tenipuri_xp | RP Log: Kenya & Yuushi (Reply)

Date: Backdated to Oct 5, 2007
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Kenya and Yuushi...catch up.

Kenya walked up to the really BIG house at the address Yuushi had emailed over and stopped a few feet away from the front door. It had been a bit of a walk from the nearest bus stop, but he didn't mind. It gave him time to remind himself NOT to punch Yuushi no matter how annoying he was. "Fuck, he's living in a huge ass house." he muttered to himself. It's been years since he'd seen Yuushi, and he idly wondered how much Yuushi had changed in those years. "He'd better not piss me off like he did in the journals." he muttered again as he pressed the doorbell.

The most enjoyable thing about having a state of the art surveillance system, in Yuushi's opinion, was that you always knew who was at your door. Never any surprises, solicitors or fanatics attempting to save you.

He'd seen Oshitari Kenya coming the moment he'd entered the gates, and watched him as he made his way up the driveway to the front door. How different he looked than how Yuushi remembered him...though he had to admit, the years had been kind, and the Oshitari blood had no doubt been flowing strongly.

He allowed one of the maids to answer the door and show Kenya in as he descended the main staircase leading into the foyer. He'd intended to greet his cousin warmly.

"Cousin Kenya", he smiled as he dismissed the maid with a nod and stepped closer to the blonde. "It's been far too long." It was then that his body acted on its own accord, and moved forward to enfold the other in his arms for a hug. No matter how many times it happened it surprised him when he did that to others beside those that lived with him.

Mentally he rolled his eyes at himself, but outwardly he only tightened his hold and patted Kenya's back. "You're looking well", he commented with what he equated as a friendly smile as he pulled away.

as being so..touchy-Kenya's mouth dropped open as Yuushi hugged him and barely managed to stop himself from squeaking in surprise. He hasn't been hugged in years. It was odd, Kenya didn't remember Yuushi being so...touchy-feely. Then again, people change. He gave Yuushi a weirded-out look and managed to say in a fairly level tone of voice, "You're looking good as well, Yuushi. Nice to see you again."

Shaking off the annoying new habits of his, Yuushi chuckled and reached out to pat the younger Oshitari on the head. "And far cuter than I remember. Won't you come into the parlor for refreshments?", he asked, stepping back with that old practiced recall of how Kenya usually tried to pay him back for such comments.

"Don't do that!" Kenya snarled out and clenched his fist, trying hard NOT to punch Yuushi. It looked like his hope of Yuushi not being irritating was not going to happen. He firmly reminded himself that punching someone within the first five minutes of meeting would be very bad form and forced himself to relax. "Lead the way." he said flatly.

"Don't do what?" Yuushi drawled, ignoring the threat of that balled fist as he led the way into the brightly lit parlor. "I know how excited you must be, but we have all afternoon to catch up."

Sending an auditory illusion to the maid, he silently ordered food and drink to be brought in as he gestured to Kenya to sit and reclined himself in an overstuffed chair, one ankle balanced on his knee comfortably.

"So...tell me what you've been doing since you parted ways with my esteemed aunt and uncle." The sarcasm fairly dripped off of the end of his sentence. He certainly had no esteem for them at all.

"You know what." Kenya snapped back immediately. "And who says I'm excited?" Forcing himself to relax, he followed his cousin into the parlor and sat himself down gingerly at the edge of a chair, glancing around the room. It was sort of second nature by now, to keep an eye out for any unpleasant surprises when he was in a new place.

"Me? Nothing much, traveling here and there, taking a few odd jobs to earn money to get by." Kenya replied. He left out the part about stealing and pickpocketing. That was something Yuushi didn't need to know about.

Noting the uneasy and furtive glances Kenya kept shooting across the room, Yuushi sat back fully and decided not to probe just yet. He had a feeling Kenya was holding back, but that could wait for later. Right now, his cousin was uncomfortable, and that just wasn't conducive to a nice conversation.

"Tea?", he offered as the maid came in, rolling in a gleaming cart full of sandwiches, desserts and beverages. "Or perhaps you'd like me to break into the liquor cabinet..."

Kenya turned his attention back to Yuushi. "Oh just tea'll be fine, thanks. Don't tell me you've gotten into the habit of drinking this early already." He never got drunk if he could help it. It was dangerous out on the streets if you were drunk and he noticed that off things tended to happen more often then not if he was even just a little tipsy.

"I rarely drink at all. Drinking early may be a family trait, but one I thankfully haven't inherited." Thought Yuushi was glad to know that Kenya hadn't taken after either of their fathers. As for himself, he hadn't bothered with alcohol since his last encounter with drunkenness had found him indulging himself in the hot tub with Akira and Koujirou, and thereby finding himself in a relationship with the two.

He nodded to the maid to pour the tea for Kenya. "If I recall, you always preferred black." Accepting a cup himself, he sipped it as he studied his cousin.

Kenya had grown up into a good looking young man. Only to be expected, given how attractive his mother had been and the family blood in him. But now he reminded Yuushi a little of Akira, in the streetwise way runaways tended to behave. Wary of everything and usually tense, ready to fight or flee if they had to.

Yuushi was dying to know if his cousin was also a mutant. Though he might be the only one, he couldn't shake the thought that there was a chance his old playmate might be as well. But he needed to know more first. If Kenya was human, and had anti-mutant beliefs, he wanted to tread carefully and not reveal himself just yet.

"It's a dangerous world out there now", he began, sipping his tea. "What with the mutant explosions and such...it's good to know you've come out of the streets safely, cousin."

"I do, thanks." Kenya accepted the cup of tea from the maid with a nod of thanks and sipped it carefully, studying Yuushi back. When they were children, people had gushed over Yuushi at what an adorable and cute child he was. Kenya would bet that now that he's grown up Yuushi got even more attention with how good looking he was. He supposed it was to be expected, since his aunt and uncle had been good looking people. Well, better Yuushi then him, Kenya thought idly. Kenya preferred to avoid attention and stay in the background.

"Well...its interesting to know you're not fanatically against mutants", Yuushi drawled, rubbing a forefinger over his chin thoughtfully. Well...at least Kenya wasn't shouting anti-mutant propaganda. But he was still cautious. "Father tried to straddle the fence on that issue...but he was emphatically anti-mutant. I suppose your years on the street showed you a different perspective?"

Kenya glanced up at his cousin again at Yuushi's last comment and shrugged. "So? Mutants or no mutants, the street are always dangerous." He had met one or two mutants out on the streets, and they acted like any other person out on the streets, with the exception that they could do things he couldn't. Kenya had pretty ignored the anti-mutant hysteria. There were more important things he worried about, things like getting enough money to eat and finding a place to stay. There was the niggling thought in the back of his mind that he himself might be one, but he ignored it as always.

"I wasn't aware that I needed any special reason", Yuushi replied evenly. "It does happen to be one of the prime discussion topics nowadays. But I suppose I can be glad that you have remained the reasonable sort, Kenya. It means I can speak more freely with you rather than edit myself." He steepled his fingers and looked over them at his cousin.

He considered a moment, studying him. And then his lips curled up into a very small smile. "What, dear cousin, would you say if I happened to tell you that I am a mutant?"

"People talk too much." Kenya grumbled and took another sip of his tea, then choked on it as he heard Yuushi's next question. He barely managed not to spray the tea out all over the place and wiped his mouth hastily on his sleeve. His mouth opened, shut, then opened again before he managed to blurt out, "You're not serious, are you?" It was an incredulous idea for Kenya. Still if it was true, it would explain all that talk about mutants earlier.

Infinitely amused by the reaction, Yuushi only smiled enigmatically at him, leaning forward to drape his forearms across his knee. "I might be. Or not. Hypothetically speaking, what would be your opinion if I was?"

He did so love to shock his cousin. Especially when it was doubled as a way to get information.

Kenya gave Yuushi a flat stare, showing him fully that he was NOT AMUSED and that he knew Yuushi had pulled that trick deliberately. Frowning he took another sip of his tea then blurted out the first thing his brain came up with. "It's none of my business and as long as you don't try to bash my brain in or anything like that I don't give a damn."

Yuushi smiled. That so reminded him of Kenya as a child, with his 'I don't care' attitude. Of course a lot of that had been directed at him...but that was what made growing up with his cousin such a challenge and occasional delight.

He supposed Kenya would find that perverse.

"I wouldn't dream of doing any such thing to you, I assure you", he said smoothly. "If I had such a thing as a mutation." As an afterthought, he brought his fingertips to his lips, kissing them briefly before blowing Kenya a mocking little kiss.

Except now he reached out with his power, forming a connection with his cousin's mind, and used it to create the feeling of an impression of lips against the young man's cheek. Yuushi sat back, as if he'd done nothing. "How are you enjoying your tea, cousin?"

"Ass." Kenya muttered in reply to Yuushi's gesture then froze as he felt 'something' touch his cheek. He froze, one hand going up instinctively to his cheek. What the hell was that? Body stiffening up he took another sip of his tea. "The tea's fine." he answered back, looking around the room suspiciously.

"Is something wrong?" Yuushi sipped his own tea, randomly trying things out on his relative. A scent here, a touch there...he hadn't had so much enjoyment out of his power since his early days at the Brotherhood, testing it out onShisihdo.

"Nothing's wrong." Kenya snapped out even he felt a phantom touch up his arm. His hand jerked and he almost spilled his tea. What in the world was going on here? He didn't think he was going crazy yet...but...
And now he was smelling the scent of roses when there wasn't anything around that had that scent. Growing more and more nervous, his power flared, and a nearby windowsill developed large cracks.

Well...that was interesting.

Yuushi took a long look at the window. It was entirely too coincidental that cracks were developing into the sill at the same time he was teasing his cousin with his power.

Could it be that his theory was correct? That Kenya too had a power?

Well, he could certainly continue to test it.

Randomly, he tossed other little illusions at his cousin as he continued with banal little conversation, enjoying his tea as he talked.

Kenya gripped his teacup tightly in his hand, trying to concentrate on what Yuushi was saying and ignoring the things he was seeing, smelling and hearing that had nothing to do with the conversation.

I am not going crazy. I am not going crazy was what Kenya was silently chanting in his mind. Maybe Yuushi's house was haunted? His eyes wandered uneasily around the room and the other hand that was not holding the tea cup gripped the arms of the chair. After a few more moments, his powers flared again, causing the glass top of the coffee table in front them to crack at the sides as well. Kenya twitched nervously at that, but didn't say anything, hoping thatYuushi wouldn't notice.

Which of course, Yuushi did. Abruptly he stopped, quieting the new mental connection he now had to his cousin, and was quiet a moment. When it looked like Kenya had relaxed some--and just as interestingly enough, the strange cracks and accidents happening around the room stopped as well--Yuushi set down his tea cup on the table and sat forward. He was pretty well convinced now, so he might as well ask what he wanted to know.

"Kenya. How long has it been since you have had your power?"

Kenya twitched again and took a long sip of his now cold tea. He does NOT want to talk about this. Finally he mumbled in a low, barely coherent voice, "I have no idea what you're talking about it."

"I see", his cousin drawled, blatantly disbelieving. "Things just seem to be spontaneously breaking and cracking all over the room while you are agitated. You're quite right...that does not signal a mutation at all." Yuushi's eyes glinted a little, matching the sarcasm spilling from his mouth. "Come now, Kenya...if this sort of thing happens to you regularly, would it not concern you?"

Kenya narrowed his eyes. "Leave it, Yuushi. I don't want to discuss this now." he snarled out. He did NOT want to think about mutations, powers, or problems that might possibly be related to it. He wanted to discuss it with Yuushi even less. "And what the hell have you been doing to me ?!?" He was officially pissed off now.

Oh yes...there was the angry look he remembered. Letting it go, a corner of Yuushi's mouth curled up. "Agitating you, as usual, dear cousin."

"You are such an ass." Kenya snapped back and stared down at his teacup, trying to calm himself down. He really had forgotten how annoying his cousin could be in the last few years.

"Yes, I suppose so", Yuushi answered back dryly, watching a very small crack start to form on his teacup. He set it down on it saucer to avoid the hot liquid spilling on him if it broke.

"I suppose, then, that you wouldn't want to discuss the possibilities of myself being a mutant..."

Kenya eyes snapped back upwards towards Yuushi. "I thought you said you weren't one?" he said suspiciously.

"I don't believe I said either way", Yuushi countered. "I certainly wasn't going to admit to anything until I was aware of how you felt about the subject. You can understand my way of thinking, I''m sure, knowing my parents, dear cousin."

Kenya sighed and gave Yuushi a flat stare. Of course he knew what his uncle and parents were like, they were just like his own parents. "In other words are you ARE a mutant." He could read between the lines of what Yuushi was saying. "And all those cute little things I was seeing and smelling was NOT just me going crazy was it, dear cousin?" he said icily.

Yuushi's lips curled up in a genuine smile. "Oh, I have missed your sharp mind, cousin. You have no idea what a bored it is to converse with people not on your level when you have to explain yourself ceaselessly. Akira and Koujirou aside, of course."

"And", he added, sitting forward yet again, "That is not all I can do with my power, Kenya." It only took a few seconds of thought, and another reactivating the connection with his cousin. The room they sat in slowly faded away, replaced by a grand ballroom filled with elegantly dressed people. Laughter and conversation created a low din, and the scents of mingling perfumes and delicate foods permeated the air.

In the corner stood an impeccably dressed little boy with blue hair, watching with barely concealed amusement as the boy next to him scowled and untied his little necktie, tossing it onto the polished floor.

"Ah...memories..." was Yuushi's almost smug little comment, watching his cousin with as much amusement as the illusion of his younger counterpart was.

Kenya couldn't help but twitch nervously as the room changed completely from where they were before to something different. But it was also something he recognized and remembered from years ago. Getting up from his seat he reached out with one hand to touch one of the talking figures. He wasn't surprised when his hand went right the figure. "Illusions..." he muttered softly, his suspicions confirmed.

He turned back to give Yuushi a withering look. "I suppose you just can't resist bringing up the past, can't you Yuushi."

"I don't see why not", Yuushi replied, unconcerned with either the look or the biting comment. "That was one of the first times I'd ever enjoyed being at one of these functions. You always did make the boring things enjoyable in your own way, Kenya."

He rose himself, adding another layer onto the illusion, and guided a particularly dazzling young woman from the throng of guests, feeling the warmth of her soft skin against him as he lead her into a waltz to the soft strains of music suddenly emanating from thin air.

"I think she would prefer to dance with you, cousin", he drawled, spinning the illusion girl to Kenya, knowing his cousin would be able to feel every inch of her if he so wanted to.

Even Kenya had to admit that having someone his own age at those functions made them bearable. He wasn't going to admit it to Yuushi out loud though.

As Yuushi spun the girl to him Kenya stumbled back as felt the girl in his arms. His hands felt warm flesh and he could smell the perfume on her. It felt..very real. Too real in fact. Stepping back from her he spun her back to his cousin. "I thank you cousin, but I think I prefer to dance with a real live girl than an illusion." he said calmly.

"Oh, but you were", Yuushi said just as calmly, holding the young lady's hand as the illusion melted away.

The maid, blinking back at Kenya and blushing furiously, merely curtsied to them in her uniform and asked quietly to be excused, pulling her hand as politely as she could from Yuushi's.

"A pity...I thought she rather liked you." Yuushi's words drawled around a tiny smirk. He was showing off, yes, but the look on Kenya's face was always worth the effort.

Kenya twitched again and went back to plop down on his seat. "And did she 'like' me because you confused her with your illusions?" he retorted irritably. He didn't like not being able to rely on his senses on telling him what was real and not real.

"I wasn't using any on her, cousin. I noticed how she looked at you when she brought our tea." Yuushi went to sit down as well, and tripped over the rug. Sprawled across his chair rather than sitting in it, he frowned. That had never happened before.

Still, he brushed it off and sat down. "Well then...not to worry, dear cousin. I won't use my power on you."

'Much', he added silently.

"Really..." Kenya raised an eyebrow as he saw Yuushi trip. That was rather unlike what he remembered of Yuushi, who was graceful and quick on his feet.

"Many thanks for your consideration." he answered dryly. Kenya had no doubts that Yuushi would use it on him if only to irritate him.

"You're welcome." He sat comfortably now, still mentally frowning at his tumble. He'd glanced, and there wasn't even a ripple in the rug... He supposed everyone had a moment of clumsiness...but that still struck him as strange. He brushed it off again, concentrating on his cousin.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather stay here? There are plenty of rooms avaliable to you, Kenya."

"No thanks. If I ever get kicked out of my place, maybe." Kenya wasn't sure he'd be able to resist the urge to punch his dear cousin if they were in close quarters for anything longer than a few hours. What had happened earlier was a prime example.

"It would certainly be an experience, living with you", Yuushi had to laugh. "I could look at it as a training experience...ducking your punches every time you got mad." Which he was sure was often, knowing his easily irritated cousin.

"I'll be sure to keep a room aired and ready for you, should that ever happen." And perhaps he'd be able to figure out exactly what his cousin's power was in the meantime...

Kenya snorted. "I'd rather not try it unless I absolutely have to." He'd probably explode if he had to force himself not to punch Yuushi every time the other man poked at him.

"...Thanks." Keny replied reluctantly, looking away from Yuushi. It was nice to know that he had options to fall back on if anything went to hell, even if he'd really rather not use them at all.

Yuushi just smiled at him.

"You're very welcome...dearest cousin."