The Kid I Used to Know

Power Corrupts

The adults all unanimously decided to send Kei on a grade 1 exorcism field test. It was the expected result, but Yuji could tell Kei was still somewhat disappointed.

After the tests, Yuji all but dragged Kei to his room, Asami trailing along behind them worriedly.

"He'll be fine," Yuji reassured her, "He just tried a bit too hard to show off."

"Fuck off," Kei grumbled at the ground, making no effort to shove Yuji off and walk the rest of the way back by himself.

"You'd fall flat on your face if I did that," Yuji retorted with an amused smile, "I'm taking you straight to bed. You're going to take a nap and then relax the rest of the day."

"They gonna let me?" Kei groused.

"Naobito-sama ordered you to be left alone until after dinner," Asami assured him, still looking worried, "He seemed impressed, Kei-sama. I heard him telling Jiro-sama that you'd be less work than expected."

"Jiro-sama?" Yuji asked curiously, "Who's that?"

Furrowing a brow incredulously, Asami replied, "The elder that was invited to help with the assessment. You both had sunrise meditation with him just this morning as well."

"Unimportant," was Kei's contribution to the conversation.

Asami gasped, "Kei-sama! The clan elders have a very important role within our clan! They help guide future generations, remember our history and traditions, as well as-"

"Entitled bigots," Kei cut in, "teaching new entitled bigots."

With a scandalized gasp, Asami spluttered, "Kei-sama! You- I-... You can't just say that!"

Yuji gave an amused huff, "Alright, time for you to sleep. I know you're out of it when you forget your filter and start sounding like sensei."

"Your sensei taught you to say such things?!" Asami asked in shock.

"Yep," Yuji replied, relieved to finally be at the door to Kei's bedroom, which Asami kindly opened for him as his hands were a bit full of Kei who was now half-asleep and hanging off Yuji.

He could carry him bridal style, but Yuji valued his life.

They entered the bedroom, Yuji heading straight for the bed and throwing Kei on top of it.

"Won't he be uncomfortable?" Asami fretted, removing Kei's boots for him before hovering nervously.

"The first time he opened his domain, I found him taking a nap on top of gravel," Yuji informed her, "He'll be fine. And pissed if he finds out we babied him."

"I'm still awake, asshole," Kei mumbled into his pillows.

"No you're not," Yuji denied immediately, "Go to sleep."

"...idiot," his friend grumbled, rolling away from the light and immediately falling asleep.

Gesturing for Asami to follow him, Yuji led her outside the doors, closing them behind himself before he whispered, "He's very stubborn, but he's a big baby when he's hurt, tired, or injured. Kei's tough though, he'll be fine. And he's got me looking out for him as well. You don't need to worry."

Brushing a strand of her hair nervously behind her ear, Asami looked up at Yuji, "You two seem... close."

"We are," Yuji admitted easily, trying to figure out why Asami would look so nervous to say something so obvious, "We've been through a lot together. He's my best friend."

Biting her lip, Asami whispered, "Does he really think about the elders that way?"

Narrowing his eyes at her, Yuji tried to figure out how much to say. Playing politics was never going to be his strong suit, he'd leave that to Kei, but he was a good judge of people. Asami seemed... nervous. Not in a guilty way, but like she wasn't sure of herself. He wouldn't know, but Yuji could guess that being a servant of the Zen'in clan wasn't the easiest job in the world, and getting a new master, one so unknown especially, was probably nerve wracking.