Title: Little Conversations

Author: Hawk Clowd

Disclaimer: As always, I own nothing and I want nothing. I think these boys would cost me too much money in condoms and lubricant, quite frankly, if they didn't run me dry from the beer and cigarette runs.

Blood Type: NyQuil

Warnings: Sleep-deprived insanity.

Part: Eleven.

Author's Notes: This chapter is... iffy, but I felt like I had to write something for this story before I lost the thread altogether. Is that a terrible thing? Also, I happened to be really bored at work. As happens. (Go figure.)

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When his father finally went to bed at ten o'clock that evening, Tatsuha all but leapt for his cell phone. He had wanted to call his brother since early that afternoon, but having his dad around all day had put a crimp in that plan. So as soon as the old man's light went out, Tatsuha called Eiri.

Eiri picked up on the fourth ring, just as Tatsuha started to get a little antsy.

"What do you want?" the blond demanded.

Tatsuha was secretly in love with the way Eiri always answered the phone as though he knew exactly who was on the other end. Tatsuha had once considered getting his brother Caller ID, but had eventually decided that would ruin all the fun.

"I got a job!" Tatsuha said. Well, no. He practically squealed it.

Eiri paused. "Tatsuha?"

"Yes, yes, it's me, and I got a job! A real one -- not some nansy-pansy wannabe job like you have. I'm talking a real job, one with money that goes to me and stuff! A good job."

It took Eiri a moment to catch up to Tatsuha's train of thought. When he did finally speak, the frown was almost audible. "Did you just say I had a nansy job? What the fuck is a nansy job?"

"Nansy-pansy wannabe job," Tatsuha corrected. "It means you suck. But that's not --"

"I do not suck."

Tatsuha paused and stared briefly at the wall. Eiri was completely missing the point here. "You do suck, but that's really not my point. Weren't you listening? I got --"

"I do not suck," Eiri said again. "In fact, I'm fairly sure I have never sucked, in my career or otherwise."

He was just going to push that point, wasn't he? Tatsuha scowled. "Aniki, you --"

"Furthermore," Eiri continued, "I am offended by your implication that I do suck."

Tatsuha rolled his eyes. It figured. Eiri was being an asshole, and that meant Tatsuha was going to have to soothe his elder brother's wounded pride. "Fine. What do you want me to do about it?"

There was a two-minute long pause while Eiri considered that. "You should take it back," he decided.

"I should take what back?"

"What you said. About my drawing things in as though I was a vacuum," Eiri said.

Tatsuha blanched. "What?"

"The sucking thing," Eiri clarified.

"Yeah, I gathered that," Tatsuha said. "What's a vacuum got to do with anything?"

Eiri paused. "That's the definition of sucking," he said. "To draw things into something else like a vacuum."

And thus Eiri the human dictionary had struck again. Tatsuha groaned. "That's not what I meant and you know it."

Eiri hummed off-key in response.

This was totally not worth it. "Okay, okay. Fine," Tatsuha snapped. "I take it back. You're not a two-legged vacuum. Okay? Is that better?"

Much to Tatsuha's relief, Eiri stopped humming. "Much," he answered. "Now, as you were saying?"

It took Tatsuha a moment to rewind their conversation in his head. Then, finally, he grinned. "Right! Right. I got a job. A good job."

"You're a waiter?"

Tatsuha prodded the baseboard of the wall with his foot. "No. Stupid. It's loads better than that."

"You're a prostitute?"

"What? No, I --"

"Because I was sure we taught you better than that," Eiri went on. "Selling yourself on the street. Tch. You should just give it away for free. It'll save you a lot of hassle."

"Eiri, I --"

"Or a brothel. Maybe you should join a brothel." Eiri paused and when he finally spoke again, Tatsuha was positive he was smirking. "I hear that involves a lot of sucking."

Tatsuha considered, very briefly, hanging up the phone. But if he did that, Eiri would only call back and throw more possible career options in Tatsuha's ear, simply because Eiri had some sort of love affair with torturing his younger brother. Asshole.

"Eiri!" Tatsuha hissed. "Shut up and listen!"

Eiri stopped talking, but only because he was obviously trying not to laugh. Tatsuha could picture it perfect: Eiri was probably at his desk, hand over his mouth, and snickering between his fingers.

When Eiri finally did compose himself, he cleared his throat. "Yes?"

"I got a job with the company that publishes all your books."

That made Eiri shut up. The writer was quiet for a long moment and then, finally, he cleared his throat again. "You did?"

"Yes."

A pause. Then, "Doing what?"

Tatsuha smirked. "You know those pictures they take of the authors that they throw on the back of the book?"

Eiri was hesitant. "Yes..."

"I'm working with the guy who takes those pictures." Tatsuha grinned and tapped his fingers against the back of his phone. "They say I'm going to have a lot of chances to give them my... creative input."

There was a long, long pause. And then, finally, Eiri groaned. "Fuck."

Tatsuha grinned. Okay. Maybe putting up with his brother's bullshit had been worth it after all.