Demons in Our Hearts 2


"I used to get into a lot of fights, and when I stopped that somehow convinced me of a change. I thought it made me a better person, the type of person Dad wanted me to be. I was wrong. I haven't changed at all. I'm still that kid inside, the little brat that couldn't ever get his life together."


10 years ago, August 21th

Rin ran through the monastery, tiny shoes tapping loudly on the aged wooden floors and paled streetlight streaking in through the stained glass windows. It pooled across the ground, swirling in colored arrays of dust and carving grayed patterns into the wood. The rough-neck child was a bundle of un-containable excited energy, and he couldn't hardly wait for it to be time to go. His speed increased as he ran, spinning past streaming beams of light and dodging through church pews.

"It's the first day of school!" He exclaimed with a loud, bubbling laugh, taking a sharp turn in between two backed benches and accidentally colliding with the oak wood. The dark-haired child collapsed, hitting his head jarringly and landing awkwardly. Albeit this did nothing to diminish his jubilance and after a brief moment of pained hissing he jumped up and into the seat. "Hurry up Yukio!" He yelled, hopping wildly from seat to seat, cerulean eyes twinkling.

"C-coming Rin!" His nervous twin replied, clutching his book bag tightly and scurrying down the stairs. His dark brown hair was nearly combed and his glasses spot free. Behind them lay turquoise orbs watching his brother barley make the space between pews. Close behind Yukio was their Father, Shiro Fujimoto. His maroon eyes seemed to expect the older twins rough housing, as they held no glimmer of surprise behind the glint of his glasses. "Now Rin, you know better than to play on the furniture." The glasses adorned priest scolded, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. In his arms he held two child sized rain ponchos, and a quick glance out a passing window confirmed their necessity. Water streaked down from the cloud obscured heavens, and far off thunder's sudden quaking startled the younger twin, whose grip on his bag loosened considerably.

Seeing his timid brother gasp and stare wide-eyed at the sky, Rin blew hair out of his face and pitter-pattered to his side. He grabbed Yukio's hands and grinned cheekily, ignoring the now fallen book bag. "It'll be okay Yukio!" He said in his gravelly voice, pulling the younger's shaken gaze away from the shadowed sky and towards his glowing features. "Don't worry about that, it's just the crummy weather. You should be happy for school!" Unable to express his joyful anticipation with mere words he let go of his startled brothers hands and lept into the air, spinning about and whooping. In an act of forgetfulness he began to climb onto a church pew again, stopping only at a sigh from his father. "Rin.." The graying guardian warned, keeping his smile solely inward at the child's antics. He took one final step off the humble staircase and stopped, blue and red pendant glittering. Across the room, Rin frowned at being reprimanded, but listened never the less and climbed down from the seat. His tussled locks fell down over his eyes, and some of the longer strands curled atop his rounded cheeks, flushed from exercise. "Yes daddy." He mumbled, making his way over to the pair with long, dragged steps.

The maroon eyed man looked down at his other son, frowning deeper when he saw the younger staring yet again out the previous window. His turquoise gaze was locked onto a drenched hobgoblin, whose gaunt, monkey-like face glared back at him. At every roll of thunder the creature screamed, pressing itself closer to the stained glass which refracted its warped features hauntingly. It was a terrifying pest, possessing rats and other scourges of the city with the intent of causing mischief. Rin, fortunately, was unaware of their existence, taking his brothers frightened demeanor as a part of his timid personality. Shiro knew that something had to be done before the child's fear grew too great.

He was drawn out of his thoughts by a light pull on his sleeve, Yukio looking up at him expectantly. His tiny form trembled, and muted horror swam behind his glasses. The father cracked a splitting grin, smiling away his troubled thoughts. "Sorry about that kiddo! Your old man was off in la la land." The glasses adorned child seemed unconvinced, and his eyes held a terrified question in them. 'Do you see it?'

Rin, unknowingly excluded from their silent communication, huffed in frustration, crossing his arms. "Daddy you're always doing that. You are just like Yukio." He impatiently began to tug on on the ponchos, dark hair once again falling into his eyes. "Let's go already! Come on!"

The adult's focus remained on his glasses-adorned son, not paying the restive one's futile tugging any heed. It wasn't as though a five year old could take them from him.

The child sucked in a breath and pulled with all his strength, blood pumping and muscles stretching. With an animalistic cry he tore the garments from his now startled father's arms, flying across the wooden floor and landing with a pained hiss.

Shiro dumbly stared, mouth agape, as the durable Rin straightened, looking mildly surprised. He then shook his head animatedly, took off his book bag, and slipped into a poncho. The pale orange plastic stood out in the bright, albeit graying room, and for a terrified moment Shiro's maroon gaze remained locked intently on his eldest son. If he was already that strong, then his demon blood was stirring. The blackened shine on the priest's shoes glinted maliciously, and the image of a deceased woman's face fogged over his mind.

'Rin.'

"Come on come on come on you guys!" The darker haired child impatiently demanded, forcing his twin to adorn his poncho and slip into his book bag straps.

'What kind of person will you become?'

The boys struggled to open the door, the screaming wind's voice reaching another alcove as it streaked through, blasting the children's hair back viscously.

'Your strength...'

They continued to push open the thick, oak doors, oblivious to their Father's brooding form as the wind whirled.

'Will you submit to your birthright... To the curse you were born with?'

Rin screamed, eyes widening as he took a solid step forward, veins popping as he opened the entryway a foot more. Rain and wind whipped past their coats, and the children shut their eyes against it.

'Will you give in and become the monster the world condemns you to be?'

The lights flickered under an extreme blast, and the children tumbled backwards, the door closing with a slam, leaving them soaked and mildly irritated."Daddy!" Rin angrily cried, sitting up and stomping over to his father. "It is time to go!" Even Yukio seemed annoyed, looking between Rin and Shiro with dissatisfaction.

The graying man laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "You're absolutely right kiddo, we wouldn't want to be late. Especially since your teacher Ms. Ino is so good lookin'."

"EEEWWW!" The twins cried, sticking out their tongues with soured features. "Daddy you are so gross." Yukio said, shaking his head disapprovingly while standing up.

The maroon eyed man winked, chuckling as he opened his umbrella. "You'll understand some day, my boys." Rin snorted, putting his hands to his hips and standing right of Shiro. "No way! I don't think I could ever like girls, they smell funny."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, Asuka always smells and she's a girl."

Yukio dropped his two cents, brows furrowed behind his glasses. "But Rin! Asuka doesn't have plumbing." He stretched out the unfamiliar word, as though holding it in his mouth to inspect the taste.

The dark haired twin paused, thinking over his brother's words. Then he shrugged, a tinge of distaste coating his tone. "She still smells."