Title:Bitter (Part 10)
Pairings:ShoxAiba, JunxOC, ShoxAibaxNino (friendship)
Genre:Fluff, Preschool AU, Angst, Friendship
Rating:PG
Disclaimer:I own nothing but the plot
Word Count:880
Summary:Masaki seemed different after they came home from the court. Sho realizes he dislikes that side of him.
 

It was a first for Sho to see him so different his brother was always the happiest in any situations -- good or bad. Back when they used to have a hamster, who they named hamtaro from the obsession of the cartoon, everything was swell. However, there was a day the both of them accidentally left him alone in their room. It was hot, no one looked after him, and the little one couldn’t survive. By the time the both of them realized it, he was no longer with them and had moved on to hamster heaven. Only Masaki, but Sho, smiled, saying everything was going to be alright for Hamtaro.

No matter how many times Nino tried to make a fool of himself, Masaki wouldn’t smile. Instead, he would turn away and stare at the windows as if he sent his mind somewhere far away. Of all the people in Masaki’s life, he would be the one to always cheer him up. It was not a job for him to do, but more of like a meaning to his life. Whenever he saw Masaki smile as bright as the sun, it always lifted his hopes up especially if he was struggling with a difficult task. Because of Masaki, he’s where he is now, living and experiencing many things with him. Though in the past, he noticed that Masaki would smile brighter when they were in the same room.

Now it was his turn to make his brother smile. To turn his negative thoughts right side up.

An hour after Nino obviously gave up and left, Sho approached his brother. He’s been sitting in the same position since they came home from the court, and his gaze never moved from the window. It was as if a spell was casted onto him, turning him into a stone with a beating heart.

“Do you think I’m a bad person?” Masaki finally spoke. Even his voice sounded like he was a distant away.

Sho shook his head as he sat besides his brother on the couch. “No. Masaki’s a good person.”

“But that’s only your opinion, Sho-nii...”

“I know... But that doesn’t mean it’s not true. You’re the type of person anyone would want to be in the same room with.”

Masaki lightly chuckled, the first Sho’s heard since they came from the court. Was his goal to make Masaki smile working? “I guess... Don’t you hate me though? All I’ve ever done in this house was make everything a mess. I don’t even keep my promises...”

“That’s not true. You may have done things our parents didn’t like, but they forgave you right? And you always promised me things that came true.”

“But it is true. I’m a bad person.”

“You’re not, Masaki. You’re the best.”

“Then tell me why... Why couldn’t it be me instead papa in jail? He did nothing wrong... I’m not the best, Sho-nii. Only in your eyes, I am.”

Shortly after the last sentence, his brother laughed. It wasn’t one of joy or one that came after a cheesy joke, but a bitter laughter that shook Sho’s heart into tiny pieces. He realized now that he hated to see Masaki in such a broken state. The way his lips curved to a smile seemed forced, and the shiny gloss in his eyes, when he usually smiled, was gone. Sho wished there was some type of device to take away the bad memories, but the current technology still had much more catching up to do. All he could think of was lending Masaki a shoulder to lean on. However, when he offered it, his brother wrapped his arms around him. Despite how Masaki felt so warm against him, he felt icy cold as Sho gently ran his hand on Masaki’s arm...

That night, Sho couldn’t sleep. He was too anxious about tomorrow and the future ahead for him and Masaki. It pushed away all possible feelings of tiredness from his body, making him feel more awake than in the morning. He worried about his brother’s biological father winning this court case, and almost threw up when he remembered Masaki’s broken body. But what worried him more was Masaki. He never showed any signs of positive thinking that, surprisingly, he skipped out of dinner today. It was unusual for him to miss dinner since food was his forte.

Sho was in too much of a deep thought to notice that something entered his blankets. He didn’t react to it until he felt long arms wrap around his waist.

“Wha-- Masaki?” As he was about to reach for the light switch, his brother pulled him down. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing, Sho-nii... Can I sleep here tonight?”

“Of course you can,” He approved right away. “You’re always welcome here, so you really didn’t have to ask me.”

“I know,” Masaki mumbled quietly against his shirt. “Thank you, Sho-nii...”

It didn’t take long before Masaki was already asleep. He felt his brother’s chest slowly rise up and down as he produced long breaths. Somehow, this comforted Sho because the next thing he knew, he woke up the following morning feeling a bit better than yesterday. And to top it of, Masaki smiled again as soon as he woke up.

TBC