Work Text:
“Oneesan!” Len chirped, bouncing up to Rin, draping himself over her back and giggling softly to himself. “Read to me!”
“Ah…” Rin said softly, turning her head to nuzzle his cheek lightly and affectionately. “I can’t. I need to keep working on this song. I would if I could, but I can’t. I’m really sorry, Lennaboo.”
Len deflated, but Rin gently caught his hand before he slipped away. “I could help you pick out a book, though?”
And, brightened by that offer, Len stood up straight again, and pulled Rin out of her chair, tugging her to their bookshelves and watching with a grin. Rin blinked at him, and then let out a little giggle, starting to comb through the books, before pulling out one and looking to Len.
Len shook his head.
That little scene played out about four times, before Rin sighed, standing back and putting her hands on her hips with a fond little smile on her lips. “Alright, buddy. You can pick one, then, since I can’t seem to read your mind.”
Giggling, Len picked the first book that Rin had chosen.
“I- Len, that was the first one that I-!” Pausing, and then letting out a heavy sigh, Rin facepalmed. “Okay, buster. Up on the bed where I can see you. I need to get back to songwriting.”
Whiiiiiiine.
“I know, I know. But it’s important!” Rin protested, nudging Len over to her bed and coaxing him to lay on it, before she plopped back into her chair, regretfully ignoring Len’s pout as she got back to work.
Half focusing, she could hear the soft rustle of pages, and then silence. Satisfied that Len had started reading, she set to work. Now, would that line match with this one? They had about the same amount of syllables, and the ending words rhymed…
Pouting, Len watched his sister work. She looked fully immersed in it, mumbling to herself, half singing tunes while he looked between the book in front of him, and then to Rin, and then to the book.
No! He told himself, huffing. I’m a big kid! I can do it!
So, determined, the younger Kagamine set to work on reading, shakily sounding out each word he struggled on, even though they didn’t really make sense in his head or out loud. He’d whine, then, and look to Rin for help, but Rin was working.
I’m a big boy! I can do this.
Yeah… he couldn’t. Tears of frustration welled in Len’s eyes as he eventually quietly sniffled, whimpering softly as he wiped his eyes, unaware of Rin looking over to him for a moment.
Rin was frowning. Len seemed so upset, like he was about to cry. She glanced back to her work, grabbing a post-it note, and scribbling down all of the notes that she could, recording a short voice memo to preserve the melody she had so far, even if it was off and sounded a little pitchy. It was a work in progress, so she would come back to it, later.
Carefully, she started cleaning up her area, speaking softly.
“What’s wrong, Lenny?” Rin asked, quietly, and heard a soft gasp from off to the side as Len glanced to her. The older twin kept organizing her desk, and asked again, sparing Len a worried look. “What’s wrong? You seem like you’re about to cry.”
With that comment out in the open, Rin got back to clearing up, and was done in a matter of seconds as Len started speaking.
“Um… ‘m just frus’rated, is nothing.” Len said glumly, and turned back to his book, only to gasp softly once more in surprise as Rin plucked the book from his hands, shutting it.
“Get comfy, little brother.” Rin said, smiling warmly. “I’ll read to you.”
Len’s tears immediately disappeared as he brightened, eyes glittering happily as he quickly got comfortable in Rin’s bed, curling up and glancing to her for permission before grabbing a plushie of Miku that sat on the bed, cuddling it to his chest while Rin smiled, and got to reading.
“This is a story about a prince and a princess, a brother and a sister……”