Hellbound | Blue Exorcist/My Hero Academia Crossover

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Helping Hand

RIN'S P.O.V

"Alright, guys, make sure you've got all your stuff, 'cause once we get on this train we aren't coming back!" I call over the calamity of the train station, the little class I've been wrangling around for the past couple months barely paying any attention to a single word out of my mouth. Obviously, it's not really something I can control, but that doesn't stop it from getting to me. Especially given my situation.

So I just remove myself from the scene for a couple minutes, slotting myself into one of the private waiting areas and pressing my back to the wall. It's empty, thank god. All the more reason for me to spend as long as I can in here before our train arrives to take us all back to True Cross. Drinking down the quiet as it cuddles me, I let out a deep sigh, staring up at the lights above me. Sure, they burn my eyes, but, honestly, any distraction is a welcome one at this point.

Even though Kaminari knows, it feels like nothing's changed. Which is good, right? If anything, it's brought us closer, and that kiss definitely played a part in it. But what worries me most isn't that him and I are more romantically involved than ever- it's that nothing feels different. I'm still on the brink of bursting into flames again, there's still that frantic fizzing in the back of my head, and it still feels like my fingertips are constantly smoking. Hence why my hands have barely left my pockets since this morning.

Doesn't help that the suddenness of someone opening the door scares the absolute life out of me. Letting out a shocked yelp, I jump a mile out of my skin, leaping away from the door and quickly looking up to see-

"Suguro."

"Hey, Okumura. Thought I'd come see you off," rooster-hair lowly rumbles as he pads into the room, the lights catching the silver piercings dotting his ears. I should be able to relax around him, but everything throws my sense of security off. The way he carries himself, the way he speaks to me, right down to the way he idly fiddles with a string of beads between his fingertips.

"Then why did you bring those? We've been over this. I'm not-"

"-Gonna hurt me, I know. Just insurance. If you go up in flames these might calm them down," he hums, shuffling over to me and slipping the strand around my neck. For a split second, my skin sizzles the moment they make contact, but the feeling quickly dissipates. "We can't fix your sword again, but this might push back all that demon junk you've got going on. Might weaken you if you ever wanna use your flames in a fight, but I think it's a pretty good trade off."

"Well it's not like I'll be using them any time soon. Not around those guys," I mutter, peering down at the beaded necklace and quietly running my finger along it. Sure, it's not comfortable to wear- it's like when you're forced to wear an itchy sweater your grandma bought you for Christmas- but it does the job. As more time passes, the more the buzzing in my brain dims. "Thanks, man. Just wish it didn't have to come to this."

"Yeah, me too," he mumbles, pausing for a moment before holding out his hand for me to shake. But, instead, I just engulf him in a hug, gripping him tight and pressing my face into his shoulder. I've got nobody to hide from, but I'm still not gonna risk anyone seeing any sort of tears in my eyes. I've gotta stay strong, so this is me. Being strong, and... Hiding my emotions. My fears and worries. 

Because, out of everyone here, Bon is the only one I think I can actually open up to. Our friendship is weird, sure, but he just gets me by this point. The way he pats my back is enough to prove that much. I don't even need to say what I'm thinking and he can still understand the words lingering on my tongue.

"You're gonna be fine, Okumura. You've got this." If there were any words that could make me crack, it's those. In this exact moment, under these exact conditions, those are the ones that tip me over the edge a little. Enough so for a couple tears to push their way over my waterline, dribbling down my cheeks whilst feeble, blue embers drip from me. Sometimes, I don't get how some people can believe in me when I can't even believe in myself.

"I hope you're right. I've got such a good thing going with these guys. I just don't wanna screw up another good thing in my life," I murmur, sniffing and pulling back so I can roughly rub my eyes, clogging up the tears for another day. And all Bon does is nod and offer a smile, straightening the strand of beads around my neck.

"You're not gonna. Unless you really try," he snorts, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "You're an idiot, but I know what you're like when you wanna hold onto a good thing. You won't mess it up," he assures me, moving away just in time for the door to crack open, Deku curiously poking his head into the room. Thankfully, he's too late to see the last of my embers fluttering to the ground.

"Mr. Okumura? They're calling our train," he hums, propping the door open for me to follow him out. Before I do, however, I grab Bon's hand and grip it tight, offering him a smile that tries its best to appear confident. It must've of worked, because he flashes one of his stupid grins back at me, before practically shoving me towards the door.

"See you when we're back in True Cross!" He calls before the door slides shut, and I'm left with Class 1A again. With a group, out of which three people know what I really am. Kaminari, Bakugou and Kirishima. The only ones who have any idea what I'm hiding. Which is where I'm headed- back into hiding. With an enchanted necklace scorching my skin, and a chipped sword resting on my back, I guide the chaotic group onto the train, watching as the doors seal themselves shut behind us.

As long as things go back to normal... Maybe I can do this.