The Fox's Wedding Arc
There's a story, of a pair of twin baby boys, who were separated from one another. One was raised in Assiah, the other in Gehenna. Although, it's said for a while, they lived side by side in one of the worlds before something happened to one of them…
-Ao no Exorcist-
Rin watched as his father, the person who had dealt with every tantrum, every worry, every wrong move, every smile, every failed meal attempt and every wonderful outcome- everything- stab himself. In a flurry of emotions, he withdrew Kurikara from its sheath, causing his body to become enveloped with bright blue flames, his ears to sharpen, his incisors to grow until they appeared as fangs, and a tail to sprout from his backside. He attached the Gehenna gate with all his might- but something blocked it. Rin blinked in shock as the sword's hilt reverberated in his hands while the blade was held in another pair. Someone… Had stopped him. He yanked the sword back, the person's grip on it only furthering to pull them up through the gate, their hands bleeding as they clung to it. Their shoulders were now visible, but their face was not showing. The hands let go of his sword, almost languidly, and Rin took that small leeway to attack the gate again. However, he was yanked down by his waist, making his swing miss. He screamed in raw rage as he started recklessly swinging to land some kind of hit to save his father.
He kept missing and he kept being pulled down further by whatever was on the other side of the Gehenna gate with them. He let out a loud growl, finally deciding on attacking the arms. "LET ME GO!" But the arms persisted, and clung to him in spite of all of the wounds he was inflicting on it. The touch was somewhat uncomfortable in a way that resembled someone clearly thinking of violating you while touching a simple place such as the shoulder. It made Rin even angrier as he attempted to stab it through the muck. By now, it was up to his chest, and his father had long gone asunder due to the position he had been in. He was desperate now- he had to escape… He had to… And he had to grab his father he needed… He needed…
Rin gagged on the sludge in the gate as it fell into his mouth, nose, eyes, and ears.
-Ao no Exorcist-
Rin groaned as he sat up, rubbing his head. When he woke up, everything was dark and shrouded in a kind of mist. He sat up, trying to register where he was- then he realized he had no idea as what happened came flooding back. That's right! Where was his father!? He scanned the area and saw nothing but large red pillars that connected- things that you saw at shrines… What were they called again? He shrugged it off and stood up, his body feeling disgustingly heavy although it were still in that sludge the Gehenna gate made… He started walking towards them, the only landmark for who knows how far. It was the best place as any to start… He could have walked for forever if he went in another direction and found nothing. This had basically been inviting him… Another demon? If he had to fight then- wait. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, looking for his sword. Nothing… Nothing… Where was it!? He groaned to himself, feeling completely at a loss. Not only had he just lost his father, probably his home, but now he had lost the last thing given to him by his father as well as the only thing that could restrict or release his demon flames…
He started to hate himself more and more as he walked on past the large red pillars. He concentrated on trying to remember what they were called, random words coming to him that just didn't feel right. He felt like he had been walking for forever, so he started to count them as he passed them. 1… 2… 3… 4…
…78… 79… "FUCK!" He yelled, getting extremely stressed out as his voice echoed back at him. He had passed over eighty of these damn things, not to mention the few he had passed while trying to remember their name. He should have just fucking went off into the mist or something… He had started getting anxious at about thirty, running at fifty, gritting his teeth at seventy. This was fucking ridiculous! He panted, his breath showing in the cool air, his feet slapping down onto the ground and reverberating back at him. How many!? How many of these things were there!? He ran until his lungs hurt- until his feet gave out. How many…? How many where there…? He gasped for air so deeply it hurt. Was he really running anywhere at all? What if he had just been running in the same spot due to like some kind of monster magic or something? What if he had been running in a circle without realizing it?
As these thoughts entered his head, his body gradually started to calm down. He could breathe, but now he felt tired… And he suddenly collapsed.
-Ao no Exorcist-
He was awoken to the smell of smoke, like something someone would either have in an incense or a pipe, and a warmth on his back… He felt groggy and everything around him was still covered in a low fog. "…Eight million." Came a male voice with no real distinguishing features while Rin was still trying to collect himself. "…Hah…?" He asked, his world feeling like it was spinning as he sat up. "…I saw you counting them. There were eight million- one for each god." The voice explained- but it only confused his groggy head more. He shook it roughly, hoping to make the spinning feeling go away, but it only persisted to give him a headache. He forced himself to look around, the room he was in much darker than outside, but he could still see. "…Where am I?" He asked forcefully, as if he weren't reeling on the floor like he was. "…Gehenna." Came the simple one word reply. Rin tried to look for the person, but couldn't see them. Were they hiding? Could he not see demon's here? He had past who knows how many of those damn red pillar things without seeing a single soul, so… It was possible- that or he was being fucked with.
Rin growled a bit as his world still wouldn't settle down. He hadn't run that much right? And even if he had, he'd simply be tired- not dizzy like this! It was quiet and that only furthered to upset him. The fucker was probably just watching him like a creep… He was probably watching and thinking it was funny. Rin's head ran with these thoughts while the only thing he heard were the rustling of his clothes while he tried to move in order to recollect his brains functions- Nothing was working. He closed his eyes, feeling like he was on some kind of ride at a theme park. Everything was still spinning and he felt himself sway. "…Is the smoke bothering you?" The voice asked at a volume no louder than a whisper, right in his ear. Rin jumped, falling forwards and flipping himself around. He had been sitting on him! The creepy fuck! Rin's world was still spinning, but he could more or less make out the most distinguishing feature of this person; he was in traditional formal male Japanese clothing, and had a fox mask on.
What was this a fucking festival? "…What's with the getup?" He asked, practically growling. "…It's just something I find comfortable to wear. I assumed you would as well so I took the liberty of changing you as well as cleaning you- you were drenched in sweat." Rin twitched. He had what? He…Undressed him!? He looked down, and was in nothing but the bare basics of traditional Japanese wear. What the hell was what he was in called again? It was the stupid short thing- didn't chicks wear this? The thing that went under the actual kimono? What was that called…? Nagajujubun or some shit? Was it this short though? He could see a lot of his legs… And the top wasn't closed all the way… This guy was being a creep, for sure.
He tried to fix it, but in his currently disoriented state, only managed to open it more as well as tighten the knot on the sash or whatever it was that was on his waist and make himself look like a larger mess than the one he had just previously been. There was a subtle sigh as the demon (or at least Rin assumed it was one) in the fox mask came over and undid it completely for him just to fix it up as it had been before. He was completely naked underneath. He flushed at the fact that someone had been looking at him while he was awake, yet alone while he had been passed out. The mask didn't help… He couldn't really tell where his eyes were, yet alone who this person was… He had no idea who he had been visually violated by. "W-Where are my clothes?" The demon looked at him and slowly tipped his head as if it didn't understand him. "…You mean the rest of this? You can get it when I feel that you won't try to run away or do anything drastic." He said, patting his head and standing up. "No, I mean my clothes!" He hissed, going to stand up but only falling back down on his tailbone. What was wrong with him…?
"…Those terrible looking things? I burned them of course." Rin twitched. "If you prefer not to wear that, be my guest to go around naked." Rin looked around for something to throw at him, but found nothing. "…Are you hungry?" He asked after watching him frantically search for something- anything to probably attempt to hurt him with. Rin stopped and looked over at him. He was offering food… Meaning he'd probably have to go into the other room, right? Meaning Rin could try to leave. Yeah he was practically naked but better that than staying here… Right? Then again, the guy hadn't specifically done anything to him… Yet. Should he wait to find out or attempt to leave…? "…I can practically hear the gears turning in your head, you know." The fox-masked man chided him. He stood up and went into the other room, just to come back in with a large hunk of meat- not nearly enough time for Rin to actually make a discision on if he was going to run or not.
There was a small uplift on the floor of about a foot, and in it a fire pit. Stationed above it was a pot hung on a rod that was supported by two on either side. "You'll have to forgive me. I haven't actually cooked for anyone for a long while. I usually just eat this as is…" He admitted. It was raw- that's disgusting… "You should just let me do it- you'll probably either burn it or just heat it up and still end up leaving it raw." There was a chuckle from behind the mask. "You're probably right." He placed it in the pot and went over to Rin, picking him up and placing him in front of the pot. "…Although, with you as you are, can you even cook? You could barely manage to stand. You must have really worn yourself out with all of that running." Again- he brought it up again… He had been watching him. Fucking creep… He was definitely gonna get out of here given the chance. "I can cook in my sleep- now what kind of things do you have to put on this?" Rin glanced into the pot, the movement making his head reel.
"…Nothing. As I've said, I normally eat it as is. I can go see if I can find something if you'd like." Rin forced himself to lean back slowly, the room still spinning. "Yeah…" He felt fingers run through his hair and warmth at his back again. "…Feel free to sleep while I do so- you look so completely exhausted and disoriented. Surely your plan to escape won't work with you feeling that way." He was… What? This guy was fucking weird… "So you're basically saying you'll let me run away?" There was a slightly snicker and Rin felt the vibrations of it from the person's chest in his back. "And where exactly would you run to? You got practically no where last time." That was true… But… "Then where am I right now? Like in terms of where those pillar things were?" Finger were still being ran through his hair and it was grossing Rin out. "At the end of them. You were practically running here."
Is that why he was watching him? Because it was like watching someone fuck around in your yard? It made more sense that way and felt less creepy… But the fingers in his hair were still freaky as fuck and the person had undressed him and burned his clothes as well as practically attempted to bribe him with more covering clothing as long as he stayed. Something about the last one really didn't sit well with him at all… Rin pushed himself away from the demon, swatting at his fingers for him to stop. There was no noise again and the room was still spinning. This person… Made absolutely no sound. Rin didn't even hear breathing… It was fucking creepy. Really creepy… This person was… Was really…
He passed out again, being caught by the fox-masked man before his head hit the large, black pot. "…Rest well, Rin."
-Ao no Exorcist-
When he awoke again, he was on the lower floor of the room, everything practically the same. His head was still reeling, and the room was still dark and reeked of pipe or incense smoke. It made him question if he was still sleeping… His back once again felt warm, but there were small circling motions on one of his knees that let him know that this wasn't a repeat of what happened however long ago the first time was. This person… Had him in his lap again. Rin pushed himself forward, realizing that when he did he had to close his legs a bit. This person was creepy… Really, really creepy… He didn't like them. The thought of falling asleep around them was unsettling… Who knows what they would do to him… They had already admitted to undressing him- who knows what else they were keeping a secret from him… How had he even fallen asleep last time?
"…I brought some things." The fox-masked man told him, standing up. Rin decided to act normal for now… But he really wanted to leave… This person would leave him alone more if they thought him obedient. "Huh?" Brought what exactly? "…For the food. Are you still feeling unwell?" They asked him, kneeling in front of him and gently grabbing his chin in order to inspect him. Their fingers were freezing… Rin swatted him away, his head reeling as he did so. Is this what it felt like to be drugged? The person remained couched in front of him, unmoving. It got the point where it was unsettling. Rin opened his mouth to make a verbal note of it, but the person had gotten up and went back over to the pot. "I'll start the fire." Rin watched them, the background behind him swirling.
"…Hey… What's your name?" He asked, realizing that he had been mentally referring to him as "the fox-masked man" and "he" and so on. "…Names have power, you know. You shouldn't go giving yours out so easily here. There are those who mean to do you harm once they find out what it is." …The hell was that supposed to mean? Either way… "Well that what am I supposed to call you?" He asked, watching the outline of the form in front of him seem to swell and shrink like a balloon. "…Call me whatever you'd like. I'd enjoy any name you'd give me." …That was seriously fucking weird… "…I'm not good with things like that. I'd probably just call you like "fox" or something." Rin admitted. "Then I'd reply." The person said, standing up as a blinding fire was made underneath the pot. It made Rin close his eyes , shielding them with his hand.
"Too bright?" The man asked him, standing in front of him to block the blinding flames as he ran his fingers through Rin's hair again. Something inside of his stomach clenched and made him feel sick. He swatted at him again, making contact with a smacking noise. Rin opened his eyes and realized he was crotch level with this person, pulling back uncomfortably as his head reeled again. "I just… Can I get some air…?" He asked, rubbing his face. "…I think it best if you didn't." He was told simply. "Look you can go with me or whatever if you really don't trust me that much I just… My head really hurts…" Fingers were ran through his hair again. "I think it'd be best if you didn't." He said practically the same thing again. "S-Stop that!" Rin hissed, swatting at their hands again, making smacking noises.
"…I'm only trying to help you." Rin ground his teeth together. "Help me how?! You're basically just being a creep and keeping me inside of wherever this is!" The yelling made his head hurt… There was no reply and no noise- it unsettled him again. "…The air inside of here is much clearer than it is out there- trust me." Trust him? Seriously? "I don't even know you!"
Rin was jacked up by his clothing and slammed against a wall so hard it had him seeing starts. "…It'd be better to think that than go out there. I'm only doing this for your safety- so please relax and let me take care of you." One had was removed from his clothes and used to stroke his hair again. Rin growled, practically ready for a fight because of that motion. It was creepy- like when you pet an animal… But then everything was spinning so violently and his eyes felt like they were going to roll back into his head… "…Still tired? Feel free to sleep. I'll keep you safe." The fox told him, still stroking his hair. "No one will touch you while I'm here, so feel free to rest again." Rin opened his mouth to object, but the swirling colors had his attention more than whatever it is he had wanted to say. He watched them swirl and meld and stretch, everything mixing together until he saw black.
The fox sighed. "Really, now. The more you fight or the more you move, clearly the more tired you get." He spoke although he were awake, running his hands through his hair and studying his features. "You should really learn to listen as well as relax, Rin. Being this disobedient isn't good for you." The mask was only moved up enough to reveal his mouth and he kissed Rin's forehead, then covered his face again. "…Oh well. Lucky for you, you've always been cute when sleeping." He ran his fingers up his leg, then up and down the inside of his thigh. He pressed his chest to Rin's, smelling his hair though the mask and continuing to run his fingers up and down his thigh. "…But don't worry. I'd never do whatever it is you're thinking to you while you're sleeping- I'd much rather watch you cry and protest while awake."
-Ao no Exorcist-
Rin woke up again, still feeling groggy, the room still dim, and a heat at his back. He pushed himself away from the fox again, the motion making him reel, making him instantly get angry. He fell forwards, catching himself on his arms. "…I don't know if I did as much as a good job as you would have," The fox told him, standing up and going over to the pot. "But I attempted to make this for you with what I found. I hope it's to your liking enough to eat it." He put the meat and vegetables that he had found into a bowl, getting chopsticks for Rin. He sat it next to him, assisting him in siting him. Rin pushed him away, not wanting to be touched by him. He sat himself against the wall and looked around the room, the colors not distinguishing themselves enough for him to see anything clearly aside from the fox mask. The bowl was placed in his hands, and the fox hovered, making sure he could feed himself. Rin tried, and only ended up dropping food on his lap.
The fox took the bowl and chopsticks, removing the meat from his lap and eating it, the act disgusting Rin. He offered some to Rin, who hesitated before eating it. It wasn't that bad, really… A bit bland, but it was alright. He ate for a bit, but he was unable to tell what the meat was… He kept eating it, even asking for more of just the meat, but by the time he was on his third bowl, he still couldn't place it. "…What kind of meat is that?" He finally asked. He assumed it had been his disoriented senses that made it hard for him to tell, but… "Human." Rin instantly felt the bile rise up in his throat and he lurched forward. "WHAT?!" The fox put some of it into his mouth. "I said human. It's human meat. This one happened to be female."
Rin instantly shoved his fingers down his throat, but only made himself gag without actually vomiting. He outright gabbed his uvula, but the instant gagging had him moving his fingers. He couldn't get it out of his stomach. As disgusted as he was, he couldn't actually bring himself to vomit. "…I don't understand why you're acting that way. Lots of demons eat it all the time." Rin glared at the fox, everything spinning and not because of usual reasons. "I'M NOT-" His blue flames flared, reminding him that he indeed was. But still… It was only half. So he wasn't fully… The room was encased in blue and Rin was growling, but it sounded more like wheezing. His head hurt and he felt sick…
He felt fingers in his hair again. "STOP THAT!" He screamed, his throat hurting and his flames flaring. "…Rin…" The fox called to him. He stopped, his body shaking for a moment while his flames died down. This person… Knew him? Then who was it? Had he just been paranoid? Was the person really not trying to hurt him at all? He said lots of demon's ate humans… So what if he was just doing it because that's what he ate? Or because he assumed Rin ate it? What if he was just stupid like that? The thoughts flooded Rin and made his head hurt as well as confused him. Rin looked up at the person, staring at their mask. Who was he? He reached for it, but his hands were captured in the fox's. He was shushed and pulled into the fox's chest. "It's alright… Relax… I'll keep you safe… You don't need to worry anymore… I'll protect you…"
…The fingers in his hair really were… Actually very comforting… And maybe that's why he kept pushing them away… He didn't want to admit to that, so he kept shoving them away… So he wouldn't have to recognize the feeling that had presented itself to him… He felt finger nails gently run up and down his back while his hair was being stroked. He sat there, completely confused while his head tried to work this out. He had never really been good at thinking too hard about things, yet alone while he felt like he was gonna hurl or was on some kind of drug. He was more used to action. The fingers rubbed at his neck, messaged his scalp… Relaxed him, he was afraid to admit. They ran down his back, then back up, then down into his clothes… He froze. The motion was still being repeated, but under his clothes. He remained tense for a long while before realizing that this person wasn't going to do anything to him aside from what they were already doing.
So… He decided to ask them something. "…How do you know my name?" There was a pause long enough for his fingers to run up as well as down Rin's back. "…I grew up knowing it." That wasn't exactly an answer… His neck was kneaded before the fingers were placed back in his hair, the fingers on his other hand running up and down his back. If this person was a stranger who he didn't know at all, yet knew him… The thought unsettled him. "…Do I know you since you know me?"
"Of course." There was no pause in that reply. It could have been a lie… Who was he to say? Everything that was happening right now… Made him feel uncomfortable as well as confused. After a few moments of attempting to think on the situation, Rin fell asleep again.
-Ao no Exorcist-
Rin woke up again, the exact same thing as it had been any time prior. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "…Is it always this dark?" He asked with a yawn. "Would your eyes currently be able to handle it, even if it wasn't?" He had a point… The fox gently removed him from his lap and put him against the wall. "I'll be going out for a bit- be good." He said, patting his head. "I'm not your damn pet." There was a pause as the fox removed his hand. He finally let out a slight laugh. "I guess you're right." He then turned and left. Rin waited. And waited. Then got up- slowly- and went towards the door, stumbling and falling over almost for every step. Like fuck he was staying. He banged his head on something- a lantern? An incense lantern… That was where the smell had constantly been coming from then… He put his hand on the door and anxiety attack him. …Why? Was he worried that something would seriously happen to him if he left? Whatever… It was probably bullshit to get him to stay. Rin opened the door, brushing off the feeling in his stomach.
He opened the door, and was greeted with the outside. It was the same as it had been when he arrived- dim and foggy. The air however, was cleaner and he instantly felt less dizzy. He shut the door behind him, but froze as he looked up. The place he had been staying in… Was monstrous. It was like a castle! Rin shut the door and turned around, quickly abandoning it. The air out here was fine… It was fine…! Meaning inside… That smoke probably had something in it- he had been drugged for sure.
Rin quickly had come upon the large red pillar like things again. He only saw for what was probably miles upon miles the red pillar looking things. However… Unlike at the other end, this one had two people sitting on either side of them, slumped over and a door between this set of pillars or whatever they were. Rin tipped his head. They weren't moving… It was kind of freaky really. The only thing he heard out here was his breath… There wasn't even wind. He took a step towards them, attempting to leave. Maybe he should go around since the fox had noticed him on the way in, yet alone out… The thought didn't have time to reach a conclusion as one of the bodies grabbed him.
Rin jumped, trying to pull his leg back, but it only made him fall over while the other one reached for him as well. One was a male, the other female- and she was missing a huge chunk out of her chest. That fact made Rin's stomach clench. This was the girl that he… But… She was dead then!? Rin tried kicking them away, the thought of them being dead making him not hold back any. The grip they had on his ankles was unhuman! There was no way they were just ordinary people! They slowly crawled up his legs, Rin kicking and throwing any punches he could land. He wasn't going to lose to these things! He was gonna get out of here! He was going to go back home!
However, no matter what he did, they kept roughly clinging to him and climbing up his body. He had even broken the man's jaw, it falling slack from his face. "Get… OFF OF ME!" He yelled, lighting up in blue fire. It didn't bother them for whatever reason. They just kept crawling and clinging, eventually holding him still as they clung to one another with him in the middle. He panicked. He couldn't get out, his flames weren't doing anything, and he was going to be crushed to death! His ribs hurt, his waist felt like it was going to collapse in on itself, his stomach felt like it was going to come out of his mouth and he'd probably choke on it, his spine felt like it would just splinter off, his face would probably cave in…
The warning that the fox had given him coming back to his head. It was better inside… Than out here. Inside he was drugged, but safe and being taken care of. Out here, he was sure to be crushed to death by the pair… How had the fox even gotten meat off of her in the first place? The arm of said girl was over his face, Rin barely being able to see. He could only see the bright red pillar thing…
Oh yeah… They were called "Torii"…
-Ao no Exorcist-
A/N:
Shinto teaches that everything contains a kami (commonly translated as god or spirit). Shinto's spirits are collectively called yaoyorozu no kami, an expression literally meaning "eight million kami"…Therefore, the eight million torii Rin had went through- or at least tried to.
Rin was referring to the Nagajuban that go underneath [some?] Kimonos and no, they're not supposed to be that short.
If you can tell who the "Fox" is based on this chapter, I'll put it in, but if not then I'm going to leave it out.