I Am My Brother's Keeper

Do It Right

I blame Rin's ADHD and the constant bullying from his peers for Rin's lack of knowledge regarding school, but there is no way someone is as doofy as Rin for no reason other than skipping too much school. No one said he hated reading and it doesn't matter the book, you'll still get knowledge from it so there's no way Rin could be that dumb realistically. Kato also doesn't know how to write properly traumatized and mentally ill characters and it makes me cringe, so imma throw my headcanon in here that Rin can be smart, but had good reason not to show it until now.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Mephisto had made Rin wake up early the following day after Shiro's funeral and used a magic key to get to an empty classroom at True Cross Academy. He snapped and there was a written test and a mechanical pencil(the fancy kind)on a desktop in the front of the room.

"I've only known you for less than a day and I can see the ADHD energy just radiating off of you, so you will be allowed a few breaks and yes you can tap the pencil if you need to. Just don't break it. Do what you can and then just call me. My servant will be keeping an eye on you, so no funny business." Mephisto said before popping out of the room.

Rin looked around and spotted a man in a butler's suit with neat hair standing in the corner, green eyes matching his Master's as he surveyed the teen.

Rin sat down at the desk and began what would turn out to be an hour and a half's worth of testing, with a couple breaks. When he turned it in, Mephisto looked over it, the frown on his face getting deeper and deeper until he got to the end. He looked up at Rin with narrowed eyes and snapped. A new test appeared on the desk.

"Again."

"What?! Why?!" Rin protested.

"Just do it, boy."

Rin huffed and sat back down, taking two and a half hours this time. When he handed the test in again, the frown was lessened, but still there. A snap and another test.

"One more time." Mephisto sat up at the Teachers desk he sat at and grabbed Rin by the collar of his shirt to pull him down close enough for his slitted eyes to bore into Rin's. "And this time, do everything you can answer. Shiro and your brother might have fallen for this little act of yours, but I won't. Give me your best, Rin."

Rin scowled and sat down. It took him a total of three and a half hours to finish the test the last time and actually answer what he knew.

Mephisto's grin nearly stretched from ear to ear. "Good. Now tell me why you dumb yourself down so much."

Rin sat back down at the desk, still scowling.

"Yukio and I used to be at the same level until later elementary school and onwards. He was always better than me at school subjects and people started expecting a lot. They expected so much that he always looked stressed. I can understand why now, but back then, it was terrifying. The other already kids hated me and the teachers didn't like me because of the contrast between how much trouble they all said I was versus how smart I was, but they always graded me fairly." Rin began.

"So, when I started to dumb it down, they were all too happy to give me the exact grades they assumed I would end up having. I told Yukio he should do it too to lighten the load, but he refused. I was fine with Yukio being the shining star from then on, I just really hoped he wouldn't crumble to pieces under the pressure."

"There was a problem with dumbing it down, though. When the other kids saw my grades, since the teachers liked to use me as a example of what not to do and berated me in front of the entire class for moving around so much, they'd always try to start shit with me. The fighting got worse and I'd have to stand there and wait for Yukio to get out of class at the end of the day while I got rocks and sticks chucked at me. Shiro usually assumed the cuts and bruises were because I started another fight and never spared enough time to listen to the actual story, so I just skipped school as many days as I could until I hit the limit for each year and they told me they'd expel me if I didn't attend the rest of the year. Shiro got less bitchy about me skipping and just told me to get a job near the end when I refused to even go to highschool." He finished, shrugging one shoulder.

Mephisto's grimace was the only thing that told him this was not okay. Well, Rin knew it wasn't okay, but Mephisto's expression made it seem like it was a crime.

"So if I double-time you with work from middle school that you missed out on until you can actually understand highschool classes and I get you some ADHD meds, would you stop fighting me on putting you in my school?" Mephisto bargained.

Rin thought. For a while, he'd have extra work to do to catch up, but he'd also get something to help with his concentration issues and constant moving around. There was still something missing in that deal.

"One more thing." He answered.

"Oh?"

"If I have to do extra work to catch up, I can't be buried in other homework, the load has to be lighter or I'll just end up failing all of it even with the meds helping me concentrate." He suggested.

"Hm, yes, that's quite true. Alright, we have a deal."

"Don't call it that, I don't trust you with deals."

"Fair enough, you're a smart boy. I'll take you back to your brother now so you can finish moving in to your dorm." He pulled out his magic key again and led Rin through, closing the door behind him.

"So how'd it go?" Yukio asked carefully. Rin smiled.

"You'll see. Now, let's get back to packing so I can be moved in by the time school starts." Truth be told, Rin didn't know how to tell his little brother he'd bailed on him academically because he couldn't take the pressure he thought Yukio was under because of the advanced classes when they were kids.

For now, they'd pack what little Rin had and it would be taken to their dorm, which they'd see on the first day of school.

Rin sighed. He'd only ever hated school because of the kids and the teachers' mistreatment. Why was it okay to throw rocks at the poor kid with bad grades and daddy issues? Why was it okay to make a bad example of and publicly humiliate Rin to the whole class so they knew what not to do? Why was it okay to just ignore that and not spare any time to hear the actual story in exchange for just getting Rin in trouble and punishing him unfairly?(He'd never obeyed said punishments, but that was because he knew he didn't deserve them!)

Rin hoped he'd be able to do something good with himself in highschool. He hoped he didn't regret agreeing to go.

This was all so he could avenge everything he'd lost simply for being Satan's son. He'd never get any of it back, but he could certainly make the demon who took it pay. Rin would take that bastard down even if it meant dying to do it.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

You cannot tell me that Rin wouldn't give his all to destroy Satan, the one being who took everything from him just by being his father. Rin is the kind of guy that would go down and take you with him if it meant that he won and saved everyone he loved.

Rin knows he and Yukio are Not Okay™, but he also knows that they can deal with it–hopefully together now. I'm also gonna put in that cleaning is therapeutic for Rin because even cleaning mold is easier than anything Rin has to deal with daily. Cleaning is unproblematic and peaceful and not trying to kill him.