Unholy Trinity [Fire Force, ObiShinSho]

[automatonSun]

Sho had always known he had a brother. It wasn't some secret kept from him; in fact, the Evangelist was clear that he would someday meet the older boy he shared blood with. It was his destiny, they'd said. And Sho never really knew how to feel about it, he could barely feel at all. It was just the way he was as a pillar of apathy. He just wanted to do his duty by the Evangelist's wishes and teachings, he just wanted to collect every person with an Adolla burst and continue on his way, sharing blood with one of them didn't even phase him. It didn't matter.

But then it did.

Shinra was warmth in a way Sho had never felt it. He threw himself at Sho with reckless, wild, loving abandon and Sho just couldn't understand why. How could he be so passionate about someone he'd never met? Truly met? The Sho he remembered was a baby. Wordless and ignorant to the world around him, and yet Shinra seemed to love him. It was foreign, new, and Sho... Sho liked it. He liked feeling cared for in a way even the Evangelist seemed incapable of. Maybe that had been why he fell out of their grace, why he couldn't properly fight against Haumea when she chose to keep him trapped against his will. But he escaped. It was hard, he had to pull on his abilities like he never had before, it didn't come with the same ease as it did when he was in the Evangelist's favor. It was... upsetting. It hurt in a way he was unfamiliar with. The abandonment. But the connection to Shinra, the brother that loved him so much even though it made no sense to him, had him collecting himself again so he could find him. Whatever upset or pain could wait, he needed to be away from the followers, and right then the only place he expected would be safe would be the place that his brother and the group that followed him was. If he followed their Link he would be safe from the White Clad, they wouldn't be able to touch him. Not with that plasma user Haumea kept complaining about, or his brother at his side.

As much as he didn't understand what his brother felt for him, he knew enough to know he would fight by his side no matter what.

It was raining, and that seemed almost ironic to him. The rain washed down his back, and it didn't help with the cold he felt from overusing his powers. For the first time, his teeth chattered, and he closed his eyes as he schooled the motion. It felt wrong to not have control over his body, even if it was something as seemingly natural as shivering. Sho had never known himself to be human, he spent too long in the Adolla. Those who held the Adolla Bursts simply weren't human, but they were all human once. Sho just didn't remember it. Well, he didn't. But then Shinra had reminded him and now he couldn't go back to those people. He just couldn't.

Sho stopped in front of the building he could sense his brother inside of, back tensing with every second he stared at the cross and skull overhead at the Cathedral. This was a part he hadn't considered, so distracted from his need to get away. His brother was a heretic, and so was the entire Fire Force. It made discomfort trickle over his limbs, but he stepped forward anyway, and slowly, as though giving himself the opportunity to withdraw, he knocked. "Shinra?" He called, not very loud but he hoped they would hear all the same. His brother wasn't human, after all, he should be able to as Sho himself was.

[LovelyBones]

Shinra hadn't expected to come back home empty-handed after finally seeing his precious little brother again, especially after seeming to have gotten through to him. Sho truly seemed to want to come with the Devil, be where he'd be safe, cared for, and have a mostly functioning found family. They could make up for lost time however they could-- be able to be brothers properly, and not just by blood. Shinra had wanted so, so desperately to take care of Sho, be the one he could go to for comfort, believe in.

But, the Evangelists had taken him away from him, again. And after his run-in with the first Pillar, Amaterasu, as well as Inca, the fifth, he'd struggled with the thought that horrible not-god would hurt his little brother for her own goals. Every life had meaning-- but becoming a sacrifice against their will was never right. After all, Amaterasu's wrath was a perfect example of that. He didnt blame her for feeling so much malice towards everyone.

Shinra had been training when he felt a familiar tug upon his Link, though it was cold, damp-- longing for warmth, a warmth only he could provide. Without a second thought, he was at the door leading to the downpour outside before the knock came. As such, he had heard the knock, as well as his name being called out by a voice so precious to him, and it brought him to tears.

Sho had called out for him, and for comfort and safety.

He opened the door, and quickly brought his dear little brother inside, his heart full of love and relief, finally having his baby brother back. "Sho, how did you get here? I was-- no, that's not important--" He barely held back a soft sob, trying not to cry, be lame in front of his little brother. He brought Sho into a warm, loving embrace, and without really thinking about it, soon began to shower the younger boy with kisses, along his chilled cheeks, damp forehead, and wet nose. "I never thought I'd see you again so soon-- but I'm happy you're here-- you came to me, even though it was dangerous to...." he hiccuped, before nuzzling into the other's damp locks. "Let's get you inside, warmed up with a shower, then dressed in something dry, alright?" He grinned, before leading the other inside.

Naturally, the rest of 8 were shocked when they saw Sho, seemingly here of his own will. Of course, Hinawa, Victor, Vulcan and Obi had their reservations, considering the circumstances before, ,but they didn't want to kick the hornet's rest-- risk upsetting Shinra when he was so genuinely happy.

It wouldn't stop them from keeping a close eye on them both, however. After all, who knew if Sho was genuinely here to be a brother to their resident Devil or not?

"Giving him a shower will shock his body and make him sick if he's as cold as he looks-- it's best to wait until tomorrow after he's warmed back up slowly after changing. If you give me twenty minutes and a change of clothes, we can give him something toasty to wear." Vulcan suggested, to which Shinra quickly agreed. After all, he did have a fair point-- and besides, his poor little brother looked so worn out already, how long had he been out in the rain? And did he have to fight his way to get here?

The Devil brought Sho to his and Arthur's room, and brought down a blanket and set it on a nearby chair before moving to his dresser. "Why don't you get out of those wet clothes and at least wrap up in this blanket, okay? You'll feel better when you aren't damp!" Shinra smiled, though it was a bit nervous. After all, would Sho be okay being casually bare around him, or anyone for that matter? What if all of this would be a culture shock of sorts, upset him one way or another? He hoped he was going about this correctly-- after all, Sho sought him out for safety-- he felt it in their Link. He wanted to maintain that sense of safety Sho associated with him, his older brother. He had to be the hero his brother looks up to. He couldn't be anything less.

[automatonSun]

Sho wasn't surprised Shinra took no time at all to open the door and pull him into a huge, but he was surprised by just how much he liked the feeling of his brother's lips against his chilled skin. It could be because they were so warm, but that wouldn't explain the feeling that shot down his spine. It was good, and he wanted more of it. The feeling of his brother's lips on him tempted him to turn his head just enough for them to land on his own lips. He'd seen some of the other followers of the Evangelist do it in corners they believed they couldn't be spotted in. It seemed like something people enjoyed, and though Sho always considered himself above humans and their petty desires, this seemed like something they may have gotten right. Though his brother was the first to ever invoke the feeling in him.

Sho only hummed, watching Shinra's lips move as he spoke. He heard him, understood what he said, and stepped inside; but his eyes were trained on his mouth above all else.

As Shinra lead him away after the tattooed human suggested it, Sho looked around to pay a bit more mind to everything in the building. It wasn't as fanatic on the inside as he expected it to be. When he thought of cathedrals, he thought of those crosses handing from every wall. Depictions of their false god maybe. Instead, it all looks plain. New. Normal, perhaps, if he had any semblance of what it meant. Sho glanced into his arms as the blanket was pushed into them, glancing up at his brother as he looked through his dresser. Back with the other followers, only two had ever been allowed to be in his presence when he was nude to tend to him in baths. And they'd all worn eye coverings, never allowed to actually see. But this was Shinra, and the way Sho saw it, no human had been worthy enough to see him like that but demons like themselves? Were more than worthy.

And so the youngest stripped, sliding his soaked clothing off easily, using a drier corner of his under shirt to tap over his body and get rid of the excess water before actually wrapping himself in the blanket. He wasn't shy, had no need to be. This was Shinra, the only being on Earth worthy of seeing the bare body of a demon so close to the Adolla. He tucked his legs up beneath the blanket as well, practically disappearing in it and still curiously watching his brother from beneath his pale lashes. "I still don't understand you." Perhaps not the best thing to say first thing to one's estranged sibling after meeting them a second time, but Sho had said much worse. "You worry so much for me even when it isn't necessary. You love me so deeply, despite me hardly even remembering you." He uncurled from beneath the blanket, walking up closer to Shinra. "That's why I came. I want to understand. I want more of it. I've never wanted anything before."

[LovelyBones]

Shinra was.... painfully oblivious to Sho's eyes being trained upon his mouth as he had spoke, unaware of the other's desires for the time being. After all, his mind was set on making sure his little brother wouldn't get sick!! Although, when he had found the clothes he thought would fit Shi the best, he had turned to see his little brother wrapping himself up, and he couldn't help it when he snickered softly. "I never thought I'd get to see you like this-- though, I honestly wished we could have both been wet from playing in the rain and mud, like kids should!! But, we can give that a go another time-- right now, we'll focus on getting you nice and warm, alright?" Shinra grinned widely, the expression bordering on genuine moreso than his anxious tick, as he stepped away to hand the clothes over to Vulcan, who had been waiting outside.

Clothes delivered, he came back, pulling a smaller hand towel from a closet, and came over to gently try to dry the other's hair a bit more. "Don't want you to get a cold now-- it's very unpleasant, and you've been through more than enough, Sho!" He carefully patted the other's head, checking how damp it was after his drying attempt, before softly ruffling the smaller's hair a small amount. "But, I'm just glad you're home now-- er, with me. Hopefully you'll see Company 8 as a place to call home, Sho." He laughed softly, a gentle tilt to his head.

What will he do if Sho never felt at home here, though? If he had to move to a different spot until Sho felt at home, he would in a heartbeat-- he was just that devoted to the baby brother he had sorely missed.

Though, while he really shouldn't have been, he was surprised at Sho's comment, blinking humbly for a few moments. "Well.... it's because I remember you, and how badly I wanted to be with you every step of the way as we grew up together, played, became strong, dependable men!!" He grinned brightly then, before looking to his younger sibling, only to notice something glaringly off about the other as Sho came close. ".... Why are you so short?" Shinra asked in genuine befuddlement, before looking towards the others boots, and finally noticing just how much height they added to his.... Rather small sibling. ".... Did they not feed you enough? You should he taller--" he trailed off as Sho came up to him, those snowy-framed red eyes peering into his own darkly framed ones. "W-well.... I'll be happy to give you whatever you need to understand why I love you so much, why I'm so determined to make sure you're safe and well!!" Shinra softly patted his younger brother's head again, before hugging him closely again. "Even if it means I gotta hug you twenty times a day or more-- I want you to know just how special you are to me!!" He murmured into the other's slowly drying hair, before giving the snowy boy a loving squeeze, and a soft kiss to his crown. "I promise, you'll understand it all soon, Sho!"

[automatonSun]

Home was just another foreign concept to Sho. He supposed Adolla had been his home, maybe even the other followers in their place underground for a time; but home as he remembered it from Shinra’s memories was something completely alien to him. Maybe he would find it at the cathedral, with the Company, maybe he wouldn’t. It didn’t matter. In the end, he and Shinra did have more than blood in common. They both seemed to be almost single-mindedly devoted to each other. Whether or not Sho got along with the rest of the Company didn’t even matter to him, just as long as he was with his brother.

He watched his brother hand off the clothing and come back to him to make more declarations and promises. Now, unlike before, Sho believed him. His lip twitched, feeling strange. Everything felt strange. But it was nice, he supposed. At least he was with Shinra.

He settled into the hug much more easily than before, going pliant and letting his cheek press to his brother’s chest. Sho could hear Shinra’s heart, and the warmth was all enveloping. It nearly made him forget the question from before. “I spent a lot of time in the Adolla, I didn’t need to eat while I was there... I suppose I didn’t eat much at all.” When had been the last time he ate, actually? He never felt hungry. That was just another thing that detached him from his humanity. The only thing that seemed to recenter it was his own brother. Then he looked up, chin against the other boy’s chest, pressed in close. His eyes landed on Shinra’s lips again. “You’ll teach me how to... love then?”

[LovelyBones]

Sho's response was no less worrying than Shinra's assumption, but at the same time, he was just glad his little brother wasn't flesh and bone. All the same, he'llmake sure the smaller Burst would be fed properly. "We'll make sure well fed then-- you're still young, and you should be growing more!! And besides-- those heels are dangerous to fight in!! I'm shocked you haven't hurt yourself in them yet." He recalled the times he'd tried to wear their mother's heels, only to almost break his ankles and be scolded by their worried mother as she consoled and tended to his wounds.

At Sho's question, the taller brother beamed brightly, and nodded fast, "Of course!! I'll show you everything I can!!" He promised with another squeeze. "Though, I'll admit, romantic love is weird. I know what attraction is, but love proper is different even if it goes hand in hand." He admitted, recalling Vulcan and Lisa, and how they interact. Was that familial to romantic love between the two? Maybe he could ask later. Right now, Sho was his focus. "I know that, for me, love is the desire to protect those I hold dear, no matter what happens to me! Love.... is tenderness, a feeling of security when with those you're close with. With the others, for the most part, it's the love of found family-- people I've built bonds with over time through trust and experience! Now, it's no greater or lesser than the live I have for you-- you were someone I mourned alongside our mother for the longest time, and when I found out you were alive and well, there was such a great relief inside, knowing I had another chance to be the heroic big brother you could depend on for almost anything!!" Shinra was doing his best-- feelings weren't his strong suit, really, but at least he was trying. There soon came a knocking at their door again, and he reluctantly pulled away to answer it, and was happy to see Vulcan had returned with those fresh clothes, now all toasty warm from the dryer. "We got the clothes back, Sho-- let's get you dressed, okay?"