Chapter Text
Darius stumbled into his dark living room, the only light present came from a large arched window by the dining table. He shuffled to the kitchen, opening the fridge but not registering to look for food. His mind was reeling from the events that had taken place moments ago as endless questions circled him like vultures.
What the Hell am I supposed to do, babysit? Am I expected to raise this kid? I can't do that!
Darius could barely keep a houseplant alive let alone a child. He rubbed a shaking hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to give himself some morsel of peace within the situation but the thoughts were persistent
What AM I supposed to do? Just keep it alive? How the hell do I do that? I can’t fail, I’ve worked too hard for this. I can’t fail. I can’t fail! I can’t! Ican’t!Ican’t!
Darius sighed closing the fridge door, he wasn't very hungry anyways. He leaned forward resting the front of his head on the cool metal surface of the fridge door. The purple abomination goop atop his head made a gentle chirping noise before changing shape as it leaped from his head and morphed into the body of a tiny abomination landing in Darius' hands. The little abomination looked up at Darius with a worried eye, taking a few steps toward him to place their little nubs for hands on his chest. Darius sighed again looking down at the little thing telling him to breathe.
"I'm fine Lavender, it's not that bad," Darius said tiredly, but the little palismen was persistent. It continued to press against the witch’s chest. Darius humored them, taking in a deep breath, and holding it for a few seconds before exhaling.
"There, happy?" Darius said, his tone was snarky yet with an air of gentleness.
The abomination pressed its little form against his in its best attempt at a hug. Sighing once again, Darius placed his hand on the Palismen as a way to hug back. He breathed in and out slowly focusing his attention on the rhythm and pace of his breath.
It’s gonna be alright. Everything is going to be okay.
It's just a baby, how hard could it be?
Darius eyed his bedroom door, a sudden tiredness weighing on his shoulders. He walked towards the door, morphing his pristine clothes into a pair of purple sweats and his tall-heeled boots into a pair of spider silk slippers. He gently placed Lavender on a little pillow that sat atop the nightstand before pulling back the covers on his bed. Falling onto the mattress, Dariu let out a low groan as he sank deeper into its softness. The abomination had crawled off her pillow and was toddling to the edge of the nightstand.
"No Lav, you have your own bed for a reason." He mumbled, stretching his arm out as the little palismen slumped over the top of Darius's hand, fixing him with a miserable gaze.
Darius rolled his head to look at the little menace. Narrowing his eyes he tried to resist her sad face, but how could he possibly say no to her when she looked at him like that? Darius sighed Turning to stare at the ceiling before he claimed surrender.
“ Fine," he said as he turned his hand palm side up for her walk across.
The little abomination lit up immediately, trotting across Darius' arm to nestle next to his cheek. Darius used his finger to scratch the top of its head, causing its little bun of ooze to shift from side to side. A gentle smile curled on his lip as Lavender began to snore which sounded more like someone blowing bubbles in their spider milk. He chuckled a bit relaxing into his pillow a bit more.
If I can handle you, I can handle some kid.
_ _ _
The next day a debriefing package had been delivered to Darius’s living quarters. The package contained a large golden binder with the Emperor’s coven sigil branded proudly at the top. Inside the binder were instructions and schedules marking fulfilments of the child’s development as well as marks that will need to be fulfilled within a specific time frame. A thin brown file was tucked lazily into the pocket of the binder, in the top corner of the folder in gold letters wrote Hunter and a date.
So that’s the little welp’s name.
Darius opened the file to find a single sheet of information, it looked almost like a medical record though Darius couldn’t see any health information written on it. He read down the list;
Name: Hunter,
Age: Unknown
Sex: Male
Relations: Emperor Belos- Ward, Darius Deamonne- Caregiver
Darius sneered at that last part, despite the “trust” the Emperor placed in him for this assignment and what an “honor” it was he still felt uneasy about something as demeaning as “babysitter” being put on his permanent record. Darius turned the sheet over only to find it blank, he didn’t have too much experience with children but there had to be more information on this mystery child of the Emperor. Where did he come from? WHO did he come from? It said he was the Emperor's ward but what did that mean? Was it his child? Did he just find some random child and decide to keep it? Darius set the binder and folder on one of his couch cushions before sitting down, crossing one leg over the other. If there was any more information on this mystery named Hunter it had to be in here somewhere.
Darius spent the rest of his morning flipping through the pages of the golden binder until there was a soft knock on his door. He closed the thick book, neatly placing it on the coffee table before going to the door. Upon opening it he found three coven scouts, one of which was cradling a small bundle in their arms and to Darius’ distaste it was the child.
“Head witch Deamonne” the three of them soluted softly, rather uncharacteristic for coven scouts who tended to be brash and loud. “We’ve been sent to deliver the child.”
“I assumed so,” Darius said dryly looking at the bundle, he wasn’t sure why this required three of them.
“We’ve also been ordered to transport any supplies you may require for this assignment sir,” the scout said formally as he gestured to a pile of boxes partially hidden by the door.
Darius didn’t even look before sighing boredly.
“Fine, get a move on, I don’t have all day” This was a lie, truthfully speaking he did have all day, he was basically a nanny now and that didn’t sound like too challenging of a gig, but these scouts didn’t have to know that. “Important business you know”
Two of the scouts quickly started hauling in a series of large boxes while the third stepped into the room, moving out of the way as they held the child close to their chest. Darius watched curiously as they set down four large boxes, it seemed strange how there was so little that came with the child. Darius could remember being dragged to a baby shower once by his mother when he was in his early teens. The pile of gifts and baby supplies the mother received there seemed endless in Darius’s memory, although he supposed those were mostly non essentials like extra toys and products and other things that would only be used once or grown out of quickly but would be bought purely for the mother's enjoyment of using them. Still though it seemed strange that the child would only have the bare essentials when he was the ward of such a high official. Though he supposed the Emperor wasn’t much for spoiling their family, Darius could remember Issac-
No
He shook his head, blinking hard to push away the memory. He couldn’t think of that right now, not when there were people around him and he had to appear perfect. He was a Coven Head after all, the job came with a certain demand for appearance, one of which letting a few coven scouts to see you zone out because you’re still grieving your mentor's death from years ago would not allow. Darius glanced over at the third scout holding the child hoping for a distraction and sure enough they provided one. They were bouncing the child gently while they swayed from side to side, whispering something to them in an annoying babyish tone. Darius gave them a suspicious look when they pulled back a corner of the ruddy blue blanket warped around it to peek at them and he could have sworn he heard a soft chuckle from the guard.
“Alright, that should be everything,” one of the two scouts said, resting their hand on their hip.
“Carl, could you set the crib?” The third scout finally spoke walking towards the two others.
With a single spell circle, a collection of gold bars, and a small mattress levitated from one of the boxes and came together forming a simple crib, the third scout walked towards it holding the child a little closer.
“See ya later buddy,” they said quietly before bending over the crib to gently place him down on the mattress, the scout kept a hand on the crib bars as they stood back up “Cute little guy isn’t he?”
Darius mustered a sideways glance at the witchling as they slept, their head was just barely poked out of the tattered blue blanket and tilted on its side squishing half of their face while a small snot bubble grew and shrank as they breathed.
“Precious.”
The scouts soon left, the third one rather begrudgingly while Darius closed the door behind them. He walked back threw the living room stopping by the crib to lean over and peer at what was inside. He stared at the little runt curiously as if watching an active bomb before it exploded. After a moment of stillness where nothing happened Darius resumed his position on the couch, opening the binder once more. A few minutes passed before Hunter stirred in his sleep, his eyes wrinkling tightly when the afternoon sun shining through the window made the room too bright to sleep in. Rubbing his face with the backs of his hands Hunter made a small mumbling sound that grabbed Darius’ attention. Snapping the binder shut with one hand Darius walked over to the crib. He peered over the bars as Hunter blearily opened his eyes, his little face lighting up when he recognized the man. Darius raised an eyebrow at the witchling as they poked their arms out of the blanket to reach up at him.
So you’re the Emperor’s new little pet?
Darius thought about the Emperor’s last ward and before he could push it away that hollow weighted feeling made his stomach dip. Tangled with the usual feelings of grief there was a whole new emotion, a sort of burning anger. It was small and confusing as if enraged by the idea of someone were trying to replace what was lost.
Lost? Or taken?
Hunter babbled something causing Darius to blink back into reality, the witchling was still reaching up him, opening and closing their little hands eager for attention. Darius rested his elbows on the crib bars leaning closer but still not making an effort to touch them.
What am I supposed to do with you?
Darius’ thoughts were interrupted by a gurgling noise at his ear, Lavender was eyeing the witchling with electric anticipation, practically buzzing on Darius's scalp.
‘Want to see’
Darius sighed “Fine but keep your distance, I don’t want you getting attached.”
The palismen shifted and jumped from Darius’ head to reveal a high ponytail of dreads underneath as they landed next to the child. Hunter’s bright smile immediately dropped as he looked up at the man and to Darius’ horror his face scrunched and he began to cry. The sound made Darius' hair stand on end, he frantically ushered for Lavender to get back in place.
“Everything fine, everything’s fine, see? Don’t cry” Darius held his hands out in front of him as if someone had a spell circle pointed at his chest.
Hunter peeked his wet eyes open but continued to wail. The sound thundered in Darius’s ears as the witchlings face grew steadily redder.
Shit