Ninth 2010DC post, I think. Written as the first to a series of Hiashi&Hizashi brotherhood drabbles that I never got around to finishing. I like to think of Hiashi and Hizashi as having an almost Ed/Al relationship, both taking turns being the mature one. Poor Hiashi though. He has no idea what kind of life they've been set up to face.

P o w e r

"'Zashi, what's that twirl on your forehead?"

Hiashi's tiny finger pressed against the new, puffy red marking on his brother's forehead, and if he hadn't been staring into the boy's pale eyes he wouldn't have caught the flinch.

"Does it hurt?"

"It's a symbol of power Hiashi." Hizashi spoke quietly, his voice flat and almost clipped. The boy wasn't usually this way, at least not completely, and Hiashi could see in his eyes that something was wrong.

"Power?" Hiashi asked, a puzzled look crossing his baby-fat face. Across the bed Hizashi frowned slightly.

"A symbol of your power."

"My power?"

"Your power over me." Hizashi spoke, and somehow not a hint of spite colored the words, only a faint twinge of pain.

"Power over you?" Hiashi asked, and he felt at a loss because usually it was he answering the younger boy's questions. He'd heard the words before, he'd heard of the 'main family' and the 'branch family', but he'd never really bothered with it all. Training was more important than the politics. All he had to do was get really strong so he and Hizashi could rule the clan together as best they could.

Hizashi nodded, and his eyes narrowed a fraction, shifting down to stare at the pale blue bedspread. "Power over the branch family."

Hiashi still didn't understand.

"But we're family, right? 'Main' or 'branch' doesn't mean anything, those are just something the adults say. Shouldn't I have one too? Aren't we both gonna rule the family together?"

Hizashi shook his head slowly, serenely, almost a little bit sad.

"But we're twins! I mean, our father was the same, it isn't as if I wasn't born to the same father as you-"

"Hiashi." Hizashi spoke sternly, finally looking up to meet his brother's eyes again. Hizashi lifted his small finger to Hiashi's forehead and pressed it delicately. "You're to be the head of the family. This marking shows that I am a member of the branch family. The branch family protects the main family with its life. This shows that I would give my life for you. For the clan."

Hiashi's mouth fell open before finally lifting into a smile, and he pulled his younger brother into a hug.

"You're so serious all the time 'Zashi, you scared me for a second there. 'Course you'd give your all for the clan; so would I! That's what it means to head a family, right? You get the branch, and I get the main, that's totally fair. It's perfect!"

Hizashi smiled sadly.

"Yes Hiashi. It's perfect…"