Collision | ✔️ | Blue Exorcist

Low Battery

My ears twitched once more and I paused in my tracks, my muscles tensed and I was prepared to fight one of the beasts if need be. However, I relaxed once I realized the noise was only Shura and Yukio.

"What's gotten into you, Chicken? You're usually hard on that little punk of a brother you got, but now..." she trailed off and I listened in, dimming my flame so I could move closer and not be noticed.

"What's it to you?" His voice was blunt, and she scoffed.

"I'm just curious, that's all. So humor me and spill your guts. Rin won't be back for awhile, anyway."

I crouched down by a nearby tree, moving past a few shrubs and ferns until the campfire came into view. Their backs were to me and I sighed lightly, moving out a bit further and gently setting the wood down into a pile. I leaned against a tree trunk and got comfortable, ready to get some answers.

"What am I supposed to do, coddle him?" He grunted and ran a hand through his hair. "He doesn't apply himself and that's dangerous in our profession." There was a small silence before his voice became sharp, "he shouldn't be an exorcist. He'll get someone killed, most likely himself."

My hands clenched in my lap, he was such an ass. So what if I get killed? At least an abomination like me did something good before dying.

"Lots of exorcists get themselves killed, and that's something you know about when you sign up for this shit. You know that, Yukio, and Rin seems happy to be doing this, so what's so wrong with it?"

"Oh, he's sure happy about it now, I bet." I could almost see him staring at the stars, a bitter look on his face. "If he hadn't signed up for this, he wouldn't be here, in a waiting game for starvation, hypothermia, or fodder for the wildlife." An image of glowing eyes flashed through my mind and a swallowed hard, glancing around anxiously.

"If Rin didn't sign up for this, he'd be dead." It was silent after her statement, and she took the opportunity to elaborate. "At Shiro's funeral, Mephisto gave Rin three options, all of which would end up with him being killed. I think he made the right choice by fighting back and becoming what he is today."

"Shut the hell up, Shura." His voice was strained and my eyes widened at his tone. "You don't know what I'm talking about."

"Then enlighten me." The wind picked up and the last of the fire flickered out, causing me to tense.

"Rin is too much like Dad," he whispered so softly I almost didn't hear it. A crease formed between my brows and my curiosity peaked. Too much like Dad? Thankfully, he kept on talking, "I keep seeing it, some of his actions, his words, the way he views life; they all stem from our Dad."

"You've lost me."

He cut her off, "Dad's dead."

Immediately, I felt guilt and sadness rush through me, my hand ran through the dew covered grass, small clumps of dirt clinging to my skin, giving me something to focus on. I heard Shura sigh, and I wished I could see their expressions. "So Rin's actions upset you?" There was a silence, but she continued on as if he agreed. "Because Rin reminds you of Shiro...? Yeah, I guess that's a sad reminder, but that's not something to get upset with him about."

"No, no," he huffed angrily, "I mean yes, he does remind me of our father, and the nostalgia is bittersweet, but that's not what I mean." He took a deep breath and I took the moment to wipe my clammy hand on my pants, the fabric becoming damp, which would be an uncomfortable situation later. "I don't want Rin to die."

"Well, duh, no one wants anyone to die, Chicken, especially a brother."

"Again, shut up, I'm not finished." I heard him shift and I raised my head in their direction, still unable to make anything out. "I don't want him dying because of me. If I'd been at the monestary that day, who knows what could've happened. Maybe I... maybe I could've..." He sounded torn, and I was curious how long he'd been internalizing these emotions. "Anyway," he sighed sadly, "it... hurts to know that he's suffering because of me."