Chapter Text
“The child is cursed.”
“Shelter the cursed child here, and ruin shall be our guest.”
“He is just an infant, if we-”
“The gods won’t look kindly on us if that one stays. Keep it here, and we all suffer. Either dispose of the child, or we will do it for you, one way or another.”
Byakuya scowls, “I did not realize I was in a village or cowards who would sacrifice a child for their own comfort.” He pulls the swaddling cloth further over the infant's head, straightening up from his chair.
“Do not be foolish Byakuya, that child will be the death of you.”
“Then so be it. Any man who abandons a child is not fit to be called as such.” He made a promise to the mother that he would protect this boy, though even if he hadn’t, he’d make the same choice. “I can see he’d know no peace if we stayed here, so I'll be gone by dawn’s break.”
“So be it. But death walks close behind. Pray Athena walks with you.”
Byakuya lets the door close behind him leaving him and the bundle in the chilled night air. He truly had come to love this little hamlet, but if leaving is what it took to keep his promise, then that is what he’d do.
Gathering whatever belongings he thinks he’ll need, the man checks the child bound to his chest. Fast asleep. The child was still too young to open his eyes fully but he’d still have to think on what to do until the baby understood the curse. He certainly couldn’t blindfold himself, that would put Senku in danger, but keeping the wonder of the world from him with a blindfold… didn’t feel right either. But possibly a necessity if he wanted to be around to help the kid grow up.
He knocked on the door or the butcher, it wasn’t quite dawn, so he did feel bad about waking the man, but he had a long trip ahead of him, and food beyond what he had at his home was a necessity. The man was annoyed, and nervous when he answered the door, to which Byakuya apologised profusely. He had promised to be gone by dawn, to which they needed some food, and if he had any spare milk, even better. He had the money after all.
The butcher was reluctant but as a favor to an old friend he scrounged up what he could and wished the gods be with him.
With that he checked his small cart one more time and they were on their way.
After a long journey Byakuya found ruins in the mountains, what must have been a city once. It was far enough away that even if the villagers changed their minds, he was multiple towns over, and therefore, not their problem. These ruins were deep enough in the woods that he doubted anyone would bother looking out this far whether for foraging or hunting, but close enough that if he made a day trip of it, he could get supplies from the nearby town if they absolutely needed it.
Soon enough he managed to build them a small house in the ruins. Nothing fancy or big, a hut really. A place to keep out the elements and sleep. It was while he was building the snakes started appearing. At first he was quick to scoop Senku up and try to keep them away, but it was when he’d placed the baby in the grass while he put up a wall that he turned to see the normally silent child giggling as one of the pearly serpents appeared to be playing with him. When he got closer he was able to notice the similarity between the scales on the child’s arms and the snakes.
A serpent pale as bone, with a flicker of green like rot beneath the skin. At first there was only one, but over the weeks more appeared. They made him nervous, but most of all he didn’t like the way Senku’s scales and theirs looked like they could be one in the same. But he couldn’t sense any malice from them, or at least, none directed at the child, his son. So he conceded to just keep an eye on them, especially after 3 of them rose up to threaten a wild dog that wandered close while he’d been working.
Most of all, they seemed immune to the curse. Though he’s sure that is because they are somehow linked to it. The appearance and their timing was too convenient.
By 5 Senku seemed to fully understand why the blindfold was important, especially when they head to town. Byakuya makes sure to remind him if he ever feels threatened it is his best defense until he gets a bit bigger. Of course he doesn’t make him wear it unless absolutely necessary, with how curious the boy was, he doubts he could have kept it on him anyhow.
He wanted to foster that curiosity, and taught the boy everything he could, how to read, and what he knew about the flora and fauna.
Senku was fascinated with anything he brought back from town so he started making a habit of not only bringing back things he needed to take care of and educate the boy, but anything he thought he might find interesting.
“I thought you weren’t a big fan of bugs.” He hums from where he was checking the growth of their potatoes.
“I wouldn’t phrase it that way.” Senku says back carefully, eyes fixated on the butterfly perched on his nose. “I just hadn’t studied them yet.”
Cicadas buzzed low in the trees, their voices blending into the fabric of the afternoon. “And you’re studying them now?”
“Yes.” He doesn’t move, frozen with his stylus gripped in his little hand and book in his lap. The drawings weren’t anything fancy, he was only 5 after all, but it was a start on his diagrams he’d likely have to redraw later. “They are actually incredibly important to nature if you watch them. They help the plants grow and spread, they are food for the smaller animals, and will eat the dead.” The butterfly’s wings flutter slightly as it’s disturbed by his breath. “Also, they don’t turn to stone.”
“They don’t?” Byakuya checks the leaves on one of the potatoes, swatting some bugs off. Perhaps he should invest in a scarecrow.
“No. I’ve been staring at this guy for a while and he’s just been flapping away.” Senku grins, “Fascinating isn't it?”
“Hmm, maybe they’re too small to turn to stone?” He glances back, watching those strange snakes coil around Senku’s neck and lap. He’s started to get used to them, but they still made him uneasy.
“It’s certainly possible. I’d have to do more tests to be sure though.” Senku was sitting in the spot of grass near the garden that got the most sun, and for the longest. He absently wondered if some part of Senku was cold blooded like the snakes, trying to absorb as much heat as he could. It certainly seemed that way in the winter months. “They can also fly.”
“And that makes them more interesting?” Byakuya eyes the pale snake coiling up his arm. They only seemed to seek him out when they got cold, otherwise the only time they touched him was when he was carrying Senku.
“Of course. The only trait they seem to share with birds is their wings, and they both can fly. Obviously wings of some kind are a key to their flight but what else is required to make it into the air? Is it something inside them? Or is it a coincidence they both can achieve flight?” He turns his head slightly, having startled the butterfly while he was talking. Senku was quick to start making more notes and drawing new references now that he could look at his tablet again.
“Well, I look forward to your informative lecture on insects then. Perhaps your study can illuminate the best way to get rid of these damn beetles.” He shakes a few bugs off the plant he was looking at now. He had no idea what type of bugs these were, they certainly weren’t ants, but they kept chewing up the leaves.
“How do you know there are gods? Obviously there are ‘monsters’, though it’s more likely that they were some mutation in some other species then cursed or ‘a god’s offspring’ or some crap.” Senku asks as he flips through a book in the grass, a snake coiled over his shoulders and a scrappy blindfold pulled up his forehead, pushing his hair back.
Byakuya glances over out the door, a bit surprised, from where he was cooking at the hearth inside. “Well, the gods are the reason you got cursed kiddo.”
He could practically hear the boy’s eye roll, “Yeah well why are they out there cursing infants? It’s just as likely to be some weird mutation in my family right?”
“Well… the gods can be pretty petty, and I think one of your parents annoyed them. Your mother never really shared the details.” He shrugs, “Also-” He points his wooden spoon at the kid, leaning away from the fire, not that the kid was looking at him at all, “the gods have had like, loads of kids who have gone on grand quests, and even bless people.” He pauses, thinking for a moment, “Actually I heard there was some, oh what was it.. A Poseidon kid I think? Apparently he’s off looking for a winged horse right now? Pretty sure that’s some godly quest”
“Are you sure he doesn’t just want a flying horse?” Senku hums back as he scratches something into his wax tablet, before biting the end of the stylus. Flipping to a new page he starts muttering something about birds and flight that Byakuya doesn’t catch from his spot inside the hut.
“I mean, a flying horse would be pretty cool. But all the nobles would have one if they were easy to find, that's probably why it makes a good quest.” He hums as he stirs the pot, you could never go wrong with soup. … and it was easy to make.
“Or a uh…” Senku pauses for a moment, pursing his lip as if trying to remember a word, “A fool’s errand. Someone lied to get him out of the way, and he’ll be searching until he dies.”
Byakuya stops, a bit surprised as he looks back at his son, “What’s a 7 year old doing thinking about politics? When did you get so pessimistic?”
“Probably around when you told a 5 year old that if he looked any living thing in the eyes they'd die, and that if people knew they'd probably hunt him down.” Senku states in a very matter-of-fact manner as he keeps drawing whatever picture he was working on, likely a diagram knowing him.
The man gasps, clutching his chest, “I never would have phrased it like that to you at that age! You're twisting my words. What a cruel son I have.” He sniffles dramatically, wiping a tear.
“I’m not technically your son either old man.” Senku glances back, having sat up by now with his book in his lap.
The ‘old man’ gasps again, even more dramatically and louder than the first time, “I just want to make sure you stay safe and no one takes advantage of you, but I suppose if you aren’t even my son, just some old man, then I don’t have to worry about that any more or feed you either.” He dabs at his eyes with a cloth.
Senku, already pulling the blindfold back over his eyes, stands up, “Woah woah there let's not get ahead of ourselves.” The boy quickly enters the hut and crosses the space, leaving his book and tablet in the grass.
“No no, after all, I don’t have to go feeding any strangers, this soup is all for me I guess.” He huffs, crossing his arms, and turning his head, not that the boy could see it.
The white haired boy sighs, “We may not be blood related which is the most obvious link of familial relations, but you have raised me, fed me, and housed me which is about as close as we can get to family without the blood.” He says almost reluctantly, placing a hand on Byakuya’s leg.
He pauses, glancing back at his boy before being unable to resist scooping him up, startling a yelp out of him. “Oh I can't stay mad at you. Where did you learn all that big language? I'm so proud of you. I knew you couldn’t hate this old man.” He sniffles about ready to start crying again.
“Agh! Gross no get off me old man! NO! I take it back! I didn’t say that!” Senku flails, pushing his face away.
“I knew you loved me Senku, your dad here will-” He gets cut off by a small hand muffling his words.
“No I didn't say that, I don't love you, release me right now!” Senku gasps as he can feel the change in Byakuya’s breathing while trying to shove him away, “No! No crying! That's gross, stop it! You’re not my father, release me!”
“How cruel to kick your own father.”
“Then let go of me!”
“You won’t even give your poor old father a hug?”
“Not if you don’t stop crying!” Senku hisses back
Byakuya pauses, sniffling, “I’ll stop crying if you stop kicking.”
“........ deal.”
“I knew it, you do love me!” He squeezes Senku in a tight bear hug, triggering the boy to screech and thrash again.
“You shit-brained old goat!!! Release me!!!!”
Senku had all but begged him to let him come along down to the town this supply run. The kid of course argued that ‘how is he supposed to be careful around other humans if he doesn’t know what to expect from them.’ He of course reluctantly agreed since the kid was right, and it was ‘logical’ to let him get some experience around people, after all, he probably wouldn’t be around forever to protect the kid. As long as he remained blindfolded and covered up his scales, he could come along.
Senku was a bit miffed by that, but understood the logic behind it, and agreed. Admittedly though, it didn’t go so bad. He got the supplies they needed, and Senku even got some new books he seemed delighted about. As a treat he even got him some new tools like some proper craftsmen measurement rods and some type of fresh bread roll that a woman, possibly the baker's wife, had been advertising.
It had been a good and productive trip even if a few of the folk had asked a few too many questions about Senku’s blindfold. It was as they were about to exit town that he paused. He’d already spent a little more than he planned as a treat for Senku, being the boy’s first proper trip into town, but he’d almost forgotten the most important thing!
Glancing down, Senku was peeking out from under his blindfold and comparing the measuring rod with his leg, before turning away from him to check a nearby post. It would probably be faster if he ran back into town to buy it and then came back so it could be a surprise. But… he didn’t want to leave Senku alone either, it could be dangerous.
“Are we leaving or not old man?” His attention is drawn back to the boy, who was now standing and facing him, rod in hand.
Then again, so far no attention had been drawn to Senku and no one seemed suspicious of them so it’s likely he’d be more than okay for a minute or two on his own. “I’ve forgotten to get something incredibly important. Would you be okay staying put for a minute or two while I run back to grab it?”
“Huh? I mean I’m just a defenseless 7 year old but yeah sure I’ll be fine.” He shrugs dismissively. “I’ll just measure more of this wall, or something so run along now.” He waves his hand, crouching back down in the grass.
Byakuya opens his mouth, well now he doesn't want to go! Obviously leaving Senku now would be a terrible idea and make him a bad parent and-
“Hey, I said get going, there’s only so many things I can measure by the gate.” He huffs.
Sighing, Byakuya rolls his eyes, “I’ll be back before you can finish measuring then.” He turns, darting back into the town back to the craftsmen shop he was thinking of as quickly as he could.
Adjusting the bag on his back Byakuya quickly heads back to the gate, Senku would be so excited about what he got him, he’s sure. He just hopes he hasn’t kept the kid waiting too long.
“– – let go!”
Byakuya pauses, fingers tightening around the package in his hand. There was another voice, but he knew that one. It was Senku. Instantly picking up the pace he rushes back to the gate so see some grown man gripping his kid’s arm, half hoisting him up as he kicks at him.
“Let me go, you frog-bellied coward, or I’ll call the Furies to dance in your guts!” Senku growls, swinging the measuring rod at the man. They definitely would have to have a talk later about where he was learning this sort of language from.
“Your blood’s worth more than your voice. Be silent.” The bearded man growls.
“You scare donkeys, not boys.” Senku glares, though it’s hidden behind his blindfold.
“I think you should step back from my son.” Byakuya growls, pointing his blade at the man’s throat.
“He see’s oddly well for a blind boy,” The man comments back, not turning his head, “Wear’n so many layers you’d think he’s- you’re hiding something.” He looks back at Byakuya with a disgustingly smug grin, and in the same moment uses his free hand to rip the blindfold off.
What happens next happens incredibly fast, with Senku scrunching his wide eyes shut, swinging the rod at the man’s arm, Byakuya attacking, and the bearded man’s smug gaze meeting Senku’s as they snap shut.
The crunching of stone hitting stone feels deafening in the silence as he free’s his son’s arm. Wasting no time, as there have already been plenty of chances of being spotted, he scoops up Senku and runs practically the whole way up the mountain.
Stupid, what was he thinking, leaving Senku alone? Did he get too complacent? Of course this would happen. Glancing down at the boy curled up in his arms, he’d buried his face in his shirt and his hands were balled into the fabric. He didn’t know where Senku got it, but the kid was all pride, he doubted Senku would admit he was scared. Even if he could feel how much he was shaking in his arms.
“I’m sorry Senku, I shouldn't have left you alone. I won’t do it ever again.” He rubs his back as they enter the edge of the ruins they called home.
“... Stupid old man..” He sniffles, face still buried in fabric.
“Yep, that's me.” He sighs, dropping his bag in the hut, and pulling the rod out of Senku’s hand to put that down as well. “Come on let's go look at the stars.” he hums as he heads back out the door. Passing through old mossy pillars and what used to be doorways he sits on the edge of what was likely once a fountain, now dried up and with ivy creeping down the sides.
They sit in silence for a long while as the moon rises in the sky, air chilling, as Senku continues to hide his face. Byakuya’s eyes are turned up to the sky, watching the stars and absently rubbing circles on Senku’s back.
Glancing down, he grins, “I could bounce my knee if you like.”
“Don’t you dare old man, I’m not a toddler.” The boy grumbles, shifting his position in his lap.
“Alright alright I won't.” He chuckles. “Well if I’m going to be looking at the stars alone, want to tell me what those diagrams you've been working on are?” Byakuya hums, thinking a conversation might distract him and calm the kid down.
“Birds.” Senku says after a moment.
“Birds?” He asks when the scaled boy doesn’t elaborate.
“How they fly and stuff. If I could, I'd like to draw out their entire skeleton and stuff too, get as much data as possible.” His breath was a bit wet still but he’d started sniffing it down.
“So you’re into birds now then?”
He shrugs, “Sorta.” He pauses for a long while. “I’m going to fly, and I think studying them is at least the first step to that, now that I’m done with bugs of course.”
Byakuya glances down, a touch surprised, “Not going to get yourself a flying horse?” He grins, practically able to feel the seven year old roll his eyes.
“Sure a flying horse would be great, but their body structure is all wrong for flight. Birds are small and round, light too. But as far as I'm aware horses are large, boxy, and, correct me if I’m wrong, but heavy as all hell.” while talking Senku had sat back slightly, gesturing with his hands as leans back into Byakuya’s arm, eyes squeezed shut with his old blindfold lost.
The white haired man chuckles, “I guess you’re right, but there’s probably some magic involved.”
“Oh not this again. You have yet to tell me anything that sounds the least bit logical when it comes to magic. Everything works for a reason old man, water turns into gas and falls back down as rain, the earth circles the sun… or the sun circles the earth. These books can't seem to decide which- but anyways! No god moves the sun! And horses can’t fly. Probably.” He huffs, crossing his arms, “I’m going to fly and then, lift the curse,” If he could achieve flight then there's no way he’d have trouble curing himself. “That way no one can get in my way.”
Byakuya smiles, “alright alright. No magic then.” He runs a hand through Senku’s hair, “The gods may try to keep you down but there’s a spark in you they couldn’t see. One day, the heavens will bow to it, and I will be the proudest man beneath them.”
Senku’s ruby eyes snap open in surprise looking up at him, “Touch the moon Senku, the sky was never meant to keep you out. If anyone can soar through them, I’m positive it will be you.” Senku was strong, the strongest kid he knows, and with an even larger heart. The gods are fools and short sighted to have cursed such an intelligent boy. Byakuya just knows Senku will either force the world, the gods, to face him and see what he can do, even with their handicap, or make them regret dismissing him. He just wished he’d be there to see it.
Wide red eyes stare up at his fathers face. He’d never gotten a good look at it before, He’d never seen his eyes before, a gentle round brown. The moon crowned his head in silver, casting a shadow on his body.
“Old man?”
There was a gentle smile on his face as he looked down at him.
“... That’s not funny, old man.”
The crickets were screaming as his hands ball into the fabric of his shirt.
“You’re not going to leave a kid all alone are you? What kind of guy leaves a seven year old alone in the forest, yeah?”
He’d only seen them once, and he was never going to see his brown eyes again.
“I thought you were going to stay with me Byakuya. You said you were never going to leave me alone ever again.” His voice rises as he presses his forehead against stone.
He wasn’t going to hear that stupidly annoying laugh ever again.
“How do you expect to watch me reach the moon if you’re looking at the ground, Byakuya.”
Curling up in the man’s lap he remains stationary for a long time, long enough for the snakes to find him.
“He’ll live forever now.” One hisses in his ear
“Yes, the gift to stay with us forever.” Another hums from his lap .
“I would rather he’d have stayed while also breathing.” Senku’s voice is muffled as he keeps it buried in the fabric of Byakuya’s shirt.
Ignoring the serpents, at some point he must have passed out as when he opens his eyes next the sun is warming his scales and the rock beneath him. Glancing up, he rests his hand on the side of a stone face radiating a tender smile. What happened was no dream.
Turning he gets up, sliding off the old man’s lap. Sitting there being sad any longer wasn’t practical so- He pauses, surprised as something drops to the ground, likely knocked from the man’s pocket. It was wrapped in a sort of papyrus and a string, and evidently what Byakuya had returned to town for.. Handwriting he recognized as his father’s read “Happy Birthday Senku!!” on the packaging.
Picking it up he runs a thumb over it, double checking what he was reading. Inside was a Folding Set of Geometric Tools.
“... Stupid old man. If you spend all your money, how are we going to buy food in the winter?”
“You’re supposed to raise me, not die. Dad.”