Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates it, and happy holidays to everyone who doesn't! Here's a Blue Exorcist oneshot as a present!
I do not own Blue Exorcist.
The Christmas tree, decorated to a T, glittered merrily with little white lights casting a friendly glow over the stacks of neatly wrapped presents arranged beneath. Blue baubles adorned the green branches of the fir. Rin sat cross-legged in front of it with Kuro in his lap, admiring the job well done. The little cat had gotten into mischief as the decorating process was underway two weeks prior, batting playfully at the ornaments and knocking one to the ground, shattering it when it hit the hardwood floor.
The two sat together in silence, Rin with sad eyes and a nostalgic smile. "This is our first Christmas without him." He said. Kuro's ears went back and he ducked his head down, knowing exactly who Rin was referring to.
'Shiro...' Kuro thought plaintively.
The tree was dauntingly tall, filled with ornaments of all different shapes and sizes with multicolored rainbow lights. Shiro made it seem easy as he strolled up to it with the prized angel in his hands, perching the most beautiful ornament on the top of the tree. Rin and Yukio stared up at it with sparkling eyes filled with awe.
Shiro looked over at the two of them and grinned. "Pretty, isn't it?"
"It's awesome!" Rin proclaimed excitedly.
Rin blinked back tears and stood up. "Ah, whatever. We'll be alright, right buddy?"
Kuro agreed and jumped onto his shoulder, brushing his cheek against Rin's affectionately. His two tails swayed slowly, as did Rin's, as they turned their backs on the tree and headed off for Christmas dinner.
Yukio was waiting for them in the cafeteria, sitting at their favorite table. The rest of the exwires were there as well, chattering away and laughing happily. Rin forced a smile and strolled in, taking his seat between Yukio and Shiemi.
Rin sat between his father and his brother, looking proudly out over at the Christmas feast he had helped to create. A huge ham sat proudly in the middle of the table, surrounded by various other dishes.
A hand rested on his head and lightly ruffled his hair. Rin looked up adoringly at his father. "You did well, Rin. I'm proud of you." Shiro told him warmly.
Rin took a deep breath and calmed himself before speaking. "Dig in!"
They did just that, feasting with great gusto. It wasn't long before everyone's stomachs were comfortably full. Rin leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh. Kuro mewled pathetically from his seat at the end of the table, white belly bulging.
"It was delicious Rin, thank you." Yukio said graciously. The rest of the exwires all agreed, Suguro albeit a bit reluctantly.
"Everyone full? Great! Let's do presents!" Rin cheered, sprinting from the table with Kuro hot on his heels.
They gathered in front of the tree in a living room they'd set up in an empty dorm. Rin wasted no time in passing out presents, and the teens got to work unwrapping. Shredded wrapping littered the floor, something Kuro liked very much. The cat sídhe ran excitedly through the mess, batting at scraps of paper with his paws and sending them flying into the air so they drifted gently down like snow.
Shiemi approached Rin and withdrew a perfectly wrapped present from inside her yukata. "This is for you."
Rin opened it slowly, gradually uncovering a photograph in a delicately woven frame, probably handmade. The photo was a candid one of him and Shiemi after they'd been gardening for a while. They were both smeared with dirt and were playing with the hose, faces frozen in elated laughter.
"Dad! Here, open this one! This is for you!" Rin shouted excitedly. The scrawny seven-year-old passed a sloppily-wrapped gift at his father, beaming brightly. Yukio scooted over to sit next to him, eyes just as expectant. The twins stared eagerly at Shiro.
Shiro laughed and took the present in his hands, carefully unwrapping the package. Out onto his lap fell a framed photo of the three of them kneeling in front of the freshly-decorated tree with huge smiles on their faces. A soft smile spread over his face and he leaned forward, enveloping his sons in a bear hug.
"Merry Christmas Dad!" They chorused. Shiro hugged them tighter, feeling like his heart would burst with the love he felt for these boys.
Rin set the gift aside. "Thanks Shiemi. It's great."
She blushed faintly and allowed her bangs to fall over her eyes as she ducked her head down in embarrassment. "I'm really glad we've been able to become friends. Thank you for everything you've done for me, Rin."
Rin had to excuse himself at that point, sneaking of the room and heading up to the room he shared with Yukio, Shiemi's photograph in hand. He set it carefully on his desk next to a photo of Shiro in a polished silver frame. He looked into the picture's warm brown eyes and exhaled heavily.
He turned away after a long moment and returned to the living room only to find that everyone had left. He frowned but looked towards Yukio and Kuro, both watching him bemusedly. "I want to visit dad."
So it was that they found themselves fifteen minutes later on a train back home to the monastery and adjacent graveyard.
It was quiet in the graveyard as they pushed open the wrought-iron gate and entered. A dusting of snow powdered the grass but the gravestones had been cleared off by a caretaker. They found the sought-after location easily enough; it was still the newest grave in the place. Rin and Yukio knelt side by side in front of the gray stone. Kuro hopped down off Rin's shoulder and sat primly between them, staring up at the grave with luminous green eyes.
"Hey dad. It's been hard without you. We'll be sixteen in two days... It doesn't feel right without you here. Yukio misses you too, but he's 'too cool' to say anything." Rin cast a pointed glance towards Yukio, who looked faintly annoyed.
"He's right. I miss you father, and I wish you were here with us. Please find mom in heaven and tell her that we love her too and wish we had gotten to meet her." Yukio sniffed and his eyes glimmered with unshed tears. He set a present in front of the grave and got to his feet, looking down at Rin. "Are you ready?"
Rin nodded, wiping his eyes on the sleeve of his coat. "Yeah." He said thickly. "C'mon, Kuro." He started to walk away, but Kuro didn't follow.
'One minute!' Kuro called after him. He crept closer to the gravestone and rested his forehead against the cold stone. 'Watching over these two idiots is the biggest task you could've given me, Shiro. It's hard sometimes; Rin doesn't listen and Yukio can't hear my voice. But you trusted me to do it, so I will.' He paused to get a grip on himself before he continued. 'They're good kids. You did a good job raising them, even if they aren't yours by blood. They love you, so much. ...so do I. I love you Shiro. I miss you.' And he looked up and he could have sworn that he saw Shiro, outlined in the moonlight's beam falling prettily over the grave.
"Kuro!" Rin called again, his voice breaking through the spell and shattering the illusion.
Kuro purred despite this, brushing lovingly against the gravestone. 'Goodbye, Shiro.' He murmured in farewell before dashing through the snow after Rin. 'Coming!'