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Post by haru inoue on Mar 1, 2013 9:17:39 GMT -8
Rain beat softly against the window, a steady drizzle that was almost calming. If Haru were to tell the truth, he would admit to his love of overcast weather -- not too bright, not too oversaturated; a perfect example of tranquility in nature. He even preferred a good thunderstorm to a nice, sunny day, but he'd always been something of an odd child.
After a long day at Pandora, his new digimon by his side, he snuck back into the cramped apartment that was "home". He tiptoed up to his room -- the room he used to share with his brother and a constant reminder of his disappearance and likely death -- where homework and information about apartments for lease were scattered across his bed.
Hibiki jumped eagerly up onto the bed and nestled inbetween his pillows, leaving only his paired leaves sticking out. "Harumon, it's dark."
'Harumon' ignored this and set to work signing them up for several upcoming arena battles, pulling a half-empty bottle of vodka out from under his desk and taking a long swing. Wincing (the cheap stuff was always so vile), he completed the registration forms online and shuffled back to the bed, pulling up a handful of flyers for a new apartment complex.
"We're gonna move in here," he announced between mouthfuls, "What do you think? You're going to fight, and I'll get in good with Pandora, and then we'll have our own place. I already called the guy looking for a roommate, and he sounds nice."
Hibiki peeked up out of the pillow-nest, blinking slowly. "I'll be a good fighter," he repeated, "The best."
"Good."
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Post by Katsumi Inoue on Mar 1, 2013 13:10:23 GMT -8
Katsumi slunk in the door, tired, hungry, and wondering where his parents were. Grateful that they weren't there. Unsure of what he'd fine, really. It had been forever since he'd last been home. He didn't know what had happened to his family and that freaked him out. His only relief was that the key still fit into the lock and allowed him to enter. He was greeted with a familiar mess and pursed his lips.
If the key still worked and the mess was familiar... he walked up the staircase that he had trod on many times before. His eyes closed in the fear that perhaps there was no one there, or that something terrible had happened to his beloved brother. A light underneath his brother's door didn't assuage it. His hand raised up, cautiously, hesitantly. And then he knocked.
The sound seemed to echo, even in this small space. Even stranger was how he felt when he dared to bring his hand to the doorknob and opened it, as if he were some sort of intruder. Technically, at this point he was. Not being home in two years... He wasn't the same man who had left. And he was certain that his brother wasn't the same boy, either. Aoi was behind him, quiet, obeying what her master had told her about being quiet and unsure of why she needed to be.
But when he caught sight of the boy on the bed, Katsumi couldn't keep his breath from catching. It was his brother, all right. Older, but most certainly his brother. He gave a hesitant smile. "Hey. How... how have you been, Haru?" That was all he could manage. There was so much more to say to him, but for now it could wait. A certain heaviness settled on his chest. He was back, and that meant that he had to resume his responsibilities - the ones he'd dreaded and had been freed from for the last two years. But he did love his brother underneath it all and would take care of him the best he could.
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Post by haru inoue on Mar 1, 2013 15:21:37 GMT -8
He downed another swig of alcohol as he heard the front door jostle open, hustling to hide his prize again in case either of his parents "checked in" on him. Hibiki wriggled out from beneath the pillows, watching blankly, and said: "Harumon, what is that?"
"Nothing," he snapped, voice low and hissed, "Now be quiet, and hide. Only come out when I tell you."
Obedient, like any good Pandora digimon, Hibiki hopped down and wriggled under the bed, his pale yellow eyes the only hint he was there. Similarly, Haru scrambled to look productive, whipping out his half-finished homework after burying evidence of his recent interaction with Pandora Co.
The footsteps were making their way up the stairs -- Haru's breath quickened, and he struggled to keep himself calm. Neither of his parents should be back this early; this was very out of the ordinary... what if one had gotten fired? Or had had a bad day, and was looking to take it out on him?
It certainly wouldn't be the first time, he thought, darkly, and hunched over his book, re-doubling his efforts to look busy. The door creaked open and Haru flinched; was unable to keep his gaze from darting to the open frame --
"Katsumi?"
His book fell closed, ignored, in his lap, and he stared for a long moment. He had long given up hope that something like this would happen, and his heart beat a mile a minute beneath his chest; rang in his ears like alarm bells. Two emotions bloomed to life simultaneously and threatened to tear him apart: Relief, overwhelming, that his brother was okay, and had come back... and rage, unforgiving, that his brother had left him without warning.
Finally he stood, legs shaking, and crossed the small space between them, confusion etched clearly into his features. "... Wh- Um, where were you?"
He was distantly aware that his cheeks felt wet -- was he crying? how undignified -- and before a sob could tear from his chest he buried his face against Katsumi's shoulder and wrapped his arms tightly around his brother. "I missed you," he admitted, voice weak and muffled by Katsumi's shirt.
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Post by Katsumi Inoue on Mar 1, 2013 16:12:58 GMT -8
Katsumi's heart pounded in his chest. Would his brother embrae him? Reject him? Or just.... He didn't know. He didn't know what to fill that balnk space with. All he knew was that his brother had a look on his face that was filled with indescribable pain and anger. It made it a shock when he questioned him and embraced him. Katsumi didn't have anything to say at that point - not that he could have said it, his throat was too tight with emotion - but all the same he could only be silent and hug his brother back.
He couldn't even bring himself to cry, but tears did make his eyes glossy. When he felt he was able to, he pulled away and made an attempt to say what he needed to. "Haru, I.... I was...." His voice was rough with emotion. "I am so sorry. I disappeared.... I was on File Island. I don't even remember.... I never meant to leave. I didn't have a choice!" He clasped his brother in a hug once more, fearing what had happened to him while Kat was gone.
He pulled back once more, keeping his hands on the boy's shoulders. "What happened to you while I was gone?" He couldn't ask more than that. He didn't know what to ask, or how to exactly. He just wanted to know everything. After all, he was taking on the burden of responsibility once more.
Aoi had snuck into the room and was watching silently until then. Is this Haru? The brother you talked about? she questioned, curious about what was going on. She could tell it was serious and emotional, but didn't know how to react to it.
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Post by haru inoue on Mar 2, 2013 12:36:32 GMT -8
"I am so sorry. I disappeared.... I was on File Island. I don't even remember.... I never meant to leave. I didn't have a choice!"
File Island? He went to the digital world... and he hadn't bothered to come back for two years? Haru cringed at his brother's response, ignoring it the best he could in return for the comfort of Katsumi's embrace. As he was pushed away, the older boy's hands tight on his shoulders, his expression noticeably soured -- he could not help the sneer that twisted his lip.
"What hap- What do you think? They blamed me for not telling them where you'd run away to -- why didn't you come back?" His brow furrowed, raised in pained disbelief: "There were other people, I saw the stories, they came back, why didn't you--"
"Harumon, do you want me to take care of that one?," Hibiki's voice came from under the bed as Aoi entered the room, the Nyokimon hopping out from his hiding place, "I'm strong enough to digivolve."
"I told you to stay under there," Haru snapped, jerking his gaze away from his brother and towards the tiny fresh-stage digimon blinking up at him, "I'll teach you to listen, next time." The threat in Haru's growled tone was not lost on Hibiki, and he sidled back against the bedframe, leaves twitching.
Hoping his brother would let it drop -- he didn't want to talk about Hibiki, not yet, not with more pressing matters at hand -- he turned back to Katsumi and looked up at him, eyes still prickling with tears. "Are you going to stay? Do mom and dad know you're back yet?"
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Post by Katsumi Inoue on Mar 2, 2013 22:48:17 GMT -8
Katsumi had known his brother wouldn't understand. He'd have to explain it. or at least try. But his breath was taken away by the sight of the little Digimon that had come out from under the bed and Haru's subsequent treatment of it. It was a good thing, too. He simply didn't... just didn't know how to tell his brother anything at the moment. It made his throat tighten once more, briefly. His hand rose to brush back Haru's ever-unruly hair. "No, I'm not going to stay here. Mom and Dad don't know I'm back yet, and it's going to stay that way. But Haru... Haru, you're going to come with me. I know I left without warning, but I had some money set aside to get you out of here, into a good school. We can use some of it to help get a place. I don't want you here any longer than you have to be."
He took a deep breath. "Start packing. I'll explain while you do." Katsumi's eyes closed for just a moment while he composed himself. "I know that others made it back from File Island. But it takes time and effort. It's not a skill that magically comes with the D-Touch. When you first get there, you're stuck. Period. If I could have come back, I would have. In a heartbeat. You don't honestly believe that I'd just up and abandon you with them, do you?" His heartbeat tripped over itself with that question. He didn't want to believe that his brother would think that he'd been abandoned, but apparently that was the case. In a way, it made Katsumi angry. He'd always, ALWAYS taken care of his bro. Why would he doubt him now?
It didn't stop him from feeling slightly guilty, though. There was a kernel of truth to it, that maybe he hadn't searched as hard as he should have and had maybe taken a few roundabout paths to find a way home. But he had always meant to come home. Eventually.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry you went to Pandora to get a Digimon. But we're going to take it back today, because you don't need it, and I don't need mine, and we can get out and settle back down to a normal life. Okay?" Aoi had known that her partner wasn't happy about having her, but that didn't stop a squeak of fear from escaping her. Katsumi turned his head and glared in disapproval, and she hung her head. He didn't back down when he said something.
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