Title : Circle of Mates
Pairing : Prominent Aka1xKuro, Aka2xKuro, slight AllxKuro
Disclaimer : Do not own
Beta-ed by AokazuSei
Summary : The Akashi siblings, despite their uncanny looks that resembled each other, had always clashed from crucial things to the most trivial. The older one was known for his calm and composed demeanor and would never cease to follow his father's expectations, whereas the younger one was too impulsive to be controlled by their father. Unbeknownst to their father, those two had their own circle of friends who trailed after them with bottomless loyalty. So, when a new person attracted their attention, it was time for the siblings to show who was more superior.
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Chapter 1
Tiny footsteps resounded throughout the luxurious hall on the second floor of the Akashi household. Sensing a fierce aura drawn in each and every step taken, the maids and butlers, who were doing either, attending to their morning duties or simply passing through the hallway, had hurriedly descended the flight of stairs to the first floor. Unfortunately, some of them were a tad bit too late to escape to the first floor and could only widen their eyes in fright. Left frozen on the only path of the hall, no one dared move an inch for no one wish to further infuriate the already angered, approaching figure. By the way the deadly aura flamed up around that figure, who was actually their young master in the form of a 8 years old boy, was enough to tell them that something unpleasant had happened to him. It was a clear sign which set the rule they had grown accustomed to. Do not ever stand close enough to sense their fierce aura when they were having a bad day. Stay at least a few feet away if you value your life, leave the safe zone and all of hell will break loose.
Today was not much different from one of those days, though no one had expected it to greet them first thing in the morning. By the look of it, something bad would most likely to happen, and it was best not to involve themselves. Thus, a menacing glance thrown by the seemingly harmless boy had eventually scattered them away, clearing the path for their young master to walk forward with a dark aura surrounding him. The small boy didn't even realize he had chased them away to the first floor.
The sounds of the footsteps died down, only to be followed by a squeaky yell laced with threats,"I know you're there. Get out here or else I'll burn those scissors of yours!"
Silence.
There weren't any signs to indicate a reply to that threat, or any sign of movement in the hallway that showed any submission. That yell obviously belonged to the young master, the oldest of the Akashi siblings, Akashi Seijuro. His still growing body, which was clad in silk, soft blue colored pajamas, was trembling from suppressed anger. Letting out a sigh, he continued to trace the hall before pausing on his way. He turned his head to the right only to see a mirror which had attracted his attention. There, he faced the thing that had worsened his mood significantly, his own reflection.
This morning, he had awakened like usual, exactly at 6 in the morning. Being a good child like usual, he had planned to tidy up his quite messy bed when strands of red hair scattered on his covers had fully captured his attention. There gone the need to complete one of his morning routines. His brain was busily processing the shock upon seeing the image spread out beside his elbow. At first he was confused, but soon. it clicked on him.
Hastily he had brought his palms to his supposed to be pretty long bangs, and found out… it wasn't there! Surprised that he no longer had his bangs, his hands had reached up to the top of his head and felt that something was not right with his hair. Ill feeling began to creep in, he pretty much had an idea of what was happening and it involved a certain brat—his so called younger twin brother.
Rising from his bed and almost falling in the process, he had searched frantically for a nearest mirror by his bed side. Just like what he thought, the figure who stared back on him was a kid with a freshly cut red hair. It was cut dowdily and too short for his taste.
His face looked funny.
He hated it.
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Back to the current situation, Seijuro was still walking in the hallway. He hadn't found his brother yet. Well, it was to be expected, the younger was an expert in hiding. Speaking of his younger brother, Seijuro was not in a good term with him. When siblings in their age would play, cry and laugh with each other in a playground, he would bicker or try to outrival the other. For as long as he remembered, their state of their relationship could easily be seen as bitter rivalry and, no one was willing to step down, even if he was the older brother.
That was why Seijuro would always obey their father, a figure he looked up to. He thought that an authoritative man who was both respected and feared in his business empire was absolute, and he could learn everything from him, including how to crush his own brother. Thus their father sayings had become the strings that moved him. Unexpectedly, his brother was pretty much against their father. Sure the younger twin also upheld their family philosophy where victors were absolute in all things, while losers are denied everything, but he still refused to heed their father's words. It was obvious by the way the younger smiled that insane smile whenever he made eye contacts with their father as if he was plotting something wicked. Strangely, his father seemed undisturbed, not even a slightest bit of annoyance had ever shown on his face for his brother's insolence. Perhaps he thought that it was a phase, or rather he had so little time to actually pay attention for the little fuss his brother tried to show.
Clack.
A familiar sound had quickly dispersed Seijuro's thoughts. Instinctively, he slowed down his steps. It was a sound of someone placing a wooden pawn of shogi on its board. He was sure that it came from a room not too far from where he stood: the study room. So, there he was. Seijuro mentally smirked.
Ever so slowly, he stepped forward. He mentally prepared himself; after all, his brother might still be up to something. Once he reached the door, he leaned his ears against the wooden material. No sound. Glancing to the doorknob, he hesitated for a while before opening it a bit, though it wasn't enough to let something fly out of the door: just in case if his brother had his scissors in hand. His red eyes quietly observed the room shown through the small creak of the door, and he could feel a light breeze blow pass him. Even so, the deafening silence still greeted him.
"To think that nii-sama likes playing hide and seek…how surprising."
An unexpected chuckled came from the inside, catching Seijuro off guard. While he didn't like the sound of his brother's mocking tone and the humiliation that it brought, he mentally cursed for letting himself be startled. That aside, did his brother think of him as a coward? No, he was no coward. He was merely observing the situation beforehand, and not hiding from his scissors: he possessed the same thing. He mentally noted to punish his brother soon for his foolish thoughts.
Pushing the door more to make the creak wider, he stepped inside to face his brother's heterochromatic eyes. He was sitting casually on one of the cushions on the floor with a shogi board placed before him.
"I don't believe that was a proper greeting after what you did to my hair, dear brother," Seijuro smiled, but his true sentiments reflected in his eyes. No one could get away after messing with him, especially with his hair.
"Well, it's unsightly for a perfectionist like you to have that kind of hair. The hair gel will come to waste," The younger one answered, holding back a chuckle. Seijuro's right eye twitched, but he didn't comment on the insult his brother threw at him. While his bangs were shielding his eyes that shone dangerously, he secretly pulled his scissors out of his pocket.
"Care to repeat it, Seijiro?" Calling his younger brother's name which disturbingly sounded much like his, he declared what they both had been thinking the moment Seijuro had entered. War.
Seijiro smirked. For an 8 years old, his smirk held more malice than an adult did, "But to me it's a sight to see. Like this, we look more and more alike."
"I'd rather die than be a brother for an insolent brat you are," Seijuro answered with venom. A seemingly similar smirk appeared on his face, but he wasn't glaring like Seijiro. For the older it was unnecessary to construct his features just to give off a menacing aura. How ridiculous.
"Don't worry nii-sama, the feeling is mutual," Little did Seijuro know that his younger brother had pulled out his own scissors earlier than him. They were ready to wreak havoc until their butler's voice called out to them, "Young masters! The Master is expecting you to come to the dining room to have breakfast with him."
The order had successfully prevented a scene that would have left the maids to do an extra job for the day.
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"Sei, Jiro. what was taking you two so long to come down?"
A man in his late twenties asked sternly from the head of the table, indicating anyone that he was the family head. With blazing, upswept red hair, a well-built body and admirably handsome face, any woman would willingly strive off of whatever dignities they had just to hit upon the man. With those trading links and services worldwide to various countries on earth his companies provided, he had successfully become the most successful young businessman in Japan. Not to mention all of the wealth he had obtained from all of his large companies, he was a man with everything a woman could die for. Akashi Seishiro, the respected father of Akashi siblings had become a widower in his late twenties where at the same time, had also become the most wanted man in Japan.
"I apologize father. I was too coped up with cutting my bangs in the bathroom that I lost track of time," The lie came out smoothly. It was a habit of Seijuro in order to cover up their fights. Seijiro snorted hearing that as he took a seat on one of the lined up chairs on the other side of the table and sat across from his older brother.
"Hm, that is why your hair looks different today," Unfortunately his father bought it easily.
"What about you, Jiro?" Now the man averted his attention to the younger twin, who was busy sipping his tea.
"I helped Sei cutting his hair. It seems that he wants a style that resembles mine." Seijuro would have almost choked on his own milk tea if not for a disapproving stare his father threw towards him.
"I thought you preferred longer hair, Sei." His father's voice sounded amused.
"I simply wish for a change of atmosphere, father."
"Is that so… Well, let's have our breakfast first. Then you two can get to school."
With the order being said, the twins had their eyes lingered for their favorite tofu shimmered with vegetables in broth. His father was the one who told their cook to have tofu as their breakfast since the three of them shared the same obsession towards those soft, shiny white cubes. Not to mention that Kyoto's famous cuisine was tofu.
Before long, a chorus of 'itadakimasu' was heard in the dining room.
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–3 years later –
(Akashi siblings: 11 years old)
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"Father, I'd like to have my name changed."
Seishiro felt a tug on his suit which prevented him from going to his room. He just came back from a business trip in Tokyo, and this wasn't what he'd expected to greet him first at 2 in the morning. Almost instantly, a pair of incisive red eyes peered downward to meet a pair of wide, hetechromatic eyes. His youngest son stood there with a wide grin plastered on his face, not a single sign of sleepiness could be spotted on his face although it was way passed his bedtime.
A glint of disapproval flickered across Seishiro's eyes, "What little fuss are you trying to pull by staying up this late? Shouldn't you be in your bed?"
"And waste my little chance to finally have a talk with you?" Seijiro retorted.
"Believe me father, if you are that kind of father who has all his time wrapped around his family, I wouldn't have stayed all night just to wait for your return." He added in one breath as his eyes opened wider, if that was physically possible.
Seishiro's posture hardened. It wasn't something new for Seijiro to have the guts to talk back, but to point out his only flaw as a person, the only thing he lacked-time for his sons-was a first. He was unsure how to feel about that. Should he feel regret? Guilt? Anger? Did he fail as a parent?
No.
He had provided them anything, from the best educations possible to the most trivial material needed. If anything, they should be grateful for being his sons, for being born as an Akashi. Parent's affections were nothing close compared to it, and parental roles had nothing to do with how much potential they have. Just like what his deceased father had taught and raised him with, affections and being attached to other being would only become his own downfall. Thus he had married out of an arranged marriage. No love was involved. No strings attached. That was why he dumped his wife soon after she gave birth to his twins. His heirs. Did Seishiro love his heirs just like any father would to his children?
No.
Being attached was a weakness. An Akashi must not have a weakness. His sons were merely pawns to prevent the blood line from going extinct. And soon in the future, they would do the same, nothing more and nothing less.
Therefore it would be a disgrace to his pride if he wasn't going to teach his son his place.
"Seijiro."
He only needed to call Seijiro's name to send chills of ice down his spine, forcing the boy to take a step back instinctively. Then, what happened next was a surprise.
A warm touch seeped through the fabric of Seijiro's shirt, leaving his body a lot warmer. Seijiro blinked, unsure of the alien gesture his father showed him. His father was kneeling in front him to match his height, his pair of big arms circled around Seijiro's tiny body into a tight embrace.
"Fathe—"
"Why do you wish to change your name, Jiro?" An overly sweet voice his father whispered against his ear only made Seijiro shuddered.
"People often confuse it with nii-sama's name since we have very similar names, father."
"And what makes you think that I will allow your wish to be fulfilled?"
"I—"
"Remember this, Akashi Seijiro. You are my son, therefore you are mine to control. I've given you and your brother similar names for I've never thought of you two as two different beings. The moment you were born I think of you both as a sole heir, not two heirs," By now his father had loosened the embrace, and stared straight into Seijiro's eyes with a grin that promised a slow torture to their victims before death eventually consumed them.
"If one of you died, it wouldn't be much different to me. If you keep this insolent behavior of yours, I wouldn't hesitate to kill you right on the spot, even if you are my son."
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The next day in Akashi's household was frantic. The butlers and maids were panicking since one of their young masters had gone missing. No one had a clue of his whereabouts, even his older brother. When they informed this to the master of the mansion and offered to call the police, the powerful man only smiled and said there was nothing to worry about.
True to his words, one week later the missing young master showed up in the mansion's door steps, lying unconscious with ugly bruises and cuts all over his body. His smeared of blood shirt was torn here and there, showing glimpses of the body under it which much more thin than before. It was a truly appalling sight, causing the maid who first found him shriek at the top of her lungs, alerting the others.
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"Where were you during the time you gone missing?"
Clack.
"I was kidnapped and tortured in a pitch black room, I haven't the slightest idea where it was or who the kidnapper is. Has this satisfied your curiosity?"
Clack.
Seijiro raised one of his eyebrows at the question. Couldn't they just leave the matter as it is? It had been two weeks since the missing incident, but everyone just couldn't seem to leave him alone. The gossips still lingered around the house about who was the kidnapper, what they really wanted, why the master didn't contact the police, and whatnot.
His older brother who sat across him with a shogi board separating them rolled his eyes, "Do you think I will truly believe it? There's something fishy about your disappearance."
Clack.
"Oh, what is this? Are you by any chance showing some sort of concern towards me, nii-sama?"
Clack.
"Don't be ridiculous. It wouldn't be that hard for me to find out whether you are lying or saying the truth. I hate saying this, but…we are twins after all."
Clack.
"A string of subconscious connection that twins people shared, huh?" The younger twin sounded amused.
Clack.
"You could say that." A small smile found its way on the older twin's lips, catching the younger off guard.
Clack.
"It's ironic isn't it? We hate each other."
Clack.
"A kindly reminder, you actually hate everyone's guts-even father's."
Clack.
"...After what he did of course anyone would despise him even more," The younger said in inaudible whisper. The lower voice had kicked an even stronger curiosity into the older brother. He was sure that the latter was keeping something and didn't plan on telling a single soul about it.
"What did you say?" Seijuro paused in his move, a piece of shogi pawn wedged in between his fingers were floating in the air. His eyes stared into a pair of hetechromatic eyes in intimidation.
His brother only answered with a 'nothing' as a smirk followed shortly after.
Twitch.
That sure got into the older's nerves. But instead of pulling out his scissors, he sighed in defeat. It was no use to interrogate a pig-headed like his brother. Besides he was in for a surprise.
"Check mate."
There it was.
He smirked as he saw his younger twin's eyes widened in disbelieve. Well, it was easy to defeat someone who was distracted most of the time. Another sign to further accentuated his suspicion. His brother was hiding something and it was bad enough to make him careless.
"You won."
"It will be 111-111 this time. As expected it's a draw." So far neither of them had outmached the other. One of them would win, but soon it would always come to the point where the other would eventually avenge his lost, piling up victory after victory resulting the total points as a draw.
"Heh. Perhaps shogi is not where I will defeat you nii-sama. It's no use to determine who is the absolut winner through this field. "
"Oh? Say, in which field might it be then?" Seijuro said in slight derisive tone as he stood up from his cushion and proceed to leave the room where he had his shogi game with his younger twin awhile ago. The latter's gaze followed his older brother's figure who by now had only a few steps away from the door before finally dissapearing behind the said door without any more words to say.
Seijiro, who was left to sit all alone in the room drew his gaze away from the mahogany door to bore through the shogi board before him. Picking up a piece of shogi, he snickered, "Who knows…"
Little did they know, they would have their answer not far in the future which involved a certain teal haired boy who'd they fight his love for.
A/N :
-Akashi with longer bangs (the older twin) is named "Seijuro", his father calls him "Sei".
-Akashi with shorter bangs with heterochromatic eyes (the younger twin) is named "Seijiro", his father calls him "Jiro".
I hope it doesn't confuse anyone. The reason why I give them similar names is that I wanted to make them as close as possible with canon Akashis (duo personalities Akashi), despite them being twins. It wouldn't sit well with me if one of them having a completely different name.
- I can't believe I made the atmosphere in this chapter going back and forth between light, serious, light and the next chapter might be crack, serious, more serious...lol it will be the introduction of Seijuro's and Seijiro's gangs, what they do when spending time together, and of course the appearance of our beloved ultimate uke, KUROCHAN. Sorry Kurochan didn't appear here. Not yet.
Anyway, anyone is free to guess who are the gang members. I think it's kinda obvious though...
Off topic ; for those who love AkaKuro, you might want to join our group in FB ; AkaKuro Shippers.
See you in the-if there's even the next chapter, that is.