Narratives of a Lone Wolf [Rin Okumura x OC]

3.. Blame Game

I strode briskly through the Vatican headquarters. Although the scenery was familiar, I didn't have a clue where I was going. This was a lot harder without my usual guide (a.k.a. my guardian). Inconvenient really, seeing as every fiber of my being itched to leave. Underground places like these were never my favourite; Felt too restricted. The irony wasn't lost on me. Rules and regulations were one of the main reasons the True Cross Order was founded in the first place.

I suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure standing straight across the bridge at 2 o'clock.

"Yukio!" I called out all too eagerly.

He squinted.

"Yoko?" Yukio inquired as I neared. He looked like he wanted to say something important, but instead asked, "How'd you get in here?"

I nodded to the man beside him.

"I swiped Tsubaki's keys."

The exorcist in question, the one with the embarrassing sideburns, looked lost until I procured a hefty set of rusted keys from my pocket. He exclaimed in surprise, patting his body to make sure this wasn't some conjured illusion. Unable to find what he was looking for he hanged his head in resignation.

"How'd you know which one to use."

He didn't bother asking how I stole it. Predatory instincts made me good at this kind of stuff. Muted footsteps, feather light touches, controlled breathing, and what not. Case in point, I made a pretty good thief.

Tossing the key ring back to him, I nodded to the last person in the trio.

"Mephisto's used his like 5000 times. I'm not blind. It'd be harder if they weren't identical."

"Hmm, well maybe that's something we ought to implement," Mephisto commented off-handedly.

I rolled my eyes. My fingers alone weren't enough to count the instances the principal had ignored these same suggestions from others. He deemed them to be trivial. I wondered if his thoughts changed now that the advice came from his own mouth. Judging by his vague intonation, that didn't seem likely. He was just offering what he was best at: lip service. There was no way he was going to go around issuing new keys to everyone in the Order. He had his hands full already dealing with Satan's son. Speaking of which...

"Never mind that. Where's Rin?"

At the mention of his brother, Yukio seemed to have vigorously remembered what he wanted to say.

"In the Great Cell, being interrogated by Shura."

I cringed at the mention of the upper first class exorcist. Mephisto placed his trust in the wrong person. I wasn't able to keep Rin away from her after all. Not with what Amaimon pulled. I had notified Mephisto of her infiltration the moment I became aware of it. Monthly bleeding was a bitch. Especially when it came unannounced. Which it did for her. In the middle of Yukio's lecture, no less. Her scent was like snake venom. Too vile to mask. And unluckily for her, my nose was particularly good that day.

Yukio sensed my unease. Unfortunately, it only served to fuel his anger.

"Where the hell were you, Yoko? You were supposed be watching him."

I knew I was at fault. But his accusation had me seeing white. I may have abandoned my job, but he wasn't innocent of all crimes either.

"I was!"

"Where? In the bathroom. You were gone for 20 minutes."

I shrugged off the guilt he was trying to impose on me. This was not my fault. If anything, it was his.

"What, I can't pee? I can't get lost? We were at a closed amusement park for Hell's sake. Who was I supposed to ask for directions."

"Me? Tsubaki? Anyone of us could have escorted you if you just asked."

Tsubaki nodded his head, as if agreeing with Yukio's point.

"Well how was I supposed to know. It's not like I planned on getting lost." I was lying through my teeth, but I had to stand my ground. If he hadn't been so stupid in his pair-making decisions, we wouldn't be in this mess.

"With your sense of smell, that's the last thing I ever thought would be an issue."

I couldn't argue with that. I knew where the bathrooms were. I just didn't need to go. Fuck this.

"Well, if you were so fucking concerned about Rin, then why'd you pair him with Shiemi!" And there it was. The reason I had left. The reason I would still. Because it was easier to pin the blame on someone else than to face what I didn't want to face.

Yukio faltered. He sputtered. I sharpened my words, ready to go on the offensive.

"Honestly, what were you trying to do, Yukio? Trying to make my life harder than it already is. Is that fun for you?"

"Well, what about you?"

"What about me?"

"As if you don't make my life difficult everyday too. You and Rin are the same. Both giant thorns in my side."

"What the fuck are you going on about."

"Don't you dare play dumb. Not when it was you whostole, not to mention WASTED, all of my mineral water."

I stopped. It clicked for me then. Well how the fuck was I supposed to know. Yukio had always been good at hiding his feelings. It was something I hated about him. I almost liked it when he got angry. Because at least then he was more honest. So that was it then. Pairing Rin and Shiemi together was just his way of getting payback. I had to admit. It worked.

Except now look at the mess we were in.

Mephisto chose then to intervene.

"Bickering isn't going to get you guys anywhere now."

A loud crash sounded from somewhere deeper within the Vatican.

"Sounds like they started," Mephisto drawled.

Shit. Shura wasn't exactly the most subtle of exorcists. She wasn't afraid to use force. Especially when she was ticked off. And knowing Rin, he never backed down from a challenge. He wouldn't know a threat if it stared him in the face. He was an idiot, after all. An idiot with too much power that he didn't yet know how to handle. It was a dangerous combination. Not that Rin was even aware. And more likely than not, that ignorance was going to be what got him killed.

I spun on my heel. Mephisto was right. It was too late for accusations. Besides, actions had always spoken louder than words for me anyway. I charged in the direction of the raucous.

Mephisto's fingers suddenly grasped the scruff of my uniform, hauling me back.

"Where do you think you're going? The Great Cell can only be opened by upper class exorcists. If I recall correctly, you're only an Ex-Wire."

I snarled at him, not liking how he manhandled me.

"Then you open it."

I was two seconds away from going on a rampage. I felt feral. I was usually better at controlling my emotions. Except my heat was days away. And by the glint in Mephisto's eyes, he knew.

"Relax, Yoko. Satan's son can take Shura."

Mephisto stared down at me. I hated that all knowing look on his face. Like nothing ever got by him. Like nothing ever fazed him. Was it age and experience that made him so sure. But then that didn't make any sense. Because Rin lacked both and yet still he brimmed with confidence. Maybe that was what made Rin an idiot. Believing so fiercely in something without any definitive proof. Believing so fiercely in something despite the whole world being against it. Maybe that was what made me fall for him. His idiocy. His simplicity. His purity. His faith. His resilience. Him.

Thinking about Rin calmed me. I didn't like how he had that effect.

"How are you so sure?"

Mephisto sensed the change in my motives and let me go. He smirked. I was pretty sure the demon who raised me couldn't read minds, but that shit-eating grin had me thinking otherwise.

"You forget who raised him, Yoko."