Work Text:
It was cold, humid and there were, he curled his lip at the disappearing behind the bars tail, rodents. Rats. The Yuri line was ancient and sophisticated, and took pride in their superior methods of conducting war, and yet the dungeon was dripping with cold condensation and infested with vermin. Disgusting. He pulled on his yukata, frowning at the wet edges that had touched the floor. Honestly, couldn't they have followed the traditions ?
Shuichiro curled his legs tighter under him, leaning back on the wall.
Because they were all about the ancestors, weren’t they ? Except for the times they wanted to be modern and fair, and democratic, and…
He had been there for long time, he considered while tucking his sleeves to keep himself warm better. The whole thing was underground so there was no way to guess exactly how many days had passed and his irregular nightmares definitely weren't helping. He had no idea when anyone would come or why they were wasting all that time. If they cared even half of what they were claiming, he wouldn't be stuck in a tiny stone cell dug in the mountain with cold water dripping down his neck and rats waiting to eat his eyeballs. They would be acting and doing it fast because with two wars at their gates and their entire society hanging on a two-faced child and his human fiancé…But they were noble, weren't they ? They didn't follow the traditions they considered cruel or barbaric.
He snorted, pressing his back to the slightly drier place on the wall where the draft didn’t reach.
Two wars, and they were pretending to be civil. It would be funny if he wasn’t stuck in the Limbo of misery that was the dungeon. What were they even doing all that time ? Arranging the wedding ? Knowing his father and his brothers, probably. Though there was one among them who was probably getting stuff done and after all he himself sad said wasn’t it ironic that the one who would do things right was the same one he had almost gotten killed ?
Not that they would have killed him. They were too… He considered his options. Too human. Even with the humans away in the Capital, their village was turning to ash from the top down and now, with the younger Yuri taking a human and putting her on a pedestal, everything they were would crumble. The fish spoils from the head, didn’t it ?
And in that time, while his relatives were planning a wedding, the Tengu were planning a siege. And Kagemaru was planning a revolution. How low had they fallen... Them, the Kitsune, the ones who had been seen as an example once, who had shown the Yokai how magic and society worked, who had been the royalty. Defanged and declawed, their system stripped down to petty politics and putting up faces. To pretences.
He couldn’t even blame…
Footsteps in the puddles at the cave entrance made him startle. That had taken them too…
His hope died faster than Toichiro’s willpower when he had seen his future valet back when he had been just a kid. Who was he trying to fool with the human woman anyway…
He waited, not getting up from the hard cot. There was no point. He had found the driest position and any movement would dip his thick clothes in the dirty water on the floor, and then he would have to sit in it until they made their final decision. And based on what he was seeing now he didn’t have any hopes that would happen soon. But still. Toichiro had been the epitome of their people’s pretend-civility breaking down so maybe he would be ruthless and actually do something for once in his life. Maybe.
The almost soundless stride he had gotten to know back when he had been young and had seen a pale ghost wanted the house at night followed his brother. So he hadn’t come alone. Hilarious. He would laugh if he wasn’t feeling so disgusting.
They were silent in their approach. He could more or less imagine all the talks that had happened, and all the arguing. That would have been fun to watch.
A minute later Toichiro Yuri, future leader of the Kitsune village and an engaged man, stopped by his cell. His shadow crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes behind him, glaring at Shuichiro with thinly veiled disgust. That made two of them.
Toichiro obviously waited for him to speak first. Which made no sense because what was he supposed to do ? Give a dramatic monologue ? Cry and beg for his life ? Pinky promise to never do that ever again ? What would be the point ? If Toichiro was a quarter of the man and leader he said he was, it would be pointless anyway. And if he wasn’t… There was no hope for anyone outside of the dungeon anyway. They wouldn’t be even mentioned in history books. Just a mountain village, burnt to the ground in the wars. Casualties.
His brother was getting annoyed. Good. That hopefully meant they would be done quick.
- I’m here to tell you you’re free to go. – Shuichiro paused rubbing his hands. He was what ? – Under a few conditions. You have to leave the village and also stay away from the Capital. There is no official time on the order but I’d say stay away for a good few… - Toichiro paused, frowning.
Shuichiro knew his clothes were soaking up the cold water but he couldn’t just sit down and listen. Taking a step towards the bars, he saw Shizuki tense up. His brother’s faithful guard dog. What a waste. Kagemaru was a lot of things, but trying to get Shizuki to things from their point of view had been genius. That was done now, too.
- Can you repeat yourself, brother ? – He let his hands fall to his sides. – Because I think I misheard you.
Toichiro sighed and while he had never actually done it, Shuichiro wanted to slap him now more than he had ever wanted when they had been kids. Even more than after he had learnt how pointless everything he had done had been.
- I said father agreed to let you go.
- And why would father dearest do something so controversial ? – He could see the frost slowly climbing up Shizuki’s fingers. The frost spirit was getting ready to defend his master. Shuichiro was almost flattered he was being perceived as such a grand threat. – It wouldn’t be because he was asked, now, would it ? Brother ?
Toichiro’s pressed lips and tight fingers were all the answer he needed. There went his hope for their people. They were going to end up on the chopping board. Nothing but meat for the bigger fish to fight over.
- I couldn’t let him give you a trial. You would have never…
- Traitors don’t get trials, Toichiro ! – He tried to take a deep breath and found it difficult. He had promised himself he wouldn’t get emotional and where it had gotten him ? Shouting at the lord of the manor and his guard dog through iron bars like a common criminal.
- Listen…
- Ask anyone who has read a law book or a historical scroll, brother. – He straightened back, crossing his arms and trying to calm down his shaking. – Traitors don’t get trials. Or defence. Do you know what is the punishment for a proven traitor ?
- I would never allow something like that to happen to a sibling of mine. – He wanted to scream. No, what he wanted was to get Toichiro and shake some sense into his empty head. True, Shizuki wouldn’t allow it but maybe he would see it had to be done.
- Are you listening to yourself ? You are going to let someone who sold the village go free, not even exiled to somewhere they can suffer ? What are you doing, Toichiro ?
- Father agreed.
- Father should have never asked you. And if he had, he should have had you whipped in front of the house for everyone to see what stupidity leads to. Not indulge you. Not that I am surprised, of course.
Toichiro exhaled, staring back. He would be intimidated if there was literally anything his brother could do to harm. Anything. And he had just proven incapable of that. Now, Shizuki…Shizuki hadn’t blinked in a while and the frost around him had retreated. Back in control. Dangerous. Not that it mattered. Nothing really mattered.
- You’re being irrational.
- Am I ? – He stepped back to sit back on the cot. Which had somehow accumulated water and he felt his entire face pinch as the moisture seeped through his clothes. Still. Crossing one leg over the other, he met Toichiro’s eyes as calmly as if they were having tea. Actually, they had never had such a civil conversation over tea. Now if that wasn’t irony. – Tell me, little brother, how am I being irrational ?
- Kagemaru is not someone you should have associated with. – So Toichiro didn’t have an argument ready. Shuichiro couldn’t help it, it was a scene he had seen so many times that he just had to laugh. From the sharp inhale he could guess Toichiro was getting impatient. And he probably wasn’t the only one. His valet had jumped in to cover his ass and was probably getting annoyed that he had been forced to participate. A practical man. Toichiro, on the other hand, Toichiro wouldn’t know practical if it fell into his arms.
Wiping at his dry face with a dirty sleeve, Shuichiro let the laughter die and smirked. Based on his brother’s expression, he wasn’t believing it but it was okay. He hadn’t been supposed to anyway.
- You leave your boy there to fight battles you are not prepared for, brother ? And father trusts you to fight two wars. Bit sad, isn’t it ?
- You’ve never had such disagreements with father before. What…Shu, what happened ? – It was a low move, to reach for kids’ nicknames, part of history dead and forgotten. A cold move. Toichiro probably thought it was manipulation. Yeah, right. His younger brother was incapable of real manipulation unless the victim was extremely gullible. Though the Onmyoji girl did seem to fit the description… Toichiro better held on her tightly and hope she didn’t grow a brain because if she did, she would lead him around by his dick like Shizuki had been doing since his brother had been fifteen. He still didn’t seem to realise it, either. And yet their father…
- Father, Toichiro, lied to us. – That shut him up. And the frown the followed was real, not even an attempt to fake it or turn it into something smug. Just confusion.
- What do you…
- He said he’s breaking tradition. That we all had a chance to lead. All we had to do was to prove.
He waited, knowing Toichiro would follow. It was a surprisingly obvious trait of his, following. Especially since he pretended to be a peacock in front of humans. Tch. Low. Still, Toichiro, for once in his life, did not disappoint.
- Prove we can lead.
- Exactly. And yet the moment a Kyuubi is born, all promises go down the drain. Just took me a while to realise it.
- That’s not true. – Shuichiro cocked his head, waiting. – It’s not. Father would have never…
- Father knew a Kyuubi could yield the stone without losing themselves. Apparently, - He snorted lightly, noting the twitch under Shizuki’s eye. – one doesn’t even have to be a real Kyuubi. Only to be told he might be at some point. How is that not a lie ?
- Do you think you are worthy of using the stone, master Yuri ? – Second one. He was almost tempted to see how many times he could get Toichiro to go speechless. Almost.
- Doesn’t matter what I think. It was supposed to go to the best leader. – He stood up again, restless under Toichiro’s honestly confused expression. He just wasn’t getting it. – You got it because you are a Kyuubi. Supposed to be one, at least. And yet what have you achieved, little brother ? – Toichiro twitched. He had almost made a step back. Disgusting. – How have you proven your worth to our people ? Tell me. I’m all ears.
And based on the silence, Toichiro was on his own on this one. Shizuki was still staring like he was trying to kill him with his mind but that was okay. It showed someone still had some sense. Also, Shuichiro was under no delusions that his brother’s precious valet couldn’t murder him on the stop, without even taking a step. There was a reason Kagemaru had been so determined to get him back, after all.
Still nothing. He guessed it would be up to him.
- We were not supposed to look for power, right, brother ? Because power wouldn’t guarantee throne. We were supposed to show we care and can make decisions. Take action. Do something.
Toichiro wasn’t breathing right and at any other moment he would have worried. Not too much, because their father had made sure there were no close sibling relationship connections in their family, but a little. Not now, though. Now, he wanted to see how far he could push before the other Kitsune spilled it all. How far before he broke.
- I can give you week-by-week report on what I did. Regarding the two wars on the village’s doorstep. Regarding the bandits raiding the forest. Regarding the Onmyoji running around summoning spirits. Regarding the Tengu. Week by week. Can you do the same ?
- What are you accusing me of ? – Accusations ? How simple. And wrong.
- Nothing. I’m asking you a question. If we weren’t supposed to look for power and you are chosen as the next leader… - Toichiro opened his mouth to argue, probably using some stupid and nonrelated argument, Shuichiro simply didn’t let him get a word in. – what did you do ? In your endless days full of leisure, art appreciation, begging on your knees in front of your servant like a dog and hunting a way to unlock your full power, how did you show the world you are the best to lead the village ? If not brute power, what did you bring ?
Silence. Not that he had expected anything else. Again, Shizuki was silent. So he didn’t think there was a point in defending Toichiro’s weak side. Even his valet was done with him. What a disgrace. Truly…
- What a disgrace. – His brother opened his mouth, features twisting into something angry and foreign. – You did nothing and yet were rewarded for it. And you have the audacity to ask me when did father lie ?
- They are trying to kill humans.
- Are they. – Toichiro crossed his arms, tension in every line of his body.
- Innocent people will die because you sided with…
- Our people would die if nothing is done ! – The casual dismissal had been too much and he realised he had lost his temper. Pointless, but it had been done. All he could do was keep going. – There is a war coming and you can’t get it in your thick skull that they are all going to die. Will your stone stop an army of Tengu ? How about their allies ? What if they have an Onmyoji ? What if they have wraiths ? Humans ? Gods ? Have you even thought about any of that ? Every single Kitsune out there will end up in a pool of blood and what will your power be worth then, Toichiro ? – Now the other man had really stepped back, almost crowding Shizuki. – Answer me ! When the armies come, what will you do ?
Nothing. Toichiro had gone silent again. He would keep counting but the sour taste in his mouth made it hard to even swallow. Shizuki had gone completely still and Shuichiro knew that he might now get another opportunity. So he spoke.
- There is only one thing I regret, little brother. – And he nodded in the ice spirit’s direction. – Getting those accusations on your name. If it means anything, I wouldn’t have let them go much farther. For this, I am sorry. – He glanced back at Toichiro. – Everything else was necessary sacrifice. Not that you would know anything about that. As for me freedom, I will go. – Shizuki frowned and it was almost funny how this was the strongest emotion he had seen on the man’s face in days. Almost, because while he knew he would be saving himself, his heart bled for the carnage that was going to come. It would be a massacre and all he could do was come back years later and maybe say a prayer over the overgrown remains and half buried bones. There would be nothing else left from the Kitsune village.
- Just like that ? – Toichiro was trying to look at him down his nose but Shuichiro was tired. He had tried reasoning, arguing, shouting. Nothing had gotten through, he could see it. All he could do was give up. And make sure he wasn’t anywhere close when things went downhill.
- Just like that. I will pray over the souls of all the dead, but I will not be here to watch them burn and bleed out. If you’re giving me a way out of witnessing that, I am taking it. And I hope, for your sake, that you fall first brother. – Shizuki almost bared his teeth. His expression was definitely murderous enough. – Just so you don’t see them all die because of you.