JSHK Headcanons, Oneshots, & Musings

Summer Nights (Amane & Tsukasa)

Author Note: It's the season of Tanabata and I wanted to write something about the twins just enjoying themselves in their younger days. (They're around 8 years old in this story.)

—

  The warm summer air beats with laughter and cheer; a soft breeze sways the hanging lanterns and spreads the scent of street food throughout the festival grounds. The night was alive that breathed in the sounds of chatter and heart pounding by the children at play.

   Stalls lined every corner of the stony path and here, tucked behind and crowded by kids similar in age, Tsukasa picked away at the molded candy. He was absorbed in his task, the sounds of the ongoing festival drowned out by the scratching of sugar and countless delicately cut shapes of rabbits, elephants, and stars all piled high next to him. The stars were especially picked at with extra care. Not because they were a difficult thing to carve out, not at all, but it's because Amane likes the stars.

   Those years Tsukasa spent listening and watching his brother's face light up each time about the world beyond their atmosphere, it's only natural that Amane deserves the best. No cracks, no breaks, no—

    The toothpick snaps and so does Tsukasa's focus. He blinked, eyes sore and back stiff from hunching over and staring for so long. He brushed off the dirt that clung to the light cotton fabric of his yukata, his head turning in each direction to only realize his brother was nowhere to be seen.

    "Amane!" Tsukasa's call is swallowed up by the busy sounds of the night. Bumbling around to find the other, he weaves around the wandering adults and carefree families and checks each booth for his look-alike. Amane wasn't scooping goldfish, dropping coins in bowls, tossing rings, or fishing for water balloons. Tsukasa's pace quickened; he wasn't even gawking at the Oni and Kaiju masks.

     Where could've Amane gone to?

     Tsukasa nearly stumbled over as he broke off into a small sprint, away from the game stalls and towards the bamboo adorned in paper wishes. He doesn't want to spend more time away from his brother, you can't. Every moment is precious with Amane and he can't miss them.

    A tug on his sleeve seized Tsukasa on the spot, which was followed by growling and a reptilian mask emerging behind a potted bamboo tree. A yelp stopped at his throat when the snarling shifted to bursts of laughter.

   "Gotcha!"

   "Amane!" Tsukasa chirped at the familiarity of his brother's voice, clambering over his chest and pawing the mask aside to unveil the sly grin underneath.

    "Ugh! Tsukasa, stop that-" Amane pushed him away. "About time you left that booth. You were there for three hours, y'know?"

     Tsukasa tilted his head, staring. Has it really been that long?

    "I thought Amane would like it..." He trailed off, taking a moment to find his thoughts under his brother's narrowed eyes. "If I made stars."

      Then Amane's smile fell and his brows furrowed, being struck perplexed enough that several heartbeats of silence were exchanged between the two.

   "Hmph, c'mon." He finally spoke, grabbing the palm of Tsukasa's hand and dismissing the comment. "There's still some time before the fireworks start."

    Tugged along without resistance while his brother chatted to him, Tsukasa nodded along dumbly, allowing Amane to take them wherever they needed to be.

—

     "It's fun! Isn't it?"

     Tsukasa let out a short shout in agreement in response to his older twin brother, a bright sparkler in hand while chasing after him through the numerous surrounding children with their own sparkling lights. He can feel the heat of the sparks on his skin, but even more than that was the buzzing energy flowing in his body.  

     Amane swerved around the poles that kept a dango stall upright, but Tsukasa remained right on his heels, narrowly avoiding crashing into the lines of customers. Their path gradually turned away from the crowds as their chase went on, the density of the gathered festival goers and lantern lights lessening and lessening to the point where the twins were left in the outskirts of the event's grounds.

     Just for a second, Tsukasa lifted his head up to catch sight of the moon in the corner of his eyes. Shining and inconceivably far, billions of miles away, the moon and stars glimmered above them all. If Amane caught this view, Tsukasa knew he would have some fact or story to tell about the night sky's wonder.

     Surely, he would. Amane always liked sharing every shred and bit of knowledge he knew about the vastness of the universe, so once Tsukasa caught up, then maybe Amane could sit him down and regale him with—

    The thought was cut abruptly when Tsukasa found himself colliding with the orange barricade tape that marked the border of the festival. Upon impact with the ground, the wind was knocked straight out of his lungs and Tsukasa was sent tumbling down the embankment. He shut his eyes tight to block the dirt flying into them while rocks scraped at his skin and grime got under his nails.

     From one scene to the next, Tsukasa falls face first into mud. He snorts and coughs to get the sludge out of his nostrils. In the distance, he could hear the faint shout of his name call for him.

     The air returns back to him, giving him the energy to lift his gaze off the ground to Amane sliding down and rushing to his side.

     "Tsukasa! Are you okay?" His brother grabbed the sides of his head and tilted it to face him.
    "Mmhmm." Tsukasa swiftly answered. "But you have dirt on you, Amane."

    That made his older twin bark out an exasperated laugh. "Seriously? That's what you're worried about? Take a look at yourself, Tsukasa! You've got mud all over you!"

    And he would be right. Tsukasa's skin and the pale colors of his yukata were stained with muck but he felt fine. Dirty, but fine because Amane was there now, hauling him up from the muddy bank.

     "Geez..." Amane wipes off the dirt caking Tsukasa's features with his sleeve. "You really are hopeless."

    A soft giggle left Tsukasa's mouth, leaning into his brother's touch. From the small smile that crinkled the edges of Amane's eyes, he knew that his twin really didn't mind getting the chance to coddle him like this.
  
    Tsukasa stood still as Amane continued to dust and clean away the muck that covered him. He only moved when a loud booming roared from above and red lights illuminated the both of them.
  
    The fireworks had begun, their whining cries rapidly fading as they shot into the air, the quiet before a thundering storm when they exploded into blazing colors.

     "Woah-" Tsukasa heard his brother murmur. "These fireworks are huge!"

     Red. Green. Blue. White. He was entranced, bewitched. The night had never felt more alive.
     "Hey."

    The rough palm of his brother gently guided Tsukasa's eyes to meet with Amane's, stroking his cheek and he was lulled further into the spell.

     "It's pretty..." It was almost breathless, whimsical, the way Amane spoke. "Don't you think?"

     He wanted to verbalize his agreement, but under the shifting colors of evening, Tsukasa could only stare back in awe.

     Slowly, their hands locked together, fingers lacing and intertwining then leaning into each other to watch the fireworks unfurl their petals.

      The night air is warm, its heart beats and pounds, but so does Tsukasa's.