Yukine made his way back to class, leaving the remnants of his lunch for the birds. Somehow he doubted the girl intended to do anything so kind as feed animals. He grabbed his textbooks and dropped into his seat with a huff. Across the classroom, the girl rested her chin in her hands, glaring at him. He tried to ignore her. His face felt like it was burning off. Why was she like this?
"Ooh, you better watch out," said a voice behind him.
"Huh?" Yukine turned around to see another girl sitting there, covering her mouth as she slid her eyes towards the scowling lunch-ruiner.
"You look like you've attracted her attention is all," she said, flipping her hair over her shoulder.
"She hates me," said Yukine. "Does she often freak out if people sit in her space?" Maybe he'd sit at her classroom desk next time. Or not. She might actually pull out a knife and kill him or flip the desk over. And honestly something that petty was probably not what Yato would do. Well, not what Yato would want him to do, at any rate.
"That's Nora," said the girl. "Or Hiiro. Or Mizuchi. She's had a bunch of names."
"Huh?" Yukine didn't understand.
"She changes her mind on what she wants to be called constantly. And she doesn't really have a family or a name."
"She told me she had a brother." Yukine wondered if he should mention it to Yato. Probably. But now or later?
Now, he decided, pulling out his phone and texting. You have a sister? Though Yato was probably in class right now. That biology requirement he'd been complaining about.
"Yeah, she talks about him a lot, but he doesn't show up like ever. She's trash." The girl popped a bubble of gum. "And a liar, I'm sure. That brother probably only exists in her imagination."
The girl—Nora—narrowed her eyes at them as if she could tell they were discussing her. She tapped her foot against the tiled floor.
"So is she crazy?" Yukine asked.
"Dunno. I don't think so. I think she's just weird. And a slut."
Yukine started. His face felt like blood had been replaced with lava. Nora leaned back now, still with her gaze lasered on them. She might have been across the classroom but Yukine suddenly had a feeling she knew exactly the topic of their conversation, that it was hardly something she hadn't heard before.
The other girl rolled her eyes. "She like, runs after everyone who appears in front of her and so much as smile at her. Men, women, it doesn't matter. Teacher or student. The guy she lives with she calls her father but he isn't really her father."
"Foster father?" Yukine offer, voice small. He thought of Yato. A shudder worked through him. He did not want these kids finding out that he had no family, either.
"She's really sad," said the girl. "I could almost feel sorry for her if she wasn't such a bitch to absolutely everyone. She plays games with people and goes after other peoples' boyfriends and girlfriends and is just—she's pathetic. Like, when both of you were missing at lunch, people were joking that she'd be off blowing you."
"Agh!" Yukine clamped his hands over his ears. Now acid was dissolving him from the inside and the acid was labeled embarrassment. Do you have to be this explicit?
"Don't worry," said the girl. "I told them not to say that. We don't even know you, after all."
But if you did know me… If they found out he'd been arrested at one point, if they found out he didn't have a family, if, if, if… Yukine swallowed. He picked up a pencil and twirled it around, eraser on the desk. "Well, that wasn't—I mean—"
"Yeah, but she has set her sights on you," said the girl. "She's still staring."
"She yelled at me," Yukine said. "It's not like that."
"Who knows what that bitch is thinking," said the girl. "She plots. She's always scheming. She probably wants to try enemies to lovers next. Anyways. That's my friendly advice. Watch out for her; she's a man-eater."
Their teacher entered the classroom, and the girl shut up, finally. Yukine glanced over his shoulder.
Nora ignored him for the rest of class.
Yato checked his phone. From Yukine. You better be texting me from your lunch break and not from class, he thought.
You have a sister?
Yato stopped in his tracks, coffee warm in one hand, laptop open on the library desk just a few meters away.
Of course. Of fucking course. Fujisaki wouldn't give up. He was going to play Nora against Yukine now too. Yato gritted his teeth. It wasn't enough for him to try to entangle Yato in his web; he'd go after everyone he could. Because he couldn't fathom not having someone to control.
Was everything an illusion? All this freedom, the past few years he'd been playing at having a life of his own, scrounging up money to make rent every month by doing the most menial of odd jobs, all worth it, or so he told himself. But Father wanted to stomp all over it. Like he was nothing. Like he was still Yoboku, that stupid name he'd given him.
I'm not him. I'm Yato.
Yato grabbed his laptop and stuffed it in his bag. He chugged the coffee. It tasted bitter, sludgy. Time to storm home and contemplate dropping out of college. Or moving elsewhere. He had to protect Yukine. He owed it to him, and also Father might leave Hiyori alone then.
Why do you have to ruin everything?
Yato barged into his new house, stomping up the stairs. He heard voices in the wooden stairwell.
"Hello," said Kazuma, waving at him. Bishamon leaned against the wall, scowling as if Yato had personally stepped on one of her cats. Which he hadn't. Although…
"Looks like you had just as terrible a day at school as I did," said Bishamon. "What happened, no random cats for you to hurt?"
"Bishamon—" That wasn't what— He sighed. Kazuma studied his shoes, face just as impassive as ever.
"Well, whatever," Bishamon said. "I have enough problems."
"How many are you hoarding up there?" Yato called.
"Just Karuha!"
"That's a lie."
Bishamon rolled her eyes. "If I was made of lesser stuff, I'd flip you off."
Yato flipped her off. Kazuma glared at him. Oh my god, you still haven't told her? You worthless 'roommate.' Kazuma was, of course, the one who recommended Yato apply to live here, but only on the condition that Yato never mention they were in contact. But if Kazuma didn't act on his feelings sometime in the next week Yato might have to do something. Then at least Bishamon could have a hobby besides hating him and collecting stray cats and mothering everyone in her lab.
"Your father's a postdoc in my lab," said Bishamon, hands on her hips. She descended the staircase.
Yato froze.
"So you did know."
"He was teaching my biology class," said Yato. "I—"
"Have fun with that. Will he give you special treatment in terms of easier grades or worse ones?"
"I quit. I'm dropping the class." And potentially school itself.
Bishamon wrinkled her nose. "Why?"
"Because I don't feel like dealing with his shit." Yato dug through his pockets for his key.
"Well, I'm not the coward you are," Bishamon informed him.
"What does that mean?" eked out Kazuma.
"Isn't he in your lab now, too?" asked Yato. "Since you just joined her lab."
"It means, if he starts any shit like I know he will, I'm going to file a complaint for sexism against him and take it to the board," Bishamon retorted. "I don't even care about how he treats me. He already commented on my skirt being too short. Like father, like son."
Yato cringed. He didn't remember ever saying anything like that. But it was entirely likely at one point.
"But he also mocked Suzuha for making a mistake. If he goes after the younger students, I'll personally see to it that his reputation is in tatters by the time he leaves."
"Um, I don't think that's a good idea," Kazuma objected.
"It's a great idea. The lab is run by sexist abusive asshats and it's about time someone took them down." Bishamon straightened. "But, we'll see. That's just to warn you, Yato. If I go for him, it won't be because of you because I still have a dartboard with your face on it."
"I really don't know if you're joking or serious," Yato said.
Bishamon shrugged. "Well, now you know." She tapped her foot, clad in a thigh-high black leather boot. "And if you quit school like I know you're thinking of doing, you're exactly the coward than I thought you were."
Yato's eyes bugged. She turned and stalked into her apartment, where he heard the mewling of cats. Kazuma nodded at him and slipped after her.
He hadn't hurt the animals. He'd just rehomed them, with Nora at his side. Bisha was going to lose her apartment because she was not allowed to keep pets. Admittedly she didn't have that many actually, but…
They were all happy now. It was fine. Except Bishamon, but she would probably be unhappy over something else if it wasn't over that.
She didn't know Kazuma, then an undergrad who had a massive crush on her—at least judging from the fact that his photo app on his phone essentially had only photos of her—had asked Yato to help. Yato flopped onto his couch.
He probably should just drop out. But then he'd have to explain things he did not want to talk about just yet to Yukine. Although he would have to do that anyways when he came home. God, Nora, can't you just leave me alone?
She wouldn't. And Father wouldn't. Not ever.
He had a teacher in high school. Her name was Sakura. He didn't even have a picture of her. She was kind. She treated him like he actually mattered, and he couldn't help but think that maybe, maybe things were different than he'd always known. She smiled at him even when he didn't perform well. Father never did.
And now she was dead. By her own hand, of sorts, but also because of Father, because of Nora.
He just didn't want any more blood on his hands. And if Bishamon wasn't careful, she'd find herself in a hornet's nest.
The door pushed open on time. Impressive. So he hadn't contemplated ditching him too seriously. What was less impressive was Yato lying here on this secondhand couch for the entire afternoon, but Yukine didn't need to know that.
Yato sat up. "Yo."
Yukine dropped onto the floor, slinging his bookbag down next to him. He sat cross-legged, staring at Yato. "You didn't text me back."
"Nope, I didn't."
"And?"
Yato rolled over, hugging the weird throw pillow Kofuku bought as a welcoming gift, the one with chickens on it, to his chest. He met Yukine's eyes.
"Do you have a sister?" Yukine demanded.
"No."
"Okay then."
"Well, we did grow up together." Yato sighed. "Nora?"
Yukine's jaw set. "Yeah. Nora."
"We had a shared—foster father," Yato said. "He wasn't very nice."
"Oh." Yukine leaned back on his hands.
"She acts like him in many ways," said Yato at last. "Though it's been—well over a year since I saw her last."
"Well, she's in my class." Yukine picked at the black skull patch sewn onto his jeans. "And she's not very nice."
Yato wasn't that surprised. Then again, as kids Nora was nice. Or maybe neither of them knew what nice was, if they thought Father was nice. "He's one of the professors at my school. A postdoc in Bishamon's lab."
"Huh?" Yukine blinked.
"Fujisaki," said Yato. "He—raised me. If you can call that raising."
Yukine drew his knees up. "What are you going to do?"
"Well, not go to that class, first of all," said Yato. "I'll—take it next semester." He couldn't drop out. Not with Yukine looking up to him. It'd just be wrong, and dammit, he was not going to be anything like Fujisaki as a big brother or dad figure. Even if in the opposite sense. He would do the best he could and it'd be good enough. "The problem is Hiyori is also in that class, and he saw me talking to her, and he doesn't like that he can't control me anymore, you know. He doesn't think I can make it on my own."
"Hiyori?" Yukine's eyes widened. "That girl from the shop?"
"Yeah," said Yato. He rolled back onto his back, staring at the late afternoon sun streaking light across the ceiling.
"The pretty one?"
Yato jabbed his finger at Yukine. "Don't get any ideas! She's too old for you!"
Yukine threw his hands into the air. "Is she too young for you?"
"Hey!" Yato threw the stupid chicken pillow at him.
Yukine caught it. Of course. "If you're so worried about her, maybe you should actually talk to her. Tell her about him and to be aware."
You're believing me so easily? Yato propped himself up on the armrest. This couch was threadbare but seriously comfortable. "Want me to talk to Nora?"
"Would that just make things worse for you?"
Yato shrugged. "I can at least ask her to back off. She's not bad; she's just completely loyal to our father. She doesn't see herself as a person." But they both knew what that was like in different ways, Yato knew. He heard little details about Yukine's backstory before he ran away.
I can't save her. I can barely save myself. And now he had Yukine to worry about too.
Still, he could do this.
Yukine sat in the same spot at lunch the second day. The other kids weren't particularly appealing to him, because no matter how despicable Nora seemed to be, they didn't seem much better. She appeared, saw him, and scowled.
I'm not moving. Yukine did, however, shift his food onto his lap, keeping one hand on the container so that she couldn't send it flying in another temper tantrum.
Nora stomped over to him, hopping up onto the wall next to him. Yukine's breath hitched.
She said nothing, just yanked out her apple and bit into it as if she was imagining biting his head off.
Well, fine then. I'm not going to break the ice. Yukine ate in silence. Nora didn't so much as look at him. If anything they said about her was true, he surely wasn't going to be the target of her affections.
When school ended, he found Yato waiting outside just like he said he would be. Yukine waved, trotting over. He glanced over his shoulder and found Nora glaring, nostrils flaring. And then, as expected, she hurried over to them. "Yato!"
"Nora," he said, stiffening at her embrace.
"I miss you," she said, her eyes actually lighting up. But something desperate tinged her voice, and she shifted as if to block Yukine from view.
Yato pushed her away, gently. "Nora, Yukine told me you're threatening him."
Nora's jaw dropped. "I'm not."
"Well, if you really did ever care about me, then—"
"About you? What about me?" Nora blinked rapidly. "I care! How can you doubt I care? You're my big brother." She kept her voice low, so the others wouldn't hear, but still, people turned to look at them. "Father and I heard you moved back—we wanted to have you for dinner—he got a job just to stay around here for you—"
"That's creepy," Yukine objected.
Nora looked furious. "That's—"
"Nora," said Yato. "No." He grabbed her shoulders. "Please don't make Yukine's life difficult."
Nora's chest heaved. "So you're choosing him over me?"
"This sounds awkward," Yukine interrupted.
"Let's go, Yukine," Yato said. "Don't follow us, Nora. Though I'm sure you already know where we live, because Father asked you to tail him yesterday or something, or got it out of Bishamon." He grabbed Yukine's elbow.
Yikes. "That's creepy!" Yukine repeated as Yato dragged him away. "What the—"
"I'm sorry," Yato said, voice ragged. He dragged his hand through his hair. "I don't know if that helped or just made things worse."
Yukine scowled. "Don't worry. I can handle myself."
"You shouldn't have to."
"Well, I can."
"Well, I can still beat you if we race, shrimp."
"Hey!"
But the next day Nora did ignore Yukine. Even at lunch, though she insisted on eating in the same spot. This time she refused to look at him, though. Yato said he hadn't been able to talk to Hiyori, but Yukine doubted that was exactly the case.
A week later, and they were still eating lunch together, silent. Yato asked how things were going and he said fine, because they were fine, even though he wasn't quite sure how to make friends. And Yato had enough going on with college.
But the others started whispering. Yukine ignored them, but he couldn't help but feel the familiar seeds of bitterness needling at his stomach. These kids who all had parents and families and had never had to worry about food in their lives or having a roof over their head had nothing to do but look at others like entertainment.
Nora rose and stalked away from him, tucking her hair behind her ears, and Yukine checked his phone. Nothing from Yato.
Yukine wondered why they were bothering.
I want something new. I want to know what it means to be a part of all this.
But could he get a chance, if no one would give it? Some of that old anger welled up inside him again, burning and cutting. It'd only been a week, but Yato hadn't talked to Hiyori, and he hadn't—
A shriek echoed.
Yukine jumped up. He scrambled around to see a group of his classmates darting away from the trash can, and Nora standing there, her white shirt soaked in what looked like some kind of soda. It dripped off her cheeks, her nose. He gaped.
Nora spotted him and wiped her face. She ducked her head.
"What happened?" he asked awkwardly. What else was there to do?
"They called me a whore and ran off," Nora snapped. She pulled her shirt away from her skin. It was sticking. Her jaw trembled, and then she slammed it shut. "I didn't even do anything."
Yukine cocked his head.
"I hate them," said Nora. "And they hate me. Everybody hates me. Even you."
Yukine swallowed.
"You called the police after all?" cried Hiyori.
And he hadn't been surprised.
He held out his hand, offering her his jacket. "You're still Yato's sister, right?" he asked.
She blinked. Her fingers, sticky with soda, closed around the jacket. She shrugged it on. "Thank you."