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[Tenka just chuckles at that. Of course Tenka wants to get to know them as people - he always wants to get to know people. It's just a strange thought that the group of people he met through his father, through this squad he made.... will no longer be in that squad.

But there are worse things, he thinks. So he's just shaking his head fondly.]

Oi, I better! I'm still talking about you guys coming over for dinner once all the rough stuff is taken care of. It'd almost be like old times when we went over to our house after training.

You can probably be the one to convince Ashiya to come this time around, right?

[Yeah you'd better focus on getting to know them as people. They've been very neglected by you, Tenka. Neglected.

...Right, Ashiya.]

He will come. [SO THERE.] Don't concern yourself with that.

[Because quite frankly, Ashiya is part of the family too, and Sousei is certain of that. ~~no more living in a box now~~.]

It will be...worth doing. [Not like old times, but........ close enough, maybe.]

[Don't talk to him about neglect when he's the one who raised two kids and a ninja since he was 13, assholes.

Anyway.]

Of course it's worth doing. It's the Yamainu at the Cloudy Shrine! It's been way too long - I think the old place has missed you guys.

[Also Tenka has missed them and maybe that's the closest he can get to really admitting that since he doesn't feel like he has the right to since he's the one who made the choice to leave.

But the last time they were all at the shrine, Tenka was just staring after their retreating backs. He'd rather return to the practice of having happier memories than that.]

[... The shrine has missed them, huh...admittedly, it was a huge change, walking away and intending to never go back. He supposes Takeda did something right then (even if he's still irritated by his actions that day).

He's quiet for a moment, and then he focuses on his meal.]

... Is that so.

[The shrine has missed them... well, maybe it has. But it's not like he can claim it as a certainty without looking egocentric, and...honestly, he's not sure how to respond to that.]

Sure! Villagers still stop by regularly but it's not the same as the entire squad coming over all at once and causing a ruckus.

[Also just having Chuutarou running around is different than having Tenka, Sousei, Kiiko, and the little baby brothers making trouble.

Tenka knows that much, but no one else in the shrine knows any difference but him. Maybe it's why he goes out of his way to be loud and noisy - it's just too much quiet if he's not.

But he doesn't say that. Instead, he just sighs.]

... It'd be good to have everyone together again.

[They really can't go back to that earlier time, though, and Sousei isn't sure if this is Tenka trying to make amends, or Tenka trying to turn things back to the way they were. Because things have changed, and things that are broken can't always be mended to the way they were before.

There will always be differences.

Part of him wonders if Tenka will be disappointed by the picture they make, when they really are all assembled there, and there are still two people missing.]

... I suppose so. It has been a long time. [He'll admit that much.] Do not get ahead of yourself, however. We still have work to do.

[Orochi slayin' and all.]

You said you found the way to separate the Orochi from the vessel?

[Right? He remembers that, it's kind of really important. It's sort of what he spent the last ten years trying to figure out, desperately searching for a way that he wouldn't have to kill one of his friends or family. So to have that answer...

Tenka just grins rather unashamedly, not a speck of hesitation on this one.]

Then of course we'll defeat it.

[There's absolutely nothing stopping him anymore.]

We did.

[... honestly. Once he puts his mind to something, it's going to get done. He decided to not let Soramaru die, and so...here they are. Of course, he had a great deal of help, but part of it is just his ridiculous unwillingness to give in.]

And we will. But that does not mean we can slack off simply because we're nearly there. [Tenka.]

[Well, that honestly surprises him a little before he rolls his eyes. Then after taking another bite of his food, he says more seriously.]

The Orochi has my brother, Sousei.

[He hasn't forgotten. He'll never forget. Tenka's a master of continuing his days doing dumb things while dark truths linger in the back of his mind.]

I don't know how to slack off as long as that's true.

[If he speaks with great assurance and without hesitation, it's only because he can't fathom what he'd do if they didn't win.]

[And in contrast to Tenka being serious for once, Sousei responds easily with--]

If you were this serious all the time about our work, it would be admirable.

[BUT NO......WHAT A SLACKER.]

Whose work? I don't know what work you're trying to get me to do now. I've been doing great at my job.

[both in Cereal and at home, so whatever]

[Pshhhhh]

You have rarely been serious about any work.

I'm serious when I need to be!

[mostly]

[uh...huh.......]

... I suppose so. [about things like keeping villagers safe. and also serial killers??? like. work on your priorities, partner.]

Soramaru takes his work more seriously than you.

That's because Soramaru was born way too serious - just like you.

[He nods sagely in response to that. Yeah, his little brother is growing up too fast. Please don't become like this gloomy ponytail, kthnx.]

He has a proper sense of duty.

[FIGHT HIM.]

I would not have taken him on otherwise.

[Tenka will fight anyone over his little brothers, BRING IT.

But that's enough to get him to roll his eyes.]

He's 16, Sousei. Just because you and I grew up too fast doesn't mean that he has to. [siiiiiigh.] He's too eager to knock his older brother out of the picture.

[oh please. Sousei frowns slightly at that, shaking his head.]

He's eager to make his older brother acknowledge him.

[Honestly.]

Not to get rid of him. But now I see how he became so determined to do so in the first place.

[Well, now that's a surprise. Admittedly, Tenka knows that there's a lot of complicated feelings going on with Soramaru, particularly with how he wants to get stronger - so much so that he'll run off to Sousei to make it happen. But acknowledgement? He never thought that was in question.]

I love Soramaru.

[Fact.]

He's gonna surpass me one of these days - I've told him so.

But I still think he's trying too hard to be strong, though. He needs to be a kid sometimes - crying and asking for help and everything that comes with it.

Obviously.

[You're not telling him anything new, Tenka, jeeze. He figured this out just fine on his own.]

Love is not the same as respect. But he will earn it on his own. Do not concern yourself with it.

[He's got it well in hand, Sousei thinks.]

[ . . . . and Tenka's just going to snort softly at that.]

You can't just tell a big brother not to concern himself with his little brother.

That's not how family works.

And you can't simply say that you know he will surpass you and expect him to be content with that.

[That's not how family works either. Soramaru is competitive too--and they'd tried so very hard to best each other when they were that competitive.]

Of course he would try to surpass you by any means necessary.

[That much manages to get Tenka to wrinkle his nose in distaste.]

Why not? I never thought I'd get stronger than my old man - just being told would've been good enough until it happened!

[Is what he says, but who knows? Tenka just waves a hand then.]

He should just get to be a kid for a while anyway. Or else he'll get caught up in duty and responsibilities way too fast. That's no way for a kid to grow up!

[Just another case of Tenka hoping that Soramaru never grows up to be like him.]

[You're clueless, Tenka..... Sousei just tilts his head slowly.]

Soramaru can't be convinced to be a child anymore, as much as he is one.

[It's just fact. He's seen too much, and quite frankly--]

He wants to be useful to you too badly for that.

Tell me about it.

[Tenka huffs in response. There's probably still a fairly fresh scar on his back from his most recent stab wound when Soramaru was so eager to be useful to him.]

But I'm not trying to convince him - half of it is just getting him to relax a little! Hang out with kids his own age!

[Not bothering with convincing anymore. Just straight force.]

At least for a couple years, I had you and Kiiko.

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