Chapter 1

Rin knew all along what he really was. It wasn't too hard to figure out when his father and twin brother no less, went behind his back at nine years old and spoke about things that should have included him as well. It wasn't hard to hear them talk about when his next outburst would be or when he would punch someone again.

Whenever a demon would try and get his attention.

He had always been able to see demons... at first, he became freaked out over so many Coal Tars flying around and wanted to tell his father immediately but when he was about to enter the room, he overheard them both talking about him. Whenever a small demon— a lower level one— would come around him, Yukio would run to their father and tell him all about it.

Eventually, he heard them talking about something that made him freeze and his heart to start pumping erratically. Yukio was afraid of him, Yukio wanted to be an exorcist... something he learned of while eavesdropping on them. He also learned something that made his eyes widen and made him slide down the wall in silent turmoil.

They wanted to hide something from him that wasn't their right to hide. Yes, being a nine-year-old and finding out he was an actual half-demon wasn't something that helped Rin overcome his violent behavior. Honestly, it only escalated it.

Now that Rin knew what he was, he didn't have to think of why he felt the urges he did. He knew why he wanted to punch the guy who called him a monster in the face. It wasn't just the realization that he was meant to be someone violent... He just didn't like it when people called him names and picked on his twin brother.

But, after he found out about Yukio hiding things from him, he picked up for Yukio less and less until almost everyday Yukio came home with at least one bruise on his body. Rin didn't have time for people who did stuff behind his back.

He didn't like being left out.

Sometimes, Rin saw Yukio crying in the backyard trying to push away a few of those small Coal Tars that always comforted him when he was feeling down. Rin assumed since they were so weak as a demon that they couldn't be spoken to. They, at least, were there for him... something that couldn't be said for his father or brother. He didn't like when Yukio hit them, they didn't deserve it.

Rin knew that his father wasn't really his father and often thought of who was. He wanted to know why his mother had loved a demon of all people. He wasn't mad or anything... it just put into perspective the things that could have been if his mother were still alive. Would his demon father be raising him and Yukio?

Ever since he started to see the demons around him, he had felt odd... almost as if something was missing from him. His heart always felt empty, like it wasn't supposed to be so light and each time he walked through the monastery, he felt a dark lurch in his gut that called out to him. It wanted him to follow it.

That was when he came across a locked room. A door that hid something that he knew belonged to him. He knew that what was behind those doors, meant everything to him and absolute terror to his so-called father and twin brother.

How could he ever be happy with what they have been doing? Hiding things that should be in their best interest to tell. Sharing is caring, after all. In this case, Rin knew they didn't care about him... if they did, they would have warned him of what he was.

That prompted him to find the key to the lock. He wanted what was in that room and he wanted it badly.

He watched closely to every move Shiro, as Rin got used to calling him in his head, made. Rin didn't consider him his father and he never would. That was when his eyes zeroed in on a necklace the old man was wearing. A key!

He waited until it was night time to sneak into Shiro's room and steal the key from right underneath his nose. He was so close he could taste it but when he reached his hand out to slowly grab the key, something else grabbed his wrist, pushing him down into the mattress.

"Rin!" Shiro began, shocked, "What are you doing in here?"

Rin didn't know what to say as he wracked his mind for an excuse, "I... I heard something and I was wondering if I could stay here for the night." The thought of sleeping in the same bed as the old man made Rin want to run away and never come back but it was necessary to get the key. If he couldn't get it now, then he could get it when Shiro really fell asleep.

An odd expression covered the old man's face before it settled on exasperation. "Rin, you know there is nothing to be afraid of." Rin actually felt betrayal hit him hard. What if he hadn't known a thing about demons, couldn't see them and something really did happen to him? Shiro wanted him fully unknowledgeable in the existence of demons.

"Yes but, just for the night?" He whispered, questionably.

"Okay Rin, but just for the night, okay?"

Rin nodded at him, slipping on the other side of the bed and down into the covers. He turned around to face the wall, not wanting to see Shiro for one more second. He waited and waited until finally, he heard soft snores flowing from the other side of the bed.

He slowly shifted to face the old man and once again reached his arm out to take the key from around his neck. It wouldn't budge so he took the end of the necklace and the key and busted it off the chain making a noise that made Shiro turn into the bed even more.

Sighing in relief, he crawled down at the bottom of the bed and stood up, walking toward the door to get out. He cringed as the door made a squeaking noise that he blamed for Shiro waking up the first time.

Rin looked back to make sure he was still asleep before walking quickly toward the locked door that held his property. Shakily, he propped the key up against the lock, wanting nothing else but it to open for him.

An exciting rush ran through his body, making him feel slightly light-headed. He was closer and the feeling felt a hundred times better than before. He wanted it, whatever it was and he was going to get it, even if he had to use force to get it if someone interfered.

Fortunately for him, not a soul realized where he was or what he was doing as he walked inside the small room. It was odd because the lock just lit up and automatically opened for him and his bright vivid blue eyes widened at the long sword laid out on a table.

Euphoria like nothing he'd ever felt before lit his entire body. He wanted it, he wanted it, he wanted it. It wasn't the sword he wanted... no... it was the power encased inside the sword. His power. His, his, his.

He just knew that having that sword in his possession would make him feel like himself; would finally make him feel whole again. Cautiously, both hands reached out to touch the sword and immediately, a blue flame lit the sword which traveled across his arm and up to his body. Conveniently, there was a small mirror the size of a twenty-four-inch television and he happened to glance at himself. What he saw made the hair on his arms stand on end.

He was engulfed in a vibrant blue flame which got stronger and stronger the more he touched the sword. The one thing that made him freeze was the even darker blue flame that covered his head like a crown and two horns.

This wasn't his full power, Rin knew. It was just a taste of what it would be and if Rin had anything to say about it, he would have the power inside the sword before the morning. He wrapped his entire hand around the sword, savoring the feelings he got from it.

He tried to control the flames that were around him and slowly they went lower and lower until they distinguished altogether. He didn't want anyone to notice blue flames of all things at the monastery.

He took the sword and slowly made his way out of the room and back out into the main hall. He locked the door again, making sure that not a soul would notice what he had done until he wanted them to.

He looked around to make sure he didn't have any company and walked out of the building and into the backyard. He knew he had to break the sword somehow but he didn't know if his strength was enough.

So, he tried and tried. Trying to crack it only made small little marks on the blade, he brought down against the brick to try and snap it in half but he knew it wouldn't work. If he didn't break it soon, he knew that they would hear the noise and investigate what was happening.

Finally, Rin managed to crack the blade a little... just enough for his power to come sailing toward him, right into his body. But, with even greater strength brought on by the blue flames, he brought the sword down against his knee and snapped in two.

Nothing... not a thing could compare to what he felt at that moment. There wasn't a word in the world to describe what he was feeling and looking back at before when the powers were unreachable to him and he felt like there was something missing? He didn't think he could ever go back again.

No one would steal this from him and he would make sure of it.

When reality hit him in the face, he was brought to his knees and with a sinking feeling in his chest, he realized that the blue flames had burst further out making it visible to anyone in range.

He hadn't burned anything so he quickly tried to turn his flames off. He knew what people did to demons... especially exorcists. He didn't know what he was going to do under a roof with a bunch of people out for his blood.

The flames didn't die down as he wanted them to and he sighed, it wasn't his fault that the flames probably missed its' owner. They wanted to be out and there was nothing he could do about it. It was pure agony thinking about turning off his flames and he was surprised that he even tried it the first time.

But, it was almost morning and Shiro usually got up at this time. So, without thinking about the feelings of his flames— because they did have feelings— he tried desperately to hide them away. Even if he wanted them out, he couldn't... for if he did, there wouldn't be anything left of him to have flames around.

Just because he was a demon with blue flames, didn't mean he was skilled enough to go against a bunch of exorcists untrained. He didn't know a thing about who he was or what he could even do.

He looked down at his hands and his eyed widened for the third time in just a few hours when he saw something that would be really hard to hide. He had sharp black nails that on further inspection, could probably cut the skin in a manner of seconds. He gasped when his tongue started to sting and realized that he had grown rather large sharp canines as well. He didn't want to look any further because he knew there was no way he could hide everything from the old man.

He gave in though as he went over to a brook of water and looked into his reflection. Gasping once again, his hand went up to meet the small horns at the top of his head that stuck out on each side. But also, the blue ring that went right around his head like a halo.

Even when he thought he had turned off his flames, they just kept coming back. He chuckled to himself. He didn't know how he even lived nine years without his flames. His eyes were even bluer than before but this time, there was another ring of red around his pupil giving off a rather predatory look.

He wouldn't be able to hide this if his life depended on it and really... it did. That was when something strange happened... He was looking at his human self in the water, the face that could fool anyone if he could keep it up. He didn't know what he had done to himself but he was grateful for it.

The sword, which was cracked into two pieces on the ground, was thrown carelessly and he picked it up not wanting anyone to see it. With an idea, he decided to take the sword back to the room, making sure it was still there for Shiro if he went to look at it and put the two pieces back together to make it look like no one touched it.

He felt something that he had never felt before... he felt contentment. Almost as if everything his nine-year-old self wanted had come true.

And really...? It did.