Back towards the edges of the dense, dark forest, bestial cries and roars resounded along the city outskirts.
As the duo grew closer, a large, black form could be seen crashing throughout the trees.
A group of Hunter’s surrounded a snarling, writhing Demon, glinting white fangs bared, blood red eyes reflecting insanity and hunger. It’s thorny tail whipped to and fro, snapping against trees and underbrush as it fought back fiercely.
One of those Hunter’s, Max recognized as the pompous, black-haired Human who seemed to have a personal vendetta against Eon.
“Stay back.” Eon called out to him, rushing out into the fray, despite the harsh, volatile looks shot his way by the other Hunter’s.
...Why? Even though Eon rushed right out to assist them without a second thought, they still regarded him with such hostility. Why did he fight so hard for people who thought nothing of him in return?
While Max couldn’t understand no matter how he tried, Eon thought nothing of it. He was far too used to that animosity by now to give it a second thought, especially given the moment.
With his arrival, the tides of the battle began to turn, Eon steadily cornering the beast, closing in on victory. Being a far lesser Demon, Eon had little trouble pushing the creature back even alone...In fact, he realized he was alone in the fight after whatever point in which the others backed off.
However, it was within that very moment of realizing this, that he heard someone call out to him.
He couldn’t comprehend what those words could have been, being suddenly shoved aside to the ground as a loud bang resounded throughout the area.
The fresh scent of blood hit his nose, his thoughts spiraling.
“Ah, my bad. There were just so many Demons running amok that I couldn’t seem to tell them apart anymore.”
The familiar, snide remarks struck at Eon’s ears, making sense of them bit by bit as he finally realized just exactly what had happened.
Fresh blood dyed Max’s shirt red, pale fingers clutching at his shoulder as blood pooled to the surface of a bullet wound, his emerald gaze locked onto the culprit.
Eon rushed over to Max in worry, trying to gather his scattered thoughts as he inspected the wound, but Max turned away from him.
By now, the Demon had long since escaped into the shadows of the forest, having been given the chance.
“Ahhh, look at that, it got away.” The black-haired man, Asato, shook his head, presumably troubled by this turn of events...Or so he made it seem, but it was obvious this had been by all means intentional, that wide, smug grin spread across his face. “Why are you looking at me like that? It looks like he’ll be fine, and I’m sure even if one of you wasn’t, no one would complain. One less Demon to worry about.” He sneered.
“The hell?!” Eon lost his composure, wondering just what exactly this arrogant, incessant snob had against him.
It was one thing when it was just him...But even Max. He was involving Max in this too.
“Wow so you can get mad, huh?” Asato shot back, seemingly satisfied to have finally gotten a rise out of Eon, egging him on further. “Don’t worry, it was all in good fun. A joke, yeah? I’m sure the boss would be sad if something were to happen to his lapdog, after all.” He threw over his shoulder, the sounds of the others jeering along with him, seemingly amused by the spectacle.
That was the last straw...But not for Eon.
“You know what? It’s alright. It was all in good fun, like you said, right?” Max chimed in with a dry laugh, standing up, his pupils narrowed into needle thin slits. “I’m sure it was an accident after all, but you know what isn’t an accident?” He added in, plucking up a rock and chucking it towards the man with a strong flick of his wrist.
Like a speeding bullet, it smashed to bits right between his feet with alarming force, eliciting a surprised squeal from Asato as he promptly fell square onto his ass.
“Do you get off on being a jackass or some shit? How about you cut that ego of yours down a notch or two?? Your head is probably jammed so far up your own ass that your brain isn’t getting enough oxygen to function properly.” Max growled, fur swelling out. “Your head is full of literal shit, you incessant, pisspot of a man.”
Max threw insult after insult at Asato, the man’s face going bright red in either embarrassment, or anger, if not both. Max didn’t particularly care which it was.
“You little shit-!” Asato spat, ready to lash out at Max any moment, and Max was more than willing to accept his challenge. Nothing would joy him more than putting a smug, pretentious, little prick like this into his place, a low growl escaping his throat.
Eon simply sat there in a stupor as he witnessed the unexpected outburst from Max...But when he saw Max was so raring to go, he intervened.
“You can’t.” He grabbed Max’s shoulder, trying to placate him, but when Max still didn’t settle down, his tone went harsh. “You can’t hurt Humans.” He hissed, casting Max a sharp, stabbing look as a last resort.
It was enough, Eon’s unusually, sharp tone snapping him out of his fit.
“...You better get this straight, Eon. The only reason something like you is even allowed to work for the Society, is because you’re useful. The Chief doesn’t give a rats ass about anything beyond that. All he cares about is how helpful you’ll be in destroying the rest of your good for nothing kind.”
“If you’re saying things like that, then you really don’t know a thing about the Chief.” Eon shot back smoothly, holding Asato’s gaze.
“Tch!” Asato clicked his tongue, returning his pistol to it’s holster. “You just wait. Sooner or later, there won’t be a place in this world for your kind anymore.”
And with that, he and the other Hunter’s made their hasty exit, leaving the two of them behind.
Only silence remained, the air still teeming with tension, but...Eon was worried about Max's injury, so he gathered his scattered thoughts back together and spoke up,
“...Your wound.” He began, looking down at Max.
Max met his gaze for only a moment before turning away.
“It’s fine.”
“Let me see it.”
“I said it’s fine-”
“Just let me see it.” Eon spat harshly, feeling strangely agitated, but he soon caught himself when he saw Max’s startled expression. As startled as he was, he eventually gave in, letting Eon inspect the wound without fussing.
Carefully, Eon rolled Max’s sleeve back, the blood along his shoulder already clotting and going brown, forming a large scab.
Thankfully...It didn’t seem as though the bullet had embedded itself within the wound.
“...Just a graze…” Relief flooded through him, and he felt a strange, sudden exhaustion. The events that had just occurred revived vividly within his mind, and he realized he had risen his voice at Max only mere moments ago. “...Sorry.” He cast him a small glance, feeling as though he owed Max an apology, and his gratitude. He had recollected the fact that not only did Max shove him aside and take a literal bullet for him...But he also stood up for him. Got angry for him.
This teeny, tiny guy certainly had more guts than anyone could have ever expected.
“...Thanks.”
Max’s ears perked, startled, emerald green eyes meeting his own as he looked up at Eon.
“...I couldn’t just sit there and let him talk trash like that.” Max finally responded after some delay, a frown crossing his face...Or rather, Eon thought it resembled more of a pout. “Especially when he aimed at you on purpose like that...Accident, my ass.” A low growl escaped his throat as he recalled the incident, having left a sour taste on his tongue. “What a load of shit.”
Silence passed between them, yet somehow, rather than that usual, awkwardness that hung about in the air...The feeling was more of content.
Eon wasn’t entirely sure, but it felt that way to him.
“...Let’s go back.” Eon suggested, walking on ahead just a bit before casting Max a glance over his shoulder. “You coming?”
Max’s ears gave a little twitch before he nodded, hastily trailing right on along after Eon, as though he were his little, white shadow.
Back into the city, the hours had ticked by while they had been dealing with the problem along the outskirts.
The hustle and bustle had all but died down, the crowds of people thinned out, the sounds quiet and calm.
However...Eon could feel it.
Could feel the eyes on him, as though he were being watched. As though something had been beckoning him.
“...Why don’t you head back first?” He spoke up, breaking the silence between them, and passing Max the bags of fish that he had purchased prior to the incident. “I just need to stop by the Society for a little while.”
Max felt as though there were something more to this, seeing the tip of Eon’s tail flicking restlessly behind him...Truthfully, he wanted to ask, but at the same time, there was a strange sense that he shouldn’t pry. There wasn’t any room to.
“...Alright.” He finally agreed, albeit hesitantly, his head hanging down slightly.
Relief. Eon found himself more than relieved to see Max was being obedient for once.
“Thanks. I’ll be back.”
And with that, he left Max behind, making his way straight to the Society, a sullen feeling overcoming him.
He only stopped when he reached the foyer-like lobby, that peculiar, singular door between the split staircase just before him.
He was reluctant to turn the knob and step inside...But sucking in a small breath, he realized he had no choice, and with a slight creak, he opened the door.
Spread out before him was a vast, round room, entirely made of that bright, white marble. An almost ethereal sense was given off from the room, a dais spread out spectacularly in the center, the same, spiral like pattern from before displayed along the center.
That very dais was exactly where Eon headed to, standing along the very center.
With a click, it began to lower into a dark, barely illuminated room.
All around, he felt eyes boring down on him from above, the tip of his tail trembling in response.
“Eon.” The voice echoed, booming oddly loudly throughout the empty space. He could feel the scornful gazes prickling at his skin. “How disappointing, to hear that the day you’d turn on one of your fellow Hunter’s has finally come...The stipulation to allowing you to remain under the care of the Society...Surely you haven’t forgotten?”
Eon’s gaze remained fixated on the dais beneath them, feeling a small sense of resentment burning within his chest.
How ridiculous, to say he’d turned on them. He’d done no such thing, but he remained quiet regardless. He understood that the situation had gone out of hand, and they had to make an example out of him. If he was not punished for ‘acting out’, surely no one would accept a Demon such as himself...Not that Eon could safely say he was truly accepted at all.
His thoughts were interrupted as the men gathered above continued on.
“It would seem that the other Demon mentioned to us the other day had some involvement as well, is that true?”
“...He had nothing to do with this.” Eon spoke up, surprising himself. “I was the only one causing problems.”
Why was he taking the fall like this?
Because he owed it to Max? Yes. Because Max stood up for him. That could have been the only reason. Coming to that decision, he opened his mouth again,
“I was heated about some things that were said, and I lost my cool, so…” He lifted his gaze firmly. “...The blame is mine alone.”
“Then you are prepared to accept the consequences?”
A cold sweat broke out along the palm of his hands, and he clenched them into fists, resigning himself to his fate.
“...Yes.”
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