Fly Away

Chapter 20: Pretty little ... Serizawa?

Rin sat sandwiched between Shin and Sano, with barely enough space to move. She didn't even know how she'd ended up here. From what she's gathered, Shin had volun-told Sano, Heisuke, Saito and Souji they were coming and Heisuke had decided that she hadn't suffered enough. So there she was, crushed between Sano and Shin's oh so impressive muscles, watching a verbal sparring match between Souji and Serizawa; Souji was losing badly. Eventually, he stomped off. About three minutes later, it dawned on her that this was a perfect excuse to get the hell out.

Finally putting her wiggling skills, acquired from years of drinking with the baka-trio, to use, she snaked her way out. Sano, too preoccupied with some spectacle happening between that moron Ryunnosuke, a pretty little Maiko and a not-so-pretty little Serizawa, didn't notice, but Shin looked up at her a curious, slightly concerned look. Her eyes flashed to Souji's seat then to the door. He gave her a slight smile.

"Don't die." She gave him a crooked grin. Rin skirted the room, praying to whoever would listen to her sorry ass that no one would call her out. Sadly the gods decide to make her miserable:

"Miss Rin, where are you going? Someone in your state of ... frailty shouldn't be wandering alone." The words themselves were seemingly kind, only, the mockery dripping from them were a dead giveaway that there was nothing kind or caring about them.

"I need some fresh air. After all, it isn't good for someone in my state to keep company with such rowdy ... men." She made sure to put all the distain and condesention she could muster into her voice. She looked over her shoulder, a predatory sneer on her face and a dare in her eyes. And left.

----------------------------------------------------

It took Rin while to find Souji; the man could be quite elusive when he wished. He stood on a small footbridge, leaning on the railing. It would have been a perfect scene ... had his eyes not promised murder.

She slowly walked over, to settle next to him, her arm grazing his. They stood there a long time, in comfortable silence, the bloodlust slowly fading from his features. No words were exchanged, and yet so much was said. Rin's frustration, restlessness, craving for freedom. Shouji's anger, his thirst for blood and, hidden beneath it all, his deep-rooted desire to protect the makeshift family he'd patched together. He gently wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer into his side, a slight grin gracing his lips.

"We make a sorry pair, don't we?" She looked up at him, a contemplative smile on her face.

"We do. Sometimes I wonder why we, of all people, met? It's always seemed to me like a recipe for disaster ..." He looked up to the starry sky. It was the first time in a long time she'd seen him so calm ... so peaceful.

"Only the goddamn gods know." She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm not even sure they know."

Probably not.