Summary:
And now for something completely different! The future's been kinda rough on Mephisto, Rin is very (very) happy to see his favorite demon king of time whole and un-injured. Rin is not happy to see all the other stuff that has to do with the past, but he'll take what he can get… out of Mephisto (or Mephisto's hide).
Notes:
So idk what they're planning on for Rin's appearance in future chapters, like, maybe when he goes berserk now his little horn nubs will grow into actual horns and he'll get those black claws and long tongue like the other demons do (I think I heard that curl on Mephisto's head and Amaimon's hair spike are supposed to be their horns? What's up with Astaroth's giant ram horns then?).
But I'm making the executive decision to give Rin permanent horn nubs, long tongue, slit-pupil eyes, and black claws like the other demon kings now (when they're not hidden away by Mephisto) bc what's the fun of burning to a crisp, awakening in a cool new (full?) demon body, and getting cute horn nubs if they don't stick around amirite? So those features aren't totally canon- at least the black claws aren't, but I wanted them anyway so they're here :D
On that note, it seems to me the demons in ane have magical extending body features anyway. Like, their fangs and ears change length whenever they're feeling particularly demonic. I've seen official art of Mephisto with short, human looking nails and Rin rarely has claws in the manga, even when he's newly awakened, whereas Amaimon has his black daggers for claws out all the time.
Maybe it's a choice/instinctual thing? So for this fic I've decided to give the demons the ability to kinda warp their body parts as they become less human/drop their human façade. Like the creepy extended smile Mephisto gets that has too many sharp pointy teeth for a human mouth to hold and that long-ass Venom-esque tongue Satan has in the first episode/chapter lol
Other things I've elected to ignore about canon: Amaimon's actual height is apparently only 5'7"? You'll tear my lanky string-bean of an earth king out of my cold dead hands :D I'm putting him at 6'2" to Rin's 5'8". At least Mephisto is still sitting pretty (or standing lol) at 6'5" according to the ane wiki, though I feel like I've heard official sources shrunk him a couple inches (ignoring that too thanks).
Also that Amaimon and Mephisto have canon birthdays (or anniversaries? Which is what the wiki said though Idk what that means). Like, which day counts as their "birthday"? The one they gained egos on? The day they first possessed a body? The day humans first created the concept of them that would eventually lead to their gaining egos and bodies? IDK :D
What I think happened is Mephisto thought the concept of a birthday was a cute little human thing and spent the time going over their quaint ideas about astrology until he selected a birthday for himself and the other kings to use on their official paperwork whenever they need it.
And so he can go, gawd, Lucifer, ur such a Gemini :\ And Lucifer can be like, but I thought you said I was a Sagittarius? While Amaimon chews on another game controller in the corner or something idfk :D
*Whew these author notes are getting kinda long, huh?*
Song(s) of the chapter: Love Runs Out by OneRepublic and East Of Eden by Zella Day
Rin lay on his back in Mephisto's bed with his arms spread to either side and Amaimon still asleep next to him.
The early morning winter light came in weak from the veranda windows and he knew he could stay where he was for a few more hours if he decided to, but he forced himself to get out from beneath the covers and went to go face the music.
A soft purr from Amaimon caught his attention and Rin smiled down at him, leaning over to press a kiss to his mussed green hair.
He left the sleeping earth king, finding the tie to his robe he still had on where Amaimon had tossed it the night before, knotted it back around his waist, and made his way to where Mephisto sat at his small coffee table, a platter of breakfast pastries already laid out.
"Amaimon is kinda like a cat," Rin opened with, sitting down across from Mephisto and accepting the coffee he was offered, letting it steam in the still air of the room.
"Go on," Mephisto said, smiling at him and resting his cheek in his hand.
"Super independent, could sleep all day if you let him, and likes to claw things up for fun," Rin began as he swirled the dark liquid in an absent pattern. "Also, I noticed he didn't really like the bathhouse, so add 'hates water' to that list."
"A very apt description, Rin."
Rin relaxed into the chair, enjoying the slow peace while it lasted. He realized he liked the way Mephisto looked in the morning. Though he doubted Mephisto ever really let himself be fully unguarded, Rin thought this might be the closest he would ever get around him to such a state.
He let his gaze trace over the way the cool light revealed the different shades of purple in Mephisto's hair and green eyes, following the shadows cast in the slope of his nose and across the sharp pane of his cheek.
A warmth spread through Rin's chest that had nothing to do with his nature or the coffee he was sipping at and everything to do with the demon sitting across from him.
Tapping a claw against his porcelain cup in a move Rin would call a fidget in anyone else, Mephisto eyed him with a budding puzzlement, though Rin caught him trying to cover it up with his usual flirtations.
"See something interesting, Rin?"
Rin hid a smile with his own cup, rubbing a finger at the rim of it as he inhaled the scent of the coffee and the way it mixed with Mephisto's.
"I just like looking at you."
Another score for him, Rin tallied inwardly when a light dusting of pink spread over Mephisto's cheeks before he turned his head to the windows as if to hide the reaction.
The distraction worked, though, Rin finding his attention drawn to the world outside. The sounds of last night's panic from the city had cooled and now all Rin could hear were the soft coos of the pigeons hiding from the cold on the roof.
He hadn't fully realized the true extent of those new perks that had come with his awakening, including an even better sense of hearing alongside the improved sense of sight and smell. Rin thought that he might be able to tell if someone were sick like Amaimon had said he could when they'd thought the worst was happening to Shiemi. At least, given the way he could pick up on the rot eating into Mephisto, Rin thought that was the case.
Looking at the decaying cells took Rin deeper until he realized he could even smell his claim on Mephisto now, the energy between them giving off a particular scent that was more than just the non-physical connection he'd been so thrilled to discover the night before.
Again, Rin wished that he didn't have to break the silence of the moment with his next words, but they'd finished, coffee mugs emptied, pastries gone, and nothing left to do but begin.
By the anticipation in Mephisto's green eyes, he knew it too.
"I think it's time…"
Rin tilted his head, frown on his face and sigh on his lips at what he had to do, "I think it's time I asked you about how Yukio and I were born, about Satan, and my mother. And about Father Fujimoto."
His eye twitched when his words just made Mephisto shiver in pleasure, neck rolling in a long stretch and his response practically moaned out, "Oh, Rin, you have no idea how long I've waited for you to say that to me."
"I'd really prefer not to know about the past," Rin grumbled, glaring at the laugh that drew from Mephisto. "Yukio's the one who really wants to. You should have just told him."
Exasperation filled Mephisto's sigh as he tipped his head back against the chair. "Trust me, I've tried that avenue many times. It does not work out in anyone's favor."
At that revelation, Rin squinted over at him, saying, "Your life is just one big video game with do-overs and save files and everything, isn't it?"
"Ah, video games," Mephisto grinned, "man's greatest invention."
Rin snorted, shaking his head at his ridiculous obsession with his games, not that he hadn't taken advantage of his massive collection the numerous times he'd spent at the mansion.
"So?" Rin pressed, wanting to get the story over with as quickly as possible so he could have a quiet freak-out somewhere to process the no-doubt horrifying truths contained in it.
"Ah, this is a story better experienced first-hand." Mephisto rested his cheek on his palm again, leaning closer to Rin over the table as if he was letting him in on a secret.
"To do that, you'll need to go back to the past." His voice oozed glee, smile widening with each word. "Alone."
He brought his fingers up.
"With this."
Rin blinked as the magic key Shiro had given him at the start of everything poofed into Mephisto's hand where he waved it over the table until Rin held out his own to receive it.
"This is the master key to the past, the only one of its kind, and capable of carrying its bearer to their desired dimension."
"You mean I've had this super important key the whole time and you expected me to keep it safe?" Rin gaped at Mephisto. "I lose so many things!"
"Well," Mephisto's smile turned smug, "you didn't lose this, so make sure you take good care of it now that you know."
That had Rin glaring at Mephisto again as he pulled the key to his chest like he might lose it right there in the room.
"Also," Mephisto snapped his fingers and Rin gasped as he found himself dressed in a dark black military-style uniform that almost looked like what the exorcists wore, "you'll need this. It's a special patrol uniform of my own design that will let you go anywhere. And if you flip the hood up it'll hide you like the camo ponchos you've used in the past."
Rin smoothed a hand down his chest, blinking up at Mephisto. "Uh, what do I do about my heart?"
Another snap and the glowing blue flames of his heart swirled away until he almost looked normal again. If he ignored his black clawed fingers and slit-pupiled eyes, that was, which he could tell were still there by his improved vision.
With a careful prod at his forehead, Rin saw his horns hadn't disappeared. He guessed they were a permanent feature now.
Ruffling his bangs solved that problem, horns covered unless a strong breeze happened to shift his hair aside. Rin stood, tugging at the uniform, and looked up to see Mephisto standing in front of him, staring with a not-so-subtle hunger in his eyes.
"It's too bad you have to leave us so soon," he let his eyes trail up and down Rin's form, "you look good enough to eat in that."
Rin crossed his arms, huffing at the compliment. "You've got a thing for dressing us up, don't you?"
Instead of answering immediately, Mephisto crowded against him, pressing their hips together so he could lean down to claim Rin's mouth in a slow kiss, voice a low murmur at his lips when he broke it, "One of these days, I will make you and Amaimon try on some things I've been saving for just the two of you. My own personal show."
"I think I can live with that." Rin swallowed at the idea, eyes zoning out as he tried to imagine what he could possibly have stored away for them given what he'd dressed them in up to that point.
"Something to look forward to, then." Mephisto gave him one last deep kiss and stepped back.
"Now then. To use that key simply shut any door- the balcony doors will do, lock them, twist the key in, think of where you want to go, open the doors and walk through."
Rin looked down at the key with trepidation, still not happy that he had to use it. He sent a glance over at where Amaimon slept one last time, watching the rise and fall of the bundle of blankets before walking to the doors and doing as instructed.
The yawning black void that greeted him didn't help his reluctance, but Rin just sucked in a breath, squared his shoulders, and walked through.
Rin blinked, finding himself standing on the rooftop of a random building covered in snow, breath fogging into the air as he looked around in confusion.
Besides the generally shoddy appearance of everything around him, nothing screamed 'this is the past' at him.
Movement reached his ears and he turned to see a figure with white hair standing at the top of a nearby roof, but when the figure noticed him, he let out a panicked shout and darted away before Rin could ask him anything.
"Later, you'll know him as the priest, Shiro Fujimoto."
At the familiar voice, Rin turned and beamed, heart jolting with shock at the surprise but filling with joy a moment later.
"Mephisto!"
"Well," Mephisto tilted his head, the smile he'd been wearing twitching into something a bit ruffled, "I believe that's the happiest anyone has ever been to see me."
"Did you come back with me?" Rin stepped over to him, peering up where he was perched on an air-duct wearing a dated-looking suit. Though he had a pink polka-dot tie on and a matching umbrella propped over his shoulder that showed his tastes apparently never changed.
"Nope!" Mephisto leaped down, closing the umbrella. "I'm just about forty years before your time."
Rin eyed him before another smile spread on his lips. "You look good."
"Oh?"
"The future hasn't been too kind to you," Rin muttered, thinking to the degradation Mephisto was still healing from.
"But," he hesitated, searching his eyes and biting at his lip, "you do know me, right?"
"Yes, Rin. I know you," Mephisto said, smile wry as he took in his worry.
Hearing that, Rin made the last few steps to wrap his arms around Mephisto, pressing his face to the body that no longer smelled of rot or appeared emaciated from the building strain of the sheer energy pressing against it at all times despite Mephisto's abilities to slow it down.
A purr went through him as his hug was returned.
"My body may change, but my identity as the king of time remains the same," Mephisto said against his hair. "I'll know you no matter which era we're in."
"Good," Rin rubbed his cheek over Mephisto's chest one last time and pulled back. "So, where am I supposed to be going?"
Mephisto poofed into his little dog form, tiny polka-dotted snow shoes on his feet that were soon pawing at Rin's legs until he picked him up, getting a wet lick to his cheek in thanks.
"I'll be your guide. Head through that door, please."
With one arm, Rin hugged Mephisto closer to his chest, the other stuck the master key into the lock.
"Remember, Rin," Mephisto added, "this story ends in tragedy."
"I know." Rin tucked his face into the fur of Mephisto's ruff, inhaling there to steady himself before stepping through into the decrepit building.
A black blur ran past him, startling him, though curiosity pressed him to follow the blur's path until he came to an open space in the derelict warehouse.
The blur turned out to be a girl with wild black hair that curled down her back like a waterfall, framing a face full of little moles and blue eyes. She squeaked when she saw him and darted away.
Rin already knew who she was when he heard one of the old homeless people call her name, beckoning her over to the fire they sat around.
Yuri. His mother.
"Ah, Rin," Mephisto's head shifted to look up at him, "try not to be noticed by anyone. It won't create any nasty paradoxes, but it will leave them confused so it's best to avoid it."
"Sure," Rin mumbled, crouching down behind some boxes to watch the scene before him unfold.
He learned his mother was an orphan. That two of the homeless people she lived with used to be exorcists.
And that the other day she'd met a blue fireball called a Rinka.
Rinka. He sucked in a breath, tightening his grip around Mephisto while he watched his mother fall asleep after her meal.
"They look happy," Rin murmured, a soft smile on his face as he took in the misfit family. "I'm glad."
Mephisto was quiet in his arms and Rin ran a soothing hand along his back, wondering at his strange silence.
"Let's move forward in time."
At that sudden statement, Rin blinked but went to another door, allowing Mephisto to lead him into the future.
He found himself alone in a junkyard, his mother playing with random broken toys she'd collected.
It was…a little sad to see her playing by herself without any friends.
There wasn't time to think about it as the blue flames appeared and knocked one of the tin cans from the pattern his mother had arranged them in.
"It's Satan."
Rin gulped at Mephisto's words when he joined him again. He knew that Yuri would be safe, seeing as she had to grow to eventually have him and Yukio, but was still having to fight his instincts to rescue her from the blue flames anyways.
Through watching, he learned that blue flames had been popping up all over Assiah for years, known by many names throughout the cultures that saw them-Japan's own Fox Fire being the one he was most familiar with.
This was the first time the flames had shown awareness in the form of play.
Another few moments passed before Yuri was called away from the dangerous scrap heaps by her guardian, Satan vanishing before it could be seen.
The next scene Rin entered was of a building on fire, the black smoke billowing into the air in the claustrophobic crush of derelict buildings.
He stood back with the crowd of people gathered outside and watched with a sinking heart while Yuri running past him to try to get back into the building and save her adopted family confirmed his fears. The factory where his mother lived was burning.
Later, he found out that three bodies had been discovered inside and that Yuri was alone now, left to wander the streets.
Mephisto met him to lead him away from the sight of his mother shivering asleep in the snow and Rin once again found himself clutching him to his chest into the next scene.
Things looked up slightly as his mother had discovered some guy's hideout, which seemed a little dangerous to him, but it was at least a warm and dry place to sleep.
Still, Rin crouched in the snow to peer into the open slats under the flimsy tin roof to keep an eye on her.
"Please remember you can't interfere with events, Rin."
Rin looked down to where he had Mephisto tucked into the front of his uniform.
"Okay," he assured him, scratching at the chilled ears peeking out into the air. He grinned when Mephisto twitched his ears at the touch and couldn't resist tweaking one of them.
His action drew a growl from Mephisto, glaring up at Rin with a curled lip revealing one of his little doggy fangs and Rin had to force back the coo trying to escape his mouth. "Be aware, Rin, that despite appearances to the contrary and my current form, I am very much the same demon."
He knew, he really did. Rin leaned down to plant a kiss on the adorable black nose anyway.
Mephisto sneezed right in his face.
"Agh! Ew," Rin wiped at his skin with the sleeve of his coat, cracking open his eyes to glare at the smug expression he received.
A moment later, his lips trembled into a smile and he snickered, dropping his head to Mephisto's and closing his eyes again. "Sorry, I couldn't stop myself. I'll try to behave, now."
"Honestly, I've given you the key to an age-old conspiracy that others have literally killed to try unlocking and you're busy playing with my ears," Mephisto grumbled at him, shifting until he was covered from the cold better, though that just made Rin want to squeeze the little demon harder.
"Well, when you put it like that," Rin hummed, trying to placate him. Though, really, he had warned Mephisto. He had no interest in the past, but plenty of interest in his two favorite demons.
In his distraction, his mother had laid down to sleep, exhaustion leaving her in a heap under the pile of blankets she'd found. With nothing left to do, Rin settled down to sleep himself, curling his arms in a more secure hold around Mephisto.
He was snapped awake when a new person appeared, pushing open the door to the hideout in a gust of wind.
There stood Shiro in all his pre-teen glory.
And he was kind of an ass, Rin found, grimacing down at Mephisto.
"Who are you?" Shiro snapped at Yuri. "What're you doing in my hide-out?"
Yuri only stared in shock, prompting a snarl from the angry pre-teen.
"I'll kill you!"
The scene played out, Rin biting at his lip as he watched.
"He's ruthless," Rin muttered as his mother explained her situation to an uncaring Shiro, who had no pity for the homeless girl trying to seek shelter.
"You're" his mother stuttered, tears of anger building in her eyes, "you're the Yukiotoko!"
Rin blinked, hearing the name of a spirit one of Yuri's dead family had told her about that was described as tall, white, cold, and terrifying, finding the description apt. There was something familiar in the name.
"Yukio, huh?"
Wriggling in his grip prompted Rin to let Mephisto loose as it shook him out of his musing, hopping to the snow and cocking his head up to Rin.
"I need to leave you now, Rin."
Wordless, Rin gave a nod as he got the sense something was up with Mephisto though he couldn't place what that was, but he pressed a kiss to the soft fur at the little demon's forehead, watching the lidded green eyes when he pulled back with a frown. Mephisto didn't say anything else before poofing away, leaving Rin alone.
He didn't have time to contemplate that puzzle further as his mom bargained with Shiro to get him to let her stay, promising him a stash of more dirty magazines she knew the location of because apparently, his old man was a degenerate no matter what age.
At least she had a place to stay now, Rin sighed, settling back again to watch as his mother spoke with the standoffish Shiro, sitting against him for warmth despite his irritated grumbling.
A noise snapped Rin's attention away from the scene as he realized something was fast approaching the location from the street level. Before he could react, the flimsy glass window shattered and a black hell hound was snarling in the room.
What looked like exorcists swarmed his mother and Shiro, though their uniforms were like his and not the updated ones he was used to seeing.
"We've found you," one of the men spoke, shining a bright light onto the peeved expression on Shiro's face. "You're the only one from the Azazel group to do this, you know."
They rounded on Yuri next and Rin had to clench his claws into his palms to avoid doing anything as they voiced their suspicions about her presence, not happy to have her overhear anything.
Shiro just sniffed and dismissed her as some homeless kid that snuck in, but Rin could see one of the exorcists reaching into his holster behind his back and his lips curled over a fang at the sight.
His mother saved herself with her ability to see demons, blinking at the growling face of the hellhound and calling it a nice doggy.
She was gathered up with Shiro and taken to the car the exorcists had arrived in. The last Rin heard as they drove away was that they were headed to Asylum.
He had a location.
Rin let out a long exhale as the car faded into the falling snow until he couldn't see it anymore, feeling a phantom cold send a shiver through his body.
He'd been…so lonely as a kid, his wild nature pushing away anyone who might want to be around him, but he'd had Yukio by his side and a home with Shiro.
After what he'd witnessed, he knew his mother had nothing, and he couldn't imagine what loneliness she must have been feeling at that moment.
Still, he would have to follow her to see where her story led, and he turned to the nearest door to use the key, letting it take him to Asylum.
When he opened the door and went through, he found himself in what looked like the Academy and he had a sinking suspicion that the two places were the same.
Rin caught sight of his mother being led away to get cleaned and settled into her new home if it could be called that. Shiro was taken to a separate area, much to Yuri's distress, but she didn't have a choice, keeping her eyes on him until she could no longer see him and was forced to follow the adults tugging her along.
In a small room with an unsmiling woman, he learned his mother's full name was Yuri Egin, a note from her own mother had been found sewn into the lining of her bag, though she couldn't read it even when they handed it to her. Rin learned the name of his grandmother, too, Yoko Egin, and he once again found himself at a loss as to what to do with that information.
It also came to light that Asylum was an exorcism training camp and Yuri was immediately enrolled in classes, now a ward of the place since she had no one to claim her.
Rin watched her fall asleep in her new military-style bunk amidst other kids, though she seemed happy, excited to begin her new life, and wasn't crying like some of the newly arrived kids around her.
He left her there, closing the door and opening another to head into the future again.
Rin blinked, recognizing his surroundings when he stepped out.
It was the side entrance to Mephisto's office and Rin inhaled, bringing the particular scent of ozone and expensive cologne unique to Mephisto to his nose.
Mephisto was there in the room.
Probably even at his desk.
He crept forward to peer around the entryway when a knock at the main doors stopped him short.
"Enter."
A shiver went up his spine, though he kept himself hidden. Mephisto was at his desk.
"I've brought the subject you requested," an exorcist called from the door.
"Thank you," Mephisto responded, "you may go now."
The door opened, the exorcist bowing and leaving, and it was just an angry-looking Shiro, Mephisto, and Rin in the office.
"So," Mephisto began, and Rin could see him hiding a smirk behind his hand, "you're Shiro, experimental subject AO-004, in the Azazel group."
Rin didn't understand half of the words in that sentence, but Shiro didn't seem surprised by any of it, choosing to remain in sullen silence as he waited for Mephisto to get to his point.
Unphased, Mephisto quirked a clawed hand at Shiro, revealing his smirk. "Come closer."
It came out then, how Shiro had been the only one of the Azazel group to regularly slip his guards, escaping to the slums to squirrel away money doing odd jobs and selling parts in his hidden refuge until he'd been caught.
"The world is a harsh place," Mephisto said, mock sympathy in his voice. "Wouldn't it just be easier to live a quiet life here?"
His question garnered a sneer from Shiro that Rin flinched to see. "I was gonna escape once I saved up enough money. Anything's better than living in isolation with a bunch of guys who look like me."
Shiro clenched his fists, glaring into the widening smirk on Mephisto's face.
"I'd rather die!"
Through the brief exchange, Rin began to get a clearer picture of what was going on in Asylum and it made his chest ache. Especially when he heard Shiro's next words, asking whether he would be killed, then, as the director of Section Thirteen, Mephisto Pheles, had the power and say to do.
Mephisto's answering cackles at Shiro's audacity echoed in Rin's ears and the response from Shiro confirmed what Rin suspected.
"You like me, huh?"
That was it. Mephisto found the little spit-fire of a kid hilarious, Rin sighed inwardly. It was no wonder with the way Mephisto always taunted those around him to get such reactions, including Shura, who this mini-Shiro was reminding Rin of more and more.
The next sequence of events stopped his heart, eyes widening as he watched Shiro leap onto the desk, grab Mephisto's tie and yank him forward to make his demand.
"Make me an exwire!"
Shiro wanted to be free. The bitter words of his plan laying out how he would make his way up to Paladin to attain the status, honor, and wealth that came with the position.
"I'm not going out as some demonic sacrifice," he bit out, bringing his snarling face closer to the wry smile on Mephisto's and panting as his words left him in a burst.
"You're both stupid and ignorant," Mephisto giggled, head dropping back to hang from the grip still on his tie. "Even if you make Paladin you'll swear fealty to the Order and be its dog."
"You'll never be free."
"Bring it on," Shiro hissed, bringing his head up to show his pinprick pupils and razor smile. "I'm gonna kill every demon I see. And I'll kill and kill, and when my owners are finally done using me I'm gonna tear your throat out with my teeth!"
Somehow, Rin discovered, though he wasn't very surprised with the way he was about violence, Shiro's words only made Mephisto smile wider, voice a purr as he responded, "Sounds fun."
He pulled his tie out of Shiro's grip, fitting it back around his neck, and proclaimed he would make his recommendation that Shiro be the next exwire chosen from the Azazel group.
With one condition.
"If you yield to a demon even once," Mephisto cocked a clawed finger up at the narrow-eyed Shiro, "you have to grant me one favor, anything I ask!"
Shiro accepted the wager, something Rin could have told him he'd one day come to regret, as most wagers with Mephisto tended to do.
It was too late. Shiro left, shouting back from the entrance that Mephisto had better keep his promise and slamming the door behind him.
His ears rang in the silence of the office now that the excitement was over.
"Thank you for being discreet, Rin," Mephisto's voice called, bringing Rin's attention back. "You may come out now."
Rin stood from his crouch, wincing at the ache in his knees from holding the position for so long and walking up to the desk to stare down at the smug face Mephisto wore.
"You've got a type, you know," Rin huffed a breath out, hand on his hip when the smile on Mephisto's face turned wicked. "Me, Amaimon, Shiro-and don't think I haven't noticed the way you flirt with Shura, who I'm pretty sure wants to kill you and she's only holding back because, technically, you're her boss."
"That conquest may yet yield fruit one of these days." Mephisto let out a wistful sigh, eyes gazing upwards at the thought of somehow getting past Shura's utter hatred and mistrust for him.
"Good luck with that," Rin snorted, crossing his arms, "and before you say anything, I really, really, don't ever need or want to know anything about what you may or may not do with Shiro or Shura in the future, thanks."
"It'll just be my little secret, then." Mephisto grinned, his tongue sliding across his lower lip in a suggestive way that Rin let himself enjoy as he happily ignored whatever implications it had.
"So," he settled back his chair, "no questions about what you just witnessed here? That doesn't seem like you at all."
Rin allowed his lips to widen in a smile in response to the curious expression on Mephisto's face. "I think whatever I ask is gonna end up being shown to me somewhere along this story, so I can wait."
"I suppose we're done here, then." Mephisto frowned, cocking his head as if disappointed he wouldn't get to tempt Rin with the promise of hidden knowledge.
"Sure," Rin agreed, then proceeded to not move from his spot as his smile grew further to expose the tips of his fangs. "Except there was something I was thinking about during that whole thing earlier."
"Oh?" Mephisto's brows furrowed as he tried to guess at what Rin's thoughts could have been after the shocking revelations he'd heard from Shiro.
Rin leaned over the desk and tugged Mephisto forward by his tie before he could react. A mirror of what he'd just gone through at Shiro's hands.
"I was thinking I don't see my claw marks on your desk anymore and I wanted to fix that."
And Rin pulled Mephisto into a kiss, eyes open to watch the beautiful expression of surprise on his face.
He wound his tongue along Mephisto's, grinning when he finally got with the program and kissed back, clawed hand coming up to grasp at Rin's hair and deepening the angle.
Mephisto broke the kiss, lips just brushing his as he spoke against them, "I just bought this desk and you already want to break it in?"
"It'll give you something to remember me by until you see me again who knows how long from now," Rin tilted his head, eyes shuttering as he focused his attention on the neck just out of his reach. His hand tightened on the tie he hadn't released yet, pulling Mephisto another inch closer as he considered climbing over the wide desk to get at what he wanted.
Mephisto vanished from his hold and Rin gasped as he found he'd had reappeared at his back, pressing him to the wooden surface.
He arched up into the hips behind his, a purr escaping his mouth when his hands were captured, Mephisto's chest bearing down on him in a heated weight until he was fully covered.
"Unfortunately, Rin, I can't let you mark this desk up just yet," Mephisto said into his ear, nipping at it when Rin shifted beneath him at the hard edge digging into his thighs. "Think of how upset that younger version of you would be to discover someone else's claw marks when you see them in the future."
Grumbling, Rin twisted his hips back into Mephisto's, realizing he had a point but determined to enjoy himself anyway. "Fine, but you're gonna have to do something about that then, because I doubt I'll be able to stop myself from it on my own."
In the middle of his complaint, he found his hands pulled back behind him and the sound of soft fabric slipping along itself reached his ears. He had a moment to wonder at it until his wrists were bound in the tie he'd just been yanking on.
An experimental tug on the binding showed it firmly in place, Rin turning to look over his shoulder to see Mephisto eyeing his attempts with a pleased smile.
Their gazes caught, Mephisto's eyes glinting in the light of the window behind his desk as he traced a clawed finger over where Rin's wrist met the silk of the tie. "What was it you said to me, Rin?"
"Hm?" Rin tried to focus on Mephisto's words, something that was made difficult when his hips were grabbed and he began rubbing in short, light movements against Rin.
Rin chased the heat he could feel from where their bodies touched, though the sensation was dulled through the layers of his clothes and he already knew Mephisto was going to be an absolute bastard about things.
A moment later and he was proven right.
"Ah, yes," Mephisto snapped his fingers and removed their clothes, letting them fold in a nearby chair as Rin sucked in a breath, shivering at the slide of their skin together without anything in the way.
"Turnabout is fair play."
His bound wrists were drawn up in one of Mephisto's hands until he moaned at the ache of it, back arching to try to mitigate the pain and feeling himself hardening despite it at the continued motions.
The edge of the desk bit uncomfortably into him but Rin was able to unwind his tail from his waist to drag it against Mephisto's chest, letting the long fur at the end brush over his skin and eliciting a low growl.
He froze as his tail was grabbed, slumping into the wood under him when Mephisto brought the tip of it to his mouth and nipped with sharp fangs.
Rin had to clench his fists to avoid tearing the binding on them, breaths coming faster as his pulse picked up in his veins. He ended up digging his claws into his palms instead and he grunted at the sudden pain, feeling the warmth of his blood as it pooled there.
A moment later and Mephisto's tongue lapped at the healing wounds with another low growl, leaning over and his hair tickling at Rin's wrists while he gasped at the pain mixed with pleasure.
Without his say, Rin's hips jolt forward, trying to get the friction he needed and couldn't. He chewed at his lip with the building frustration until he turned his head to glare at Mephisto.
"I will use my tail again, Mephisto. Don't think I won't," Rin hissed at the sly eyes peeking up from where the demon was twining his tongue over Rin's curled fingers at his lower back.
"Ah!"
The smile Mephisto wore had teeth in it then as he squeezed Rin's tail in his hand. "When you play with a double-edged sword you should be prepared for the consequences, Rin."
Rin couldn't keep his head up anymore, dropping it to the desk and closing his eyes while he forgot how to speak with every pass Mephisto dragged along the furred appendage.
His shoulders were aching, body twitching over the desk, and breath shaking out of his lungs as his tail writhed in Mephisto's hold.
"Mephisto, plea-" Rin yelped, forehead knocking into the surface beneath him when his tail was released and Mephisto began rubbing at his entrance instead.
"I realize I've been treating you like Amaimon recently. I thought I should rectify that," Mephisto said, moving on to run his hands over Rin's trembling sides as he failed to hurry things along like Rin wanted.
"Wha-?" Rin couldn't begin to wonder what Mephisto was talking about, panting against the desk where his cheek pressed painfully into the hard surface and he stared with unfocused eyes at the cream-colored wall opposite him.
A clawed finger slid between his tensed shoulder blades, the light scratch not even breaking skin, desperation begin to build up in him at the delicate way he was being handled.
More, he needed more, the soft touches nowhere near enough.
A snap and a click reached Rin's ears then and Mephisto's finger slid against his entrance again, this time slicked with something that had Rin turning his head in confusion.
Rin groaned when his eyes met Mephisto's cheeky grin and saw the bottle of unscented oil he shook where he held it between his fingers.
He knew what the damn demon was talking about, then.
"Oh my god," Rin hissed out, cheeks flushing as he glared at the impish expression on Mephisto's face, "you literally let me burn alive, like, a night ago and now you're going back to treating me like a human?"
It wasn't the oil that was the problem-actually, Rin couldn't understand why Mephisto and Amaimon didn't use it more often. It was the gentle treatment instead of what he'd really been after when he yanked the demon's tail earlier, so to speak.
"Already joking about that, are we?" The bottle vanished as Mephisto watched him with a rising delight at the frustration he was causing. "And here I was thinking I would make up for the poor way I've behaved towards you."
Rin growled, winding his tail around Mephisto's waist to yank him closer, Mephisto allowing himself to be shifted until his length nudged against Rin.
"It's not joking if it actually happened." The answering laughter just made Rin glower, though it was quickly replaced by a sharp inhale of breath when Mephisto began sliding along him in deliberate movements.
"You can still make up for the bad behavior, tho-ah!"
Another squeeze to the sensitive base of his tail cut Rin off as he groaned, the appendage tightening on Mephisto's waist to escape the touch.
The reflexive movement rubbed Rin's fur against the grain and he hissed at the sparks set off up his spine even as his tail began slithering in fluid drags over Mephisto's skin to get more of the feeling.
Mephisto shivered in his hold and Rin felt his own tail rise from its tight coils to meet his, the two lengths twisting against each other around the captured torso just as Mephisto finally began preparing him in drawn-out motions.
And Rin was back to moaning Mephisto's name, spreading his legs and arching his back, hoping the display would convince him not to tease for long.
The action earned him a deep rumble from Mephisto but did little else, only adding to Rin's mounting frustration.
His legs were shaking and he was leaking onto the desk by the time Mephisto pulled his fingers away to set them at his hips, prompting an unbidden purr to go through Rin's chest.
"Mephisto, please," Rin managed to gasp out, unable to concentrate enough to say anything else.
A moment later and Mephisto had his fangs sinking into his bunched shoulder, at the same time pressing into him in a sharp thrust that shoved Rin against the desk as a cry escaped his lips.
"Please, Rin," Mephisto echoed, breathless voice reaching Rin's ears over the throbbing of his pulse throughout his body as he moved in him, "you'll have to keep it down. We wouldn't want my guards outside those doors thinking anything untoward was happening in here."
Rin moaned at that information, cheeks flushing as he found clawed fingers in his mouth, then, a mocking reminder to keep quiet. He tried to avoid biting down, sucking at the intrusions instead to keep himself from uttering anything too loud because of course Mephisto would forget to mention the guards stationed outside his doors until just that moment.
Spit slid down his chin when Mephisto slipped his fingers from Rin's mouth to grip them at his hip and Rin shivered in anticipation.
Any thoughts were washed away as Mephisto pushed into him in earnest and Rin was sure bruises had formed where his body kept impacting the desk when Mephisto finally gave up the façade of treating him like a human.
One of Mephisto's hands gripped Rin's numbed arm and he groaned, biting at his lips until he tasted blood to muffle the sound. The two sensations ached through him and sent his heart pounding while pleasure wound tighter and tighter in his stomach.
Heat spread, a buzzing filling his ears as his vision tunneled and all he could hear were the sounds that began coming from Mephisto's mouth and the choked keens coming from his own.
Then Mephisto did something to change the angle and Rin couldn't stop the shout that tore out of his throat, chest heaving as he hit the sensitive point in him and continued without any signs of mercy.
He desperately hoped his cry hadn't been as loud as it felt as he grit his teeth and clenched his eyes shut on the reflexive tears that pricked at the corners.
A growl built behind him and Mephisto lost whatever rhythm he'd had, claws digging into his hips as he snapped into him in one final push, shoving his body into the desk and holding it there as he released in pulsing waves that seared through Rin.
Before Rin could process anything beyond the slick heat pooling inside him, Mephisto had his tail unwound from his waist and was sucking the furred end, his other hand dragging at the base until Rin found his own release, biting his lip in a sharp slice of pain to stop the groan from escaping.
He dropped his cheek back to the desk, pressing his head there as he panted. The aftershocks ran through him in a pleasant buzz and his tail drooped where Mephisto still held it, trailing to knock into the edge beside his trembling body.
Mephisto mouthed at his tensed back, his warm breaths and tickling strands of hair bringing Rin's attention to his trapped hands, now growing uncomfortably numbed without anything to distract him from the ache.
"Well," Mephisto huffed against him, "I hope you're satisfied with yourself. I did have a few pressing matters to attend to today, you know."
"Mmm, yep. I got what I wanted," Rin hummed, a deeply sated purr vibrating in his chest. He wriggled where he lay only to gasp when Mephisto pulled out of him, rubbing a clawed hand at his hip in a comforting motion as Rin became aware of the cooling liquid sticking to his skin.
But, when Mephisto brought his fingers to Rin's wrists to take his tie back, Rin twisted out of the hold, forcing his body to roll over on the desk and grinning up at the bemused expression on Mephisto's face.
Another twist of his hands and he loosened the binding, freeing his arms even as he ducked his head to quirk his lips in a sly smile up from beneath his bangs at the way Mephisto's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"I think I wanna keep this, actually," Rin said, dangling the rumpled tie from his fingertips before bringing it to his nose to breathe in the way he and Mephisto's scents mingled in the fabric.
The slivering pupils in Mephisto's eyes and flaring nostrils as he scented out the same thing made Rin grin wider, letting his fangs peek out at the reaction.
"And where will you keep it, Rin?" came the soft growl from Mephisto, whose own fangs Rin could see extending in a slow slide to fill his mouth, just visible when he spoke.
He twitched his tail where it lay on the floor, catching Mephisto's gaze with the movement and watching with delight as he tracked its path to where Rin brought the tip of it to rest between his lips.
A rumble began in Mephisto's chest as Rin opened his mouth to let his teeth gently take hold over his own tail.
Sparks from where his fangs pricked at the sensitive skin through his mussed fur jolted along his frayed nerves, though he ignored the feeling to wind the pink polka-dotted tie into a neat bow right where the short fur turned into the longer strands at the end.
"Here's good, right, Mephisto?"
Seconds later, Rin found himself pushed onto his back on the desk in a possessive kiss, head tugged by his hair in Mephisto's clawed hands as he licked the blood still on his lips from where he'd bitten them earlier.
His legs wound around the slim hips pressed to his and Rin shivered at the slide of their skin together, slick from both their releases and twitching in renewed interest.
"Must you make it so hard to get you out of my office and back to doing what you're supposed to?" Mephisto growled against his mouth.
Rin snickered at the frustration in Mephisto's voice, forcing himself to stop before things escalated again. "Sorry, it's just nice to see you looking like this again. I kinda got carried away."
Confusion furrowed Mephisto's brows as he drew back. "Like what?"
He sat up too, running his hands down the un-marred skin of Mephisto's chest, a slight frown forming on Rin's face as he answered, "Healed."
Understanding entered Mephisto's eyes.
"I mean, I'll take you any way I can get you, but I don't like you in pain so I'm happy to see you like this," Rin hurried to say, propping himself back on his hands and shrugging.
"Oh, Rin," Mephisto sighed, cocking his head and staring as if he didn't know what to do with him, "you're still so human."
Rin laughed, quirking a wry smile at the poor demon. "Well, a year as a demon isn't gonna erase the entire rest of my life as a human, you know."
His response garnered a matching smile from Mephisto, acquiescing to Rin's statement. "I suppose Amaimon was right yet again. I brought this on myself."
"I'll tell him you said that." Rin grinned, moving forward to rest his hands at Mephisto's hips and plant a kiss on his neck, enjoying the way the pulse there fluttered at his attentions.
"You gonna clean me up now?" Rin murmured against the salt of the skin under his tongue where he traced it over the artery there.
Mephisto shuddered in his hold and Rin determined everything to be a job well done as he was snapped clean and back into his clothes, Mephisto doing the same for himself, too.
The effort it took to step away was apparent in Mephisto's body, adjusting his gloves over his hands and looking oddly naked without a tie or scarf around his neck.
Rin patted at where his tail was wound under his uniform again, feeling the lump where his new accessory lay with smug satisfaction.
He took the key out, preparing to head to the next scene, smiling up at Mephisto one last time and rubbing a clawed finger over his covered tail so he could see him doing it.
Hunger shone in the green of his eyes, Mephisto watching as Rin walked past him to make his way to the door.
"I'll give this back when it stops smelling like you," Rin called over his shoulder, voice a light tease and a saunter in his steps that he didn't bother to hide.
And he was through the door, for once the black void it had become not bothering him in the slightest.
The story may end in tragedy, but Rin would be making Mephisto pay for it every step of the way.
End Notes:
Really, I should have called chapter 11 The Seduction Of Mephisto lmao
Sorry for the wait, guys (and any mistakes, I'll be going through and fixing them throughout the week but I thought you'd all waited enough that I should get this posted)!
I kept getting distracted by all the side story ideas bouncing around in my head and drawing more cute pics lololol This chapter was originally gonna include so much more but that would have made it into another 40 page monster so I split it into two lol
I'll probably start working on posting those instead of the next chapter of this since I want to wait for more chapters of AnE to come out. Although ch 107? Was so good, I can't wait for the Mephy torture to start :D
And anyone know where Rin's been hiding the whole time through 107? bc I haven't noticed him in any of the scenes. So is he like, hiding under the camo poncho or something? Bc I need to know how close he was to Satan when Mephisto got his eye busted up, you know, for the h/c reasons :D