"Tell me about your brother."
"He … we were always close, every since I can remember. He had a fairly normal childhood, as far as I can tell. It wasn't until his late teens that the changes started. He withdrew so suddenly, I thought maybe something happened to him, maybe he was hurt somehow. But no matter what I did, he always pushed me away."
"Do you … want to talk about that day?"
A clock ticked loudly in the ensuing silence. Echoes of laughter could be heard from afar. Dark eyes gazed out the window of the comfortably lit room. Not seeing the people passing by on the crowded street below, but into the troubled past.
"You already know what happened that day."
"I know the facts, yes. But talking about it will help me see it from your perspective, how it impacted you."
"How it impacted me? My whole life changed that day. Everything –" his voice hitched, shield cracking. "Everything I cared about was taken from me that day." Dark eyes turned steely, shield back in place. "I don't think it's necessary to talk about that day."
"I understand. The impacts of paranoid schizophrenia can be devastating for the family involved."
Another silence, the dreaded word hanging heavy in the air. Schizophrenia. That was what they were attributing it to.
"Do you love him?"
"Yes." No hesitation. A statement of fact.
Met with a raised eyebrow. "Given your ages when your … romantic relationship with your brother began, it is considered statutory rape. That's why –"
"I don't care what you call it. I love him, and always will."
"Very well. How do you feel about his treatment?"
A pale fist tightened its grip on the armrest. "They're slowly killing him. The drugs they're forcing him to take … he's become a shell."
"He is receiving the best treatment available –" the clock chimed, signalling the end of their hour. "We'll continue next week. The police have informed me the court order will be in place tomorrow. After today you will never see your brother again." The therapist closed her book, held the door open.
He walked in a daze to the psychiatric ward. The familiar white door opened in front of him. Inside, his brother.
His lover, locked away.
The white hospital gown hung loose on his slim flame. He wasn't eating again.
"Oniisan."
"Otouto."
"Why did you do it? I loved you. I trusted you."
"Do what, Otouto?"
"Why did you kill them all?"
The handle of the knife felt cool in his grip. This would be how their story ended, he had decided.
"I didn't kill anyone, Otouto. You're imagining things."
"Liar! I saw it!"
Tears were falling down his cheeks.
"You're imagining things Otouto. That's why you're here."
The sweetest eyes, open wide in shock. "No … No!" Beautiful hands frantically tugging. Dark strands of hair falling. "Help me, Oniisan. I don't want to be here anymore. They make me take all those pills. I feel so dead. I can't take it anymore. I don't want this! Help me!"
"They said I won't be able to see you anymore after today."
Tears were falling down his cheeks.
"Don't leave me …"
"I won't leave you, Otouto. I love you. I need you to tell me the truth now. Do you still love me?"
"You killed them …"
"Do you still love me?"
"… Yes."
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes."
"Then trust me now. I'll take you away from here, somewhere we'll always be together."
Black eyes on black, lips locked together. His warm breath. Eyes widening as the knife plunged into his beating heart.
He lowered his body to the ground gently, eyes never leaving his. Another kiss. He was smiling now. No more tears. No more breath.
He pulled the knife out of his stilled heart. Noises in the background, but they didn't matter anymore. He pushed the knife up into his own chest. His brother's blood mixed with his. Hands intertwined, black eyes on black, secret smiles shared by lovers. Falling asleep together, one last time.