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"Amane! Amane! Amane!" Tsukasa yelled as he shock his big brother awake. Today was Monday and if his brother didn't wake up they would miss the bus and have to ask their father for a drive to school- and THAT was never fun for anybody involved. "Wake up! Wake up! We're gonna be late!" He exclaimed.
"And I should give a shit about that why?" Amane said as he pulled the covers over his head- preferring to fail his classes than face the assholes at school ever again.
Tsukasa made a 'are you serious right now' face before muttering. "That would mean dad would have to take us to school..."
.
.
.
"AND I'M AWAKE!" He exclaimed, before quickly jumping out of the bed and running to get himself dressed in his uniform and out the door, dragging his little brother Tsukasa behind him as if TSUKASA was the one hiding under the bed sheets not wanting to cooperate today. Well, that IS the case most of the time, so perhaps it's simply habit.
The two made it on the bus, and spotted one of their friends. Or rather- SORTA their friend. "Mitsuba! Mitsuba! Mitsuba!!" Tsukasa ran up to his pink-haired friend and tackle-hugged him in their now shared seat on the bus. Tsukasa always greeted people this way, some said it was just the way he was, while others called it creepy and associated it with Tsukasa's apparent mental instabilities.
Either way, Tsukasa was extroverted and cheerful as always, making Mitsuba mutter insults under his breath- calling him a perv for being so close, as well as comparing him to a hyperactive monkey or clingy cat. Amane had to admit, he completely agreed with Mitsuba on this. "Hey! Hey! Hey! You won't BELIEVE what just happened! So today Amane was oversleeping and so I, his caring, nurturing little brother said-" The one-sided conversation went on for hours it seemed, but truthfully only until the bus dropped them off and Tsukasa went to annoy Sakura and Natsuhiko.
It was the same routine everyday. Amane simply put in his headphones so he wouldn't have to hear his brothers blabbering nonsense more than he already had to by living in the same place as him. It was gracious of the universe to only have the bus ride last a few minutes, but not too gracious as to leave so much time- about 27 minutes -for Tsukasa to annoy their group of friends before class started. Tsukasa ran over to Sakura and Natsuhiko, who were currently talking with Yashiro Nene, the newest member of their friend group, about something Tsukasa did not care about and only ran up to interrupt- dragging poor Mitsuba behind him, the other boy looking exhausted from all the running and listening to the kid talk on and on about shit Mitsuba honestly did not give a shit about.
"Sakura! Sakura! Sakura! Me and Mitsuba were just talking and- I said that I wanted to show you and Natsuhiko something I made! It's special- and- here it is!" Tsukasa finally released Mitsuba, who ran off to find Kou- whilst muttering insults about how he hated this group,
"And yet youconstantly put up with my brother andnever hesitate to sit with all of us during lunch... tch, idiot..." If it was not clear already, Amane disliked Mitsuba's attitude. While he agreed his little brother was an annoying pest, Amane often thought Mitsuba's general cockiness and attitude just plain idiotic. Though, he found himself in the minority as he was great 'friends' with his brother, Sakura, Natsuhiko, Kou, and even Nene used to have a crush on him when they first met. Speaking of which, Nene also went to find Kou with Mitsuba.
Currently, Tsukasa was pulling out an 'art piece' and handing it to Sakura and Natsuhiko. Natsuhiko not hesitating to state, "... Did you make this when you were four?!" Before being smack against the head by Sakura.
"It's nice, Tsukasa. Though I feel it could use more..." She paused to find the right words. "... Green- Yeah-" Truthfully Sakura thought it needed to be burned at the stake but SHE wasn't going to break that to Tsukasa and neither was anyone else. Tsukasa seemed satisfied with their answers, and nodded, rushing off to a nearby table to work on the drawing for his two closets friends.
Once gone, Sakura sighed and turned to Natsuhiko with as annoyed an expression as the emotionless girl could come up with. "He said it was special. Did you not hear him?" Sakura stated with eyes only barely narrowed as she looked to the boy sitting beside her at the common area of their high school.
Natsuhiko seemed surprised by her two simple sentences, "What?!" He exclaimed, shock clear on his face. "I- I didn't know, my lady! I just thought it was for that shitty art class! If I knew I wouldn't have-"
Amane was the one to stop Natsuhiko's frantic apologizing, as the younger male sat down across from the two while scrolling through his phone. "It's fine. Don't freak out about it. We all know how my brother is, he won't even remember what either of you two said by the time class starts. And it's wasn't even his really special shit, just something he drew up last night while..." Amane paused for a moment, remembering certain events from the previous night he wanted to forget more than anything. "... He's okay now, though, as both of you could tell. Like I said, it wasn't even the really special-"
Natsuhiko didn't know what to do or say in that situation, he's been in it before but it was normally with Tsukasa- he had no idea how to talk to Amane. Luckily, the most emotionless girl in the school knew how to deal with others emotions. "We know, we know. And you're right. Tsukasa looks very happy. He is going to be okay, and you know no matter what we are willing to help both of you." She said, Natsuhiko's eyes widened as he marveled at how she could be so emotionless- yet so reassuring at the same time. Ot astounded him, and he loved her all-the-more for it. Not that he wasn't already in love with her from the beginning.
Amane nodded, looking down as he heard what they were saying. "Yeah, I know... I just hope Tsukasa will be okay today." He sighed, shaking his head a bit. "But it's whatever. I have projects to do anyway- Natsuhiko you and me have to finish that one project for science, and don't Tsukasa and Nene have something in English?? I know I have to talk with Mitsuba on-"
"I'M BACK BITCHES!" Speak of the Devil, Mitsuba came back with Kou in tow, dragging him to the table as he chuckled nervously, talking on about whatever nonsense the trio, Kou, Mitsuba, and Nene, were speaking of earlier. And the day went on as such.
At least during school it did.
As the group was walking to the bus, Mitsuba was talking with Amane on what they were planning for a project, while Tsukasa was chattering away with Nene on some nonsense that he claimed had something to do with their own project but really was just some random nonsense mixed in with his sadistic tendencies. Mixed in with Nene wondering what the fuck kinda pink bunnies was he talking about, and what did cutting them open have to do with the fantasy book they're reading in class???
Either way, the group departed the the buses, Mitsuba and the twins going to their buses, and the others going to their own. Natsuhiko was riding on Sakura's bus though, since he was staying at her house to avoid any possible confrontations with his father. Natsuhiko didn't need any broken bones, and his friends didn't need any more worry.
Mitsuba was chatting with Amane a bit, being all entitled and saying, "the rocket ship should be cute! Like me!" And "What if we wrote K M on it?? You know M for MITSUBA!" And when Amane asked who K was supposed to be, Mitsuba's face turned pink and Tsukasa claimed the Amane broke his friend. Which was technically true.
Mitsuba stopped being broken by the time his stop arrived, and waved goodbye to the twins, received an embarrassingly long and clingy goodbye hug from Tsukasa and went home. Then it was just the twins.
"Amane..."
"Yeah, Tsukasa?"
"... Can we stay at Mitsuba's for today? Please?" He looked up at Amane with watering eyes, tears pricking as he held onto his big brother, not wanting to be hurt again.
Amane wanted nothing more than to please his little brother and ensure that he's as happy as he always is at school and around the others, even if it was annoying and tiresome at least it didn't hurt the elder twins heart. "I'm sorry, Tsukasa, you know we can't..."
Tsukasa looked down. "... What about Sakura?"
Amane frowned a bit. "You know Natsuhiko is staying at the guest room tonight and for a long time."
"I know but--" Tsukasa was cut off.
"Tsukasa." His voice was stern, commanding Tsukasa's attention. "You know this isn't easy for me either. But we'll get through this together, okay?" He cupped his younger brothers cheeks, making Tsukasa look from the ground into his big, amber eyes. "Do you understand me, Tsukasa?"
Tsukasa hesitantly nodded, "Yes, brother."
They were silent the rest of the ride, before arriving home and getting off the bus.
The twins' home was just as nightmare-inducing shitfest. They both could smell the alcohol from the front porch and heard the sounds of throwing bottles and shouting from the door. They had to go inside. It was their home after all.
Six feet into the house, their parents were already yelling at them. Amane was already shielding Tsukasa from violence, and Tsukasa was already about to start crying. That was never good. Never make Tsukasa cry. When he cries- he cries LOUDLY. He was bawling as his small hands clung to his brothers shirt, hearing everything being yelled at them,
"SUCH A FUCKING MISTAKE I WISH I NEVER HAD KIDS YOU FUCKING SHITS!"
Their mother yelled at them, slamming a liquor bottle against Amane's head, making the younger feel dizzy and barely able to hold onto Tsukasa, the younger now sobbing loudly. "Please... Amane... Amane..."
"GO AHEAD AND KILL YOURSELVES SEE WHO WILL FUCKING CARE!!"
Their father now shouted. Making both feel tearful, and Amane barely able to hold on as he feels tears pricking at his eyes and weakness of emotions seeping in. No. He had to protect Tsukasa. He had to-
"I FUCKING HATE YOU!"
Their mother grabbed Amane and pulled him away from Tsukasa in a drunken rage, punching Amane senseless and kicking the defenseless boy multiple times. As he husband did the exact same with Tsukasa. Except while yelling in the younger twins ear about how useless he is and how he should just be sold for money.
It hurt. It hurt so fucking much. Tsukasa was crying and sobbing as he felt like he would become physically sick if it didn't stop. The yelling, the drinking, the hitting, the abuse- he just wanted it to STOP. He wanted to be happy for once in his fucking life!!!
Tsukasa fought against his father, emotions rising and turmoil within him seeping through, he kicked he hit he did whatever he could to get the grip the man had on him finally loose and able to run out of that house. And eventually he could- his father- about to pass out from how many drinks he had, and mother already passed out- finally gave Tsukasa the ability to run out of that horrible place. Never looking back.
Tsukasa stormed out of the house, tears ran down his face as his speed stopped in the middle of the road, before he collapsed on his knees and hugged himself by his arms and cried. Sobs loudly escaping his mouth as Amane just watched on with fear and dread building up.
Amane sighed, he was free for a while, and able to collect himself to finally decide his choice, he grabbed his phone, clicked on Sakura's contact and called her. "... Sakura. Tsukasa has to stay at your house. He isn't okay. He's crying and my father-..." He was cut off by a 'say no more' from Sakura. This is isn't the first time Amane had to call Sakura to get his brother and let him stay at her home for a few days. Sometimes both of them had to stay at either her house or Yashiro's. Things just got so bad that Amane couldn't take it... and Tsukasa would have to be making the calls and hoping his friends would protect his brother.
But today it was Tsukasa's turn to cry and break down.
"Me and Natsuhiko are on our way. Are you coming too Amane? You don't have to stay there-" Her tone was mostly empty and emotionless, but Amane didn't miss the way her voice turned subtly towards desperate when she asked if he was coming along too. The whole group knew the beatings got worse if one twins wasn't accounted for. No one missed when Amane was staying at Yashiro's for a sleepover and Tsukasa came to school the next day with a broken wrist and bloodied nose.
But, Amane simply dodged the question. "How long is Natsuhiko going to be staying at your place?" Amane could hear a sigh coming from Sakura.
"Until the day his dad stops being an ass." She said, still curt and aloof as ever.
Amane let out a short laugh, unable to help it, before sighing. "Well, I'll see you guys when you get here, thanks." He said simply before hanging up, and going to comfort his little brother. He could tell Tsukasa heard the whole conversation, the way he wouldn't look at him in the eyes and kept his head down told his brother more than it needed to. Amane held his little brother close, knowing it would help to calm the younger down. And once the frantic sobbing subsided, he walked his brother back to the sidewalk. They would sit and wait for Sakura and Natsuhiko to show up, and try not to break while doing so.
"Amane..." Tsukasa said, looking up from his spot on Amane's shoulder. "... Why aren't you coming?... Don't you like Sakura and Natsuhiko?..." Tsukasa said, a frown appearing on his tear-stained face.
Amane gently held Tsukasa, brushing some hair out of his older brothers face. "Tsukasa, yes, I do like them, it's just- someone has to stay here to make sure our parents don't go looking for you." He stated, refusing to meet his brothers eyes, Amane knew all he would see was hurt and sorrow.
"B- but-... they never go looking for us, Amane. You know they don't care about us-... please... they hate us... and I don't know what I did to them-" Amane quickly wrapped his brother in a tight hug, holding the younger boy close and allowing him to cry everything out. Amane noted how tightly Tsukasa was holding onto him. And how uncontrollable his sobbing was. But he didn't have time to process that as Sakura's car pulled up in front of them.
"Get in." Sakura said simply. Amane walked with Tsukasa into the car, knowing his younger brother wasn't going to let go.
Natsuhiko turned to Amane. "I thought you said you weren't coming-" Amane just pointed at the twin clutching onto him and silently crying. "Oh. Understood."