First Demonic Dragon

Yesh didn't look at Abaddon for a while, even after he asked about the reason for his sudden behavior.

The creator was an enigma; a true being at the height of power and unpredictability.

And yet, Abaddon thought that he may have had a solid understanding of the being who he had known for his entire life.

But with the way Yesh was behaving, it didn't seem as if Abaddon had yet grasped the full picture around him at all.

'It is ironic…I am the one who supposedly rules over all, and yet I seem to be the one who must frequently come to ask you for things.' Yesh finally said.

"You could always stop asking me for stuff, you know?" Abaddon raised a brow.

'I very likely will… one day.' Yesh replied cryptically.

"Alright, old man, no more beating around the bush. Out with it." Abaddon beckoned.

Yesh finally realized that he couldn't tap dance around the issue any longer and decided to just come out and say it.

'Now that you and your son are reunited, I assume that you will soon venture for your daughter as well.'

"Yes. Among other items on my agenda."

The creator fell silent before he turned around and stared deeply into Abaddon's eyes.

'Tathamet… please don't kill my son.' Yesh finally asked.

Bashenga saw his father's face harden immediately. Though he wasn't sure why.

'I understand that it is a big ask, but-'

"Too big."

'Be reasonable. You of all people should understand why I would ask something like this.'

"And you of all people should vehemently understand why I'm going to ignore it."

A small stand off occurred between the two great entities.

Though it was barely confrontational.

Yesh was simply out of words to say. For nothing could get past the wall of Abaddon's anger.

'You may not see it right now, but I am aware of your heart, and I am confident that you will make the right decision. I will bog you down no more with this.'

Yesh vanished into thin air and left Abaddon and Bash standing on the balcony.

The newborn continually stole glances at his father; unsure of what exactly had caused him to behave in such a manner.

"…I was unaware that you had preexisting animosity with Lucifer. Though as I think about it, you would hardly be the first."

"…"

Bashenga didn't know what to make of his father when he was behaving this coldly. It was such a stark contrast from his usual personality.

He wasn't even sure his father had heard him.

"The transgressions committed against you must have been great if they were able to produce this level of-"

"No. Not me." Abaddon finally said.

Bash waited quietly for more context but Abaddon did not seem to be willing to give it.

Which was undeniably annoying.

"Spit it out." Bashenga shook his father by the horn.

Abaddon unslung the infant from his shoulder and held him upside down by one of his chunky little legs.

Abaddon used one of his fingers to gently push Bash back and forth as if he were the world's cutest punching bag.

"Let me go, father! This game does not amuse!!"

Abaddon smiled softly as he continued to pester his son impishly.

"…The only thing you need to be aware of, son, is that you and your siblings are the one thing I will never take chances on.

If someone, anyone is fool enough to threaten you with even a scratch, I will use all that i have to pull them asunder.

As long as I live, none of you will ever feel unguarded. You will never be left to fend for yourselves."

Bash had stopped struggling and now looked at his father with a bit of a confused expression.

"Why would we need something like that? Aside from the little human, you have sired gods. Monsters. Beings of unfair description. Why would we need your protection?"

"Because you are my children, Bashenga. From the moment that your mothers agreed to have you with me, I had a responsibility to you. I won't shirk that duty, no matter how old any of you get, or how powerful you become."

Bash wracked his brain for understanding, but no matter what he just didn't get it.

What was the use in coddling something that was eventually going to have to learn how to fight on it's own anyway?

Didn't doing so simply slow down the development process? Fight or die, that was the way that existence worked.

"I don't get it… when Gaia and I had children we simply cut them free into the wild. Whether they survived or not was determined by their own ability."

The strangest thing happened in the aftermath of Bashenga's confession.

He saw Abaddon's face harden in the same way that it had when he was speaking to Yesh. Only now, his eyes contained some kind of emotion that he couldn't read.

"Then you were not a father. Just a man who had children."

There was a hardness in Abaddon's voice that did not escape Bashenga's ears.

He had never heard him speak this way to anyone before; much less him.

"Have I upset-"

"It's late, Bash. You should go home now."

Abaddon put his son back onto his own two feet.

Bash stared up at his father for a short moment before he decided to take his leave.

Though in the back of his mind, the unexpected situation and mounting questions in the back of his mind continued to bother him…

-

Bash returned home and headed straight for the familiar darkness that was his bedroom.

He had only just opened the door when an unfamiliar voice called out to him from behind.

"Is that my new baby brother? I wasn't expecting you to be so cute!"

Bash paused just shy of entering the door and prepared to tell off whichever of his annoying siblings had come to see him now.

But his look changed from one of annoyance to one of surprise when he laid eyes on the one sibling he hadn't met yet.

First impressions were… jarring.

'Monster…'

He thought that his father resembled her more than he even realized.

But this young woman was much more fitting for that kind of description.

"Aww. Look at that, he's stunned to see me, babe." Thea nudged Sabine who stood at her side.

"It would seem so. Maybe he's never seen someone with such a unique hairstyle before."

Thea stared at her lover pitifully as she held her head with both hands. "I thought you liked it like this…"

"I-I do, but I definitely liked it more before you cut your sides.."

"Because you had more to pull~?"

"N-Not in front of the child!"

Bashenga had wandered in front of the two women without even realizing it.

He stared up at Thea like she was a miracle.

"Who are you..?"

Amused, the eldest of the Tathamet children leaned down and smiled at him.

"I'm your big sister, sweet face. I was away when you were first born, but our moms sent me lots of pictures of you in that time. You're even more adorable in person."

Thea took the hand of the green haired woman at her side.

"And this is my lovely wife Sabine. She's a bit shy, so I hope you'll forgive her if she's bad at making conversation."

Sabine blushed a bit and lowered her head in greeting.

"It is very nice to meet you, new brother-in-law."

Thea lifted her brother up and held him in her arms.

"You're just the most precious thing I've ever seen… even Courtney isn't as cute as you."

"…Naturally. I am exceptional in every capacity."

"Hahaha, except humility! Nubby guessed that you might be like this."

Bashenga rolled his eyes.

If he heard the word humility one more time in this house, he felt like he might scream.

What was wrong with him stating that he was better than others? It was a factual statement!

"Human insects hide their might. Deities have no use for such a thing."

"That's true, and no one's asking you to hide it. We're just saying that you don't have to beat us over the head with it either." Thea shrugged.

Again, Bashenga felt like he was being chastised by his new family.

But one could hardly blame him in truth.

It's hard for humans to accept new ideas and change their viewpoints in any capacity.

But when it comes to gods? It is damn-near impossible.

They are nigh ultimate beings who've had thousands of years to become stuck in their ways. And the most powerful among them experience this on a whole different level.

Why does one need to conform to the niceties and mannerisms of lesser existences when they can literally reshape the fabric of the world lain before them?

He just didn't understand it. Any of it.

Thea recognized the complicated look on Bashenga's face.

Though she couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking, she did know that he was on the cusp of learning a great many things about himself and others.

"Hey, baby bro?"

"Hm..?"

"Actually, my girls and I were going to have a little date to ourselves tonight. But I don't think we'd mind the extra company if you're interested in coming with us?"

Bashenga glanced at his door that was only just down the hallway.

He almost denied his sibling's invitation, but at the last moment he remembered the cold and distant look in the eyes of his father.

Perhaps if he went along with this overtly charismatic girl, he might understand why it was there in the first place.

"…Alright. I will accompany you."

"Great!" Thea beamed.

"But what is this 'date' that you speak of?"

The eldest princess smiled mischievously. "Oh you're going to LOVE it."

"I see… lead the way then."

Sabine suddenly felt as if her new brother-in-law was in for a very rude awakening.