The Gauntlet
Kyoya arranged his cravat to sit perfectly centered on his chest, and tucked carefully into his vest. He straightened his morning coat, brushing at his shoulders at imaginary dust the way he'd seen his brothers do in the past. He touched his cuff links to make sure they were secured before he turned to leave his room. He had one hand on the door when it opened and he found himself looking into the slightly anxious eyes of his brother.
"Kyoya," Akito said tersely. "Come with me."
"What's wrong?" Kyoya demanded, frowning.
Akito didn't answer. Kyoya knew that despite Akito's more carefree nature, he wasn't given to panic, so that meant that something was very wrong. And for him to call for Kyoya, meant that something was wrong with their sister.
"I had to stop her from climbing out the window," was all Akito said.
Fuyumi's wails could be heard long before they were in sight of her bedroom door. To Kyoya's surprise, Masahiro was sitting by the door, a newspaper in his hands. He made a show of reading, seemingly unaware of their sister's shrieks, but when he looked up at their approach, Kyoya noted the strain in his expression. He wasn't so much keeping people out of the room, but keeping Fuyumi in.
"There you are," he said, mildly. "You have to talk to her."
"What's wrong with her?" Kyoya asked, but he didn't really have to ask.
"Just listen," Akito said dryly.
"She's not forming coherent sentences anymore," Masahiro said, and he reached for the doorknob. Kyoya saw his brothers exchange a look and when the door opened, a bundle of white and tulle immediately came bursting out. Akito grabbed Fuyumi before she could get away, and half-carried, half-dragged her back into the room. Shocked, Kyoya only stared but Masahiro took hold of his arm and pulled him in.
"I can't marry him!" Fuyumi shrieked, grabbing Akito's lapels. "I can't marry that...that...pig!"
Akito tried to free himself but they all knew from past experience that Fuyumi had the grip of a boa constrictor when she put her mind to it. Kyoya stepped forward and put a hand on her arm.
"What did he do?" he asked calmly.
"He says he wants me to...to..."
"Careful what you say," Akito warned. "There are some things your brothers shouldn't know."
The other two glared at him, but Akito only shrugged.
"It can't be so bad that you would cancel the wedding," Kyoya said pragmatically.
"He wants me to learn how to cook!"
They stared at her.
"Why?" Akito asked, brow furrowed.
"Aren't you going to have a chef? I thought you hired a chef the other day," Masahiro remarked, crossing his arms over his chest.
"Is he one of those people who enjoys commoner habits?" Kyoya asked with a sigh.
"No," Fuyumi answered. "That would have made things a little easier for me because then we'd have something in common. He just wants me to learn my place, because he says I need to learn humility coming from a family like ours."
Akito started to reach for his phone, probably to have his bodyguards find and gag the clueless groom, but Masahiro put a hand on his shoulder. Kyoya glanced at him, saw the calculating expression on his face, and hoped Masahiro would make the situation better rather than worse. At this point, it could go either way, especially considering their eldest brother's less than gentle way of dealing with family issues.
"She's going to be a part of their family after today, Akito," he said. "And it won't do to have any bad blood between us and them before they even start their married life."
"I'm not going to marry him!" Fuyumi exclaimed, gesturing at Masahiro violently enough to upset her veil.
"You will," Masahiro said coolly. "You gave your word and Otoris do not break their word."
Kyoya put his hands on Fuyumi's shoulders to make her look at him when she looked ready to throttle Masahiro. She met his eyes, beautiful despite the tears, and visibly calmed at the sight of him. It was no secret that Fuyumi preferred him to Masahiro and Akito, a fact that alternately pleased and annoyed Kyoya. He thought his sister foolish and selfish at times, but he understood her and her motivations better than the others did—which meant he handled her better than they did when she got like this. Personally, Kyoya would have preferred she married someone with a little more class and pedigree, but she saw something in Keiji Shido that was beyond him, and what Fuyumi wanted, Fuyumi got. In that, she was an Otori.
"You love Keiji, don't you?" he asked, appealing to her more tender emotions.
"Yes," she answered in a small voice.
"You're not perfect, are you?"
"No."
"Neither is he. You have a role to play, but you have choices within that role. If he has some archaic notion of women's roles, you will have to humor him until you can show him that his ideas are outdated and inefficient," Kyoya reasoned.
Fuyumi blinked at him. Out of the corner of his eye, Kyoya saw his brothers nod in agreement.
"How?" she asked.
"Food poisoning," Akito replied.
"Break priceless heirlooms while you dust," Masahiro added.
"Rearrange his drawers," Kyoya finished.
Fuyumi sat down on an armchair, her voluminous skirt puffing out around her. Masahiro handed her a handkerchief and a mirror. She dabbed at her face, and in the back of his mind, Kyoya wondered how many of Masahiro's handkerchiefs she already had. The two of them weren't especially close, but for some reason, Masahiro was always the first one to hand her a handkerchief when she needed it.
"Am I really not going to be a part of this family anymore after today?" she asked, looking up at him with big watery eyes.
"We can't get rid of you anymore than we can get rid of Akito or Kyoya," he answered, putting a hand on her shoulder. "But your priorities will have to change. That's just the way it is."
A spark of temper flared in Fuyumi's eyes, but Masahiro's hand tightened on her shoulder. Silently, Akito and Kyoya watched their older siblings. It was an old fight between opposites: the eldest son, responsible for polishing the family legacy, and the only daughter, responsible for not tainting the family legacy. However, there was no denying the mutual love and respect between them, despite times when they were both sure they would never speak to each other again.
"You have to grow up sometime," he went on. "But if you need us, we'll be here."
Fuyumi stared up at him, surprised at his uncharacteristic kindness, and she wasn't alone in that. It didn't take long for Masahiro to become aware of his siblings' reaction and he took a step back from his sister, dipping his head down and pushing his glasses up.
"Just don't make it a habit to come looking for us all the time. I have medical school to think about and I can't come running every time Keiji does something idiotic."
"And he will probably do something idiotic at least once a week," Akito put in. "The man has as much sense as a chair."
"Less," Kyoya added.
"Shut up," Masahiro told them sternly.
Fuyumi threw her arms around Masahiro's neck. He stumbled, hesitated, but eventually hugged her back. Kyoya tucked away a smile but Akito didn't bother hiding his satisfaction.
"Can we get on with it then?" Kyoya asked, glancing at his watch. "The limo is waiting to take us to the church, and I'm sure that Mother will be none too pleased if the ceremony starts late. It will throw off the day's schedule."
"Okay," Fuyumi said, sniffing one last time.
Akito fixed her veil and Kyoya rearranged her train. Masahiro arched an eyebrow at them.
"Are you two her bridesmaids now?"
"Just open the door," Akito said, not looking at him.
He offered Fuyumi his arm, which she took with a watery smile. Kyoya picked up her bouquet and walked after them. He glanced at Masahiro, who was watching Fuyumi and Akito walk away with a thoughtful look in his eyes.
"Keiji is going to have his hands full," Masahiro remarked.
"He had to know that when he asked her to marry him. Fuyumi never pretended to be someone she wasn't."
"A good observation, Kyoya."
Something in his tone made Kyoya glance sideways at him, but Masahiro's expression was a careful blank. Alarms started to go off in Kyoya's head, but he kept his face just as placid as his brother's.
"I'll have to be careful the next time I arrange things," Masahiro said thoughtfully.
"What do you mean?"
A corner of Masahiro's mouth went up, and Kyoya wondered if the feeling of foreboding in his gut was the same as what other people felt when he looked like that.
"You didn't think she met the son of the largest medical equipment company by accident, did you?" he said imperiously. "Honestly, Kyoya, I didn't expect Akito to figure out, but I had a little more faith in you."
Kyoya frowned at him, surprised at that statement, but said nothing.
"You're becoming better at navigating the social scene, and more importantly, at reading people," Masahiro said, sliding his hands in his pockets. "Don't squander that gift on selfish pursuits, not when you have a family who expects your help. Everything about our family has to be watched carefully, especially when it comes to unions. We have too much to lose."
"I have never acted for my own benefit," Kyoya said smoothly. "I know how important the family is, Masahiro, and when it comes time for me to take part in this unrealistic tradition, I'll be sure to improve not just my life but the family's as well."
"How...selfless of you," Masahiro said, his tone implying that he meant the complete opposite.
"I'm the third son, Masa. That's my role in this family."
"Like you said, Kyoya, there are choices within your role. What choices will you make, Little Brother?"
Kyoya saw something in Masahiro's eyes that rattled him. He started to paste a well-practiced, harmless smile on his face, but under Masahiro's unwavering gaze, he wasn't so sure if it would do any good, so he merely stared back. In that instant, he knew that there no point hiding his ambition, because for all he knew, Masahiro had known all along.
Perhaps the first son wasn't simply lucky to have gotten where he was. Perhaps, he could have just as easily earned his place.
The two brothers, more than ten years between them, exchanged a look, recognizing that things were about to change between them.
"What choices will you make, Masa?" Kyoya murmured.
"The better ones," Masahiro answered with a slow, humorless smile.
"We'll see about that."
"What are you two standing around for?" Akito called out. "Let's go before she changes her mind again."
Masahiro and Kyoya turned in unison to face him, and something in their expressions made Akito's eyebrows arch.
"Save it for later," he chided. "Get in the car."
Their steps in perfect synchronization, Masahiro and Kyoya walked to the car. They paused at the open door, and Kyoya glanced at his older brother.
"After you," he said, gesturing. For now.
Masahiro smirked.
-fin-
