Carefully, I shut the front door as I stepped out. It was very late from the looks of it. The night sky was like black velvet with a few carefully placed sequins here and there. I was dead tired, but I couldn't sleep. Mom had been at it again. I got home from work to find her screaming her head off.
Today was worse than most other days. Gojyo had apparently dropped the plate he was carrying and it broke. You couldn't really blame the kid though. He was probably more tired than I was and I'm the one who is digging up dirt the entire day. Mom really pushes him.
Anyway, trying to pull off a hysterical mom from a nearly as hysterical brother wasn't easy. She actually took a shard of the broken plate and stabbed at him with it. It was a good thing he had tried to run. The glass caught him in the thigh instead of where she had originally aimed. She's threatened to kill him a few times before but I never thought she would actually try.
After I finally managed to calm her down, we had dinner. I had sent Gojyo of to his room earlier so she was in a relatively happy mood. I told her about my day at work, we talked and laughed through the entire meal while all the time I was worried sick about Gojyo. I still hadn't checked the wound yet. He certainly couldn't do it on his own.
When I started to gather the dishes, mom told me to let Gojyo do it. Well, all right, her exact words were somewhere along the lines of 'let the good-for-nothing brat do it Jien. Why don't you go get some rest?' I was quite happy with that though. It gave me an excuse to go check on him.
I was still quite far from his room and already I could hear his dry sobs. He was crouched in a corner of his room, blood spilling from his leg. Damn, I didn't think it was that bad! The bed sheet he was using to stop the bleeding was soaked red.
It kinda looked like a painting. Dim room, red sheets, red eyes, red hair…. It looked like something an artist would paint. But then again, artists aren't exactly all that right in the head to begin with.
I cursed under my breath as I inspected the wound. It wasn't very deep, but the cut was wide. I made sure that there weren't any stray pieces of the plate inside before I started to wrap it. It would have been better if I cleaned it first, but there wasn't any water available, nor was there a convenient water source. I took a relatively clean end of the bed sheet and tore it. Must remember to buy some bandages in town tomorrow.
Gojyo squirmed a little as I tied a knot. I knew it hurt, but what else could I do?
He was starting to look a little pale from the loss of blood. He should rest, let his bone marrow work up a few batches of fresh new blood. So, being the responsible older brother I told him, 'Mom wants you to wash the dishes.'
He nodded. Just like that. God, he looked so pathetic. Come on! Say something to defend yourself. Be a man! He'll still have to do it anyway, but he didn't have to be so damn pathetic about it. He's being too agreeable. That's why he's getting bullied so much.
I didn't say anything though. I was too exhausted to lecture him just then. Plus, he wasn't in a condition to be lectured. Maybe tomorrow, when he didn't look so…fragile anymore.
I wiped off a smudge of blood from his cheek with the back of my hand and got up. He called out to me just as I was about to turn the doorknob in a voice barely above a whisper.
'I'm hungry, Jien.'
His voice broke my heart. Honest! You could practically hear it crack down the middle. I left the room without a word and shut the door behind me.
What happened? What did he do to get into such a mess? It wasn't his fault. It wasn't my fault either. So, was it mom's fault? Come to think of it, not really. Partially I suppose, but she wasn't completely at blame. Was it dad's then? Or the woman he ran off with? No wait, maybe it's the fault of society! After all, they're the ones who said half-breeds are bad. Did they actually prove that a child born between a demon and a human is a bad thing?
I think I've had this conversation with Gojyo before. Only he was the one who asked me what it was that he did wrong.
'Nothing,' I had said. He hadn't looked too happy with the answer so I continued. 'They're just jealous. The demon part of you makes you stronger than a human. But when most demons have a full form when they don't look all too pretty, you don't, cause your part human. Plus, you get to have nice hair.' I ruffled his hair and he tried to push me away. I had laughed at him then when he attempted to straighten out the tangled strands again.
He did look satisfied enough with my answer though, for that day at least. What society thinks still matters admit it or not.
I had to stop thinking for a while. It was starting to turn into a migraine.
My room was on the other side of the house. When I walked past the kitchen I almost stepped on a piece of the broken plate. Damn, damn, damn. We ate in the dining room so I completely forgot about the mess. I got down on my knees and started to gather the larger pieces.
Something red caught my eye…. Hair. Mom has started a habit of trying to pull them right of his head, ever since that day with the flowers. For a moment, a picture of a bald Gojyo flashed through my mind. I smiled a little and brushed the thought away. It would be a shame if that happened. He really did have nice hair. There were a few strands. I collected and pocketed them.
Just then, he limped in. I was about to start sweeping when he said, 'I'll do it Jien. Mom probably wants you to rest. It was my fault anyway.'
There he goes with his pathetic-ness again. I gave an exasperated sigh and handed him the broom.
I think he noticed that I was upset. When he took the broom, he looked at me with those sweet wine red eyes again, almost guiltily.
Damn it. No matter what happens, he's still my brother. Even if we don't share the same mother he's still my little kid brother…and it hurts to see him so weak.
Damn you society.
I gave him another small smile and told him I was just tired. I don't suppose it was too convincing. I left the kitchen and went to my room.
I've been trying to fall asleep since then. Nope, it wasn't working too well. So here I am taking a walk in the middle of the night cursing myself for not wearing another layer of clothing since it was so damn cold.
Damn it! Now I'm hungry. Will there be a stall open this late at night? Hmm…eh?! The guy with the cart is just closing! Woohoo! Buns! (Yep, I like buns)
'Oi! Uncle! Wait! Two pork buns please.' Let's see if I can fish out any coins from my pocket. My fingers brushed against something strange. Slowly, I pulled it out.
A few strands of red hair.
He said he was hungry.
Do I have enough money?
'Uncle, make that four.'
This fanfiction is by Silent and is therefore her property. Any thefts of rights will not be tolerated. Permission required for posting on any individual sites. Characters and main plot copyright of Kazuya Minekura-san and their respective owners.