Disclaimer: I do not own the Kamen Rider Kabuto TV show or franchise, nor am I profiting from these materials in any way. This fic was written solely for pleasure.
Chapter Notes: 3 years before canon.
The Butler and the Worm
By fieryrondo
6. Cook's Poison
Tetsu was not a particularly polite man. Unlike his brother, Tetsu never kept his shirts clean, let alone starched, firmly pressed and tucked in. At times, he might throw on a greasy apron-really more of a recycled rug-turned-towel-but only when he anticipated making something that demanded messiness.
But gone were the days of gaudy performing, of burnished victory metal. Tetsu preferred the quiet life, choosing to hole up in his cottage-his getaway from a strange world run by even stranger people. Aside from the yearly birthday card from his brother, Tetsu did not receive word from the outside world.
He preferred it that way.
One can imagine he was less than pleased when his brother staggered into his reading room-for it was too small to be a living room-leaking bloody slop all over the tatami mats.
"I just washed those." Tetsu's tongue clucked, a reflex both sympathetic and cruel. It was an action that described almost all that he was.
Yet without a word, he tended to his brother and prepared a healing miso broth for him. With experienced hands, he cleaned and dressed the grievous wounds no human could have inflicted.
His brother, like him, was a man of few words. But that was where the similarities ended. Where Tetsu was caustic and tactless, his brother was gracious and diplomatic. But then, a never-ending supply of patience was a requirement to attend to one of the most troublesome scions of the Discabil family.
It was not hard to surmise what had happened. Despite his hermetic existence, even Tetsu had received news of the fearsome Worms that had infiltrated human society, wreaking havoc from the shadows.
And now, the Discabil family line had ended. Abruptly violent.
Such was the way of a world both beautiful and cruel.
Despite being twins, Tetsu had never fully understood his brother. Why, despite his obvious talent, had he forsaken the cooking world to put his skills pandering to the remnants of a long-forgotten line? Not to mention that Kamishiro Tsurugi's reputation for being a brat (a sophisticated one, but a brat nonetheless) was practically common fact.
At one time, Tetsu's contemplations on his brother would have led him to the conclusion that he was perhaps, a little envious of the two. Of both his brother and his young lord. The young lord for having somehow earned his brother's devotion. His brother who had found the person he would be willing to sacrifice everything for.
Instead, Tetsu pushed the teacup across the tabletop. His brother's hands cradled it in trembling hands.
"What will you do?"
"I don't know how to kill it...and as long as it continues to wear his face…"
Tetsu nodded.
"You can't face it directly," he said. "You could…" The words left and died in his mouth as he spoke.
A slight raise of the eyebrows was the only sign of his brother's surprise.
"I couldn't. I can't stay, not without finishing up this business. I have to, for Bocchama's sake."
Tetsu hummed. "Seeing how getting skewered didn't change your mind the least, it'll be a waste of time and energy for me to convince you otherwise. At least, take this with you."
His brother deftly caught the small bottle, mouth set in a frown.
"Is this your idea of a joke?"
"It's particularly effective on arachnids. A few drops are all it'll take."
"This is really delicious, Jiiya!" Kamishiro Tsurugi beamed, a smile of pure delight on his face.
The elderly butler inclined his head, a perfunctory gesture of gratitude.
"By all means, drink as much as you'd like."
Wrinkled hands clenched around an empty amber bottle behind the butler's back.
Enjoy your last meal, Worm.
Next Time: Worm's Battle