Fictober Day 6: "Yes, I'm aware. Your point?"

In retrospect, Rin should have ignored it. It wasn't his business, and reacting to what he heard was bound to get him in trouble. Plus, he and Shiemi were going to be late getting back to class if he stepped in. But did Rin care?

Not in the slightest.

Because this douchebag in front him (probably some stuck-up rich kid, only in this academy because his parents were loaded) had so easily made another student deeply upset—upset enough to warrant tears—and he was acting like it was no big deal. People like him really got on Rin's nerves. If he didn't do something, it would eat him up all night.

"Hey," he snapped, leaping down from the fountain and pinning the obnoxious teen in front of him with an icy stare. His fists were clenched into fists at his sides. "You made her cry."

"Yes, I'm aware," the boy deadpanned, eyeing him with disinterest. "Your point?"

"My point," Rin persisted, the words seething aggression, "is that you should feel bad about that! You have one obligation as a human being, and that's to respect those around you unless they prove themselves not worthy of your respect."

"Pffft. And who do you think you are?" he said haughtily. "My boss?"

Stay calm. Stay calm. Don't lose your—

"Besides," Douchebag went on, "I was just telling her the truth. She was being really annoying. Not my fault she took it the wrong way."

"Rin..." Shiemi's voice hedged slowly. She was rubbing the student's back, eyes soulful and uneasy, like she had no idea what to do in this situation. "Let's, um, l-let's just go, ok? It looks like it's going to rain... and we're going to be late."

He should have listened. Should have just turned around and guided the sniffling girl behind him away, and walked with Shiemi back to the cram school.

But then Douchebag snorted and said, "Maybe you should listen to the blonde bitch."

"Excuse me?" Rin hissed. "You did not just call Shiemi a bitch."

"I'm pretty sure you heard me."

Rin's brain didn't have time to catch up with his body. He was moving before he could even register that he was actually moving.

His fist flew out.

Knocked the kid right off his feet.

He was seething, sinking further and further into a pool of rage, and instinct was rush forward and throw another punch. And another, and another, until the boy in front of him was bloody and unconscious. To make this stupid kid pay for his rude comments, for making this student cry, for making Shiemi nervous.

Except then fingers were pulling on his sleeve. "Rin. Rin. It's ok."

"No one calls my friends names and gets away with it," he muttered, still tense. "No one."

Shiemi was quiet, but her fingers remained curled around the fabric of his sleeve. And then it came to his attention that a crowd was gathering around them, all bug eyes and curiosity and wonder. Out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw pale grey fur. Mephisto in dog form, no doubt.

Oh, he was going to hear about this later.

"Rin," Shiemi repeated in a whisper, and he finally looked up at her, he saw that her eyes were bright with tears. "Thank you for sticking up for me! You're a good friend."

The rage suddenly vanished like water going down a shower drain. His eyes bulged, as wide as saucers.

"Yes," said the other student in a tiny, quiet voice. She sniffled, wiping at her eyes. A soft smile lingered on her lips. "Thank you. You, um. You d-didn't have to do that."

He heard more footsteps. A teacher probably coming to investigate. He turned at the sound of a groan, seeing the kid he'd decked in the jaw struggling to push himself off the ground.

"Yes, I did," Rin murmured. "Nobody deserves to be treated like that."

Yukio was going to be so disappointed. Mephisto was going to lecture him. Hell, even Shura was bound to say something. He was going to be in a lot of trouble. Not only for getting into a fight, but also for getting into a fight on campus. Boy, was he screwed.

But he'd be damned if that snobbish student got away with treating another student like trash. Like hell he was just going to stand there and watch it happen.

After all, he knew well enough what it felt like to be made fun of with no one to stick up for him. It felt like shit. And seeing that student finally smile, seeing Shiemi's face, etched with sheer gratitude...

Well, that just made it worth it.