Chapter Text
The ocean is a vast space full of mysteries.
The deeper a being goes, the more mysteries are discovered, which remain unanswered under the lonely floors of the ocean. Any curious mind who dwells on land are determined to discover more, however, the water dwellers were quite content with their lives. Following the flow of nature didn’t determine their own fate.
However, even Shiki questions sometimes.
When a god is born, they are born with the knowledge that comes with their domain. Shiki, though, is not a god. And yet, he was born knowing a lot of things. A ray born as an adult. He could tell that he wasn’t the same as his fellow species, if he could even consider himself one of them.
He continued to wander aimlessly in the ocean, back when the beings were quite different from how it currently is as of today.
That was, until one day, he discovered them. The ones who claim control of the ocean as a pair, as their domain.
However, compared to Shiki, who was born as an adult the moment he opened his eyes. They were… small snakes. Small enough that he could put them inside his mouth. As if they were newborns. Which is not possible as they should only be older than him for him to exist.
Regardless, seeing the black snake buried under the seafloor and the white snake almost carried away by the strong currents of the waters. Shiki took them under his wings–or fins to be precise. Surprisingly, the snakes didn’t protest him caring for them. Even with their eyes closed, they hooked their tails on his fins as he carefully swam around the waters.
The creatures dwelling on the oceans with them had started to change when the snakes opened their eyes. With Shiki’s habit of being under the darkest parts of the ocean, he realized that their eyes glowed. Like the moon’s shine in the night. The black snake had violet eyes and the white snake had chartreuse eyes.
Shiki also noticed their bodies starting to grow.
His fellow ocean dwellers multiplied, and the waters began to feel more lively, when the little gods began to speak.
“My name is Hajime.” The black snake told him.
“My name is Shun.” The white snake followed.
With the little gods telling him about names, that was also the time Shiki had come to know his own name as well. While he wanted to ask more about it, Hajime settled on sleeping while Shun laid above him while chatting.
The little gods were polar opposites.
Hajjime felt comfortable with dwelling under the deepest parts of the ocean, burying himself under the ground as his body rapidly grew long and bigger.
Meanwhile, Shun loved the surface, with his body also rapidly growing like Hajime’s, his size often casting a shadow.
That was also the time Shiki learned about Hajime and Shun’s capabilities which they never displayed to him for reasons they never gave him. They grew quick, almost extending themselves across the world. However, they found that the bigger their sizes are, they are exposed to more sensations. Which is thoroughly unpleasant for them, resulting in them settling on a smaller size.
Occasionally, when Shiki wakes up from his sleep, he would find Hajime and Shun sleeping on his body, with their bodies reverted to their initial sizes.
And when time passed, he found himself keeping a knowledge that only he shares with the two gods.
By the time Arata and You were born, Hajime and Shun stopped using their initial sizes, settling on a size large enough for the younger ones to cuddle up to them, or sometimes, bigger despite other parts of their bodies merged into the waters.
Hajime and Shun never talked about it, but he knew them long enough to know why they chose to do so.
Whenever he sees Hajime’s disapproval with their interactions with humans, the land dwellers. Whenever he sees Shun’s defeated smile whenever humans reject his existence. Whenever he sees the blue color of the ocean stained with the blood of the younger ones.
The ocean is a vast space, uncontrollable, unpredictable.
The ocean is also part of Hajime and Shun.
In this vast and uncontrollable space, Hajime and Shun claimed their role as the owners of this domain. In order to protect those they care for.
They were no longer the young gods who clung to Shiki for millions of years.
Still, that won’t stop Shiki from treating them as such regardless.