Chapter Text
“Come on, little one. Your mother is coming in !”
Kunikuzushi frowned as he rubbed the back of his head. Being bald felt weird, and the bandage that was tightly secured on his scalp was starting to itch a little bit. He didn’t want to move but got up, nonetheless. He grabbed Inagi’s small hand, let her guide to the lobby as he yawned.
“Aw, you’re tired ? I’ll let you take a nap later then.” Inagi smiled. “Look who’s here !”
Kunikuzushi looked up with those two big eyes of him yet couldn’t understand who was in front of him.
There was a lady, tall, with long pink hair and then –
Then it’s all silent around him. Kunikuzushi is surrounded by darkness, the ground shifts beneath his feet. His heart is empty when he falls deep down into the darkness of his mind.
Childe is being cold with him – Kunikuzushi doesn’t know why. They were still friends yesterday, and today he doesn’t even look at him. He didn’t even say ‘hello’ when they met earlier, and Kunikuzushi can’t understand – did he do something ? Was he too harsh again ?
Bullshit. He barely talks to anyone since
When he opens his eyes, Kunikuzushi is all alone in his bedroom. Childe is gone, such as his roommate. What’s his name already ? Something from Inazuma, for sure. The guy greeted him several times, even tried to befriend him but was hit with his never-ending silence.
“Hey” There’s a hand on his cheek. “How do you feel, little one ?”
Is it Inagi again ? That hand is too big to be hers, it’s also covered with bandages. Kunikuzushi is wrapped in a million blankets, buried in his mattress, and he doesn’t want to go out ever again.
“What time is it ?” He asks anxiously.
“It’s four in the afternoon. I brought you homework, and my mom would like to know if you’re coming with us.”
Kazuha. Sweet and tender Kaedehara Kazuha, that’s his name.
But Kunikuzushi barely has time to remember Kazuha’s gentle words, in less than a minute, he’s thrown back at the foster care agency.
“It’s time to see your mom ! Aren’t you happy ?"
“Is she here for me ?” Kunikuzushi whispers.
“I don’t know. She came to pick me up, and she’d like you to spend the weekend with us. They want to introduce you to my little sister.”
Kunikuzushi has a sister, too.
Pretty, tall, intelligent. She looks like her more than he does, for sure. She has the right to stay with them, the right to be loved. She’s a righteous person and wants to be a lawyer someday because she’s got good grades. Maybe she’ll fail, but that’s okay – she has the right to be wrong.
He doesn’t.
“It’s Raiden” he says as a tear goes down on his face. “Raiden”
“Kazuha ? Did you talk to your friend yet ? We can’t stay out too long, Xiao Ling will need to eat soon.” Beidou barely takes time to knock on the door, and she opens it in one go. “Kazuha ?”
He’s here, with Kunikuzushi. Some tears are running down Kazuha’s face, and he looks hurt as he tries to hold his friend’s hand. Kunikuzushi is hidden behind tons of blankets – so that why all her plaids were missing at home ? – and he doesn’t even look human anymore.
There’s no light in his eyes. His cheeks are hollowed, even what’s left of his hair looks tired. His face is so white it’s turning grey – Beidou has never seen corpses, but she knows it would look like Kunikuzushi. Kazuha tries in vain to shake him a little bit, but he doesn’t move.
“Kazuha” she hawked. “Can you… Step back ? I’m going to call someone, okay ? Don’t…”
“Mom”
Beidou flinches so hard she almost falls on the ground.
So he’s not dead ?
“Mom”
She slowly approaches him and manages to put a hand on his forehead. It feels like fresh snow on her fingers, like a frostbite on her skin.
“Mom”
“Mom”
“Mom, sorry” Kunikuzushi can only repeat, like it’s the only thing he knows. “Sorry mommy”