Tekishozen jan-feb 2023 prompt: Tiredness

Exhausted and overworked thats what Haruki would describe his current situation, but there was a reason he ever since Kitizens had gone missing he had been practically locked in the old archives. Despite what most who didn’t know him believed, yes he was worried about those who had vanished, sure his grumpy but he's not heartlessly evil. Yet it didn’t click what was happening till he had gotten the report that his own sister had gone missing on one of her monster hunting assignments. Yuki wasn’t the type to just go missing, sure she was the type to wordlessly walk out to fight a dragon and bring it to your doorstep because you accidentally said seeing one would be cool as a kid- He still felt bad for that one on the dragons part. But why her why the girl who gets into so many scapes he spends hours patching her wounds he knows she doesn’t speak much but she was always happy even if didn’t have some mind reading the tail flicks gave it away on her. 

The day Yuki returned was something else, Out of their whole family he is the only one who stayed in a position to take care of her. Their father always busy running the band of mercenaries and their mother running across the land selling goods, No one else could have taken her. When they arrived they had her in a wagon but as soon as he felt the chill in the air he knew. Whatever had happened made her powers go out of control again- just as if she was five. 

While lost in his thoughts he continued to work yet Haruki hadn’t noticed when he walked into a bookshelf too lost in thought, all he heard was a thud before he heard Saya scream if he was okay, he was about to say yes before a pile of scrolls fell and hit him- as Haruki laid there on the floor covered with the centuries old scrolls he wished he at least could of been able to see the future like his father. Saya walked up to him with a look of pity, darn it he probably had been accidentally advertising his thoughts again “I think you need a break”

“These scrolls wont read themselves, if anyone even has that ability I’ll gladly hand them my darn jo-

“We both know that's not what I mean” 

Yes he was right he let his telepathy wander a bit he needed sleep then he could get it back under control but right now between work and Yuki’s fun new powers there wasn’t a break. With a sigh he gets up carefully dodging stepping on the scrolls around him. “I will once we have anything, anything to help” 

Saya was silent, Even without reading her mind her expression said it upstairs there was no answer but there could be one here and they just had to hope. 

As the hours dragged on it felt like they had read through every scroll down there by the time they had managed to find some things that could relate it was morning once again. “If were down here for any longer we might end up with with four eyes” the bite from his voice long since gone
“That's a horrible joke” Saya said with a soft smile, understanding that a month ago that joke meant nothing.
“...You're right, we should report our findings before we take an unwilling nap on the floor of the castle” despite saying that there were a few rugs that seemed mighty comfortable for a bakunap. 

Saya chuckled “only you’d think about the rugs to take a nap on '' she managed to say before bursting into a full bodied laugh. He will give this to her most wouldn’t know he's already rated every rug on comfort levels, that thought made the laugh coming from the kitz even louder. Haruki realized that he'd need to try to get her to stop laughing but at this point the laughter was contagious as he was stuck laughing too. 

Once the two had managed to put themselves back together they cleaned themselves up to be able to at least look presentable before they reached the emperor. Haruki had eyebags that were frankly impressive and his hair was all tangled from being in the dry archives. Honestly he just wanted to get this conversation done with the emperor then sleep for a week. Just power through it he told himself just power- he felt a nudge from the kitizen beside him as they reached the door to the throne room. Haruki pulled himself together one last check of the hair, pushed up his glasses and bring his expression from “I'm more dead then the zombies” too “I'm just grumpy”.

As they stepped into the room they entered with a bow and walked towards the other scholars arguing in circles. Saya wasn’t going to follow him but haruki called her other with a simple hand gesture as they walked the useless arguing and went in circles, everyone bringing up the same point with no end in sight. As he looked at the groups he saw his father standing there probably there to get some job with the recent disappearances mercenary work Yuki probably would of loved the job- as he was thinking that there she was she looked pale and weak she shouldn’t be standing there she should be back home where he left her tucked under 40 layers of blankets. Haruki’s he sent a glare his fathers way, Makkuro shrugs at his sons glare Haruki knows from the body language hes saying “I couldn’t stop her '' which only intensified the glare. Beside him Saya asks in a careful whisper “your family”

“Yes”

“Didn’t your sister get taken?” 

“Yes… and shes not stable enough to be here”

“oh ..”

“I'll take her back home after this” he sighs out of frustration he's just so tired.

They wait standing there amongst the other scholars for their turn to present as its their turn haruki out the corner out of his eye sees Yuki creeps outside partly slouched; he grits his teeth, he’d have to partly rush this.

For boracay fifteen minutes is a new record. He laid the similar cases out and argued with some other scholars but he managed it. He nearly spirited out of the hall. As he exited he saw Yuki slouched in a corner and ice was starting to build up around her. Haruki dashed over and tossed his jacket on her. As he tried to pick up his sister he felt the bitter cold coming from her, he bit his tongue he hated it always hated the cold but he’d put up with this. 

Behind him he can hear his friend call as she walks up behind him, He can tell Saya stops when she can feel the bitter cold. She gives a nod and says “I’ll tell them you're going back home”. Haruki responds with a tired smile and a simple “thanks”.

He rushes out of the palace slowly feeling the new form his sister's powers are turning to; he nearly drops her as her hands turn to ice claws that scratch him. He just needs to get home. 

When he does get home he gently places her back in the pile of blankets. Yuki’s expression is one of pain, He just wishes he could help even if it meant temporarily quitting work to go hunt down the person who did this. But for now he gets up bandage the scratches from carrying her get on some winter clothes, sit beside her and sing the same lullaby that their mother used too.