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"Hey, get back here!" A voice barks in the cool night air as a boy races through the streets of Soho. Breath coming out in misty gasps and legs feeling as though they are filled with lead, he doesn't slow. "You can't run forever demon!"
The kid rounds the corner and slips into a corner building. He peers out the window on the door, breath fogging the glass slightly as he waits. Five other boys round the corner, hollering for the younger tucked safely in the building. He breathed a sigh of relief as he watched them run out of sight.
"I do apologize," the boy jumps at the new voice. "But the book shop is currently closed."
The boy turns towards the man with a kind voice, keeping his head down, eyes out of sight. "I'm sorry, I just needed a place to rest for a bit if that's alright." The man takes in the boys shaking frame. The breaths coming out in more controlled quick huffs. Sweat-soaked snow-white curls plastered to his forehead. He let's a sympathetic smile rest on his face.
The boy hears the man sigh, "I suppose it will be okay for a few minutes. Come, I'll make you some hot chocolate." The boy follows the man, one hand fumbling around his pocket to fish out a pair of old sunglasses. He quickly slips on the round gold-rimmed shades and finally starts looking around.
The shop was filled with old books most of which he had never heard of. This place seemed more homely than most bookstores. His attention was brought back to the man when he patted a chair that was situated near a little table. "Wait right here." The man smiled, his enthusiasm was contagious as the boy found himself smiling as well. The older man walked further into the shop weaving through shelves of books. The man had almost white short curly hair, blue eyes, and wore a cream-colored coat. He seemed nice from what the kid could gather so far.
He was kinda glad the door was unlocked, he was about to collapse from running so much, he doesn't want to think about what those other boys would have done to him then. It caused him to shudder slightly. "Here we go." The man's voice said cheerfully, breaking the kid out of his train of thought. "One hot chocolate for you, and for myself, a coffee." He said setting down one of the mugs on the little table and pulling out another seat for himself.
"Thank you." The hot chocolate smelled amazing. He grabbed the mug and took a small sip from it, being careful to make sure it wouldn't burn his mouth. He closed his eyes in delight at how heavenly it tasted.
"May I inquire your name?" The man questioned politely, taking a sip of his coffee.
"I'm Damien Paltrow. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier." The kid quickly apologizes. Holding out a hand.
The shopkeeper smiled, accepting the hand, giving it a shake. "I'm Zirah Fell." Damien smiled softly, the man put him at a sort of ease, and he didn't know quite why, but he also didn't quite care.
After a few minutes of talking, mostly about books, there is a knock on the door. Mr. Fell sighs, placing his cup on the small table before getting up. He opens the door to the faces of five boys a little older looking than Damien. "How can I help you, lads?" He smiles.
"Ah, yes, sir, we are looking for our em friend," the oldest of the group speaks up "demo- I mean, Desiree, have you, by any chance, seen her? Short curly white hair, eyes you can't miss." Some of the group chuckled at that.
Mr. Fell looked to be pondering it for a moment. "Nope, no here by that name, sorry."
The kids faces all seem to fall into annoyance, the oldest smacks a grin onto his face. "Well, thanks anyway sir." He states through gritted teeth.
Just as the boys are beginning to walk away an ever so familiar Bentley starts to pull up.
A man with short, unnaturally red hair steps out of the car. He notices the shopkeepers less than happy appearance. He walks over. "Hey angel, what's wrong." His voice more gentle than anyone other than Aziraphale gets to hear.
Aziraphale glares after the group of boys, "Kids these days." He huffs. "That's all Crowley." The man turns to face his newest guest, his face instantly getting brighter. "I have a guest inside, just to let you know. His name is Damian."
The men walk inside the bookshop. Aziraphale leads Crowley to where he left the boy. They see him curled up in the chair, knees hugged tightly to his chest, head down. "Now that you know what I am, if you want me to leave, that's okay. I understand." The kids slightly muffled voice cracks.
Crowley can feel the waves of fear, loneliness, and self hate coming off the kid. "Aziraphale, what is he talking about?" He whispers.
"The other kids, I think the term is dead named, him. He must have been listening in." Aziraphale whispers back. He turns his attention back to the obviously distressed boy. He kneels in front of the Damien, grabbing his glasses, that look as though they had been tossed onto the floor, placing them on the table. "Hey, you can stay as long as you need." His voice gentle. "Plus you haven't even finished your hot chocolate." He adds with a soft smile.
The kid sniffles lifting his head revealing his deep crimson red eyes to look at the two men now standing before him. "Why?" He asks in wonder.
"Why what? You may have to be more specific." Aziraphale chuckles, attempting to lighten the mood.
"Why be nice to some...thing like me?" The kids gaze goes blank and focuses somewhere on the floor. "A monstrous like me doesn't deserve kindness. I'm- I'm not normal, I- I'm disgusting. I'm a FREAK! Just some stupid tranny with demon eyes! They were right when they said I should just kill-"
"And that's enough of that." Crowly interrupts. Barely containing his anger. "There is nothing wrong with you. You are not a freak, you are not disgusting, and you are not stupid." The kid looks up eyes wide, no one had ever told him anything good about himself.
""Yes, and there are plenty of souls that are in the wrong body. That should never be used as a reason to hate someone." Aziraphale jumps in. "And as for your eyes, they are unique, not demonic. And if it really bothers you they make colored contacts. But do it for yourself not because of what other people think."
Damien is left speechless, gaping at these two men, telling him he was told wrong all his life even though they know what he is. Aziraphale can sense a glimmer of hope and adoration coming from the kid. "I'm sorry, all my life I had been told otherwise. I guess I started to believe it."
"Well, don't." Crowley took off his glasses revealing his bright amber snakelike eyes and looked at the kid. "There is nothing wrong with you, I would know." Crowley smirks. "Heaven," he chuckles "I'm genderfliud for someone's sake."
Damien smiled at the men. "Ever since my parents kicked me out, I just lost hope, these," He says grabbing his glasses, running a finger along the gold rim. "Are the only thing that have made me felt remotely safe since then, at least, until now." Tears threaten to spill from his eyes. Aziraphale and Crowley glance at eachother. Both giving an agreeing nod.
"As I said." Aziraphale starts, voice still soft. "You can stay here as long as you want. I have an extra room, it's not much, but it's yours if you need. And I could always use an extra hand around here." He let out a light laugh.
Crowley smiled as well. "And if it gets too boring here you can come over to my place, it's not much but it has a lovely view and a television."
"Really?" Damien feels tears start to run down his face. "You're serious, I can stay?"
"Well, we can't just let a child sleep on the streets now can we?" Aziraphale smiles brightly.
"Besides," Crowley butts in nonchalantly. "You seem like a good enough kid. Plus, those guys will never bug you again if we are around. So it's kind of a win for everyone." He smirks, trying to hold back a smile.
"Thank you both, so much." Damien pulls them both into a hug.
"Now," Aziraphale cheerfully exclaims, pulling away. "You still have to finish your hot chocolate, and I will start setting up your room." All three have smiles stuck to their faces. In anticipation of what the future holds for all of them.
Through the next few months, Crowley and Aziraphale became like fathers to the kid. Damien learned about the angelic and demonic worlds, and he even gave his dads ideas to help each other maintain their cover. Then after armegeddon't he and Adam became close friends, regularly causing mischief together. Just and a boy and his ethereal/occult dads; Damien had never been happier.