Pardon me (Neko Rin)

Ch 22

Rin pov

I cook dinner and Kuro sits on the counter watching me and keeping me company. 

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" Maruta asks. 

"I'm sure. Now is the table set?" I ask. 

"yes," Izumi replies. 

"The way I like it?"

Kyodo replies. I keep trying to think of things for them to do. They want to help me but I don't need help. 

"Did you sweep?"

"yes," Nagatomo replies. 

"Both the dining room and main room," Misumi adds.

"Good job."

"Now can we help you cook?" Maruta asks.

 I laugh. "no."

"You sure are stubborn," Izumi sighs. 

"It's your own fault for asking. You guys know I don't need help cooking."

"But you helped us so much today. it's only fair that we repay you," Kyodo adds. 

"You guys had to deal with me as a child. If anything I'm still in debt to you." 

"But raising you wasn't that hard. We all did our parts and Shiro was the one who really had the hardest time. He was the one who spent the most time with you," Misumi adds.

"Well... this is still the church Shiro established so by helping you out I am repaying him."

 "You don't need to repay Shiro. He loved raising you and Yukio. Even if it was hard he still enjoyed it," Izumi adds. 

"I know but I was still troublesome. Now if you really want to help me go sit down. The food should be ready soon."

They reluctantly sit down at the table. 

"Guess whos home?" Yukio shouts barging through the door. 

The churchmen smile. They all go to help Yukio out. 

"Hey what happened to your cheek?" Izumi asks. 

"Oh it's nothing just a scratch," Yukio replies brushing off the concern. "I have a few textbooks for Rin, could you guys go put that in his room? if you aren't busy?" 

Yukio gets some papers and puts it in my room then he walks into the kitchen. 

"Need any help?" Yukio asks. 

"Nope, all I need is someone to carry the food into the dining room," I reply as I turn around. "Yukio what happened to your cheek?"

 There are three long scratch marks on his cheek. 

"I will tell you later," Yukio replies. 

"fine... so how did the teacher take it?" I ask. 

"They were helpful. I have all your work for this week in your room. I was even able to get textbooks for you," Yukio explains with a smirk.

I nod and I start bringing out the food and Yukio helps me. Then the churchmen arrive. We all sit down and Yukio leads the prayer again. Then we begin eating. 

"So how was your day?" Yukio asks. 

"Rin found out what the problem was with the heater and he got the outside heather to work," Kyodo replies.

"he also got rid of A salamander, a group of Koks, and a pack of ghouls," Nagatomo adds. 

"You did?" Yukio asks. 

"And he even spoke the demon tongue perfectly," Izumi adds. 

"Good job Rin," Yukio says happily. I smile but I see Yukio's wound and it bothers me.

There is something about the marks that I recognize. It's familiar which is scary. I recognize it but I don't. It is a weird balance. Once everyone finishes their food. Yukio and I clean the dishes. 

"So are you going to tell me about your scratches?" I ask. 

"Well, I talked to Mephisto," Yukio begins. 

Then it clicks. I finally understood why I recognize it. I grab Yukio's wrist and pull him to the bathroom and I immediately begin to clean the marks.

"Rin it's not that big of a deal," Yukio replies. 

"Yes, it is! He hurt you," I whine.

"He could have done a lot worse," Yukio adds. 

"Tell me how it happened," I reply. 

"Rin," Yukio pleads. 

"now," I snap. 

"Fine," Yukio hisses.

Yukio pov

I begin to recall the event that led up to the marks.

 "So I had just finished with my last class and I was putting everything away when Mephisto called for me. I went to the office. He asked me 'where Rin was' and I told him 'somewhere safe, and comfortable that he picked'. He told me to tell him where you are again and I just repeated myself. He got angry and started threatening me. I told him 'that Rin was safe and where he wanted to be.  He told me that he needed to keep you safe and needed to know your location. I told him that: 'he doesn't need your protection', and 'Rin can hold his own and doesn't need someone gatekeeping him'. Then like an idiot I added. 'if he really cared for you then he would let you be where you wanted, but he only cares about you because he is a Neko'. Mephisto despised that and snarled at me; I was close to leaving when he grabbed me. He told me to 'never question his love for you'. Then I I told him 'you can take care of yourself and don't need an abusive and cruel demon to control you'."

Rin continues to clean the wounds. "then he gave me these. I was able to get away from him and I left. He didn't follow me as soon as I got outside."

"Do you think he may have followed you from a distance?" Rin asks. 

"If he did he is not attacking," I reply. 

"Can you teach me how to fire a gun tonight? Just in case Mephisto comes when you aren't here." Rin asks. 

"ok. but after you need to get some schoolwork done," I reply. 

"fine" Rin groans.