Winter's POV

I was really worried about Loke.

Hmm? Was I at all worried for myself? 

Uh.... what's the normal answer?

Whatever that is, just chalk me up for the opposite. Yeah, Lucy had reason to be concerned about my nonexistent sanity. I wasn't very showy with my craziness all the time, but yeah, I wasn't really sane.

But back to the matter at hand.

I'd managed to shrink my Light down to something the size of a muffin, and held it in my palm as we walked. Loke was just feet behind me. He was edgy, but not freaking out like he'd been earlier during our trip. 

I played with the Light in my hands, letting it tumble from one hand to the other. Eventually though, the effect made me dizzy, what with watching the shadows dance over the tunnel walls. I swallowed thickly and steadied the magic.

Another roar ripped through the cavern, causing me to start and trip over my own feet. 

I was just so coordinated, wasn't I?

A yelp left my lips before becoming a gasp as two arms snaked around my waist and kept me from face-planting. "You should really be more careful," Loke said teasingly. My face blushed an embarrassing red; my back was pressed against his warm chest. Considering how much he'd been avoiding me lately, this was more than just a little unexpected.

How the hell was he teasing me? Where was the guy who couldn't be within ten feet of me?

"Yeah, sorry about that," I muttered as he helped me to my feet. There was an awkward silence following this, and it set my teeth on edge. Even more than the bellowing demon we seemed to be inching closer to. 

Sighing, I turned back around and struck out again. Loke took a moment to follow, but did so nonetheless.

My head was killing me. A roaring pain that seemed never ending, pounding like hammers against every inch of my skull. I tried hard not to let on just how much something like this hindered me, but I'm sure Loke knew. I guess it was lucky that I'd had practice hiding pain before, though. When you're a kid with... with a pretty absentee father, you learn to keep your scrapes and boo-boos to yourself. No one is going to come and kiss them better.

As we walked, taking quick, deliberate steps that brought us ever closer to the monster guarding the treasure, I couldn't keep my hand from slipping down to my belt loop, searching for Keys that weren't there. I felt absolutely naked without them; they hadn't left my side in years. But I'd left them almost without a second thought. Because of Loke's obvious unease with Celestial Mages. 

When did I turn into such a generous person?

The walls shook as a howl came charging down the tunnel. I was stunned when wind, stinking of long-dead flesh and metallic blood, blasted me in the face. I stumbled back again, but steadied myself against the wall before Loke had to intervene.

"Think we made it," I mumbled, swiping the hair from my face in frustration. This wasn't going to be pleasant.

"Winter, maybe you should stay here."

"Yeah. No."

"Winter," Loke sighed, giving me a look. One that said I was much more than he'd bargained for when he agreed to be my partner. I grinned sheepishly, before sticking my tongue out at him.

"Told ya I'm a stubborn bitch," I said easily. His only response was a shake of the head. Cute, but definitely not enough to  change my mind.

Without waiting for his approval (which I probably would never have gotten anyway) I turned and stalked forward until the tunnel widened out into a spacious cave that even beat out the guild in size.

Three steps in, my light dissipated as my breath caught in my throat. Loke bumped into me from behind, caught off guard by the sudden absence of light. "Winter...?"

I shushed him by spinning around and clamping my hand over his mouth. He started in surprise and tried to pull away, but I held steadfast. 

"Sorry!" I whispered, face flushing when I realized our mouths were only separated by my hand, as I had gone on tip-toes to meet his eyes. "Just be quiet for a second! It's sleeping!'

His eyes widened as he looked past me, and most likely caught the vague outline of what I had seen with my light flaring. His eyes wandered back to my own, hooded slightly in a "I Told You So" sort of way. 

I smiled weakly and released him, dropping my feet flat against the cave floor. Drawing in a calming breath, I let my magic flare to life, once again in the form of LIGHT. The golden glow spread over the shadow-ridden stone walls, pooling the dark into the tight, hagged corners. It also illuminated the monstrous shape I'd picked out just before my fear rid me of my magic.

"I'd say that's a demon, wouldn't you?" I asked Loke in a joking whisper.

He gave me another look, and I barely suppressed my giggles. 

The demon (what else it could have been, I have no idea) was huge. Like, take Fairy Tail, and stack half of another Fairy Tail on top of it, and you'll be able to vaguely understand how big this thing truly was. It's skin, in the light cast from my magic, was a shimmering silver, dotted with black and gray. Spikes rose from its arched back, trailing down its spine like steps. It's arms and legs, which it held curled under it's toned, grotesque body, were all clawed, the nails glinting like knifes in the half-light. It's bulbous eyes were closed, its nostrils flared slightly every few seconds, and its chest heaved and fell with each heavy, sleep-filled breath it took. 

Howls rumbled through the cavern, shaking the walls, causing pebbles and such to fall from the ceiling, clacking against the floor.

I realized that was snoring.

"how has someone not discovered this thing already?" I huffed. "It's snores are louder than Natsu when he's in a fight!"

"Everyone was probably too scared to invesitage," Loke said reasonably, with a hint of "You're an idiot for coming down here" in his voice. I shrugged it off and stepped further into the cave. Loke came with only minimum complaint.

"So... where's this treasure?" I wondered aloud as I shifted my arm, letting the light wash over all the hidden nooks and crannies of the cave.

Loke surveyed the cave, absentmindely turning one of the rings on his fingers. Curious, I took one last glance at the demon, making sure it still slept soundly, before waving a hand to get Loke's attention. 

He looked up questioningly.

"What magic do you use, anyway?" I asked. "I know it has something to do with your ring, but what is it?"

He glanced down at the ring, looking like he'd only just realized he'd been playing with it. "Hopefully you won't have to see it any time soon," he said, looking back up at me. "I'll show you when we get out of here, alright?"

I nodded and went back to searching.

But it wasn't long until I realized there was only one reason a sleeping demon would have been cast into into this cave. Why have it sleep, when someone could easily slip in and snatch the treasure, with the demon non-the-wiser? 

Simple. It was sleeping on it.

My palm met my forehead in a spectacular slap, and I groaned quietly to myself. "I hate my life sometimes," I muttered crossly. "I really, really do."

When Loke looked at me oddly, I sighed and jerked a thumb at the sleeping giant. "Do you have any ideas about how to slay a demon?"

He almost laughed. Almost. 

"Winter," he said firmly. "You can't be serious. You're really planning on going against a demon? Without your Spirits?"

Who's fault is that?!

That's what I wanted to snap at him. But I couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't blame Loke for anything. It had been my decision alone to leave my beloved Keys behind.

"If it means I can complete this stupid job, then yes," I hissed. "I'll be as stupid and reckless as I have to. Now, any ideas?"

Loke closed his eyes briefly and shook his head. "Don't wake it," he said at last. "There has to be a way to get the treasure without waking it up."

"I say we need a closer look," I suggested. Ignoring Loke's newest look, I spun on my heels and crept closer to the snoring demonic creature. Up close, it was just.... monstrous. Its skin glistened with slime in the light I cast over it, showing my wavering reflection with gross consequences. Wrinkling my nose, and ignoring the fear crawling over my exposed skin as best I could, I moved around the beast, squinting eyes focused on picking out the glint of precious metals.

I was awe struck at how large this thing really was. 

After a few minutes of coming up empty (and mentally flinching every time the demon moved in its sleep) I had come full circle and stopped beside Loke once again. He hadn't left his original spot, and was quietly staring at the ground, one hand held at his chin in a thoughtful gesture.

"I am officially the worst treasure hunter ever," I muttered, absently reaching up to caress my pounding head. I wasn't sure how much longer I could take this crippling pain. At the very least, I wasn't sure how long it would be before I had to drop my facade and admit to Loke I couldn't handle this job.

"... I have an idea..." he said quietly.

I perked up instantly, momentarily forgetting the pain in my skull. "And what would that be?" I pressed, fighting to keep my voice level, and to refrain from having it crack with excitement.

"It's... risky," he said, his eyes shifting to take in the demon's hunched over form. "It has a good chance of waking this ugly thing up, but I think I can take care of that."

"Loke... don't do anything that puts you at risk," I told him, my voice softening unintentially.

He unxpectedly smirked. "This coming from the girl who cracked her head open and refused to go back, all because she was on a job."

"Heh... you got me there..."

"I'll be fine," he said after a moment, his words firm and reassuring. "Just... step back a little, ok?"

I did as I was told and backed away, putting a good six or seven feet between Loke and I, which put me at about fifteen feet from the demon. Loke placed his fingers over his ring, but paused, and looked over his shoulder at me. "Actually...." His voice was slightly uneasy and awkward. "This magic is a little chaotic. You might want to stick close to me."

I blinked once or twice. He was asking me to come near him? This was a far cry from what he'd been doing earlier. Of course, there was that moment when he picked me up like some helpless princess.... You can't imagine how freaked out I had been during that. 

Steeling my nerves, though, I trotted up behind him. There was a maximum of three inches between my face and his jacket, and I worried he'd be too distraced to do what he needed to. But even though his shoulders tenses slightly, he remained calm and once again gripped his ring. 

 He took a deep breath, then shouted, "Ring Magic: Twister!"

At once, a gale of wind whipped into existence, slashing at my loose clothes, my hair, and my bare skin. Now I understood why Loke'd asked me to come closer; he was the center of the storm, and therefore it was calmest around him. 

I huddled against Loke's back, deaf from the wind roaring in my ears. With my fingers curled around his green jacket, and my eyes narrowed against the storm, I peeked over his shoulder and nearly had a heart attack. 

Loke's magic was strong enough to drive the wind beneath the still (miraculously) slumbering demon and force it into the air, where it was thrown wildly around and around, narrowly missing the jagged walls and the stalactites dripping down from the ceiling. 

My breath escaped me in an excited gasp, and was ripped away by the fierce wind that sand in my ears and simultaneously stole the world of sound.

I watched in breathless awe as the demon's eyes finally snapped open.

They were a hellish red, that burned with murderous intent, and ravenous hunger. 

In that moment, I realized just how tiny and insignificant I really was.

The demon let loose a roar so loud, it shattered the sound of the rushing wind. My ears threatened to burst as stalactites crashed to the ground, fracturing like shards of glass. The monster's arms uncurled from its chest, and it swiped out as the twister carried it past us. I squeaked and buried my face in Loke's jacket.

But then, there was a defeaning crash that shook the very ground we stood on, and the wind fell silent and still.

My fingers still clawed into the fabric of Loke's hood, I once again lifted myself onto my tip-toes and peered past him. 

The sight made my jaw drop.

The demon was collapsed against one wall, which held a heavy indent of its form a good thirty feet up. Rocks still crumbled down, bouncing off the demon's thick hide and tumbling to the floor. Low growls reverberated from its chest, shivering through the ground so that I could feel it though the soles of my feet. 

Soon, though, the growls quieted to ragged breaths, then ceased to soft sighs.

"I have never in my life seen someone as awesome as you, Loke," I said, my voice sounding overly loud in the sudden, pregant quiet.

 A slight smile filled his face, lifting the corners of my own lips in response. 

I then realized I was still gripping his jacket for dear life, and sheepishly released him. Yes, because I really needed to be more awkward around him.

I stole a glance at his face, saw him watching the demon with fierce intensity. He clearly wanted to be certain it wasn't going to be getting up any time soon. I studied it for a moment, then slipped out from behind Loke and started for the spot where the demon had previously been napping. 

However, Loke had other ideas.

His hand wrapped around mine as I passed him, and he tugged me to a halt. Raising a brow in question, I met his eyes over my shoulder. He sighed. "After all that, you really aren't going to wait for me?" he asked wearily.

I smiled, small and sheepish. "You wanna go first? Be my guest." I gestured ahead of me, and he let out another sigh. 

"You never change, do you?"

"Did you want me to change?"

".....Guess not."

And with that, he stepped past me, hands shoved into his pockets, and made his way over to what looked to be a sunken hole in the ground that the demon had been lying over. I started to follow him, then paused, my hand slipping down to where my Keys were normally held in my belt loop.

A sigh escaped me then. I tried not to show it, but I felt so vulnerable without my Keys. Especially since... well.... Lucy and I had gotten most of them from our mom.... I felt like our connection was stretched to the breaking point when my Keys were so far away, and that if I stepped and further, it would snap. 

My hand moved unconscious up to rub my chilled arm. Goose flesh pricked at my skin. An erratic thumb replaced my steady heartbeat; blood rushed to my ears. 

This wasn't just about the absence of my Keys....

Why did it feel like something was so wrong?

"Hey, Winter!"

Loke's voice came through muffled and dull, like my ears were stuffed with cotton. I looked up slightly, my bangs falling over my eyes, limiting my view of Loke. He stood at the edge of the pit, hands placed on his hips as he looked back at me. There was a childish grin on his face.

"Looks like we won't be staying at the old guy's house!" he called out, giving me a closed-eye smile. "This is definitely the--"

I knew what was wrong a second before it happened. 

Time slowed to a crawl.

My head turned, wide eyes expecting the worst.

The demon was awake.

Shit.

"Loke!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

SORRY FOR TAKING SO FREAKING LONG TO UPLOAD I HAD LIKE NO INSPIRATION TO WRITE BUT I FINALLY MANAGED TO GET THIS OUT!!! I HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!!!

Er, anyway. Sorry if it's kinda short. But it is an update! Yay! And go check out the song on the side! I think it kinda describes Loke and Winter's (future) relationship perfectly!