Brothers

Broken

Mayuzumi gazed up at him with cold eyes, but Akashi was already broken to notice as Aomine took Tetsuya's luggage downstairs and handed it to Mayuzumi.

Kise was ushered outside the living room with Murasakibara because he wouldn't stop crying at the thought of Tetsuya leaving them. But everyone knew it was for the best-- they had no right to keep him anymore.

"I will wait for Tetsuya to finish his summer school before I take him to Europe with me," Mayuzumi said, not caring whether Akashi was paying attention or not.

Akashi's eyes were empty and words just passed through him without absorbing what they meant. That night, something inside Tetsuya broke and he was back to his old emotionless, broken self and it was all because of Akashi.

"Because of what you've done, I think I'll find it fit for you to not contact Tetsuya again," Mayuzumi said then glanced at Aomine who had his fists clenched. "All of you, in general,"

Midorima arrived at the living room, Tetsuya in his arms, his mouth forming a thin line and was trying hard not to show any kind of emotion as he gave the toddler to Mayuzumi.

Mayuzumi looked at Midorima then at Aomine and at Akashi. "I'm not heartless enough to not let you say your goodbyes," he said then put the toddler down. "Make it quick, though,"

Aomine knelt in front of Tetsuya and ruffled his hair, a sad smile across his face. "Tetsu, I want you to have this," he said, giving Tetsuya his old basketball. "So you can have something to play with your friends when you grow up..." he gulped the lump in his throat and tried to speak again. "I'm sorry I won't be able to teach you to play anymore... but I know you'll be the best player in Japan and I'll look forward to playing with you once you grow up,"

Tetsuya kept his head down and didn't give a sign that he was listening, nor did he give any emotion at all-- his eyes clouded with hurt and brokenness.

Midorima ushered the other two to enter the living room and allowed them to have their goodbyes. Kise almost toppled the toddler over when he tackled him with a hug and burst into tears.

"It's unfair!" Kise cried, "Unfair that they had to take you away..."

"Kise," Aomine stopped him.

"We're sorry we weren't the perfect family they wanted you to have, Tetsuya-cchi," Kise sniffed, wiping his tears away. "But don't forget to visit us when you grow up, okay?"

Kise reached down and composed the ruffles on Tetsuya's clothes. "Mayuzumi-kun, please make sure to tell Tetsuya-cchi bedtime stories whenever he gets scared," he said, blinking tears back. "It helps him calm down,"

Mayuzumi took a few moments before answering. "I will,"

"Ne, Tetsu-cchin," Murasakibara said, kneeling in front of the toddler and handed him a Maiubo. "Please make sure to brush your teeth after eating some snacks okay? Make sure to eat your vegetables as well so you can grow up big and strong, okay?"

Despite his giant stature, Murasakibara was just as a cry-baby as Kise and in no time he excused himself-- tears threatening to fall.

"Tetsuya," Midorima said, giving the toddler his "Romeo and Juliet" book. "When you grow older, you will understand the words written in this novel and how sad it is to lose someone you love... please know that it is the same loss we're feeling right now..."

It was Akashi's turn to say goodbye, but he took one look at Tetsuya and immediately broke contact-- seeing Tetsuya's emotionless eyes was too much for him to handle. He turned to leave and walked past Mayuzumi, "Please take care of him," he whispered.

***

Mayuzumi woke up when he felt something grip his shirt tightly. He slowly sat up and opened his nightlight to see Tetsuya frowning in his slip, his hand gripping Mayuzumi's shirt.

Sighing, Mayuzumi swept stray hair out of Tetsuya's face and wrapped him around in his arms, humming a tune to help him calm down and try to chase his nightmares away.

"Nii-chan..." Tetsuya mumbled, a tear trickling down the corner of his eyes as he buried his face towards Mayuzumi's shirt. "Don't go..."

Mayuzumi brushed his thumb on Tetsuya's cheeks, wiping his tears away. "You're an idiot, Seijuro Akashi," he whispered.

Mayuzumi was able to have his chance to spend time with Tetsuya when he was still just a baby. He and his mother used to stay with them and Mayuzumi acted as his older brother and made sure to keep Tetsuya smiling.

He wanted to take care of Tetsuya like how he used to care for him when they were younger. When they lost Tetsuya and his mother, he was so broken and afraid at what might've happened to the toddler and almost lost his mind trying to find him. He was blinded by the fact that he wanted to keep Tetsuya safe in his arms that he never saw how happy he was in Akashi's arms.

Until that day at the carnival when Tetsuya found out Akashi left to go to work. Despite the whole day of enjoying, Akashi's absence was enough to wipe the smile off Tetsuya's face and that was when Mayuzumi realized that if Tetsuya was happy with Akashi, then he would be happy for both of them-- all for Tetsuya's sake.

"Take him back, Akashi," Mayuzumi muttered, rocking Tetsuya to a peaceful sleep. "Fight for him... fight for your brother... prove me wrong,"