Reviews with Alumni and Loki:
Supreme Kai of Booty ~ It's good to be back! A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well!
gold crown dragon ~ It did indeed.
Attackin ~ Thanks! Ooh good points...we'll have to see what happens next!
61394 ~ From Les Miserable...anyways back on subject! Kaede's dad is honestly too pure for this world!
Recap man ~ lol Charlotte's family! Yes the Tatsugami Clan accomplished a lot in one night. The truth is revealed...
Chester A Bum ~ We are so glad you liked it! Great rendition too...All those points are true (esp. love purple haired waterbenders...) Also honored that trench coat guy sounds like Shino. And hey! It's an update!
Eleven years ago...
"Ro," Eizen whispered, staring intently at the lump that was his twin, buried underneath a mountain of blankets. "Ro?"
Rokuro's head popped out of a small hole. "Is it morning?" he asked, eyes wide awake.
"It's six," Eizen said, still keeping his voice soft. "Mom and Dad aren't up at but I think Shi is." If their elder brother was indeed awake, he knew they could get a good breakfast from him. Shigure always gave into their whims.
"I'm hungry," Rokuro decided. "Let's go get Shi."
Grinning, Eizen quickly went back to the door, holding it up for his twin. "We have to be quiet," he reminded him. They didn't want their parents up too soon.
"Quiet," Rokuro agreed, grabbing a blanket and wrapping it around his shoulders before hopping off his bed.
Thinking quickly, Eizen decided that was a good idea and quickly grabbed one of his own, draping it dramatically around his shoulders like a cape. Glancing at his brother once, he began to creep down the hall.
Rokuro followed, sneaking their way towards their brother's room.
Making sure that Rokuro was close behind him, Eizen reached their brother's room then opened the door as sneakily as he could.
Rokuro suppressed a giggle as he crept inside.
"What are you two doing?" Shigure asked with a grin, drawing a startled shriek from Eizen. He straightened from where he had been standing beside the wall, having been in wait since he had heard Eizen's giggles from earlier.
Rokuro started laughing before remembering he was supposed to be quiet. He quickly threw a hand over his mouth.
Realizing about the same time as his brother, Eizen also put a hand over his mouth, trying to smother any possible noise.
Grinning still, Shigure shook his head as he stared down at them. They were ridiculous. "Breakfast I'm guessing?"
Rokuro nodded hard, his stomach growling at the same time.
Shigure shook his head, amused. "Well, alright. But both of you need to be quiet." He looked down at both, very impressive in all his eleven years of age.
Rokuro didn't look very impressed. "I am being quiet," he said with a roll of his eyes.
"How about some rice?" Shigure asked with a grin, making sure his voice was quiet as well. "What about some boiled eggs to go with it?"
"Only if there's miso," Rokuro replied. "With seaweed and green onions."
Shigure rolled his eyes. "Why are you so hungry? It's six," he pointed out, though he was fighting a smile.
"We haven't eaten in forever," Eizen said, widening his eyes just so to look innocent.
"Dinner was a long ways away," Rokuro pouted.
Shigure shook his head. "You two are so ridiculous, I want you to know," he said, trying to be serious and failing epically. He couldn't ever be serious. He lead them into the kitchen, wondering how quiet he could make cooking all of this be.
Rokuro pulled his blanket close. He climbed up into one of the big barstools sitting down to watch their big brother make breakfast.
Eizen set too, curling up as much as he could without falling off the stool.
"Are you ready to open presents?" Shigure asked, eyes dancing knowingly as he began making rice. He liked cooking.
"Yes!" Rokuro said excitedly before clapping his hands over his mouth again.
"Shhh." Eizen clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes widening.
Shigure laughed softly, getting the eggs out. "If they haven't woken up yet, I doubt they will," he said, voice hushed.
"When's it going to be ready?" Rokuro asked, now very bored watching Shigure cook.
"I literally just started," Shigure said with a snicker. Rokuro was so impatient.
"But we're hungry," Eizen whined, propping his chin on his hands.
"We are," Rokuro whined as well, hoping it would speed the process along.
Eizen nodded quickly. "We're wasting away," he said pitfully.
Shigure rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to hurry you two."
"Want to play?" Rokuro nudged his brother.
"Play?" Eizen instantly perked up.
"Yeah," Rokuro nodded.
"Of course," Eizen said quickly, nearly falling in his haste to get off the stool.
Rokuro grinned, jumping off his stool to make it to the toy cabinet first. He wanted the blue sword.
"I want the red," Eizen said quickly, forgetting all about being quiet now.
"I want blue!" Rokuro snatched it up, before realizing Eizen wanted red.
Eizen didn't mind this, holding the sword closely for a moment. "Red's my favorite," he reminded him.
"Blue is longer," Rokuro grinned.
Eizen grinned back. "I'm not worried. Red's just cooler," he said, leaping backwards dramatically and waving his sword.
"Blue is better," Rokuro swung at his twin's sword.
"No, it's not," Eizen said stubbornly as he blocked the strike. "Red is. It's the color of a hero."
"So is blue. Allmight wears blue," Rokuro argued.
"He wears red too," Eizen countered instantly, waving his sword again.
"He wears more blue," Rokuro said.
Eizen shrugged. "He still wears red."
Rokuro kept swinging his sword around. "I like blue."
"And I like red," Eizen agreed, swinging his own sword as wildly. He was having too much fun.
"Are you going to get over here for breakfast soon?" Shigure asked, looking at them pointedly. At least they were having fun and hadn't woken their parents yet.
"It's ready!" Rokuro exclaimed
Eizen tossed his toy sword to the floor, then charged over, smelling the air eagerly. He was starving.
"I'm hungry," Rokuro exclaimed.
"Sit," Shigure said, fighting back a laugh at the two demanding faces that were now in front of him. "I'm serving up plates as we speak."
Rokuro sat down eagerly swinging his legs as he waited for breakfast.
Eizen did too, clutching his blanket tightly around himself as he waited.
Shaking his head, Shigure grinned as he put two plates down then got one for himself. "Enjoy."
"Thank you for the food," Rokuro clapped his hands together.
Shigure grinned again, sitting down across from them. "Anything for my little brothers," he promised.
Grinning, Rokuro dug hungrily into his food.
Eizen was already eating, mouth full as he dug in. It was delicious.
"After we finish, want to wake mom and dad up so we can open presents?" Shigure asked, eyes full of excitement.
"Yes!" Rokuro cheered.
"Hurry Ro," Eizen said, beginning to eat more quickly. He was so excited.
"I am,' Rokuro replied around a mouthful of rice.
Shigure laughed, taking much more smaller bites. "Don't choke."
"I won't!" Rokuro protested.
Eizen nodded quickly even as he leveled another bite into his mouth. "We're being careful but we want to open presents, right Ro?"
"Mhm," Rokruo nodded, cheeks stuffed with food.
"What am I going to do with either one of you?" Shigure, fighting back another laugh, took a careful bite of his food.
Eizen, too busy eating, simply shrugged.
"Feed us forever," Rokuro decided, after swallowing.
"Forever?" Shigure snickered.
"Forever," Rokuro nodded seriously.
"Was it that good?" Shigure snickered again at the look on their faces.
"Yummy," Rokuro said.
Eizen quickly finished then stared at his brother, waiting.
Rokuro grabbed his miso bowl, drinking quickly.
Shigure rolled his eyes, amused once again. "Didn't I tell you not to choke?"
"I didn't," Rokuro protested.
Shigure shook his head, sipping at his miso as he watched Rokuro.
"Roooooooo," Eizen said, dragging his brother's nickname out as long as he could.
"Done!" Rokuro shouted. "Let's go wake them up!"
Eizen jumped from his stool. "Come on!"
"Yay!" Rokuro shouted.
Dashing down the hallway, dragging his twin by the hand, Eizen burst through the doorway of his parents bedroom and jumping onto the bed.
"Mom! Dad!" Rokuro yelled, jumping up on their bed as well.
Munenori groaned softly, trying to pull up the blankets. "Boys," he murmured.
Yumi tensed, then relaxed as she realized it was the boys. "It's too early," she murmured.
"We want to open Christmas presents," Eizen cried, bouncing a little on the bed with bright eyes. He was so excited.
"We do we do," Rokuro begged, jumping as well.
Groaning, Munenori pulled at the blankets again. "What time is it?"
"Six forty-five," Shigure said helpfully with a bright grin.
"Well, it is morning," Yumi said, trying to clear the sleep from her mind.
Munenori groaned again as he felt one of the twins bounce again. It had to be Eizen.
"Munenori," Yumi sat up slightly.
"Are we getting up?" Munenori murmured, voice muffled.
"Yes!" Rokuro cheered.
"Pleaseeeeeee," Eizen said,d ragging the word out as he pawed at his parents.
Shigure, deciding he needed to get in on this, climbed onto the bed as well.
"I'm having a very hard time telling them no," Munenori admitted, smiling at his wife.
"Me too," Yumi smiled.
"I blame you for making them look so cute," Munenori teased lightly, rolling over to his side so he could see her. He reached out, stroking her dark hair. He smiled as he found the small strand of white that was nestled in her black mane.
"Mm you were part of that process," Yumi took a deep breath.
"Mom….Dad," Rokuro whined.
"Hurry up," Eizen added, bouncing again to get his point across.
Laughing, Munenori set up, pushing back the blankets. "Alright, you three."
"Go pick out the gift you want to open first," Yumi encouraged, reaching for her robe.
Shigure was instantly off the bed, but Eizen was a step ahead. "Come on," he screeched, racing from the door.
"Wait for me!" Rokuro yelled, nearly falling off the bed.
"Such energy," Yumi pulled the robe over her thin shoulders.
Munenori shook his head as he watched all three scramble out of the room. "How do they do that?"
"I'm not sure," Yumi sat up. She covered her mouth, coughing as she swung her legs off the bed.
Munenori frowned instantly. "Are you alright darling?"
"I'm fine," Yumi smiled.
"Alright." Smiling back, Munenori stood, getting his robe as well. "Come on. Let's go make sure they're not tearing the tree down."
"Yes," Yumi nodded.
Going over to the side of her bed, Munenori offered her his arm. "I have a feeling they're going to have a very good day today."
"It is Christmas," Yumi smiled. "So I think so."
Laughing, Munenori guided her from the room. "They do love Christmas, especially the twins."
"Its because they are so little," Yumi replied.
"Maybe that's it." Munenori smirked as they got to the living room. "I'm guessing Shigure fed them." Their oldest was young, but he knew his way around the kitchen better than perhaps both his parents.
"Oh good," Yumi smiled. "At least they ate."
"I did," Shigure said with a grin from where he was sitting, clutching his present.
"We did," Rokuro nodded. "Very quickly."
"It was delicious," Eizen said, trying and failing to look as patient as possible as he clutched his present.
"Well are you ready?" Yumi asked.
"Yes!" Eizen nodded eagerly, bouncing slightly.
"Youngest first," Yumi reminded them with a wink.
"Yay!" Rokuro cheered.
Eizen groaned pathetically, looking very disappointed.
Rokuro opened up the box, staring with sheer delight at the new pajamas with his favorite hero, the Color Wheel, on them.
"Alright Eizen," Yumi encouraged.
Eizen tore into his, his expression brightening instantly. "I love them," He gasped, holding up his own new pajamas as well. They matched his brother's, down to their favorite hero.
"I love them," Rokuro hugged them.
"We're going to match," Eizen said, expression becoming even more delighted as he realized they were matching. He grinned at his twin, wondering if he had realized that too.
"Shigure?' Yumi smiled.
Trying to look at least somewhat composed, or more so than his brothers, Shigure carefully took his and unwrapped it,, inhaling sharply when he saw what it was. "Comics!"
"Are those the right ones?" Yumi asked.
Shigure nodded quickly, his eyes widened as he studied them. "They're perfect!"
Munenori gently nudged his wife. "I told you."
"I wanted to make sure," Yumi smiled.
Shigure's grin was widening by the moment. "I can't wait to read them!"
"We match!" Rokuro exclaimed, having already shed his old pajamas to put on the new.
"We do now," Eizen said quickly, realizing he needed to change into them and doing so as quickly as he did. He grinned again at his brother, offering him a high five.
Rokuro gave him a high five back as hard as possible.
Eizen made a squeak then he grinned again. "We really look like twins now."
"Yes we do," Rokuro nodded happily.
Eizen nodded back, hair flopping in his face. "I love beings twins."
"Me too," Rokuro grinned.
Eizen suddenly pulled him in for an impromptu hug. "You're my best friend Ro."
"You're squashing me," Rokuro said, but hugged him back.
"Sorry," Eizen said, not sounding sorry at all.
"Can we open another?" Rokuro turned to their parents.
"Of course," Munenori said, glancing over at Shigure who was still engrossed with his comics.
"Which one?" Rokuro stared at the presents under the tree. There were so many!
"Those," Eizen said quickly, pointing to two with their names on them.
"Alright," Rokuro nodded, diving towards the present.
Eizen followed, eager to see what else they had.
"What's inside?" Rokuro shook the box.
Eizen poked him in the shoulder. "It could be breakable."
"Oh," Rokuro said, deciding to tear the paper off.
Eizen quickly began tearing the wrapping off his own, excitement growing by the moment.
Rokuro pulled out a box pulling open the lid. "It's a cup," he breathed, pulling it out carefully.
Eizen gasped, his eyes widening. "With Allmight on them!"
"All Might!" Rokuro cheered pulling his out.
"And mine's red," Eizen said with a grin. He really did like red. It was his favorite color.
"And I have the blue one," Rokuro smiled.
"We know our sons," Munenori said, watching them with a smile as he wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders.
"We do," Yumi smiled, leaning against her husband as Shigure reached for another gift.
The morning progressed a lot like, which Munenori was fine with. He loved seeing his sons' joy; there was nothing quite like that. Not just their joy but their happiness too. They needed that happiness, now more than anything. Finally, when all of the presents were unwrapped, and the twins and Shigure inspected every gift with great detail, he thought everything had been a success. Of course the presents had been a hit, yet the general companionship between the boys was what really made it. They would be able to get through anything, as long as they had one another.
Yumi leaned against her husband, smiling happily. She loved seeing the excitement on their faces.
"We got you something!" Rokuro grabbed a few messily wrapped gifts from under the tree.
Eizen grabbed his own, followed by Shigure. Both brothers quickly rushed up, offering up the various gifts with bright, excited smiles.
Munenori laughed as Eizen dropped an armful on his lap. "Well, thank you boys."
"We made them." Rokuro whispered loudly.
Eizen threw a hand over his twin's mouth, making Shigure snicker. "Shhh. It's supposed to be a surprise."
"Oops," Rokuro's eyes widened.
"I'm sure they are perfect," Yumi smiled, opening her gift.
Shigure nodded knowingly. "They are." They did a great job.
"Pictures!" Yumi smoothed the wrinkled pages, smiling at the crayon drawings.
Eizen was staring expectedly, looking between both his parents for their approval. He hoped they liked them.
"They're amazing," Munenori promised with a smile, giving Eizen a quick hug, then Rokuro. "I'll hang them up on the refrigerator."
"Do you like them?" Rokuro climbed into his mother's lap.
"I love them," Yumi smiled, wrapping her arms around him.
Eizen, perched on his father's lap, looked delighted. "Really?" He reached for her, wanting to be in on the hug too.
"Really," Yumi pulled him closer. She kissed both her boys on the cheeks.
"Best Christmas ever," Rokuro smiled happily.
Present
It had been almost two weeks since the incident. All the students had been sent home as the school regrouped. They would resume classes next week, like nothing had happened. Rokuro kicked at a rock as he walked down the sidewalk. He'd spent two days in the hospital having tests run on him. So had Eizen, but his twin had to stay longer because of the quirk effect that he had been lucky to escape. Running a hand through his spikey pale hair, Rokuro turned into a cemetery, surrounded by a white fence with smooth green grass dotted with the gravestones. It'd been a while since he got to visit, since he was in the dorm rooms and with studies he had let his time slip away.
He stopped beside a gravestone, bending down he put down the flowers he had bought. He sighed, glancing at the lettering across the gray stone.
Yumi Saito, loving wife and mother. Born January 17th-Died April 4th.
"I didn't expect you here," Eizen said softly, peering around the back of the gravestone to find his twin. He had been sitting by his mother's stone, for almost an hour now, trying to find the solace that he hadn't seen since their mother had lost her two year battle with cancer.
"I didn't expect you either," Rokuro nearly jumped, before sitting down on the opposite side.
Eizen pushed back his black hair which had fallen in his eyes. "How...how are you?" he asked, voice just as soft as before.
"Fine," Rokuro said gruffly, staring off across the cemetery. "You?"
Resting his head on the smooth marble, Eizen shrugged. It was better than it could have been, he guessed.
Rokuro sat silently for a moment. "I guess we haven't gotten along together much since we developed our quirks after Mom died."
"No, I don't suppose we have." Eizen pulled his knees up to his chest, resting his head on them and letting his hair fall over his face again. Their mother...how could nothing save her?
Rokuro clenched his fist. He had been so helpless, unable to help her at all. "I felt your quirk that night."
Eizen blinked, surprised by this turn of conversation. "What?" He could barely remember anything that has transpired over those several hours, which he thought was the best thing.
"It was really depressing," Rokuro stared hard at the ground.
Eizen looked down. He supposed it would be, for someone not used to it.
"I guess that's why you are so down consistently," Rokuro said.
Eizen sighed softly. "I try not to be but...it's there." It was always there.
"I guess I never understood it," Rokuro replied. "I thought you wanted attention from Dad or Shigure."
At that, Eizen made a face. "Why would I want that? I really don't like that kind of stuff."
"It's because you're so much like Dad and Shigure…" Rokuro tore at the grass, shredding it in his hand. "And I'm not."
Eizen's brows knitted, just slightly. "That's because you're like…" He choked a little, cleared his throat. "You're like mom."
Rokuro swallowed hard, staring at his hands. He was like mom? "You...think so?" he asked. He had always felt different. He couldn't learn his father and brother's prefered method of fighting, instead of having to create his own that never matched up.
Eizen nodded, also looking down. "Yeah. You've always been like her, every since we were kids. I mean, you were always with her, like her shadow, when she was doing things around the house."
"I'm like mom," Rokuro stared at his hands. The rage inside him seemed to quiet slightly. That meant...he didn't need to live up to his father's image.
"You're like mom," Eizen agreed softly, looking at him beneath his strands of black hair. He couldn't read his expression but...that was undeniable relief in his voice.
Rokuro was silent for several more seconds. Finally he held out his fist, in an old gesture they hadn't used since they were little, before their quirks manifested, before their mom had died. "Let's become heroes...alright?"
His eyes widening, Eizen stared at him, surprise flooding his features. After a moment, he reached out, tapping his twin's fist with his own. "Let's," he said, then hesitated again. "Can we be brothers again too?" He didn't understand this change in his brother's behavior but maybe he did. Maybe he understood more than he realized.
Rokuro smiled, leaning back against their mother's grave. Maybe...just maybe they were beginning to understand each other again.
It felt good.
MERRY CHRISTMAS