Deep inside me, in the darkest corner of my heart, there has been a deep fear lately. I have become so strong, I have become immortal; there is hardly anything anyone can do to kill me or erase me. Hence, for the most part, I have lost the fear of death and even pain.
But no hollow in this world remains in nothingness; it has to be filled by something else. My biggest fear since I became conscious of my own immorality has been losing those important to me.
Whether it be my mother, my women, my family, my friends. I live in constant pleasure and happiness, but also constant fear. It doesn't matter how strong I am; there are also enemies as strong and stronger than me out there.
I have a lot of people I love, so indirectly, I have a lot of weaknesses too. I do not want to be the overbearing husband who shackles everyone to the basement, keeping all isolated from the dangers of the multiverse. I want my girls to be free, to live, to enjoy life, even if it is not always by my side.
This is the way we are, and it works for us. But that freedom comes at a cost. And Azrael almost pays the ultimate price.
Albedo took her to me, and when I saw her, my heart churned within. The overbearing wrath was overshadowed by worry. I took her with me to the moonlight mist to treat her immediately. Missing feathers, a missing wing and a hollow, bloodied cavity, burned hair, pilled off skin. She didn't dare look me in the eye.
"My lord, please don't look", She said from the depths of her insecurities, foolishly thinking I thought she looked 'ugly' just because of some mere injuries.
I caressed her head and kissed her forehead, but still ignored her comment and didn't answer it.
Yasaka asked me if we should tell the others what happened to Azrael. I said we should keep quiet about it since, thankfully, it didn't go as wrong as it could have.
The last thing we need now is a wide-scale invasion. If Michael and Gabriel knew what happened to their sister, I don't think they'd wait for my permission to send a legion of angels. Azrael is the oldest and most honourable angel from the heavens; they wouldn't stay quiet about this.
Our home in the moonlight mist wasn't empty. Surprisingly, Anna Blair was taking a nap on the living room sofa. It seems she was tired; she was in her Elf Queen garments, and at some point, the crown fell off her head and onto the floor.
I spread my senses, and Aqua was sleeping in our bed.
That's actually normal.
I tried not to be too noisy or release waves of aura to wake them up, then head straight into our massive bathroom. All this time, Azrael has been in contact with me, so she was already flushed and exposed to my powers, absorbing my aura like a small yet cute leech.
Even though she was injured, it is not like she was disabled.
"Undress, Azrael".
The angel discarded her dark garments in one clean motion. Her mistreated body was showcased before me, still as seductive as I remember it, but neglected by my love. Her usually pale skin was a bit dirty after the fight.
I caressed her waist, and she turned around, her dreamy eyes staring at mine. She took my hand that was on her waist and kissed the back of my palm as she'd usually do.
"My lord, I missed you... Thanks for saving me"
She finally started being a bit more positive. Without even asking me for permission, Azrael began to undress me as well, little by little. Unable to hold herself back, Azrael licked my skin her way down until she removed every garment.
"I love you, Azrael".
!!!
She gasped and looked up with that hideous expression, that cute expression... it didn't resemble an angel capable of massacring a whole army by herself, and that's what most attracted me about her. That Azrael would only show this cute side to me.
I caressed her cheek, "Why are you surprised...? Haven't I said this a thousand times?".
Azrael evaded my expression; she turned her head to the right, but then recalled that was the side of her face where her skeleton was showing and hurriedly switched to the other side in a fluster. Even that, I found cute.
"B-Being loved by my lord still feels surreal..." Her starry eyes fixed on mine from the sideline, I moved away a freckle of hair that stooped me from regarding her deep eyes.
"I love you too, my lord... I love you so much... there is not a moment I am not thinking of you... I pray constantly for how much I have missed you".
It was different. Her love was mixed with devotion.
"That's my fault. I must not have shown you enough love yet. I'm sorry, I am a bad husband".
"That's not–"
I closed her lips and whispered, almost brushing my lips against her ear, "Let me love you a lot then, don't say anything... I will treat you and then you can do whatever you want".
Her eyes lit up, stars in the firmament.
Since the biggest problem was in the back, I turned her around, running my hands along her body, sending waves of my power that made her yelp and shriek in pleasure. I placed my hands on her curvy ass and fondled it. Azrael moaned but didn't say a word, only tensed up. She moved her wings to the side to give me access.
I felt her up quite a bit, her toned body sculpted for combat, still somewhat able to make a man like me lose his mind at how soft and flexible her skin was.
"Uhm~ m-my lord".
"Should I give you a little service first?".
"P-Please, don't spread it, it's embarrassing!" Azrael flustered up; her embarrassment showed with her wings swinging in disarray.
'Telling your lord what to do, huh?'.
I immediately felt like teasing her; we have done so much, and you're still embarrassed by just this little contact.
I spread her cheeks a bit more and saw her treasure dripping with ecstasy dew. After giving her pussy a long lick, I raised my hand and made some oil... before we get to the funny business, I want to treat her and make sure she's in perfect condition again.
Azrael looked back at me with a bit of grief. She hoped I'd continue to play with her pussy a bit more. She may be a pure angel, but she has already tasted the forbidden pleasure with me.
I oiled her body up amidst moans, spread it along her arms and legs, her inner thighs and obviously, her back. Azrael never retracted her wings as per my request, so it was hard to treat and swivel her around since each of her wings was at least two metres long.
The absence of one of them was obvious.
I constantly knead that area and kissed it... I could see her wing growing back with my own eyes, but it was still a painfully slow process. I thought for the best efficiency, it was better that I let her 'drink it', but Azrael had other plans.
She pushed me down and lay her whole weight on me.
"..."
I answered her requests to get spoiled positively. In no time, Azrael fell into a deep slumber in my embrace. We were together like a retro-alimentary mechanism... my power coursed through her nurturing her being like water hydrating the flesh, and in response, she released pheromones and energy that I received, they made me feel delighted.
It was the precious connection between me and my beloved Starlight Angels. When she slept against me, I was like her nest. Even in her uncharacteristically nonchalant visage, Azrael smiled.
I saw her wings flap slowly back and forth with every breath she took, her white feathers regenerated so much faster, and as they did, they emitted a sweet raspberry scent that was making me insane.
Soon her feathers gained a golden hue as they loaded up with my sun energy.
As we enjoyed this connection, I heard steps approaching that took me out of the trance.
I knew who it was, but I didn't look at her at first. When she saw Azrael on top of me, she fell on her knees to inspect her, throughly ignoring me.
It was only when I glared at her with a not-so-happy expression that Tsunade flinched, she removed her hand from Azrael's back and clenched them in silence for a few seconds.
"I'm sorry… I am sorry... I-I didn't know they would be so strong, Ray…"
Seeing Tsunade's vulnerable spot clenched my heart once again. I could only sigh in frustration at myself, the fact that I loved these women so much that this mere display could soften me up.
"I am treating her and she will recover soon, there is nothing to worry about, Tsunade".
"If something had happened to her, I"
I stretched my hand to hold hers, to entwine our fingers.
"But nothing happened... it's okay".
"N-Nothing...?" She said and glared at the spot of Azrael's regenerating wing.
"Whoever did this to her!–"
"Azrael doesn't hold that person guilty" I said.
"Hah? What do you mean!?".
I sighed, "I don't quite understand it myself... but Albedo told me everything that happened. Azrael didn't hold a grudge against that person and even stopped Albedo from finishing them off. I don't understand what's going on... but I am not going to ask her now... that will be a conversation for later".
"This stupid girl... even though I told her to just kill all of them without asking questions!".
Tsunade scowled, even punched the bathroom floor. Thankfully, everything here was created with rendered space.
"Tsunade, Azrael may look like a killing machine, but she's in reality someone who moves out of justice. All of my angels are like that... they won't execute someone who is not guilty" I tried to explain.
"But what is the point of it if she dies?!".
"Angels lay down their lives for humans; this is the rule under which he created them. This is the reason why they're nearly extinct..."
Angels were so kind that they'd face extinction without blaming anyone. That's why I had to protect them. Ever since I became their god, I have been slowly understanding their nature. While Elves can be wicked and selfish at times, assuring their own survival... Angels couldn't do so.
"Can't you override that rule?" Tsunade asked me and caressed Azrael's right cheek, which was already fully regenerated, "I don't want this to happen again".
I was glad the relationship between the two had become a lot closer.
"I can't... they were created with this nature. I can change the rules of the system, but I can't change this nature. I have ordered them to prioritise their own livelihood above that of humans, but I am certain they won't listen to me on this" I then looked at my angel, thinking that perhaps she'd be a bit different from the rest.
Azrael's evolution was a 'Deathstar Archon' after our last therapy. She's not exactly a Starlight Angel, although she does share that connection with me. I think in her priority of protection, I am at the top, then our family, then the other angels... then humans... and lastly, herself.
But I had to change that. Once I rubbed her lower belly, she smiled even further and purred so cutely that I felt I could sleep using her as a pillow forever.
My child is in there. Right now, he or she is just a star... but as expected, aside from Yasaka and Haku, Tsunade and Azrael are the ones who are most developed.
In Tsunade's case, I could even feel the heat coming from her body. She was the only other in this family aside from me and Elysir, whose body was fundamentally made out of Sun Energy.
I caressed Azrael's hair, "Whoever did this to her, she doesn't consider that person guilty... so she must have unconsciously held back during the fight... that's why she ended up like this".
"If she doesn't kill them, that doesn't mean I won't do it myself".
The blonde stood up, ready to go out and finish what Azrael had started. I grasped her wrist to stop her from going.
"Tsunade, wait".
"What is it?".
"Are you going to leave, just like that?" I said, missing her a lot and finally having her in front of me.
When Tsunade saw me beg with my eyes, hers softened up and she took my hand lovingly... but as if all had been a dream, she then opened her eyes widely and slapped my hand away.
"Eh?"
"I am still angry at you. So don't try to weasel your way out of trouble like I will just forget everything, Ray".
She looked like a furnace that was about to explode. For the first time, I saw her direct eyes at me that were not those of happiness or ecstasy; instead, they were eyes of grudge.
"But love, why are you even angry at me–" I asked, totally ignorant.
That did it, Tsunade exploded the next second.
"Do I have to start?! You ignore me for months, don't even send me a message. You don't come to see me or ask me how our pregnancy is going. You spend your days having sex with your younger, prettier, bustier mistresses over and over and over! What about me?!".
"Mistresses...? Tsunade, they are–"
"Then, as if that's not enough, you all create a way for our pregnancies to be faster and better, and you don't invite us over to partake in it! So am I not supposed to be angry when you have been ignoring me for months?!"
"Tsuna-".
"Do you think I don't want to feel loved? I don't want to make love with you...? or go dates or something... or go gamble maybe and make some money, eat ramen, spend some time together... I wanted to go to the sensei's tomb to introduce you, or introduce you as my husband to the council or introduce you to Jiraiya so that he will stop pestering me! So many things I wanted to do, but you just won't come to me!".
"I–"
"Do I have to be the one to go look for you?! And you still dare say that you love me?!".
When Tsunade's rant finished, even Azrael had woken up and was looking at her in shock. I was left out of words, feeling embarrassed not by her, but by me.
Because I was such a bad husband.
"I thought you said you would let your man decipher it", Azrael mumbled almost silently, like she was afraid to be heard. Azrael afraid? this was a first.
"Y-You shut up, stupid angel!".
"Yes".
Tsunade regained her calmness the next second, realising her outburst. Exhaled a deep breath and prepared to go, "In any case, that's how I feel... don't think a massage is just going to fix this".
She tried to go, but she couldn't go. When she turned to look at me, she saw me smiling.
"You bastard... y-you smile?".
I retrained space around her and pulled her to my grasp
"I am relieved..."
I genuinely was. Her cheeks flared up in wrath. She swung a punch at me, but I stopped her and pulled her deep in my embrace; that way, Azrael's wings served as bedsheets for us.
"I am relieved that you feel all that and not indifference... if you feel that, it means you still love me, Tsunade".
"You're a smelly kid–"
"I am sorry", I said from the bottom of my heart, because I knew I was wrong, I knew I had failed in what I had tried to do. I tried to make everyone happy... but in doing so, I neglected some of them.
"..." Tsunade placed her hand on my chest and listened.
"You are right. I am sorry, I have been a terrible husband... to you, to everyone... I have been constantly spoiled, I have been in constant pleasure... as you said, I have had so much intimacy with everyone, that it has numbed me and made me forget that each one of you needs your time with me, that you also want me to go and take you on dates and be there for you... I am sorry, having a harem... it is not as easy as I thought".
As I let out what was in my chest, I felt Azrael's feathers begin to do their work
"I should have paid more attention to Azrael... to Yasaka, Haku, Aqua, Albedo, Kurumi, Grayfia, Gabriel, Kuroka, Shaltear, Solution... to Anna, Alana, Luna, Noct, Yuna, Leone... to Anna-chan, Rias, Akeno, Hannah, Amaterasu, Galadriel, Ophis... to Elysir, mom... to you. I love you all so much... I don't want to disappoint you".