Rin was feeling great. He'd managed to get through most of his human classes without incident and was walking next to Séan to their cram building. Their disguises had been dispelled. Rin was still liking his earrings. The subtle weight they had, the sound of the chain clinking, the way the light reflected off it. 

Séan - “Alright, Fujimoto isn't ideal, but your Pa'll protect us from whatever he could do.”

Rin - “I'm not worried.”

Séan - “And you shouldn't be! Fujimoto is just a human!”

Rin tilted his head toward his best friend. Séan was a little sweaty, his scales were an unshimmering, unflattering dull pukey green, and his hands were trembling. Rin lifted Séan in his arms and squeezed him tightly. 

Rin - “Séanan, I won't let anything happen to you. If something does happen to Dad, then I will protect you. I am Shizoku Varinius, after all.” 

Rin pressed his forehead to Séan’s. His tail curled around Séan’s legs, squeezing just tight enough to ground him. 

Séan - “Thanks Rin, I needed that. Can you put me down now?”

Rin put his friend down and his tail wrapped around Séan’s wrist. Jellie appeared in front of both of them. 

Rin - “Hi Jellie, get enough seawater for today?”

Jellie swam toward them and wrapped her tentacle around Rin’s hair. The more Rin felt Séan's hand tremble, he would squeeze his wrist gently. 

It didn't take long for them to reach the classroom. 

Rin - “I’ll be right next to you the whole time, Séan. Jelly, I don’t trust this Fujimoto guy. Best to vanish and stick near dad.”

Jellie gave him a gentle zap and vanished. Rin opened the door, standing slightly in front of Séan. Izumo and Paku were already there, but Bon, Shima, and Konekomaru weren’t there yet. Rin could see his dad in the back of the classroom, sitting atop a solid plane of water stroking Jellie like she was a cat. Yukio smiled at him from his desk and offered a nervous wave to them both (that Séan reciprocated.) 

There was a human man with a graying beard and glasses and Rin immediately knew he was Fujimoto. It was the cold look of murderous intent he directed at them. A false look of familial affection replaced it.

Fujimoto - “Rin, my goodness. I haven’t seen you since you were a baby.”

Rin blinked once. Twice. Three times before tilting his head. 

Rin - “Sensei, I don’t know you well enough to let you use my given name, please call me Shizoku. Also, I’m pretty sure it’s inappropriate to act so familiar with children with their parents present. Or at all. Séan, am I wrong about this?”

Séan smiled brightly at him and nodded. 

Séan - “You are indeed Rin. Can’t say it’s appropriate in any environment for adults you don’t know to act like they’ve known you for years. That’s how kidnappings happen. ‘Hey kid, I babysat you when you were younger, your ma asked me to drive you home, come to my white van where I have candy waiting.’ For real though, you're giving both heebies and the jeebies, Mr. Fujimoto.”

Shima - “Preach it my man! ‘Can you help me find my puppy?’ Lol, no siree! I ain’t getting childnapped to-day!”

Shima was smacked on the back of the head by Bon with a rolled up, paperback textbook-booklet thing. 

Konekomaru - “I can’t believe you said that (referring to lol.) Hello Séan, Varinius.”

Séan - “Wazzup.”

Rin - “Konekomaru, you don’t have to call me by my full name, you can just call me Rin.”

Konekomaru - “Sorry, but I’d prefer to address you by your full name until I’m a bit more comfortable around you.”

Rin - “I understand that, okay then. Hi Bon.” 

Bon acknowledged him by nodding at him and ruffling his hair. 

Bon - “Hey Rin. Still like your piercings?”

Rin - “Yup, thanks again. Feel free to stop by if you want to hang out.”

By the time they were all seated and silent, Fujimoto was seething and glaring daggers toward Rin and Séan. 

Yukio - “Today, we’ll focus on death verses and the uses of holy water. Death or fatal verses are bible passages that, when spoken, can cause death for most demons. Can anyone tell me the death verse for fungus demons?”

Bon raised his hand. 

Bon - “and said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

Fujimoto - “Well done Mr. Suguro. Does anybody know the fatal verse for Naberius?”

Rin and Konekomaru both raised their hands. 

Fujimoto - “Mr. Miwa?”

Konekomaru - ““This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: And we know that his testimony is true. I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written!”

Fujimoto - “Very good. Soon, you’’ learn the fatal verses for Seraphims and the like.”

Séan tentatively raised his hand. 

Séan - “I saw the Lord standing upon the altar, and He said: “Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake, and wound them on the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword. He that fleeth from them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth from them shall not be delivered.”

Séan’s leg was starting to bounce due to his anxiety so Rin forced the tuft of his tail into Séan’s hand. 

Fujimoto - “Don’t speak without being spoken to, Siren.”

Rin/Egyn - “You do not speak to my brother/godson that way.”

Yukio - “Father Fujimoto, you said nothing about Suguro speaking without being called on. You cannot have a double standard when it comes to the students. And his name is Burke.”

Yukio was glaring at him. Both Fujimoto and Yukio were shocked at how fiercely Yukio came to Séan’s defense. Séan happily gazed in Yukio’s direction. Rin saw the dreamy-eyed look on Séan’s face and shook his head in mock exasperation. 

Yukio - “Now then, holy water can be used in medicine, smoke grenades and tear gas, and in bullets, can some give an example of other usages?” 

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