When You Have to Clean Up

William laughed when he heard the scream of pain that escaped Doris's lips and was even beaming with glee when he saw the woman twitching in pain on the ground.

She was not even able to move anymore, only gasping while tears rolled down her face.

"That's it. That's the face I wanted to see." The man laughed brushing the hair out of her face again. "Look how you pretty you are even in pain. No one will think of you as highly as I do."

Shut up. Shut up! Shutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutupshutup! You piece of shit! I hate you! Ihateyouihateyouihateyouihateyouihateyouihateyou. I hope you fall to the depths of hell and supper for the rest of your miserable life!

She tried to speak to insult the man again but her mouth would not move the way she wanted it to. No matter how much she struggled, it would not move.

If I am going to die. I'll take this man down with me. She thought, glaring at the man. From the corner of her eyes, she spotted a gun on the waist of the man who hit her.

There were still quite a few people around her, though the number had greatly decreased.

Only because they believed what I said. She thought, sighing. Do others not deserve to be treated with care unless they are a frail woman carrying a child or something?

"Should I hit her more?" The man asked, raising his bat in the air.

I have two seconds. She thought, looking at the gun on the man's waist. Will I make it?

Even if I don't, I'll just die, right? What could I possibly lose?

"I think she's had her lesson," William said, smiling proudly at Doris's blank expression. "Come on, I'll take you home-"

In the split second everyone was turning away from them, the woman pushed herself off the ground and pulled the gun from the man's waist, and aimed it at the man, shooting him on the shoulder.

Shit. She hissed, dropping the gun on the ground before crashing into the ground herself, a ringing filling her ears. Well, this is the end.

She heard muffled shouting and ignored it. Knowing it is the man telling them to punish her and also was screaming all kinds of profanities at her.

I should have just shot myself. She thought, feeling another dull hit on her body. Well, I can at least say that he doesn't terrify me anymore.

In front of her was a bat riddled with nails, about to come down on her face.

This really is it. She thought, closing her eyes to her fate. Sorry, Eden. I couldn't repay your kindness. Maybe in my next life.

But the bat never came down, confused Doris opened her eyes to see a hand stopping the bat.

What-? Turning her eyes to the front Doris started panicking seeing a very familiar black-haired man standing, towering over the man. Noel! No. Get out of here! They have weapons and numbers!

Please. She started crying. Please don't get injured because of me too.

_____________________

Noel stared at the bruised woman on the ground, tears running down her swollen and torn face. The more he looked at her, the angrier he grew.

Is this the reason why Eden was so panicked earlier? He thought, looking at her the few pieces of cloth that barely covered her, fuming. If I had asked, maybe I would have known.

Shaking his head, Noel threw the thoughts away. No time for regrets. I will deal with that later.

Pushing the man with the bat away, Noel took off the coat that Eden lend him and wrapped the woman in it. He almost pulled his hand back the moment he touched her as all he could feel was shattered bones.

What the hell? How could they do something like this? Noel thought, picking her up carefully and immediately sending his location to the ambulance and someone else.

"Aww~ has that whore gotten you smitten as well?" A man with blood dripping down his shoulders said, "You know that is a man right? There are such things as surgeries. Just leave him here if you want to live. I will excuse you because of a whore she is."

Noel ignored them, paying attention only to Doris who kept holding his arm and crying, shaking her head.

"Go." Her voice broke, "Just leave me here. He will kill you. Please. I don't want anyone else hurt because of me."

"You should listen to her pretty boy!" The man shouted again but Noel did not even give him so much as a look. "Stop ignoring me!"

"K-kill." Noel croaked out, voice very nasally and thick. Almost sounding like a musician with an instrument he never used before.

"Y-yes," Doris said frantically. "You will get killed if you stay here, with me. Go. Leave."

But Noel only shook his head and tried again.

"K-kill," He said out with struggle pointing to the people behind them. "M-me. I-I kill."

"You don't have to." She said, shaking her head. "I want him to die, yes. But not at yo-"

Not waiting for anything else, Noel carefully placed Doris near the door of the club. Making sure she is alright and turned to the man, no matter how much Doris begged and clung to him with her broken fingers.

"Please!" She begged until she felt her voice was going to break. "Noel! Please! Don't!"

"Looks like someone wants to act the hero." The wounded man laughed as ten people surrounded Noel suddenly. "Take care of him quickly."

"You know, I don't like people like you." The man with the nails in the bat said twirling it in his hands. "You are pretty so women like you and you think you can do whatever you want. Come here you!"

Everyone charged at Noel at the same time, covering him completely and attacking without giving him a second to process what was happening.

______________________

Doris watched with trembling hands as her vision faded in and out.

No. No. No. Why did he have to involve himself? She thought, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.

I need to call someone. I need to call- I know. Eden.

"I have to get Eden." She mumbled, looking around herself in a panic. "E-Eden. Eden!"

Trying to get to her feet, pain shot through her body and she felt herself fall.

Am I this useless? Can I only cause problems for everyone all the time? Why am I even alive?

Before she could fall flat on the ground, Doris felt someone catch her. Gentle but firm hands around her waist as she looked up to see the horrified face of-

"Eden!" Doris shouted, as the man helped her sit carefully.

"Shit, Doris." The man said, looking her over. "What the hell happened? Who did this to you? Tell me!"

"Forget about me!" She shouted, coughing blood. "Noel- Noel is in trouble."

"Noel? Where is he?" Eden asked, looking in front of him, eyes widening as he froze in his spot. His hand on Doris slightly tightened as the woman turned to his side, eyes widening as well.

There, on top of a pile of bodies and covered in blood, stood a certain black-haired man, casually dodging their attacks, hands in his pocket.

"W-what?"

"Don't worry about Noel. He can take care of himself." Eden said, smiling softly at the man in front of them, snapping the bat with just a kick. "You are the one I should worry about."

He picked Doris up in his arms and took off immediately, not looking back.

"Eden! You can't leave Noel alone!"

"I'm not!" Eden shouted, gritting his teeth as Doris noticed the conflict written all over his face. "I'm not."

She looked behind them and made eye contact with Noel who offered her a comforting smile before they turned the corner, tears running down the woman's face even more.

_______________________

"You- don't look down on me!" The man shouted, trying to pinch Noel but the latter just wasn't fazed.

They are not there anymore right? He thought, looking behind him just in time to make eye contact with a crying Doris. I should reassure her.

He gave her a soft smile as the two disappeared, remembering the message he sent to the man with their location and to track the ambulance.

[My better half: I'll leave her to you, Eden. I will just take the trash out.]

At least he listened. He thought, sighing before focusing on the five people in front of him. Now. How do I clean them out?

Unwilling to use the weapons they used on Doris, Noel just decided to stick to his own pocket knife.

One by one, he cut their throats with the elegance of a ballet dancer, spilling as much blood as possible.

"Who the fuck are you?" The injured man asked, falling to the ground as Noel had thrown the knife at his leg when he tried to run away after he took out everyone else.

Noel place his four fingertips to his chin and twirled it to a pointed finger, pocking at his temple and making a hook with the finger as he pulled it away, eyes shining.

It was said that all people heard that day were faint screams that continued for an hour before finally becoming quite. Police looked at the area from the complaints but there was nothing they found.

Everything looked normal.