Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Fleeting Inspiration ❯ More Brotherly Love ( Chapter 16 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Fleeting Inspiration
by Anna Sartin

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Chapter 16: More Brotherly Love

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"Do you feel any better?" Shuichi asked, gently rubbing Eiri's temples in a circular motion.

"No," the blond answered, not bothering to open his eyes. "I feel like my brain's being beaten to a pulp."

"The medicine's not helping at all? Maybe you should lay down..."

"I don't need to lay down!" Eiri yelled, even as he let Shuichi help him do just that. The singer propped his head up with his 'new favorite pillow'. "I need to get that book out of my house! I'm telling you it's out to GET me!!!"

"Yuki, calm down," Shuichi pleaded. "You're going to make your headache worse."

"Do I really have to do this?" Tatsuha asked, coming up to where the couple was relaxing on the couch. He was wearing his brother's ceremonial robes, which where slightly too big for him. "I feel ridiculous."

"Shut up and go exorcize that damn book," Eiri told him.

"It's a just BOOK, Aniki! How can a book be evil?"

"Please, Tatsuha?" Shuichi asked. "I know it's dumb, but if it'll make Yuki feel better..."

"This is stupid..." the young monk grumbled, slinking off to go "purge the evil" from Four Gay Elves.

"Where's the other idiot?" Eiri asked Shuichi, who'd resumed massaging his boyfriend's temples.

"He's in the bathroom giving Kumagoro a bath."

"In the bathroom?"

"You TOLD him to do it! You threatened to throw him in the garbage, remember?"

"I meant for him to put his stuffed animal in the washing machine like a sane person!"

The doorbell rang and Shuichi got up to answer it.

"Delivery for Eiri Yuki-san?"

"Yeah, through here," Shuichi said, opening the door wide so the men could bring the mattress in. "Yuki, they're here!"

When the blond made no move to get up or even acknowledge that he'd heard, Shuichi led the delivery men to the bedroom.They passed by Tatsuha who had just begun performing his exorcism. The young monk looked surprisingly professional. One would never know that he was struggling to keep a straight face, due to the fact that he felt like the world's biggest fool.

They passed the bathroom next, where giggling and loud splashing could be heard from the other side of the door. One man almost dropped the mattress when he heard a man's voice say,

"Does that feel good, Kumagoro? Even if you do smell like garbage, I'll always love you!"

The delivery men exchanged (disturbed) glances, but continued on without comment.

. . .

Eiri didn't realize that he'd fallen asleep on the couch until he felt something land on his stomach.

"There. I exorcized your stupid book," Tatsuha said. "No demons or spirits to be found. The Forces of Evil didn't come flooding out of it, either."

Eiri lifted the book off his stomach and examined it, skimming through the pages. "Maybe it's possessed by the ghost of one of Mamoru Eto's ancestors. His living relatives are already haunting us, it wouldn't surprise me if a few dead ones were, too."

"Are you hearing yourself?" Tatsuha asked. "You sound ridiculous. Did you hit your head while you were on vacation or something?"

"Several times. But that book was out to get me LONG before then. It's stalking me!"

"Aniki, you sound like a crazy person."

"It's the truth! It followed me out of town and it's been following me ever since!"

Tatsuha rolled his eyes. "Whatever. I'm going to change. When's dinner?"

"Whenever you go get it," Eiri answered. "Shuichi and I are having dinner here. Alone."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning get out. And take your moron with you."

"Ryuichi-sama is NOT a moron! He's a GOD!"

"Whatever. Go away."

"But Mika's not taking me home until tomorrow!"

Eiri put the book down. "Mika's taking you home? What about your bike?"

"It's in the shop."

"Why?"

"I kinda ran into something when I first got into town..."

"What?" Eiri asked, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"The N-G building."

"WHAT?!"

"They wouldn't let me in to see Ryuichi! The security guard thought I was a perverted stalker or something and wouldn't let me in, so-"

"...So you just decided to barge in, smashing your bike in the process? I'm surprised you didn't get arrested."

"No, I got banned from the N-G building!" He put on his Sad Puppy face, hoping to evoke pity from his older sibling. Unfortunately the Sad Puppy look hadn't worked since he was eight but he could still give it a shot.

"You're an idiot," Eiri declared, getting up off the couch. "Fine. You can stay one more night, but get out of here for a while. I promised the brat some alone time."

"You've had five DAYS of alone time," Tatsuha said, following him into the kitchen.

"Don't even mention the last five days!"

"Fine. Lend me a credit card for the night."

"No."

"I want to take Ryuichi-sama out to dinner!"

"He's worth millions. Let him take you out to dinner."

"Fork it over or I'm telling Mika!" Tatsuha demanded, holding out his hand.

Eiri snorted. Like he was going to let himself be blackmailed a second time. No way in hell. "You do and I'll tell Father about your bike."

"You think Mika hasn't told him already?"

The kid has a point, Eiri realized. Their sister lived to put her nose in other people's business. In that way she and her husband were very much alike. "Well then, how about I tell him exactly WHY you're so gung-ho on getting into Tokyo University? I'm sure he'd be very interested to hear about your relationship with Mr. Bunny Man."

Tatsuha's eyes widened. "You wouldn't!"

"Try me."

"That's dirty!"

"Tell me about it. Now go away."

Furious, Tatsuha stormed out of the room. He was back less than thirty seconds later when a realization dawned on him. "Pay up!" he demanded, extending his hand again.

"Why should I?"

Because you OWE me!"

"For what?"

"For that exorcism! I charge everyone else for my services, why should you be any different?" Fierce determination burned in the young monk's eyes as he engaged his brother in a stare-down. He was not leaving until he got money to treat Ryuichi! He silently vowed not to move from that spot until he received what was due him.

"Fine."

Tatsuha nearly fell over. He hadn't expected his brother to cave in that quickly.

"On one condition," Eiri continued, throwing Four Gay Elves at his sibling. "You take that book with you and DON'T bring it back!"

"Done!"

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~End chapter sixteen~