This story takes place right after the ending of episode 25 before the epilogue.

Declaimer: I don't own Blue Exorcist

Braided Tails

Satan was defeated and the Gehenna Gate was closed, however the town was destroyed. Thankfully most of the people had been evacuated the night before when the gate had been opened. There was going to be a lot of work to be done. The dead, human and demon, would have to be disposed of, the wounded would need medical attention, the town would need to be rebuild. They didn't have time to waste. People left behind would need rescuing, they would need his medical attention. He was a doctor after all.

Yukio tired to explain this to his older twin brother as he hobbled slowly towards the devastation. "All of this is my fault, I have to help!"

Rin saw the look of desperation and fatigue in Yukio's eyes and shook his head. "No, Yukio, you need to rest... You were possessed by Satan only a few hours ago." Rin grabbed Yukio's arm and turned him to look him in the face. "Lets go back to the dorm, just for a bit. You can rest up and then go save the world."

Yukio's resolve softened and he allowed himself to be lead away by his brother. The other exwires fallowed them back to the dorm shared only by the twins. It was one of the few buildings still in one piece.

Yukio was so exhausted. Upon getting getting up the stairs to the room him and Rin shared, he promptly fell on to his bed face first. He hadn't even taken off his shoes or heavy exorcist coat. Rin pulled off his brothers shoes and pushed his body the rest of the way on to the bed before heading over to his own.

The brothers ended up sleeping through the entire day and into the night, not waking up until the next morning when the work to rebuild the town began. Truthfully there wasn't much for Rin and the other exwires to do, although they were more than willing to help. Yukio had volunteered to help in any way he could but was ordered by the higher ups to write a detailed report on his part in the almost destruction of Assiah. And that's how their second day since Yukio's possession went, with Yukio at his desk writing and Rin and the others cleaning up around the dorm.

But then night came, and when it was time to go to bed Yukio felt an unsettling feeling. He was emotionally drained. He couldn't seem to get images of the other day out of this mind. Rin was getting under the blankets in his own bed, seeming to be no worse for wear after their traumatic experience. "Turn the lights off when your ready will you?" He said but then stopped and glanced over at his brother who was standing in the middle of their room. He had turned off the lights but did not get in to his bed. He just stood there, a confused look on his face, like he didn't know what to do with himself. "What's wrong?" Rin asked sitting up slightly.

Yukio took a few steps towards his brother with a pained expression. His newly demonized face, with his sharp teeth and pointed ears, looked so foreign to Rin. "Yukio?" Rin said worriedly, this was very much unlike his bossy, uptight four-eyed little brother. Rin reached his hand out to Yukio's touching him slightly. "Are you alright?"

Yukio said nothing, just standing there, now looking at his feet, his eyes blocked by his hair and glasses. Smiling Rin pulled back his blankets and moved over, making room for his twin. "You big crybaby. Here get in." And Yukio did.

The lay facing each other, their knees touching, hands still clasped. They hadn't shared a bed in years but it felt right. "I shot you... I tried to kill you..." At last Yukio spoke, in a broken whisper.

The darkness of the room did not hide Rin's scowl. "Satan shot me not you idiot. I don't blame you for anything that happened."

Yukio's only response was silence. "Oh come on Yukio, just be happy everyone's okay. They'll fix up the town and everything will go back to normal."

"But it wont, I'm a demon now..." Yukio finally looked up meeting his brother's stare.

"Yeah, so am I. What's the problem?"

Yukio let out a small chuckle. "Yeah I guess your r- uh what the?!"

Their tails, having a life of their own, had wrapped themselves around one another in a sort of braid. "Yeah tails are kinda hard to control huh? Rin grinned. It was weird but it felt right to have physical contact with his other half, his twin.

Yukio laughed again and pulled Rin close, their chests touching. Both boys let out a sigh and relaxed into each other. The constant fiery feeling stirring inside him for the past couple days seemed to finally die down. Rin felt it too, although he had been feeling the fire for much longer.

There were no more words said that night and both twins slept peacefully in each others embrace. This eventually became routine for them, sleeping in the same bed. Sometimes they slept in Rin's, sometimes Yukio's. It didn't matter and they didn't think much of it. It felt right to be close to one another. It was never something they talked or even thought about during the day. But when one of them didn't come home at night and they had to sleep separately, their absence was painfully obvious.

Some might say it was abnormal for twin teenage boys to be so physical with each other. During the day they would brush up against each other and casual touches went on for longer than they should. If anyone noticed they didn't say anything. The twins barely noticed it themselves. It had become natural to them ever since Yukio's awakening. Without even noticing it, their demon blood brought them closer together. For the only thing that soothed the smoldering flames in their souls was each other. And so they continued to sleep, tangled together, their tails braided, with their hands clasped.

A/N So this is the first story I've ever posted online so please tell me what you think! Please be gentle though, I'm sensitive :,( I do have a vague idea how I would continue this story if anyone wanted me to. As of now however it is a oneshot. Thanks so much for reading my story :)