[fanfic: dealing with the devil]
When Joshua tells him for the first time, Neku just brushes off the statement as false. After a moment, though, the Ex-Player glances back at the sniggering Composer, noticing the shimmer in his pale violet eyes. It’s that shimmer-he’s up to no good. Neku frowns, his obstinate gaze faltering. The statement that the prissy Composer just uttered replays on infinite loop in Neku’s head, befuddling him. At first, he laughs. Then he just stands there, a few feet away from the counter, staring in utter confusion and then…then he just pales. Mr. Hanekoma is somewhere in the back room, messing with a new shipment-he has no idea the information that Joshua is divulging-and Josh has no idea what the consequences will be. If you stick your hand on a hot stove, you’re always going to get burnt.
“I’m leaving, physco,” Neku decides firmly. HE turns, headed to the door. It’s been a long day-even longer now that Joshua decided to pop in while Neku was enjoying a cup of cocoa.
“Too bad the door’s locked,” Joshua giggles, leaning his chin into his palm. His eyes glitter dangerously as he watches Neku walked over to the door and grab for the handle. At once, he groans. It’s locked, just like the bastard said. “Told you,” Joshua lilts.
“Let me out of here,” Neku snarls, voice harsh and not an ounce concerned. “I’m done with your stupid lies and games.” It sounded better in his head.
“It’s been a month, my little proxy. Are you still sore? The wound should have healed by now,” Joshua retorts dramatically, but there’s an underlying trace of indignation.
“You killed me-twice,” Neku reiterates for the fifth time that day-he’s been counting.
“And you killed my Conductor and GameMaster’s…we’re even,” Joshua coos and furrows his brows.
Neku deflates. “Joshua… are you really expecting me to believe that the UG is…well…”
“Hell?” Joshua finishes, amused. “Why wouldn’t you believe it? Doesn’t it make sense? There’s three planes…the UG, the RG, and the Higher-Plane. Makes perfect sense to me.” He fakes a frown.
“…But,” Neku begins and goes to hold his head, suddenly missing his bulky headphones.
“The UnderGround is just a fancy little nickname,” Joshua giggles and places a dainty hand over his mouth, holding back the urge to laugh even louder in Neku’s distress.
“But that…that!...That means you’re…”
“Satan, nice to meet you.” He smirks beautifully.
Neku clutches his head, feeling faint. “So I wasn’t far off when I called the UG hell?” he murmurs, resisting the urge to fall to the floor. He should have left earlier, he realizes.
“Actually, you were dead on,” Joshua states with a wistful look, shrugging indifferently. He giggles after a moment, almost elated at his choice of words.
Neku stands there, dumbfounded for a few moments. He gropes for the door, only to begin cursing the Heavens for making such a stupid invention as the lock. “That was a stupid pun,” he finally states, rubbing his temples in utter frustration. He just wants to leave and get the hell out of here-take the nearest subway out of Shibuya so he never has to deal with the pompous Composer again. Ever.
“I thought it was rather clever,” Joshua retorts, feigning a pout.
Neku shakes his head, near the breaking point. He hates these little confrontations he always seems to get himself into when he comes to Wildkat-this isn’t the first. Every time he comes here, the Composer magically appears out of thin air, smirks, and begins insulting every single cell of Neku’s being. The funny part is…Neku always comes back.
“I don’t see what the big deal is, Neku. It’s a bit obvious,” Joshua sighs, accenting his point by taking a sip of his drink. “Now, stop being such a baby and have a cup of tea with me. It’ll do wonders for your health.”
Neku clenches his fists by his sides. The sentiment would have mattered if Joshua hadn’t had that look and smirked so deceitfully. “Do you think I’m nuts?” Neku asks, not really expecting an answer. “You…You expect me to willingly have a drink with you after finding out that you’re…well, Satan? How the hell does that work?!”
Joshua giggles and waves a hand dismissively. “I’m on probation. I can’t kill anyone for a month, so relax.”
For some reason, that does nothing to ease Neku’s churning stomach. “This is insane!... I don’t believe any of this!” He pulls at his hair, knowing he’s overreacting…or perhaps not reacting enough. He knows it has to be one of those.
“Suit yourself,” Joshua hums and takes another sip.
Neku rubs at his eyes again, resisting the urge to punch the nearest wall. “Okay…Okay, really. If this is Hell. Actually the Hell… where’s the fire? The demons? I don’t remember any of that when I was playing your stupid Game. What you’ve been saying makes no sense…I mean, the next thing you know, you’ll be telling me that Mr. H is your right-hand demon.”
Joshua shrugs apathetically. “No silly, he’s an angel.”
Neku starts. “…What?!”
Joshua arches a brow. Of all the things for Neku to believe, it’s about his Producer. “Of course. Why else would he be so intelligent?” He can almost hear Sanae’s lovely voice scolding him for such an insult. He takes the mental chiding with a grain of salt.
“Because he isn’t you?” Neku mutters and sucks in a deep breath, unable to conceive the idea of any of this.
“That was a pathetic insult,” Joshua informs Neku with a snigger. “I really wasn’t supposed to tell you that information, though. My bad. Don’t go telling anyone, Neku, or I may just have to make an exception to my probation.”
Neku cringes, knowing Joshua’s dead serious. “Supposing…Supposing for one second I believe you, you creep. Does that mean all the rumors are true? Like, there’s actually some Grim Reaper walking around?”
“Did you see one when I shot you?” Joshua questions dryly and laces his hands together. “There’s no such thing as the Grim Reaper. Some explayer opened his or her mouth too wide and uttered out lies about the UG. That Player obviously misused the title ‘Reaper’. Besides! My Reapre’s aren’t grim.” He pouts, lips quivering almost pathetically. Neku doesn’t feel any remorse-he knows Joshua is just acting, like always.
“No, they’re filled with sunshine,” Neku retorts, rolling his eyes. “Good god…I’m actually talking to Satan,” he groans under his breath, stomach doing flip-flops.
“Don’t use that name around me,” Joshua states sharply, lips twisting into a displeased expression.
“…God?” He watches Joshua flinch the slightest. Neku smirks. “Watch your back, Josh. I’ll go get the holy water if you keep acting like an asshole.”
“Mouthing off to the King of the Underworld?” Joshua questions and laughs, pushing bangs behind his eyes. “My my, you have such an affinity for mouthing off.”
Neku closes his eyes. “I’m leaving.”
Joshua sighs, flicks his wrist, and the door unlocks. “Oh fine, leave. I won’t keep you any longer.”
Neku hesitates, watching the Composer with a wince. “…You’re not going to burn my house down for knowing the secrets of the UG, right?”
“I’ll try my hardest to resist,” Joshua sighs histrionically and flashes Neku a wink. “I’ll see you around then, I suppose.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever. Don’t go writing too many names down in your black book,” Neku mutters, still having a hard time believing any of this.
“Oh, I don’t use that anymore. I’ve upgraded to a cellphone,” Joshua giggles and casually flips open his orange cell-phone, waving it freely in the air.
Neku snarls, not amused, and leaves, the sound of the bell above the door causing Joshua to cringe. After a moment, Sanae returns, a few boxes in his hands. He stares curiously at Joshua who is glancing through his contacts list, anything but pleased.
“What’s up, Boss?”
“Oh, just wondering if Neku would look better with horns or a tail.”
Sanae just doesn’t ask.
“I’m leaving, physco,” Neku decides firmly. HE turns, headed to the door. It’s been a long day-even longer now that Joshua decided to pop in while Neku was enjoying a cup of cocoa.
“Too bad the door’s locked,” Joshua giggles, leaning his chin into his palm. His eyes glitter dangerously as he watches Neku walked over to the door and grab for the handle. At once, he groans. It’s locked, just like the bastard said. “Told you,” Joshua lilts.
“Let me out of here,” Neku snarls, voice harsh and not an ounce concerned. “I’m done with your stupid lies and games.” It sounded better in his head.
“It’s been a month, my little proxy. Are you still sore? The wound should have healed by now,” Joshua retorts dramatically, but there’s an underlying trace of indignation.
“You killed me-twice,” Neku reiterates for the fifth time that day-he’s been counting.
“And you killed my Conductor and GameMaster’s…we’re even,” Joshua coos and furrows his brows.
Neku deflates. “Joshua… are you really expecting me to believe that the UG is…well…”
“Hell?” Joshua finishes, amused. “Why wouldn’t you believe it? Doesn’t it make sense? There’s three planes…the UG, the RG, and the Higher-Plane. Makes perfect sense to me.” He fakes a frown.
“…But,” Neku begins and goes to hold his head, suddenly missing his bulky headphones.
“The UnderGround is just a fancy little nickname,” Joshua giggles and places a dainty hand over his mouth, holding back the urge to laugh even louder in Neku’s distress.
“But that…that!...That means you’re…”
“Satan, nice to meet you.” He smirks beautifully.
Neku clutches his head, feeling faint. “So I wasn’t far off when I called the UG hell?” he murmurs, resisting the urge to fall to the floor. He should have left earlier, he realizes.
“Actually, you were dead on,” Joshua states with a wistful look, shrugging indifferently. He giggles after a moment, almost elated at his choice of words.
Neku stands there, dumbfounded for a few moments. He gropes for the door, only to begin cursing the Heavens for making such a stupid invention as the lock. “That was a stupid pun,” he finally states, rubbing his temples in utter frustration. He just wants to leave and get the hell out of here-take the nearest subway out of Shibuya so he never has to deal with the pompous Composer again. Ever.
“I thought it was rather clever,” Joshua retorts, feigning a pout.
Neku shakes his head, near the breaking point. He hates these little confrontations he always seems to get himself into when he comes to Wildkat-this isn’t the first. Every time he comes here, the Composer magically appears out of thin air, smirks, and begins insulting every single cell of Neku’s being. The funny part is…Neku always comes back.
“I don’t see what the big deal is, Neku. It’s a bit obvious,” Joshua sighs, accenting his point by taking a sip of his drink. “Now, stop being such a baby and have a cup of tea with me. It’ll do wonders for your health.”
Neku clenches his fists by his sides. The sentiment would have mattered if Joshua hadn’t had that look and smirked so deceitfully. “Do you think I’m nuts?” Neku asks, not really expecting an answer. “You…You expect me to willingly have a drink with you after finding out that you’re…well, Satan? How the hell does that work?!”
Joshua giggles and waves a hand dismissively. “I’m on probation. I can’t kill anyone for a month, so relax.”
For some reason, that does nothing to ease Neku’s churning stomach. “This is insane!... I don’t believe any of this!” He pulls at his hair, knowing he’s overreacting…or perhaps not reacting enough. He knows it has to be one of those.
“Suit yourself,” Joshua hums and takes another sip.
Neku rubs at his eyes again, resisting the urge to punch the nearest wall. “Okay…Okay, really. If this is Hell. Actually the Hell… where’s the fire? The demons? I don’t remember any of that when I was playing your stupid Game. What you’ve been saying makes no sense…I mean, the next thing you know, you’ll be telling me that Mr. H is your right-hand demon.”
Joshua shrugs apathetically. “No silly, he’s an angel.”
Neku starts. “…What?!”
Joshua arches a brow. Of all the things for Neku to believe, it’s about his Producer. “Of course. Why else would he be so intelligent?” He can almost hear Sanae’s lovely voice scolding him for such an insult. He takes the mental chiding with a grain of salt.
“Because he isn’t you?” Neku mutters and sucks in a deep breath, unable to conceive the idea of any of this.
“That was a pathetic insult,” Joshua informs Neku with a snigger. “I really wasn’t supposed to tell you that information, though. My bad. Don’t go telling anyone, Neku, or I may just have to make an exception to my probation.”
Neku cringes, knowing Joshua’s dead serious. “Supposing…Supposing for one second I believe you, you creep. Does that mean all the rumors are true? Like, there’s actually some Grim Reaper walking around?”
“Did you see one when I shot you?” Joshua questions dryly and laces his hands together. “There’s no such thing as the Grim Reaper. Some explayer opened his or her mouth too wide and uttered out lies about the UG. That Player obviously misused the title ‘Reaper’. Besides! My Reapre’s aren’t grim.” He pouts, lips quivering almost pathetically. Neku doesn’t feel any remorse-he knows Joshua is just acting, like always.
“No, they’re filled with sunshine,” Neku retorts, rolling his eyes. “Good god…I’m actually talking to Satan,” he groans under his breath, stomach doing flip-flops.
“Don’t use that name around me,” Joshua states sharply, lips twisting into a displeased expression.
“…God?” He watches Joshua flinch the slightest. Neku smirks. “Watch your back, Josh. I’ll go get the holy water if you keep acting like an asshole.”
“Mouthing off to the King of the Underworld?” Joshua questions and laughs, pushing bangs behind his eyes. “My my, you have such an affinity for mouthing off.”
Neku closes his eyes. “I’m leaving.”
Joshua sighs, flicks his wrist, and the door unlocks. “Oh fine, leave. I won’t keep you any longer.”
Neku hesitates, watching the Composer with a wince. “…You’re not going to burn my house down for knowing the secrets of the UG, right?”
“I’ll try my hardest to resist,” Joshua sighs histrionically and flashes Neku a wink. “I’ll see you around then, I suppose.”
“Yeah yeah, whatever. Don’t go writing too many names down in your black book,” Neku mutters, still having a hard time believing any of this.
“Oh, I don’t use that anymore. I’ve upgraded to a cellphone,” Joshua giggles and casually flips open his orange cell-phone, waving it freely in the air.
Neku snarls, not amused, and leaves, the sound of the bell above the door causing Joshua to cringe. After a moment, Sanae returns, a few boxes in his hands. He stares curiously at Joshua who is glancing through his contacts list, anything but pleased.
“What’s up, Boss?”
“Oh, just wondering if Neku would look better with horns or a tail.”
Sanae just doesn’t ask.