Title: Draw
Author: Kristen Sharpe
Date: February 28, 2012
Rating: K
Warnings: Full series spoilers.
Continuity: Animeverse, toward the end of the final episode.
Disclaimer: "Ao no Exorcist/Blue Exorcist" belongs to Kazue Katou, Shueisha, A-1 Pictures, Aniplex, and various other parties.
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Mephisto Pheles won all his bets. His bets, his challenges, and his games. He took great pride in his skill at gambling with mortal hearts and souls.

Alright, there was that one miscalculation with the composer. But, all he lost was a symphony. It hardly counted.

Still, Mephisto thought, perched atop his ruined toy box, even with a perfect record at stake, sometimes one made allowances. Especially when betting against a good friend.

Considering, he watched with shadowed eyes as the Okumura brothers and their fellow students gathered below. Watched Rin smile, all fangs and inhuman blue eyes, with that tail he hadn’t the sense to hide waving behind him. Watched Yukio urge everyone to rest, newly formed fangs flashing in his own mouth with each word.

They were both demon in form now. Their heritage shown for all to see, like the blue fire that had burned the sky not an hour earlier.

And yet… humanity shown just as clearly through their actions.

Mephisto came to a conclusion. Raising a hand, he swept it out to encompass the brothers, their friends, and the laughter rising from devastation.

“It’s a draw!” he shouted. “Do you hear me, Shiro? A draw!”

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Author's Note: The scene where Shiro decides to raise the twins is one of the few redeeming features I found in episode 23 (though I enjoy anime as a whole), and his bet with Mephisto got me thinking. Oh, and what TSO reference? ;)