Call Me 'Nix (AO No Exorcist Fanfic)

Eight: Last Breath

How many hours has it been since we started to figure this out? Three? Four? More?

I went to england for five minutes to change but that is the extent to my breaks from trying to crack this.

I sigh, running my hands through my hair as Yukio continues to question me, my answers barely vary. He goes through the report he did when he went on one mission with my father. He keeps asking me about the people who have a first, last or nickname that begins with the letter 'R' or an 'R' sound.

"Thea. Thea? Hey Thea!" Yukio speaks up. I face him.

"What's up?" I ask, trying to not reflect the aggrivation of not knowing who the one who killed my father is.

"Thea, your phone is ringing." Yukio pushes up his glasses.

"Oh, right. Sorry." I pull out my phone and answer it.

"Hello?" I say.

"OH MY GOD THANK GOD YOU ANSWERED THE PHONE." the voice exclaims.

"...JUN?" I cock a brow.

"Nix it's life or death right now!" my cousin's informant frets.

"What did you DO?" I ask.

"Nix you have to know, okay, we have to talk; somewhere they can't trace!" he gsbbles.

"Yeah. Right, where?" I reply.

"The place." he says, hanging up. The place? Does he mean his bar? Of course he does, I've never seen him outside of the bar.

I stand up.

"Something's wrong." I state. "I'm going."

"Thea, you can't go alone. You promised your cousin that you wouldn't act on impulse." I am chided. I shake my head, the wind from the front door that I opened is blowing my hair around. I would try to smooth my bangs but I'm too annoyed.

"I'm not acting on impulse!" I snap, storming out. "Ryouta will kill me if Jun dies! Jun can't die or our trail goes cold!"

I sprint toward Jun's bar, heart hammering. Has he been found out? Worms, when found usually die or kill to get out. I should know, that's how it's been when I've found worms.

I turn sharply into the alleyway.

"You alone?" In response to his question, I look over my shoulder. Yukio's not there. Nobody's calling my name. I'm alone. I nod. Jun looks only fractionally calmer. He takes a deep breath but doesn't meet my eyes.

"I'm worthless." the informant states, looking around hypervigilantly.

"Huh?" I cock a brow.

"'Nix, I'm no longer useful." he looks really scared. The cigarette in his hand is shaking and not just to discard ash. He is quivvering in fear. "I'm going to die."

"What?" I shake my head. "Ryouta wouldn't let you die."

"Oh 'Nix, you." pauses and starts to shake. My eyes widen as his face grows fiercer and features sharpen. I take a step back.

"Jun, you'll be alright." I assure.

"N-no, you weren't meant to get hurt. Now the boss has it in for me. 'Nix, I'm going to die because I put your life on the line. The boss doesn't want you dead yet."

"Jun." I put my hand on his trembling shoulder.

"Get off 'Nix." he lightly shoves me, hurting the skin on my arm, clearly unintentionally, with his sharp nails.

"Jun. You're going to be fine." I try to calm him down but I do not believe my own words.

"No 'Nix." he says sternly. "I'm going to die."

"Jun!" I huff.

"No Thea!" he chides. My eyes widen, Jun has never called me Thea. I don't think anybody called me Thea around him.

"Please." I sooth.

"I want you to carry out my last wish. I too am his puppet, useless now so he's cutting my strings and leaving me to burn. Not like it matters. He just doesn't realise he too is a puppet." Jun states.

"What's your wish?" I ask.

"Get that sick son of a bitch for what he's about to do and what he has already done." he snarls, his shaking form doesn't distract me from his clenched fists.

"You mean the one in charge of the pawns, knights, bishops, and all the other pieces. The master?" I cock a brow.

He sighs, taking a long drag on his quickly disintergrating cigarette. I watch as Jun relaxes considerable; as if he's become accustomed to the situation he sees himself to be in.

"'Nix, when I die today, I'm going to think of you, You dealt with that sick son of a bitch for longer than you know yet you're still striving to find him." Jun lets a cloud of smoke creep from his lips.

"Jun, I'm really confused." I state.

"'Nix, you're not a slut, or a whore, or a slag nor are you a tramp. It's not like you're foul or overly seductive either. Yoi are not who I thought you were. I see that now. I'm sorry for objectifying you, leering at you, touching you and harassing you. For years. I'm sorry that I couldn't have found anymore pieces of this messed up puzzle to get information from. I'm sorry you're at a loss." he says slowly, letting himself recall all of the disgusting experiences he subjected me to, as if he's had a change of heart.

"You needn't say sorry Jun. You've re-payed your debt by helping me." I assure.

"But today, now, this. This is the last time I'll be able to apologize." Jun sighs. "I don't have any family or friends to tell I love them and that I'm sorry that I'l be dead soon. I just wanted you, 'Nix, the object of my pervertedness, to know I cannot forgive myself for treating you so scornfully." I am told.

"Jun, you need to slow down, breathe." I instruct.

"Not for much longer, he'll get me soon." Jun sighs, looking somewhat withdrawn.

"Who will?" I press, this could be it; the identity of the one who killed my father could be given in Jun's last breaths.

"Kichida Ry..." BANG!

I yelp as a bullet goes into Jun from behind.

BANG! BANG! His body falls forward, clothes already stained with the vicous liquid that pumps in his veins.

I don't know if I screamed. I don't think I shed a tear. All I do know is that I ran like hell. I ran through the crowded streets of Japan. I slammed into people. I was most likely babbling like a mad woman. I do know I was hysterical. And I also know that I wasn't at all comforted by that warm pair of blue eyes. That and as soon as I looked into them the gloom sunk in.

I know who it was.

And I would have never.

Ever.

Thought he could be so...

Heartless.