Archive of Our Own ^beta

Hibiki was only a couple years younger than his brother and while they were close, he couldn't understand the older boy sometimes. He supposed it had began when his brother was nine, nearly ten, and he had just turned eight. It was when their cousin Naoya, fourteen at the time, had lost his parents in a car crash and started living with them.

He didn't mind having another older brother but he didn't count how Naoya's presence would create a small rift between Kazuya and himself. He didn't notice it during the few times the family got together but when the three of them started living together, Hibiki noticed how his brother changed. They still played and had a good relationship, better even than before though it only lasts until Naoya began to shower affection on Hibiki that Kazuya seemed to act different. 

The first time it happened, Hibiki didn't think much of it. Naoya had brought home a box of chocolates during Valentine's Day, "it came from idiots" he claimed and divided the chocolates between the three of them. It wasn't a surprise that both younger boys finished their chocolates in no time but it was Hibiki who asked if there were any more. Naoya had given him a smile and gave him three pieces from his share.

"My, I didn't realise you had a sweet tooth, Hibiki. Next time, I'll get you some more." Naoya told him as he patted the young boy's head.

The phone rang and Naoya went to answer it, leaving Hibiki to munch on chocolates by himself until Kazuya appeared. It had been fast that Hibiki barely registered it. Kazuya had snatched the chocolate from him and left without a word, stomping as he did.

The next day, Kazuya gave him a bar of chocolate and said, "I'm sorry about last night. I didn't mean to but don't get any more chocolate from nii-san, just get them from me!"

Hibiki thought it was because Kazuya was jealous that he was getting closer with Naoya and so he said, "Don't worry, Kazu-nii, you're still the brother I love most!"

A while later, Hibiki realised to an extent how naive his thinking was. When he was ten, if anyone asked him to describe Kazuya, Hibiki would have answered a ragdoll cat. There were more times than not when he caught his brother on Naoya's lap, using it as a pillow or sitting on it like a house cat. When Naoya would work on his laptop on the floor, nine out of ten times, Hibiki saw Kazuya's head resting on their cousin's lap. It was worse during the winter season or whenever the temperature dropped because Kazuya would snuggle against Naoya and not leave until he got fed up, which had yet to happen.

Daichi had stayed over one afternoon when their play time had been interrupted by the rain. It was as they were playing versus on Street Fighter EX2 Plus that Daichi made a comment.

"You're brother's like my Mom's cat."

Apparently Naoya had heard it and found it funny to give Kazuya a pair of strange headphones that looked like cat ears for his birthday. By then, Hibiki wasn't so naive and only shook his head when Kazuya wouldn't remove the damn things after Naoya placed them on him.

Sometimes Hibiki thought his brother had no friends because he followed Naoya most of the time but he remembered that Kazuya had one childhood friend, Atsuro, who claimed to be Naoya's student. Though Naoya didn't mind Atsuro's enthusiasm, he denied having any students. May be that was why he and Kazuya were still friends because Hibiki knew his brother would flip if Naoya took Atsuro as his student.

"Do you think Kazu-nii is into you?" Hibiki asked out of the blue when Kazuya was in the bath and he was alone with Naoya in the living room.

Naoya laughed, "What made you say that?"

"Nao-nii, it's obvious it hurts." Hibiki answered, opening a bag of chips. "He has that pretty girl, Yuzu chasing him around but he doesn't notice her. Instead, he's chasing you around."

"I suppose Kazuya may hold me in high regard." Naoya chuckled, "But it's mere brotherly admiration."

Hibiki snorted, "Sure it is."

Once again, Naoya chuckled. "This is why I'm fond of you, Hibiki. You're quite perceptive for your age. Well, the both of you are. The both of you should be careful, perceptive you may be but naive still. Ah, like a rabbit."

"I don't want funky headphones like Kazu-nii if that's what you're thinking." Hibiki deadpanned then added, "He wears those things even during PE classes and people call him a cool catboy."

"I may have foreseen such an outcome but I never thought it would come true." Naoya shrugged, "It's too late to stop him now."

"He's ventured too far in the rabbit hole." Hibiki joked just as Kazuya came out of the bathroom and threw a damp towel at him.

"Your turn, Hibiki." Kazuya said and sat near Naoya.

Hibiki rolled his eyes when Naoya complied to help dry Kazuya's hair with the towel. Naoya knew and spoiled their brother. May be the feelings were mutual, Hibiki had thought to himself and didn't find the thought strange afterall, living with someone as eccentric as Naoya would change your perception in life.

A year later, when Hibiki was fourteen, Naoya left to live on his own. It was sudden and Kazuya looked halfway towards death the day Naoya moved out. It was a quick parting, so very Naoya. He had given each of them a parcel, bid farewell and left for the train station. Hibiki had been shocked but he was more worried about his brother than anything.

"You know, Nao-nii is just a train away." He told his near lifeless brother. "Besides, did you really think he would stay here forever?"

"B-But..."

"You and I both know Nao-nii isn't the type to live with others. And he may have just been staying around until he was sure we could handle ourselves since Mom and Dad are usually not around. I'm at the last year of middle school and you're a sophomore in high school. If you think about it, he could've left a year ago."

"Do you think Naoya left 'cause he has a girlfriend?"

Hibiki scowled, "That's not even the point here. And I doubt it, with the way how you stuck around him, girls had no opening. Look, Kazu-nii, look at it this way. Once you're legal, you can go live with him or something."

It was meant to be joke and not to be taken seriously but the next weekend, Hibiki came home to see his brother leaving the house with a weekend bag.

"Where are you going?" Hibiki asked as he watched his brother put on his shoes.

"Naoya's." Kazuya answered with a bright smile, "Thanks, Hibiki! If it weren't for your suggestion, I wouldn't know what to do. Since I'm still underaged and can't leave the house yet, I'll just sleepover during weekends."

"What."

"Don't worry. Next weekend, we can go together. And when I move out two years from now, you can come with me. We'll live closer to Naoya, too."

"Uh... okay...?" Hibiki answered, at a loss of words because his brother was impossible sometimes. It was amazing how composed and almost like a different person he was with his friends, rarely talking about Naoya and sometimes acting indifferent.

"I made you dinner and breakfast, just heat it up and tomorrow. I'll see you on Monday!"

"Wait, don't you have school tomorrow?" Hibiki asked but Kazuya just shrugged and left with a big smile on his face.

"Ah, this family." Hibiki shook his head and entered the house.

Though he sometimes complained of having a strange older brother, the next summer, Hibiki had wanted nothing but both his brothers alive and back. Naoya had invited them out along with Kazuya's friends but Hibiki had turned him down because he had another appointment but promised to follow as soon as he could. He never did because that earthquake happened and sealed off the Yamanote circle along with both his brothers.

He worried for them but at the same time knew they were alive. He didn't know what was going on inside the circle but he knew they were alive, he just didn't know for how long. A week had passed and suddenly, the seal was lifted and Hibiki met his brothers when they came home. Something was different, though but he couldn't place it.

Kazuya embraced him and Naoya petted him.

"So you still wear that old thing?" Naoya commented at Hibiki's hooded jacket with long rabbit ears.

"I was feeling lonely so..." Hibiki looked down and chased the thoughts of fear away.

"Hey, we're back. Don't look so sad." Kazuya told him with a smile but to Hibiki it looked different.

"Still a kid, come on, I'll treat you two out for dinner." Naoya said and began to walk away, knowing both boys would follow him.

Later that same day when they had come home and Naoya had stayed over because his apartment was in shambles, Hibiki had the chance to be alone with his brother and asked about what happened.

"It's better if you didn't know." Kazuya said, a sad look on his face.

"But... you and Nao-nii... there's something different. I want to know what happened... it-it feels like the both of you are going to leave me and I'll be alone again!"

Kazuya looked at his brother and sighed after a long moment.

"Many things happened in there and I would tell you everything but not now. Someday, for sure, I will. And until then, just believe in me. I only survived that hell of a week because Naoya was there. Even though Yuzu and the others left because... I still continued to believe in Naoya and thanks to that, I'm standing right here infront of you. So, believe in both me and Naoya that we won't leave you."

He could see the truth of it in his brother's eyes that had once been so like his own. Now, they looked old and weary yet at the same time so powerful and strong as if there was a storm raging within. It was almost like Naoya's but wilder and more troubled.

"Can I just ask one thing, though?" 

"All right. What is it?"

"Was that... because of Nao-nii?" He pointed at his brother's eyes. "They're the most different part of you."

Kazuya looked down, "I'd cast away anything if Naoya says it. I know I'd be all right, though. Even if... I'll lose friends along the way, I still believe him. He wouldn't do anything that would fail us."

"Okay." Hibiki nodded but he didn't understand it. He didn't know what had happened but the days after that, he saw how some people avoided his brother on the street and looked at him with either unmatched fear or awe. He no longer saw Yuzu around either, instead it was usually Atsuro and two new friends: Kaido and Mari.

Hibiki didn't ask anymore and waited until either of his brothers would tell him but at the meantime, he began to wonder if he would still have believed in Naoya even at the cost of his friends and how the people saw him. He figured he couldn't do that, even if it was both Kazuya and Naoya telling him to. There was no way he could follow blindly like his brother.

Then another quake had happened while he was out with Daichi. He couldn't get a hold of either Kazuya or Naoya but knew that his parents were safe. It was hell, he had died then he could summon demons and demons began running amok... it was a mess and they were captured by JPs. It was then that he first met Yamato Houtsuin.

He was cold and calculating but Hibiki found trusting him to be far easier than anything. He didn't realise that he had come to find solace in Yamato's words until much later and when he told him to stand above the rest, Hibiki remembered the words his brother had once said but now understood them.

"Kazu-nii! Nao-nii!" Hibiki grinned the moment he saw his brothers. It had been a while since they saw each other, he just didn't have the time to look for them when hell was literally on earth.

"You look well." Naoya commented and rubbed his head. He chuckled, "I'm not surprised you're still wearing that old thing since Kazuya still refuses to remove his."

"I have this cleaned, you know. I'm not as bad as Kazu-nii." Hibiki teased with a grin. "I'm sorry I couldn't find you any sooner, it became really hectic--but I knew you two would make it... I mean, it happened once before, right?"

"It did." Naoya answered with a large smile.

Kazuya sighed, "But at that time, it was Naoya's doing."

"What?!" Hibiki gasped, eyes going wide. "Nao-nii?!"

"It was settled in the end thanks to Kazuya." Naoya shrugged, "Anyway, if you still want to know what happened a few years ago, we won't hold anything back now since you've seen reality for yourself."

Hibiki's eyes widened, he had always wanted to know the truth and finally, they were going to lay it all out on him.

"Yes! Yes, I would--" He was interrupted by a phone call which he quickly answered. After putting the call down, he looked at his brothers apologetically.

"I'm sorry... they said they needed me with something."

"It's all right. We understand." Kazuya smiled proudly and embraced his brother.

"You. I knew you would come out of this alive." Naoya said after the brothers had broke their hug. "So, don't end here, all right?"

"I won't." Hibiki said and had a small smile, "I found someone I could believe in, too.