"No."
That one word seemed to echo throughout the library, bouncing from wall to wall as the two children looked at each other with matching looks of stubborn determination. Koumei, the younger of the two boys, sat in one of the plush armchairs. He was curled up with a book in his lap and a content aura, or he had been until his brother came in and disturbed him.
Kouen on the other hand stood in the doorway of the library with his arms crossed firmly over his chest and a frown on his face. He didn't understand why Koumei kept refusing, it was a simple request and one that the younger boy should not have been pestered to undertake.
Yet it was like this every single day, and though Kouen knew he should have been used to the constant fuss Koumei put up whenever bathtime came around, he was getting pretty darn annoyed with his littler brother. The fact that he was the one who was tasked with making his brother bath may have had something to do with his annoyance, or perhaps it was just that Koumei always put up one hell of a fight.
"Go bathe." Kouen ordered the younger boy with a huff, tilting his head to better glare at the other boy.
Koumei merely glanced up at him for a brief moment before returning his attention back to his book, not even giving his brother a verbal reply as he silently brushed him off and continued reading.
That irked Kouen.
"Koumei, I won't ask again." the elder said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Go and take a bath, now, before I make you."
"You say that every time." Koumei snorted quietly and turned the page of his book, still intent on ignoring his brother and holding out on that small hope that today was the day Kouen would get it thtough his head that Koumei did not want a bath.
He should have known better.
Kouen grinned slightly. "Yeah, and you always end up doing it too." he replied with a smug tone lacing his words.
"Shut up." Koumei muttered as he threw a nasty glare at his brother, to which Kouen merely grinned.
They both knew how this would end. Koumei was well aware that his brother had no qualms with dragging him kicking and screaming to the bathroom, and he knew Kouen had no issues with forcing him into the tub. It wouldn't have been the first time such a thing had happened, and both boys knew it wouldn't be the last.
Kouen would win in thier rather onesided argument- he always won.
Still, that didn't mean Koumei would make things easy for him. He hated bathtime. It took up space where he could have been reading his beloved books, and that was unforgivable to the young child. So he refused. It was only when Kouen or his attendants came and dragged him away that he did things like bathe and eat, too caught up in his reading to care or worry about such things.
That was how the daily bathtime stuggles began.
Huffing quietly to himself the young redhead turned a bland glare towards his elder brother, who had moved closer, probably getting ready to drag him off to his watery doom. He frowned when Kouen edged even closer and felt himself tense in preperation for the fight that was sure to ensue.
He hadn't counted on Kouen grabbing his book away though and the younger redhead whined in distress as he lunged for the stolen item, following after Kouen as the elder boy danced out of reach with a laugh.
"Give it back!" Koumei yelled, jumping for the book only to have it moved out of reach as Kouen darted away again and again. It was frustrating the yougner boy and Koumei felt his cheeks flush in anger as he once more tried to reclaim his stolen book.
"Take a bath and then I'll give it back~" Kouen told him as he turned and headed to the door, Koumei reluctantly following him in hopes of finding a way to grab his book and make a break for it.
Unfortunately Kouen was not silly and he kept a firm grip on the book in his hands, even going so far as to throw smug little grins at his brother as he lead the way down the hall and towards the bathroom, Koumei following behind him sullenly with a pout on his face as he glared at his brother's back.
They arrived at the bathroom a few mintues later and Koumei was reluctant as ever to step foot into the room. Had he mentioned that he hated bathtime? Because he did. He hated it a lot. More than eating vegitables or going outside. But he knew there was no getting out of it now, Kouen still held his book hostage after all, and the elder would make sure he didn't leave until he was all squeaky clean and miserable.
"I don't want too-" Koumei whined, stomping his little feet around as he stood by the door with his arms crossed stubbornly over his chest.
Kouen wasn't having any of that though, and Koumei watched with growing horror as his elder brother casually moved over to the steaming bathtub and held his book above the water.
Causally, Kouen turned to gaze at his little brother and just smiled that smug little grin that set Koumei bristling with annoyance. He was enjoying this far too much and Koumei did not like it at all.
"Get in the tub or say goodbye to your book here." Kouen told him with that grin still in place, dangling the book dangerously over the water.
Koumei whined and shuffled about. He didn't want to take a bath! But then again he didn't want Kouen to drop his book in the bathtub either. The worst part about it all was the fact that Koumei was almost 100% sure that Kouen would do it too, just to teach him a lesson or some such nonsense like that.
Seeing the hesitation on his little brother's face gave Kouen the bright idea to help his little brother along by 'accidently' almost dropping the book into the water, giggling slightly as he watched the horror on Koumei's face as the younger boy darted forward to save his precious book.
Kouen caught it though and smiled at Koumei as he hurried to shut the door and flick the lock, cutting off any chance of escape Koumei may have had. This made the younger boy stomp his foot on the floor and sulkily cross his arms and plop down on the floor.
"You're a meanie!" he huffed, turning his head away from Kouen when the elder boy approached him after placing the book down on the sink- which was to high for Koumei to reach without a stool.
"Well if you would just take the stupid bath-"
"I don't wanna!"
"Koumei-"
"No!"
This went on for a good few minutes, the two brothers bickering back and forth heatedly, before Kouen got fed up and yanked his brother up off the floor and began pushing him toward the tub. Koumei wasn't haing that though and began to flail about, kicking and yelling about how he didn't even need a bath. It was a lie. He really did need one he just didn't want one.
"Stop it!" Kouen finally shouted, rounding on his little brother with such a dark look on his face that Koumei's mouth shut with an audible click, his eyes widening as tears welled within them.
Koumei sniffled quietly and immediately Kouen knew he had gone too far. Guilt welled within the elder boy, staring at his little brother as the younger boy fought to keep his bottom lip from trembling.
"...Mei. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Mei please don't cry." Kouen apologized as he reached out to his brother and pulled him into a hug that, despite his anger, Koumei was all to ready to return.
Koumei clung to his brother and buried his face in the other boy's shirt, sniffling loudly as he rubbed his water filled eyes. Kouen felt terrible. He knew how sensitive Koumei was, especially when there was yelling involved. The younger boy was so soft spoken and shy, having Kouen of all people yell at him was just horrible and Koumei couldn't help that he started crying, even as he tried to stop himself.
"Shhh, I'm sorry Mei. Don't cry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell." Kouen cooed softly as he rocked his baby brother back and forth, stroking his messy red hair soothingly as he nuzzled him.
Koumei merely sniffed and nodded slightly. He forgave his brother. He always did and he always would, there was nothing Koumei wouldn't do for his big brother, there was nothing Kouen could do that he wouldn't forgive.
"Mei, I'm real sorry." Kouen repeated, wiping away the few tears that escaped Koumei's eyes when the younger boy glanced up at him and nodded again.
"S'okay... I forgive you." the little redhead replied, nuzzling into his brother's arms and blinking once. "...Does this mean I don't need to take a bath now?" he asked hopefully and pouted when Kouen laughed.
"No way, you're taking a bath- you stink Mei~" the elder replied with a grin as he tugged at the band in Koumei's hair, letting the messy hair fall down around the younger boy's shoulders and over his face.
Koumei whined and swatted at Kouen with a pout. "Meanie!" he huffed, though there was no venom in his voice as he tried to tame his hair. "You know I hate it when you do that."
"Well duh, it's why I do it."
"Kouen?"
"Yeah?"
"...You suck-"
"...Just get in the bath Koumei."