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“Hey Yukio-!”
“Not now, Rin.”
***
“Yukio, come look at this-!”
“I’m busy, Rin, I’ll be back later, okay?”
***
“Bro, I was wondering-“
“Some of us have actual jobs to do, Rin, go ask Shiemi.”
***
His smile wobbles, for a fraction of a second. Then he’s throwing his hands in the air, complaining loudly and over-dramatically to anyone and everyone (but not him, because he left, didn’t care, doesn’t care-).
He knows Yukio. Knows how hard-working he is, knows how he hates to be behind, knows that little twitch his left eyebrow gets when he overworks himself.
He hates himself for the sharp pang of loneliness that rises after each refusal.
Yukio is a First Class Exorcist, Rin is barely even an Ex-Wire.
Yukio has been training since he was 7 years old, has meisters in Dragoon and Doctor, is a well known and respected member of the exorcist society.
Rin is an outcast, has flames that he can barely even control beyond the point of don’t burn and burn, is looked upon with distrust and hatred.
But they’re brothers. That counts for something.
Right?
Doesn’t love you doesn’t like you can’t stand to be around you—
“Rin?”
He looks up, tries desperately to drown out the voices with an apologetic shout, a cackling laugh, a smile that feels too big for his face.
The others don’t notice. They stopped looking very hard once they realised who – what he was. Even now he can see the tense shoulders Bon sports, the shaky, nervous glances Konekamaru shoots him, the narrowed eyes and suspicious distance between himself and Kamiki.
They let it go with an exasperated shake of their head, an irritated grumble.
Can’t get close to a monster, lest he bites the hand that feeds him~
His father’s voice echoes in his head, and he accepts it with weary defeat. Shiemi enters the room, only to back out with a stuttered excuse.
The pain in his heart twists deeper, shreds into his soul.
“What were you thinking? Do you not realise the line you’re walking?!”
He bears his brothers’ rage with a head held high, for at least in the case of his own life, he can feel no guilt in his actions. The Grigori’s threat of execution has become dull, living with it every day has made it lose its edge.
“You could have killed them!”
Wait.
“It’s a miracle you didn’t murder everyone here! Going off, throwing your flames everywhere, you’re acting like a-“
What?
He thought – thought Yukio…
Ha! You actually thought he’d trust you? You’re a bigger fool than I thought.
Mephisto’s voice has joined his fathers. He can’t hear Yukio’s words anymore, can just see his lips moving, throwing sentences like daggers, face twisted into an expression he’s seen many times.
Just never directed at him.
His mind whispers that there was a time, not that long ago, that his brother’s worry would outshine his doubts and anger.
Not anymore.
He doesn’t understand what’s happening.
He’s inside, possibly underground, in a long hallway with brick walls and a stone floor.
A second ago he was outside, watching the people he thought he could trust turning into – he doesn’t know. All he knows is he felt like he was burning from the inside out, like his flames were spinning out of control, but with no way to let them out-
Then he was here.
“Oh my, teleportation, at such a young age! There may be hope for you yet, little brother.”
He flinches at the sudden sound of clapping, turns quickly to see a familiar figure leaning against a wall behind him. There’s something strange about his pose, then he realises he’s so used to sensing tension in people he’s forgotten what they look like without it.
His mind is still catching up, so it’s a few minutes before he croaks out “Teleportation?”
A cheshire grin appears, eerily glowing eyes above it.
“Why yes. We are currently in one of several tunnels that lie beneath True Cross Academy. I’m curious to know how you knew they were here, I admit.”
“I – the academy? But that’s … that’s miles away. What tunnels? I don’t even know how I got here!”
Panic is starting to rise, he imagines he can feel his fire prickling across his skin, his tail whipping angrily behind him.
A thoughtful hum.
“I can tell you why, Rin. I can tell you that, and more. But you must trust me.”
If he felt out of his depth, now he’s drowning. Trust Mephisto? Not in a million years. Or …
What choice does he have? Hated not only by his friends, but by his brother. This has to be the lowest point in his life, surely.
What does he have to lose?