"It" Can't Be Helped (Revised) | ✔️ | Blue Exorcist

47

So I lied. I didn't have a chapter prepared yesterday, but I'm sleep deprived a knocked this out while I was at work. Hope you enjoy!

After multiple phone passes and a few dozen snickers, I began to feel a little better. It was a false sense of calm, and I knew that. Having Bon and I huddled up against a secluded wall of the academy was only a distraction. The funny videos and stupid jokes wouldn't help me once I left the room, but I cherished those moments like the last few drops of water in a desert. Bon humored me, going as far as to show me several of his favorite videos to make me laugh. Slowly, the puffiness in my eyes softened. Soon afterward, I regained the ability to breathe through both sides of my nose. My head still felt foggy and I was sure there were red rings under my lashes, but I felt a lot better than I had.

When the bell finally chimed, alerting the end of class, my finger paused over my screen. Time had passed far too quickly and now... now it was time to nut-up or shut-up. Pocketing my phone, I pushed myself up to stand, quickly changing out of my gym clothes. Bon stood after me, waiting patiently for me to take the first step. It went without saying that he'd be by my side during lunch, and I was grateful for that.

When we entered the hallway together, the mass of students seemed far more preoccupied with getting to the cafeteria than to acknowledge my presence. Unfortunately, that didn't last long. As we drew closer, the smell of sweet chili sauce graced my nostrils. When I pushed open the wide, double doors, it felt like I'd become a character in a movie. Several wayward glances cast my direction as we passed the tables. Their eyes lit a fire under my jacket and across my skin, and it felt like an invasion of privacy. Not everyone had the balls to stare me down, but those who did were open about their choice. Trying to stay confident, I met a few pairs of eyes. Every one of them seemed indifferent, their expressions flat and holding no shadows of emotion.

Not being able to decipher them, I felt the barely contained knot of worry begin to fester in my gut again. I swallowed hard and treaded to a mostly empty table. I sat down at the far end, and Bon's presence reappeared at my side. The other end of the table had a few teenagers. All of them seemed overtly interested in their conversation, their eyes not daring to shift my direction. Their effort was almost comical, but the gnawing in my stomach kept me from smiling.

Bon's muttered a few things about getting into line, I simply shook my head, not hungry for obvious reasons. When he left, I dropped my head onto my folded arms. A long sigh blew through my mouth and I began chewing on the dry skin of my bottom lip. Even now, sitting and staying as inconspicuous as possible, their eyes were on me. For many reasons, I hated my demon side, but my increased perception was now my worst enemy. I felt almost naked under their gazes. My academy jacket might as well have been made out of plastic wrap with how badly my scars burned from their looks.

After a few minutes, the sound of hard plastic hitting the table awoke me from my daydreams. Lifting my head, I spotted Bon, several food items spread out across his tray. For a moment, I stared at the platter. It had been a long time since I'd been able to eat that much. I used to be a bottomless pit when it came to meals, but now? It was difficult to get through the main dish, but that's suggesting I ate in the first place. I swallowed over the lump in my throat; I'd be losing a lot more than body fat if I didn't start getting my shit together.

Bon thrust something toward me and I flinched, effectively pulled out of my musing. He held a prepackaged onigiri and I quirked my eyebrow at him. He gestured for me to take it and I thanked him quietly, pulling off the plastic and crumpling the wrapper in my palm.

Gingerly, I took a bite, not sure how my stomach would tolerate food given the hurricane that was currently raging in my abdomen. A small, delighted moan pulled from my throat and I blushed so hard I felt my fingers tingle with the embarrassment. Bon gave me a curious look, one side of his mouth pulled into a smirk. I swallowed my bite and addressed him, "Is this okaka?" He nodded after a moment and a smile of my own flickered onto my face. "Those are my favorite."