"So things have been going well?"

He shifted in his seat a bit.

"Yes everything's been going well. I do feel a lot happier."

There was something off about the tone of it. She looked down to her notes reminded of a topic that she had been wanting to attempt addressing again. The last time it didn't go so well.

"So… Yukio." She chose her words carefully, "Is there anything else you've tried to discuss with Rin? Maybe the topic you and I left off on the last time we spoke alone."

He looked away to feign that he was attempting to remember even though it was obvious he did. He almost set the room ablaze.

"Sure we've talked."

"About?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary." His tone became a little hostile.

She paused in thought.

"You know you've shown a lot of improvement and I can tell you're happier."

"Yes I am. Nissan and I have become closer. That's all I ever really wanted and now I have that so there's no need to ruin it."

"Oh how so?"

She wanted him to state the obvious himself. He was a very tough egg though. The real topic of the conversation was very vague yet known at the same time. Another secret. She clicked her pen a few times.

"So Yukio the last time we spoke alone I asked you a personal question about Rin or actually I was only making a suggestion regarding your feelings about Rin."

"Yes. I-I remember." He cursed himself for stuttering.

"I suggested that… perhaps your feelings toward Rin are not only platonic and you became angry with me." Triggering those flames.

"I remember alright. I remember."

"And how do you feel about what I said?"

"I feel… I don't know. It makes me angry."

"Why? Why does it make you angry?"

"Because…"

"Yukio-"

"Because it's the truth alright!" As his voice rose he bursts into flames but Ms. Yuushi stood her ground. The walls in the room reflected the flames casting a blue haze over the room. His face became filled with panic and embarrassment as he stared down at himself in horror.

Not again.

He hugged himself tightly and curled his head down on his chest as he tried to will the fire away but to no avail.

No, no, no, she's wrong! I can't feel that way. It's not true!

The flames only went brighter and expanded. Ms. Yuushi's eyes finally widened a bit in fear as the flames expanded closer and closer licking at her heels until…

It engulfed her and the furniture around her. She squeezed her eyes shut and said a silent prayer bracing herself for the burns that would ensue.

She opened her eyes seconds later in shock.

The flames were cold.

The flames were cold. Somehow she felt no heat just an awful and severe chill around her that she knew she most likely would survive.

Yukio stared back eyes wide in shock. Slowly the flames died away.

"You-you're okay… how?"

"They were cold. Icy."

"Huh?"

"Your flames were freezing. It felt like-like a blizzard."

"Really?" He stared down at himself in wonder. How? Why? He had so many questions.

Her mouth snapped shut and she composed herself.

"I think you should tell Rin how you feel. I think it would help. That seems to be a very touchy subject for you and… I'm sure that Rin won't be hateful towards you after. I think it could help you move forward."

He gulped and took a deep breath.

"I-I mean. I don't know if I can do that it's weird. It's not normal." And what just happened sure as hell wasn't either.

"Yukio, I know it's hard but I really think that this might help. This is your last thing you need to get off your chest with your brother. The final thing. You've come so far. Just give it some thought."

He looked at her for a while before nodding slightly.

"I'll think about it."

. , . .

He thought about it and thought about it some more. There were many outcomes for how the situation could go. 1, Rin would hate him and never speak to him again and think he's disgusting. 2, well he actually couldn't think of anything beyond that but he had to weigh his options logically. The Rin in his mind brutally rejects him but he knows that the Rin in reality would most likely be less harsh in his refusal. Maybe it would make his life easier to just get it off of his chest so he could move on with his life. Rin would end up with Shiemi and he would end up with… himself and he was okay with that for the most part. It couldn't ruin everything just a large portion of it.

So a few days later he decided to get it over with over breakfast when it was just the two of them (and Kuro) in the almost silence of their kitchen. Conversation was light an airy for the most part and Yukio savored every moment of it because soon he would ruin it.

"So… Niisan…"

"Yes?" He smiled at him brightly and it made his hands shake even worse. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears and he felt like it might come out of his mouth at any moment. This was it. Another confession on the list of things that could drive them apart. He smiled sadly to himself. They had just become so close. He took yet another deep breath. His twin's brow creased in concern.

"Yukio what's wrong? No secrets remember? You can tell me anything. Anything."

"Okay… Niisan… I um…" He looked down at the wooden table top.

Just say it.

"I like you." He was met with silence and he dared to look at his brother's face. It was twisted in that confused expression that always made one of his eyes squint and his nose wrinkle in the cutest of ways.

"Uh… thanks! I like you too Yukio. I love you!"

The younger sighed knowing it would come to this. Of course it wouldn't be this easy.

"Niisan. No. You see… I like you in a way that.. isn't normal. I like you as in… as in a romantic way. Not the normal way a brother should."

He looked at his brother yet again. The confused expression melted into an unreadable one and Yukio became worried.

What have I done. He honesty couldn't tell what his brother was thinking which was rare. His face seemed deep in though as he then stared down at the table top seemingly tracing the ridges in the wood.

All that closeness we've built up… and I've destroyed it. Then Rin spoke.

"So… you like me in a romantic way? Like you would want to date me and stuff?"

Oh god. His voice had tones of both innocence and curiosity, like he was generally seeking confirmation on the matter. The taller nodded sullenly.

"Like you'd want to kiss me and I'd be your… boyfriend?"

The other was surprised that Rin wasn't blushing saying such things. There wasn't a trace of red on him. Yukio sunk in his chair feeling a bit disgusted with himself.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Rin. I know it's strange. I understand if you-"

"Then take me on a date."

"What?" He looked up in shock. Had he just heard what he thought he did? Rin sat up a little straighter as he began to explain himself.

"Ok... So you like me, like like me in that way." He scratched the back of his head in thought, "That's-well-of course not uhh… normal but I don't think it's extremely strange just you know innormal-"

"Abnormal."

"Right." He looked off to the side as Yukio listened intently. Where was he going with this?

"I can't say I know exactly how I feel now in response to that. To be honest yeah… I'm shocked. Also kinda flattered." A soft laugh escaped him, "I'm not entirely opposed to the idea of… us being that way but I'm unsure of my feelings toward you meaning as of now I don't think I can return them."

Yukio's steely expression faltered for just a moment. Rin leapt to elaborate further.

"I want to go on a few dates first maybe and see… if I can see you that way and if maybe I might feel the same."

"Really? You aren't just humoring me?"

"That wasn't a joke. It wasn't even funny."

Yukio slapped his forehead internally.

"I meant, you aren't just doing this to be nice to me? You can flat out refuse. You don't have to-"

"Yukio I want this! Okay… I want to try. Maybe… maybe there's something there. There just might be… and besides it could be fun!" His bright smile returned.

"Okay. Fine then. I suppose that could work. But if at any moment you realize that there's really nothing you'll tell me-"

"Of course I will! Okay. So let's go on a date. Why don't we start tonight?"

He couldn't believe this was happening. He swallowed thickly and wrung his hands together a bit. They were still shaking and quite sweaty.

"O-Okay what do you want to do?"

"We could go see a movie and I'll make dinner after?"

Well. That did seem date-ish enough. They actually never did anything like that or at least not for a very long time. It was a very normal thing to do just watching a movie together. No pressure. No big deal. Or at least that's what he told himself.

"That sounds good."

.

So he ended up letting Rin choose the movie some horrid looking foreign romantic action comedy. Definitely not Yukio's taste.

But Rin seemed to enjoy it, the way his eyes lit up when there was some kind of explosion was endearing. He seemed to be watching Rin more than he'd been watching this awful movie. He thought about these wild turn of events, not exactly how he'd pictured the situation but not a bad one at all. Sacrificing his dignity and embarrassing himself to death seemed like a pretty good price to pay to get to watch his brother's blue eyes light up in astonishment as he shoveled popcorn into his mouth.

Later on that night Rin made a wonderful stew for dinner. He also said that this would be a good opportunity for them to talk a little more about this new development.

For a while they ate in a comfortable silence.

"Did you like the movie?" Rin asked brightly.

"Hm. It was alright."

"It's ok if you didn't like it." He laughed lightly.

"Oh well no I didn't particularly like it."

"Oh rats!" He abruptly slapped his palm to his forehead.

"Niisan? What's wrong?"

"I should have let you pick the movie! Ms. Yuushi said that I should present you with more opportunities to choose for yourself and do things you want to do. I'm sorry Yukio-"

He laughed. It was a small yet genuine laugh and Rin blinked in surprise upon hearing it.

"It's really alright Rin. I was hardly watching the movie." He dared to.. flirt? Was this flirting? He had no idea.

"Really then what were you watching?"

He gave Rin a meaningful stare before looking down at his spoon and flipping it over in his hand.

"Ohhh. You were watching me?"

Yukio nodded. Rin thought for a moment and smiled.

"So Yukio. If you don't mind me asking, you don't have to answer but what do you like-like about me?" He seemed honestly curious.

"What do I… well." He sighed, "I've always admired you, your strength and bravery. I just… love your personality. I like that you're so positive. I wish I could be that way. I like that you try to see the good in everyone even if the outcome might be trouble. You're just… a lot of things that I'm not and well I find that very… attractive." He felt his face burning with red.

No more secrets.

"And I also find you… physically attractive as well." He fiddled with his spoon some more as he stared at the table then apprehensively to his twin.

The older was listening, a thoughtful look on his face as he rested his chin on his palms. He smiled finally looking a little embarrassed.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Wow. I-thankyou. No one's ever said anything like that to me before."

"Well they should."

He then laughed in the sweetest way that made Yukio's heart race. He then noticed Rin's eyes wandering behind him looking around ever so slightly as his smile brightened.

Yukio turned to see what he had been gazing at to find his tail had somehow escaped from his pants and was swaying around in a relaxed fashion.

"We're at home, it's okay to let it out you know."

Yukio nodded passively and the smallest of smiles fell on his lips once again.