Chapter 35 - What's life like with a dark past?

Note:

- I've kind of given up with this chapter. I decided I didn't like this conflict and it was turning me off from story writing. So forgive me for the very much lack of action and quickness. It was much cooler and longer in my head. I kind of deemed this conflict necessary to build more on Aiden's character. I do a bad job at it though lmao.

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POV: 3rd Person

Leo, Nero and Aiden landed to the opposite of Jax and the entire company were having a stare-off. No one knows how to start the interaction. Nero was pissed but mostly annoyed. Aiden was annoyed and defensive. Leo was confused and intrigued by this entire ordeal. Sooner or later though, Aiden seemed to have a question that needed answering.

"What are you doing here?"

Jax shrugged without a care in the world. "Followed you here."

The other man sent a hateful glare his way. "Why?"

A scoff was what Aiden got out of the ex-champion. "I think we all know the answer to that. I'm here to defeat that man over there" He pointed towards Nero with a scornful look. "Actually, no. I'm here to kill him. I wouldn't be satisfied otherwise."

Aiden was about to say something (probably extremely offensive) but Nero was quick to interrupt and ask his question instead. "With no due respect, what did I exactly do to deserve death? I don't think removing a title that could be easily won back is a worthy reason. Also, I won the last fight with the assumption that you would leave me alone afterwards."

The question garnered a loud growl out of Jax and he brought out his whip hands out. The other men immediately went into defence, ready for any upcoming surprises. But Jax doesn't attack. Instead, he spat out the answer to Nero's inquiry. "YOU RUINED EVERYTHING! After that fight, people started looking down on me. Saying shit like how I was actually weak, otherwise, how would a first timer have beaten me. The defeat led to more defeats and eventually, I lost sponsors and interest. The crowd and my fans lost interest in me. This led to my depression which led to alcoholism which led to my wife and kid leaving. IF YOU NEVER SHOWED UP, THIS WOULD'VE NEVER HAPPENED! So I trained and trained in order to stop you. But knocking opponents out wasn't enough anymore. Oh no, I had to make sure they were out of the match... for good. They'd understand. I know they would. They're proud of me, their sacrifice will not be in vain after I defeat you. All I need to do, is kill you and everyone is happy."

After the outburst, no one said anything. The blued haired man was leaking with resentment, with sparks flying out of his body left and right in an uncontrolled fashion. He looked ready to kill the guy. He was not the only one though. Turned out, Leo couldn't keep a straight face to himself. He did try to keep it under wraps but he was seething in outrage and his normally golden eyes had changed into a darker shade of near-orange. His hand had small flames dancing atop of his fingertips.

The most surprising reaction out of them all was Nero's. He didn't express anger or sadness or frustration. Alternatively, he just displayed a blank look that gave no way to his thoughts or emotions. He was a clean slate. You'd think he was completely out of it, if it wasn't for the fact he tonelessly commented, "Aiden, the only way to stop this guy is to kill him. He's gone crazy."

The comment rang alarm bells in Leo's head and he looks over to Nero with a little bit of suspicion. Nero felt the gaze but blatantly ignored it. The statement got Leo thinking. Interesting... you awfully remind me of someone I've met recently. They said something similar without any hesitation or remorse... The similarities are becoming even more uncanny yet, the major contradictions still lie... Nero my friend, you're looking guiltier yet even more confusing every meeting.

The voice snapped Aiden out of his semi-trance and he threw his angered look to Nero instead (with a hint of worry). "You know my answer to that. We're not fucking killing him. You're not fucking killing him. I refuse to let any of us stoop to their levels. Ever. The day I do is the day I personally kill myself in the most torturous way possible. If you stoop that low, I will kill you and then kill myself."

His words didn't phase the shorter man. He just replied with the same tone, "I figured you'd say that. Good luck dealing with him then. I doubt the justice system will ever do their jobs right if you put it in their hands but do what you want."

"Good." Aiden brought his attention back to their opponent. "Now, Nero here won't be fighting you. I will though. Gladly."

Jax threw a peeved expression as retaliation. "Huh?! Like hell! I'm here to fight Nero. You extras can fuck right off."

"Don't care about your opinion. This isn't a compromise you're fighting me."

"Actually Aiden, may I do the honours?" Leo, for the first time since arriving on the rooftop, interrupted with a chilled tone. His expression was back to neutral.

Aiden gave him a sceptical look before shrugging. "You sure? I can deal with the guy and you don't have to actually get out your power."

MegCorp's boss stepped closer to Jax and the latter put up his defence immediately. "No, I've been itching for a fight recently. This will kill two birds with one stone. I get to scratch said itch and I get to put this git in his place. It seems he's become a bit... delusional." The latter statement was said in a lower octave and a darker tone, giving a vibe that he was going for the kill.

The tone sent visible shivers down whip-man's body but he still managed to hold it together. "I SAID I'm here to fight that man over there. Stop getting in my way. AND I'M NOT DELUSIONAL!"

"Well, I guess you'll just have to go through us then first, won't you?" Leo was standing midway between Jax and Nero/Aiden, making no move whatsoever. Jax openly growled in frustration, "Fucking fine. This is honestly a waste of time and energy but it's nothing I can't handle."

Leo projected a fake smile, wordlessly goading him to come at him. The other man immediately dashed forward, whips ready to... whip. However, 3 steps in, Leo in his sexy, deep voice (according to Nero) simply called out, "Phönixspeer."

A blaze came out of the man's torso, into the sky and it shaped itself into a phoenix. It flew around Leo before soaring towards Jax with high speed. The speed was kept constant and eventually, even after Jax attempted to block, the phoenix literally pierces through the man's abdomen before dissolving into the night sky.

The consequence of the phoenix was a painful stab looking wound where the phoenix made contact and a hot blaze spreading from the wound to different parts of Jax's body. Aiden and Nero didn't need the ex-champion's screams to know that the flame was excruciatingly painful. The fire seemed to be never-ending, basically covering up his entire body (the man was rolling around on the ground, trying to put it out) however, it was not burning him to crisp.

His audience looked intrigued and Aiden was itching to get out something to write on and note down like all the observations. Nero just fell in love with him a little bit more, secretly giving him heart eyes. OP people was sexy after all.

The fire eventually dissipated, leaving behind an exhausted body lying on the ground. He was breathing with all his might and his face was still deformed in pain. His eyes were screwed shut and his mouth was agape to allow for more air inside. The rest of his body was trembling from the pain but it didn't stop him from kneeling and coughing out blood. The hole in his abdomen was not forgiving. He's basically out of commission.

Aiden scratched his head in slight bafflement and light-heartedly said, "That was quick and kind of boring... Oh well! Let's go home kiddos."

Leo frowned and turned to the other man to flatly inform him, "I'm older than you... I think. You look like the kid if anything honestly."

"Minor details. Also, rude." Everyone turned their back on Jax, ready to fly back to the other building but they're stopped by a hoarse yet harsh voice. "So you're going... to run away, like a... coward? Like you did... 2 years ago."

Everyone turned back to find him barely managing to stand. His hands were on his knees to keep himself balanced and he was still inhaling and exhaling in large quantities. The man clearly had too much pride to stay on the ground, where it was more comfortable.

Nero responded with false interest. "Is that meant to provoke me into fighting you?"

"Is it working?"

"No."

The bluntness got a chuckle out of Jax which was prematurely cut due to the sudden shot of pain. His tone suddenly turned malicious during the following words. "No... I didn't expect it to work. But you know... I always knew you were good at running away. The best even."

Now Nero and the rest were completely perplexed. Where the fuck is he going with this? "Huh?"

Jax ignored their confusion to ask his own question. "Say Nerovsky, what was it like working at a whore house?"

Dead silence. No one said anything. The wind didn't even blow. There wasn't even any car horns sounding from the distance at that moment. Leo's perplexment further deepened, focusing on his employee for an explanation but Nero on the other hand, understood completely and his entire body froze in trauma and fear, face paled. He managed to stumble out,

"Wha- Where did y- why-"

The wounded man was wearing a filthy smirk when he interrupted to continue. "From what I hear, you were quite in high demand. The customers wanted to have even the tiniest taste of you. It must've been nice, getting all the attention and fun from all the rich men. Like the little slut you are. I bet that's what you're doing with Leonardo over there, sucking his-"

Before Jax could finish his commentary and Nero could completely shut down, there was a murmur of "lightening spear" and a sudden flash of bright light, causing MegCorp associates to cover their eyes. When they were able to blink in focus, Nero immediately broke out of his stupor and desperately roared out, "AIDEN, STOP!" The sight in front of them was a near-death body of Jax, slumped on the ground. There was another stab wound near his heart that had created a hole from the front to the back of his body. The hole itself had scorch markings surrounding the edges. What was over his body was what caused Nero to scream out in desperation. It was Aiden, who was currently coated in lightning and sparks. His blue hair was standing up and the hair pigment lightened a bit. In his hand was a sharp spear-like stick made out of lightning but it was already covered in blood. The said spear was currently held over the Jax's body, ready to be plunged in again. What terrified Nero the most however was the expression on Aiden's face. It was emotionless, blank and detached. His face muscles were completely relaxed, lips and eyebrows formed in a straight line. His eyes are also relaxed but they're accompanied by emptiness.

He looked like a cold blooded serial killer.

There was lingering anger present, probably from the first time he stabbed the other guy. Nero hadn't seen the expression in ages. So when he does cut himself off from his emotions, that's when you know it's really bad.

Nero's outburst did freeze his best friend mid stab but he doesn't move away from his position. He remained paralysed in that form. Ok good. He isn't about to go in for the plunge. With that in mind, Nero quickly tried to get Aiden back to earth. "Aiden listen to me. I'm fine. I'm not broken (physically). I'm not hurt. I haven't broken down and I'm breathing fine."

The blue-haired man looks back at his best friend with vacant eyes and it put a crack in Nero's heart. It always hurts seeing him like that. Aiden emotionlessly remarked, "But he did hurt you. You were right. He deserves to die. He needs to die. He hurt my friend. My friend is hurt. No one can hurt my friend."

"Well, you're not wrong but... look Aiden, put down the weapon and we can talk about this properly, ok? I'm not physically hurt and I'm talking normally, see? I'm not having a panic attack... (probably because the shock of you losing yourself made me forget everything else). Don't kill the man for me. It's not you. You're meant to hold me back, not the other way around. Don't lose your resolve, please? Just... come back to me and take us home?"

There was more blank staring before you could see Aiden's normal self seeping back into his body. His tense shoulders slowly slouched down and made the materialised lightning bolt disappear. He walked towards his best friend slowly and once he reached his destination, wrapped his arm around Nero to pull him into an embrace. The latter returned the hug, patting the man to comfort him.

"I'm sorry," Aiden mumbled into the shorter man's hair.

"It's alright," Nero whispered back. After a while, it finally occurred to him that there was another man still present during this entire thing. Nero looked over in Leo's direction to find him looking back at him with a solemn expression but bewildered expression. Nero sent back an apologetic smile.

I would love to confide... but I can't. I don't want you to ever see that side of me.

The shortest pushed Aiden away from him, just enough to look up at him and soothly request, "Let's go home."

With a tiny nod, Aiden made Nero jump on his back and they flew in the direction of Nero's apartment, leaving behind the still-very-confused-what-just-happened CEO. Leo glanced between the disappearing bodies and the unconscious one before bringing both hands to his face and dragging it down in frustration.

I swear my life has never been so eventful since meeting Nero. There's been more shit I've been through in the last 7 months than there has been in the rest of my life. As exhausted as I am each and every time, my fascination grows even further for him. So many things to ask, so little opportunities to do so. Anyway, I'm going to go home, get myself pissed and then crash on the couch. I deserve that much.

With the new goal in mind, Leo flew back to his balcony (after anonymously tipping Jax's location). I'm still sad I didn't get the last hit and say though. I wanted to be the one who nearly killed him :(