A/N: Thanks to all you lovely people who are STLL reading and reviewing this story! You rock!

This chapter's considerably less depressing so… Happy reading! For now… *Maniacal Foreshadowing Laughter*

^|^ The Following Day at Cram School ^|^

Rin, for once, wasn't the last one in class. He still arrived a few minutes late, but to his surprise, Bon wasn't in the classroom. Rin could only guess at why Suguro hadn't shown up for class yet, and it most likely had something to do with last night.

Rin sighed, put on a smile, and entered the classroom. "Sorry I'm late!" He says cheerfully to his brother. Okumura-sensei eyes him carefully for a moment before deciding not to scold him; the memory of Rin's blood in the medical room was too fresh for Yukio to be anything other than worried for his brother.

Yukio nods slightly, telling his older brother to take a seat. Rin obliges with a smile and sits in the center front desk, his usual empty spot. Shiemi is already sitting in the back of the room by Izumo instead of near Rin, and she watches Rin carefully. Rin wonders for a moment if she can guess as to what happened last night. Rin thought he had completely healed… Was there any sign of injury remaining on his skin? Was he paler than usual? Did he appear more tired? Rin couldn't guess, so he tried to ignore Shiemi's silent, watchful gaze by watching his younger brother intently, not picking up on any of the boring lesson Yukio was giving.

Rin was so focused on his efforts to forget Shiemi's stare that he completely missed the figure that appeared in the doorway.

"Sorry I'm late," Suguro addressed to the younger Okumura. Yukio looked displeased about more than just Bon's tardiness, but gave a curt nod to allow Bon into the room.

Suguro strutted in, his usual annoyed scowl on his face, and Rin almost flinched at the pissed-off look Bon was wearing. Who was he so angry at?

Rin didn't have time to guess as Bon mumbled under his breath and pulled back a chair. He sat down directly to the right of Rin, the same place Shiemi used to sit before Rin's secret was discovered. The whole class stared while Bon kept his angry appearance, eyes shut and arms crossed, seemingly not noticing the gazes being sent his way.

There was a sudden commotion in the back of the room. "Suguro! W-what are you doing?!" Konekomaru asked, completely afraid for his friend's life. Bon started a little and looked casually back at the young man.

"What does it look like I'm doing, Koneko? I'm sitting." Ryuji proceeded by shifting in his chair and slouching into it more, as if proving the point that he was, in fact, sitting down.

"I know that! I mean why are you sitting there?!" Konekomaru asked tensely. He only got a shrug in response.

A screech was heard as wood scraped against the floor and Shima stood from his desk. He sat down at the desk behind Rin and Suguro and clamped a hand on each of their shoulders. He grinned widely.

"I knew you'd come around Bon! What made you stop acting like a jerk?" Shima laughed. "And Rin, sorry I wasn't hanging out with you before now, but you know someone had to keep an eye on Suguro! What a drama-queen!" Ryuji growled at him angrily and Rin couldn't help but laugh with the pink-haired teen.

Yukio coughed loudly at the front of the room, demanding attention. "If you'd please," Yukio said, sounding angry that they'd taken up so much of his teaching time. The tree boys at the front of the room grinned at him and sat correctly in their seats, facing the front of the room. Yukio glared for a moment, particularly at Suguro, before going back to teaching.

He taught his lesson, Rin fell asleep at the front of the class, Bon elbowed him awake every five minutes before just letting him sleep, and Shima was sporting a triumphant-looking grin while Konekomaru carefully eyed them from the back and Shiemi looked on almost longingly. Izumo just looked bored and somewhat annoyed, her usual look for Cram School. The rest of the class time went on like this before Yukio finally closed the book he had been reading to the class.

"Alright, you're dismissed. And don't forget your homework," he reminded. Bon elbowed Rin one last time and the dark-haired Okumura started awake, looking around as the others got up to leave and rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. The teens began filing out of the room.

"Suguro-san, a word please," Yukio asked, causing both Rin and Bon to stop before the door. "You can head back to the dorm, Rin. I'll catch up to you shortly." Rin nodded, looking nervously at the two, and left the classroom, wondering what Yukio and Bon would be talking about and almost certain that it would be about last night.

Bon stepped up to the teacher's desk. He waited patiently for Yukio to speak.

"I know you were being possessed," Yukio began, closing his eyes to hide emotion, "and I know that it wasn't entirely your fault." Bon opened his mouth as if to speak, but quickly shut it as Yukio's eyes snapped open and stared him down, a deep anger burning like flames in his eyes that made Suguro suppress a shiver. "I won't forget what happened though. I know where you come from, what your past looks like. I know you hate Satan, and because of that I don't ever want you alone with my brother. Is that clear?" Bon kept his face as stoic as possible and nodded slowly.

"I don't want to hurt him anymore," Suguro said as Yukio picked up his things and prepared to leave.

"I know," Yukio said quietly, "but if you do, I'll make sure Rin never has to see you again. Right now, you look like you're ready to be his friend, and you and I both know Rin needs a friend right now. I'm not enough for him, so keep in mind that the only reason I haven't shot you is because my brother still needs you. If Rin has to work hard at not screwing up, then so do you." Bon nodded and watched as Yukio left the room with a final glance in Bon's direction. As soon as he was gone, a shiver rolled down Bon's spine.

'I see how Yukio and Rin are twins now,' Bon thought. 'Rin may have the Devil's powers, but Yukio's cold stare is purely Satanic!'

Bon sighed, trying to understand how the worried brother felt, and quietly left the now empty room.

^|^ At the Old Boy's Dormitory^|^

Rin arrived home before his brother. He went upstairs and changed out of his uniform and into a comfortable navy-blue T-shirt. He sat on his bed and sighed contently, a smile creeping over his face as he thought about the events of the day. Not one, but two people had sat with him. They laughed a little, and it had felt comfortable. 'Maybe,' Rin thought, 'maybe things won't be so bad anymore. Maybe it'll start getting better…'

Rin's frowned as a cold laughter drifted through the room and the temperature dropped. A shadow appeared over Yukio's bed, hidden in the darkness cast by the top-bunk. A pair of red eyes stared at Rin from across the room. "You really think things will get better, don't you? Or have you forgotten that I'm still here? Have you forgotten who you are?" Rin silently cursed the ability to hear other demon's thoughts. It came in handy when helping kinder demons, or when talking to Kuro, but now it was becoming more of an issue.

"You've been messing with my dreams for the past few nights," Rin said to the demon. He made no move to attack it, but rather let it carry on the conversation.

"You know why I'm here," it responded. "You just haven't accepted it yet."

"I know you want me to die," Rin said. "I just haven't figured out why." Again the demon laughed a cool, almost metallic sounding laugh.

"You know why, and soon enough you'll see. You would be wise to accept this fate, or else you'll only bring more trouble on yourself, and your so-called friends."

Rin scoffed. "I don't need you to tell me who my friends are! I know more about them than you! Sure, things were complicated for a while, but they're getting better now!"

"Are they?" The demon asked. An image of flames and dark figures appeared in Rin's mind and he shook it away. "The sooner you give up the life you have here in Assiah, and the sooner you join your father in Gehenna, the easier things will be for you, Young Prince." Rin shook his head again.

"No, I don't want to go. I refuse!" Rin crossed his arms defiantly.

"All demons know the temptations of life in Assiah, but you, Young Prince, belong here. If you will not offer yourself to Lord Satan, then you will be brought back to Gehenna."

"Like hell I will!" Rin half-screamed at the shape before throwing his seethed sword at it. It disappeared and Rin's sword clambered to the floor. Yukio burst into the room.

"Rin! Are you okay?! What was that noise?" Yukio asked, worry making deep lines on his brow. Rin laughed lightly and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Sorry Yukio, it was nothing." Yukio sighed and relaxed a little.

"How are you feeling?" The younger Okumura asked the older. Rin smiled a little, but the lack of size didn't make it unimportant. It was one of the first true smiles Yukio had seen on his brother for a long while. A small, content one, though still haunted by another shadow of worry or fear. Yukio wasn't sure what Rin was hiding, but the fact that the smile was genuine seemed to be enough, for now.

Rin looked up at his brother. "I'm feeling better. I'm just… not sure what tomorrow will be like," Rin said half-honestly. Yukio could tell something else was bothering him, but he didn't pry.

"Well, you should still get some rest. We'll worry about tomorrow when it comes." Rin nodded and snuggled up in his bed, his tail flicking around as it hung off the side of the bed and draped towards the floor. Yukio grinned. "Goodnight Rin." He flicked off the lights.

^|^The Next Day at Cram School^|^

Despite living with the teacher, Rin was late to class… again. He ran into the classroom, accidently making the door slam against the wall with his haste. "Sorry I'm late!" He screamed, then froze in the doorway.

Shiemi was sitting in her usual spot. By usual spot, it is of course meant the spot she used to sit in before Rin's secret was discovered. Rin's usual seat was empty, and in the desk to the left of it sat Bon. Behind Rin's seat sat Shima, and next to him and behind Shiemi sat Izumo. Konekomaru was the only one who slightly sat away, and he was only on the other side of Bon. As Rin entered, everyone stopped and stared at them. Their faces ranged from Neko's scared face to Izumo's uninterested one, from Shiemi's shy smile to Shima's goofy grin, and to Bon's casual smirk at Rin's over theatrical entrance. Rin grinned at them and took his seat.

It felt odd. Even before the incident in the forest, none of them had gravitated to Rin like they did now. It felt good. More full and comforting than before, even. Rin knew that it was probably, in part, due to guilt that they were willing to stay so close to him, but Rin didn't care. For now, it felt like he really had friends, and that was enough.

"Enjoy it while it lasts," a dark voice in his head said. Rin's smirk widened.

'I will.'

A/N: I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!

And don't worry, my ballistic Rin-lovers; all who hurt him will pay at some point. Trust me on that one! Of course, our Rin isn't exactly getting off unscathed…. *cough cough* Don't kill me. *cough cough*

Sorry that I haven't updated in a while! This chapter is longer though, so hopefully that makes up some. X)

Please Review!