heavenlydecree | (no subject)

(no subject)

[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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[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.]

Nii-san...

[He lowered his gaze a bit, flicking his gaze upwards again for a moment before looking away again. He had a hunch, but not much more than that. He knew Takatora had a Driver as well, but he still wasn't sure how much combat he'd engaged in. He wasn't entirely clear where pushing this would go, but he needed to know as much as he could if he were to keep the people he cared about safe.]

[The cute act didn't work on anyone, but he'd noticed how his brother stopped when he spoke to him. He didn't think he'd get a full explanation, but he did know that his guard would lower. Every movement, every breath, was a hint. Nothing was a secret when you knew how people worked. It was just a matter of getting them to give you enough information.]

... I'm sorry. I shouldn't pry, I guess. I just worry about you. You're... really the only family that's around, so I can't help but be concerned.

[It really had to be amazing to watch, how easily Takatora allowed himself to be manipulated by sweet words from someone he cared about. It started with Mitsuzane's usual address for him, then the genuine display of concern. For a moment, Takatora had wanted to question whether Mitsuzane was being honest with him, but he stopped himself, not sure if he wanted to know the truth. It took a few moments and a few deep breaths for Takatora's hands to stop shaking quite as much, at which point he leaned back in his seat and raised a hand to lightly, very carefully, rub at his shoulder.

How was he supposed to save the world if he was so weak?]

It's an old injury. A few years ago. ... it never healed correctly.

[If that was right... then whatever what was going on was going on for a while. He closed his textbook and stood, walking over to Takatora's chair. He carefully put a hand on his older brother's shoulder - on the back, having taken note of where he was rubbing. He carefully pressed his fingers into Takatora's shoulder, doing his best to avoid the injury and just rub the muscle around it.]

You should have seen someone... you should have gotten this taken care of. I knew something was wrong. You shouldn't have hid something like that from me - I could have helped you. At least understood better.

[He placed his other hand on his brother's other shoulder, leaning in enough that the other could feel his breath.]

I don't like it when you keep secrets from me, nii-san. I want you to be able to trust me. I can't help you if you don't.

Edited 2014-09-22 06:56 (UTC)

[As soon as Mitsuzane's hand touched his shoulder, Takatora had jumped, immediately turning away and protectively placing his hand over the wound. Reacting in such a way was something Takatora had never done to his brother, but having anyone's hands near that spot (especially after it had just been irritated by Ryouma) was something so unfamiliar after the last few years that it caught him off guard. After so many months of recovery, Takatora had been exceedingly careful to avoid bumping it, brushing it, putting too much weight on that side of his body, or allowing anyone the opportunity to touch him there.

It took a moment to realize what he'd done, his heart sinking a bit as he hoped he hadn't upset his brother.]

I'm sorry... Please don't...

[He immediately took his hands off of his brother's shoulders, lowering his head a bit.]

... I'm sorry. I thought maybe I could help. I guess whatever's going on, I'm not old enough to know, right? I'm still just a student. I'm sure you're all right. I just... I don't like seeing you hurting.

[He walked back to where he had been sitting, kneeling to adjust his bookbag. There wasn't really anything to adjust, but keeping his back turned to Takatora... hopefully it would create enough awkwardness and pressure for something to crack.]

[Mitsuzane's reaction made Takatora's heart feel like it had dropped through the floor. As soon as he had started speaking, Takatora stood up and started around the side of the desk towards him, grabbing for one of Mitsuzane's shoulders.]

Mitsuzane...

[He paused, looking over his shoulder at his brother.]

... I don't want to push you. I know you have enough to deal with. But... family is family, right? I just want to help you. Protect you, even, if I have to, because that's part of what family is for.

You cannot protect me. I need you to realize that.

[The words had slipped out before Takatora could stop them, in his sudden haze of stress and anxiety. That had been far too revealing, which meant he immediately shifted gears to try and cover up his mistake. He slid his other hand up to Mitsuzane's other shoulder, turning his younger brother to face him.]

There are a lot of things I can't tell you. It's not because you're not old enough. I want to protect you. It's my duty as your older brother and your guardian. To pull you into this world, you would never be able to go back. I want you to enjoy your life as long as you can, without this kind of responsibility.

['Enjoy his life'. Did Takatora really think he enjoyed the routine of being a 'perfect child'? He allowed himself to reveal a brief scowl, before looking back up at Takatora. He let out a sigh, shaking his head.]

But you're shouldering things alone, Takatora. You might be my guardian, but you're not really... I don't mean to say that you're not doing a good job, but I just worry that there are things that I could help you shoulder that you're not letting me help with. If it's something that's worrying you this much, it's something I think I should try to help with.

Otherwise... I don't know. People at school are talking about the city becoming more and more dangerous. I don't follow the same sort of things some of them do, but they say people have been hurt. I don't want you to get hurt, too.

[Takatora was rarely aware of how much emotion he let slip through without meaning to, especially around his younger brother. Being addressed by his first name rather than 'nii-san' caused a visible frown on his face, but that was just the beginning of a large number of Mitsuzane's words pulling at him.

Was it right to tell him, like this? To have him grow up so suddenly? It felt wrong to do so when Mitsuzane was being so passionate, that telling him now when he was like this might make him last out more.]

I'll allow you to ask me one question now. Tonight... I'll tell you anything else you want to know.

[Oh god, he hated himself for this.]

Does that sound fair?

... Yes.

[Bingo. Right where he wanted him. He bowed his head as he sat down carefully, thinking it over. A single question. What would get him the most information? What would lead to the most information? And what was the question that would sound the most logical right now, given what he was and wasn't supposed to know?]

Please tell me, nii-san. Please tell me how you got that injury.