#i'm sneaking some of my gargoyle lore into this lol

[bambiraptorx]

Not Quite Hidden AU: part 3. Word Count: 489. Readers chose: be compassionate.

“I accept your apology.  I understand that children are difficult to control on occasion," Draxum says.

The yokai tilts his head, his snout wrinkling slightly as if he doesn’t know how to take Draxum’s words.  But it doesn’t seem to be the worst reaction the ferret could have had, at least.

“Mister?”  Raphael tugs again at Draxum’s train, raising his free hand to point at something on one of the shelves.  “Can you grab those crackers for me?”

Draxum blinks.  “Which ones, the red box?”

“No, the green and yellow one.  The Critter Crackers.  No, the big one.”

Draxum settles his hand in front of a large box on the top shelf with yellow and green stripes and stylized animals of various kinds, mostly non-sentient beasts of burden and the like.  “So this one.”  

“Yay!  I betted you were tall enough to get them!”  Raphael squeals.  Is that why he approached Draxum in the first place?  So Draxum could do something for him?

The ferret grumbles something under his breath, then sighs.  “We need to go, Raphael.  I do not particularly want to stay here any longer.”  

Draxum slowly grabs the box and hands it to the child, who giggles happily and runs back to his father’s side.

“And what, exactly, do you mean to imply by that?”  He stares down at the ferret, trying to understand what this stranger could possibly have against him.  If anything, Draxum is the one who deserves to hold a grudge, given that the turtles were stolen from him.

The yokai’s fur begins to stand on edge again.  “I don’t have to explain myself to you.  Boys—stop trying to open the box, I need to pay for those first!”

“I want the simurghs, I want the simurghs!” The box turtle finally lets go of Draxum’s leg and leaps away, latching onto the box as the others swarm around it.

“Nuh uh, I get the simurghs this time!  You promised that last time!” The slider hollers.  How did he get over there so quickly, wasn’t he just by Draxum’s leg?

A sudden fluttering sound from down the aisle alerts Draxum to the approach of his gargoyles, each of them carrying a basket larger than they are.

“Hey, boss!  We finished with the lists you gave us—what’s with the kids?” Huginn asks, hovering as close to Draxum’s shoulder as possible without ramming the basket into a helmet horn.

“My children are none of your business,” the ferret grumbles tiredly.

“Oh, cool, so you’re their parent then?” Muninn chirps.

“He’s our dad!” the slider crows, latching onto the ferret yokai’s arm and grinning.  “We only got one dad though.  Some people have more parents.  Do you have parents?”

Huginn nods.  “Yep, Muninn and I have five or so.  We’re not really brothers, though, we’re hatchmates.  Common misconception.”

The ferret yokai opens his mouth, then shuts it again.  His tail twitches erratically. “I… I need to leave.”

(Reblogs are very appreciated!)

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