Chapter Text
Love is a petulant thing
But what does it mean to truly be in love? Is it patience? Sacrifice? Hardship?
Pain..
Something that started long before their first kiss, something that grew and festered within the boys like the most ravenous of disease,
Something that lead them blindly through the years, to the climb, the precipice of their trials and to the fall. Lead them to the draw of their last breath.
“I love you..” Ran whispered, soft and low. Rin felt his heart skip a beat as the words were sung across his lips.
Sure they’d said it a thousand times, but this.. this was different.
The pair were nestled together, a tangle of limbs encasing the younger in what was forever a tender moment in their minds. “I love you so much..” Ran repeated, placing another soft kiss on Rindou’s lips.
“I love you too, Niichan..” Rin whispered back between the mess of kisses.
“Do you?“
“Mmm”
“Rinnie?” Ran hummed, his nose gently caressing the cheek of them younger to draw his attention.
Once Rindou’s lavender eyes bat open, zeroing in on his brother in the dark, Ran pulled his head back, shuffling on top of his brother in one swift motion, straddling the youngers hips as he looked down on him.
“If it comes down to it.. Would you stand in front of a bullet for me?” He asked, low and sweet. Such adoration in his voice in great contrast to the dark nature of the question at hand.
Rin’s brows slanted ever so slightly as he gazed up into the eyes of his brother. His protector. His life. They shine back in the soft moonlight glow. And for a second, Rindou honestly wondered, would he?
“Of course, Aniki..” he spoke, soft and honest. Vulnerability tinkering in his weak voice. “I’d die for you.”
He watched the elders lip stretch into a wild grin.
He was so beautiful, always so beautiful. Everything Ran did was with a fluent sense of elegance only privy to that man. It was striking, how he had a way of drawing you in and keeping you right where he wanted you.
Thats Rindou didn’t move when he felt Ran shift above him or when he heard the metallic glide of metal on wood.
He just kept staring up, naively watching his brother. He didn’t react, or flinch when the cold, steel rim was pressed against his bare sternum.
“Do you trust me, little brother?“ he spoke, his voice so sickly sweet.
Rin could see the glint of the barrel in the low light. It was the gun from their nightstand, the one Ran insisted they buy for ‘protection’ a few months back.
“I trust you.” Rindou spoke, just above a whisper, slowly nodding. Not tearing his eyes from the living grin his brother gave. Ran leant down, placing a tender, loving kiss on his lips.
Was this their last one?
Ran pulled away ever so slightly and stilled.
Click
A dud?
The noise made Rin’s eyes widen ever so slightly, but he otherwise didn’t flinch.
The younger let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and before he has time to think, to process what just happened. The cold handle of the gun was being pressed into his own hand.
Rindou was confused, he felt his heart hammering a thousand miles an hour, pumping pure fear and adrenaline through his veins.
He watched as his brother slender fingers wrapped around his fist, drawing the nose of the gun to the side of Ran’s temple.
“Niichan?” Rin weakly croaked. “Is it loaded?” Slow and methodically, Ran pulled the release, dropping the magazine into his other hand before showing Rindou a loaded clip.
It was a dud. There was ammunition in there. He quietly, wordlessly clicked the clip back into place before bringing Rindou’s other hand up to his cheek.
He nuzzled into it, feeling the warmth of his brother's palm encasing his cheek.
He was so beautiful.
Rindou felt Rans hands leave his own, coming to rest on his chest as he held his position at the mouth of a gun.
“You can do it, Rinnie.” Ran hummed, coaxing him to pull the trigger.
Rindou felt his finger tense, grip tightening as his heart drummed in his throat.
In an instant, he drew the gun from Ran’s head, firing it directly into the ceiling.
The boom was loud, thunderously loud. Both boys' ears screaming a shrill ring as drywall rained from the ceiling above them.
Ran sat, stock still, eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar. Both boys stunned into silence as their ears gradually rung out.
“W..” Ran stuttered as the boys recovered from the aerial assault on their ears. “Why did you do that Rin?”
Rindou’s hand now trembling, he dropped the gun having it loudly clatter to the floor before pushing up and wrapping his stunned brother in his arms. Tears trickling down his cheeks as he squeezed the eldest against him.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do it” he choked, his face burning as he nuzzled further into the elders chest. “I can’t, I can’t live without you”
Ran just sat there, arms pinned to his sides as he stared down at Rin sobbing against him.
“P-Please don’t make m-me do it a-again, Niichan!” The younger wailed, tears staining the eldest shirt as gripped him tighter.
“Rindou?” Ran finally squeaked, having his brother snuggle further into him in response,
“Rinnie..” he continued, his hands moving up his body to cup the youngers cheeks, drawing Rin’s face up from his chest to look him in the eyes
He was a mess of tears, panic and pain. Seeing him like this just broke the eldest heart.
Rin looked up at him and Ran looked back, a shy smile on his lips as he leant forward and placed a few, soft kisses on his brother.
“Now, now, Rin. You’re almost an adult. You can’t keep crying like this”
“I- I- don’t w-wanna lose you An-Aniki” he stuttered, lip wobbling like a child.
“You won’t lose me, you’re my other half. I’ll always be with you”
“I don’t care about your meteohotical shit, Oniichan.” Rindou groaned, locking his arms around the elder once more before pulling him flat on the bed beside him.
“I don’t care about souls, ghosts.” He muttered against the elders neck. Ran watched with keen eyes just how Rin snuggled into him. He’d never been like this before, never so desperate to cover every inch of Ran’s skin.
“I want you here. With me.”
The elder just chuckled, throwing his long arms around his little brother as he held him close. “Okay, okay, you have me.” He hummed. “You got me.”
“Forever?”
“Always.”