Chapter Text
How is that Kalego ended this way?
The man felt the answer crushed in his mind. An hour ago he was summoned by a pair of humans who offered a soul for him in exchange for an object with value. He snapped at them and demanded to be freed of the summoning ritual when he saw him, a baby boy, barely a newborn in a basket that was pushed closer to him as the apparent parents of the infant offered the innocent soul to him as if it meant nothing, as if the baby were worthless. A child, a vulnerable, innocent, delicate boy with none fault to be born into that world.
Kalego felt his own blood boil, how was it possible for a parent to sell his/her own flesh and blood? To an uncertain faith, no less. Did they at least care for what could happen to the boy? A demon was known to be ruthless and merciless in human tales, and still they were set on exchanging their own son to one knowing the baby could end up being the dinner of someone?! “Miserable creatures! Are all humans like this? A child is a precious treasure that is meant to be doted and nurtured. How dare they offer me a baby as if it were a toy?! This is unacceptable!”
He didn’t hesitate when he took the baby out of the basket, a tattered pastel blue blanket falling in the process, as the man holded the boy protectively against his chest. These humans were a danger to the kid and Kalego had the feeling that if they managed to summon him then there was the probability that if he didn’t accept the kid another demon would, sadly not all of his kind would deny the offer. Observing better the little blue-haired bundle of innocence in his arms, Kalego made a rushed decision and with a flick of his wrist appeared a small bag with golden coins inside, it was a small amount in the man’s opinion, but it would suffice the pair of idiots in front of him.
Without waiting for an answer of the two, Kalego tossed the bag to them and teleported with the baby back to his home. Adjusting his grip on the baby, the man sat on a black loveseat in his living room. The sleepy sight of a little boy was the only thing Kalego could focus on at that moment,drinking every detail he could of the kid, a tiny round nose, a soft round face, tiny delicate lips, and a fluffy tuft of blue hair. The kid had the smallest hands Kalego ever seen, all in all, the baby was completely fragil and weightless that it was terrifying the man endlessly as he analyzed the situation. What was he supposed to do now? Raise him? A human in the Netherworld, being raised as a demon?! It was crazy, almost delirious to think about. But, what could he do? Send the boy back to his realm and hope for the best? No, the kid had nobody to watch over him and it was a risk to leave him alone in a world that threw him away like a potato bag. In the Netherworld the kid had Kalego to protect him, the important question was…. Was Kalego ready to become a father? It was the only outcome that would occur sooner or later if he decided to keep the baby.
With a heavy sight, Kalego reasoned that it was for now the safest outcome. He frowned, if he was going to do all this fatherly parade, he needed to go shopping baby supplies. “Would they work the same for a human? The formula can make the baby sick? What about appointments to the doctor? Maybe I can fake a tail for him. And does this kid even have a nam… Forget it, it is written in his onesie. Iruma, huh? A extrange name for a demon, but it’ll have to do. What else, would I need? Books! Yes, parenting books. A nursery, I have to create a nursery and get toys that stimulate his motor abilities…. and scent masker! I have one in my room, I’ll have to bath Iruma with it, he smells to different to be ignored”
Rushing upstairs, carefully to not wake the boy, Kalego went to his room and searched the scent maskers and a bottle of perfume, taking the nozzle and placing it in the scent bottle to later spray the liquid in the baby, waking him in the process with a sneeze.
-Sorry Iruma-kun, but your aroma needs a fix right now, before someone else notices you’re different- Kalego said as brilliant cerulean eyes fixed on him with curiosity to then look at his surroundings.
Kalego expected cries, wails and distressed sounds to come from the child when he noticed his parents were gone, but Iruma did nothing of the latter. The baby just babbled at him excitedly as it nuzzled farther in his arms, like he belonged there since the start and the warm feeling of protection that washed over Kalego overpowered him as the most serious and down to business teacher of Babylis felt his heart bend for the small creature in his care. Kalego was falling for a baby and there was nothing anyone could do to change the fact that he would become a father, this was just the first step down the path of paternity.
-Hello Iruma-kun- he whispered softly to the boy, holding him closer, gaining a delighted laugh from the baby who beamed at the attention- I guess I am your dad now. I have no idea what we are going to do, but you’ll be better with me than in your old home, kiddo. I promise Iruma-kun, we’ll be fine. I’ll think about something.
-Lord Kalego? Are you in there?- the motherly voice sounded through the other side of the door followed by a worried elder maid.
“Nana”
Kalego closed his eyes and exhaled deeply as the women remained petrified in her spot at the sight of a baby in her lord embrace. The man better started explaining himself to the woman that raised him all his life. Kalego had no family left, well not true his brother was somewhere or dead as much as he knew, but that wasn’t the point now; no, the point was that the closest person to a mother was his Nana and right in the moment he needed her support and advice more than ever in his life.
-I-I… Well… Nana, amm… This is Iruma-kun- the man mentally slapped himself, was that the better he could come up to?!- He will stay with us for an indefinite time.
-I see, and Iruma-kun came from where? If it is possible to know- the nanny asked sweetly with an undertone of skepticism and thrill. Did the kid mean what she thought it could be? Was her Lord, her kid, a father?
-It’s a long story- Kalego sighted for the eleventh time that day- and you’ll lecture me for it, I’m sure, but I really need your advice now.
-Then, start telling me everything over tea and cookies- she said kindly, pulling both out of the room as she rubbed slow circles on the man as a comforting gesture that she knew would calm the man- There’s nothing Nana can’t solve, isn’t it, Kalego-sama?
-Yes, Nana- Kalego whispered softly, finally relaxing under the touch as Iruma cooed all the way.
At the end, Kalego was indeed scolded by his recklessness, but his nanny understood. It was a difficult situation the one the three were into, a human baby was extremely delicate and rare in the Netherworld, and both would have to keep an extra eye on the kid as well to make sure he wasn’t discovered, but they could work it out without doubt. Kalego allowed himself to breathe as he watched the elder woman hugged tenderly Iruma with utmost adoration, no doubt adopting the boy as her grandson like she did with him as a son.
-He’s perfect, Kalego-sama- She exhaled lovingly- We’ll have to prepare the house for him in the next week. I’ll go to town to fetch some clothes for Iruma-sama for the week while we get everything ready.
-The week? I have to work, we’ll have to wait after I return from Babylis- said Kalego, and now that he thought about it, he needed to explain his new situation to the damned principal. Oh how Kalego loathed the man with his loud and exaggerated mannerisms. Hopefully Sullivan would be understanding of the situation and let him have a couple of free days to get his life back in order.
-Oh, no that won’t be necessary. I’ve been attending calls all evening from Sullivan and his servant about you whereabouts when you didn’t attend school today and told Lord Sullivan you were on bed rest due to a cold- the woman answered smugly to the wide eyed man who looked at her stunned- Sullivan-sama was so worried about you that he agreed on giving you an free week with payment and all. Though I recommend you to call him, Kalego-sama- Nana said the last more sternly- Lord Sullivan was panicking about your disappearance and is now for your health, you should call him and ease his poor soul down, you know how he can become if the worry becomes bigger. I am surprised he hasn’t come for you, but it is a question of time before Sullivan-sama comes here during the week to check on you.
-I know- Kalego muttered, a small spark of guilt shone in his eyes. Of course, the principal was making a fuss about it. A part of him enjoyed the attention he had, the first in a long time, from the elder since he was kid. Sullivan distanced himself from Delkira's disappearance, not wanting to give any clues to who Kalego was to anyone and that left a kid alone against the world for years. Sullivan was a big part of the man’s life, but resentment hadn’t gone away so easily, so a part of him relished about the fact the elder was now paying him proper attention, even if it was due to the circumstances.
-You know he never did it to hurt you, Kalego-sama. It was what was best for all of us- Nana said as if reading his thoughts, a soothing hand grasp his own- Lord Sullivan loves you, the distance could never change that he still cares for you.
-I-I… I’ll see what I can do- Kalego studerred, voice wobbling in the slightest as he grabbed Iruma in his arms again and let the boy cuddle against him, giggles coming from the boy as he grabbed in chubby hands a shiny spoon a waved in front of the man as if it were an incredible discovery.
-Fair well, Kalego-sama- Nana exhaled tiredly, half satisfied she at least got the idea through the thicc skull of the man.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully and after a short trip to town, Iruma was now changed into fresh clothes and diapers as well as fed with baby formula that, for relief of the new father, wasn’t poisonous for the baby who laid in Kalego’s bed happily. Nesting the boy gently, Kalego laid next to Iruma in a bundle of pillows and blankets oddly arranged so the boy couldn't fall during the night.
It was surreal to watch the human baby that was now in a Kalego’s care, but the man didn’t mind it. It was a nice change, a welcome one; Iruma chased the loneliness away and replaced it with a bubbling lively atmosphere. That quickly Kalego accepted the boy as his, was he ready to be called dad? No, but he was on the right path and who knows? Maybe this was what he needed to move on from his past, a new start with a bundle of joy in his life.
-We both were abandoned, kiddo, but I promised I’ll never leave you like they did to us. We are in this for the long run, so better suck it up because you’re stuck with me from now on.
A giggle was the only confirmation Kalego needed that day.
“We’ll be fine”