That night, as everyone sat eating dinner, the mood was far from the fun of the previous meal. Everyone except Rin was there, since the young Demon had gone to bed early. No one said much of anything as they let the information and scenes from the latest lot of viewings sink in. Yukio was especially distraught, remembering how he had acted when he'd seen Rin again- how cold, hateful and horrible he had been, without even knowing what had actually happened! Memories of all the cruel things he had said to his brother echoed in his head, refusing to give him any peace. But he really didn't deserve any, did he? Yukio clenched his eyes and gripped his spoon tightly in his trembling hand, as a voice that sounded just like his own echoed in his head: 'so I didn't know what really happened, so what? Rin was obviously in immense pain that day. But instead of being a GOOD Brother to him, what did I do? I blamed him, abused him verbally and emotionally. I treated him like just another Demon, I told him to go die! Oh God, I even tried to shoot him myself!
What the hell is wrong with me? It was never Rin's fault that he was born as a Demon. He was still my Brother, whether he was a Demon or not. Where's the me that wanted nothing more than to protect him? The me that started at True Cross Academy when I was only Seven years old, all so that I could keep Demons from taking Rin away from me? When did I change? When did all this hatred for my Brother replace all the love I felt for him? I feel like a stranger in my own mind right now-' "Son? Are you okay?" Shiro's voice broke through Yukio's self-loathing. The younger Demon flinched, before calming himself by taking a deep breath, "yeah Dad?" he asked, turning to look at the older Exorcist. "I think you're crushing that spoon" Shiro replied, indicating the spoon in the boy's hand. Yukio turned to look down at his hand, seeing the bent and crushed handle. He immediately released his grip, the ruined utensil clattering onto the table. Looking closer, the spoon was slightly melted as well. "S-sorry, sorry. I'm just not very hungry tonight. I think I'll go to bed early as well, okay?" the brown-haired Demon stuttered slightly, tail twitching stiffly. Before anyone else could say anything, Yukio was out of his seat and out of the room. Shiro sighed, trying to relax. "You're not going after him?" King asked, Chastifol behind his back.
"No, he needs some time to himself, just like Rin did earlier. I'll go check on them both after dinner" the former Paladin replied, resettling himself in his seat. Slowly, everyone went back to eating again.
ƁĔ~ŚĐŞ
Yukio slowed when he reached his room. He hadn't been in here yet, and he adjusted his glasses as he read the plate on the door: Fujimoto/Okumera. He grimaced slightly, knowing that his Brother was just on the other side of the door. He would find one of two things when he opened it. 1. Rin would be deep asleep, snoring the walls down with his tail twitching around in his sleep. Or 2. Rin would be wide awake, having been unable to sleep after reliving something so traumatising. Yukio clenched his fists, shaking his head, he couldn't just stand out here forever. Slowly reaching out, the younger boy placed his hand against the wood, 'just go inside damn it!' he thought in frustration. The young Exorcist slowly opened the door, finding Rin sound asleep in his bed. Yukio sighed in relief, sneaking into the room, hoping not to wake his brother. However, as he crept past Rin's bed, the indigo-haired Demon groaned in his sleep, rolling over, "n-no" he whimpered. The younger twin froze- was Rin having a nightmare? After what he'd been forced to re-witness, it wouldn't surprise him if he was. His older brother whimpered again, and Yukio made up his mind. Turning around, the Exorcist carefully knelt down next to his Brother's bed, "Rin?" he whispered, gently placing a hand on the dark blue-haired teen's shoulder.
"Please no!" Rin whispered, but his voice held obvious signs of distress, "don't! please, don't take them away!" the older Demon muttered, clenching his fist tightly around a lump on the bed next to him, that Yukio could now see was the Kurikara. "Brother, wake up" Yukio called, speaking slightly louder, shaking his brother's shoulder. Rin adamantly refused to wake up, seemingly trapped withing his nightmare. The younger Demon was debating weather or not to try pulling his Brother out of bed to wake him, before Rin's distressed voice called out once again, making Yukio freeze in his tracks: "Dad! Yukio! Don't take them, please!" he begged. The younger boy stared down at his twin. Was Rin- was he reliving his and their Father's possessions at the hands of Satan in his nightmare? He still felt horrible about that whole thing with Ernest, but for his Brother, that had been a whole different kind of horror. Yukio swallowed, before looking down at Rin again. His twin was still crying in his sleep, actual tears now trailing down his cheeks. Unable to take just watching anymore, Yukio gently adjusted the other boy in the bed, before laying down next to him.
As if sensing his twin brother's presence, Rin's arms reached out of their own accord and wrapped around Yukio's body, pulling him in close, one hand still clutching his sword. For a moment, the younger twin was frozen, before he sighed and copied the action, hugging his brother like when they were little and they'd both had nightmares (although Rin would never admit to this out loud). Closing his eyes, Yukio flinched only slightly when his tail moved of it's own accord and wrapped itself around his Brother's tail. Then, slowly, both relaxed and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep. When their Father entered the room a few hours later, he couldn't help smiling as he felt his heart melt a little at the adorable sight, one he hadn't seen for years. Slowly and carefully moving to his own bed so as not to wake his peacefully sleeping Sons, Shiro was infinitely grateful to Yukemi for giving him this chance. Soon, the whole of the small family were sleeping peacefully.
ƁĔ~ŚĐŞ
The next day the Fox Spirit let everyone outside after Breakfast. "We're having a break today everyone. So go explore or relax or play, just do whatever you feel like today, okay?" Yukemi said. "Yes!" Rin cheered in excitement. "The area around this building is something I created myself. I hope you all like it!" Yukemi called as almost everyone ran outside in different directions. Elizabeth found many wild flowers, and she and Shiemi began exploring them. Ban looked around for anything to cook for their lunch. Gowther just wondered around listlessly. Escanor, in his Daytime form decided to go look for Merlin. King was napping on his Chastifol beside Diane, who also fell asleep on the grass. And Rin and Meliodas were walking together talking. The only ones who weren't outside were Shiro and Yukio, who just decided to stay inside. "So, you have anger problems too huh? I figured with a name like "the Sin of Wrath". N-No offense" Rin began. "Nah, it's okay. My wrath comes from my Demonic side. Although, since I'm a full Demon, it's more like the part of me that I try to supress all the time.
It's hard, sometimes more than others. I've destroyed entire cities before because I couldn't control my anger" Meliodas explained. Rin winced, remembering the Theme Park. He looked down, "I nearly destroyed an entire- well," he began, then faltered a bit, trying to find the right way to describe a Theme Park to someone who was from medieval times. "It was a place where people could go to have fun. My friends and I had been sent their to exorcize a ghost, but then one of my "brothers" turned up and took my sword," Rin explained, making air quotes as he said the word brothers. The young Demon looked down, "he unsheathed it and wouldn't give it back. I tried to take it, but he kept escaping and beating me up and mocking me- I lost my temper, lost control of myself. I just remember feeling uncontrollable rage and blue flames everywhere. I was so furious- Shiemi had found the Ghost, but because of my fight with the guy, she was almost killed. I managed to snap out of it in time to save her, but still- I could have-" Rin clenched his fists and eyes shut, trembling slightly.
"I hate that other part of myself. No, I despise the part of me that comes from him. And the thought that I might turn into a full Demon terrifies me. I'd rather die than become like that! And I have no idea what to do! I try and try, but I can't control it! The last time it happened, I nearly killed Yukio and my teacher. Shiemi managed to calm me down, but I could have killed her too, even easier than with the others! I have to get this under control. I don't want to be anything like that Bastard! So please," the young boy stared up at Meliodas pleadingly, "will you help me?" he asked, tail flicking slightly, but otherwise drooping in depression. The blond Bar owner stared up at the slightly taller boy, gaze serious, "I will, but it will be hard. It took me a long time to even control my rage to this point. Are you prepared to work harder than you ever have in your life?" Meliodas asked. At this point, the two of them had reached a cliff and stopped in front of it. Rin matched his gaze with a serious look of his own, "of course. No matter how hard it it, I'll do anything to be able to keep myself under control. I never want to put people that I care about in danger like that again" the Indigo-haired Teenager agreed easily.
"Sir Meliodas! Rin!" a familiar voice called from above them. Both Demons looked up to see Elizabeth waving down at them from over the cliff's edge, "look at all these flowers I found!" she called, lifting them up to show them. "Maybe you should come back down! That cliff doesn't look too stable Elizabeth!" the blond-haired Demon called back, appearing calm, but clenching his hands tightly within his pockets. "Okay!" she called, moving back out of sight. Meliodas let out a silent breath of relief, turning back to Rin and opening his mouth to speak again, before a cracking sound caught their attention. Suddenly a scream tore though the air as the Princess began to fall. "ELIZABETH!" Meliodas cried, moving to jump, but Rin was faster. Leaping with all of his Demonic strength, the Son of Satan reached the white-haired teenager first, wrapping his arms around her and protecting her as they both fell. It was too fast for Meliodas or Shiemi to react to. Rin, who was shielding Elizabeth with his own body hit a rock, tail first. Their was a loud snapping sound, before the young Demon let out an agonised scream.
"R-Rin!" the Princess cried, as her saviour went limp under her. Meliodas was by her side in an instant, "Elizabeth! Are you okay!? Are you hurt?!" he demanded. "I-I'm fine, but Rin-" she replied, as Shiemi raced over to them, "Rin! What happened, is he okay?!" she demanded, going through a list of medicinal herbs that could help him in her mind. "I don't know, he isn't moving" Meliodas replied, now much calmer since Elizabeth was safe. He reached out and gave the boy a little push in the side, "are you-" he began, only to be cut off by another scream, making both the girls jump. "What is it?! what's wrong?!" Shiemi cried fearfully. "My t-tail. *gasp* oh God, it hurts!" Rin cried, tears coming to his eyes. "I'm going to go get Yuki and Mr Fujimoto!" the blond-haired girl exclaimed, standing to her feet and rushing off, "stay with him, okay!" she called behind her as she ran. The two who were left could only watch in worry as Rin whimpered and shook with pain.
To Be Continued