Takumi never initially wanted to have a child. The gentle smile that was plastered on the cotton wrapped baby. Rain skittered on the tent of the sentry station, he held the black haired boy close. Hugging him tightly as he breathed the words of his name, "Kiragi."
He looked at him letting out a shaky smile, "Kiragi." Not quite being able to believe the words coming from his mouth.
The baby softly slept. His breath releasing out puffs of smoke.
"I will keep you safe from this dangerous world, Kiragi," tears welled in his eyes recalling the earlier battle scene. Recalling his ebony haired wife as she fought off the world to protect him. "I promise to…" His voice shook.
Takumi let the days grow into weeks as he wandered the tents, hell-bent on keeping his son close in early childhood. He wanted everything to keep Kiragi under a family, someone to look over him. Someone to care for him. All in attempt to scrounge the relationship that was once held with his mother.
One morning Takumi awoke to the sound of crying coming from the makeshift bed in his room. He grumbled, at first annoyed at the wake up but as he remembered where the sound was from he shot awake, running over to crying Kiragi. He gritted his teeth as he saw his son. Uncertain of what to do, he picked him up. "Hush, hush, everything's alright everythings-"
"Uwhaaaaaaaaaaaa" the piercing scream echoed through the camp. Awaking the sleeping units and tired couples.
Takumi's eyes widened, "calm down Kiragi! Shhhhhhh."
"What's all that noise about?" Kaden's big ears perked into the ponytailed archer's tent. He spoke with a slight bitterness to his tone as he wandered over to the child. Spotting Takumi's empty efforts. "Need any help?"
"I've got this under contro-"his explanation was cut off by a second round of crying. Kiragi's baby face being filled with snot and tears.
Kaden flinched, putting his ears down as the noise hit the air. "Lemme help you out," he sniffed the air checking for the smell of poo with no results. "I think he's hungry, you got a bottle on ya?"
"I-" He was about to say how he 'put in near his bed' until he remembered accidently packing it to the recent battle instead of a vulnerary in his tired state. Needless to say it got his sister destroyed it in battle. Takumi cursed under his breath.
Kaden shook his head, "I'll get Sakura." The fox-boy hopped away before sprinting across the camp the baby screams still going.
Takumi thought he was going to go deaf at this rate but to his shock Kaden quickly returned with the tired Sakura who had just awoken. A bottle of milk was in her hands that Kaden looked at expectedly between the siblings.
"Morning brother," she grumbled ambling towards him.
Apprehensively he gave the child to his sister who rocked him back and forth. Feeding the bottle of milk into his mouth. The baby quietly began sucking on the milk, Sakura humming a song she learnt from Azura. "Thank you Sakura," he breathed out heavily.
"I'll tell the camp you got Kiragi quiet," slowly Kaden walked out his fox tail swishing excitedly. He was always loved working with kids regardless of time of day, pity he wasn't as good as Sakura when it came to dealing with them.
As the baby fell asleep Sakura glared at her brother, letting out an out of character huff. "You need to send Kiragi to the Deeprelm Takumi."
"What-!" snapped the tired archer. The baby pushed the bottle away letting out a squeak, he settled down. "What do you mean? He's perfectly safe here." He whispered harshly.
"People can't sleep with his crying," started Sakura only to be cut off.
"That was two times sister."
She rolled her eyes, "important soldiers have been taking time out of their training to care for your son when you're not around Takumi. I can't count the amount of times Jakob has had to babysit for you instead of training with Silias."
"Jakob (that Norhian scum) could stop if he was told too, he hasn't died yet-"
"YET," she hissed holding the child tight. "We can't afford to lose anyone Takumi, regardless of origin we are all a part of this army."
He glared at his sister, walking up close to caress his sons face. He looked at her in the eye, "He needs his family Sakura."
"He needs to survive," her words pierced him like a poison arrow.
Takumi's hand tensed up, going away from his son. He clenched his fist his body feeling like it had lost all movement. The idea of losing his son destroying his every grain of being. He looked into her red eyes and let out a sigh, "if he is sent there... make sure he's with Shiro then I will let it be." Words caught in his throat. "We will be allowed to visit, right sister?"
"If you survive the next battle," with a melancholy smile she placed the child back into his arms. Leaving the tent, her blanket draped around her shoulders. Kaden jumping beside her, his yellow eyes giving a soft glow as he walked her back to her tent.
He kissed the top of Kiragi's head placing him back into his bed. He wandered back to his own bed, Sakura's comment ebbing away at his mind. He lay in bed looking blankly into the top of the tent the last signs of the summer night chirping away. Words wasted away in his head as fireflies glowed outside. He turned in his bed looking at the flying stars, and progressively he drifted asleep to the soft blowing of the wind.
Understandably moving Kiragi to the Deeprelm was no gentle task. Despite Takumi's agreement he was still apprehensive, tensely whispering a long list of things of qualifications the caretakers of Kiragi should have to Jakob.
The silver haired butler listened grumpily. Secretly wishing he could have Corrin's terrible tea then continue listening to the Hoshidan prince's ramblings. Corrin promised to braid his hair after the job, he only wished the job was shorter. He wrote down how he needed someone to teach him archery, needed to have time to do some childhood bonding and how he needed to learn how to fish from someone. Oddly specific but he continued on with it. After Lilith, the blue dragon consented to allowing the child stay in the delicate village she called home she moved him there. Jakob following close behind to put all the instructions into place.
For the next week after Kiragi was placed in the Deeprealm there wasn't a day the Hoshidan prince didn't bite his fingers while preparing his arrows. His words were sharper and he only referred to Corrin, Jakob, Sillias and Mozu as Norhian scum throughout the whole week. Understandably it got old quickly. Yet as the days progressed and with some crying into his pillow for a few hours and being very harsh to Corrin he eventually became close to quieting down.
One sleepy autumn afternoon, Takumi sat in the armoury. Sharpening his arrowheads when Silias walked in, picking up a cloth for his lance he felt a strike of awkwardness hit him. "Takumi-"
"What?" he eyed off the feathers at the back of his arrow.
"Corrin said you can visit your son today, we don't have any brigades." He looked around the room uncomfortable with the tense father.
Instantly Takumi perked up, looking at the cavalier with stars in his eyes, "we can?!"
"Yeah," he sat in a rickety chair beginning to clean his lance. Attempting to keep his focus on the metal.
The prince bounced up in delight, leaving his gear behind on the table ("Guess I'm cleaning this" sighed Silias) and sprinting to Corrin's tent, grabbing a small bow and arrow set. A huge smile on his face. "Corrin!" He shouted into the tent to no response. He shouted through the camp with a childish sense of glory. As he spotted Corrin he smiled rushing towards the tactician talking with Jakob. "Corrin you Norhian scum" his words were playful, but didn't stop Jakob from grimacing.
"What?" the tactician spoke sharply.
He coughed into his hand recollecting himself, "you said we're allowed to go into the Deeprealms today. May I go and visit Kiragi?"
Jakob glared at him. Tossing a glace across to his silver haired master's way.
"You can go," with a sigh Corrin let him squee. She almost expected the hoshidan to hug her but he seemed to hold back.
"To do you where Lillith is?" he asked with new found vigor.
Jakob sneered, "Last time I checked she was eating food with Kaden." The very idea of the animals eating their way through the larder made him quake with anger.
"Thank you!" he spoke without thinking running to the food hall. His feet carrying him at the speed of light, he passed by Hinata and Subaki having a merry chat. Hayato insisting on joining Saizo and Kaze's training, claiming he could take them both on at once. The camp was alive with people not doing much, he sprinted into the great hall to see Azama serving Kaden and Lillith food. Spouting out sarcastic comment as he pleased. "Lillith!"
The dragon turned to face him. "Morning sleepyhead."
"I wish to travel to the Deeprealms," he issued grabbing a seat besides the fishy looking dragon.
Lillith smiled, her old maid days coming out. "Certainly." She beckoned the prince outside, Ryoma quickly spotted them. Joining their trip to visit his own son. She closed her eyes tight, a flash of light engulfing them.
As their eyes adjusted to the new place, the autumn leaves rained down. Their orange delicate leaves falling away, to the auburn grass. He couldn't contain his excitement. He was about to rush ahead when he felt a firm hand grasp the scruff of his neck.
"We've got time, relax." He spoke firmly. Enjoying his recently worked long brown hair, the effects of Mozu's care evident by the ponytail with braids. His scarred face soft.
Annoyed Takumi followed his brother through the orange fields. His arms crossed as they asked around for signs of the Hoshidan princes. After asking a few Pegasus knights they were sent off to a pond along the coast of town.
The two young boys sat content, fishing into a small pond. One had short dark hair like his mother, he chatted about how he helped a bird last week to his older brother. Who grinned a bucket with three fish beside him as he listened to the story, as they heard the rustling of leaves they turned to face their fathers.
Shiro offered a fish to his father as he settled down beside him. Ryoma put his hand up to reject it, Shiro shrugging it off. "How are the battles going in Hoshido, taken down Garon yet?" he chirped.
Kiragi leaned in closer in excitement of the words. Takumi standing on the sidelines uncertain of what to do.
"No not yet," he laughed deeply.
Shiro raised a brow, "really? It's been several years father."
"Time moves differently here," reminded Ryoma.
"Oh yeah," the young boy scratched his head, chuckling in embarrassment. As he spotted Takumi he flashed a smile "So who do you have with ya?"
"He is my brother Takumi, and he's your father Kiragi," Ryoma gestured towards his brother who only awkwardly waved his hand in response.
The ebony haired boy perked up, dropping his fishing rod with a large smile. Throwing himself onto his dad with a big hug. "Dad!"
"He's been excited to see you again Takumi," commented Shiro taking his eyes off his fishing for a second. "Kept on talking about how incredible his dad was."
Takumi faltered, lost for words at the sign of affection. But he had left his son to the Deeprealms, a good father would raise their children regardless of place. He held Kiragi tight, feeling undeserving of his love. He perked up remembering the bow and arrow set he brought, "Kiragi, guess what I've brought you."
His son looked at him with puppy dog eyes, "what?"
"Your own bow and arrow set," his brother chuckled looking at the awkward smile plastered across Takumi's face. Uncertain with how to talk to 7 year olds.
Kiragi filled with the bow and arrow, attempting to shoot a few stray leaves with failure. "How do you use this?"
"Well," he got out his own bow and arrow set. Taking out his bow, he focused on a tree 10 or so meters away. "First you stand facing the target, now turn your body to the left…" He didn't know if his explanation was getting anywhere but Kiragi tried all the same. "You grip the bow handle and place the arrow on the bow." In a smooth motion he grabbed an arrow and set it in place. He glanced sideways at his son who looked at him in awe before struggling to copy the movements. He gulped. "You grab the bow with one finger above it, keeping your arm straight and still. Then you draw back, trying to keep your back arm straight as possible and…" Takumi released his arrow, it flew through the air effortlessly. Landing on his chosen tree, meanwhile Kagami's flopped into the nearby grass.
As his son processed how badly he did he pointed to his arrow. Looking at his dad with a why-did-it-do-that expression.
"Let's try that again," chirped Takumi. He flicked his head towards the arrows, Kagami followed excitedly behind.
Their afternoon wasted away into shooting arrows together. Eating some caught fish and while Kagami and Takumi played happily he saw how Ryoma had already begun intense training. He watched how his brother fought against his son like he was training with Corrin. Despite only using sticks each move was strong and impulsive, pushing his son back on brute strength alone on multiple occasions.
"Dad! Dad! Can we do that?" Kagami pointed at the training excitedly.
He looked towards his son, "not yet, you're not old enough."
"Awwwww."
"Let's buy some rice for onigiri after training," he moved them to the local grocer where they bought the rice and some seasoning. They cooked the rice over an open fire, finishing just as his brother had completed training. The father-son duo were both covered head to toe in mud, Ryoma's hair had become a knotted mess.
The smell of a crackling fire floated through the air. Chatting and laughter filling the night as they finished eat grain of salty rice. Lights of the nearby town weren't far leaving the watercolour sky to fill their visions. After a wonderful supper and tucking at least Kagami into bed (Shiro wasn't tired in the slightest) the brothers travelled back to their camp. A slight tug of disappointment settling in Takami's stomach on how he could be around his own son for longer.
From there a routine began to form, Takumi begging to Corrin at any available time to go to the Deeprealms while Jakob tried to keep him on track. As soon as he was able to actually reach there he practiced shooting bow and arrows for hours on end, eventually settling to lying in the grass while his son and his brother fished before returning home to an empty camp. Jakob standing guard to prevent anyone from doing anything risky or an ambush from occurring.
After a visit with his son one day he returned to Jakob sitting tired on a nearby box. Letting out an exasperated sigh. There were bags under the valuable unit's eyes. His hair was out (an uncommon sight) while daggers lay at his side. He gave him a sharp glare.
Takumi almost jumped out of his skin spotting him. Lillith hiding behind the Hoshidan prince in fright. "Jakob- Evening?"
"Takumi," his voice was sincerely flat. "How long do you intend to continue this preposterous schedule?"
"For as long as my son needs," barked the prince hotly.
Jakob raised both eyebrows, creaking up from the box, "this is a war Takumi, you seem to be forgetting that with dealing with your son. Instead of just doing carefree actions every available moment like you've been for the past month why don't you simply give him guidance and let him choose his own path."
"My son needs me." He walked towards the butler, attempting to push past the cold certainty of his words. "You understand the worry you get being unable to care for your own son. Don't you regret the time you were unable to spend with him?"
"Of course I do," he looked at Takumi straight in the eyes. Not wavering in the slightest, the emotions settling into his skin "I worry for Dwyer often, that lazy git grew up before I could say anything about it. Now he's serving everyone coffee and falling in love. I let him grow up (relatively) independently so I could fight for him, to the best of my ability. Please trust your son enough to leave him for a full week and let us sleep," he looked at Corrin's private quarters, the moon reflecting the messy hair and dark circles under his eyes.
"For only a single week," Takumi muttered the words under his breath.
Taken over by tiredness Jakob yawned, "We have to start somewhere after all."
"I'll be able to visit next week, right?" the prince inquired like a child wishing for another cookie.
Jakob nodded, "If Corrin believes you can." He yawned, "good night," walking away to private quarters, putting his hair in a low ponytail along the way.
Takumi mulled over the words only realizing how tired he was. He looked at Lilith's tired eyes and sighed. He was destroying his own army. Emotions spun inside him as he told the dragon goodnight and wandered to his tent to sleep. Reciting how he isn't alone to himself.