Dancing in a Cage (Mafia!Brothers and Sister!Reader)

Chapter 12

He didn't address me as I came closer but after the butlers were dismissed, he turned towards me and looked at everything that I was wearing. I didn't flinch as I saw him pointedly staring at my chest, keeping still and holding my mask tightly at my side. After what felt like hours, he looked me in the eyes.

"You look nice enough. Let's be on our way."

"All right," I bit the inside of my lip as I fought down the urge to state my mind.

He didn't offer me his arm as we walked towards the waiting car, with him a few steps ahead of me. I quietly got into the car's backseat and watched as the world started to fly by as the car pulled out from the driveway and onto a major street, eventually turning onto the highway that fed into the eastern side of Tokyo. As the buildings flew by and began to grow in height, I had a feeling that I knew where we were headed; the Orchard Hall in Tokyo. My excitement began to grow as I thought about what pieces the Moscow Symphony Orchestra would be playing under Maestro Arnold, or if they had a guest conductor planned.

Within thirty minutes, the Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up to a line of other luxury cars that trailed to the Orchard Hall entrance. There were no cameras or press that lined the carpeted entrance, but I could see a few people with high-zoom cameras sitting on the surrounding benches and tables that were looking for high profile people to gossip about in whatever tabloid was popular in the area. I put the mask on as I saw other masked people step out of the cars ahead of us and into the building without stopping to chat to others who were around. Atsushi put on his mask, a half-face mask that imitated creeping ivy with blooming leaves that clung all the way down to his chin, trailing up and arching just above his left eyebrow. His hazel eyes appeared to take on a greenish-color when he put on the mask, hiding within the green vines of the mask.

"You are to stay quiet, (y/n)," Atsushi cleared his throat before the doors opened to let us out, "Remember to be obedient."

I didn't answer as I was helped out by a busboy, waiting for Atsushi to walk around the car and take my hand under his left arm. The movement was stiff as Atsushi almost started dragging me forward with long strides, but I caught up and kept quiet about any complaints.

I was here, and I'd see my brothers.

----

Osomatsu adjusted the partial oni mask in the men's bathroom closest to the large shoe-box theater, the porcelain material resting uncomfortably on his cheek. He had left his brothers in the second floor seating area using the excuse to go to the bathroom, but needed to take a small breather and calm himself from whatever was making him nervous. Osomatsu didn't want (y/n) to come here at all, but was still happy to hear the news from Karamatsu about her convincing Atsushi to let her come. This was the second time she's been to the Gala, but Osomatsu had been to one too many, and knew that the formal dance was a front to all of the background dealings between families. It was one of the few things he could thank Mom and Dad for.

Ruffling his hair for the tenth time in the last minute, he straightened out and folded a little bit of paper towel between the fresh scar on his cheek and the mask to ease the discomfort. All of his brothers deserved a nice long vacation with all of the hard work that they had done, and he knew that seeing (y/n) would lift all of their spirits. He noticed how different it was when he'd pass by her old room to see it nearly empty of her things, her music room now eerily silent, and even when the extremely rare day had opened up to have the family eat together, (y/n)'s presence was clearly missed.

Shaking himself from his thoughts, Osomatsu walked out to the second floor lobby and stifled a choke when his breath hitched in his throat.

Atsushi, with an ivy mask covering half of his face, was leading a young woman in a yellow revealing dress while wearing a familiar cat mask towards the many double doors that were currently open into the theater.

----

"Excuse me, Mr. Kanemochi?" An all-too familiar voice called out from my left, sending comforting chills up my spine as I looked towards the speaker. Atsushi suddenly stopped walking and I almost walked into him, not paying attention to anyone but the person I instantly recognized as Osomatsu. He was wearing a finely tailored three-piece suit with a red shirt tucked underneath the vest, complementing the blood red detail on the seams of his jacket and the thin faint red lines trailing down his pants. The oni mask that partially covered his face was detailed with red eye shadow, both horns tipped in red that faded into the neutral ivory of the mask.

"Ah, Mr. Matsuno," Atsushi turned to him and reached out his right hand for Osomatsu to shake. Osomatsu gave a friendly smile and returned the handshake, "I didn't think I'd see you here. Are your brothers all right?"

"Oh, they're quite healthy thanks to the family doctor. They can be stubborn at times, but that's what younger brothers are like," Osomatsu glanced down at me and gave me a genuine smile, "But you would know that, being married to my little sister, don't you?"

"Yes, she can be a little stubborn at times, but she's learning," Atsushi took a slight step forward, as if to challenge Osomatsu from looking at me.

"(Y/n) is a fast learner! As long as you're not to rough with her, and know how to talk to her. Right, sis?" The small movement was definitely caught by Osomatsu, and he left the open question for me to talk.

"I--"

"Yes, she can be. (Y/n), would you go find our seats? I have a few things to talk to Mr. Matsuno about," Atsushi cut me off and released my hand from his arm. I looked between my brother and my landlord before moving away from the two men, looking down at the tickets Atsushi shoved into my hands.

As I moved into the row indicated on the ticket, I noticed the myriad colors a few seats down to my right.

"(Y/n)!" Karamatsu, partially hidden by an intricate wolf mask, practically leapt out of his seat and held me in a tight embrace within seconds. The movement shoved the cat mask from my face, but I didn't care. I hugged him back tightly, hearing more voices saying my name excitedly from behind him. I knew I couldn't hug everyone there, but I reached out my hand from the hug I was giving Kara and felt four other hands grab it. They were here, all of my brothers were here and fate had sat me near them. I couldn't believe the luck that I was having for the night.

"(Y/n), what the hell is with that dress?" Todomatsu tactfully waited until Karamatsu was done smothering me before asking. His eyes seemed to narrow in on the low cut bordering my chest, and motioned for me to give him the sash around my waist. Wiggling around the four other males with the long fabric in his hand, he draped the sash around my shoulders before crossing it in front of my chest and tying it behind my back, completely covering the embarrassing side breast exposure.

"Let me guess -- that's what Atsushi wants you to wear," He commented before moving back to his seat, his tone full of disgust.

"Yeah...but it allowed me to be here. Will you be able to talk more afterwards?" I moved back to my assigned seat before Atsushi noticed me talking with my family.

"Of course. Choromatsu and I will be busy with other people that we need to speak with, but we'll still be here," Karamatsu noticed my frequent glances to the doors and ushered his younger brothers back into their seats. I gave them all promises of hugs after the performance before I saw Atsushi walking into the theater with a sour look on his face that only seemed to grow as he noticed where our seats were.