Chapter Text
A quiet creaking echoed inside the house. The twins didn't seem to notice, their eyes drooped close against their will and their words slurred together making them more of a jumbled and incoherent mess than Shinsuke was accustomed to. Usually he could interpret their nonsensical babbles, translate them into something he could understand but sleep is one hell of a drug for six year olds.
Wood creaks under unwelcomed weight.
Ah, Shinsuke needs to focus.
“How about we play a game of hide and seek,” he said to the twins, masking the buzzing of nerves under his skin at the prospect of intruders. The feeling in his gut that screamed danger.
“But I wanna sleep,” Osamu groaned from his place by the window. Last round he had hidden behind the curtains, unbeknownst to him his small socked feet could be seen plain as day underneath the drapes.
Atsumu nodded sleepily where he laid on the floor.
“Just one round,” Shinsuke smiled.
Osamu looked at his brother for advice and received a sleepy nod in response. “Ok.”
Shinsuke rose to his feet and walked to their bedroom door. “I’ll go outside your room and count to sixty, meanwhile you have to hide.” He looked over his shoulder. “Ready?”
“Go, go,” Atsumu urged as he stood up.
“Ok, ok.” He stepped outside and gently closed the door behind him, locking it from the outside. Just in case. The wood of the door was thick and strong, it would hold even if someone were to rush in or try and kick it open. It would also work as a sound proof barrier.
Rolling his shoulder until a satisfying crack echoed in the house Shinsuke grabbed the sword mounted on the wall. It was dull, a thin layer of dust covered it but he could make up for the sword's less than stellar quality. It was supposed to just be for decoration, a memento from times long passed but it was the closest weapon he had.
The hilt fit easily in his hand, a familiar weight, a familiar feeling.
“Let’s begin,” he called out into the dark house, the command wasn't directed at the two little boys scrambling to hide inside their room. No. it was directed at the number of people that thought they could invade his home and not face the consequences.
One. he said as he kicked off his slippers.
Two. He deepened his breathing.
Three. The first of the intruders made themselves known.
By ten second mark the intruder laid on the floor, blood darkening the carpet underneath, dripping lacily from the deep cut in their throat. The smell brought home some memories Shinsuke chose to file away until later notice. There were still people inside his home.
By fifteen seconds two intruders showed themselves and by thirty seconds they were both freshly impaled.
By thirty five two more showed up, one big and tall and the other petite. Shinsuke focused on the big one at first seeing as the latter looked like a gust of wind could make them tumble. He rushed to the big one, cutting the wrists that handled the gun. Just as the man was about to scream he stuffed his mouth with his own sleeve. With a satisfying crack Shinsuke snapped his neck.
By forty the big one was down on the floor, blood soaked into Shinsukes socks. Good lord, this would be hell to clean.
By forty three he realized the other one was nowhere to be found. He looked over his shoulder to find they had sneaked past him and were trying to open the twin’s room.
By fifty the stranger was dismembered, crying out softly, breathing their last breath. In the same moment the last intruder came up the stairs, Shinsuke would have to make this one faster if he didn't want to face the twin’s warth from taking too long counting.
Fifty-six. The person charged ahead.
Fifty-seven. Shinsuke easily dodged swipe after swipe.
Fifty-eight, The stranger lowered their guard and received a sword to the gut.
Fifty-nine. Shinsuke gently took off his socks and placed the sword back on the wall.
Sixty.
Shinsuke sighed and opened the door behind him. “Ready or not, here I come,” he called into the room, leaving behind a mountain of bodies outside the door. Clicking the door shut and locking it from the inside. Clean up can come after both boys are sound asleep.
“Where could those two be?” he asked dramatically. A stifled giggle resonated in the room and Shinsuke smiled, amused. He walked around the room for a few moments, so as to up the tension.
“Are they even here I wonder.” The giggling intensified
In the end Atsumu was hiding inside the hamper underneath all the dirty clothes. Osamu found himself a little nest in the closet, half covered by clothes and coats.
“Alright sleep time,” Shinsuke said as he grabbed one boy under each arm.
“Noooo,” Osamu whined. He tried to wriggle himself out of Shinsuke’s grasp. “I'm too awake now. i wanna keep playing. Tsumu agreed with me, he wants to keep playing.”
Shinsuke looked under his right arm and found Atsumu out cold, resting his head on Shinsukes shoulder, drooling a bit.
“Uh-huh,:” he said. “Tell ya what, how about we read a bedtime story?”
Osamu thought hard. “Mkay,” he said.
Shinsuke laid Atsumu on his bed and stuck the bed rails in place. Atsumu liked to move in his sleep and would sometimes roll off his bed and fall hard on his face. The bed rail was mainly for preventing him from falling. A safety guard barrier.
Atsumu didn't stir as he was left to sleep on his bed. Shinsuke straightened up slowly so as to not upset his sore muscles. He hadn’t exercised in so long, the little workout a few minutes ago did a number on him. Osamu kicked his feet into Shinsukes stomach to make him move faster. His little kicks were soft and barely noticeable but Shinsuke made it a point to wince.
“No violence in this house,” he said warningly, ignoring the irony that came from him saying that, of all people.
“Sorry,” Osamu said. “I'm too strong.” Shinsuke chuckled as he adjusted Osamu in his arms, he made his way to the other bed.
“Yeah I noticed.” He set Osamu down on his bed. Shinsuke sat as well, with his back to the headboard. “But we have to control our strength so that we don't hurt anyone, yeah?”
“Okay,” Osamu said exasperatedly. He crawled around Shinsuke’s chest until he found a comfortable spot underneath his arm. “Ready,” he called out.
Shinsuke shushed him gently. “Your brother’s sleeping.”
“Tsumu won't wake up,” Osamu informed him with certainty.
Shinsuke nodded. “Well, what do we wanna read,” he asked.
“The one we read yesterday!”
“Again?” Shinsuke asked playfully.
Osamu nodded seriously.
“Alright.” Shinsuke leaned down to get the book from Osamu's nightstand. He grabbed the now familiar book and got more comfortable in bed. The only source of light was the little lamp by the door which illuminated the room in a gentle yellow hue, as well as the small night light that always stuck around after dark.
“Kita,” Osamu called out quietly.
“Yes?”
“Tsumu doesn't like books.”
“He doesn’t,” he agreed.
“ I like books.”
Shinsuke hummed. “That's great, I like books too,” he informed the little boy.
Osamu quieted down for a second. “Ok,” he said in the end. “Read,” he ordered.
Shinsuke chuckled and got to reading the same story for the twentieth time in a row. He barely got three pages in when Osamu's head slowly plopped itself on his shoulder.
These kids, he thought fondly.
Carefully he extracted himself from the bed, loosening Osamu’s little fists that were tightened around his shirt. Shinsuke looked back before opening the door. Atsumu’s quiet snores and Osamu’s deep breaths. The blue night light by the window, the stuffed animals littered on the ground, the half done puzzles on the small table, the overabundance of books by Osamu’s night stand.
Shinsuke smiled to himself and with care closed the door behind him. The smell of dead body was as awful as he remembered. He sighed. Taking out his phone Shinsuke dialed a number he knew by heart.
“Are you down for some nightly clean up?” he asked.
Aran groaned, “You have people for this kind of thing. Why are you calling me?”
“Because I don't want strangers in my house.” Only one person knew where Shinsuke lived and he was the only one who knew about the twins as well.
“How many are we talking,” Aran asked reluctantly.
“Five I think?”
Some ruffling could be heard on the other end of the line. “Fine. I’m taking this as a win, you never ask for help.”
“Ah,” Kita smiled despite himself. “Look at me growing up.”
“Yeah,” Aran huffed. “See you soon.”
“Bye,” Shinsuke ended the call.
He locked the boy's door and went to find a mop.