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Chapter 11 – Regretting Life Choices
After making the decision that he was going to track down his brother and try to come to terms with what had happened in their pasts, and perhaps reconcile all of these ill feelings that he harbored, Neah made quick work of getting started on this. He was once again thinking that the Exorcists really were rather pathetic and that they made it so easy to track them down. The young Noah was thinking that the pair was likely traveling back to their headquarters and with that assumption came the knowledge that he needed to intercept Mana before they actually made it to that point.
Because if they made it to that point then his life was going to become infinitely more difficult.
And he may not be able to make it out of this without actually having to kill someone.
As much as he said that he didn't care about the human race there was always something that stopped him from crossing that line and actually joining in the annihilation of their species. With the notable exception of his father that first time that his Noah side had decided to make an appearance, in that instance he'd had absolutely no reservations about snuffing the life out of him.
Had enjoyed it in fact.
Yet now he faltered when it came to that, every single time. There was still some hesitance on the part of the Musician and perhaps it was that very hesitance and the desire to understand it that pressed him to seek out his brother. Mana had told him that this wasn't who he was and on some level he might be desperate to believe that the words of his brother were actually true.
Not that Neah would ever admit this to anyone.
Yea, that wasn't going to happen.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts Neah continued on his way, following the obvious trail that his brother and that idiot redhead were leaving behind. He couldn't help but continue shaking his head as he thought about just how easy they would be to track down and murder if that were his intent.
Luckily for them he didn't want to do that.
Well, actually he didn't want to kill his brother, the jury was still out on the idiot redhead. That one might end up getting murdered just for being annoying and an idiot. That was definitely something that should be punishable by death in his opinion.
It didn't take long for him to track the pair to a small town and then an inn, Neah hoping that he was going to find his brother and that the redhead would be somewhere else. Off being stupid somewhere else or something along those lines. That was the hope that he was harboring as he made his way inside and casually inquired after his friends and their room number, Neah acquiring that information easily enough.
Which only served to boost and ego that really just didn't need any type of boost.
Once he had the information that he needed Neah thanked the person at the front desk and then made his way upstairs, taking note of the fact that this place was pretty sparsely populated and that his brother and the redhead had apparently requested a room that was out of the way and as far away from other people as possible.
Another factor that would make them easy prey.
"I really need to give these two some lessons or something," he muttered to himself as he made his way to the room that he had been told Mana and Cross were using. Once he reached the door he grabbed the handle and thrust it open, not even bothering to knock or otherwise announce his arrival.
As soon as he stepped foot into the room he found himself grabbed and slammed against the wall by none other than the pain in the ass redhead from before. His eyes shifted to golden as he stared at the teen, noticing the fact that they were on eye level with one another and that made him aware of another fact.
His feet were no longer making contact with the floor.
"Release me," Neah ordered in a calm voice that still managed to sound somewhat threatening. The fact that he was smaller than Cross really didn't bother him in the slightest, after all Road was smaller than most and that didn't make her any less deadly. His superior genes were what won fights for him, not his size and really not his strength either.
Because as far as physical strength went, Neah was seriously lacking.
"What the hell are you doing here brat?" Cross demanded, completely ignoring the order to release the smaller teen. He knew that this was Mana's brother and that his idiot partner was attached to the kid but that didn't really change his views any and if he thought that Neah was a threat then he was going to eliminate that threat.
It was as simple as that.
"I was looking for my brother…not you," Neah replied with a blunt look on his face. It was pretty evident that he wasn't intimidated and it was equally evident that he didn't really want to deal with the obnoxious redhead right now. Not that he had ever, or was ever likely to, want to deal with him. It was sort of a necessary evil since the idiot seemed to be so keen on hanging around with Mana.
For whatever reason.
They didn't seem to get along based on the interactions that he had witnessed previously so that just caused him to further question why they were spending time together. Maybe out of some sense of duty, which he actually could relate to considering the times that he spent with the other members of the Clan of Noah despite the fact that they annoyed the hell out of him as well.
"Well he's not here, obviously," Cross said in a voice that did nothing to hide his anger. "And it's stupid to barge into a room the way that you did, you're lucky you're not dead brat."
That statement was made in all seriousness but that just made it all the more hilarious to Neah.
"I know you're being serious and I can't believe that you just said that," Neah said as he laughed, right in the redhead's face since he was still being held up by his clothes and they were still at eye level. The fact that prodding the figurative bear was not a good idea didn't even occur to Neah, there wasn't so much as a trace of fear in his expression or tone.
Which only served to further infuriate Cross.
"You know your brother isn't here to save your skin this time, right brat?" Cross questioned, wondering if that was something that had crossed the mind of this brat that was allied with the Earl and as a result their enemy by default. A fact that just made it harder for Cross to refrain from ending him now that he had the chance and Mana wasn't around to stop him.
"You know that goes both ways, right?" Neah retorted without even a second of hesitation, his eyes flashing golden for a moment as he allowed his Noah side to make a brief appearance. Not the full form but just a glimpse of it, to intimidate the stupid Exorcist that had decided that threatening him was a good idea.
Cross paused for a moment to just stare at the brat in stunned silence and then he narrowed his eyes. "You are really asking for it brat."
"I know and you're really not delivering," Neah said, reaching out to grasp the hand that was holding him suspended in the air. "So if you'll just let me go…" He once again gave the redhead a look as he said this, wanting to make it clear that he was finished playing this little game with him.
When the brat actually told him to let him go Cross thought about throwing him against the wall on the other side of the room but then he decided against that. Instead of giving into that violent urge he gave into a slightly less violent urge and just released the grip that he had on the teen, letting him fall. It wasn't a fall with any height but it at least made him feel a little better.
Especially when the brat ended up falling on his ass.
Neah was sort of surprised when he was just dropped, though why that was the case he wouldn't have been able to say, and he actually ended up landing on his butt. A little umph noise left his lips as he hit and then he turned a glare up toward the Exorcist. "I am going to kill you, I see it coming, it will happen…" His tone was slightly menacing as he said this, the small teen getting to his feet and dusting himself off as if he had fallen onto dirt rather than a relatively clean wooden floor.
A move that was mainly meant to show his disdain for their accommodations.
Cross just laughed at what the brat had to say, enjoying the sight of him sitting on the floor up until the point where he got up. The threat that was issued didn't phase him in the slightest, it wasn't like this brat was the first person to threaten him with death or grave bodily harm…or grave bodily harm and then death.
Actually Mana threatened him with the latter almost on a daily basis.
So he was less than intimidated.
"Keep dreaming brat," was the response that the redhead gave as he made his way over to one of the beds, plopping down and then focusing his intense gaze on the Noah brat. "We've already established that your brother isn't here now so feel free to get the fuck out. Your services are no longer required." As he said this the redhead waved his hand in a dismissive manner, as if he were shooing away some annoying pest.
Which was in a way exactly what he was doing right now.
Neah narrowed his eyes slightly and shook his head, making his way over to the other bed and plopping down in a manner that almost made it seem as if he were mocking Cross. Which to be honest was probably exactly what he was doing.
"Guess you're stuck with me until he comes back then," Neah said, crossing his leg in a casual manner as he kept his gaze focused on the redheaded annoyance. This wasn't what he had intended to do with his time when he had first set out on this mission but all the same it wasn't really all that terrible. He could just annoy this Exorcist until Mana decided to make an appearance. Not the best use of his time but perhaps it would serve as a decent enough distraction.
Still he was regretting his life choices as he found himself alone with the Exorcist.
Any of the others in this position would be fighting the Exorcist right now and yet here he sat just trying to be a thorn in the older teen's side. That fact alone once again illustrated just how different he was from the others and almost served to prove the point that Mana had been trying to make before.
A point that Neah was finding it harder and harder to deny.
"No way…no way in hell are you just gonna hang around here and annoy the hell out of me," Cross said, the look that he gave Neah one that would be enough to intimidate most people.
Unfortunately the Musician wasn't most people.
"Oh but I am," Neah said calmly, looking at Cross as if the two of them were having a pleasant conversation rather than trading scathing words back and forth.
And now it was Cross's turn to regret life choices.
Specifically his choice not to kill this brat when he had the chance. Now he was unable to do it because of that conversation with Mana and the fact that this brat hadn't killed anyone yet. At least not that he knew of. And until the brat crossed that line he couldn't actually do anything or else he knew that Mana would be out for blood.
For real this time rather than just the half-hearted arguing that they did now.
In the end it wasn't worth it, no matter how much Cross might wish otherwise.
"Fine, just don't talk to me," Cross said, casting a glare in the brat's direction and trying to silence him with that look.
"How about a sing-along?" Neah piped up immediately, offering Cross a trollish grin as he did so. "Know any good songs?"
The only response that he got for that question was a low growl from the redhead, making him sound almost feral in that moment. Which was enough to get Neah to laugh, a genuine laugh which was something really strange for him.
Something that he wasn't quite able to reconcile with how he usually felt.
The undeniable truth was that this encounter, the reunion with his brother and the meeting with this redheaded annoyance, had changed him.
Whether he wanted to be changed or not.
A/N – End of another chapter and Neah and Cross were bonding, in a manner of speaking. Hope you enjoyed the read, please leave a review on your way out. Thanks for reading!