Warning: mentions of blood.
Fictober Day 18: "Secrets? I love secrets."
In his classmates' defense, they couldn't understand what the stupid monster behind him was saying. The majority of humans did not understand demon tongue. It was all just indecipherable groans or chatter.
But Rin could hear it. Every damn word. Being able to comprehend any and all demon languages was a blessing in a case like Ukobach or Kuro—but at times like these, it was an awful curse.
Especially when it began cackling as it chased Rin like he would get a prize for catching him. Especially when it taunted him as if he knew him.
"—and would you care to tell me, son of Satan, why you've dragged me so far away from my meal?" it went on, each word accompanied by howling, screeching laughter. "Or are you just going to continue to keep secrets? I love secrets. All demons love a good secret."
Rin hated secrets. Secrets bred insecurities and pain and isolation. Secrets could burn bridges. Secrets could cause damage that was damn near irreparable. Secrets were all things dirty and frowned upon. They hurt and hurt and hurt people—
"I really don't want to hurt you," the demon persisted, each step it made shaking the earth. Rin ran still, ran with everything in him. "I'd get in so much trouble if I did."
It sounded like it really didn't care.
"Your father would be so displeased—"
Something twitched inside Rin. Twitched and snapped like tree limbs breaking apart, getting ready to descend upon the ground with the force of a tidal wave. He ran still, ignoring the spell of anger that bloomed inside him.
"—it'd be like hurting family."
That did it.
Without even thinking, Rin whirled around, pulling his sword free of its sheath. "Don't you dare call me your family," he hissed, venom dripping from every word. "Don't you dare think that I am anything like you!"
It happened so fast. Rin was so fueled with rage that he didn't pay attention to what he was doing. But suddenly his sword was plunging deep into the demon's skin. Somewhere way behind him, he heard somebody shouting. Calling out. Calling for him.
But he didn't care. In a flash of blue and black, the demon was gone, and his anger went with it, and Rin left was staring emptily at the space it once occupied.
He stood there panting for a while. Seconds crawled into minutes. But how many minutes passed? He couldn't be entirely sure, but all of a sudden someone was nearing him, their shoes crunching on the grass.
"Rin...?" Shiemi murmured hesitantly.
"Damn it, Okumura," Suguro cried out, sounding incredibly pissed. "We were supposed to collect one of its scales! Did you forget that part? We were specifically told not to kill it!"
The words passed right through him. Numbly, a hand came up to wipe his cheek to wipe off a sticky substance. The demon's blood, dark and sickeningly warm.
When he gave no response, Konekomaru asked in a worried voice, "Okumura-kun? Are you alright?"
I'm not like that demon, he thought to himself, teeth slamming together. But... but I barely hesitated before I killed it. What does that mean? What does that fucking mean?
"Rin," Shiemi repeated softly. Sadly. "You're crying."
He wiped the demon's blood on his pants, not caring if it would stain. Then, in a hoarse voice: "...sorry. I'll take the blame for this one, guys."
He started to walk off without another word, leaving a bunch of stunned exwires in his wake.