Category: Darksiders I & II
Rating: M
Couples: Azrael/Abaddon
Warnings: AU, Disturbing Imagery
Chapter: 4
Copyright: Characters & places © By Appropriate Copyright-holder, Plot & OC´s © by me
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"What does that mean?" The child knew his siblings had gotten names describing their abilities or character. He wondered about this one, though he liked the sound of it.
"It means 'angel of strength'." Azrael explained, tilting his head lightly as the child looked at him.
"I like it." The child beamed at the elder male, only for his eyes to widen in shock. "Oh, I forgot to ask yours!" He looked guiltily at the angel. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright." He assured the child. "My name is Azrael. So what are the names of your siblings? Do you remember?"
"They's Eldest, Stwife and Sis." Zeruch perked up at mentioning his siblings. "All three are super strong and smart. Most others ares scared of Eldest. He is always grumpy but he can nice. And Sis..." The child kept on rattling on how amazing his family was.
Azrael smiled warmly at the excitement of the child, though some dark thought came into his head as the bubbles started disappearing. The child never had wings: there were no wounds or scars on his back and the way he described his family was far from angelic either. "Zeruch... Are you a Nephilim?"
Zeruch nodded happily at the question."Big brother says we are Neph... Nepha... that. He is Firstborn so that is why he always has to be with Leader. I don't like Leader, he looks funny at brother."
"Ah..." Though he still listened intently at what the child was saying, inside Azrael wondered how he was supposed to find the Nephilim of all people! After all, they kept hopping from one world to the next like frogs from lily-pads. Lifting the child out of the water, he towelled him off and wrapped him in the shrunken robe.
Still rattling on, Zeruch let the angel cloth him. "This is soft, like Bunny." He felt sad again; he lost Bunny when the demons caught him.
Noticing the child was sad, but unsure how he should ask why, Azrael instead opted to lead him into the kitchen and start make some food. "Anything you'd like to eat?" He asked gently as he lifted the boy onto a chair.
"I likes meat." Zeruch noticed only then how hungry he really was. "Are you going to raid to get some?"
"Ah, no..." He did not like the implications of that question. Did the Nephilim eat those they killed!? "I fear you'll have to make do with some sandwiches, the cook went home already." Azrael looked at the child. "Now, while you are here, can you do something for me?"
"Uh... sure." A bit surprised that the angel didn't go on a raid to get food and also wondering what 'sandwiches' are, he asked. "What can I do?"
"You'll have to stay with me for at least a couple days." Azrael explained as he made some simple sandwiches. "While you are, if anyone is to ask, you are a little angelic boy whose wings were cut off. Can you do that?"
"Like those pretend-games?" Zeruch enquired while looking interested at what Azrael was doing.
"Exactly like those." The angel nodded lightly as he carried a plate with sandwiches – and a glass of juice – over to the youngster. "People might ask questions if they knew the truth, you see." And finding his family is already going to be hard enough without half the city demanding to know what Azrael was thinking at sheltering and helping a Nephilim-child...
"Angels dun like Nephe... nepha... us? Is that why the others always tease me? Cause I looks like an angel?" The blue eyes stared saddened at the Archangel.
"That is pretty much the case, yes." Azrael nodded lightly, pushing the plate a bit closer to the child.
Grabbing the plate, the boy picked up one of the sandwiches but put it down again. "Do you think that is why brothers and sister didn't get me yet? I look too much like..." Tears began to well up from the corners of his eyes.
"I am certain they are very busy looking for you." Azrael assured him. "It's just that there are many planets in this... universe and they might not have looked on the right ones yet." Nor would they think of looking for you here, he added in thought.
With a sniffle and a faint 'okay', Zeruch picked up his food again and put it in his mouth. While chewing on it, he could still feel the tears coming from his eyes. Lifting up his left arm, he tried to wipe them away with his sleeve.
"C'mere..." The angel lifted him up, setting the boy down on his lap and using his own hands to wipe the tears away. "There, there, I am sure you'll see them again." He carefully hugged him close. "Tomorrow morning, I'll send a letter to a friend of mine and ask him if he knows where they might be, okay?"
Zeruch nodded and hugged him back with one arm, eating the sandwich slowly. Once he finished eating it, he felt really tired.
Gently lifting the Nephilim, Azrael carried him to his bed, tucking the little child in. He looked downright tiny in the Archangel's massive bed.
"Abaddon will have a heart-attack, that is for certain." The scholar rolled his eyes as he sat down on the edge of the bed. His friend certainly knew how to blow things completely out of proportion at times.