Move Along

[der_geliebte]

Characters: Seimei and Ritsuka Aoyagi; Clovis
Location: The City Park
Rating: G?
Time: Dec. 8th, early morning
Description: A brotherly reunion.

Comments

[sineamore]

[Ritsuka stood at the edge of the park, heart furiously pounding in his chest. He checked the communicator and read over his brother's (-oh god, really? Was it really him?) message for the nth time. He would meet him here, at last, in this park. He would see him again, hear his voice, and-and ask. Ask for the truth.

He would, if he could just take a step forward.

But even after all the confirmation from Jade, he was still wracked with doubt. It was an irrational doubt that coursed through him, made him nervous and afraid. On top of that, he felt a heavy ache. The hole Seimei had left in his heart had never properly healed. He'd just grown used to it over time and learned to live with the pain. But now it was as if he were experiencing Seimei's death for the second time around, the wound as fresh as it was on the day he'd heard the news. Which didn't make any sense. Seimei was alive. He was supposed to be happy to see him.

He didn't know if he was, really-though he certainly planned on finding out. Ritsuka squared his shoulders, closed his eyes and took a deep breath to steel himself. He could do this, he thought. He could. Then, opening his eyes, he entered the park.]

[der_geliebte]

[There he was; Seimei saw how tense Ritsuka was, and smiled. He couldn't help but relax, if just a little bit, despite knowing that there would be a confrontation in mere moments.]

Ritsuka.

[sineamore]

[Seimei... A soundless murmur to himself. Ritsuka stared, face constricted with emotion. He was wrong--how could he doubt his love for Seimei like that? Of course, he was happy. He'd never been happier. The happiness washed over him and before he knew it, he was running toward his brother.]

Seimei!

[He threw his arms around the older boy, holding in a sob.]

[der_geliebte]

[Seimei managed not to fall over with the hug, quickly wrapping his arms around his little brother's shoulders. He was content, for the moment, to simply embrace him, holding him gently but possessively.]

[sineamore]

[Ritsuka remembered this warmth, remembered being in these arms so many times before when he'd been scared and hurt. Familiar, beloved. He tilted his head up, holding back tears, but letting his smile spill over.]

You're here. Seimei, you're really here.

[der_geliebte]

Yes. I really am.

[Seimei touched his brother's hair, running his fingers through it. Ah, how soft and clean and perfect it felt. How natural the motion was.]

I knew you would come. ...I didn't want you to, not in a war zone, but I knew you would.

[sineamore]

[He made a brief embarrassed face even as his ears flattened from pleasure.]

You knew? How... how long have you been here?

[der_geliebte]

I've been here since August. It's December, now, of course.

[Ah, personal space. You get none, when it comes to Seimei. He leans in and rubs his face in his brother's hair a little, tickling Ritsuka's ear with his thumb.

[sineamore]

Is that why they said you were dead-- because you'd disappeared here? Wait, no...

[His brother's touch was distracting, but still he tried hard to think this through. That was five months. Did that coincide with when the authorities had found the body? He wasn't sure. But if it did, then whose body was it?

Ritsuka buried his face in the crook of Seimei's neck, smile dropping from his face as worry seeped in.]

[der_geliebte]

...No. I'm sorry, Ritsuka...

[He stroked the back of Ritsuka's head, subtly keeping his brother's gaze away from his face. Ritsuka was usually pretty good at reading his face, after all.]

Back home... I really am dead.

...Did you get what I left behind for you?

[sineamore]

Oh.

[Just a small sound as he hugged his brother closer. He fell silent, slowly digesting his brother's words. Soubi had said it. He'd insisted Seimei was dead, and he'd only half believed him at the time. There had just been so many people implying the opposite that he'd--well, so much for that. Now, he knew.

If Seimei was really gone in that world, then did Ritsuka really want to go back? He didn't know. There were people he loved there, but he'd also loved Seimei the most. For all of the two years he was this Ritsuka, Seimei was his world.]

Soubi? Yeah, he came to me. He helped, I guess. After you died, everything was... Life was pretty meaningless to me. You weren't there, after all.

[der_geliebte]

I left you all alone. All I could leave you was a Fighter, who would protect you.

[This time, he draws Ritsuka's face upwards, so that he can stare intently into his brother's face. There's that testing expression, which he always wore when approaching Ritsuka with hard questions, and a subtle, loving gaze.]

Do you forgive me?

[sineamore]

Of course, I forgive you!

[Ritsuka cupped his brother's face and stared at him with a determined expression.]

Don't ask stupid things like that. I love you. I'll always forgive you...

[der_geliebte]

Ritsuka...

[Seimei could feel his heart pounding, for the first time in a very long time. At least, this kind of pounding. He understood. And that made him happier than anything else in the world.]

...You're going to live with me. I have a Weapon here; his name is Clovis. But don't mind him, he's very well behaved.

[sineamore]

Clovis...

[Ritsuka didn't know how to feel about this. Naturally, he wanted to live with his brother, but this Clovis person... This Weapon... Was he a replacement for Nisei? And what about Soubi? Seimei, have you forgotten Soubi? he wanted to ask, but didn't.

After a moment, he nodded cautiously. Okay.]

What's Clovis like?

[der_geliebte]

He's an older brother, too. He used to be a bit arrogant, but that's to be expected of someone who was once a prince. He died in his world before arriving here, as well.

We had enough in common to get along.