Broken Wishbone

Define Me

Kiro spent nearly all of the night staring at the badger candle, it was a pale white, and it had two thin white stripes going down to its nose where it should have been black. Inverted coloration maybe, but otherwise, Kiro saw nothing wrong with it. But to have his wish come true? Even if it couldn't bring back the dead, he could still protect who he cared about, his brother, his father, both of them. 

All too soon, did morning come, and he had gained no sleep at all, pale shadows dancing under his eyes.

"Big brother!" 

The air was whooshed out of his body and Kiro found he couldn't breath, a ball of Kyoudai stuck to his chest, the Badger candle still in his hand, fingers curled around it. So long as he did not lose that candle, everything would be okay. It had to be. 

"Kyou....can't...breathe!" Instantly, said little brother was off of him, sheepishly smiling as he let his emerald eyes wander down to his feet. "Sorry Kiro. Its just...its your birthday!" Kiro looked at his little brother, as if his explanation had completely justified why he had so violently woken up Kiro himself. Which, it probably did in the boy's eyes, so really, who could blame him? "What are we doing first then?"

A beaming smile and pearly teeth flashed at him.

"Presents!"

Kiro almost wished he had not asked, but that would be a waste of a wish.

Going down stairs, still dressed in only a long t-shirt and shorts, Kiro yawned into his hands, starteld just a tad when he saw what was there. There was a whole breakfast, pancakes, bacon, omelets, the whole nine yards. "You realize its only us three....right Father?" The same cornflower blue eyes crinkled at him in silent laughter, and Kiro had his answer. Their father never talked much, always feeling words wasted the meaning of emotion, and currently, Kiro could see why he thought that way.

"Presents?"

Kiro nodded at Kyoudai, and the boy beamed, crawling over to the smallest box, wrapped in a brilliant jade color. The eldest opened the box slowly, as it just screamed fragile. Which, when the lid came off, he was proven right.

It was a magatama necklace, jade colored with hints of teal and silver coloring. It was glossy, and heavy in his palm. It hung in mirror image to his brother's, and Kiro knew it had been his father to get him such a thing.

"Thank you...I really do like it." 

A quiet smile was all he recieved, coupled with crinkled edges around his eyes.

"Open mine now!"

"Alright, Alright." The magatama looped around his throat, Kiro opened the next box, startled to find a Happuri, they didn't come cheap, not at all. Gingerly, he lifted the piece of armor from its container, fitting it to his face. There were cherry blossoms engraved into the metal, and it fit snugly around his features. It would take some getting used to, but it was well worth it.

"I...I went around and did extra chores in the village, I wanted it made specially for you!" Kyoudai chirped into his ears, and Kiro could only laugh, snorting when he did, only causing his younger brother to do the same.

"How long did you work for this?"

"Two moons, but it wasn't that much!"

For a boy Kyoudai's age, Kiro knew he was lying. But he let it pass. "Theres only one box left, but I want you to blow out the candles before you do anything else." His father spoke, his blind eyes searching for something. Quietly, Kiro placed the Badger candle in the center, and it lit.

1...

2..

3.

The house engulfed itself in flames.