Chapter Text
Hard iron bars ring your vision. You lean forward, pressing your face against them, enjoying the cold metal where it shoves against your skin.
There’s a sharp clang from down the hall, the doors opening for the morning food delivery, and you growl. The collar around your throat vibrates with the motion, and you resist the urge to pull at it. No attempt to remove the collar has ever worked. It’s built to only be removed by another.
And no one was willing to uncollar a demon.
Footsteps ring out, followed by echoing growls, snarls, and roars. You click your tongue, and step back from the bars. The lesser demons will beat themselves up trying to get through the bars. You learned long ago to bide your time.
They always slip up eventually.
You scent the air. Even years of wearing this collar, of being robbed of your senses hadn’t broken you of the habit. You can’t smell the food on the air, but that means nothing. Still, it’s a bit early for their daily demon feeding. You’re on edge, stetching what’s left of your senses to their limit, but you can’t quite hear over the noise of the lesser demons.
Still—there’s a slight scuff, as if there might be two sets of footsteps instead of one.
Sometimes they come in pairs.
Usually for testing. They’re always looking for new ways to subdue and control demons.
The hair on the back of your neck stands on end, and you resist the urge to pace. The walls of the cell are tight around you, and you wish, not for the first time, for the open pine scent of the woods and the mountains.
Anywhere but this stinking cage beneath the church.
The footsteps grow louder. They grow more defined as they approach, and even your dulled senses can now hear that there are two distinct sets of footsteps. One that of an office style shoe, the other the heavier tread of a boot.
They slow, and you drop your head, watching the pair through your bangs. Both men stop, and turn in front of your cell.
One you recognize, and a growl instantly rises in your throat.
Erwin. He’s tall, and well built. Blond hair, and cruel, calculating blue eyes.
He’s the one who runs this hellhole of caged demons.
He’s the one who put you here.
Beside him is a man you’ve never seen before. He’s short, about your height, if not a bit shorter. His hair is dark and his eyes are slate gray. He glares at you. There’s a silver ring on his finger. That with his cloak, military boots, and holstered gun mark him as an excortist.
You growl, low and deadly, as you look up at the two men.
Erwin steps forward, his hand rising with a cross, and your growl turns into a full throated snarl as you bear your fangs. Pain breaks out as nausea swarms in your gut, but you hold your ground.
The short man raises his palm, and Erwin drops the cross. You can feel sweat on your forehead, but you ignore it.
“If you’re going to kill me, just get it over with.” Your words are low, deadly, no hint of weakness. It’s all you can do. Between Erwin’s cross and the collar you already feel unsteady. But you’ll never show weakness to them.
The short man glances back towards Erwin. They exchange a look, and Erwin moves off, leaving the angry small man alone with you.
“You’re a new face,” you purr, as you look up at him. “You wont make much of a meal though.”
The man doesn’t react other then to raise an eyebrow at your words.
“Come here for entertainment?” You sneer. You don’t really care why he’s here. They’re all the same. Filthy, disgusting dogs.
The short man glares at you, but you’re not afraid. Not of him. After a moment he takes a step closer.
“I’m here because you’re going to be a useful tool.”
“Ha! An exorcist, asking help of a demon? How charming.” You press against the bars and grin at him. “Imagine what the papers will say. They’ll think you soiled yourself and bedded Satan.”
Before you can so much as blink, the man has grabbed you by the collar and pulled you tight against the cage bars with one hand, his other holds a rosary to your forehead. It sizzles, and you bite back a whine as you try to wrench yourself away. You cannot break his grip.
“Listen well you disgusting animal. My name is Levi Ackerman.” You blink, but don’t give him the benefit of responding. “I know you know my name. All of your kind does. I’ve sent enough of you back where you belong. Now, you’re going to do as I say, and keep your filthy mouth shut, or I’m going to make you wish you were dead. Is that clear?”
“Do it then. Kill me,” you hiss through clenched teeth. “I’m not working for you.”
With one hand, Levi shoves you back and then yanks you forward. Your head bangs hard against the bars of your cage. He pressed the entire rosary against you then, and it burns.
“Go to hell,” you growl out. You can’t see anymore. Your eyes are screwed shut with pain. Your breaths are short gasps, and you wonder if perhaps this time you’ll finally be freed of this hell.
You want to die. You’ve wanted it for so long, and yet it never comes.
Then the pain stops. You shudder and suck in a breath as Levi removes the rosary. After a moment your eyes open and you find yourself looking into Levi’s dark eyes.
His eyes look hard, almost demonic in the dark of the building. You’re tempted to spit in his face, but then he leans forward, and whispers in your ear.
“I know you. I know what you want. You want freedom.”
You don’t respond. His breath is warm on the side of your face, and despite your hatred and disgust, a primal part of your brain takes interest.
“I can give you that.”
Your breath catches in your chest.
“You want to be free of this collar? Of this cage? I can do that.”
“What do you want?” Your voice is low, quiet, with the barest hint of a whine.
“Prove useful on the tasks for which I require you.”
“What about him,” your eyes flick towards Erwin, and back to Levi. Levi has backed up just enough to make eye contact with you, and still keep the conversation private. His face is mere inches from yours, separated only by the cell bars.
“He’s not apart of this operation.”
Oh sweet naïve little boy, you think. Nothing happens in these walls without Erwin’s approval.
“Fine,” you shrug. “My assistance for my freedom.” You offer your hand, but you’re not surprised when Levi doesn’t take it. He lets go of you and backs away quickly, cleaning his hands where they touched your clothes. Of course. Pretty little exorcist doesn’t want to be tainted by touching a demon. You grin at him, bearing your fangs. He ignores you, and waves Erwin back over. The keys jangle as Erwin sets himself to unlocking your cage.
You step out, savoring every moment as you turn and follow Levi up the stairs. Erwin follows behind you, and you can feel the heat of the cross on your back through your clothes. But you play nice, for now.
You suppose you should be asking what task it is Levi wants you for, but you don’t care enough. You’ll help him, and bide your time. Eventually, you will get out of this collar, and then—
—then you’ll kill every last one of them.
“So,” you say, and you set your feet up on the dashboard of Levi’s car, “where to captain?”
Levi’s disgusted glare is a palpable heat on the side of your face. Or maybe he’s holding up that rosary again. You don’t look over to confirm, just smirk and close your eyes, enjoying the feel of warm sunlight on your face, even if it is through a car windshield.
It’s one of those perfect days, the air is chilly in the shade, but in the sun it’s warm, perfect for basking. You itch to rip the collar off, to bathe your true form in the warm rays.
But it’s not to be.
“Get your fucking filthy shoes off my car.”
Levi’s words are clipped, and even with the collar you can smell the anger and disgust rolling off him in waves. You flash him a toothy grin, but don’t remove your feet.
“It’s so nice to finally be out of that dank hole, I swear to god.”
Levi damn near chokes and you laugh.
“What? Just because I’m a demon you think I can’t say god? You’re the ones burning demons in his name. Not him.”
Levi scoffs at that. A ‘tch’ sound like a click of his tongue. He turns stiffly in his seat, and starts the car.
“There’s a good boy,” you say. You know you’re pushing it, but god it had been years since you’d had anyone to torment. And this exorcist is so tightly wound with the stick so far up his ass he reminds you of a children’s wind up toy.
Without warning Levi yanks on your collar, pulling you sideway. You choke only a little as he leans in close.
“Don’t think I’m above dusting you and finding a new demon to help me. I don’t need you. So sit down, shut up, and put your shoes on the fucking floor, unless you want me to add crosses to that collar of yours.” His voice is low, deadly, and sends chills up your spine in a very inappropriate manner.
“Spoken like a true top,” you can’t help but quip, as you take your feet down off the dashboard. Levi’s hold tightens briefly on your collar, a clear warning, and then he lets go.
You sigh, and roll your head to the window. At least you can watch the world go by. Honestly until Levi showed up with his proposition you’d never thought you’d be lucky enough to see the sun again. And now, now you were not only outside, it appeared you might stay that way, so long as you gave these religious fucks what they wanted.
You eye Levi out of the corner of your eyes. He wasn’t bad looking, for an exorcist. Shame he didn’t just want his dick sucked. You’d be happy to oblige if it meant going on with your life.
But you could still work with this. Levi needed your help? Okay, so you’d help. All the while you’d watch and listen and plot. Then you’d find a way free of this collar, and you’d kill their entire order.
After that, you were going back to your forest. What was left of it.
Levi is quiet as he drives. You offer the occasional comment or quip but he ignores them. After a while the silence begins to irritate you.
“So what the fuck did you need me for anyway?” You grumble, as you watch Levi from the corner of your eyes. He doesn’t take his gaze from the road to even glance in your direction. You almost think he’s ignoring you, but eventually he responds.
“You don’t have a high enough rank to know about that.”
You snort, almost a genuine laugh. “If you want me to be of any help, it would be good to know what I’m being used for.”
“The powers that be thought you might have insight on an issue we’re dealing with.”
“Oh?” You look at him fully, but he’s silent and doesn’t respond again as he takes a few more turns. You’re about to open your mouth to ask another question. when the car rolls to a stop.
“Stay in the car until I call for you,” Levi orders. He gets out with a grunt. You watch him head down a filthy dark alleyway before you huff and undo the seatbelt.
“Like hell,” you mutter, as you shut the car door behind you. The door is loud. The street is oddly quiet for the middle of the day. You stretch a moment, your eyes shutting briefly as you turn your face to the sun. Then with a sigh you head towards Levi.
He’s standing with another human, fifty feet down the dirty side street. You’ve never been what anyone would call a neat freak but you tread carefully around the grime. The smell alone almost makes you heave, and it grows worse the closer you get to the two men. Like a combination of vomit, perforated intestines, and rotting meat.
“Jesus,” you murmur as you come abreast of Levi. The other man starts. Levi just turns a steely glare you’re direction.
“I thought I told you to stay in the car?”
“I got bored,” you say with a shrug, before returning one hand to your face to plug your nose. “What in gods name is this shit?”
The other man, a young priest by the looks of it, makes a choking noise in his throat. You flash him a fanged grin and his face goes white. Beautiful. You’d laugh if you were anywhere else.
Levi gestures to what appears to be a meat and slime pile on the ground.
“We’re hoping you could tell us.” He grumbles. For just a moment, his voice loses the heat and irritation that had been with ever since he’d collected you from the cell. He sounds tired. Worn out.
You look down at the meat slop and resist the urge to gag.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
“Is it a demon?” Levi has pulled some energy back into his voice, and you frown, as you ponder the mess laid out before you.
“No demon I’ve ever seen, but—“ words drift away as you crouch down, getting horrifically close to the pile of gore.
Hells above you don’t even want to know what this was. Human probably. But it doesn’t resemble anything like that anymore. You shut your eyes, letting the world grow dark around you, and then you inhale.
Even with the collar dulling your scenes and the other whelming smell of the putrid meat, you can still pick it up. It’s faint, but it’s there. No doubt about it.
Sulfer.
Levi‘s eyes are on you as you open your eyes and rock back on your heels. You shove to your feet and take a few steps back, gaining some distance, not the it clears the air any.
“Well?”
“It’s a demon alright. Not one I’m familiar with though.”
“Then you’ll get familiar with it.” Levi says. You look at him with a frown, bristling at his hard tone.
“I will, will I?”
“Yes. You wanted to know what you’re here for, it’s this.”
“I don’t even know what the fuck this is.” You growl, feeling frustrated.
“This, is your job, unless you want to go right back to your cage.”
You bite your tongue, seething as you glare at Levi. He’s putting you in an impossible situation. The fuck. You should just kill him now and be done with it.
You start forward, just a step towards Levi, but his reaction is almost demonic levels of fast. Before you can even try to dodge, he grasps your collar one handed, and mutters a phrase.
You can’t even make out the words as burning, searing pain tear through every inch of you. It feels like the collar has become electrified, and you yell as you fall to your knees in a puddle of mud.
Levi lets go the second you’re on the ground, and you gasp, fighting back tears as you struggle to breathe.
What—what the fuck even was that?
Your limbs tremble, and your vision rolls as you stare down at the mud. At least you didn’t land in the pile of goo. Though if you had, maybe you could have smeared it on Levi’s car seats.
“You’ll do well not to try me again. I had Erwin add a few updates for your collar before they released you. That’s just the first of many.” His words are heavy in your ears, as he bends down. Then he’s walking away, back to his car.
“Come on demon, we’ve got work to do.”
Never have you ever wanted a human dead this badly.
As soon as this collar comes off—
Until then, you’ll do the one thing you’re good at. Survive.
So you climb to your feet, and follow him to the car.