Family Matters

Someone was going to die for this. Midori stomped downstairs, her pure white hair fluttering out behind her like a cape. Her favorite sword had gone missing again, and she knew just which two weasels had probably taken it. Gin and Kin, her no good, rotten, irritating older siblings. Tough and mighty as the two may be, for some reason they insisted on teasing their little sister to the brink of madness.

"Conniving little thieves," she grumbled to herself. "Sure, they seem all so noble and respectable, but this is the third time one of my weapons has gone missing this month, and-"

A door slammed shut downstairs, and the sound of running footsteps echoed down the hallway. Midori blinked when she caught a glimpse of the running figure, and recognized him.

"Hansha?" she called, startled to see him. She hadn't even known they had guests that day. "What are you doing here?"

Hansha skidded to a halt so fast he nearly lost his balance. He blinked up the stairs at Midori, before bowing to her politely. "Hello Miss Midori. I just came this morning, I was thinking I'd visit for a while. I haven't seen you or your family for so many years…"

He's gotten cuter, Midori thought with a small smile, descending the last few stairs, smoothing her hair back a little self-consciously. "Well, it's wonderful to see you again," she said. "Were you outside with Shiroi?"

The Dark Magician sighed softly and looked back the way he'd came, his expression hard to read. "Yeah…"

Midori blinked. She'd always known Hansha to be shy, but never so… morose. "Is there something the matter, Hansha?"

Hansha shook his head, but wouldn't meet Midori's gaze, immediately letting her know he was lying. She took his hand and tugged him toward the stairs. "You tell me all about it," she ordered gently. "Just go upstairs and wait in my room a moment, I have to go beat up my brothers. It'll only take a minute."

Starting up the stairs, Hansha looked back down at his fiancée. "What did they do this time?"

"Stole one of my sharp pointy things," Midori said cheerfully, shooing Hansha upstairs and running off to find Kin and Gin.

**

Hansha was studying one of the tapestries in Midori's room when she finally came in, carrying a long and vicious looking sword.

"See, that didn't take so long," Midori said happily, opening one of her cabinets and setting the sword on its stand. "I only had to bruise them a little this time." She sat down in a comfortable chair, and gestured for Hansha to take a seat as well.

Hansha sat nervously, not entirely sure he wanted to tell Midori what was bothering him. "Midori, really, nothing is the matter…"

Midori waved it off. "You are a horrible liar." The look in her chilly blue eyes allowed no room for argument. "Come on, Hansha, I want to help. Just tell me what's wrong."

The Dark Magician sighed softly. "Promise you won't be mad?"

The Blue Eyes nodded reassuringly.

Reluctantly, Hansha began. "I know you and I have been engaged for several years now, but… you know, we've never gotten particularly close. So please don't be offended, but I rather like someone else."

Midori smiled. "Oh, is that all? Don't worry about that, Hansha, I rather feel the same. I mean…" she blushed very faintly. "I like someone else as well."

A little relieved, Hansha returned the smile, though it didn't last. "That's not all that's bothering me though. The person I like is a boy, who doesn't much care for the idea of… you know…?"

"Fucking other guys?" Midori supplied.

Hansha turned a rather interesting shade of red, nodding faintly in response.

Midori looked thoughtful, chewing her lower lip gently. "Well…" she finally said. "…you'll just have to persuade him otherwise, then. Mind if I ask who this guy is?"

Looking down at the floor to hide his blush, Hansha murmured, "Shiroi."

Midori broke into a fit of giggles. "Shiroi?! You're kidding! Shiroi, my brother? The guy I used to tie up and force to play dress-up with me? I always made him be the damsel in distress so I could be the heroic knight!"

Hansha smiled faintly. "Yeah, that Shiroi. He doesn't seem terribly interested though."

"Nonsense, how could my lug of a brother resist a cutie like you? You probably just have to send him stronger signals, he can be kinda dense sometimes," Midori said, once she had managed to calm her giggles.

"There is something else to worry about too," Hansha said softly. "The engagement."

That sobered Midori up quickly. She nodded gravely. "Actually, I'd been meaning to write to you about that, but now that you're here I guess I can just explain it face to face. As I told you, I really do have someone else I rather like, and now that you do too… there's really no reason for the engagement, now is there?"

Hansha shook his head, but answered, "But you know there has to be a merger between our families. The two kingdoms have been promised that they would join, and if we don't go through with it, it may result in war."

Slowly, Midori started to grin, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Oh, but there will be a merger between or families, Hansha. But not between you and me- between you and Shiroi."

"But Shiroi would never do anything like that!" Hansha protested.

"Then you'll just have to convince him," Midori said sweetly. "You do want him, don't you?"

Hansha nodded slowly.

"Then this will be perfect. It'll solve everyone's problems. I'll even help you. Shiroi just doesn't know what he's missing yet." Midori smiled hopefully at Hansha. "Deal?"

Midori's enthusiasm was infectious, and Hansha found himself smiling back. "Deal."