Title: Failure
Author: Kristen Sharpe
Date: October 17, 2011
Rating: K
Warnings: None.
Continuity: Any. Pre-series.
Disclaimer: "Ao no Exorcist/Blue Exorcist" belongs to Kazue Katou, Shueisha, A-1 Pictures, Aniplex, and various other parties.
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Sometimes, Yukio watched Rin trail in late with new bruises and old excuses, and it filled him with fury.

Rin had an easy life. All of them worked hard to insure that.

All Rin had to do was go to school and stay out of trouble. Rin didn’t have to fight demons. Rin didn’t have to worry about someone learning the truth.

So, why couldn’t his thick-headed brother get it right? He was failing all his classes, and barely three days could pass without him starting a fight.

How hard was it to stay awake in class? To stay out of trouble? To walk away?

Except Rin did walk away. When he was the one attacked.

It was only when other people were hurting that Rin couldn’t ignore it.

Then, he would swoop in like an avenging angel. And, Yukio wasn’t sure if the irony should make him laugh or cry. So, he just sighed and let the anger rush away.

Because Rin wouldn’t be Rin if he could walk away.

And, Rin’s clumsy, well-intentioned disasters were why Yukio would always protect him. Even from himself.

Rin might be a failure in society’s eyes. But, his heart had never failed.

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Author's Note: I'm not sure if I quite captured Yukio correctly here. He's a hard one for me.