Work Text:
There was a time, life was peaceful. There was just him, his older sister and their parents, living from a kimono business. A very ordinary family in itself.
He was born with exceptional hearing, and he could hear the constant anxieties of their mother who spent most of her free time watching the surroundings and jumped at the slightest sudden noise, rarely leaving the house.
He and his sister were not allowed to go to the village as their mother feared they would be recognized, both having inherited her amber eyes and ebony hair. They didn't know by whom they could be recognized, barely being able to get out into their enclosed garden. This situation obviously made him ask questions.
"I want you to live" their mother said gravely once. It was an answer, but it led to many other questions ...
One night, when he couldn't sleep, he heard his parents talking in the next room.
“The children ask a lot of questions, I don't know what to answer them. "
"Kyoko, you can't lock them up without giving them an explanation. It's been years now, don't you think it's safe to go out? "
" NO !! No, no, impossible !! If anyone sees Mariko or Zenitsu, if anyone warns them, they're just going to come and capture them !! And Zenitsu… he was born with that snake mark on his arm… he will get killed right away !! "
"Don't you think you overdo it sometimes?" "
“Hayate… my family… my family is… they're crazy, completely crazy !! They have no morals! Believe me, they won't hesitate ... "
Two hands covered his ears and he could just hear Mariko's voice.
“It’s not polite to listen to other people's conversations. "
She hugged him, and he fell asleep eventually.
Since they cannot go out, their dad makes deliveries and take orders while their mom works in the back, out of sight.
Sometimes Kyoko would accompany him to make deliveries when there were too many for one person.
Although the children could not leave the house, the parents made sure that they had as normal a childhood and education as possible.
Sometimes their father would bring back some gifts for them.
So, even though he was restrained, Zenitsu was happy.
One morning, as he accompanied his father to the edge of the garden, he saw a woman with dark green eyes and black hair not far from their house. When he met her condescending gaze, he decided it was best not to speak to her. Even her internal sound was arrogant! And his parents had always told him to trust his hearing ...
He was snapped out of his thoughts by his mother, calling him back inside.
The day passes and he forgets the woman.
When Hayate returned, he brought back gifts for him and Mariko. His older sister received a hair clip and he received earrings. Both jewels were made of amber, "like your eyes" their father joked. Plus, they matched their mother's hairpin, decorated with a single amber pearl.
Having spent his life surrounded by beautiful objects, Zenitsu did not question for a second the fact that his father had brought him a piece of jewelry and immediately asked their mother to pierce his ears.
But that night he was awakened from sleep by the smell of smoke and the sound of a door being pulled down. Armed men stormed the house soon after.
Zenitsu met their mother's gaze.
"Run" she ordered.
He scampered off without delay, plunging into the woods. He was only seven years old ...
***
When Iguro thought about it, he thought it was crazy that his salvation had rested on a simple hairpin.
"Don't listen to a single word from these crazy women! Don't worry about what may happen to them! They chose it!" Said this amber-eyed woman, locked in the cell opposite his, throwing her hairpin at him. “Run away! "
Picking it up, he noticed the jewel was much sharper than his aunts' pins, and the material was very cold to the touch ... It was steel, perfect for destroying wooden bars.
This woman had arrived in the morning and in the evening she had been taken away ... and he knew very well that she had been taken before this demon with the body of a serpent that the family worshiped. In her gaze, he could see that she knew what fate awaited her.
For several days, he scratched the bars, trembling with fear at the thought of being caught, Kaburamaru surveying his surroundings. He had a chance, he shouldn't let it pass!
He was grateful to this woman. And he hadn't forgotten her, despite the years gone by and even though he hadn't known her name ...
He hadn't forgotten everything she had told him that day, either.
" Let me go !! "
“Dirty little thief !! "
" I didn't do anything ! "
The altercation was becoming increasingly violent between some adults and a child.
Kaburamaru hissed in his ear and Iguro watched the child intently. He must have been around 13, black hair and… amber eyes, like this woman…
“My husband and my daughter were killed but I know my son managed to escape… But I'm afraid for him. This world is cruel… ”
"As if I were going to believe a lousy orphan !!" One of the adults bellowed, pulling his ear. The boy let out a small cry of pain.
"What does an orphan do with amber earrings?" Another asked. "Did you steal them too?" He reached out to take them from him.
"It's mine !!" He protested, then twisted, bit the hand, and kicked the knee of whoever was holding him. Once free, he zigzagged through the crowd.
The slayer rushed after him.
***
He hadn't asked to lose his family overnight, he hadn't asked to be alone.
"If you doubt anyone, trust your ears"
It was probably thanks to this advice from his parents that Zenitsu had managed to get by so far.
Many people had approached him to strip him of what little he had left. Each time, he had heard these bad intentions and had managed to flee each time. The world was ruthless ...
He had been falsely accused of stealing vegetables, the traders arbitrarily decided that he was the culprit because he was an easy target. And he had fled, again, taking refuge in a ruined building, even though he knew he was being followed.
But now he found himself quite confused to hear some relief from this man in a black uniform and a striped haori.
"Your ear is bleeding, kid" he said calmly.
" What are you doing here ? "
" I was looking for you… "