Nekotonezumi - 6

"She's beautiful. I know you don't see that, but..."

Aizawa stuffed his arms in his sleeves in a curt gesture. "I'm not blind, Hizashi."

"Oh? But you hate demons."

He said nothing else as she held her arms out for the blind dressmaker they had found in a larger town a ways inland. The thunder demon's teeth flashed in a wide grin. He sat next to the demon hunter as Elly told the kindly old woman her favorite colors. Before they knew it they were being ushered out as she was trying on clothes. Aizawa sat close to the door so the collar wouldn't pain her, waiting calmly and watching the clouds roll by overhead. 

"Did I take you from your family, Hizashi?"

"What? Oh." He looked up as well, and sighed. "I miss what it's like up there, but the other weather demons are assholes. So, kind of. But it doesn't matter anymore."

"Hnf." 

"Look, she had this blue kimono in stock!" Elly opened the door, her eyes softer than usual as she smiled. A warm bath and a new outfit really had made a difference. Her fur was brighter and she was holding her head up for the first time in days. 

Aizawa nodded and reached into his wallet for money to pay the woman. Hizashi whistled lowly, zipping around her and taking it all in. "That looks great! Much better than that ratty old thing."

"Thanks, Hizashi." She drew her tail around herself nervously, peering at the human a few feet away. "He - he didn't need to do this. I don't trust it, really. No one has ever given me something this nice."

He stopped short. "Wait, not even..?"

"No. They had cat toys, but they were to play with me for their amusement. Nothing was really mine."

"Wow. That's crazy."

"Yeah, I wish I had seen it back then. It's obvious now. This, though..." She ran her hands down the fabric, sighing at the soft feeling. "He <i>yells</i> so much and he hurts me. And there's the fact that he's bringing me back to endless suffering. Why? Why do this?"

"You needed clothes." He spoke matter-of-factly from behind her.

She jumped, mewing in terror. "Mouse! Don't do that!" 

Aizawa's lips quirked in the faintest of smiles. "My apologies. I didn't know cats were afraid of vermin."

The old lady tottered close and laughed warmly. "You both sound like such fiery young things."

The demon hunter rubbed a hand across his face. "I'm thirty, grandmother. She's... well, possibly older."

"I don't know my age."

"Tsk! I said only what you sound like, and I hear more than people see." She touched his sleeve and he bent down to her level. "Your voices are beautiful together. Fate seems to have had quite a hand in your meeting."

He choked loudly. "We're  - it's not like that."

"You can say that again." Elly's ears twitched and she looked away, stepping as close to the other demon as she could as if for protection. Hizashi tucked a strand of golden hair back behind his ear and held his hands out helplessly.

"Pish." She flapped a wrinkled hand in their direction. "I know what I've been listening to for the past half an hour or so. Go on, go out and enjoy the day." 

The cat demon had never been more confused as they left. Humans never did nice things for her unless they wanted something in return. This made her very afraid that things were going to take an even worse turn for her.