Disclaimer: I own nothing.

14. Guest

As Noah and Rex traveled together in their quest to catch up with the raven's friends on their ultimate journey to Rex's home they got to know each other a lot better.

Enough for Noah to have a strong sense that his feelings weren't entirely one sided.

It was mostly the little things that hinted at the fact that Rex wanted the same kind of things Noah did.

The way his hand lingered when helping the blonde over rough terrain, or the way his eyes remained on Noah's frame when the raven thought he wasn't looking.

But mostly, Noah was certain that Rex was holding them back from reaching his friends as quickly as they could. Which he hoped was Rex's attempt at making sure they had more time alone together before they were all together as a group.

At least he had hoped that was the case: right up until they reached a marker left by one of Rex's friends that meant they were close and the other boy looked totally panicked.

"Rex?" The blonde questioned softly, unsure as to why his friend was freaking out, but knowing that it must have something to do with their eventually meeting.

The other teen rung his glove covered hands together for a moment and avoided Noah's gaze.

It struck Noah only than that Rex hadn't provided much information on his friends. He'd gotten names sure, but beyond that he was meeting total strangers. Strangers that might not like the fact that Rex was bringing along another mouth to feed.

Panic bubbled up inside him at the thought of Rex abandoning him here after traveling together for so long. Even knowing he could survive on his own if he needed to didn't lesson the panic of being truly alone again.

But Rex had promised him they'd stay together and as selfish a thing as it was, Noah wanted to hold him to it as long as he could.

But he needed to know where he stood with the rest of group before he could offer a convincing argument as to why he was valuable to them.

"Do you think they won't accept me?" Noah asked softly, trying not to show how much that possibility both worried and saddened him.

Rex immediately rushed to his side and grasped his hand within his own.

"No, nothing like that. They'll love you." The raven assured him.

Noah blushed brightly as he squeezed Rex's hand back.

"Then why are you so worried?" He asked.

Rex looked away from Noah's inquisitive gaze and shifted back to his earlier worried expression.

"You're different from my friends and me and I'm worried about how that's going to affect you." He admitted.

That wasn't what Noah was expecting at all.

"Me? Why me?"

"Because you're….You're….."

Rex trailed off and Noah felt sick.

He stepped back from Rex and broke out of his hold with more force than necessary.

"Because I'm gay?" Noah hissed, hating the thought of Rex thinking less of him because it.

"That doesn't mean I'm some kind of pervert or something!" Noah screamed, forgetting that they needed to be quiet so as not to be discovered by any Evos.

How had he misinterpreted everything? He thought Rex liked him. Thought maybe someday….

Now he knew how the other boy really felt. Now he knew exactly how little else everything else he was matter in the face of who he found attractive.

And it made him sick.

Rex flinched away from Noah's unexpected shriek as his eyes instantly began searching for anything that might have been attracted by it.

"Noah, that's not what I meant at all and that's the last thing I would ever hold against you. But you need to be quiet okay?"

Noah was too mad, too disappointed, too everything all at once to care about being quiet.

"Maybe this was all a mistake." He admitted with barely concealed hurt and anger.

Suddenly, for the first time since Rex had discovered him, he wanted to be alone again. Away from this boy and every feeling he inspired.

Rex must have seen something on his face that betrayed what he was feeling because he reached out and grasped Noah's hand again tighter.

"Noah please. Don't go. Let me explain." The raven begged.

Noah wrenched away harder than before and took a large step backwards.

"What's to explain? I'm not like you and your friends right?"

Before Rex could respond a large black object broke out of the shadows and launched itself at him.

"Rex!" Noah screamed.

It was the same Evo, the one that had attacked them on the day they met. It must have been tracking them for days, if not weeks.

It was all Noah could do to dive for his bat and try to help his friend.

Before he could get to his feet again: before he could even do anything more than look over at his friend, he froze.

The Evo that had had his friend pinned to the ground only seconds before was now in the exact opposite position with Rex atop of him.

Only Rex didn't look entirely like Rex anymore.

Large metal fists had replaced his hands and large metal jet like wings had appeared on his back. Somehow Rex seemed to be the one winning this particular battle as he flung the beast hard against a nearby building and then flew to place himself between it and Noah.

The beast got up after a moment and shook itself violently. With one last vicious yowl it turned tail and ran back into the darkening shadows of dusk.

Both boys stood still a moment longer to be sure that it was really gone, Rex staring at the shadows and Noah staring at him, before relaxing.

Rex turned to face the blonde slowly; his hands and wings still the same as they had been during the battle.

His shoulders were dropped in defeat despite his victory, and more than anything he looked sad.

"This is why you're not like us Noah. Because you're human and we're not."

A little cliffhanger for my BFF Bramblerose4's birthday! It was a tad off prompt, but I think it's worth it for the good of the story! Stay tuned for another chapter or two ASAP! Plus be sure to read and review not only this story, but all the amazing Noex works of my BFF! She's the Queen of Noex for a reason!

Yours truly,

Lacy Fairgold