A Tsundere Joins the Family

Immediately upon Otouto's look over, Iyuki's sparkles grew. Regalia began batting them out of the air, pawing at them and attempting to stop their overwhelming her. "I suppose... Otouto is best. You could have been my younger brother and through fate itself you are as well now! So it is the best name for you."

Iyuki gave a firm nod, smiling quite brighter than usual when Muika was not around to cause it. He normally kept such a smile reserved for her, but this situation had cause for it!

"...A...Ah..." Whatever... He had already been called that so it wasn't like it was some big change or anything. Fine...

Aito had given one of his typical sounds for confirmation, attempting to ignore the sparkles radiating off of Iyuki. They had already beaten him down to a pulp...

His hand moved up to his hair again, ruffling slightly as he remained in spot on the table.

"...Otouto? Why do you wear a cell phone charm as a...well bracelet charm. Have you always had that?' Iyuki felt it looked familiar, though he couldn't place why, as his eyes zoomed in on the hand that was ruffling his hair awkwardly. Otouto was flustered, that was okay, Regalia was protecting him from the sparkles just a bit at least as she batted them more.

"If you need any advice as well about relationships I will be more than willing to answer!... E-Even...things you may need...help on...if you wish it..." The man winced, but continued his offer. He had...to be there for the younger cousin. Even if he... he... did not wish to imagine the adorable otter woman doing such things with Otouto.

"It needs to be there..." He knew it was a phone charm...meant for a phone, but... It had to be there, and he hoped the man would get the hint. Just like he had his damn glasses, and Okura had her little gemstone...

...Advice...

"...A...Ah..." He didn't...really though; especially not now. "Don't stand on edge waiting for me to ask though...not that stupid, I'm not doing shit this early."

Way too damn early in a real relationship to go too far with things...

"Why? Is that some odd fashion with the kids nowadays?" Missing the very subtle hint, Iyuki instead took it as something else entirely. Why would it have to be there? What was the significance... Kids today were rather odd it seemed...

However he was not expecting Otouto's immediate response in the least. There were several things of note, but Iyuki couldn't deal with most of it at the moment. Instead he stuttered a few times before finally his reply jolted out.

"...I meant in the future! I just was giving you a blanket offer for now, a-about other things as well as that. Th-Though you can not...blame me for my...worry. You did... With... Selena... Th-There was..." Iyuki's face was beat red, a hand coming up to cover his mouth as he coughed and became more flustered by the topic. H-He had only meant to...just in case...he had questions... in the far future...

"Gh...g..." Aito's eye twitched; "I'm like two years younger than you what 'kid fashion!?'"

He was talking like an old man! They were both in their early twenties, there wasn't any room for that kinda talk when...when referring to him!

"I need it like you need your damn glasses!"

Iyuki began to heavily freak out at his words about advice though, which left Aito to give a huff; "T-Tch...Well you made it sound like soon!"

It had sounded like a soon thing from how the man had worded it so he'd responded accordingly, damn it!

Iyuki ignored Otouto's words and looked almost sad for the younger man, patting his head with a sigh. Tsk Tsk precious little cousin-brother.

Still, Iyuki paused in his utter just poor Otoutoing to stare at the bracelet and then blink. "You have...powers? Since when?"

He was too shocked to be angry at the deception, his blue eyes wide and just curious. He didn't even quell his shocked expression to respond to Otouto's words about his offer. "I had meant it as a blanket offering, but the last part was...purely put on because I am attempting to be okay with this! I-I know she is old enough and mature enough, it is just hard for me to accept that someone as sweet and adoring as her... It is just hard for me to not see her as someone to protect and coddle!"

"Short while." Since before that meeting, he'd had them a bit before then as well; he wasn't keeping track of how long, they just weren't immediately recent...

Someone to protect and coddle...

"Eventually, if you can be more accepting of the 'old enough' fact....she doesn't like being treated like a kid." Well, she didn't... He might as well inform the obvious, though he was unsure if Iyuki was able to tell as such... "She doesn't like being left out despite how vague we're being about some things."

Really...those were obvious things but oh well...

"..." Iyuki's silence was filled with something and he looked away, unsure of the pang he had felt. Had he...really with his actions upset the two that badly? Even with the apology already given, Iyuki felt... like an outsider now. They hadn't exactly been the best of friends but, he would have hoped Otouto would have told him if he developed powers...

Iyuki flinched as he took the reprimand in Hibiki's words, looking at the wall now instead of that man. He gave one slow nod and sighed. "I-I know... I will try to be better about it in the future. Since she is with you, she has a right if you feel she is ready or needs to know... If you wish to be with her for a while or forever really, she should know. It might help her understand better and make it easier on you as well."

He felt miserable and his sparkles faded, to the kittens grumpiness as she bounded off in search of a toy now instead.

"A...Ah..." Was he actually upset he hadn't come...running to him when he hadn't developed powers!? Had he really!? "Do I look like the type of guy that's just gonna go runnin' up to you guys talking about new powers?"

Really! Put in some perspective here!

"I didn't tell anyone at first! Miyako only learned because when she called me I had it summoned because she made the tree sound like some big deal!" He hadn't even told Miyako at first!

As for the other stuff...

"I'm letting her know at her own rate, she wants information, I give it. It's in small doses..." Gh...

"I had...hoped..." Iyuki was pouting. He was absolutely pouting! He had hoped Otouto might trust him enough... He continued to stare at the wall and not look at Otouto, not wanting to get all sniffly and upset over such a large breach of trust. His tone that of utter mope, Iyuki deflated and gave up trying... "What is it and what does it do?"

He did feel a little better when the young man admitted that he hadn't even told Miyako but... still the mopey pout remained. "...You thought the tree was a danger and wanted to protect her?"

"That sounds smart, you...you are fine. I suppose I should apologize once more, but...I will admit you know what you are doing. A-And how to handle everything." Iyuki deflated utterly, his head falling to the table as he wrapped his arms around it and hid. He was useless as a Nii-san. Useless!

"...." Aito watched in disbelief as Iyuki mimicked his action from earlier, placing his head on the table though he ended up wrapping his arms around his head.

He hadn't told anyone! He had wanted to keep it a secret in case he needed it at a certain moment of crisis!

A heavy huff escaped him as his head hung; just... gh... Lifting his hand, he summoned the gun and slid it over to the other male. "I would say don't shoot but it feeds off my energy, not yours."

Iyuki's head perked up as he felt the burst of power, blinking as he looked down at the shiny gun. There was a small smile on his face as his arm uncurled, reaching out to pick the thing up and look at it.

"A gun...it suits you. Your energy you say? You should practice lots and make your store of power bigger, I remember when my power first manifested I would get tired after only a few minutes of use..." Iyuki examined the gun careful even after Otouto's admittance of how it worked. "I wonder if you will develop secondary powers like we have?"

"Mn..." Aito watched as Iyuki picked it up and began to examine it, resting his chin in his hand at the table. At the mention of secondary powers he shrugged, "Dunno. If it can kill shit then that's all I need."

Something to kill hollows with... That's all anyone ever seemed to groan at him about with his inability to do so...

Secondary abilities or not...if it would make people stop with that then whatever...

"You probably will eventually. Killing things is a bonus." Iyuki chuckled softly and set the gun down, before blinking as it hit him. That charm the phone had been from... "Did not...Miyako give you that charm? I remember Muika commenting..."

Fullbringer's needed an item they were attached to to form their powers... Iyuki's eyes took in the gun, then looked up at the man resting his head on his chin. Was...Otouto that attached?

"Mn..." Being able to take out enemies was all that mattered, though... Gh... How the hell was he supposed to explain the damn charm thing!? "Gh... It just happened, s'Not like I cared how I got 'em..."

Obviously he was being defensive...

Damn...thing...They probably just chose an item at random! He wasn't the type to attach to...to inanimate objects! Gh...

Yeah, she gave him that phone charm...so....

"Well no, you may not care how you got them... But your powers obviously did. Are you...do you feel that strongly?" Iyuki seemed awed and a bit shocked at this, looking between the gun and the young man sitting there being defensive. "You are being...very very defensive you know."

"If you cared that much for her... I would not have hit you, I did not realize that you had this whole time..." Iyuki seemed awed more and more as he realized... how much this much mean... Sparkles were reappearing again as his mind worked on how this fit into the story...

What...What the hell was he doing!? His dignity was being torn down shred by shred as Iyuki continued to...say things. Things related to him...experiencing...feelings...

"Not...defensive..."

He was not!

Was it too late to attempt the kotatsu hideaway? No room now, but he could always push the man back some if he wanted... Gh..g....Damn it...

He was sparkling again........

"You are being defensive over being defensive Otouto." Iyuki pointed this out, smiling brightly again. The sparkles were toned down a bit though as Iyuki wished to know more and knew his happiness would keep the young man from answering. The fullbringer wanted answers, lots of answers. "How long did you like her then? A while? Why did you not say anything? She had an obvious crush on you, why...did you not?"

Holy shit...

God damn it, was he seriously asking this!?

It was Aito's turn for his head to return to the table; how...how the hell could he even begin to explain shit like that!? Talking about...feelings and stuff didn't mix well with him! Yet here Iyuki was...asking him these things...

"Dunno...when..." Gh....

Why he never spoke up about anything was obvious wasn't it? One, he was in denial himself, and two... again, him and feelings talk was not a workable combination.

"...Well that would make some sense. You are not exactly the best with emotions..." Iyuki did sigh, before pointing out something. "However you have not given me enough detail. I want more, and please answer my questions! It...it is helping me accept this and I think if you discuss things more, I will be able to put aside my wrongly put feelings and treat Miyako and you with the respect you deserve."

Which was the truth but... he felt if he egged the man on he might respond more. It wasn't as if he didn't want to know too! This talk was fun and there weren't many he could discuss these things with!

Aito for one just wanted to curl up and die. The gun was closer to Iyuki... he had no strength to make a grab for it... This was hell, this was pure hell. He had to talk...about...feelings... His feelings...

Oh he was gonna be sick...

"....." Silence fell upon the room for a good few moments, Aito just a dead heap at the table. Eventually he managed... words. "Dunno...when...Seriously..."

He seriously didn't know when feeling feelings started...happening. He wasn't good with emotions to begin with, it was impossible for him to pinpoint such a thing.

"Du...Dunno...for one..." For one...? It took time but...eventually something came to him, though perhaps it came out a bit harsher than intended, "For one I was never seen as some defenseless weakling who'd keel over at a touch from one of those monsters...

Okura may have been the best killer...but I was right there as one of the best too... Yet suddenly this bullshit happens and all of those skills don't mean jack shit...Tch..."

According to most anyway...

Even without these powers... He could still fight and kill, damn it...

Iyuki waited, smiling as Otouto laid there in utter defeat. It would only help the young man to talk about about things, he HAD to get used to emotions so this was the best way. "I know this you may not be able to tell yourself, but I wish to know... well why you didn't know? Or I suppose why you kept quiet. Did you really...not understand your feelings towards her? Or did you merely think it was the urge to protect her? And why would you mistake them?"

He still winced though as Hibiki spoke, realizing that it was a bit... his fault as well. They had constantly warned him to be careful and it must have hurt the young man's pride a bit. Being called useless a lot... Iyuki's cheeks tinted and he nodded. "My apologies... for that... But you...felt useful to her? Is...that the start?"

Maybe if he urged him and gave him...help? The man would continue... Iyuki was dying to know and would stay until the younger man had exhausted his entire to speak really.

"Mn..." It wasn't like he knew... He'd just done what he did... It wasn't like he thought about reasons behind it. He was extremely disconnected with emotions, a proper understanding of them most of the time was beyond him without extreme denial covering it.

Up until recently emotions like...all of this had been useless. Pointless...

It wasn't like he could just so easily explain things; how could he when he couldn't even explain these things to himself...?

"Dunno..." Again, he wasn't sure about...starts or anything...

"....?" Iyuki waited, only getting sounds and dunnos. He blinked, curious sparkles beginning to float from him. "You...will have to elaborate. You said for one, that indicates a start of some sort. Or some sort of list of reasons? There must... be more. Also there must be...more explanation as to why you didn't...?"

Hibiki needed to speak up more, talk about things otherwise... well he would be stuck not understanding. If he didn't talk about things it would make it harder in the long run.