Category: Darksiders I & II
Rating: M
Couples: Azrael/Abaddon
Warnings: AU, Disturbing Imagery
Chapter:27
Copyright: Characters & places © By Appropriate Copyright-holder, Plot & OC´s © by me
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"What do you mean 'he is being adopted'?" Azrael demanded of the scholar that had requested his presence.
"Yes my lord. The Circle has sent a scroll regarding Zeruch." The scribe looked somewhat uncomfortable about the content. "They had decided since there's no trace of the child's family, they will place him in a new home. They even found a couple who wants to adopt him, despite his 'oddities'."
Azrael blinked in surprise, wordlessly reaching for the scroll and reading it. His hand tightened on the parchment. "This will not be necessary..." He spoke before he really knew he intended to.
"My lord?" The scribe looked surprised at the Mystic's outburst.
"As a matter of fact, I was going to adopt Zeruch myself." Azrael wondered where it had come from as he put down the missive to the side. "Just this morning I planned to get the necessary paperwork." There were entirely too many reasons not to let Zeruch go, completely unrelated to the fact that the boy had become a fixture in his home.
"But the Circle... they already have found a willing couple." Astounded at the events playing out, the scholar just stared at the Archangel. "I'm not sure if the decision is up for debate, my lord."
"My decision precedes the Circle's." The elder scholar stated coolly. "Besides, a child is best served with a stable upbringing. The poor boy has had enough upheaval."
"O-of course, my lord. But the Circle believes that it would benefit the child to have at least two guardians to dote on him. Because of his situation." The scribe knew how much the Archangel loved his warden, so he found it difficult to tell the First Mystic of the Circle's decision.
"Abaddon has already agreed to take the role of second parent." Azrael calmly stated, though he wished he could have actually ASKED Abaddon about it. Eh... Desperate measures and all that...
"General Abaddon?!" The scribe could not believe what he was hearing; the General of the Hellguard was willing to settle down and help to raise a child!? That was nearly unheard of.
"Is there something wrong with that?"Azrael coolly demanded.
"No, no, my lord! It's just that... the General tend to use all his focus on the protection of the Kingdom and well... "
"Which is why I am also a parent." Azrael dryly stated. "Heaven help any child that is only his..."
The scribe had to agree to that. "Of course, my lord. I shall send a message to the Circle, regarding your decision. Do you want me to collect and sent out the necessary papers for the adoption, my lord?" Oh my, the First Mystic and the General of the Hellguard were really together now; who would have thought they ever would go all the way?
"I would appreciate it." The rune-winged angel nodded slowly. "Is there ought else?" Now to hope he got to Abaddon before the rumour-mill did.
"No, my lord. That is all. " After a bow, the scribe hurried away to send out the paperwork.
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The General stormed inside the office of the scholarly Archangel merely an hour later and yelled in confusion. "Azrael, what the by the 2 Kingdoms is going on?! Many of the officers are congratulating me for adopting a child with you. Nathaniel just scolded me for not telling him about you and Zeruch, and then kept on pestering me when we are going to marry. " He waved a few scrolls at Azrael. "These are from the Circle; apologies for the confusion and congratulation for adopting Zeruch." Abaddon peered in suspicion at the moderately guilty-looking scholar. "Azrael, what did you do?"
"Not beat the rumour-mill to you, apparently..." Azrael blinked. "It has been an hour at most, how in Heaven's name did this spread so fast!?"
"Don't ask me and don't change the subject: what is this, me being one of Zeruch's guardians? Don't I have a say about this anymore?" Abaddon looked a bit insulted.
"I... I panicked." The scholar weakly admitted. "They... they were going to take him..."
"Pardon, why?" The General calmed down somewhat hearing the scholar's admission.
"They were going to take my son." Azrael softly said, hand clawing at his desk. "I... I just couldn't let them do that..."
At seeing the Mystic a little unhinged at the prospect of losing his son, Abaddon tried to shush him. "According to the letter that won't happen anymore, old friend."
"Yeah... because you and I are adopting him..." Azrael took some deep breaths. "I was asked to come to another scholar's office today and he told me the Circle had just looked for a family for him!"
The warrior closed the distance to the scholar and laid a hand on his shoulder. "Did they explain why they wanted to relocate him?"
"A child needs a proper family... and all that." Azrael chuckled weakly. "My apologies, Abaddon. Can I make it up to you?"
Giving a huff, he waved the angel's offer away. "Don't worry about it, old friend. But the next time send a note immediately when you try lasso me in your scheming. Having half of your officers suddenly personally congratulate you about something you weren't aware of and getting letters flooding in about the same topic is very unnerving." Abaddon frowned when he asked the next question. "Why did you name me as the second guardian though? Most of the time, I'm in the outposts dealing with intruders. Isn't it better to find somebody else who has a less demanding position?"
"For one, the boy does not hide from you." The scholar pointed out. "Secondly, I was certain you'd be unlikely to yell 'no, I never intended to adopt him'..." Azrael chuckled lightly. "Thirdly, your name just came out of my mouth at that point."
"Never saw you the sort to panic and yell out something random." Abaddon answered, looking amused at the other angel.
"You have someone announce they're going to take your son, let's see how collected you are." The scholar poked him in the chest. "Well, shall we tell him then?"
Semi-slapping away the finger, Abaddon sighed. "Better if we do. Don't want him to have the same kind of shock I've gotten this noon." The next few sentences were a mere grumble. "Don't see why everybody also assumes we're getting married."
"Well, if two angels have a child together, they usually ARE married..." Azrael offered with a chuckle. "Or at the very least this close to doing so."