It felt strange being alive. He had actually forgotten that feeling after so many years. He had spent years fighting off the decay that attempted to invade his body with nothing but sheer willpower and an almost desperate determination to see his revenge through.
He studied his hands, flexing the joints absently. Outwardly, there wasn't any change or damages. But inwardly, he felt like his soul was ripped into two and then haphazardly glued back together. Even after two weeks of rest, he was still too exhausted to get out of bed.
Gray fretted by his side every day, not even trying to hide his anxiety and fear that his body might suddenly break down. Silver wasn't terribly concerned. He knew that split from Keith's control was still affecting him. Gray had literally torn the demon from him after all. It wasn't a permanent effect.
Gray's teammates had dropped by often. From a wide-eyed Lucy, curious and shy Wendy, wary Erza to an earnest Natsu that had instantly demanded for a rematch just five minutes after their second meeting. His first encounter with Silver was forgotten pretty quickly. Aside from the Fire Dragon Slayer being threatened to be banned from visiting Silver, the rest of them warmed up to him rather fast.
Bewildered and slightly amused, Silver was glad and reassured that Gray had found himself a good family.
They were all too forgiving for their own good.
As much as Fairy Tail was eager to welcome Gray's father, he knew that he couldn't possibly stay. He still has trouble remembering that he was human now – human Silver Fullbuster and not Silver the Devil Slayer. How then, could he possibly be Gray's father?
And then there was the matter of Devil Slayer Silver being an international criminal. In his quest for revenge and to keep up the pretence of being on Tartarus's side, he had left destroyed towns and a string of murders in his wake.
He also doubted that Tartarus would leave him alone now. He was now a traitor after all – even though he was hardly on their side in the first place.
The Magic Council was not on his list of concerns for the time being. Half of the councilmen were dead and the Rune Knights were disordered without anyone heading them.
With his Devil Slayer powers gone, he was at a severe disadvantage. At the same time, there was no way he was allowing any of those demons near Gray. He might not be completely powerless, but he was seriously handicapped if any of the remaining kyukimon decided to come after him.
Even after imparting his Devil Slayer powers to his son, there were still remnants of it that clung to him stubbornly, the tendrils of ice magic entrenched so deeply in his soul that it refused to leave him.
Apparently, he was surrounded by wilful idiots that don't know when to let go, honestly.