Written By: Chapter 8
Read through Letters chapter 13 before reading please.
Disclaimer: PoT is not mine.
Warning: Angst, drama, emotional, personal situations. BL
(12-31-11)
Syusuke had fallen asleep nearly as soon as Tezuka left the night before. Although he didn't know what time his family returned, when he awoke sometime during the night his room light had been switched off and the house was silent.
It took the tensai a few seconds longer than necessary to sort through the jumbled buzz in his head before he was able to come the conclusion that it was probably pretty late. Yet he was unable to confirm his suspicion for the clock on his bedside table blurred and wavered when he attempted to steal a glance at it and it wasn't long before his body succumbed to sleep once again.
In the morning, or perhaps early afternoon judging by the brightness of his room, Syusuke roused to the sound of his sister moving about beside him. When he was finally coherent enough to think clearly he pushed himself up in the bed and watched pensively as the young woman tidied his bedroom. Not that it was ever very dirty to begin with, but still Yumiko hadn't cleaned up after him since he was a child and even then she only ever did it when something was bothering her.
The girl caught her brother's eyes and beat him to the words forming in the questioning air, "Ah, good morning Syusuke! How are you feeling?" although her tone was light and cheery, Syusuke could easily see her calculating gaze reading even his most subtle gestures. She was searching for something, and it made him feel more than a bit uneasy.
"I feel okay, my head's a bit fuzzy today though," Syusuke replied honestly. There was no point in hiding anything from Yumiko. Even though she wasn't quite as worrisome as his mother, at times she tended to get these random bouts of paranoia and for some reason cleaning seemed to ease her mind.
His sister nodded at his words seeming satisfied for the time being, her features soft, understanding. There was still worry in her voice, however, when she announced, "Everyone will be here soon…If you're not feeling up to it I can tell mom."
Syusuke quickly shook his head negatively at the suggestion; it was only once a year that they got to visit with their family from Chiba and although they usually returned there, this year fear caused his mother to cancel the trip. He had been the one to insist they still meet, albeit in Tokyo.
Yumiko kept her eyes concentrated on him for another few seconds before she finally agreed and turned away. It wasn't until his sister was full distracted by his wardrobe, apparently trying to pick out something for him to wear, that he first attempted to get out of bed. Syusuke swayed unsteadily for a moment, his body felt heavy and lethargic but nothing he couldn't handle and down play. Dizziness was relatively easy to hide and could generally be relieved by sitting for a while. Other aliment weren't quite so kind and he could only hope he wouldn't start feeling worse later.
Yumiko left shortly after depositing the outfit she chose into her little brother's hands. Once he was ready, Syusuke was free from prying eyes to hobble his way slowly down the staircase. At the base, he took a minute to sooth his rapid breathing and the exhausted pounding of his heart. No matter how many times it happened he could never get over the fact using the stairs left him this winded. The tensai was just about to move forward when his mother appeared from around the corner and spotted him.
"Syusuke!" The woman greeted hastily. Her smile soft yet the anxiety behind it was easy to see, especial as she slipped a hand behind his back for support. Even though he didn't need the help he allowed his mother to fuss. "Yumiko told me you were feeling dizzy, are you okay?" came the question Syusuke knew was plaguing his mother, "Have you taken your medicine already?" she continued.
Syusuke sent his mother a placating smile, one which he hoped even she could not resist, "I have, and I'm feeling really well today."
He wasn't exactly lying and luckily Yoshiko seemed to believe him for her expression lightened and he could nearly see the tension loosening from her shoulders. Still he allowed himself to be led to the living room then guided onto the couch. Obviously they weren't going to allow him help out with any of the preparations, though cooking was the main task and he never really was a welcome guest in the kitchen after his last dinner fiasco.
Syusuke chuckled at the memory, it wasn't that he was bad at cooking, in fact his food always came out looking every bit as appetizing as it should, sometimes even more so than the original. The difference, however, was hidden in the taste. While he found his dishes to hold a certain charm and flare, his family, and probably everyone else for that matter, blanched at the strangeness. From then on anything he cooked for the family had to be monitored closely, which he found endlessly amusing. Especially when they would bite into their sweet-bean curd and gag on the wasabi laced through it, despite the fact that he hadn't even gone near it.
The boy's internal amusement came to an end when Yuuta entered the room, a sulking look on his stern face. It was clear he had just been expelled from the kitchen, for reasons completely different from his brother's. Yuuta never really tested his ability at handy work; it was a well knew fact that he much preferred sampling over creating. Syusuke smiled at his brother as the youth plopped himself down on the floor beside the couch. "So what is for dinner tonight?" Syusuke questioned and Yuuta looked slightly ruffled, obviously noticing the hint of a tease in his older brother's voice.
"Just the normal stuff, soba, kamaboko, sushi…" The spiky haired teen muttered as he moved forward to pull the video game console out from the shelf under the television. The device had a considerable amount of dust littering the top for while Yuuta was away there was no one else in the house that used it. Without asking permission his younger brother tossed the second control into Syusuke's lap and pressed the play button. It had been awhile, nearly three years since they had played together like this, before Yuuta entered Junior High and then enrolled in St. Ruldolph, before their relationship had become estranged and stained. It was nostalgic, pleasantly so, and for a while Syusuke felt like he had been transported back to their childhood. A wonderful splice of time in which he could forget all his troubles if only for a moment.
On the sixth round they played Syusuke concluded that he was just as bad at video games as he had been back then. Especially now with the effects of the medication he had taken earlier beginning to kick in, wreaking havoc on his ability to focus and concentrate, he had to say his performance was nothing short of embarrassing. Yet Yuuta didn't seem to mind and instead looked quite gratified with his seventh straight victory. Playing was fun but it wasn't long before Syusuke had to forfeit the controller, and his mini-avatars place as Yuuta's personal punching bag, to lie down a while.
Syusuke was still dozing on the couch when there was a knock at the door and it was Yuuta's light prodding that roused him from his short nap.
"Aniki they're here," the younger boy explained briefly while Syusuke straightened himself, blinking back the sleepiness upon him. At the sound of guests gathering in the entry way and his mother and sister greeting them properly, he made to stand in order to accompany his brother in joining the welcoming. The movement, however, sent his head spinning wildly in protest and he collapsed forward in a sudden swoon.
Only Yuuta's quick grasp about his waist stopped the tensai from becoming intimately acquainted with the living room floorboards.
"A-Aniki!" Yuuta exclaimed, immediately pushing his brother back onto the couch. Dazed, Syusuke allowed the action, taking a second to compose himself, hoping the others hadn't heard the outburst, before he spoke.
"Sa…I'm okay…" His voice was airy and lackluster. He knew it didn't sound convincing at all and he had to consciously stop himself from grabbing his brother's hand for it look as if Yuuta were about to bolt and get their mother at any second.
"I just got up too fast…but I'm fine really," Syusuke continued injecting as much strength into his words as he could muster. He was upset with himself; he had been hoping to get through the day without worrying anyone and this morning it had seemed like a reasonable notion. Now, however, he would be lucky if he could manage to stay awake, never-mind reassuring everyone he was fine. Not for the first time he lamented the medication he had to take and his body's inability to cope.
Yuuta just frowned further in response but didn't have time to leave the room before their mother entered. Beside her their grandparents, aunt, uncle, and their two children, one about Yuuta's age, the other a few years younger.
Of course none of them were upset that the two boys failed to greet them formally, though the elder of their cousins, Jinto, teased Yuuta about it. The boy coming to the conclusion that Yuuta had probably been too absorbed in video games to even hear the doorbell. The theory wasn't exactly wrong, though in had been Syusuke's fault that they missed their chance entirely.
When things finally settled down Syusuke figured that something about him alarmed his mother for he found himself being fussed over by his aunt who had recently become a certified nurse. His younger cousin also periodically hovered nearby; though the girl's presence was a bit more tiresome than helpful with her anxious words and clumsy gestures.
Jinto and Yuuta adamantly avoided the mothering through their video game, sending Syusuke a few looks of pity and whispered words of relief that in fact it was not themselves having to endure the feminine concern.
Luckily the rest of the day passed without incident and dinner ended up being a great lively success which everyone enjoyed. After eating, although the tradition was to stay up and watch the first sunrise, Syusuke's body bade him to rest. It was only with quite a bit of encouragement from his family he finally agreed upon napping for a few hours.
On his way to his room, honorably graced by the presence of both Yuuta and Jinto as his personal escorts, an important question emerged.
"Hey so I guess this means there's no prank in store for us this year, huh?" their cousin realized, a strange mixture of both relief and disappointment on his face. While Syusuke's pranks were nothing to trifle with and certainly not something to look forward to, they had been happening for so long it was odd to think of the New Year without them.
Somehow this holiday had become Syusuke's favorite for setting up elaborate tricks on which to play on his younger family members, and sometimes even Yumiko. Though in his sisters case the young woman was nearly as good at dodging his pranks as he was at setting them up.
The tensai sent his cousin a small smile. It was innocent and gentle and false. Though Jinto without a doubt couldn't tell, Yuuta probably knew better, if the skeptical look on his face meant anything.
"Sa, I guess. I'm just too tired this year. But I'll make up for it next year so look forward to it, ne," Syusuke announced his grin turning mischievous. Yuuta's expression only changed marginally, as if wasn't sure whether to remain wary about this year or just save his worries for whatever lie in wait for him next year. Before his brother had time to make a dive for more information Syusuke waved the two a quick farewell and slipped into his bedroom. New Years was certain a wonderful holiday.
Syusuke ended up waking without any prompting, thirty minutes before Yuuta's promised call time, an hour until sunrise. Getting out of bed he heard the bath water running from across the hall a smile came to his lips.
The tensai took pleasure in knowing that it was already well into the early morning thus much too late for anyone to be taking a bath. Poking his head out into the hallway to see, much to his amusement, he found his cousin writhing and itching just outside the bathroom door; obviously waiting for his turn to shower.
It appeared the two successfully stumbled their way onto his little trick, even without his prompting. While he had been hoping it happened while he was up to see their reactions, luckily he hadn't missed all the fun.
Syusuke, chuckling, garnered the attention of Jinto who sent a betrayed look in his direction, "I thought you said you didn't do anything this time!" The boy accused scratching finically at his forearm.
Lightly cocking his head to the side Syusuke put a finger to his lips thoughtfully, "Hmm…I have no idea what you're talking about," came his reposed response, punctuated by a knowing smile.
Jinto floundered accusingly, looking amusingly irritated and humiliated. Of course he couldn't have been the one to put itching powder in their otoshidama when he had been in his room resting the whole time. On that note his cousin failed to create a solid accusation without sounding ridiculous. With a light nod Syusuke left the befuddled boy and continued to the lower floor.
In the living room he was greeted warmly then promptly led to the couch by Yumiko to watch the remainder of the New Year's festivities going on in the heart of Tokyo.
By the time the sun was due to rise Yuuta and Jinto returned looking refreshed though still disgruntled enough to gape accusingly at Syusuke who simply greeted them with his usual smile.
It was when everyone was filing out of the house to watch the sun rise that Syusuke mother stopped him. The tensai had foreseen this confrontation a while ago, given his mother's worrisome nature and the clear cold night air outside.
"Syusuke, maybe it would be better if you and I watched from inside?" The woman suggested, fingering the material of her coat apprehensively, and while he hated to disagree with his mother especially when she was just worried for him, he really didn't want any more special treatment and was actually quite looking forward to seeing the year's first morning light together with his family. Even though he couldn't help but think that the day would have been made even more perfect had all of his friends there with him as well, he still took comfort in the thought that they would at least be under the same sky.
"I'll be okay," Syusuke said gently, "I want to watch with everyone," he confessed and his mother smiled and nodded.
"Okay." Was all she said as she handed him his coat and slipped her own on. Together they joined the others in the front yard just as the purple hues of dawn begin to give way to gold.
