The Kingmaker

In The Mirror

Chase your shadow's flight

It will grasp you in the night

You'll merge, shadow's might

 "Don't do this," Ogiwara warns him for the umpteenth time. As lovely as he is, Tetsuya cannot help but tell his brother through his eyes to quit worrying. Thankfully, the older boy does so with a single nod. Of course, doubt is still there in his thinning, trembling lips.

The dark circles beneath Ogiwara's eyes have deepened; they are no longer mere shadows from restless nights. They are filled with the weight of anxiety that has plagued him since the fateful incident. Lines have begun to etch themselves around his mouth. The boyish aura that once cloaked him has dissipated, leaving behind a visage aged beyond its years.

Tetsuya's heart sinks.

With a soft sigh, Tetsuya gets up and embraces him. "You worry too much, dear brother of mine. Do not fret, for I know what I'm doing. Do you trust me?" He feels Ogiwara nodding to his neck. Smiling, he gently pushes himself away. "Come on, help me dress." He doesn't add that none of the Dancers have volunteered to dress him up. Before, they would help each other regardless of the friction among them. But no one dares to cross their handler tonight.

For years, he has avoided Mibuchi, for he knows that the handler has a great mislike for him. Tetsuya has heard the whispers: He possesses all of the physical traits that the handler lacks and envies. If only the handler knew how much Tetsuya once abhorred those traits of his.

"Do you need this many layers?" Ogiwara asks after a minute of silence, his brows knitted as he wraps another sash around Tetsuya's waist.

Who could fault Ogiwara's bewilderment? Tetsuya is enveloped in so much white and sea-green fabric that he's nearly swallowed by it. His knees implore him to take a seat, but he must not. Sitting means you require everyone else to bow down to you. That is why kings have thrones.

Tetsuya must act powerless tonight in order to turn the tables. He seems much smaller than he already is, and that is exactly part of his plan.

It's one of my greatest tools. He resists the impulse to smile at that thought. He used to despise his small frame. He knew it was one of the reasons why everyone thought it was easy to abuse and disrespect him. But after many years of contemplation, he soon understood that his only real option was to embrace it. Use it.

"You are curious how I am faring, am I right?" he asks, patting his face with more powder. When he gets no answer, he sighs softly and sets aside the beauty box. "It seems to me we have been dancing around this subject, but don't you think it's time we were upfront about it? "

From the corner of his eye, he sees his reflection in the mirror: a gentle, compassionate smile spreads across his lips, and his empathetic eyes have the power to melt even the coldest heart. It's no wonder that those who behold him in this light find themselves ensnared by trust. Inside, he shudders. This smile, once reserved solely for his beloved brother, has become one of his weapons. Is there truly nothing he won't exploit to achieve his ends?

But I am doing all of this for him. He'll sacrifice anything, anyone, to ensure his brother's safety. Including his soul.

Ogiwara stammers, looking for the right words, but when Tetsuya squeezes his palm, he quickly becomes more at ease. "Well, I didn't want to force you. You could tell me in your own time. But since you are willing now...how did you manage to survive among the pirates? I saw how..." He closes his eyes and shakes his head, as if doing so will erase all the blood and screams from that day.