[Rescue Fire/Gaia fusion] For Tatsuya

[hotshotlightning]

He wasn't going to pace. He was going to wait patiently for Tatsuya to arrive, not give in to nerves before he'd even got there. So what if they had a lot to talk about, that was no reason to be nervous.

Yeah, right. They had over ten years worth of stuff to catch up on and it wasn't exactly all sunshine and rainbows.

He glanced down at his watch and sighed. Come on, Tatsuya.

Comments

[hotshotlightning]

Katsumi rolled his eyes; he knew what that reaction meant.

"I will. Then you can try and get the same day."

[fire1]

"What's up with you?" Tatsuya shook Katsumi's shoulder, but got over it quickly and began wiping up little milkshake puddles with a napkin.

[hotshotlightning]

"Nothing's wrong."

Grabbing another napkin he started wiping up stray bits of ketchup and salt, tossing the balled up tissue onto the tray when he was done.

[fire1]

"You need to have more fun." Tatsuya tried to throw his napkin into a nearby bin, and missed; forcing him to get up and put it in properly.

[hotshotlightning]

"I have fun!" he protested, waiting until Tatsuya was back before flicking another napkin at his forehead.

[fire1]

"Hey!" Tatsuya threw an empty ketchup packet at Katsumi; but then smiled again, "I really really missed you."

[hotshotlightning]

Katsumi wiped the drops of ketchup off his cheek in mild annoyance, but the frown didn't last long. He could never really stay annoyed with Tatsuya, after all.

"I missed you, too."

[fire1]

Tatsuya went to get a napkin for him, and scrubbed furiously at Katsumi's cheek, "We're not gonna separated again, right?"

[hotshotlightning]

Katsumi leant back reflexively as Tatsuya attacked his face in the name of cleaning. He wasn't five anymore, he could wipe off his own damn face.

"Not a chance." They were both adults now, anyone trying to separate him from his family again would have one hell of a fight on their hands.

[fire1]

Tatsuya shifted his seat right up next to Katsumi's. His lips drew into a little pout, "I guess you're right ... it's not fair that we were kept apart."

[hotshotlightning]

Oh, now he came to that conclusion. Of course.

"Nope." Not that there was anything he could do to change that now. And at least he had his brother back, that was the important thing.

He bumped Tatsuya's shoulder with his own. "We're not anymore, though."

[fire1]

Tatsuya had been holding back on trying to hug Katsumi since that made Katsumi flustered and uptight; but he could stand it no longer and threw his arms around his brother, "Right! We'll always be together."

[hotshotlightning]

"In public," he hissed, tensing reflexively but not making any move to push Tatsuya off him, in spite of how embarrassing it was.

[fire1]

"Right, right." Tatsuya clapped his hand on Katsumi's shoulder and let go, but reluctantly.

[hotshotlightning]

Why did he feel cooler all of a sudden? That was just ridiculous.

"We done?" he asked, gesturing at the tray. He had no idea where to go next but they'd come up with something.

[fire1]

"Yeah." Tatsuya put it in one of the tray holders and then went over to join his brother, "what're you doing? Do you have to go back yet?"

[hotshotlightning]

"Not yet," Katsumi replied, automatically checking his watch. "I've got some time yet. Anywhere you want to go?"

[fire1]

Tatsuya thought for a moment, then said brightly "The arcade! It's open till 2am!" He pulled on Katsumi's hand excitedly.

[hotshotlightning]

With what was most definitely not a yelp, Katsumi found himself being dragged outside enthusiastically.

"You don't need to dislocate my shoulder you know. I'm coming already."

[fire1]

Tatsuya chattered all down the road about high scores and favourite games. He seemed to run out of steam as they neared the arcade itself; and finally admitted "I haven't really told anyone about you yet. They'd think it was ... strange."

[hotshotlightning]

"Oh please. Like I'm not going to wipe the floor with you on those."

He went still as Tatsuya admitted that last. "I haven't really talked about it either."

How did you talk about something like this, though?

[fire1]

Tatsuya frowned, "yeah ... everyone at work has noticed something's up with me, but I didn't know what to say. Sorry." He realised what this might sound like to Katsumi, and his face paled, "I just mean it's awkward ... It's not like I'm embarrassed about you."

[hotshotlightning]

Katsumi's eyebrows rose slightly at that, pointedly ignoring the small stab of hurt the comment had produced. "Stop digging yourself in deeper," he suggested. "But I know what you mean."

He didn't actually think many people had noticed with him, but he was a lot more used to being closed off than Tatsuya was.

[fire1]

"No, really-" Tatsuya began but then broke off. He petted Katsumi's arm, though with more hesitation than usual, "It's just difficult, you know?"

[hotshotlightning]

"Yeah," Katsumi agreed after a moment, taking a breath before replying. "Yeah, I know."

It wouldn't surprise him if certain people on base started prodding to get answers but he didn't have to deal with that yet. "We'll have to talk about it some time, though."