The Demon's In The Detail
Summary: Ivan Dreyar needed to die, and Laxus was going to make it happen, even if he needed to sell his soul to an annoyingly charming demon to do it.
Notes: Hi all. Yet again, this was written for the @fuckyeahfraxus Fraxus Week. This subgenre is Occult romance, and as such it gets a little dark. There's a brief description of a death, and a lot of murder plotting. nothing too graphic, but be warned.
Links: Ao3, FFN
The Demon's in The Detail
"I tear through dimensions for cruelty to harness. I summon the presence of the demon named Darkness."
A tepid silence filled the dusty attic. The pentagram, drawn in oil on the uneven floorboards, sat stagnant and waiting. Five candles burned at each point of the pentagram, the wax rolling down in silent globules slow and meandering. The mirror, large and imposing in the dimness of the room, seemed to loom over Laxus, who was kneeling with a bowed head on the other side of the pattern. His throat was hoarse from reading a six stanza poem and sweat from the heat was sliding down his face as a simmering burn coursed through his veins.
Seconds passed, and then there was pain. Laxus roared with the sudden boiling of his blood, but he clenched his fists against the floorboards and kept his eyes down and his head bowed. Five seconds, he needed to endure five seconds of the pain and it would work.
"Hm," A voice, distorted and hollow, rang through the attic. He kept his head bowed.
"Absolute Darkness," Laxus said, voice wavering slightly as he tried to remember what he needed to say. "I offer you sanctuary within my heart for the purposes of negotiation. I wish to offer a part of myself for the services of a demon."
"Hm," The distorted voice made the same sound again. "I accept your offer of sanctuary."
A foreign feeling burst inside of Laxus, it was burning without the pain. Laxus found himself panting heavily, eyes clenched shut as adrenaline exploded in every part of his body. He felt like he could run a marathon without training. Like he was completed by a missing part he hadn't known he was searching for. It was intoxicating, like the perfect combination of a high and an orgasm. His whole body was on edge, but it felt so damn good.
The feeling didn't disappear, but it settled into something comfortable. Phantom touches licked at him, like something sharp dragging down his spine. It was a struggle to keep his eyes trained on the floor, but he just managed it. He felt surrounded, even if he knew he was alone.
Well, physically anyway.
"You may observe me," The voice hissed, a reptilian sound that made Laxus squirm. "Look up, Laxus Dreyar."
The sound of his name from such a demonic voice had Laxus' head snapping up, ice chilling him. The mirror was reflecting a figure that wasn't there, a figure that loomed over Laxus, standing behind him and looking down. The figure was broad and tall, a humanoid form covered in scales and feathers. Warped horns were hooked out of its head, crowing a shock of green hair that was raised unnaturally. Its skin was cracked and shattered around its left eye. Wings made of pure energy were fluttering in steel like strands behind its back. Laxus' throat went dry, and he was flooded with regret at what he had done, but it was too late to regret it now. He had done it.
He had summoned a demon.
"You know my name," Laxus said, and regretted it immediately. He was going off the script, he shouldn't have done that.
"I know everything about you, Laxus Dreyar," The demon purred, and it was smiling with a nasty smile. "The moment you began my prayer, you opened your mind to me. I know your dreams, your nightmares, your hopes, your regrets. Everything you've ever done and ever wish to do. Even the parts you would never admit out loud," In the mirror, the demon leered down at Laxus, and whispered into his ears.
Laxus would have sworn he felt breath on his neck. "Those parts were my favourite. So many things to be ashamed of."
Laxus wanted to run; he wasn't scared to admit that. But he couldn't, not when he had already gotten this far. He couldn't get scared now, not when he was so close to the end.
"If you know all of that, then you know what I need from you."
"Need?" The demon tilted his head and looked down at Laxus condescendingly. "You don't need anything from me. No human has ever needed anything from a demon. I don't accept that you need anything at all. You contacted me because you want something from me. What did you want, Laxus Dreyar?"
He was being toyed with. He was offering a deal to a literal devil, he wanted something awful, and the only way he could get it was this demon. He shouldn't feel shame - he should have abandoned that with his morality - but he still did.
"I'm waiting, Laxus Dreyar."
"Kill my father," Laxus blurted it out, hands clenched in his knees. "I want you to kill my fucking father. I want it to be brutal and public and permanent."
The demon looked down at him. "Why?"
"If you know me then you know why he needs to die," Laxus grunted, standing up despite being told not to by the occultist who had instructed him. There had been stories about demons expecting total respect and slaughtering people who didn't kneel. This demon seemed more fascinated than angry. He just kept watching. Waiting. "He needs to die because of what he did. You must know what he's like, what he's done. The second he gets out, he's going to hurt people again. He'll be worse, he won't stop unless someone stops him."
"You want to make a deal with me for the greater good?" The demon hummed. "Demonic deals and moralistic hopes. They don't often overlap."
"Can you do it, or not?"
"I'll consider it, when you start being honest," The demon had an amused expression, watching with snake like eyes. "Answer three questions truthfully, and your father will be a lamb to the slaughter. Question one: what specifically is the reason you want your father to die?"
Laxus needed to say it. He needed to.
"I'm scared," Laxus swallowed slightly, looking at the floor. "Ever since he got locked up, he's been sending me these letters saying what he's going to do when he gets out. How he's gonna hurt me, gonna kill me. I thought it was all bullshit - he had a death sentence for fucks sake - but now he's getting out. I don't know how the hell he's done it but if he can get off death row then he can get to me and fuck that. He's the one who should die, not me."
"Hm, much more selfish," The demon taunted. "Exactly what I wanted."
"I thought you wanted honesty," Laxus stated.
"Selfishness and honesty are often the same thing," The demon laughed, and it was a chaotic, warped sound. It should have been revolting. It wasn't. "Question two: you said you wanted his death to be brutal, public and permanent. Do you mean that? Because if you're throwing a tantrum and you end up regretting your words, I'm going to be disappointed in you. I haven't been brutal in quite some time."
"Do your worst," Laxus crossed his arms.
"Hm, you're fun," The demon laughed again. "Question three: do you know what it means to sell your soul? You say you're scared of death. You'll live longer if you do this, but once you're dead you'll be at my mercy. I can cause a lot more hurt than your father could think of."
"I'd rather go through hell than let him win," Laxus snarled, and the demon matched his expression.
"Then we have a deal, Laxus Dreyar," The demon sounded delighted through his echoing. "My name is Freed Albion Justine, I assume you know how to proceed."
Laxus nodded, and the knowledge of a demon's true name sat heavy in his heart. He returned to his kneeling position at the foot of the pentagram, mirror behind him. The demon - Freed - walked behind him, still only visible in the reflection of the mirror. Laxus bowed his head again, and in the mirror Freed's claws were wrapped tightly around Laxus' head. It was like he could feel it, even though the demon has yet to come into the real world.
"I Laxus Dreyar, offer my soul to the demon named Freed Albion Justine," Laxus spoke loud and clearly. The candles flickered and the air hummed. "For an eternity, he will dictate my afterlife. In return, I request the brutal, public and permanent murder of my father: Ivan Dreyar. Are these terms acceptable?"
"Your deal," The voice was fully warped now. It echoed like in a church but slurred like a drunkard. "Is accepted."
A cracking exploded in the silence, glass shattering inwards as the flames on the candles burst into black light. The oil of the pentagram began to lift from the floorboards, swirling and floating. It clung together, coagulating into a featureless figure that floated lifelessly in the air. It rotated and Laxus watched as the shards of the mirror cut into the oil figure, which burned with the black flames. The oil burned away, revealing a man who landed elegantly on the floor.
He wasn't as tall as the demon, nor as Laxus, but was by no means short. His finessed strength was covered by a red and black cloth that hung limply around his body. The green hair which, as a demon, had stood on end now hung loosely against his back. The scaled eye was covered by bangs, and his horns were represented by two little cowlicks. He was… handsome?
Laxus should not find a demon's human form handsome.
A hand, far too soft, cupped his chin with sharp nails. Laxus was forced to look up at the face of his personal demon. He was transfixed by the man's single visible eye and his heart hammered in his chest.
"Come now, Laxus Dreyar," Freed said, voice mellifluous yet with a hint of an edge. "I think it's time we kill your father, don't you?"
He dropped Laxus' chin without waiting for an answer and walked to the door to the attic. Laxus watched as he raised his right hand and clicked his fingers with a resounding snap. The cloth burned to a crisp and was replaced by a flaming red suit and dress shoes. The reality of what Laxus had just done filled him, and he was vomiting before he could stop it.
----
Laxus stepped through the metal scanner, trying not to fidget as he waited for his possessions to be returned to him. He watched as Freed strode confidently through the scanner himself, oddly transfixed by the demon. He had the essence of a man without a care in the world, and perhaps he was. A demon among humans did have a certain advantage. No doubt killing a man for Freed was as common as getting groceries for Laxus. That didn't make things any easier.
They were in the courthouse, and Laxus was going to see his father face to face for the first time since Ivan's trial. He didn't want to do it, but Freed had told him he needed skin to skin contact with him to complete his half of the bargain. Laxus had wanted to question why that was but thought better of it.
Demon… The man was a demon.
Laxus had made a deal with a demon.
He didn't feel guilty about what was going to happen to his father, Ivan deserved death. But he had no idea what was going to happen to him. He expected eternal torment, and that didn't exactly scar him because he had known that would happen the second the spell had worked. What he hadn't expected was how Freed just… stayed. Laxus thought he would make the deal, sell his soul, and Freed would disappear and that would be the end of it. He didn't know he would be involved.
Hell, Laxus had driven them both to the courthouse for god's sake. A literal, actual demon had sat in his beat up pickup truck, complained about his music, and then told an anecdote about how one of Laxus' favourite musicians once got so high he saw an angel and the entirety of heaven went into a full blown panic. He said it as if it were a regular work story.
And then there was the magic. The abilities. Whatever they were called.
Freed had seen the vomit staining Laxus' shirt once he left the attic, and then simply got rid of it with a wave of his hand and a small tut. When they got stuck in traffic, his eyes had closed and then all the cars in front of them suddenly pulled off at the next exit and they had open roads for the rest of the trip. Even now, blatantly in front of the security guards who were watching him, he picked up a bottle of water and turned it into a glass of rum without a second's hesitation. Nobody cared, and Laxus could only guess that he had some influence over the guards that made them ignore his actions.
Everything about Freed exuded power, and Laxus couldn't help but think he was a berserker in a tux. One wrong move and all of that power would explode, killing everyone and everything in sight.
They walked into the elevator side by side, and Freed pushed the right button. Once the doors were closed, Freed whirled on his feet. He walked into Laxus' space, far too close, and pushed him up against the wall with a single finger. He had a ferocious glare on his face as he pinned Laxus in place.
"You're not scared of me. Why?" Freed demanded. "And be honest. I'll break a bone if you're not."
Fear rushed into Laxus, more from the threat than the man giving it though. He swallowed and spoke as firmly as he could. "The second I figured out how to summon you, I knew I was a dead man walking. Hard to feel scared of something when you know you're going to hell no matter what happens."
"You're a nihilist," He said the word like it was a slur.
"That a problem?" Laxus asked.
"Of course it is. It's practically a plague where I come from," He huffed, removing his finger from Laxus' chest and stepping back. "We'll have to deal with that before you die. An optimistic soul is much more fun to play with."
The doors to the elevator opened, and Freed walked out of them as if he hadn't said anything at all. Laxus lagged behind, and the doors almost closed before he left. He jogged to keep up with Freed, who was walking through the halls of the courthouse as if he knew them well. Laxus felt a kind of itchiness as he got deeper and deeper into the building. Freed was insistent on them doing this, but Laxus wanted to back out.
Someone in a uniform opened a door for them both, and they walked into a room filled with tables and chairs. Freed sat at one in the middle and motioned for Laxus to sit beside him. Laxus did, playing with the side of the table.
"I don't get why I have to be here."
"Because I demanded it of you, and you're a lot more susceptible to a firm hand than you think," Freed said it jovially, as if his complete knowledge of Laxus' mind was something to poke fun with.
"Can I go or not?"
"You could, but I'd hate for you to miss this," Freed tapped his sharp fingernails on the table, a nasty grin etched across his face. "This is your victory, Laxus. Your lap of honour. This is the moment he understands what you've done. You'll see how he realises the inevitability of what's going to happen. The moment he knows he won't see the end of the day."
"You're gonna kill him here?" Laxus asked, looking around.
"Of course not, I promised you something public. Cameras don't count," Freed seemed offended at the very idea. Before Laxus could think too much about that, Freed was speaking again. "How did your father avoid his death sentence verdict? Do you know?"
"A retrial. New evidence."
"Yes, and I assume it didn't escape your mind how unusual that was. A random man found a random picture that exonerated your father of a crime you know for a fact he committed," Freed said, and Laxus looked at him with furrowed brows. Laxus hadn't been able to stop thinking about that. "Well, let's say your father and you have something in common."
"Meaning what?"
"Meaning you're not the only Dreyar who's been talking to the undead," Freed chuckled, and Laxus gaped at him. "How he managed to carry off the spell in his cell I still don't know, but he also made a deal with a demon."
"Can we still do this then?" Laxus said in a panic, the absurdity of the claim pushed to the side for the moment. "Wouldn't that be a… a breach of his contract? We're not gonna have to deal with a pissed off demon, are we."
"Of course not. And if we did, I doubt it would matter. Jackal, the demon your father dealt with, is a kitten compared to me," Freed grinned a feral grin, and again Laxus wondered what was hiding behind the calm facade of the man. "But it won't come to that. Your father thinks he's smart; so, he asked for miraculous luck. Anything that would help him, luck would bring it to him. In a lot of ways, it's a smart trade; he could live an idyllic life without lifting a finger. But Jackal has done his part, Ivan has to fend for himself now, which is good for us."
"It doesn't sound good," Laxus growled. "Can't he fucking… luck his way out of it?"
"No. We made a deal, we had a verbal contract on your soul. I follow those deals to the letter," Freed leant back, looking towards the door. "After all, what is a contract but a rejection of luck."
That was… comforting. He shouldn't feel comforted by a demon.
Whatever comfort Freed's words had given him died the moment the door opened. Ivan walked through it, in a suit and handcuffs. He felt as though he was frozen, and all the memories of what Ivan had done to him over his childhood flooded back to him. Years of pain and fear were paralysing him, and the sneer on his father's face made him feel like a terrified ten year old all over again. He wanted to flee, or attack Ivan and kill him himself, but a firm hand placed itself on his thigh and he looked back to Freed. Freed was… smiling at him.
Ivan walked towards them both, and his sneer turned to a nasty jubilation. If Freed had been right about Ivan's deal, and how he had been blessed with aggressive luck, then maybe he thought this was good for him. A way to hurt Laxus another time. Laxus felt sick all over again.
"So," Ivan's voice was hoarse, but smug. "You've shown your face at last," His eyes flickered to Freed. "What is this?"
"I'm his boyfriend," Freed answered for Laxus, and Laxus shot a look at him. Ivan narrowed his gaze, as he always had whenever the topic of Laxus' sexuality had arisen. "I'm so glad to meet you, Ivan."
Freed was on his feet a moment later, and he took Ivan's hands in his own. It looked like he was shaking them out of politeness, but Laxus didn't miss the way his eyes burned a scorched purple. He felt the heat rising through his body just like he had when he had summoned Freed, and each time it happened it was warmer and gentler than the time before. It was almost sweet at this point.
Ivan staggered back a few steps, and the guard who was watching him put a hand on his shoulder to steady him. Freed let his hands fall away, the nasty smile on his face a stark contrast to Ivan's genuine fear. Ivan was scared. Laxus had never seen that before.
It was transcendent. Euphoria.
He understood exactly what Freed had meant when he said Laxus shouldn't miss this. Because he could see the fear, the anger, the failure to accept what was happening. It was all flashing across his face, which was getting whiter and more sickly by the minute. He looked ready to run, and to cry, and Laxus relished it.
And then Freed, the beautiful demon, drove the knife in with a simple sentence.
"I can't wait to see how the day goes for you."
----
Ivan's sentence had been overturned, just like Laxus had expected. The courts had said this was a good day for justice and acted like Ivan deserved a world of apologised from everyone involved in the justice system. The sycophantic apologising from the judge had made Laxus squirm from the viewing areas, and he had wanted to scream and demand what the hell was wrong with them.
Freed's hand had landed on his thigh again, and he whispered for Laxus to calm down and look at Ivan. Ivan was trying to look normal, trying to look happy and like he felt a weight had been lifted. He still looked sick, and it had bolstered Laxus' resolve to stay quiet.
"How long do I have to wait until you kill him?" Laxus had whispered, and Freed chuckled beside him.
"Not long now, dear human," He purred. "You wanted it to be public. I would say being surrounded by a crowd of people while also being broadcast live across the country is as public as you could hope for, wouldn't you agree?"
Laxus had grinned at that. Yeah, that was pretty damn public.
Guided by Freed, Laxus walked into the lobby of the courthouse's second floor. There was a large window overlooking the front steps to the building, where the gathered press of the nation along with random members of the public were gathered. A plinth had been set up with a collection of microphones affixed to it. From where they were standing, they could see the back of Ivan's head as he approached the podium.
"When's it gonna happen?" Laxus asked.
"Soon," Freed assured him. "His speech ends with him claiming to look forward to what happens next in life. I thought it was funny to have that be his final words."
Laxus nodded and wondered if he should feel bad for how happy he was with what was happening. Rather than feeling any semblance of guilt, however, he found himself asking: "He made a deal with this Jackal demon, right? That means after he dies, his soul goes to Jackal?"
"Correct," Freed nodded. "And don't worry, Jackal is one of the most sadistic beings I've ever met. Your father will get what's coming to him,"
"You called him a kitten," Laxus mumbled.
"I called him a kitten when compared to me," Freed corrected, placing a hand on the small of Laxus' back. "That's true of a lot of demons."
"Great," Laxus said sarcastically.
"Oh, don't get scared of me now, Laxus. Your lack of fear is your best quality," Freed hummed, looking down through the window again. It looked like Ivan was winding down, and Laxus felt a surge of pleasure when he noticed just how tight Ivan's shoulders were. "I should warn you, I did adapt your request just a little. He'll still die, with the same brutality and permanence that you request. I simply added a further way to describe it. Farcical. I gave him a death that, while people might not admit it, they thought was funny. Just a little bit. Just enough to make his soul angry."
Laxus let out a small laugh. Freed really understood what Laxus wanted from him.
"Three," Freed's voice was quiet, and they both stepped forward. "Two. One."
Freed was right, Ivan's death was totally farcical.
First, as he walked away from the podium, he stumbled a little over a microphone wire. He struggled to regain his balance but managed it and tried to keep his cool. He was looking around as if scared, looking for Laxus.
Next, a seagull that flew by cawed. Ivan flinched at the sound of it, turning just in time for the bird to strike him straight in the face. He let out an indignant sound, and his feet fell from under him as he staggered towards the stairs.
As he fell down the stone steps, nobody moved to help him. The way his body slammed against the marble might have made a lesser man wince, but both Laxus and Freed watched impassively.
Still, Ivan survived. He pushed up from the ground and stood up. That was when it became less farcical, and much more deadly.
A truck, driving fast and unwieldy, struck him from the side and splayed him across the road. It didn't stop, and from where Laxus stood he could see his father being crushed under the tires of the impressive machine. There was no way anyone could survive that, and Laxus watched blankly as his view of his father was covered up by the truck and the people rushing to help him.
"Public, brutal and permanent," Freed repeated Laxus' words. "Did that fit the brief?"
"Yeah," Laxus nodded. He felt content. He probably shouldn't.
"For the sake of honesty, I should tell you that I had to make a deal with the angels to do this," Freed continued. "This could have some… negative impacts on the people that saw it. The only way I was allowed to make such a spectacle was if I allowed the angels to numb the minds of everyone who saw it. They simply won't be bothered by it; it will be as important as someone simply tripping to the floor by the time the day is over. Is that okay?"
"So, nobody's gonna care that he died?" Laxus asked, then smiled. "That's exactly what he deserves. It's perfect."
"Good," Freed purred, placing a hand on Laxus' shoulder. "Now that I've done my side of the bargain, I think it's time to give you a taste of what's to come~"
With a surge of fire, Laxus and Freed vanished.
----
They were in a throne room, surrounded by black stones and red and black tapestries. Laxus felt lighter than he had in years, and warmer too. He looked around to see, sitting on the throne, was Freed in his demonic body again. Realisation hit him, and the implication of Freed's words terrified him. He was in hell. He was in actual, literal hell.
"Not what you expected, I assume," Freed said, tapping his claws on the throne. "Less fire? Less screaming? Less burning people alive and torturing them?"
"Let's just get it over with," Laxus said, voice firm as he looked down. "I assume you want me kneeling, right? You did when I summoned you."
"Hm, what an offer," Freed laughed. "Yes, that seems appropriate."
Laxus moved with rigidity, dropping to his knees and letting his head fall. He heard the sound of footsteps approaching him, but just like he had when he was summoning Freed, he made sure not to look up. Freed's shadow was cast over him, and Laxus winced in anticipation as to what was going to happen. He was going to experience a pain that he'd never imagined before, and he had to calm himself with the knowledge that Ivan was suffering in exactly the same way.
A claw - no, a fingernail - grazed the bottom of his chin and tipped his head up. Freed was in his human body again, wearing that same cloths he had worn before. Yet again, a tiny part of his mind thought he looked damn good dressed like that.
"You seem to think I'm going to hurt you, Laxus," Freed said, a smile on his face. "The selling of one's soul does not equate to an eternity of suffering, you know."
"But-" Laxus spluttered, "You said."
"I enjoy toying with people, you can hardly forsake me for that," Freed shrugged, then offered Laxus a hand to take. "Demons have a strong sense of morality, more so than any other creature. What we do with a soul under our possession is up to us entirely. We can, and oftentimes do, torture the souls we own. Most of the time the people willing to sell their souls deserve the hell they think is real. You though…"
"What about me?" Laxus asked but took Freed's hand and stood up.
"You interest me. You thought I'd torture you for the rest of time, and you were never scared," Freed tilted his head in though, before deflating. "I'm old, Laxus. Older than time, if you're interested. I have spent millennia after millennia, and the only humans I have ever spoken to were people offering me their souls. You were the first person who wasn't scared."
"What does that mean?"
"It means from the start of time, I've been looking for company, and you're the first man I think has been worth it," Freed looked Laxus up and down, smiling. "I've never met a man I'd want to spend eternity with before, and yet here you are. So, rather than skinning you alive or having you eaten by hellhounds, what if I simply allow you to exist in my personal dimension. We can just live side by side. An eternity of being together."
"You- what?"
"Ah, of course. You humans take so long on decisions like this," Freed tutted. "A proposition then. Once a year - let's say every Halloween - I take you back here. I get the rest of your life to make you mine. On the off chance you want rid of me when you die, I'll forfeit your soul to the heavens. If not, you become my prince. Call it a courtship, if you like."
"You wanna date me?" Laxus asked. Was he going mad? That was- what the hell was happening?
"Technically I want to bond our souls together, but your kind prefers to take the magic out of it," Freed smiled and placed a hand on Laxus' cheek, looking almost lovelorn. "You're a fascinating and beautiful man, and one I think I could happily waste the rest of time with. I think a lifetime will be enough to make you feel the same way about me."
"You're not… not gonna torture me?" Laxus asked, because he truly had no idea what to say.
"No, Laxus, I'm not going to torture you," Freed said gently. "If you agree to stay with me, I won't promise that my demonic side won't take over from time to time. But I've always been more mischievous than evil, I think. I'd much rather enforce a rule of strict nudity for a millennia than to hurt you in any way," He seemed to consider that. "Yes, enforced nudity will be common, I think. And I'll keep your body like this whenever you're here. You're just so… Greek. I love it."
Laxus ignored the flirting - oh God a demon was flirting with him - and instead focused on the offer Freed had made. "You're telling me, instead of hurting me, you're offering me courtship. And if I don't return the feelings you think you have, then you'll just give up my soul to heaven? That's what you're offering."
"Yes," Freed nodded. "And don't doubt my feelings. I've lived long enough to know what my soul is telling me."
"But, that's it, huh? No trick? No trap?"
"That's it," Freed nodded, smiling. "So, are these terms acceptable to you, Laxus Dreyar?"
Laxus, for the first time in his life, felt free. In hell, he was free. His father was dead and bring tortured, the world was rid of a monster and Laxus had been left with the consequences. But now those consequences had been taken away, and instead an offer of courtship and freedom had been given to him. He was free. He was himself.
"Oh, fuck yeah they are," Laxus panted, a giddy little grin forming on his face.
Throwing away the last scrap of common sense, Laxus wrapped his arms around the demon's waist and kissed him to hell and back.
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