Thanks to everyone for the reviews. Glad most of you got a laugh out of the last chapter.

As I said before the timeline is moving forward. This little ficlet could technically go anywhere in the timeline, but I'm putting it here. Hope you enjoy.

Old Habits

Ryuuji cracked his eyes open and peered through the darkness at his alarm clock. 5:30 a.m. on the dot. He didn't even have to set an alarm, not that Rin would let him set one for "such an ungodly hour". Those were Rin's words of course. He teased Ryuuji about it and sometimes even fretted over the fact that Ryuuji still got up so early even when he was working long hours and was usually fighting fatigue.

Why not sleep later when he had the chance?

Habit.

Ryuuji woke early every day, all these years later, alarm or no, and there was no point wasting waking hours when he was already so strapped for them anyways. Of course, Rin would say that time spent recharging wasn't wasted at all.

The half demon in question was currently sprawled across his half of the bed, his arm thrown haphazardly across Ryuuji's chest as he snored, still oblivious to the world.

It was Sunday. They'd be on call—they were always on call—but neither of them had any scheduled missions, and nobody went in to the office on Sundays, except the auxiliary staff. They didn't have to go to the office, or write reports, or consult on any demon related activities. They could sleep in if they wanted to.

Still, Ryuuji slipped out from under Rin's arm, not even bothering to be all that careful—Rin was usually a heavy sleeper, but he occasionally surprised Ryuuji with how aware he was of his surroundings in spite of seeming dead to the world.

Ryuuji dressed quietly in the darkness. He went to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and pinned his hair up out of his eyes. He made his way to the kitchen where he filled their coffee maker with fresh grounds and set the machine on a one hour timer. He then grabbed his iPod, put on his running shoes, and left the apartment. Five minutes of stretching later and he was running.

As his feet hit the pavement he concentrated on his breathing, taking deep, even breaths. In, out. In, out. He didn't even really listen to his music—not consciously. It was just there to help as a buffer against the outside world. It was just him and the streets; his mind and his body, and the feel of blood pounding through his veins as he pushed his body to its limits.

The city was just starting to wake up, the sun itself just barely cresting the horizon to warm everything it touched. There was virtually no one else around except for the odd few other early birds—people like him. There were no crowds milling about the streets to block his path, no cars to fill the air with noise or smog. This was his time. He did it as much for the mental clarity and sense of freedom as he did it to keep his strength and health in good condition. As much as he loved Rin, the boy was a powerhouse of wild energy, taking over any space he occupied, even when he slept. It could be draining, but Ryuuji had to admit it was also fun. Rin gave his life… well… "Life", but the quiet contemplation of this meditation gave him the clarity he needed to refresh himself, both mentally and physically, and really appreciate everything he had.

He returned to their apartment drenched in sweat—his clothes soaked through and sticking to his body—yet feeling wonderfully exhausted and alive. The smell of fresh coffee filled their tiny apartment, but Ryuuji ignored it as he headed for their bathroom, undressing and throwing his clothes in to the hamper before hopping in the shower. When he was finished and dry, he put a pair of fresh boxers on, poured himself a cup of coffee, and returned to bed.

Rin was sprawled out diagonally across the bed now, taking advantage of the extra space, but when Ryuuji set his mug down on the bedside table the clink of porcelain against wood was like a signal and Rin rolled to the side, taking all the blankets with him yet making room for Ryuuji. Ryuuji climbed back in to bed, leaning against the headboard, and Rin immediately curled up at his side, throwing a leg over his hip.

"Mornin'," Rin said, his words muffled against Ryuuji's skin, "Welcome back."

"Thanks," Ryuuji said, running his fingers through Rin's hair. "Go back to sleep."

"M'kay…" And just like that, Rin was out like a light, snoring softly as if he'd never been disturbed, his heart beating peacefully against Ryuuji's chest. Ryuuji wrapped his arm around Rin's shoulders, kissed the top of his head, and grabbed his coffee and a book from the bedside table.

Old habits died hard, but that didn't mean you couldn't make new ones.