the moon is rising on this dangerous night //

[heavenlydecree]

[Takatora had, as usual, buried himself in work all day. He'd even stayed out far later than usual due to a few back-to-back business meetings, though he'd been kind enough to spare a few moments to let Mitsuzane know. He didn't want his younger brother to worry about where he was or why he wasn't home on time. Unfortunately, he was a bit vague with saying "probably around midnight". It had been one of those nights, meetings followed by outings and social drinking. Takatora had honestly never cared for it, but it was something he did because it made business partners happy. People talked a lot more when they had alcohol in their system as well, but Takatora had been careful to be polite in his acceptance of drinks while still going slow enough to maintain his composure. There was always the sinking concern that someone would manipulate information out of him while he was vulnerable. He couldn't allow that to happen.

By the time he returns home, it's closer to twelve-thirty. His clothing and everything about him smells of smoke and alcohol. It makes him a bit self-conscious, knowing it's completely out of character for him. He'd even, on one of his rare instances, accepted a cigarette from a colleague. It was a strange and nostalgic happening, but Takatora had thoroughly washed his mouth out afterwards. Still, the smell of smoke from that and the bar itself clung to him.

Takatora rubs at the back of his neck as he walks through the home, anxious to change out of his clothes. However, in passing Mitsuzane's door, he hesitates and then doubles back. It would be best to check on him in case he'd waited up. So he knocks, careful and light.]

Mitsuzane?

Comments

[grapeeater]

[Micchy had stayed up late, wanting to make sure that his brother got home all right. It wasn't really a sensible thing, but he couldn't help it. His older brother was important to him, and after a night with business meetings crammed back to back he could probably benefit from a friendly face.]

[The stench reaches him first. He wrinkles his nose in disgust, before doing his best to hide it. He has to keep his composure]

I'm awake.

[He walks over to it and opens the door, looking up at his brother.]

... You had a rough night...

[heavenlydecree]

[Even if Mitsuzane isn't making it obviously, Takatora's well aware of how unpleasant his presence must be. He'd tried to fix his appearance before coming home, but it hadn't worked as well as he'd hoped. He knew he had to look awful and fairly worn out.]

It was a long day.

[He's even more self-conscious now. It's not as though he's setting a bad example, he knows, since this sort of thing is fairly standard, but as a brother... Well, it certainly does make him feel better to see Mitsuzane.]

Is everything well?

[grapeeater]

[He nods at the question, tilting his head slightly.]

Everything is going all right here. I was just working on some homework. I have a paper due next week.

[Even if he didn't feel all right, there's no way that he can tell Takatora. He needs to keep his image spotless and project innocence rather than what he'd been up to. He can't know about the Beat Riders, he can't know about the Driver, and he can't know about his involvement with anything.]

Do you want me to help you with your things? I can get you a clean set of clothes while you shower.

[It's not like it's something that one of the maids can't do, but it's just more personal when he does it...]

You need to drink some water, too, or your hangover will be worse.

[heavenlydecree]

I don't want to disturb you. I can take care of things.

[He scoffs quietly at the rest of the words, motioning to his jacket.]

As bad as it seems, I didn't have as much as you would expect. I'll be fine. ... Don't stay up too late.

[There's a strong, very strong temptation to reach out and touch his younger brother, but Takatora fights it down. It's not appropriate and it's certainly not a good time. He gives a short bow of his head before turning and heading back towards him.]

[grapeeater]

[That - something feels off. Micchy follows after his brother, watching him carefully.]

I can take care of homework later. I want to help you now. It's not just you who can take care of me - I can help take care of you, too.

[Maybe it's a little pushy, but it's true. There are ways in which he wants to surpass his brother, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't want to care for him, too. They're family, after all.]

[grapeeater]

[After a few hours, Micchy gathers his blanket and pillow up. He hesitates for a moment, wondering if this is really an okay idea, but just keeps going. He's had enough of those nightmares, and now he's going to do something about it. So he carefully opens Takatora's door and slips inside, closing the door behind him and plopping down on the floor to watch his brother.]

[He can't let him out of his sight. Not now. He knows hit's childish, but nightmares aren't really a laughing matter. Even if he understands the psychology behind it, why they're not real, that they never will be... he's still frightened for his brother's safety.]

[heavenlydecree]

[Despite his best efforts and having been up all day, Takatora was finding it difficult to sleep. He'd tried to push the thought of Mitsuzane out of his mind, but having nothing as a distraction was difficult. Every time he thought about his brother's body in his arms, turning the other's face to kiss him, his heart would race and his stomach would twist. It was hard not to be disgusted with himself for sinking so low, even if Mitsuzane had said it was okay. He just... had to be very careful from now on.

At the sound of his door opening, Takatora perks up, but doesn't move until the shuffling stops. He turns over, pawing for the light next to his bed, and then turns it on. If anyone had wanted to sneak in to hurt him... well, they probably would have accomplished it by now. He frowns when he sees Mitsuzane on the floor.]

Mitsuzane... What are you doing?

[grapeeater]

[He blinks a little owlishly at the light, and snuggles into his blanket a bit.]

... I wanted to check on you. And... make sure you were okay.

[Admitting that it was just a dream... it feels childish.]

[heavenlydecree]

I can't sleep. Otherwise, I'm ... fine.

[It doesn't feel right to say that with how stressed he is and how fast his heart has been racing all night. At this rate, he's not sure he'll be able to go into work at all, let alone have the energy to get out of bed.

Takatora heaves a sigh and then sits up. He puts one hand on the bed next to him to support himself and at that point it's obvious that he's at least shirtless, the dark and ugly mark of his scar plainly visible. Right now, he's too concerned about Mitsuzane to bother thinking about it.]

You shouldn't sleep on the floor. You'll hurt your back.

[grapeeater]

... I didn't want to wake you in case you were sleeping.

[He leaves his pillow and blanket on the floor and stands up, walking over to the bed and sitting down next to Takatora. In the light, it's clear that his eyes are a little red and puffy and his face has wet streaks on it.]

I don't want anything to happen to you.

[Carefully, he reaches out towards Takatora's shoulder, and then pulls his hand back, looking down. He wants to know the details, but he's not sure that now is a good time.]

[heavenlydecree]

[Takatora wakes up exactly at the same time he does every day for work, thanks to the (annoying) alarm on his phone. At first, it's difficult to figure out what's going on in the mist of his mild-hangover headache and the fog from a lack of sleep, but he swats out with his hand to grab for it and shut it off. Unfortunately, all he hits at first is Mitsuzane's side, at which point he sits up in mild alarm, looking around the room and then down at his brother.

Had he-- ... had they--?? ... what had happened? Takatora frowns at the other's body at first, then leans over him to grab his phone. He doesn't even bother to remain sitting up while he turns it off, instead opting to lay down and then turn it off before discarding it on the nightstand closest to him.

Ugh. With this headache, he doesn't even want to breathe.]

[grapeeater]

[He jerks in alarm a little bit, before grumbling a little and cracking an eye open. What's going - oh. He shifts and nuzzles his brother a little bit, leaning up to kiss his jaw gently.]

How are you feeling, nii-san?

[Probably not great, if he has to guess.]

[heavenlydecree]

[... which, yes, can be gathered from the grumbling noise Takatora makes in response. He curls up against Mitsuzane, lowering himself enough to bury his face in the other's shoulder. Thanks to a few hours of sleep, the bruise on his face is now plainly visible, though there's still very little light in the room -- just whatever comes in around the edges of the curtains.]

[grapeeater]

[He reaches up and strokes his brother's hair gently.]

It's okay. Do you want me to get you some food? Or some water?

[Hopefully Takatora's hangover won't be too bad. He presses a careful kiss to Takatora's forehead.]

[heavenlydecree]

[Takatora simply grumbles again, though part of it starts to sound like a whine. He relaxes a bit at the stroking of his hair and the kiss makes him shiver. ... still, despite not saying one way or another, he pulls Micchy closer, holding him tighter.]

[heavenlydecree]

[Takatora's heart practically leaps into his throat when he hears the crack and by the time Mitsuzane sets his glass down, Takatora is at his side, reaching for the other's hand. The look of concern still hasn't left his face, though now it's mixed with worry. He tugs gently at Mitsuzane's wrist to get the other to follow him to the bathroom.]

Mitsuzane... What happened?

[grapeeater]

[He stands, allowing himself to be tugged along, and just... shrugs a little bit.]

It's... the glass must have been old. I held it too hard and it cracked. It's not that bad...

[There's only a little blood welling up out of it, but he doesn't want it to get infected.]

[heavenlydecree]

[Nope, sorry. Too late. Protective older brother instincts have taken over. Takatora tugs Mitsuzane into the bathroom, closing the toilet lid before nudging his brother to sit down. He digs through the cabinet again, working to find what they need.]

You scared me...

[grapeeater]

I'm sorry, nii-san.

[He reaches over to grab some toilet paper and press it to the wound while he waits for his brother to find what he needs.]

I didn't mean to scare you...

[heavenlydecree]

... I suppose I'm still overprotective of you.

[Takatora finds the ointment and a bandage, setting them on the edge of the counter. He moves to kneel down in front of Mitsuzane, motioning for the other's hand.]

[heavenlydecree]

[The day passes by quickly. ... almost too quickly, for Takatora. He spends most of the day in bed, occasionally leaving his room only to grab the occasional snack or sugared drink to give some variety from just drinking water. He eats lunch alone, though he had expected that much. When dinner time rolls around, Takatora sends Mitsuzane a message. ... then another about half an hour afterwards. At that point, he realizes he's likely becoming a bother, so he surrenders for the time being.

It had taken a lot of effort to keep from working all day and to just force himself to relax. Most of it was spent in bed or taking a long, well-needed shower (one where he wasn't pressed for time. After his last text, Takatora settles for laying in bed and reading, keeping the phone near him. ... and after long enough, his body gives up waiting and decides sleep is a better way to pass the time.]

[grapeeater]

[Micchy had seen the message, but had ignored it since he wasn't exactly in a position to answer it. He'd spent part of the day just walking, trying to distance himself from his thoughts, and the rest of the day with Team Gaim. He hadn't really talked that much, but he'd been there for the others... and... well. Someone had decided to bring alcohol.]

[An experimental drink had turned into another, because he was around friends and felt like he could keep himself in control enough. And it had turned into a third, by which point he'd considered going home, but not until a fourth drink. He'd let the others walk him to the station, but insisted on going the rest of the way home, because even in his state he knew better than to let them get close. He texted Kouta to let him know he was at his door so that he wouldn't worry, and then headed inside and upstairs.]

[He slipped around the maids and into his room, pulling his clothes off and tugging his sleepwear on. Halfway through he remembered that he needed to check on Takatora, and so he trailed down the hallway, shirt in his hand rather than on him as he poked his head into Takatora's room.]

[heavenlydecree]

[On the bed, Takatora is half-turned onto his stomach, one hand stretched out to rest on his phone on the off chance that it would vibrate. The light next to his bed is still on, though his back is turned towards it. Tucked under his outstretched arm is his tablet, still open from where he'd been reading. The covers are tugged up to his waist and it's obvious that he hasn't bothered to change clothes since that morning. It really had been a quiet, lazy day in for him.]

[grapeeater]

[He frowns a little, and wanders over to tug the tablet away from his brother. It's not terribly gentle, but he's not really in the mood for being gentle. He does realize that if Takatora rolls over he might break it, though, so the tablet has to go.]

[heavenlydecree]

[Takatora stirs at the movement, only because a lifetime of being on edge has trained him to be aware of any threat. He gasps in a breath and gropes around for the source of the intrusion, missing his attempts at grabbing for Mitsuzane. He grumbles, turning to bury his face in the pillow. No... it's too much energy to worry about fighting yet...]