Yay! I finally have an idea for this one! WOOT
Disclaimer: bluh don't own this or Mulan bluh bluh
Spoilers (duh): if you haven't read the manga or seen the anime, I have no idea why you're reading this story...
Warnings: Excessive Gene-ness?
Quick note: I believe I have the twins around 13/14 here, which would make Lin (in my world) 19 or 20.
"This movie is excessively offensive."
Gene was surprised he lasted this long. He had thought for sure the chain-smoking matchmaker and song would've broken him, but no. Apparently his infallible discipline only extended as far as animated, anthropomorphized mystical creatures.
"Perhaps you're being touchy," he suggested as casually as he could manage (which was pretty damn spot on, if anyone asked) through his amusement, "Lin-san." Just in case he wasn't already on his Chinese high horse. It had been too long since he'd prodded his too-calm tutor into a rage. Today felt like one of those days. Granted, Noll would kill him later, but only after his lesson, when the much more threatening Lin had a proper outlet for unleashing his frustration. He could probably get to a safe-house before then anyway. Maybe Jacob. Or that girl from the tour, Janine or something.
"Every other sentence out of the dragon's mouth is a stereotype," Lin stated blandly, feigning disinterest but there was enough edge in his voice to almost call it arguing. Gene kept his eyes to the screen, draped impudently across one of the overstuffed couches, which, incidentally, had been shoved aside in preparation for the aforementioned lesson. The mismatched throw pillows that had been carefully stacked had spilled onto the floor while he settled into a comfortable position. Normally, Noll would count the success of his practice by how many of those pillows stayed in place. Whoops.
"He's cute."
Lin was either aiming his glare of distaste to the pillows instead of him, or he was actually offended by the mess. "He's also sexist. I believe he just equated hygiene to a negative habit because he considers it feminine."
"Lin-san, I think you're getting a little involved. It's just a movie." He hazarded a glance to his left, where Lin had paused in his diligent hand-wrapping to scathe a Disney movie.
"A movie that blatantly misrepresents my culture." Goodbye detachment. Gene let his lip twitch in way of victory celebration, subdued because there was always more fun to be had. And it only took thirty minutes of song and cartoon choreography to get this far. He expected this movie could get a too-loud-to-be-spoken order from his iron-control.
"Hey, I'm not making you watch it. You invaded my break time with your non-existent sense of humor," he countered, letting a bit of good old fashioned pubescent deflection score a few more bonus points. His efforts were not unrewarded. Lin tugged a little more insistently at his foot-bindings (hello irony), stretching his ankle with too much vigor. Outward signs of irritation leaking past his ocean of patience. He could sense a record coming on. Lin never broke this quickly.
"I find many faults with your reasoning," Lin ground out with the vestiges of his patience, pressing the bottoms of his feet together and stretching so he'd have an excuse to look away from Gene's do-tell smirk, "You are quite aware that this particular lab is reserved for Oliver's training. Why you chose this room in the first place is beyond me."
"He doesn't start for," a cursory glance at his watch showed the youth of the hour, "another forty two minutes yet."
"I prepare an hour before, Eugene, as I'm sureyou have not forgotten."
Gene barely resisted playing teacher. If he even suggested that Lin was ill-prepared and cramming, the game was done. He'd pull some wisdom from his unending wealth and, well, then there'd be a lot of pouting for the rest of the day and Noll invading the Line so he could make fun of him for pouting.
"Well, I wanted the couch. It's comfy." Just for good measure, he clicked the volume steadily upward. "Ooh! The reprise is my favorite. It's always more epic."
"What are you—."
"'BE A MAN! You must be swift as a coursing river!'" Gene sang loudly, in tune if not entirely pleasant. Maybe he should sing off-key, but then that might be too obvious. He was going for some semblance of subtlety, after all.
Lin was not amused. "Gene, really—."
"WITH ALL THE FORCE OF A GREAT TYPHOON!"
"This is unaccep—."
"WITH ALL THE STRENGTH OF A RAGING FIRE!"
"That's it."
Gene was woefully unprepared. "MYSTERIOUS AS THE DARK SIDE OF THE—!"
There was a hand over his mouth now. It took every ounce of self-control (which, all things considered, wasn't much) to keep from laughing. Lin looked furious, you know, the way Lin looked furious. Really his face looked slightly less passively glaring and more actively glaring, and his jaw was notably clenched. The only real claim to fame in this scenario was that his grip was a little too tight to just be stifling his singing. There was a bit of punishment in that handhold. I call that a victory.
"Leave. Now." Definitely subdued rage. Gene grinned beneath the hand, a bad idea in its own right but he felt the need. Lin grimaced at the obvious shift and dropped his grip in disgust, striding towards his mat with a determination that Gene imagined would be exhausting to keep up for more than twenty minutes. But that was Lin. Exhausting.
"Fine, I surrender." Gene rolled to his feet, killing the television with an audible click before nearly skipping to the door. "Just remember Lin-san…"
His teacher glanced up for a moment before he realized his repeated mistake. Never give attention to an antagonist. It only sustains me more.
"YOU MUST BE SWIFT AS A COURSING RIVER!"
"Goodbye, Gene." He shut the door behind after him, and Gene was left to sing to the gophers scampering the hallway. He'd gotten used to the looks a long time ago.
"MYSTERIOUS AS THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON!"
Later that evening, Gene was greeted by a heavy book landing on his face. It was warm.
"You could've thrown it. Now I actually have to do things," he quipped groggily, longing to curl into his mattress deeper for a midafternoon nap. But no. Noll had to be dramatic. He sat up like a weary old man and stretched. Noll was tapping his foot impatiently. And of course he'd make me go to him. If there was no risk of his twin fainting or worse, he'd leave him to his karmic retribution. Alas…
He didn't actually bother standing up. Rolling across the floor like a coin was much more satisfying, especially when Noll's unstifled humor peaked through the line. You're an idiot, he attempted in recovery at letting it slip. Gene rolled his eyes too, which really only accomplished making him dizzy, rather than the hoped-for dismissal. Not that it would work at all on Noll.
I'm beginning to think you're lazier than me. You could've just spoken that.
And you could've walked.
Point taken. Gene didn't stop rolling until he smacked into his ankles, tugging the gray slacks up just enough to get at the pasty white skin. "You need a tan, Noll." He received not but a withered glare and a none-too-gentle kick in return. He should've expected that.
"Alright, quit you're abusing me," he grumbled, gripping his leg and almost retracting his hand as it was pretty brutally shocked. Must have been a very heavy book. He felt the energy hum beneath his fingers, slowly dissipating into the air like static. Noll sighed. He let go as the last of the excess power faded from his skin in a thousand pinprick tingles.
"I know it's your nature to provoke dangerous animals, but refrain from doing so before my lessons," was the only explanation he'd offer. No matter. Gene usually expected worse. He was probably exhausted, if the strained jaggedness to his normally even posture was any indication.
"I'll do my best." The floor was pretty comfortable. Maybe he'd relocate his nap here.
Satisfied with his punishment, Noll turned on his heels to leave. "Oh, Gene?"
"Yeah?"
"If I hear a single note from Reflection, I won't aim so high."
Gene snorted. "Got me quakin' in my boots, Otouto."
Oh Lin-san. You'll never learn.
As per usual, let me know if there are any mistakes (someone let me know if I used Otouto correctly. I'm still iffy on my honorifics). I hope you enjoyed Gene be excessively himself!