Saiki Kusuo no Ψ-nan - Without Thinking

Chapter 17 - Testing the Waters

"Ooh, Ku-kun! We were just talking about you!" their mother exclaimed happily as she scuttled over to the TV, genuinely surprised at her elder son's conveniently timed appearance.

"Greetings, my dear mother! You look beautiful as ever!" The mad scientist had not lost his charm.

"Ah, Kusuke. It's been a while," his father smiled, coming out of hiding from the kitchen.

"Right. Kusuo, get over here~" Kusuke begged, completely ignoring their father. Saiki grunted and got up from the table, stuffing the ring in his pocket. He moved over to sit down on the sofa a little hesitantly, next to his mother.

This is awkward.

"You like that spot, huh?" The massive space helmet did not hide his brother's grin. Saiki had just sat down in his usual corner without giving it much thought. He glared at the screen.

Don't you dare.

"What's wrong?" Kusuke asked, feigning ignorance. "Weren't you canoodling with that friend of yours in that exact same spot a while ago?"

"Ooh Ku-chan~!" his mother squealed with way too much excitement.

I'm going to kill you.

"Oh, did they finally hook up?" His father was standing behind them now. "Took you long enough, Kusuo. When I was your age..." He trailed off with sparkles in his eyes, losing himself in what could only be incorrect memories of his younger days as a handsome stud.

"Let's discuss the return of my powers," Saiki hissed through gritted teeth. He needed to steer the conversation in a different direction before this would get even more embarrassing.

His mother was still clapping her hands in pure delight though. "Papa? Maybe you should have the talk with Ku-chan..."

It just got more embarrassing.

His father scratched his head. "Eh, do we have bananas in the house?"

"Not necessary," Saiki growled as he folded his arms across his chest. Good grief.

"Kusuo's right," Kusuke pitched in, tapping his gloved fingers on the surface in front of him as he rested his head against his other hand. "Mostly because it's already too late for that~"

"KU-CHAN!" his mother cackled. His father may have muttered something about him being a lucky bastard.

"Will you shut up?" Saiki snapped at the TV. If he was in control of his powers right now, he would literally sink through the floor. Not before teleporting to space to roundhouse kick his blather mouth of a brother back to earth, though.

"That's when your powers emerge though, right? Just establishing a baseline here." Kusuke appeared to be punching something into the terminal next to him. "Nice fireworks, by the way. Real pretty," he remarked nonchalantly. He continued typing, his blank expression not showing any particular interest in his younger brother's activities from earlier that evening. His hands hovered over the massive keyboard for a moment as he appeared to be in thought. "Could I report that as a 'love explosion'?"

"Love ex— wait, fireworks?" his father stammered, just before he noticed the state of the ceiling. "Kusuo! What on earth did you-"

"I'll fix it tomorrow!" Saiki spat in exasperation. He just sat there, cringing and wondering how to get his family to stop discussing his goddamn sex life.

"Anyway, enough about the enigma that is the human mating ritual," Kusuke said, waving his hand dismissively. Saiki recalled feeling the same way. He had for most of his life, really. She'd kindled something in him though — an interest, a need, a desire — and he wasn't even sure if he should feel enlightened or disgusted with himself. Ignorance had been bliss. Life had been so much simpler back then. Lonelier and emptier, too.