Hello everyone! Cheater boy – A is once again here for another fan fiction. I said I'll post this by January, but since I'm enthusiastic today and it is Christmas season I decided to post it now instead of keeping you waiting, which I hate the most. The original first chapter is boring. I swear. So, I edited this first chapter and here is the aftermath. It isn't a long chapter, but I hope you will come to love this.

Well, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, people of different races, places, and ages, I welcome thee to the first night~!

Enjoy!

: )

Night One

"A-llen... Allen, how dare you make me an akuma!?"

"I curse you! I curse you, Allen!"

"Destroy me. Please, Allen. Destroy me."

"I love you, Allen."

These phrases and the fresh memories kept on repeating in his mind. Why? Why it happened? He was a fool for believing him, for believing that he and the deceased man will be together once again. He knew that the dead will remain dead and the soul cannot be taken back from where it supposed to be. But, his mind was blank that time and all he wished for is to see him again. He yearned for the man's protection and love that he didn't receive from anyone even his biological parents. The deceased man, Mana Walker, was his foster father, the only being who showed him what a family is. If only he stayed strong and kept in mind what Mana had told him before he died, maybe this wouldn't happen? Maybe... Maybe Mana won't get angry at him to the extent he cursed him. Maybe... Maybe...

"Hey, kid. How would you like to be an exorcist?"

The kid was pulled out of his thought and just realized that the snow had stopped falling and there was a man kneeling in front of him. He held his head up to see the man's face. The tears that kept on flowing and the blood on the left side of his face won't let him see the man clearly, however, he recognized that blurry features of the man; long red hair, cloaked in black, and his hat where the huge golden sphere with wings and tail used to perched on.

That man had introduced himself to him, saying he was Mana's old friend and helped him in the funeral of his father.

The man stared back at him with that defiant red eye yet behind it was a kind and understanding eye that had a hint of guilt on it. If only he made it on time, maybe he could have shove that man away and this would not happen to this poor child. Maybe the child won't be curse and live in a living hell of life. If only he arrived sooner, or better, if only didn't left the child on his own. He thought that giving him some lone time would help the child to think over and find his resolve to continue living, but he was wrong. He should have seen this coming.

oOo

"UWAAAAAH!" an ear piercing scream of agony was heard from the inside of the room where the man was treating the child's wounded face. The red haired had a pretty tough time of treating him due to his screams and thrashing his body to every possible direction to free his self.

"I said stop screaming!" the red haired yelled so the child can hear him behind those screams he created. It seemed like the child heard nothing though. "Tch." the gritted his teeth as he strained the child's movement. "Calm down- hey!" he tried when the kid kicked him square on his chin. Of course, accidentally. "Damn...this...brat..." he said between clenched teeth.

This little predicament he had with the kid took him an hour to clean and patch the kid's wound and let him rest.

Sat on the edge of the bed was the red haired man who sighed in relief upon wiping the sweat on his forehead with clean cloth. He fished his pack of cancer sticks out of his pocket to smoke, but he stopped himself just when he was about to put a stick on his mouth. It was a habit that he unconsciously does whenever he was tense to relax. Sighing once again, he returned his cigarettes in his pocket then he glanced at the small figure that had yet fallen asleep even he was tired.

The poor child sat on the bed, his back pressed on the wall, arms around his knees protectively where his head rested, and eye so wide staring ahead of him.

"Are you okay?" the man asked.

"..."

The red haired didn't receive a reply, so he tried to talk to him again, but like the first, the kid didn't speak. He inhaled air as he closed his eye and exhaled upon reopening it. He knew the kid won't speak so soon after what had happened that traumatized him.

"Tim, stay here with Allen." he ordered the golden round figure that was on the chair. Tim nodded his body at his master, and with that, the man went out of the room while the silent creature remained inside and watched the white haired lad with sympathy.

oOo

"So, he is the 14th?" the small old woman who sat on the chair said behind the rim of her cup of tea.

"Yes." the man standing behind her replied immediately. His usually hoarse and cold tone seemed to dissipate as the old woman noticed how the man spoke with such concern.

"I see." she said as she put her cup down. "You found the 14th and starting today you have to take care of him."

"WHAT!?" he protested then like a flash, the old woman's face inched closer to his, so much closer, accompanied by a very horrifying yet comical look.

"Do you not want it?" she snarled. "He is just a kid! And he needs full attention to recover from his trauma."

The man paled at their closeness.

"But-"

"Whether you like it or not, you have to take care of the child." retreating to her seat, she said calmly as he looked at the man.

The man averted his gaze from the old woman to his back. He didn't like the very idea of taking care of the brat. He doesn't loathed kids or whatever. He just didn't know how to take care of them.

"Can I just kill him?" he foolishly suggested.

WHAM!

He was kicked by the old woman on his left cheek. Strong enough to send him backwards, and fall on his rear.

"Oww... That hurts!" he muttered as he rubbed his sore back.

"What are you saying you ungrateful man!?" she yelled. "He is just a kid, a victim."

"I know..." standing up, he mumbled and his expression changed to solemn. "It's just that I...don't know how to take care of a child." he said softly.

"I know. It is pretty obvious." she deadpanned which made the man stared at her in disbelief. "Isn't he too young for this?"

At this point, the man's solemn face changed into anger.

"I know it. That bastard. Why did he chose a brat and not some useless, drunkard bastard out there!? What was he thinking?" he growled.

The old woman looked at him in agreement and thought… you're right. Some useless, drunkard bastard like you. Thankfully, she managed to stop herself in saying it loud.

"We don't know why he chose a child, but whatever it is; you have to take care of him. This is your chance to experience what it is like to be a father, Cross." she said as she turned her back on him and went to the kitchen to wash her cup before retiring to her room.

The man, now dubbed as Cross, stared at her retreating back, thinking if he can do the detested job he was stuck with.

So, how was it?

Please review, I want to know what was in your mind while reading the first chapter.

Thank you for reading!

See you!

#CBA