Page 87 of Gift for a Demon

Dove stopped breathing. “You don’t hurt me.”

He didn’t. Dove appreciated the sentiment, though, which was where the knot in his throat came from.

Melchom, however, was shaking his head. “I have to evoke fear in you to feed.”

“Which is hot as fuck.”

“Don’t joke about this.”

“I’m not!” Dove huffed. “Do your mind reading thing and find out if you don’t believe me.”

It hurt that Melchom needed to do that, but Dove didn’t say that part out loud. He could be supportive, or something.

“D-Dave…”

Unprompted, he leaped out of the bed. It shouldn’t have, but hearing that… It was worse than being slapped across the face.

“Don’t you dare!” he shrieked.

He acted on instinct, even though he was sure he looked frantic, pacing across the room.

Melchom was up in an instant. “Stop.”

“No!” He jumped. He was wielding one of Melchom’s weapons in one hand. He didn’t remember grabbing it, but he still pointed it in Melchom’s direction. “What’s my name, Melchom?”

“You know your name.” Melchom didn’t seem to see the threat in the heavier than he’d expected sword, walking toward Dove despite its sharp looking end. “I’ve taken too much from you, tiny human.”

“Dove,” he groaned. His hold on the sword weakened, the tremors visible, but Dove didn’t care. “You… You said names have meaning, and you gave me a new one. Dave doesn’t exist. Dove is my name.”

The only response he got for a few moments was a quirked eyebrow. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Lower that, my Dove. It’s too heavy for you, and it would barely scratch me if you tried to attack me.”

Oh.

Dove glowered. That wasn’t fair, but fine. He let the sword clatter to the ground, the sound bothering his ear drums more than it should.

It wasn’t over, though. He cut the distance between them and started punching his chest. “You don’t get to call me that, even if you’re sick. I’m Dove.”

Melchom… smiled. Not a smirk, or a knowing grin. A soft, no bullshit smile. It didn’t last long, soon marred by a hint of sadness, but it was there.

“When I gave you that name, it had two purposes.” Melchom caressed his cheek with one thumb as he spoke. “One was to stop you from pestering me about using your name. The main one was to brainwash you, to mold you into the perfect gift I wanted you to be.”

Dove gulped down. “I don’t care.”

He kind of did, and the mention of being brainwashed scared the shit out of him, but… This was the time when he made a point, right? And Melchom hadn’t succeeded. Right?

He wasn’t Dove because he’d forgotten who he used to be. He was Dove because Dove got the things he wanted, the safety he’d longed for his entire life. Dove could build a home without doubting his every step.

“You do.”

Dove noticed then that Melchom had gone completely still.

“Are you holding your breath?”

Melchom totally was. Dove knew before the stupid demon had time to react and look all chagrined.

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