I know this isn’t in your normal request structure, but I really want to see a fiction where Reyoma keeps lecturing Takumi about stuff he keeps messing up on, and Takumi ends up getting really mad at Ryoma. I imagine it happening sometime before the war, as something that feeds his insecurities you know? (This sort of thing happens between me and my sibling and it made me think about if something like this happened between the two of them.)
Hey there!!!
Finally, I am done with your request! Sooo sorry it took me so long to finish it - -’’
As you may have seen I had quite the struggle with this fic at first, but I pulled through and now I quite like the final result ^^ I did derailed a bit from the prompt you gave me so I hope you’ll still like it ^^’’
(And don’t worry for not using the typical prompts, I gladly accept all type of request ^^)
So here goes!
Prompt: none in particular
Pairings: Takumi & Ryoma (no ships)
Warnings: Angst (but it’s Takumi so no big surprise).
Also take note that Takumi is a very unreliable narrator xD Open ending so you can chose which path Corrin will chose later on ^^
- Takumi!
Ryoma’s voice resonatedfrom the end of the hallway and Takumi instantly stopped in his tracks, sighingand preparing himself for what was to come. As his brother’s footsteps gotcloser and closer, the younger prince closed his eyes, fists clenched inanticipation.
Even if he knew Ryomahad caught up to him, Takumi chose to stay silent while waiting for his brotherto initiate the conversation.
- Would you care toexplain to me what happened back there at the council?
Ryoma’s tone was stern,strong and demanding. His voice stayed calm, yet Takumi could feel theunderlying scolding laced in it.
- Nothing…
His own voice feltmeek and subdue. He tried to sound detached and composed, but like every other timebefore, he lost it all when facing his brother.
- Exactly. Nothing atall!
The samurai’s voicewent up a notch and Takumi felt himself flinch involuntarily.
- Not once did youraise your voice to contribute to the discussion. You just sat there, with thatforlorn look in your eyes, as if only waiting to be dismissed from the room.Tell me… Am I wrong?
Even if his wordswere phrased in the form of a question, Ryoma left no place for contradiction.No matter how much Takumi could protest, his brother had already made up hismind about what was true and would not listen to him. He had learned thatlesson before and didn’t even attempt to defend himself.
- No…
A long silencelingered for what felt like an eternity while Takumi could feel, without evenseeing it, the glare of disappointment from his brother crushing him down.
- Takumi…
A word and sigh.That’s all it took for the tears to start brimming at the corner of the young prince’seyes as his teeth gritted tightly. Yet, he just stood there and said nothing…How pathetic.
And Ryoma continued.Continued to berate him about how he is a prince of Hoshido, how he hasresponsibilities and that he couldn’t just be slacking off. “This is a war theyare fighting and doesn’t he want revenge for Father and Corrin? Hinoka andSakura all seemed to understand it so, why couldn’t he?”
Takumi had heard itall before… So many times he stopped counting, truly.
The first event he couldrecall happened not too long after their father’s death. Hoshido was nowwithout a king and, despite Queen Mikoto stepping up to assume the role ofleader, Ryoma still had to bear the pressure of both being the future king and havingto take on the mantle as the new defender of the family. And, although Takumidid understand that his brother’s position was difficult, he couldn’t help butfeel that Ryoma had become much stricter and demanding, especially towards hisyounger brother.
So, one day, while theywere all sitting at the family table, the samurai suddenly brought up how herecently learned that the two youngest royals had been trying to avoid attendingthe last formal event. Being put on the spot like that was already rather humiliating,however, when Ryoma turned around to put the blame solely on the younger princeinstead of scolding them both, Takumi just couldn’t believe it.
Yet, there it was andthe young boy could only sit there, as his brother clearly explained how such ascheme had to have come from him and that he clearly was a bad influence on hislittle sister.
Truth be told, it wasSakura who had been the one to come to him and ask for a way out of theseevents. She hated being in front of people and having so much attention on her,with her stutter and shyness only making it a real nightmare. Takumi alsodreaded these events, mainly because he hated playing the social type,especially in such dire times. That’s why he instantly acceptedto help both of them find an escape plan.
Ryoma, however, didn’tknow that. And there was no way Takumi would try to get out of this mess byblaming his sweet little sister.
Therefore, he stayedsilent. He could feel the heavy disappointed and judgemental looks from hisfamily crush him, yet he chose to stay his tongue. And, despite Sakura’s pleato let her confess the truth to Ryoma and Mother, Takumi hushed her to staysilent, somehow feeling it was his cross to bear.
And it went on foryears.
No matter what hedid, it always ended up being the wrong thing to do, in Ryoma’s eyes anyway.From his choice of clothing not being appropriate for a prince, to his attitudethat was apparently too off-putting, every aspect of his life seemed to bedisapproved by his older brother.
On the day he waschosen as the bearer of the Fujin Yumi, Takumi foolishly found himself thinkingthat, finally, it would show his brother that he was actually worth something. Afterall, he was now the only one in the family, besides Ryoma, to be able to wielda divine weapon. But, if he indeed showed some pride on the day of thediscovery, the samurai was quick to remind him of the pressure it also involvedand that he now had to prove himself worthy of such a legendary item.
And Ryoma wouldremind him, constantly. Should his training get even slightly slacking orshould he end up losing against some of the castle’s retainers, he would havehis brother lecturing him on how he had to be more serious and diligent. TheFujin Yumi wasn’t just any weapon and he had to show the proper reverence andresolve it deserved.
Yet, even when Takumitook his words to heart and almost lost himself in his training, there werestill things to criticize in his brother’s perspective.
According to Ryoma,princes couldn’t rely on brute force alone and he needed to hone his intellectjust as much as his strength.
It’s not that Takumidisagreed with his brother on that point, after all, history books had alwaysbeen a passion of his. Except that now, instead of enjoying a good read by thefireplace, he had to read through every book he could come across, subject bedamned, in hopes that it could provide crucial information in their war againstthe kingdom of Nohr.
The books were interestingand he did find himself learning a lot of things he really enjoyed, but havingto read through countless books out of obligation to his country instead ofpassion, took a lot out of the experience. However, he kept those thoughts tohimself again and simply did as he had been instructed.
Nevertheless, whenall was said and done… it still wasn’t enough.
And now, here he was, being lecturedabout his lack of participation in the war meetings, as if his brother didn’trealize how pointless it would be. The people of the council wanted Ryoma, theHigh Prince and defender of Hoshido, and not Takumi, the always useless secondprince.
But, like in every past instancewhen faced with his brother’s disapproval, he kept his mouth shut, simply feelingthe weight on his heart grow heavier.
- So, can I count on you to, at thevery least, try to show some interest in the next council?
Takumi already knew there was onlyone possible answer to his brother’s query.
- Yes brother…
The words were empty and he’dalready given this answer more time than he could remember. Yet, it seemed tosatisfy the samurai who nodded approvingly before turning around.
- Very well. I will be counting onyou from now on.
Then, for a second, there was somesort of hesitation in the air. As if unsaid words were just hanging there, inwait to be spoken.
- Takumi…
There was something in the samurai’svoice. Something that Takumi couldn’t quite pin down. Something that made hisheart beat with a hint of hope, though the archer didn’t even know what he washoping for.
-…. Good night brother.
And, with that, the moment was gone.Ryoma simply continued forward in the hallway, walking away from the youngerprince.
And Takumi was left there, feelingonce more like a fool.
Before anyone could see him, he quicklyturned around and ran towards his room, eyes tightly shut to stop the tearsfrom running down his cheeks.
But it all came crashing through the moment he found himself behind closed doors,unable to contain his bottled emotions any longer.
His back slowly slid down againstthe door until he was sitting on the floor of his room, knees huddled close,while he buried his head in his arms to muffle the sound of his sobs. Likeevery day before, he would probably end up crying himself to sleep, only forhis fear of failure to follow him in the nightmares that would then fill hisnight.
What a pathetic sight for a princeof Hoshido, his brother would probably say.
Yet, Takumi couldn’t help it. Itjust hurt too much. He always tried so hard to keep everything under control,to not show his emotions, his weakness. All he ever wanted was for his familyto be proud of him. For his brother to acknowledge all the hard work he wasdoing.
But it was never enough… HE wasnever enough.
The full moon was bright in the sky andits light was falling perfectly on Takumi, as a spotlight shining on hisfaults. When he finally raised his eyes andhis gaze fixated itself on the star filled sky, the Hoshidan prince suddenly feltsomething shift in him.
What was he doing, crying on theground like a little child?
With a swipe of his arm, he quicklywiped away his tears, instantly hardening his face.
That was enough.
Now, he had to be strong. More thanthat, he had to stand tall and proud, to really become the prince he wassupposed to be.
No more tears, Takumi decided.Starting today, he would keep it all inside. He wouldn’t let his weakness show.He wouldn’t let anybody, not even his siblings, close enough to hurt himanymore. He would build walls around his heart and simply focus. Focus onproving himself.
Filled with a new purpose, thearcher rose up from the ground, walking slowly towards his window. And, as he baskedin the light of the moon, the Hoshidan prince hardened his resolve.
No longer would he let his family’sdisapproval shame him in thinking he couldn’t do it. Not even Ryoma’s. He woulddo what was necessary. He would work tirelessly, endlessly, to prove to theworld what he was worth.
And maybe that day… maybe thenightmares and the pain would finally go away…
Yes, Takumi thought, he WOULD provehe was a true prince of Hoshido!
Or he would die trying…