Part 2 - Special Little Brother & Failed Big Brother Series

oOo

Chapter 1 - Stubborn

"Forgive me for calling you here at such short notice."

"I'm actually grateful, Captain Vangeance."

Finral was nervous and nearly sick to his stomach in worry. He couldn't sleep last night after receiving the message. Even Yami thought he was being overly dramatic for worrying. It wasn't every day that this happened, so of course he was nervous.

He knew that Vangeance could tell from his hesitation.

The two continued through the archway hall by the garden as Vangeance carried their conversation. "In any case, I wouldn't have called if it wasn't alarming. Although, I'm quite grateful that Yami could spare you at this time."

"It'll only be for a day or two." Finral answered. "I'm sure he can handle things without me."

"Yes," Vangeance chuckled. "I can see why he values you so much."

"Pardon?"

"Your magic is quite useful in terms of distance."

Finral flushed at the compliment, but relished it anyway. Not many people openly agreed that Spatial Magic was convenient. It was rare, but people still believed in power over precision. Finral tried to dismiss Vangeance's words, but Vangeance insisted it was true.

"It wasn't any trouble." Finral voiced. "I'm happy to be here despite the circumstances."

Vangeance smiled. "I'm glad to hear that."

Suddenly, they heard shouting.

Before they could turn the corner, several Golden Dawn members tumbled from the hall in a sprint. They looked ready to burst into tears that they barely acknowledged their Captain. They apologized for nearly bumping into the two of them as they made their quick exit. Vangeance frowned at this and Finral wondered what it had been about.

Although, he did have an inkling.

"Your brother has been a wonderful member of my squad." Vangeance declared. "However, his recent promotion has caused quite…" They heard more shouting. "…the uproar."

"He isn't usually like that." Finral defended.

"I know." He agreed. "This is why I called you specifically."

They turned the corner to see Langris, who was deathly sick, bear down on one of the new members of the Golden Dawn, who was unfortunate enough to be on active duty that day. The poor guy was getting yelled at as he held the paperwork assigned to Langris.

Vangeance made his displeasure known and turned his gaze to Finral, who in turn stared back at him and chuckled nervously.

They knew it was bad, but this was worse.

They watched Langris snatch the pile of paperwork from the newbie and continued to yell at him for being tardy. Vangeance took a step forward and made his presence known. Finral followed a few steps behind him because he wasn't sure how things ran in the Golden Dawn.

The newbie looked grateful though.

"Greetings." Vangeance cheerfully voiced. "Is everything well?"

Langris paused and stared at Vangeance.

Finral knew his brother had been surprised. He must truly be sick to not have noticed their mana. He eyed the way Langris struggled to hold the pile of paperwork over his arms. Finral fought the urge to go over to him and snatch the pile for himself. Doing so would cause another round of a shouting match, so Finral resorted to frowning, instead.

His brother looked awful.

Langris was pale and sickly as he wore his night clothes and cotton slippers. Finral was sure that a wind would blow him over if not for his stubbornness. "Everything is fine, Captain." Langris rasped as he carefully shot a glare at the newbie. "We were just discussing this one's… tardiness over the papers I asked for."

"I understand." Vangeance said. "If you'll excuse us?"

In one head gesture, he dismissed the poor Golden Dawn member and an awkward silence formed between the three of them.

Suddenly, Langris eyes darted to Finral.

His jaw squared in annoyance, but he couldn't fully react in front of Vangeance. He was already sure that his Captain was disappointed in him and he didn't need another reason to get on his bad side. Instead, Langris turned away from Finral and softened his gaze when it returned back to Vangeance.

"Captain?" He asked.

"I'm putting you on temporary leave." Vangeance declared. Before Langris could protest, he continued. "I appreciate all the things you've done so far for this squad, Langris, but pushing yourself to the brink of exhaustion isn't something I'm willing to overlook."

Langris grimaced at how true that was.

Vangeance gestured to Finral. "I called your brother to see that you take this time to rest. I hope this arrangement will be fine with you."

Finral awkwardly raised his hand and waved when Langris turned his eyes on him. It was a foolish attempt to solidify Vangeance's statement. Langris faked a smile. "I'm grateful for the concern, Captain Vangeance, truly."

Finral knew better than to believe that.

If Vangeance suspected a disagreement between them, he didn't say.

He turned to Finral and smiled. "Thank you again for coming." Then he turned to Langris. "I hope you get some rest and feel better soon, Langris. Those papers can wait. I want you fully healed in a couple of days."

With that, he left the two brothers alone.

Langris grumbled his annoyance and went inside his room. Finral didn't dare follow until Langris yelled from inside. "Are you expecting an invitation or not? Get in here before I close the door on you!" Finral hurried after him and closed the door. Langris sorted the papers on his desk and didn't bother looking at his brother.

"What?" Langris asked. "Don't have any bags?"

"It's back at base. I'll get them later." Finral absently said. "How did you get sick?"

"You're asking that now?" He grumbled. "Isn't that obvious?"

Fair point. "You should rest, Langris."

"Unlike you, I have work to do." He said as he wobbled on his feet. "Being vice-captain added several more responsibilities than being a Senior Magic Knight. I have no time to sit idle."

As soon as Langris pulled the chair to sit down, Finral opened up a portal over the chair. Langris fell back and found himself deposited on the bed. He grimaced as he lay there, staring at the portal magic slowly disappearing.

He raised his head to growl, "I hate it when you do that."

Finral thought, "You used to be grateful when I ported you to places."

Langris slowly moved to sit up. The moment he placed his foot off the edge of the bed, Finral moved in to block him. Slowly, Langris looked up with a murderous glare. "How bold of you, Brother." Finral paled at that statement and eased back. He was glad that Langris remained where he was.

"You need to rest." Finral said. "You shouldn't be tiring yourself out."

"You do see the work piled on my desk, right?"

"I do." He answered. "But it can wait until you feel better—"

"No, it can't."

"Why not?"

"You don't get it." Langris gave him a sardonic smile. "Your squad doesn't get a flood of new members each year. I have to deal with that and assign missions to people and read their reports. You don't understand how much time and work it takes to get through one alone."

"Of course I get it, Langris." Finral dejectedly voiced. "The Black Bulls may be a small squad, but what I do isn't that much different from your work."

"Just because you act like the vice-captain, doesn't mean you are. You can't compare your menial work to mine."

Alright, that stung.

Finral chose to drop the argument. There was no use agitating him while he was sick. He had never experienced this situation with Langris before. His little brother had always been far healthier than him. Luckily, Finral knew how to take care of sick people and moody ones.

He watched and waited to see what Langris would do.

Should Langris try and get off the bed, Finral had an idea to keep porting him back until one of them gave up. The silence between them made things awkward so Finral distracted himself by observing Langris' facial expression. It was contemplative, fuming, and slightly murderous.

"The paperwork." Langris suddenly voiced. "I'll do it later."

Finral's eyes widened. "Later?"

"I'd like to see you try and stop me."

"I suppose that's fine." He mumbled as he shifted on his feet. "A little work after some rest won't be much of a problem." He paused when Langris rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Is something wrong?"

Langris admitted, "I don't get why you should be here."

"Do you not want me here?"

"I told you I'm fine."

"That's not the answer." Finral gravely murmured. "I'm just here to look out for you."

"I don't need a minder, Brother."

It had been a couple of years since they had been at close proximity. The last had been when they still lived in the same mansion. Finral had been sure he could endure the stay, but he was beginning to doubt it. He reminded himself that it would only be for a day or two, depending on how fast Langris healed.

"Knowing you," Langris mumbled. "The moment I kick you out of this room, you'll just portal back in."

Finral blushed, "I knock first."

Langris hopelessly kicked his slippers off and turned away. He lay down and pulled the sheets over his shoulders. Finral awkwardly stood in the middle of the room as he stared at Langris' back. He might as well settle down too. He looked around the room and moved to the desk.

He picked one of the papers up.

Langris hissed, "Touch those, and I will end you! I said I'll do them later."

Finral dropped the paper out of respect for his little brother, but Langris wasn't having any of it. The moment he turned back to Finral and sat up, his eyes were furious. "Why are you even here?!" He growled. "I don't need you to feel any better! I can take care of myself."

"Like it or not," Finral pointed out. "Captain Vangeance called me."

"So if the Captain didn't call you, you'd never know?"

"Either way, I would still be worried."

Langris flushed at that. "Just don't touch anything."

Finral opened his mouth, but stopped when Langris lay down and raised his arm to cover his eyes. He was really worried about Langris, but he tried not to show it. If he did, he would be a panicking mess by now. He knew that Langris hated when he fussed, so he needed to be calm for both of them.

Silenced stretched between them.

Finral was never good at it, so he spoke his mind. "I know you don't like it when I ask, but… how are you feeling? Do you need me to get you anything?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine." He huffed. "Stop asking!"

"I'm here to help." Finral said in seriousness. "I'm not going out of my way to annoy you. The sooner you cooperate, the faster I'm out of your hair."

"I told you, Brother, I'm fine." Langris' face softened. "I just need a couple of hours of sleep and I'm good to go."

"Can't you do the papers tomorrow?" He asked in a half-hearted attempt to convince him. "I promise to wake you for it. It's just that… you don't look too good."

"You expect me to sleep for the rest of the day with that," He gestured to his desk. "…waiting for me?"

Finral grimaced. "You said it can wait."

"For later," Langris emphasized. "What don't you understand, Brother?"

"A couple of hours of rest won't heal you."

"Neither would a day," He argued. "But I'm not wasting my time like some people do."

Finral knew when he was cornered. He shook his head and let it go. He didn't want to stress his little brother any further. "Very well," He declared. "But if you overdo it, you have to stop working whether you like it or not."

"Or what, you'll make me?"

Another silence stretched between them as they stared at one another. Finral never won these contests, if you could call it that, in one of their disagreements. He disliked arguments. He turned away first, rubbing at his arm in embarrassment.

Langris' stance softened and he gave up as well.

"Wake me in a couple of hours." He said as he turned away. "If you don't, I swear, I'm kicking you out whether Captain Vangeance likes it or not."

Finral closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

"Why are you so difficult?" He thought.

He sat down on the desk chair and took slow deep breaths. Great. What now? He wasn't allowed to touch anything in his brother's room. That was fine. He stared at Langris, and then looked around. It had been long since he stepped foot in this room, not since Langris first moved in.

It was nice to see a few additions here and there.

Finral barely noticed when time ticked by and Langris had fallen asleep.

Daringly, he got off the chair and padded over to his brother and checked his temperature. Finral scowled as soon as he felt Langris' neck and forehead. He was alarmingly warm. Finral pulled away and looked around the room.

Don't touch anything.

Not happening.

He rummaged for a wash cloth in one of the drawers and went to the bathroom. He poured water over it and squeezed the excess. Quietly, he walked back to Langris and placed it over his forehead. Finral would've cooled him down, but he didn't want to risk waking him with what little rest he had.

Langris softly whined, "Brother…" and fell back to sleep.

Finral's face softened and a smile formed on his lips. He turned away and quietly pulled the curtains closed. He then pulled the chair over by the window and sat down to keep an eye on Langris. Suddenly, a wave of guilt settled in when he stared at Langris' peaceful face.

He felt really guilty.

We're appointing Langris as the next head of House Vaude.

I doubt you have any objections.

Alone in the room with his sleeping brother, Finral's mask fell apart. He covered his face and lowered his elbows to his knees and stayed that way for a while. He hated how weak he was that even Langris thought he was pathetic. He moved his head and eyed the envelop sitting next to the pile of paperwork on Langris' desk.

It had the Vaude family seal.

It was a summons.

If Langris was still civil with him now, that meant that he didn't know the truth yet, and that the letter didn't contain any information regarding what Finral was hiding. Finral would take that as fortune in his favor. Langris would find out soon enough, but that was a hurdle Finral would tackle later on.

He closed his eyes and groaned in frustration.

On top of being vice-captain, Langris had duties to House Vaude. It was no wonder he was working himself to the ground to appease both parties. Finral looked up again and stared at his brother's peaceful face.

Another wave of guilt hit him.

What was he supposed to tell Langris?

Finral knew that it would've been better if it came from him, but what would he say? "I went to our parents a couple of days ago and told them I was leaving for good. They were happy to hear it. I already moved the rest of my belongings, and nearly erased all of myself from that place… even my last name."

Finral Vaude was now Finral Roulacase.

Then Finral remembered how angry Langris was when he told him to take care of their family. Once more, Finral was running from his problems and dragging Langris around in his mistakes and ineptitude. I don't take orders from you! He remembered Langris' words. You bring shame to House Vaude!

He bit his lips and shook his head.

No.

He couldn't say it.

He didn't have the courage.

Finral looked back at Langris. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I don't know how to tell you." Sooner or later, word will get out. His father would make sure of it. Finral wasn't sure how prepared he was for that situation, and he knew Langris wasn't prepared for it either.

But for now, he just had to endure as guilt slowly ate him. Langris' health was more important. If it ever came up in conversation, Finral would cross that barrier.

Just… not now.

oOo

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