Chapter Text
Eiden slowly became aware that there was someone talking. It took a few seconds for him to recognize the smooth voice.
What the hell was Kuya doing here in the library?
Eiden lowered the book of defensive spells he'd been reading to look around. He spotted Kuya immediately, lounging on a settee, his gaze locked on someone across from him. Eiden followed the stare to see Rei stretched out on the couch, booted feet hanging off the arm. Kuya was talking to Rei, or maybe it was more like talking at Rei considering Rei was stoutly ignoring him. Stange when usually you couldn’t get Rei and Kuya to not go for the other's throat when they were within five feet of each other. Unless Eiden had already missed the insults they tended to spit at the other.
Eiden tried to go back to reading but found it hard. Now that he knew Kuya was talking it was hard not to focus on his voice, even though he wasn’t saying anything important or interesting to listen to. He was just speaking to fill the air with noise.
Being utterly annoying. Eiden realized, face falling into a deadpan expression.
He wondered what he missed, engrossed with the book he'd been reading. Rei must have said something to set Kuya off enough that he was still hanging around to be a nuisance. The fact that Rei wasn't hissing back at him was surprising but it looked like he was reaching the end of his patience if the growing white-knuckle grip on the book he was holding was anything to go by. And then there was Father perched atop his head, the glare he reserved for when Eiden was being ridiculous, in his eyes, racking up into a truly murderous glower. He looked ready to claw Kuya’s face off.
Eiden should probably do something before a fight broke out and the library ended up destroyed. But what could he do? What would be the fastest way to make Kuya quiet?
Telling him to stop talking would be the fastest way to end up with a pair of burnt lips. Kuya would only turn his attention to him just to keep going and scold him on top of that.
He could kiss Kuya but that would lead to sex and while Eiden wouldn't say no to that he was in one of those rare moods where he was more interested in this book rather than rolling around in bed. Not to mention Kuya would still be mouthing off. A medley of insults towards his intelligence and lasciviousness. He could already hear the tutting now.
He considered and discarded several ideas quickly becoming stumped. It felt like anything he did would end the same. Kuya punishing him for daring to order him around.
Eiden pouted thinking furiously and that's when a wild thought crept forward.
There's no way this would work right?
(Well nothing ventured, nothing gained.) Though Eiden had the thought that this particular venture would grant him a swift death.
He placed a finger between the pages of the book and rose walking to Kuya. His eyes immediately snapped to him lips curving into a smirk even as his expression changed to mock surprise.
“Oh young master, is something the matter? Am I bother-” The rest of the word trailed off when Eiden reached out and tapped Kuya right on the nose.
The sudden silence was deafening.
Kuya blinked, the most owlish Eiden had ever seen, his face blank with incomprehension.
Behind him, Rei made a strangled noise.
The silence stretched on. Eiden half expected Kuya to start speaking again but he was only stared at by the stunned fox.
Eiden felt bemusement and faint disbelief. It actually worked? Kuya seemed to be struck speechless, lips parted like he wanted to say something but the words were caught in his throat.
Well for the time being, mission accomplished. Kuya was blessingly quiet.
Eiden said nothing turning to return to his chair. He noted Rei curling in onto himself making choked sounds under his breath. It sounded a bit like he was wheezing. Father met his eyes and bobbed at him, as though he was nodding his thanks for hushing up Kuya.
Eiden nodded back, flopping into his seat. He wondered dimly how long it would take for Kuya to snap out of his shock and exact his revenge. He opened the book finding the paragraph he was on to continue reading.
Eiden managed to read one passage before he was running out the library wailing the tips of his fingers burning, Kuya following with a sinister smile, and Rei’s laughter echoing down the hall.