Il Titolare del Demone [The Holder of the Demon]

Plot: [Modern day, teenager!AU. Based off of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, though not a direct parody] "Were you involved with Il Titolare del Demone?" "Yes...my boyfriend, in high school, he was a diavolo custode. He introduced me to it." "What happened to him?" "He died." The day after catching a glimpse of the mysterious coydog that's been following him for weeks, a new student, Dallas Genoard, joins Luck Gandor's classes. He has a feeling that there's something strange about this boy, but he can't pinpoint it...that is, until he sees a demon spring from the boy's shadow.

Prologue, I

"Luck Gandor?"

The blonde haired man jumps as his name is called, unusually nervous today. Usually, Luck puts up a calm facade, and he's gotten very good at masking his emotions over the years. However, he's been fretting over today's appointment with the information brochures since last night, wondering what he was going to say. He remembers all sorts of things that he doesn't want to; the Devil Boys, Akuma, Felidae, the battle at the pier...

Dallas's death.

Luck swallows heavily as he stands, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants. He picks up the briefcase full of the notebooks and drawing pads that he'd kept with him during that turbulent year, and he heads off behind the African American man, Elean, who called for him. He leads him into a small back room, away from the main room filled with bustling employees and the scent of paper and ink, and quietly shuts the door and locks it. Another man, a blonde who Luck hasn't seen before, is lounging on the couch, talking loudly on a cellphone.

"Yeah? No, I don't have time for that right now...listen, sir, I know you're upset...okay, my twelve o' clock is here now, I'm gonna have to let you go...bye." He presses a button on the phone, shoving it quickly into his pocket. "Ah, you must be Mister Luck Gandor, from the Gandor family, welcome, welcome!" He motions for Luck to take a seat on the couch across from him, and he does, watching as Elean leans against the locked door, his brown eyes glaring at the blonde from behind his tinted glasses. They must have had some kind of rivalry.

"My name is Nicholas," the blonde man says again, and Luck's attention snaps to him. Luck's fingers curl tightly around the briefcase, and he holds it close to his chest.

Deep breaths. You can do this. Just talk. Cornelius's voice, soothing instead of teasing for once whispers. Luck does just that, closes his eyes, takes a few deep breaths, thinks about the Devil Boys, thinks about Dallas. He exhales slowly, opening his eyes to look over at Nicholas.

"That's right. I'm Luck Gandor, and..." He pauses, trying his best not to stutter. This would be an embarrassing time to have it come out. "I'm here to talk about...about Il Titolare del Demone." Nicholas's eyes flash with curiosity, as Luck knows that they would. Many people have heard the legends of the holders of demons, but many have brushed it off as old wives tales or children's stories.

But Luck doesn't.

He knows the truth those stories hold. He's experienced it firsthand.

Because of it, his lover is dead. Luck holds back the tears by taking another deep breath.

"So what do you want to know?" Luck asks. "I'll have you know, I was told I'll be paid well for the information I give."

"And be paid well, you will," Nicholas assures him, and Luck frowns. He's not sure about that. Then again, he's not really in it for the money, anyway. "Were you involved with Il Titolare del Demone?"

"Yes...my boyfriend, in high school, he was a diavolo custode. He introduced me to it." Luck shuffles a bit as he remembers Dallas and the Devil Boys again, and he bites his lip. Nicholas doesn't seem to notice, and continues.

"What happened to him?"

"He died."