Chapter Text
"This is what we get for setting up camp in an abandonded castle." Kanji murmured to Naoto, his current teammate and other line of defense.
Naoto sighs, "While the outcome is very unfortunate, I don't want to imagine how this battle would have unfold out in the cold and rain." As if Mother Nature could hear them, she made her prescence known with a loud crackle of thunder and effectively shaking the entire castle. Naoto hears a soft whimper and glances back to see their ward, Dojima Nanako, curl deeper into her fathers' arms as she weeps. Naoto's grip tightens on their bow at the heart-shattering sight.
'How did it come to this?' they wondered.
With a final slash of Souji's sword, the soldier before him falls to the floor, withering in pain as they clutch at their bleeding abdomen.
"Nice one Souji! You showed him who's boss!" Rise cheered happily whilst simultaneously falling a soldier herself with her tome. He smiles at the contrast.
"Yeah, but not without taking a few hits myself." He wipes stray blood off his chin and glances back at Rise, only to see guilt displayed in her downcast eyes. Souji stills and replays his previous statement. After realizing the implication of his words, Souji winces and tries to reassure Rise.
"Rise... I didn't mean it like that. Yes, I'm injured but I can fight just fine. I won't be needing medical attention anytime soon." All Rise does is nod before turning and attacking her next target with another spell. Souji sighs.
Souji knew that Rise was well aware of the risk of not bring Yukiko with them. She was their only method of healing and would have been useful preventing the enemies from reaching the Dojimas. However, Rise found that Yukiko would be more useful as Chie and Teddie's teammate due to them being sent ahead to rid of the enemy leader. Souji and Rise were the only line of offense and they were running low on vulneraries. Then again, the battlefield was thinning out thanks to their relentless attacks and it was only a matter time before IT claimed victory.
Or so Souji thought.
"Well, well, well... What do we have here? Some unexpected company, hm?"
Shortly after Souji assists Rise with a dual strike, another enemy approaches them from the shadows. His sudden appearance startles them, especially Rise who couldn't recongnize him despite analyzing the grounds so thoroughly. 'Where did he come from?' they both questioned.
Souji quickly scans the young man over and then does the same to him and Rise. Neither of them were equipped for another fight, Rise moreso than himself.
As if he were impatient, the mysterious man began to twirl his two identical knives and walk closer towards them. The wide grin he wore made Souji's gut lurch in an unknown way. Glancing back at Rise and her bruised, bloody scratched up figure, Souji knew what he had to do.
"Rise, fall back. You're too injured to continue fighting,"
"But Souji, so are you!"
"My weapon isn't the one fraying at the edges! I can handle him myself but I need you to regroup with the others. Please Rise, please go."
With that, Rise glares at Souji before she turns on her heel and sprints to where they left the Dojimas with their defense. While Souji was relieved with her depart, the knife-wielder raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"You sure you don't want her help? You ain't lookin too bright either man."
Instead of answering his question, Souji replies with one of his own. "Our tactician couldn't sense you so why didn't you escape while you had the chance? Why come forth?"
The young man groans. "You think I'd escape without getting my cut? Do you know anything about thieves?"
"I do know that they're pretty scummy."
"Thanks for the compliment."
Souji squints at him.
"Who are you and who hired you?"
He hesitated, "Guess I could tell ya, since you probably offed the top dog anyway. Name's Yosuke and I was hired by this lousy noble a few lands over. I think his name was Adachi? I can't remember and I don't wanna."
Souji tenses at the mention of Adachi. 'That bastard, I should have known.'
"And who are you? It's only fair that I get a name." He tilts his head and smirks at Souji, who can't help but slightly blush at the gesture.
"I'm Souji and the woman you met before was Rise. We're part of the Immunity Travelers and we protect Inaba and friends for the sake of retaining peace."
"You call this retaining peace?" Yosuke spreads his arms and looks down at the fallen soldiers. "Dude, you literally just slayed most of the crew."
"Who were planning to assassinate our wards just to make a quick buck." Souji insisted.
"Okay, yeah. But unlike them, I was planning on robbing them to make a quick buck, not killing. I ain't into killing for sport like you guys."
"What we do is not kill but protect."
"Sure, whatever you gotta tell yourself to sleep at night." Souji's right eyebrow twitches at his remark.
"Why are you acting as if you hold the moral high ground? You were nearly seconds away from robbing a father and his daughter."
"Hey! Who says they can't be a bad guy with morals?" The sly smirk he gives sends soft shivers down Souji's spine.
"Listen Swordy, can I call you Swordy? Imma call you Swordy," Yosuke crosses his arms and shrugs as he addresses Souji.
"Anyways, Swordy, you gotta understand that I meant no real harm. I was told I'd be robbing the Dojimas, not slicing them! I was lied to and was deceived; I'm a victim just like you." Yosuke huffs.
Is it wrong to find some humor in the situation?
"A victim? Just like me? Shall we embrace each other and comfort the others' woes then?"
"Oh, that's hot. We should definitely embrace each other some time soon." Yosuke purrs and Souji begins to feel hot all over yet he realizes he doesn't mind too much. He won't deny that Yosuke is attractive, with his rustled fawn hair, tanned skin, and slim figure.
'And the height difference is so nice to think about-'
"Souji!"
Souji is brought back to the present and he glances behind himself to see the rest of his team, as well as the Dojimas, hurry towards him. He smiles at the sight and turns his back to Yosuke, barely catching sound of the man's sentence.
"Damn it, I forgot about your friends..." Souji chuckles. "Trust me, I did too." He doesn't notice the pleased grin Yosuke gives him.
His team finally reaches him and greet him with warm hugs and smiles. They comment on how dead he looks and despite Souji trying to calm their nerves, Yukiko forgoes his words and automatically heals him. He smiles and mouths a 'thank you' to her. His teammates begin to talk over one another and Souji feels so happy to be with them again. However, the heartful reunion is interrupted with Yosuke's comment.
"Wow Swordy, you did not hesitate to leave a man hangin!"
Everyone turns to look at Yosuke, who stood with his arms crossed and an amused smile on his face. Souji's teammates get into battle position, expecting an attack from Yosuke... but not a reply from Souji.
"I'd never do that to a man like you." They look at him with shock and Souji chooses to ignore them.
Yosuke mockingly raises a brow, "Oh yeah? What makes me so special?" Souji pretends to think it over. "Perhaps it's because you talked your way out of a battle? With me of all people. I found it quite thrilling compared to battles I've had before."
"Thrilling, aye? Didn't know I made you feel that way."
"Neither did I." They look at one another with hints of fondness and heat.
"I don't know about you guys but I'm tired and I'd rather not watch Souji try to get laid by the enemy soooooo, bye!" Chie moves to leave but ends up whining when Yukiko grabs at her collar. "Yukiko!" "Chie..."
Kanji gets rathered flustered by Chie's statement and begs the question, "Speaking of the enemy, why we just going to leave him here or does anyone want the extra experience?"
Out of the corner of his eye, Souji sees Teddie slowly raising his hand until Rise reaches out and pulls it back down.
"Actually... I was thinking we'd bring him along." Rise pipes up.
Kanji turns to her, "Like what, a hostage?" Rise looks back at him and dramatically groans. "No silly! As a teammate! He'd be useful to a group like us if he can go undetected by anyone."
Everyone stops to mull over Rise's suggestion. Yosuke is the first to reply.
"Alright, I'll join your lil' rag-tag group... but only if I get to share a tent with Swordy over here."
All of the Immunity Travelers, except Souji, groan.