Alchemist/Exorcist 2 (FMA: Brotherhood x Blue Exorcist) (Ed x Rin)

Chapter 5

Ed woke up the next morning to a lot of activity outside the door, footsteps, voices, objects being shuffled back and forth. He had been put up in a small spare room near the main chapel. It wasn't quite as private as Rin and Yukio's room in the living quarters. Rolling over, Ed laid eyes on Al sitting in the arm chair in the corner, reading something.
"What time is it?" he mumbled, "What's going on out there?"
"It's just past sunrise. I'm guessing the priests are starting all their duties,"
Groaning, Ed sat up and stretched, "What are you reading?"
Al glanced at the cover as if he had to remind himself, "It's Rin's. He said it's a...manga I think? A story but with pictures. It's cool."
He pointed to a piece of paper at the end of the bed, "Speaking of Rin, he left that for you not too long ago."
Ed grabbed the paper, flipping off the covers and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He read aloud:

Ed and Al,
Yukio and me went to visit our old mans grave.
Be ready to leave when we get back.
You can have whatever you find in the kitchen for breakfast except Marutas Happy Os — he won't thank you for that
~Rin

"Hi Dad," Yukio murmured, breaking the moment of somber silence that had passed over the boys when they reached the tombstone.
After a moment, Rin spoke too, "Sup, old man? How's heaven treatin you?"
Yukio sighed, crouching and setting down the flowers they'd brought. He placed one hand on the tombstone. It was cold and damp from the morning dew. He traced the S in Shiro with one finger. There was long silence, broken only by the sounds of the city just outside the cemetery gates. He tried his best not to wonder what Rin was doing or thinking behind him. He never could take this seriously—like most things he ought to.
That's when Rin spoke behind him, barely more than a whisper, "Do you think he'd be disappointed in me?"
Yukio looked over his shoulder, surprised to find his brother holding back tears. He chuckled softly, gently chiding, "Why? Cause of all the destruction you've caused?"
"No, cause I'm in love with another boy,"
Yukio straightened up, stunned. He grabbed his older brother around the shoulders roughly, "Nah, Dad wanted us to grow up to be ladies men or whatever, but he'd just want you to be happy. He'd tease you about it for sure, but he'd mean it in love."
Rin just nodded, keeping his eyes on the headstone. "Did something happen between you and Ed?" Yukio asked.
Rin shrugged, "I got up the nerve to talk through all the mushy stuff, but he didn't want to."
"How come?"
He sighed and tipped his face up toward the sky, "He doesn't want to put a label on it."
Yukio snorted, "Seriously?! He only chased you halfway across the world."
Rin glanced at him like he was surprised Yukio was on his side. "Come on," Yukio added, "Let's head back."
They each took one long look at Shiro's grave before Rin said a little stronger now, "Okay."

The Okumuras reached the monastery to find the Elric's sitting on the front step. "Good morning!" Al called when he saw him.
"Morning, Al," Rin said, "How was your night?"
"Good, I'm almost halfway through your...uh..."
"Manga. Do you like it?"
"It's awesome!"
"And that's only volume 1..."
Rin and Yukio collected their bags for school and the four boys waited on the sidewalk for their car. When it pulled up, they all climbed in.
"Thank goodness Mephisto's not here," Rin murmured, finding the car empty.
"That's your guardian, right?" Ed asked.
"Yeah," Rin blushed that he remembered, "He's a total kook."
There was silence between the two of them as the car pulled away from the curb. Soon Al and Yukio were deep in conversation enough for Ed to lean into Rin, "Listen, I'm sorry about last night. I probably sounded like a total jerk."
"Total," Rin agreed, stiffly.
"And I didn't mean it like that. So when we get a chance, can we go somewhere alone—where our clothes are still on—and we can...you know, talk?"
Rin's expressions softened, "Really?"
"Sure,"
"Okay, yeah,"
With that they joined in on Yukio and Al's conversation. It wasn't long before Yukio pointed out the window of the car, "There, you guys can see True Cross Academy Town."
Ed looked over his shoulder and Al leaned forward. As they caught sight of the tower of buildings that was the academy, Ed's mouth fell open and all either of them could say was, "Whoa!"
There wasn't much chatter as the car neared the front gates. Ed and Al were too busy staring. Out on the curb, Rin and Yukio dragged their suitcases out of the trunk. "We gotta drop off our stuff at the dorm," Yukio said.
"Okay, we'll meet you later," Ed replied, "We're gonna check in with the schools director."

It wasn't long before Yukio and Rin stationed themselves on the benches where they had agreed to meet the Elrics. They were only there for a few minutes when they spotted Ed and Al approaching. "This place is ginormous!" Al cried when they reached them.
Ed was too busy gazing at Rin. The exwire had changed into his school uniform. He had no idea what was remarkable about him in his uniform, but he wasn't complaining. He stood up and stepped closer to Ed, "What's with the look?"
Ed turned bright red and averted his gaze, "Oh, nothing..."
"Hey, Okumura!" a voice called from across the courtyard. Three boys in True Cross uniforms were walking in their direction. The one who called Rin's name had pastel pink hair and was waving.
"Hey, guys!" Rin took off running and Ed, Al, and Yukio hurried to catch up.
When they caught up to Rin, he had already greeted the three and the shortest of them, a boy with large glasses and no hair was asking him, "How was your break?"
"It was awesome! What about you guys?"
"It was good,"
"Fine,"
The tallest boy, with pierced ears and a dyed fohawk, was the last to answer, "It was fine, but you have to tell us all about your mission."
"Ah, yeah! So—"
"Wait, wait," the pink haired one said, staring over Rin's shoulder, "Who—uh—who's your friends?"
"Oh! I met these guys on my mission. This is Ed and Al," Rin turned to the Elrics, "Guys, this is Shima, Suguro, and Konekomuru. They're exwires too."
They all shook hands with each other. The three boys didn't seem sure what to make of Al, but as they were shaking hands with Ed, Shima paused and gave his hand an extra squeeze, a confused look on his face.
Rolling his eyes, Ed pushed his sleeve up to his elbow, "Yeah, it's metal."
Shima's mouth fell open, "Dude, you have a metal arm?! That is so sick!"
"Shima, try to be more sensitive," Koneko scolded, "He didn't ask to be missing an arm."
"Ah, right. Sorry, man,"
"Forget it," Ed shrugged.
"Well, hey, we better get to class," Suguro said.
"Definitely don't want to be late," Yukio said, teasingly, "I'll meet you all there soon."
They all waved as he left. "See yah soon, Teach," Shima called.
The three other boys also said goodbye to Rin and the Elrics before hurrying off. "What class is first, Rin?" Al asked.
"Yukio's class. Anti-Demon Pharmaceutics,"
"Pharmaceutics, huh? That sounds about up our alley, right, Al?"
"Uh-huh!"
Rin gave them a quizzical look, "I don't know if you guys can come to class with me..."
"Oh, we can. We got the directors permission to sit in for any class we want," Ed said.
Al added, "He was pretty agreeable."
"But like you said Rin—a total kook. And really, really dramatic,"

"A real State Alchemist, all the way from Amestris! How splendid, how remarkable!" Mephistopheles had cried, swinging Ed's pocket watch by the chain as the latter dove to seize it back, "And such a touching story! Why, nary have my heartstrings been so tugged upon! You boys will have unfettered access to everything my institution has to offer to aid you in your humble quest!"

"He kinda reminded me of someone else we know...only much smaller," Al mused.
Rin shrugged, "Okay, I guess, let's go."
Ed stopped him, "I do have to make a pit stop quick." He held up a paper bag he had been holding. It seemed to be filled with folded up clothes.

Thanks for reading if you've gotten this far! ~Liz