Ave atque vale (COWT10, week 6, m5)

[hakurenshi]

Fandom: originali
Prompt: Ave atque vale (salute e addio) (m5)
Rating: verde
Parole: 486
Warnings: shadowhunters!au

In the rare cases in which a mundane were to know about Nephilims, the first thing they seemed to think was that Nephilims must be religious. Probably it wasn't entirely wrong - in fact, Shinobu got to know a lot of Shadowhunters and none of them wasn't a believer - also because they were descendants of the Angel. So it was even funnier how people and Nephilims would react when knowing the Sohma group: first of all, they weren't considered a real family of Shadowhunters because they were basically a group of people who got together. Yes, Reiji legally adopted them, but Nephilims were also racists in their own ways and some of the Sohmas wouldn't even give their former names for one reason or another. 

Second, most of them were far from being believers; Shinobu was quite sure that it would have been easier to count those who despised God instead of those who would pray Him.

Of course it became quite a sight, to see all the Sohma family members attend a funeral.

Ave atque vale was, unfortunately, the first thing Shinobu learnt about the Shadowhunters' culture: how and when it was used, how much pain it could bring to others. Especially those still alive.

«You are not welcome here, Reiji.» a voice says and Shinobu's gaze immediately moves on the man who is talking; under normal circumstances, for Shinobu that much would be enough to point his weapon against him, fellow Nephilim or not, but just this once he simply stares at him. Reiji, on his part, raises his hand as if stopping all of his family members.

«We may have a different point of view, but let us give him the respect he deserves. He was your parabatai.» Reiji replies, a gentle voice. Shinobu knows his master is not fond of funerals - well, who is? - nor religious enough to believe that deads will be welcomed in the realm of light and peace, yet he has always shown himself in such occasions, when he was able to. Shinobu knows that, despite the fact Reiji has too many regrets to thank God or ask him to have mercy, he still respects those who believe, deeply.

The tension is still very high. Nobody expects Shinobu to move first, closing the distance with the altar, because to many of the people looking at him right now he is nothing more that "the oddball" of the Sohma family. Who would ever think he's the most religious one? That he truly believes? 

«Ave atque vale.» he says, clear voice and eyes on the one who was once one of them.

Maybe it's the surprise, maybe it helped to realise this is not the time nor the place to be hard on each other but when you should stay close together, mourn and find new strenght. 

Voices all around him sound, finally, as one.

«Ave atque vale.»