'As a Brother';
written by Rinna.
"I don't love her. Not at all. And when the time comes, I'll have to kill her."
A wail pierced the still night air.
"I'll have to kill her. It's either her or me, them or us, and I'll have to kill her."
Down the hall, blankets were thrown away from body as a boy rushed to get to his friend's bedroom. A strangled sob.
"But I don't love her, it's okay, I have to kill her, it's not okay, and she'll look at me when she dies when I've killed her and it'll all be over but it's them or us and I can't-"
"Taruto!!"
He jerked upright in his bed, eyes wide, skin damp, breath short. He was barely able to force his voice out. "Y-Yeah?" Taruto saw Kisshu step into his room.
"Taruto... you okay?" he asked quietly, looking slightly embarrassed to be bringing it up. "You were..." Screaming? He couldn't say that. Taruto would feel girly. "Shouting. D'ya have a... a... bad dream?" Bad dream. He could've kicked himself. This wasn't the time for Taruto to feel insulted or childish or insecure about anything. But then again, Kisshu wasn't really the most comforting person...
"I didn't have a bad dream," Taruto said a little too quickly, a little too loudly. His eyes were as wide as his cheeks were red, and he looked positively mortified. "I just fell out of bed. It startled me." Kisshu blinked as he blatantly stared at his friend, whose small frame was wrapped safely in sheets and blankets. 'Kid couldn'ta fallen out of bed if he'd tried,' Kisshu thought. 'He wraps those blankets like a friggin' straightjacket.'
"Ne, Taruto, I'm not stupid," Kisshu said. Taruto arched his eyebrow and opened his mouth to protest. Kisshu cut him off. "No changing the subject, kid. What was it about? Tell me." His voice sounded... different, Taruto noticed. It'd lost the sarcastic edge, and it sounded slightly groggy. And it was peppered with... something like he figured family would speak with. Liking-ness? He wasn't sure that was a word, but it was the best way to describe it.
When Taruto didn't answer, Kisshu said even more quietly, "Was it about Shotokeki-obasan, yeah?" Taruto's head jerked back a bit.
"My mother? No. It wasn't her," Taruto said, still speaking quickly. Kisshu could tell he was telling the truth, though, so...
"Otsumami-ojisan?"
"No, not my father, either. Not about my family. It was... nothing important."
"Taruto..."
The younger boy cringed. "Drop the formalities already, huh? What are we, strangers?" Kisshu smiled, and Taruto noted that he looked much more normal with a smile on his face. Taruto also noted that he didn't like it when Kisshu wasn't smiling, and that he'd try to make Kisshu smile more from now on. That second mini-revelation, however, Taruto wouldn't let be admitted to himself.
"Tart, then, you little weirdo."
"I'm not weird!"
And Kisshu laughed. "Yeah, whatever." Slightly sobered, "But... really. You can tell me, you know. Cousins do tend to do things like that, believe it or not." Taruto grimaced slightly and looked away, blushing.
"You'd laugh," he mumbled. Then suddenly, almost frighteningly, he felt his chin seized by a hand and found himself staring into Kisshu's almost-angry face.
"Don't say that," he hissed. "Don't ever say that. You were fricking crying, Taruto, and I'm not gonna laugh at that. You're my brother, you little punk."
Tears were threatening to leap out of Taruto's eyes and dance down his cheek, and before he could blink them away, they proceeded to do so, slipping over his eyelashes and waltzing down to his chin. "Brothers, huh?" he choked out, and Kisshu shrugged, releasing Taruto's chin.
"Brothers, cousins, 'tever. Our mommies were sissies, so it's close enough."
"...'Or mommies were sissies'?"
"..."
"..."
"Tart."
Taruto sighed, knowing he'd have to spill it sooner or later. "Promise you won't laugh or tease me or anything?"
"Ne, Tart, I promise, okay? Just say it." Kisshu was bordering on impatient, reminding himself to be gentle with the younger boy. Pah. Gentle.
Taruto sighed again, picking at his blanket with his slender fingers.
"I... had a dream about..." He swallowed, unable to finish, but trying so hard... "I had a dream about... in my dream, there was... Pudding was there," he said shakily, he whole body quivering with nervousness. He felt so unclean, like a traitor, unable to look Kisshu in the eye. What would he say, what would he think or do? Taruto was scared that Kisshu would dismiss him now-
"What happened?" Kisshu asked softly. Taruto's eyes darted to Kisshu's face.
Then he realized.
'Kish loves the enemy, so he knows what it's like,' Taruto thought, awestruck. 'N-Not that I love her or anything!!'
"You're blushing, Tart," Kisshu said, and Taruto panicked, waiting for the dirty comment he was sure Kisshu would be going to say- it didn't come. Taruto decided he could talk a little but more, then.
"She... I... killed... and she died... and she was crying and the world was gone, because I..." Taruto sucked some air between his teeth in horror, looking down at his open hands. "I killed her, Kish," he whispered. And he started sobbing. He launched himself at Kisshu, burying his face in Kisshu's chest and filling his little fists with Kisshu's nightshirt. "I killed her, Kish, and she looked at me as she died and the whole world disappeared!! You were gone, Kish, and Pai was gone, and she was gone, and okaa-san and otou-san were gone, and Kasuta-obachan and Bekon-ojichan and Kinomi-san and Gaihi-san, and everyone was just gone, Kish! And I didn't know what to do, and she was dead because I killed her and... I..." His sobs were slowing now, as Kisshu awkwardly rubbed his back. "And.. I don't know if I can actually kill her, for real," Taruto finished, reduced once again to whispering. "I'm weak, aren't I, Kish?" Kisshu shook his head, and Taruto felt his movement, looking up at him in confusement. "But I... I'm soft. It wasn't supposed to happen this way."
"No. It wasn't. But it did. It's not like you can control who you love, Tart."
Taruto blushed fiercely. "I don't-!!"
"Tart. It's okay. If you force yourself into denial, it'll only make it worse." Taruto's eyes were wider than ever, a shocked expression on his face. Then, looking away-
"I guess... maybe she's not so bad," he mumbled. Kisshu laughed.
"That's right. You gonna be okay tonight, kid?"
"Only if you never breathe a word of this to anyone, 'cause if you do, I'll gut you clean," hissed Taruto. Kisshu scoffed.
"Pah, like I would. You think I want everyone knowing I go aorund helping little midgets like you?"
"Shut up, you! I'm not a f-"
"Language."
"...Flipping midget. So there! Shut up!"
Kisshu laughed again and ruffled Taruto's hair. "G'night, kiddo."
"'Night. ...Ne, Kish... thanks," Taruto said quietly, flushing a bit.
"Yeah, yeah... go to sleep, otouto-san," Kisshu said, a grin in his voice.
Taruto looked up sharply, only to see that Kisshu was gone. "Yeah... onii-san."
Kisshu sighed as he headed back to his room. He wondered if it'd been okay to be that serious; maybe that freaked out Tart even more? Kisshu hoped not. That was all that little punk needed.
Taruto was a good kid, Kisshu decided. Maybe a bit too Pai-influenced(the kid seemed to cling to the oldest of the trio), but he was a good kid.
"Kisshu," a deep voice said. Kisshu flinched, then turned around, scratching the back of his head and grinning.
"Oh, hey, Pai. 'Sup? You're up late. Statistics chasing you outta bed again?"
"I heard you and Taruto talking."
Damn. "Oh, really? Yeah, kid had a bad dream, and I went and talked 'im down. Well, I'd better be getting back to sleep myself-"
"He mentioned all of our parents. He was crying, Kisshu. I am not such an idiot to think that nothing has happened. If you think you can pass something so simple by me, you are sorely mistaken. Now, then. What was he sobbing over, Kisshu?"
Kisshu shrugged. "He had a bad dream, I said. It's the truth. He mentioned my mom and dad and Kinami-san and Gaihi-san because he was scared they'd all go away. That's what happened in his dream. Ne, can I go to bed now...?" Kisshu gave an exaggerated yawn and streched.
"He mentioned the youngest Mew girl, did he not? Do not lie to me, Kisshu," Pai said, his voice hard. Kisshu sighed.
"Give the kid a break, Pai. He looks up to you. Don't screw with his mind by hurting him." (Pai looked slightly taken aback at this.) "He's scared. We're all scared. And don't you deny it, you big sissy, because I see the way you almost change your facial expression when you think no one's looking. He'll tough it out. But he needs us, okay?"
Pai took a step back, and his lips parted slightly. He hadn't expected that.
And then slowly... so slowly... he began to nod. "Yes," he said. "I'll leave it to you."
"Don't leave it to me," Kisshu said with a shake of his head. "Talk to him once in a while. He's always hanging around you because he likes you. He's our friend, ne? Show it."
"Yes," Pai said again, though more quietly than before. "He is... as a younger brother to us, I suppose." He almost smiled, and Kisshu caught it. He smirked.
"You dirty little eavesdropper, you."
"I wasn't eavesdropping, fool. I was merely-"
"Yeah, yeah, shut up. I'm going to bed. 'Night, Pai."
And as Pai was alone in that hallway, he thought that maybe things weren't going as badly as he'd thought. Maybe they could pull through, and maybe there wouldn't have to be anymore bloodshed.
Maybe things would end up okay...
Pai shook his head, as if dismissing his thoughts. Taruto was young; such fear would be expected of him. Even Kisshu, who was
three years younger than Pai, could be expected to waver ever so slightly under such stress.
But Pai? No. He was a man. He had to keep his resolve throughout all of this. No wishful thinking. He had to keep his path orderly
and logical.
But still...
Maybe. Just maybe.
Pai gave a half-smile.
Perhaps they'd be all right after all.
(owari)
A Note from the Rin:
I'm wondering if I like this... I mean, I like the concept, but I don't know if I like the way it turned out... hm. Well, let me know if you did or not.
Notes on the story, here they come! I've made up names for the parents of the aliens, names that I thought would fit. Here's a list:
Taruto's parents:
Mother- Shotokeki (shortcake)
Father- Otsumami (snack) (Get it? Shortcake, and a little snack? Ha. I feel clever.)
Kisshu's parents:
Mother- Kasuta (custard)
Father- Bekon (bacon) (Because custard and bacon are two things that generally go into quiche.)
Pai's parents:
Mother- Kinomi (fruit)
Father- Gaihi (pie crust) (Rather self-explanatory. Fruit goes into a pie-crust to make pie... or whatever.)
I'll probably use those names again sometime, so... sorry for the super-long Note from Rin. Meh.
One more thing, In Case You Didn't Know- Otouto-san younger brother. Oba-chan/san and oji-chan/san aunt and uncle. The rest are fairly common, and I'm too lazy to type them out, and I don't like long author's notes, so I'm leaving. Ha!
PS- Oh, I just know I got Pai-kun's speech pattern wrong... I'm not too familiar with him, sorry. And Kisshu and Taru-kun, I know they were rather out-of-character at times, but this was a rather serious piece, so... bah. 'Tever, if you liked it, you liked it, ne? Pah.
Edited for Musa Rox.