For your safety

A.N.: many ideas for fics, but I'd rather stick with one shot ideas for the time being (as I have other stories in progress already). Inspired by the preview for ep. 22, yet has absolutely nothing to do with said episode...

Disclaimer: do not own Ao no Exorcist and its protagonists, just my stupidly over working imagination (and sadism), which lead to this fic…

He was caged.

Like an animal.

Not a wild animal, no, but like a discarded pet. That was how he felt at the moment.

Forgotten, put aside, abandoned, alone…

"It's for your own safety Nii-san" had been Yukio's explanation.

His safety from what?

He must have asked that at some point, right?

Or maybe he had been too busy yelling obscenities at his little brother's stupidity to actually do that. He had been so pissed.

"It's for your own safety."

The sentence would run in circles in his head from day one, not that he had anything more productive to do. He was caged, a mere four walls prison. One side of his cell being made of steel bars.

And if you asked why he hadn't already started scorching the place down with his flames…well, probably because of the numerous anti-demon charms stuck on the walls and bars, so many he could hardly even get up on his own. Everyday was a fight just to manage it to the small toilet that was (kindly) provided by his retainers.

"It's for your own safety."

Yukio too, would repeat this every minutes he got to see Rin from behind the bars. On the days when the older twin was so exhausted by the seals and… other things, the younger one would especially insist on this point, and the half demon supposed it was because his precious family thought he was merely pouting, or at least, Yukio convinced himself he was pouting.

Because, who could be so blind?

"It's for your own safety."

Had this concerned the safety of others, he might, maybe, have considered it. He could have thought about it and then asked what he could do to improve himself, to show that he wasn't 'dangerous'. But no, it was for "his" safety.

"It's for your own safety."

He missed Bon.

Yes, the very same rebellious, yet overly brainy youth, which he had both admired and competed with.

He missed their arguing, and threatening, and spats, he missed the cat fights where they'd scratch each other face both verbally and physically. Not seriously, just to let off some steam.

And he missed Shima.

Shima and his perverted comments that would have every one of them rolling their eyes to the very back of their heads. He was lazy and hyper active at the same time, a duality that was (and could be) only his.

He missed Konekomaru.

He missed the little guy. The sacredly cat which feared him and his blood. He made Rin want to surpass himself even more. He had strived to appease the young monk's fears so very much! Now, he couldn't even try to.

He missed Kamiki.

"Dot brows" and her snide remarks was always comforting. A real life tsundere which would boost their little troop's moral without looking like it had been her intention. She had been so nice to him in the hardest of times… in her own way.

He missed Shiemi.

Her kindness and innocence. Always true to herself. He missed her gentle voice terribly.

He even missed Shura.

She wasn't allowed here. He missed her… motherly presence. Though if that ever got of this cell, he'd probably meet an early end by her blade… or fists… depended on the mood.

And Takara- ok he didn't really know much the little weirdo… but he still preferred his presence than that of the dirty cement walls…

He missed Mephis- ok, no. He'd sooner miss Mr. Igor Neuhaus or even Angel than that guy… seriously.

He missed Kuro and Ukobach, the little familiars that made his time at the dorm look like a comforting home with pet friends… ok pets which could cook and grow the size of a freaking elephant… and talk to him through some kind of telepathy… but still…

He missed his father… his adoptive one if he dared to be more precise, not that he thought anyone could have had any doubts on that one. The other one he'd rather have him go to- err- somewhere even worse than hell, and from which he couldn't give anymore pain to anyone in the whole universe.

Most of all, he missed his little brother.

He missed his brother from the time when he was still nice and sweet and cute; from the time when he'd need his big brother to act as a shield around him. That was selfish of him, and Yukio probably had that same selfishness for him, and that might be why he didn't fight his predicament more than that. He wanted to hug him and tell him that every thing would be alright, to have him put band aids on his torn fingers and knees, and be scolded for his recklessness; then he'd smile the stupidest smile he could pull, wide and toothy, and end the argument by complimenting his little brother's skills at mending his idiot self…

All that seemed to be so far away now…

"It's for your own safety."

How many times had he wondered about the possible 'dangers', which were plaguing his dear, sweet and cute little brother's mind when he had said that. At the very least, he knew which dangers the cage wasn't protecting him from…

"It's for your own safety."

Who cared about his safety? People hated him with passion. That much, the exorcists in charge of his safety made sure he understood that one, simple fact.

"It's for your own safety."

The people who were appointed to look after him wouldn't pipe up when his brother was around, at first; maybe they were scared of him too…or maybe it was something else, who knew. Sometimes, Rin had wondered if they even breathed, or if they were too scarred that he might tell on them. But, obviously, that fear was gone by now, overridden by self-confidence. He could see it, from his position, the dirty looks and the smirks they'd give either him or their colleagues, and the subtitled meanings weren't lost on him.

"It's for your own safety."

But the safety of his restricted space didn't last long. Didn't survive his first "I'll see you tomorrow Nii-san, be good." from Yukio…

He wanted to yell, cry and throw a hissy fit. As if he was a child all over again. Like he had been, not so long ago. Like he had been before being thrown into this cage…

He had been so innocent… for a demon child, that is.

It had started lightly, though, at the time, he wasn't aware that humans could do worse to him.

Exorcists would make a line, blaming his existence in turns, making his life miserable through words. The most daring ones would punctuate their statements by banging the bars of his cage. They'd keep at it until he either retreated like a scarred animal, or looked like he had developed a severe enough headache.

Soon, just sounds weren't enough to satisfy them. They'd spit on him, knowing he had no strength to retaliate. They'd use steel or wooden bars to force his weakened and limping form to the very back of the cell, sometimes until he had to hide behind the small toilet he was provided with. If he refused to move or just looked like he wanted to tell them off, the bars would poke at him, stabbing his sore body all over.

He knew. He should have told his brother, or at least hinted at it while it stayed at that. But he had been scarred: scarred that his little brother wouldn't believe him. And if Yukio treated him like a liar… if he ever got proof of his only remaining family distrusting him and treating him like demon trash… he'd die, right here, right then. It'd be easy. He'd just have to stop resisting the tempting call of death all those times he'd get hurt beyond what a normal human could live through.

"It's for your own safety."

It had barely taken a week until his retainers had found out that the seals weakened Rin too much for him to try to escape, even if they opened the cage. That was when the real nightmare began.

They'd use nothing and everything.

Their fists, their feet, the steel bars from before, some barbed wire to choke him and tie him down, growing creative each and every day. He still healed fast, so it was fine, though they'd keep the marks away from his face and where ever his little brother could easily get a glimpse of the dried blood.

Yet, Yukio might just believe he did this to himself… somehow. He was afraid of the possibility.

"It's for your own safety."

It was abuse.

Pure and simple abuse.

It'd grow, and grow, and grow.

The exorcists would undress him, both to find places they could damage freely, and to put shame on the demon spawn that he was. But soon, that little ritual had ignited the worst possible of scenarios.

Everyday he felt weaker and weaker. His body hurt in places he never knew could hurt. The seals had a growing effect, and now he could hardly even crawl to the toilet, not that he managed to get anything out other than blood. His body so hurt tat he'd vomit blood, the hits filling his bladder with it, and other abuse… ripping him till blood was all that ever got out.

Did he mention that those kind men were supposed to feed him?

Some food he was getting…

They taunted him once, when he had complained, giving him the dead carcass of a puppy, probably found on the side of the road… or at least he hoped. He hopped they hadn't been so cruel as to- no! It just made his inability to kick their asses even worse. Of course, he hadn't said a single word about food ever since, nor did he feel like he ever wanted to see a piece of meat served in front of him… ever. The image of what had been called "his food" would plague him forever. He knew they were foods in certain civilizations and that, one dead thing was just meat and all… but the abandoned kitties and puppies had been his only friends when he was a little kid…

Idly, he tried to remember just how many he had brought to the monastery, where he'd claim that they needed to keep it. Somehow, with a kitten, as safely as his little arms could allow, tucked in his arms, nor his father, nor the apprentices, nor his little brother could fight him at those times. They'd just manage to make him understand that they couldn't keep the forty-seven other little pets that followed him like he was the Pied Piper. So they'd go on for days, searching people to keep the little scratching pests that filled the monastery for a while… good memories that a demon like him probably wasn't supposed to cherish.

To him, such love was his humanity. He wouldn't betray himself, he wouldn't forget himself.

"It's for your own safety."

The sentence resonated once more, as the iron door to his restraining space creaked open. Letting in four men, one young, around his twenties, two grown adults around their thirties/forties, he wasn't sure, and a last one which he couldn't determine the generation he came from. It wasn't important anyway. The Halfling didn't care about any of this. Nor did he care for the other two that stayed out to guard him…dutifully.

"And Rin daily ritual began."

He remained limp and lifeless as they carefully undressed his daily provided wear, because Yukio insisted that he should keep as comfortable as possible; even if his only possibility for a shower was a carelessly thrown washing cloth and a basin put out of the cage, which basically meant that he had to bath naked in front of complete strangers… ah, Yukio, did you ever think? Or is irony the only thing you'll ever give to your brother now…?

The hands of nameless exorcists roamed over his flesh, inspecting his recovery from the last time they had marked him. Tracing the many lines. The sore, bruised lines. The white, scarred lines. The swelled ones caused by burns, all of those.

Hardly putting any thoughts into it, he merely observed as one of the "guards" started to redden the metal of a long, but not very thick, metal bar with the help of mere torch one of the four inside the cell just lighted. Sometimes he wondered where they found all those, and how they managed to bring them down here without alerting a single nice soul…

"It's for your own safety."

The kick aimed to his lower abdomen brought forth a disheartened whine. It wasn't like he could feel much more pain from this place. His pelvis was already nothing more than smashed bones, vainly trying to get back together as a whole.

There was so much pain in his body that it made him numb.

Even his tail was completely crooked, and god knows (and maybe Satan as well) that had hurt.

Humiliating words were thrown at him, but he was deaf to those by now.

An angry shove had him lay on his stomach. He closed his every senses as hands started grabbing him and putting him in a position which made his broken body bleed from the inside. His legs couldn't support him. His ribs hurt so bad it was incredible he even had the courage to keep on breathing.

He didn't hear the sound of those men who shuffled in their clothes, he didn't want to. He refused to understand what was happening to him. And Rin never accepted to understand what were those fleshy, hot, things the men would put inside of his body, have him touch, have him taste… And the substance that would cover him, along with the insults, was unknown to him. The men took turns, at different parts of his body, for reasons he refused to acknowledge.

The metal bar was starting to smell though. It smelled of heated metal, made Rin want to cry, he didn't know why, but burning him hurt especially hard, he wondered why: since he was using flames, he thought he was sort of immune to this, but no…

But the yellow/red steel remained above the flame of the torch for a little longer, the one in charge of the metal rod cursing at the strain in his arms that held the blazing bar with the help of many layers of clothes, just so he wouldn't burn himself. Yet, he was soon relieved of that charge, as the torch holder took the bar instead.

The man without age came to his face, and put his overly sore jaw out of its sockets. The half-demon didn't really feel that either, it happened often, as it healed really quickly, it was like a constant pain now.

What had him a bit more stressed however, was the way the man behind him started pulling at his hair, having him make a straight diagonal line, with his mouth hanging open…and the dangerously sizzling weapon nearing his vulnerable position from the front.

His breath hitched as the metal started burning down the small duvet of his youthful face at a distance.

The man took aim.

No matter if Rin tried to gather the last of his energy, even if he ate up what little ice maintained him on the living side and kept him from plunging into the deathly embrace of oblivion, he couldn't prevent what was about to hap-

"OKUMURA! You better not have thought we were gonna stay put while you're rotting in a fucking prison! OY!"

Maybe his brain was so dead he started to hear Bon yelling at him… what a shitty brain, really, he could have chosen someone, I dunno, cuter! Though he was still very happy for the attention, he was so happy that he could go as far as to kiss that voice…whenever he got the energy to do so… (though, by then, he'd have regained his senses, he supposed).

"Bon, we're not gonna find him if you scream like that…"

Ok. Konekomaru was improvement, but not exactly what he had been thinking about… Maybe sexier?

"What are you babbling about! RI~IN-KUN~!"

…

Shima. No comment…

"Tsk! So stupid!"

Kamiki's grumble, at last!

"I hope he's alright!"

Shiemi! NOW, that was what he was talking about!

But the sudden pause in his retainers' actions had the little demon come to a dangerous realization.

'No, no, no, no, no! Don't! Don't see! NO! Don't come looking for me! Don't, don't, don't, don't, don't!' his mind screamed, his eyes cried and his body trembled. The realization that all of this was very real didn't bode well with him.

It was with an unbearable sadism that the man holding the burning metal smirked at him, while the one behind him he could feel trembling, probably with the fear of being discovered.

Rin heard his friends run into the retainers outside of his cell.

He could almost hear the sound of Bon's eyes as they directed themselves to the inside of his small prison, closely followed by the ones of Shima, the two being the only truly reliable people to fight against humans.

He heard a gasp. Who knew whom it came from, it was no longer important.

The metal rod plunged.

A.N.: And yeah… I stopped there XD, I know I'm cruel but I have other fics to take care about right now, just have a bit of a block on them. Maybe, one day, I'll put just a tiny second chapter, but don't get your hopes too high up!