Chapter Text
Ajax didn’t know where the boy came from. Neither had his subordinates when he asked. The boy was found lying in an alley next to Fatui headquarters. He was naked, bleeding, obviously traumatized, and from the look of pure hatred that flashed through his eyes when he was first discovered, the boy was after blood.
Ajax’s men had brought him into the large Fatui office building and kept him in a small locked room. Usually such a room was used for unsavory, violent methods of collecting information. But a cot was brought into the cold cement block cell and, now, peering through a double sided mirror, Ajax stared at the mysterious boy inhabiting the room.
He was deathly pale, skin so white that his veins stood out like a strange disease spreading over his whole body. The boy was given a blanket to cover himself with, and he was currently curled into a ball on the cot. Unfortunately for the poor creature, the blanket could not hide the multitude of cuts that littered his body. His wrists, thighs, and chest were covered with them. The edges of them were still crusted with blood, and when he first saw them, Ajax immediately thought what a strange feeling it must be for the boy to touch his own skin. But then again, maybe that is what he wanted, for the wounds looked to be self inflicted. The swollen cuts formed ridges all over his body. The largest of them were two deep slashes going diagonal through the boy’s stomach. These were different from the others. The small layer of yellow fat shone through in some places where the knife went deepest. And although the blood had long since stopped flowing, the tender exposure of the boy’s insides was just as disturbing to look at as a fresh wound.
Every time the boy moved he sharply inhaled through his teeth, shocked at the pain caused by the two gaping slits in his abdomen. When he was first brought in, the boy’s wounds were inspected thoroughly, and treated. He was given a mild painkiller, but no amount of first aid could prevent him from feeling that sort of pain. Their division’s doctor was away, so rather than haphazardly stitching the boy’s stomach together, they opted to just clean and bandage it in a large white patch.
He hadn’t said anything since his arrival, just a small nod of thank you when he was given covering. Ajax pitied him, but did not trust him either.
The boy opened his eyes when Ajax came into the room. He made no effort to uncurl his body from its tight ball. Ajax stood there, and when it was clear that he would not be acknowledged any further, he cleared his throat and asked, “What’s your name kid?”
His question was met with a blank stare, followed by a shaky whisper of a name.
“Kuni…”
“What was that?” Ajax repeated, trying to keep his tone light, “Kuni-something?”
“Kuni or Kunikuzushi.”
“Ah, that’s it! It’s very nice to meet you Kunikuzushi, are you feeling better?”
A nod.
“You were in pretty rough shape when my men found you, can you tell me what happened to you?” He had posed it as a question, but Ajax was not going to let some suspicious child enter their organization without fully learning their intentions. Even if Kunikuzushi declined to answer, Ajax would have found a method to extract the information from him.
He found it odd how the boy was found so close to their headquarters. The back alleys of Snezhnaya were never clear of the disenfranchised, but the poverty-stricken tended to stay away from the Fatui main office buildings.
Another thing Ajax found odd was the depth of the wounds on Kunikuzushi’s stomach. They were not meant to kill him— they were obviously not deep enough. But they were still large and eye-catching. If they were a punishment, he truly did not see the point. Why cut someone who already savagely cuts at themselves?
With such questions in his head, he was definitely not going to just let the boy avoid answering.
“Did someone hurt you, Kuni?” Ajax persisted, “You can tell us. You are safe now. And once we figure out what happened to you we can get you some real clothes and proper bedding, how does that sound?”
“I am not a child,” Kunikuzushi replied. His speaking voice was smooth, feminine, and slightly petulant. Surprising for someone who was just rescued from the cold, wet streets.
“You’re not?” Ajax asked.
“I’m not.”
“Well now that we have established that you are most definitely not a child, how about you tell me what happened to you?”
Kunikuzushi stared at him for a minute before sitting up and pulling the blanket tight around him. When he did so, Ajax managed to catch another view of his body. Up close, it was much worse. The skinny creature reminded him of his younger brothers, with their large eyes, and bones poking through their skin from years of malnutrition.
He also saw Kunikuzushi’s genitals. Instead of a penis, a small slit ran between his legs, and a small rose colored nub sat right at the top of it. Despite the situation, Ajax couldn’t help but feel a small spark inside him at the sight. It looked delicate, and there was something about its perfection that made him want to ruin it.
“I was cast aside,” Kunikuzushi whispered, “I was thrown away.”
“Now why was that? Who did this to you?”
“I didn’t want to be a common Shogunate wh-whore,” Kuni stuttered out, words laced with venom— and fear.
So it was the Raiden Shogun who was the root of his suffering. The Shogunate was the Inazuman equivalent of the Fatui— a group of criminals whose violence was sanctioned by their archon.
“So you were going to be a prostitute?”
“No. I already was. I am a subject of the Mighty Shogun, and I was given as a gift to a nobleman. That was until he tired of me,” Kuni spat out, “That is all I wish to say about it. I’m sure you can imagine the details.”
“Well if you are from Inazuma, how did you get to Snezhnaya, more specifically how did you find this office?”
Kunikuzushi looked up at him with large violet eyes, sparkling with tears.
“I… heard about your… group. The Fatui. I wish to join your organization.”
Ajax smiled at this, “Very well then. Once you heal you may apply for admission and training—“
“No! N-not like that,” Kunikuzushi cried, his face flushing, “I’m not a fighter— and I’m not very smart either…”
He uncurled from his ball and sat on the edge of the cot, letting the blanket pool around his waist. Kuni’s feet barely touched the ground, and he kicked them like an impatient child.
“I was hoping to be your servant, Sir. I specifically wished to be,” Kuni pulled the blanket to the side, “Your personal servant.”
Ajax was taken aback at the sudden promiscuity. The boy’s legs were spread slightly, exposing his delicate parts. He must be freezing , Ajax thought.
Kunikuzushi continued to stare up at him with wide eyes. He was now blushing furiously. He shifted his thighs further apart to make it clearer what he was implying.
For a moment Ajax was transfixed by the boy’s body. He looked so young . And desperate. His stomach heaved as he inhaled deeply, making the deep cuts move with it.
What would it be like to touch the bumpy skin of his arms? Or taste it? What would it be like to spread those legs fully, and leave that hole gaping?
“Ah, I see,” Ajax laughed slightly, “Well then, come along Kunikuzushi. Let’s take you to your new rooms.”