Chapter Text
Tensions had been..high since they’d all discovered the truth about Rin to say the least. With the exception of Shiemi, Izumo, and his brother nobody would so much as look at the half demon. Rin pretended it didn’t bother him. He laughed it off whenever one of his classmates made a snide remark. He smiles and laughs and only Yukio can see the sadness in his eyes. Only Yukio can see the way his shoulders turn in the way they only do when he’s really upset. Only Yukio sees the way he lies awake at night, just staring. Only Yukio knows Rin well enough to see the slight change in the way he walks, in the way he holds himself.
To the others, Rin is the same care free person he’d always been. Except he was a demon. He’d lied to them. He was no better than Satan. He smiled and he pretended to be their friend and for what? To trick them? That had to be the reason. Why else would he be at Cram School? Why else would he pretend to be their friend? Because he wanted to get the drop on them. To hurt them when they least expected it. To kill them when they trusted them. He may look mostly human and act human but he wasn’t. He was a bloodthirsty monster. He wanted them dead.
Why he was still acting, none of them had any clue. Even worse, Izumo and Shiemi had fallen for it. They’d seen his true colors, same as the rest of them but they still thought he was human that he was good. Rin had even managed to fool Yukio. Yukio, who was one of the strongest people they knew. Yukio, who was the youngest person to become an exorcist. Yukio, who had never fallen for any demon’s tricks or traps. Yukio, who was their age and their teacher.
And yet he believed Rin’s lies. He believed Rin’s act. He believed that the brother he knew and loved was still there. He may have been at some point, but now he was gone. Consumed by the flames that had claimed the lives of so many. The flames that he now wielded with ease. Except they couldn’t see how hard it truly was. How much effort it took Rin to control it. He could conjure the flames without effort, sure. But directing them? Using them? It’d be easier to bring his father back to life.
But there was no reasoning with his classmates. They wouldn’t listen. To them, everything that came out of Rin’s mouth was tricks and lies. Anything he said was just another way to lure them in so he could kill them. So why bother trying? Rin went through the motions. He slept, he ate, he cooked lunches, he went to class, he smiled, he laughed, he pushed down the overwhelming defeat and sadness. Rinse, wash, repeat.
But of course Mephisto wouldn’t allow his routine to continue because he had some weird grudge against Rin having a stable routine. And thus the headmaster announced that their Cram class would be taking a two week long trip to Rin and Yukio’s hometown. Why, he wouldn’t say because of course he wouldn’t. He’s Mephisto. So, the class packed for a trip to a town that didn’t have a great track record and wasn’t the safest place to live.
Rin huffs, tossing his bag over his shoulder as he walks to join the others. He wasn’t the last person to arrive, that honor would go to Shiemi who was fretting over what to pack and what not to pack and would apologize profusely when she did finally show up. Both Okumuras would brush off her apology, she hadn’t set them behind as the rest of them had all been early. “Ah, you’re all here! Wonderful! I do hate waiting, such a waste of time,” Mephisto sighs as he pops up in front of the group, scaring Shiemi half to death.
“What the hell are we doing?” Rin exclaims, giving the headmaster an annoyed look. Mephisto laughs even as Yukio cuffs his older brother on the back of the head.
“Well, we’re going to your hometown, of course!” Mephisto chirps. “I did tell you that, Rin. You should really pay attention!”
Rin raises his fist, stepping forward. “That’s not what I meant and you know it!” Yukio sighs and grabs the collar of his brother’s shirt, causing him to walk in place as he attempts to continue forward.
Mephisto ignores the twins and gestures to the bus that somehow none of them had noticed before. “On you get! This bus will be back when it's time for you to return. You’ll be staying in the guest house of the monastery where Rin and Yukio grew up.”
“You heard the headmaster,” Yukio says, pushing up his glasses. “The drive isn’t long so don’t worry about bus buddies or anything like that.”
The class does as told, filing to the back of the bus. By now, Rin was well aware of the way that the class felt about him so he left a row between them and himself, accompanied by only the girls and his brother. The entire time Shiemi asked him and Yukio questions about their town. What kind of shops were there? What was their favorite restaurant? What did they do for fun there? Did either of them have a normal job? (“I don’t know, normal ones?”, “Rin did all of the cooking so we didn’t really go out.”, “Not a lot really, it’s not a super fun place if I’m being honest.”, “My brother couldn’t hold a job if he tried. And he has.” “Oh shut up! You didn’t have a job either!” “I didn’t need one. I was training to become an exorcist the entire time.” “You’re the worst.”).
The others talked among themselves, speculating what the town would be like and complaining about the sudden and pointless trip. Izumo had her earbuds in the entire time, tuning all of them out as usual. Yukio offered information when asked for it but he was silent for the most part, idly staring out the window. Rin chattered the entire time, happily offering up any and all information whether it was asked for or not. Shima was sleeping, head tilted back and snoring within three minutes. Konekomaru was conversing quietly with Bon, sending the taller concerned looks everytime he glared at the back of Rin’s head. And of course Takara was saying nothing and staring out the window.
It would be a long drive, though they weren’t going far.