Unfortunately, everyone at the Church was too busy today for a visit, but both brothers made sure to call and tell them that they were okay. The relief was heard easily, even over the phone. Eventually Rin and Yukio arrived at the old Boy's Dormitory. Wearily trudging to their room, the twins collapsed onto their beds in exhaustion. "I thought I'd never see this place again, like I'd have to live in that damn Hospital room forever!" Rin groaned. Yukio sighed, "you weren't really there for that long, at least not while you were conscious. But yes, I've missed these beds too. I'm surprised that this place got out so well after all the damage that, Satan did" the brown-haired Demon replied, taking off his glasses and giving into his body's desire to just lay there for a moment. "Speaking of which, I don't actually know, where the hell is the Cram School in this place anyway? Everyone always uses one of Mephisto's key's to get there, right? Does anyone actually know where it is?" Rin asked curiously.

"Eh, I don't know. Too tired to think about much of anything at the moment" the younger twin replied. Rin gained a soft look on his face, "if you're really that tired, then go to sleep. You don't have to watch me like a hawk anymore you know" the Indigo-haired Demon replied. "No, I- I still have stuff to do-" the Exorcist muttered, but his head was aching from lack of sleep and his vision was swimming. Rin got up and walked over to his Brother's bed. He began taking off Yukio's outer layers. The brown-haired half-Demon peaked one eye open wearily, "what are, you doing?" he muttered. As he placed Yukio's boots at the foot of the bed, Rin replied to the question, "we're both exhausted, but you specifically look like the walking dead right now. You're going to take a nice long nap with your brother and when we wake up, we'll have lunch." The older Demon explained as he worked on getting Yukio out of his heavy Exorcist's coat. "But Rin, I-" Yukio began, but immediately shut up at the glower his brother gave him. Rin paused after he'd gotten the coat off. A long brown tail lay on the bed, twitching every-so-often, but seeming as exhausted as every other part of the boy.

The older Demon frowned, looking back at his own tail and then back down to his twin, who was just about asleep now. A sad look came over Rin's face as the truth of the matter finally set in. Yukio was no longer human. And the reason that he was no longer human was because of him. He'd sacrificed his own humanity to save him. The older Okumera blinked when he realised just how similar that was to his own actions the day that their Dad had been killed. Looking back up at Yukio, he saw him staring at him sleepily. "Why aren't you asleep yet bro? come on, you're supposed to be the sensible one between us, you're gonna work yourself to death at this rate" Rin reprimanded softly. "I-" his brother began softly, and Rin's ears perked up. Was Yukio finally going to talk to him? "I can't, go to sleep. I keep having, nightmares, of that day. What those monsters, did to you. It hurts Rin, it hurts so much and I can't-" tears welled up and the brown-haired boy hid his face in his pillow out of shame, "I wasn't able to protect you. Worse, you were only their because I captured you. I don't, know what to do anymore. Please, help me brother" Yukio whimpered. Rin felt his heart sink. At this point he knew that telling his brother that it hadn't been his fault was only making things worse.

Instead, he looked down at his twin's tail as it lay limp on the bed. Slowly, gently, Rin reached out and began to stroke the fur, not enough to tickle him, but enough to relax the boy. Yukio let out a sharp gasp, his whole body tensing up. Then, with a deep sigh, the tension drained away completely and his eyes drifted shut. "Mmm, Rin?" he muttered. "Yeah?" the older boy asked softly. "That feels, really nice. Would you mind, continuing?" Yukio whispered, a small smile of relaxation breaking out over his face. Rin lit up, "sure thing Bro" he replied back, just as softly, continuing the gentle strokes. Soon his brother began to breath evenly, signifying that he was asleep. The Indigo-haired teen smiled and sighed silently, 'finally asleep huh? Hopefully he won't have anymore nightmares tonight. But if he does, I'll right here for him' he thought. Suddenly their was a light knock at the window, making Rin look over to it. Kuro was sitting on the window sill, 'Rin! You're finally back!' the Cat Demon cried after he was let inside, as he rubbed his face into his Tamer and friend's chest, purring all the while. "Yeah, we're home now Kuro. I just managed to get Yukio to go to sleep, so let's be quiet, okay?" Rin asked, gesturing to the sleeping boy on the other bed.

Kuro nodded, 'okay' he replied. The two then got into their own beds, the Cat Demon curling up in his small form at the foot of Rin's bed. Rin sighed quietly as he let his mind wonder. He really hoped that he and Yukio would be able to talk about all this stuff soon. Finally, with the quiet breaths of both his twin and his Familiar around him, Rin found himself falling asleep far quicker than expected.

Blue Exorcist

The next morning dawned grey and stormy and Rin found that he didn't want to wake up. He was incredibly comfortable, warmth all around him. Something warm was in his arms. He snuggled closer to it, getting the feeling that this had happened a long time ago, but not for a while. Meanwhile Yukio slowly woke up as well, his internal teacher clock demanding that he wake up early. But the rational part of his brain told the teacher part of himself to go away. They wouldn't be having any School for a while, at least not until Sir Pheles was able to finish fixing the Academy. Therefor there was no reason to wake up early today. Besides he felt more comfortable and relaxed than he had for a long time. Something warm and comforting was wrapped securely around him and Yukio sighed and let his mind begin to- wait, he was sure that his bed sheets weren't that warm, what- he opened his eyes and was met with a blurry dark blue shape in front of him. The boy nearly recoiled, but the warm thing around his body held him mostly still. Rubbing his eyes and blinking several times, the sound of familiar breathing gave him a realisation.

He was in Rin's bed and his brother had him wrapped up in a hug. The other boy was also asleep. Now that just posed the question of how he'd gotten into Rin's bed. He was sure that he'd fallen asleep in his own one last night. Had he been sleep-walking or something? But he'd never done that before. Maybe he was still in his own bed, and Rin had been the one who'd been sleep-walking? He had come over in the middle of the night and climbed into the bed with him while both were still asleep. Whatever. Yukio yawned as the stress of the last few weeks took their toll and he closed his eyes for more sleep. Suddenly his stomach roared at him. The young Demon's eyes popped open and he whimpered at the pain in his midsection. He was starving! Okay, forget his exhaustion, how long had they been sleeping!? All he knew was that he needed food right now. "Rin? Rin wake up, it's time to eat" Yukio whispered into his Brother's ear, which twitched. Rin slowly woke up, blinking at him with a half-asleep look. Suddenly his own stomach roared like he often did when he lost control. The boy groaned, "yeah, yeah, food sounds really good right now" he muttered, pushing himself up in the bed as both boys sat up.

The younger Demon sniffed the air as the scent of something heavenly, ironic as that sounds, flowed into the room. He almost drooled, but managed to control himself. "It smells like Ukobach is cooking dinner for us!" Kuro exclaimed, jumping up and down excitedly, "I can't wait, his cooking is almost as good as yours Rin!" The two boys stood up and stretched, "yeah, definitely better than hospital food, I can't wait!" Rin replied as he walked towards the door, "come on Yukio, we're gonna have real food!" he called. "Just a moment Rin, I just need my glasses" Yukio replied, taking them and putting them on. Then he followed the other two Demons out of the room, smiling at his brother at Rin chatted happily to Kuro about their dinner. 'At least one of us is recovering well' the young Doctor thought.

Blue Exorcist

However, it was during breakfast that things fell apart. Yukio wasn't sure what Rin had been doing, but he must have been distracted, because all of a sudden he'd cut himself. "Ow! Shit, that was dumb!" his older brother muttered, reaching for a napkin. But Yukio stared at the blood dripping from his twin's finger in horror, mind flashing back to the last time blood had come out of Rin's body- the ritual. Rin screaming, coughing up so much blood that he would have died in a few minutes had he been human. And when he'd shot his brother during Satan's possession of him- blood everywhere, so much- he couldn't take it. Yukio screamed and leapt up from the table, backing away in horror. Rin stood up quickly as well, equally alarmed. He'd never seen his calm and collected twin acting like this before. "Yukio? Yukio, what's wrong?!" he demanded, but his brother didn't respond, just kept backing away from the table. In his mind all he could see was blood everywhere, Rin's lifeless body strapped to that X-frame, all of the blood being his- Yukio screamed again, tears welling in his eyes and when his back hit the wall behind him, his legs gave way and he crumpled to the floor.

"Rin! Oh God, the BLOOD! So much blood everywhere, it won't stop! Please, I didn't want that!" Yukio sobbed and gasped, hyperventilating. "Yukio! Hey, what's wrong with you! It's okay, you gotta calm down!" Rin exclaimed, beginning to move towards his brother, but the brown-haired Demon suddenly burst into blue flames, shocking the older boy. The Exsorcist was still sobbing and breathing harshly, his flames beginning to go out of control due to his panic. 'Damn it, this is really bad! I gotta calm him down somehow, but-' Rin stared in shock at his screaming and crying twin, 'I don't even know what the Hell is going on right now!' he thought desperately. He growled and watched Yukio worriedly, "damn it Yukio, what the Hell am I supposed to do right now!" he groaned, watching worriedly as the Demonic flames started to consume the building.

To Be Continued