It was an accident.
Yoichi stormed over to the door. "I'm leaving."
"You can't mean that," Hisashi growled. Hidden underneath his anger, a tendril of panic had sprouted inside his heart. He'd fought with his twin brother many times before during their tumultuous childhood on the streets. They'd often exchanged harsh words and even blows. But at the end of the day, they always came back to each other, because they had no one else.
Lately, though, the fighting had gotten increasingly intense. Yoichi had been furious about Hisashi gathering criminal metahumans under his banner, even though Hisashi had explained it was necessary for their protection during this chaotic time. Hisashi was fulfilling his dream, and Yoichi's shounen manga always waxed poetic about the sacredness of dreams. Yet his foolish little brother refused to be supportive. The fights had gotten more frequent. Yoichi had begged, pleaded, and even run around telling Hisashi's own minions to leave him. As a child, Yoichi had always forgotten about their arguments after he woke up the next morning. Even when he had bruises left from their battles, he would still smile up brilliantly and call for his big brother. But lately had been different. Yoichi stayed mad all the time. Even comic books and Captain Hero merchandise couldn't appease him.
Many times, Yoichi had threatened to leave. Thrice, he'd gotten as far as the door. Last time, Hisashi had stopped his brother by promising to seriously consider his points about becoming a hero. Hisashi had considered—and rejected the stupid notion. Yoichi had reacted with betrayal. This time, Yoichi had a backpack slung over his shoulder. He seemed worryingly serious about leaving.
Hisashi said, "You don't have anywhere to go."
Coldly, Yoichi said, "We've both slept on the streets before."
"When you had me to protect you! You'll never survive on your own. You need me."
"Sometimes I think you're the one who needs me." Yoichi watched his brother with a strange, unreadable expression.
Butterflies fluttered in Hisashi's stomach. "Don't be silly. You're smaller, weaker, and more foolish. I'm the big brother. I've always looked after you."
"If that's all you have to say, then I'm out of here. Goodbye." Yoichi turned away. He actually dared put his hand on the door knob and turn. Hisashi's heart galloped at a runaway pace.
It was an accident. Hisashi only meant to send a spike into the door to scare Yoichi a little. To make him understand how weak he was, that he needed protection.
The spike shot from Hisashi's arm and embedded into the door. Shards of wood flew in all directions. Yoichi screamed and fell backward. His face was bleeding. The wood had gotten into his eyes.
Now sincerely concerned, Hisashi leapt forward. Screaming, Yoichi shoved him away. (What a fool, why shove away his own big brother who was only trying to help?) Yoichi's foot slid. He fell and hit his head on the wall. That nagging mouth of his went worryingly silent.
Hisashi scooped up his little brother and ran for the doctor.
Over the course of an hour, Dr. Garaki painstakingly removed the splinters. Yoichi woke up once. Sobbing, he reached out his arms, crying, "Big brother! Big brother!"
"I'm here," Hisashi murmured, taking his brother's smaller, colder hands. "I'm here. I'll protect you." With a metapower, he sent Yoichi back into a painless sleep.
Afterward, as Dr. Garaki stripped off his bloody gloves, he said, "There might be partial impairment in his right eye. The left eye won't have any difficulty seeing."
Hisashi was surprised by the disappointment he felt. Shouldn't it be relief that his brother would heal? Yet Hisashi remembered Yoichi reaching out for him and crying. His little brother hadn't clung to him like that for a couple years. Instead, it had been a constant struggle of being pushed away and demands for independence. The feeling of being needed had been pleasant. It reminded him of the good old days when his baby brother had been a tiny child, unable to survive without him.
Dr. Garaki mistook the expression on his master's face. "If it's important to you that he heal completely, then I can research eye regeneration. Hmm, or perhaps an eye transplant."
Hisashi's next words sounded faint to his own ears, as if coming from a great distance. "No, I was thinking in the opposite direction. What if we removed my brother's eyes? Would you be able to without endangering his life?"
He was stunned at what had come out of his mouth. But he did not take the words back. If Yoichi was blind, then he would once again become totally reliant on his older brother. Now there was a perfect excuse to make it look like an accident. Hisashi had considered locking his little brother up until he stopped resisting. But it would be even easier and more certain to make Yoichi into a prisoner in his own body, incapable of ever standing on his own two feet. Hisashi's most treasured possession would be unable to leave his side. All would return to how it should be.
Dr. Garaki shrugged. "If that's what you want, it could be easily done, master. I'll finish before he wakes up."
An hour later, Hisashi had a jar with a pair of preserved green eyes sitting on his desk.
The darkness was total. Yoichi first became aware of the thick mattress shifting under his back, a breeze on his face, and pain coming from his eyes. His hands shot up, touching bandages on his face.
Hisashi said, "I'm glad you're awake."
Yoichi startled. It unnerved him to hear his brother so close. He tried to open his eyes. Nothing seemed to happen. He did not know what to think about that. The bandages must be blocking his vision. That was why he could not see. He yanked at the cloth.
Hisashi grabbed Yoichi's hands and pulled them away. "Careful, you'll hurt yourself."
"What happened to my eyes?" Yoichi's voice rose with hysteria. "What have you done?"
"It was an accident," Hisashi said. There was no real remorse in his tone, only the smarminess of a con artist selling a story. Yoichi had heard his brother use that tone a thousand times on his followers. It infuriated him that the great All for One dared treat him like another mark to be conned. Even more irritatingly, Hisashi was speaking in their twin language from when they'd been children. Generally Hisashi did that in order to induce a false sense of closeness, frequently when he had something to say that he knew Yoichi wouldn't be happy to hear.
"You attacked me," Yoichi snarled.
"You stepped into my attack," Hisashi said. "It was reckless of you. I think we both share responsibility for letting our fight go too far." His tone made it clear he fancied himself to be generous. "I'll make it up to you from now on. I have to take responsibility. I'll look after you."
Yoichi's hands clenched on his sheets. He was nearly glad he couldn't see the smug look on his brother's face—nope, too soon for that joke. "How long before your mad doctor will let me remove these bandages and see again?"
The silence went on a little too long. In a tone of sincere pity, Hisashi said, "The wood got into your eyes. Your sight is permanently gone."
Yoichi shuddered. He was not aware his older brother had moved until he felt arms around him. "Get out!" he screamed. "You don't have the right to comfort me. Get out!" He struggled, punched, and even bit. His teeth sinking in won a grunt of pain from his brother.
"I'll leave you alone until you calm down," Hisashi said in a strained tone. "I'll be back to feed you later. You need me." A dark certainty lurked behind his words.
When Yoichi heard the door close, he buried his face in his hands and wept.
He still had tears. That seemed…odd. Yoichi was no doctor but he would assume that a surgical removal of his eyes would be more likely to leave the tear ducts intact than an injury.
Even without absolute proof, he felt quite certain his older brother had blinded him deliberately.
By the time Hisashi returned with a meal tray, Yoichi had cried himself to exhaustion. But the sound of his smug brother saying, "I brought your favorite chocolate chip pancakes!" dredged up new reservoirs of fury.
"Get out!" Yoichi screamed. He threw his pillow at the voice. Judging from the thud, he only hit the floor. He waved his arms around, seeking something new to throw. It felt strange and alien, feeling his way around in darkness. His fingers grazed a lamp. He threw that, too. What other use did he have for it now?
"I see you're going through the anger stage of grief," Hisashi said patronizingly. "I'll let you do your best on your own to eat." It sounded like a challenge.
The clattering of dishes told Yoichi that the plate had been set down on the end table. Then came footsteps, followed by the door closing. Predictably, he also heard the click of a lock.
Panting, Yoichi gazed off into nothing. The bitch of it: he really was very hungry. Slowly, Yoichi reached out. His fingers felt around the edge of the plate. He pulled it over. With a little more groping, he accidentally knocked the fork off.
Swearing, Yoichi knelt down and felt around the carpet. He couldn't find the fork. His stomach hurt. The scent of the pancakes roused a loud growl from his midsection. Finally, Yoichi gave up. He reached for the plate.
Unfortunately, he accidentally tipped over the plate onto his shirt. Yoichi said several more bad words. Then, defeated and desperately hungry, he picked the pancakes off his chest and lap to eat them with his bare hands.
Yoichi would swear he heard someone chuckle. But that was impossible. His brother had already left. He'd heard the door close.
Yoichi had just long enough to work himself up into a proper self-pitying snit when the door opened again.
"I've returned," Hisashi called cheerfully. "Oh, you poor little fool, what have you done to yourself? Now you need a bath."
Yoichi gritted his teeth. "What do I have to do in order for you to return my sight?"
"Return? Oh, my poor foolish little brother, your eyes are gone. Not even my many powers can help you."
"You're lying! You've got a power for everything. Surely you wouldn't have done this to me unless you had a way to reverse it. You want me to beg." Yoichi's hands clenched into fists. "I won't. I'll never give in to you. I'll never join you."
"What use would I have for a blind, powerless man in my organization?" Hisashi laughed. "You're lucky that you're my family. That's why I'll still look after you." He scooped Yoichi up and carried him to the bathroom despite his protests.
Yoichi got in a few punches on his brother's back. Then his stupid brother used a metapower to make his limbs heavy, as usual. Hisashi never fought fair. Yoichi squawked as a hand he couldn't see stripped off his shirt, then his pajama pants. The air felt chilly against his bare skin. He felt everything more strongly without his sight.
Hisashi picked Yoichi up again. One second, he was flying through the air, the next water plunged up to his waist. Though the water felt warm, Yoichi shivered. He'd always been nervous around water. Sometimes he had nightmares about nearly drowning as a baby. He very much preferred showers to baths.
Humming, Hisashi poured water over Yoichi's head. Yoichi squawked. Hisashi laughed. "You sound like a startled cat. Relax, you're in good hands. I won't let you drown, just as I didn't when we were babies."
Yoichi abruptly cut off his hiss, his cheeks warming. "I don't need your help."
"Oh? Then which bottle is your shampoo and which is the body wash? Better pick carefully! You'd hate it if anything happened to your precious hair."
Gritting his teeth, Yoichi groped around. He would swear he'd felt around the entire tub, but still he found no bottles. Goosebumps raised down his arms. He really did hate baths.
"Time's up!" Hisashi poured shampoo on Yoichi's head, then massaged it in. No matter how Yoichi thrashed, he was weak compared to that giant hand. He'd always been too weak.
As he frequently did after a fight, Hisashi next brought gifts: stacks of books on tape. They were Yoichi's only entertainment while left alone locked up in his room all day. But Yoichi hated books on tape. They were too slow. He could have read the same book four times as fast. He missed his comic books. No book on tape could ever replicate Captain Hero's smiling face.
The thought made Yoichi weep all over again. He'd spent years in the trash heap painstakingly teaching himself to read. Now all his hard-won skill was gone. He'd never be able to read the long list of books he'd been saving. He'd never again be able to see the pictures in his beloved Captain Hero comics. The loss felt like his heart had been ripped out. His dream had faded away from his sight, just like his favorite hero. Clutching his chest, Yoichi sobbed.
Every day brought new humiliation and patronization. Of course, Yoichi tried to escape. Once he'd been skilled at picking locks. He'd been even better than his older brother, perhaps the only skill where he could say that. The twins used to forge around abandoned parts of the city for food, with Yoichi opening anything with a lock and Hisashi punching down anything his brother couldn't open.
But now, Yoichi's old skill had vanished. He couldn't seem to figure it out without his vision.
On sunny days, Hisashi left the window in Yoichi's room open. Although Hisashi portrayed it as a kindness, it felt a whole lot like a calculated insult. Hisashi knew Yoichi couldn't climb in his current state. Yoichi had tried tossing a fork out the window, and he'd been able to tell he was on a high story. He'd die if he jumped down.
Yoichi kept squinting, like his body believed if he just looked hard enough then his eyes would regrow. It was insanely frustrating. Every time, he remembered what he'd lost and cried again.
Even walking around his room became a challenge for Yoichi. He tried a million times to memorize all the furniture in his room. But he still kept bumping into things. There were always small objects lying on the carpet, biting into his feet and tripping him. His older brother claimed that it was his own fault, that he kept dropping stuff on the floor.
A million times, Yoichi asked his brother for a cane. Every time, Hisashi said there was no need. "I'll fetch anything right away, little brother. You can summon me with the bell by your bed. A guard will come if I'm away. It's too dangerous for you to walk around your room."
A million and one times, Yoichi begged to learn Braille. Then he'd finally be able to read books again. Surely there was no reason for his big brother to refuse him. The cane had been an attempt at independence (or a possible weapon) but Braille couldn't harm anyone. Hisashi kept promising to get around to it, but denied Yoichi any access to learning. Yoichi couldn't figure out if this was Hisashi's ploy to control his reading material, or if Hisashi was just genuinely so indifferent to his suffering.
Yoichi hated how incompetent he felt. His brother had to feed him and bathe him every day. He did nothing except sit in his room. With only a little accommodation, Yoichi knew he could have looked after himself. Other blind people did, after all. The Blind Swordsman was one of the strongest characters in Captain Hero! But Hisashi quite willfully denied Yoichi anything that might help him adjust to his blindness.
Every time Yoichi spilled food on himself or dropped an item, he felt more stupid and useless. He couldn't even find what he wanted to wear in his closet. He'd tried to organize the shirts, but he must have forgotten his own arrangement. His brother would watch him struggle to find the right one and mildly ask if he needed help in that unbearably obnoxious tone.
While listening to a not-very-interesting book, Yoichi reached for his water glass. When he tried to set it down, it shattered on the floor. "Dammit!" Yoichi cried. Why did he keep doing that?
A very familiar laugh filled the room, the sound quickly muffled.
Yoichi froze. "Big brother, are you in my bedroom?"
Hisashi said, "I heard glass breaking, so I came to help you."
"Liar. I didn't hear the door open. You were already in here." Yoichi's heart hammered. "Have you been watching me without me knowing?"
"Oh, don't be silly," Hisashi said.
That wasn't exactly a denial. Hisashi had metapowers to allow himself to move silently. He could have been observing his blind brother frequently without being detected. How many times had Hisashi watched him cry? It was humiliating. Goosebumps raised down Yoichi's arms. He demanded, "Did you move the end table to make me drop the glass?"
It had been a shot in the dark. Hisashi replied, "Of course not. You're ridiculous." But the evasive tone and the familiar insult gave him away. Hisashi was lying. Yoichi knew his big brother well enough to tell.
Chest heaving, Yoichi demanded, "How often do you move things around in my room? Are you why I keep bumping into everything? Did you rearrange my closet so I couldn't find my clothing? Why?" Yoichi was sobbing now, his anger manifesting as tears. "Are you just screwing with me? Or is this all a sick game to ensure I can't even get dressed without your help?"
"Now you're being paranoid," Hisashi said.
Yoichi knew the truth. But he couldn't do a single damn thing to stop his brother. "Get out!" he screamed.
Hisashi sighed loudly. "I'll return when you're less hysterical. I understand that you're still struggling to accept your injury."
Yoichi heard the door close and lock. But he did not know if his brother had actually left. He'd never know, now.
The next time Hisashi returned, Yoichi did not speak.
"Good morning, little brother," Hisashi called. "I made pancakes again. Hot off the griddle."
Yoichi opened his mouth to be fed, but did not speak throughout the meal.
"Sulking, eh?" Hisashi sounded amused. "I'll see you at lunch."
When Yoichi still had not said a word for an entire day, Hisashi got worried. He brought gifts. He coaxed. He insulted. He even monologued.
Still Yoichi did not speak.
On the fourth day, Hisashi brought breakfast in silence. He did not speak a word either for the entire day.
Yoichi knew what a strain it must be for his loud-mouthed brother to remain silent. However, Hisashi had access to other people to talk to and socialize with. Yoichi was all alone. A guard would come to help him while his brother was gone, but they were all under orders never to speak to him. The silence was hurting Yoichi much more than his brother.
On the tenth day, Yoichi finally cracked. He flung his arms around his older twin and begged, "Please, give me back my sight!"
Hisashi returned the embrace, cradling Yoichi close to his chest. "Oh, my poor, dear little brother. It must be hard for you. I'm here to look after you."
"Please! What do you want? I'll do anything! I'll join your side, just like you always wanted." Yoichi told himself the words were a lie, a ploy to get his eyes back. He hoped so. In that moment, he felt like he truly would have done anything.
Hisashi guided Yoichi's hands up to his own face, to touch the empty sockets. "Your eyes are gone, little brother. Nothing can bring your sight back. Even so, I still love you, pitiful though you are."
Yoichi broke down into wretched dry sobs. The world felt distant. Bleak, hopeless, and pitch black. He couldn't even hear his brother's stupid speech. Maybe his ears would go next. Maybe then Yoichi could fade away into nothingness. That sounded nice.
Yoichi sat by the window. The fresh air against his face felt okay. These days, okay was the best he ever felt. He'd entered a state of numbness. He didn't try to move around his room any longer. He couldn't bring himself to listen to books on tape. Every bite of food on his tongue tasted like ashes.
A bird chirped outside. Yoichi turned his head toward the sound. It must be wonderful to be a bird. If only he had wings, then he could fly away from this house.
Slowly, as if in a trance, Yoichi stood up and leaned out the window. Warm sunlight played against his face. There were a couple birds singing. The air smelled nicer outside, like fresh grass. Yoichi could no longer bare to be in his cramped room for one second longer. He needed to fly free.
Without a single thought, Yoichi flung himself out the window.
The air rushed by, ripping up his hair and sending strands against his face. Yoichi spread his arms wide. He was flying. He smiled.
At the bottom, Yoichi landed on a trampoline. He bounced a few times before smacking against the net around the edge. Summoned by the alarms, Hisashi came to get his little brother. Apparently he'd put a trampoline below the window on the very first day, in case Yoichi fell out. Hisashi seemed to believe the fall had been an accident. In fact, he was quite smug about this further proof that his little brother couldn't survive without him.
Yoichi didn't say anything in response.
The door opened with unusual force, slamming against the wall. There was even a sound like wood splintering. Bad memories sent a shudder through Yoichi. His head shot up. "Big brother? What's wrong?"
There was no response. Yoichi heard hoarse breathing though, as if his brother had been running.
Yoichi stood up. Slowly, he walked across the carpet, wary of each step because Hisashi liked to drop random small objects on the floor to trip him up. His brother also would not allow him shoes. As his feet inched across the carpet, Yoichi growled, "It must have been really bad, to shut your mouth. Are you injured? I hope so. I hope someone kills you. I don't care if I starve locked up in this room. Dying would be better than being imprisoned by you one day longer!"
His brother was so close, Yoichi could feel hot breath. Yoichi grabbed Hisashi by the front of his shirt and shook him.
The material under his fingers felt like body armor, not a silk suit. Carefully, Yoichi's hands ran up the other person's shoulders. This man was far too short. His fingers finally settled on spiky hair. "You're not my brother."
"I'm not All for One," the stranger said gruffly. "You don't have eyes."
"Great observational skills. With that kind of intelligence, I can see why you thought it was a good idea to bust into the home of the most powerful villain in Japan."
"You're imprisoned here? Even though All for One is your brother?"
"The door was locked. You know that, you busted in." Yoichi let go and stepped backward. His head darted around as if trying to see, another habit he couldn't break. He wondered if this stranger would hurt him but didn't truly care. "We're not exactly on good terms."
The strange man said, "There are Legos all over the floor."
"Oh, is that what big brother uses to keep me from walking around?"
"Shit." The stranger inhaled sharply. "That's sadistic."
"Tell me about it," Yoichi said wearily. "Fair warning, there's an alarm on my door. You'd better not stick around. My brother will kill his own people for talking to me—you don't want to find out what he'd do to you."
The stranger did not speak for a moment, then his tone became determined. "Do you want to get out of here?"
"More than anything," Yoichi breathed. "But I'm blind. I'm useless. I know nothing about my brother's plans. I have no power. Even if you take me with you, I won't be of any help to you."
"Ugh, I'm not offering so that I can use you. If you want out, then I'll carry you out of here if I have to." A callused, warm hand pressed against Yoichi's own palm.
Trembling, Yoichi latched onto the offered hand.
OMAKE TIME!
All for One: Your eyes had to be removed for health reasons.
Yoichi: Is the reason because you crave someone to be dependent on you?
All for One: Mental health counts. My mental health is worth more than every single last part of you. In any event, as I recall, you threw yourself into the path of my attack. It wasn't my fault. I'm rewriting reality as we speak.
#
Yoichi: Excuse me, being blind doesn't make me incapable!
All for One: (Reading a guide on creating a safe home for the visually impaired) I'll just do the opposite of everything on this list. Then I'll move around my brother's belongings for fun.
#
All for One: I'll maim my brother if necessary to ensure he never escapes.
Yoichi: I'm suicidal now.
All for One: Ah, but your depression saps your will to do anything, so I still consider this to be an improvement.
#
Yoichi: Ew, you're keeping my eyes in a jar on your desk.
All for One: You really don't want to find out what I plan to do with your future severed hand.
#
Second: I'm struck blind by your beauty.
Yoichi: Too soon!
Author's Note: I felt so sorry for Yoichi while writing this that I allowed him to get rescued in the end. Pay no attention to the bad end of canon lurking behind the curtain. Or how since One for All doesn't exist in this universe, there's nothing to stop All for One. Maybe since the trio has no way to fight back, they'll at least do the smart thing and flee the country to live happily ever after.
Credit goes to Suugiart for this angsty prompt, who requested this as first place art prize in Three Weeks of Trioholders. Though the contest will still continue accepting entries for a bonus round through Sunday November 26. Suugiart drew an amazingly beautiful and tragic duo holders animation, absolutely everyone should check it out. Delete the spaces to get the link:
youtube.
com/
watch?v=nONh79-1_Gg