Ketsueki and Aisoku 10

Aisoku is lying on his bed, curled up and hugging his stuffed wolf. A thick textbook is open in front of him and he reads it quietly. His stereo is playing softly his Hysteric Blue CD and he sings along softly.
A knock is heard on the door, though it's rather quiet.
Aisoku looks up, still hugging his stuffed animal tightly. "Hai?" he calls cheerfully, glad to have a reason to stop his studies.
The door slowly opens, and there stands Ketsueki, his tail swishing slightly behind him. It's obvious he still feels strange being in the other boy's room, and he cocks his head slightly, looking at Aisoku with a faint smile, though he says nothing.
Aisoku beams, sitting up on his bed. He smiles broadly at Ketsueki, "Ket-chan! Come in! Where have you been?"
Ketsueki slowly walks in, glancing about. He gives a small shrug. "....just walking about.."
Aisoku hops up from his bed, leaving his stuffed wolf on the bed. He hugs Ketsueki, pulling himself close to the other boy. "Missed you," he says happily, snuggling the youkai.
Ketsueki blushes, though a smile passes over his thin lips. "I missed you, too..."
Aisoku smiles, looking up at Ketsueki, "I know." Then he buries his face in the boy's shoulder. "I hate going to school and not seeing you all day....I almost wish we were still looking for my father..." He tenses a little at his own mention of his father.
Ketsueki frowns slightly giving a quiet sigh. "Ai..."
Aisoku raises his head hesitantly, "...Hm?"
Ketsueki slowly shakes his head. "..never mind."
Aisoku frowns, "Iie.....tell me."
Ketsueki sighs. "...I just don't want you to get upset."
Aisoku sighs, "Ket-chan...you already are, so you may as well tell me."
Ketsueki shakes his head. "...you got tense. " he states.
Aisoku watches him, waiting for the rest of the explanation.
Ketsueki shakes his head once again. "Forget it."
Aisoku sighs, moving away from Ketsueki and seating himself on the floor.
Ketsueki frowns slightly, moving to Aisoku. He walks behind the other boy, sitting down and suddenly hugging him about the waist.
Aisoku releases a quiet yelp, as the hug was unexpected. He blushes, leaning back into Ketsueki. "It's about my father, isn't it Ket...what you were gonna say?"
Ketsueki closes his eyes, putting his chin on Aisoku's shoulder. "...I just didn't want you to think about it. It doesn't do you any good to get upset."
Aisoku sighs, shaking his head, "Iie...I know what kind of person my father was...I shouldn't get upset over him..."
Ketsueki leans his head against Aisoku's, sighing. "If you say so..."
Aisoku sighs contently, "...I don't need him....I have mother and Karusu and Seki and....I have you Ket-chan." He looks up at the elder boy, red still hinting at his cheeks.
Ketsueki smiles slightly, keeping his eyes closed, a bit of a blush coming to his own cheeks. His grip tightens slightly. "And I have you, Ai....."
Aisoku smiles, content to stay nestled in Ketsueki's warm arms. However, the door opens suddenly and Seki pokes his head in, grinning from ear-to-ear, "Yo, love birds. Dinner's ready." Aisoku blinks, raising his head and blushing, "Damare, Seki-san!" The elder boy merely laughs in response.
Ketsueki twitches slightly, glancing up. "I don't like birds," he mutters, watching Seki with slightly narrowed eyes.
Seki offers a nervous laugh as Ketsueki glares at him, "Well...Ai-kun....you comin?" Aisoku sighs, kissing Ketsueki's cheek before he starts to stand up, "Come on, Ket-chan...mom will be hurt if we don't come to dinner."
Ketsueki blushes fiercely as he receives the kiss. He slowly stands up, glancing at Seki quietly.
Seki disappears out into the hall. Aisoku stretches, yawning quietly, "Baka Seki-san...always ruins our moments. Oh well..." he hooks Ketsueki's arm with his own, "We can finish after dinner, k?"
Ketsueki blinks. "...finish...?"
Aisoku laughs, walking over to the door and pulling Ketsueki with him.
Ketsueki follows along obediently. "..why is Seki scared of me?"
Aisoku smiles, "Cause he can't fight....besides, it's obvious you like to scare him." Behind this cheerful reply, a bit of sadness is present in his tone.
Ketsueki gives a small shrug. "I don't hate him, at least."
Aisoku nods, "Hai....I'm glad. You two do seem to get along....at least a little."
Ketsueki nods himself. "He's not mean to you."
Aisoku smiles, "Of course not! Seki's one of my only friends."
Ketsueki gives a small smile himself, nodding.
Aisoku walks into the dining room, seating himself at the low wooden table. As opposed to sitting in the traditional Japanese style on his feet and ankles like Karusu and their mother are, Seki is seated with one leg bent upward and the other flat to the ground, leaning slightly upon the elevated knee. Okonomiyaki is spread over a large dish on the table and Aisoku chirps, "Yay!" and seats himself by the table as his mother and eldest brother are doing.
Ketsueki blinks, following Aisoku quietly, obviously a bit unsure of himself.

~*~

Aisoku rests his elbows on the table, chatting happily away with his mother. His plate, now fully cleared, previously held serving after serving of okonomiyaki. Much more than a petite person like himself appears capable of eating. Karusu stands, stretching, then with a slightly sneered, "Thanks for dinner," departs out the back door.
Ketsueki scowls slightly at Karusu, watching him in silent agitation.
Aisoku and his mother stand after a moment, the boy stretching. Seki stands up more slowly, nearly tripping as he does so. Their mother smiles, "Well...I think I'm going to go see Namasaki-san, would you boys like to come?" Aisoku smiles, "Hai! Hai! I wanna come!" Seki smiles faintly, "...Iie...you guys go ahead, I'll clean up." Their mother looks at Ketsueki for an answer.
Namasaki-san owns a sushi shop and is friends with their mother. ^^ Aisoku wants to go and swipe some sushi. ^^ He eats a lot....now you know where all that energy comes from
Ketsueki glances over at Seki, then back to Aisoku's mother, giving a small shake of his head. "I think I'll stay and help Seki."
Aisoku smiles, quickly giving Ketsueki a kiss on the cheek, "Hai! Seeya later koi!" Their mother laughs quietly at her son, "Alright...well, don't get into any trouble you two," she says, knowing that Seki won't. Seki smiles dryly, "Alright...see you guys in a bit...." With that, the pair disappear out the back door.
Ketsueki blushes slightly, and gives a weak wave to Aisoku. He turns, looking at Seki, though he says nor does anything.
Seki kneels on one knee with a slight grunt of effort, beginning to scoop the dishes into his arms. "You don't have to help me if you don't want to, Ketsueki."
Ketsueki, after a moment, gives a small shrug, beginning to assist Seki. "I might as well."
Seki stands slowly, balancing most of the dishes neatly in his arms. He shrugs, "...If you want..." he says again, walking slowly back towards the kitchen.
Ketsueki follows in silence.
Seki sighs, positioning himself at the sink. He trembles a little under the load he carries, as if he is going to collapse any moment. He sets the dishes down carefully near the sink
Ketsueki sets down the dishes he hold silently, glancing at Seki. "...Ai said you didn't fight."
Seki shrugs, turning on the hot water from the sink, "I don't....not anymore," he replies quietly.
Ketsueki cocks his head slightly. "Why not?"
Seki frowns a little, turning to face Ketsueki. He doesn't turn off the water. Slowly he lifts his left pant leg, revealing a grotesquely battered knee, appearing frail and brittle. A thin, black brace supports it, but does not hide the even half of the injuries down to it. If you look closely at it, you can see the knee bone threatening to jam through his skin.
Ketsueki blinks, after a moment giving a small nod, almost embarrassed he asked. "..ah..."
Seki sighs, also a little embarrassed by it. He lets his pant leg fall, turning back to the sink.
Ketsueki frowns slightly, forcing himself to be slightly nosy. "..what happened?"
Seki bites his lower lip, not turning around, "...Aisoku told you...about our father, right?"
Ketsueki gives a short nod. "..hai.."
Seki starts washing the dishes quietly, the running water almost drowning out his soft voice. "When he left us...I was only a little over five years old...He left one night and I had woken up, and I tried to follow him. When he saw me following him...well you get the idea." He laughs, almost bitterly, "The doctors have been saying it'd heal ever since I was a kid....I knew it wasn't true. Even then. And so I gave up fighting....what else could I do."
Ketsueki flinches slightly, remaining quiet for a long time.
Seki shakes his head, shrugging meekly, "...But it doesn't really matter now."
Ketsueki hms quietly. "It does matter, you just don't want it to.."
Seki tenses visibly, "...What do you mean?"
Ketsueki merely shakes his head. "Never mind.."
Seki frowns, looking over his shoulder. "Don't change the subject just becau-" he stops, yelping in surprise as the dish slips out of his hand and falls into the sink, shattering. He scrambles, starting to pick up the pieces. One of them cuts his hand deeply, washing the dark red in the soapy water.
Ketsueki frowns slightly, shaking his head. "You're cutting yourself, let me get it."
Seki shakes his head, gathering the remaining pieces into his now shaking hands. He walks slowly over to the trash, dropping the glass inside. His hand is bleeding rather heavily.
Ketsueki sighs quietly, watching Seki. "Are you alright?"

~Owari~

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