The Angel and the Fairies

Chapter 19

"Who knew that the weakest boy... Would be my greatest creation...? I almost expected you to die with the others."

I wish I had.

Angeles' eyes snapped open and he sat up fast in his best, fists clenching the blanket around his waist tightly. Every night it was the same cycle of dreams, of nightmares. Arguably, the one he just had should have been the least jarring one, seeing as it held pain, but it was almost worse when that man's voice was so close to him. That man's smile, the patronizing tilt to it, and the anger in his eyes like he was offended that Angeles would even look at him.

That man... He ruined him.

Made him into something he couldn't even recognize.

He hated every night, every time he woke up from the all-too-real nightmares, because even though he had enhanced hearing it was all drowned out by the echoes of his own screams.

Glancing at the lacrima clock on his nightstand, Angeles groaned when he realized it was four in the morning. The guild wouldn't be unlocked for another two hours but maybe he could sneak in again to try and sleep on the rafters. He found it was easier to take a cat nap when he was at Fairy Tail than in his own home. He thought he knew the reason but he didn't want to dwell on it. The conversation the day prior with Laxus already fucked him up enough to have that dream. Family was his cursed word.

Climbing out of bed, Angeles stalked over to the kitchen and began preparing himself some coffee. If he was going to run on only three hours of sleep, he was going to need his damn caffeine. Of course, he probably could have used one of the magical tablets that acted as an energy booster but that just fucked up his emotions and caused others to become terrified when his body language twitched one inch past normal. All in all, the tablets weren't fun for anyone.

As the coffee was brewing, Angeles leaned against the counter, running a hand down his face. He almost wished he could go back to the day where Team Natsu slept over at Lucy's. On the floor next to Natsu, the dragon slayer's heat filling the small area, Angeles didn't feel as cold as usual, like his body would seize up at any second. That was the first night in months that he hadn't woken up from constant nightmares.

"God," Angeles groaned, sliding down the counter until he rested on the floor. "Why me? Why is it always me?"

"Lulu, come play with me!"

Oh, now he remembered.

"Lulu, are you feeling better?"

It was always for him.

"Lulu... Why does he hate us?"

It was his job. How could he forget? No matter how many times he cried or screamed, he could never forget who he had dedicated his life to protect.

--

"Has anyone seen Angeles?" Levy asked as she walked around the guild. "I wanted to see if he'd go on a job with me today. I found a cool one."

Some people answered her in the form of shrugs, though many wondered why she wanted to go with him in the first place. It took a bit but word got around that she had figured out his magic, witnessed it in action no less, but no matter how much they hounded her she would not reveal what it was.

Gajeel wanted to say something to them all but he could feel the death glare settle on him from up above. How they didn't notice Angeles sprawled out on the rafters was beyond him. It was unnerving, though, that he could see the man's bright green eyes looming over him every time he glanced up. It was a constant reminder never to underestimate him.