A short chapter, but I fought with it for three separate days, and I decided that I need more time to feel/think through Opera's side of things.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays!

xXx-xXx-recuperation-xXx-xXx

Iruma didn't know where he was going.

Now that he was (seemingly) by himself, his thoughts turned to static.

He took in a deep breath. His chest constricted. He grit his teeth and grasped his chest with both hands as he choked down his emotions. The hurts and the frustrations he couldn't let out. He didn't need anyone to notice him. He didn't want anyone to see him like this.

Iruma stumbled to a pause before frantically looking for a nook- anywhere smallsmallsmall that he could curl into.

He took in another painful breath before noticing a small alcove. His steps were light as he made his way over to the spot and tucked himself away, before slumping into himself. He curled into a small ball, crouched, and curled his tail around his legs while burying his face into his arms as they hugged his knees. The nook's wall helped him balance as he leaned into the cool stone.

He exhaled shakily with a breathy whine.

His human parents were dead, and he'd never have the chance to receive an apology. To ask them why they treated him so terribly.

To ask all of the horrible painful questions he bottled up for all of these years.

They were dead and it was due to their own wicked selfishness that they perished.

It made him… so, so angry and so very sad.

Iruma didn't know what to do with his feelings, except breathe and weep them out.

Certainly, it would be easy to not cry over people who had never loved him, however, they were the first people who were (supposed to be) close to him that had died.

He would forever know nothing about his paternal family- the hereditary and geographical things.

Those were all lost to him now, and he'd have to navigate anything that was from his human side blindly.

Iruma took in a deep breath and sighed heavily.

Opera had suffered because of them.

It made him so angry! He wasn't the only one who deserved an apology! They had gotten off so easy by just… dying! They never took responsibility for any of their actions while alive! It wasn't fair!

Iruma sniffed and rubbed his face into his sleeves.

He had to discard these feelings so that he wouldn't worry anyone.

It would have been so much easier if he'd never known about this. He even felt kinda bad for punching Henri.

…Only a little though. Even if he had a replacement pair, he did break his glasses.

Iruma felt a shiver that traced up his wing root. WorryConcernAlright?

Iruma frowned to himself, before recalling the fact that Kerori could feel his stronger emotions.

He flushed to himself slightly, and weakly brushed back. NoSorryAlright

A weaker feeling from Kerori's side brushed back that didn't have a particular feeling, except that it was meant as a comfort. He wouldn't be able to explain anything to her, but he'd probably want to hug her tightly.

Iruma sniffed before breathing out quietly.

A careful light brush of Mana pressed against his shoulder, weary but filled to the brim with concern.

Iruma couldn't help but frown at the feeling. He recognized it, and he wasn't quite ready to be himself just yet, but he was out in a public hallway. He sniffed and wiped at his face to try and clean himself up before facing them.

"...Iruma?"

Iruma flinched at her voice before looking up wearily, "Ameri..?"

Her ears were low as she held her hands close to her chest, nothing but worry and concern for him bleeding throughout her body language. Her voice was soft, "...Are you alright?"

Iruma rolled that question around in his mind before slowly crawling out of the alcove he'd tucked himself into, and pushed himself to his feet. "No… but you don't have to worry about me."

This somehow made not only her ears sink even lower, but even the curled parts of her hair droop, "That's-" She shuffled awkwardly, clearly trying to not say something that might upset him further, as she clearly disagreed. "...would you like some tea?"

Iruma blinked at her, "Huh?"

Ameri flushed, "I don't really know what to do for you right now, but… I have some calming tea, and our usual lounge is quiet and away from prying ears and eyes. Even if you don't want me there, I don't want to leave you here like this. Alone."

Iruma puzzled over her words. It… would be easier if he had somewhere enclosed to straighten out his thoughts and feelings. He certainly couldn't return to his classes like this.

Ameri just looked so much like her father-

Iruma took in a sharp terrified breath as he took a half step back, his own ears low and his tail fluffed with stress. "Were you there..?" His voice is terrified, quiet, and accusatory all in one.

Ameri is silent while her knuckles turn white before she breaks eye contact and nods. She sees no point in lying about it. It was all deeply personal information, but that morning when her father had stated that he would be on campus due to an investigation related to Iruma, she'd been immediately worried about what he was up to and begged to be there if it was for business.

Henri had debated over it, but had decided that if she was interested in joining his work, that she would need to see the hard parts of it, just as she'd need to see the lighter aspects of Border Patrol.

Ameri wouldn't lie about this to Iruma. That would break any pindrop of trust he had for her.

Carefully, she lifts her eyes to meet his, and she almost wishes she hadn't. He's terrified and betrayed all at once as he breathily whines, "But why..?"

Ameri's throat catches as she tries to hold back tears. She feels the heat of them, but it isn't her right to cry over it. "Because I was scared that my father would take you away."

Iruma's fear turns into confusion. The betrayal isn't as strong as he puzzles over her answer, "What do you mean?"

Ameri shuffles slightly, before pulling out her phone and handing it over to him. He takes it, and reads over the conversation from that morning between her and her father. He's still slightly confused when he looks up to her and hands it back.

Ameri sighs softly, "Iruma, you read Hatsukoi Memories to me on a regular basis. I suspected you because you bloomed that pink tree that doesn't exist here."

Iruma blinks before flushing slightly. He should have realized sooner that she had probably guessed he was Human, and as the Student Council President, she'd try and find the person responsible for creating such a severe disturbance in the school.

She'd also interrupted Henri when he seemed to try and coerce him to return to the Human World. He abruptly realized she'd placed herself as a shield from her father's inquiries and derailed him for the time being to get him away from the older demon.

Iruma relaxed slightly. He wasn't any less upset with her knowing, especially since he'd started screaming-

He blushed as he bowed, "I- I'm so sorry!"

Ameri nearly flinched from the whiplash, "Wh-huh?! N-no! I'm the one who should apologize! A-anyway! Please let me take care of you for a bit!" She implored him with her eyes, not wanting to make a total scene of themselves with a confused apology fest.

Iruma wrestled with himself for a moment.

Is she not part of your Pack, pup?

Iruma relented with a flustered sigh. Hermod wasn't completely wrong, he just shied away from the implications because he was perpetually confused. "...Alright."

Ameri's ears flew up as she brightened, and Iruma's topmost negative feelings towards her flew away. He approached her, before she unexpectedly grasped his hand and started dragging him down the hall. He could feel her Mana excitedly brushing against him as the feeling of CareWorrySpoilComfort spilled over to him from their interlocked hands. He couldn't help but be flustered by the intensity of her feelings.

He thought she'd be upset at him for punching her father, but as she settled him into her usual seat in the lounge room before busying herself with making tea, he realized she wasn't even annoyed about it. "Uhm- Ameri-"

She shushed him gently with a strong brush of her Mana. QuietPeacefulCare

Iruma sighed softly before settling back into her seat tiredly. Her scent was strong around him. It was…

Oh. She really was part of his Pack. He was feeling more and more comfortable just with her scent.

He allowed himself to settle back, deep into the chair while closing his eyes. His face hurt, and he probably looked like a complete mess… but he definitely couldn't have gone back to class like this.

He furrowed his brow, 'Where's Purson..?'

Iruma nearly launched himself out of his chair in immediate worry, "Soi!"

Ameri didn't even have the chance to jump before Purson appeared before Iruma, grasped him by the shoulders, and set him back down with a notable plop. "I'm here."

Iruma gasped before pulling him close to bury his face into his stomach and held onto him tightly. Purson let him do as he pleased, even if he was completely bewildered by his actions, "Uh, Iruma-"

Iruma shook his head vehemently, and Purson sighed gustily before glancing at Ameri with a shrug.

Ameri was gobsmacked for a moment before straightening up with a frown.

Purson lifted a hand, "I've kind of been with him through everything. His own personal bat."

Iruma snorted and responded with a muffled indignant, "Soi."

Purson smiled slightly to himself, before carefully running his hand over Iruma's head. When his friend leaned into it, he continued and carefully ran his fingers through his hair in calming repetition. "Not gonna lie, seeing you get MadMad and feeling your Mana Crack like that was pretty- Amazing. Stellar. You should've seen Kalego's face."

Iruma pouted, "Why?"

Purson grinned, "He was so Proud."

Iruma stilled before shifting to look up at his friend suspiciously, "Huh?"

Purson couldn't help but snicker to himself, "Dude, he's a dog. I'm sure if there had been any way possible to keep you, he would have done so. Demons don't relinquish their young easily, so I'm absolutely sure Sensei would have loved to have lashed out at him like you had. I thought my heart was gonna stop. You punched the Head of Border Patrol and a Thirteen Crown and didn't die!"

Iruma looks up at him puzzled, before Ameri huffs lightly and sets up her mini table next to Iruma, "My father wouldn't kill him over that."

Purson blinked at her, "Well. He wasn't arrested either." Ameri gave him a put out look, and Purson shrunk into himself, "Ah, my bad. Sorry."

Ameri finished brewing her tea and set a fresh cup next to Iruma, before adding a small collection of sweets alongside it. Iruma clung to Purson for a moment longer, before reluctantly letting him go. He busied himself with taking a nice long sip of the brew, before taking a cookie to nibble on. Finally Iruma met Ameri's eyes, "Thank you."

Ameri nodded with a small smile, "You're welcome."

Purson took a step away so that Ameri could fuss over Iruma more directly, while he looked towards the final silent occupant of the room.

Asmodeus was a mess.

Purson shifted over to him before carefully taking his hand and leading the poor devil to the other open seat across from Iruma. Asmodeus settled into the seat stiffly, and Purson removed his Detection Warding glasses. He ignored Asmodeus's silent protest, and began to wipe the boy's face of tears and snot with his handkerchief.

Asmodeus snatched the cloth from him to finish the job himself, flustered and aggravated.

Yet, the moment one tear was wiped away, three more would follow.

Asmodeus's heart ached, and he knew that Iruma would probably take his presence there just as poorly as he had Ameri's- even if he had allowed Purson to make the call on whether or not to bring him with.

None of them had been prepared for the secrets learned within that room.

"...Azz-kun?"

Asmodeus inhaled sharply, still hidden by Purson's slim frame. Purson turned slightly towards Iruma, "Yeah. He's a bit weepy right now."

Ameri frowned before setting up another small table, and placing a fresh cup of tea for Asmodeus nearby. She turned to Purson, but he shook his head in the negative, "No thanks, I'm alright." Ameri nodded, before she stepped aside to look between the two boys.

Purson shifted to fully face Iruma, "I'm gonna go get Clara."

Iruma blinked at him, "Huh?"

Purson gave him one of his mysterious smiles, "I think you both need her right now." He disappeared without another word, and their world became small and focused between the three left.

Iruma met Asmodeus's eyes, and Asmodeus held them in turn before wavering and bowing his head slightly. "Iruma-sama…"

Iruma took in a deep breath before exhaling. He honestly wasn't mad. Upset? Sure. Mad? No.

It was an inevitability. Would he have preferred things to have come out differently? Absolutely.

But Iruma trusted Purson, and he trusted Asmodeus even more.

"Azz- Alice." The other boy raised his head to meet his gaze. Iruma's voice was gentle, "I'm not angry with you, though I'm sorry you had to see that side of me." Asmodeus was left speechless while Iruma looked towards Ameri. "I'm sorry you had to see me punch your dad."

Ameri sighed lightly, "I was shocked, but I don't blame you at all. I don't hold it against you in the slightest."

Iruma relaxed slightly at that, before falling silent in contemplation. He took some more sips of his tea, and ate another cookie before looking towards Asmodeus. He observed the other teen, and Asmodeus slowly seemed to calm down as he sipped his own cup of tea.

Neither boy knew what to say, and Ameri looked between the two of them, unsure of how to break the stiff silence that had fallen between them.

For Iruma, he knew he'd have to tell Clara about himself, now that Asmodeus knew.

For Alice, it was a jumble of so many feelings, and clarity about why Iruma acted the way he did at times.

It felt like no time at all when the door slammed open, and Clara ran into the middle of the room as she looked between her two boys before screaming, "Who hurt my AzzAzz and Iruma-chi!?"

Asmodeus and Iruma gaped at her, before Kerori slipped around Clara to Iruma's panicked side. Kerori crushed him into her chest as she exclaimed, "You are so troublesome!"

Iruma hesitantly held her in return, "Ah, eh?!" He shifted his face so he wasn't mashed into her chest, "Wh-what are you-"

Kerori grit her teeth as she pulled him back to smash his face between her palms, forcing him to look at her, "You were so enraged out of nowhere, that I froze half of our classroom in surprise! What was I supposed to think, when feeling such a strong emotion from you!? I was scared for you!"

Iruma stared at her, wide eyed, before relenting. "I'm sorry."

Kerori vehemently shook her head, "You don't-" She sighed, "What happened? Is it related to your birthday?" He looked at her curiously as she continued, "You've had some serious swings in emotion since then."

Iruma frowned slightly as Kerori moved her hands to his shoulders in comfort.

That is, until Clara roughly moved Kerori aside and wrapped her arms around his neck while curling into his lap, "Iruma-chi..!" She nuzzled into him in worry, "Who made you and AzzAzz cry? He won't tell me."

Iruma smiled slightly as he held her, to make things more comfortable as he adjusted her weight in his lap.

He glanced towards Purson, who shrugged awkwardly and gave him a short sign in apology.

Iruma took in a deep breath, before exhaling tiredly. "Clara, Kerori… what I'm about to tell you- you absolutely cannot tell anyone about, okay? Swear on your names that you'll keep silent about it."

Clara stiffened in surprise in his arms, while Kerori gasped. She pursed her lips, before relenting, "I, on my name Crocell Kerori, promise to keep whatever you're about to say silent."

Clara gnawed on her lips before sighing, "I promise to stay silent about what you're going to tell us, on my name Valac Clara."

Iruma nodded to himself, before gently signaling for Clara to give him space. She reluctantly complied, and shuffled over to Asmodeus to cuddle with him for mutual comfort.

Kerori moved closer to Ameri, while Purson moved slightly closer to Iruma's right side.

Iruma took in a deep breath before looking between Kerori and Clara, "I'm half Human, so please don't eat me."

Purson blinked before turning to him while the others silently reacted to his words, "D'you honestly think we'd eat you!?"

Iruma looked up at him, blatantly freaked out, "Have you listened to our school's Alma Mater!?"

Purson stared at him agape before he covered his mouth to laugh, "Iruma- please, we wouldn't-!"

Iruma flushed, "During the opening ceremony, the demons around me kept talking about how something smelled delicious! And everyone started singing about eating Humans, blood, bone and all! What the fuck was I supposed to think!? Any time Humans are mentioned, everyone speculates how delicious they'd be! I'm Grade A meat, here!"

Purson was shaking while trying to hold back his laughter as he snickered, "I- Wh- Iruma, please! We're not so mindless that we'd just-"

Iruma puffed out his cheeks, pouting, as he slumped into his chair with crossed arms and grumbled, "I watched Ameri drop-kick a student falling into their Wicked Phase for trying to eat another student."

Purson sobered and it was as if he hadn't laughed at all, "Ah yeah. My bad. There are types that're like that."

Kerori blinked before she stared Iruma down. He glanced at her and straightened up in his chair. She pursed her lips, "...You really think Humans are real..?"

Iruma took in a deep breath, "I was raised in the Human Realm. I've been surrounded by Humans my whole life, up until the night of the opening ceremony. I had no idea demons- or at least, Demons like you guys, even existed." And that just circled back into the more complicated aspect that there were plenty of Humans who believed that Demons were real- but that fell back into the Spiritual aspect of Humanity. Iruma had no idea what Powers those of the Netherworld Believed in.

Kerori puzzled over his words, "So there are many Humans?"

Iruma nodded as he contemplated to himself, "I'm pretty sure in (Tokyo) alone, around 13 million people live there."

Ameri nearly fell over as the others around him staggered from this tidbit of information, "Th-that's!?" Ameri turned to him, "How can so many beings live in one area without violence breaking out!?"

Iruma tilted his head, "Uh-"

Clara piped up, "Iruma-chi, with that many Humans around, did you ever wanna eat them?"

Everyone's thoughts stopped as Iruma shook his head, "Not at all. I never found Humans the least bit tempting."

Clara's eyes widened, "So you never even thought about nomming one?"

"Nuh uh." Iruma contemplated, "Even when I was half-starved, the thought of eating Humans never crossed my mind. Admittedly, I grew up thinking I was entirely- well, at least mostly Human. A bit of a freak because of my cat ears, tail, and wings, but uh. The thought of being even remotely… not Human seemed absurd."

Asmodeus finally spoke, "But wouldn't your parents have noticed your tail?"

Iruma shook his head vehemently, "The moment my cat ears and tail grew out of nowhere when I was little, I made sure to hide them! If my parents had noticed them, they definitely would've made me into a freak show, or sold me off to be experimented on! There's no way I would've let them notice!" He slumped, "When I realized my eyes refracted light- now that was a lot harder to figure out. Humans don't do that, and it honestly freaked me out when I realized."

Ameri tilted her head, "What about your wings?"

Iruma looked at her, "I was eleven the first time my wings ever came out." Ameri's eyes widened as he continued, "I had a hard time moving them, and then getting them to disappear was a several hour-long trial." He sighed softly at the memory, "That was exhausting."

Asmodeus's heart squeezed in sympathy for his friend, "Iruma-sama…" He felt so privileged. The way he'd been raised was so starkly different from his friend.

Clara buried her face into his collar, and soon he realized she was sniffling. Asmodeus focused on her for a moment as he held her in comfort, and rubbed her back, "Clara…"

Clara sniffed, "Iruma-chi deserved better."

Asmodeus frowned, before realizing that Iruma had offhandedly spoken of the things he'd lacked growing up for them to make their own distressing conclusions.

Kerori crossed her arms, "So you were raised by Humans."

Iruma nodded, "Yeah. Two horribly irresponsible Humans… and one of them was my biological father."

Kerori stiffened, "...Oh. And Opera is your birth parent."

Iruma nodded in confirmation before continuing, "Yeah. It wasn't until Kalego finished adopting me on my birthday the other week, that I found that out. And today I learned that the two Humans who raised me are dead."

Kerori almost said good riddance before stopping herself. Even if it were true, the feelings she had gotten from Iruma, and were continuing to receive from him were so… jumbled. It was grief intermixed with bitter relief.

Her sentiments didn't need to be added to his own.

"So what made you so angry?"

Iruma took in a sharp breath as frustration bled back into his features, before Ameri spoke instead. "My father was the one to leave him with his Human guardians in the Human Realm." She shrugged with thinly veiled bitterness, "Border Patrol."

Kerori's stomach dropped. She could make sense of what wasn't said, with that alone.

Asmodeus ran his fingers through Clara's hair, "And yet you somehow found your way back to the Netherworld."

Iruma sniffed rudely as he bared his fangs for a moment, "My stupid Human parents sold my Soul to a devil, who just so happened to be Lord Sullivan." Asmodeus stiffened, while Clara sprung out of his lap with a gasp and wound herself around Iruma once more while his name overflowed from her lips. Clara didn't know what to do or say to comfort him, so she wrapped her being around him and finally pushed her Mana against his. He held her tiredly as he welcomed her Magic into his space and held her Mana close and coiled it within himself.

She could feel all of the rough edges he'd hidden from them, and soon enough Asmodeus was crowding them as well, pressing his Mana against theirs to be welcomed in.

Of course Iruma and Clara pulled him close, and his Mana coiled and snaked through their interlocked Magicks, as he felt through their pains and worries. Asmodeus sighed softly as he settled himself tightly into the chair alongside Iruma, while taking some of Clara's burden off of him, "Iruma-sama, please do allow us in a bit more from now on." There were so many hidden frigid spots he needed to warm, valleys and barren land he needed to burn for Clara to plant for new growth.

They could feel Kerori's work on Iruma's Mana reserves. The ice might freeze, but it pushed into the enclosed spaces and melted into new pools for storing strength.

Asmodeus couldn't help but be grateful, despite his jealousy, that someone had been working to repair what Iruma had lacked.

Kerori couldn't help but gravitate to Iruma's side, as she settled near him, while Ameri did the same.

Iruma easily welcomed Kerori's Mana, but he wasn't prepared for the brush of fox fur. He could feel Ameri's hesitance, the way her poor tails laid low in worried rejection.

Iruma took her hand, and pulled her Mana into his own, despite how crowded he was beginning to feel, with so many other unique Magicks pressing against and into him.

But he wouldn't leave her out, and he was again washed with the feelings of WorryGratitudeLoveFavorCare-

He took in a deep breath, and read through Asmodeus, Clara, and Kerori's feelings.

They all felt very much the same.

Iruma tugged at Purson's Magic, and Purson smiled slightly as he opened himself up to him. BrotherAmusementWorryCare

Iruma sighed softly as he leaned against Asmodeus tiredly and spoke with a soft voice, "Sorry for the trouble."

Iruma fell asleep swiftly after that, and when he woke up, he realized he'd been moved to the floor onto a huge futon, so that they could all cuddle with him equally.

He awkwardly glanced at his phone, only to find the Misfits chat to be absolute chaos.

Iruma sighed softly to himself as he ran an unconscious hand through Clara's hair, before finally responding to the litany of worried texts.

xXx-xXx-recuperation-xXx-xXx