Title: Alternative
Author: Kristen Sharpe
Date: January 20, 2020
Rating: K
Warnings: None
Continuity: Mangaverse, divergent canon
Disclaimer: "Ao no Exorcist/Blue Exorcist" belongs to Kazue Katou, Shueisha, A-1 Pictures, Aniplex, and various other parties.

Author's Note: An alternate scenario spinning off Rin's little time travel jaunt. This was written for Sage SK and inspired by the sweet art Kato posted to her Twitter account on the twins' birthday, December 27.

Whenever they met, the clown still stared at him like he had two heads. And, smirked. But, the clown always smirked.

Still, it wasn't a knowing smirk or a fake pity smirk, so Rin thought, maybe, everything was going to be okay. Maybe he could keep this new life he'd fallen into when he decided to stop only watching the past. Maybe he could keep his family.

It was his and Yukio's sixteenth birthday, and they weren't alone in the old dorm with only a drunk Shura for company. Well, Shura had gotten into the Old Man's stash and might be slightly drunk. But, she was there and laughing, and the Old Man was too. So was Mom.

He still wasn't used to that even with all the memories that had dumped into his head the instant Mephisto shoved him back through time.

But, that was okay. Mom was there, the Old Man was there, Yukio was there.

Maybe it would all disappear in the morning or in a week or a decade.

But, he had now.

And, as Mom yanked them all into a hug and Shura raised her phone for a photo, he swore not to waste it.