queenofminiskirts | [ INBOX ] Awash Edition

A goddamn troll.

[BUT. He's getting up.]

As long as I'm cute, I don't mind what you call me.

[Because he doesn't mean it, so it's fine.]

...and as long as you wear this!

[Because you're clearly getting up to come put this outfit on, right?]

[Really, he wants to just. Toss it out the window. Or light it on fire. But he knows he'll just upset her and get hounded about it for weeks after.

He takes it with a scowl and stomps out of the room, intending to go somewhere she can't watch him change.]

[She'd probably laugh...but definitely hound him about it for weeks after.

She's smiling and she'll wait patiently for him to get back.]

[He still could burn it, but...

He'll be nice.

Even if this outfit is ridiculous, and he is scowling when he comes back.]

I hate this.

Why? [She's going to make a circle around him if he doesn't try to stop her.] You look great! Very...princely.

It's uncomfortable! Not even my school uniform is this stuffy!

You have to make some sacrifice to be a prince.

I don't wanna be a prince.

[Ooh.

Something about that touched a nerve.

He's not angry, not by a long shot, but something in his tone is cold. Something in his eyes is distant. He might be more familiar with 'prince' than he let on during the event.]

Can I change now?

[She sees it and all the laughter and teasing disappears. She reaches out to touch his shoulder, because her feet are off the ground which makes it more awkward to take his hand.]

Rin?

[She looks concerned now.]

What is it?

[Rin scowls as he starts undoing the buttons on the jacket.]

... Satan is basically the king of Gehenna.

[So he kind of already is a prince, so to speak?]

When... when I lost control in front of my classmates I was outed to the entire Order. I got dragged in front of the Gregori to stand trial. I woulda been executed if not for Mephisto, but the way he "saved" me [air quotes included] was by makin' a bet with them.

Was I gonna be the "savior of Assiah" or a "demon king of Gehenna". Worse still... I only had a half a year to prove myself, and if I failed my exorcist exam I was gonna be executed.

[...damn it. She really stepped on a landmine there.

He's going to find it hard to keep undoing the buttons in a second because she reaches out to hug him.]

You shouldn't have to deal with that bullshit. You're your own person! Who gives a crap who your dad is?

[But god...she understood. If someone had told her to be a 'queen' she'd probably react the same way.]

[Erf.]

I know I am, but they didn't see me that way...

[He was defiant at the time, but it ate at him, knowing that there were still people who would only ever see "the son of Satan".]

Well, they should! [They should...but she knows some of them probably never will.] People who think they can tell you who you are or who you should be...they're the worst.

[His friends did eventually come to terms with it, but plenty haven't and likely never will.]

Yeah. I know. I'm just-- ... what if somethin' happens that I can't control later? I acted like I was more pissed about bein' judged, but really... it still worries me.

[She understands that so well it's painful.]

I get it. [It's easier to admit because he already knew about that future of hers, the one where she becomes the Queen of Catastrophe.] But even so...people can become anything and go anywhere. As long as you don't give up, I'm sure...you can create a better future.

I'm... tryin'.

[As he's mentioned before, things are very uncertain back home. Whatever Yukio is doing, Rin has a sinking feeling it won't end well for either of them.]

I did enough to convince them not to execute me at least, even if I don't pass my exam.

[...well. Since Shiho planned to figure out how to cross universes to kick a goddess' ass, she thinks they can take a trip to kick the ass of all these people who are threatening Rin.

She pulls back to frame his face between her hands.]

You can do it. They'll be so embarrassed they ever doubted you because you're going to prove them all wrong.

[She says it very firmly. Because she believes in him.]

[Please, please come and kick Mephisto's teeth in. Rin would find it glorious.]

I want to. I really, really do.

[He has his doubts after what happened with Yukio, but somehow, someway, he would prove that he wasn't going to become what they thought he would.]

There's no such thing as a despair that can't be overcome or a future that can't be changed.

[She smiles at him with every ounce of belief and determination she can muster. Which is a lot because...]

If anyone can do it, it's you.

[The same vote of confidence he'd given her.]