A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but I wanted to upload something! I hope you like it and thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows! Means a lot to me :D
When Rin made it into the dorm, instantly he felt the tears start to fall. He couldn't understand why all his emotions were just now overwhelming him. Was it seeing them after so long? Whatever it was, Rin couldn't breathe. Its like every emotion hit him right then. Anger, despair, embarrassment, relief and pain. His breathing seemed to have picked up, his chest rising and falling harshly as his breathing hitched, sobbing into his hands.
He sat there crying for what felt like hours until he was finally able to calm down. His eyes glanced at the stairs, seeing Kuro looking at him with worry. Rin smiled, wiping the last of the tears away. "Sorry you had to see that, Kuro." He whispered.
A-are you okay, Rin? Kuro asked, jumping down from the stairs and onto RIn's lap.
Rin shrugged. "I'm fine. Just a little tired." He admitted. He was beyond the point of tired, he was exhausted.
Wanna go take a nap? Kuro asked, jumping down from Rin's lap and walking to the living room door.
Rin chuckled, wiping the last of the tears away before wheeling into the living room. He went straight for the bean bag and with Kuro's help, plopped into it. He fixed himself so he was in a comfy position before cuddling up to Kuro who was cradled into the crook of his neck.
Back at the school, Suguro was being scolded by Shura and Yukio. "I can't believe he is… Paralyzed." Shima said, joining Suguro's side.
"Is that why you look so tired?" Izumo asked Yukio.
Yukio sighed, leaning against the podium, pushing his glasses up further onto his nose. "Since he is such a handful it's been hard to get proper sleep. Not to mention the night terror's Rin experiences most nights." He explained.
(A/N: There will be more explanation on them soon.)
"Night terrors? What could a son of satan be afraid of?" Koneko said, a hint of disdain in his voice.
Yukio shrugged. "I don't know. Most nights he just wakes up screaming that he failed. It's gotten much worse ever since he found out he was paralyzed. When he wakes up he doesn't even remember having them."
"When I grabbed Rin… He looked so scared. I've never seen that expression on his face. Do you know why?" Suguro asked.
Shura shot a glare at him, folding her arms. " Wasn't it obvious? Yew looked ready to murder him where he sat. I was even scared for what you were going to do to Rin." She explained. She turned to Yukio and pointed towards the door. "Shouldn't yew go see if he made it home okay?!" She snapped, clearly trying to release anger.
Yukio nodded, grabbing his suitcase before bolting out of the classroom. She sighed and turned back to the group. "There will be a mission this weekend. Everyone is to report to the abandoned dormitory Saturday. You guys are dismissed." She waved as she left the room.
Everyone stood there in a circle thinking back on the days events.
When Yukio got home, he noticed Rin wasn't anywhere to be seen. Panic rose in his stomach as he bolted towards the kitchen to find it empty. He turned around and ran to the common room, his panic settling down. Rin was asleep, curled up next to Kuro. His legs hanging off the bean bag awkwardly. When Yukio walked toward him, his steps slowly came to a stop when he noticed just how horrible Rin looked. His hair was ruffled and there was bags under his puffy red eyes. He could see dry streak marks coming down his cheek. Rin had been crying.
Yukio felt a pang in his heart before turning away from Rin and going up the stairs, keeping his distance from the sleeping Rin.
Saturday rolled by, Rin ended up staying home the remainder of the week, not wanting a repeat of what happened when he showed up. He didn't care if that made him a coward, he just didn't want to feel that sense of helplessness again and in his mind that meant avoiding the Cram school. It didn't last though.
He was minding his business, reading a manga when the doorbell rang. Rin glanced up, hearing his brothers footsteps coming down the stairs. He was in full uniform, when he answered the door. Rin peaked around, but didn't have to waste much energy when his eyes locked with familiar amber brown ones. Suguro.
Rin felt an uneasiness wash over him as he watched the cram students file into the room, all of them avoiding eye contact with Rin. Well all but Suguro.
"Alright since you all are here, it's time to go over the mission. You will be on a test of how well you can work together, again. Since you didn't pass the last one, we have decided to do another one. This time it is more controlled." Yukio explained. He looked over at Rin and waved him over. Rin pulled the brakes up and wheeled over to them, noticing the way everyone was trying their damndest to look anywhere but Rin. He came to a stop next to Yukio before putting the brakes back down.
Yukio continued. "You will be split up into groups. Izumo and Takara, Shiemi and Shima. Rin, Suguro and Konekomaru. You will all have to learn to protect your teammate. Everyone meet at this address in 20 minutes." Yukio handed out little slips of papers to each group before walking out the door, though he shot a glance at Rin who merely nodded back.
The group sat there quietly, before Rin sighed, pulling the brakes up and wheeling over to the kitchen table, grabbing his sword before pulling it over his head. He was in black jeans, white t-shirt and light gray converse, clearly not ready for this mission but didn't care to change. He turned back, but still refused to look at the group. "We should get going." He whispered before turning away from them and wheeling out of the room. The others quietly followed behind.
When they made it, they were surprised at the locale. It was an old rustic abandoned mansion in the middle of True Cross Campus Town, told be haunted by locals. Rin was happy there was an inclusion of a ramp so he could make it up to the front door. They entered and found that Yukio and Shura were standing by the stairs, arms folded. Rin sighed at how dramatic they were acting.
"Now that everyone is here, the test can begin. Within these walls are three low class demons that have the ability to manipulate the mind. Only one with a weak mind will be affected. They can't control more than one so the other or others for some of you, will have to work together to help your companion. If you are affected, don't worry. They can't do any real damage unless you allow them too. This is a step down from your last mission together, but we figured after what had happen last time we should start you off smaller." Yukio finished.
"Shiemi and Shima, ya get the upstairs. Izumo and Takara ya get the ballroom and kitchen. You three get the common room and the basement. It has an elevator so you don't have to worry, Rin. If you get stuck or can't figure it out, blow these whistles. It's the Milkree's poison. They hate loud pitched noises." Shura explained, passing everyone a strange circle whistle with symbols carved into the side.
Yukio and Shura wished them luck before they were all left alone. Shiemi and Shima went straight upstairs and Izumo went for the ballroom. Rin started wheeling towards the elevator for the basement before turning to see Koneko and Suguro had yet to move. "Lets go. I don't have all day." Rin snapped.
That got them moving. They were down in the basement and for a long while they didn't think they were going to find anything. The longer they searched the more frustrated Suguro got. Rin was close to feeling the same until he saw a flash in the corner of his eye. He stopped, looking over at it but was surprised to see it was just the window's reflection. He relaxed slightly and continued with his group. He found it odd that they would be paired up together, since they were the least likely to succeed in this, but Rin didn't second guess his brothers choices.
For a few minutes, nothing happened, until a loud thud caught Rin's attention. He looked over his shoulder to see Koneko on the ground clutching his head.
Rin shot into action. "Suguro, its Koneko. The demon has gone after him!" Rin shouted, turning his wheelchair around to see The demon, latching itself onto Koneko's shoulder. It had wild purple eyes and the mouth of a goblin with talons of a bird. It's tail wrapped around Koneko's neck. Suguro appeared next to Rin, readying his verses, when Rin noticed it. The demons eyes had switched from Koneko's to Rin. The tail loosened and it readied itself.
The demon wasn't after Koneko anymore, it was after Rin. The demon shot forward and tackled Rin, causing him to fall back and slam against the floor. He was thankful he didn't have the Catheter in today because with how far he was tossed, there was sure to have been some damage.
"Rin!" Suguro shouted.
"Help Koneko! Then recite your verse!" Rin shouted. He watched as the demon flew around for round two as Rin tried to crawl back to his chair. He wasn't fast enough, his stomach dropping as the demon's tail wrapped around Rin's neck. Rin's eyes exploded into blackness and suddenly he was nowhere near the group. Instead he was back in the monastery, watching from the corner as Father Fujimoto, Yukio and the rest were eating and laughing together. It faded and was replaced with him, laughing and joking with the Cram students before they found out about his lineage. Watching these made his stomach turn.
Such happiness in these memories. A voice echoed, causing Rin to gasp, looking around only to find out he was floating in a sea of red and black water.
So much pain follows. The voice says again. A vision of Yukio getting home exhausted and that Rin oblivious to it, asks for assistance. Rin noticed this was showing him how selfish he had been. Poor Yukio.
Rin grabbed his head, trying to block the voices out. "Stop it!" He screamed.
He is sacrificing so much just to make sure you don't die on him. Yukio is only taking care of you out of pity. If you don't see it, you must be in denial. A flash revealed Yukio helping Rin down the stairs and Rin watched as Yukio placed Rin in his chair, before stretching tiredly. His face contorted into the one facial expression Rin hated. Pity and sadness. The bags under his eyes seemed to deepen the more he looked over at Rin.
"Y-your wrong!" He shouted. " Yukio is helping me because… well... we are brothers."
He is helping out of guilt, Prince.
"No he isn't. Yukio has nothing to feel guilty over!" Rin snapped.
A chuckle. Really? He didn't he stop the bullying that ensued when your lineage was found out. He failed to stop the Demitsu from crippling you. It's clear that he has plenty of guilt. He has even said that you should have died before all this. If you never got paralyzed, your world would have never changed. You would have stayed the same. Ignored and unloved.
Rin's vision, just as the creatures maniacal laugh echoed through his head was suddenly cleared. He was back in the basement. He hunched forward, shaking where he sat. The words echoing his head as he looked up to see both Koneko and Suguro were out of breath. Rin's breathing picked up and he lowered himself onto his elbows, tears welling up in his eyes. He didn't have time to collect himself as he started sobbing where he sat. His emotions on high alert.
For a long moment only panting and sobbing was heard until shuffling footsteps were next to Rin. A hand was placed on Rin's shoulder and on instinct he shot away from it, looking up to see who had touched him. To his shock it was Suguro. Rin's breathing calmed a little as he relaxed.
"S-sorry… I thought you were something else." Rin whispered, sounding pathetic to his own ears.
Suguro bit back his harsh words he had prepared and instead walked over to collect Rin's chair which had fallen over in the mission. He picked it up and wheeled it next to Rin. Not saying anything he helped him out, despite Rin's denial of his help. When Rin was finally situated he was flushed with embarrassment. "Let's get going." Suguro said.
Rin was surprised. Normally when something like this happened, Suguro would be shouting insults and hammering him with questions, but he was just quiet. Was it because of the predicament he found himself in? Rin had questions and noticed Koneko giving Suguro the same shocked look, though probably for a different reason as Rin.
They got into the elevator and went up to the first floor, all the while Rin was still unknowingly to him, was shaking. Suguro noticed this but didn't know what he could do to stop it. He didn't even know why he was helping Rin out. Probably guilt. That was the best he could come up with. He couldn't wrap his head around actually feeling sorry for him out of the bottom of his heart… at least not yet.
When they exited, they noticed Izumo and Takara sitting on the first step, clearly done with the mission. Shima and Shiemi had yet to appear. They came to join them, but Rin stayed by the door, keeping his space from the group. He turned towards the window, looking out to catch it was a full moon. It was bright and peaking through some dark clouds, clearly showing itself after a day of rain.
Footsteps were heard coming down the steps. Rin glanced up to see Shima was shaking, clearly he was the one the Demon went after. Now that everyone was there, they heard the door open and both Yukio and Shura waltzed in.
"Well. Seems you all passed. We got the reading that this place was clear of demons. Congratulations." Yukio spoke.
Everyone exhaled a relieved breath.
Shura ruined it. "Don't get too relieved. Yew're next mission will be much harder. Yew will be working with everyone as a big ole group." She explained.
"When will that be?!" Izumo shouted.
"Soon." She waved their groans away as she turned to Rin. "Yew okay?" She asked, trying to keep her voice down.
Rin nodded, though it looked forced to her. "I'm fine. Just a little shaken." Rin was far from fine, but did he care about lying? No. He was sick and tired of being a burden on everyone. He couldn't even protect himself from the demon. He had to, yet again, rely on people to take care of it for him. The Milkree opened his eyes at just how dependant he had become on Yukio's help and that was going to stop. "I'm going to head home." He said.
"Wait up, I wi-" Yukio started.
"No!" Rin cut him off, making Yukio take a step back at how fierce his voice was. "I-I mean I just want to go alone." He explained before wheeling out of the mansion, eyes burning holes into his back. He ignored it.