Author's note: This is just something I wanted to write for Halloween, seeing as it just passed. It's been so long since I've written anything for Ao No and I've missed it so bloody much. This lil ficlet takes place in the future. They're seniors now, almost graduating. There's some Yukio/Shiemi, Bon/Izumo, and Rin/Renzo, so you've all been warned. And also, this story happens to be from Rin's POV. Love you guys. xx
I'm so ready for this whole week to be over. Mid-term exams at True Cross are a pain in my rear-end, if you ask me. But please, don't tell Yukio I said that. He'd have my hide. Ah, the pains of being a senior.
We've decided to have a little party at Renzo's place later on. Everyone'll be there. I even wrangled my brother into coming along. How funny.
I also told him that he should think about getting something that's kinda romantic for Shiemi for Christmas. He never, ever gets her anything like that. I know they like each other. Heck, I've known it since I was a freshie here at True Cross. They don't even try and hide it, you know. So instead of buying her new herbs to plant and nurture or a new little warm hat, or something like that, I told him to get her something sweet.
Look, I know I'm not one to talk about relationship issues but still, I think they'd make the perfect couple and I know they care a lot about each other. They're old enough to admit it now, methinks.
I'm in charge of cooking tonight, as I'm the master chef as everyone calls me, so I head out to the campus grocer's mart and I pick up some things, electing to use my credit card instead of cash because, honestly, I'm broke. I went and spent too much money on manga last week like the git that I know I am. Oops. Sorry not sorry.
So I head over to Renzo's before everyone arrives, knocking on the door with my boot because my hands are full. He answers the door with the biggest smile I've ever seen on him before and it makes my heart flutter. He takes one of the bags from me and I come inside, waiting for Kuro to follow me in before nudging his dorm room door closed with my backside. "Hey you," I say softly, wandering down the hallway to the kitchen with him.
"Hi," he says over his shoulder, giving me another crooked grin. "Do you need any help with the cooking? I know I'm not that great but you're a good teacher and I'm a quick learner. Or at least I'd like to think so." That makes me laugh, honestly. "You know how to burn cereal," I toss back, laughing. "But sure, you can help. I could use an extra pair of hands."
Kuro hops up onto the counter, light as a feather, and I give him a look. "What did I tell you about doing that, hm?" I say, picking him up and letting him rest on my shoulder. I wash up and get everything out, deciding on attempting some good Teriyaki beef and lettuce cups. I pull out some saki and pale ale that I'd picked up earlier, dropping it down onto the counter. Renzo's just watching me, looking a bit lost. "What can I do?" he asks, pushing a hand through those curly, dyed pink tresses of his.
I give him a lopsided grin, saying, "Stand there and look pretty. You're awful good at it." I'm sure one of my fangs pokes out as I look at him and then I go back to clearing the kitchen and getting everything ready. "I figured finger food would be good for tonight," I say, continuing. "And I also wanted to do some katsu. So... Here's what we'll do." I lay a couple things out, showing him how to do breadcrumbing really well and easily. And true to his word, Renzo's a quick learner.
Shiemi, Yukio, and Bon arrive earlier than we'd anticipated but I'm happy to have them around. Konekumaru arrives a while after them, along with Kinzo and Juzu tagging along. The look of surprise on Renzo's face when he sees his brothers is amazing. He's so happy. And that makes me happy, of course. Kinzo swoops into the kitchen, coming over and squeezing me tightly in a hug. I all but go blue in the face and I hug him back tightly. "Hey, man," he says in that tone of his. God, he's such a hippie too.
It's funny to see Kinzo and Juzu in jeans and button downs, I have to admit. Especially Juzu, seeing as he's always so serious. I've only ever seen him smile a handful of times.
Shiemi arrives afterward, only because her mother had been fussing over her coat in the hallway. Mothers are like that. Though, I wouldn't exactly know…
My brother wanders into the kitchen, plopping down some pumpkins that he'd picked up for us to carve later on and he gives me a timid smile. "Hi," he says, not really knowing what else to say. I give him a goofy smile and a wave, concentrating on the food I'm frying up. "Ya hungry?" I ask him, stirring the chicken and soba noodles. "I'm probably cooking up enough grub for the Salvation Army but that's okay. Nuttin' wrong with leftovers for everyone, right, little brother?"
Yukio just laughs at that, patting his little belly. "You can say that," he grumbles. "But your cooking is getting me rather plump. S'not a good thing. I need to cut back. But tonight I'm going to eat like a fat bear that's about to go into hibernation. I don't really care."
I flip my iPod on in the kitchen, blasting some Ben Howard as I cook. I can hear everyone chatting and getting settled into the living room. We'll probably end up watching a bunch of scary movies and stuff tonight. That sounds like fun. It's always what we end up doing every year so it's become a sort of tradition of ours.
As I cook, joking around with Renzo and my brother, I realize how lucky I really am. And in that moment, I really think Shiro would be happy with where I've gone with my life. Sure, I've made mistakes, lots of them, but I'm human. That's the human side of me. The side that I like, the side that I won't ever be rid of, the side that Shiro wanted me to hold onto.
A little while later, we all congregate in the living room and I tell everybody dinner's ready and it's kinda buffet tonight, so everyone can get what they'd like and come back in here to eat. I laugh a little bit at the way Bon and Izumo are bickering, like they're an old married couple. And for a moment, I'm plagued with an image of them when they're older, after they've admitted that they love each other and they've been married for twenty years. They're arguing in the store over what kind of milk is best for you and what kind of denture cleaner is cheaper. Shuddering, I shake my head and nudge them off to the kitchen to get supper.
We break out the booze during supper too, and I know I'm getting a nice buzz on. Renzo's all but snuggled up to me on the couch and I can't help but blush a little bit. He's all cuddles and sweet nothings when he's hammered. It's too bad he's not like that when he's sober, too. At least that way I'd know if he liked me back or not.
We watch a couple scary movies together, relaxing and just snuggling up on the floor and on the couch, like one big body pile. That's usually how it works, I've found. It's getting cold now as nighttime is here so I keep my sleeves pulled down and my sweatshirt zippered up.
It's hilarious because both Bon and Izumo are drunk. And by drunk, I mean hammered. Bon's a raging alcoholic when he wants to be, let me tell you guys. But he's not a nasty drunk. He just goes and does stupid things, really. Like kissing Izumo, for instance. Except, this time, she whacks him on the top of the head and falls asleep on his shoulder a while later. How cute. Married couple, I'm telling you.
Renzo's head lands on my chest, a soft snore pouring from those lips of his. All be damned if it isn't the cutest thing on the planet, too. I catch Konekumaru looking in my direction and I blush deeply, my cheeks and ears burning. "He's drunk," I say, trying to play it off. "And so am I. I think." I look down at my fifth Smirnoff cooler, mumbling to myself about how demons get drunk quicker.
As per usual, everyone crashes at Renzo's for the night. I slip out from under under Renzo in the early morning, going off to quickly do the dishes. Kuro helps. Well, at least, as much as Kuro can help. Being a demon cat and all sure has its ups and downs.
From where I am in the kitchen, I can faintly hear the telly in the living room. It's just enough to know Shiemi and Yukio are awake and they're watching Coffee Prince together. How cute. I can hear them bickering over a blanket and I giggle quietly, imagining them all curled up and totally, obviously, and most definitely platonic about the whole thing.
Renzo comes wandering into the kitchen, looking ragged and hungover and sleepy as all hell. I can't help but laugh, really, and I pour him a steaming mug of coffee, hoping it'll help him a little bit. "Thank you," he mumbles cutely, taking it and adding a sugar before downing the whole thing in one gulp. "You should have gotten me up," he says. "I would have helped you with the dishes. You did all the cooking after all, and this is my place."
Rolling my eyes playfully, I cast a fleeting a glance over in the pink haired man's direction. "I don't mind," I tell him. "It didn't take very long at all."
A silence fills the room for a while and I wonder what he's thinking about. My tail's flicking about, swaying to some song that I've got stuck in my head. I feel a hand on my fur and it scars the living daylights out of me, but then I realize it's only Renzo. "How do you control this thing?" he asks me in a giggle. "It looks like it has a mind of its own."
"It does." I laugh as I say that. I can't help it. It's true. "So... You better let that thing go," I add. "Might hurt ya." I cock an eyebrow in his direction, loving that lazy little smile on his face. It's something I've come to love over the years. It's something so simple, so normal. Everything about him is perfect just the way it is. He's wonderful.
"Stop looking at me like that," he says to me and for a moment, my heart hits the floor in panic. I'm tempted to run away, I am, but my boots feel like they're currently nailed to the floor. So much for that idea. Finally, somehow, I meet his gaze. "Look at you like what?" I ask with a nervous laugh, hoping to play it off.
The big idiot, he just grins. How cocky. Someone remind me why I love him so much again?
He takes a little step closer to me, not letting of my tail just yet. But his grip, his grip is gentle and loving, almost. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into things. But, I know he wouldn't hurt me. Obviously. He stops in front of me, eyes moving from mine, down to my jawline and my earrings, down my neck, across the collar of the flannel shirt I've got on. He looks like he's taking inventory. And god help me, I find myself unable to breathe.
"Like I'm your whole world and you're deeply, incredibly, and totally in love with me," he finally says, almost nervously. A soft laugh erupts from his lips and he looks back up at me, his gaze finding mine. "Can I try something, Rin?"
His question catches me off guard for a moment and all I can really do is nod my head. Perhaps I'm still shocked from his words before then. "I... Er... Yeah, of course you can." Somewhere in the distance, I can hear a little hop and a muted thud. It's probably Kuro running off like a bat outta hell. Can't say I blame the little guy much.
I can feel Renzo release the gentle grip that he's got on my tail and he comes over, sliding his hand up to my chest to touch my heart. He's not a sappy guy, not by any means, and I swear I melt when he does that. Before I can think about anything else, his lips are on mine. It's sloppy and nervous but it's perfect in all the right was. His nose brushes mine and I wrap an arm around his little hip, pulling him closer to me.
Of course. It figures, really. There's a loud 'ahem' and a cough and we both turn to see Bon standing in the doorway, looking awkward as ever. "Sorry," he says quietly. "I seem to be interrupting, I suppose. I was just...you know...in the mood for some coffee and I thought the kitchen would be clear. That is, it's not. Obviously. So I should go. Right. Okay." He turns right back around, done fumbling over his words. I swear there's a smoke trail as he runs from the kitchen. My face turns the deepest, darkest shade of red and spreads all the way down my neck.
"You're cute when you blush," Renzo mumbles, pulling me back into the here now. His finger trails along my jaw curiously, as if he's glad he's able to do things like this now. "You... You kissed me," I hear myself say in wonder. "Do you even realize what you just did? What's everyone going to say? Bon just saw us. For god's sake, he ran away."
"I don't really care," he tells me. "And I don't care what everyone else will say, or what people at True Cross will say when they see us together. If having feelings for another man is wrong, then I suppose I'd rather be wrong and politically incorrect than lonely and miserable. I always thought you knew. I thought it was obvious."
At this point, my jaw has all but hit the floor. How the fuck didn't I notice? How didn't I see it? I pull him back to me, giving him a great big smooch on the lips and a tight embrace. It's easier than it should be, really. Or rather, easier than I thought it would be. He feels small in my arms, if only because I'm taller than him and lankier.
"You fit perfectly in my arms," I mumble softly, laying my lips on his ear. "I'm sorry I didn't notice, Renzo. I've always had a thing for you. It's just grown from there. I know I'm not perfect and I make mistakes but I'm trying. I'm aspiring to be a good exorcist. At least I'm doing something with my life. I'm glad you feel the same way for me."
"Would you look at that," comes the voice of Izumo, who's standing in the doorway now. Her hands are planted on her hips and she's got the most quizzical look on her face. A smile forms on her lips, though, after a moment or so. "Good for you," she finally says. "I'm glad for you guys, finally saying something to each other."
All at once, Izumo comes into the kitchen for coffee, clad in her pajamas, Bon following after her, and Juzo and Kinzo tagging along behind. "Coffee coffee coffee," Kinzo mumbles like a dog waiting for bacon. He doesn't even bother opening his eyes all the way until he downs the first sip.
And just like that, not another word is said about Renzo and I. We're a thing. It's as easy as that. Everyone's just accepted it. I couldn't be happier, honestly.
So perhaps, in retrospect, this Halloween has been my favorite. It's funny, too, because we've all grown up so much. A lot can happen in four long years.
Love, it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you,
It will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be