[January 4] [Basara] Historical Bias
Title: Historical Bias
Day / Theme: January 4 / a noise in the schools
Series: Basara
Character: Sarasa, Hikaru, Ayumu
Rating: G
Word Count: 600
Warning: Um, spoilers for the ending
Sometimes, just sometimes, Sarasa found herself agreeing with her husband’s observation.
“Your children are fearsome,” he had drawled more times than she could count, more in pride than exasperation.
Due to Tatara’s exalted position, Sarasa never had the same relationship with her brother, as the twins had with each other. Singly, they were brilliant and prodigious four-year-olds, but they usually functioned as a synergistic unit. They picked on each other’s brain and, perhaps, even had a language all their own. They inherited their father’s bold streak of competitiveness, and at the back of her mind, Sarasa was a bit wary of the brand of sibling rivalry Shuri had with his brothers. However, the twins hardly turned their prowess onto each other, instead concentrating on besting and outsmarting older kids, and sometimes adults, they believe to be wrong.
The dark, nebulous expressions, identical on their faces, sent ice rolling down her spine. It reminded her of Shuri, those days of profound despair, those days when she feared he hung over an abyss so precariously, she could hardly breathe till he moved again, breathed again.
“What’s wrong?” she finally found voice to ask. In reality, she barely paused, immediately abandoned her work to see to them.
“Mommy, they’re wrong,” Ayumu announced pugnaciously.
Hikaru was a little quieter than his sister and, true to form, came forward to bury his face on his mother’s chest with a fierce nod of agreement.
“The children in Nagi’s school?” Sarasa surmised. She felt another nod from Hikaru in confirmation.
“But Kukuji-san won’t say they’re wrong,” Ayumu continued in tearful indignation. “And, and they said. . . they said there was no Sarasa in Tatara’s army.”
Understanding dawned upon their concerned mother. “Darlings, they don’t know Sarasa,” she explained. “You see, Sarasa didn’t let herself known as much as the others. She remained hidden mostly.”
Hikaru pulled away at this to look up at her. “Sarasa and Tatara are the same,” he said shrewdly. “They don’t know this.”
Her sister paused from angrily scuffing her foot against the gravel, seemingly to think about this. “Okay,” Ayumu conceded with a sniff. “But they still shouldn’t go around saying mommy is dead. And daddy, too.”
Sarasa took a moment to collect her thoughts. And perhaps, it took her longer than a moment, for Ayumu stopped her fidgeting and suddenly joined her brother in snuggling against her.
“We didn’t mean to upset you, mommy,” Hikaru murmured.
“Oh,” Sarasa started, shaking her head to drive away her somber musings. “Oh. Oh no, Hikaru-chan, you didn’t.” She smiled down at them both, running her hands through their earnest faces, to rub away the worry. “I’m not upset, really.”
“Really, mommy?” Ayumu was dubious and quite ready to cry.
“Really,” their mother assured. “But I do know somebody who might get upset.”
“Daddy?” Ayumu guessed. “But daddy is strong!”
“Sometimes, daddy gets his feelings hurt easily,” Hikaru said thoughtfully. “Ayumu, we shouldn’t tell daddy. Remember that time we didn’t eat his mysterious black roast thing?”
“It’s not our fault Motomichi threw up!”
“Motomichi isn’t here now, is he? So, it’s only one of us, if daddy finds out.”
“We should all practice smiling so daddy doesn’t suspect, then,” Ayumu said, practicing with a rather unconvincing grimace.
Sarasa laughed as the two faced and began mirroring each other’s expressions. One day, she and Shuri would have to explain to them why Tatara and the Red King need to stay dead, but for now. . . It was comforting to know that no matter how prodigious, no matter how precocious they were, Ayumu and Hikara were still her babies.
Day / Theme: January 4 / a noise in the schools
Series: Basara
Character: Sarasa, Hikaru, Ayumu
Rating: G
Word Count: 600
Warning: Um, spoilers for the ending
Sometimes, just sometimes, Sarasa found herself agreeing with her husband’s observation.
“Your children are fearsome,” he had drawled more times than she could count, more in pride than exasperation.
Due to Tatara’s exalted position, Sarasa never had the same relationship with her brother, as the twins had with each other. Singly, they were brilliant and prodigious four-year-olds, but they usually functioned as a synergistic unit. They picked on each other’s brain and, perhaps, even had a language all their own. They inherited their father’s bold streak of competitiveness, and at the back of her mind, Sarasa was a bit wary of the brand of sibling rivalry Shuri had with his brothers. However, the twins hardly turned their prowess onto each other, instead concentrating on besting and outsmarting older kids, and sometimes adults, they believe to be wrong.
The dark, nebulous expressions, identical on their faces, sent ice rolling down her spine. It reminded her of Shuri, those days of profound despair, those days when she feared he hung over an abyss so precariously, she could hardly breathe till he moved again, breathed again.
“What’s wrong?” she finally found voice to ask. In reality, she barely paused, immediately abandoned her work to see to them.
“Mommy, they’re wrong,” Ayumu announced pugnaciously.
Hikaru was a little quieter than his sister and, true to form, came forward to bury his face on his mother’s chest with a fierce nod of agreement.
“The children in Nagi’s school?” Sarasa surmised. She felt another nod from Hikaru in confirmation.
“But Kukuji-san won’t say they’re wrong,” Ayumu continued in tearful indignation. “And, and they said. . . they said there was no Sarasa in Tatara’s army.”
Understanding dawned upon their concerned mother. “Darlings, they don’t know Sarasa,” she explained. “You see, Sarasa didn’t let herself known as much as the others. She remained hidden mostly.”
Hikaru pulled away at this to look up at her. “Sarasa and Tatara are the same,” he said shrewdly. “They don’t know this.”
Her sister paused from angrily scuffing her foot against the gravel, seemingly to think about this. “Okay,” Ayumu conceded with a sniff. “But they still shouldn’t go around saying mommy is dead. And daddy, too.”
Sarasa took a moment to collect her thoughts. And perhaps, it took her longer than a moment, for Ayumu stopped her fidgeting and suddenly joined her brother in snuggling against her.
“We didn’t mean to upset you, mommy,” Hikaru murmured.
“Oh,” Sarasa started, shaking her head to drive away her somber musings. “Oh. Oh no, Hikaru-chan, you didn’t.” She smiled down at them both, running her hands through their earnest faces, to rub away the worry. “I’m not upset, really.”
“Really, mommy?” Ayumu was dubious and quite ready to cry.
“Really,” their mother assured. “But I do know somebody who might get upset.”
“Daddy?” Ayumu guessed. “But daddy is strong!”
“Sometimes, daddy gets his feelings hurt easily,” Hikaru said thoughtfully. “Ayumu, we shouldn’t tell daddy. Remember that time we didn’t eat his mysterious black roast thing?”
“It’s not our fault Motomichi threw up!”
“Motomichi isn’t here now, is he? So, it’s only one of us, if daddy finds out.”
“We should all practice smiling so daddy doesn’t suspect, then,” Ayumu said, practicing with a rather unconvincing grimace.
Sarasa laughed as the two faced and began mirroring each other’s expressions. One day, she and Shuri would have to explain to them why Tatara and the Red King need to stay dead, but for now. . . It was comforting to know that no matter how prodigious, no matter how precocious they were, Ayumu and Hikara were still her babies.