Ello I'm a little new to the anime/manga world, so please have mercy Dx This takes place after the manga, the twins just graduating and around the age of eighteen, going on nineteen. I'm not sure I have all my facts straight, so bear with me. This is just a set-up chapter, and may not be very entertaining, but alas, tis needed. Please forgive OOCness and incorrect facts

Disclaimer: Yep, you guessed it…

1

The Egg

"You took a wrong turn…"

"Did not."

"Yeah, you did."

"I did not!"

"Then why did we just pass a sign saying 'You Are Now Leaving Tama' in big fancy writing?"

"…shut-up, Kaoru."

With a very graceful and very much illegal U-turn in the middle of a bustling street, twins Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin now sped down the opposite side of the street in a tired silence, ignoring the curses thrown their way.

Our elegant but annoyed driver, none other than Hikaru, did not mean to sound so irritable, but when you're running on an hour of sleep and bitter tasting five-hour energy drinks, the spazzy kick it gives you has you shaking like a tiny scared Chihuahua. Words fly out of your mouth faster and harsher than when that same Chihuahua decides to nip at your ankles out of fear; at least, that's what twin numero uno was going to blame it on, anyway. Hell, that same spazzy energy drink had him relating his aggravation to freaking Chihuahuas.

So what are the reasons for lack of sleep and pissed but nervous attitude you ask? Him and his twin had finally decided to do it. Just a few weeks after finishing high school in America, and arriving home to their parents who welcomed them with open arms: they were going to move out and get an apartment. Straight out of school, practically. Living off nothing but savings. With a fresh start that was more beautiful than the spring cherry blossoms, but more intimidating than the spring storms soon to rip the pink flowers off of their secured branches.

The decision was rash and messy; the search for a nice apartment started immediately after the news was broken to their parents that their beloved sons didn't want to take over the family business. Of course, don't get the twins wrong, they enjoyed designing clothes and helping their mother and would be willing to volunteer some of their time to help with a project when they were needed, but independence was a necessity. They loved their parents to bits, but knowing what their future jobs had in store at the age of nine bothered them. The guarantee that they would always have more than enough money and a luxurious life style without them even trying made them feel somewhat—useless.

Their prayer now was that their little sister would take over the 'Hitachiin Fashion' line, and with her already dressing up mannequins and putting mommy's make-up on daddy as he tries to sleep shows promise. With their parents blessing, the two brothers combined their savings and bought an apartments just fifteen minutes away. Being the rich bastards they were, however, said apartment was more like a modern house.

With more illegal and risky driving methods, stopping to ask for directions numerous times, and a very colorful array of cuss-words inappropriate for this fanfic, they finally pulled up to an apartment complex that matched the one in the faintly colored picture Kaoru had been studying the entire way, only looking up to check on Hikaru's driving now and again.

Skidding the car to a stop on the street a few meters away from their designated apartment, Hikaru slammed the car into park and smiled cheekily.

"Told you I'd find it," he said proudly, opening his door.

"Mhm…" Kaoru hummed, following his mirror not amused. Each snatched matching duffle bags out of the trunk, not bothering with the heavier items due to pure laziness. They walked single-filed up the blossom strewed sidewalk, gold caramel eyes sizing up the complex with anxious giddiness. Each apartment ranged from a variety of light modest pastel colors, the paint chipping off in various corners and around the windows like in a horror movie, with vibrant wooden shudders of matching color. Finally reaching the navy blue door with 2-B aligned in brass in the middle, both boys stopped as Hikaru pulled out a dulled key and stuck it in the aging lock, hesitantly turning the key and peering inside slowly, half expecting the maids they were accustomed to to pop out with their fake smiles and welcome their masters home. The eerie silence made the twins slightly uncomfortable as the creaky door opened fully.

Like said before, it could hardly be called an apartment to say the least. A tiny curved foyer greeted the mischievous twins, painted a light purple color, looking either gray or lavender depending on what time of the day it was. Three different exits led to different parts of the house; one long girlish colored hallway led to three bedrooms closely packed together, another one was short and stubby, only containing a small bathroom and coat closet. The final purple colored hallway led to a fifties style kitchen, the setting sun casting a yellow glow over the black and white tiles that begged for a modernized touched; connected to that kitchen was a prestigious blindingly white living room, equipped with a TV and equally blinding couch. Lucky for the twins, all furniture had been delivered and placed where they wished a few days before, or Lord knows how that would've gone.

Each twin gradually made their way down the graying hallways, faces blank as they scanned their surroundings and decided whether they approved or not. Their shadows stretched across the lavender hued walls, each acting different towards their new surroundings. Hikaru seemed more apprehensive, face scrunched up into a slight pucker as his hazel eyes darted back and forth from wall to wall. The younger twin, however, was a little giddier, just slight nervousness dampening in his mood. He had more of a curious look about their new home, posture more relaxed and facial expression mirroring a child's during their first time at Disney World. They set their bags on the lightly colored wooden kitchen table, still looking at the layout. Kaoru trotted over to the living room, gleaming at the white couch.

"I think it's nice!" he chimed, plopping on the couch backwards, his legs flailing above him for a moment.

Hikaru kept a tiny pout on his lips, shoving his hands in his pockets and circling around the quaint kitchen. "I guess…"

The youngest twin popped his head out from behind the couch like a goffer, only the tip of his red orange spikes and tea colored eyes visible. "So what do we do now?" he asked in his innocent, high-pitched voice.

"Uh…" Hikaru started, turning the faucet on and off for his own enjoyment. He glanced out a tiny window that situated itself above the table, turning calmer as he saw the sun falling below the horizon. "Sleep?"

"What?" Kaoru said, slightly alarmed. His head was now fully visible, and with a quick glance out a similar window in the living room the jittery teen became crest fallen. "Well, it is nearly dark, and we've been up pretty early…I suppose we should, then…" he hummed to himself, unaware that in the quiet empty house his disappointed musings would tend to drift more.

Hikaru noticed the look on his brother's face; he smiled tiredly, but nonetheless encouragingly. "I have an idea."

*}V{*

The snow-white couch lay abandoned at the side of the room, and in its place lay two sleeping bags with two twins placed on top-one with spiky ginger hair and the other with an ashy brown color, lying flat on their stomachs and duffle bags ditched in the corner of the room.

Kaoru sighed contently, closing his soft eyes and resting his tired head on his elbows, glancing around the room with a fatigued expression. His copy mimicked his movements exactly, as they were commonly known to do, staring hard at the purple paint on the walls.

"We need to repaint," he remarked, voice muffled slightly by the pillow.

Kaoru's gaze now turned to the walls. "Maybe we should leave a few rooms purple, it's a nice shade…" he trailed off, Hikaru giving him a simple hum in reply.

"We've got to go job hunting tomorrow, too."

"Yeah…"

"When's the next payment due?"

Kaoru stayed quiet for a moment. "Next month," his reply finally came. His counterpart remained silent, looking at the carpet dazedly, calculating the numbers in his head. Kaoru grinned, gently laying a hand on his brother's elbow.

"We'll be fine."

Hikaru blinked, his once sleepy lips pulling into a smile as he nodded. Kaoru cocked his head to the side, keeping a playful look locked on his brother.

"So when will we get our own apartments?"

Hikaru's once happy smile now dragged itself down into a pout, eye brows knitting together. He sat up straight, legs crossed, picking up his pillow and chucking it at his beloved twin's face. His signature smirk now graced his once pouty lips; he crossed his arms and fell onto his back. "When we get tired of each other," was his vague reply.

Hikaru's own face soon met the same fate as his brother's.

*}V{* (my silly attempt at a butterfly .)

Screw Google.

Hikaru and Kaoru stared at the laptop screen with blood-shot, wide, dilated eyes. Two hours of job searching had amounted to absolutely nothing. Kaoru rubbed his eyes, feeling the built up water collect on his fists.

"This is impossible," he sighed dejectedly, running his hands down his face. Hikaru mumbled something, clicking the back button for a billionth time. Letting out a heavy sigh he stood up from the now very lumpy and uncomfortable couch, handing the lap top to his younger.

"I'm taking a break," he muttered, voice raspy with exhaustion and pure annoyance.

"Okay…"

As Hikaru walked into the adjacent kitchen, Kaoru continued the search. He perked up at a particular link that interested him; clicking on it and scanning the web page a little more excitedly, his expression of curiosity changed into satisfaction. "Hey Hika," he called, not looking away from the computer page.

"Hm?"

"You should join the police force."

"…Hm?"

Hikaru quickly walked over to Kaoru and took the lap top from him, clicking the down button multiple times to look at the page that interested his brother so much. "You're joking right?" he asked, looking at his brother as if he had grown two heads. And a tail.

Kaoru looked insulted; his lips pulled down into an unattractive frown at the crazy look his twin gave him. He shifted position on the couch so he was sitting on his knees, eye-to-eye with his still standing brother. "I'm not! I think it suits you," he explained, his usually fair colored cheeks turning a soft rose tint.

"Suits me," Hikaru countered, looking amused as if this were all a joke.

Kaoru, however, ignored the playful expression on Hikaru's face, nodding enthusiastically. His thin lips stretched into a sly smile, his golden eyes half-lidded. "And it would help with your anger-management problems."

Not amused.

"Cute," Hikaru sneered coldly, glaring at his doppelgänger.

Said doppelganger's smile morphed and become calmer, more feminine, and his eyes twinkled kindly. "I'm serious though," he started, taking the lap top from Hikaru, gaining his full attention. He stuck his fists on his hips, grinning toothily up at the pestered twin. "You should at least try it—think about it, because I think it'd be something you'd be good at."

Hikaru once again found a peculiar stared aimed towards Kaoru, who seemed completely oblivious concerning his joking feeling towards the subject. He focused his attention on a run in the carpet—face a blank sheet of paper and think agile fingers tapping on his knees.

"I don't know Kaoru…" he explained warily.

Kaoru looked understanding, but handed the piece of technology to his brother anyway. "Well you should at least look at it."

*}V{*

Nearing the witching hour, nothing but a faint streak of silver moon light was gracing its way across the Hitachiin twins' living room. The apartment was now bleak and boring as it held only one sleeping twin—the other sat crisscrossed, eyes unblinking and continually clicking keys on the lap top at a vast (and very annoying) rate. With a triumphant grin he poked the enter button with his pointer finger harshly, slamming the lap top shut and scrambling over to his counterpart.

"Kaoru! Kao, come on, wake up!" He shook his brother like a child would shake their parents awake on Christmas. "I did it!" he claimed, more than proud. The excited twin soon found himself eating cotton the next minute.

Kaoru yanked his pillow back into its place and attempted to smother himself with it. "-id wha?" he murmured sleepily.

"I signed up for the police force like you told me too—I have to go in for an evaluation and to talk about school and stuff, but I did it!" he hurriedly explained, looking way too giddy for three o'clock in the freaking morning.

Kaoru attempted a sigh into his pillow, using all the strength he could muster to pat his elder on the head. "Good for you Hika, now shut-up and sleep."

*}V{*

The picture across from the younger twin stared at him with a mocking lopsided expression, Kaoru's own head soon turning to match that of the picture's, a dull frown and bored face having no pity on the hanging frame. He traced the tip of his fingers along the bottom and put it up right, heaving a long sigh as the picture itself seemed to smirk at the poor teen that finally decided it against his better judgment to fix the photo.

Four weeks of finally being officially free of authority and having a place to call their own, and Kaoru was left home utterly alone. Hikaru was applying for his job at the police force, and without the loud presence of his brother the apartment was more than boring and even sad looking without him. Almost lifeless, it seemed. The most exciting thing Kaoru had gotten to do, was dust the blades of the ceiling fan.

The red-head blew a bang out of his eyes, gazing around the room one last time in a last effort to search for anything to do. He cleaned everything until it literally squeaked with spotlessness, and all of his books were still buried among an endless number of boxes. He sighed, a sigh nearly as sad as the apartment was looking, closing his eyes sleepily and sliding down the wall. Hugging his knees to his chest and humming something tunelessly out of boredom, he couldn't help the scowl at the absolutely silent and still home. He hated it—it made him feel as if he were in the middle of the Arctic Tundra. It was completely lifeless and bleak, the lone objects in the room looking gloomier than usual with nothing to keep them company.

A loud bang echoed through the foyer as the once lopsided picture fell off the hook all together, sliding down the wall and landing harshly on our lonely twin's head. He let out a sharp cry of pain and cringed, clutching his poor skull as the picture now lay on floor, probably laughing at his pain. Teeth digging into his bottom lip, Kaoru stood up and stomped to the foyer with his innocent and throbbing head still cradled in his hands. A rustling sound was coming from Hikaru's room, the rounded foyer making the sound louder and audible throughout the apartment.

"Hikaru?" Kaoru called, finally letting go of his head. A frustrated groan now echoed through the hall, and one flustered twin sped down the hall looking almost in pain. "What's wrong?" the younger asked innocently, concerned.

Hikaru was on the ground now, throwing on his designer sneakers at lightning speed. His pretty lips were pressed together in a painful way, and his movements were rushed and rather sloppy. Kaoru cocked his head and repeated his question.

"Sorry Kao…" the older brother apologized, staying on the ground as he finally got his sneakers on. "I have to take a drug test for the evaluation and I didn't have to go at the time so a drank a really really big cup of tea but after I really had to go I found out I didn't have my ID with me, and now I really really have to go, which I already said, but whatever. So now I have to drive all the way back to the headquarters with a very fully bladder and I think I'm in pain…" he finished quickly, rocking back and forth as an attempt to subdue his bulging bladder.

"Oh…" Kaoru responded, awkwardly, "you can go then…"

"Alright!" Hikaru responded at a very loud volume, popping off the ground like a child. He gripped the door knob and prepared to leave. Not looking at his twin, he yelled at him, "If it helps, the big brute they had evaluating me said I had a really good chance!"

And with that, Hikaru left his brother smiling gently, however desolately, in the foyer.

*}V{*

"Hikaru, you need to calm down, you look like you're about to piss yourself."

"I may have to eventually…"

Hikaru and Kaoru were seated around their kitchen table, having a simple cup of commoner's coffee after a long day of scrambling to find Kaoru a job—and worrying over Hikaru's. He was supposed to get a call today from the police agency saying whether he would be accepted or not. Said boy kept sipping his drink nervously, his leg bobbing up and down with anxiousness as evening drew closer. Kaoru was understanding, but teased him about it—Hikaru was reminding him of when he came rushing in the apartment one day with a full bladder and missing ID card. He smiled at the memory, only Hikaru took it as a smirk.

"Don't laugh, I actually really hope I get this job…" he said, grimacing.

"I'm not laughing, I'm the one who said you should take the job in the first place," the nearly exact copy of him said, smiling gingerly towards the rigid teen.

Hikaru took another long drag of his coffee, grinning back and resting his chin on a propped fist. "Yes, and for once you were right."

"For once?"

"…shut-up."

"I'm kidding."

"I know." A very pink tongue pointed itself at the younger twin.

The banter came to a screeching halt as the phone started ringing in an irritating musical tone, which didn't get to play long before Hikaru had jumped up and snatched it off its stand. Kaoru watched with as much interest as his brother, eyes wide and innocent looking, and mouth slightly parted.

The conversation was normal and short, Hikaru giving one worded answers and listening intently. And then his face fell, lips perched out in a terrible frown. Kaoru felt himself grow sad with his brother, mentally cursing the police force. Hikaru thanked the man on the line quietly, hanging up the phone and leaning against the counter, head hanging limply and arms crossed. Kaoru stood up and soundlessly walked over to his brother, placing a hand on his shoulder. He couldn't see his face, but Hikaru's posture showed that he was dejected.

"I'm sorry Hika, I didn't think you'd be this excited for the job, but I'm sure we can find you another job you'll like just as much…" he comforted, rubbing Hikaru's shoulder once. His brother stayed silent, however, making Kaoru feel worse. He let out a long breath, shaking the sad teen's shoulder. "Hika?"

With a long middle finger he lifted Hikaru's chin, seeing a giant fat smirk across his bright damn cheeks.

"I got it, stupid," was all his brother said, taking Kaoru by the shoulders and weakly shaking him. "I actually got it, Kao!"

The tricked twin stayed silent for a moment, dumbstruck, letting himself be shaken silly. Finally his senses came back to him and he smacked his brother across the chest. "Stupid! I was actually sad for you!" he whined, crossing his arms and pouting like a three year old.

"Yeah…but I got it," Hikaru said, leaning on his little brother's shoulder and poking his cheek.

Kaoru quit the childish act and smiled for his brother, giving him a quick hug. "Just a little bit closer to being adults," he remarked, pulling away.

"Yeah…but…we don't have to become full adults, right?"

"Oh hell no."

"Good," Hikaru said, a giant grin that matched his personality perfectly cutting across his cheeks.

"And what better way to celebrate this new job than illegally drinking?"

A/N: So...there's the beginning Well, not fully. The beginning is going to be kinda slow, three chapters until we get to the actual plot, probably, but just stay with me they won't be totally painful, promise! PLEASE tell me what you think in a review, bad and good! God bless 3