Big Book of Anime One Shots [REQUESTS CLOSED]

Free x Reader ~ Who Would Care?

Requested by @GirikoxKelly , I hope you like it!

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[y/n] stared warily at the wolf man before her. He was grinning strangely, his pentagram eye seeming to glow. She wasn't quite sure who he was, but he was rather frightening. Even though he was rather toned and handsome, she admitted to that. But she didn't like the way that he stared at her, with that terrifying smile and bared teeth.

"Wolf wolf wolfs," he said, still grinning widely. The pavement beneath [y/n]'s feet cracked and she jumped back with a startled yelp. [e/c] eyes still wide and wary, she backed away. But he just smiled, albeit less creepily this time.

"I'm Free, and who's this fine little lady?"

Still backing away slowly, she opened her mouth and responded. "[y/n]," she muttered, "And what's it to you? It's not like oh, I don't know, you're trying to kill me or anything."

Free looked startled. "What? I'm no-" he looked down at the cracked and shattered pavement beneath your feet. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said, looking slightly embarrassed.

She raised an eyebrow. What on earth...? Her weapon was injured and back at the DWMA, so [y/n] wouldn't have been able to fight back had Free seemed hostile, but this was strange. What exactly was his game here? One moment it seemed like he was ready to attack her- possibly even kill her- the next he seemed almost apologetic for his actions, as of he hadn't realized what he was doing. This was strange, all right...

"Is something wrong with you?" she inquired, still backing away. "Because something seems off about this entire thing."

He shrugged. "I'm just supposed to guard the path for Medusa. You're not trying to get in, are you?" Free asked guardedly. "I don't want to hurt a pretty little thing like you, but I will if I need to in order to follow my instructions."

[y/n] laughed nervously. It was a high pitched laugh, a sound made more out of nervousness and fear than out of actual amusement.

"So? You're not trying to get past?"

The girl shook her head. "No. I'm just a scout. I-" she clamped a hand over her mouth, eyes widening. What was getting into her?! This man was the enemy, not somebody that she could just stand around chatting about DWMA plans with like she could with [w/n]. But of course, the idiot had to have gotten himself hurt, so he couldn't come on today's mission. Come to think of it, why had they even let her come without her weapon?

"Maybe they don't really care."

She looked up, startled once more and doubly wary. [y/n] hadn't meant to speak aloud, but now that Free knew that she was unarmed, would he choose to attack? And hewas still speaking, she realized almost guiltily.

"When they don't really care about you, they won't do things like look out after your safety, y'know? That's how I know that Lady Medusa doesn't care. She doesn't care about the well being of either me or that frog witch Arica. Nope, she definitely doesn't. I only follow her because I'm scared of her, and she's smart and strong enough that she'll likely win whatever gamble that she's trying to play off. But what you really need is someone who actually cares about you, rather than just an organization like the DWMA." The tall man looked at her expectantly, as if willing her to say something in return.

Swallowing, [y/n] met his clear brown gaze with her own [e/c] one. "But who would that be?" she said softly. "Who would care that much?"

Free just looked at her, clear gaze unwavering. "I could. That is, if you wanted me to."

"B-but you don't even know me!" she yelped. "I mean, we're even on opposite sides of this crazy conflict." Her heart was thumping powerfully in her chest, and not just from fear or surprise. [y/n] felt a blush rising to warm her cheeks despite her best efforts, and she looked at the ground with some embarrassment.

Luckily Free didn't seem to notice that anything was out of the ordinary. "It doesn't matter," he said earnestly. "I could leave Medusa. I've been looking for an excuse to do that for practically forever now! I'd feel bad leaving Arica, but she has one of the witch's planted inside of her. Besides, she can take care of herself."

[y/n] didn't really know how to respond. How could she, with such complete devotion coming from a stranger? But still, her instincts drive her to do something that she never wound have done under normal circumstances. She moved forward, towards Free. Cautiously, of course, but still forward. Wen she was close enough to be able to touch him, she stretched out a hand, [s/c] gleaming in the moonlight.

"Coming?" she whispered, smiling widely.

Without further ado, he grasped her hand.