Summary:
UST happens at the Christmas/birthday party. Lightning is overly friendly with Rin and Amaimon hates him, thanks. Yukio demands answers, Rin does not care to deliver them. Mephisto is forced to look, not touch and Amaimon is extra cuddly. Amaimon is punished, forced to look, not touch.
Notes:
So has anyone noticed that with every chapter I post I end up having to add a new warning/tag to this fic lololol Gotta keep things spicy for you guys amirite? And the reason this took twice as long as the other chapters to get out is bc I spent the time drawing the cutest gd scenes from each chapter and then staring at them, wishing I could get my tablet working, instead of writing :D
Also, we're at that point in the ane timeline where everything is cute and fluffy and then it all goes to hell and everyone's sad so get ready for that!
And I'd like to apologize in advance for what poor Amaimon gets to go through, he brought it on himself (and where's Kuro? Who knooowws, pretend he's sleeping somewhere shhh) :D
Song of the chapter: Dark Side by Bishop Briggs and Hushh by AViVA
Bon was acting weird.
Rin smiled as he held out the lunch they'd saved for the ever-studious exwire that Godaiin had brought for him.
He wouldn't have noticed except that, besides standing in the rain, staring at their group like a creep before they'd called him over, Bon smelled like Lightning and Rin was hyper-aware of him anytime he sensed his presence.
A glance showed him Amaimon-as Ambrosia, since they were in the middle of a break between their finals for regular classes-sending Bon a glare of his own from where he was slouched against Rin's side at the table. He hadn't been happy that Bon had chosen to become Lightning's apprentice, but Rin had been able to convince him to leave it at judgmental glaring and not physical retribution, something he wasn't sure Bon fully appreciated.
It had been interesting to introduce Amaimon to his human friend who wasn't also an exorcist in training. Luckily, Godaiin, with his new and improved lackadaisical attitude towards demons, took everything in good stride and Amaimon managed to not be too annoyed at having to remember yet another human's name.
Something registered to Rin, and he blinked to look just as Yukio came over, arm still in a cast, despite being scheduled to be released from the hospital the next day.
Rin forced himself to go along with the pleasant tone Yukio used, though given the topic was their upcoming finals that week and exorcist exams after winter break, nobody in the group was really all that happy to hear it.
Then, "Rin, can I talk to you for a sec'?"
Finding out one of the three exorcists who'd practically raised he and Yukio had just died of a heart attack was not a fun way to end lunch. Yukio told him the day the funeral had been planned for before heading back to the table.
"Hey," Rin returned to Amaimon, distracting him from the contemptuous way he was eyeing Yukio, "we're all gonna be studying the rest of the day. I know that's probably not the most fun thing for you, so you don't have to come if you don't want to."
"I'll just sleep." Amaimon shrugged, pulling Rin back towards him and into his lap so he could rest his chin on his shoulder, content to stay there while waiting for the group to finish eating.
Whether it was the winter atmosphere or the festive mood everyone was slowly getting into, there was something warm and companionable to the group study session that evening in the student lounge.
Rin thought he got more studying done with Amaimon sleeping with his head in his lap than he had any other time in his life. Maybe it was that he got to fidget with his hair whenever he found the words on the pages too distracting, running his hands through the green strands and listening to the soft purr that came from Amaimon at the absent touches.
Even his friends seemed less wary around Amaimon then, probably helped along by how non-threatening he appeared in his sleep, curled like a cat in Rin's lap.
The ambient sounds of other students studying around him, the warm mugs of tea Shiemi brought to share, the pile of junk food they'd pooled together to give them the energy to focus, all gave a sense of coziness to what would otherwise have been a painful night of cramming for finals by himself.
They didn't stay all night, though the lounge was open twenty-four hours, and Rin eventually woke Amaimon to head home.
"I don't know why you don't stay with us," Amaimon grumbled when he dropped Rin off at his dorm.
"I know you probably won't get it, but I can't leave Yukio," Rin sighed, leaning against the pouting earth king, "even if he's being kind of an ass right now, he's my brother and I'm not giving up on him."
"He doesn't deserve you either," Amaimon said as he glared up at the window to their room, tightening his arms around Rin.
"Yeah, I wish someone would tell him that." Rin huffed a deprecating laugh out, watching his breath trail away in the cold night air.
Amaimon left him with a kiss that warmed him to his toes, and he went inside to try studying again, although without him there Rin ended up falling asleep at his desk within the hour.
At some point Yukio must have come in because he woke with a crick in his neck and a blanket over his shoulders.
"I've decided not to be an exorcist!"
"Wah?"
"But weren't you just saying you were going to last night?"
"Hey! Don't let your mom discourage you!" Izumo shrieked at Shiemi's sudden announcement, "I'll go back and explain to her that you should be allowed to do what you want!"
Rin watched in utter confusion as Shiemi, who'd just the day before been full of determination to become an exorcist, delivered the news that she'd be dropping out of cram school. She'd still be taking regular classes at the academy but was going to take over her mom's exorcist shop, after all.
"Thank you, Izumo," Shiemi bowed before her irate friend, "but I've decided."
Kind eyes turned to Rin, and he blinked when Shiemi spoke. "Sorry for breaking our promise, Rin."
He mumbled something about how it wasn't important, still blindsided by her decision, and wondered if maybe she was dying or something to make such a drastic change overnight.
"Ah, but I agree with Shima," Shiemi continued, smile bright with her excitement. "We should celebrate everyone's birthdays and have a Christmas party at the same time when winter break starts!"
When Shiemi had run up to their group, they'd been discussing the realization that no one had been able to celebrate their birthdays that year, forgetting them in the hectic pace of their lives. Everyone had been ready to stay at the academy over the holidays, and although Bon, Izumo, and Koneko had all wanted to spend the time studying, Shima had called them crazy for not taking advantage of the break for a party.
Of course, he'd been shot down, but when Shiemi had suggested it, suddenly it seemed like a great idea.
Rin turned to Amaimon, who'd been ignoring the conversation he had no interest in. "Hey, do you have a birthday?"
"A what?"
Everyone turned to Amaimon, having heard Rin's question.
"You know, the day you were born," Rin tried, wondering how that'd even happened since he realized he had no clue how demons even came to be.
"I wasn't born," Amaimon said, brows furrowing and chewing on the sucker he had in his mouth as he became the center of attention.
"What, did you just pop into existence one day?" Izumo wondered, crossing her arms as she tried to understand.
"Yes," Amaimon turned blank eyes at her, not knowing why this made the humans look even more weirded out.
"Give it up, Rin," Koneko sighed, shaking off the matter. "Besides, I don't think you want to celebrate something like the birthday of the person whose body he's possessing, either, which is your next option."
"Er, yeah," Rin said in a shake of his head, that would be too weird, not to mention slightly amoral.
"Why don't you make his birthday the day you became a couple," Shiemi piped up, hands clasped in front of her face at the sheer cute factor of the idea.
His cheeks pinked as he glanced at Amaimon. Would that be the night of the festival or the night Amaimon had kneed him in the gut and told him he'd be teaching him demon etiquette?
And did that include Mephisto, too?
"That is disgustingly cute, Shiemi," Shima grinned at her in apparent approval.
Bon had been suspiciously quiet up until then, and Rin almost said something about it, especially since he kept sending tense looks at Amaimon. But ever since that night they'd studied in the lounge, Rin was almost hesitant to bring up what was bothering his friend. He didn't have a good track record for getting people to open up to him, anyway, if Yukio was anything to go by.
Speaking of Yukio, Rin shot a glance at where he watched the conversation, wondering what his thoughts were on how demons came to be and the concept of Rin's anniversary of his relationship with one. Although, based on the cool expression on Yukio's face, Rin was betting it wasn't favorable.
"So, it's agreed then, right? Winter break birthday-Christmas party for everyone is a go?"
Rin shook himself out of his thoughts. "Count me in!"
A round of agreements came from everyone, even if Shima pouted over the fact that nobody had wanted to when he'd suggested the idea.
"You students need a break, it'll be a good way to celebrate your hard work," Yukio finally said, and Rin tensed, noticing he made no mention of joining the party, himself.
"No! You have to come too," Shiemi shouted, surprising everyone with the force from her normally polite person. "I insist!"
On the one hand, Shiemi had just shocked Yukio into going. On the other hand, Rin winced, she was dying, or something. Right? He shared a freaked out look with the rest of the group.
Shiemi walked off before Rin could think to say anything, taking Shima with her and gathering Paku when she saw her further ahead to start planning the party. Still, the others were there.
"Guys, you don't think she's…dying, do you?" Rin cast a paranoid glance around.
A chorus of equally-as-paranoid agreements and alternative suggestions followed, nobody understanding what was wrong with Shiemi until they were all nearly hysterical.
Amaimon snorted. "She's not dying."
Sniffling, Rin turned wet eyes on Amaimon, waiting for his reasoning.
"I would have smelled if she were sick."
Adjusting his glasses with a sigh, Yukio said, "And I was going to add that her health check came back perfectly fine last time she was in."
"Still," Rin said as he looked over to where Shiemi was organizing roles for getting ready for the party with Shima and Paku at a table down at the room at the end of the hall, "I'm gonna go ask her what's up."
Another chorus went up, this time to tell him 'No' as he was held back from going to Shiemi.
Rin broke out of their holds to go hide under Amaimon's arm. "You guys are dumb. Amaimon, back me up."
"You're all strange and I don't understand humans at all," the confused earth king responded instead, though he still folded Rin into his arms anyway, at least understanding that much.
His response brought a laugh from Rin, nuzzling into Amaimon's neck before heading over with the group to the table to receive their marching orders.
Not surprisingly, Shiemi had already organized everything, her natural talent showing. Rin and Konekomaru were given the food to handle, and the rest of the tasks divided amongst the other exwires. Although apparently, Paku had dates lined up that night and the next with that guy she'd gone to the festival with, the two going steady still.
That still left-
"Um," Shiemi hesitated, turning to Amaimon, "Ambrosia, would you like to help me with getting the tree set up and decorated?"
Rin blinked, looking to Amaimon and wondering how he would take that.
For his part, Amaimon appeared lost at having been included, although that just meant his eyes were a little more widened than usual and his mouth was quirked in a slight frown.
"Ah! It's okay if you don't. I can do it by myself, too," Shiemi was quick to add, waving her hand in front of her face and blushing in embarrassment at the growing silence.
"Yeah, it's okay," Rin bumped his shoulder against Amaimon's. "You can come with me and get food. Or you can just go do your own thing, you don't have to join us for the party if you don't want to."
The jostling jolted Amaimon out of his shock and he frowned as he considered Shiemi's request before saying, "I'll help with the tree."
He seemed even more blindsided when Shiemi and Rin turned beaming smiles on him, frown deepening at the attention.
Rin left him with a kiss, rewarding Amaimon for good behavior, though he wasn't going to let on that that's what he was doing.
That accomplished, he turned away, heading out with Konekomaru, and feeling a deep sense of contentment that things had come so far that he could trust the demon king of earth with someone as gentle as Shiemi.
"Hey, Rin?"
Looking down at the call of his name, Rin hummed at Koneko from where he collected things off shelves for the party.
"What's up?"
The smile Konekomaru gave him was sheepish. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think, despite the occasional weird and slightly horrifying demon stuff, Amaimon is actually pretty cool. We've definitely come a long way since the start of the year because I would have thought I was crazy if I'd told past me that. Not to mention being friends with the son of Satan."
"Hah!" Rin shared a laugh at the irony of the words. "I was just thinking that myself. Seriously, thanks for having my back after everything."
"No problem, oh son of Satan," Koneko teased, "Your humble servant is happy to be of assistance."
"One of these days you guys are gonna get tired of those jokes."
"Doubt, it."
"Get the fire extinguisher!"
"No! Nee, stop rolling over!"
"Protect the food!"
"Forget the food, get the cake!"
Rin gaped as their hard work fell apart within seconds of Shiemi's familiar, Nee, rolling over in its sleep and taking the tree growing out of its belly down with it. The chain reaction ended with the cake destroyed, half the tables toppled, and the other half covered in fire extinguisher foam.
"I worked really hard on that food," Rin mumbled, a little heartbroken at the destruction.
Although.
The sheer randomness and absurdity soon had everyone in tears, Rin clutching at Amaimon's shirt as he doubled over in laughter. Though, by the blank look on Amaimon's face, he was once again lost as to why everyone seemed happy their party was ruined.
"Hey, not all the food's destroyed, there's still a lot here! At least enough to make for a potluck."
"We can move the rest to our place and have the party there!"
And that's how everyone ended up arriving at Rin and Yukio's dorm, filling the large suite with conversation and the smells of food.
Right as Rin turned to Amaimon where they sat around the kotatsu, finally covered with the blanket, a cloud of pink erupted nearby, startling Yukio and Shima, and suddenly Mephisto was there.
Without thought, Rin smiled brilliantly at Mephisto, almost getting up in his excitement when Amaimon tugged him back into his arms and Rin remembered he definitely couldn't let his friends know there was something going on between the three of them.
He pouted but settled back into Amaimon's hold anyway, content to at least know Mephisto was there, eating the food he'd prepared and enjoying the festive atmosphere.
Already, Mephisto snapped his fingers to summon another table to fill the small space in front of the kotatsu at the other end of the room and seated himself at it with the bowl Rin had held up for him.
Rin had a moment to appreciate the pleased smile on Mephisto's face before his attention was drawn back to the other demon king in the room.
"Rin," Amaimon breathed into his ear, causing a shiver to go down his spine.
The look in his eyes when Rin turned to him was devious.
"You like to tease, right?" Amaimon murmured, nosing at his neck and wrapping his arms around him where he was sat in his lap. "And he can't do anything about it here."
His pulse picked up at what Amaimon was getting at, shooting a look towards where Mephisto was across the room at the table with Shura and Takara, who'd both popped up to join the party just then, too.
A green-eyed gaze flicked to his from where Mephisto concentrated on pouring the wine he'd poofed into existence for whoever wanted some and Rin knew Mephisto would be watching the whole time, even though he'd be pretending not to.
"He's going to be so mad," Rin breathed back, delight staining his tone at the idea.
He turned in Amaimon's arms, looping his own over his shoulders and grinned. "I'm going to take out my tail, I want you to comb it out for me."
Amaimon's eyes widened even as his pupils slivered at the request and he purred out his response, "perfect."
"Look at him, Amaimon," Rin leaned forward to whisper in his ear, watching it twitch at the sensation and pressing his head to Amaimon's shoulder so he could muffle the conversation they were having from the rest of the room, "now take my tail out so he can see you doing it."
An answering smile slid over his throat and Rin could feel fangs in it. "Your innate ability to know exactly what will affect us most is astounding."
Clawed hands reached under Rin's plaid button-up to untuck the shirt beneath it, another shiver going through him when those hands found his tail, trailing feather-light claws over it before unwinding it from his chest.
"Did he notice?" Rin asked, letting the tip of his tail twitch back and forth behind his back.
"He almost broke his wine glass," Amaimon answered, and Rin could hear the smirk in his words.
Awesome. Rin sat back, reaching into his pocket for the small plastic comb he kept there, but when he tried to hand it over, Amaimon sniffed and poofed a nicer boar-bristle brush into his hands.
"No wonder your tail is always ratty if you're using that on it." Amaimon snatched the comb out of his hands, vanishing it with disgust. "Keep this one."
"Rin," Bon spoke up, breaking Rin's attention from tormenting Mephisto, "would it be alright if Lightning came?"
'No,' was Rin's instinctual reaction, followed closely by 'hell no' and by the soft growl from Amaimon, he agreed.
But his actual ability to say 'no' to his friends was next to zero, so, "Sure, Bon, I don't mind."
"Thanks, Rin." The grateful smile from Bon was almost enough to make him not regret his words.
Bon cocked his head at Rin's tail, then, frowning.
"Also, you're not gonna get your fur all over the food, are you, man?"
Amaimon snorted, glaring at Bon. "What's it to you?"
"Sorry, Bon," Rin smiled, "My tail's been cramping pretty bad all day from keeping it wound up like this, plus the fur's getting kinda knotted and Amaimon said he'd comb it out for me so I'm just gonna knock out over here until he's done. You guys just do your thing, don't mind us, okay? I'll try to keep it away from the food."
"Glad I don't have that problem," Bon muttered, going back to the conversation he'd been having with Shima and Koneko.
"He wishes he had that problem," Amaimon growled into his ear, causing Rin to laugh because, uh, yeah, having a tail was awesome.
At the first pass of the brush over Rin's fur, he turned into a boneless heap, slumping into Amaimon's chest with a purr.
The slow path Amaimon took over his fur was almost a kind of torture for Rin, too.
Then he felt the brush reach the end of his tail and Amaimon begin to tease the long fur there, each tug sending sparks down Rin's spine that he had to fight to keep from affecting him too much, considering they were surrounded by his unaware friends.
"He's furious," Amaimon said, low voice conversational as he carded his fingers through the fur next to lightly break through the knots there, each tug sending another sharp shock of pleasure through Rin. "I can see his fangs from here and his ears are pointing just a bit more than they should be."
Rin wriggled in his lap, looking over his shoulder to see for himself just how affected Mephisto was.
There sat Mephisto, laughing at something Shura had said.
And then those acid green eyes caught Rin's and he froze, breath stuck in his lungs at the look he saw there. Mephisto's mouth definitely had more fang than it should, smile just a bit over-extended and wider than was possible for a human mouth to be.
His eyes gleamed with the promise of punishment.
The dangerous gaze slid back to Shura, and Rin could move again, letting out a small gasp and hiding his face in Amaimon's shoulder. "Oh man, he's so pissed."
Amaimon shuddered beneath him, arms winding around his back, and the voice that reached Rin was full of dark excitement, repeating, "Perfect."
Anything Rin might have said caught in his throat. He couldn't respond as Amaimon resumed his ministrations over his tail, pulling the brush up in long, sweeping movements that had Rin flushing.
He hid his face against Amaimon's chest, letting his bangs fall to cover his eyes and hoping nobody tried to talk to him because he wasn't sure he'd be able to form a coherent sentence then.
A knock came at the door, Rin's heart stopping, and Lightning entered, dressed in a festive Christmas sweater, and smiling that smile Rin was sure hid something horrible. Shivers went through Rin he fought to hide at the scent invading his territory. Rin tightened his arms around Amaimon, curling further into his hold and feeling arms tighten over him in turn.
"Wow, this is great! Thanks for inviting me, Bon!"
"Sure thing, grab a plate!"
Rin hunched his shoulders as Lightning sat on the other side of Bon, spooning himself some of the stew in the center of the table. He had a moment to hope Lightning would ignore him and Amaimon before he felt that penetrating stare hit him and linger.
"Woah, I don't think I've seen your tail before, Rin," Lightning eyed the tail in Amaimon's hands. "Most demons keep it hidden, you know."
Rin wound his tail around his waist, trying to hide it from the over-interested gaze and glaring. "Yeah, so what? It was cramping up."
"Ah, yeah, I can imagine," came the cheerful response.
Somehow, Lightning decided making Amaimon his next target was a smart move.
"Say, Amaimon, what's your tail look like." Lightning leered with a deviant smile that made Rin cringe in revulsion. "I've always wondered. Is it like Rin's, here, with that pretty black fur at the end? Or is it green, like your hair? It's really eating at me."
"None of your damn business, exorcist," Amaimon hissed, claws digging at Rin's back through his shirt as he trembled in rage.
"Ahaha my bad, my bad," Lightning laughed, "I didn't know it was a sensitive topic. I'll head on over to the adult table. You exwires have fun now!"
"How's he gonna call that the adult table when Shura is definitely way less mature than we are, and that weirdo Takara is over there," Rin grumbled.
"As long as he's not at this table, I don't care. Mephisto can deal with him," Amaimon said, still glaring daggers at the retreating form of the arc knight.
Rin sighed, relaxing back down and dropping his chin to Amaimon's shoulder again. "He's going to be extra mad with that guy over there. Can we go back to the fun stuff now?"
"It serves him right," Amaimon growled, voice low so he didn't disturb the humans at the table. "Letting that creature continue to live is his idea, let him handle it."
"Normally I wouldn't agree with you on that stuff, but right now, yeah, he totally deserves it," Rin muttered.
Amaimon grunted his agreement with that statement before bringing his hand up to rub at Rin's back.
"You know," he hummed, tapping a claw to Rin's spine in thought, "now Mephisto really has to control himself with that exorcist sitting across from him."
"He can't let any hint show that he's watching us," Rin breathed, eyes lighting up with glee at the realization that the Mephisto torment could continue with even higher stakes.
Excitement had Rin bringing his tail back out from where'd he'd hid it around his waist, letting it sway in a lazy pattern.
He flipped it forward to brush against his cheek, a light pass just by his mouth, and peeked out the corner of his eyes to see a jagged smile plastered on Mephisto's face as he poured wine for Lightning.
Just like before, Amaimon used his claws to trail along it, the movements set to look deliberately absent, like he wasn't even focusing on his task
The initial excitement dwindled as a slightly firmer press of fingers along the length of his tail had much more of an effect than he needed to be having at a holiday-birthday party. Rin had to bite his lip, fighting the slow-burn heat that was coiling in his belly as Amaimon scratched through the short black fur and stuck his hands up under Amaimon's to hide how they'd begun to twitch.
"You know, this might not be such a good idea," Rin let out, finding his voice breathless. "I don't know how I'm going to stand up and get out of here without everyone noticing."
"Hmm, that does sound like a problem," came the sly response and Rin's heart stuttered as he realized Amaimon didn't seem to care about his current state of distress.
Rin bit off a moan of surprise as he stopped with the light teasing and dragged his hand up in a solid tug, heat shooting straight south and making him jump at the sudden attack.
"Amaimon," Rin hissed, digging his claws hard into his back, "if my friends notice I will literally die of embarrassment."
He'd forgotten for a crucial moment that Amaimon was a masochist until all his painful reminder did was cause Amaimon to shudder under him, a low purr coming from his mouth and leading to another drag of his hand up Rin's tail.
It sent Rin collapsing to Amaimon's chest, vision going hazy as pleasure rolled through his trapped appendage. He bit his tongue until it bled to stifle the moan that tried to escape once again, feeling his pants getting uncomfortably tight.
Then Shiemi appeared next to them and Rin terror gripped him, in no way being presentable enough to get up if she needed him for something.
"Look up, you two!" she said instead, smiling and blushing as she held her arm above them where they were sat.
Rin looked up and blinked through the haze of panic taking over his mind, seeing her with Nee in her hands, the little familiar having grown a bundle of some kind of plant with white berries on it.
"What's that?" Amaimon dead-panned, not liking his fun interrupted-Rin didn't know whether he was happy or not for it, either, despite the torture he'd been undergoing.
"Mistletoe! You have to kiss now," Shiemi said, voice cheerful. "I saw it in a Christmas movie that Izumo showed me!"
Oh no, Rin gulped at his naïve friend. She had no idea how literal Amaimon could be.
"I like this human tradition," Amaimon said, pulling Rin into a deep kiss before he could react to tell him she didn't mean a full-on make-out session.
A tapered tongue traced at his lips, taking advantage of the shock that had parted them, then slipped into his mouth to lick at the blood that remained from when Rin had bitten himself earlier.
"I so called it," Shima piped up from where he had been playing cards with the other exwires, who, of course, were all watching the display Amaimon and Rin were putting on with varying levels of red faces, "his tongue's, like, a mile long. Rin's so lucky, man."
Shura's drunken 'whoop' and Lightning's obnoxious laughter from the other table were not helping.
Rin pulled back, mortified, to glare at Shima, feeling his pupils slit into their demonic form. "And I told you, it's none of your business, dammit!"
Any further retribution paused as a ring of his phone saved Shima.
"Ah, hey, Juzo! You seriously just saved my tail, man, you have no idea. What's up?"
His eyes narrowed at having his vengeance interfered with but Rin watched with curiosity as Shima put the phone on speaker so his brother could address them.
"I have news! Mamushi and I are gonna have a baby!"
The frown on his face broke into a grin at the news, Rin cheering with the rest of the exwires at Shima's new uncle status.
"We're having an official wedding ceremony at Toraya, although we're already married on paper."
Mamushi was put on to speak next, asking Koneko to attend the upcoming wedding. Rin could see Bon looking down, hesitation in his voice as he said he was a little busy only for Lightning to speak up and let him know it was fine to go be with his family for the new year ceremony they were having.
Rin found himself invited too and blinked in surprise, not realizing he'd left on such good terms with the family after the impure king mission.
He hid a wide smile against Amaimon's shoulder, happiness welling up in his chest at being included in something so amazing. He'd never have imagined, growing up, being invited to something like a wedding, except in some vague future at Yukio's, who he had been certain would get married before he did.
Although, Rin glanced at Amaimon, did demons even get married? How would that work? Yukio was still likely to get married before he did.
"Great! I'll send the invitation details later. Bye, everyone!"
"Hey, let's open gifts, guys!"
Relief swept through Rin, so, so glad he'd been able to calm down during the phone call as he got up to exchange gifts with everyone. He shot a glare at Amaimon, who just sent a smug, fang-filled smile back at him and pulled a sucker out to wrap his tongue around it, sucking it into his mouth as Rin flashed back to Shima's very accurate comment from earlier.
Still, Rin was back to smiling at the joy of the realization that he finally had friends to celebrate with, unable to believe how much had changed since just a year ago, when he'd been a loner without any real future and no one but his twin and the exorcists at the church to call family.
A little while later, and Shiemi presented everyone with her gift of a bottled four-leaf clover she'd grown herself as a luck charm for their upcoming exorcist exams.
"Okay, that's it, you're not dying or something, right, Shiemi?" Rin burst out, not liking the wistful smile she'd been wearing as she'd told them about her gift.
Shiemi just laughed, "I'm not going anywhere, everyone. I'll be right here, at the exorcist shop, I just can't fight by your side."
That didn't help Rin's confidence much, but he couldn't think of a way to press the issue further without ruining the mood and so was forced to wave goodbye to his friends as they headed home for the night.
It was just he and Amaimon outside, Yukio having wandered back in to get out of the cold.
Before he could decide whether he would head over to Mephisto's to continue where he and Amaimon had left off, Shura poked her head through the front door and called out.
"Hey, you two love-birds, I need to borrow Rin for a minute," her slurred voice turned teasing, "I promise you can have him good as new so you can give him your gift after I give him my gift."
"That doesn't even make sense. You're drunk, Shura," Rin hissed, stomping back into the house as Amaimon huffed in irritation behind him and went to wait under the nearby lamppost.
He found Lightning had wandered off without him noticing, thankfully, and Mephisto had vanished too, less thankfully.
Yukio was waiting in the kitchen, already starting to clean the dishes, although at least they didn't have to worry about putting away leftovers, the food having been demolished.
"So," Shura drawled out, reclining on the kitchen island as Rin joined Yukio in cleaning, "I, uh. I met your mother."
Rin stopped moving, eyes widening at the revelation.
"Just once."
When she was met with silence, Shura huffed an annoyed breath. "So? You wanna hear this or not?"
As he'd known would happen, Yukio nearly shouted at her to tell them, his desire for any information about their birth and mother something he and Rin had always shared a point of contention on. Rin just muttered an 'I guess' as he watched Yukio get that intense look in his eyes he'd seen in him when he'd been interrogating Mephisto. It still scared Rin just the same.
But Shura continued with her story anyway, of Shiro bringing her to their mother when he hadn't known how to take care of the little spitfire of a girl that Mephisto had tasked him with caring for, trying to pawn her off on Yuri.
Yuri.
They had a name to go with their faceless mother now. Rin wasn't sure what to do with that knowledge.
"Your mother was bright and kind and beautiful" Shura finished, her smile wistful as she thought back to the memory. "She had kind eyes like yours, Rin. And lots of cute little moles on her face like you, Yukio."
The story had drawn Yukio in, leaning over the counter while Rin just dropped his eyes at the fond look Shura wore.
"Well, the story's over, that's all she wrote!"
Shura hopped off the island with a wobble, walking over to the door before turning back to smile at them again.
"Happy birthday, boys."
With that, she was gone, back to her room, which was apparently on the second floor of their dorm, something Rin definitely hadn't known, or he'd have been way more careful about bringing Amaimon over.
Thinking about it left him as unsteady as Shura. So, he didn't. Anyway, he had to get through the last few dishes quickly before Amaimon grew impatient. Rin shrugged and got back to cleaning, only to notice Yukio staring down at a plate in his hand, eyes serious.
"Rin, what do you think about what Shura said," Yukio began, hands clenching around the plate.
"Er, what do you mean?" Rin watched with wary eyes as Yukio's grip tightened further.
"Don't you want to know about our birth, Rin?"
"Not really," Rin hesitated, "it's probably not a very nice story, considering."
He turned to face Yukio, twitching his lips in a small smile, and hoping it would do something, anything. "We just learned she was kind and pretty. That's enough for me."
It wasn't. He flinched as Yukio smacked the plate down on the counter, the harsh clack echoing in the kitchen as he shouted, "How can you say that? You're always rushing into things like this!"
A burning gaze confronted Rin and he stared at the fanaticism he saw there.
"Who's being the weak one, now?"
His breath caught, heart stuttering in his chest at the anger in Yukio's voice.
"Listen," Yukio leaned his hands on the counter, a wild look in his eyes that had Rin wanting to step back, "I've checked. There's so much missing data on her, even though she's the mother of the sons of Satan. But you know who'd have all that information? Someone who was in charge back then and who's still here now."
Rin's stomach dropped as he realized who fit that description.
"You're with Amaimon," Yukio threw like a dagger, "you can ask Mephisto and he'll probably tell you!"
You're with Amaimon.
You can ask Mephisto.
The words hit like a punch to the gut and Rin grit his teeth against the anger that bubbled up at the idea that he would use his relationships as a way of manipulating and information gathering.
"I won't."
The short words made Yukio draw up, mouth gaping open.
"What? Why not? How can you be around them, knowing they hold the key to your entire past and not demand answers?" Yukio spat out, fists clenching at his sides.
Now it was Rin's turn to draw back, fangs itching to fill his mouth and biting down a furious growl that tried to erupt.
"If Mephisto wants to tell me, that's his decision," Rin hissed, losing the battle with himself and feeling his fangs drop down. "I'm not going to be the one to ask him anything like that."
"How can you trust anything they say when they won't tell you something so important?" Yukio breathed, staring at Rin like he was an alien wearing his brother's skin, unable to recognize him or the things he said.
"I trust them just fine, actually, and I'm not going to be pressuring them for information like some kind of spy! So, drop it, Yukio."
Yukio looked like he wanted to argue that.
He'd had had enough, turning away and heading to the door. "I'm going to be with Amaimon tonight. I'll see you later. Good night."
Unable to speak past the rage filling his mouth with fire, Rin left his stunned twin in the kitchen, stalking to the exit, heart pounding and feeling like he was about to combust at any moment.
A moment later and Rin left the warmth of the dorms into the bitter winter winds. He stomped forward into Amaimon's waiting arms, dropping his head to his collarbone and quaking against him as he tried to cool his rage.
"I," Rin's voice shook, and he cleared his throat, trying to steady it, "am going to be staying with you guys for the next few nights, I think."
"Doesn't deserve you," came Amaimon's muttered reply, snapping his fingers to replace the cold outside air with the familiar smells of Mephisto's room.
Just as Rin began to pull away from Amaimon, he became aware of a burning presence in the darkness. Amaimon tensed against him as he sensed the danger, too.
They turned their attention to the deepest shadows to see two luminous green eyes staring at them and Rin was abruptly reminded of just who it was they'd been tormenting all night.
"Eins. Zwei. Drei."
"Kuchen Kukucksuhr."
And they were pulled into the cuckoo prison.
Rin awoke to darkness, blinking his eyes rapidly to try adjusting only to find it absolute, even as he activated his demonic eyesight.
He tried to bring his hand to his face to rub his eyelids and see if that helped only to realize they'd been bound, jerking against whatever was holding them in place and discovering it to be impossible to break.
A whimper escaped his mouth and he summoned his flames, wincing at the blinding blue light and trying to burn the bindings at his wrists. In the light, he saw his ankles were bound, too, body spread eagle in the suffocating void, not attached to anything but the black tendrils holding him up.
And he was naked.
"You won't be breaking those, Rin."
The words that came from the darkness made Rin freeze, his flames guttering out with a hiss in the suffocating silence and his heart fluttering in his chest.
"Mephisto?"
"Hmm."
Rin jolted in his bindings as the voice came from right next to his ear.
"It would be better to call me Samael, for now, I think."
"Samael," Rin managed to stutter, chest heaving in short, panicked breaths as he subconsciously kept tugging his wrists in the ties.
"Where's Amaimon?"
"Ah, you want to see him?"
The way Mephisto, no, Samael, phrased that question made Rin think maybe he didn't want to know where Amaimon was.
But he nodded, a sharp jerk of his chin as words failed to come.
Fingers snapped, loud in the vast space.
A form molded out of the darkness until Rin could see it clearly.
Amaimon was bound, too, but much differently than Rin.
Another whimper escaped his throat.
Solid black spears pierced through both Amaimon's arms and legs, blood sliding down to trace the contours of his body as he was held up like a mirror a few feet away.
"Amaimon!" Rin gasped out, straining against his bindings even more to try to reach him, his wrists bruising from the force until he had to stop or risk fracturing something.
The pupils, when Amaimon raised his head to meet Rin's, were blown in his irises until the gold of them was just a thin ring around the black, shining like an eclipse in the dark.
"Now," Rin bit his tongue when Samael's voice came again, seeming to reach his senses from every direction, "which one of you little teases came up with that idea at the party?"
It was Amaimon, Rin remembered, but, looking at what was already happening to him, Rin didn't want to add more fuel to the fire. He dropped his head to the side, opting for silence.
Amaimon screamed and Rin jerked his head back up to see his tail pulled taut above him, the sight making Rin recoil as he realized it was being yanked at an angle that meant bones would be grinding against each other.
"Silence is not an answer, Rin," came the voice over Amaimon's screams.
"But you don't like other's pain, though you are perfectly willing to throw your own life under the axe, so I can only assume you didn't answer to save Amaimon from suffering."
By the time Amaimon's tail was released and he was allowed to collapse on the spears, Rin shook, new blood welling up at the pressure until it was the only thing Rin could smell.
"Of course," a clawed hand traced along Rin's throat, one finger running over the artery there as Rin broke out in a cold sweat, knowing how easy it would be for that claw to slip, "you'll be forgiven this time, as you could hardly have known what you were doing when Amaimon asked you to be a part of his little plan."
The claws left his throat and Amaimon's head was jerked back by his hair, releasing a choked-off gasp.
"Amaimon, on the other hand, knew exactly what he was asking for. So, I won't be holding back from delivering."
Rin didn't have time to comprehend the weight of that promise before his tail was being yanked and a shocked cry ripped from his throat at the suddenness of the pain.
"I have a strong suspicion, however, that you are the architect behind the decision to use your tail as bait, so to speak."
A hand smoothed over the abused appendage as Rin trembled, the touch soothing the ache until it was no longer pain sending shocks through his body, but pleasure, and a low moan escaped his mouth.
Something clamped over the base of his tail and Rin yelped at the cool feeling of metal pressing into the furred skin there.
"I think you'll remember this little device," Samael murmured, tapping the metal with a claw to let the noise ring in Rin's ears.
"Shura put one on you to stop you from releasing those blue flames of yours."
He swallowed around a dry throat, remembering the pain the metal control could bring, breath coming out faster at the anticipation of its use.
Amaimon jerked in his restraints and Rin flinched to look at the sound.
"I've just put one on Amaimon, too," the voice hummed at his ear, warm hand rubbing at his hip bone and Rin realized he was hard, waiting for Samael's next move and not knowing when it would come.
A snap came again, and Rin was freed from the ties at his ankles only to find his arms pulled back behind him against his lower back, head pushed to what passed for a floor in the void, and his hips raised.
His eyes found Amaimon's from where he was still held aloft and another thin moan left him at the hunger he saw there, Amaimon watching as he was pushed into his current position as if he were the one doing it.
"How long was it that you two kept up your teasing? Such a blatant display in front of all those oblivious human friends of yours and not a one of them noticed you all but fucking Amaimon a few feet away from their card game. I didn't take you for an exhibitionist, Rin."
"Ngh, I did-I didn't," Rin tried to explain, vision hazy as his tail was mercilessly toyed with, hips twitching with every pull along the length, leaking on the ground already and beginning to feel the edges of desperation hit him.
"Didn't what, Rin?" The hand stopped, and Rin almost thought he was being given a moment to collect himself.
The metal around his tail bit into it, electricity jolting through the nerve endings until his body felt on fire and he screamed against the ground, coming in a rush at the sudden sensation.
His hips were still held in the air, even though he was trembling in the hold, and he'd be unable to keep himself upright even if he tried.
"Didn't what, Rin?"
Rin let out a sob, feeling his saliva as it pooled next to his open mouth where he'd been panting into the floor, but he forced himself to answer the question, scared to find out what would happen if he didn't.
"I didn't know Amaimon was going to go that far!" Rin cried out, turning tear-filled eyes up at Amaimon. "I thought he was just going to brush it."
Seconds later, Amaimon screamed, muscles twitching as if he was being electrocuted and Rin realized he was witnessing what he'd just been through exacted on his body.
Despite the agony, Amaimon was hard, too, though he didn't have the added benefit of Samael's touch on him like Rin did so, when the torment of the tail clamp ended, he was left suffering in his bonds, head dropping to his chest and gasping heaving breaths.
"I believe Amaimon has taken advantage of your trusting nature, Rin, to get what he wants."
Samael stroked his hand down Rin's shoulders along his tensed muscles and Rin froze as that hand made it to the small of his back, just over his trapped tail, waiting for the pain to come again.
His wide eyes were locked on Amaimon, almost pleading with him, though he didn't know what for, exactly. Amaimon, for his part, writhed against his restraints, uncaring about the blood that the movements kept pulsing out of the holes in his limbs as he watched the way Samael toyed with Rin.
"I'm going to be kind to you, Rin," Samael spoke, brushing a clawed hand over Rin's flushed cheek to clear his sweat-soaked hair away from his face.
He let out a whine at the gentle caress, trying to push up into it, only to find the hand at his spine prevented him from moving anywhere.
"But not too kind."
Again, Rin screamed as he found himself impaled; his legs spread until they ached as Samael shoved into him without warning.
Something tore, pain throbbing out in a hot wave from his entrance and Rin unable to do anything about it as hips slammed into his, pushing his face into the ground.
His demonic healing kicked in and he moaned when his tail was grabbed. The rough pulls Samael gave it had him hardening once more as the throbbing agony became tendrils of pleasure twisting into tighter and tighter knots inside him until he was trying to rock back onto the hips over his to no avail, still held in his position by an unforgiving hand.
He felt himself getting close for the second time that night, back arched to get Samael as deep as he could take him, each thrust rubbing against the sensitive point inside as his body shook with the force of them.
Rin was just peripherally aware of the sounds coming from his mouth, too focused on what Samael was doing to him to try to control his cries and pleas, though what he begged for was lost in the whirlwind his mind had become.
The tail clamp activated again.
Any ability to speak had fled, Rin's voice gone, unable to do anything except gag at the pain in a silent scream. Still, he came, feeling himself tighten around Samael even as he continued to move in him without slowing.
Amaimon screamed again, too, and Rin turned watery eyes up to see his tail clamp had also activated. His had snapped back at a harsh angle, ears and fangs extended into their more demonic forms.
Even with the continuous stimulation lancing through his body, Amaimon hadn't come, though he was leaking against his stomach and canting his hips to try to get any kind of friction, only to fail with an animalistic moan.
There wasn't time to feel sorry for Amaimon as Samael picked up the pace, movements becoming erratic until Rin hissed, the overstimulation snaking through him and burning up along his spine as he writhed on the ground to escape and couldn't.
"Samael, please," Rin choked out, hands clawing in their bindings and arms sore where usually he'd be scrabbling at the surface of whatever Samael took him on and the fact that he was unable to now had him keening in frustration.
Teeth latched to his shoulder and before he could do anything, they sunk in, the sharp flash of pain followed by a hot rush as Samael shuddered his release into Rin, growling as he worked his tongue over the ragged holes in Rin's skin and pressed bruises into his hips until he'd finished.
It ended with Rin a mess on the floor of the void, eyes sightless and over-heated body shaking in uncontrolled bursts as if he was still being electrocuted by the tail clamp.
Through the haze, Rin found his body turned to lay on his back, whining at the pain of resting on his still tied arms and clenching his eyes shut as if he could escape that way.
A clawed hand ran through his mussed hair, tugging it away from where it was plastered to his forehead and he felt Samael lean over him, heat emanating from his body in a heavy blanket, to trail his long tongue over the streaks of tears on Rin's blotchy face.
His jaw was pressed into until he opened his mouth further and Samael's tongue slipped in, swallowing Rin's ragged gasps until he moaned into the kiss, wishing he could bring his arms up to pull Samael closer.
Rin's breath stuttered out of him when Samael finally withdrew, licking at his wet lips with a satisfied hum before bringing up a calloused thumb to slowly brush them dry.
"Will you leave Amaimon to his punishment, then, Rin?"
The soft question brought Rin's attention to the wretched sobs coming from the still trapped Amaimon and Rin shivered to realize the tail control had been left on while he'd been coming down from his release.
When he managed to open his eyes, the only part of Samael he could make out in the darkness were slit pupils surrounded by pools of acid green and the hint of a fanged smile.
"Please, Samael," Rin whimpered again, pushing his chest up against Samael's in a full-bodied glide of skin, trying to appease him any way he could, "let me help him."
"Well," Samael nosed into his throat, inhaling a deeply satisfied breath that had Rin quivering and arching his neck back to present him better access, "since you begged so prettily for me, I suppose I can allow it."
He snapped his fingers and freed Rin's arms, making him gasp at the relief of it, pins and needles buzzing through the weak limbs as he laid under Samael until he could even move to roll over.
Getting his feet under him took the work of a solid minute, though seeing the agony on Amaimon's face was enough to have him taking a first wobbling step, body shaking at the effort until he'd made it to his trapped body.
Amaimon looked at him but Rin didn't think he was even aware anymore, eyes glazed and body still dripping blood from the spears in his arms and legs.
Somehow, despite everything moving as if through miles of water, Rin brought his hands up to Amaimon's hair, carding his claws through it as he groaned, head lolling in his grip.
His lips pressed in a firm kiss to Amaimon's sweat-drenched crown before kneeling in front of him and taking him into his mouth, hearing the weak keen come from abused vocal cords.
He brushed a soft hand over Amaimon's tail, the clamp having stopped its torture to leave the appendage twitching from overstimulation as Rin tried to soothe it.
It took almost nothing at all from Rin before he came into his mouth, release trailing down his lips as Amaimon moaned over him and slumped in his restraints.
Rin pulled back, resting on his legs as exhaustion hit him and he swayed where he sat.
He wavered too far and felt himself start to fall, only to be caught in the warm cage of Samael's arms and brought to his chest where he dropped his head to nuzzle into the embrace.
A snap of his fingers and Amaimon was released, though he didn't drop, Samael keeping him floating where he'd fallen in the void.
Another snap and Rin blinked when his eyes saw light again, though it was the light of a night-lit room, bright after the total darkness they'd been in.
The snap found Rin cleaned of his exertions and Mephisto laid Rin down under the cool duvet of his bed, Amaimon coming to rest beside him next.
Instinct more than conscious thought turned Rin to snuggled further into Amaimon, who gave a sleepy murmur, already drifting off.
Rin brought his eyes to search for Mephisto, frowning when he noticed him standing at the end of the bed, watching them and unmoving.
"Mephisto," Rin complained, unable to form a complete sentence just yet, but knowing he wanted him to not be so far away.
"So even that hasn't scared you away," came the soft voice, said more to himself than to Rin, though he heard it anyway.
Smiling, Rin's eyes shuttered without his permission as sleep dragged at them, though he fought it.
"I needed that," Rin found the energy to say, fingers twitching as he tried to beckon Mephisto over when he still hadn't joined them in bed.
"I was so angry. I wanted to destroy something. Everything. You helped," he admitted, sighing in disappointment when Mephisto remained where he was.
His eyes had closed, and he'd resigned himself to not getting what he wanted, by the time he felt the mattress sink as Mephisto slid under the covers beside him, his warmth eclipsing Rin.
A content purr drifted out of him and he wrapped his tail around Mephisto's arm where it lay over his stomach, finally allowing himself to settle into the warmth of sleep.
"Amaimon is right," he caught just before he went under, "we don't deserve you."
And Rin was gone, the words to be forgotten by the time he'd wake up the next morning.
End Notes:
Yeah, so that happened :D
Um… I have no excuses, they're demons and demons don't, historically, do nice stuff?
And remember, folks, it's only going to get rougher from here, though maybe not in the way you'd expect :}