Chapter Text
He really shouldn’t have stayed up that late. That was Takumi’s thoughts as his alarm clock attempted to deafen him. After slamming the noisy contraption off, Takumi set up to the feeling of a head rush. Across from him, his brother still snored while deep in his dreams of Italian dishes. Lucky guy.
Takumi had stayed up trying to rant to Isami about how Yukihira was so reckless and how he was going to become his greatest rival and a lot more stuff that Isami had been protected from by unconsciousness. That hadn’t stopped Takumi though, and now he was regretting it.
They had just come back from the Polar Star dormitory, after another party to celebrate Tootsuki’s optional/ not optional cooking camp that lasted exactly two weeks, and Takumi'd had a little (lot) too much rice juice. Isami had to pick him up and carry him the whole way back to his bed, while Takumi mumbled incoherent words about Yukihira. Honestly, Isami knew that his brother was obsessed with Yukihira more than normal for a rivalry, but he had not seen Takumi so excited, since they were really little. So he had mentally thanked Yukihira as he tucked a still mumbling Takumi into bed.
Takumi’s second alarm gave him the little motivation that he needed for his body to naturally start his morning routine, later returning to his room to finish packing and finding that his sound sleeper of a brother had gotten up in the two hours it took Takumi to get ready for his day. He had to look his best after all. Isami didn’t take nearly as long as the elder Aldini twin, so both boys were able to make it to the buses five minutes early. Unfortunately for Takumi, he ended up sitting next to a worn out and half asleep Souma.
“ What happened to Souma-kun? He doesn’t look like he’s feeling well,” Takumi heard Isami whisper to Megumi, who was seated in the row behind Souma and Takumi, next to the window.
“ Ah. Um, you see, Souma likes to get up really early after the others have all passed out from the rice juice, and use the kitchen. He says it makes him feel like he is the king of the kitchen,” Megumi said sweetly but a little on the quiet side.
Isami chuckled. “ Yes. That sounds like Souma.”
To Takumi’s surprise the braided haired girl giggled at his brother’s comment.
“ You know him well already Isami!”
“ Well we do spend plenty of time at Polar Star. Plus Souma isn’t very subtle.”
“ True,” Megumi replied, thoughtfully.
“ You look pretty tired too, Megumi.”
“ O-oh! D-don’t worry! I won’t fall asleep on you! I don’t want to make you uncomfortable!”
“ It’s fine, Megumi. Big bro used to fall asleep on my shoulder all of the time when we were little. Besides, you need your sleep.”
Takumi puffed up his chest like a proud mother bird (despite the exposed childhood secret). His little brother was such a gentlemen.
“ O-okay, i-if you’re sure…”
“ Go to sleep, Megumi,” Isami said in a soothing but commanding voice, he had perfected over his experiences with Takumi.
“ Thank you,” Takumi heard the small girl yawn before finishing her sentence,” Isami. You’re very, sweet.”
After Takumi was sure that Megumi was asleep, he peeked over his shoulder to find his little brother blushing and smiling down at a cute, sleeping Megumi. Isami eventually noticed the stare and pointed, with his free arm, at a drooling Souma, mouthing the words “ you have one too.” Takumi chose to ignore his brother’s teasing and placed a hand over his heart while wiping an imaginary tear from his eye in an overly exaggerated touched reaction. Isami just rolled his eyes and went back to looking at Megumi with a fond expression, leaving Takumi to turn around and feel his chest warm at the sight of Isami and his brother’s newfound crush. Megumi was a great match for Isami. While she didn’t look like much to some, Takumi had seen how she cut a monkfish perfectly in a way that could rival his brother’s knife skills. But despite her growing abilities, the girl seemed to dedicatedly support others and was exceptionally kind. Takumi wanted that for his brother. Looking over once more, Takumi was greeted with one of the cutest sights that he had ever seen. Isami’s head was resting on top of braids, as the two slept peacefully. A click from Takumi’s camera phone was heard a moment later.
The buses arrived at the hotel two hours later. The students of Tootsuki Academy would be spending the next two weeks helping the staff prepare and gaining experience.
“ Yukihira. Yukihira!” Takumi was trying to shake his rival awake and was failing until he felt a small tap on his shoulder.
“ Takumi-kun,” Megumi said sweetly, “ that won’t work for him, I’m afraid. Please allow me.”
Takumi nodded and stepped back from the sleeping red head, watching curiously as Megumi pulled something out of her backpack, however her back blocked his view. Takumi was just about to inquire about what she planned to do when Takumi heard a blood-curdling scream, he assumed came from Souma, that made the blood run from his face.
“ Megumi! That’s cold!”
“ Sorry, Souma, but you wouldn’t wake up. We’re at the hotel,” Megumi said with only a little note of sympathy in her soft voice. Takumi guessed that this was not the first time she had needed to wake Souma.
“ Oh, thanks Megumi. Sorry for snapping at you again.” Ah. So this isn’t the first time.
“ It’s fine Souma, but we need to hurry.”
“Right!” And just like that, a flash of red dashed past Takumi and off the bus pulling Megumi behind him. Isami chuckled beside his brother and followed the two to the entrance;
Takumi trailing behind.
But what did she do? Considering how often Takumi seemed to get stuck sitting next to his rival, a trick to wake him up might come in handy.
Oh well, he’d just ask Megumi later.
As he approached the front desk he noticed Isami looking a little worried.
“ Big bro! Here’s your key! My floor is only one above yours!”
Huh.
“ What do you mean? We’re in different rooms?”
“ Big bro,” Isami scolded, “you weren’t paying attention, were you? Everyone was already assigned to their rooms and roommates before the trip.”
“ Oh.” It wasn’t like he was never going to see Isami during the camp but he couldn’t help feeling disappointed at not sharing a room with his twin.
Isami must have noticed Takumi’s slightly sour mood because he suddenly started waving and blabbering franticly, “ Aw, Big bro don’t look so sad! I’ll hang out with you every day and I’m just one floor away-“
Isami was cut off by a pointed cough from a person standing in line behind them, who was getting impatient.
“ Sorry! Sorry!” Isami apologized, moving towards the hallway. “I have to go get settled in! Be nice to your roommate, Big bro!” Isami said, waving over his shoulder.