The Demon & Assassin ( Fairy Tail, Miraxus )

New Moon

Laxus POV

*Pantings*

"Are we there yet?" Mira stops walking and huffs with her hands on her knees. Sweats trickle down her cheeks along with the tiny raindrops from the drizzle.

I sigh before turning around and crossing my arms over my chest. "No, we're still halfway through the hill. It should take at least another 3 hours of walking before we reach Magnolia."

"Aww... but my legs are killing me already."

"I know, but we can't afford to stop now. It's getting late, and assassins are most active around these hours."

"I understand, let's get moving..." As Mira struggles to take her first step, she quickly loses her balance and start falling forward.

"H-hey!" I immediately sprint and catch her fall, letting her weary body rests on my forearm while my other arm wrapped around her waist for support. Her face is pale and her breathing is uncontrolled, which makes me feel guilty for pushing her too hard.

"Thanks, Laxus." Mira smiles weakly at me.

"No, don't thank me. I should've known better that you're exhausted. I'm sorry..."

"It's alright." Mira carefully pushes herself up as I support her, then she points her finger up at the starry sky. "The full moon is manifesting soon. By then, I'll be able to fly by without having to exhaust my magic."

"No, you need to rest up, Mira." I emphasize by looking her in the eyes. "There's a change of plan. Instead of making it to Magnolia tonight, we will now look for a shelter to spend the night."

"Shelter?"

"Yeah, I know of a cave just around here. I'll carry you there." After turning my back on her, I secure my arms under her thighs and carefully hefts her up on my back. In that instance, my back is aching like never before. "Ngh!"

"La-Laxus, you don't have to do this! Your back was badly injured after the fall, remember!?" 

"This is nothing. I've dealt with worse." I may be suffering from some fractured bones, yet I refuse to show anymore weakness in front of Mira. After all, I am now her guardian. "Hold on tight, you hear me?"

"Uh, just don't push yourself too hard" Mira slides her arms around my neck and rest her head on my shoulders, closing her eyes. "Your back feels so comfortable, Laxus..." she whispers.

"... You must be really tired to have said that." I chuckle, taking my first step toward the cave. While walking through the rugged hill, I occasionally return the smiles that Mira keeps throwing at me. Her sweet and sincere smiles are all it takes to take my mind off my back pain. "Get some sleep, Mira."

Mira eventually falls asleep, and I can't help but adore her sweet and peaceful face every time I glance at her. The way she snuggles her head on my shoulder, the way her breaths run across my cheek, and the way she calls my name in her sleep, they bring a smile to my face.

The cave in just in sight, then it happens...

"Urghhh!" A sudden heavy pressure on my back forces me to fall on my knees while suppressing another groan as not to wake Mira up. Mira has just turned into a demon, and her weight almost doubles. 

I let her down from my back and carry her in my arms instead - one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back like a groom carrying his bride. Staring down at her face, I clench my teeth, greatly disappointed with myself for still seeing her differently.

When I enter the cave ( top page picture ), I hear a high screeching noise and quickly duck as some bats come rushing out of the cave. I look up at the cave ceiling, only to find a few more hanging upside down. Fortunately, bats are timid creatures that feed on insects. Unlike assassins, they don't strike blindly unless threatened.