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“Woah Rin, how many alarms did you set this morning? You’re actually awake on time!” Yukio exclaimed as his brother stumbled into the bathroom.
Rin waved him off and grabbed his toothbrush. “Shut up” He grumbled. “Kuro woke me up by smothering me.”
“Sorry Rin!” Kuro mewed from the doorway. “Your pillow is just so soft and warm!”
“Yeah yeah, I get that but did you really have to lay over my mouth an’ nose? You could’a killed me!”
Yukio looked over at his twin with an amused grin, he couldn’t hear what Kuro was saying, but he had a pretty good idea. He warned Rin about letting Kuro sleep on his pillow, but the way it worked out wasn’t too bad. Rin was awake a whole hour and a half before Yukio typically left for school.
By the time Rin was finished with brushing his teeth, the pair had made up. Kuro was perched on his shoulders like he normally was.
“Looks like you two kissed and made up” Yukio joked.
Rin laughed and pat Kuro’s head. “Yeah, I can’t stay mad at him for too long. We’ll jus’ have to learn how to share the pillow. I’m sure we can make it work”
Rin ran a comb through his hair once and took a quick glance in the mirror. He smiled and turned back towards the doorway.
“Anyways, d’you think Ukobach is done with breakfast yet? I’m starvin’” Rin asked Yukio as he buttoned up his dress shirt.
Yukio shook his head. “Do you ever think of anything but food? All of our conversations lately seem to end up that way!”
Rin waved him off once again, “Aw shut it Yukio. I’m seriously going to die of hunger soon!”
“Fine, let’s go see if breakfast is ready.”
Rin snagged his jacket from their room on their way down. The twins walked down the stairs to the cafeteria together and chatted while they ate breakfast.
It was kinda nice, he hadn’t been able to talk with his twin at all lately as Yukio was always missing dinner and dodging his questions after Cram school.
Rin smiled as he tossed his bag over his shoulder. Maybe waking up early wasn’t all that bad?
Rin seriously needed to cook something nice for Kuro when he got home, because arriving at school early really had its perks.
He walked to school with Yukio, and was able to stop by the Kyoto trio’s dorm afterwards.
He knocked on Ryuuji’s door and waited for the teen to answer the door.
“If this is about wanting to steal my notes Shima, I already told you to get lost!” Ryuuji snarled as he opened the door.
“Woah! I ain’t Shima, but I could take those notes if you’re offering!” Rin laughed.
Ryuuji looked at him like he had three heads. “Okumura? Are you feelin’ okay?” He frowned.
“I’m a demon, we don’t get sick. Remember, nerd boy?”
Ryuuji smacked him lightly before grabbing Rin’s hand to pull him closer. “You know what I mean stupid monkey. I’ve never seen you here this early, what’s up?”
Rin laughed and put his arm around Ryuuji’s neck. “That hurt you brute!” He mock-glared at Ryuuji. “And, Kuro woke me up by sleeping right on my face, so Yukio and I walked to school together for like… the first time since middle school”
As Rin was about to continue, he suddenly felt extremely awkward. Why was he here? Did he interrupt his boyfriend’s routine? Would he make the teen late for class?
“Okumura? I can see the steam comin’ outta your ears.” Ryuuji tapped his cheek as he interrupted Rin’s mild panic. “I’m assuming you wanna hang out before school.”
Rin nodded and laughed nervously. “If you’re too busy or if you have somethin’ to do before school, it’s totally fine!”
“Relax, I’d love to hang out before school.” Ryuuji bumped his shoulder. “Maybe I should tell Kuro to continue sleeping on your face, now I can help you do your homework before class.”
“Yeah that would be really helpful. I never manage to get it finished when I normally do it..”
“Which is?
“While the teacher is collecting the homework from everyone else, duh.”
There was a decently priced café on campus that they grabbed drinks at before finding a nice bench to sit on in the courtyard. Renzou and Konekomaru said that they’d catch up in a little bit, so Ryuuji and Rin set off by themselves.
Ryuuji sipped his coffee while Rin dug through his backpack for his math homework.
He raised an eyebrow at how long it was taking him to find it.
“What, did it get lost in the Bermuda Triangle or somethin’?”
Rin shrugged his shoulders and stuck his tongue out right before shoving a few crumpled papers in Ryuuji’s face.
“Hah! I knew I could find it!”
“Dude, have you ever heard of something called a binder?”
Rin laughed and pulled out a black binder from his bag. “Yeah, yeah I got one, but I keep forgetting to put my stuff in here.”
Ryuuji shook his head and yanked the object from Rin’s grip. The halfling let out a squeak in protest.
Ryuuji held out his hand, and Rin grabbed hold of it without even thinking. Ryuuji raised an eyebrow at their joined hands before laughing. “That wasn’t what I meant but this works too”
It took him an embarrassing ten seconds to understand what Ryuuji meant.
“Ah! You want the papers. Right… here ya go!” Rin handed Ryuuji the papers in his hand along with his backpack.
Much to Rin’s dismay, they had to stop holding hands so that Ryuuji could focus on organizing. That didn’t stop Rin’s tail from wrapping around his boyfriend’s arm though.
Ryuuji peered inside of the bag and blanched. “I.. I can’t imagine how you’re able to find anything in here. Bermuda Triangle is an understatement!”
Rin felt his cheeks heat up. “Shut up Rooster boy, I find things eventually.”
A low whistle was heard from behind them. “Woah Bon, careful you don’t get an aneurysm from lookin’ at Okumura’s bag!” Renzou laughed.
“Shut up. I don’t have enough caffeine in me to deal with you yet Shima” Ryuuji told him.
“Ouch! You wound me bon.” Renzou clutched his chest. Rin noticed Renzou’s grin falter for a moment. Rin frowned before dropping the thought.
“Okay I've organized them by class.” Ryuuji told the halfling as he handed Rin back the binder. “Please try an’ keep it like this for at least a week? I’m gonna try and come up with an organizing system for ya soon.”
Rin’s cheeks felt like they were on fire upon hearing that. “Ah man, you don’t gotta do that! I appreciate the help you’ve already given me”
Ryuuji shook his head as he took a sip from his coffee. “Nope. I’m helpin’ ya.”
“Thanks.”
Ryuuji smiled at him as Konekomaru spoke up.
“We should probably head inside? There’s still 20 minutes until class but our lockers and classes are all in different places…”
Ryuuji looked at his watch in shock. “Ah. Guess you’re right. Let’s go.”
Rin scrambled to throw his binder into his bag and zip it up as fast as he could. He grabbed his hot chocolate along with Ryuuji’s hand and walked towards the school with his friends.
During his second period he realized that he left his math text book in cram school after finishing his homework the previous day. How did I not notice that when we were sorting my bag? Rin thought as he stabbed his eraser. The lesson on graphing complex equations was completely lost on him. He gave up listening 10 minutes into the class.
He pretended to grab something from his bag and pulled out his phone. Rin had practiced the art of typing while barely looking at your phone, so he quickly went into the group chat with the cram school group.
-go on w/out me. I’ll b a few. gotta grab math book from cram school :/
It would only take him five minutes at most. They had an hour lunch, he would still be able to comfortably eat lunch with his friends. It was bad enough not having his textbook for this class, but if he didn’t have it for his math class in the afternoon then he would be written up. His teacher does not like it when students forget their materials and Rin was already on very, very thin ice with her.
Once the bell rang, he quickly packed up his stuff and made his way towards the closest storage closet. After looking around to see if anyone was watching, he shoved his key into the lock and slipped into the door.
Rin’s phone pinged and he glanced at the reply in the chat. Ryuuji had sent the thumbs up emoji. He smiled and sped up his pace. Once he found the classroom he slipped inside, found the book inside of his desk and slipped out. As he was walking towards the door he usually used his key in, he heard some noise coming from the staff room.
Curious, he stepped closer.
“Seriously, they expect us to teach that brat! All he does is sleep through my class. I thought he would be different after Kyoto, but he’s hopeless!” A voice cried.
Rin was taken aback. Were they talking about him? He inched closer to the door.
“I know. I’m still scared that he’ll flame up and attack me if I say the wrong thing. I cannot believe they’re letting him in here. He should be executed!”
“I hear that. The only good demon is a dead one.”
A chorus of agreement was heard before someone shushed them. “Quiet. You never know when his twin will walk in here. We shouldn’t talk about this in such a public space.”
“Relax, he’s a teenager. He wouldn’t spend his lunch time in the staff room.”
Rin slowly stepped backwards, he couldn’t understand what they were saying. Did he not prove himself in Kyoto? Why didn’t anyone trust him?
A horrifying realization occurred.
Did his friends feel the same way? Were they too scared of Rin to tell him how they really felt?
Was Ryuuji only with him out of pity?
Rin was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t hear the footsteps behind him.
“Rin? What are you doing here?” Yukio asked his brother.
Rin kept his gaze on the floor and pushed past his brother, not saying a word.
“Rin? What’s wrong?” Yukio called after the halfling, concern evident in his voice.
He opened his mouth to say something, but decided not to.“Nothing Yukio. Drop it.” Rin finally said.
Yukio frowned in concern but listened to his brother. He had heard Rin with that same exact defeated tone almost every year without fail. It was always something Yukio expected yet dreaded at the same time.
Rin looked up in time to see Yukio duck into the staff room.
Figures.Rin thought angrily. He’ll probably join right in with their conversation.
Rin took a breath and walked towards his friends. “Hey guys! I got the stupid book, sorry ‘bout that.” He told them as he sat down beside Ryuuji.
He pulled out his bento and started picking at it, while listening half-heartedly to the conversation around him.
“And all I’m saying is that the prequels are not as bad as everyone makes them out to be!” Shima exclaims. A couple groans were heard before the teen screeched, “Hey! Don’t throw your chopsticks at me! You could’a poked my eye out!”
“Damnit, I missed.” Izumo grumbled as she pulled out a second pair of chopsticks.
Normally Rin would’ve enthusiastically joined right into the conversation, but the halfling was oddly quiet.
Ryuuji poked his boyfriend. “Hey. What’s up?” He mumbled.
Rin shook his head and cleared his throat. “Oh, it’s nothing. Don’t worry.”
The teen narrowed his eyes but dropped it. The rest of lunch was filled with half-hearted conversation and worried glances towards Rin.
“Okumura? You there?” Renzou asked, waving his hand in front of Rin’s face.
Rin blinked and looked up at Shima. “Sorry, I was spacing out. What’s up?”
Renzou shot a worried glance at Ryuuji before continuing. “I was tryin’ to tell ya about our plans this weekend. We were gonna go watch a movie the night before our mission, you in?”
Rin perked up, there was a movie he and Renzou had been dying to see. He smiled and almost agreed to go, before a voice popped up in his head.
The only good demon is a dead one.
The smile faded slightly and his tail drooped. He threw a lid over his half-eaten bento and shoved it into his bag. “Uh. Sorry, I just remembered that I have to go talk with my English teacher before class starts. I gotta go!”
“Rin, are you alright?” Shiemi asked as he started walking away.
Rin gave them a thumbs up and a smile. “Yeah! Don’t worry about me! And, I’m sorry I won’t be able to see the movie, Yukio wants me on a tighter leash after..” He coughed awkwardly. “Y’know?”
“We can always come over to your dorm and hangout there?” Konekomaru suggested. Rin shook his head. “Nah, don’t worry about me. You guys can go an’ see the movie without me”
Rin gave them one last smile and started walking back to the school. He roughly shoved his tail under his shirt and threw his sword over his shoulder. Once he got out of view of his friends, he started running full speed towards the door.
The students that were sitting around eating their lunches shot him some weird glances, some even stared at him as he ran through the courtyard.
Nothing has changed. I’m still that delinquent that everyone avoids. He thought. I was stupid for even thinking that I had real friends..
He slowed his pace once he got inside the school.
“Okumura? Wanna tell me what all that was about?” A voice behind him asked. Rin jumped and turned around. It was Ryuuji, what was he doing here?
“What do you mean?” He asked. Ryuuji frowned and shook his head before putting his hand up. “Gimme.. Gimme a second. I ran like hell tryin’ to follow ya.”
Rin looked at his boyfriend in shock. “Why’d ya follow me? I told you-”
“Cut the crap Okumura. I know that was an excuse. Tell me, why did you ditch the group?” He interrupted, a stern look on his face. “What happened between this morning and lunchtime?”
“You really wanna know?”
“Yep.” Ryuuji replied, popping the ‘p’.
Rin sighed and slid down the wall to the floor. Ryuuji sat down beside him and held out his hand.
“This time I really do want your hand.” He joked, a smile making its way to his face.
Rin laughed quietly and gently took Ryuuji’s hand.
“I uh. I overheard some of the teachers talking.” Rin started in a quiet voice, “I seriously thought I had proven myself in Kyoto but.. apparently they’re still scared of me.”
He could hear Ryuuji growl from beside him. “Those assholes..I’m more scared of Kamiki than I am you.”
“Really? You’re not scared of me? I’m the son of friggin’ satan.” Rin replied, “The son of your sworn enemy.”
Ryuuji squeezed his hand and bumped his shoulder. “Listen Rin,” The halfling’s heart started fluttering, Ryuuji had never said his name before!
“I ain’t scared of you. I never was. Pissed off, yes. But never scared. You put spiders in cups so you can take them outside instead of killing them.” Ryuuji laughed. “I even saw you pick up worms off the sidewalk once!”
“Hey! They need dirt to survive! I don’t want innocent worms dyin’” Rin shot back, finally looking over at Ryuuji.
His boyfriend was smiling at him softly. “Listen Rin, don’t go assuming we’re lying just because some assholes are.” Ryuuji leaned closer to Rin and looked right into the halfling’s eyes.
Ryuuji’s eyes were brown, like a warm cup of hot chocolate on a cold day. They filled him with warmth and reassurance. Rin’s lip started wobbling and he reluctantly tore his eyes away from Ryuuji’s.
“I’m sorry.” He mumbled.
“So am I, Rin.” Ryuuji stood up and pulled on their intertwined hands. “Now, wanna walk me to my class? It’s right across the hall from your English class.”
Rin wiped his eyes quickly with the sleeve of his sweater and got to his feet.
“So, are you actually busy this weekend or should we both ditch movie night and do somethin’ together?”
“Like a date?” Rin squeaked.
“Exactly!” Ryuuji replied, laughing at the look on Rin’s face. The halfling’s tail was thumping so hard, that it looked like Rin was trying to smuggle an animal under his shirt.
Rin nodded swiftly and squeezed Ryuuji’s hand. “I’d love to!”
“By the way, is it okay if I call ya Rin from now on?” Ryuuji asked. And, quickly added in a soft voice, “You can call me Ryuuji if you want” The teen’s face was turning pink and Rin grinned.
“Yeah that’s totally fine, Ryuuji”
His boyfriend looked around and, after verifying that they were alone, pulled Rin towards him and pressed a kiss to his lips.
It was a very short and sloppy kiss, but Rin loved it all the same. They were both grinning ear-to-ear afterwards, and the pink on Ryuuji’s face had deepened.
It’s very easy for a good day to turn bad, all it takes is a harsh comment, or a bad grade. But, it also doesn’t take too much to make a bad day better. Rin knows that a lot more hatred is in store for him, he is the son of Satan after all. But his friends are there for him. Ryuuji is there for him.
He can pretend it’ll all work out in the end.