estirose

Sigma has internalized homophobia and is squicky, just as a warning.
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"Leo-kun?" Kaoru-san walked up to him, a confused expression on her face. She held out a piece of paper. "You wanted to see me?"

He took the piece of paper, confused as to why she'd think he'd have left a note in her locker instead of calling her. They had each others' numbers, after all. As he unfolded the note, he read the writing on it. The handwriting was similiar to his own, but some of the characters had Sigma's characteristic handwriting quirks.

It was signed with his name. "Let's discuss this outside, Kaoru-san," he said, and she nodded, surprised. As he walked out with her, he wondered why Sigma was doing this; he didn't like Kaoru-san, thought she was too interfering. And it wasn't like he wanted her to be a mage. That would require Sigma to actually interact with Kaoru-san and that was not his brother's idea of fun.

"Sigma wrote this," he explained, as soon as he was sure they were reasonably alone. "I don't know why he's doing it, Kaoru-san."

"He doesn't like me." Kaoru-san looked up at him. He knew that Sigma had had a problem with Kaoru-san ever since she'd gotten in his face after Leo had collapsed.

"I know." He wished he could explain it to her, but he couldn't. "But I'll find out, Kaoru-san."

"It's not your fault, Leo-kun," Kaoru-san told him gently. "But you need to stand up to him."

He boggled at the contradiction in those two statements, but nodded. "I'll try."

----

Leaning against the doorway, Leo addressed his twin, who was caught up in a thick book. "Sigma."

"Yes?" Sigma didn't turn his attention towards the door; he seemed completedly absorbed in his book.

Leo stepped forward and walked until he'd reached where Sigma was studying. He thrust the note into Sigma's hand. "What's the meaning of this?"

"I did what had to be done." Sigma looked up from his book, glaring at Leo. "Now, can I get back to reading? I have a lot to learn."

Sigma had thrown himself into learning whatever he could, Leo knew. Leo himself was more at peace with the idea of being a mage, since there was nothing he could do about it. He still wanted to transfer, but he knew that his parents would never condone it.

"You don't even like Kaoru-san." Leo shook his head.

"We all have to do things we don't like," Sigma said, sounding tired. "Once she understand what had to be done, she'll have no choice but to accept it. Just ask her out, Leo. Make it easier on all of us."

Leo doubted Kaoru-san would be that forgiving towards his brother.

Sigma looked up. "I suppose I could suggest to mom and dad that you get married to that penpal of Mio's," he said. He was frowning, though, absently. "She is a trained mage, and her fire would go well with your air."

"Isn't Mio's penpal a little *old*?" Leo asked. He was sure she wasn't in high school.

"She is Christmas Cake, no doubt about it," Sigma went back to his book. "And you'd probably have to move to America. But you'd have time to get her pregnant before you apprenticed."

"Sigma." Leo plopped down on his brother's bed, suddenly woozy at the thought of an arranged marriage to someone twice his age. "I'm not interested in marrying Kaoru-san or Mio's penpal."

"There are celibate mages, but...." Sigma sighed. "I just don't want to see you be alone, and once you start training we won't be as close. I want to have you be with someone your own kind. Or at least someone who can give you mage children."

Mio had mentioned something about families such as theirs distancing themselves from their mage children. That those mages were now distant family, not close. Maybe they felt obligated to their now-distant mage kin to make sure they did well.

But being without Sigma and Mio? Leo couldn't imagine such a future.

A chill ran through him.

"Sigma, is there a reason you're doing this now?" Leo asked. "I'm sixteen. I'm too young to get married!"

"You're not," Sigma countered. But he didn't look up from his book. "It's time to start thinking about that."

Something had disturbed Sigma so much that he'd actually consider Kaoru-san as a possible sister-in-law, which worried Leo. "I know you too well. What's going on?"

His brother sighed. "I've heard rumors that you're not just sparring with Kisargi Gentarou."

Leo opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. Closed it. "He's taken! And straight."

"I've heard things that say otherwise." Sigma shook his head. "And I know you're attracted to boys as well as girls."

"So you want to marry me off." It made sense. Sigma was sensitive to that kind of thing.

"I don't want to talk about it," Sigma said, abruptly ending the conversation. "Just consider what I've said."

Leo would, if only to avoid being married off.