Neptune
Hiroki’s grumbling about homework in an undertone, which for him is twice the volume of a normal person shouting. Akihiko’s curled against a tree, scribbling vaguely and nodding occasionally when Hiroki winds down for a few seconds.
Eventually he cools down and begins to actually focus on his homework. Akihiko’s attention wobbles from his writing, and slowly, slowly his head falls down onto his chest and he falls asleep. Hiroki only notices when he demands an answer and receives none.
He sits up and stares at the other boy, but doesn’t wake him. He’s confused about Akihiko, all the time. Not just in... that way... But as a person.
He’s a spoilt brat, but he’s sweet and kind. He’s the most depressing person Hiroki knows, but his smiles light the place up. He’s so quiet, so antisocial, but Hiroki’s never had so much fun with anyone before. He’s useless at everything, but Hiroki can’t do anything without him.
Tanaka-san’s voice rings out through the grounds. Hiroki starts and half lands on top of Akihiko, who wakes with a surprised yelp. He looks down at Hiroki with surprise, while Hiroki looks up with steaming embarrassment. There’s a few seconds worth of shrieking and flailing, and the smaller boy is hoisted off Akihiko by an amused Tanaka-san.
“Come, Akihiko-sama. Your mother wants to see you. I’m sorry, Kamijou-sama; we must go.”
Hiroki pouts, but he’s kind of scared of Tanaka-san and his shiny perfectness, so he doesn’t say anything. Akihiko gathers his books up, smiles a goodbye to his friend and wanders after the butler. They disappear into the undergrowth, and suddenly sitting out in the clearing doesn’t seem as fun anymore.
Growling, the boy snatches his stuff up. Damn Akihiko, spoiling his secret base! It’s just not fun without him.
Akihiko’s mother is in her bedroom - separate from her husband’s, of course - when Tanaka-san brings Akihiko to see her. She’s carefully applying fresh layers of make-up, currently patting on a powder that’s far too light for her fake tanned skin. Tanaka-san excuses himself hurriedly, and Akihiko curses the man silently when he’s left alone, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
If he tilts slightly to the side he can see into the mirror beside his mother’s face. She’s far too absorbed in rubbing on some cream to notice her son watching her. There’s any amount of various bottles and jars and tubs and cans on her dressing table. Akina had been a very pretty lady, right up until the point someone had handed her the first drink. Excessive amounts of alcohol have made her eyes bloodshot and her features spongy, as well as making her think she needs so much makeup to look attractive.
Akina turns around eventually, smoothing her fingers across her cheeks. Akihiko thinks she looks like a clown, with orange skin and massive black ringed eyes under a mop of messy blonde hair. She’s showing far too much cleavage as well, and the skirt is threatening to show things that will further scar Akihiko for life.
She points one long finger at him, while the other hand claws around a glass on the table. The liquid inside sloshes as she picks it up; her hands are shaking violently. “You have exams soon.”
He nods obediently. It’s entirely possible that it’s true, but it’s more likely than not that she thinks she’s talking to Haruhiko instead.
“You’re going to do well, right?” Akina gulps down another mouthful of drink and then scrabbles back for the bottle. It tinkles on the rim of the glass and then she hands the glass to her son and upends the bottle into her mouth. Akihiko peers at the glass, sniffs it and then sets it down carefully on a sideboard. “You will, won’t you?”
“Yes, mother,” he says.
“Yes...” she purrs to herself, curling down around the bottle. “Of course.” Her hand reaches out again and beckons him forward. When he’s close enough, she grabs his chin and her nails dig into his neck. Suddenly she’s not so lethargic, and she’s breathing alcohol fumes into her son’s face. Akihiko freezes because wriggling will get his throat slit. “Say it again. Mean it.”
“I will, mother,” he whispers. Her grip slackens slightly as she takes another drink.
Akina slurs her next words so much Akihiko can’t understand her. “.... stupid bitch. With her stupid son. And my fucking, good for nothing slut of a husband!” Her nails dig in so hard they break the skin and she leans closer again, until their faces are nearly touching. “You will do better than Haruhiko. I will not be beaten by a dead woman! I’ll show Fuyuhiko. I’m making him pay!”
She’s insane, Akihiko decides, completely and utterly insane, and he would turn and run if she wasn’t threatening to rip his throat out. He nods slightly to show he understands and then squeezes his eyes closed as her grip tightens again. She pulls him even closer and kisses his forehead gently. Her lips are soft and surprisingly comforting; Akihiko wonders if the shiver of adoration that briefly runs through him is what normal children feel with their mothers all the time.
“Do it for me. Your father made me suffer for years; cheating on me, having Haruhiko. I had you so I could fight back.” She kisses him again and lets him go. “Go on. Go work.”
Akihiko waits until he’s safely down the corridor until he starts to run and cry at the same time. No one sees him as he flees to his room and slams the door shut so hard the walls groan and shudder.
Notes: Neptune is the eighth furthest planet from the sun, and is named for the Roman god of the sea. In astrology neptune is considered to be a sign of idealism and compassion but also illusion, confusion and deception. The pretty water might contain something poisonous with nasty teeth. Be warned.
Eventually he cools down and begins to actually focus on his homework. Akihiko’s attention wobbles from his writing, and slowly, slowly his head falls down onto his chest and he falls asleep. Hiroki only notices when he demands an answer and receives none.
He sits up and stares at the other boy, but doesn’t wake him. He’s confused about Akihiko, all the time. Not just in... that way... But as a person.
He’s a spoilt brat, but he’s sweet and kind. He’s the most depressing person Hiroki knows, but his smiles light the place up. He’s so quiet, so antisocial, but Hiroki’s never had so much fun with anyone before. He’s useless at everything, but Hiroki can’t do anything without him.
Tanaka-san’s voice rings out through the grounds. Hiroki starts and half lands on top of Akihiko, who wakes with a surprised yelp. He looks down at Hiroki with surprise, while Hiroki looks up with steaming embarrassment. There’s a few seconds worth of shrieking and flailing, and the smaller boy is hoisted off Akihiko by an amused Tanaka-san.
“Come, Akihiko-sama. Your mother wants to see you. I’m sorry, Kamijou-sama; we must go.”
Hiroki pouts, but he’s kind of scared of Tanaka-san and his shiny perfectness, so he doesn’t say anything. Akihiko gathers his books up, smiles a goodbye to his friend and wanders after the butler. They disappear into the undergrowth, and suddenly sitting out in the clearing doesn’t seem as fun anymore.
Growling, the boy snatches his stuff up. Damn Akihiko, spoiling his secret base! It’s just not fun without him.
Akihiko’s mother is in her bedroom - separate from her husband’s, of course - when Tanaka-san brings Akihiko to see her. She’s carefully applying fresh layers of make-up, currently patting on a powder that’s far too light for her fake tanned skin. Tanaka-san excuses himself hurriedly, and Akihiko curses the man silently when he’s left alone, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room.
If he tilts slightly to the side he can see into the mirror beside his mother’s face. She’s far too absorbed in rubbing on some cream to notice her son watching her. There’s any amount of various bottles and jars and tubs and cans on her dressing table. Akina had been a very pretty lady, right up until the point someone had handed her the first drink. Excessive amounts of alcohol have made her eyes bloodshot and her features spongy, as well as making her think she needs so much makeup to look attractive.
Akina turns around eventually, smoothing her fingers across her cheeks. Akihiko thinks she looks like a clown, with orange skin and massive black ringed eyes under a mop of messy blonde hair. She’s showing far too much cleavage as well, and the skirt is threatening to show things that will further scar Akihiko for life.
She points one long finger at him, while the other hand claws around a glass on the table. The liquid inside sloshes as she picks it up; her hands are shaking violently. “You have exams soon.”
He nods obediently. It’s entirely possible that it’s true, but it’s more likely than not that she thinks she’s talking to Haruhiko instead.
“You’re going to do well, right?” Akina gulps down another mouthful of drink and then scrabbles back for the bottle. It tinkles on the rim of the glass and then she hands the glass to her son and upends the bottle into her mouth. Akihiko peers at the glass, sniffs it and then sets it down carefully on a sideboard. “You will, won’t you?”
“Yes, mother,” he says.
“Yes...” she purrs to herself, curling down around the bottle. “Of course.” Her hand reaches out again and beckons him forward. When he’s close enough, she grabs his chin and her nails dig into his neck. Suddenly she’s not so lethargic, and she’s breathing alcohol fumes into her son’s face. Akihiko freezes because wriggling will get his throat slit. “Say it again. Mean it.”
“I will, mother,” he whispers. Her grip slackens slightly as she takes another drink.
Akina slurs her next words so much Akihiko can’t understand her. “.... stupid bitch. With her stupid son. And my fucking, good for nothing slut of a husband!” Her nails dig in so hard they break the skin and she leans closer again, until their faces are nearly touching. “You will do better than Haruhiko. I will not be beaten by a dead woman! I’ll show Fuyuhiko. I’m making him pay!”
She’s insane, Akihiko decides, completely and utterly insane, and he would turn and run if she wasn’t threatening to rip his throat out. He nods slightly to show he understands and then squeezes his eyes closed as her grip tightens again. She pulls him even closer and kisses his forehead gently. Her lips are soft and surprisingly comforting; Akihiko wonders if the shiver of adoration that briefly runs through him is what normal children feel with their mothers all the time.
“Do it for me. Your father made me suffer for years; cheating on me, having Haruhiko. I had you so I could fight back.” She kisses him again and lets him go. “Go on. Go work.”
Akihiko waits until he’s safely down the corridor until he starts to run and cry at the same time. No one sees him as he flees to his room and slams the door shut so hard the walls groan and shudder.
Notes: Neptune is the eighth furthest planet from the sun, and is named for the Roman god of the sea. In astrology neptune is considered to be a sign of idealism and compassion but also illusion, confusion and deception. The pretty water might contain something poisonous with nasty teeth. Be warned.