Title: Hellspawn
Chapter: 4/?
Characters: Rin, Mephisto, Amaimon, Yukio
Genre: Drama, Angst(?)
Summary: "There was almost a 'please' at the end of that question."
Disclaimer: I own nothing, it's purely fan made for fun... or tears.

Warning: No beta'd, etc. Sorry, I'm done. I can't write happy fic, I feel sorry for Rin but he's going to get his happy end... (I think?) ps. I don't have a fucking idea (if)what to write next - as there is no plot whatsoever in the fic (h-e-ll-o). So yeah it can be basically the end, thanks for follows tho and sweet reviews (I'm looking at you *wink*)! Jaa ne!

He was adrift in an abyss.

He saw things, heard them and even felt more-or-less some of them.

Wondering about everything what happened to him - no, to them both - in the last year, he kept on drifting ahead or so he thought he was. The emotions – mixture of them, from glee to confusion and even fury - were swirling inside him, just as entire events of his life happened to be coming back to him like some kind of a terrifying wake-up call.

There was a laughter bubbling from him, he just couldn't help himself. Thinking about this situation - like seriously though - how was he supposed to know beforehand that Yukio's glasses are going to crack and then land back perfectly onto his head afterwards?
"Look at that they landed perfectly!"
Unfortunately his younger brother did not find this funny at all, as it seemed that he was a very much pissed off.
"What in the hell is so frickin' funny?!"
Gulping through too-fast clenching throat he barely croaked, doing one of his cute, confused faces. It wasn't that he did it on purpose, oh no. Yukio simply pestered him a bit too much about everything lately and he reacted. Besides it always was Rin the one being in-hot-water so to speak. As if anything it was Yukio's fault that the whole ordeal happened in the first place, wasn't it?

Memories.

Yes, memories once deeply buried inside his mind now floated free, reminding him of the bond he shared with Yukio so long time ago. Especially now, after all this time he spend on trying to catch a glimpse of the truth – the truth that he believed was stolen from him.

Some of the memories were painful like a little stabs into heart as they kept on coming, changing and morphing, others on the contrary soothed those fresh wounds that were opening anew. Even so, that were his real feelings about each and every memory he had of his twin.

Upon reliving more and more of his memories, his chest clenched involuntarily at the anger he felt so many times - back then - towards Yukio before his so-called death – sometimes almost hatred, and hope that soon enough they would part their ways, so he could finally live his life as he wanted. Thinking back about those moments he finally saw how stupid and even heartless he was to even think such things - he never really meant any of them though; that's why after he finally accepted a fact that his Yukio – his twin – was gone forever, he stopped to care about school, about becoming exorcist... Because there wasn't Yukio any more, so why would he need to become one now?

So many things happened in the past months which he spend alone, without pestering of the young exorcist and his kind smiles reserved only for Rin – that it hurt. It hurt a bit too much to feel again that ire and pleasure at Yukio's outrage and misfortune. There was even more to it, as memories kept on replaying itself in his mind.

They were jumbled, appearing in-no-particular order. Their happily spend childhood moments intertwined with those from last years, when everything changed – when Yukio became his teacher and he... he awoke as a demon.

Happiness and sadness.

Sorrow and joy.

How their lives became so messed up? Why did they? Why there was no more glee in being together, like before when they were brothers - and nothing more - looking up to each other at every turn? It seemed it flew off on a wide-spread wings into the night sky on the day when their father – Shiro - died. Their perfect world crumbled, that little safety bubble popped – to never emerge back.

"What's the matter everyone?" asked Yukio, looking intently at everybody gathered in the classroom. "It looks like a perfectly splendid birthday cake to me" he added, somehow trying to save Rin from uproar coming from the rest of their friends. Just like his younger brother he didn't really understood what was all that noise about.
Upon hearing that entire class glanced at Yukio completely shocked to hear it coming from their sensei. Sensei who instantly sweatdropped terribly, not really knowing where to hide from piercing eyes of his students and friends. Only sometime later, when Ukobach held a "Confectionery Manufacturing Specialist" book in his hands and practically was shoving it into their faces, they finally understood the mistake.
"So birthday cakes and Christmas cakes are totally different, huh?" said Rin, sweating a bit. Yukio who stood arm-in-arm with him – with his hands crossed, also sweating a bit – only confirmed their confused predicament.
"It's our moment of truth after fifteen years, right, nii-san?"
In this moment they both turned their eyes towards each other, both flustered and pouted. In the end though Rin smiled and clasped his hand onto Yukio's arm, lessening thick curtain of embarrassment. And so younger twin also smiled and nodded his head, eyes never leaving Rin's smiling face.

In that one dark, barely lit room, Rin kept on dreaming - completely lost in his memories of Yukio - unaware of the conversation that took place on the other side of the strange place he was in.

"Young Rin-kun is still sleeping, that's a bit bothersome..."

"Maybe you hit him too hard on the head, brother" Light-skinned hand reached towards pack of crisps that was lying behind person and grasped it. With one smooth move it was opened and it's contents were eaten by said person. Loud crunches filled the room. "You're not very delicate when you're in a hurry."

Brother shrugged nonchalantly, crossing one leg over other. "Well, we can't have all, can we?" he asked, reaching for a tiny tea cup that waited silently on a small, round coffee table. He huffed at hot contents before taking a sip. "Now, I asked you to come because I've heard some very... interesting... things about Moriyama Shiemi's doings. How do you cope?"

Amaimon licked his long fingers for some time before actually taking them out of his mouth with a tiny pop. "I haven't had so much fun in ages..."

At that slanted eyes narrowed just a tad bit more than normally they would. "Amaimon..."

But he shrugged it off with a bright smile on his face and leaned comfortably over his armchair, reaching for another bag of – sweets this time. He opened it and ate, openly leaving his brother pondering.

"I understand circumstances are nifty but you shouldn't mess too much with Okumura's friends."

With a mouth full of candies, Amaimon rolled his eyes. "I'm just having fun with that Shiemi girl, no worries about all of them."

"From them all you needed to pick actually her..." brother murmured then sighed, closing his eyes and taking another sip from cup.

"Oi!" Amaimon piped in, clearly offended. "It's her fault! She should finally learn how to do a proper summoning, ne?"

Mephisto Pheles upon hearing that slowly opened his eyes and glanced at his younger kin. "She shouldn't be able to summon you of all demon's on the world. It's interesting thing in itself that she actually did."

Amaimon agreed wholeheartedly nodding, only to lock his eyes onto one lonely spider web that sat somewhere above them. "Well, yeah. It was fun though!"

"And that's what bothers me. You shouldn't mess with Moriyama girl or you might get hurt."

Upon hearing those words Amaimon burst out laughing like mad, tiny droplets of not-yet-eaten sweets landed around him onto fluffy, carmine carpet.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU SHMUCK?!" roared Mephisto at seeing his beautiful carpet being brutally destroyed. "THIS IS A SPECIAL MOE-MOE CARPET YOU'RE SPITTING ONTO?!"

Amaimon however kept on laughing, holding his stomach in doing so. Tears were in the corners of his green eyes when he calmed – just some. "Y-you think she'd kill me! Me? I'm the demon king of earth, nobody can kill me! Not even Okumura-kun could..."

Glaring from behind his round top-hat, Mephisto was radiating pure malice. His eyes shone with red. "I'm not talking about death as it happens it's the least of our-kind's problem... But..." he smirked now in evil glee. "Maybe she will bind you to her, use as a mere puppet to do her work, no fun intended."

That stopped younger demon instantly. Hearing words such as 'work' or 'no fun' were his weak points which were – as it seemed - still as effective as ever. Amaimon blinked once, twice then started to bite upon his long, black fingernail. If not for a slight narrow of brows, Mephisto would say he looked troubled.

"Don't tell me she bound you to do her biding already" he spoke nonchalantly, not even really meaning the words before he tried to take another sip, which was interrupted abruptly when Amaimon bit off his nail and looked at him ashamed. He spat his tea around, soaking everything in it's reach. "You did not... Amai-kun?"

Answered him abashed turn of green-haired head and long, long sigh. Then person slouched into armchair, almost drowning in it, in the process. "I don't know how it really happened though" he stated, clearly confused. "I didn't even help her... Just took a small bite off her, that's all I did, I promise!"

On Mephisto's head a small vein popped out but he sighed slowly to calm his rising blood-pressure. Really though, Amaimon was so ignorant towards the laws of Assiah that he couldn't help but feel rising ire towards him.

"Was it really?" he pressed on, now openly staring at demonic-moronic brother of his. And he even didn't look bothered by the fact that he was bound to a human being. "You do know how bonds are made, do you not?"

Amaimon shrugged, pouting.

"You needed to help her or at least abide to her command. Whichever it was, you bound yourself to her... Your ignorance is unbelievable. I've been repeating to you over and over again that there are laws in Assiah you need to acknowledge and submit to."

"Like I said though, I've had fun. So it's not so bad..." Amaimon shrugged. He smiled then, remembering something. "Also I'm not as ignorant as you think I am... I'm actually pretty smart too" he kept on saying, now proud as ever. "I've marked her too! Now she's mine just like she made me hers. It's a two-way street, ne?"

Mephisto for the first time in his life facepalmed himself. Hard. And slouched on his very comfortable moe-moe, fluffy armchair trying to erase last few minutes of his life from his memory. To no luck.

Oh hell, if he thought that his plan happened to have a slight kink, now it was an entire hole, and he wasn't sure if he was going to be able to fix it in any way possible.

"A-MAI-MOOOOOOON!"

A ground-shaking screech shook the entire place, unintentionally rousing young half-demon from his slumber. Rin who groaned loudly and then continued to sit up, after few passing seconds slowly looked around himself half-wondering if everything what he saw - what he felt - was just a dream, or maybe something more? For all he knew, his head felt light and woozy but he had been too perplexed at his surroundings to actually care about it.

Wherever he glanced he saw darkness - pitch-black, harsh, holding him in it's claws – and that was all he needed to panic. His heart rate sky-rocketed when he jumped to his feet but still saw just empty place, no floor nor walls. A thought crossed his mind that maybe he was still trapped in his dreams, or rather nightmares.

But as he frantically turned around - to see nothing yet again - his mind finally settled at his latest memory of his showdown with Mephisto at Yukio's grave. A light of hope suddenly soared to life within him, when he remembered that in this place – somewhere- was Yukio. Well and alive just like Mephisto said... or... maybe not? Only now a very ugly thought occurred to him that maybe - just maybe - Mephisto was playing him by giving him a false hope for something impossible.

No, no... Shaking his head, Rin decided that he's being paranoid – wasn't it him, who told Mephisto about feeling Yukio's bond?

Gulping, he sighed and looked down at his hidden hands. Standing in this strange place, he felt lost. There was no pull from the bond that he felt for some time now – bond which was becoming stronger, but even so it was a kind of hit-and-miss thing; sometimes disappearing for days to come but then practically knocking him off his feet with the sheer strength of it. And right now, here, there was nothing. No pull, no push. As if a thin thread that circled his little finger of his left hand finally broke and left him alone to figure it out, what it was in the first place – or rather if was it even real?

As if anything, it was the least thing he wanted to do right now. Thoughts of Yukio still clouded his mind, the memories nagging him to finally move ahead. To do something, anything. Yet he only felt trembles of his body, his hands taking his own face into them and sob which shook him to the core.

Because he was weak, oh so weak without Yukio – and that weakness grew on him since the day he said his goodbyes to his dead twin. Only now, it finally seeped through his heart, affecting mind and body. For months he acted strong and merrily for Yukio since he was gone, but then again one could live a lie only for so long until it's charm broke. And at that time, when it happened – it wasn't pretty, quite the opposite; adding to it his violent nature and lack of Kurikara's stability...

Rin trembled, hands sliding down his face.

And just as he done that he felt a familiar slight tug on his pinky finger. Blue eyes widened, breath caught in throat, he froze. In thoughts he kept on repeating Yukio's name, as if tiny tug on his finger could actually answer his prayers and guide him to his twin.

When another pull came, he didn't hesitate – just followed the lead into darkness.

As his feet kept on going, Rin never really realised that he was in a maze. Dark, long corridors were stretching horribly ahead – to no end, but he kept pressing on. The pull was light and almost impalpable but it was there, and it directed him through many twists and turns.

Sometimes on his way, he'd see a one lonely lamp that would scatter absolute blackness. Other times he'd follow blindly after his bond, his faith urging him to walk on.

Rin turned another invisible corner when he felt a pull towards one particular direction. As he walked over he understood that before him stood huge, baroque doors. Steady tug of his bond became stronger as he placed his hands onto them – searching for a doorknob or at least a tiny chink so he could open them up. To his utmost surprise he actually found a huge round - old fashioned - doorknob which he pulled with all his might.

After few stretchy minutes and noisy screech of wooden doors, he silently stepped inside hidden room to be welcomed by a view what simply mesmerized him. His eyes stared at one specific point in the chamber – which was just like entire place completely drowned in dark, if not for a single bluish streak of light that barely lit tiny space around it – and he couldn't stop himself from going deeper into it absolutely enthralled by the vision.

His own steps seemed to echo in his ears. The chamber was so silent and eerie it was giving him a creeps but it wasn't the atmosphere of it that was making him feel so... dazed. Because in his entire life – Rin - never saw anything so heart warming and shattering at the same time, as what he found inside that chamber.

Long, lanky legs stopped him in a middle of it – a few meters from a sight he's never going to forget, not until his last breath. He let his blue eyes follow the view slowly, to confirm that what he was seeing was real.

As it was, from the pitch-black floor stood - or maybe floated? - a long, blueish crystal which tried to lit chamber with it's light but even more so, it held Yukio inside it – his Yukio, his twin brother. The vision was so surreal, like the one from a dream – but it was real, it was Yukio and he seemed to be asleep, for a very long time. What however almost shattered his heart were tiny details he noticed of his brother.

Wayward hair caught forever in the moment, slightly opened mouth, no trace of any kind of pain just peacefulness on light-skinned face. A pointy curves - more demonic than normally - of his ears, two longer fangs, wildly curled tail... Rin would even risk to say he saw a trace of a blue flames imprisoned within the crystal with him.

However it seemed he not only was entrapped by those crystal as his body was also tangled with thick, greenish vines - as if to keep him in place. To Rin, Yukio's frame seemed somehow thinner than he remembered it to be. In here – now – his twin's lanky body was twisted towards side with one hand falling down along his body and the other stretched upwards. Even his head - which was bend down - was also slightly upturned by those ugly looking vines.

In all, Yukio resembled a very grotesque picture of a person suddenly entrapped by abyss itself.

Even so, he still looked so peacefully. There was no pain, not single emotion on his face – just his three moles that always stood out.

Somehow shakily, Rin found himself chuckling through gathering tears. Tears which shone in his eyes but none fell, holding onto that happy part of him from seeing his brother once again.

"Yukio..."

His twin was wearing plain white shirt and black pants, no shoes nor anything more really. Shirt was opened in some places - torn in other - leaving healthy skin to the view, a few scraps of white material hung from those vines he noticed. Yet even upon closer look there was no breath coming from him, as his chest wasn't moving.

"Ah, before I realised you're awake, you've been gone..." came a voice from direction of an exit. Rin didn't bother turning, as he knew the owner by his heart now. "Sorry for making you wait but you've been knocked out cold for quite some time."

Rin of course knew that, his dreams being a very vivid reminder of that state. He blinked twice before his hands curled at his sides, burning anger rising within him. There was so many things he needed to know, things he needed to understand.

He needed the truth.

And so he did what everybody would in his place, he asked one simple question of, "How?"

Mephisto, who stood proudly - being him and all - clucked his tongue before actually answering. Young esquire didn't bother to even turn towards him so he on the other hand didn't bother to come closer either.

Darkness swirled in the chamber, bluish light silently shining around them.

"How you ask..." repeated Mephisto, pondering. He smiled his usual smile and continued on. "How I'll tell you. Three days after Blue Lake, both you and Yukio were still in a coma. To be honest, I didn't really think that Okumura-sensei would live through first night after the event..."

"Why?" cut in sharply Rin, his eyes still concentrated on the vision of his brother. "Why did you think-"

Mephisto coughed, loudly. "If you kindly shut up, I will tell you everything." At that Rin shuddered with anger but kept silent nonetheless. Pleased with that, Mephisto inhaled before speaking up again. "On that night I've found you both on death's doorstep – literally speaking. Even with your fast healing. Unfortunately unlike yours, Yukio's body couldn't keep up with all inner bleeding he's been having. So it means we've been losing Okumura-sensei pretty fast, even after every treatment we tried. We were running out of time, so on the third day, I've spoke with Kirigakure-sensei about our last chance at keeping him alive - even if barely. Result you have before your own eyes, Rin-kun."

"That's not the answer I wanted to hear, you bastard!" snarled Rin, his black tail suddenly lit up in blue flame just as his whole body was consumed by it.

There was a long, painful sigh. "You're one ungrateful brat, half-demon. Not only I saved your lives but am helping you learn how to control your temper."

"I don't give a shit! I want Yukio back! Let him out of that thing!" he growled, now turning around and shooting daggers at older demon. Mephisto all but shook his head in response. "You bastard! I'll..."

Mephisto smiled, rolling his umbrella in hand. "You'll what? Kick me? Call me stupid-fluff-clown?" he smirked, his eyes twinkled. "Or maybe... kill me?"

At that Rin took one step ahead, yet didn't move further afterwards. "You still didn't tell me everything. There is more to your story, so spill out! Now!"

"Of course there is, Rin-kun, didn't I ask you to not interrupt me?" Rin's lips twisted in disdain, fangs dangerously shining in blue light. "Much, much better. Now, where was I... Ah, yes, I've got it. Like I said results of my help you can see for yourself but I must tell you one thing, Okumura Rin... There is no assurance that Yukio's going to wake up any time soon. It might take a day, a week... Entire year or even more before his wounds would be completely healed. It looks that this time Satan's flames were going for a kill" by now, Mephisto glanced towards sleeping Okumura with something akin to melancholy. "It's already been seven months since I've put him to dreamless sleep yet there wasn't once a slight change in him. Do you remember when you spoke about your bond? That you felt his presence?"

By hearing more explanations Rin's anger subsided, he let his flames burn though. With a nod, he prodded his mentor to continue.

"You've been right. Demons can feel presence of own kin. I feel Yukio's all the time as I've put him in this special place, that's always in my reach. However I'm surprised that you felt it too as you shouldn't... Not when it's hidden under my illusion. Which is interesting..."

"It's been a tug" spoke Rin, no more snarling nor shouting. He just wanted to add to conversation his own two cents. Thinking more over the bond he glanced at his pinky finger and then half-turned towards Yukio. "I've felt a tug on my little finger" he kept on saying, his face slowly going impasse. His feelings calming down after literal hurricane they were before. "Every time I walked next to you I've felt a pull... then one time I might've overheard your talk with Kirigakure-sensei..."

"Ah" Mephisto chuckled. "That's why you kept on believing that your twin is alive."

"That's why I've wondered why would you lie to me about him" Rin confirmed, his tail slowly swinging and then stopping entirely. "I've never thought that..."

"That he's held inside huge healing crystal, dormant."

He nodded shortly, his hair swaying some from the movement. "Ye-ah..."

Now that all emotions finally calmed, when situation was somehow explained Mephisto sighed and closed his eyes. Of course he wouldn't ever tell anybody that he felt sorry for Okumura Rin in that one moment.

"Could I...?" stuttered Rin, his words suddenly failing him. He looked back at his mentor, not really caring at what he saw in that one second. "Could I... visit him?"

There was almost a 'please' at the end of that question.

The voice he used was so soft, it surprised Mephisto. He'd never really think that this little hellspawn could actually be gentle, knowing how violent he's most of the times. Unbeknown to himself, he nodded quietly staring and smiling – so unlike himself! Where was a smartass comment he should be spilling by now?

But... there wasn't any.

"Thanks."

Totally unaware of Mephisto's confusion, Rin slowly smiled turning towards the huge crystal that held his brother's life within. Before any of them registered what happened next, Rin's legs moved him ahead.

With a single tear slipping from his wide-opened eyes, Rin caressed the crystal vessel with a crooked smile on his troubled face.

"Get better soon, Yukio.

I will wait."