Title: Hellspawn
Chapter: 11/?
Characters: Rin, Yukio,
Genre: some-fluff, angst, hurt/comfort (insert genre here)
Summary: "The wind gently ruffled his raven locks and he smiled towards it, even if it was just an illusion it was good enough for him to feel at peace."
Disclaimer: I own nothing, it's purely fan made for fun... or tears.
Warnings: No beta'd, etc. cursing, anime!ver, brocon, start RinYukio. prolly ooc?

A/N: It's done guys, this chapter is done. And I need to say the arc2 is coming to a close. I think 2-3 chapters more and it's done. Like forever done and I am not coming back to it. The chapter is raw, very raw. Also LOADS of angst, tiny-amount of FLUFF. Another thing – I know it's slow paced but I wouldn't have it any other way, sorry. You want a smut – go find another story, this one is emotional rollecoaster as it is and I love it. Also – what show they were talking about? Have any ideas? I have 2 so far, want to hear yours. Jaa ne!

"You are a fever I am learning to live with, and everything is happening
at the wrong end of a very long tunnel."
― Richard Siken

Within silent room 602 just barely at dawn first rustles of sheets could be heard and an almost strangled groan followed, ultimately breaking the charm of peace. Peace which Okumura Rin couldn't reach for days.

Gritting his teeth he glanced towards sleeping form of his twin, just on the opposite side of their room. Yukio's back was everything he saw, beside that long tail of his that would twitch it's tip from time to time. Overall, he was fast asleep – his breathing deep and slow, glasses probably hidden underneath his pillow and that's what he needed right now.

With a fast movement Rin slid his feet to the floor and more rustling of sheets followed when he got up and tiptoed towards the exit. Only once the doors clicked quietly, he let himself breath out and grit his teeth again in anger.

Because he just didn't understand what was happening to him. Few days ago he was completely fine and seeing as he was stuck with his twin (and only with him) for at least few more weeks, he couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that for the past few days he could have these... dreams.

Shaking his heavy-feeling head, he clenched fists and stormed towards boy's bathrooms. He evidently had a problem, a half-hard one at that – for which he was quite happy about, because there was still a chance that it would just... go away.

Like the one he had a couple days ago.

The worst thing was, those... dreams weren't even very graphical, oh no. They would just flare up the flames that he had within so he'd wake up sweaty, breathless, and with half-hard-on. Not that he never had one, but the dreams... The person that he kept dreaming about, it was just plainly wrong.

One shouldn't be keeping re-writing the kiss that he happened to have with his own kin. Of course, knowing that it was sick and nauseating was one thing, his imagination had however completely different ideas about it – hence his morning strolls to the bathrooms before Yukio'd wake.

Haphazardly stepping into dim bathrooms, Rin didn't even thought about turning the light on – he instantly started to undress only to jump into an almost freezing-cold shower. With his teeth chattering, he inhaled deeply – calming his racing heart and hormones.

He didn't dare to reach for himself afraid of what he might do, but more afraid of who he might think about while doing it.

Said person haven't a slightest idea about his own predicament, for what he was more than a grateful. As if their kiss wasn't awkward already, all he needed to do was to add fuel to the fire that was still burning even after a week.

It must've been his own mind's deviation. That must've been it, after all Yukio did steal his own first kiss, not that that mattered much to him, but somehow his mind must've tricked his body. So no, it couldn't have anything to do with how cute he found Yukio when he tries his 'middle candle' exercise or how soft his tail looks when it sweeps behind him in slow movements. Nor could it have anything to do with those strange, too-quick moments when Yukio catches his eyes and they stare at each other – as if drowning in other's irises – until one of them blinks away.

Or the fact that he did imagine on that first night after their 'face crush' how it would feel to actually move his mouth a bit against Yukio's and sweep tongue over his lower lip. Would he reciprocate it or slap him away and call a pervert?

A tiny blush blossomed over Rin's cheeks, what was he thinking again? Was he really that twisted and wicked to wonder about the outcome of his stupid dreams? Shaking angrily his dark hair, he shivered – only now realising that the water was indeed ice-cold and he was almost to the point of half-freezing to death. Not that he cared about his knees and feet which by now were appearing to change colours into dark-bluish. Almost disappointingly he turned off the water and stepped back into bathroom.

From high-build wide windows first sun rays fell into the room as Rin stood motionlessly and started at himself in the mirror. He definitely had problems sleeping, waking up at unholy hours only to run into bathroom and hide his fears. Because that was all he had by now, a fear that Yukio might somehow find out about his dreams, about his stupid thoughts.

He was afraid that once the cat will be let out the bag, Yukio will turn on him and leave as far away as he'd be able to. And he didn't want that, he didn't want to be left alone again. It was even worse that he started to think he might've be a tiny bit jealous about Yukio too.

Their days in here were slowly coming to a close, when that will happen everybody will be all over Yukio.

Especially Shura... and Shiemi.

And he didn't like even the thought of it.

Picture they represented in that after-dinner laziness was probably like one of those old family photo albums. Old, worn out but holding that quiet warmness about the situation, making even the toughest man smile. As it happened both Rin and Yukio were sitting cooped-up in kotatsu, letting the laziness wore off after a good meal.

Rin was slouching over some new manga, elbow steadying his heavy-lidded head that screamed for a minute of sleep. Yukio on the other hand read a tad-bit too crumbled manga, frowning at very visible splotches of dried tears. Even so he tried hard not to voice out his own displease with the state of the most important volume of his favourite manga, he was scowling inwardly - but kept quiet anyhow.

The silence was overwhelming.

And as neither of them spoke it only grew more. Until Yukio finished the volume and finally pushed his glasses up nose, clearly irritated.

"I've told you many times before to not to cry all over mangas, nii-san" he spoke lowly, clearly. His tail whipped onto the floor, next to Rin. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to read something over and over again six times, wondering about meaning because somebody dared to cry all over the page?"

Rin pouted but glanced from a corner of his eyes back at his twin. He slapped his tail down over Yukio's with a silent ~smack. "Why are you so butthurt about it? It's not as if it was a good ending anyways..."

Yukio looked positively aghast. "It was the perfect ending! A happy one!"

Rin however didn't agree, at all. Moreover he would even dare to say he was disappointed by the way the series ended. With an air of authority, he smoothly closed the tome he was reading and now fully cocked his head towards his brother. He blinked, twice before he could find his tongue though – because Yukio's hard-stare was enough for him to lose his cool. Shaking off sudden flare of inner fire, he narrowed his eyes.

"It ended like shit" he pointed out, by now hands crossing over table. Yes, he was displeased about the manga, very much so. "So yeah, they both got alive and stuff but why did they part their ways? Shouldn't they actually try to repair their bond?"

At that Yukio's eye twitched. "It was enough for them, don't you think, nii-san? After everything they went through. Besides plot of the entire series was around them finally finishing their quest and settling down, having a real family."

Rin's tail shoot out in exasperation, he felt himself raise and thud his palms on the table. "That's exactly what I mean!" he countered, his fangs slipping from between lips a bit more. "They are a family, a brothers! They shouldn't just finish what they needed and... leave."

"Maybe that's your interpretation, or rather a misinterpretation. Yes, I agree that they are a family, yes I agree that 'the leave' seemed kind of rushed as an ending of the series but you should look at this from different perspective." When Yukio saw Rin opening his loud mouth again, he glared at him. "Just listen, nii-san! Look, they left each-other's sides and that's okay. That means they grew up enough to not to relay on each other's too much – as they did through the series. It shows that life is ever-changing and no – not everything goes as we wished it to go. Life is cruel like that but it also gives you hope for a different tomorrow."

Rin watched wide-eyed his twin. Yukio's face was somber, he'd even tell he already went through all 'what if's' that could be dropped in between the chapters of the manga and he found it once again extremely cute and heart-warming. He really liked those short about-a-manga arguments he had with him. Still he couldn't help but feel disappointed that the story ended this and not that way so he straightened back and crossed arms over his chest, pouting.

"I still don't see anything positive about it."

Yukio inhaled, tiredly. "I'm not going to argue with you today, I'm too frustrated with my own problem."

Rin couldn't help it and smirked, his tail swaying teasingly behind him. "Ah, ye still didn't manage to light the candles, eh?" Yukio send him a silent warning from behind his glasses but he didn't care, as if anything he still was the stronger of them two. Now that thought gave him an idea. "Hey, Yukio... you've been on the first floor yet? Which room was it..?"

"102."

"102, yeah!" he agreed, but when Yukio shook his head, he only smiled. "Well then, neither did I. So let's go over there and see what's all that mystery behind that closed doors, hm?"

"Nii-san..."

"Oh come on!" he wailed, seeing a very upset face of his twin. Without thinking he reached for Yukio's arm and tugged at it, making the other stumble to his feet.

"What the hell?!"

"Come on, only today! Let's go and see what's behind doors number 102! I promise it's only once!"

Yukio frowned, sharply shaking Rin's hand off his arm. "If you're bored enough then go by yourself! I don't need to be tugged behind you like some five-year-old."

"Grumpy five-year-old" Rin added, smirking. "Now, if you're that lazy I can carry you on my back if you need it?"

Yukio's face flared bright red then and he actually stuttered. "W-w..." he continued to clear his throat but glared at Rin nonetheless. "No, thank you, I'm fine on my own two feet."

Rin was speechless for a second when Yukio's face confronted into pure shock and was it fluster? Yes, it must've been that. Whatever went through his twins mind made him purely horrified but at the same time Rin found another thing about Yukio to tease him later.

"So it means you're going?" he prodded, smiling like a Cheshire-cat. As an answer he got another threatening glare from his twin but couldn't do much but smile broadly, leading them out their living-room. "Still, if you need a piggy-back-ride just say so" he threw over his shoulder, laughing inwardly at possible Yukio's outrage that followed his sentence.

"Nii-san!"

Hm, after all he still might've enjoy this boring afternoon.

Yet once again in his life Okumura Rin was awestruck by the place he found himself in. Just barely few seconds ago he was standing with Yukio by his side in a dimly-lit corridor on the first floor, before room number 102. But it was a few seconds ago and they flew too fast for his mind to comprehend and he opened the damned doors to feel his jaw almost crumble to the floor.

Thankfully before that'd happen he stepped through and into warm, sunny afternoon. The wind gently ruffled his raven locks and he smiled towards it, even if it was just an illusion it was good enough for him to feel at peace. He didn't heard as Yukio closed the doors behind them, nor he saw him stepping close next to him where he stood.

His entire being was consumed by the never-ending beauty of those sun-drowning green hills and that one, half-naked cherry tree that was in the distance.

"Wow, just... wow" he murmured, finally detaching his eyes from the view before them. He glanced at Yukio and his breath hitched. Yukio seemed to glow with the slowly setting sun, eyes seeing however only some far away point in horizon. Heavily lifting his eyes from the vision of his twin, he looked into the distance as well and only after awhile he figured where was he looking in the first place. "Say, Yukio... how about a quick race to that cherry tree? Like in good old times?" he said, idea so surreal and magical.

Of course as an answer he got a tiny snort from Yukio. "We'd faster break our necks than run all that way to that cherry tree, nii-san."

Rin however didn't budge from his idea. "Would it hurt you to just do what I ask you to? Once?"

Yukio finally glanced back at him, eyes sharp and cool. "I only say it's ridiculous idea to run over there."

By when Yukio's words drifted to him, he didn't care, he wanted to remind himself of the times when they were young. He wanted to remind himself of their own bond as a brothers... and nothing else. He needed this, right now or he might've do something he was going to regret later on. And so Rin smirked, putting hands on his hips.

"You're just scared, four-eyes."

Yukio grumbled, weaving his hand through his wayward-by-now hair. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are!" appraised Rin, bending slightly towards his twin. "You're scared that you'll lose. But don't worry, I won't use my demon powers. Promise!"

Yukio shook his head which dropped slightly, in the end only agreeing. And that was all Rin needed to feel something burst in his chest. Warm, happy feeling pooled through his entire being and he was gone, he didn't need anything else in the world... just Yukio.

With confident stride, Rin stood next to his brother – smiling – and laughed upon his twin's concentrated expression. Then with a quick nod, he shouted 'start' and they were gone – running down the hill. Rin felt like flying on air and couldn't help bursts of laugh that escaped his lips, while he'd glance back at how's Yukio doing.

He was more than aware that his brother was still under rehabilitation but also wasn't surprised to see him match his own tempo. Yukio apparently didn't want to lose but he didn't want either. Leaving that aside, he pressed on a bit more, a bit faster and his twin followed. Soon enough however Rin realised that he wasn't going to win with Yukio if he kept on going like that.

They were more than half-way to that cherry tree when Rin snapped. As much as he was happy from the situation and calm, heavenly race they were having, a splotch of burning panic started to seep through and he couldn't lose. He was the older one, he was supposed to be looked upon and he was the stronger one of them two.

Narrowing his eyes towards his twin he did the first thing that he could come up with and he jumped at Yukio – who, wide-eyed jumped back and glared, suddenly stopping.

"What the-?" he snapped, his face flushed. "What was that for!?"

Rin however smiled as if it could wash away all his conflicting emotions. "Oh, y'know" he shrugged, suddenly getting into fight-stance and Yukio stared at him for a few long seconds. "I figured that some hand-to-hand combat might come in handy too..."

Yukio frowned. "Nii-san..." he started, trying to figure out his brother's antics. "I thought you know that there is a reason why I'm a Dragoon and not a Knight... right?"

Rin shrugged it off. "Well... No, not really."

There was a huge sweatdrop at Yukio's head. "It is because I am not as flexible as I should to be a Knight. I'm better off in precision-targeting than with real combat."

"Well, then... It's a time to change that" stated Rin, swinging his fist ahead. Yukio side-stepped it but still looked wide-eyed at each and every single hit. By the time he barely missed another hit, Rin snipped. "Oh come on, Yukio. We have healing factor for god's sakes! It's not as if you were going to murder me with one single hit!"

Yet even he bared his teeth at his twin, Yukio would only dodge his attacks and that was starting to piss Rin more. Then with an another gust of wind, he send two punches – which actually hit his target – making him slump back few steps.

With a smirk on his face Rin knew that his twin was getting more and more agitated and by now he should be fighting back. And yes, to all his predictions Yukio started to try and hit him back. Of course he wasn't going to say that he was bordering on his own powers, now dodging himself.

But only after another missed kick he spared a chance to glance at his twin and that's when he saw it again, that spark. Tiny, hidden deep in his irises, slowly rising spark.

The trigger.

The thing that Yukio was missing when working over his candles.

And then he felt sudden pain, grinding around his ribs and stomach.

Yukio's well-aimed kick send him falling to the ground, hardly breathing and actually coughing up saliva and tiniest amount of blood. It hurt, his insides hurt and all he wanted to do was curl up in himself and never get up but before he'd do exactly that there were hands grabbing his shoulders and a very concerned voice of Yukio.

"Nii-san! Can you breath? Please tell me I didn't hurt you!"

He wheezed and coughed but looked his twin in the face, smiling. "Good job, four-eyes. You got me on my knees."

Yukio gulped apologetically and shook his head, bashing Rin over his stupid ideas. "I knew it's going to end bad, it always does."

"Almost" piped in Rin, smiling and then curling a bit more into himself. Upon seeing that Yukio immediately slapped his head upside-down at which Rin hissed with his tail shooting like a dagger behind him.

"Don't you ever curl up after getting hit into solar-plexus, nii-san. It's basic sparring-aid rule. Now get up, you need to straighten up so the pain can lessen, otherwise your muscles are going to spasm more..." Yukio spoke, slowly reaching around Rin – albeit awkwardly – and somehow pulling him up. Rin kept on breathing through clenched teeth, curling fists from pain. "Now, who was telling me something about having a healing factor, again? Nii-san?"

Rin grumbled over the pain but once they started to limp slowly towards the cherry tree it started to lessen. Well, at least Yukio knew how to treat all their bruises and cuts – which he was going to after they'll get back to their room. When they slowly made their way over to the cherry tree – whose pink petals kept on softly falling and flying around thanks to wind – Rin again realised how nice it was of his brother to keep him upright when all he wanted to do was curl down.

In moments like this he knew and felt the unmistakeable love that was between them, their bond. Even if he was twisted enough to dream something more of it, he felt entirely content with their sibling love. In those glances they shared, in all their stupid arguments they were having, in all the frustration they went through, in those smiles they got for each other and that terrifying ability to self-sacrifice themselves for the other.

If that was love – if that meant he was falling in love – he was glad that it was Yukio.

His self-destructive culmination of thoughts was broken by Yukio or rather the sudden coldness that replaced the heat of his body. Blinking around he realised they were under the cherry tree already and he smiled. The pain almost went away and he could already move around on his own accord which he did – as he felt left out, sitting alone under the tree – and walked closer to his brother. However before he actually did anything else, he stopped himself – a few paces behind Yukio and just looked.

It was the exact moment when Rin promised himself that no matter what the future was going to bring he was going to make Yukio happy – even if it meant him leaving to pursue his own happiness. At that he almost chuckled how ironic the thought was. He'd never say he's going to say it but now, right there and then he would let him go – Yukio's argument about the stupid manga hitting a bit too close to home exactly in a time like this.

Yes, Rin was ready to let go. As long as Yukio was happy, as long as he'd write to him and spend some time together as they used to.

"Ne, Yukio..." he said, still feeling the pain around his chest. He walked over to his twin and looked him in the face. "I found the trigger" he added, drowning himself in Yukio's eyes. With his hands on his hips he however blinked and glanced at the beautiful vision before them. "I know how to help you with the candles."

Yukio's eyes narrowed slightly, his finger pushed the glasses up. "Really now? A trigger?"

Rin nodded, contemplating. "Yeah, a trigger – quite literally. After closer observation I figured out what might help you in mastering your flames" he spoke, proudly. "You said yourself that you're a Dragoon for a reason, ne? Why not use that as basis? I've watched you on the fire-range y'know..." he said softly, his eyes drifting from the horizon to pink petals that swirled around them. "When you wield the gun, there's that spark in your eyes and believe me when I'm saying it's all you need, because it is."

"A trigger? A spark? Nii-san... I think you might read too much manga."

Rin growled, the beautiful moment popping like a bubble and he rounded at Yukio. "I am trying to help you and all you got to say to me is 'you're reading too much manga'?!"

Yukio nodded but there was a smile on his face and two twinkles in his eyes, and all was good as few seconds later a chuckle followed the statements and two bright grins flashed on a dirty, battered faces.

But unlike in the old-timers films the brothers didn't walk into the sunset, didn't went on another adventure. They stood silently, both happy in their own ways, both cherishing the moment as for what it was because there wasn't a say that it might've been their last one.

With an exchange of glances they nodded towards each other – no words needed – and turned their back's to the sunset, walking back to the reality.

Upon their hike only their shadows swayed mocking them for what they could have but didn't reach for, promising the end of the peace they had.