Reo starts walking his way around the courtyard as Lan pulls open the door to his room. He pauses midway in latching his watch to his wrist to look his relative up and down. “Well you look.. awful. And up early.”
True enough, Lan's hair was a mess, even if you could see his eyes they would be ringed with dark circles, not to mention the fact he was only in a t-shirt and boxers.
“Gimme some money,” Lan states before a large yawn overcomes him.
“What? No.” Reo turns his attention back to his watch as he slides the band in place, pulling his sleeve down over it.
“No, I mean for.. tourist.. museum..” Lan sighs and leans against the doorframe. “You know father won't, but there's only so much I can do with an ICC card. And she'll want to visit some attractions.”
Reo looks at Lan for a moment, conscious of his own wallet in his back pocket, he had the cash, but to give money to Lan.. Still, he wanted to make a good impression of his town for Saya, at least. He wavers in his decision as the house starts to come alive again as everyone wakes up.
“Your word means shit to me, so I'm not going to ask for it like he does,” Reo shakes his head, pulling his wallet out. He unfolds it and fingers through some of the bills.
He pauses on a ten thousand yen note, thinking of what there actually is to see that requires a fee in Hiroshima, then flicks back to a five thousand bill, pulling it out and holding it out to Lan. Forty-five dollars would be more than enough.
“No booze, no..” God, I even sound like them now, he thinks. Lan was nodding as he folds the bill in his hands. His transit card would get him around the city, at least. “She's our guest, Lan. And you know people know who we are.”
Lan nods, bending back a little in a stretch as he pushes off of the door. “No booze, no embarrassment, clean and sober. I got it.” Even to Reo it sounded lifeless and rehearsed. It wasn't the first time he had heard that kind of talk from Lan, either.
“And take a shower. I don't know how you got it after the hotel, but I can still smell it on you,” Reo frowns a bit, as Lan covers his mouth and nose, inhaling behind it. It didn't matter, the smell of alcohol was definitive, day of or day after.
“Right.. Right.” Lan rubs his eyes with his free hand, shaking his head slightly to try and regain some of the sense that a morning should bring. “And thanks.. for.. this.” He holds the cash up between his index and middle finger, “I know no one likes giving me.. whatever.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Reo purses his lips and holds back a comment about what their father truly intended to give to Lan on their end-of-month trips, but nods as he starts on his way past Lan's room. “Food, and tourism,” he reminds Lan, who is nodding as he starts walking back into his room.
He knew exactly where the excess would end up, though, but saying the words, Reo at least felt a little better as he continues towards starting his day.
--
Both Saya and Lan were in the bath at the same time – in different locations. One was comfortable with it, Saya enjoying the large shower her hotel room came equipped with, raining shower heads were a luxury, so she took her time. The shower itself was a technological wonder, with the pouring water above, a wand for up close, it even has a marble seat, she thinks, shaking her head at the thought of her own bathroom in Ota, functional but cramped.
Tourist, sightseeing, relax, she reminds herself.
--
Lan on the other hand, was sitting bare ass naked on a seat in front of a mirror, looking like a drowned rat. He pushes his hair back out of his face, one hand holding the wand attached to the wall.
This traditional bullshit, when the divorce happened, this wasn't one of the things that Lan missed, at all. With the house came the way of bathing, which was scrubbing before getting into a tub. He looks over at the tub, and even though it was steaming – and inviting, to an extent – Lan didn't plan on relaxing in it.
Opening his mouth, he turns the spraying wand right into his face, gritting his teeth a bit until he's used to the temperature. He drops the wand and takes a breath, blinking his eyes open. Lan wasn't much for tea or coffee, but that was enough for now.
He grabs the bar of soap in front of him and starts shoulders down, having spent enough time fucking around, clean thyself, and get out.
Lan finally steps out of the bath, a towel around his waist as he finds the clean clothes he brought in with him to step into – though it wasn't much different than any other day – jeans, t-shirt. He grabs the comb and tugs it relentlessly through his own hair, knots and all, until it's smoothed back.
Standing in front of a mirror, if Reo were taller, and more casual, he muses, the slicked back, air drying hair lending Lan to look more like his half-brother – for now.
Clean, sober, tourist.