Category: Darksiders I & II

Rating: M

Couples: Azrael/Abaddon, Zeruch(War)/OC

Warnings: AU, Disturbing Imagery

Chapter: 70

Copyright: Characters & places © By Appropriate Copyright-holder, Plot & OC´s © by me

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"You must be happy being back home..." Abaddon mused softly as he lead the way into the scholar's home. They had walked the short bit that Orth couldn't carry the scholar.

"I am." Still weakened from his ordeal, Azrael was leaning heavily on the General. "So Gabriel told me speculation is running rampant in the Argent Spire… how about the barracks?"

The warrior rolled his eyes. "I swear the people have nothing better to do than speculate about things that do not concern them."

"Shouldn't you be used to that by now?" The scholar allowed himself to be planted on his favourite chair, watching the warrior sit down on his lounge. "There has been speculation about us for longer than our son existed."

"Such a bother." Abaddon would have gone for the drinks had the other been allowed. "They need to get hobbies, I swear to the Creator."

"I know more people that could use hobbies. Rumour has it you hardly left the barracks, my dear warrior." Azrael chuckled weakly.

"As if you were so much more active. Knowing you you only went to the Spire and Well." Now he did decide to get a drink, mostly because the other was already well into getting back to teasing and not yet in any state for revenge.

"I never claimed otherwise." The seated angel yawned, already starting to feel drained of the day.

"Let's keep the arguing for later, shall we?" Abaddon chuckled as well, putting down his drink and lifting up the scholar in his arms.

"Eager to get me to bed?" The slighter male curled up in the strong arms holding him. "Really now..."

"Shush..."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Death was intrigued. Much like eons ago, he had received a letter from the White City, once again requesting his presence. This time however, it specified him alone and requesting a meeting in a hidden realm that sounded ominously like a remnant of Eden.

Intrigued as he was, he did attend the meeting. He was almost annoyed that it was a piece of Eden, Heaven's gift of the Tree of Knowledge towering over the splintered island.

"So, why did you call me over in secrecy?" Death looked at the two angels who had been waiting for him. "Also, you better have a good explanation for this, Azrael."

"I do, but if it could wait…?" Azrael was sitting beside Abaddon on a smoothed down rock. By now, Death could feel the angel's soul at full force once more. " We… asked you to come here, because it seems that I suffered some... side-effect from that whole Corruption... incident..." He reached for his lover's hand, which Abaddon answered with a gentle squeeze.

Frowning, Death joined them on the rocks, despite his annoyance at the piece of Eden relaxing in its' aura nonetheless. "What kind of effects? Shouldn't you go to your healers with that? They are far more knowledgeable about the healing arts than I."

"Well, when I... " Azrael took a deep breath. "When I was corrupted and barely managed to purge myself, something got left behind.." He looked away from the Nephilim. "Part of Absalom's... character and... urges."

"That's..." The Pale Rider was speechless at the implication; he had never heard something like that. Then again the whole Corruption situation had been a first. "He left, for a lack of better words, an imprint of himself in you?"

"You could say that, yes." Abaddon agreed, solemnly.

"While I'd gladly help, I fail to see how I could. I doubt my arts would work on… that."

"I managed to deal with most on my own since regaining my strength." The scholar whispered. "Except for some of his... core drives, if one can call them that..." He bit his lip, still staring at the floor. "Specifically, his... lust for you."

It was a great proof of the trust between the three of them that Death did nothing to hide his shocked disbelief at that statement. "That was the last thing I had expected you to say."

"It's not something I expected to feel." The scholar answered, looking up at Death. "I... I need to get this out of my system... It's keeping me from functioning properly..."