You're falling farther than
I've ever seen you fall before
For me to wonder when
I'll recognize you anymore
To see no light inside your eyes at all
To bang my head against the wall
And force myself to watch you pull away
Is there a way inside?
You only hide from enemies
Cause I'll wait
I'm afraid you won't get rid of me so easily
Brad Kaleb Cane - Once
His mind neither here nor there, Kazutora vacantly stared at the horizon, ignoring the people that moved around him. He let himself be rocked by the waves, closing his eyes. That way he wouldn't have to think at all.
On their way out of the forest and back to Valhalla's center he at least tried to pretend for a bit, but he could feel himself shut down slowly. He hadn't expected to survive longer so he wasn't sure what to do with himself now that he was.
They had been on the ship for a few days. Kazutora hadn't kept track, too drained to form a coherent thought. Just as he'd said - Mikey, his Vice, and most of the other commanders had left on a ship a day before they had set sail. He thinks Commander Mitsuya and his lieutenant stayed behind waiting for reinforcements to arrive before returning to their home shores. He remembered Baji had bristled at the name, the only reason Kazutora noted it.
He wasn't kept like a prisoner on the ship, he was free to move around and do whatever. He thinks that had Mikey and the others been on the same ship he probably would have hidden himself in the deepest corner he could find until they arrived back on land.
But as far as he knew the only commanders on this ship were the third and first divisions and their men, as well as Hanagaki. And so far, commander Hayashida had been friendly albeit ditzy.
He had blocked mosts attempts at small talk and food offerings, not in the mood to hold a conversation or keep food down. If he was generous, he nodded and hmed along, hoping they would get the hint and leave him be. He didn't even have it in him to rise to the bouts of teasing from the first division commander. He didn't notice how the man would deflate and watch him with increased worry, not letting Kazutora out of his sight under no circumstances going so far as to tell his own men to scram when they came to the alpha with some minor issue.
The tension thickened by the day. They didn't have much road left, but that wasn't too much of a comfort as the men grew more and more tense. Chifuyu kept on worryingly dividing his attention between his commander and his newfound companion.
All his attempts at engaging the omega landed on deaf ears, it was as if the omega was staring right through them.
Kazutora didn't even have the energy to confer on the fate of his own people. He really was a sorry excuse of a human being. He had so diligently planned to ensure they would go unscathed only to leave without a word and not even confirm anyone's safety. There was a dull feeling of guilt behind his rib cage, but whenever he tried to make an effort to examine it, tiredness would consume him, and he gave up.
He just continued watching the salty waves, wondering for a short moment if they would be as unforgiving as the books said? would they make an exception for him and embrace him softly into their dark depth? He leaned his body to get a better glimpse at the sea-green waves before he was harshly shoved back. His eyes widened, as he tried to grab onto something for balance He would have definitely fallen ungracefully on his behind if there hadn't been a body holding his own in a tight grip.
"What the fuck are you trying to do?!" Baji screamed right into his ear with wild eyes. Kazutora had the urge to cover his ears but thought it too much of an effort as he stared at the man unblinkingly. He was with his back to him, so it was quite an effort to hold his gaze trying to decipher what the man had wanted from him.
When the question belatedly registered in his brain, he turned to look back at the waves for a moment before looking back at the commander. "..I wanted to get a better look" His voice cracked in the middle of his sentence, a result of him not using his voice for several days. He knew it sounded odd as the words left his lips, but that was what he had been trying to do, right? He didn't know why he suddenly felt a burst of embarrassment tighten his stomach. He averted holding the alpha's gaze as he turned his face down towards his shoes.
Baji also seemed to deflate at his answer, all anger draining from him. "I think you've looked enough for today" He said with finality before taking his wrist and tugging him along. He'd been doing that a lot lately. Kazutora didn't feel the need to fight him on it, it wasn't worth the headache. And the warmth of Baji's palms were a comforting contrast to his own much cooler one he noted. "C'mon let's get you something to eat you skipped breakfast and lunch.. again"
He didn't think anyone would take note of it, considering he himself hadn't. Kazutora did not feel like eating, but it would be too much of a hassle to argue against the man, either - so he just let himself be dragged inside the ship and to the canteen. He was uncerioumously dropped into a seat in less populated part of the room with a short order to stay where he was.
He didn't have to wait long. Not even minutes later a plate filled with vegetables and salted meat was placed in front of him. He takes a few customary bites, trying not to fixate on the texture that was churning his stomach. Before long he gave up, not wanting to chance it and accidentally hurl in front of so many people. Especially not in front of commander Baji who would not stop staring at him. Instead Kazutora kept moving small bits from one side to the other, still averting the man's gaze. "…why-"
"Hm?"
"..Why do continue to keep me company?" He swallows before continuing "It's not like we've known each other long enough to warrant this-" he didn't know what this was, but it left him uneasy. "Nevermind"
"I want to."
"you want to..?"
" I'm not that great with words, but yeah.. I just want to"
suspicion rose in Kazutora, unsatisfied with his reasoning. That didn't sound right.
"I think I'm finished" He looked down at his plate, which still had a lot of food left, but every spoonful he had swallowed felt like lead. "I would like to retire if that is alright.." Neither of them mentioned the fact that it was barely past noon as Baji insisted on bringing him to his quarters and wished him a good rest. Kazutora felt oddly touched but nonetheless off-kilter by the man's attention, for lack of a better word. He closed the door gently behind him and leaned against the door.
He didn't know why he lingered for a few moments, listening to Baji speak to some of his men outside of his room and closed his eyes. He was unable to make out the words but he stood in that spot until he heard the alpha's footsteps retreating further away until there was only silence.
It took him a moment to notice that he was still leaning on the door. He immediately moved towards the bed to sit, granted his quarters were not that big to warrant much movement. Ships in general tended to not have overly luxurious rooms, especially those made for war, so he wasn't complaining. Moreover, he was surprised he was given a room at all, given his track record.
Methodically he untied his boots and slipped out of them, putting them by the bed. He considered whether to stay in his current blouse and cotton pants or change into the borrowed night clothing altogether.
In the end, he decided to only remove the corset, deeming it the least amount of work. He wasn't planning on sleeping for long anyway. He'd be lucky if his troubling sleeping habits would let him shut an eye at all. He was ready to faceplant his face into the pillow, throwing his corset to the floor, indifferent to its wretched wellbeing.
Beneath the quilt, he felt himself give in to his exhaustion, yet sleep didn't claim him. He rolled from one side to the other to no avail. Finally fed up he kicked the blanket off himself.
He looked around the room in frustration, it had been days since he had been able to get a wink of sleep.
Thankful nobody was around to witness him falling like a flailing fish as soon as he tried to get out of bed. Too tired to really move himself off the ground, his face was turned to the bed or better said the underside of it.
He had assumed this room had been a storage room or something along those lines at least, but as he was faced with a few piles of books he wondered which man had been stupid enough to leave their erotica books behind.
Well he didn't know if they were those kinds of books, but considering this place was full of alphas, that had been on the sea for a while he couldn't think of anything else an alpha would want to occupy his alone time with, pent up and all, not that he was judging.. too much
Kazutora debated with himself on whether he wanted to actually check and possibly scar his mind with whatever he might find or discard the books altogether and keep his peace of mind.
He snorted, his lack of peace of mind was the reason he was even sprawled on the floor as he picked a book at random, praying silently to the gods beneath for clean pages. By the feel of it, it was on the thinner side and rather aged as he turned it over. He blinked a few times, struggling to take in the title.
He didn't know whether his mind had deserted him altogether when the cover of the book read 'Caring for your first pet' in a small font for children right beneath. He picked another book, this time a bigger one, and nope. The title 'Canis Lupus – distinction between the seven species of a wolf' confronted him and he started flipping through the pages to check if it was some innuendo he had missed and no.. the book actually went into detail about why the fur of a northland wolf was advantageous to hunt for prey in colder regions. It checked out, he guessed. He flipped back to the first page and there it was 'property of Edward' in the worst chicken scrawl he had ever seen. He did not know why, but something at the back of his mind was ringing at the barely comprehensible lettering.
Though a name like that meant he was either a foreigner or originated from the crown's capital. He tried to recall whether he had heard of an officer by that name but nothing came up.
He took out a few more books of varying sizes and straightened into a sitting position. One after the other seemed to detail some form of animal knowledge for varying age groups and all were marked as Edward's property. A small smile crept up his face at the thought of a soldier's most precious belongings being his favorite books about animals. Something in him uncurled at Edward's innocent hobbies. He apologized silently for accusing him of much viler interests before.
He took the books and moved back to the bed. He at least should make it up to Edward and show some courtesy towards his passions. Kazutora made himself comfortable and cracked the first book open and read.
.
.
before long his eyes fell shut and sleep claimed him at last.
"Is there something on your mind, Mikey?"
Mikey was currently at tea with his sister and grandfather and mid-way through biting into his sixth scone, when Emma raised her question. He chews deliberately slow before finally swallowing.
"should there be?"
Emma rolled her eyes "You tell me, you usually would be scarving down the sandwiches by now, but you're still only on your sixth scone" he raised one of his eyebrows, surprised she'd been keeping track.
"your sister is right, son. This behavior of yours is quite odd. Inviting us to tea only a day after you've returned"
"Is it odd, to want to spend some time with my family?" he huffed.
"sure, sure. Maybe if we were at a horse race or hunting stags, but tea, brother?" Emma looked at him skeptically. "Not to mention you would have ditched us in favor of skipping town anyway.."
"Is this how you see me?"
"As a spoiled brat, that does as he pleases? yes, I do indeed, Mikey"
"mean.." he pouted.
Emma sure was in a mood this afternoon. But she did have a point. Mikey was not one for drinking tea. His grandfather usually had to chain him to a table for him to stay in the castle for more than a few hours. Mikey shrugged, which just set his sister off even more.
"goodness! just tell us what you called us here for!"
He pondered how to begin "…you've noticed that I have brought back Shinichiro's sword with me" Mikey took a deep breath and his back straightened.
"I found his murderer"
The previously light-hearted mood was sucked out of the drawing room. Emma was looking at her lap, his grandfather had a far-off look on his face as he stared at the painting containing the founding of Toman on it. The first ruler of the realm was surrounded by his six loyal followers as they kneeled before him. The King of Kings, Mikey wanted to roll his eyes.
"who..?" Emma trailed off, her voice almost too soft to hear. But Mikey heard it, the hitch in her breath, his grandfather curling his fist on the table as his teeth grit. He heard it all.
"the previously presumed dead child of the usurper, Hanemiya Kazutora"
"was he not your age or am I mistaken?" his grandfather asked, surprise in his eyes.
Mikey nodded. "He is"
"that can't be right… our big brother died thirteen years ago, that would make him what? barely nine, if not younger when he-" killed Shinichiro. Emma turned pale not bringing herself to finish her words, her stomach dropping. She'd always assumed it would have been a scary beast, a ruthless monster of a man that had taken their brother from them. Her mind had trouble conjoining that image with that of a child.
and Mikey was speaking of him in the present time. "He's alive still?"
She could see her brother grit his teeth together. "Yes." came the clipped answer.
"Of course he would be" her grandfather's words surprised her, her head turning to him in disbelief. "he's an omega, if memory serves me right."
Her chin dropped to the floor. An omega was the last thing she would have picked. for her own sub-gender to have the strength to and not only that, an omega child.. "you're certain it was him?" she asked weakly.
"He confessed it himself" Mikey answered monotonely.
"It was a good call not to harm him, son. the ruckus it would cause would be unimaginable. the crown's standing has been precarious in the last decades" thanks to your late father went unsaid. Grandfather never mentioned their father after what he'd put the late crown princess through - Mikey's mother. "to kill an omega would have tainted your reputation to an extent you would have not recovered from"
"I have not decided yet."
"Hm?"
"I have not decided yet, whether he dies or he lives"
"Do not jest, boy-"
"I could not care less for his designation or my reputation"
"Then why have you not killed him still? if those factors do not matter to you" His grandfather angrily replied. Had he raised only idiots, the old man shook his head.
Mikey slumped back into his seat. "..Baji"
"Edward?" Emma was missing something, why had the northerner been brought into the equation?
"Emma.. do you remember when he came back from vacation way back?"
Emma thought hard and long about what Mikey was saying. Baji only ever stayed north or in the capital for the academy when they'd grown up. That's how they became close to begin with. But a distant memory before the war had started- of excitement in sharp eyes and usually pale skin, then much tanner blabbering on and on about what exciting things he'd done and seen when he'd returned from vacationing with his mother down south.
Her mind had blended his excess talk out at some point. She didn't understand where Mikey was going with this. "I guess..?"
"He wouldn't shut up about a new friend he'd made" Had he? Emma could not recall him making any friends. He had gotten into a few scuffles though. But Baji had a knack for that, so it wasn't anything worth pointing out.
Except for that time when he'd almost killed one of the teachers in the academy and gotten expelled. Emma hadn't seen him for years after that stunt.
"He failed to mention that he'd bonded himself to that new friend"
Emma choked on her spit. Were they talking about the same person?! "He wasn't even seven. Children don't have mature enough instincts for that. Least of all Edward. That guy would show more interest to funnel than an omega!"
"Oh. I see" grandfather replied seriously and Emma was ready to pull out her hair or Mikey's. was she the only one that was not understanding what was being said?! She was too proper to shout 'I don't see shit!' so she settled for a more graceful response. "Oh? Would you spare the kindness and clue me in as well, grandfather?"
She ignored Mikey's raised eyebrow.
"it seems young Keisuke had unconsciously bonded himself to the young Hanemiya omega when he went south all those years ago" Emma almost fell off her chair, bewildered at what her grandfather had so nonchalantly voiced. She had a hard time believing Edward to be smitten enough to bond himself to anything other than a wolf. A cat maybe?
"that must be quite the predicament for you then, Manjiro" grandfather continued. Predicament was putting it mildly. She knew her brother. If he picked to avenge Shinichiro and kill Hanemiya Kazutora, Baji would lose himself to his feral instincts. She did not know of any alpha or omega in history that ever survived their bonded being taken from them with a bond this long-lasting. And Baji was halfway to feralcy before he'd reached nine. The outcome would be devastating.
Her face softened as she looked at her brother's troubled face. She took a hold of his clenched hand in sympathy "whatever you choose to do, we'll support you, Mikey"
He'd said he hadn't finalized his decision yet, but by the defeated hunch in his shoulders, he'd made up his mind the second he'd found out. She squeezed his hand kindly. Mikey had just forgotten to tell himself. The least both of them could do as his family members, was to push some of the burden off Mikey's shoulders, lest he be burdened the more with blame that should have never been his.
Kazutora wakes up with a scream at the cusp of escaping his lips and terror in his bones, gasping for air. The dream he had long gone.
Cold sweat trickles down the nape of his neck as his head whirls around blindly to find the threat, that was not there. Instead, only darkness greets him-
he should probably make light. His heart rate picked up until finally, his scrambled mind was capable of forming the proper spell.
He hated the dark.
But as a stream of light flickered in his fingertips, he could finally take note of the time. He must have slept through the evening. He put his head on his curled knees to calm himself only to startle at the wetness.
He hadn't even realized he'd been crying. Tears were streaking down his cheeks. It took him a few moments to compose himself and for his breath to even out again.
When had the last time been that he'd shed tears of any kind?-
A sudden thunderclap had him on his feet instantly, his already tense nerves going haywire. only now as he shook like a trembling leaf did he realize how tilted the ship was, rocking from one side to the other in extremes. The rest of the animal encyclopedias are on the floor sliding completely from under the bed. He tried to look for his boots at least but the ship's movements made it impossible.
Distinctively he could make out shouts from outside. He abandoned the idea of footwear completely as he stumbled towards the door. Opening it alone took more than a few tries by the time he had reached it.
Outside he was greeted by a huge commotion as men ran panickedly all over, shouting at each other. The only thing he could make out were the names of officers whose life had already been claimed by a storm outside. None of the names rung a bell and Kazutora was relieved for a moment before confusion hit him. For him it should make no difference either way if the storm had taken someone whose name he knew.
He made to go up deck when he was stopped by men whose faces he did not recall. They looked young. Not age-appropriate to be called to a war. "We have strict orders from the commander to not let you leave your quarters, My Lord"
Kazutora ignored them.
"M-my Lord, you are not wearing any shoes not to mention your current attire is not meant for a storm like this-" the boy continued to block his way.
Kazutora had forgotten what an unkempt appearance he was currently sporting. To them, he might as well be wearing only a chamise the way their red faces were directed at the floor. He'd forgotten how conservative the Northmen were about garments in particular.
"I think we are well aware of who would win if you continue to block my way. So do me the favor and move now, or the storm will not be the only one claiming a life tonight"
He does not wait for a reply as he shoves past the trembling boys into the upper deck. As soon as the door opened he was attacked by the sharp whip of rain and wind. He had to close his eyes for a moment as several lightning strikes lit up the sky. Not even a moment later a tremendous thunderclap followed making the whole ship vibrate. He had to hold on to the door tightly to keep himself up straight.
People were screaming in terror as a huge wave hit the deck. He looked at the blackened sky to gauge what they were dealing with. The pattern of the clouds became visible with the next lightning strike. Kazutora cursed profanities as his grip tightened. They were in the mids of a tempest. He could hear someone howling for a lost friend. he did not look, he had to get to the navigator if they were to have a chance of surviving this.
"Fuck, shit fuck-"
"Chifuyu what are we gonna do-"
"I have no fucking clue partner. This can't be a regular storm"
"We laid the anchor in the evening. maybe we should wait the storm out."
"Are you mad? The current waves could break the ship in half. Whose braindead idea was it to drop the anchor anyway?!"
"Peh's.."
"Who let fucking Peyan decide?!-"
"Where is the navigator?" he interrupted
"Hanemiya-?!"
"What the hell are you doing outside! Are you trying to die?!" Chifuyu thought back on the omega's indifferent and aloof state of the last days the dead look in his eyes and the next words of chastising died in his mouth. He probably was "I'll get you back inside, c'mon"
Kazutora shrugged him off repeating his question, when another wave hit. He cannot even stumble, surprised to see several people holding him, he blinked at the alarmed faces of the rest of the group and cleared his throat. "..you can let go now"
"we lost the navigator half an hour ago" Hanagaki said anxiously.
"come again?"
"he capsized" Lieutenant Hayashi answered
Kazutora cursed some more profanities unbecoming of a well-bred omega. "okay. whose the best salesman between the lot of you?"
They look at each other. nobody?! Kazutora shook his head in disbelief
"Hey, it's not like you're any better"
"oh I apologize, Lieutenant Matsuno for not being skilled in the art of sailing. considering this is the first time I left the Isles and unlike you never been on the open sea. How inconsiderate of me to -"
"I get it, sheesh.." Matsuno conceded
"I wish Mitsuya-san was here, then this wouldn't have been an issue at all"
"I'll do it" commander Hayashida surprisingly volunteers. He had not spoken until now. "Peyan will help me, right?"
"Of course!"
"Are you certain you're capable enough to see it through, commander?"
"it should not differ too much to the windsails I rode in the second district … probably and call me Pah"
"then you'll man the steering wheel. We need to lift the anchor back up"
"What have you planned?"
"We need to head further into the storm"
"Are you trying to get us killed? We should be trying to get out of this storm!" Matsuno protested.
"We are already too deep into the tempest. There is no escaping it. The best we can do is head right into the eye of the storm"
Takemitchy weakly repeated tempest, in disbelief that this is what they had been caught up in.
"Fine. Me and Takemitchy will take care of the anchor" Chifuyu then turned to Kazutora "You stay put"
Kazutora bristled at that. "for us to move further in we need to shift westward. The sails need to be fastened for the ship to move anywhere"
"That's suicide. somebody would have to climb up the masts to tie them. A job which is done by half a dozen people on a sunny day!"
"I'll do it" Kazutora volunteers.
"No, you definitely aren't"
"This is not the time to be picking a fight with me Matsuno-"
"I am not about to let you sacrifice your life for some false sense of martyrdom"
"I am trying to get this ship into safety" Kazutora took the lieutenant's collar, his eyes widened as he stared him down unblinkingly "It's best you stop projecting your own delusions onto me and focus on your job of getting your men to safety"
Kazutora lets go of him and moves towards the first mast ticked off at the blonde's insinuations. It was not as easy as it would have been if the wood had been dry, but alas the omega wouldn't be climbing the damned thing if that had been the case. If he was struggling, he was not going to let it show and he was already quite up a bit as he ignored the protest beneath him
"W-wait! Takemtichy, you'll have to reel the anchor in by yourself-" He could hear the Beta scramble and curse distantly before Kazutora froze up "Oh fucking thank the gods above, Baji-san-"
the omega cringed when he heard the name. Oh boy, this was going to be a nightmare now. Something told him, the man would not take kindly to Kazutora being out here, especially after he had ordered people to keep him inside. Prisoners running outside was probably bad for his reputation.
"What the fuck is going on?" the man hadn't noticed him yet. If Kazutora climbed up a bit higher right now, he would be safe from the alpha's ire. or so he thought. he hadn't even moved a millimeter before he felt the burning stare on him. It felt like the temperature had dropped several more degrees and his instincts were telling him not to make a wrong move as his eyes turned down to meet-
Kazutora almost lost his grip at the dark expression that greeted him. He'd watched the man be grumpy on several occasions, angry too.. but the stormy irises promised violence, Kazutora had yet to properly feel directed at his person.
"-won't listen to me! He's trying to climb up the mast by himself-" Kazutora's burned daggers at the blonde for ratting him out.
"I see… go with Takemitchy to retract the anchor. His spindly arms won't be of any use on their own. Use your ice to stop the worst of the waves before they hit the ship" Chifuyu nodded at his commander not wasting any time and took off with the other blonde.
"…I am not coming down" Kazutora had meant to be willful in his words, headstrong even. instead, he sounded like a child throwing a tantrum. Him still frozen in his half-climb did not help in denying the fact either. Still, he continued to look at the log he was currently (not) climbing, averting the pointed look that was boring into his skull. He could hear rustling and movements, making him finally take a peek-
"of course, you're not." the dark timber of the alpha's (too familiar) voice growled as it came closer. Surely the man was not thinking of climbing up here, too. Punishing him half in the air was too excessive, even for him? Kazutora's head whipped downwards, his drenched bangs making it difficult to see anything - only to realize the commander had almost caught up to him.
"-why stay inside where it's perfectly safe, when you can be up here to square up against a storm— shoeless" why was everyone focusing on that "climbing the mast like a monkey- oh excuse me, Tigers climb trees, too. wouldn't want to misrepresent you." the alpha muttered with irritation as he finally reached the astounded omega. Kazutora had not known that fact to be true (the celestial tigers did not count, they could disappear into thin air, and he was certain, the living kind didn't do that). What he was certain about though, was the fact that he was not going to say any of that aloud.
"I didn't ask you to come up here. In fact, you can go right back down" the omega was going to say more before another black wave hit the deck -oh fuck
… or at least tried to? for one moment he was certain he was going to have to cling onto the mast for dear life to remain on it when the only thing he felt on his wet skin was a freezing gust of wind. His eyes blinked up to see a huge frozen wall of ice and the outstretched arm of the alpha. He turned his arm in a swiping motion and the ice shattered back into the sea.
Kazutora had forgotten that the alpha's affinity also lay with ice, so used to the famed stories of burning battlegrounds following the path of the first division commander.
"go on, climb right on then, tiger"
..right. Kazutora had a job to do, but it did not stop him from wrinkling his nose in irritation and glaring at the man for his continuous use of stupid nicknames before he continued with the task at hand.
He moved to the sail to bring it into proper position and every time another wave came for them the alpha would freeze it just long enough for it to lose its momentum and then crash it back into the dark sea. Kazutora could not believe he'd been interested in what they'd feel like at noon. He did not think the fates would take him up on it like this.
They continued like this, jumping from one mast to the other until they made it underneath the crows nest. He would not admit it, but it was refreshing - the heavy rain pelting his face aside - not to be the sole person doing the heavy lifting. Up until now, Kazutora had done everything by himself, not trusting anyone to not screw him over. But for this, he could make an exception. He had an inkling the alpha would not stab him in the back for now. and Baji worked diligently and Kazutora would not feel the need to double-check whether the sails were in proper position.
"That went well, don't you think?" Kazutora smirked up at Baji who was tightening his sail on his end of the crows nest. The man made a rather comical impression of a fish as he stared at Kazutora strangely like he was a new species of some sort. It made him snort.
Right as he'd finished tightening the last sail, the universe had decided to humble him back to reality. Of course, nothing could go right all the way. He slipped-
"Shi-" Kazutora actually fucking slipped. To make matters worse the new positioning of the sails helped the ship gain the momentum it needed, to move westward, so Kazutora tried to regain his stability in the wrong direction. It was like he was trying to walk up a mountain and instead of holding the center of his gravity forward, he held it as if he were walking it down - meaning his back was going to have a terrific imprint of the deck that was speedily coming closer to him.
or it should have. In lieu, something stopped his current fall to doom with an iron grip as the air rushed through him. for a heartbeat the whole world was turned upside down before he toppled into the involuntarily (well) acquainted body of the alpha in the crows nest.
"Ughhh.." There are several things Kazutora is forced to notice at that moment.
First, crows nest are not known for their space. There was barely space for one full-grown human, let alone two. Curse the alpha for not being at least a bit shorter. Kazutora tells him as much with a hiss.
"You're my height"
He ignored Baji's argument. Second, Kazutora did not even have the space to straighten to his elbows, squished as he was on top of the alpha. their limbs knocked against one another with every shift.
Third, and worst of all, their positioning turned more compromising every time he tried. At some point, his crotch was on the man's thigh and Kazutora was screaming internally in embarrassment. Thinking it could not get any worse he tried to move his bottom half away only to brush against something big- Kazutora let out a startled squeak.
"Just! stop moving." the alpha snapped at him, the strain of his voice breathing into Kazutora's neck. Baji sounded like he was going through a wringer. The omega's previously freezing face was now steaming with heat. He felt the smoke coming out of his ears, his heart hammering with the mortification of his own actions. the alpha's heavy breath was not helping the matter.
It took him quite a few moments to regain the proper calibrations to his brain functions (how could it be so bi-) to notice that the rain was no longer hitting him or anything on the crows nest. He could still hear the ongoing storm. His head hesitantly turned skyward, not wanting another incident to occur - to see a bubble of ice encasing the whole crows nest.
The pelting rain against their makeshift roof of ice turned heavier. He didn't even notice when the commander had made it. Too busy noticing something else- no! his mind had to stop trailing back to that! He'd stooped low enough. The gutter was no place to put his mind to.
He almost had a heart attack when Baji spoke again, horrified that the man might have read his train of thought. "Is it just me or is the storm getting worser?"
It takes him a a bit to digest what the man had said and "..you mean worse"
".."
Kazutora couldn't hold back his laughter when the man remained vehemently silent, his whole body shaking "we're heading for the eye of the storm, so it will get worser- hey!"
He jumps at the unexpected pinch to his arm. It did not actually hurt, he was more startled than anything. The movement still made him hiss in indignation "what was that for?!"
Before the alpha with the shit-eating grin could respond, the ship rocks harder than before, and suddenly Kazutora's head was knocked downward with the force of the momentum into the alpha. Both of them were not eager to receive a black eye and moved with the same thought of turning their face- when the unthinkable happened and Kazutora's breath hitched-
their lips…
.
.
.
…brushed
against each other.
An electric shock goes through Kazutora's body. consequently, his brain shortcircuits. Far too late he jerks his head away from soft, so soft lips-
no.
How could this rambunctious man have such soft lips, what the fuck?! His thoughts turn back to the big other something he'd brushed against today (Kazutora distinctively thinks a shiner to his eye socket would have been the preferred outcome to all of this.)
Nobody speaks.
His hand was still covering the bottom half of his face. like that would somehow undo it. the ghost of the alpha's lips still lingering on. He gulped, looking vehemently at a particular spot on the ice bubble.
His mind repeated the same thought, he felt himself lose it internally. Had they really just kisse-
"..let's not move anymore" he decided, voice almost soundless
"…agreed" came the humble reply.
Neither of them acknowledged what happened further to his utter relief. he didn't think he'd be capable of speech if Baji had tried.
After almost an hour of not moving, Kazutora realized that they probably had to remain up here until the storm let up. It could mean the whole night, depending on the ship's ability to reach the center of the storm.
His head was still squished into the crook of the alpha's neck when he heard him rustling with something. Kazutora's first instinct was to turn his head, but the stark reminder of what happened last time he did, had him abort the motion. He remained still, wondering with bated breath what the other was up to.
He heard a soft jingle close to his ear and with a click! a small bell locked back into its usual place on his ear.
…Baji had clipped Kazutora's earring back into place his fraid mind grasped. before he can ask, the alpha was already answering him "I had to give it back to you, right?"
Kazutora's own hand flew to the accessory dangling down to his neck. "..right"
He could feel the alpha fiddling with his next words. Opening and closing his mouth before he finally settled on "where did'cha get that?" Kazutora was surprised by his line of questioning. Of all the things to ask…
"you're very obsessed with this earring. there are probably some shops in Central that-"
"just answer my question"
Kazutora sighed "I don't know.. I think somebody.. gave it to me" again his answer felt more like a question to himself-
(no takebacks. The next time we meet, I'll marry you) he was startled by the echo of a child's voice. It was gone as quickly as it came.
"it's a part of me-" he stopped himself. out loud, it had sounded cheesier than intended "I never really considered taking it off before" the until I gave it to you went unsaid. His cheeks heated up again at what the alpha might take away from that. He didn't understand why he'd done that particular move back then, either. So he couldn't even defend himself, if the alpha did decide to tease him about it "does that answer satisfy you, your grace?" he had wanted to mock him with his title, but the alpha did not care at all. "I think I never loved an answer more"
Kazutora was taken aback by the unexpected reply."..has anybody ever told you that you're quite odd?"
the alpha did not even quip back, satisfied with his answer as if Kazutora had gifted him all the riches in the world.
The conversation ends again. but as they had talked Baji had somewhat shifted so now Kazutora was more laying on the man's shoulder and upper arm.
He was drowsing when he noticed that the whistling of the wind had seized and rain was no longer hitting their makeshift roof. He nudges the man, who seemed to have been equally drowsing before.
The man grumbles something but does not make any move to open his eyes. Kazutora nudges him again. He had less then a blink and then a fist was flying towards him.
He would have no time to dodge, he realizes in horror. He'd said he'd preferred the shiner, not that he wanted both, is the last thought on his mind when his eyes scrunched close…
but… it never connects. Kazutora opens one of his eyes to see why he had not been hit yet only to see the fist frozen in mid-air before it dropped. He owlishly blinked at the man whose limb had tried to assassinate him.
He found the horrified face of the alpha.
"..where you trying to hit me?"he had no intention of leaving the judgment out of his tone solely for the five stages of panic the alpha had just forced him through.
"I didn't mean to!"
"Uhuh."
The man looked to be in pain, Kazutora almost felt bad for him as he watched him with a pleading expression. "I just- I'm told I do not take kindly to being woken up"
"Your were told."
"I'm serious. My men usually know not to come near when I have my eyes closed" his scrunched-up eyebrows mixed with the troubled expression in his eyes painted quite an adorable picture.
"That first time I punched you, was already one too many.."
"You didn't punch me in the office. You threw me against a wall, remember?" he pointed out, wondering where he'd come up with that false notion.
"…Sorry again."
"You act like I didn't stab you"
"it tis but a scratch"
Kazutora snorted at the man, before remembering why he'd tried to wake him up in the first place. "I think the storm has stopped"
With one swift move, Baji removes the ice and Kazutora-
..was awestruck. Above them, a circle of the clear sky full of glimmering stars spreads.
"Do you see that?" Kazutora didn't even notice himself clutching the man's side as he looked on at the marveling lights above.
Baji had been about to propose going back down, but his breath got knocked out of him. "Beautiful, right?" the omega says, still mesmerized by the constellations above them.
Baji didn't need to look at the sky above. It could never come close to what opened up to him in those golden irises. "yeah.. it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen"
Kazutora's gaze snaps to him with amusement, his earring chiming with the movement. "I didn't think you'd be someone who'd have an interest in such things" he didn't. not really, but if that was, what Kazutora fancied than he'd be devoted to every celestial constellation for the remainder of his life. if Chifuyu could hear his thoughts right now, he might compare him to one of his fancy novels.
Kazutora, bless his oblivious face - still mistakes his silence for being in awe of the sky and began rambling about different constellations currently visible. "this one over there is called Lupus. It is usually only visible in the southern hemisphere, so you won't be able to see it in the northern sky. Scorpius and and Libra are its neighbors-" Baji let him babble fondly, asking questions, that hopefully made sense. In actuality, he did not understand anything Kazutora was saying, especially after he began using degrees to locate another constellation.
He would not admit that though, committing to nodding and humming, so he could listen to the omega a bit longer, as his eyes glimmered up into the depth of the skies.
All the more pissed he was when somebody (Takemitchy) shouted from the deck, that they were almost at the second district's harbor, making golden irises snap back to reality with embarrassment. the disappointment Baji feels as he watches the omega retreat back into his shell guts him more than his dagger could have ever hoped to.
The omega scrambles to the ladder, abandoning him and the stars to their lonesome. Baji sighs in defeat as he slowly follows after the two-toned-haired omega.
When he arrives at the deck Takemitchy makes sure to stay at least ten feet away from him, when his stormy eyes turn to him, promising a future full of pain to the bright yellow head of hair.
Draken thought this would be where he'd find him.
Mikey was sitting in front of a memorial tablet with his brother's name carved into it. The date August 1 X980 - August 3rd X999 reflected back at him. The exact date being added to the tablet was not lost on him. He did not think Mikey would have the mind to ask Hanemiya Kazutora about the date he'd committed the act. But looking at his vacant expression, he was reminded of what had been taken from his closest friend.
Mikey usually came here when he had trouble making a decision.
and he could guess what the decision was about.
Draken knew what he would have chosen to do. Mikey knew that, too. That's why Mikey had not asked him. They knew each other too well for that.
Mikey was not Draken.
Mikey did not need him to tell him what the morally right decision would be. And he was not here to do that.
The taller one silently sat down next to him.
"Why are you here, Ken-chin?"
"no reason" a small upturn of Mikey's lips was visible for a split second and some light returned to his dark irises.
"I'm lucky to have you"
before he can rib at him for getting sentimental, fast steps approached them "They've arrived!"
Chifuyu watched his commander walk circle after circle into the ground in the last few days. Since they arrived in Central and Hanemiya Kazutora had been taken into the crown's custody, Baji-san was struggling - to put it mildly.
Chifuyu had not been informed why exactly the omega was taken, but the reason must have been abysmal if Baji-san had not tried to break him out yet. Honestly, he'd assumed his commander to scorch half the city and dip. But if there had been any plans of the sort, Chifuyu had not been made aware.
It was stressful to watch. Odd, too. Chifuyu still had trouble with his commander's sudden infatuation with the golden-eyed omega.
Chifuyu'd spent most of his teenage years with him. Baji-san had inspired him to become the person he was today. The man was his role model in every aspect of the word. Chifiyu knew of all the man's interests. Be it his dream of building an animal shelter or his determination to create the first fire, that would burn for eternity and not extinguish. and Chifuyu wholeheartedly believed that if somebody could achieve those dreams, it would be Baji-san.
His commander had always been rather prickly on the topic of omegas. Many had tried to win the alpha's favor. But Baji-san had not even batted an eyelash at them.
The elders in the northland had once tried to set the alpha up with a potential mate to secure the house's line and all. It had not ended well for them. By the end, Baji-san had gotten into several physical altercations with the old dust bags. He'd expelt them from the northern capital and taken their assets to distribute them to the fifth out of spite.
And it was well known how much the Northland despised the fifth district.
Anyway what Chifuyu was getting at, was that the alpha was not particularly considerate of the fairer designation. so watching him in this 180 - Chifuyu would have not believed it if he hadn't seen the man physically deflate when the southerner had been in a melancholic mood and not taken any of his bait to bicker.
Not to mention that whole storm situation. Takemitchy was still nursing his black eye for ruining Baji-san's courting. To be fair, Chifuyu had tried to stop his partner.
It was refreshing to see the alpha in this new light, even if it gave him whiplash at times.
However, there was another issue, Chifuyu's own mixed feelings concerning the omega. He'd stabbed Baji-san for one. He had a difficult time looking past that. His commander had told him to drop it, so Chifuyu did. It did not mean, however, that he'd forgive it. There was something disturbingly concerning to the omega's mental state. One did not have to be a genius to figure that one out.
He was not well, and the compassionate part in him, did feel for the guy. Chifuyu did not admit it, but the blank stare had been daunting. He'd never seen this type of emptiness in a living being.
And the omega had gone right back to the vacancy in his expression when the head of the city police Tachibana Masato had taken him. Ever since then, Baji-san had been up to… well, this.
Chifyu was an expert in romance. He'd read all the greatest love stories the country had to offer. His personal genre was 'the star-crossed lovers' He'd cry for weeks when those befitting of the trope received a tragic ending. it happened shockingly often. and Baji-san had mildly judged him for it in their youth.
But the man was now checking every box of a concerned lover and Chifuyu's inner romantic would have been swooning, if the situation was not so dire.
"Baji-san"
Chifuyu had arrived with some good news for his commander, Takemitchy had been told by Lady Hinata, that the omega had not been put into any cell.
Instead, the crown had chosen to leave him in the Tachibana's custody in their townhouse to not cause too much commotion surrounding the southener and having him surrounded by another omega would be far better than whatever his commander is probably conjuring up.
"I've got some good news. Lord Tachibana-"
"That fucking bastard better not have touched a single hair-"
"the opposite actually! Kazutora-san was not taken to the cells. He's currently at the Tachibana estate"
"Wy is he there? If they were going to put him in any home, it should have been here" his commander was quite bold. that statement could be taken in a wholly different direction.
"I was not briefed on why, but considering that Lady Hinata and her mother are omegas, that specialize in the Healing arts for omegas, I'm guessing he's there primarily to be treated before y'know the crown decides what's to be done with him"
Chifuyu still did not understand, why his commander didn't demand him to be pardoned. Surely as someone with such close-knit relationships to several members of that castle, he should have some influence on the matter.
"Have you considered calling for an audience? I'm sure with your long-lasting friendship with the crown-"
"No. It would not be right of me to put that on Mikey"
Chifuyu knew he was missing an important piece of the puzzle. Mikey had up and vanished after he'd talked to the omega in private. then there was this trip to the mountain that they'd all gone to.. None of it made sense. And Takemitchy had been strangely secretive about the whole thing as well.
"I think whatever it is, that it will all right itself somehow, Baji-san"
"I don't think this one will" the alpha looked defeated.
"I'll help you" that at least seemed to perk the man up some as he gave him a weak smile.
"Thanks"
"But before that, I also have dug up something in regards to-"
"How are you feeling today, Hanemiya-san?"
"…"
"It's okay if you don't wish to speak. I will speak for both of us in the meanwhile if that is okay?"
Kazutora did not make a move to speak or acknowledge the older woman or her daughter. He'd been taken to a room a couple of days ago with shackles to limit his movements. Mana suppressors had been put on him as well. "I know I've already introduced myself. But I did not tell you much more than that"
He tuned her out.
"..me and my daughter Hinata here specialize in Omega Health. Usually, I work in the city shelters with the sisterhood of the faith to aid those who've gone through distressful situations"
"Nobody is forced to talk about anything they do not wish to bring up themselves. So do not worry. Like I said. You do not have to speak at all. I'm just explaining is all."
"that is not all of it though, next to offering talks we also make sure to check the physical health" Hinata chimed in
"you will not be forced to do it, I thought the least we could do is offer it-"
She did not get to finish her sentence. a maid rushes in with a letter that had a distinctive seal on it. the head of the Lion, surrounded by flowers, that looked more to be tree branches. six to be exact. The emblem of the royal family. Kazutora watched the matriarch hurriedly break the seal open. Her eyes flew over the paper with widening eyes "are you certain?"
"the orders of the king I'm afraid, my Lady" Her face blanched.
"I see. you may leave"
"I'm so sorry Hanemiya-san, but it seems the King has ordered for your physical state to be documented-"
"Mother! you cannot-"
He could not contain his laughter. It was sweet of the young woman to be upset on his behalf though. he had no free will. they were going to force him one way or another.
"if the king's demanded it, who are you as his subjects to object" he sneered and the older one winced.
"thank you for cooperating with us, Hanemiya-san"
The woman.. Lady Tachibana looked uncomfortable as she hesitantly approached him, her daughter could not even face his direction any longer. He wondered, what good was compassion for when you still choose to be shackled by obedience. Kazutora closed his eyes as her touches began. "It should not take long"
Liar.
"This is the perfect opportunity to get him out of our hair"
The man shook the envelope in his hand
"Oh~ so the bonding is confirmed then? how romantic "
"with this, that snooping nuisance of the north will finally be neutralized. who would have thought that the usurper's child would be of so much use to me"
"How boring it will be now~ It was getting kind of exciting- the little hollow almost was onto us, don't you think-"
"Shut up, this isn't a game. At least now I don't have to hatch out a plan where I would have dirtied my hands"
"What if Mikey chooses to kill the tiger anyway?"
"He won't. he loves his friend too much for that. That's why Baji Keisuke was such a troubling opponent, to begin with"
"well at least Kazutora-chan will get a nice vacation out of this~ I heard the northern people are quite welcoming"
"As long as Baji Keisuke is out of the way I don't care what happens to that omega"
Hinata had not been able to sleep that night. She lied awake for the whole night thinking about what she'd been forced to witness. The images had been branded into her very retinas.
But she had not been really forced, had she? The only one who'd been forced into anything was Hanemiya-san. She'd tried to not to look, to at least respect some sort of his privacy, but her mother had needed assistance to complete the Physical Check.
Crookedly healed bones and white scars had littered most of his upper body. Like little stripes, they covered his upper arms and chest. Bigger scars had been marring his back and it was hardly a guess to know what had caused them - whipped, he'd been whipped. By the age of the marks they had been branded into his skin when'd been but a child.
The most gruesome scar had been hiding under the inked tiger, where his scent gland was. Jagged, uneven lines carved into it. She'd questioned why she'd been unable to smell him before and had simply - like a fool contributed it to suppressors.
But Hanemiya had not taken any. Instead, he'd been living with a marred and unsalvageable scent gland. Hinata wouldn't be able to function without hers. A scent gland was fundamental to an omega's nature. It connected instinct and mind. One's inner omega depended on their ability to discern the pheromones around them to operate. the psyche of your omega would otherwise be irreparably damaged.
She bit her inner cheek. By all means, he should not even be alive, let alone be of sound mind. She'd helped her mother on many similar cases, and every single omega that had sustained an injury to their glands had slipped into psychosis, catatonic, and ultimately succumbed to their injuries. They had not been able to save a single one of them.
When her mother had moved to the bottom half of Hanemiya's examination. Hinata's face had drained of all color in horrification. She had to excuse herself from the room and burst into tears before she'd left the hallway completely. Working in this field for this long, she'd had a lot to stomach. However..
however, those injuries.. he must have been barely out of swaddling clothes when it happened. The same question would not leave her mind, who could have done something so cruel to a child?
She'd wanted to apologize for her inappropriate behavior afterward, but the male omega had blocked her off completely and harshly told her to "get lost". She couldn't blame him. He'd not wanted the exam in the first place and there she was, aggravating his current state.
With a metaphorical tucked tale and hunched shoulders, she'd left the room with his blood samples and brought them to her father to send to the crown. They had been this morning. She'd been on her way to slope in her own misery of her incompetence afterward when her brother had been by the gate of the estate speaking to someone-
"Lieutnant Matsuno?!"
She was almost flying off the doors when the two of them turned to her in alarm.
"Is everything alright with you, sister?" "Lady Hinata?"
"I have not seen you in so long! what are you doing here?"
"Err.. well you see.." the blonde beta scratched his head in embarrassment, making her all the more intrigued. "I came here to ask Naoto for some help with.."
Her brother gave the Lieutenant a sigh of exasperation "getting father out of the house"
"Oh? How come"
"uhh"
"so that Commander Baji can sneak in"
"why would he need to sneak in? He's a respected duke-"
"Lord Tachibana is not too fond of my commander because of some incident…s.."
She tilted her head in question, waiting for an elaboration
"I guess all those pyromaniacal endeavors of his youth have come back to haunt him, after all. Father is still livid, he was never properly punished for any of them"
Hinata sweat—dropped, remembering how her father had gone on many tirades of the northerner's gall to set city property ablaze. The city watch captain had been ready to petition an exile order on him. However, due to the northern house's close relationship to the crown, it never went anywhere. She could see why his father would not just invite him in, but this reminded her of something else- "Why does the duke wish to enter the house?"
"to see Kazutora-san"
"I don't think that is a good idea" Remembering the state of the golden-eyed omega, she deflated. "He's not responding well to.. anyone" she trailed off.
"that was what I was trying to make the Lieutenant understand as well."
"Yeah he's kinda hot'n'cold in social situations" that was putting it oddly. But the Lieutenant was rather unperturbed, considering the delicacy of the situation.
"-and what I was trying to make your brother understand, is that Baji-san is the exception"
"I don't see how the company of an alpha could elevate the current situation" her brother argued and she had to agree with him. An alpha to a clearly disturbed omega was like gunpowder to a wildfire. It might just be what made the shoe drop and shut Hanemiya-san completely off. and Lord Baji was exactly known for his delicacy surrounding omegas.
"I know how it sounds, but it's true! they like.. like each other" he murmurs the last part like some grand revelation "Baji-san has never looked at any omega twice. But he becomes really… soft? around Kazutora-san, it's bizarre. and I know I cannot say much about Kazutora-san, but if it is not care, then believe when I say he at least must feel something" Her ears pricked up her in curiosity. "The indifference on his face, it shifts and- just- you'll have to see it yourself!"
"You're certain it is like that between them?"
"Sister you cannot seriously entertain-" Naoto spluttered at the seriousness in his sister's face. He's not seen her this determined in quite some time.
"Lady Hinata, you know I would never lie in the face of romance"
"It is decided then"
"Sister!"
"We'll help each other out and everybody wins" she took his hands. "This is serious, after all. I'll get my father out of our home for the remainder of the day!" she was delighted. If what Lieutnant Matsuno said was truthful, that would aid Hanemiya-san tremendously.
"This is highly illegal and treasonous"
"Thank you for your help, Lady Hinata!"
"Off you go Lieutnant, don't you have your commander to bring? Shoo"
They all knew of the strict orders of no visitations for southener, but there were bigger things at stake here.
He'd been just wandering the gardens when he crossed paths with Kisaki.
"Your Royal Highness" the man bowed. For a moment Mikey was confused. was he not supposed to have left for the Isles already?
"did you not receive word about manning the fourth?"
the man cleared his throat "I did indeed. With the transportation spells in my repertoire, I will be there before tomorrow just as planned"
Oh right. Kisaki and his famed transportation spells. "I came to you in regards to recent discoveries about the prisoner"
Mikey's mood soured. He did not want to speak about his brother's murderer right now. least of all with him.
But before he could even say anything. Kisaki places an envelope in his hand. The wax seal of the Healers was placed on it. Confused he looked up at the man.
"the blood samples reveal that Hanemiya Kazutora and Baji Keisuke are indeed bonded to one another-"
Only static filled his mind "who ordered this?"
"..my prince?"
"the procedure.. Who ordered it?" Mikey's eyes narrowed. He remembered what such a procedure had done to his mother. after his father had her wrongly accused of his own crimes.
He'd remembered her devastation, how she had cried herself to sleep every night after it had been done. Grandfather had punished his father gravely for it, but his mother had never really recovered.
the last thing he wanted to feel today, was compassion for his brother's murderer. He didn't appreciate the conflicting emotion at all. Least of all when he had yet to make a proper decision about his fate.
"I do not know, I received the papers from the Tachibana manor. If you wish I will begin an investigation on the matter immediately"
Mikey deflated. "please do and see to it that the perpetrator is brought to me before you leave"
"I will, Your Royal Highness" The advisor bowed again before taking his leave.
His eyes fell to the paper again. how unnecessary… those deities in the mountain had already confirmed it. The paper was just one more blaring piece of evidence that he could not properly shut his eyes to.
"my prince?"
He almost jumps a couple of feet by the unexpected words. His head whipped to a civilian-clothed Sanzu using the path opposite his.
It was rare to see him out of uniform these days. The softer clothes were a good look on him and by the wetness in his hair, he must have recently taken a shower. Mikey smiled at his oldest friend before his eyes narrowed, sniffing the air for something or better said, the lack of something. The long-haired boy seemed to know what was coming and braced himself for the oncoming lecture.
"Are you still taking'em?"
"…"
"Haru." Mikey's eyebrows pinched together. Haruchiyo was playing with fire if he continued with this.
"Don't overdo it with the suppressants Haru. taking this many is not good for your health"
"I will, my prince"
"You better will be. I've been lenient because we were in the middle of the war and I respected your decision to keep your status under wraps. But the war's over now. Don't force me to come with you to your appointments. It will be more uncomfortable for you than it could ever be for me"
He wouldn't let Haruchiyo put himself into an early grave. They had not survived all these battles together for him to die from heart failure of all things.
"That won't be neccessary."
"Are you giving me attitude, Haru?" the alpha finally let up.
"I could never-"
Mikey flicked his forehead "I'm just teasing you~" and ruffled his hair. the turquoise-eyed omega didn't expect it and remained ramrod stiff until Mikey finished destroying his freshly combed hair and turning it into a bird's nest.
He might have considered homicide if it had been anybody else. But the perpetrator knew that very well and leisurely kidnapped the omega from his possible plans. "Walk with me"
They walked quite a bit into the gardens, past statues of previous Kings and the like passing them by. They stopped at the fountain they used to shove each other into, or more accurately Haru shoved Baji, who'd shoved Mikey, who then shoved the last dry one into it as well.
This had been a regular occurrence in their youth. He wondered why they ever stopped and came up blank. He lay on the edge of the bank next to the fountain. Haruchiyo sat down next to him.
"What is your opinion on this?"
Sanzu did not answer for quite some time. Mikey had not expected him to. the omega usually took his time in choosing the right words. A habit he'd had since they'd enrolled in the academy "are you in doubt on whether the omega did kill the late crown prince due to his age at the time?" Mikey followed the other's movement. Sanzu's hand moved to his mask, but midway through it stopped, averting his eyes, he finished
"children are capable of a great many things"
It had him thinking. He'd never doubted Hanemiya's capability, since he'd confessed to it one multiple occasions. But a child's whim could mean anything. Whose to say whether Hanemiya Kazutora had not simply followed a childish notion of spite. 'he broke his promise and I didn't like him anymore' Had this been the sole reason? Hanemiya Kazutora had not denied it as the reason though. He had to.. he'd said
It sounded like an order, but from whom? He'd already denied it to be the usurper himself. But who else had a motive? Was there even a motive?
Was he chasing after the impossible? The deeper he got the more he dug his hands into it, obsessing over the same lines.
'If a person kills someone they're a bad guy, but if you kill an enemy, you're a hero' the omega had been so assured in this conviction. Is that how he grappled with his crime? As long as Shinichiro was his enemy, he could remain a good person. Mikey clenched his teeth, reminding himself these were the words of a madman, so he should not give them any weight.
the omega went from a demure and anxious wreck to a cheeky and childishly expressive character, grinning and laughing with every word he spoke. The only thing that had remained between both sides had been the look in his eyes. Flat, lifeless - they didn't seem capable of catching any light, the soul sucked out of them. He could as well have been a corpse and it would have not made a difference.
"what would you choose?" he found himself asking.
"I've never nurtured the kind of relationship you and Shinichiro-san had with my own family members. So my answer to this would be quite skewed"
"Asking you was unfair" he conceded
Sanzu was right. If it had been him, he would have probably been upset, yes but not for the same reason. the omega had vowed to kill his brother if they were to ever cross paths again, if somebody else had done it before him, he would not have been pleased. At least that is what the omega believed.
He looked at the early sunlight catching on his long lashes. in the end, he thought, Haruchiyo would still have grieved his brother in his own skewed way.
"It is of no matter, my prince. I apologize for not being of more use"
"Do you think Baji would forgive me?"
Sanzu might be the closest person, who could give him an accurate answer in this, without asking Baji himself.
"Truthfully.. I think he would try" the omega's eyes were looking off into the field, unseeing. "he would try vigorously and fail all the same"
Mikey let out another frustrated sigh. "that's what I thought"
Baji was the type of person who could do nothing in halves. It was all or nothing. He did not give his loyalty freely. If he deemed a person worthy of his friendship, he'd devote all of his being to them.
'Everybody always lies.' Mikey scoffed at the irony. How fortunate for Hanemiya Kazutora to have forged a bond with the one soul on this earth who'd never wavered in his honesty.