MORE AONO IDIOTS

[barriermaiden]

[Idiots. All of them.

Bon was tired. After a day of tending to the sick, as well as tending to family obligations, there was not much else to do but take a bath and sleep. But there was so much to worry about: the mess with Todo, where this sickness was coming from, Rin's demon heritage...

Bon frowned. Rin was a constant worry. As if there weren't enough troubles in Bon's life already, now there was one more idiot to worry about. He was lazy, he was stupid, and he happened to be the son of Bon's sworn enemy, the one Bon was going to defeat.

But somehow, Bon couldn't be mad at him. Mad at the lies, yes, but not at Rin's heritage. He couldn't help it, right? It wasn't like a child could do anything about who their parents were. Rin was at fault just as much as Bon was at fault for the Suguro family problems.

Speaking of family problems...

Bon looked left, then right. Nobody else was in the changing room. Good. Carefully, Bon lifted up the sweater and shirt, and carefully pulled them off. The bindings on her chest were still holding strong, though they were becoming uncomfortable as time passed. She was growing, she figured. Pretty soon she would no longer be small-chested enough for bandages, and she would have to use actual bras.

It wasn't that she was uncomfortable with being a girl. No, Bon was fine with that. But what she wasn't fine with was all the assumptions that went along with it. Girls did this. Girls did that. Girls didn't get their ears pierced, or dyed their hair, or acted in the way Bon always had.

Bon wasn't about to change who she was just because society told her to, but the pressure was on her. Especially since she was a scholarship student, too: Nobody expected a tomboy to be tough and smart. So, it had just been easier to hide her gender under bandages and pants. It was only three years, after all. Once she graduated and got her Meister, how she acted wouldn't matter at all. Once she was an exorcist, nobody could take that away from her. She could be who she wanted.

But for now, she could pretend to be a boy. Shima and Koneko knew, by virtue of having grown up with her. Her teachers (including Yukio) and the staff at the school knew, since her actual gender was listed on her school records. But everyone else? They had no clue.

At least, as long as nobody saw her topless, they wouldn't know. Hopefully no idiot boys would wander in to the changing room and stumble upon her in her half-dressed state.]

Comments

[barriermaiden]

If you think you can walk, I can show you where the baths are.

[keepsthefire]

I think I can. Help me up?

[barriermaiden]

[She'll stand up and hold a hand out to him.]

Just don't pull me down, okay.

[keepsthefire]

C'mon I ain't that bad off--

[Except he is.

And what happens as soon as he tries to get to his feet?

His knees go weak and he falls backwards, dragging Bon with him.]

[barriermaiden]

[Aaaaaand Bon goes tumbling down, falling on top of Rin with an undignified yelp of surprise.]

I-idiot! I warned you!

[keepsthefire]

Sh-shut up! It was an accident!

[And who should be walking by right then but a certain pink haired pervert?]

Whoa, what's going on in here?!

[barriermaiden]

[Oh god

Bon just freezes in horror, and for a moment she actually wishes she could just crawl in a hole and die.

But she quickly regains control of herself, and she pushes herself off of Rin, whirling around to face Shima quickly.]

Nothing's going on! Get out!

[keepsthefire]

[Yeah Rin is kind of... wondering the same thing. Because wow this is awkward.]

Not everythin' is that kinda thing, Shima! Get the fuck out 'fore I kick your ass out!

[If Shima had known just how weak Rin was currently, he wouldn't have seen that as a threat. But he doesn't, and that's all he needs to squeak and slam the door, running the hell away.]

Jesus... forget it, just leave me here...

[barriermaiden]

[Oh god Shima just saw her on top of a boy he's going to tell everyone and Bon's going to get teased and Bon's mom is going to kill Rin-

Oh right Rin still isn't feeling well.]

I...okay.

[She needs to go hide her face for a while anyway, so she'll just go crawl under the blankets of the futon near Rin's. She's tired of this shit too, she can just hide here for a bit.]

[keepsthefire]

... what're you doin'?

[He thought she was going to leave.]

[barriermaiden]

What does it look like? I'm not going out there while Shima's lurking about! And besides, you shouldn't be here alone anyway.

[keepsthefire]

... y'know that's only gonna make him think worse things.

[barriermaiden]

What, you think they'd believe for a second that I'd reveal my true gender to someone not from the temple?

[She rolls her eyes.]

They're not going to come around here for a while anyway, so I'll wait until you're feeling up for walking. Now that you're awake, people will try to drag you off to answer questions as soon as you set foot outside this room.

[keepsthefire]

... fan-fucking-tastic. This sucks. Can't I just go back to sleep?

[And now he's sounding pathetic]

Please?

[He really doesn't want to answer any questions...]

[barriermaiden]

I ain't stoppin' you. I'll just be here when you wake up.

[He's got to wake up eventually. Now that he's had water, he'll have to pee.]

[keepsthefire]

[It's more the moving part that's a problem. Getting on his feet went so well earlier.]

... you don't gotta stay with me y'know. You could sneak out later if you really wanted to avoid them.

[barriermaiden]

I already said I'm staying, so I'm staying. I'm not gonna give you cooties, you know.

[keepsthefire]

I didn't say that!

[barriermaiden]

Well you're actin' like it'll happen!

[keepsthefire]

Nuhn!

[Children pls]

[barriermaiden]

Yeah-huh!

[Wow such children]

[keepsthefire]

No I'm not!

[They're going to get yelled at for making so much noise at this rate...]

[barriermaiden]

Yes you are- Oh forget it!

[And in a huff, she rolls over so that her back is to Rin, and she pulls the blanket over her head.]

[keepsthefire]

[Man. Arguments with Yukio never just ended like that. Rin isn't really sure what to do, so he just stares at her for a long time before saying something.]

Hey, Bon. Why d'you dye your hair, anyway?

[Random subject change!]

[barriermaiden]

...I figured that, if I looked like a gang member, people would leave me alone. They wouldn't try to start anything with me, so my secret wouldn't be found out.