An Unexpected Meeting

[Deleted]

A small cluster of school girls were clucking over a magazine spread across their table. Their high pitched squeals and giggles were quite audible from across the road, attracting the vague attention of passer buyers.

“He’s sooo dreamy.” “I just wanna pick him up and take him home.” “I wish we could see him more in person.”

They all shrieked and sighed as one unity, not even noticing the man seated behind them peering across to see what the fuss was about. Ah. His own face stared back from the magazine pages. Days ago the very same magazine had arrived at his apartment threshold, presenting a well written four page spread on his latest movie blockbuster. It was complete with interview, small screenshots from the movie itself and large prints of an original photoshoot taken especially for the magazine.

Kasuka acknowledged that these images were of himself but there was something. . off. . when looking at them. Really, all he saw a beautiful stranger when he glanced at the towering billboards, or watched himself on television. It wasn’t the real him. Although that was what being an actor was all about, he supposed.

Turning back to his cup of strong coffee, Kasuka’s fake glasses gently steamed up at he stared blanking into the drink. Right now, he was even faker than normal. His black hair was pinned up, hidden beneath a light brown wig, harshly spiked at the back- a hair style Kasuka himself wouldn’t dare try. It was a childish cut, and made him appear younger than he really was, dark eyes concealed by large glasses, delicate body clothed in tight jeans and long sleeved shirt despite the sunny weather.
It was something he supposed he would normally dress casually in- apart from the glasses since his eye sight was perfect- his disguise didn’t need to be drastically obvious. Wearing hats and over large trench coats basically said ‘hello, I am in a disguise and fooling you terribly.’

The final touches were the makeup. Or rather, lack there of. Gone was the heavy eyeliner and concealer, touches of blusher and foundation. All that was left was his natural skin tone. Which, quite frankly, was still just as beautiful without all that stage makeup caked on.

Kasuka glanced down at his wrist watch. He had about another hour before he would have to clock in. He’d been loitering at the street corner cafe for the good part of three hours, the allocated time of his ‘day off’. There was a perfectly good reason for his prolonged stay too. His brother had turned up, unexpectedly, since Kasuka had never gone out of his way to really see much of his family anymore, and appeared to be doing business with a gang of street kids.

He’d always viewed his brother on a pedestal. Kasuka didn’t see himself as perfect, far from it. His brother on the other hand, was. He was always the stronger of the two, not just physically, it never was about that, Shizuo had always been good around people- not like him, he was forever the shrinking violet- honest and friendly, a tiny bit naive at times. He didn’t see it, but people would naturally flock to him. He was likeable. Kasuka had just. . sat back and watched his brother shine from a distance.

So it had come as a surprise when Shizuo had struggled to hold down a job. It was even more of a surprise to see his brother still wearing those clothes he had given him so long ago. It was. . a nice feeling. Kasuka was never a man to assume, but perhaps it was an indicator Shizuo still thought about him, even though they hadn’t spoken in. . months. Years. Kasuka didn’t really know. There was still the mystery of his unemployment. . .

SMASH.

Kasuka’s eyebrows shot up. The most dramatic change of expression his face had shown in a while. Across the road, his brother had suddenly hurled a. . a vending machine at something. He’d missed what, but was briefly amazed at the show of strength. The girls at the table opposite him squealed in excitement and fear.

Ah. That was the answer. Shizuo’s ‘anger issues’. Kasuka had honestly forgotten about those. It had become. . routine. . something he’d just come to accept about his brother and embraced it as being part of the Shizou package. It was the refrigerator that had started it all. Actually it was the pudding he had eaten. Either way, Kasuka never remembered ever being frightened by the rages his brother would fly into. There had been one time, where his brother had physically struck him, right across the face. Shizuo had sobbed and apologised repetitively afterwards, but Kasuka hadn’t really seen what the big deal was. It wasn’t like Shizuo had done it with malicious intent. All that had happened was that his cheek had hurt for a few days. He’d simply blinked his blank eyes and patted his brothers back while he’d hugged him.

He supposed it was a bit strange for others to witness such a thing. Of course. . right. . that was why he’d never held down a job. As much as people flocked to him. . they also repelled in horror.

Kazuka glanced back up from his coffee and his thoughts, but discovered his brother was already gone.

[tossingtrashcans]

Shizuo Heiwajima grumbled as he walked into the little corner cafe. He seemed to have lost site of the damned eskimo. His hand where shoved into his pockets as he walked up to the counter. He knew some tea or something would chill him out enough to actually not want to hurl a street sign at a wall that had the man's picture on it.

"One green tea." He ordered, that was going to be it for now. He just needed to relax. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw these girls staring at him rather intently. With a simple move his glasses fell down his face and he looked right at them. He watched as they all gathered their things and scrambled out the door then rather quickly.

He smirked and then pushed his blue tinted glasses back up on his face and then moved his bangs from view as he paid and then took the tea from the woman. He walked over, adding a little honey and then walked over to the table they had been at. He sat down and picked up the cup and pressed it to his mouth and then blinked. The girls where standing on the other side of the glass window looking in at him, watching. He grumbled and then snapped a gaze at them before they scurried away from view. He nodded and then sighed shifting around.

Then he spotted it, the magazine one of them dropped. He leaned down and picked it up. There it was on the front page. His little brother staring back at him. He swore that was the most he'd get to see him. He'd just landed another role and was off doing his thing.

Without really thinking about it, he begun to flip through it. Carelessly flipping pages until he'd found it. The article. Since it was left behind he might as well drink his tea and read it. He shifted a little and then nodded to the younger boy that was seated close to him. He seemed to me eyeing him for some reason. Chances are it was cause of the girls he'd just messed with. Either way, he nodded and then turned his attetion back to the-wait a second. He snaped his head back around and dropped the magazine as he looked at the boy. There is no way. Why is he in Ikebukuro? he had thought.

Shizuo turned back around and then gathered the book and blinked as the gears turned, he skimmed the article and then found it. A tiny spec of evidence that suggested he'd 'gone back home' before filming.

He picked the cup of tea back up and took a drink. It seemed to help relax him just enough that he turned back around to face the boy, wondering if he was right.

"Kasuka?" He questioned quietly, just enough for him and few others to maybe hear.

[Deleted]

With the last of his coffee consumed, Kasuka was thinking it was just about time to leave when the cafe bell gave a tiny ring. Out of habit, his eyes flickered up to check out the latest customer. He blinked, his head tipping curiously to the side. It was his brother.

This was. . awkward? No, it wasn’t that, a huge part of him was glowing at the possibility of talking to him again. The other part was. . mm. They had parted on not entirely good terms, and since then the actor had made no effort to contact his brother.

It wasn’t like Kasuka disliked his brother. It was in fact the complete opposite. He loved his brother, and for quite a while had only thought of him first. He was probably the only person who he had any real attachment to. Rarely did he show emotion, not just outwardly, but internally too. He was raised in a perfectly normal family and environment so it hadn’t formed from abuse or neglect, yet there was a blank void inside him that made him indifferent to nearly everything. Like when God created him, he had forgotten to properly connect the wires that caused normal human emotion. Kasuka didn’t think it was weird. It was just how he was.

Kasuka wasn’t entirely sure. He glanced shyly at his hands for a beat, then looked back up, just in time to catch Shizuo scaring the girls away. So typical. Kasuka smiled. Well. Not really. But his dark eyes lit up for the briefest of moments, lips wryly twitching.

Oh, and now he was taking the girl’s magazine. Honestly, what sort of bad habits was his brother picking up from these gang bangers? Letting out a small sigh, he palmed his cheek in one hand, casually observing at the back of his brother’s head. Blonde hair had always made him appear more aggressive than he really was.

Shizuo had turned around twice now, possibly recognising him. Sure enough. . .

“Hello nii-san,” he wished he still had coffee left so he had something to do with his hands. He settled with simply folding them into his lap. “My fans only know my stage name, no need to whisper.”

[tossingtrashcans]

Shizuo blinked at him and then nodded. Of course, there was a few reasons he had a stage name. He reached up and then pulled his glasses off and then slipped them into the inner side of the vest and looked at him. It really was him. How long as it been since he'd seen him? He honestly couldn't even remember. He wasn't happy about that.

He moved around and then moved the chair around and was not sitting at the table with his little brother. The magazine laid forgotten on the table behind him now as he took a drink of his tea.

"Tell me. Is there a reason your lurking about in Ikebukuro?" He simply asked as he sat there. Watching his brother shifted a little under his gaze. He looked away and scanned the place, no one seemed to notice, or cared, that he moved places now.

With a slight shift he looked back to his brother. It wasn't like he didn't have his cell phone, either of them. But they didn't try and contact one another. He guessed that sometimes it was just best to not say anything. Granted normally his actions spoke more volumes then his voice did and he could get rather loud if need be.

That wasn't the point here, the point was. His little brother was back in town, for heaven knows how long. But he was sitting here with him. What was he going to do next, just leave him here after he finished his tea. Then just hope to maybe run into him again. This was actually rather unlike him, but normally his brother wasn't wearing a wig, and he could pick him out more easily. Thus then leading to him avoiding Kasuka to notice he was around. He normally tried to keep his brother out of harms way...from a distance.

"Some new gig or something?" Shizuo asked as he then took another drink of tea. It would seem he had another drink to go.

[Deleted]

Kasuka half smiled again. “Yes. Something like that.”

Trust Shizuo to not keep up with the daily news. He’d come back to his home town for the filming of a new series that would be airing at the end of the year. It wasn’t very interesting, just another generic sitcom. Instead of playing the leading role, his manager had settled him into the co-starring role of the dorky best friend character. Kasuka didn’t really mind. Competition had never crossed his mind in the industry.

Timidly his eyes lowered once more, fingers nervously twisting one of the rings decorating his left hand. It seemed silly to be behaving quite this nervously. ‘Behaving’ was a bit of a stretch, as his lovely features were still fixed in place like a carved statue's, eyes quiet and hidden beneath his thick lashes, posture rigid. No emotion gave off the small fluttering feelings inside his chest. Apart from the guilty twitch on his fingers under the table.

Not just nerves, but excitement too. He wanted to say more, but immediately introverted even in front of his brother.

“It’s my day off,” Kasuka added, lightly pulling on his fake brown hair in way of explaining the silly disguise. Realising he was forgetting basic conversation etiquette, his eyes flickered back up to search his brother’s face, “How are you?”

[tossingtrashcans]

Shizuo nodded once more at him. He tried not to keep up with things that were going on around him to much. Especially the things that were about his brother. He'd end up so overly worried that he'd freak out on people far more then normal, he was almost sure of it.

There was a few times in the past that he had been getting something from a store and saw these magazines. The things they wrong about him, his little brother. He never understood why people would do that to someone. It did nothing but piss him off for days on end. So he started to avoid the crazy stories after that. If something was going on with his brother, he hoped Kasuka would call him and tell him. It was that easy really. Or so he had wished it was.

The two of them sat there a moment before Kasuka finally spoke again. Seemed his little brother had the day off, which was then followed by a rather casual question. Had he been anyone else.

"I've been doing alright. I finally found a job that I'm really good at. And it pays to go off on people that piss me off." Shizuo said lightly and then picked his cup up for the last time and finished it off.

"The rest of my day is free if you wanted to tag along with me around the city. I can't stay in one place to long, tends to make some people nervous." He said lightly as if it was just another usual thing for him.

At this point in his life he was rather used to the glances and whispers that people gave him on the streets. He was like the walking anger and he pissed him off. Why was it that he hated the violence that everyone drove him to act out in?

Being a common enough occurrence, he'd grown rather accustom to the way people reacted when they say him walking in their general direction. That and some of them have had personal experience with his fist to know that he wasn't on to be messed with or taken lightly.

[Deleted]

“You have. . a job?” Upon hearing those words, something strange happened. Kasuka’s normally blank eyes suddenly widened, lips parting in surprise then curving upwards into a genuine smile. With a gushing sigh the tension staggered off his shoulders, catching himself by the elbows as his upper body bent forwards. “I’m so relieved!” a fully formed grin in place, cheeks flushing happily.

Both of them knew the strife Shizuo had suffered for all these years, Kasuka was delighted to hear some good luck had finally been thrown his brother’s way. It must have been hard, he supposed, for Shizuo to realise and compete against a younger less experienced brother that had built a solid career at the age of twenty.

Shizuo had never managed to hold down a job, not even delivering newspapers. The memory of one such escapade almost made him palm his face out of exasperation. Kasuka had only been sixteen at the time, but remembered vividly a snarling Shizuo being thrust at him when he’d opened their house door one night, Shizuo’s part time boss on the verge of tears while he yelled at how the unruly teenager he thrown their expensive copy machine out of the tenth floor window when the paper had jammed. It seemed a silly thing to get angry over. But there you go. .

Kasuka blinked, quickly raising a hand to run his fingers across his lips, suddenly extremely self conscious of his previous actions. He’d never really smiled at anyone like that before, apart from those cheesy grins he flashed at his fans on the street, or when a camera was shoved at his face. None of those smiles were real.

Clearing this throat awkwardly, Kasuka quickly stood up, brushing his chair back to indicate he was ready to leave.
“I’ll buy you some milk to celebrate. Let’s go,” he murmured, and as he walked past Shizuo, he reached out to lightly ruffle his brother’s hair in a silent ‘I’m proud of you’ gesture. Sometimes he wondered who the real older brother here was.

[tossingtrashcans]

Kasuka was happy that he had a job? Shizuo blinked behind the blue tinted sunglasses. It was all he really could do in the moment. He had watching his brother's face change in that one moment at the news of knowing he had a job. And once that'd he had a decent length of time.

He watched Kasuka then stand up, but before he could stand his brother's hand was ruffling his hair. He reached up and lightly batted his hand away before he stood up. He pushed in his chair and then nodded that he to was ready to leave.

Shoving his hands into his pocket as he walked around through the cafe and then out of the door. Holding them open for his brother to walk out and then someone else to walk in.

Again his hands were shoved back into his pockets before they emerged from them and he shook a pack of cigarettes and then pulled one out with his mouth. He then pocketed the pack before he stopped walking down the street and light the end of it. He shoved the lighter away at the same time he pulled it from his lip and exhaled into the air. Careful to keep the smoke away from him as they walked.

"Are we going to the little corner store that we used to go to growing up?" Shizuo asked simply and softly.

"If you wanted to get out of that getup we could just go back to my apartment. Granted I don't have much...so maybe a trip tot he store would be worth it." He said, having talked himself in circles.

The air between them had lightened a bit, but something was still a little off. He wasn't going to fret over it, but it was there and he knew it.

As they walked there wasn't screams of fear. For once he almost felt like he was someone that would be considered normal. But he and his brother both knew that there was nothing normal about Shizuo. He was a walking time bomb that was just waiting to explode, and sometimes he never mattered who it exploded at. He just hoped that nothing would happen today of all days.

In the back of his mind. He was hoping that he'd only run into Izaya once. Seeing as the sight of that damned eskimo always seemed to piss him off.

For right now, he was just following his little brother. Letting him lead him to wherever it was that he wanted to get milk from.

[Deleted]

Kasuka inwardly frowned when he smelt the cigarette smoke. His mouth opened half way, ready to berate him that nobody in their right mind would want to kiss a smokers mouth, before the air puffed out of him. There really was no point in saying anything. Kasuka was all too aware that he couldn’t get his brother to change his mind about the filthy habit. Perhaps it was a little ironic that he’d been one of the cover boys for the latest anti smoking ads that had been circulating the television over the past few months.

“Oh. .” he tilted his head when Shizuo asked about going to their childhood store. It had been a number of years since he had stood in this polluted and gang ridden city, much had changed, and Kasuka still wasn’t sure of his bearings. He doubted he would even remember the way to their old house from this part of town, let alone that particular convenient store. . . Perhaps Shizuo saw sentimental value in visiting the place that Kasuka didn’t yet appreciate.

Glancing up at his brother, he then surveyed the entire district, taking note of the street signs especially. A mind map slowly formed before him, and Kasuka soon realised he actually knew where he was. Fleeting memories come back, he remembered that run down video store over there, and going to that Indian restaurant across the street for Shizuo’s eleventh birthday. If he was right, it was only a ten minute walk to their old store.

Why not. He might as well indulge his brother on his trip down nostalgia lane. Taking off at a brisk pace, the short journey to the convenient store was a quiet one. The silent wasn’t awkward, or if it was, Kasuka wasn’t aware of it, hewas simply content with the feeling of being next to his brother again.

“Was it always this run down?” Kasuka dryly noted, having at last reached their destination. The corner shop had always been a little worse for wear, and so had the couple that had owned it. Stepping inside, Kasuka noticed a teenage girl at the counter, flicking through a stack of magazines to pass the time. Apart from her, nothing appeared to have changed. If it wasn’t for the expiry dates on the packets, the actor could have sworn none of the food had changed either.

Locating the large refrigerators that housed all the cold drinks, Kasuka cracked open the cold doors, peering inside. Down in the bottom shelf were old fashioned milk bottles. He was genuinely surprised to see they were still being manufactured. And just like all those years ago, the bottles were still marked with cute little cow stickers. Kasuka bent down to pick one up, recalling fondly of the huge fit Shizuo had pulled when he’d first ordered him to drink more calcium.

“You cried like a baby when I first told you to drink your milk,” chuckling softly, Kasuka paid for the little milk bottle- the girl hardly glanced at his face which made for a nice change- before they were back out onto the street.

He was becoming more aware of the itching wig cap and the weight of the glasses on his nose. A place to change and. . be normal at would be nice. “Lead the way to your place.”

[tossingtrashcans]

Shizuo has only stopped once to drop his dead cigarette into a trash bin that was along the way. He was glad to see that his little brother recalled the way. By this point in his life he would have been able to get to this little place with his eyes closed in the dead of a moonless night. He would stop in every once in awhile to get the milk that his dear brother had demanded he drank on a regular bases. He was rather thankful for it in the end. It seemed to actually help his healing process when he broke bones growing up.

"It's seen better days for sure." He muttered softly as they reached the little store and he held the door open for his brother.

He walked in then after his brother and scoped the place out, following him back and watched as his brother leaned down to get the like bottles, there really wasn't anything in the world that compared to the milk that came in glass bottles. Just right for one person to drink. It was a convenience that Shizuo was rather glad for.

"I didn't cry that much." The blond said as they headed back tot he counter to pay for the milk bottles. He was ever grateful that his brother cared enough for him to make him drink the milk though.

Reaching back he went to grab his wallet and then blinked and nodded as his brother had then already had them paid for. He sighed mentally and then stuffed his wallet away before he walked out back onto the streets of Ikebukuro, his streets.

It would seem that Kasuka was asking to go back to his apartment. He had no problem with that at all, seeing as he originally suggested it.

"Yea. It's actually now that far from here really." He stated and then looked tot he bag with the bottles in it. "I can carry those if you want me to. Just ask." He said and then turned directions and nodded to Kasuka to follow as he crossed the street and headed for his place.

Again the almost fifteen minute walk was rather silent. Not that he seemed to mind really. It was just glad to be around someone that didn't freak out and run if he did break out into a fit.

Once they arrived he pulled open the gate and let Kasuka in. With a clanking sound he closest the gate behind him and then headed up some stairs. The outer side of the place was rather drab and iffy.

After climbing two flights of steps he turned around and looked for his brother. He was slightly slacking behind. Shizuo had gotten used to taking the stairs two sometimes three at a time, making the trip quicker.

Once his brother came into view he gave a half smile.

"Sorry about that. Old habit." he said then turned around and unlocked his door and slid it open. He let Kasuka walk in first before he followed and locked it back up. Another old habit.

Once they where inside there was a small area to remove their shoes, which Shizuo did and then stepped up onto the other level and walked over and slid another door open. It led into a hallway.

As he walked down the hallway there was a room to the left, (the bathroom) and then two rooms on the right, (two bedrooms). He walked forward some more and then let his sock covered feet hit the carpet as he reached out and removed his glasses and took them off and set them down on a small stand that had a phone on it. The arch way with the curtain stood to its left that led into the kitchen. He turned around and faced his living room. There was a couch and a miss matched chair and small TV. He rarely watched it, unless he knew Kasuka was going to be one something and he was home to catch it. Granted there was no way he was ever willing to admit that.

All in all, the place was rather clean and nice, simple and just enough for him. The spare room was also nice for it gave him a room to house someone if they needed the help for the time being. Which actually he had once more or twice over the years. It was a nice place, his place. A place he was proud of. There was little clutter here or there, but one thing that did stand out was a picture. It was one of him and Kasuka that was taken when they where both younger, it was really the only personal thing that was sitting out in the open. At least at first, there was other small things here and there of his brother and parents.

Shizuo turned around to face his brother that was walking down the hallway,

"It's not too much. But it is home." He said softly. "And if things work out with the new gig. You're more then welcome to stay here if you'd like." He offered.

[Deleted]

Kasuke glanced curiously at everything upon entering the house, inwardly smiling. . yeah. . he could see his brother in the layout. He had never been much of a pack rat like Kasuka was, only the bare necessities where in each tiny room. The thing that caught his eye the most was the snap shot of him and his brother. He paused to inspect it, shaking his head at the vague memory of buttercup yellow sun on his skin and his mother sighs of ’Shizuo, make your brother smile properly, would you.’.

Before he progressed any further in ways of conversation and investigation, Kasuka reached up and tore his wig off, running his hands through his hair to free the long strands out. Phew! It was a relief to finally breathe again. His head was hot and hair oily from being trapped for so long, and he took a moment to ruffle it back into place. He didn’t like to admit it, but his vanity had increased dramatically thanks to his publicity.

Taking off his fake glasses, he felt much more like himself again. Placing the accessories on the arm of the couch, he sank gratefully into the pillows, feeling at once that a few springs were broken, irrationally thinking the couch might sink right down and swallow him up.

“It’s only running for a few days,” Kasuka started to say, then realised he was saying the wrong thing. Or rather, wording it wrong. “. . although. If you’d have me, I’d love to,” he drew up his knees and hugged them to his chest, peering up at his brother through his long fringe. “It seems lonely here,” he observed. Not just from the lack of furniture, or personal items, but the very building seemed unused and unloved. Kasuka wondered how often Shizuo even stayed in the apartment.

[tossingtrashcans]

Shizuo watched him as he removed the wig and glasses. Right before his he saw his little brother again just as he always had before. He blinked and then it dawned on him. The blond started to look around before he finally found it the bag that had the milk in it. He picked it up from the front of the house then casually walked back and pulled the bottles from the bag and shook the bag off of them.

Setting the two bottles of milk down on his coffee table he then joined his brother on the couch. He instantly regretted not having something a little better for him. He was home a decent amount, but it was never super long. Normally time to eat, change and sleep. He rarely sat around and watched TV or lounged around his place. He always took walks around the city in the evening and enjoyed the air as well as the clearing his head that normally happened.

Sitting forward, the couch shifted under him as he reached out and pulled the rubber band off both bottle and then held the one out to Kasuka.

“To chance meetings.” He muttered before he handed the bottle off and then picked up his, clanked them softly and he took a long drink. Ahh~ Milk was perfect any time of day, always.

He sat back and sighed light as he finally relaxed a great deal.

“Well even is if just for a few days, I'll be nice to have you around.” he said and then turned his head and looked at his brother.

“And it can be. The building is a little run down and things are a bit rusty around here, but I've been living here long enough now finally that the landlord and I are on pretty good terms. He normally lets me get first dibs on left behind things from other people. Though, I'm regretting this couch now.” he shrugged it off casually then continued speaking.

“However, the nights are quiet and things are a little...empty.” he turned and looked around before he shifted around and sat on the couch better setting the milk bottom on the coffee table with a light clunk.

“If you are here for a little while then that will help. It wont be far as lonely...for me.” he said adding the last bit just under his breath, even unsure if Kasuka heard him.

[Deleted]

Kasuka couldn’t say milk was his favourite thing to drink unlike his brother, but he was happy enough to raise the still cold bottle to his lips and take a sip to the toast. It was a toast worth celebrating after all. He gazed at the bottle, gently running his finger tips against the frosty glass, quietly listening as his brother, rather flustered, explained about his less than adequate living conditions.

Inwardly, he smiled fondly. That was typical of Shizuo. Maybe it was because he was an actor, so he thought Kasuka lived in the lap of luxury and was surrounded by glamour everyday. . really it was the opposite. The young man didn’t live off caviar, he still enjoyed buying from the convent store, and he didn’t live in a mansion, just an apartment- or rather the entire block since his manager had made him buy the whole thing out for paranoid security reason. He wasn’t a jewel, he wouldn’t shatter at a bad touch, or stop shining if he wasn’t treated as the very best. Kasuka was still a country bumpkin at heart, and even preferred it that way.

“Niisan, I’m still the same from when I was younger. You don’t need to treat me like a doll,” his lips twitched at the silly, but sadly accurate, portrayal of himself.

Looking back up, he could see the lonely silhouette Shizuo cast, and his dark eyes softened slightly. Always the same. Pushing his knees away from his chest, Kasuka shuffled across the couch- ignoring the protests of the weakened springs- and settled himself snuggly in between his brother’s legs. “You don’t have to be alone. The world never inflicts loneliness upon us. It’s something we choose or reject by ourselves,” he sternly gazed up at him, gently scolding him. Then he put his arms around his brother’s neck, careful to not spill milk down his back, and lightly hugged him. “Stupid.”

[tossingtrashcans]

Shizuo looked to the side as his brother spoke. It was hard not to treasure his brother when he was given the chance. He never knew when he'd see him again, so it was just nice to treat him carefully when he was around.

Upon hearing his brother shift around he looked over then watched him move. His eyes blinked as he stared intently at his little brother. Carefully moving his milk away from him, setting it on the rather tiny stand that sat next to the couch. He visibly blinked slowly a few times before he cleared his throat and nodded at his brother.

As his brother embraced him softly he felt a little heat in his cheeks, dismissing it quickly before he wrapped one arm back around his brother and rubbed his back without really thinking about it.

He cared about his brother, more so then a older brother should. He was almost sure of that. Kasuka was really all he counted on. He was a force that Shizuo wished he could be some days. Kasuka was calm and collected. All the things that he wished he was himself. He knew his rage would never allow such a thing, which was why he envied and loved his brother. For simply being all things that he knew he could not. Then he called him stupid.

Shizuo huffed at that statement, he knew Kasuka didn't mean it. At least he was almost positive sure that his baby brother didn't mean it. Either way, his embrace grew a little tighter. It had been far to long since he had Kasuka in his arms. Had he lost weight? Or had it just been much longer then he cared to recall? None the less he sat there, content as things were with them, even if it was just only for the moment.

It wasn't to much longer that he sighed softly before he spoke,

“I'd admit, Kasuka.” he began. “I have missed this.”

[Deleted]

Kasuka hid his smile against Shizuo’s neck, practically hearing the worried thoughts fly through his brother’s head as his hands none to subtly felt him over for signs of weight loss. It was strange, but Kasuka guessed those simple, thoughtful gestures made him happy. Emotions were odd little things. Kasuka didn’t see very much of them, and when he did, he briefly appreciated them, but would forget about them seconds after.

Although when it came to his brother, those odd little things called emotions liked to stick around a lot longer.

“You could always get a girlfriend,” Kasuka lightly suggested, although imagining Shizuo next to and holding a delicate girl was a pretty bizarre image. Of course, he would have to approve before they even started to date. Although. . . now that he was thinking about it. . “Why don’t you have a girlfriend, niisan?”

It wasn’t like his brother was busy all the time. It wasn’t like he was bad looking, or couldn’t hold a civilised conversation. Even with his explosive episodes, he wasn’t that bad when it came to being around the female species. So what exactly was the problem?