"Choking on Jealousy"
Title: “Choking On Jealousy”
Author: Trinity
Fandom: Kamen Rider
Rating: PG-13
Summary: In which Nobori Misako counsels her younger sister, Kurenai Maya and Maya learns to love.
“Onee-san, that’s so disgusting.” Kurenai Maya tried to hold her lunch down as she entered the penthouse of her eldest sister, Nobori Misako. The eldest daughter of the Kurenai-Nobori family was bent over the chaise lounge in her living room, her husband, Aso Mitsuhide was splayed out on said lounge, one thigh propped up… as Misako was bent over his other thigh, drinking his Wolfen blood. Maya made a face. “Couldn’t you do that in your bedroom?”
“I got hungry.” Misako replied, coolly, lifting her head up and licking her lips. She stroked her husband’s thigh. “It doesn’t bother him… much. Does it dear?”
Mitsuhide shook his head and he just laid there, eyes kind of glassy.
“Now, Maya, what brings you up here?” Misako asked, whipping her mouth. “You almost never come up to my penthouse.”
“Perhaps she wants your advice, Misa.” Mitsuhide lifted his head up and smiled at his wife. “She has that look on her face again… you know, the one when she’s not quite sure what to say.”
Misako kissed the bite wound, told her husband to relax and then rose to face her younger sister, wiping blood of the corner of her lips with a fingertip. “Let me guess… this has something to do with Mio’s engagement, doesn’t it?” Mio was Maya’s twin sister and had recently become engaged. Maya had been rather… envious and made a recent habit of swallowing her jealousy and pride to put on a happy face. “You’re jealous of her.”
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“Maya, don’t try to lie to me. I am your elder sister.” Misako replied. “Now, out with it.”
“Maybe I am a little jealous.” Maya turned towards the window and finally just spit it out. “Okay, no, I’m… I’m choking on it. It’s so hard to be happy for Mio when she has something I want… and no it’s not Tatsuya!”
“Maya, you’ve always been a spoiled brat.” Misako made a ‘tch’ noise. “You have spent a good deal of your life convincing men from Dad and Papa to whomever you’ve seduced to give you whatever you desire…. And now that Mio has something that money or seduction can’t buy…”
“That’s not it, onee-san!” Maya snapped. She revealed one of the paper cranes Tatsuya had made for Mio from her purse and stroked it. “I don’t want a wedding. I don’t want Tatsuya. I… I want to be loved the way Mio is. Tatsuya folded her a thousand cranes to give her a wish to boost her confidence. He believes in her when she doesn’t believe in herself and above all, he loves her to pieces. He’s devoted to her, like you are to Mitsuhide-san and oniichan is to Akane-san. That’s… something I don’t have. I’ve never been with someone who didn’t see me as a pretty idol… a piece of arm candy. I’ve never been loved that way. I’ve never had anyone who saw past my façade and saw me as just Maya… the woman, drama, arrogance, vices and all… and I’m beginning to think no one ever will. “
“Maybe if you didn’t bed hop like a tramp…”
“The last time I checked, a woman could only be a tramp if she WASN’T a virgin!” Maya yelled.
Misako blinked. “You… you’re… you’re kidding.”
“Does it LOOK like I’m kidding?”
“Well, I lost that betting pool.” Mitsuhide remarked. “I could have sworn you’re no virgin.”
“Maya, put down that plant!” Misako snapped as Maya moved to pic up something and throw it at her brother in law.
“Oh, is that all I am? Betting pool fodder?” Maya snapped, clearly hurt. “You and your family had bets going on my virginity? What kind of people are you?”
Mitsuhide opened his mouth to say something else, only for a vase to be thrown in his face.
“Maya!” Misako snapped, only for Maya to throw down the tiny crane she was holding and storm out of the apartment, cursing.
“Ow…” Mitsuhide moaned.
“I’m sorry, darling, but you did deserve that.”
“And she wonders why she’s single. Having her father’s temper doesn’t help. I’m surprised that well, snakes didn’t start appearing around her.”
Misako was going to smack her husband for that, but instead, tended to the bits of vase. “I think Maya’s just… she’s lonely.”
“She wouldn’t be lonely if she didn’t do the things she does. How much happiness can being known as a seductress bring?”
Misako gave her a look. “Mitsuhide…”
“I’m serious, Misako. If Maya didn’t make herself known as a mistress of seduction and regularly date, maybe, just maybe, she would find a man willing to be her husband or at least, tolerate her for longer than a month.”
When Maya entered her small apartment, she wasted no time in throwing her purse and shoes clear across the room in anger. She couldn’t remember a time where she hated her sister more. But it was more envy than hate. Mio had always been the only person who could tolerate Maya at all… and now, Mio would have to share her twin with her new brother in law. Normally, Maya wouldn’t have minded… but… seeing them together reminded Maya more that the kind of love they had was something she would never have.
She cast a glance around her apartment. It had been one of the many “gifts” she’d been given by her suitors whenever a relationship ended and they wanted to bribe her to keep her from going to her father. Of course, Maya accepted the gifts as was befitting of a Kurenai daughter… but she promptly told her father, Nobori Taiga, anyway about what had happened so he could deal with such “behavior”. It was a small apartment, one bedroom, with a beautiful view, but whenever Maya looked around, she was reminded of how lonely it was.
Sighing, she padded through the apartment before heading to her bedroom and flopping down on her bed, making sure to move her manga out of the way. Maya’s King sized bed was another present, much to the horror of her other father, Kurenai Wataru (“What kind of man gives a woman a bed as a gift?!”) and Maya often reveled in the irony that while she had a bed big enough to accommodate any man she desired…. She would up sharing it with her Pokémon plush toys, among other things.
“What I wouldn’t give to have the kind of love Mio has…” Maya murmured, talking to the Sebastian figure she kept by her bed. “I’d even sell you my soul if it meant I could be loved that way… even for one day. All the suitors in the world mean little to me. It’s my own fault, really.” She sighed. “See, here I am, talking to a figurine of a demon butler. “ She ran her finger along it. “I could have all the riches in the world, like Akane-san has, but… it would all be meaningless. Akane-san has oniichan, who spoils her and adores her. I’m a little jealous.”
She sighed and turned off her light. “Another lonely night in an empty bed.”
The weekly dinner at her father’s home didn’t bring Maya much relief. It was apparently “bring your significant other” night at the Kurenai-Nobori home and Maya had to sit through a dinner surrounded by her fathers, her sisters and her brother, whom all were smiling and laughing and Maya was trying not to let her intense envy show. So, she just sipped water and stayed silent throughout the whole meal.
“Maya, I want you to be my maid of honor at my wedding.” Mio said suddenly, squeezing her twin’s hand across the table. “Will you? No one knows me like you do.”
Maya felt ill. “You want me to be the maid of honor at your wedding?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” Mio was smiling at Maya. “You’re my twin! I want you to celebrate this day with me.”
“Oh.” Maya sipped her water more. “Well, of course, I will, Mio.” She wanted to choke on he words. “Did you even need to ask?”
Mio smiled. “Oh, well, wonderful!”
“Yes…” Maya watched Tatsuya kiss Mio’s hand and had to force back her tongue. “…. Wonderful.” She cast a glance at the empty seat beside her and then had another glass of water.
As days went by, Maya had become an increasingly good actress. She hid her envy and her sadness behind a mask of happiness. This was made easier by the fact that underneath it all, she really was happy for Mio. Mio was the shy, quiet wallflower of the family and Tatsuya had done the impossible: bring her out of her shell and encourage her to bloom. Maya couldn’t help but be happy, but her jealousy couldn’t help but rear its ugly head.
It took a massive amount of acting just to sit through one of Mio’s gown fittings. Wedding gowns were their brother Masao’s pride and joy (as the one he’d designed for his own wife remained one of his most requested) and he was sparing no detail in designing Mio’s or the bridesmaid’s gowns. Maya had sat through the two-hour fitting, trying very hard not to scream in frustration as everyone fussed over Mio… who wasn’t entirely comfortable with all the attention. In truth, she would have been happier if she were sharing the day with Maya.
After that particular fitting, one of Taiga’s employees turned up dead in an elevator, drained of life energy… among other things. It was Maya’s way of sating herself. Instead of taking her jealousy out on her undeserving twin, she took it out on whatever she could take it out on. She mostly did this by feeding.
After a long dinner with the wedding planner, who happened to be Nago Megumi, Tatsuya’s oldest sister and one of the most overbearing people Maya had ever met, Maya returned to her apartment and found the living room covered in tiger lilies.
Her jaw hit the floor. Carefully, she picked one out of a vase and sniffed it, surprised that not only was it the real thing, but so were all the others. She smiled softly. “Where did all these flowers come from? And how did they know tiger lilies are my favorite?”
Among the roses was a brand new Sebastian figurine for Maya’s collection and a card that said, “Someone already loves you.”
Reading the words filled Maya with a newfound hope and made her happier than she’d been in a long time. She smiled. “Could it be I have my very own secret Sebastian?” Whens he went to sleep that night, she cuddled her stuffed Snow Leopard that had been a present from her twin and wondered who the mystery gift was from. As her eyes closed, she thought she saw a grey wolf lurking outside on her balcony.
The “Secret Sebastian” greatly improved Maya’s mood. She went from acting to being genuinely happy, even joining Mio on her quest for the perfect accessories for her wedding gown. Every evening, she found gifts waiting for her in her apartment, including rare Black Butler things, flowers, even a beautiful bracelet that would suit her gown for the rehearsal dinner.
Maya wished she knew who this mystery man was (or if it was even a man), so she could ask him to the rehearsal dinner. At the least, she wouldn’t look like a total idiot in front of her family and friends. It was bad enough she had to give a toast. It was even worse, knowing that there would be an empty spot next to her.
At least, she thought there would be an empty spot.
At the dinner, when Maya was seated, she was very surprised when one of Tatsuya’s brothers, Takeshi, sat down next to her.
“Hello, Maya.” Takeshi’s long black hair fell into his eyes as he bowed his head. “You look beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as my twin sister, the bride.” Maya smiled affectionately, wiping his hair out of his eyes. “Mio looks radiant… even if all the attention is making her blush.”
They glanced towards the head of the table where Mio had seemingly turned a permanent deep red. She was smiling sweetly at everyone who wished her well and seemed to be begging her twin for help.
“Hold on a second, Takeshi-kun.” Maya went to defuse the situation and shoo everyone away from the deeply blushing bride. Mio was very happy at this and went back to enjoying the dinner with Tatsuya.
Suddenly, when Maya came back to his side, Takeshi let something slip. “That bracelet looks perfect on you. I knew that it would suit you.”
Maya’s eyes got really wide. “You…”
Takeshi paled. “Oops…”
“You picked this out for me…. You’re my Sebastian?”
“I…” Takeshi turned pink. “…I…well… yes.”
“You? Why?”
“Because…” Suddenly the music began to play and Takeshi decided that rather than try to stammer it out, he decided to dance with her. He took Maya’s hand and led her to the dance floor. “Maya, dance with me?”
“Of course.” She smiled. As they began to dance, Maya was surprised by how strong and kind Takeshi was and how gentle he was with her. She was very surprised that the shy, sweet and somewhat geekish Takeshi was the one who had left her those beautiful gifts… the flowers, the figures…. The bracelet…it blew her mind.
“In order to woo a Kurenai daughter, you have to be willing to go to very extreme lengths.” Takeshi replied as though he was answering her question. “The ordinary ways don’t always work. Kurenais are… well, special.”
“I’m not my grandfather.”
“Kurenai Otoya in Gucci is what my siblings call you.” Takeshi murmured. “But me… I have a different thing. Me… having fallen in love with you… I think of you as someone to be treasured. I… I...got tired of seeing you so sad and rejected by men who did not deserve you.”
This surprised Maya. “Do I have to sell you my soul for you to love me?”
“No.” Takeshi drew her close and kissed her softly. “Because I already do.”
The very next day, Mio postponed her wedding. The next year, she called it back on again… to share it with her twin sister.
Author: Trinity
Fandom: Kamen Rider
Rating: PG-13
Summary: In which Nobori Misako counsels her younger sister, Kurenai Maya and Maya learns to love.
“Onee-san, that’s so disgusting.” Kurenai Maya tried to hold her lunch down as she entered the penthouse of her eldest sister, Nobori Misako. The eldest daughter of the Kurenai-Nobori family was bent over the chaise lounge in her living room, her husband, Aso Mitsuhide was splayed out on said lounge, one thigh propped up… as Misako was bent over his other thigh, drinking his Wolfen blood. Maya made a face. “Couldn’t you do that in your bedroom?”
“I got hungry.” Misako replied, coolly, lifting her head up and licking her lips. She stroked her husband’s thigh. “It doesn’t bother him… much. Does it dear?”
Mitsuhide shook his head and he just laid there, eyes kind of glassy.
“Now, Maya, what brings you up here?” Misako asked, whipping her mouth. “You almost never come up to my penthouse.”
“Perhaps she wants your advice, Misa.” Mitsuhide lifted his head up and smiled at his wife. “She has that look on her face again… you know, the one when she’s not quite sure what to say.”
Misako kissed the bite wound, told her husband to relax and then rose to face her younger sister, wiping blood of the corner of her lips with a fingertip. “Let me guess… this has something to do with Mio’s engagement, doesn’t it?” Mio was Maya’s twin sister and had recently become engaged. Maya had been rather… envious and made a recent habit of swallowing her jealousy and pride to put on a happy face. “You’re jealous of her.”
Maya raised an eyebrow.
“Maya, don’t try to lie to me. I am your elder sister.” Misako replied. “Now, out with it.”
“Maybe I am a little jealous.” Maya turned towards the window and finally just spit it out. “Okay, no, I’m… I’m choking on it. It’s so hard to be happy for Mio when she has something I want… and no it’s not Tatsuya!”
“Maya, you’ve always been a spoiled brat.” Misako made a ‘tch’ noise. “You have spent a good deal of your life convincing men from Dad and Papa to whomever you’ve seduced to give you whatever you desire…. And now that Mio has something that money or seduction can’t buy…”
“That’s not it, onee-san!” Maya snapped. She revealed one of the paper cranes Tatsuya had made for Mio from her purse and stroked it. “I don’t want a wedding. I don’t want Tatsuya. I… I want to be loved the way Mio is. Tatsuya folded her a thousand cranes to give her a wish to boost her confidence. He believes in her when she doesn’t believe in herself and above all, he loves her to pieces. He’s devoted to her, like you are to Mitsuhide-san and oniichan is to Akane-san. That’s… something I don’t have. I’ve never been with someone who didn’t see me as a pretty idol… a piece of arm candy. I’ve never been loved that way. I’ve never had anyone who saw past my façade and saw me as just Maya… the woman, drama, arrogance, vices and all… and I’m beginning to think no one ever will. “
“Maybe if you didn’t bed hop like a tramp…”
“The last time I checked, a woman could only be a tramp if she WASN’T a virgin!” Maya yelled.
Misako blinked. “You… you’re… you’re kidding.”
“Does it LOOK like I’m kidding?”
“Well, I lost that betting pool.” Mitsuhide remarked. “I could have sworn you’re no virgin.”
“Maya, put down that plant!” Misako snapped as Maya moved to pic up something and throw it at her brother in law.
“Oh, is that all I am? Betting pool fodder?” Maya snapped, clearly hurt. “You and your family had bets going on my virginity? What kind of people are you?”
Mitsuhide opened his mouth to say something else, only for a vase to be thrown in his face.
“Maya!” Misako snapped, only for Maya to throw down the tiny crane she was holding and storm out of the apartment, cursing.
“Ow…” Mitsuhide moaned.
“I’m sorry, darling, but you did deserve that.”
“And she wonders why she’s single. Having her father’s temper doesn’t help. I’m surprised that well, snakes didn’t start appearing around her.”
Misako was going to smack her husband for that, but instead, tended to the bits of vase. “I think Maya’s just… she’s lonely.”
“She wouldn’t be lonely if she didn’t do the things she does. How much happiness can being known as a seductress bring?”
Misako gave her a look. “Mitsuhide…”
“I’m serious, Misako. If Maya didn’t make herself known as a mistress of seduction and regularly date, maybe, just maybe, she would find a man willing to be her husband or at least, tolerate her for longer than a month.”
When Maya entered her small apartment, she wasted no time in throwing her purse and shoes clear across the room in anger. She couldn’t remember a time where she hated her sister more. But it was more envy than hate. Mio had always been the only person who could tolerate Maya at all… and now, Mio would have to share her twin with her new brother in law. Normally, Maya wouldn’t have minded… but… seeing them together reminded Maya more that the kind of love they had was something she would never have.
She cast a glance around her apartment. It had been one of the many “gifts” she’d been given by her suitors whenever a relationship ended and they wanted to bribe her to keep her from going to her father. Of course, Maya accepted the gifts as was befitting of a Kurenai daughter… but she promptly told her father, Nobori Taiga, anyway about what had happened so he could deal with such “behavior”. It was a small apartment, one bedroom, with a beautiful view, but whenever Maya looked around, she was reminded of how lonely it was.
Sighing, she padded through the apartment before heading to her bedroom and flopping down on her bed, making sure to move her manga out of the way. Maya’s King sized bed was another present, much to the horror of her other father, Kurenai Wataru (“What kind of man gives a woman a bed as a gift?!”) and Maya often reveled in the irony that while she had a bed big enough to accommodate any man she desired…. She would up sharing it with her Pokémon plush toys, among other things.
“What I wouldn’t give to have the kind of love Mio has…” Maya murmured, talking to the Sebastian figure she kept by her bed. “I’d even sell you my soul if it meant I could be loved that way… even for one day. All the suitors in the world mean little to me. It’s my own fault, really.” She sighed. “See, here I am, talking to a figurine of a demon butler. “ She ran her finger along it. “I could have all the riches in the world, like Akane-san has, but… it would all be meaningless. Akane-san has oniichan, who spoils her and adores her. I’m a little jealous.”
She sighed and turned off her light. “Another lonely night in an empty bed.”
The weekly dinner at her father’s home didn’t bring Maya much relief. It was apparently “bring your significant other” night at the Kurenai-Nobori home and Maya had to sit through a dinner surrounded by her fathers, her sisters and her brother, whom all were smiling and laughing and Maya was trying not to let her intense envy show. So, she just sipped water and stayed silent throughout the whole meal.
“Maya, I want you to be my maid of honor at my wedding.” Mio said suddenly, squeezing her twin’s hand across the table. “Will you? No one knows me like you do.”
Maya felt ill. “You want me to be the maid of honor at your wedding?”
“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” Mio was smiling at Maya. “You’re my twin! I want you to celebrate this day with me.”
“Oh.” Maya sipped her water more. “Well, of course, I will, Mio.” She wanted to choke on he words. “Did you even need to ask?”
Mio smiled. “Oh, well, wonderful!”
“Yes…” Maya watched Tatsuya kiss Mio’s hand and had to force back her tongue. “…. Wonderful.” She cast a glance at the empty seat beside her and then had another glass of water.
As days went by, Maya had become an increasingly good actress. She hid her envy and her sadness behind a mask of happiness. This was made easier by the fact that underneath it all, she really was happy for Mio. Mio was the shy, quiet wallflower of the family and Tatsuya had done the impossible: bring her out of her shell and encourage her to bloom. Maya couldn’t help but be happy, but her jealousy couldn’t help but rear its ugly head.
It took a massive amount of acting just to sit through one of Mio’s gown fittings. Wedding gowns were their brother Masao’s pride and joy (as the one he’d designed for his own wife remained one of his most requested) and he was sparing no detail in designing Mio’s or the bridesmaid’s gowns. Maya had sat through the two-hour fitting, trying very hard not to scream in frustration as everyone fussed over Mio… who wasn’t entirely comfortable with all the attention. In truth, she would have been happier if she were sharing the day with Maya.
After that particular fitting, one of Taiga’s employees turned up dead in an elevator, drained of life energy… among other things. It was Maya’s way of sating herself. Instead of taking her jealousy out on her undeserving twin, she took it out on whatever she could take it out on. She mostly did this by feeding.
After a long dinner with the wedding planner, who happened to be Nago Megumi, Tatsuya’s oldest sister and one of the most overbearing people Maya had ever met, Maya returned to her apartment and found the living room covered in tiger lilies.
Her jaw hit the floor. Carefully, she picked one out of a vase and sniffed it, surprised that not only was it the real thing, but so were all the others. She smiled softly. “Where did all these flowers come from? And how did they know tiger lilies are my favorite?”
Among the roses was a brand new Sebastian figurine for Maya’s collection and a card that said, “Someone already loves you.”
Reading the words filled Maya with a newfound hope and made her happier than she’d been in a long time. She smiled. “Could it be I have my very own secret Sebastian?” Whens he went to sleep that night, she cuddled her stuffed Snow Leopard that had been a present from her twin and wondered who the mystery gift was from. As her eyes closed, she thought she saw a grey wolf lurking outside on her balcony.
The “Secret Sebastian” greatly improved Maya’s mood. She went from acting to being genuinely happy, even joining Mio on her quest for the perfect accessories for her wedding gown. Every evening, she found gifts waiting for her in her apartment, including rare Black Butler things, flowers, even a beautiful bracelet that would suit her gown for the rehearsal dinner.
Maya wished she knew who this mystery man was (or if it was even a man), so she could ask him to the rehearsal dinner. At the least, she wouldn’t look like a total idiot in front of her family and friends. It was bad enough she had to give a toast. It was even worse, knowing that there would be an empty spot next to her.
At least, she thought there would be an empty spot.
At the dinner, when Maya was seated, she was very surprised when one of Tatsuya’s brothers, Takeshi, sat down next to her.
“Hello, Maya.” Takeshi’s long black hair fell into his eyes as he bowed his head. “You look beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as my twin sister, the bride.” Maya smiled affectionately, wiping his hair out of his eyes. “Mio looks radiant… even if all the attention is making her blush.”
They glanced towards the head of the table where Mio had seemingly turned a permanent deep red. She was smiling sweetly at everyone who wished her well and seemed to be begging her twin for help.
“Hold on a second, Takeshi-kun.” Maya went to defuse the situation and shoo everyone away from the deeply blushing bride. Mio was very happy at this and went back to enjoying the dinner with Tatsuya.
Suddenly, when Maya came back to his side, Takeshi let something slip. “That bracelet looks perfect on you. I knew that it would suit you.”
Maya’s eyes got really wide. “You…”
Takeshi paled. “Oops…”
“You picked this out for me…. You’re my Sebastian?”
“I…” Takeshi turned pink. “…I…well… yes.”
“You? Why?”
“Because…” Suddenly the music began to play and Takeshi decided that rather than try to stammer it out, he decided to dance with her. He took Maya’s hand and led her to the dance floor. “Maya, dance with me?”
“Of course.” She smiled. As they began to dance, Maya was surprised by how strong and kind Takeshi was and how gentle he was with her. She was very surprised that the shy, sweet and somewhat geekish Takeshi was the one who had left her those beautiful gifts… the flowers, the figures…. The bracelet…it blew her mind.
“In order to woo a Kurenai daughter, you have to be willing to go to very extreme lengths.” Takeshi replied as though he was answering her question. “The ordinary ways don’t always work. Kurenais are… well, special.”
“I’m not my grandfather.”
“Kurenai Otoya in Gucci is what my siblings call you.” Takeshi murmured. “But me… I have a different thing. Me… having fallen in love with you… I think of you as someone to be treasured. I… I...got tired of seeing you so sad and rejected by men who did not deserve you.”
This surprised Maya. “Do I have to sell you my soul for you to love me?”
“No.” Takeshi drew her close and kissed her softly. “Because I already do.”
The very next day, Mio postponed her wedding. The next year, she called it back on again… to share it with her twin sister.