Midnight Memories

Anita Knight

"Master?"

Demise groaned, rolling over under the covers to glare at the girl standing beside his bed. His gaze softened when he noticed her distressed look. "Anita, is something wrong?"

"N-No…" she stammered backing away. "It's just…"

"Something must be wrong if you insist on waking me up in the middle of the night. What is it?"

Anita blushed, turning her eyes towards the floor. "I… err… n-never mind… it's nothing… I'm sorry to have disturbed you, Master I-"

"Anita, tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, Master! I… I'll just…"

He glared, grabbing the girl by the arm. "Anita," he growled, "What is wrong?"

Anita sighed, beginning to protest again before he tightened his hold. She swallowed her pride, "I… I had a nightmare." She answered meekly.

"Is that so?" Demise smirked at her discomfort. No doubt he had been the cause of such a dream. "What does that have to do with me?"

"I…" Anita gulped, closing her eyes, summoning up her courage. "Master m-may I… sl-sleep with you t-tonight?"

That was certainly a surprising statement to the Demon King. He looked her over before nodding slowly, drawing up the covers and allowing her to climb in beside him-albeit hesitantly. "Why aren't you seeking such comfort from Ghirahim?" that was what the girl would usually do.

"He wouldn't wake up…" she shrugged, snuggling closer to him as she curled her body into a tight little ball.

Demise smirked, rolling back over, feeling Anita lie firmly against his back. Her breathing soon became even as sleep overtook her-and once again he found himself pondering her request. Considering what he usually brought her into his bed for this was extremely odd… he sighed as she shifted behind him, feeling a sense of… familiarity?

Yes, he remembered times like these-often when she was simply a little girl-back before he had raged war against the Goddesses long ago… true, he had taken advantage of her then as well-but other than that, things had been exceptionally different. It must have been this familiar needed comfort that had drawn the girl to him.

"Father?" a gentle nudge was placed against his arm and the Demon slowly opened an eye at the girl standing beside his bed-nearly six years old. He groaned, sitting up to get a better view of her. "Anita? Is something wrong?"

"I had a nightmare…" was the girls quick reply, "Daddy, can I sleep with you?"

Demise smiled-the request was made to him often. It was not unnatural for the girl to come to him. "Of course." The covers were lifted and the little girl climbed in beside him happily-without hesitation. Demise reached down to bring the girl into his lap, stroking her hair softly. It was funny really… despite all he did to her the girl still insisted on seeking comfort from him. Of course he supposed it was to be expected… although the attention he gave her was of evil intent; it was the only attention she could acquire. Her Mother-Din-certainly wouldn't have bothered with something like this and would have simply turned the girl away. "Try to go to sleep, Anita."

"Yes, Daddy…" She yawned sleepily, curling up against him as she closed her eyes. Demise smiled, carefully setting her beside him on the bed, pulling up the covers.

"No monsters will harm you tonight." Demise chuckled, drawing her close. "Sweet Dreams, my daughter."

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Anita?"

"I love you…"

"Master?" a gentle nudge was placed against his arm and the Demon King slowly opened an eye at the girl standing beside his bed-nearly sixteen years old-practically a woman standing before him now.

He jerked awake, staring down at her, shaking his head as the earlier nights events came back to him. "Y-Yes, Anita?" he sat up groggily, "What's wrong?"

She smiled up at him bashfully, "Y-you're crying…"

"I…" he reached up, feeling a slight wetness against his fingertips beneath his eyes. He growled, clearing them away before turning back to her. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Fine… and you Master?"

"The same…" he watched as she nodded, curtsying before him before she finally retreated towards the door, "where do you think you're off to?"

Anita stiffened, turning back. She took a few hesitant backward steps towards the doorway. "T-to attend to my chores Master… I…"

"Stay." He was shocked at his own abruptness. "I mean… you can stay longer if you wish to…"

She hesitated, "Master I-"

"Please."

Anita sighed, casting him a confused glance before slowly returning to the bed. She sighed as the warmth enveloped her, snuggling closer to him out of habit.

"Master are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes… don't worry about me, Anita. I'm just… a bit confused is all…"

After a while of silence the girl got up from the bed, going again towards the door.

"Anita?"

"Y-yes, Master?" she turned back towards him. Demise was shocked at the emotions that he could see flashing through her eyes.

Fear, mistrust, and hatred… completely devoid of the emotion he had relived in that brief memory… love. How easy it had been to break this girl of her innocence… He averted his gaze, the words foreign against his lips. "I… I love you."

Anita blinked, shaking her head-her gaze turning to anger. She stepped forward, opened her mouth as if to say something before the fear returned to her eyes and she shrank back, turning back towards the doorway. "You don't mean that…" It was to be expected… the way he treated her-how could she possibly see it that way?

Demise sighed. He meant it with all his heart… he missed his daughter's innocence, which he had so forcibly stolen from her… he missed her love. "You're wrong. I do mean it… and I'm sorry…"

Anita gazed at him for the longest time-neither saying a word. She glared, turning towards the door, her hand on the knob. It took another few minutes before she sighed, turning back towards him with a smile on her face-speaking quietly-her words barely above a whisper: "I love you, too."