Sometimes Soubi feels a spark in his chest that means I wish Soubi was here and then it's time to drop what he's doing and pay Ritsuka a surprise visit. Ritsuka will scowl and ask him why he's there and Soubi will smile, 'I thought you might miss me,' he'll say. Sometimes he knows which orders are meant, which Ritsuka really wants him to ignore.
When Soubi was a child sometimes Sensei would come unannounced and find him already waiting. Sometimes Soubi moved to where Sensei wanted him before being told. Soubi was taught to draw as part of his fighter training, speed of visualisation was important. Sensei would give him a string of things to draw and measure the time it took. Ant, tiger, bird, tree, fish. Soubi started drawing each one almost before it was said, hearing something like an echo that came before the sound, feeling something like belonging.
'Why a shark, Soubi-kun?'
'A shark is a fish, Sensei.'
'Answer the question.'
'I don't know.'
Sensei looked at him as if he'd failed a test and Soubi kept his flinch internal. 'We should find you a sacrifice soon.'
Soubi doodles idly while Ritsuka does his homework, it's too hot to pay attention to what he's doing. Ritsuka sucks on his pencil and gazes out of the window, forgetting the English verbs he's supposed to be learning. Cicadas chirp outside and Soubi and Ritsuka could be the only people in the world. Soubi looks down at what he's drawn, an ice cream sundae scribbled on scrap paper.
'Do you want to go out for ice cream, Ritsuka?'
Ritsuka looks up. 'When I've done my homework.' He smiles, looks suddenly younger. 'I was just thinking I'd like a chocolate sundae.'
'That's good.' Soubi smiles back. When Ritsuka turns away he crumples the drawing in his hand.