Sumiko: For anyone that might be wondering: Read the guidelines - FanFiction does not require you to write a disclaimer. Probably because the site understands that this is FanFiction and therefore, we do not own any of this. No matter HOW MUCH we want to.

Just a reminder that this story is slightly AU, depending on what happens in the anime/manga... Nothing that'll show it's AU will be seen yet, but, just a reminder...

Enjoy!

Phobophobia

Chapter 2 : Social Phobia

It was (almost) easy to tell Kimiko that yes, she would make one friend by next week, but so hard to actually follow through with it.

She chose Okumura Rin because Kimiko, who didn't even like Rin, had told her that she had misjudged him (though she didn't really know it was Rin she was talking about... just a technicality), and reminded Midori that she hadn't thanked him for the directions, delinquent or not.

And also, it was because Kimiko didn't like him that she wanted to befriend him. Kimiko didn't dislike a lot of people (despite the fact that she insulted everyone), and Midori stupidly thought that maybe, maybe if she became Rin's friend, Kimiko would set aside their differences and act more civilly towards him. Meaning she would stop trying to kill him every other day. Midori didn't think her cousin even remembered what they were fighting about. It was risky, obviously, and most definitely not worth it, especially since Midori was afraid of rebels like him, but wasn't it for that reason too? Because she had misjudged him?

So that was why she chose Okumura Rin.

Now the problem was this: how does one make friends, anyway?

She had only ever really spoken to Kimiko before, and she couldn't just ask him to be her friend (or could she? She really didn't know how these things worked)...

What could Okumura Rin gain by becoming her friend? He had his own friends, so it wasn't like he ever really seemed lonely, though they weren't in his class... Which meant...

Grades.

If they weren't in the same class, what they cover probably wouldn't be entirely the same, right?

She had overheard some of the other students complain last year about how Rin was bringing down their class average, meaning that they weren't allowed as many privileges as the other classes (field trips, for example), but no one would dare tell that to him in person in fear of getting their face rearranged. She had even eavesdropped (accidentally, of course - usually she was avoiding the boy, not stalking him) his brother (fraternal twins, considering they were in the same year and that their last names were both Okumura... Midori had at first assumed Rin was younger until she heard the other one - whose name she didn't recall - refer to him as 'Nii-san') telling him that he needed to bring up his grades sometime back in their first year, or else... something would happen. His brother's voice became hushed after that, so Midori hadn't heard the rest of it. Apparently though, it was important, because while Rin had whined and argued that high school wasn't important in the least, he still began to pay a bit more attention in class - just enough to pass all of his classes.

But only a bit, so he was still struggling a lot with the content, a fact that was obvious even to her, who had previously tried her best to not to notice him.

With that in mind, the largest benefit she could bring to him was if she helped him raise his grades.

And that, is why she chose Okumura Rin.

Any questions?

Teachers and students alike did not care much for the lazy Okumura Rin, who did nothing in class besides sleep. Throughout the years, they came to ignore him - teachers rarely tried to wake him up anymore, and students shied away from him. He preferred it this way. Despite his younger brother's constant nagging, high school wasn't important to him at all. And as long as he (God knows how) managed to pass, Yukio didn't lecture him about it. Until recently. (But really, what did it matter if he was failing all of his subjects?) And he hadn't been too bothered by it. Until yesterday.

"Nii-san," Yukio had addressed his brother as they were eating lunch. And oh, damn, he was using that tone of voice. Rin paused for half a second, chopsticks poised just above his bowl.

"Yeah?" he tried to keep his tone casual, but when his brother was serious about something, his brother was scary. Even to him.

"I've heard that your grades in have been dropping again..."

And he suddenly wasn't so scared anymore. He continued eating. This speech again. How many times had he been told that-

"Nii-san, your grades in high school are important..." Yeah, that. He started tuning him out, but a few minutes into it, his brother paused, and exhaled slowly.

Then his twin said, almost reluctantly, something he found very interesting.

"I have... a proposition for you."

But honestly, though he did try, he was just too tired (not to mention bored and confused) to pay attention during class.

So after classes ended and he woke up from his final period nap (math was a useless subject - why couldn't x equal just ONE DAMN NUMBER, he would never know), and there was a student standing in front of him holding (what he assumed was) a copy of today's notes, he was understandably confused.

He recognized the girl (who he had realized was a classmate when she tried to sneak into homeroom minutes after he had barged in) as the one he had given directions to the day before... The short, flat-chested girl with glasses that looked too smart to get lost, especially since it was already the second week of school.

Since he was so confused - not to mention tired - he only managed to raise his hand and greet her with a "yo."

Okumura Rin didn't consider himself a complicated person, so all this thinking was giving him a headache.

Damn, he really couldn't function without twelve hours of sleep.

She started off rather simply. Simply meaning she was internally cursing (except not really) Kimiko for putting her though this as she took two copies of notes - one for Rin and the other for herself and Kimiko to share... because Kimiko was ditching again today. Even if she had been here, she never took any of her own notes - for every class. It was slightly bothersome, but she didn't mind all that much.

The part she did mind started after the last bell had rung and it was time to actually give him the notes. Oh, she was going to die.

She got up, and headed for his desk anyway. She had to do it quickly, because she knew he would always rush out of the class after school finished and he had finally woken up.

He seemed tired - that was the first thing she observed about the boy.

He was wearing his uniform properly - something she had never understood as she figured he would be the type that didn't care whether or not his tie was done right or he was wearing the school uniform at all - and he had that red carrying bag as usual, though whether it was for a baseball bat or something else, she wasn't sure, but she didn't remember the school having a baseball team... Then again, she had never been involved in a sport.

Eventually, he realized her presence. It was at this time that Midori wanted to just drop the papers on his desk and run away before- but she didn't. Even though she really wanted to. So much.

"Yo," he raised a hand halfway, and the third-year was proud of herself, because she could honestly say that she did not flinch. An improvement.

"G-Good afternoon, Okumura-san." A slight stutter in the beginning. Back to square one. "I'm Okura Midori..." She attempted a smile, but it probably came out much more forced and nervous than she wanted it to. "Um, thank you for yesterday... Hashimoto-sensei wasn't too angry with me, so... thanks..." Come on, that was pathetic, she could practically hear Kimiko shout. She placed the notes in front on his desk, and damn it, her hand was shaking just the slightest bit. Kimiko would be so disappointed. "I noticed that you had fallen asleep in class, and, um... the lecture notes for today weren't all that hard, so I thought I'd take another copy of notes for you... If you don't want them, I can just throw it away-"

All of a sudden, he didn't seem so tired.

"Really? For me?" He was standing now, and clapping a hand on her shoulder (she was sure he hadn't meant for it to be so hard, but... ow), wearing a wide grin that revealed slightly sharper than average canines. "Thanks!" It was weird, how deliriously energetic he was now compared to before... "You said your name was Midori, right?" Blinking, the girl (who was, she estimated, over a head shorter than him) nodded slowly.

She said her name was Okura Midori... Was he really planning on not addressing her by her last na-

"Haha, that's a good name. A really, really good name." People were staring, but he wasn't paying them any attention at all. He simply continued to speak to her casually, using her given name.

Resignedly, she answered her unfinished question.

...Apparently so.

There was a part of True Cross Academy that very few students knew about. It was in this secretive place that two people held a conversation that no one that could have been listening in would have understood.

"Oi."

A male, dressed like a teacher and carrying a briefcase in one hand, turned. His shoulders relaxed visibly at the sight of the female that had addressed him, but seemed surprised at the sight of her. Her body was leaning casually against that wall, features hidden in the shadows, just beyond the light's reach.

"Oh, it's you."

"What a rude greeting for someone as nice as your reputation suggests," she released a short laugh.

His responding tone was accusing. "What are you doing here? You know you're not-"

"Just dropping by to give you a little warning, is all..." She lifted a hand, and seemed to be carelessly examining her fingernails. One couldn't be too sure - she hadn't moved from the cover of the darkness.

"And that is...?" He twitched in slight irritation. He didn't like the girl, not at all. He looked around the hallway, but it was late - they were the only ones within the vicinity.

"That pet of yours - I'm going to kill it." Her tone was still casual, nothing in it that fit the words she was speaking. "If you don't want it to be a painful death, keep it on a leash, in its cage, whatever, understand?"

He opened his mouth to retort, but she was already gone.

Sumiko: Social Phobia is the fear of being social, basically. You are afraid of going to parties, of meeting new people, etc.

...DUDE. Do you guys know how AWESOME you are? I mean, maybe to some people (or most) four isn't a lot of reviews, BUT STILL. So far, this story has had 256 visitors and 278 hits! I know some people get over a thousand times that, but... Thank you guys so much for your support.

So, my question for this chapter is this: What do you think of Mephisto? Good? Evil? Somewhere in between? Awesome? Irritating?

Also, WHY AREN'T THERE MORE STORIES FOR AO NO EXORCIST? I know it's a new anime/manga and all, but still. It deserves more.

And have you seen the latest episode? I cannot believe ************************, can you? (Note: the ***** are so that people that haven't seen episode 22 and 23 yet won't see the spoilers, but you understand what I'm saying if you did).

I'd just like you all to know that this fanfic is a bit of an experiment. For one, to see if I can still write fanfiction, and two, to see if it's better or not to write 'fanfiction' or 'fanfiction that aims to be somewhat realistic.' The second meaning if I can write a story that could ever have even the smallest possibility of happening in the actual anime, and one in which the OC's personality and feelings are that of one similar to a real person's. What would you prefer? (As odd as it sounds, it isn't a rhetorical question).

I would like to note that most of this plot is already figured out, so while I could definitely change things, the general plot probably won't change much. Suggestions are always welcome.

So, I've decided to try my hand at concritting (constructive criticism) again. It's been a while, but I think I'm doing okay. Of course, I'm being a complete hypocrite about it, as I consider myself a better editor/reviewer than a writer. By far. I just received my first... almost-but-not-quite polite insult-filled response in a year. It's the reason why I quit for so long (not literally - just authors in denial that their OCs are a Mary-Sue... Am I being hypocritical again...?) but now I am BACK! And I'm already almost regretting it...

Um... Ah, yes, another thing - I am the type that loves reviews (you know - the vast majority kind) and so, I thought I'd tell you (if you haven't already noticed) I love to reply to reviews. It's some sort of hobby for me (I haven't missed a review since I started... I think), and I love it. I also look into the author's profiles of my reviewers/subscribers for stories. I also don't mind requests for people asking me to read a story of theirs... as long as they've reviewed/subscribed to one of my stories. Because if I don't have an indication that you've read one of my stories, why do you have the nerve to ask me to read yours? Just an opinion... but it's happened before. One of my pet peeves. I've noticed a pattern, too - those that send these requests don't have very well-written fanfics... It's only an observation... I would never be that desperate, though.

But I WOULD be desperate enough to say... Reviewers get a preview of the next chapter. No, seriously. It doesn't even have to be that long.

Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated (I promise I'm not one of those people that'll reply with a 'Don't Like, Don't Read'), but please don't be rude... Note that I will never say 'no flamers' because when has that ever stopped flamers? Note that my definition of a flamer is one that in no way gives any constructive criticism. You can be someone rude, and mean, but if you're telling me what's wrong with my story, you aren't a flamer.

Finally, (I SWEAR THIS IS THE LAST NOTE) I'll try to update every two weeks, but I can't promise anything... So, my next update will be... October 9.

...Dear Kami-sama that thing was longer than the chapter itself... For that, I apologize...

So enough of my rambling, thank you for your support, and I'll hopefully see you next time!

~Sumiko