"What the hell Yukio!?" Shura yelled.

"It would seem they have some things to talk about," Mephisto said gesturing for the others to give the two some space.

"You are so frustrating!" She yelled, grabbing him around the neck and dragging him to the nearest door.

"Shura what are you doing?"

"Just shut the hell up," she growled. It was at times like these Yukio was certain she had demon blood in her somewhere. She forced a key into the lock and pulled Yukio into an empty corridor. She pushed him into a cutout in the wall, shadows cast across his face from where the wall beside him blocked the light. Her forearm across his chest her pink eyes gleamed, wet as if with tears but fierce enough to strike fear into any man's heart. "When were you going to mention you were on trial for your life?" His gaze was to the ground, not wanting to look her in the eyes. She used her other hand to make him look at her. "Have you told Rin he may not have a brother in a few days?"

"No."

"Why the hell did you keep that a secret? It's no wonder you walk around looking like you're sick to your stomach, but I only know that now that Arthur told me! You are such an ass, Yukio!"

"There was no reason to tell you. You can't do anything."

"The hell I can't."

"What will you do, Shura? You know as well as I do, they have a verdict in their heads already and nothing you or I say or do is going to change that," he said, his voice raising as he glared at her.

"Defensive chicken!"

"Shut up!"

"Make me!" Yukio just stared at her, "I'm waiting."

"Get away from me Shura," he said in a tone that was calm but frighteningly intense.

"You say you wanna protect people but you're nothing but a coward!"

"What do you want from me!?"

"I want you to feel something! You act distant and detached like you don't care."

"Well, I don't have much time before the trial, I should get going."

"Oh no you don't," she said, applying more pressure to his chest. She yanked his glasses off and threw them on the ground, crushing them beneath her boot. "Do you want to die Yukio?"

"No."

"Why?"

"What the hell does that even mean?"

"Why do you want to live?"

"To protect Rin."

"That's pathetic."

"Compared to you? What do you live for?"

"Do you do anything for yourself?"

"Why does that matter?!"

"Because it's what puts you in danger!"

"Protecting people does not put me in danger."

"Yes it does four eyes. How easy was it for Egin to get you on his side by lying to you about helping Rin?"

"That's different," he muttered.

"No it's not. A demon could come along and say the same kind of thing and you would let it in because you're delusional!"

"Shut up!"

"You think you're helping people but do you know how much it would hurt Rin to lose you? Do you know how screwed up he would be? And Moriyama? Do you even care?!"

"I said shut up!" Shura grabbed the back of his head, pressing her lips to his and pulling away quickly.

"Do you even care how it would hurt me, four eyes?" She released him and walked away from the speechless exorcists without another word.

'What the hell...' He shook his head and walked away, heading back to his and Rin's dorm.

"I'm back," he called as he walked into the dorm.

"Sit your ass down bro," Rin said when he walked into the kitchen. He mentally counted all the people in the room. All the students were there, plus one extra, which he assumed was the new girl, and Shura was brooding in the corner, glaring at Yukio even though he couldn't see the anger in her fire like eyes.

"What is this about nii-san? I have a lot of work to do," he said, starting to walk away. Rin flamed up and grabbed his brother's collar.

"Sit down dammit." He growled. Yukio obeyed, taking off his jacket and loosening his tie.

"What is everyone doing here?" Yukio asked, rubbing his eyes, wishing he could actually see what was going on, wishing Shura hadn't defiled his glasses.

"Shura told me Angel came to visit you today," Rin said, his expression cold with his arms folded across his chest.

"She did," Yukio commented, turning to glare in what he hoped was her direction, but he couldn't really tell people apart.

"You're on trial?"

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell us Yuki?" Shiemi asked, a heart broken look on her little face.

"Because you would all worry yourselves."

"And are we not allowed to do that?" Rin asked, fists on his hips getting in his brother's face.

"It's unnecessary."

"You think everything you can't do is unnecessary!" Rin yelled at him.

"There's nothing you could do nii-san."

"Well you wouldn't even give us a chance," Shiemi said, her eyes watering. Bon was fuming next to her. He stood, gorilla like, and stalked over to Yukio.

"What is wrong with you two?" He said, looking between Yukio and Rin.

"Don't lump me with him," Yukio said.

"The hell!" Rin shouted, outraged.

"You both do everything by yourselves and you end up hurting your friends! Yeah Okumura, you're our teacher but we see you as a friend so get your head out of your ass and accept some help or I'll-" Shima was at Bon's shoulder, trying to gently pull him away from their teacher.

"Come on Bon, no need to threaten anybody," Shima said meekly.

"Bon, calm down," Koneko said gently.

"Screw you guys, aren't you pissed?! I could kick his ass right now."

"Oy Suguro," Shura yelled from across the room. He winced, expecting to get called down by Shura but was surprised by the odd teacher when she told him to "knock some sense into the kid if he had ta."

"When's your trial?" Bon asked.

"Monday." Rin was counting out on his fingers, trying to figure out when that was.

"Two days from now," Bon said, saving Rin from having to finish his math, his brain was already frying. "What's it on the grounds of?" Before Yukio could respond Shura was walking over and explaining.

"The Vatican have convinced themselves that Satan is looking for a vessel. Yukio, being susceptible to possession and a clear target for Satan, is on trial to determine if he is too much of a risk to be kept alive."

"Do they not recall it was Yukio and Rin that saved Assiah?" Izumo said, showing obvious contempt for the Vatican's ideas.

"They remember it was because Yukio followed Egin that Assiah was ever in danger," Konekomaru put together.

"Exactly. And the only ones that saw Yukio was possessed by Satan and then even helped save Assiah at all are people with emotional ties to him. In other words, unreliable sources for testimony." Shura said. The building shook and everyone looked to Rin, who was glaring at the wall he had just punched and cracked.

"Rin?" Shiemi asked concerned. "Are you alright?"

"Do you think I'm alright?" He asked softly, his arms falling to his sides limply.

"Mr. Okumura," Tsugumi piped up from beside Konekomaru.

"What," he sighed out.

"Is it possible to convince them you aren't a danger?"

"I don't know. The only reason Rin was allowed to live at first was because the Vatican had first hand witness that he could and would protect them from demonic attack." Tsugumi thought for a moment.

"So the main problem is lack of reliable witness?" She asked.

"And just the fact I'm the son of Satan."

"Egin was all human and he was plenty evil," Rin mumbled into the wall, resting his head on the cool surface. "You can't say someone is evil just because they are part demon, or good just because they're a human."

"If the Vatican thought your way we wouldn't even have a problem!" Shura said sarcastically.

"What if we could make them think that way?" Tsugumi said.

"It probably won't make a difference," Yukio said.

"You're walking into this things like you've already lost!" Rin spun around, yelling at his twin.

"I'm being realistic."

"You're being pessimistic." Rin grumbled.

"We have two days to create a convincing argument, maybe if you'd at least act like you had a chance we could get something done," Izumo complained. The door slammed and Rin looked around, noting that Shura was gone. 'Why would she leave now? Doesn't she want to help?'

"Could we get Takara to help?" Koneko asked.

"That dude's weird," Rin said.

"He's not close to Mr. Okumura, he might be able to help," Bon said.

"Someone should be taking notes," Rin said. "I'm never gonna remember any of this," he said sitting down at the same table as Yukio with his hand under his chin, blowing his hair out of his face.

"I'll do it!" Shiemi shouted.

"I'll go get you a notepad," Rin said to Shiemi as he dragged himself up. He thumped Yukio violently on the back of the head as he walked by, "and I'll get the four eyed mole a new pair of glasses." Everyone was silent until Rin returned, unsure of how to proceed without him. He tossed the writing utensils in front of Shiemi and grabbed Yukio's hand, thrusting the glasses into it.

"So Takara could help," Koneko reiterated.

"Their going to be fixated on the night Yukio was possessed," Rin said. "Takara wasn't with us."

"Shit," Bon said.

"It was only us, Ms. Shura and the Paladin," Shima said.

"What about the paladin testifying?" Tsugumi offered.

"He despises anything with demonic blood. There's no way he would defend me," Yukio said.

"What about other exorcists you've worked with? Ones that know you are a focused exorcist?" Koneko asked Yukio.

"I don't know."

"Yuki you have got to help us!" Shiemi shouted at him. Her face was red with anger.

"Shiemi?" Yukio asked.

"Oh come now four eyes," Rin started. "She's as hurt as I am you didn't tell us."

"I'm your friend Yuki! We all are!" Yukio just stared at her.

"You're more than just a teacher to us Mr. Okumura," Izumo said quietly.

"You may just see us as your students but you are a friend. So stop acting like you're alone in this!" Bon shouted. "This is one place you could learn something from Rin." Rin beamed at the idea of him as a good example for something. "He has taken everything I thought about demons and flipped it on it's head."

"Well I'm kind of an idiot so-" Rin started, a smile growing on his face, before Bon angrily cut him off.

"You are not an idiot! You convinced Shura not to turn you in, Shima Koneko and I to be friends with you, the Vatican not to kill you, Mr. Fujimoto not to kill you, Mephisto not to kill you." Rin stared at Bon wide eyed. "I don't know how the hell you do it, but you are so annoyingly persistent and contagiously optimistic. If we could get Rin to defend you I have no doubt you'd be fine, but," Bon started before Rin could volunteer himself. "I think we all agree having Rin up there could cause more harm than good, since you're his twin brother the ties are too close for him to help. And if things start going south, Rin you have a temper tantrum in there and he's a goner." Rin's tail, that had been swaying excitedly with the praise from his schoolmate, fell suddenly when Rin realized he could just as easily doom his brother as he could save him.

"Yeah Rin doesn't give up," Shima said. "It was harder to ignore the little demon that it was to be friends with him." Rin glared at the pink haired monk. "It't not a bad thing!" Shima said quickly, trying to calm the devil child.

"Yuki, you are a good person. We all know that." Shiemi said gently.

"You don't stand up for yourself though," Izumo said snidely. Yukio was silent. "Even now you won't!" She laughed bitterly. "We saw you getting reamed once and you didn't defend yourself in the least. It's unfair to yourself, Mr. Okumura."

"Izumo you do have a way with words," Shima fawned over her as Izumo made a look of distaste for the monk.

"If you aren't going to be helpful then be quiet," she said angrily to him, stamping her foot for emphasis.

"Hehe, sorry."

"Honestly Shima what do you see in her?" Bon whispered to his childhood friend.

"I'm making food," Rin said, silencing everyone as he walked stiffly into the main kitchen. They heard pots and pans clashing about and utensils were clanking together as Rin cooked.

"He's angry.." Yukio mumbled.

"He's not the only one Yuki." Shiemi said.

"Huh?"

"Ms. Kirigakure seems pretty ticked with you too," Bon said.

"We aren't happy either," Izumo said, the others nodding in confirmation.

"Why wouldn't you tell us Yuki?" He opened his mouth but before he could say anything Bon cut him off.

"And no bull shit about 'not wanting to worry us!'" Bon warned.

"You are a very optimistic group. I didn't want to get in your heads I could talk my way out of this and everything would be ok. I'm sure I'm coming out with a death sentence.. I'm just praying Rin, and all of you if the Vatican think you made too much of an uproar, don't end with the same fate." A loud snap came from the kitchen and they turned around and saw a splintered spoon in Rin's hand.

"Because you can't handle not be able to protect us? Is that it?" Rin said, glowering at Yukio from the door of the kitchen.

"Rin," Shiemi started.

"You can't be the one who sends us to our grave, you can't stomach dragging us down with you. It's all about you! How would I feel, Shiemi, Shura, Bon, Shima, how would everyone react to not even being able to try to help protect you?" Rin threw the handle end of the broken spoon at his brother in his teary rage. "Could you be any more selfish?" Rin let the other end fall to the floor with a clatter. Tsugumi was watching with glassy eyes. She barely knew them but was already so drawn in, perhaps an effect of the demonic charm of the Okumura brothers. Bon pulled the teacher up from his seat by the collar.

"You can let us help you, or we can get Ms. Shura to make you let us help," he practically snarled.

"Ryuji," Shiemi said, putting her little hand on his shoulder. She smiled at him, "you don't need to threaten Yuki." Bon dropped the teacher back to where the seat was, but Shura had returned and stolen it out from under him, leaving Yukio to fall flat on his butt again. Shiemi took hold of Bon's hand, squeezing it until his face was back to a normal color and degree of irritation.

"Are we actually going to do anything or just sit here and moan about things that already happened?" Izumo asked as she sat down.

"She's right. We have no defense," Bon said, squeezing Shiemi's hand once more before releasing it.

"Then let's make one!" Shiemi said.

"You said that like twice already, are we actually going to do something this time?" Shima asked, obviously taking Izumo's side.

"Let's start an argument about the positive things in Okumura and start thinking of how we can rebut the obvious argument against him," Koneko said. All the students starting piping in and Shiemi hurried to write down as many as she could. "Moriyama will you read what you wrote?"

"Mm! Qualified exorcist, reliable teacher, unmatched dragoon abilities, son of the previous Paladin, unknown potential, babysits Rin Okumura-"

"I don't need babysitting!"

"Shut up or I'll knock you out Rin!" Bon threatened.

"Um... Rapid career growth, determined, focused, he always follows orders, level headed, and other forms of he's a good exorcist, teacher and someone said good kisser." Shiemi rambled on.

"Yukio hasn't kissed any-" Rin started when Yukio blocked his twin's mouth with his hand.

"Noihus had many of those qualities and sheltered his demon possessed wife and attacked Rin, I don't think we'll get far with that argument." Rin bit Yukio's hand, causing him to pull it away rapidly and scowl at his 'elder' twin.

Hey everybody! Wow this feels weird, I haven't written an author's note in a long time haha. Anyway. The DWMA kids will be back, I just was writing this part with them and I couldn't make it work the way I wanted it to. So I decided I'll post a new chapter when this one gets three reviews or the story gets five new ones total. Hope you enjoyed! Review!

Lifehouse Fanatic