Work Text:
菊 has a lot of siblings, all of them younger than him, each of them having their own little quirks and different personalities, but they had one thing in common. Kindness, each one of them had kindness in their hearts; always helping anyone that crosses their way.
Kiku adored his younger siblings very much. They are his everything, and he would do anything for his younger siblings. Anything. Kiku's family as a whole is very large. He had multiple aunts and uncles, loads of cousins varying from ages.
Maybe that's why he felt so suffocated all the time, there was too many people around for every family event. He didn't like crowded places; he despises crowded places. But then again, he is content with his family. They were all so happy, that's exactly why he has to keep his job a secret. No one would be happy with what his job acquired him to do.
His family happiness is what keeps him alive and sane, but just how much can that happiness keep him away from the emotion that is called guilt.
Guilt because he isn't being truthful about his actual job. Whenever his younger siblings asked him about his job, he would subtly change the topic and / or give them fake scenarios to keep their innocence. His job made him question his morality. Which side is he truly on? Hero or villain? Neither, he was on neither side. Why? Because both heroes and villains are very flawed. Both sides have their own stories, and he has no story to make him choose a side. He didn't have a sob story to turn him good or evil.
Kiku was simply a normal human being, he has no reason to be classified as good or bad. He has decent morals that come for being a decent human being. He wasn't overly righteous, nor was he overly nefarious. He was simply an older brother who had to keep his job a secret.
His job is what one would call dangerous. He has to eliminate people. He has to eradicate those who wish to hurt others, but their methods of eradicating those people aren't exactly "ethically right"
The public eye would think they're being too cruel with how they eliminate those buffoons. The only reason he is still doing this job of his is because, well, it pays well.
Kiku wanted to help lessen the burden of his parents by at least paying the bills for them. It's his own way of showing gratitude for raising him and his younger siblings.
As mentioned before, his job is very dangerous. People would want to get revenge on him. That's why keeping this as a secret is the only way to keep his family safe.
"Your はなこ's older brother, right?" Asked one of his colleagues.
"I am. How do you know him?" Said Kiku.
"OH, he ran into me once, kept apologising even when I said it was alright. Then we had a nice chit chat, that's when he told me about an older brother of his that strangely reminded me of you." Replied the colleague. The colleague then clicked his tongue.
"You know, when I found out you and him were siblings. I found myself quite shocked." Said his colleague. Kiku raised an eyebrow at this. "And why is that?" Asked Kiku.
"Well, it's because Hanako radiates kindness. Meanwhile, you are the exact opposite. Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling you mean or anything. It's just that I realised your kindness has its limits whilst his is boundless, " said his colleague.
"Don't lump me up with my siblings, I am nothing like them. They don't deserve to be grouped together with someone like me. A person whose hands have been painted with blood." Replied Kiku. His colleague could only stay silent.
"They are everything I'm not. Their innate kindness is what I envy.." Kiku paused for a bit.
"They are perfectly human while I am, but a silhouette who tries be human."
Kiku should hurry up and get himself out of this ocean full of consequences instead of trying to stay afloat. One day, who knows, he might have to say goodbye to the very ones he held close to his anchored heart.
