"Mama!"
Margali turned towards the source of the sound and looked down. Her youngest son was staring up at her with his big, yellow eyes and holding his arms outstretched to her.
"Hold you?" He asked, short, blue tail swishing behind him.
"Not now, Kurty. Go play." Margali turned away, her long skirt swishing.
Little Kurt caught the flowing fabric in his stubby hands and pulled, trying to get his mother's attention.
She turned around and looked at him. "What?"
He still grasped the colorful skirt tightly. "Hold you?"
"No, Kurty. Not now." She said sternly and turned to go, but Kurt still held her skirt. "Let go of Mami's skirt, Liebling."
Kurt dropped the fabric bunched in his little hands. "Hold you, please?"
"No. Go play with your toys." Margali made her way to the small sitting area of their trailer and began gathering up stray toys. Her other two children, Stefan and Jimaine, argued over a game of pretend. Apparently, Stefan the Dragon had eaten Princess Jimaine.
Kurt plopped down on the floor and began playing with the nearest toy.
"Mine!" Jimaine cried, forgetting her argument with her older brother, and flew to Kurt, snatching the toy from his hands.
Kurt sat there for a moment, staring at the toy being protectively clutched in Jimaine's arms. His little face was pitiful, tears shining in his wide eyes. Finally, he started to wail.
"Kurty," Margali straightened up from her cleaning and turned to her sobbing child. At least he wasn't being to loud. she plucked him off the floor and rested his little body against hers. "Shhh. It's okay. You're okay." She bounced him up and down and rubbed his back. "Jimaine, that was not very nice. We don't yell at people or snatch things away. We share our toys. Kurty could play with it if he wanted to. Tell him you're sorry."
Kurt had ceased crying now that he was in his mother's arms and was contentedly sucking on his tail. Margali turned him around to face Jimaine, interrupting his tail-gnawing.
"Sorry, Kurty." Jimaine apologized insincerely.
"'S okay." Kurt replied, more concerned with getting his tail back in his mouth than his sister's halfhearted apology.
"Good girl," Margali commended her daughter. "Why don't you go get Stefan and help Mami clean up your toys?"
"Okay, Mami. Stefan! Mami wants us to help her clean up!" Jimaine yelled, even though Stefan was only a few feet away.
Margali sighed and looked at Kurt, who was sitting on her hip now. She plucked his tail from his mouth with a stern "No-no."
Kurt started crying again without his tail to satisfy him.
"Hush, Kurty, hush." She placed him in his playpen and went back to cleaning.
He sat there and cried loudly, hoping Margali would come back over and pick him up again. Eventually, he stood and tried to climb out, only to plop back down on his bottom when Margali glanced his way with warning looks.
Knock, knock.
Margali looked to the door. It was locked. It was probably just Svetta, but then again, Svetta had her own key.
Margali ignored the sounds of her arguing and crying children to answer the door. She was shocked to see who stood before her now. "Azazel?"
Azazel offered a good-natured smile and hoped Margali was in a good mood. "Margali. I hope I'm not intruding."
Margali was taken aback. Azazel was here! "No, no, no, not at all! Perfect timing! Come in!" She grasped his arm and pulled him inside.
"Perfect timing?" Azazel asked as he looked around the modest trailer. Little Stefan and Jimaine stared at him with wide eyes.
"He looks like Kurt!" Stefan said, pointing towards the tall, red-skinned man.
"They sure have grown," Azazel leaned over and said to Margali. He wondered where Kurt was.
Margali smiled. "And getting bigger every day. Here," she crossed over to the playpen, reached in, and pulled out a chubby, blue baby.
Kurt clung to his mother. The man scared him. It wasn't his appearance, only the fact that he was a stranger. Kurt grabbed his little tail with a chubby hand and moved it to his mouth, drool dribbling down his chin and tail.
Margali noticed and frowned. "No-no." She pulled his tail from his mouth once again. She did her best to show him off to Azazel.
Kurt buried his face in his mother's shoulder, but dared a peek at Azazel every so often. Margali laughed and patted the child's back.
"Here," She said, pulling the unwilling child away from herself and offering him to Azazel.
"Mama!" Little Kurt cried, trying to latch back onto her.
Azazel was surprised Margali was greeting him so warmly, even offering to let him hold Kurt. He reached out and took the fuzzy infant.
Kurt squirmed, wanting to go back to his mother. Azazel nearly dropped him, but he managed to secure Kurt against his chest, holding him in place. He reached his tail around and grasped the child's thrashing tail with his own.
"Mama," Kurt complained, doing his best to push himself from Azazel, but his father's strong arms held him still.
"Hush, Kurty. Be still." Margali instructed, but Kurt continued to fight. She tried again. "Kurty, this is your Papa. He wants to hold you."
Kurt stopped struggling and looked up at his father.
Stefan and Jimaine gathered around Azazel and stared up at him with curiousity.
Azazel was stunned by Kurt's wide eyes. A beautiful, solid yellow, just like Raven's. They reflected the light like glass and every emotion in the boy poured through them. Confusion, wonder, awe, curiosity. He was so innocent. Kurt reached up a fuzzy blue hand and touched Azazel's face, feeling his skin and tracing his scars.
"Is he our Papa too?" Jimaine asked.
Azazel answered, breaking eye contact with his son to look down at the young girl. "Yes. Yes, I am." He looked at Margali, hoping he hadn't crossed a line.
She smiled and nodded in approval.
"Papa!" Jimaine threw her arms around his leg and hugged him.
Azazel smiled. He was a papa.
"You're not my Papa." Stefan frowned, crossing his arms. He stormed out of the room.
"Stefan," Margali called, following the child. He broke her heart. He was old enough to remember his real father, and was obviously going to have trouble accepting Azazel as his new papa.
Azazel frowned. Well, two out of three wasn't bad, but Kurt noticed his mother's absence and started squirming again.
"Mama!" He wailed.
"Be quiet, Kurt." Margali called from another room.
But the infant continued to scream and cry. Azazel struggled to hold him. This went on for quite some time, but Margali finally returned, carrying Stefan on her hip. The child had wet streaks down his cheeks and was whimpering. His little head rested on Margali's shoulder and he clung to her.
Jimaine noticed that both of her brothers were being held and threw up her arms, proclaiming, "Hold you!"
Margali and Azazel both looked down at the dark-eyed girl.
"Kurt, stop screaming and be still." Margali commanded. "I'm right here, now hush."
As if by magic, Kurt quit crying immediately.
"Hold you!" Jimaine demanded.
Margali sighed. "Will you hold her?" She asked Azazel.
Azazel awkwardly maneuvered Kurt so he was holding him with one arm, then crouched down and offered the other to Jimaine, who happily grabbed onto him. He stood, being careful not to drop the children. He had only held a child once in his life, when he was bringing Kurt to Margali, but two was a little more nerve-wracking. Jimaine laid her head down on his chest and smiled.
Kurt just stared wide-eyed at his sister, tail in his mouth and drool everywhere.
"Kurty," Margali scolded, reaching over and pulling his tail from his mouth.
He started to cry again, but Margali quieted him with a stern. "Hush."
He whimpered quietly.
"I've got to get Stefan and Jimaine into bed. Will you watch Kurt until I get back?" Margali asked.
Azazel put Jimaine down. "Da, of course."
Margali pointed to Kurt and looked him in the eye. "No crying."
Kurt hid his face in Azazel's shoulder.
Margali put Stefan down, but held his hand. She offered her other hand to Jimaine. "Come on. Time to go night-night."
The two children accompanied their mother to get ready for bed.
Azazel watched them go, then looked down at the infant in his arms.
Kurt looked back at his father, tail once again in his mouth.
"Well, what should we do?" Azazel asked the fchild.
Kurt didn't respond, but continued to stare at Azazel and suck on his tail.
"Okay, then." Azazel said as he shifted Kurt in his arms. He made his way to the small couch and sat down, settling Kurt in his lap.
"No." Kurt said, wriggling free and sliding off of his father's lap. He plopped down on the floor and grabbed up the toys that were left, which immediately went into his tiny mouth.
"No, Kurt." Azazel tried, leaning forward to take the toy away. He grasped it and grimaced to find it already covered in warm baby slobber.
Disgusting.
"Mine!" Kurt cried, tugging the toy away from Azazel. It slid easily out of Azazel's hand, thanks to Kurt's slippery drool.
Azazel looked at his wet hand, sighed, and wiped it on his black trousers.
Kurt crammed the toy back into his moth and continued to gnaw on it.
Azazel sighed and resigned himself to let the boy have his way. Stubborn thing. He watched Kurt play and chew on different things for nearly a half hour before Margali came back.
"Kurty," she sighed, taking the current toy in his mouth away.
Kurt's adorable face scrunched up and he began to cry again.
"Hush," Margali said, snatching him up. "Be quiet." She patted his small back.
He calmed down, continuing to whimper and cry softly, but he was much happier in his mother's arms.
"Time for your bath, Baby." Margali said, bouncing. She looked to Azazel. "Care to help?"
Azazel felt a strange sensation creeping up his spine. Was that…fear? He couldn't figure out why he was afraid to aid Margali in bathing their son. It was nothing to be fearful of, so he agreed. "Of course I will. No problem."
Margali smiled. He had answered correctly. "Come on." She led him to the bathroom and handed Kurt off to him. "Take him and undress him while I run the bathwater."
Azazel felt a little uncomfortable doing as she asked. He looked down at Kurt for a few long seconds before finally beginning to unbutton the child's overalls.
Margali tested the water to make sure it was warm, but not too warm, and turned off the faucet. Only a few inches of water stood in the tub. She turned and picked up Kurt and started to put him into the tub, but he curled his tail and legs under himself to try to avoid touching the water.
Azazel couldn't help a chuckle. The child was just so cute.
Margali set Kurt in the tub and allowed him to play with little boats, rubber duckies, and foam letters, which Kurt of course tried to chew on. Margali, however, would not allow that. She took the letters and instead asked him their names and sounds instead.
Azazel was impressed with Kurt's knowledge as he shouted the names and sounds of the letters. His face beamed as Margali praised him each time he answered correctly.
"Shhh," Margali grinned at Kurt, holding a finger over her mouth. "Stefan and Jimaine are sleeping."
Kurt mimicked her gesture and copied her. "Shhh." He giggled and grinned as if they were sharing a secret or funny joke.
Margali grinned back, eliciting more giggles from Kurt.
Azazel was amazed at how good she was with him, taking a situation where she could have scolded him, but turning it into laughter, all the while still getting him to obey.
Margali let Kurt play a little longer, then announced, "All right. Time to get clean."
"No!" Kurt protested.
"Yes," Margali replied, mimicking his whiny tone. She began to remove the toys from the tub.
Kurt crossed his chubby arms and and huffed unhappily, his little tail slapping the water and scattering droplets everywhere.
Azazel took a step back. He now had bathwater on his shoes and trousers.
"Lean your head back," Margali said, shielding Kurt's eyes with her hand and pouring water over his head with a plastic cup.
Kurt fussed and spit water that made its way to his mouth. He was not happy.
Margali gently washed and rinsed his hair, then washed his face, and the rest of his tiny body. When she got to his feet, he giggled and kicked.
"It tickles!" He cried.
Margali gave a devious smile. "Then you know what that means. The tickle monster's going to get you!"
Kurt squealed with laughter as Margali tickled him. She cut the tickle session short, though, for he was splashing around and she also didn't want him falling and hitting his head.
"Okay, that's enough." She smiled.
Kurt calmed down but continued to grin as she finished bathing him. "All through!" He announced once he was rinsed.
Margali smiled. "You're right. All through. You want to pull the plug?"
Kurt grinned and nodded, eyes sparkling. He reached down and pulled the drain stopper, watching with wide eyes as the water drained. He held up a tiny blue hand and waved by opening and closing his fingers. "Bye-bye, water."
Azazel couldn't help a smile himself. He hadn't even imagined children could be this cute. He was also glad that he had brought Kurt to Margali. He couldn't imagine Raven being quite so loving and tender with him. Margali really was a gifted mother.
"Okay, the water's all gone. Come on." Margali said as she reached into the tub and lifted Kurt out. She covered him in a towel, hiding his face, and let out a dramatic gasp. "Where did Kurt go?"
Kurt giggled underneath the towel, moving it from his face to peek at his mother, then quickly replacing it to "hide" again.
"Did he get back in the tub?" Margali made a show of looking into the tub. "Did he go outside?" She stuck her head out the door and looked around.
Kurt giggled with delight.
"Did he go in the potty?" Margali peered into the toilet.
Kurt burst into full-blown laughter at this one.
"Papa, have you seen Kurt?" Margali asked.
Azazel was glad and kind of surprised that Margali brought him into this game. It seemed so special between her and Kurt, but she was letting him be a parent. She even referred to him as "Papa". "No," he played along. "I have not. I don't know where he could have gone."
Kurt grinned and threw the towel off his head. "Here I am!" He cried, hands in the air.
Margali put a hand to her forehead in exaggerated relief. "Oh, thank goodness! Where did you go?"
Kurt tugged at the towel. "Right here!"
"You were? But I didn't see you."
Kurt put the towel back over his head. "I'm under here!"
"My goodness. You sure had me fooled!" She lifted the towel from his face once more and gasped. "I found you again!"
Kurt giggled as she leaned over and touched noses with him, then kissed his forehead.
"Time to get dried off." She said, wrapping him in the towel and sweeping him up into her arms. They pretended to be on a rocking pirate ship as they made their way to Margali's bedroom. They even made sound effects of crashing waves and had orders from little Captain Kurt.
"All hands on deck!" Kurt called.
"Aye aye, sir!" Margali swayed as if another "wave" had hit their "ship".
"Woah," Kurt said, pretending to be off-balance from the large "wave". "That was a big one."
"Sure was, Captain." Margali answered.
Azazel followed them and smiled. Yes, he had definitely made the right decision in bringing Kurt to Margali. He might not have been able to take care of his son, but at least he had been able to provide a good home for him.
Finally, Captain Kurt's pirate ship reached their port and docked. Margali set him on her bed and dried him off, making sure every last bit of fur was totally dry. She didn't want him catching a cold. The continued their gamed of peek-a-boo every time Kurt's face was covered. Margali would cover him and ask "Where's Kurt?" Then uncover his face and exclaim, "There he is!"
Finally, she dressed him. He looked so adorable in his footy pajamas.
"Milk?" Kurt asked, looking up at his mother.
She picked him up. "You're right. It's time for your milk." She handed him to Azazel. "Hold him."
This time, Kurt didn't fuss about being passed off to his father. He laid his head down on Azazel's chest and started sucking his thumb.
For the first time in his life, Azazel felt what people called "warm fuzzies". He couldn't describe the feeling stirring in his chest. Love, perhaps? He never wanted to put the child down.
Margali returned with a sippy cup full of warm milk. "Here you go, little one." She handed it to Kurt.
"Thank you, Mami." Kurt replied. He held the cup with both tiny hands and drained the milk. He let out a smack of satisfaction and Margali wiped his milk mustache, or rather Goatee, as the milk surrounded his entire mouth.
"Here," she held out her arms for Kurt and Azazel reluctantly gave him to her. He already missed the sweet scent of baby soap and the feel of Kurt's soft, warm little body in his arms.
Margali put Kurt over her shoulder and patted his back until he burped.
"Excuse you." She was trying to teach him manners.
"'Scooz me." Kurt repeated.
Margali laughed and patted his back one last time. "Good boy. Let's go brush your teethies." They went to the bathroom and Margali brushed his few and tiny teeth.
After that, Margali rocked Kurt and sang him to sleep. She gently laid him in her bed, close to the wall, and kissed his forehead.
"Shouldn't he sleep in his own bed?" Azazel whispered.
Margali shook her head as they exited the room. "He will in a year or so. He doesn't have his own bed yet. I always have the kids sleep with me until they're about four or so. It's good for them. Bonding time with their mother, and it's easier on me. If anything goes wrong, I can always sense it and wake up. I still let Stefan and Jimaine sleep with me on occasion as well."
Azazel was surprised. He hadn't expected that, nor did he know anything about it. "You sense them in your sleep?"
"Yes. I'm always aware of them. If they're sick, or hungry, like when they were infants, or need a change, I wake up for them." Margali answered.
"Interesting."
"Will you help me clean up?"
"I don't see why not." Azazel agreed. "Why do you put Kurt to bed after Stefan and Jimaine?"
"He doesn't sleep very long, so he goes to bed later. I don't want him waking me up at the crack of dawn, which he will. I also give him the warm milk so he'll relax and go to sleep. Sometimes," she smiled, "I call him my little Nightcrawler. He climbs on the walls, you know."
"Nightcrawler? Isn't that a worm?" Azazel thought the name sounded insulting.
"Well, yes, but I think it's cute. It suits him. He's just so precious. I love him so much." She gushed.
The two gathered up toys and Margali soaked them in bleach water. Azazel had no clue all that went into parenting. He didn't know you were supposed to clean toys every day.
"I'm glad you do. He really is quite cute." Azazel agreed.
"Do you think you'll maybe stick around, then? I mean, Jimaine would be heartbroken to lose her new Papa. And Kurty is really taking to you." Margali asked, wiping down a high chair.
"I think I will. I can't promise that I'll stay here, though. I still must work, but I'll come around and see the kids." Azazel leaned against the door frame.
"And me?" Margali looked up at him, for she was bent over cleaning the foot rest of the high chair.
A small smile tugged at the corner of Azazel's mouth. "Of course. And you." He hesitated before opening his mouth again. "I…I'm sorry I left, Margali."
Margali looked at him seriously. "I wasn't happy about that. I had hoped when you brought me Kurt that you had planned on staying and raising him with me. But I'm glad you brought me Kurt. I can't imagine life without him."
"I'm glad. Well, you know why I couldn't stay." Azazel tried.
"You're doing the same thing now, are you not? With the Brotherhood, working -"
Azazel cut her off. "No. I'm not a part of the Brotherhood anymore. I'm…working for myself."
Margali considered this. "I see. And you will have more time to dedicate to your son and his mother? And her other two children?"
"Yes. I will make time."
Margali smiled. "Good. Now, I'm going to bed. I'm exhausted and Kurt will be waking me up at six o'clock tomorrow morning. You're welcome to stay the night."
"Perhaps another time, Margali. Good night." Azazel inclined his head.
"Good night, Azazel." Margali crossed over to him and kissed his cheek, earning a barely noticeable blush.
She really was nicer when around children, Azazel thought to himself. "I will see you tomorrow, then."
"See you tomorrow." Margali smiled.
Azazel stepped back and bamfed away, leaving a dark cloud of sulfurous smoke in his place.
Margali coughed and waved her hand in front of her face, trying to clear away the smell. She looked forward to seeing him tomorrow.