(Author's Note: This fic is for nighty-amy on tumblr, who requested a story highlighting a typical day (and night) in the life of Haru and Aki.)
The insistent beep of an alarm pierced through Aki's dreams, calling him back to the world of the waking. He stifled a yawn and peeked one eye open. Haru grumbled next to him. He snuggled closer beneath the blankets, arms tightening around Aki's waist. Aki smiled. Carefully reaching over Haru, he silenced the alarm. They needed to get up and get ready for school, but Aki supposed they could sacrifice a couple minutes to savor the night's lingering warmth. He held Haru close, nuzzling into his brother's hair with a content sigh. "Time to wake up," he whispered.
Haru groaned, his grip tightening around Aki. Aki reached up with one hand to brush his fingers through Haru's disheveled hair. "Haru."
"Come on... can't we blow school off just once?" Haru opened one crimson eye, but he didn't budge.
"You know we can't, as much as I'd like to." Aki pressed a kiss to the top of Haru's head. When his twin continued to sulk, he ghosted kisses down over Haru's ear and the side of his neck. Haru squirmed ticklishly. A hint of a grin tugged at his lips. He turned in Aki's arms, nipping at the space between Aki's throat and his shoulder. A shiver ran down Aki's spine, but he didn't take the bait. "Haru... we have to get ready."
Haru let out a frustrated growl and sank his teeth into Aki in earnest. Aki cried out in surprise. The heat from Haru's mouth on his skin jolted him awake and clouded his thoughts with temptation. His fingers tightened in Haru's hair. Spine arching, Aki struggled to think straight. They needed to get ready. He couldn't afford to get distracted, no matter how persuasive Haru was.
"Haru!" Aki pulled back, trying to extract himself from Haru's arms, but gravity betrayed him. Suddenly the bed that supported him disappeared, and Aki tumbled off the edge and onto the hard floor below. Haru fell on top with a yelp. Rubbing the back of his aching head with one hand, Aki winced. He tried to sit up and ran right into Haru's chest. Haru sat straddling him, his arms braced to either side. "Sorry, Haru... are you o-?" Haru's lips crushed against his. Aki's thoughts abandoned him; his arms wrapped around Haru with a soft sound as he returned this kiss. Haru's fingers slipped into his hair, pulling him closer, and Aki arched against him.
"Are you two up yet?" Dadacha's voice sounded distant, but it was definitely coming closer.
Haru was on his feet in an instant, sleep-shirt straightened innocently by the time Dadacha stepped into sight. He blinked over at Aki, who sat half-way up on the floor, hair and shirt a ruffled mess. "Aki-chan?"
"Aki fell out of bed," Haru teased, grinning down at him.
Aki sighed. He muttered, "and whose fault was that?" Haru reached a hand down, though, and pulled Aki up to make peace. Aki's irritation faded, and he smiled back.
"Well, you two should get dressed and come eat. Your porridge will get cold if you wait too long."
"Yes, yes, Dadacha. We'll be right there." Aki reached for their folded uniforms, handing Haru his.
"Good, good." Dadacha nodded and stepped back out.
Aki shrugged off his nightshirt and stepped into his slacks. Haru grumbled something and started changing as well, still only in pants by the time Aki fastened the last button on his shirt. Aki slipped into his jacket as Haru hurried with his shirt. In his hurry to dress, Haru missed a button-right under his ribs.
"Oh, Haru... hold still." Aki fastened the rogue button, then reached over for Haru's scarf. He draped it around his twin's neck and fastened it into place with Haru's solar ornament. Straightening it, he gave an approving smile. Haru grinned back and reached past him. Fabric slid around Aki's throat; his brother tied the scarf in a loose bow and attached his lunar ornament.
Leaning forward, Aki stole a kiss. "Thanks." He reached for their hairbrush. Aki tried to tame his disheveled hair before running it through Haru's as well.
Haru chuckled, clearly enjoying being fussed over. "All right, come on... Dadacha is waiting for us, right?"
"All right." Aki set the brush back down, and slipped his hand into his brother's. They made their way to the table where Dadacha waited. The sweet scent of piping hot porridge filled the room. "It looks wonderful as always, Dadacha," he said with a smile. He took a bite, savoring the warmth. Haru joined him, digging into his breakfast as well.
"Only the best for my twins." Dadacha's little chest puffed out with pride.
Aki spared a glance to the nearby clock, and finished his porridge with haste. They had wasted more time than he realized—at this rate they would have to hurry to make it to school on time. The twins had reputations to uphold. They were idols, it wasn't proper for them to arrive late. Finishing his tea, Aki stood and offered a hand to Haru. Haru hurried to finish his breakfast, and took Aki's hand. "All right, I'm coming, I'm coming," he grumbled.
Dadacha leapt into Aki's pocket. "Ready?"
"Ready." Aki lead the way out the front door. A crowd of adoring fans waited. Cheers and excited greetings erupted around the twins in a cacophony of noise. Haru winced, but Aki did his best to smile and gave the apes a wave. "Good morning," he offered. It only seemed to excite the crowd further. Some of the bolder boys rushed up to the two, reaching out as if to grab his hand or arm.
"Aki-sama! Haru-sama!"
Aki's smile wavered as they reached for him. Haru's voice cut through the group like a knife, though. "Don't touch us! Know your place, apes-and get out of the way. You're in the road!" Haru's red eyes flashed with warning. His hand tightened around Aki's as he bristled.
"Ah, please give us some space, if you will," Aki added more gently. Haru's harsh words kept the apes in line, but he still couldn't help worrying. What if some of the apes took his words as a challenge? What if he angered them? He couldn't risk Haru getting hurt. The apes parted obediently, though. As they made their way past, the twins waved at Gora with matching smiles of adoration and wished him a good morning, but otherwise their walk to school was uneventful.
While their teachers lectured, Aki feigned interest. Haru didn't even bother to hide his boredom. They spent the time studying their classmates in search of a new candidate. They couldn't ignore Yumoto or the Earth Defense Club, and that meant they needed a plan.
It didn't take long to find the perfect student. As the twins finished their lunch, they caught sight of a boy kneeling on the floor, distraught. A tiny pocket mirror lay on the ground, shattered. He tried to put the pieces back together as his tears splashed against the silvery surface. Some of the other boys laughed at him.
"What a klutz," Haru scoffed, leaning back in his seat.
"Shall we investigate?"
"Hmm. Seems Could be promising." The two rose as one, stepping over to the weeping first-year.
"Oh dear." Aki tilted his head, watching the boy's pathetic attempts to piece the mirror back together. "Breaking a mirror is bad luck, you know."
"Unlucky," Haru echoed, crossing his arms.
The student erupted into sobs. "D-don't you think th... that I know that?" He scrubbed at his eyes, sitting back on his heels. Sniffing, he looked up at the two with tearful, red-rimmed eyes. "Now I'll never be lucky enough to win that contest..."
"Are you sure about that?" Aki leaned down, offering him a hand up.
"Why don't you just give everyone else bad luck?" Haru smirked. The student took Aki's hand hesitantly, and looked between the two with wide eyes.
"Give them... bad luck?"
"Then no one will be better than you."
"Isn't that what you want?" Starlight erupted around the twins, and their eyes narrowed with triumph. It was almost too easy. Halfway through the school day, and they already had their perfect monster. After granting Taiga's wish, he stood before them as a proud black feline with thirteen tails.
Chaos erupted in the school: mirrors broke, forgotten umbrellas burst open in class, and the janitor's ladder fell on an unfortunate student passing beneath. Pictures jumped off of the walls and shattered on the floor below. Relationships fell apart, and friendships broke on miscommunications and bizarre accidents.
It didn't take long for the effects to hit the Defense Club. The twins followed the Defense Club back from school in time to see Yumoto trip and tear the knees of his uniform. Bruises flowered on the delicate skin beneath, and tears sprung to his eyes. The Defense Club rushed to his aid with worried cries. While their backs were turned, Taiga stepped up behind them, eyes glowing yellow. Shoe laces untied and messenger bag straps broke as he approached.
"Kiss your luck good bye!"
The pink-haired one pointed in shock at the giant black cat with an exclamation of shock, and the Battle Lovers transformed. Aki winced at their cheesy catchphrases and ridiculous poses. Scarlet rose to his feet, but his shoes had managed to untie themselves. He tripped and fell backwards with a yelp.
Haru laughed, draping an arm around Aki's shoulders. "Just look at them," he taunted. "Yumoto can't even stand!"
As promising as the Unlucky Monster seemed at first, the resilient Battle Lovers won in the end. Just like they always did. Haru's hands clenched into fists, and he shook with fury as the enormous feline was 'loved.' Aki's shoulders slumped, and he took one of his brother's balled hands into his own, slipping his fingers between Haru's. "Let's head home," he whispered.
The Battle Lovers laughed and joked down below, and Haru pulled Aki close with an irritated growl. "Let's go," he agreed.
The twins walked home with heavy hearts as they endured the bitter taste of defeat. The failure wasn't even the worst part. Aki squeezed Haru's hand, jaw clenching. The Battle Lovers didn't even take them seriously. They laughed them off or ignored them, just like everyone else had for so long. They treated the twins as if they weren't even worth their time. Aki wasn't the only one bothered. His brother's hand trembled in his. Haru's lips curled down in a snarl, eyes shining with the threat of tears. Anger and hurt battled across his features. Ignoring the tightness in his chest, Aki lead the way back home to sanctuary against the cruel world. He nudged Haru. "Haru… I know how you feel. Try not to dwell on it though, okay?" He reached up to touch his twin's cheek. "I miss your smile."
A faint flush of color rose to Haru's cheeks. His eyebrow twitched a little—he stubbornly clung to his foul mood. Dadacha excused himself to make dinner, looking his as disheartened as Aki felt. Aki dragged Haru into the theater instead, intent on cheering him up. He couldn't stand to see Haru looking so… hurt.
Haru blinked. He raised an eyebrow with growing suspicion. "Aren't we going to eat something before we rehearse?"
"I thought we could switch things up a bit tonight," Aki told him with a wink. Haru slowly turned red, reading exactly as much into the words as Aki meant him to.
"Yeah?" He huffed, unconvinced.
Aki reached down for one of the microphones and switched it on. He tossed the other to Haru, who caught it automatically. Stepping over to his brother, he sang into the mic with long, melancholy-sweet notes. "Long ago, far away… two lonely stars shone across the sky. One, calm blue, one fiery white. They shone with all their might, calling to the other. A thousand wishes cast—on a thousand suns and moons, and finally the stars were together…."
Haru's lips twitched into a small smile. Aki felt his bad mood slipping away as he danced his way over to Haru. Haru caved, raising his mic and switching it on. He joined in, and the two sang in a harmony as bittersweet as it was beautiful. "This is the tale of two lovers… the tale of two stars. The tale of wishes made, and wishes granted. One long journey—across the Milky Way—" Haru's arm snaked around Aki's waist, and he dipped him theatrically. He crooned sweetly, "with a bit of luck…."
"And a bit of joy…." Aki's voice softened as he looked up into his brother's crimson eyes with a smile. "All for the sake of love."
The sound of tiny applause reached the twins' ears. Aki looked up from Haru's arms in surprise. Dadacha clapped enthusiastically, tail twitching with pride. Blushing a little, Haru helped Aki back up, and the two switched off their mics. "Ah, you two sound wonderful, as always! A new song?"
Aki smiled, nodding. "We're still working on it, though. It has a ways to go, yet."
"What do you think, Dadacha? Do you like it so far?" Haru grinned.
"I do! It's sure to be a hit, especially if you sing it that sweetly. Dinner is ready, though—for now let's eat up while it's hot."
"Oh?" Aki walked toward the table, and Haru followed shortly after. "What are we having tonight, Dadacha?"
"Ah, it's a hot pot! It is supposed to be chilly tonight, so it should keep you two nice and warm."
"That does sound good," Aki mused, taking a seat. Haru followed suit. The mouth-watering aroma of freshly-cooked seafood, mushrooms and dumplings wrapped around them temptingly. "Thank you for the meal," Aki said, taking a bite. It was every bit as delicious as it smelled—the soft buttery flavor of the crab mingled with earthy vegetables and rich mushrooms in his mouth.
"It's really good," Haru exclaimed next to him, looking surprised.
"Mmhm," Aki agreed. He was hungrier than he had realized. The twins finished their dinner in record time, and Dadacha straightened with pride.
"Ah, that really hit the spot," Haru leaned back in his chair with a sigh as Dadacha poured the two cups of fragrant peppermint tea. Aki wasn't sure if he had room for tea after such a big dinner, but Dadacha caught his eye and pushed the tea a little closer.
"Oh, don't give me that look. You two need to take good care of those voices, so drink up."
"Right…." Aki picked up his cup, and took a small sip. The flavor was as refined and sweet as ever. He nursed the drink slowly. Haru groaned, eyeing his cup with suspicion as if deciding whether he had room for it. Eventually he lost the battle of wills with his teacup, and slowly drank it as well.
After setting down the empty cup, Haru stood, stretching. "I think I'm going to check up on my sakura tree."
Aki stood as well. "Thank you for dinner, Dadacha." He gave Dadacha a small smile, and excused himself to follow Haru to their study. While Haru trimmed and fussed over the tiny tree's branches and carefully watered its roots, Aki eyed his calligraphy set. He finally gave into the temptation, mixed a small batch of ink. Dipping the familiar brush into it, he paused. He had a little bit of time—Haru had a whole collection of tiny trees and shrubs to check on and water, after all. Aki's brush hovered above the paper. He brought it down in a long, careful stroke. Another pause, another calculated motion. The last stroke came down fast and feral, bringing the page to life. He stared down at the glistening ink against the paper: "LUCK." He couldn't quite say if it was a silent prayer for the good luck that always seemed to evade them, or if it was a loving dedication to his brother. Aki washed his brush off, lingering on the word. He put his tools away. He picked up the paper, meaning to put it with the others, but he hesitated. Aki stared down at the page.
"Oh, I like that one." Haru slipped an arm around Aki's waist, resting his chin on Aki's shoulder as he studied the word. "Especially right here…." He pointed to the fast, wild stroke that ended the word.
Aki smiled. "You think so?" After a moment's thought, he pinned it up to the board on the wall.
"Mmhm." Haru kissed the side of his throat, and steered him away. "It's getting late, though. Let's take a bath."
"All right, all right." Aki smiled and let his brother lead the way. He handed Haru his toothbrush before grabbing his own. Haru stifled a yawn. The two brushed quickly, blue and red toothbrushes were returned to their cup, and Haru stepped close, helping Aki undress. Aki protested a little—even though he knew it was futile—and despite the confusion of both reaching for the same button, or of arms tangled together when Aki gave up and undressed Haru instead, the two managed to slip out of their clothes and into the water. Aki sighed blissfully, sinking in all the way to his chin. He leaned back against Haru, arms and legs intertwined as the two relaxed. Haru's hands wandered. New heat flooded through Aki as he arched into his twin's touch. He nuzzled into Haru's throat to trail kisses over the fair skin. Despite Haru's best attempts to distract him, Aki grabbed the shampoo and straddled him. He massaged a bit into his twin's pale hair and lathered soap over Haru's body. By the time he rinsed Haru off, his brother's crimson eyes had darkened a shade. He pounced on Aki, mischief shining in his gaze. Aki laughed as Haru straddled him with graceless determination and washed his hair. Haru's soapy hands wandered over Aki's chest and stomach. Sudsy fingertips slipped dangerously lower, and Aki bit his lower lip to stifle the wanton sounds building inside of him. He shivered despite the warmth of the bath.
It was a miracle that either of them managed to get clean and stay clean. Heat rose to Aki's cheeks as he wondered if Dadacha had heard his the stifled whimpers and breathy moans that had escaped the two, or the splash of bathwater as it splashed onto the floor. He had tried to be quiet… but with Haru that was never an easy task. Aki shrugged on an oversized button-up shirt. He stepped gingerly over to the bed, wincing as he tried not to limp. Haru noticed right away. Arms came around Aki, lifting him up, and he grabbed Haru's shoulders with a gasp. "Don't drop me," he warned. Haru's grin looked anything but innocent. "Haru."
Haru ignored his warning, gently tossing him onto the bed. Aki landed with a yelp and shot Haru a half-amused, half-chastising look.
"Aw, come on, don't give me that look." Haru slipped into bed next to him and pulled the blankets up around them. His arms slid around Aki's waist. Aki relaxed, nuzzling into Haru as he hugged him back comfortably.
"Love you," he mumbled, pressing a light kiss to Haru's jaw.
"Always," Haru echoed, kissing his temple in return.
They relaxed together, breaths slowing as silvery starlight poured into their room from the nearby window. The thin crescent moon rose higher in the sky, and dreams wrapped around the twins. Haru's brow twitched as he shifted in his sleep. Aki tensed. Icy claws wrapped around him, crushing him. The jagged edges dug into his skin and chest, and scarlet dripped down his front. He tried to cry out, tried to pry the claw off. No matter how hard he struggled, the iron grip only tightened around him. He struggled to breathe, reaching for his lunar ornament in desperation. His fingers met bare skin and cloth—his button-up sleep shirt—and he remembered the silver talisman sitting on the bedside table nearby. At a time like this…! He tried to reach for it, hand trembling. His lungs burned as he wheezed and stretched. Warm, coppery liquid slid down from the corner of his mouth. He could almost reach it… just a little further…..
A low, sadistic laugh echoed around him. Two burning eyes moved closer, and the maw of daggers drew closer.
"Aki…." The monster let out a low growl. Its jaws opened wide. Aki fought and kicked, but black spots ate away at his vision like acid, and his burning lungs filled his head with dizziness.
"Aki…."
He struggled harder, letting out choked cries as the claw's spines dug further into his skin.
"Aki!"
Aki's eyes snapped open; he jerked back from Haru's hands with a gasp. His brother hovered over him, and Aki looked around in panicked confusion. There was no sign of the monster. When he touched his chest with a trembling hand, the skin was whole and unmarred.
"Aki, it's okay… it wasn't real." Haru looked so sad. Guilt shot through Aki as he realized he was the cause of it. He tried to brush off Haru's worry, despite the fact that he couldn't stop shaking. He tried to reassure him. He had to be strong—for Haru.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to… I'm fine, really, Haru."
Haru pulled him into a close hug and pressed a soft kiss to Aki's head. Slowly, the tension drained out of Aki's shoulders and he melted into Haru's warmth, nuzzling into him. "It's okay," Haru breathed. "You're okay."
Aki hugged him back, breathing in the familiar, comforting scent. He curled against Haru, nodding. Fingers carded through his hair, and slowly he relaxed once more.
"You okay?"
"I'm okay," he whispered, giving Haru a small squeeze. This time, it wasn't a lie.
Relaxing around him, Haru nodded. Aki rested his head against Haru's shoulder, tired beyond explanation. Despite the trauma he'd felt only moments ago, sleep slowly claimed him once more. This time, safe in his brother's arms, no nightmares disturbed him. Aki slept soundly until the waning starlight faded and sunbeams replaced it.