Chapter Text
Rin breathed a deep exhale through gritted teeth as he limped away from the burning silhouette of the old, traditional home both he and Shiemi were sent to cleanse. The other exwire helped support his weight with each step, though if Rin risked the white hot jolt of pain to spare Shiemi the struggle of holding him upright, well, who's to say?
“We have to fix that leg as soon as possible!” Shiemi said as she led the other teen away from the burning wreckage.
“It's fine, just- leave it like that,” Rin managed, trying to fix his attention on anything but the raw sting of his injured leg. “Give it an hour an’ it'll be like nothing happened.”
Shiemi hummed, seemingly unconvinced. Frankly, even despite the knowledge of his accelerated healing, Rin wasn't quite as sure of how long his leg would take to fully heal. Still, he considered it better than leaving Shiemi to worry.
“What about you?,” Rin lowered his head to face her, “Are you feeling alrigh–”
Shiemi's eyes widened as their gazes met, her pale cheeks growing flush under the cool-tinted light of the fire behind them. Swiftly, she pulled her arm out from under him, and Rin bit back a grunt as he was left to bear his weight and the shock of pain thereafter as he adjusted to being back on his own two feet.
“Shiemi?”
Rin's eyes followed her as she ran a few paces away, stopping only once a small distance has formed between them. He watched as she held her face, before she combed her fingers through blonde strands, and as Rin strained his ears to hear, he heard nothing but the ambient noise of the sleeping city surrounding them and the faint but quick tempo of Shiemi's breaths.
“I love you too.”
Rin could feel his face warm as he recalled his own words not a few moments earlier, and he barely held a groan as he dragged a hand over his face in a vain attempt to calm the heat that bloomed over his cheeks.
“Th- that's impossible!” Shiemi squeaked, the flame he had manifested in his hand illuminating the way her pale face had reddened amidst the darkness. “I- I'm still a kid! To think about love…”
“Rin… Rin's love is…”
Things couldn't have gone any worse back then in that house.
Well, to be fair, it definitely could have. Rin could think of a good few scenarios which he'd consider to be a worse outcome, but the way his chest sank with an unimaginable weight, the way Shiemi pulled herself away and distanced herself the second their eyes had met like she had done back in Kyoto, didn't feel any better either.
Shiemi- bright-eyed and optimistic, a light that had shone on the halfling's damned soul, reached out, and pulled him up from the depths, the person Rin had always admired and yearned for- was just a few steps away, yet still the space between them felt like the ground had split beneath their feet, forming a cavernous ravine where a sense of warmth and camaraderie once was, and it was all his fault.
“It's burning!”
Rin jolted from where he stood by the pavement, turning to find the senior exorcist– Kami… something– that had sent the two teens into the worn, dilapidated home, with wide eyes as he took in the sight of the fire that rose from every opening, consuming the aging wood.
“Captain Kamayama!” Rin rubbed his nape as he faced the older man, lips curved in an apologetic grin. “I- I did this, sorry…”
“Don't just say ‘I did this’! It's a real problem, y'know?!” He snapped, though as soon as he met the younger exorcist’s gaze, his expression softened under the harsh light of the flames before them. “And it's Kawanaka.” He corrects.
“I…” He nods. “Right.”
“Rin!”
Rin turns, finding Shiemi, face still a faint shade of red, as she motioned for the pavement by her feet.
“Sit here! It's not good for you to overdo it!”
“Oh, uh,” His smile faltered briefly, “Alright.”
Rin limped towards her, holding the red sheathe of the Kurikara in his grip as he tries to avoid further agitating his healing injury, and as he continues his slow pace, the halfling picks up on Mister Kawanaka’s quiet voice as he called for a firetruck over the phone.
He sat himself down on the edge of the pavement, biting back a hiss as he bent his leg even as he moved as carefully as he did. Once seated, his gaze lifted briefly when he spotted Shiemi move, crouching before him. Though he couldn't bear to meet her eyes, Rin could see the corners of her lips, pulled downwards into a tight frown, and his eyes fell to the pavement at the thought that- despite what happened, what he had just done- he couldn't even spare Shiemi from worrying about him.
Rin forced a weak laugh from his throat, leaning himself back just slightly in a weak attempt to feign nonchalance. “Something like this happened before too, huh…?”
He could see Shiemi's fingers twitch, fidgeting, and he waited for a response.
Eventually, she made a noncommittal hum, and that was that.
It was like meeting a dead end after walking down a long road, and the wall that was left between them, born from the rubble of the normalcy and solidarity they once had, was all Rin’s fault. The relationship they had nurtured in the time they had spent together, gone in a moment of misunderstanding, vulnerability and stupid, adolescent longing.
Rin breathed a heavy sigh, the quiet sound melding with the crackle of the fire behind them and the surrounding noise of the night, before he combed a hand through his hair, his skin running warm under the touch of his own palm.
If he were a braver man, he would've tried to say something- anything to fill the dead air between them, to ease the awkward tension and comfort Shiemi, but there's a fine line between bravery and stupidity, and Rin had already crossed that line back in that rotting house when he had blurted out that damned confession.
The shrill sound of Rin's ringtone tore through the empty air, causing the two teens to flinch.
“Shit–” Blindly, the halfling searches the pockets of his uniform’s slacks before finally pulling out the flip phone and answers. “Wh- what is it?”
“Well, don't you answer quick~☆”
Rin bites his tongue, barely holding the groan that threatens to slip past gritted teeth when he hears Mephisto on the other end.
“What do you want? I'm–” He spares a glance up at Shiemi across from him, “I'm kinda busy.”
“Considering the matters at hand, no you aren't,” Mephisto’s tone drops, and the halfling swears he could hear the demon’s eyes narrow from the other end of the line. “Now, come to my office. Don't waste another second.”
“Wh- you're not even gonna tell me why?”
Mephisto hums a lighthearted little tune, and Rin could already picture the older man leaning back against his cushioned armchair within his office, his feet propped up on his desk as that annoying signature smirk of his stretches over his usual smug expression.
“Nope~☆” He says, popping the 'p'.
Rin groans, and Mephisto's laughter on the other end only adds to his growing annoyance.
“Now, hurry up why don't you?" He chuckled. "Don't keep me waiting~!”
And with that, the line cuts, leaving Rin to process the demon's orders amidst the other thoughts vying for his attention.
“Welp,” He sighs, managing the most convincing smile he could muster as he lifted his head, finally looking up to meet Shiemi's face. “Guess we should call it a night. Mephisto-”
“Called for you.” Shiemi's gaze flitted briefly from the pavement. “I… figured from what I- uhm, could hear.”
“Huh.” Rin blinked. “W- Well,” He starts, swallowing the lump in his throat, “Wanna walk home with me then?”
A tense air still lingered between the two, but at least now- after his abrupt call with Mephisto- Rin felt that, without a doubt, he could finally breathe, and the corners of his lips lifted into a softer smile as he waited for a response.
“Rin, I…” Shiemi glanced up, meeting his gaze for a brief second. “I mean, I- I guess I don't–”
“We don't have to if you don't wanna. Just… saying it's pretty dark out right now.” He adds.
Shiemi nods. “I… I think I'll be fine though. I'll, uhm, see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah…” He sighs, the grip on his sheathe tightening as he leverages himself up to stand. Shiemi squeaks, moving to her feet just as quickly, but Rin waves her worries away before she could try to pull him up. “I'll see ya tomorrow, Shiemi. Get home safe, will ya?”
“Wait- your leg! I almost forgot about your leg!”
“Hey, look, I'm doin’ just fine already!” He kicked his leg to prove a point, the torn, stained fabric of his slacks revealing pale skin- if purplish and textured with newly formed, darkening scabs- from where he had just been stabbed. “See?”
If Rin ignored the jolt of pain- albeit dulled significantly by his accelerated healing- again, who's to say?
Shiemi opened her mouth to speak in protest before she cut herself off, lips pressed into a thin line as she considered the other exwire's conditions.
“Just… Be careful too, okay?”
Rin nods with a smile, and Shiemi, in turn, manages a small one of her own before she leaves, walking down the street with only a mere glance to spare over her shoulder until her figure disappears into the distance.
Rin, meanwhile, lingered where he stood even after the blonde had already left. As he finally regains his composure, the boy inhales, breathing in the crisp, cool, evening air, tainted by the faintest scent of smoke from the nearby fire, and exhales, before finally turning heel, and making his own way back home.
He was terrified of tomorrow, truth be told.
God knows how he'd be able to face Shiemi now, but pretending as if nothing happened- as if he hadn't just changed the very dynamic of their relationship- Hadn't worked out the first time a huge revelation changed the way his friends looked at him.
This isn't the first time he's had to face uncertainty, at least, but that's cold comfort to the halfling and his nerves as walks down the streets of True Cross.
Perhaps this isn't an uncertainty he should be worrying about though.
Not when eager foes watch his every step from within the darkness.
"Any notice from your brother?" Mephisto asked as he eyed the other half of the Okumura twins.
"No." Yukio said, his head lowered to his phone. Faintly, the demon could see the young exorcist scroll through his message log from the reflection of his glasses, unseen judging by his sour expression.
"Strange," He hummed, leaning back in his armchair. "I told him to be here."
"Sir Pheles," Yukio sighs, lifting his gaze to meet Mephisto's with a firm glare, "Is Rin's presence really necessary?"
"Things would be done much quicker if he was, but," He held the handle of the teacup set aside atop his desk. Bringing it to his lips, the demon took a sip, savoring the subtle taste of the herbal brew, "Give him a moment. If he doesn't arrive, well, I suppose it can't be helped."
"I'll be sure to scold him when I see him," Yukio sighed.
Mephisto only managed a hum in response. Despite the warmth of the tea provided, as the demon set the cup down onto it's saucer, he can't help but notice the foul taste lingering behind his tongue.
Beloved child of the Netherworld. You who have risen from the depths and clawed a place for yourself within Gehenna's great tapestry, do not be afraid.
Firstly, I must apologize for both my and my brothers’ absence across a truly ineffable amount of time. There are things we had to tend to, great pieces we must- and now have- set in motion; and now, as a new dawn peeks over the horizon, I return to you, destitute and humble, in hopes of arranging a meeting where I could enlighten you on the actions I must then take, and discuss the parts you all would have to play for the benefit and unity of our realm in ways I simply cannot express on ink and parchment alone.
And so, I will arrive at the Babel Tower, where I hear you lot often congregate, and I shall arrive on the Sabbath day when the heavens darken for the eve.
My presence is promised and unalterable.
Unfeignedly,
The Prince of light,
Lucifer the Morningstar