A Darkening World And A Sleepy Protagonist Chapter 13 (Unedited)

The small child can not help but shiver as the icy breeze gently caresses his face. The only thing exposed among the bundle he has become within the layers of blankets Neal wrapped him up in.

Usually Azarias would be running around the yard while Neal napped or did some house hold chores, today however was different as it was fairly cooler then usual.

 It is not cold enough weather for Neal to be concerned of bundling up himself, however Azarias behaved as if it were the dead of winter with how much he had been shivering after stepping out this morning. Only content once he was sitting within Neal’s arms.

Neal observed the area, noticing various leaves had begun to shift in colour. Was fall upon them already? It had perhaps been around a month of them staying here, now it seemed it may be wise to prepare to get a move on. 

After all where they were staying could in no way handle winter, not with how many gaps were in the walls and how even a light rain had the roof leaking endlessly. 

Looking down at Azarias who was napping in his arms, Neal was filled with many worries and concerns. After all this child was defiantly irregular, the growth rate so unusual even Neal who was with him everyday could not help but notice. Already the child had to be the height of the average seven year old, with his hair just below his shoulders, and eyes that seemed to change colour now and then, which he could be imagining but was unsure. 

Beforehand Neal knew not to expect any kind of normal human child to come out of the egg, well anything resembling a human coming out of an egg was shocking on its own, but it was still such an odd thing to witness.

Well this was not important anyway, he needed to focus more on what to do with the coming of winter. He could try staying here, but he felt that unfair to Azarias who could barely handle the beginning of fall. 

He needed to find a place with better heating.

Neal let out a heavy sigh, not looking foreword to stepping back out there. After all he had not the best experience thus far, and now he had to worry about Azarias getting hurt. The responsibility of another’s life was heavy on his shoulders, but he did not mind.

 At least with Azarias he would not be alone, not feel that emptiness that being alone brought. He would make sure to do things right this time so he would not lose Azarias to whatever he lost Marshall to. Whatever caused him to suddenly become so pained, Neal would do his best to make sure Azarias never went through that. 

At these thoughts Neal began to frown, a painful twist in his stomach as he recalled his inability to help Marshall during that time. Unable to bring a smile to his lips, rather just watch as the darkness grew without having any control in stopping it. 

“Neal?” The familiar voice broke Neal from his thoughts. A barely opened eyed Azarias staring up at him sleepily with a concerned gaze. “Are you alright?”

“Uh, I am fine. Why are you asking?” Neal responded automatically, eyebrows furrowing slightly as he grew confused on why Azarias asked him this. Pulling a half smile as if trying to go the extra mile to convince Azarias he was just fine. 

“No reason” Azarias smiles at him, reaching up to warp his arms around his neck before jumping up to hug him, resting his head in the crook of his shoulder.

Azarias was not sure why Neal always took on that blank, sad look in his eyes, but he didn’t like it. It was as if Neal was drifting away to a place he couldn’t go, where he wasn’t. That made him feel a very uncomfortable itch, which made him immediately want to hold on tight to him. 

He felt it was due to the person Neal spoke of before, and he didn’t like it. He needed to make sure these faces on Neal never appear again, when together Neal should just focus on him, on them.

Twisting, building, he felt very uncomfortable. He couldn’t just sit still and fall back asleep, he didn’t feel satisfied with just having Neal within his arms. 

His eyes began to glow slightly, no colour dominant as what usually occurred when they glowed. No rather this was different, unreadable as he takes in a deep inhale as they look onto something.

Neal was enjoying the sweet moment, although he had not completely stopped thinking about the past. Azarias is really sweet, although clingy, he didn’t mind. 

The peaceful moment is broken when a sudden sharp pain broke him from his thoughts completely, having them vanish from his mind as he registered what just occurred with utter disbelief. 

“Azarias…what…did you just….” A hand went to gently cup his ear, eyes watering up slightly as he looked at the child with wide eyes. 

Meanwhile Azarias moved back a bit, face directly across from his. His eyes locking onto his made him unable to speak another word as he continued to look baffled at the child. The faintly glowing eyes back to normal, but the unknown swirling emotions behind them still there.

“This is better” Azarias gave a sweet smile, which confused Neal even more. Azarias just bit him on the ear lobe, hard. Sharp teeth digging in, enough to pierce. Yet here he was, looking rather satisfied with himself. 

“What? Azarias this is not okay. Why did you bite me?” Neals mind raced for answers while Azarias just continues to smile at him.

After all Neal no longer had that look in his eyes, and his mind was defiantly focused on him. The rising frustration and discomfort that had begun to build washed away completely at this knowledge. 

He hops off Neal’s lap, not giving an explanation and instead headed inside while continuing to hold the blankets wrapped around him. The extra fabric dragged along behind him, pausing movement as he turned to Neal before heading completely in. 

“It smells like the soup should be done, lets go in and eat.” Then he went inside, heading to the room where the fireplace was with a pot hanging above it. 

So he was hungry?

This was all Neal’s mind could come to as he got up and followed after Azarias, removing his hand from his ear which was slightly numb and tingly. The buzzing aftermath of what being pinched may feel like, still slightly pink from the sudden abuse. 

Rather then properly discipline the child for hurting him he instead assumes he was just hungry and bit his ear because he really wanted to nibble on something. Now this made no sense but Neal decided not to push on it and move on, after all it could be normal behavior for this world. If not that then teething made sense, right?Although the child looked seven years old after only a month of caring for him, he was still technically a newborn in terms of time. 

–

“Come on Azarias, stay close to me.” Neal shouted over to the child who walked a fair distance in front of him. He looked as if he would run off at any moment, and Neal really did not want to have to chase him.

It was unexpected to see the child so excited to head out, not at all upset when he brought up traveling to a better place to stay for the winter. Rather he looked so delighted it was hard to believe. 

Maybe he was the only one who grew attached to the place they had been staying, then again Neal was the type that liked being grounded. Walking around with no place to turn back to was kind of unnerving. He looked forward to getting a permanent home in this world. 

He reached behind him to gently touch the sack on his back, as if to make sure that it was still there despite the heavy weight that should have made it obvious. He felt the need to make sure it was still intact. After all he wasn’t sure how the sack he messed around with to work better as a backpack would do with long travel periods. He brought an extra just in case, but it seemed to be doing alright so far. 

A few leaves flew by with the wind, the cold air causing Azarias to shiver despite being bundled up to a rather marshmallow degree. He turns around and quickly rushes over to Neal, jumping up into his arms.

Neal barely had any time to react, quickly sweeping him up barely managing to catch him as he brought him up to his chest. He had stopped walking and couldn’t help but suck in a breath as a quick second of panic hit him, which left as soon as he managed to safely hold Azarias in his arms. It was like he was holding onto a big squishy teddy bear, well a heavy squishy teddy bear.

“Azarias! Don’t do that so suddenly please!” He tone was slightly scolding, but Azarias could not take him seriously at all. Instead he just smiled and nuzzled himself more into his arms. 

“We are tired” Azarias looked up at Neal with large puppy dog eyes, wanting to convince him to carry him for a bit. Of course he is not tired at all, but it was so much warmer with Neal he couldn’t help himself. Besides he could still see the surroundings in Neal’s arms and enjoy the traveling. 

“So am I” Neal  gently set the child down on the ground, as much as he wanted to give in he stopped himself. Unless Azarias was unable to take even a step, he would have the child walk on his own. The extra weight would just make himself grow tired quicker, and for some reason he was always more sleepy with Azarias even when just sitting with him. 

Perhaps it was the adorable cuddles or the comfort he brought, whatever the case he needed to not spoil Azarias so much. After all with the rate he was growing wanting to be carried all the time would be a issue.

Azarias pouted, looking at Neal as if hurt by this. Instead of throwing a tantrum like any normal child he instead changed his expression, eyes lighting up as he reached to grab Neal’s hand and pull him over to a tree. 

” Than let us take a nap, when we wake up we will both have more energy to continue!” He spoke proudly of his brilliant idea, sitting down while still holding onto Neal’s hand, expecting him to come sit as well. 

“No we need to keep going” Neal didn’t think it would be good to nap out here, he didn’t want to wake up at night and have to travel then. 

“We are both tired, so we should rest, right? Why keep going right away?”

“Because we can’t travel at night, and if we nap now night will come quicker”

Azarias looks at him as if he didn’t understand why this would be a problem, and Neal could not help but sigh. 

He reaches down and picks Azarias up, putting him in a comfortable position before he began walking once again. 

“Just sleep in my arms, I am not that tired anyway.” He didn’t feel like wasting time trying to explain to Azarias why they couldn’t take a nap during mid-day like they usually did.

Azarias nuzzled his face into Neals chest, a victorious grin upon his lips. Whether they snuggled under the tree or continue to walk with him in Neals arms, he got what he wanted so he was very pleased. 

Neal felt as if he were tricked somehow, but let it slide. Instead continuing on in hopes of stumbling upon a village or city, any source of human life would be great really. Well as long as it was not those who knew him already.