Kai looked up from his newspaper—it was two days old, but this was the first chance he had to read since then. The twins were finally asleep, at least they had been a moment ago. Now one of them was crying—Irene, he'd have to guess. Julia rarely cried unless it got her something. He stormed down the hallway, half worried and half upset. He opened the door to what used to be his brother's room, and surveyed the carnage. Stuffed animals had become projectiles, some being damaged in the process. They were not allowed to fight each other touching, and this had been their outlet. At first he thought Irene cried because of the damaged stuffed animal, but that did not explain Julia's triumphant pout.
"What's going on, you two?" he demanded.
Two nearly identical faces looked down at him. Originally they were to have bunk beds, but when they couldn't come to an agreement as to who got the prized upper bunk, he'd lofted two beds dorm-style and put their desks below.
"Julia says mama doesn't love me!" Irene sniffled, pointing accusatorily at her sister.
"Well it's true," she hissed.
"Julia! Your mother loved you—BOTH—very much, now cut out this nonsense."
"But she won't sing to me, she only sings for Julia when she sleeps," Irene continued to sob.
"What?"
Julia glared at Irene. "You said you wouldn't tell!" she whined, and threw another stuffed animal at her sister. Kai made a note not to give in the next time she begged for one.
"Julia, you have dreams about your mother?"
The six-year-old girl sighed heavily, seeming much older. "Yes," she admitted.
"What does she sing to you?"
Her face lit up in that odd, ethereal way Kai would never really get used to.
"It's this really pretty song… like from an opera or something. I can't ever remember it when I wake up, though," she mused.
Kai felt the pit of his stomach freeze in fear. While Irene had taken after Saya—adorably so—Julia was, without a doubt, her mother's daughter. The 'dominant queen,' Joel called her, and that she was. For the moment their behavior fell neatly into the normal psychological patterns of twins—extremely close but for the occasional spat—every day Julia aged, she resembled Diva closer and closer, and it unsettled them all. She seemed to sense it, too. She was a smart child, and a bit of a rebel, but she was always trying to please them, as if she feared they would stop loving her.
Which he certainly wouldn't, Kai reasoned. Even if she was Diva's daughter, she was also Riku's.
"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Julia. It's probably just something your mind made up."
Irene brightened at that, but Julia looked doubtful. "Why did she leave us?" she asked.
Kai cringed. He was surprised the question hadn't come up sooner. "She didn't leave, honey, she died. You know that."
"How?" Irene asked innocently.
Kai sighed deeply. He'd been instructed to wait until they matured before the whole story was told—for now it was most important that they grow up in a loving, as normal as possible, home.
"Well, you know how we're always telling you that you shouldn't ever touch each other's blood, just to be safe?"
They both nodded diligently.
"Well… your mom messed up, and it made her sick." It was a good sight nicer than telling them their aunt ran her through with a sword, but still somewhat true.
They gasped, and he mentally patted himself on the back for turning it into a lesson. He looked at their wide eyes. And probably giving them nightmares. Great. "Now go to sleep, you have piano lessons tomorrow," he warned.
Irene smiled and burrowed into her covers obediently, Julia just groaned and flopped back onto the bed.
Kai closed the door softly and leaned against it. Well, he supposed he should file another report to Red Shield… but that could wait until morning. For now he could use a good drink and then a full night's sleep.
AN Oooh, am I gonna have fun with these two! I don't know if there will be a definite pattern to the chapters, but I'll flip back and forth between the real world and the Otherside from here on. Tell me what you think, you know I love those comments!!!
OMG I am SO PSYCHED!!! Cartoon network is showing Blood + in English starting this Saturday!!! (March 10) SQUEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! Now we'll have lots of fanfic coming in, don't you think?