Chapter Text
It is considered one of the highest honors for a kitsune to be chosen to serve as a shrine guardian to their goddess. The goddess Inari would select future guardians from newborn kitsune kits and every pack was eager to have one of theirs selected.
Due to the long lifespan of kitsune, averaging six hundred years if they remain in good health, kits were only selected every three centuries, and each pack was only allowed one kit eligible for selection per millennia.
It’s because of this that news spreads like wildfire among spirits and gods alike when, only a half century since the previous selection of two young kitsune kits to be trained as the next group of shrine guardians, the goddess Inari decided to choose not one, but two young kits from the same pack.
Their names, as bestowed upon them by their goddess Inari, are Miya Atsumu and Miya Osamu, two brown tailed kitsune twins.
Due to the unusual circumstances, the goddess Inari decreed that the two twins would be left in the tutelage and care of her previous two kitsune kit selections from a half century earlier. Until they became of the age of maturity and could receive their blessing of immortality and start their work as shrine guardians, the Miya twins would receive practical training and history lessons from their two seniors.
The last selected kitsune now aged a half century, and age still considered kits by most, were Kita Shinsuke, a uniquely white colored ezo red kitsune, and Ojiro Aran, a white tailed sand kitsune.
The twins were quick to attach themselves to Ojiro Aran, often spending their free time interrupting his own training and lessons, or trying to have him teach them various skills outside of their own work.
By the time the twins had reached their first quarter century they had managed to convince Aran to show them two trades outside of their assigned duties. Osamu was quick to ask for cooking lessons, eager to learn so that one day when the twins were given their own shrine to care for, he would be able to provide the two of them with lavish and delectable meals.
Atsumu, however, asked for the skill of archery and protective talisman creation, determined to learn a way to defend themselves while working as shrine guardians without the need for intervention of their patron goddess.
Unlike Osamu, who asked for a skill Aran would be able to impart his knowledge of, Atsumu would be receiving his training with the other of his seniors, Kita Shinsuke.
Up until that point, the twins tended to keep their distance from Kita while not necessary, the white haired kitsune always seeming able to know when they were planning mischief almost before they themselves did. It was almost as if he was blessed with the ability to read minds, or had wisdom gained from millennia of living, not his measly half century.
Despite this, he was always the one they ran to when hurt, or after a fight broke out between them. And eventually, as the years continued on, their apprehension morphed into respect and adoration for the older.
—
Once the twins had reached their first quarter century their lessons truly began in earnest. Every morning, when the orange sun just began to peak itself over the tree laden horizon they would awaken with Kita and begin their morning duties. They rubbed their bleary eyes while they made the trek from the small home they lived in to the large temple dedicated to their goddess.
Kita would assign tasks for them, switching around responsibilities so they both learned to do everything needed in shrine upkeep and maintenance. First they would clean until the temple was spotless, moving everything out once every seven sunrises to ensure no dust lingered in hard to reach places. After they finished, the three of them replaced the incense and prepared offerings to place at the large table located in front of the goddess Inari’s statue.
Occasionally the goddess herself would make an appearance giving the two young kitsune a chance to take a short break to spend time with her. She often asked after their lessons and favorite activities they did with their seniors. Sometimes she would even come with gifts, sweets from various shrine offerings and fresh fruits.
After the goddess left, or on most days when it would just be the three kitsune, they’d make their way back home when they settled fully in the sky, chasing off any lingering remains of dawn. The kitsune would make their way back to where Aran would have breakfast waiting for them.
When they finished eating they’d follow Aran out into the garden, harvesting any fruits or vegetables that were in season, weeding out any intrusive plants that threatened to overrule their plants, and taking food out to the foxes that made their home in the woods.
As shrine guardians they would be responsible for feeding not just themselves, but any foxes that made their residence in the shrine or nearby it. While working Aran would tell them about their history, the gods, and the important work their goddess Inari does.
It was good, having Osamu and Atsumu moving around while having their lessons. At first Kita and Aran had tried to sit them down to learn, but that quickly devolved into a fight or the two daydreaming. They seemed to retain information much easier while working outside, even if their lessons had nothing to do with the activities they had that day.
The afternoons were spent in individual lessons. Osamu and Aran would work on prepping dinner as well as food for the local fox population, while Atsumu trained with Kita. Osamu’s lessons tended to be the same no matter the day, focusing on meals and different recipes.
Atsumu, on the other hand, had a much more robust schedule. Each day Kita would change between archery, talisman creation, and cultivating the nearby rice fields.
Every ten sunrises the twins would have a rest day, one where they could sleep in and just follow their chosen senior around while they did their chores and responsibilities, or they could go play in the fields with each other.
It’s during one of their rest days when Kita requests that they aid him with separating the newly harvested rice in the fields with him. The twins look at each other, confused by the request on what would typically be a day to themselves but are always eager for a chance to impress Kita.
They had barely started when Kita speaks up, interrupting the normal comfortable silence they sit in while working.
“Osamu-kun, Atsumu-kun,” He starts, snatching the twin’s attention from where they had been focusing on perfectly harvesting the rice.
The twins look up, giving the older their complete attention, rice baskets abandoned beside them.
“Yes, Kita-san?” They reply in an almost eerie synchronization. It always threw Aran off when they did that, he said they must be mind readers because they were born as twins but Kita has always found it endearing.
Kita pushes his basket to the side, shifting closer to where the young kitsune sat beside each other on the ground.
“Ya’ve both reached yer thirtieth season and I wanted to tell ya this sooner rather than later. Very soon, on the eve of yer first half century, Aran-kun and I will be leaving to go care for our own shrines out in the mortal realm.”
Osamu looks to his brother, silently conveying some kind of unheard exchange before speaking up. “Kita-san, does that mean ‘Tsumu and I will have ta choose between which of ya two we’re staying with?”
Before Kita can answer, Atsumu interrupts, honey brown eyes sparking with the beginning of tears. “We don’t wanna choose between ya! Can we all just ta a new shrine together instead? Or we can keep stayin’ here, I’m sure Inari-sama wouldn’t mind.”
Kita holds out his hands, waiting for the twins to place their own smaller ones onto his palm before continuing, giving them both a gentle squeeze.
“Ya misunderstand me. The two of ya will stay here until ya reach a century and have Inari-sama gift ya yer own shrine ta care for. But remember what I told ya at one of yer earliest lessons?”
He waits for the twin to hesitantly share their heads, having already known they wouldn’t recall exactly the lesson he was speaking on in such vague terms.
“Us four are an exception ta the typical way Inari-sama selects shrine guardians. She picked the two of ya early, when Aran-kun and I were still just kits in training ourselves. That gave us the chance ta raise ya and care fer ya two, as if we are our own little pack. But Aran-kun and I are already at our eightieth season, we’re gonna hit our first century soon and be given our assignments.”
“But Kita-san!” Atsumu pushes himself forward, sobbing as he forces himself onto Kita’s lap, burying his head in the crook of his neck and shoulder. Osamu took Kita’s hand in both of his own, clutching as tightly as his little hands could, as if he were terrified that if he let go the older would vanish right then and there.
“Ya can’t leave!” Osamu cries, “We gotta go together, all four of us! Ya said we’re a pack, so we can’t be split up, Inari-sama will understand, she won’t force ya away from us.”
Fat tears soak the collar of Kita’s yukata, Atsumu loudly wailing in his ear. In response to how upset Atsumu sounds Kita almost instinctively wraps his snowy white tail around him, pushing his little crying face closer to his neck.
It didn’t seem like it would be just Atsumu he’d need to comfort. Judging by the sniffling coming from where Osamu sat in front of Kita, it didn’t seem like his tears were very far behind his brother’s.
Kita shifts, moving Atsumu to his right leg and leaving a spot open for Osamu to sit on his left. It doesn’t take another moment for him to scamper forward and bury his head on his other shoulder, both sides of his yukata now growing wet.
“My sweet kits, ya two knew that when a guardian kitsune reaches their first century they receive their blessin’ from Inari-sama and get their shrine assignments. It’s the same fer Aran-kun and I. And one day when ya hit yer first century it will be yer turn too.”
“Yeah but we thought…” Osamu drifts off, lifting his face up to stare at Kita with watery grey tinted eyes.
“Ya thought what, little one?”
“We thought it might be different fer us, ‘cause no kitsune trainees had ever had two more learn from ‘em like ya’ll did with ‘Tsumu and me.”
Kita hums, brushing his left hand through Osamu’s dark brown hair, pushing his small fox-like ears back up from where they’d moved flat against his head in the process.
“Yer right ‘bout one thing, Osamu-kun. We are all exceptions ta what’s considered normal fer our positions. I’m not sure why she did it, but Inari-sama must’ve seen somethin’ special in the two of ya, giftin’ ya ta Aran-kun and I, even if only fer a short while.
“But there is always gonna be seasons of change in our lives. Just like when the harvest freezes into winter, so does the path we walk shift as we get older. It’s not a bad thing, everythin’ needs ta change in order ta keep growin’ and learnin’. This will just be yer first big winter freeze.”
His words seemed to serve as the tipping point for Osamu’s tears, the young kitsune shoving his face back into Kita’s shoulder and sobbing just as loud as his twin. Kita sits with them, hands brushing through their brown hair and soft hums of lullabies he would sing to them when they first arrived rumbling within his chest.
Kita waits until they settled down a bit, and their sobs slow into the occasional sniffle.
“Ya know, winter never lasts forever. The freeze will one day thaw and turn into the bloomin’ of spring before ya know it. Winter only lasts fer so long. Once ya both reach yer first century and get yer own shrine, we’ll be able ta see each other again. And yer gonna be able ta meet all kinds of spirits and gods too, not just Aran-kun and I.”
The white tailed kitsune bring both of his hands up to cradle each side of their faces, drawing them up from his shoulder to look them in the eyes. His thumb moves, catching any stray streams of salty tears that drip down from their brown eyes.
“‘Sides, it’s not like we’re leavin’ tomorrow. We’ll be here fer awhile longer. We still got twenty seasons before we gotta go.”
Kita ruffles their hair, messing up the carefully parted strands that Aran had brushed out that morning.
“Now, let’s get back ta work. This rice ain’t gonna harvest itself and if ya finish before the midday meal I’ll let ya have tomorrow off as well.”
The twins perk up at that, giving Kita one last squeeze before turning and dragging their baskets over next to the older kitsune. They settle themselves back on his lap, both twins working together to sort through and harvest the rice.
Kita huffs out a joyful breath, his lips moving to slightly upturn at the edges. As he grabs his own basket and does his best to work around the two growing kitsune in his lap, he can't help but dread the day when they grow older, old enough to not need his guidance anymore and he’ll have to leave them on their own.
Hopefully, Inari-sama willing, that day would wait and he’d get to stay with his two little kitsune just awhile longer.
—
Far too soon the day comes when the twins are gathered with Aran and Kita at the border of Inari’s domain.
The spring air is warm, casting away any lingering chill from the recently thawed out winter. Flowing on a gentle breeze are the flowers of the cherry blossom trees that surround them, causing their farewell to look like a scene inked out in a painting.
The two young kitsune, now having reached their first half century, stand before their seniors, trying their best to hold the warm pricking of tears at bay.
It’s hard to imagine that in just a few moments, Osamu and Atsumu will, for the first time in their young lives, be responsible for themselves. It seems impossible that at their same age, nestled between adolescence and adulthood, Kita and Aran were raising the two of them, all while taking care of themselves.
The two older stand before them, both with nothing more than their shrine yukata’s and a small bag of their belongings and gifts made for them by the twins over the years.
It takes only Aran opening his arms for Osamu and Atsumu to sprint forwards, nearly tacking him to the ground in their rush to cling to him.
Aran grunts, catching their weight and holding them close to his chest. Despite the newfound height of the twins they still stood well under a head shorter than Aran, easily able to fit tucked away in his arms. The two begin to sniffle, trying their best not to break down into tears until the older kitsune are already gone.
Their plan falls apart when two thin hands come up and start running through their dark hair, being careful to not hit where their fox ears tilt backwards in a show of their unhappiness.
Silent tears fall at the feeling of familiar callused hands, always so considerate of the frequently shifting position of their ears. Aran liked to tease them while they were young that he could always read their emotions based on how their expressive fox ears moved. A stark contrast to Kita’s almost never shifting pair and Aran’s neutral ones.
Aran squeezes them hard against his chest once before slightly moving away, hands still clasped on their shoulders.
“Ya little brats, we’re gonna miss ya. Won’t be the same without the two of ya causin’ chaos wherever ya go.” Aran pats them hard in between their shoulder blades, almost sending them to the ground.
His own dark eyes look down at the two young kitsune he’d been caring for with Kita over the last half century. A warm prickle starts to build behind them, tears threatening to make an appearance.
It would be best not to cry, goddess knows that the twins would only quickly spiral themselves and he’d hate to have to leave them without first making sure they were okay.
That quickly shatters when Kita tugs at the twins shoulder’s, turning them to face the shorter of the two older kitsune. It seems like the three of them notice at the same time, how Kita has silent tears tracking down his face, and for the first time his fox ears are pushed back, black tips standing out stark against his white hair.
All three of them immediately start crying, moved over the edge by the fact that Kita, for the first time they had ever seen, was crying at their farewell.
The twins rush forward, trying to force themselves under his arms and attach to his sides like they did when they were little. It’s slightly uncomfortable, due to the fact that the twins now stood just slightly taller than his own height, forcing them to crouch down to hold the older.
Aran’s own strong arms wrap around all three of them, slightly lifting them off the ground and forcing an airy laugh past both of the twins' tears. They stand like that for a moment, all four of them attempting to sear the feeling of closeness into their memories before they have to part.
With one last squeeze Aran lets them all go, Kita soon following his actions of releasing the two younger boys. He brings his hands up, grabbing their cheeks and rubbing away the fresh tears with the callused skin on his thumbs.
“Let me look at ya both, I gotta keep ya both fresh in my memory until we see ya again.”
Kita stands there for a moment, gazing at the two young ones he’d been looking after their entire lives. By the time he next saw them they’d be adults, having grown into maturity and looking nothing like the two boys standing in front of him.
There’s so much he’d miss in the next half century, the way in which they’ll change and strengthen in so many different ways.
“Yer both gonna be just fine. Do ya remember what I said all that time ago when I first let ya know Aran-kun and I would have ta leave ya one day fer our own shrines?”
Atsumu huffs out a laugh, moving to playfully roll his eyes before catching himself. The last thing he needs is a harsh pinch on his face before the two older kitsune leave. “Kita-san that was like a hundred seasons ago.”
His effort to hide turns out to have been in vain because Kita pinches him after all, Atsumu wincing at the short sting. Osamu tries to sneak a smug smirk at his brother, but they’d never been able to sneak past Kita.
Osamu gets a quick pinch too before Kita continues. “Life always happens in different seasons. Right now yer goin’ into winter, havin’ ta have more discipline with all the responsibilities we used ta all share. Especially with waking up early and cleaning the temple.”
He shoots them a stern look in response to the sheepish expression that appeared on both of their faces at his reminder of not oversleeping.
“But don’t forget, winter ain’t gonna last forever. Before ya know it spring will warm us all again and we’ll all be back together again.”
He pulls them back into a hug, hands swiftly burying in their hair and bringing them down to rest on his shoulders. The twins respond in kind, clinging to his robes and sniffling once again. Behind them Aran laughs, slightly amused at how easily the twins fell back into their tears.
Not that he could judge, he was waiting until Kita and him were long gone before letting his emotions at leaving the two of them behind run free.
Kita turns his head, giving the twins both one quick peck on their foreheads before releasing them.
Osamu and Atsumu cry out when Aran, having been standing behind them, suddenly lifts them up by their waist and spins them in a circle until they’re once again facing the barrier.
“All right ya two, it’s time fer us ta head out. We can’t keep Inari-sama waitin’ any longer ta give us our blessings.”
Kita grabs Aran’s hand, the two of them waving and turning to start walking past the barrier. Before they get too far, He turns around, wide smile on his face and crystal tears in his eyes.
“I’m gonna miss ya both, more than ya’ll will ever know. Grow up ta be good, my sweet boys.”
Before Osamu or Atsumu can say anything, the two older kitsune walk off, vanishing past the barrier in a gust of falling cherry blossoms.
The twins stand there long after they’d disappeared, calling out farewells to the empty spot where Aran and Kita had previously stood.
They stand there, staring at the empty place until the sun starts to set, painting the sky in a vivid array of oranges and pinks, lights reflecting off of the tears both boys have streaming down their cheeks.
And far off, where Kita still walks with Aran hand in hand he closes his eyes, trusting the taller one to keep him from tripping on anything coating the forest floor.
Try as hard as he might, the faces that Kita sees in the darkness of his eyelids aren't the two kitsune they just left, older and already at his height.
But instead he sees two young kits, faces scrunched with tears and warm with fever as he holds them close to his chest, humming out a soft lullaby as he rocks them to sleep in his arms.