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Chapter 8 - Chapter 7

Azazel and Odin almost always showed up together, the pair doing their best to indoctrinate him into the Brotherhood of Boobs. 

Leon didn't need much persuasion for this, as he fully understood the magnificence that is a woman's body. 

Regardless of his Brotherhood membership, he still wouldn't act as a perverted buffoon. Doing so only tainted his own image, and was exceedingly rude to his female counterparts.

Michael only visited once a little over halfway through his three years within the forest. 

He mostly spoke of the outside world, his worries as the leader of heaven, and some of the concerns he held with the church. 

Leon wished he visited more, since he was a font of knowledge and news. Maybe once he was able to leave the forest they could converse more.

Inari would drop in every three to four months, only for a few minutes at a time to gauge Leon's growth. He essentially functioned as a glorified experience bar.

"Leon, you've been growing well. I see the rats were no trouble. You're about ten percent of the way to your next tail."

"Leon, another great step in progress. Twenty-five percent of the way to your second tail."

"Keep up the good work, Leon. It looks like mundane animals and monsters are running out of efficacy for you. I'll start putting stronger monsters into the dimension to boost your growth. They'll be much tougher and more aggressive than before, so be careful. You're about a third of the way through to your second tail."

For his father, Inari certainly didn't seem to hold much attachment to the philosophy of a loving home for raising children. Leon forgave him, however, as circumstances were rather unorthodox. He didn't really want a new father anyway.

Last but certainly not least was the Seraph Gabriel who regularly graced his little kingdom. She didn't visit as often as Serafall, but was nevertheless another being he thoroughly enjoyed spending time with. 

She was much like Serafall, often cuddling up into him and discussing everything and nothing, though the burden of her station often slipped through. 

He was a comforting shoulder for both women, and both women equally confided in him things he was certain they would have not shared had he held a humanoid form.

Regardless of their conversations, Leon acted as their rock. A stable place for the two to come and visit without judgement. 

He would simply wrap them up in his tail and fur and comfort them while they talked. 

For Serafall, it was the pressure of her station, and being forced to hold a portion of the future of her species on her shoulders.

For Gabriel, it was similar, but she also seemingly struggled constantly with the temptation of Falling. 

He had quickly learned the innocent, naïve façade she kept up was simply an act to throw off her enemies. No being could remain so sheltered over the course of time. 

It was something that had been building within her for millennia, but her responsibilities to her post and support for the host of Heaven now that God had died had helped keep the impulses at bay.

Leon had made his thoughts on that as clear as he could without directly speaking the words to go along with his actions. 

The day she had vented her worries of Falling, he had snorted derisively by accident. What followed had been a back and forth as Gabriel interrogated him over his impulsive action.

"What's that supposed to mean, you mischievous cretin?!" Gabriel had leveled Leon with a glare. He groaned in response as his eyes rolled. 

That was going to be a bad habit in the future, he could already tell. Gabriel's glare had intensified, taking his response as an accusation against her character. 

Leon moved his tail, caressing her cheek with it as he sighed, a sincere look in his eyes.

'I didn't mean it that way, and you know it.' He moved his tail to pat her on her head, using the prehensile appendage to point at her glowing halo, then pat her on the head again. She seemed to deflate in response.

"Yes, I know I haven't Fallen yet. Everyone sees me as some infallible bastion of the light, but some days, I can't help but wonder what it would be like to Fall. To just leave all those responsibilities behind and just be me." She paused and sighed. 

"It's selfish, I know." Leon huffed in response, making wild gestures with his tail that the angel somehow interpreted. Leon blamed magic and just rolled with it.

"You're right. Thank you, Leon. I know I'm allowed to have moments of weakness. Falling only happens when an angel gives in to a sin, after all. Still, I can't help but sometimes wonder what it would be like…" Gabriel trailed off. Leon took his turn and glared at her, wrapping his tail possessively around her waist. 

When that failed to receive a response, he shifted his entire front half of his body on top of her, pinning her to ground as he stared into her eyes, tail once again possessively wrapping its way around one of her legs. He growled at her look of surprise causing her to burst into laughter.

"Fine, fine. I promise I won't Fall. At least not until you come to claim me for yourself." She punctuated her statement with a teasing wink and Leon simply raised his head, an arrogant countenance in his eyes as if to say, 'Of course, woman. You're already mine.' Gabriel bopped him on the nose.

"However, you'll have to be much more powerful to be able to tempt me," she stated with a grin, punctuating it with a hug, squeezing him tightly as she murmured into his fur.

"Thank you."

Leon hummed in response.

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