The Demon King.

Chapter 28

Nel gasped and woke up sweating profusely. Why was she hearing his voice so clearly, wailing out to her? What had happened to her? She shut her eyes back to steady her breathing. Not seeing anything and hearing voices in agony was a terrible thing to experience.

She opened her eyes again and sat up, looking around her. She didn't know where she was but it was kinda cute in a boyish way. The walls were blue with tiny sparkles like stars on the wall. Then she noticed the cute Pikachu like pictures of 'Inosuke' from 'demon slayer anime series' and 'Kreyul' from 'Death: Reschedule webtoons' on the walls.
She looked down at the bedsheets. All blue with sparkles. She liked it.

She spotted her phone just next to her and pressed the home key and then swiped up. It was on her and M.K's chat and she tilted her head to the side.

I didn't go to any chat last night.

She looked at the top of the screen to check the time but something else caught her attention. The freaking date!

I have been sleeping for three days?!

The events of that day came back to her in flashes and she gulped.

Xavier...

Am I still alive?

What did he do to me?

Then the door slowly clicked open. It was Xavier with some old papers in his hands but he didn't notice her change in position until he shut the door and turned to the bed, startled.

The papers fell from his hand as he stared at her. Then his lips curled up in a big smile.

"You were out for three days. I was scared and worried. I won't have been able to forgive myself." He slowly walked to the bed, not wanting to scare her away. Then he debated sitting or standing but he ended up kneeling beside the bed.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't know what else to do cuz if I ever went on a rampage, you'd hate me forever... And I'm sorry for snooping into your private stuff." He smiled apologetically and looked from her to her phone and back to her.

Nel just sat there in shock because he just apologized for not going on a rampage and because he has been pouring out so many emotions she thought he didn't have since he entered the room and saw her awake.

"Kane... Where is he?" She said after a long time and he deadpanned.

"I didn't take him." Xavier looked down at the bedsheets and pursed his lips in annoyance. He was right in front of her and she was talking about 'Lame'.

Nel was in shock again. He only wanted her. And he did it by crook.
She wasn't angry. She didn't know how she felt at the moment. At least she didn't need to give Kane an explanation for ditching him.

"How are you?" Xavier looked back up at her with worry. She was still staring at him. Didn't even flinch when she knew he realized she was staring.

"I... I'm okay." She stuttered, almost in a whisper and looked away. She was surprised he didn't take her back to her grandmother's house. Maybe he's just keeping her on a tighter leash.

"How did you bring me here?" She asked after another long moment of silence. Xavier looked back at her with the intention of answering her question head on but he just looked back down.

"By foot. I ran." He said quietly and internally face palmed himself. He felt so weirded out by his impulsive behavior that day for the nth time. He even thought of knocking Kane out.
Nel widened her eyes with raised brows. He was joking right?

"You ran all the way?" She half shouted in shock. He then closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Demons have inhumane strength and speed. And besides, it was worth it." He mumbled his last phrase and subconsciously chose his words to avoid telling her she's a demon, forgetting her father might have already told her.

"I know I'm a demon. You don't have to hide it anymore." She said in a quiet grumble and looked away. She was angry he didn't tell her sooner and confused as to why he didn't tell her anyway. What was there to hide?

He noticed the undertone in her voice and looked up at her while biting his lip. She was angry. How was he going to calm her down. At least her internal anger wasn't as scary as her external anger. He looked at her for sometime before taking the hand closest to him.

"I'm not sure if your angry with me... I'm sorry.  I didn't want to see the shock on your face when everything is handed to you in one blow." He said, admiring her nails instead of looking at her face.

I won't have been able to keep it together.

She wouldn't dare take her hand away. He might get sad. And the smooth circles he was drawing with his thumb at the back of her hand were soothing, dissipating her anger.
She nodded in understanding. She was really depressed then. And she wouldn't dare keep a grudge with him now that they're going to be living under the same roof.

They stayed like that, quiet for a while till he took his hand and gently placed hers on the bed. Then he stood and looked down at her with a serious face.
"I'll go get you something to eat." He said in a serious tone and started to leave, but then he paused.

"Even when you're getting off the bed, call me. You need to rest off the effect of the scent dew." He said and finally left the room.

When did he start having mood swings such as these?

She sighed and looked at the hand he left on the bed. He's started to care too much about her. She didn't want... need him too attached to her. How would he cope if she broke his trust again? She was aware he hadn't recovered from the sudden change in existence and he wasn't mentally healthy to take on his responsibility as king, care for her and still accept the fact that he's a demon now.
To be honest she has already gotten over her shock.
He needed someone by him. Why her?

Cut me some slack, earth!

She massaged her forehead and looked around the room, sighting the papers scattered all over the floor. She was about to stand off the bed to pick them up but she remembered what Xavi told her. She rolled her eyes and stood abruptly but her knees bucked and she fell with a yelp.

I should have listened.

She thought she was going to regret it when he came rushing in and cursed mentally. What was he going to do now?

"Why? I told you to stay put on the bed. Why are you stubborn?" Xavier panicked and Nel was scared he was panicking. His mood swings might just affect his thinking.
He effortlessly swooped her off the floor and lay her carefully on the bed.

"Why did you stand up? What did you want me to get for you?" He looked at her with worry, staring deep into her eyes and she was not going to look away.

"I just wanted to pick up the papers on the floor." She said  and he sighed in mostly irritation.

"Tch. Why did that bother you much? You might as wall have called me to pick it up. Now lay down." He furrowed his brows and bent to pick the papers, then stacking them on the table next to his tab and laptop.
Then he looked back at her bewildered face and sighed.

"Nellyda, would you please lay down? I just left to get you something to eat and you couldn't stay five minutes without disobeying the one simple instruction I gave. Lay down." He furrowed his brows and went over to her, resting her back down and tucking her in.

"And don't stand up. If you need anything, call me. I won't take it if you can't open your eyes to talk to me for another three days." As he said those words, he instantly changed from annoyed and pissed to worried and caring. She thought he'd gone mental.

"Are you alright?" She asked before he got to the door and he turned around with a sharp confused gaze.

Nani?

"You don't usually have... rabid mood swings." She asked nervously and he turned away. He was red. Just as read as fresh pepper. She needed not to see him like this. Never.

She cared about me.

"No. I'm fine." He asked, masking the joy he felt and left the room.
Xavier just kept grinning as he walked down the stairs. He wondered what he was thinking when he gave up on looking for her. This was the best thing he had done for him self. He hoped he could make her happy too. And she didn't need to love him back for it.