Category: Darksiders I & II
Rating: M
Couples: Azrael/Abaddon
Warnings: AU, Disturbing Imagery
Chapter: 13
Copyright: Characters & places © By Appropriate Copyright-holder, Plot & OC´s © by me
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A couple days after the visit to the Ortho's – which had perked up the boy massively – Azrael decided to start teaching him angelic script and other things. It had been a while since he had taught anyone, but it was a welcome respite from all his work in the Argent Spire and the Well of Souls.
"This isses hard." Zeruch pouted at the letters on the paper in front of him. "Do I has to learn this?"
"I am afraid yes." Azrael chuckled lightly, patting his head. "It's not that hard once you get it."
"But it hards!" The boy exclaimed, pout increasing.
"Try again." The angel countered. "I promise you that when you got the syllables, the words are easy."
"... okay" Zeruch looked at the sheet of paper. Taking a deep breath, he started to try and read the forms Azrael had written down for him. It went more or less okay for a beginner. At some point, the child looked up at his teacher. "What else do I has to learns?"
"Math, for now." Said teacher smiled at him lightly. "Later come the sciences, though that is a couple years away still, depending on how quickly you take this up."
"Soooo... if I is slows, i needs to do less?" Bright-blue eyes grew hopeful at that thought.
"No, then it's just going to take longer." Why did all children always ask that? "Have your siblings taught you how to count yet?"
"Uhm..." Zeruch tilted his head, looking at his fingers. "1, 2, 3, 4, 5... 6, 7..."
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"You seem happier." Abaddon had taken Zeruch to the barracks again, since Azrael had to do his 'Well of Soul check-up', as the General called it.
"I still miss siblings..." The boy's face fell. "But I can't changes it, can I?"
"No..." The General ruffled his hair. "Don't be ashamed to come cry with me, if you need."
The child nodded, trying to de-ruffle his hair with his free hand. "So what ares you going to do today?"
"Scaring recruits." The angel briefly pulled a scary face while he was certain that no one else was looking. "Start teaching them the basics. Want to join in?"
"Cans I!?" Zeruch started to beam, bouncing a couple steps.
"I don't see why not for a bit." Abaddon measured the boy beside him. After a couple months of Damiana's excellent cooking he had filled out nicely, gaining quite some muscle that was uncommon for other children his age. Probably because he could not fly since his wings were cut off and therefore he had to climb and walk everywhere... He could perhaps give him one of the lightest category of training-swords. The Elder angel had to suppress a snarl at the sheer cruelty of the demons as he thought about that. Cutting off the wings of a child! No wonder the boy had been so traumatized by it all.
"Greetings General." Several warriors greeted their superior when he arrived with the child in tow. Then – completely against protocol, but condoned for now – they waved happily at Zeruch. The child had quickly become the favourite of quite some warriors and scholars whenever either Azrael or Abaddon had to take him with them to work. Zeruch returned the wave with one of his own and a happy giggle.
Abaddon allowed himself a small smile at the scene. "Come along now. They have duties to attend to." He threw a glare at the warriors, who scurried to indeed return to those. "Let's pick up a sword then. You'll have to leave Avis in my office though." He gestured to the bird-plushie the boy was intend on carrying just about everywhere.
"Okay." The child nodded, before running off.
"He's returning to normal at least." The adult muttered as he watched his charge bounce up the stairs. "I knew that calm nature was too good to last." Shaking his head, he flew up to follow him. At least the boy could not fly up so high he was scared to get back down. Children...
"Puts it away." Looking over the child in the door-opening, Abaddon snorted a bit when seeing Avis sit proudly on his desk.
"So you did." He reached over to close the door. "Come along to the armoury then." Though he would have to ask one of the more mystically inclined to shrink one of the training-armours for the boy.
"Can I picks myself?" Zeruch skipped alongside the elder.
"Of those I show you, yes." He probably should not be that indulgent towards the child, but considering everything he saw nothing wrong with being a tad lenient. His mouth-corner quirked as red-dressed boy cheered. "Just don't tell Azrael about this."
"He dun like fighting?"
"Eh... Warriors and scholars..." Abaddon made a weighing motion with his hands. "Rocks and plants. We never really see eye to eye on these things."
"Oh..." Zeruch quieted down. "So he'd mind if I becames a warrior?"
"I am certain he would not." The other assured him as they entered the armoury and headed for the racks of training-weaponry. "You can pick of those."
"Ok..." The boy skipped over, pouting a bit as he surveyed the weapons. "None of my siblings used any of these..."
"But these are the starter-weapons." Abaddon shrugged lightly. "You can specialize later."
"Okay..." Looking back at the weapons the boy tilted his head, sticking out his tongue as he seemed deep in thought over his choice. "Can I takes that?" He pointed at one that was broader than the others and certainly heavier as well.
"Try it." To be honest, Abaddon was not sure if the child had taken a wise decision. It was one of those that bordered two different weight-categories.
Amazingly enough, Zeruch managed to lift and swing it. "Yay!" Though he did need both hands for that. "Wee!" He was dragged along by the weight, twirling around his own axis as he swung the ivory coloured sword.
"Easy there." The General caught the blunt wooden blade in his hand. "No need to rearrange the armoury just yet." Gently pulling it from the child's hands, he put it back in the rack. "For this time, you ought to take a lighter one though. No need to whack the recruits just yet either."