A loud crash of thunder that shook the house woke Mokuba from a sound sleep. Clutching his blankets tightly to his chin, he watched the rain pound against the (bulletproof) glass.
Intellectually, he knows he's safe- the mansion is built more solidly than most banks, after all. Seto takes safety seriously. Emotionally, though, he's still young enough to want comforting in the big scary storm. He flinched with the next loud boom and sat up, grabbing a pillow to hold tightly to his chest. He wanted his brother.
He left his room and padded noiselessly through the dark cavernous hallways, down to the white door on the end of the east wing that is Seto's bedroom. It's standing open, and he knows Seto isn't there; his big brother finds it hard to sleep without that last small shield between him and the world.
Thunder crashed again and he flinched, making a soft squeak and fighting down a few desperate tears. His insomniac brother could be anywhere in the house, and he doesn't have the courage to go seeking him in the middle of the night, in the dark house with the storm raging…
Piano music filtered through the air in a brief lull in thunder. Sniffling a little, he followed the soft call.
The music led him to their living room- not the large fancy one they have for appearances, but their personal haven with the soft thick carpet and the comfortable-but-ugly couches and the video game consoles stacked on the TV stand. It's also the location of his brother's favorite piano.
Said brother was the one playing the piano, loose rumpled clothes and mussed hair showing that his brother had at least tried to sleep before giving up. He was playing a soft, gentle melody; a lullaby that Mokuba vaguely remembered someone at the orphanage singing to the children one stormy night. Trust his brother to remember something that vague.
Seto looked up as he approached and scooted sideways on the bench without saying a word. He never stopped playing, long capable fingers moving over the keys with precision. Mokuba sat next to him and leaned against his shoulder, eyes slowly drifting shut. Big brother was here. Everything would be fine.
The lullaby ended and Seto shifted to another piece, a sweet rolling melody that rose and fell like the motion waves made on the sea. Mokuba found himself drifting on the music, ignoring the slowly subsiding storm outside.
He lost track of how long his brother played, but by the time the last song rang out its final note the storm had exhausted itself and gentle rainfall had taken its place. Seto quietly closed the lid of the piano and pulled his brother into a hug.
"C'mon kiddo. Let's get you back to bed." Mokuba thought about protesting being carried to bed like a little kid, but he was half asleep already and Seto had already picked him up so why fight?
His brother took him back to his room and gently tucked him in, pressing a light kiss to his forehead before slipping out the door. Listening to the rain drum softly against the glass, Mokuba smiled as he drifted off to sleep.
Music was good for soothing more than raging beasts, it seemed.
Author's Notes:
Yes, tooth-rottingly sweet. I love Seto as a big brother. I also think he would be great at playing the piano, but would have a terrible singing voice. =p
If anyone's interested, the music I imagined Seto playing:
"Lullaby for a Stormy Night"- I love this little song, and it has a beautiful piano melody. Look it up on youtube and you'll find it.
"Canon in D major"- I know, cliche, but it's the most beautiful melody I have ever had the pleasure to have stuck in my head. :')
Read and enjoy, review if you'd like! They feed the inspiration.