Book of One-Sh!ts

[Blue Exorcist] The Family Business

"Get in the car, Rin," Yukio leaned up against the door to his beloved vehicle. He was half tempted to smoke a cigarette, except for the fact that he'd just given that up. Quitting never really worked for him before, why should it now? He stared at the unopened package in his breast pocket but ultimately decided against it. He'd lasted this long. He should keep up the good work. 

"I'm not getting into that bullshit again, Yukio. I'm in school. Let me be the smart one for once. Do you know how long it took me before this university accepted me?" Rin folded his arms and growled as if he were an animal. His pointy ears and the tail wrapped around his waist briefly reminded Yukio of the true nature of his brother. 

"Dad hasn't shown up to any of the hunting trips in months. I think something has happened to him," Yukio let out a long breath as if he'd just inhaled some of that delicious cancer-air from a nicotine wad.  

"And I'm supposed to care...why? That's your thing. You and Dad go hunting. I wasn't allowed to. It was 'too dangerous' for me to get involved," Rin scoffed. "Probably because he knew of my true nature, that bastard," a low growl escaped from his throat. It caused the hairs on the back of Yukio's neck to stand up. He would never admit that his brother terrified him, no matter how true it might be. 

"Don't call him a bastard," Yukio crossed his arms only to uncross them. He shifted the weight of his body from leg to leg, unable to stand comfortably. He might have to open that package of cigarettes after all. 

"Stop acting like you're so much wiser and older than me, we are twins! I came out first!" Rin snapped. His teeth looked as if they'd gotten slightly longer. "I gave up on Dad a long time ago, when he gave up on me. So quit your whining and let me be happy for once in my life. I have a boyfriend, a university to attend, I have a life!" 

Yukio took a step forward and grabbed the collar of Rin's shirt. He lifted him up slightly and glared into his eyes. A blue flame burning in one of his own. Rin blinked, it disappeared, he must've imagined it. "Don't disrespect Dad like that. You were his favorite and he loved you more than anything. He didn't give up on you, he was trying to protect you. Or did you forget who our biological father is?" Yukio released Rin's collar and took a step back. "Dad is missing. He hasn't come back from his most recent hunting trip. I think he found something that a certain somebody didn't want him to know about and got himself into a bit of trouble. Either you come with me or you don't. I'm leaving tomorrow night." Yukio opened the car door and got in, he started the engine and drove off. 

"It was nice to see you too, Yukio," Rin shook his head and went back into the dorm building. He'd have to come up with a good excuse to tell his boyfriend about why he escaped the room so late at night. This wasn't looking too great. 

"It's cold," Rin's hand felt the cool mist before it even reached the doorknob. "Shit!" His memories of that night returned. He opened the door only to see the familiar blue flames enveloping his boyfriend and hanging him from the ceiling. The minute his eyes laid upon them the flames went from cold to scalding hot. "Shit! Shit! Shit! Why didn't I remember that I caused it to burn last time too?!" Rin searched for the bucket he kept beside his bed, already filled with water in case something like this happened. He tossed it onto the ceiling, hoping that by some stroke of luck it might stop the unnatural flames. Instead, it fueled the fire. 

"I'm so sorry," tears flooded Rin's eyes as the flames flocked to him as well. They didn't burn him, for he had already awakened his blood ties. "I'm so sorry. I should've listened the first time. Why did I think I could be happy here on my own? Being separated from Yukio didn't change anything...I'm still the son of Satan..." Rin knelt on the ground and sobbed into his knees. He waited for the fire to go away, leaving nothing behind, not even ashes or bones. The very existence of his boyfriend would be erased, just like what happened to his mother. Only Rin would remember that he existed. 

"Rin? Are you okay? Are you lonely in this room all by yourself? I told you that having a roommate would be better..." Konekomaru walked in, proving to Rin that his boyfriend was gone forever. Deleted from space and time. 

"You're lying, you just wanted this room to yourself. You're jealous of Rin's room," Shima slapped Konekomaru on the back of the head. 

Rin wiped his eyes and stood up. He smiled awkwardly to reassure them he was fine. "Sorry guys, it looks like I have some family business to attend to. I don't think I'll be coming back to school any time soon." Rin hastily grabbed a bag and packed all of his most essential belongings. "It was nice knowing you. I'll try to remember to keep in touch!" 

"What? You're dropping out just like that?! You're worse than Shima!" Konekomaru frowned. 

"Family business, I'm really sorry for it being so sudden," Rin apologized and ran out of the dorm. He ran and he ran, as fast as he could, until he reached the nearest motel. Yukio was waiting, leaning up against the door, clutching his package of cigarettes. 

"I knew you'd come eventually." 

"The Blue Night, it happened again..." Yukio didn't seem the slightest bit surprised upon hearing those words. 

"I see," he looked at the ground. "What a shame...who was it this time?" 

"My..." Rin's voice cracked. He couldn't finish the sentence.

"I'm really sorry, Rin," Yukio looked up to make eye contact once again. 

"It's my fault. It's all my fault. No matter how much I try, no matter where I go, I always end up hurting the people I care about just because of who my father is," Rin forced back his tears and wiped his eyes. He wasn't going to cry. 

"Because of who our father is, Rin, we are in this together," Yukio stepped forward and hugged his brother. "We just have to find Dad and make sense of this all. I'm sure he knows more than he let on. We're going to get to the bottom of this. Okay?" 

"Right," Rin nodded, accepting the hug. "Although I really wish we didn't have to." 

"Didn't have to what?" 

"Take up the family business." 

Yukio laughed. "We'll get through it somehow," he said, guiding Rin into the motel room. "How about we look at Dad's journal first? Maybe that'll give us some clues."