Kagemitsu's birthday is today, so I had to write a little bit of angst for his birthday! This takes place after Kagemitsu gets back to the Kumo Shrine after Hirari sacrifices himself to bring Botan back and Utsutsu is adopted into one of the families at the Tsurugi Shrine.
The journey back to the Kumo Shrine from the Tsurugi Shrine was long and exhausting. The journey there was already long and eventful, but going back home was just as mentally exhausting, with everything Kagemitsu had to think about. He'll name a successor and help guide Hirari and Botan with a laugh? What was he thinking proclaiming something like that? Guiding? Laughing? He doesn't know much about that! Sure, his personality is a bit stranger than most, he recognizes that at least, but deliberately making someone laugh? How is he supposed to go about doing that!? Heck! How is he even supposed to love and protect Oumi?
Kagemitsu sighs as he's walking up the steps to the Kumo Shrine.
"Whatta pain in my neck."
As he gets to the top, Kagemitsu sighs again as he sees the disarray of splintered wood, broken roof tiles and tools scattered around the area. Only the important parts of the home had been reconstructed before he had to take Utsutsu to the Tsurigi Shrine where they adopted her to help protect her.
He looks around and all the events that took place here from before flashes in front of his eyes: the man he looked up to the most, the previous protector of Oumi, transforming into the Orochi and destroying the shrine in the process. He remembers how he hardly did anything and how Hirari had to protect both Botan and him as Sasaki went on a rampage, as the newly awakened Orochi. Being Botan's shield was his own job, and yet, Hirari was the one who lost an arm being a real shield for Botan.
Kagemitsu kicks a rock and it hits a nearby broken roof tile, causing it to chip more, but he pays it no mind. He'll deal with that later.
As much as he wishes he could rest, there's too much work that needs to get done, so he strolls on over to the partially built frame to the entryway of the home and puts down his hat and travel bag. He picks up a hammer, flipping it in his hand a few times and continues the rebuilding of the Kumo Shrine.
He continues working for a while, the silence slowly eating away at him. Hirari had stayed with him after Botan had successfully sealed away the Orochi, but he would always disappear without warning for several hours. It was silent while Hirari was gone, but he'd always return. That was a different kind of silence. When Botan and Sasaki were still living here and he would lay in his futon late at night, wondering how he ever got to live this kind of life, that was also a different kind of silence. Or when he was much younger and he'd camp out in the field and kill anyone, or shoo away any animal that would come and steal his crops, that was also a different kind of silence. This type of silence, it wraps around his throat, making it hard to breathe, hard to move, blurs his vision and there's nothing he can do about it. This silence is a reminder that he's the only one here. No Botan. No Hirari. No Sasaki. No Sasaki... No...
He remembers all the time he spent here with Botan and Sasaki, as if they were all a happy family. The three of them would go into town together and Kagemitsu would ride on Sasaki's back and they all would laugh as he's purched up high. He and Sasaki bought Botan a comb, because they cherished her and she always took good care of them. All the times Botan would patch up his wounds and scold him for being reckless with a sad look on her face and he would embarrassingly apologize over and over. The wonderful meals the three of them would share together and the animals that would come and want to play. This was his most cherished family. Even Hirari, who he resented at first, he saw as his most cherished family. They're all gone and they left him all alone. He doesn't have anyon-
Suddenly, Kagemitsu hears a squeak and he looks over to find Poko excitedly wagging his tail and, marching in place, so excited to jump towards Kagemitsu and be held by him.
He can't help but smile and the silence slips from around his throat. He throws the hammer to the ground and it makes a loud thud while dust flies into the air around it. Kagemitsu opens his arms towards the small Tanuki that's always been here, the one that's always made up the fourth member of their makeshift family.
Whenever someone would mention there's three of them in the family, Kagemitsu would scold them ferociously saying, "What're ya talkin' about!? Of course we also have Poko! He's a loyal member of this family, too! Don't'cha dare leave 'im out!"
Now he needs to be scolded for forgetting about Poko. Of course he's not alone. Poko's here and he'll always be here causing mischief and getting Kagemitsu to laugh.
Kagemitsu can't help but laugh and say, "Come here, Poko."
Poko gets even more excited and jumps into Kagemitsu's arms where he holds him tight and snuggles into his thick, bushy fur.
"Of course I'm not alone, cause I'll always have you. Yeah... I can do this."
