- Escaping the Rift -

[__N o v i.S n o w]

Sinclair didnâ??t move an inch that night. He was as still as a statue. However, his dreams were anything but the way his peaceful form might have suggested. Darkness shrouded his distraught mind as a fleeting image of his mother appeared before him. She was standing at the front door of some familiar house screaming something. Her voice was inaudible, but Sinclair could tell she was yelling from the expression upon her face and how wide her mouth opened. Then he appearedâ?¦.out of all the things she could have been screaming at, it was a younger version of him. Why was she creaming though? What was she saying? It was then that small pieces of the background began to piece themselves together like a puzzle. A street manifested and then there was a strange man standing beside his mother. Sinclair drifted closer to the scene before him, straining his eyes to get a better look at the man who wasnâ??t Halloway. Before he got too close to see the man, his motherâ??s voice suddenly turned on. It was loud....reallyâ?¦so loud that if it werenâ??t for the movements of her mouth he wouldnâ??t have been able to make out what she had said. â??What out Ruiza!â?? she screamed. Sinclair gazed back at his smaller self as a van screeched to a halt before him â?? and then there was darkness.

The floor shattered beneath him, and Sinclair fell into the dark abyss. He could still hear his motherâ??s voice ringing throughout his mind as his body continued to fall through the nothingness of his mind. Other voices started to chime in as well. He could hear a kid crying for his familyâ?¦and men telling him to â??shut the hell up!â?? Their voices were gruffâ?¦demandingâ?¦scary to the child. Sinclair finally stopped falling, and ironically started floating above the scene. It was the small boy again. He was curled up in the back of a utility van, in the fetal position rocking back and forth whining loudly. The van started to swerve from side to side the sound of sirens following behind the truck. The whining got louder as he slid around in the back of the van, his exposed arms and legs becoming bruised and scarred from random tools. Suddenly Sinclair felt as if he were in that moment whining for his family. His body went flying toward the bottom of the front seats and as he took a deep breath to scream, a sharp pain stopped him completely â?? and then there was a voice. Loud...raspy...out of breath but still able to hold a note.

â??RUIIIIIZA!â?? a gentler voice shattered the darknessâ?¦.a bright light casting in his brown eyes. â??Sinclairâ?¦.Sinclair wake-upâ?¦' tired eyes fluttered open with a quickness, a sudden breath of air escaping the older maleâ?¦ he retracted his arms from the blonde as he rolled over onto his back. Sitting up followed after, as his quick breath began to regulate. Slender fingers grazed his cheeks as he ran his fingers through his hair trying to make sense of his chaotic dream. â??Ruizaâ?¦.â? He whispered to himself, his voice almost inaudible as he took his left hand wiping away stray tears he hadnâ??t even known heâ??d shed until they reached the corners of his pale lips. â??Motherâ?¦.â? He murmured, his voice slightly louder, just enough that Kazuye would be able to hear him. What was happening to him? Why such a dream? What did it mean? Why was he all of a sudden so emotional over his motherâ??s absence?

Sinclair pushed himself up from the bed wandering over to the balcony doors. He slammed his fist onto the glass door. If it had not been for the glass being so thick, it would have shattered instantaneously. Brown eyes looked out on the ocean view nostalgically. â??Tell me something kidâ?¦why do you call me Ruiza?â? he questioned that name suddenly haunting his brain now. Perhaps it was just mixed events that caused the dream. He wasnâ??t having a good day yesterday with the arrival of his toy and all, arousing such emotions from the past and calling him foreign namesâ?¦. That had to be itâ?¦ nothing more. Nothing moreâ?¦ For some reason though, he didnâ??t take back the question as he wanted to know. There seemed to be a large gap in his childhood. All he remembered was waking up in a hospital bed at the age of seven, with bruises all over his bodyâ?¦. That marked the first day of the rest of his lifeâ?¦.before the hospital he remember nothing elseâ?¦ Perhaps Kazuye could be the key to unleashing the gap in his past.

 

[B I T T E R Anodyne]

Kazuye froze, surprise at the sudden movement, staring into brown eyes which seemed almost alarmed. What had happened? Sinclair seemedâ?¦seemed to bit tensed in his sleep, but the sudden awareness was startling. Silent, the blond Japanese waited, a habit from a long time ago, waiting for his brother to calm down and maybe share what had happened. A nightmare? Maybeâ?¦ He blinked, wide awake now, watching with curious, but worried eyes. â??Are you alrightâ?¦?â? The blondâ??s voice was soft, chocolate optics watching, waiting for him to stay something.

Lips moved, and he couldnâ??t quite hear what had been said, head cocked to the side for a moment, before catching sight of something that shimmered at the corners of his brotherâ??s eyes and trickled down. Something shot through his chest, sympathy and concern, his body moving forward, hand reaching forward, wanting to brush away the tears. Mother? Eye brows furrowed, though they smoothed out soon, a soft look within his eyes, what about their motherâ?¦Did he rememberâ?¦? Swallowing, he waited for Sinclair to explain, if he would, the faint murmur. Or did he even know that he has spoken? The thought of her soft smile, like all mothers were, sacred to their child. Kazuyeâ??s chest tightened, would she be happy that he found her missing child? Or would be so disappointed that her youngest had succumbed to incestâ?¦?

He loved his brother so muchâ?¦ But it was wrong, he should have fought him off! His body tensed, curling up to tuck his chins on his knees, watching his brother move away from the bed, but jolted when the fist came down harshly on the glass. Swallowing, he was frustratedâ?¦ The question rang in his ears, before a soft pregnant pause. Getting up, he was sure to wrap the blanket around his waist, hair falling to his shoulders before moving closer towards Sinclair, stopping a feet away from the other. â??Itâ??s your name. Itâ??s my missing brotherâ??s name.â? His voice was soft, â??I was six, a long time agoâ?¦ But I remember when you went missing. Or at leastâ?¦ Thatâ??s what mother said.â? Crossing his arms over his lower chest, toying with the hem of the barrier he had constructed, feeling still slightly modest around Sinclair.

â??Thoughâ?¦I heard...When I was awake, it was strange not having my older brother there, that he had been kidnapped. It was a childish vow, butâ?¦I would do anything to get Ruiza back.â? Looking up, the youngerâ??s eyes seem to hold a sort of wonder, as if a blind man seeing light again, a sort of awe that came with the silent respect of a younger sibling looking to an older. However, the gaze broke, and Kazuye looked away. â??Absolutely anythingâ?¦â? A soft murmur, almost as an afterthought.

Still, this man that stood before him, could he really be Ruiza? His brother would never do any of this to him, though, there was a feeling, that it was... "I will make you remember." A low sound to himself, before turning away from the window, his back to Sinclair. "Do you want to know anything else?"

 

[__N o v i.S n o w]

Sinclair was far from alright. His mind and body was swirling with such emotions he hadnâ??t feltâ?¦.since he was a child. And nowâ?¦.suddenly because of some kidâ?¦.such feelings have resurfaced causing him a pain deep inside heâ??d hoped heâ??d buried permanently as a child. Brown eyes widened as he listened to Kazuyeâ??s story. So, the male really believed that they were brothersâ?¦so much so that he would tell him such a story. Was it a beliefâ?¦.or just an act his father put him up to as a cruel joke to play on his emotions? He wasnâ??t quite sure, and the thought of his father doing such a thing rooted itself deep within the brunetteâ??s mindâ?¦.and suddenly he found himself skeptical of the other.

â??Soâ?¦I was supposedly kidnappedâ?¦â? he said to the other shaking his head slightly. There was a part of Sinclair that wanted to believe the tale and another that just couldnâ??t. He found the story to be somewhat absurd especially since none of it connected with his life at all. There was a large gap in his childhood, but his father filled it somewhat. He had said his mother died when he was very young â?¦.in a car accident to be precise. It so happened that Sinclair was in the car and well he had gotten a concussion explaining his memory lossâ?¦.the accident explaining the hospital and bruises. â??Impossibleâ?¦â? Sinclair murmured as he looked back at Kazuye. â??I was adoptedâ?¦.because my mother died so early in my lifeâ?¦.â? He said walking passed the other, crossing the room running frustrated fingers through short brown strands.

â??He was close to my motherâ?¦.and took me in as his ownâ??â?? before he could finish his sentence there was a knock at his doorâ?¦.snapping him out of his sudden nostalgia. Dressed in just his boxers, Sinclair sauntered across is large room unlocking the door and opening it. To his surprise on the other side was Deleanore. She was beaming bright with happiness as she nearly glomp tackled the tall male unto the floor. Catching his balance he sighed pushing the female back, in no mood for any games. â??Whatâ??s the deal?â? he questioned. â??Wellâ?¦.I realized last night that I do want to marry you andâ?¦well I want to do it as soon as possible. A small grin curved the maleâ??s lips as he looked her up and down. The look in her eyes read something of fearâ?¦.but it was also mixed with something else, deluding his sudden assumption. He just shrugged his shoulders at her and sighed. â??Whateverâ?¦I suppose itâ??s inevitable that our fathersâ?? companies join togetherâ?¦â? he said before turning away from her. â??W-waitâ?¦can we talk?â? she questioned. â??Laterâ?¦Iâ??m dealing with something more importantâ?¦â? he said to the woman before he shut the door and turned to approach Kazuye.

â??Well it looks as if Iâ??ll be getting married for sure nowâ?¦.â? He said to the blonde. â??Ah wellâ?¦Iâ??ll still have plenty of room in my life for you.â? He said with a perverted like grin. â??I donâ??t know what you mean about this whole remembering crap butâ?¦you can tell me more of this story after breakfast once I have some food in my stomach.â? He said with a nod of his head, seemingly already over his nightmareâ?¦.and all that heâ??d seen inside of it.

â??Goâ?¦put your clothes onâ?¦go back to your room shower and stuff and meet me downstairs in the kitchen for breakfast.â? He told Kazuye as he wandered across his room once more to his walk-in closet where he proceeded to gather some clothes.

 

[B I T T E R Anodyne]

The blond male wasnâ??t quite sure that Sinclair would believe him; his story, even to him, seemed a bit far fetched, but what else could he do besides tell the truth? Swallowing, would he believe him? Still, Ruiza used to laugh off his stories, calling them tall tales. Still, he had been a kid, what were you to expect out of him? It was easy to add more, enhance the truth so it wasnâ??t the truth anymore. But he wasnâ??t a kid; seventeen years old should count for something! Kazyue didnâ??t liesâ?¦Not like those anyways, anymore.

Nodding his head, though he just looked silently, out through both eyes, though one side was covered in a veil of hair. Blinking, he just watched, and waited, head on his knees, blanket covering his lower abdomen and below for modesty. â??Mom wasnâ??t dead. At least, physically she wasnâ??t at the time when you vanished off the face of the earth.â? Recalling how heartbroken she had been, the nights where he couldnâ??t sleep because of the sniffles that he had heard over his own, it had been so lonelyâ?¦ Knowing that Ruizya wasnâ??t dead, he couldnâ??t beâ?¦Wouldnâ??t be, after all, being close as they were, wouldnâ??t he feel something? He was justâ?¦missing. And that was that. They couldnâ??t find hid nor hair, though Kazye swore to himself, a prayer at every night that he would find his older brother.

Funny that when he did, Ruizya didnâ??t remember and had evenâ?¦raped him. Surely, his brother wouldnâ??t do such a thing? But he knew, inside his gut, that thisâ?¦ This person, man that stood in front of him, was his brother. Swallowing, clutching the blankets tighter, â??Iâ??ve never heard-â?? His voice mingling with Sinclairâ??s own, though both were silenced by knocks on the door. Clutching the covers till his knuckles turned while, a wave of fear and nervousness crept over the younger male. Who was that? Sinclair answered the door, all Kazuye wanted to do was curl up and hide from the person who had bothered. Realizing he was quite naked under his sheet didnâ??t make things any better. It was fine when they were little, butâ?¦

But listening in on the conversation was even more confusing. What? From the sound of the voice, it was female. Deleanoreâ?¦? Marry? What? His head buzzing with the news, Kazuye missed when Sinclair dismissed her, wrapped up with his thoughts at the moment. Still, a frown on his face, though it seemed to curl into a small snarl, eyes flashing, â??Iâ??m not into cheating.â? He replied stiffly, not missing the lavicious look on the maleâ??s face. Silent, he nodded his head, before getting off the bed, clutching the sheet, before, grabbing his clothes, turning around to change, still shy.

Yet as his left the otherâ??s room, a soft click he stood outside for a moment, paused, before rushing to his room, red faced. What was he doing, slamming open his door, dashing into the washroom, he flew into the shower, with his clothing still on, and turning the water on cold. Standing in the freezing water, eyes closed, he gasped, shivering, but why wouldnâ??t this ache go away? It wasnâ??t right, he was his brotherâ?¦! Finally stripping out of his soaking wet clothing, he tossed them onto the lid of the toilet, standing in the jet. When he couldnâ??t feel his fingertips, Kazuye chained the flow to a warmer temperature. A sighâ?¦ Whyâ?¦Whyâ?¦

Wrapping a hand around his stiffening erection, pictures flittering past his vision, pumping, soft moans. His head leaning against the wall of the stall, blond hair plastered to his face, hot pants. â??Nhnâ?¦â? This was so wrongâ?¦! He shouldnâ??t be doing thisâ?¦shouldnâ??tâ?¦ â??Sinâ?¦clairâ?¦!â? Rough and soft touches in his mind, as he came, though the water quickly erased the traces of his misdemeanour as Kazuye stood in the spray for a while longer, before turning off the water and stepping out to change.
Headphones, check.

Slipping on a pullover and a pair of loose jeans, the blond headed out of his room, toweling his hair dry.

 

[__N o v i.S n o w]

â??Well technically it wouldnâ??t be cheatingâ?¦just a really open marriage until I can find a way into weaseling out of itâ?¦.â?? He laughed at the otherâ??s comment about cheating, and his thoughts toward it. However he kept his mental joke to himself as he watched the other rush to put his clothes on and then scurry on out of his room. Kazuye was such a cutieâ?¦.still trying hide, even though Sinclair had seen everything to the point where there was no need for such shyness. Very soon that mentality of his would be changed, though.

The kidâ??s story was pretty far fetchedâ?¦ but he supposed it filled in the gap his memory was lacking. However, it was still unbelievable and therefore not an option of what happened to him. With a sigh Sinclair finished gathering up his clothes and headed into his private bathroom where he proceeded to shower. His shower was quick as he was in dire need of food and not in the mood to wait to eat. Not only that, he was curious as to what other tall tales the other would tell him. He even contemplated after hearing the tales and ask his fathers questions about his lifeâ?¦.Perhaps if all that the male had been saying was the truth thenâ?¦he would be able to trip his father up in a lie. Wellâ?¦foster fatherâ?¦.that much he mustered up from his featuresâ?¦never had he seen a person with just their motherâ??s looksâ?¦everâ?¦there had to be something of their father presentâ?¦and he saw none of himself in his father.

Once Sinclair was dry, he dressed in casual cargo shorts, and a white tank top. Something he wasnâ??t really accustomed to wearingâ?¦.but nothing else in his wardrobe really fit his laid back mood. He felt so awkward in his clothes; he probably even looked a bit out of place. Just as he was headed out his room and down the hall so was Kazuye. Ah what a perfect opportunity to finish their little conversation. But perhaps he should start it off on a different noteâ?¦.now that he was out of the shower and just a bit more relaxedâ?¦.he found himself not entirely interested in their earlier conversation just yet. He approached the other male standing right in his way so he couldnâ??t go any further. â??Soâ?¦.â? The male began.

â??Still upset about the me getting married thing?â? he said referring to the otherâ??s disapproval of cheating. â??The marriage will either go on and end with disaster after a good month or twoâ?¦or it wonâ??t. Hopefully, with a little persuasive talking sheâ??ll build up the courage or anger to call it offâ?¦ I know she doesnâ??t want to wed me, and she knows I can care less for herâ?¦â? he goes on as he reaches out, placing a warm palm to the otherâ??s cheek. He sighs softly moving closer to the smaller male pulling back the towel leaning for a kiss. Instead of capturing the younger maleâ??s lips, he instead places a kiss upon his cheek.

â??So donâ??t worry too much about me getting marriedâ?¦Iâ??m still all yoursâ?¦â? he whispers into the otherâ??s ear. He felt a little aroused from the simple action of being so close to the otherâ?¦.and he suddenly craved to have his body beneath him one more time. Butâ?¦perhaps a little later when he can think of something creative to do with him. Simple sex was often boring to the other, and the only reason their first encounter went by so smoothly was because wellâ?¦.it was non consensualâ?¦.and the rush of taking what belonged to him was just too good.

 

[B I T T E R Anodyne]

Kazuye almost bolted upright, startled suddenly by his brotherâ??s voice, seeing feet instead of face for a moment. Turning slightly red, recalling what he had done in the washroom, the younger didnâ??t want to meet the olderâ??s eyes, at least, without getting a burning feeling at the back of his neck and probably dying of embarrassment. Still, Sinclair would notice something was wrong, and most likely prod it out of him, and that would have been even worth. Looking up with questioning brown eyes, his lips pursed, the blondâ??s true outlook on the situation becoming apparent, disapproving, though he quickly tried to backtrack from that.

Looking back at his brother, crossing one of his arms over his lower stomach, raising an eyebrow, which disappeared into the fluffy, white towel. Now that was confusing, if she didnâ??t want to wed him, then why push it? Eyebrows furrowing in confusion, he shook his head, was this another game to the rich? Maybe, he didnâ??t quite recall if Sinclair had said something about it, but it didnâ??t matter, but something warm moved to brush against his cheek, recalling the maleâ??s attention back to his brotherâ??s, blinking in slight confusion. His breath caught in his throat, watching as the male moved closer, eyes squeezed shut, whole body tensed.

Nothing?

Instead of the peck on the lips, it was on his cheek. Eyes fluttered wide, chocolate optics blinking, before blushing red, â??W-who wants a playboy like you?â? The words slipped through his lips, embarrassed comeback, snapping out, wanting to take a step back, but the little breath play was enough to keep Kazuye rooted to the spot. Swallowing, fingers gripping his white towel tightly in between his fingers, darting side to side, almost like an animal cornered.

â??Well, it would be nice to have some breakfast.â? He spoke, slightly weirded out by theâ?¦aura? That the blockade was excluding, like he was about to be eaten, â??Waffles with syrup and whip cream is my favourite.â? Oh, what heavily dish was ever created than that; he nearly drooled thinking of the yummy meal. And maybe changing the topic would help a bitâ?¦?

 

[__N o v i.S n o w]

Perhaps it was a little game his father enjoyed watching him play. At times, he felt as if he were nothing more than a pawn to his father to move around the board of life as he saw fit. Sinclair didn't mind nor care... The game was fun...and he enjoyed his role in them. Besides...without such a guidance...there would be nothing else for the male to do. He had graduated...working was out of the question, and being surrounded by the mansion's group of maids didn't sound too desirable. They were all so...bubbly at times. Too much for him. He grins at the other's comment, licking his lips slowly. "You do..." he says poking the other in his chest softly. Taking a couple steps away from Kazuye he yawned and stretched. "Hmm...breakfast does sound alright...I did say I was hungry...well off to the kitchen we go." he says as he turns away from the blonde and starts to make his way down the hall.

"Sinclair!!!" before the elder blonde could even close the gap between him and the entrance of the kitchen he was nearly tackled to the floor by Asia. He caught his footing by allowing himself to fall into a nearby wall, nearly knocking down a vase...that looked rather expensive. "You're getting married... I'm so proud of you...and sad at the same time... I won't get to be so friendly with you anymore..." she whines, her fingers gently caressing the back of his neck before running through his hair. "And a good morning to you as well Ms Asia...I see you are as busty as usual..." he comments, a deep blush upon his cheeks as her chest pressed into his. "You know....I grow weary of your immature exterior whenever Master Sinclair is present..." Mr. Himura comments as she grabs Asia by her long ponytail. "We have things to do in the kitchen..." the woman continues on as she looks over to Sinclair. "Good morning Master Sinclair... Morning Master Kazuye..." she says with a warm smile to the both of them.

Asia manages to pry her ear from the woman's grip groaning softly in pain. "Witch..." she murmurs under her breath. "So...what brings you two, to the kitchen Master?" Himura questions looking at the both males. "Breakfast...duh..." Asia snaps at the woman. Walking toward the two males she stands between them and loops her arms around theirs pulling them into the kitchen with her. Himura just sighs following after, returning to her duties. She was sure, Asia could prepare whatever the two wanted while her and the others clean the rest of the mess the party left the night before. Once Asia was done tugging them over to the fridge and pantry, she released their arms to stand before them. "So...what is it that you want for breakfast?" she questions. "I'll take some pancakes.....you know how many..." Sinclair says running his fingers through his short bangs. "And you, Kazuye?"

 

[B I T T E R Anodyne]

Flustered, Kazuye looked like he wanted to say something, to retaliate, he didnâ??t want his brother! Still, nothing came to mind, and nothing came from his mouth; but grace was saved when Sinclair suggested the morning meal, following, or trailing the older male, still embarrassed by the accusation. Still, a cry of the other maleâ??s name made the other look up, and watched as Asia went flying, being tackled by the maid seemedâ?¦not fun. At least, being smothered into a wall didnâ??t seem like much fun. But itâ?¦lookedâ?¦so funny! Giggling to himself, hiding behind his hand, before Asia congratulated him on getting married, brown eyes narrowed down, that topic again. It was a happy time, marriages were supposed to be happy. Then why did the blond feel so cold on the inside?

Still, laughter, â??as busty as everâ??? Holding onto his stomach, he laughed, â??Ow, ow, owâ?¦â? Coughing, he smiled at Mrs. Himura, nodding his head. â??Good morning, Mrs. Himura.â? His cheerfulness restored, he moved closer towards them, though he did stumble slightly when Asiaâ??s arm wrapped around his, tugging him into the kitchen with Sinclair. At least he didnâ??t get the tackle greeting for a morning gesture; he liked his spine intact.

Looking at the fridge, â??Waffles.â? He wasnâ??t much of a pancake person; waffles were the way to go. â??Have you eaten?â? He inquired what time was it? It was odd having someone ask what he wanted for breakfast, Kazuye usually made his own. It seemed ratherâ?¦odd, now asking people, having maids? Well, he was here. â??Umâ?¦â? How many? â??Iâ??ll have threeâ?¦? Thanks.â?