This chapter is dedicated to roku kyu and Laurena, because they inspired me the most to pick this fic back up, and give it two new chapters!

I own nothing.

Uozumi

The Brother Project

Chapter Ten

It wasn't supposed to go like this, not at all. It had been the most shocking, painful, and numbing experience he had ever experienced, and he knew that the initial meeting was not the worst to come. This had just been a confrontation, a judging of attitude, the presenting of evidence, and the inquiry for a confession.

Chichiri had told everything when confronted.

That caused the panicked teen's steps to lengthen as he hurried faster down the almost deserted all.

Chichiri hadn't help up a mask, and had resigned.

That made the pace close to that of a jog.

Chichiri had betrayed them. Not he, Tasuki, nor he, Chichiri, but them, Tasuki and Chichiri, not just one but both. The union had been destroyed, but how? Who had come with the information? What could they have said? He had listened, but hadn't. The words, "We heard everything from Mr. Ri, you can't lie to us," echoed through his head. He had bowed his head and zoned out at all the accusations pouring from the principal's lips, never bothering to really listen to any of them.

Skidding to a halt outside the room he knew so well, he froze, watching as Chichiri worked at sorting things into a box, his back to the junior, his motions slow and thoughtful, even if the thought wasn't in the work he was doing.

What could he say? Could he get Chichiri's attention? Should he? Maybe he could go without saying a word, go without saying goodbye, or looking back…

"I know you're there no da," the voice came bitter and harsh, the intonation needed to say "no da" making the sentence's darkness ludicrous and gave it a falseness. Hefting the box onto his desk, Chichiri turned, his eyes staring directly into Tasuki's, face set, glare on, "You needn't worry, I shall be gone before the hour no da." Then, he began to sort the various things on top of his desk into the box.

"Don't –"

"Don't go…?" Chichiri froze, then wheeled on him, "Don't go na no da?! How can you ask that of me when it was you who turned me in no da?!" Taking a step towards his love, he kept his voice at a rumble, the intensity speaking the volume he wished he could use, "You come here just to knock me, or to pretend?! I trusted you, yet I get called down, and told that you told them everything when confronted, that you didn't even fight it! I thought…" he turned away, "…never mind what I thought! You always seemed older, more mature than you are. You were never a child in my eyes, when obviously you were and are a child no da," his voice ended in a venomous whisper, and he resumed forcibly packing his things.

"Now look here…" Tasuki took a step towards him, his mind spinning.

"No, I won't no da."

"But, it –"

"Don't even say it!" Chichiri glared again at the teen, "I trusted you, but it seems that I must now pay for my deceptions no da, and…I don't even know why I'm mad at you – I should be mad at me!" placing the box on the floor with a thump, Chichiri erected a new box from one of the cheep ones the school had supplied for moving, gritting his teeth. He was seeing red, and he had to admit that not all his anger was directed at Tasuki, but there was some that wanted to scream at the boy, but he knew that the only fault in this was himself.

Tasuki glared as he watched the man start putting his filing apparatuses and dictionaries in the new box. Crossing the small area between them, he grasped both of Chichiri's wrists, swirling him forcibly around so he could stare the shorter man in the eyes, "Listen to me!"

"Unhand me no da."

"No! I need you to listen to me!"

"I said –"

"And, I said no!" Tasuki gripped tighter. "I came here thinkin' that ya had turned us in, that they had confrontedcha, an' ya'd jest told 'em everythin'!"

"I –"

"I know you didn't," Tasuki's grip and face softened, "That's what I wanted you to know. I'm not going to apologize for my actions, or accuse you of yours. We are both responsible for what we did and how we responded to the other. I did what I did, and you did what you did, and we both are to blame for falling into such a well crafted plot."

Chichiri gazed up at the red-haired young man, then looked away, "Didn't I tell you to unhand me no da?"

"Yeah, Yeah, ya did," Tasuki obeyed, dropping the older man's wrists and stepping back. "Sorry, I jest had t' make ya see."

Chichiri wanted to snap back with some sarcastic remark, but held his tongue. "I guess this is goodbye no da."

Tasuki froze as the instructor moved to close his last box, having started with the outer room before packing his desk, his job now done. "G – G – "

"Yes, you honestly didn't expect us to continue on after this no da," Chichiri met his eyes, then picked up the large box he had placed all his smaller boxes in, "Now if you'll excuse me…" then the man was gone through the door, Tasuki staring after him long after he was gone, and lights around the school began to dim. He just stood and stared and stared and stared.

It wasn't supposed to end like this.

"What is bothering you, Fifth Son?"

Nuriko blinked, then looked over at the curt woman to his left. Offering a smile, he replied, "Nothing, Honored Mother, I'm just very tired."

A covert smile twisting at her lips, she surveyed first Nuriko and then Hotohori before nodding, "Well yesterday was quite exciting, wasn't it?"

"Oh yes, Honored Mother," Nuriko gave her another half-hearted smile. He was extremely exhausted, but the Li family wasn't the cause. His mind kept going back to Tomo's comment when he had interrupted Tamahome and Nuriko's little mind game.

"Word has it that Tasuki has been sent to guidance about something that has to do with Mr. Ri."

Hotohori observed Nuriko, but didn't speak. He knew that Nuriko was tired, but it looked more mental than physical, more close-knit than the family meeting Sunday night could have been. Returning to his meal, he glanced one more time at his fiancé, filing the information away for when they were alone in their room.

"Chun-Yu, are you okay?"

"Fuck off."

The voice paused, a hesitance resonating from the person on the other side of his bedroom door.

"Mama's worried."

"I told you to fuck off."

There was a bristle, then an assault, "I won't! You are acting so depressing, and I don't blame you, but goddammit, Chun-Yu, this has gone on long enough! I can't stand this anymore! You come home, lock yourself in your room – What are you thinking?! I understand that you might not want to talk, live, or breath, but you have to!"

Tasuki threw his pillow over his head, squeezing his eyes shut as he shouted back in a muffled voice, "GO AWAY!"

"NO!"

"KANG-LIN, STOP ANTAGONIZING CHUN-YU!"

One last glare was thrown at the door, then there were receding and descending footsteps, and Tasuki felt the loneliness of his world enclose upon him again as he hid under his blankets and pillows. His eyes stung, but no tears would come, he wasn't a crier, something he had conditioned himself not to do over his life with his "parents."

Sighing tragically, he wondered dimly if this would have happened if he hadn't run away, or if it would have anyway. Had he and Chichiri been doomed from the start?

Closing his eyes, the boy felt his chest tighten, but still no tears came.

That was the last slap in the face.

As he had Sunday night, Hotohori locked the door after both had used the restroom and changed into their sleeping clothes. Eyeing Nuriko, who quietly climbed onto the bed, Hotohori glanced at the window seat, then at Nuriko before sitting down on the bed gently, the older boy not even registering the action.

"Something's bothering you."

Nuriko slipped his legs under the covers, sitting so his legs were slightly spread apart, his hands, fingers intertwined, lying on the indent in the covers as he stared down at them, his left thumb absentmindedly poking at his right thumb underneath it.

"You don't have to tell me, but it could help."

Nuriko closed his eyes, then opened them, speaking hoarsely, "It's Tasuki."

"Tasuki? Like the football player? The kid who helps Mr. Ri grade papers fifth hour?"

"Yes, that one."

Hotohori studied Nuriko a moment, then found himself asking in a whisper, "What about him?"

"I…I don't know yet, but I just keep having this bad feeling, like he's heartbroken, but maybe it's just my mind playing with me after what Tomo said."

"What he say?" Hotohori inquired gently as he watched Nuriko closely, noting that the pale young man was paler, and seemed extremely older than normal with his smile and cheerful disposition in place.

"He said that Tasuki went to the principal's office due to Mr. Ri, and then Tamahome said that if his conjecture is correct, Tasuki shall be suspended…He looked so dark, and when I asked him what that had to do with Mr. Ri, he didn't answer me, just gave me a very sorrowful look."

Hotohori felt the tenseness descend upon them like fog. Slowly, he reached out, then took Nuriko's hand, "It'll be all right. You'll see."

Then Nuriko's other hand grabbed Hotohori's robe, his head resting against the taller boy's shoulder as he choked on his words, "No, it's not. I can feel it. Something bad has happened."

To be continued…