2018-06-26 - LOTUS INTERMISSION: Mikoto Minagi
| Title: LOTUS INTERMISSION: Mikoto Minagi | |
|---|---|
| Summary: While Eri Shimanouchi and Mikoto's grandfather share a conversation over tea, Mikoto's Lord Brother tries to reassure her - but Eri's questions are just too much to ignore. | |
| Who: | |
| Where: Nishitama Park, Mount Moto | |
| OOC - IC Date: 2018-06-26 - 2015-04-27 | |
<SoundTracker> Ladytron - Destroy Everything You Touch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5ke731a3V8
"You're quite welcome..." Mikoto's Lord Brother says, breezy and casual, as he gestures Eri Shimanouchi to the Minagi Shrine Office so that she can rest. He puts an arm around Mikoto's shoulders; he guides her away from the interloper, gently and inexorably taking them further into the shrine.
His voice is quiet, and it is kind. "Mikoto, did she upset you..?"
It is quiet and it is kind and it suggests just how she should feel.
Because her Lord Brother takes care of everything.
"I'd hate for anything to trouble you, Mikoto. If she's bothering you, you know you can tell me. You can tell me anything."
They come to the inner sanctum, that place of imperial comfort; a cat weaves between their legs, another perches below the ancestral resting-place of Miroku's blade.
And Mikoto hums dissatisfaction through lips tightly pressed together. "Yeah," she concludes, after long moments. It feels more upsetting than it ought to, admitting that, for someone she's just met.
Someone she's just met who she knows so well.
Someone she's just met who feel so close to her.
Mikoto shakes her head, braids flipping this way and that.
"If you don't like her," her Lord Brother says, "we'll just send her away." It's such a simple, obvious solution.
And her braids go whipping through the air again as she shakes her head even more fiercely. Volume floods her voice, floods the inner sanctum. "NO!"
Instantly her eyes widen - her body stiffens. It's shock reflected on his face, too.
She has never raised her voice to him before.
She doesn't know why it frightens her so much.
"Mikoto," her Lord Brother begins, as if he's not entirely sure how to proceed. But there's no anger or offence, in his voice - just surprise. "You've only just met this girl. Surely she's not important." There's insistence, on those last words, as he squeezes her shoulder lightly with a hand.
She trembles under the grasp. "I, I know, but - I feel like I know Eri, and..." It's hard to order the words, hard to make something understood she doesn't understand herself.
"You don't know Eri Shimanouchi at all," her Lord Brother replies, and his tone is firm. "You've only known her for an afternoon."
And it's strange -
- because Mikoto never mentioned when she ran into Eri at all.
It's strange, because Mikoto never mentioned Miroku or the shrine to Eri, either.
Mikoto Minagi has a very good memory. So why can't she remember saying anything which would make them realise those things?
She looks down, those golden eyes narrowed in worry and suspicion.
"Mikoto..." Her Lord Brother raises his hand to her chin, cupping it as he lifts her gaze to face him. "... I can see this is hurting you. Let me take care of it." It is not an order; it is an offer.
And his face is a mirror of hers.
She can't deny - cannot possibly deny - that there is such a large part of her which wants him to take care of it all. She loves him more than anything else, a deep and terrible love which hollows her out until only he remains. She knows she can trust him to take care of her.
But his face is a mirror of hers.
Except for the way there are tears welling in her eyes, and his are dry. "Why," Mikoto whispers, "don't I know my Lord Brother's name..?"
"There are some things you don't have to know, Mikoto," her Lord Brother insists, a concerned frown crossing his face.
"But why? Lord Brother's never kept stuff from me before." Distress creeps into her voice, uncertainty and fear. "It's really simple, so why don't I know?!"
"Mikoto - Mikoto," he repeats her name, caring and concerned. "That's just the way the world is. There are some things in life you just can't question. Hey..." His hand shifts, thumb coming up to rub tears from the corner of her eye.
It is such an agonisingly familiar motion.
And Mikoto staggers backwards with a gasp, the motions violent as she remembers Eri's voice, Eri's touching concern as she'd done that very thing. And all at once it becomes so clear in her mind: something is wrong. Something is very, very wrong. "Stay away!" Her voice is raised, all panic and fear.
Her Lord Brother jerks back in shock - raises his hands. "Okay, okay. Calm down, Mikoto. I won't touch you."
He's not angry - he's listening, even as she yells at him -
Mikoto shakes her head, disbelief and horror crossing her face as she realises just how impossible those words are.
Hers, and his.
"... it's wrong," she whispers, her voice thin as she backs away.
There are cats in the inner sanctum.
There are cats in this foreboding, forbidden place.
Mikoto hisses a sharp breath through grit teeth as she looks about the room, eyes wide. To the room - to her Lord Brother -
- she turns.
She flees.
She doesn't stop until she's past the outer gates of the shrine, and when she does, she collapses behind a venerable old tree and she sobs and sobs and sobs.
