Work Text:
Bankoku-Gai was an exceptionally well-lit town for one that was infested with desperate crime and fighting. The dim streetlights cast a very specific ambience over the small alleyways Suo patrolled down, but their brightness was always rivalled by the moon.
His feet ached, his eye ached and his stomach ached. So did everywhere else on his body. His feet ached because of all the walking he did. His eye ached because of how tight he tied his eyepatch on. And his stomach ached because he starved. None of these things were particularly new, but that didn't make them any less uncomfortable. However, Suo always seemed to find himself settling for discomfort - he didn't really have much of a choice.
Suo knew his way around Bankoku-Gai like the back of his hand. Each alley was lined with an array of shops and stalls ran by tired keepers who saw more than their fair share of thieves. Thieves Suo had to chase down and take food from that they were going to feed their starving families with. Though thankfully, he was often able to direct them to the haven he and his brothers provided. The guilt ate him up every single time, but again - he didn't really have much of a choice.
His feet stopped on instinct in smelling delicious, authentic food cooking in a nearby stall. His dry mouth watered and his stomach growled. He felt a gaping emptiness in 2 parts of his torso. The lower part was his stomach, which often felt like it was trying to claw its way out of his belly. The higher part was his heart.
His heart had been added to the list of body parts that ached everyday ever since he'd left Furin. It had been hurting for a while, but never this bad. Each night when he fell asleep, he found himself right back where he wanted to be. In that wide open classroom, sat doing nothing with his friends. Heading out with them only to be finding themselves in deep shit, getting to fight freely, and he loved it every single time. Except once.
KEEL. His stupid, brave and loveable friend dashing out into the middle of a brawl he wasn't ready for and getting his shit rocked. It had broken something small inside of him, something that was holding together his powerful yet elegant façade. Why hadn't he taught Nirei to defend himself sooner? Why did he wait for Nirei to ask him? That daunting weight of responsibility was nothing new to him, but it was no good either.
He was a good teacher. The kids at the dojo would agree. Bright eyed and bushy tailed they arrived at training day after day because their big brother Sun-Fei was there. He adored and treasured each and every one of them so much - how could he not? When the world felt dark and unfriendly, just the sound of their laughter or the sight of their smiles was enough to keep him going just that little bit longer.
"Sun-fei, welcome back." A deep, melodic voice greeted him as he pushed open the heavy door to the dojo.
"Hello Rakta." Suo responded with a friendly smile. "How's training going?"
"The kids have spirit, I'll tell you that!" Bacchus interrupted, a brazen grin on his face.
"Yes..." Rakta sighed. "They certainly aren't fond of Bacchus however."
"Hey, they prefer me over you!"
Suo watched his brothers bicker back and fourth just as they did everyday. He loved his brothers, always had and always will. He'd learnt a lot of things from them that he used everyday. As much as he wished they would get along more, their antics gave him a breath of fresh air from the genuine hostility of the rest of the city.
"Anyway. We went over some numbers earlier of families who are coming here to eat, it's higher than usual." Rakta lowered his tone, checking over his shoulder that the younger kids weren't around.
"I see. Do you think we'll have to figure something else out money-wise?" Suo asked.
"Possibly-"
"Sunfei-nii is home!" A child's voice rang out across the training area. Before he knew it, Suo was being flooded with all of his little brothers.
"Hello everybody, I can see we're all training hard, aren't we?" He smiled, breaking away from the topic of conversation momentarily.
"Yes, we've been training all afternoon. Will you train with us?"
"Well, I think you should all take a break first, you don't want to tire yourselves out. Besides, it's nearly dinner time."
The smell of steamed vegetables and warm bread made itself known from the kitchen, the chef swinging the door open and banging a ladle against an empty pot.
"Dinner time, everybody!"
"Yaaay, time for food!" The children cheered, all disregarding training to run and eat.
Suo watched the children fondly as they hurried toward the kitchen. However, his eyes lingered on one particular boy, with blonde hair and freckles. His heart sank slightly, as just for a moment he could've sworn Nirei was here. No, he couldn't think things like that. Not while he was here. Not after what he'd done.
Flashes of Nirei's face shrouded his mind in regret and sorrow. He would never be able to forget it for as long as he lived - the sight of his dear friend bloodied and crying, desperate and confused. All because of him.
But he had no choice. Nirei would be fine, he had the rest of Furin. The kids in this city had nobody, which was why he had to be here. The Red Chanpuru had a duty, one that Furin couldn't know.
But oh, how he missed them. What he would give to-
"Sun-fei?"
"Huh?"
"You zoned out."
"Ah, apologies."
His brothers watched him with confusion and concern, it was unlike him to slip up like this.
"Please excuse me." He muttered, swallowing down the lump in his throat. Before his brothers had a chance to respond, he headed toward the stairs. He climbed up and walked toward his room. His room was tiny, as were all of them.
He closed the creaky, old door behind him and just pressed his forehead against it, sighing and releasing a tiny bit of the tension from his shoulders. After a minute, he lifted his head and turned his back to the door. He slipped his jacket off, he just needed the weight of his clothes off him right now.
When his shirt was off, he glanced sideways at the old, rusted mirror on his wall. He turned around, glancing over his shoulder to look at the tattoo on the centre of his upper back. That day when he lay flat getting his loyalty tattooed into his skin played in his mind. He thought about how his little brothers would get theirs one day too. What placement would they choose?
His legs ached and stomach churned with emptiness. Usually, falling asleep was difficult when pain shot through your torso. But Suo had gotten used to it - the reason? He didn't really have much of a choice.
He dragged himself to kneel beside his flat, old futon. A small lump was present under the pillow area - he knew exactly what it was.
His Furin jacket. He traced the delicate embroideries and soft fabric under his pale skin. He stared at the collar, constantly swallowing down tears that were trying to force their way out.
His futon was hard and cold as he climbed on top of it, laying down on his side. He held his jacket close to his chest, hoping it might fill some of the emptiness in his heart.
Though even if it didn't - the next day would come just the same. Whether he wanted it to or not.
He didn't have a choice.