A Twisted Triangle

Author's Note: Why, yes, I am still updating. :)

Read, rate and review! Plenty more to come!

~*~

Math class proved very dull in the first five minutes or so, and it didn’t take Ritsuka’s mind very long to begin wandering. With his hand to his chin, his violet eyes directed out the window, the square root of such and such became yesterday’s news and a new topic began to take: his elder brother’s constant companion, the enigmatic Agatsuma Soubi.

Soubi had acted rather strangely earlier, Ritsuka thought idly. Then again, not a day went by that Soubi didn’t exhibit strange behavior at some point in time; it was almost embedded into his personality’s hard drive. Nonetheless, the previous morning had left Ritsuka uneasy. Soubi had seemed happy; too happy, over-compensating almost. Over-compensating for what, though? Ritsuka hadn’t the faintest idea. All he knew was that his heartstrings had ached for Soubi since their brief encounter in the park, and they ached even more when he thought back on it. Hindsight is 20/20, after all, and Ritsuka gave himself a mental kick for not commenting on it while he had the chance.

Unwittingly, Ritsuka sighed and closed his eyes in thought, attracting the attention of his math teacher.

“Aoyagi-kun,” called the teacher, moving his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Something on your mind?” he asked in that stereotypical sarcasm only teachers can get away with.

Ritsuka looked over with a dazed sort of expression on his face. “Huh?” A few of the students in the room began to laugh, albeit quietly. The teacher, Ruku-sensei, paid them no mind, singling out Ritsuka for now. “I said, is there something on your mind?”

Purple eyes glanced left and right; Ritsuka saw some of his classmates stifling laughter. Shrinking just a little further back into his seat, Ritsuka shook his head. “No.”

“Good.”

Ritsuka’s face housed a mild frown for the next couple of hours. Lunch came and went - Still, Ritsuka frowned. Soubi had frequented his thoughts lately, even before that strange episode at the park that morning. Was that odd? Ritsuka couldn’t help but to wonder. On one hand, Soubi had become a big part of Ritsuka’s life. Ever since his thirteenth birthday, Soubi was there constantly, be it with Seimei or without him.

On the other hand, it had to be unhealthy to think of one person so much. Up until now, Seimei had been Ritsuka’s entire world, but now Soubi was encompassing Ritsuka’s thoughts, too! Was that wrong? Ritsuka couldn’t help but feel that he was betraying Seimei somehow in wanting Soubi’s company, in thinking about the time he and Soubi spent together.

Was Ritsuka really obligated to think only of his elder brother? Logic said no, but… he couldn’t help but to feel guilty. Seimei was his brother, Ritsuka decided, and his brother came first. Seimei always came first.

Always.

With this thought firmly in his mind as the school bell rang and students began charging for the exits, Ritsuka hoisted his backpack over his shoulders and marched calmly out the front door, confidence in his step. He was sure of himself. Seimei first, Soubi second. That thought and that thought alone reigned supreme in his sixteen-year-old mind…

Until he saw Soubi standing at the gates of the high school, his eyes to the sky, a cigarette in his lips and a cool nonchalance about his person. Soubi was always like this; cool, calm and collected. Nothing fazed him. Nothing ever got under Soubi’s skin. Fire and brimstone could rain down upon Tokyo and Soubi would walk through it as casually as anything, a spring in his step and a smile on his lips.

Ah, yes…

So admirable, Soubi was…

Wait! What was he thinking? All that talk about Seimei coming first and now he was giving Soubi borderline-idol status?

Pausing in his step, Ritsuka mentally chided himself, holding his head, flattening his ears and sighing. So much for that.

I’m sorry, Seimei, but… Soubi is a part of my life, too, so… I shouldn’t feel bad for thinking about him.

Nothing seemed logical anymore.

Biting it back and walking once more, Ritsuka strode over to the adult at the gate and smiled as brightly as he could. “Soubi,” he chirped happily. He never had to fake happiness around the blond; it came naturally.

Soubi glanced down, smiled, and put out his cigarette on the pavement. “Ritsuka,” he greeted the adolescent.

“I can always count on you to pick me up from school, huh?” Ritsuka asked with a laugh and a flicker of his feline ears.

“Always,” Soubi responded brightly. The smile on his lips never seemed to falter, but it did seem a little tragic now. Why? Soubi was as confusing as the day was long; Ritsuka doubted he could ever hope to figure this man out. That was one of the elements that drew Ritsuka to Soubi; his enigmatic aura, his air of mystery. Ritsuka wanted desperately to decipher the meanings behind Soubi’s vague responses and unreadable expressions. Ritsuka strived to be the one to understand him…

Whoa. Where was that trail of thought going? Back it up, Aoyagi!

“Ritsuka…”

“Hm?” Ears of black velvet flickered upward to give the neko a look of curiosity.

“Do you want to… spend the day with me?” Soubi sounded hesitant. “I don’t have plans. And I’ll admit, I’d enjoy the company.”

Ritsuka brightened up at Soubi’s offer. “Sure!” he chirped, smiling. Only briefly, Ritsuka thought of consulting his mother first; surely, she’d want to know where he was…

On second thought… that probably wasn’t such a good idea. Ritsuka knew how it would play out: He would ask his mother’s permission to stay out a bit later than usual, she would ask questions, he would unwittingly give all the wrong answers and bear more scars in the morning as a result. Asking her for permission to spend the day with a friend was pointless; he would just have to sneak into his bedroom without her noticing and pretend to have been home all that time. It was genius! He had done it before.

Ritsuka only hoped that it would work better than last time.

“So what do you want to do?” Ritsuka asked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, his tail swaying back and forth (it was more of a canine tic than a feline one, really).

Soubi shrugged. “Anything you want to do. Name it.”

Nibbling on his lower lip, Ritsuka directed his violet eyes to the pavement, concentrating. What could they do? It would have to be something they both enjoyed, so…

“How about we stay in tonight?” Ritsuka asked at last, soft eyes flipping back up to meet Soubi’s own. “We can rent some scary movies and watch ‘em at your place!” It seemed like a good idea to the young Ritsuka; he enjoyed horror movies for the brief adrenaline rush and Soubi… well… Ritsuka wasn’t sure if Soubi actually liked horror movies or if Soubi just humored Ritsuka’s predilection for them. Whatever the case, Soubi always seemed to enjoy himself…

“A movie night sounds good,” said Soubi. Long fingers moved back through his silky blond mane, inching flaxen strands from startling blue eyes. “There’s a movie store a few blocks down from my apartment.”

Ritsuka nodded and Soubi took the lead, walking side-by-side with the younger neko.

“Will Kio be at your place?” Ritsuka asked randomly, glancing upward in Soubi’s direction. Another random thought sprung to mind; Soubi was rather tall… Very thin, too… Blond was the perfect hair color for Soubi. Brown wouldn’t do; black would be even worse. Yes, the blond was just… perfect.

Did Soubi treat his hair to get it that color?

“Mm, no,” Soubi said with a shake of his head; flaxen locks shifted lightly with the movement. “I believe he’s off visiting his family for today.”

Ritsuka blinked. “Kio has a family?”

Soubi laughed outright then, causing Ritsuka to smile. Ritsuka rarely heard Soubi laugh; it was nice to know that Soubi possess the ability to laugh. “Yes, he does,” Soubi muttered, a grin on his lips, “as odd as it seems…”

Ritsuka giggled a little, his fair features softening. “So it’s just you and me tonight,” he commented. “I hardly get to hang out with just you. Usually Seimei’s there, too.” After realizing what he had said and how it could be interpreted, Ritsuka stammered to correct himself in a hurry, “N- Not that I don’t like spending time with Seimei! I just… well…”

“You just what?” Soubi asked, glancing over, blue eyes shimmering and his lips twisted upward in a soft smirk.

Ritsuka flushed; his face began to burn and he wasn’t quite sure why. Looking away, the neko smiled sheepishly. “I just… like spending time with you, Soubi.”

A moment of silence passed between them before Ritsuka felt a weight pressing lightly down on his shoulders. In looking over, he saw Soubi’s arm draped over his shoulders and behind his neck, enabling the blond to pull the neko a bit closer to his form. “I like spending time with you, too, Ritsuka,” Soubi said with a smile.

Ritsuka smiled brightly, purring, his black tail shifting around Soubi’s back and wrapping around his wrist in kittenish affection. Behind Soubi’s glasses, he could see warmth in those sapphire eyes and he happily gave into their embrace.

Soubi was like a brother to Ritsuka. Granted, Ritsuka already had a brother, but there was nothing wrong with having two, right? Seimei and Soubi tied for first place in Ritsuka’s book as of late, and for today, Ritsuka wanted nothing more than to spend some one-on-one time with his favorite blond.