Haunted Memories

“Tsk, would you calm down,” Laxus growled in annoyance as he finally catches up to me. I slow down to a stop, my head is bowed, hiding my face.

“They replaced me,” I choke out.

“That’s not true,” he grabs my chin and tilts it up revealing the tears that were running down my cheeks.

“It is true,” I mumble dejectedly, they replaced me so easily, did that mean I was replaceable fullstop? As if Laxus is reading my mind he stoops down and brings me into a rough kiss.

“I can read you like an open book, don’t think those stupid thoughts. They aren’t true, end of story.” He growls, before taking my wrist and dragging me in an unfamiliar direction.

“What’s the plan now?” I ask, having snapped out of my depressed mind set soon after hearing Laxus’ reassurance.

“We’ll do a little more investigating here before finding an inn, preferably as close to the outskirts of the town as possible.” Laxus explained and I nod my head in agreement, there was no way I’d be able to sleep inside the town, they may have requested for mages to help them kill the demon but there’s no doubt someone might try to kill us in our sleep.

“Sounds like a plan,” I say as he lets me go so I’m walking slightly behind him.

"Why don't you show me around town?" Laxus speaks up, half teasing me. "Or try to, at least. I think your skills at getting lost might actually help us get to somewhere we aren't supposed to go this time."

I pout at his teasing but take the lead anyway, becoming absent minded as we start to see people out and about, doing their daily chores and talking to one other, they soon stop to stare at Laxus and I but I couldn’t care less. We walked on for longer until we reached the market place. Having nothing better to do we walked amongst the stalls, we didn’t talk at all, instead we listened to the chatter around us.

By now we had hidden our guild mark and were blending in with the crowd because we didn’t want to cause a scene. I listened to the whispers around us but it was all useless gossip. Shaking my head in defeat I turn to Laxus.

“We’ve been searching for hours, let’s go get some rest, we’ll need it for tomorrow,” he states gruffly and takes the lead. I shuffle after him, disappointed that we had come up empty-handed.

We ended up finding an inn close-by, we paid for a room before being shown it and I immediately go over to the bathroom and prepare for a bath. Opting to make it a quick bath I clean my skin until it’s red and raw, distracting myself from over-thinking the situation at hand.

When I get out I jump into a clean shirt and some short shorts before coming out of the bathroom to see an empty room but a note on the table.

“Went to investigate something, get some rest, I’ll be back soon.” I say aloud, reading the note. I scrunch it up and through it in the bin before climbing into the spacious bed and falling asleep almost instantly.

I wake up hearing the door open and then close, it was dark but I made out a shadow. I lean up onto my elbows and yawn.

“Laxus, what time is it?” I ask but he doesn’t reply, “Laxus?” I finally make out the form and my eyes widen in horror. I open my mouth to scream but my eyelids feel heavy and they close, sending me back into a fitful sleep.