Seijuro had no idea he had a younger brother, and only found out when he entered Teikou.

In a strange twist of fate, his brother was there, a boy that went unnoticed by most.

It made him feel jealous.

He could smell it on the boy; he was like him but, at the same time, unlike him.

The azure eyed boy walked upon the thin line that separated the day and night; the world of humans and the realm of ghouls.

He didn't realize how he was drawn to the other boy, not until he stood right in front of him. He couldn't hold back the words he spoke.

"Hi. Who are you?" he said, and immediately regretted it. So childish of him.

"I'm Tetsuya." The boy replied. "Akashi Tetsuya. And you?"

Seijuro was momentarily at a lost. But then he replied. "I'm Seijuro."

(next)

It took a while for Seijuro to reveal his name. Tetsuya hanged out a long with his friends as well, and so he forbade them for calling him anything close to 'Akashi', out of fear.

It took him a while to manage and persuade his father reveal the truth.

Tetsuya was his brother from a different woman.

He didn't want to know details, but he wasn't angry at his father or anything. In fact, he was relieved. Happy. He finally was given a sense of normality; a little brother.

Akashi Masaomi had explained to his son, the best way he could. He did care for Shiori, Seijuro's mother. However, that marriage was arranged by his father (and Seijuro's grandfather) in hopes to put an end to his son's affair with a human. Shiori was understanding of Masaomi's feelings for Kuroko Haruka, and looked away in his affair with her, and sincerely wished them a better fate than the one that had befallen her childhood love.

And of course, he remembered his mother talking about Haruka whenever she wanted to remind him how she wanted him to act. "Not all humans are bad, Seijuro." she said, again and again. "Yes, some hunt as down, and most fear us… It's natural to be wary of someone who's stronger than you. That is a law of nature, and all living creatures follow nature's commandments. But that doesn't mean humans and ghouls can't co-exist. It's just… Both sides are too proud to let go."

"Mother, do you know someone like that? Someone who'd be friends with you, even when they learn you're a ghoul?"

Then, Shiori was going to giggle. "I knew a few people like that, actually. Rei and Kiku, and of course, Haruka as well. Alas, life is such a cruel mistress."

Then, she'd let out a deep sigh and stare at her son's face. Evergreen eyes meeting scarlet, and the question he always felt haunting him ever since the day she died.

"Promise me Seijuro. You'll make human friends like mother did, alright?"

And the young redhead would smile and nod happily.

"Seijuro-kun, you don't have to treat me like a brother." Kuroko said one day, but he secretly liked the attention he was given by Seijuro and his friends.

And it was Kise who, at that one moment, blew up everything without realizing, or intending to. "Akashi-cchi is just like that~" and at that, he earned a cold gaze from everyone, minus Tetsuya, who was confused, and Seijuro, who was, for the first and last time of his life, afraid, afraid of what the azure eyed boy was going to think of him.

"It's my name." he finally said. "Akashi Seijuro."

"Does that make Seijuro-kun… Seijuro-nii?"

Seijuro allowed himself a small smile. "Yes."

(change)

It was a surprise when Tetsuya had asked him if he could spend one evening with him, just walking around town. Seijuro accepted, and one cold, December evening, they chose it as their 'special day'. The days were still short, and it was almost ideal to go after school.

The two boys held hands lovingly and, if someone saw them from afar, could assume they were lovers instead of siblings.

They truly cared for each other, and their friends could see it. Tetsuya was glad life brought him a brother like Seijuro, and Seijuro, in turn, that vowed to himself he'd do anything for the younger. And they chattered happily, until another man stood in front of them.

"Well, well, if it isn't Masaomi's brats." He sneered.

"Tetsuya." Seijuro addressed his younger brother, "Murasakibara is a few blocks back. Go to him."

"But what about you?" the azure-eyed boy protested.

"I can defend myself." He promised. "Now go!"

Tetsuya ran behind and Seijuro took a battle stance.

The other laughed. "It's nice to see you have spirit, kid! But it won't save you!" he shouted, releasing his kagune.

Seijuro smiled.

(red)

All Tetsuya saw was red. The red that was on the ground but mostly, the red that stained Seijuro's pristine uniform. The uniform Teikou's students wore. Teikou, the high school where ghouls mingled with humans. Teikou, the place he found his brother. Teikou, the place he made friends with others. Teikou, where he found home.

And he felt all slipped away from his open palm.

That moment, he hated the colour red, more than anything.

"Tetsuya." He heard the redhead speak, but without turning to face him. "I told you I'd protect you, didn't I?"

"Look at me, Seijuro!" he yelled, and when the other turned, he could have sworn his left eye shone in the colour of gold for a moment.

"He wanted to kill us, Tetsuya. To kill you." He replied. "I couldn't let him."

He fell silent.

"You need to cut your ties with me, Tetsuya." Seijuro started. "You're in danger. Please. Just pretend we're not brothers for a while, okay? Change your name, if you have to. And don't follow me after the school year ends, alright?"

"But, Seijuro-" he started, but was cut off.

"No but, Testuya. What you need to understand… We need you get stronger. You need to get stronger. I won't be able to always be there for you. I wish I could, but that's impossible. If one day I'm gone-"

"Don't say that!"

The redhead shot a glare. "If one day I'm gone, and I will be, since nothing lasts forever… I want you to be able to fight. To protect those you care for. To live on. I know you can do that, Tetsuya. Promise me you will." The eldest of the two pleaded, a behavior so out of character for him.

Reluctantly, Tetsuya nodded. "I will try."

"You won't try, you will do it."

And for the first time in his life, he heard his beloved brother use those words he hated so much. The words he himself used, when he talked to their father, bitterness evident to his tone.

"As you wish, Akashi-sama."

It made Seijuro feel horrible. What kind of person had he started to become?

(gone)

The following spring, Akashi Seijuro moved to Kyoto, while Kuroko Tetsuya joined Seirin, a ghoul investigation team.

(chapter end)

I originally wrote this for Akakuro week day 7, but in my mind it bloomed into something huge. And when I say huge, I mean it. I have some drafts on future events (Kuroko meeting Kagami, Kagami meeting Akashi, etc), and some other plans on the parts that this fic is different from the original Tokyo Ghoul universe.

I wasn't satisfied with the original version (the one posted on tumblr and dA), one being less than 1k words (I managed to get it to 1.2k) and a few other parts.

In this one, the one-eyed ghoul is Kuroko. One, because as the main character in his series, he's probably more worthy of it. Two, well, almost all fics I've found have Akashi as the one-eyed ghoul. And I will have Akashi acquire heterochromia, in one of the most dramatic, ideal way. And I've said enough about that.

The ghouls in this story are: the Generation of Miracles (plus Kuroko and Momoi) and the Rakuzan starters. Suggestions for their kagune types and names will be appreciated.

Next update in two weeks at most.

Stay awesome!