Duality (DxD) (Part 1)

Ch 11 - Not A Hero

Jin was walking back with the toy in hand as he looked at it. Giving a small smile as he opened the doors to the dojo and saw Ban standing in the dojo looking at Jin.

Jin: {Has he been standing there the whole day?} I...

Ban: There's no point in lying when I saw everything.

Jin froze for a second as the door closed behind him. Gripping the toy tighter as he looked at Ban.

Jin: Why were you watching me? {He can't even trust me to go outside on my own now! Why? Why am I such a burden to you?!}

Jin said to himself internally as he looked at Ban with angry and hurt eyes. Yet Ban didn't realise why he was hurt or angry. Thinking it was because he got caught.

Ban: I think what's more important is you beating up those children.

Jin: I didn't beat them up!

Ban: You punched them hard unprovoked. One hard enough that I saw him running away with a bloody nose.

Jin: Once! I hit them both once! That is not beating someone up!

Jin said knowing full well what it's like to be beaten up. To be constantly punched and kicked. But Ban didn't see it like that. Ban saw it as Jin hurting kids who had nothing to do with him.

Ban: The fact of the matter is, you hurt two people, two kids. It's even worse as they weren't doing anything to you. They hadn't taken any notice of you.

Jin: If you were watching then you would have seen they were beating on a girl!

Ban: What you did was wrong Jin. So tomorrow you're going to come with me and we'll apologise to those kids.

Jin: Why?! For interfering?! Why didn't the strong hero help then?! Why were you just watching?!

Jin raised his voice as Ban looked surprised at Jin. He was rebelling more and more as the days went by, but this seemed especially close to home.

Ban: I wasn't going to intervene. Their children and I'm an adult. An old man as you call me. Intervening would have only made things worse. On top of that, their punching and kicking weren't enough to do any real harm, and I know the girl was part of the issue. Picking any side would have been wrong and what you did was escalate the issue. They're kids. What they do is scuffle and cause problems.

Jin: You... YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HELP THE SMALLER ONE IN THE SITUATION! THE ONE GETTING BEAT UP DESPITE THE SMALL THING THEY MAY HAVE DONE WRONG! THE GIRL IN THAT SITUATION!

Ban: Jin, calm down. I'm not shouting, am I?

Jin looked at Ban as he gripped his fists with a sour taste in his mouth. Gulping as he took deep breaths.

Jin: You... You're supposed to be the hero. You're supposed to intervene in those types of situations.

Ban: What you did wasn't heroic Jin. You hurt people unnecessarily.

Jin looked up at Ban even more hurt as he gritted his teeth. Taking deep breaths as he calmed himself down. Trying to slow his heart rate.

Jin: Then I'm not a hero. But in that situation, I'm sure as hell, not the villain. I...

Jin then remembered what that kid said. What that kid screamed as he ran away from him. Remembering clearly what he said.

Jin: I'm a monster.

Ban widened his eyes as he heard a similar thing come from Jin's mouth as he heard from someone else a long time ago. Looking at Jin, Ban stepped forward, but Jin stepped back.

Ban: I... Jin you're not a monster.

Jin: Why not? I've killed someone, you can't trust me to go outside so you might as well have me on a leash. I even hurt people because I can't just let someone get mercilessly beaten. I might as well be your own small domesticated monster.

Ban gulped as he looked at Jin who had serious eyes. Kneeling down on the padded mat and sitting on his feet.

Ban: Jin... You're not a monster. You... you may not be a hero hurting those kids, but you're not a villain. But... please don't call yourself a monster. Please don't try and become a monster. You... you did what you thought as right, so... you did nothing wrong. I'm sorry.

Ban said as Jin looked shocked. Yet slowly, his eyes welled in tears as he sniffled. Wiping his eyes as he sniffed in to stop himself from crying.

Jin: You... I... Why?

Ban: You took the toy not because you wanted it, but because the children are more interested in that than the girl. So they'll ask her for the toy and she'll say she gave it to you. What were you going to to after that?

Jin: I... I was going to make sure they stopped hitting the girl, and if they tried to hurt me, scare them. So they never do it anyone again.

Ban gave a small smile as Jin sniffled as rubbed away the tears that threatened to fall. Holding out his arms.

Ban: {*Sigh* I can't hold Jin to a heroic standard like I did to him. But he isn't doing anything completely wrong. I just have to make sure he doesn't become a villain or think of himself as a monster. I can't let that happen again.} Come here Jin.

Jin looked at Ban and ran towards him. Diving in for a hug as Ban gave Jin a strong one. There were no comforting words. But the strong hug was enough.

Ban: This isn't punishment. But you're going to continue going out until you make a friend. I won't follow you this time, and I... I won't judge you even if you save someone. Just... try not to hurt people without a good reason.

Jin didn't say anything, as he sniffled into Ban who felt his black martial arts jumpsuit getting wet.

Ban: {This is definitely the reason why I didn't have any kids. Very gross.}