Disclaimer: Nobody in the Gravitation universe belongs to me. I claim no kinship whatsoever and sing Maki Murakami's praises. The only thing I'm getting out of writing these is sick sadistic pleasure out of making the character's lives even more difficult. Heh.

Brothers In Love: Eiri x Tatsuha

by Zemia

Author's Note: A one-shot. This title wasn't chosen by me, it was a title picked out as a Challenge to see who could write something regarding these two. This is what I wrote. Hopefully, people like it. , I'm thinking of expanding it to a full story in itself. We'll see.

Eiri watched Shuichi as the pink singer pulled Hiro out of the N-G building. Since the day he'd frightened him, they themselves had grown more distant. He told himself that it didn't matter, that he didn't care. After all, it was better that way, really. Tohma wouldn't attack Shuichi, and he couldn't scare or hurt him. It all worked out. So why the hell did he feel so shitty? Lighting a cigarette, Eiri headed home. This time, he didn't even bother to swing by the park.

Once home, he'd placed everything where they should go, coat up, shoes off, various things out of his pocket onto the tray by the door. Pushing his feet into his slippers, Eiri ran his fingers through his hair, practically chewing on his new cigarette that he'd yet to light. He never realized just how fucking quiet his house was. But then, he liked the quiet, didn't he?

Entering his study, he switched on his laptop, intent on getting some work done. Just because his emotions were in the toilet didn't mean he didn't have a deadline to meet. Feeling particularly ornery, he decided to torture the man first before letting him die.

He'd gotten about three pages in, when his front door burst open with a shout, "ANIKI! YO!! ANIKI!"

Eiri closed his eyes for a moment, setting his lips into a firm line. His fingers stilled on the keyboard, where the cursor blinked waiting for him to enter something other than 'washeleaaghaldfaala'. Maybe if he ignored him, Tatsuha would leave.

The sounds outside didn't stop, however, and Tatsuha finally leaned against the door to the study. "Shut up in here again!? Oh c'mon, Aniki! Come outside and watch this new movie with me. I brought... uh..."

"It's NOT another Nittle Grasper video, is it? Because I can tell you where to shove that." Eiri grumbled, already saving his work. "And why aren't you at the temple anyway?"

"NO! I remember what happened to the last one!" Tatsuha pouted at his older brother. "Though it WAS mean of you to have so much delight in not only pulling the tape out of the cassette but cutting it to ribbons..." Tatsuha trailed off to sweatdrop. "I um... sort of... well, ok, I offended one of the worshippers and dad kicked me out for a few days."

"I warned you." A pause, then, "NO. You can't stay here!"

"C'mon. You'll like this one, I promise. And pleeeeasseee... I... uh... I brought beer!"

"Considering it's usually you that drinks my beer, that's not much of an offer." Eiri got up and headed for the kitchen, intent on getting one of said beers.

"I promise. I won't be in your way and it's only until dad's not pissed anymore. I'll even cook and clean!"

Now that had possibilities. "Fine. You can stay, IF you keep to your word." He sat on the couch, waiting for this movie that he was just going to like.

Tatsuha grabbed a beer for himself, popped the tape into the VCR and pushed play. Only then did he sit himself down next to his brother. Something about him was even more off than usual. "Aniki? Are… you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be okay, baka? Shut up and watch your movie." Eiri took a sip from his beer, then placed it on the table in front of them.

"No, you're not fine. Otherwise you'd call me 'asshole'." Tatsuha put his own beer down, then turned towards Eiri. Twin in appearance, if not in age. One golden, one raven. Dark and Light. At least on the outside. On the inside, Light and Dark. Worry in his eyes, he asked quietly, "Aniki…"

The honey amber gaze finally flickered towards Tatsuha, quirking his lip slightly. "You say it like that, it's no wonder I have a run for my money with the women.."

"Say it like…." Tatsuha frowned in thought, then blushed a bit, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry."

Taking in the blush with more than passing interest, Eiri leaned forward and took Tatsuha's lips with his own. At first, the younger brother almost pulled back but then, slowly, his hand came up to clench the material of the shirt on his chest as he returned the kiss. What a way to cheer up your brother.

-fin