Subconscious shackles forged with time and pain.
Hardships which eat away the soul.
Paths that wander away will slowly find their way back again in the never ending passage of time in order for one's hope to not be broken under their lonely burden.
Oh, and by the way, I do not claim to have created or have ownership over any of the characters or the story. The rights go to their respective owners...
"N-no, don't... stop" a whimper escaped from her mouth. "Don't... nnn... AAGH!" her voice yelled out through the humid night as a firm hand pushed her back into her pillow in order to keep her body from flailing.
"Cana!" a hand clamped over her mouth as the woman's consciousness drifted into a world of shadows, every whisper holding a fresh memory of terror.
The man shook her shoulders. "Cana, dammit, wake up!" His voice was thick with worry as he had never seen the brunette like this.
Sweat seemed to pour from her skin as he was fourced to restrain her again before she could let out another blood curtling scream.
"Fuck this..." The raven haired man sealed her lips with his own in another attempt to wake her.
"..."
"..."
A hand smacked him upside the head and he pulled back from the woman, not bothering to hide the wave of relief as she pulled her hair out of her face and sat up in their bed as if nothing had happened.
"Mind telling me what the fuck that was?" He ventured to ask the question burning in his mind while he pulled her still trembling body close to his own.
Cana took a deep breath, savoring her husband's warmth before lifting her face to his. "Shaddup and stop worrying. This is my shit to deal with, not yours. I'll be fine."
Groaning, Gajeel kissed her forehead and brushed the hair from her neck. "Still, it's a fucking pain in the ass for you to wake up screaming next to me. You're safe. Tell me?"
The brunette's eyes locked onto his red ones and she sighed. "These are my demons to bear."
"Say the word and I'll rip them to pieces."
A smirk came to her face before her body finally relaxed and she drifted to sleep in his arms.
Gajeel let out a frustrated growl, making sure not to wake her as he uttered one word, "Women."
Eight years ago
Slosh, slosh... the sound of liquor dancing in a bottle.
The woman swirled the poison-like liquor around, watching the amber colored drink move inside the glass.
There was nothing more beautiful, wait... was there?
Cana thought for a moment and swished the whiskey around in it's container before shrugging. 'Naaah...' The answer didn't matter, only the rest of her whiskey did.
Why would it matter?
'I don't know, don't care.'
It's not like the liquor in that dark brown bottle would ever leave her; unlike so many of her previous boyfriends had. There was little to look forward to for the next day besides more whiskey and perhaps a few odd jobs to get more money for more liquor, maybe she'd score some gin and a bottle of brandy.
"Hmm..." Cana leaned back on the counter and hummed, completely ignoring the brawl that just erupted in the bar.
She was alone with her 'boyfriend' what else mattered?
"Cana! Help me with this idiot!", a pink haired man in the corner yelled to her and grimaced as he began getting pummeled while in a headlock.
The brunette simply sighed and stood, annoyed that he chose such a time to get someone pissed at him.
How could he interrupt the warm glow spreading through her body with his menial troubles?
Why she was always begged by him to settle his issues was completely unknown to her, it didn't make sense, a young able man like him asking a drunk to do his dirty work.
With a grimace she set down the brown bottle lovingly and slipped her skin tight jean clad legs off the counter, her tight red cami barely fitting over her massive chest, and the ass that a few men had the pleasure of seeing from behind killed with one glance.
"Boy...", authoritatively she reached a hand behind her and drew out a silver 9mm pistol seemingly out of nowhere. "Let the kid go."
The man stood and grinned, his smile gleamed with malice, "Hello pretty lady. I'm afraid I have a few things to settle with him at the moment, I'll make sure to settle you later."
"Cut the crap, get out... now." Cana cocked the gun and aimed it at the man's head, her hand steady and eyes watching his every movement.
Natsu paused for a moment. Is she serious? Out of all the times he had asked the brunette to help him with his fights, she had never pulled out her gun.
"C-cana... what're you doing?"
"Shut up, squirt. This is all cause you couldn't handle a fist fight. You're the one who came to me for help." A sadistic grin spread across her face as she glared at the pinkette, "Don't complain."
"Whoa whoa, little lady. I haven't done anything to you. No need to be flashing around that pretty little thing." The piercings in his face and ears gleamed from the light and his raven-black hair was tied back with a blood red bandanna. Though he was much taller than the woman, he couldn't help but shiver under the weight of her gaze. Something he wasn't used to.
The three of them stood there for a few minutes before Cana wobbled slightly from the alcohol and steadied herself again, glaring at the tall man. "Get the fuck out or I'll shoot."
Gajeel flashed a wary look at the pinkette who just stared in shock, amazed at the killing intent exuding from the brunette.
"Ok, I'll leave, just put away that toy you got there and let me get my stuff", he pointed to a guitar case in the corner and grimaced as her gaze sharpened.
After a few seconds of what looked to be Cana having a difficult time deciding, she nodded towards his guitar case and un-cocked the gun. "Hurry up, you two interrupted my date."
Cana turned, completely forgetting the encounter she just had and trying to start back where she left off with her precious bottle of liquor. The woman safely stowed the gun back behind her in her belt and tottered back to the counter.
"Who the fuck took my whiskey?!"
Gajeel chuckled to himself and walked away from the saloon with his old guitar case slung over his shoulder. Strange things seemed to happen every day in this town, which made it one of his favorite watering holes.
The women were especially exciting, and he was intrigued by the brunette drunkard who dared hold a gun to his, Gajeel Redfox's, head. The nerve.
Though, this also made it dangerous.
The longer he stayed, the longer someone was bound to recognize him. And a 2 mil jewel bounty was bound to be noticed by more than just a few.
He'd have to leave soon.
Quietly he mused while watching the dust spread at each step of his feet. The sun making him squint as it reflected off the sand around him.
Fucking sand.
Everywhere.
The dryness of the desert seemed to want to suck every last drop of moisture out of his body like a greedy brothel full of old hags.
It was annoying, yet comforting in some strange way. The damned dryness at least let him know he was still alive and moving.
The man shifted the guitar case on his back and looked over his shoulder again at the half empty saloon as a rather shaken up man ran out the door, his face painted with terror.
Looks like I left just as things started to get interesting. Gajeel's mind instantly thought of the drunken brunette and he grinned, deciding to run the risk of dropping in on her before he left.
Besides, it wouldn't be the end of the world to have a bit of fun... right?
Thanks for reading! I'll try to have the next chapter finished within a reasonable amount of time. Please feel free to leave a review and look at some of the other things I've written. Though be careful of Redemption, that one's a bit wild. xD
Ja~