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He wasn’t cold when he awoke. His body felt light, barely there. His eyelids didn’t feel heavy, neither did his limbs. He just felt like he was floating. Clear eyes snapped open, when something constant touched him. A dark skinned man with canine ears laid back was next to him. Markings ran along his skin, barely standing out, just this tiny bit noticeable that you couldn’t ignore it. A huge frown was on his face and he looked like he was in pain, small whimpers leaving his throat. His hand came up to follow the marks that covered the other persons neck and noticed marks that didn’t quite seem like the others. Like something had cut into the skin there.
The black mans eyes snapped open wide and his hand flew up to grip his. He took in a deep breath, before fixing his gaze onto the man before him. “Who are you?”, the dark skinned asked cautiously, not letting go of his hand, squeezing a bit for good measure. “No idea”, he said, voice monotone and almost cold. The other winced slightly. “So you’re the deity they offered me to?”, he asked slowly. He blinked. “Don’t know. I guess so”, he answered almost mechanically. The other stared at him for a while before sitting up and looking around. He followed suit and his hand was released. They were in a wooden hut, not a lot there to look at. It was mostly empty, except for a few blankets lying under them and some animals and flowers opposite them against a wall. He blinked again.
The black skinned man looked at him again and they returned to holding tense eye contact. “I’m Aran”, the other muttered after having had enough of inspecting his blank eyes. After no response he continued. “I’ll call you Shinsuke, yeah? That’s what the people from the village called you, if I remember correctly”. Shinsuke nodded. Aran stood up and went to the pile of offerings at the other side of the hut. “And you don’t remember anything?”, he asked, while looking through the amount of animals for something you didn’t have to cook before eating. Shinsuke stayed where he was. “What do you mean with ‘remember’?”, he inquired, ears at the top of his head twitching curiously. Arans own, brownish-grey ears flickered happily as he found an apple and bit into it. “You know, memories. What did you do before you woke up here?”, he further explained his former question and sat back down next to Shinsuke. The other man frowned confused. “I didn’t do anything before I woke up here. I doubt that I have any of those memories you speak of”, his voice kept void of emotion through what he said and Aran winced again. It felt weird talking to someone with that kind of tone. “Lucky you, they really aren’t great to have”, the black skinned man shuddered, ears laying back, a hand softly touching the marked skin of his throat. Shinsuke just watched with a confused gaze, before shrugging and taking Arans discarded apple.
—
A weird feeling spread through Shinsukes chest and stomach. One he never quite experienced before. He felt weirdly light, like his feet weren’t rooted to the ground, like the only thing that was truly there of him was that burning feeling in his chest and stomach.
And the two souls that laid in the flat of his wet palms. They were shining brightly, still pure and untouched from the monsters of the world… and still they died.
Shinsuke and Aran had been outside in their garden, seeing through the prayers of the humans, looking if there were any he could fulfill, when these two caught his eye in the stream of souls*. Before he could control himself he had reached out for the shining spots.
Aran looked over his shoulder, ears curiously twitching. Shinsuke was gazing at the two souls so lovingly, like a mother would look at her newborn child, his white tail flicking back and forth happily. His lips moved in a quiet incantation, like when he fulfilled someones wish. Even Arans ears, that were better than any humans, couldn’t hear the words uttered. But when two bodies laid on the grass behind them and Shinsukes palms were empty, he could guess what happened.
Shinsuke had never before chosen a servant. The people in Inarizaki weren’t fit for it, he said. But now, there were two servants lying behind them. Their lips and fingertips were still blue from the cold they had fought against and lost to. Aran knew some marks from their times as mortals would never leave, like the markings around his neck. But theirs would probably fade by the time they woke up.
The one with the black hair and slim eyes stirred and slowly opened his eyes. He startled and slid back from the other man, his red ears tensing and laying back warily. Upon seeing Shinsuke, he relaxed lightly. “Ren was it, right?”, the deity asked, tilting his head to the side. Aran stood and walked over to the still slightly confused man and offered him his hand. Ren took it hesitatingly and was hoisted up by the familiar. “Can you give him some food, Aran?”, Shinsuke asked, shifting to sit beside the other, still unconscious man. “Was just about to”, the black man answered, ears twitching in acknowledgement and leading the taller servant inside.
Shinsuke lightly brushed his fingers through his servants dark hair, scratching lightly behind the pale fox ears. They twitched and slowly the mans eyes opened. A little hum left him, eyes closing again and leaning back into the relaxing touch. “Come on, Hitoshi, you should eat something”, at that Hitoshis ears perked up and he turned to look at Shinsuke. “You got food?”, he exclaimed and leant up on his forearms. The other just nodded, pointing at the hut. Hitoshi licked his pale lips, all the cold having left his body leaving them in their natural color. Quickly standing up, Hitoshi rushed to the hut. Shinsuke stared after them for a bit, before slowly getting up to join the others.
—
Hitoshi was startled when a black haired boy with scars all over his body sat at the table in the living room and ate a loaf of bread. Shinsuke sat in front of him, reading through the prayers written on wood. Aran stood in the kitchen, cooking something. Confused, the older servant sat down, his eyes not leaving the new person. He had noticed the other staring at him by now, but didn’t say anything, didn’t even look up. Shinsuke looked up at the two sat across the table. “Did you finish cleaning the rooms, Hitoshi?”, he asked, not bothering to introduce the new servant. The dark haired man nodded. With a small nod of acknowledgement the deity went back to work.
Swallowing slightly, Hitoshi looked at the man next to him, who just concentrated on his bread, nibbling on it as he watched Shinsuke. Aran noticed them apparently and turned towards the group. “Hey, Rintarou, introduce yourself!”, the familiar ordered, before turning back to the food. The new servant sighed and laid his bread down. He shifted so he was facing the other. “I’m Rintarou, please take care of me”, the black haired man bowed his head lightly, talking in a bored voice. He shifted back to his former position and started nibbling on his bread again.
“Hey, how did you get those?”, Hitoshi hesitantly asked, still curious, referring to Ritarous scars. The other servant tensed, hand gripping the bread tighter. Shinsuke looked up at the two, watching their expressions. “Not important”, the smaller male grumbled, ears laying back at the top of his head. A wooden prayer hit the table as the deity seated across them laid it back down. “You don’t need to remember anything about your mortal days. You’re here now and your former life doesn’t matter, right, Hitoshi?”, he said monotonously, reprimanding the latter for asking such questions. Hitoshi hung his head, ears laying back in shame. “Yes, I’m sorry”, he mumbled. Shinsuke nodded. “Hey, can someone get Ren from the garden? Dinners ready”, Aran interrupted the tense atmosphere and Hitoshi stood up to get the taller servant.
—
Rintarou was in the garden, getting rid of weeds, when Shinsuke came out of the hut to stare into the stream of souls. The black haired servant watched intently as the deity reached into the glowing water. A soul laid in the flat of his palm. At first he didn’t notice Shinsukes mouth moving, but then realized there was going to be a new servant in the deities realm soon. Rintarou wondered if the incantation for this servant was different from the words he had heard after his death. Probably not, though. Back then it had startled him to hear that stoic voice say such soothing words to him, but it didn’t matter now. What was then isn’t important anymore.
A body appeared on the grass behind Shinsuke and he turned around to look at the new servant. Ren came out of the hut, removing the cloth that had covered his face. He seemed to want to say something, but interrupted himself when he saw the new guy. After a second he caught himself again. “The bedrooms are cleaned and Hitoshi is almost done with the bath. Should I ask Aran to make dinner for the new servant?”, he reported, all prim and proper. Rintarou wondered why he bothered being so polite when reporting with Shinsuke, he wouldn’t even really notice the difference. The black haired man knew, because he never properly reported his finished duties to the deity like that. Shinsuke gave a nod adding a simple please, before turning back to the unconscious servant. Rintarou went back to ripping out the weed.
The smaller, black haired man stirred, blinking his eyes. He looked a bit like he was in pain and was sickly pale. His ears twitched slightly, as he noticed he was in an unfamiliar environment. “Hello, Michinari”, Shinsuke greeted the confused boy. Michinari tensed slightly, turning around and relaxing. “You’re the deity, right?”, he asked, voice hoarse and weak like he hadn’t used it in a while. Shinsuke nodded and stood up, holding his hand out for Michinari. The servant took it and followed the deities lead inside.
—
Arans breath caught in his throat, when he saw the two identical looking boys curled up on the grass. The marks that ran along his own skin itched slightly, as he saw them on the new familiars. Shinsuke sat with them, finger curiously tracing the almost invisible marks along their arms. Aran noticed the same scarred throat as he had and his right hand came up to touch his own scars. The deity had long noticed his familiar staring, but chose not to mention it. The servants were inside, doing whatever Shinsuke or Aran had told them to.
The black skinned familiar swallowed hard, tail in between his legs and ears tucked back as he sat next to his deity. “What happened that they offered two familiars?”, he asked quietly, his hand going through the black hair of one of the twins. “They’re asking me to guide them in an upcoming war against Itachiyama”, Shinsukes monotone voice was sometimes a blessing, as it aided in calming Aran down.
One of them stirred, eyes blinking and hand instinctually reaching out for his brothers. Aran smiled softly at that. The boys droopy eyes looked at Shinsuke, who was still tracing the marks on his upper arm. His red ears twitched once, but the familiar stayed quiet, watching the deities eyes until his brother stirred next to him. The other twin squeezed his brothers hand and Aran quickly retracted his hand from the black locks. The older familiar winced, when the others eyes opened and fear flashed in them. “Osamu..?”, he called out weakly, voice hoarse. Osamu shifted closer, hugging his brother and touching their foreheads together. Tears brimmed the latters hazy eyes and he clung onto his twin, ears tensed to the back of his head and tail between his legs. “Atsumu, it’s okay…”, Osamu tried, voice just as hoarse and small.
Atsumus eyes widened and his body slightly relaxed suddenly. Shinsukes hand stroked through the black hair, scratching slightly behind the ears. “You’re safe now”, the deities calming voice sounded similar to a soft melody now, making Aran almost drowsy. It calmed the twins, Atsumu closing his eyes and the tension in his body almost completely unwinded. “You don’t need to remember anything that happened before”, Shinsukes voice went back to monotone, even if it never completely stopped being that. The twins nodded, Osamu also closing his eyes.
—
Osamus ears twitched in curiosity as he saw a new face at the dining table. Hitoshi was lightly conversing with the new servant, seemingly explaining how everything works here. Rintarou and Atsumu were in a very deep philosophical discussion on the right amount of spices on food. The latter was complaining about the amount of salt on the formers food and Rintarou just put more on provocatively. Aran and Shinsuke seemed to be discussing something important, but knowing them it probably wasn’t more important than Rintarous and Atsumus discussion. So the young familiar turned to Ren and Michinari. “Who’s the new one?”, Osamu asked quietly, with his mouth full of rice. Ren scolded him for speaking while eating, but he didn’t really bother when Michinari started talking about the new servant across the table.
“His name is Yuuto. He was really pale, when he got here!”, the small servant talked over Ren, side glancing Yuuto. “You were really pale, when you got here too”, the tall man interrupted, ears twitching in slight annoyance. “But not /that/ pale, right? He looks so sick!” - “You were even paler” - “No way!”, Osamu turned away from the conversation and turned back to his food. The new servant seemed nervous, ears tensed back lightly and a strained smile on his face. He probably overheard them talking. Oh, he was really pale. “Stop staring like that, ‘Samu, you’re creeping him out”, Hitoshi scolded, pointing his chopsticks at the familiar accusingly. The latter bowed his head lightly. “Sorry”, he muttered and went back to his food once again. “A- ah, no, it’s fine”, Yuuto murmured, bowing his head shortly, before he concentrated on Hitoshis explanation anew.
—
Atsumu stopped in his tracks as he heard something outside. He opened the door to the garden he just passed and peered out curiously. Shinsuke and Yuuto sat on the grass next to an unconscious body. His ears went upright, excited about this new servant. He opened the door fully, walking up to the trio. Atsumu had never seen a new servant come, he hadn’t been there when Yuuto joined the team. Shinsuke motioned for him to be quiet and sit with them. Atsumu noticed the way the deity was petting the new servants shaven head. Aran had mentioned once that Shinsuke had a habit of always touching new servants or familiars in some way. He didn’t know if it was part of the ritual or just Shinsuke wanting to touch them. Normally the deity was indifferent about touch, accepting it and giving it when asked, but never initiating it, so that seemed weird to all of them.
Atsumu was jolted out of his thoughts, when the new servant stirred and blinked his eyes a bit before fully opening them. He was so pale and basically nothing but bone. Yuuto watched quietly, eyes sparkling with slight excitement. The familiar wondered if he’d seen everything from the start. “Heisuke…”, Shinsukes mutter broke the two others out of their trance. Atsumu swallowed when he noticed the poor boy barely had any strength in his body left. “Yuuto, go tell Aran to make something easy to eat and lots of it. Atsumu, you carry him inside”, the orders came quickly, the two replying with a quick ‘yes, sir’ jokingly. Yuuto stood up to go find Aran. The familiar bent down to Heisuke. “You think you can stand?”, he asked and moved the others arm around his shoulder. He shuddered, feeling the bone dig into his skin. Heisuke nodded weakly, but Atsumu immediately knew, he couldn’t and moved to piggy back carry him inside.
Atsumu watched fascinated how quickly Heisuke recovered. It would have probably taken ages for the servant to get back to perfect health if they were humans, but he quickly recovered here. Whereas someone had to hold him upright at first to sit properly, he could sit up normally on his own already. His skin and muscles quickly recovered and slowly went back to good health. It was undoubtedly interesting to watch this process. Heisuke had seemed shy about getting stared at like that at first, but was already used to it. Atsumu chuckled. He liked that boy.
———
Shinsuke looked up from his food for a moment to watch his familiars and servants. Aran scolded the twins for messing with their food, looking absolutely tired of it. Ren and Rintarou watched the chaos unfold and made idle small talk. Hitoshi and Yuuto were teasing Heisuke about something. Michinari stole the last piece of meat from Atsumu when he thought no one was looking.
“Wha-! Hey Michinari! Don’t steal my food, you glutton!”, Atsumu complained, trying to get his food back, but it was already eaten by the other. “Watch your food better, if you don’t want someone to steal it”, Michinari stated simply, shoving more food down his throat. “That’s not how it works!”, Atsumu protested, slamming his hands on the table. “Oh yeah? Who makes the rules?”, the small servant cheekily questioned. “Mostly Aran. The ones who don’t come from Aran are from Shinsuke”, Ren answered, munching on some rice. “Hey, Aran, Michinari steals food!”, Atsumu informed the black skinned familiar. “I know, I saw it”, Aran stated, annoyed. They could never have some quiet, when everyone was in the same room. “Say something then!”, Atsumu whined and Aran sighed deeply. “Why bother? It’s not like I can give it back or something”, Michinari shrugged. “Still!”
A small smile formed on Shinsukes face. Atsumu caught it and stopped what he was doing. The others soon followed suit and everyone ended up staring at Shinsuke. He just went back to his food and after a minute of silence the comfortable chaos broke out again.