the foreigner's eyes were shut when he glanced at Thai. The latter sat still, his breath calm and relaxed. His brows were furrowed and his face stern. Yukimura stirred Thai with a nudge from his elbow. "H-Hey, Thai. Are you okay?"

      Thai sighed softly as his eyes opened. "So far, so good," he whispered back. His gaze was plastered on the sheet ahead of them. He gulped, his fingers pulling slightly on the collar of his kimono. Yukimura's brow scrunched up. "You don't seem fine. Why did Lord Shingen's men escort you here?"

      "Don't worry about it, Guerreiro," Thai replied.

      "Wait, Lord Shingen sent troops to find you in your room?" Saizou asked from behind.

      "Actually, they got him from Yuki's room," Rokurobei bluntly said.

      Every one of the 'Ten Brave's' eyes opened wide. "You were in Yuki's room, Thai? What were you guys doing in there?" Sasuke suddenly whispered.

      Both Yukimura and Thai tensed up as everyone's eyes narrowed toward them. "Coño, I'm about to be on the chopping block, and y'all are making this a game of 20 questions?" Thai grunted.

      "What!?" Yukimura quietly grunted.          "Oh shit, I said that out loud, didn't I?" Thai muttered to himself. "Well, it ain't like it's gonna matter in about three minutes."

      Yukimura's concerned glare turned into a mad stare. "Wait a minute! You're going to—"

      Yukimura stopped himself short. His peripherals caught sight of both Shingen and Kenshin rising from their seats. The entire room of vassals shifted their collective gazes at the two lords. Shingen let out a deep huff, clearing his throat before addressing the room.       "Yukimura Sanada! Thai Bulan! Step forward!" Shingen's voice boomed throughout the tenshu.

      Both Yukimura and Thai's bodies jolted. They exchanged worried glances before bowing toward the two lords and standing up. With shaking knees and breaths, they both stepped towards the middle of the tenshu, their eyes plastered on Shingen.

     Thai significantly grew more frightened with each step he took. The numerous eyes on him alone were as deadly as the sword Shingen had on his person. Multiple voices of regret rang out inside his mind telling him that this "plan" of his was a mistake, but he knew it was the right thing to do. Still, he never would have figured this was the way he would die. He often just thought his drinking and vaping would come back to bite him into the dust. If he had been told back in the Modern Era that his death would be at the hands of a samurai lord, he would have laughed. 

      Meanwhile, Yukimura still held the same resolve in his fate ever since he left for Ueda. He knew this act of treason was going to seal his fate, yet as he finally faced down his lord wielding the blade he intended to use to execute him, his regret and guilt came back to punish him. And, what became worse was that Thai was right alongside him for some reason. His mind raced. Was it because he interfered with his mission that Shingen would have Thai execute him? But, that wouldn't track with Thai's prior statement. Questions flooded Yukimura's mind, yet Shingen's words soon brought him back to reality. 

      "Yukimura Sanada," Shingen spoke. "Not only had you betrayed my wish to go back to Ueda, but in doing so, you have endangered the lives of those who chose to follow you and the two shinobi I had sent prior. You have also compromised our safety in Kasugayama and alerted the enemy about our existence. This is an act of treason, and the penalty for that is death." Yukimura winced at the end of Shingen's statement, yet he kept his mouth shut and ears open as Shingen turned to Thai, whose gaze was plastered on the ground below. "Thai Bulan," Shingen spoke again. "I understand that even though you are innocent of this, you chose to accept the responsibility of your lord's actions in his stead. I'll ask you this one time: do you plan to follow through with this request?"

      Yukimura's eyes widened as he turned to a still Thai.

     That was his plan? To take his place in execution so that he could live?

      "Thai! Don't do this!" Yukimura pleaded. His hands shot to Thai's sleeve, tugging him vehemently. "Y-you can't! Don't be—"

      "Yukimura!" Shingen roared. "Calm yourself!"

      Yukimura grimaced, regrettably letting go of Thai's sleeve. "I-I'm sorry, milord," he grunted under his breath.

      Thai nodded slowly, sucking in his lips for a moment before setting his sights on Lord Shingen. "It was my job to protect Yukimura from danger...as well as to stop him from doing anything to the detriment of all of us here. I could have stopped him, but I didn't. If we really did compromise the security of everyone here and ignited the war too early, you'll need someone far better than I to lead your troops—not some random foreigner y'all picked up on the way. I'll accept the consequences of his actions. Just...let him go."

      "Thai!" Yukimura gasped. 

      Shingen gritted his teeth. "Very well then," he said, his tone low. Thai wasted no time, first patting Yukimura lightly on the shoulder while flashing a soft smile before going down on his still-aching knees. Shingen looked back toward Yukimura. "Yukimura. Sit back down with—"

      "No!" 

      "Yuki," Thai said, "It's alright. Just sit down."

      "Sit down back over with your men, or die alongside your bodyguard," Kenshin growled. His narrowing glare was fixed on Yukimura as his hand inched itself closer to his sword.

      Yukimura looked back down at Thai, the latter now staring at the ground as he parted his kimono to expose his belly. His shaking hands took the short sword out of his obi, preparing to draw it. Yukimura gritted his teeth and balled his fists, kissing his teeth in frustration as he resolved to kneel right next to Thai instead. Shingen silently gasped as Yukimura started to open his kimono in the same manner hastily. Thai's eyes shot open. 

      "Yuki! What the hell—"

      Ignoring Thai, he looked up defiantly at Shingen. "If he dies...then I'll die, too," Yukimura said, a twinge of fear in his confident tone. "It's not fair for Thai to be responsible for my actions."

      "Yukimura..." Shingen muttered under his breath. 

      Yukimura looked back at the awe-struck Thai. "You won't leave me, so I won't leave you." He smiled. His eyes started to glisten as he took out his tantou dagger. Thai sighed, rubbing his twitching brow as Shingen silently observed the two. Thai knew there was no way he could talk Yukimura out of this, especially with death right at their proverbial doorstep, but the whole point of this plan was to keep him alive. However, there was no time to weigh his options as Shingen's drawn-out sigh alerted the two's attention back up to him.

      "If that is your wish then," Shingen spoke. He shook his head as he stepped around them and to their backs. Thai and Yukimura kept looking forward as they both slowly drew their daggers, the sound of metal shaking its way out of the wooden scabbards followed by the long "shiiink" of Shingen's massive Ootachi. 

      "Goddammit, Yuki," Thai grunted as he positioned the tip of his sword toward his belly. "Back out." 

      "Hey!" Yukimura growled back. "You said you'll always be by my side. How can you do that if you're dead?"

      "So, what? You intend to follow me?"

      "I do," Yukimura answered. "It's not right that you have to take my place in this."

      "It doesn't matter," Thai refuted, "My point still stands. They're gonna need you in this war—not some foreigner playing 'samurai.'"

      "I don't care. I don't want to lose you, Thai. You're...you're important to me. I don't know what I would do without you," Yukimura said, holding the dagger to his stomach. "If you're going to die here because of my mistakes, then I'll be here alongside you. Let's face this together."

      Thai bit down on his lip. He forced his eyes shut, holding back the tears as he hung his head low. He would never have thought that those words would be able to come out of Yukimura's mouth. He just now had to hope that he could find him again in the next life.

      "Mas que porra...so, how we doin' this?" Thai whispered to Yukimura, his eyes staring down at the cold blade he held in his shaking palms.

      Yukimura stayed silent for a moment, his eyes drooping. "...on three?"

      "Fair enough," Thai grunted. He steeled himself as best as he could. He took a deep breath, not bothering to hold back the tears. "...three."

      Yukimura shifted uncomfortably on top of his knees but stayed resolute as he angled his dagger correctly. "...t-two..."

      It was now Thai's turn. He held his breath and swallowed what little saliva was in his mouth. The pounding of his heart and an obnoxious ringing in his ears started to overwhelm his hearing. His body felt cold as he gripped the handle of his tantou as firmly as he could. He could feel the sweat accumulating under his hands, almost as if he could squeeze the blade out of his grip. He closed his eyes, his lips starting to part. "Vejo você do outro lado, amigo." 

      One—         "STOP!!"

      Shingen's voice rang like a gunshot, his booming voice followed by the clacking of daggers on the ground. Thai clutched his heart, a pulse of adrenaline causing him to shake and hyperventilate. On the other hand, Yukimura fell on all fours, almost gagging and throwing up the contents of his stomach. They both looked at each other with eyes and mouths agape before slowly turning back toward Shingen. The Takeda warlord had lowered his sword, the massive warlord himself breathing as heavily as the two were. He merely glared at them silently.

      "You two...you're lucky today," Shingen said under his breath.

      "Shingen!" Kenshin snarled. "What do you think—"

      "If war is to come, then Thai is right!" Shingen snapped back at Kenshin. "If we are to go to war at any time, we need everyone here to fight. Yukimura and Thai are my men. I will deal with them appropriately, but I will not execute them today!"

      Thai and Yukimura held their breaths and looked back at Kenshin, who only glared disappointingly at Shingen. He let out a huff, rolling his eyes as he stepped forward with his hand wrapping itself around the hilt of his sword. "If you won't execute them, then I—"

      Shingen rose his sword toward the other warlord. "You touch them...you will deal with me," Shingen growled. "Stand. Down."

      Kenshin sighed. His hand was still firm against the hilt of his sword, but his movement halted from stepping down from the upper dais. A guttural growl erupted from his throat, yet he stayed still. "...fine. But, I'll expect both of their heads one day or another," Kenshin warned. 

      "Have you ever seen him like that before?" 

      "Not too many times."         Hours after their near-death experience, both Yuki and Thai found secluded refuge amongst the grassy plains outside of Kasugayama. Their horses were tied to a nearby tree, Thai and Yuki finding rest under another tree. 

      Both were rattled from the experience, their minds and hearts still strained. Yukimura sat on the ground, his hands carrying his knees as close to him as possible. Thai was behind Yukimura, leaning against a tree with his arm and forehead planted against the rough bark. For Thai, the scare of death and the subsequent surprise of his plan going better than expected knocked him out of his hangover. Even though the two were shaking in their clothes, the cool, calm breeze of the early afternoon wind gradually brought a sense of relief to the two warriors.

      "What do you think he's gonna do?" Thai asked. "I had never seen him so worked up like that."

      "I don't know," Yukimura answered, his words nearly muffled by his knees. "I had only seen him like this on the battlefield, or...well, you know. But, for what he's likely to do, I have no idea."

      Yukimura honestly wouldn't put it past Lord Shingen wanting to seek the comfort of women in Kasugayama with an armload of sweets and a second of sake, but this was a difficult situation that was a complicated matter rarely seen in the newly-formed Alliance. He had wholeheartedly believed his last breath would be expelled back into the tenshu before Lord Shingen's massive sword cut both his and Thai's heads off. Speaking of which, he still could not wrap his head around the idea of Thai trying to take his place. Even if it was an attempt to save his life, Yukimura still could not believe that Thai would sacrifice himself that easily in place of his life. His heart swelled, the question burning in his mind. 

      He turned his head slightly to glance at Thai. His back was once more to him, but he could feel the exhaustion and strain from today's events emanating from Thai. Yukimura grew more perplexed. As soon as Thai started to recover from torture, he again jumped between himself and death to ensure his survival. His brow furrowed, his hands rotating his body around so that he sat facing Thai.

      "Hey, Thai," Yukimura called out.

      "Yeah?" Thai responded, turning his head to face his lord.

      "Why...why did you do that?" Yukimura asked with a low tone. 

      "Why did I do what?"

      Yukimura spat out a curse, immediately jumping to his feet. "Idiot! Why would you take my place for execution like that!?" he shouted. "What in the Eight Hells were you thinking!?"

      "Hey!" Thai snapped back, yet keeping a calm demeanor. "I told you, my job was to protect you from anything."

      "B-but! This was different! That was my punishment for betraying my lord—for putting everyone, including and especially you, at risk! Y-you nearly died because of me, and...you still risked your life for me. Again..."

      Thai turned his body to face the livid Yukimura. He merely shrugged. "I told you already—you're important to me. No matter what obstacle lies before us, I'll be there to face it to protect you."

      Yukimura stifled a gasp, feeling his cheeks begin to swell with heat as he averted his gaze. "Idiot!" he spat. "And I told you that if you keep doing stuff like that, you'll die! Just like you and I almost did back there..." He thought for a moment. He rubbed his twitching brow, still trying to make sense of the situation. He was a wild boar, sure, but Thai always had a plan, and he knew it could not be as foolish or straightforward as the stunt he just pulled. "How did you know that it would work then?"

      "...that what will?" Thai asked in return, shrugging lightly. 

      "Th-that Lord Shingen would change his mind if we both offered ourselves for execution?"

      Thai shrugged his eyes. "I, uh...."

      Yukimura scoffed. "Seriously!? That really was your plan then?! Why do ALL of your plans involve you trying so damn hard to sacrifice yourself for me, dummy?!!"

      Thai shrugged again. "Não me importa, Yuki," he said, "You're more than just being important to me. The first time I saved you may have been fate, sure, but after what we've been through and after everything we've done together, I would do it again and more if it meant protecting the one that I..."

      He sucked back in the last word that nearly fell from his tongue. Yukimura stared at Thai, waiting for him to finish his sentence. Yet, the younger warrior gulped back his words as he weighed his options. His gut begged him to speak his mind finally. They were alone, and they had yet again escaped death's clutches. He finally risked it all and, for the most part, was finally safe. Decades of pain tried to force his tongue still, but his mind was made. Thai looked back at Yukimura, taking a step forward. His body began to shake, a surge of adrenaline shooting throughout his system. His eyes teared up as he willed himself to speak.

      "...well...if it meant protecting the one that I...the one that I love."

     Yukimura stumbled back a step, his shocked expression locked with his gaze. "What?"

     Thai scoffed, rubbing his forehead before wiping his eyes with his kimono sleeve. "Uh...never mind. Forget it, " Thai coughed out. His cheeks turned red and his body trembled. He quickly turned to make a hasty retreat, but Yuki's hand grabbed him by the wrist. Yukimura yanked him back, and once again, Thai found himself in his grip. He held his breath, Yukimura's nose inches from his. The Peerless Warrior's eyes peered down at the smaller male, the two locked into each other's gaze. "H-hey!" Thai mildly protested, snapping himself out of his trance. He averted his eyes but soon felt Yukimura's fingers slide up to his chin, forcing his eyes back to him.

      "Did...did you really mean that?" Yukimura suddenly asked. His cheeks began to bloom the same shade of red glazed over Thai's cheeks.

      Thai sighed, closing his eyes, forcing with all his might to keep his tears in. "L-look...I didn't want to say anything because...w-well...I know you don't see me in the same way. I didn't want to ruin what friendship we had...and... well, please don't let it bother you! I swear, just tell me already you don't see me in the same way, and I will—"

      Before Thai could finish his sentence, Yukimura's hand slid up his cheek and brought Thai's face closer to his. The next thing that registered was Yukimura's soft lips grazing against his lips. His eyes shot open, a muffled gasp escaping his throat. Yukimura pressed his lips against his. Thai nearly panicked. His arms reflexively pushed back against Yukimura's firm chest, yet the Peerless Warrior kept his hand wrapped tight around Thai's cheek, his other hand pressing against the small of Thai's back. A short guttural moan soon escaped Thai's throat, the more diminutive warrior finally relaxing inside of Yukimura's hold as he embraced the kiss. 

      Yukimura soon pulled his lips away yet kept a firm hold on Thai. Thai's heart swelled, the cold air replacing the almost sickeningly sweet warmth still lingering from the sudden kiss. "Yu...Yuki?" Thai gasped quietly.

      "D-dummy! Y'know how crazy you make me?!" he stammered to say, "Do you even know how much I wanted to hear you say that one day?"

      A giggle burst out of Thai's lips, giving in to the temptation to hug Yukimura. He pressed his face against Yukimura's firm chest, a surge of ecstasy rushing through him as Yukimura returned the embrace with his own. His hand slid up towards Thai's hair, his lips finding recluse on the crook of Thai's neck. "Jeez," Thai said, his voice muffled by Yukimura's chest. "You make me crazy, too!"

      "Listen," Yukimura breathed across Thai's ear, making the latter shudder slightly. "I'm glad you want to protect me with your life, but..." Yukimura slowly pulled himself away once more and stared at Thai, fresh tears gliding slowly down his flushed cheeks. "I don't want you to die for me. You don't have to throw your life away at the drop of a hat. I want...I need you to live for me. I need you to be with me."

      Thai silently awed at Yukimura, tears also falling from his eyes. He scoffed slightly, suddenly erupting into a chuckle. "What?!" Yuki gawked.

      "N-Never took you for the, uh...romantic type," Thai answered sheepishly. Suddenly, he let out a pained cry, Yukimura's fingers snatching Thai's nose and pinching it with his vice-like grip.

      "Dummy! I can be romantic!" 

      "Wet me gwoo!!" Thai cried out. Much to his relief, Yukimura let go. Thai stumbled back, rubbing his still-hurting nose. "Dammit, Yuki. I meant that as a compliment."

      "Pfft. Whatever."

      Thai wiped his eyes with his sleeve as Yukimura stepped up to him again. Yukimura wrapped his arms around Thai, bringing him back into his embrace. His heart swelled, Yukimura's sweet smile enveloping his sight. "I gotta tell you, Yuki," Thai said. "I was scared out of my mind about what could happen if I ever told you that I...well, love you."

      "Same here," Yukimura revealed. "I thought you would freak out and try to run."

      "Pfft! I thought you would try and shove that spear of yours up—"

      The sound of someone approaching swiftly on horseback through the grassy landscape stopped their conversation short. Thai and Yukimura turned their heads to see Sasuke quickly running to them. Sasuke stopped his horse just a few feet away and promptly jumped down to them, hyperventilating fiercely. He gasped shortly upon seeing both Thai and Yukimura, the latter two frozen in their embrace.

      "Oh! Was...I interrupting something?" Sasuke asked between breaths. 

      The two warriors glanced at each other. "Uh...." 

      Sasuke shook his head. "N-never mind! You two need to come back to Kasugayama right away!"

      "Huh!?" both Yukimura and Thai gasped in unison. "Sasuke, what's wrong?!" Yukimura asked. For the second time today, the looming threat of death once again reared its ugly head and dangled its blade just above his neck. 

      "Nāo me digas..." Thai shuddered.

      "When you two left, a convoy showed up at Kasugayama," Sasuke informed the two. 

      "A convoy?" Yukimura asked. "How big?"

      "I couldn't get the exact number, but it was a decent-sized one. At first, I was expecting to see sixty elephants, llamas galore, and bears and lions!" Sasuke answered. 

      Thai scoffed and shook his head. "Oi! You're starting to not make sense again," Yukimura said.

      "Sorry, but even still, it was what they were carrying with them that surprised everyone," Sasuke said. 

      Yukimura fell silent for a moment. "...Nobuyuki!?"

      Sasuke nodded. "Currently, we are inspecting the firearms and armaments he had sent us, but it seems he was good on his word. Things are starting to look up, I think. But, Lord Shingen has ordered for you two to come back. We should hurry."

      Yukimura sighed, letting go of Thai. "Then there's no time to waste."

      Hopping on their horses, they quickly made their way back to Kasugayama. There, they saw a meager-sized convoy inside the castle walls, soldiers unloading crates full of Western rifles and armor, barrels of gunpowder, and even a few units of rations. The trio disbanded their horses, seeing more horses and men appear at random intervals. They all appeared in simple or dull clothes, their goods wrapped or hidden. The convoy's guards and personnel didn't bear the Sanada banner, but there was no doubt that they were Nobuyuki's samurai in disguise.

      Finally, they found Shingen talking to someone from the convoy, the large daimyo noticing the three walking towards him. "Ah, there you are, Yuki," Shingen said.

      "My lord." Yukimura bowed deeply to Shingen. Thai and Sasuke followed suit. 

      However, Shingen paid no mind to them and simply pointed at the man beside him with his hand. "This man has a message for you."

      With a smile, the man bowed to Yuki before offering a small bundle to the Peerless Warrior with both hands. Yukimura quickly accepted and uncovered it. The first thing he saw was—            "My razor!" Thai gasped. He took it by its oversized, polished handle, flicking out its pristine blade to examine it. "Coño. This really is from Nobuyuki. Oh, huh? There's a letter folded inside—"

      "Gimme that!" Yukimura cried out, snatching the letter from Thai's hand. He quickly unfurled it, Yukimura's eyes darted up and down, quickly reading the letter. He shuddered, his face scrunching up and his fingers curling the letter in his hands. Both Thai and Sasuke looked at each other. 

      "What's it say, Yuki?" Thai asked, fearing the worst.

      Yukimura gulped, wiping his eyes.

      "Your plan worked," Shingen said with a smile, the trio's eyes darting to him.