Ducklings and Doughnuts

was an expression of amusement that he made no attempt to hide. Azrael wrinkled his nose again, then sniffed indignantly. "You will be if you keep eating those things," he said in a mock-scolding tone. He waved a hand in the air, as if to knock the accusation away with such an action, then his eyes flickered with a mischief he could barely keep out of his voice. "Then, I would be forced to go blow up those doughnut factories..." Orion narrowed his eyes. "Don't you da-- Oh! Jelly filled!-- dare, Azrael!" he blurted out, shoving the doughnut hole in his mouth while folding his arms over his chest in a pouting manner. His eyes drifted to Azrael's in a feigned glare. "What would I have for dessert then? Or a snack? Lunch?" The angel raised an eyebrow questioningly, an action that was hardly visable due to his long, wild bangs. "You're going to get so fat," he moaned, sounding as pathetic as he possibly could, which wasn't much as he felt rather like laughing. "Then you'll crush me and I'll have to blow myself back up with a bike pump, like in looney toons.." He pouted playfully, looking as if he didn't like the idea one little bit. His opposite stared at him for about five whole minutes before he fell over laughing on the couch. The image that had flew through his mind was something that would make almost anyone laugh. As an afterthought, he rather regretted laughing so hard, as he had ended up choking on a piece of doughnut, and Azrael didn't look the least bit willing to help. Eventually, he managed to swallow the piece and sat up, taking a deep breath. Then Orion pushed the box closed and nudged it away from him, looking slightly sheepish. "No more for me today," he decided aloud, ignoring the triumphant grin on Azrael's face."That," began Azrael, practically glowing in amusement, "is what you get for eating them so fast." His words were meant to be scolding, but the effect was lost in his mocking tone. A smile ghosted over his features, only to be wiped away by the threatening glare he wore frequently when playing around with Orion. "If you're going to eat them, at least have sense enough not to waste them," he decided after a moment, pointing an accusing finger in the other's direction. "Bad daemon."Orion pouted playfully. "How is almost choking to death wasting one?" he asked in a pitiful tone, eyeing Azrael. "And, I'll finish them tomorrow anyway." He paused to give a positive nod, arms folded over his chest in a determined manner. Azrael arched an eyebrow at the other, brushing some of his bangs from out of his face. The black tarnishing his vision had begun to bother him. "You wouldn't have died," he explained knowingly, waving his hand in the air again. He had considered death to be his area of expertise, something he knew more about than anyone else. "And now your breath is atrocious. Remind me to buy you after-dinner mints." The angel frowned, pinching his nose lightly. "It will not!" Orion replied a bit quickly, playfully glaring at the other. "Don't make me come over there and kiss you to prove a point... and I don't need mints!" The angel sniffed indignantly, closing one eye as he gazed at the other. He tensed his entire body up, as if to appear like a frightened animal. "I'll teleport away and never come back," he threatened, moving his body so that it looked like he was in the perfect position to bolt at any second. "And you won't need to remind me, I think I'll remember." He smiled a bit, subconsciously pulling his knees to his chest, an action more of habit than anything else. Orion visably pouted, giving Azrael a pointed look. "Meanie," he finally decided aloud, pointing at the other with an accusing finger. "Meanie!" Azrael snickered, pulling his knees tighter to his chest, as if he were afraid, although in reality it was simple habit, nothing more. "Itty bitty teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini," he replied musically, then snickered some more, obviously unable to contain his laughter. His face was slightly pink due to his outburst, but it was hidden by the tanned skin.The daemon sighed audibly, more for Azrael's sake than out of frustration. "I have no idea why I bother talking to you," Orion decided aloud, waving a hand mocking at Azrael. Azrael seemed to actually consider the other's statement for a moment. "Because I'm sexy?" questioned the angel, arching an eyebrow again. His tone implied that if Orion didn't agree, he might be forced to resort to drastic measures. "No..." He stopped, voice trailing off on an almost pathetic note. "You talk to me because I buy you doughnuts!" He suddenly sounding all knowing, again pointing at Orion. He looked like he would burst out laughing at any second.Orion rolled his eyes playfully. "Oh yes," he began in a bored tone, "of course. I talk to you because you buy me doughnuts." He yawned, swinging his legs up onto the side of the couch, turning to peer at the slightly curled up form across the room from him. "Although, I think I will start considering this 'sexy' factor. I mean, I never thought of you like that or anything..." He trailed off, two fingers at his chin as if he were truly pondering the other's statement. "I knew it," Azrael replied melodramatically, wilting back against the couch in such a manner that his hair fell around his face more wildly. "I'm so used." He sniffed a bit, adding an extra wobble to his voice, as if he were truly going to cry. Then, he brightened, looking triumphant. "One day, I will be model material! I have big dreams!" The daemon raised an eyebrow at his opposite, a hint of jealousy flashing in his jade eyes. "You would probably get irritated at being ordered around into poses and end up killing your agent," he offered, rolling his eyes slightly. "And then, pray tell, where would you be, all knowing one?"Azrael blinked a few times at Orion, as if wondering whether or not the other's words were a trick question or something else. "But I'll end up killing them one way or another, eventually," was the reply he offered, still blinking with honest innocence. "And!" He blurted the single syllable word out with such triumph in his voice that he seemed to be glowing. "I am more patient than you give me credit for!"Orion let his eyes fall closed, seemingly comfortible on the couch. "Uh huh," offered the daemon boredly, as if he doubted Azrael's patience. "And what about my poor doughnut factories, Azu?"The angel whirled over toward Orion, narrowing his eyes slightly. "They are still standing.. for now. But if they make you fat..." His voice trailed off threateningly, eyes flashing with something undescribable, emotions all too quickly playing through his transparent eyes. "Then they will have to pay.""I've been sneaking into the First Dimension for doughnuts my entire life," Orion replied in an amused tone, glancing over at Azrael who had slowly started uncurling. "I sincerely doubt they're going to make me fat now."Azrael looked thoughtful, considering the other's words for a few moments. "Their doughnuts must be fatfree," resolved the angel aloud before making a rather disgusted face. "And theirs are more disgusting than the ones here."The daemon looked over at the other, looking amused. "You just think they're gross because they have about 20% more sugar than the ones here in the fourth dimension," he countered in an amused tone, brushing his own blonde hair away from his jade eyes.Thoughtfully, Azrael considered the other's statement. Then he shrugged and made a soft gagging noise, nearly inaudible. "No wonder they made me hurl when I was a kid," he announced to no one in particular, not really caring that he was sharing more than most people would care to know.Orion made a disgusted face, as if the other had indeed shared a bit too much-- more than he had wanted to know. Azrael's stomach and its issues were not of his own concerns.The angel smiled wistfully, as if he enjoyed seeing the other's expression surprised mixed with a hint of disgust. However, a soft quacking noise drew his attention away from the demon who had sprawled out on the couch. His ice blue eyes flashed alight with child-like joy as he hopped off th chair, scampering to the sliding glass doors."Did you hear that? I heard ducks. Did you hear ducks?" Azrael asked enthusiastically, leaning his face close to the sliding glass doors. He didn't seem to pay any attention to the raindrops steadily falling down the glass, as his eyes were suspended on the ducks and their hatchlings, ducking and paddling around the small pond under the balcony. Orion watched Azrael for a moment before pulling himself to his feet. Yes, he had heard the ducks too. He laughed then walked over to the sliding glass doors just as Azrael took it upon himself to push the glass open and run out to the edge of the balcony. The daemon smiled, leaning on the doorframe, gazing at Azrael who seemed to be extremely happy-- like a child in a toystore."There are babies!" Azrael blurted out in a hushed whisper, leaning foreward on the balcony so he could get a better look at the ducks below him. "Ori, the momma one brought her babies to see us!" "Very cute," the other offered, deciding not to specify whether he was referring to Azrael or the ducks. He had found both to be incredibly cute. He simply couldn't decide which was cuter-- Azrael hanging half over the balcony, or the ducks on the pond.Azrael leaned forward more, watching the ducks in awe. Very rarely did he show the side he had been unable to surpress at that moment. He was afraid of anyone knowing he wasn't all cold glares or teasing. It made him distinctly uncomfortible, as if he were growing close to someone. Azrael was afraid of opening himself up entirely to anyone ever again."This rain is cold," the angel blurted out after a moment, wiping some off his forehead with the back of his scarred right hand. "Can we bring them inside so they don't get sick, Ori?" His eyes held an innocent gleam in their depths, as if he were truly concerned for the welfare of the birds. Orion frowned, glancing down at the ducks. "They're aquatic birds, Azu. I'm sure they're used to it," he replied, sadness slipping into his voice. He hated to deny Azrael anything.Azrael looked thoughtful for a moment before turning his eyes down to the ducks, a hint of sadness finding its way into the ice-colored depths. "That doesn't mean they like the cold rain," he countered softly, his words seeming to hold a deeper meaning, something laced underneath the words themselves. "If I ask them to come inside and they say yes, will you help me pinch up pieces of bread for them?"The daemon smiled a bit, then gestured toward the ducks. "Alright," he replied, eyeing the birds. "Go right ahead. I'll help."Azrael smiled then leaned down and stared at the ducks, unblinking for a few moments. Then the mother duck quacked up at him, leading the ducklings to the end of the pond. "She said she was hungry too," Azrael blurted out, pointing down at the ducks before scampering past Orion, heading toward the bottom of the building. "Gonna feed the ducks!"Orion watched Azrael go in mute fascination as well as surprise. He said nothing, instead heading off into the kitchen to start pinching up bread. He would add Azrael's unusual fondness for ducks to the ever-growing list of questions he would ask Azrael someday, but now was not the time for it. Not when, for once, the younger had finally started to come out of the pool of self-loathing he had been living in for almost three months.~ end ~