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“I want you two to get along.”
That’s what their master had told them. Kiba—then known as Xu Qiao—had wordlessly agreed, not one to openly reject their then-caretaker. Liguang—then Zhen Yi—had no such qualms, but did not deny to try and attempt to follow their master’s wish.
Their master, kind and naive of what was to come, had smiled as his eyes—mismatched as they were, obsidian black and smoke gray—warmly watched them go off to play. They would play pranks on each other by pushing each other into the shallow river or drop bugs onto one another’s head.
Neither of them remembers who got their memories back then first, but whoever it was didn’t matter, because once they both remembered and understood, their previous petty rivalry turned much more sinister.
Zhen Yi had started waking up to snakes in his bed and other corners of his sleeping quarters. Xu Qiao had found much of his belongings misplaced or straight up taken, only to be seen buried at the bottom of the river or thrown into wells.
These students of martial arts had soon taken to being much more physical with each other. Xu Qiao had launched multiple ambushes on Zhen Yi when the latter would make his rounds checking on their master’s herb garden, and likewise, Zhen Yi had lured and engaged the other in hand-to-hand combat, getting skin broken and blood spilled.
Their master was displeased and had hated it when they came to him in tatters. At first, his disciples would lie to his face, saying their innocent roughhousing and training were just too intense. His mismatched eyes had looked at them with such terribly sad expressions each time that the two couldn’t bear to continue seeing them. So they had silently agreed to ignore their master, tending to their wounds on their own, away from each other, and away from their worried master.
Neither Xu Qiao nor Zhen Yi recall anymore memories of their master after that, minds and memories too full of bloody revenge and dying breaths later on.
However,
One is reincarnated with mismatched eyes—stormy black and earthen red. The other is reincarnated with millions of names in shelves (yet all lack that particular master’s name) and an annoying presence that looks far too much like his fated pair.
Speaking of which,
“Kiba! Look!” Renga shouts, his similarly mismatched eyes sparkling when yes, Kiba is right next to him and they’re both looking at the same scenery side-by-side again. “The sun’s on the lake!”
Kiba laughs, a sound that irritates Liguang’s heart. “Yea, I see it. It’s beautiful, Ren.” He has an annoyingly soft smile when he’s looking at Renga. It really bothers Liguang.
“You’ve seen this view multiple times everywhere else we’ve taken a study trip to,” Liguang butts in. He comes up to Renga’s other side, and feels some meaningless spark of pride when Renga turns to look at him. Nevermind that it’s an annoyed glare. Liguang isn’t going to be intimidated by some dog.
“Well! This one’s just different!” Renga says with a huff. “You wouldn't get it ‘cause you’re so emo.”
Liguang raises an eyebrow. “I’m emo?”
“Yea, dumbass, didn’t you hear me?”
Kiba snorts. “Yea, dumbass, didn’t you hear Ren? Listen to your leader better.” He snickers after saying that, his annoying face and mismatched eyes curving into those like a fox’s.
Liguang resists the urge to growl. “Exactly. He’s my leader, this is our team’s hike, so I don’t understand why you of all people are here.”
“Ren invited me,” Kiba says, “and so did your chief.” He blinks innocently. Liguang wants to throw him over the mountainside.
Renga blinks in-between them, shrinking in on himself when he feels the rising tension. “Hey… are you guys fighting? That’s not good.”
Kiba immediately cuts off the bloodlust he had started emitting. His wolfish smile takes on a meeker, softer curve to it as he directs it to Renga. “Nah, I don’t fight with wimps.”
Renga blinks as he warily looks up at Liguang. The latter stares at him with a nonchalant expression, only emoting with a single eyebrow when they make eye contact. Renga makes a little noise in the back of his throat when he turns back to look at Kiba.
“Kiba! Don’t…make fun of my group members! As their leader, I’m in charge of protecting them.”
“Aw, I didn’t mean to, Ren. I’m sorry. Right? I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, Liguang.” Kiba looks at him. He looks back.
Liguang sighs. “Apology accepted. Not that I care what you call me.”
Renga smiles, and any leftover tension dissipates. “Good! As your guys’ friend and leader, I want you two to get along.”
Flickers of emotions pass over both reincarnators’ faces. Kiba’s smile turns a little bitter as Liguang simply scoffs. They both turn to look at the sun that Renga is so fascinated by.