Leashed | • • • | Blue Exorcist

Road Trip

Shura's POV:

I sighed as I hung up the phone, it was one of the workers at the hospital. Apparently, they think Rin could use a couple visitors. To be honest, I was waiting for this call, however, I expected Rin to be the one to ask us to come, not a receptionist. It's been a few days since we've seen him last, and Yukio has been worrying me.

I rubbed my eyes and stood from my desk, grabbing my coat and starting my tread to the boys' dorm. The youngest of the Okumura family had me slightly stressed. Obviously, his twin has me at a loss, but Yukio always had a level head. His reaction was to be expected - for the most part, his sardonic comments about his own welfare were something that bothered me, though. And I didn't know how to address it with him, he was only a child, after all. I didn't want to trigger any adverse reaction, sending him into some downward spiral towards where his brother was. Seeing as stuff like this is somewhat hereditary.

I shook my head, continuing my musing as I finished my walk to the dorm. At my arrival, I didn't bother knocking - who would even answer? I simply entered the building and headed up a few flights of stairs. "Hey Chicken!" I called in my usual tone once I'd reached his floor.

After a few moments I heard a door open down the hall and an exasperated sigh, "what now, Shura? I have homework." I rolled my eyes and made my way to him, quirking an eyebrow at his disheveled appearance. His hair was messy and his eyes were slightly bloodshot. He'd taken to wearing simple sweats when at the dorm. It must be a comfort to him, and I don't blame him - I could never imagine wearing an exorcist uniform for as long as he usually did.

"Fix yourself up, we're gonna visit that brat of a brother you have." I saw emotion swirl in his teal eyes for a moment before his expression changed. He didn't give me enough time to decipher it before he turned on his heels, leaving his door open as he walked to his closet. I meandered into his room, taking in the pristine state as he tore his hoodie off. I probably shouldn't be in the same room as a disrobing teenager. Yet, I knew this kid for years, and I watched him grow into the young adult he is today. I held no sexual attraction to him... bleh! If anything, the way I felt towards him was almost... I don't know, motherly? The thought made me want to laugh, a breath escaping through my nostrils.

Me, a mother? Never...

However, as I gazed at Yukio turned torso, his muscles tense from the stress of his brother's situation... I may never be a mother, but I cared for the twins dearly. I thought Shiro was a fool for protecting these idiots, yet I find myself doing exactly that. Remembering the life they'd lived, I couldn't help but try to protect them. I had my own childhood trauma, but nothing near what they had.

As Yukio stripped of his pants and fished out a new pair, I pondered his life and the one of his twin. Yukio has been able to see demons since birth, which is terrifying for a child, especially when your classmates aren't the same. He must have felt so lonely. And to start exorcist training at the chilling age of seven? I shook my head. I don't care that he's a prodigy, he lost years of his life to this profession. Those years being highly important to how he developed. No, I would've never let him do such a thing if he were my own child, what was Shiro thinking?

And Rin.... I closed my eyes for a moment, pity for the boy flooding my veins. He's been ostracized his whole life for behaving like a demon child. How often did that boy cry himself to sleep back then? Again, I had to wonder how lonely the Okumura's had felt as children. For Rin to suddenly find out that he was, in fact, a demon child, how much did that effect him? Had one of his nightmares come true?

I had to hold back a scoff; that wasn't a nightmare. Watching Shiro die by the hands of his biological father was a damn nightmare. The twins never had a mother to go to, Shiro was all they had. To be stripped of your guardian and role model so suddenly, and at the age they are... I shook my head. It hasn't even been that long since his death. A thought occurred to me; why hadn't anyone stepped in and sent the boys to a therapist? As soon as Shiro was lowered into the ground, the twins should've been a priority. They are kids. I don't give a fuck if Yukio is mature for his age, or if Rin suffered in silence. The exorcists failed to protect and serve them, as the adopted children of the Paladin, you'd think someone would've given a rats ass about their mental well-being.