Little Flame
By Erin
August 27–September 10, 2023
Disclaimer: all characters belong to the author, Koyoharu Gotouge, with some references to the spin-off book Stories of Water and Flame by Ryoji Hirano.
Summary: No matter what happens, Senjuro knows he can always turn to his big brother.
Senjuro's age: nearly 4
Little Flame. That's what Mother used to call Senjuro. But Mother was in heaven now - that's what Kyojuro said. Senjuro didn't really understand what heaven was, but Kyojuro told him it meant she wasn't sick anymore. That seemed like a good thing, then, since she'd been sick for so long.
But that didn't mean he didn't wish she was here to tuck him in at night, or to hug him when there was a thunderstorm, or to kiss his skinned knee better after he tripped and fell.
Father sometimes hugged him but not since Mother was buried. Now, he spent most of his time lying down, reading the chronicles of the past Flame Hashira. Senjuro worried that he was sick like Mother had been. But Father ignored him whenever he asked about it.
A few days later, Kyojuro was giving him a piggyback ride around the yard. "Kyojuro?"
"Hmm?" Kyojuro readjusted Senjuro's weight on his back.
"Is Father sick like Mother was?"
"What? No," he shook his head.
"But he stays in bed all the time," Senjuro pointed out. "Like Mother did. So is he sick, too? Is he…going to go to heaven like Mother?"
"No!" Kyojuro immediately assured him. "You don't have to worry about Father."
Senjuro thought of the jug of sake Father always carried with him. He didn't like the sickeningly fruity smell that emanated from it. But at the same time, he trusted his brother and tried not to worry.