heavenlydecree | (no subject)

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[If there was one thing Takatora was sure he should have learned by now, it would be how to keep his life in perfect running order. He had been the head of Yggdrasill's Research and Development branch from the moment he'd left high school and even before that, his father had kept him on a tight and strict schedule, never a second unaccounted for or left out of place. Unfortunately, with all of Takatora's scheduling and trying to squeeze an extra hour into every day, he still felt as though he never had time for anything, let alone everything. Even his weekends left little time for himself, though Takatora was also painfully aware of his obsession with triple-checking everything under his command and bringing such weight onto himself. He couldn't allow for errors.

His morning routine started a bit later on the weekends, if only because Takatora knew he had to catch up on sleep at some point to make up for running himself ragged. Getting sick was something he couldn't risk. The usual morning routine went by quickly: dragging himself out of bed (he'd never become a morning person, as much as he wanted to), showering, getting dressed, checking for any news or alerts while he had been sleeping. Thankfully, nothing important had happened during the night. Takatora always lived with the fear of something awful happening while he was asleep that he would be unprepared for, but every morning brought the same temporary relief. For now.

Takatora headed out of his room after an hour or so, still checking his phone as he made his way down the hall and towards the stairs. Ryouma already wanted to talk to him about something, which was mildly surprising as Ryouma rarely (never) got out of bed so early, which meant he'd been up all night again. Stepping past one of the maids, Takatora spoke a return greeting to her as he continued on, paying more attention to typing out messages than his surroundings.]

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[It was an awful feeling, to live with the sinking suspicion that Mitsuzane hated him. Takatora had given false smiles enough to know when someone was showing him one and had hidden the truth enough times to realize when it was being hidden from him. Every time Mitsuzane looked at him or spoke to him, Takatora could feel the wall separating them. It felt hopeless to think he might get past it.

Takatora removed his hand from Mitsuzane's shoulder as soon as they started walking, trailing behind the other. His phone had stopped ringing, but there was no beep of indication Ryouma had left him a message (he never did.) When they reached the door to Mitsuzane's room, Takatora kept back, wondering if heading inside was another mark on a long list of things he would upset his brother by doing.]

I understand you want to go out today. ... I'm sorry. Perhaps later.

[He could feel his body resisting with every step, but he pushed through. He didn't have to know. He couldn't know. And he definitely couldn't know about his affiliation with Gaim. How could he understand? They'd both lived a life apart from others, but he'd been the only one of them to try and live a life other than that. He hid things, yes, but it was better that way. They'd pester him about things otherwise, or they'd feel uncomfortable.]

[... There wasn't really anything in his room. All of his Gaim things were hidden away. Instead he painted the picture of a studious teenager - books everywhere, school notes carefully lined up in folders, and notebooks that held nothing of interaction with other people, only chemical formulas and algebraic equations. He leaned on his door slightly.]

We'll see, won't we -

[He moved to turn the doorknob when he coughed again, barely catching himself against the wall as his body shook. He let out a quiet hiss of pain at the awkward angle and the sudden pressure on his wrist, but bit his tongue to cut it off.]

[As soon as Mitsuzane had started coughing again and showed so much visible pain, Takatora had moved forward and put one hand on his younger brother's chest, the other against his back in an attempt to steady him. It was rare that Takatora would allow himself to touch the other, but he had moved before thinking about what he was doing. Now that he was so close, he was worried to move very far, or to move Mitsuzane at all if he was this sick.]

How long have you been feeling this way?

[It didn't seem like the sort of thing that came on suddenly overnight. It was possible Mitsuzane had been sick for longer and Takatora hadn't noticed with his busy schedule. Takatora visibly frowned, reaching out to open the door and carefully nudging his brother inside. Usually, he wouldn't enter his brother's room without permission (or a good reason), but this time he would make an exception.]

[He slumped slightly, forcing himself to relax his muscles in his older brother's grip. He wouldn't be able to do anything like this. He couldn't force himself to transform like this either - he'd already taken damage from some Inves and he would only take more if he wasn't healthy while he was fighting.]

[His bed had been made neatly, of course, and he'd swept the floor himself in order to make sure that there was no trace of dirt or anything that could give himself away.]

Only a few days. It's just a cold, I think. Please don't worry about it, nii-san. You have important work to do, right? I know there are a lot of things you have on your schedule, and I'd hate to make you fall behind.

[He reached up and covered his brother's hand on his chest with his own, fingers curling in the fabric of his sleeve like he had done when they were younger.]

[There were times when Takatora doubted his brother's honesty, especially knowing what he did about Mitsuzane's extra activities. He always wanted to believe Mitsuzane wasn't really lying to him, just that Takatora had never been open or understanding about the other's life or needs in the last few years and Mitsuzane had found it difficult to be himself anymore. It was a guilt Takatora carried with him regularly, feeling as though he'd failed in various ways without any idea of how to make things better. Their father had been far from an emotional or loving man, so Takatora had been forced to stumble blindly through life when it came to how to deal with his brother and the relationship he wanted them to have.]

I only want to get you settled in.

[When Mitsuzane touched his sleeve, Takatora had instantly recoiled, but quickly recovered, silently cursing himself. It had been so unexpected that he had reacted in a negative way, which he only hoped Mitsuzane hadn't noticed or would take offense to.

After nudging the door open, Takatora guided Mitsuzane into the room and steered him towards the bed.]

[He made a mental note of his brother's reaction, but there was nothing to be done about it now. He could use it later, if he had to. He let his bag slide off of his shoulder and onto the floor gently before turning to sit on his bed. He peeked up at Takatora through his bangs, smiling a little sheepishly.]

I'll be fine, really. But thank you, nii-san.

[He really should have changed before getting on the bed, but he couldn't do that with his brother in the room for multiple reasons. Still, as he tried to shift to get under the covers, some of his bruises stung sharply. He froze for a moment, before gently moving his arm again.]

Please let me know if there's anything I can help with while I'm at home today. I don't want to make you sick, but I do want to be useful.

[The smile made Takatora smile in return, even though he couldn't be sure how genuine the one he'd received was. As soon as Mitsuzane had sat down, Takatora had removed his hands from the other. He turned away, wrapping the strap of the bag around his left hand and picking it up, placing it on the seat of one of Mitsuzane's chairs instead. It wasn't as though he was trying to make a show of cleaning up after the other, just that he wanted to keep the floor clear if he was going to continue stumbling around. Thankfully, this meant his back was turned long enough not to notice Mitsuzane's flinching.]

The best thing you can do for me is to take care of yourself.

[With that, Takatora turned back towards Mitsuzane and ran his hand over the other's hair.]

I'll send a maid up with some breakfast and medicine. Don't try to push yourself. You can't force your body to get better.

[Damn. The weight of the bag wouldn't seem right - but he had to hope that Takatora was distracted. He slipped under the covers and adjusted his position so he was more or less comfortable. He'd change later, maybe, but there was no way he was going to make it out today.]

... Yes, I know. You need to take care of yourself, too. The company needs to know that even its leadership can be strong, and you can't be strong if you don't rest.

[This... was nice. When was the last time they had spoken where Takatora had felt so comfortable? It almost seemed as though things were normal between them now, instead of the awkward tension that usually filled the air.]

What kind of brother am I that my younger brother is the one trying to take care of me?

[Takatora returned his hand to his side, tilting his head at the other and watching him carefully.]

I'll be fine. [He sighed, looking the other over once more.] Is there anything else you need now? You know you can always call me if you need anything.

It's just the two of us here, aside from the staff. We need to look out for each other, right?

[As much as the statement made him want to gag, it was true. They couldn't really rely on anyone else, and he didn't trust any of his brother's staff. He couldn't. He didn't know what they knew about the Armored Riders, and he didn't trust them aside from that. Almost all of them seemed extremely suspicious.]

I'll be all right. Go to work. I'll leave you a message after I rest.

[It would have been difficult to describe the look on Takatora's face when he heard Mitsuzane speak. At first, he didn't react at all, but after a few moments he had pressed his lips together and turned his head away, trying to hide any sign of emotion on his face. Unfortunately, he failed miserably, looking caught between utter embarrassment and dealing with overwhelming emotions. To have Mitsuzane say something so caring towards him was entirely unexpected, though certainly not unwelcome. Takatora simply did not know how to react.]

Right. ... You're right.

[It was difficult for Takatora to say more than that. He walked to the side of the bed and reached down to brush Mitsuzane's hair away from his face, managing a small smile.]

Please be careful, Mitsuzane.

[He nodded a little stiffly, and turned over. He needed to rest, or at least pretend to do so. Further conversation with Takatora was pointless right now. He'd done what he needed to do, both to maintain relations and to open up further opportunities to find out more information.]

I will.

[Later in the day, he did feel somewhat better, though not enough to sneak out to the stage. He waved off one of the maids, explaining where he was going, and soon enough he arrived at Takatora's office and knocked on the door. He'd hidden away his dance uniform and put in another textbook to his bag. He did actually have to study - there was a test next week, after all.]

Come in.

[Takatora had been at his desk most of the day after leaving home, after meeting up with Ryouma that morning and discussing the next steps in their projects. Since then, he'd gone through a small mountain of paperwork, reading documents, signing them, neglecting himself and his health as usual, if the full yet cold cup of coffee on the corner of his desk was any indication. He'd barely looked up from his work in the last few hours.

In fact, Takatora had been so distracted that he had nearly forgotten Ryouma had come into the room an hour beforehand. Now, the professor sat in his chair across from Takatora, playing with the phone in his hands every once in awhile, but mostly spending his time watching his superior. When he heard the knock at the door, Ryouma laid one arm across the back of the chair and turned curiously towards the new visitor.]

[Micchy opened the door, a slight smile on his face, which dropped the instant he saw Ryouma. He felt his body tense, but he forced a smile again, inclining his head slightly towards the scientist.]

Sengoku-san.

[Carefully, he looked over at Takatora, and closed the door behind him.]

Nii-san. I thought maybe I would keep you company and study here. And one of the maids said you didn't bring lunch, so I brought it for you in my bag. I wrapped it an extra time to make sure it didn't get any sort of germs on it.

Mitsuzane-kun~

[In the times the two had seen each other over the years Ryouma had been friends with Takatora, they rarely managed to be in the same room together for very long or to exchange words other than basic pleasantries. Ryouma smiled at Mitsuzane when he came in the room, draping himself over the back of the chair. He could tell Mitsuzane's smile was faked, clearly the boy had not taken the time to sharpen his skills as much as Ryouma had in that department.]

Your nii-san told me you weren't feeling well. Are you sure you should be out of bed?

[From behind him, Takatora gave Ryouma a look (which the professor couldn't see, obviously), before he turned his attention to Mitsuzane and motioned for the other to sit down at the small lounge area to the left of his desk. While he wanted to scold Mitsuzane, he didn't want to do so in front of Ryouma. Family matters were not to be shared, no matter how close Ryouma liked to think he was to them.]

Thank you, Mitsuzane.

[He sat down where he was directed, doing his best not to look at Ryouma. He drew the box out of his bag and placed it carefully on the edge of the desk.]

I thought that I could at least spend a little time with you, even if you're busy. And nii-san is the smartest person I know, so if there's something too difficult perhaps you could help me.

[None of it should have been too hard, but he could pretend on the rougher parts.]

Besides, all of the kinds of things you do I'll need to learn how to do at some point, right? And it's getting to near when we have to start studying for entrance exams, too. Learning business practices is important if I'm to get into a good university.

[Mitsuzane's blatant ignoring of Ryouma didn't go unnoticed by either man. Takatora didn't say anything in response and neither did Ryouma, though the professor stared intently at Mitsuzane as though trying to put pressure on the other to respond. The box being set on the table followed by the words Mitsuzane spoke brought the same reaction his kind words had earlier that morning, the embarrassed, unsure emotion on Takatora's face. He tried his best to hide it.

That did not go unnoticed by Ryouma.]

Feel free to start studying on your own. If you have any questions, you're welcome to ask. I should be done soon.

[Short and straight the point. Takatora's words were always considerably different at work than when he was at home, though it was rare Mitsuzane saw him in an environment where he forced himself to be so professional. Even if it was only in front of Ryouma, Takatora couldn't allow himself to relax as long as he was working.]

[He nodded, and pulled his science textbook out of his bag next, taking note of how his words had affected his brother. Perhaps this day wouldn't be a waste after all. He flicked through the book until he arrived at the appropriate chapter, glancing up at Ryouma before turning his attention to the book.]

[He fell silent, absorbed in his textbook. Really, most of this was stuff he knew, but biology was tricky. He always wanted to dispute things his teacher told him, but doing so would be useless. Memorizing the information, even if it was incorrect, took priority. He could always reteach himself the correct information later. Textbooks on science were always outdated by the time they were printed, after all.]

[The room fell silent once the brothers had busied themselves with their work. It was all too obvious to Ryouma how similar the pair could be. At times like these with their heads down and their attention buried in their work, they nearly looked like the same person. Mitsuzane certainly resembled how his brother had looked at that age.

Carefully, Ryouma had slid one hand onto the back of Mitsuzane's chair and leaned over, practically with his head on the other's shoulder as he glanced at the book and attempted to see what the other was working on. Obviously, personal space had never been a concern of his.]

[Micchy went very, very still as Ryouma got close. His textbook was open to a page on genetic engineering, a cheerful diagram of the process used to clone sheep taking up half of the right side of the page. He hunched his shoulders a bit, turning his head so he could have one of his eyes look into Ryouma's.]

[His voice was very calm as he spoke, though it was hard to keep his tone level - both from exhaustion and from rage.]

Sengoku-san, please don't lean so close. If there was something you were interested in looking at, you only had to ask to see the book yourself.

[If there was one expression of Ryouma's that had become common knowledge to Mitsuzane, it was the small, smug smirks that always seemed to tug at his lips when he was playing with someone. Even though Mitsuzane couldn't feel what he was doing, Ryouma slowly dragged his fingers along the back of the chair, looking far too proud of himself for not having accomplished much. Or, at least it seemed that way. All he had wanted to do was to get a reaction.]

Who says I'm interested in the book, Mitsuzane-kun?

[Ryouma knew the reaction that would get. He could have timed Takatora's reaction, when the man behind the desk very loudly dropped a stack of papers into place. There was no particular expression on Takatora's face other than simply looking at Ryouma, but the professor had known him long enough to know what that meant. Ryouma rolled his eyes and sat back up straight, removing his hand from Mitsuzane's seat, giving a cool look back to Takatora.]

Is that better, Takatora?

[Despite obeying, Ryouma drawled out Takatora's name as he spoke, the smirk tugging at his lips again.]

[That voice made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, and he fought to keep his composure. His lips twitched as he tried not to start yelling, tried not to say something stupid. The sudden thump of papers made him jolt, and he looked up at Takatora.]

[He didn't say anything, but he looked slightly relieved, going back to his textbook.]

This sort of thing is a very complicated process. Knowing all the steps involved is important. But I'm sure this is all stuff you know about, Sengoku-san.

Edited 2014-09-22 06:11 (UTC)

I know a lot of things about a lot of things. ... and a lot of people. But of course, I'm sure there's plenty you could ask your brother about.

[Ryouma took advantage of Mitsuzane's distraction, giving Takatora a look in return, followed by a sweet, attempting-to-be-innocent smile. The reaction Takatora seemed to have was close to Mitsuzane's reaction. He pressed his lips together and dug his fingers into the table, attempting to remain calm despite the very reckless words Ryouma had thrown around.]

Ryouma. Please allow Mitsuzane to study in peace. I'll call you later if I have any questions.

[Ryouma didn't seem to like the sound of that, sticking out his bottom lip a bit to pout in Takatora's direction. Alas, he knew playing with the pair for too long would result in him using up all of his tricks at one time, so saving them and exercising some self-control didn't seem like a bad idea. Ryouma pushed back his chair and stood, careful not to make any physical contact with Mitsuzane's chair as he moved past him. However, that didn't stop him from walking painfully close behind the other, before he rounded the desk and carefully sauntered behind Takatora.

To call Ryouma a tease or a troll in any fashion would be an understatement. From behind Takatora, Ryouma made a show of tracing his fingers along the back of Takatora's chair, then down the back of the headrest to settle his hand on the other's right shoulder. He leaned down, in close with his voice quiet enough that Mitsuzane would be unable to hear him despite only being a few feet away. As he spoke, Ryouma gave Mitsuzane an innocent smile, only taking a minute or so to finish what he was saying. Really, teasing these two was painfully easy sometimes.

As he stood back up, though it wasn't obvious at first, Ryouma carefully (very carefully, though that part wasn't obvious) dug his nails into Takatora's shoulder. Thankfully, he got what he wanted rather quickly, which was a slightly surprised, slightly pained gasp from the older brother. With a satisfied smirk on his face, Ryouma gave another smile to Mitsuzane before heading for the door, giving the pair a wave without looking at them.]

I'll see you soon.

[Though, it was hard to tell which one he was speaking to.]

[Micchy kept a careful eye on what Ryouma was doing. Whatever he had said to Takatora was clearly something meant to upset one or both of them. He clenched his hands into fists, but didn't say anything. The gasp, however, nearly made him leap up from his seat. He kept himself still, waiting for Ryouma to leave, before he sat up straight and addressed his brother. Thankfully the door had been closed.]

... Nii-san, what happened to your shoulder? That's not the sort of noise you'd make just from someone's nails.

[His voice was calm again, though a bit tired. He could relax a hair, but not too much. Who knew who was still listening?]

It's nothing.

[Takatora's words, clearly, very obviously, were a lie. If that hadn't been made obvious by the uncomfortable reaction he'd had to the nails in his shoulder, then the shaking of his hands gave it away. It was likely the weakest Takatora had ever allowed himself to be in front of his brother in a long time, other than the occasional moment they spent alone together at home. He kept his gaze down, unwilling to look at his brother, as he tapped his fingers on the top of the desk to try to channel out his tension.

Also, on top of everything else, Takatora couldn't shake how uncomfortable Mitsuzane's phrasing had made him. Unfortunately, that sort of thing was far from the truth, but he couldn't very well mention something like that.]