Title: Concern
Rating: PG
Genre: General
Parings: NoraxKazuma implied
Warnings: I took creative license with the timelines, thus this scene doesn't have a place in manga context.
Spoilers: End of vol. 1 and onward
Summary: After a fight, Nora finds himself confronted by thoughts he doesn't understand, all aimed toward the pathetic human in his arms.
Disclaimer: Nora: the Last Chronicle of Devildom doesn't belong to me.

Nora took a moment to savor his opponent going up in flames, before he turned, formulating come-backs in his head. "Not so bad for a stray," was a good one, as was "So who's the stupid mutt now?" He was debating on which he would gloat first, when he saw Kazuma wobble and keel over. His scathing thoughts faded to irritation.

Did he– not again!

Dropping to his knees beside the prostrate figure on the ground, Nora gripped the young man's shirt and shook him. "Hey! You went and pushed yourself to the brink again without telling me? You idiot! If you were this weak, why'd you approve that last attack? I could have defeated him without it!"

Kazuma pushed back weakly. "Dumbass, if I hadn't let you use your magic you would've gotten yourself killed. I've told you…a million times…you suck at fighting bare-handed."

Nora growled, gripping him more roughly. "You want to risk your life for an approval? Then use it to release me from our damned bond, you're no good to me dead. If you were I'd have killed you by now."

"How? One of your ingenious plans? Didn't your last one…end up with you falling into the hole you'd dug for me to fall into? I suppose I can't expect much creativity from a stray…"

"You're bleeding all over and you've got time for insults?"

To his surprise, Kazuma started laughing weakly. "What?!" Nora demanded. "What's so funny?"

"You're a good dog after all, Nora. Look at you, concerned about your master." He closed his eyes with a sigh. "Who'd have thought?"

"You damn bastard–" he snarled, then stopped as he realized Kazuma had fallen unconscious. Great, now to find a really big rock and crush him with it…or a hungry, man-eating carnivore's cave to leave him outside of…or maybe just shove him off a cliff, that would sure teach him to tease someone while he's helpless…

Yet, Nora did none of those things. He just remained where he was, kneeling beside Kazuma, muttering under his breath. Then he released his shirt, gathered him up in his arms, and began the long trudge home, gasping with every other arduous step. Why couldn't the Dark Liege have given him a master who weighed less?

Just a…damn idiot…that's what he is…

It had been the first time Kazuma ever called him by name. Weird.

Stupid…pathetic mortal…thought I was concerned about him…

As if he would care if Kazuma rolled over and died. Right. No skin off his back. It wasn't like Kazuma would care if his arrogance got Nora killed; all he cared about was getting to use magic and the taste of power.

Nora didn't stop to ponder why he would push himself to the brink. He didn't stop to think about his reason – that Nora would have been killed if he hadn't. He refused to spare a thought for the way Kazuma's voice had softened before he passed out.

He just kept walking, carrying his partner, and ignored all the things he didn't understand.

Stupid…foolish…human.

Notes: For those unacquainted with the Nora series, Nora himself is a Cerberus, stuck in human form on Earth and forced to live as a familiar spirit to the human Kazuma, who usually just refers to him as "dog." Kazuma controls Nora's ability to use magic through commands, namely "I forbid" and "I approve." Using this magic weakens him. This is sort of a different take on a scene from the manga. Normally I hate arrogant jerk characters and dislike them as ships, but there's something endearing about these two. They're an arrogant jerk couple made in Hell. xD