Big Sister Fujioka

Jin's Unwilling Competition!

"Hey, Eiko. You've grown."

"Yeah, that's something that happens to humans."

If Eiko had hoped that the ice in her voice would make her older cousin's react, they didn't. Jin's returning stare just grew harder.

"Oh... yes, I suppose so."

"I see you've cut your hair short."

"Oh, yeah. Funny story actually. Basically, some gum got stuck in it and I decided-"

"I don't care."

Silence wrapped itself back around the group, only more awkward now. As more people walked around them, even the ones who didn't actually notice the tension between them were steering clear, like the anger was physically driving other people away.

Haruhi glanced around the platform and noticed a security guard glancing their way, "Okay, look. None of us want to be here right now and we all know it. So how about we take one step at a time, starting with getting out before security arrives?"

Eiko nodded, but smirked darkly at Jin, "Looks like Haruhi is more mature than you, huh? So much for being the wonderful big sister."

The brunette's eyes flashed as she stepped even closer, "I'd watch my tone if I were you. You are very lucky I'm even here at all and didn't leave you alone to fend for yourself in the city. I have given you years of my patience, but now?" She let the threat hang in the air for a moment, eliciting a shiver down the small girl's spine. Eiko angrily looked away, finally breaking their staring contest.

Jin drilled her gaze into the side of her head for a moment longer, "Knaw on the scraps of my affection, cousin. That's all you're going to get."

Then she turned around and marched towards the exit, leaving the others little to do but follow. Eiko was hissing indiscernible words under her breath and Haruhi watched her older sister's back. It was always strange and never fun to see this side of Jin, and it didn't help knowing that they would be in close quarters with Eiko for the next week.

Haruhi shuddered at the sudden mental pictures in her brain from that reminder. Hopefully she and her father would be able to keep the two apart from each other for a majority of the time.

"Aren't you going to tell me what fun happy times we're going to have later or do I have to wait until we see your dad to hear that?"

Jin's shoulders stiffened, so Haruhi answered, "Dad is working overtime tonight so he can come home earlier than usual for the rest of the week. Have you eaten?"

"Yes."

"Then... I guess we're just going to go home and get you settled in."

"I'm taking your room again?"

"Yeah. I've moved most of my stuff to Nēchan's bedroom already. I shouldn't need anything else."

"Fine."

"Um...right. Uh, after we do all that... is there anything you want to do first?"

The group arrived at the next platform, where they were going to board the train that could take them close to the Fujioka's apartment complex, and Eiko smirked.

"Ice skating."

*\/*

"Here, Nēchan, I've got your skates." Jin smiled weakly and gave her a soft thank you. Handing the white ice skates to her sister, Haruhi sat down on her left and began pulling her own skates on over her fuzzy socks.

"Where's Eiko?"

"The Devil reincarnated? On the ice already. Probably carving the words 'I HATE JIN' into the sides of the rink with her fingernails." Jin pulled the laces as tightly as she could, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. A tell if Haruhi ever knew one.