AN: This is just the beginning of what will (hopefully) be a series of drabbles, and something that just popped into my head when I heard someone mention the Salem Witch Trials, and I made the connection between witch and Ban.
Fire
Fire never frightened Ban. He could watch a building burn around him without panicking, could bring the lighter Yamato had given him closer to his face than most people dared, all without flinching.
But he was terrified of burning. The mere thought of it made something inside of him freeze and start trembling, made him want to run until he reached the safety of his bed and the blankets that hid him from sight. He had grown up with stories of his ancestors, the ones who had been caught and taken to trial for the eyes they were cursed with.
Burned at the stake, his grandmother had whispered, something hard and cruel in her eyes. If they were lucky, the smoke killed them first. If not, the flames would devour them, until there was nothing left.
It wasn't until he'd been sent away that she told him the fire would be his fate if he was fool enough to be caught by the fanatical religious sects. Ascelepius shifted in his head, and Ban could almost feel it; smoke filling his lungs, choking him, flames licking at his feet, blackening the flesh---
Ban has made sure to never be caught.
But—
"Baaan-chaaan!" Large brown eyes, filled with childish anger and innocence, "Come on, tell us what you're afraid of! We all told you."
It's true, he reflects, letting his eyes drift around the room. Everyone is in something resembling a circle, some, like Kazuki and Shido, disgruntled, but too full of love for Ginji to refuse the game. And others, like Hevn and Natsumi, seem generally excited, while Akabane has his regular empty smile plastered on his face,
He's learned that Kazuki is afraid of spiders, Shido screams at the sight of some sharks, and that Natsumi will do anything to avoid talking to the school principal. He has no real reason to brush the question off (except that he can be a bastard a lot of the time, but he's too full of food for that right now) and he can't dodge it by saying he's afraid of nothing.
"Well, snake-bastard," Shido demands, cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.
Ban smirks suddenly, and flicks open his lighter. The flame is bright and warm as he brings it within centimeters of his face. Natsumi squeaks and Ginji lets out a surprised sound of concern.
"Fire," he says, his voice inflicted with nothing but confidence. "I'm afraid of fire."
Shido mutters and glares and Ban knows the beast-master does not believe him. But inside of him the snake-god contracts, and his hands are burning, smoke inside his lungs, and it's melting him—