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(Goddammit I didn't realize how much I missed this)
Depression and Choccy Milk (OXO with Caustic)
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Zedd sighed, happy that his shop looked as neat and orderly as he liked it. Now was the time he would have to start the hard part. Walking over to the land line behind the counter, Zedd called the number that would reach one of his few friends. Though he never called him a friend. After a few rings, the call went through.
“Hello?”
“Hey.”
“Oh, you actually called me for once. Strange. You need something?”
The man began to idly twist the chord with his free hand.
“It’s about Nathaniel, Cal. I need to open shop again soon, but he needs near constant attention? I don’t really know what I’m supposed to do,” he explained.
Coming from anyone else, Cal probably would have seen it as complaining. Though… the avian man hardly ever asked for help.
“Let him help you or something. Was that not the original plan with him selling knives? Which I still think you shouldn’t do,” came his response. Zedd rolled his eyes with a huff. He couldn’t know that angels supposedly did things massively different compared to earth.
“Come on. I’m serious.”
“As am I. You think I know anything about kids? Zedd, I’m a gay man who wasn’t even born here.”
“Fair point.”
Nathaniel stirred after a while, unable to keep sleeping the way he was tangled up. He grew uneasy upon not seeing Zedd anywhere nearby, whimpering while he struggled to free himself from the mess of blankets. After several minutes of struggling, he managed to get free by essentially rolling off the bed with the blankets still wrapped around him, and he managed to loosen them from there. "Dad?" Nathaniel called out tentatively, opening the door and starting to walk down the stairs. "Daaaad?"
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(wait are we gonna do the thing we talked about now?)
(I forgot what thing but s u r e)
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(I PMed you the thing)
(A h y e s)
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The conversation continued as to what could be done about the situation.
"I have to somehow get the documentation that he's under my care which is a whole other thing considering how strange the circumstances are. Then he's probably gotta go to school eventually, cause I sure as hell can't teach," he huffed, leaning forward to lean on the counter now. He hadn't heard Nathaniel due to the fact that he was focused on the conversation.
"I've never wanted a kid, and now I gotta figure out how I can prove I didn't… I dunno kidnap him?" There was silence on the other end for a moment before the other spoke.
"The papers. You like Nathaniel, yeah? Why don't you just… y'know adopt him? I don't think I've ever seen you close for so long, much less for someone else."
"I can't do that, it's been like… three days damn it. Stars, you have got to stop getting into all that mushy stuff," Zedd commented with a heavy sigh.
"Look I called you so you might be able to babysit or something? Doesn't Cameron like kids?"
The argument continued until the two reached an agreement that they should just wait until Nathaniel was awake to ask about it.
Unfortunately, that wouldn't come for awhile.
When Nathaniel quietly came downstairs, all he really heard of the conversation was 'I never wanted a kid', and the strike to his mind blocked out any other information. His eyes stung with tears and he froze up for a moment, not sure what to do. He… he doesn't want me…? He rubbed at his eyes a bit and silently made his way to the back door, staying out of Zedd's sight. He slipped out through the door and started running off, sobbing weakly. He must've just been pretending so he could drop me off somewhere… I should save him the extra trouble… He found himself in an alleyway he was quite familiar with; the one he'd been sleeping in before Zedd picked him up. He sat down on the ground, tucked his knees up to his chest, and buried his face in his arms to cry uncontrollably. Was it all… fake?
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Once Zedd hung up, he began searching for the website to begin paperwork for custody of a child. He became frustrated as most of it was through the proper adoption system. Not wanting to deal with it anymore, he walked back up the stairs only to notice the door to the bedroom had been left open a touch. Did Nathaniel open it more because of the dark since he was alone this time? That didn't make sense. If he felt scared, he would have run downstairs before now. He poked his head inside and didn't see any sign of the small angel. Upon seeing the scattered sheets he sighed. Did he fall out of bed and get stuck? Gently lifting the sheets, there was nothing there. So they were just in the floor then. Nice. Pursing his lips he remade the bed somewhat before moving towards the bathroom. Knocking lightly on the door, he called out for the boy. Nothing.
"Nathaniel, I'm coming in if you're in there," he warned. The room was empty, as he had left it. Zedd's heart began to race, looking all over the house for the tiny angel. After searching everything twice, he took the steps down two at a time and picked the phone to call everyone he knew. But then he set it back down again. Maybe he snuck past him and was in the shop somewhere…?
The lower floor yielded the same results as the upper did. Nothing.
This time, he dialed every number he could think of, telling people to look for Nathaniel before running out the front door. He didn't even worry about re-locking the door as he always did.
Nathaniel curled in tighter on himself as his body was wracked with sobs. He couldn't think, and he could hardly breathe. Whenever he heard footsteps passing by, he couldn't help but glance up in hopes that it was Zedd coming for him, but it never was. Nobody bothered to come into the alleyway with the useless crying child. He curled his crumpled wings around his frail form to keep himself warm, shivering against the cold. "D-Dad…" He whispered shakily through his sobs. He's not coming… I'm living here again… The thought made him cry even harder to a point where he had long been incoherent.
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Zedd called and called again but there was nothing. No reply. He knew others were looking, but the city was quite large when you were looking for a singular person. The man's heart raced, eventually giving up walking, and took to the sky. His throat felt dry and mind clouded with thought. He almost bumped into someone else flying the opposite direction. He could only wonder why Nathaniel would run away.
The phone call.
Having Nathaniel around had helped reduce the swearing significantly, but now he muttered every profane word he knew. Stupid.
Eventually he found himself above the area where he had first found the ragged child being pushed around as he picked up his coins. He frowned, throat becoming tight as he felt the urge to cry. No. He'd find him. He had to.
What else was he supposed to do? Not become attached to someone who looked up to you like a father?
Nathaniel cried until he couldn't anymore, and then just whimpered and sniffled and cried out in distress. He'd worked himself up so much that he felt like he was going to throw up, and he was shaking so violently that the metal trash can he was leaning up against was rattling. For someone who supposedly didn't want to be found, he was being remarkably noisy, but he was also far too upset to notice or care.
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(WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TT-TT)
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(cause we're mean uwu)
(Yep)
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(NUUUUUU MY BABIES!!!!)
(Themb :()
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Zedd landed around the corner of the street. He gave a quick glance around and saw no signs of the small boy. What did he mention before? An alleyway? Been there for months…
Zedd began walking down a random street, looking down each of the gaps between the buildings. It wasn't long until he heard something loud rattling in the distance. The man began to run towards the noise when he started hearing tiny gasps for air. That had to be him. Please.
The alley was a smaller one, a few boxes littering the ground nearby a couple of trashcans. A few of them were stacked as if they were an attempt to make shelter. And curled up on the cold concrete floor, was the tiny angel, having cried so much he was still struggling to breathe.
Zedd could only stare at him for a moment before falling to his knees.
Nathaniel looked up weakly when he heard footsteps, his cheeks pink and splotchy from crying so much. He… he came looking for me… He curled up a bit tighter on the concrete, still shivering violently. It feels so cold… "I… I-I'm— s— s-sorry… sir…" He managed to choke out, his voice tight and raspy from crying. His breathing was quick and shallow, and he seemed more than a little out of it. "I-I just… I thought-…" He interrupted himself with a coughing fit, choking on his dry sobs.
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Zedd moved quickly, taking the boy into his arms. "Hey, what did we talk about…? I'm… I'm not angry, so you don't have to apologise… Okay?" he whispered softly as he pulled Nathaniel closer. The man had never felt this attached towards anyone before. Not so quickly at least. Feeling the angel's small form pressed against him, so cold and weak… it was hard to hold back the tears starting to form in his eyes. His body shook as he cried silently. Damn it, why can't I stop?
Nathaniel buried his face in Zedd's chest, shaking violently in the man's arms. "B-But I… I ran away…" He whispered weakly, curling his wings tightly around himself. He could hear Zedd crying now, and he felt even worse, knowing that he was the cause. A couple of fresh tears rolled down his cheeks and he tightly gripped himself, digging his nails deep into his arms until his fingers were slick with his own blood. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Look what you've done now? This is all your fault. If he wasn't going to kick you out before, he definitely will now, and it's all your fault.
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It took Zedd a moment before he responded. This idiot… “Just… don’t do that anymore then?” he suggested. His eyes had been shut a moment, but after opening them, he could still tell Nathaniel was bleeding through his tear blurred vision. He moved quickly in taking the boy’s hands away from his arms. “Shh, no, none of that,” he begged, trying to steady his voice again.
Nathaniel choked and coughed, hiccuping weakly when Zedd took his hands. "B-But I thought— y-you wanted— me to…" He sobbed into Zedd's chest, still shaking violently. He tried to wrap his crumpled wings around himself, struggling to calm himself down. "I-I thought— you'd be h— h-happier if I l-left… and I want you— t-to be happy…"
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(NUUUUUUUUUUUU MY PRECIOUS BABIES!!!!!!)
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(cracks knuckles Who do I need to beat for this)
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(The writers obviously…)
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(…But I like them)
(👉👈)
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(Hehe)