The demon inside.
By: LemonSherbert
Chapter 4: A monster like me.
I do not own any of the characters in this story, they are owned by the creator of Fairy Tail, Hiro Mashima, do enjoy and don't forget to review.
He stared at her as she clutched the side of the wall, her skin was torn, bruised, burnt and bloody and she did that because she felt like he didn't deserve to die. Even after he had told her and the ivory Demon that he was going to kill him and her yet she barley even flinched when it came to throwing herself in front of the blast. Why? He didn't believe that she didn't want him to die, he wanted to die himself but that wasn't the point, he wanted that blast to hit him and yet she almost killed herself for him. His red eyes followed her as she struggled, her Demonic features unable to hide themselves and he growled to himself, she was still a Demon but she saved him... he couldn't just let her walk home like that. Angered by his own morals, he walked up to her, quickly scooping her up and she squeaked, she was so light in his hold and he easily held her with one arm around her knees and the other around her shoulders.
"Tuck your tail between your legs" he told her and looked down at her, her eyes were like that of a kittens, wide and black and... Goddamn cute, he hated it. She did as he said, hiding her tail between her thighs. "Does it hurt when you break your horns?" He asked and she cocked her head.
"What... no, why?" She asked and he nodded, putting her down for a moment and she held one foot off the floor, clearly the one causing her pain as she looked up at him.
"Good..." he said, before she could even protest he grabbed the long, obsidian horn and snapped it to the same height as the other and she gasped.
"Wh-why did you do that, Gajeel, Demon horns don't grow back you idiot, do you know what you've just done!?" She yelled as he dropped the smooth bone to the floor and it rolled and bounced against the slick concrete. "That's like clipping an angels wings, what are my parents going to say!?" She screamed and he just stared down in confusion and annoyance, he honestly didn't give a damn what he had done. He reached out, grabbing her bandana and undoing it as she stood there as stiff as a board.
"Oh well... do you want everyone to know what you are...?" He asked as he glared down at her and she glared into his chest as she shook her head like a defiant child. "There we go, now stay still..." he said as he bunched up her hair into a messy bun that covered her now, matching, broken horns and he tied it up by the thin ribbon. "I thought Demon parents left their children..." he said and she nodded.
"They do, my parents adopted me..." she explained and he grunted as he struggled to tie it into a bow, it looked messy but he didn't care.
"Done, now close your eyes, hide your claws and tail and tell me which streets to take!" He ordered as he picked her up again and she huffed as she closed her eyes and hid her hands between her thighs, along with her tail.
"When you get to the alley, you need to turn Left towards Scarlett Street..." she said as she rested her head on his shoulder and he felt his heart skip a beat. Her eyes were closed, and she almost looked normal, she had he not seen her Demon form then he would have never suspected her, she was so human. She looked sweet and content in his strong arms and he had to bite his tongue to stop him from pulling her closer as he turned the corner.
"Okay, now where?" He questioned and she opened her eyes to look around, they were gold this time but they flickered darker every so often before she closed them again.
"Go down Salamander avenue then turn right on Phantom way" she told him and he huffed as he followed her instructions, why she couldn't walk was beyond him.
"Why aren't you healing like that Jeremiah guy...?" He asked, he didn't really want to talk but he was curious as to why she was so weak.
"Because I am what you humans call vegan... I don't eat, drink or steal the souls of human... I don't want to, not that you need to know because you did say you were going to send me to the hospital on your own, how do you send Demons to hospital, their healing factor should make that impossible?" She questioned as he walked down the street, pretending not to notice anyone staring at him.
"My uncle... he makes weapons for the patrol... you know, the ones that incapacitate Demons, he made me one, it's called Kurogane, it's like a bat but it has holy power to it I guess, I don't know, I just bludgeon the Demons with it" he explained, not really bothered about the gasp and the was her body shivered for a moment.
"You're horrid..." she told him and he looked down at her, her face was in his chest but her eyes were open and glaring up at him, not out of anger but more out of disgust. He disgusted her? That was hilarious.
"Says you, you've been going to school with us for years knowing what a monster you are!" He growled and her eyes widened a little as she searched his face and she swallowed as she turned her eyes hazel and he noticed how her claws and tail had gone as well.
"Let go of me please..." she said politely and he looked down at her as he got to the corner of Salamander Avenue, like hell he would, she could barely walk as it was. Why did he even care that she couldn't make it home on her own?
"No... You can't even stand up straight" he grunted and she pushed her hands against his chest as she panted, clearly trying hard to keep up her human appearance.
"I said let go, I can walk by myself, after all, a monster like me doesn't need help from a person like you!" She snapped and he stared down at her, her eyes were full of shame and hurt and a twinge of regret stabbed him in the chest as he kept walking.
"Like I said, you can't even stand properly so no, just shut up whining and tell me where I'm going!" He growled at her and she bared her small fangs at him and she hissed and he practically dropped her but managed to keep her in his arms. "Intimidation tactics don't work on me... plus you look like a kitten" he said and she growled as she pushed harder on him as if she was trying to propel herself from his grip.
"I do not look like a kitten now put me down... right now!" She yelled at him as he chuckled and she slammed her hand on his chest, god she was so weak, it barely even hurt, it felt like a gust of wind had hit him. "I can walk home by myself now get off, I don't want someone who thinks I'm a monster touching me!" She sniffled as she slumped in his arms, looking away from him but he could see the tears slipping down her cheeks. He'd never seen a Demon cry, much less felt a deep sadness about seeing one upset, his heart felt like it was twisting in his chest and he swallowed the ball of regret in his throat.
"Fine..." he simply said and placed her delicately on the floor and she quickly wiped her eyes on her sleeves and turned on her heels, stopping about two feet from him.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone what you know, also don't come near me again..." she said and for some reason, that hurt, like a stab in the gut as she began limping away and he growled. Who the fuck was she to tell him what to do? Not that he was going to tell anyone what he knew, he didn't give a damn but still... He glared as she turned the corner, looking like she had been in a war and he mentally kicked himself. Stop fucking caring about what the little Demon says! The voice in his head snapped and he shook his head. He really did need to stop, he hated Demons, that included her, cute or not, he didn't know why but... he began walking forwards, away from the direction of his house. He was following her again not to hurt her this time... just to make sure she got home okay. Why? Well he couldn't answer that but if felt like something he needed to do. He followed her through the park, under the small bridge towards a set of houses, some broken and neglected with broken windows and boarded up door but right in the middle stood a small, neat house. Sure one of the windows in the door was replaced with a thick piece of wood and the curtains in the window looked old and dirty but it was a lot better looking than the rest. His eyes followed her as she limped towards the door and she reached for the handle, taking a deep breath before plastering a smile and she stepped inside. He jogged up to it, peaking in through the front window that was thin enough to hear what was being said.
"Oh my god, Levy, what happened!?" Came a worried, high pitched woman's voice and he ducked as a brown haired, thin, frail looking woman walked into the front room, guiding Levy inside.
"I'm fine mama... it was just a scuffle... Jeremiah is in town again so please be careful on your way to work..." Levy lied and he wondered why.
"A scuffle, Levy McGarden, Demon or not, this was not a scuffle, oh look at your side, my sweet baby, that boy is going to get a good talking to when I see him!" Her mother yelled.
"Mama, no... Please stay away from him, please, I did something bad and he... he might hurt you because of me!" Levy begged.
"Don't be silly, what did you do that would make your brother mad... he loves you?" The woman said and Gajeel scowled, that guy was Levys brother? What kind of brother uses his sister as a punching bag... what a prick.
"Mama... he tried to hurt one of my friends so I stopped him and he did this, he thinks I should eat humans mama, I don't want to but he was going to try and force feed me my friend!" Levy squeaked and there was a hiss of pain. Why was she calling him her friend.
"D-does this friend know what you are...?" Her mother asked in a worried tone and there was a long silence.
"Yes... I tried not to show it but my aura slipped in school and I guess he followed me and Jeremiah began hitting me and then he was there and he tried to hurt him so I defended him and now I think Jeremiah might hurt you and papa!" Levy exclaimed quickly.
"Hush baby, he won't hurt me... or your father... now why don't you rest, you need to heal, I got some pigs blood from the butchers so I'll go warm it up" the woman's voice soothed and it went silent. There were so many things he couldn't process and he needed to get home. Maybe a long shower and a rest would help ease his mind...