The drive home wasn't too bad, but as soon as Michael opened the door to get Hanna out he noticed that he had moved. The kid was curled up on the floor and definitely not in the seat where he should have been. 

"What are you doing down there?"

He wanted to yell at him because of how dangerous it was to get out of a seatbelt when a car was moving, but he knew that it wouldn't end well. 

Deep breaths. He's just a kid.

"Want to come inside and have some lunch?"

Hanna immediately shook his head and scrambled to the other side of the car, as far away from Michael as he could get. 

He's just like a scared cat. 

"Hanna, you can't stay in here. It's not safe."

The boy reached down and grabbed Michael's spare jacket, then pulled it up over his body like a shield.

"No."

"Hanna, come on. You'll see Church again tomorrow."

Hanna's eyes began to water and Michael could feel other people in the apartment complex beginning to stare through their blinds at him.

Whatever, gossip away you nosy people.

Biting his lower lip, he reached in as far as he could and snatched Hanna out of the car. The boy screamed, but Michael held on tightly, getting him into his arms and then running like crazy after kicking the door shut. Thankfully, he made it to his apartment before anyone could come investigate. 

Nothing to see here. Just a priest in training to kidnap little boys. Dear god, this looks bad. 

He almost wanted to just go find Church and return the kid, but he knew that it would look even worse if he just handed over a human child to a demon. So, once they were finally inside, he nudged the door shut and set Hanna down, watching as he scrambled to get as far away from him as he could, again. He went to hide beneath the tiny dinner table while Michael locked the door and headed for the kitchen, calling to him while digging through the fridge.

"What do you want for lunch?"

There was a quiet whimper in response before he heard a near-silent "Chesh." 

Of course.

Deciding to just ignore the reply, Michael grabbed a box of macaroni and cheese from the cupboard and got busy making that. He figured that it was his best shot. Almost every kid liked mac and cheese. The noodles were finished in a few minutes and he quickly added the cheese and milk before stirring it all together.

"Lunch, Hanna!"

When he didn't get any kind of response Michael looked around the corner to see that Hanna had moved from beneath the table. His eyes darted around the room, then looked towards the living room.

Where is he?

Setting down the hot bowl of food, he walked into the living room and checked behind the sofa, then headed into the hallway. He looked in the bathroom, too, but Hanna wasn't there.

My room then.

At first, he didn't see anything as he switched the light on and glanced around, but the boy had to be in there.

"Hanna?"

After checking the closet, he grinned and got on his knees, then leaned over to look beneath the bed. 

"There you are, kiddo." 

The little boy sniffled and backed farther away, clearly wanting nothing to do with him.

He really is acting just like a feral cat.

"Do you want some macaroni and cheese?"

Hanna shook his head and let the flood gates open with a loud cry.

"Awww, hey. Come on, kiddo." 

The crying just got louder, so Michael stood up and walked back to the kitchen.

I swear I'm missing something. How could this boy be so comfortable with a demon, but be terrified of me? 

Thinking for a moment, Michael dished out a small bowl of chocolate ice cream, then picked up the macaroni one, too. He then returned to his room and sat down against the nightstand by his bed.

"I've got macaroni and some ice cream, want to come eat with me?"

Michael sat there listening to the boy cry for about an hour as the ice cream melted and the macaroni went cold. If he wasn't so far under the bed he might have tried to pull him out, but he couldn't get to him without moving the mattress, then lifting up the frame... and that would probably freak the kid out even worse.

It was getting close to four in the afternoon when Michael finally got up and took the bowls into the kitchen to clean them. If Hanna was really hungry, he would say something... hopefully. He was just finishing drying the clean ice cream bowl when he noticed a shaggy mop of hair just beyond the hallway entrance. Hanna was peeking around the corner, one tiny hand on the wall as he tried to see where Michael was.

The thought to call out to him or try to sweet talk him into coming over was quickly shoved away, since that obviously hadn't worked the last two times he'd tried it. So, Michael just continued to dry the dishes as if he hadn't seen him.

It was about a minute later when the bathroom door slammed shut, then he heard the toilet seat drop down.

Thank god he's potty trained!

When the door clicked open five minutes later Michael glanced up to see Hanna disappearing back toward his room. Resigned, he decided to just let him be, even though he would really like the boy to warm up to him faster. Since Hanna was likely back under the bed, Michael decided to just clean up his place. Living alone, he sometimes found himself being a bit of a slob, even though it was never intentional. 

By the time he was content with his work it was getting dark outside. He dropped down onto the sofa and sighed, turning the television on so that he could catch the news.

Tonight on NY News: Another attack in the park leaves two dead with multiple large bite wounds on their bodies. Demons are thought to have caused the attack but no suspects have been apprehended. If you have any information related to this story or the one two months ago that involves a missing two year old child, please call...

He quikly clicked the TV off and looked toward the hall, catching a faint hint of brownish blond hair as Hanna ducked back behind the wall.

How could he go out and kill again if he really cared about Hanna at all?

Anger fueled his frustration as he got up, turning off the lights and stomping back to his room. He knew that he should be quiet and calm since Hanna was still very much afraid of him, but he was seriously upset. He was a bit more careful after he turned off the light in his room and laid down, though, not wanting the kid to panic or worry that he was going to be hurt.

"I'm going to sleep, Hanna. There is a blanket folded at the bottom of my bed you may use., or you can come up here."

There was no response. Not that he expected one. 

With a tired yawn, he stretched out and let his eyes close. He could hear Hanna's belly rumble underneath the bed and heck, he had hardly eaten anything, either, but he couldn't just force him to eat if he didn't want to. And his own stomach probably wouldn't have been very happy with food right then, too. 

Michael was finally beginning to drift off to sleep after thirty minutes or so when he heard the low bellow of a demon somewhere nearby. The sound had him jumping out of bed, only to see the huge creature standing on the balcony looking in through the sliding glass door to his room.

"Oh great father..."

Michael grabbed a large wooden cross from his dresser and ran to the balcony door. The creature bellowed again, but quickly backed up, knowing that it couldn't touch the holy item.
The second he slid the door open, he waved the cross toward the creature, forcing the demon up onto the railing, which looked rather humorous since it was so large.

"Be gone!"

It's black, elongated, crocodile-like mouth opened and closed, showing off a very nice set of white teeth that could easily tear him apart if given the chance. Since it wasn't moving any farther, Michael decided that killing it would be best. The world could definitely do without a demon, or fifty. 

He was just about to attack it when Hanna ran past him and over to the thing screaming at the top of his lungs, "Chesh!"

Wait. What?

The giant demon stepped down from the railing, making Michael flinch. It was easily four times as tall as Hanna and even loomed over his own head when standing on its four thin, extended legs.

"...Church?"

The demon lifted its head from where it was nuzzling against Hanna's to hiss at Michael in response.

"How did you know where I lived?"

The demon ignored his question, and instead stalked past him with Hanna hot on his heels. The biggest smile Michael had ever seen was plastered on the kid's face. Church went straight to the bathroom where Michael heard him speaking to Hanna moments later. A demon couldn't speak though, and when Michael walked around the corner, he could see that Church had shifted back to his human form.

"I need to wash up. Hanna, will you go sit and wait for me in the living room like a good boy?" 

"Chesh went gone!" the little boy yelled frantically, clearly not willing to leave the demon.

"I'm sorry, Hanna. Chesh had to go for a little bit. I promise I'll be out in a few minutes, so please be good and go wait?" 

It was quiet for a minute before Hanna hesitantly walked out of the bathroom and into the living room. That gave Michael the chance he needed to quickly run into the bathroom and shut and lock the door. Another second later and he had the lights on and was staring the demon down.  

Jesus Christ.

He'd caught Church about to lean over to get the shower started, but when the light flickered on, the demon straightened and turned to face him. The fact that he was completely naked wasn't a surprise since he had just changed from his demon form. What was, however, and terrifyingly so, was the amount of blood splattered all over him.

"You did it... You killed. In the park earlier..."

Church took a step forward, a quieter sound similar to the bellow from his demon resurfaced through his throat. 

Michael jerked his cross up, making Church immediately step back, hissing.

"You killed them. Admit it!" Michael yelled, feeling his mind become frantic. 

"Why must I confirm something that is obvious, human?" Church replied, his demeanor much calmer, though it was clear that he was also on edge. The cross was not something a demon ever wished to come into physical contact with. 

Michael bristled at his words and stepped forward again, forcing Church backward into the shower.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now," Michael growled, barely holding himself back. He could rid the world of the evil standing before him in just a few motions. Just a few touches from the cross would do the trick. 

Church allowed the edge of his lip to quirk up into a half-smirk as he pointed over Michael's shoulder.

"Hanna."

"He will live with or without you, demon," Michael replied. Sure, it would hurt Hanna for a while if Church disappeared into a pile of burnt ash, but the boy would eventually have to move on. 

"You don't believe that, but let's change tactics, then. How about your job? Kill me and you will ultimately be fired, since I do not have you on the books yet." 

That made him hesitate, but it definitely didn't convince him. He could always find another job.  
Church, however, seemed to take his pause in aggression as him giving up on killing him since he turned and got the water running, then stepped beneath it.

Damnit! I need to kill him. He killed two people tonight and he'll kill more if I don't stop him. 

Grinding his teeth together, Michael jumped into the back of the shower and was about to raise the cross again when he froze, mouth agape. The hot water had already washed away most of the blood and dirt, revealing well-defined muscle... and lots of it.

Wait, I thought people with that kind of body were only in those photoshopped magazines. 

"Enjoying the view, human?" 

Michael gave his head a slight jerk to snap himself out of his staring... and then felt warm hands settle on either side of his face, with Church's nose mere inches from his own. His heart immediately jumped into his throat and he couldn't manage to swallow it back down no matter how hard he tried.

I need to kill him right now.

Michael lifted his hands abruptly, grasping the cross painfully-tight before shoving it into Church's chest.

The man before him shrieked and bellowed at the same time, the loud mixed sounds reverberating off the walls of the tiny room as he jumped back against the wall near the spigot and then slid down immediately, grabbing at his chest as his skin sizzled in the shape of a cross. It was the perfect chance to finish him off. All Michael had to do was press the cross to his skin again and it would likely burn through in seconds, but the sudden banging of tiny fists on the bathroom door made him jump and hesitate.

"Chesh!"

Hanna.

A grunt was forced from his mouth when Michael was abruptly slammed back against the damp tile, the cross slipping from his fingers to fall just outside of the shower. He felt his skin heating up slowly as Church leaned in, a growl rumbling through the man's bared teeth as he held his wrists above his head.

"This is your one warning, human. You may think you know why I kill, but you have no idea. If you kill me, you will make things a thousand times worse for the humans in this city."

Bristling at his words, Michael hissed out his own determined retort. "Why should I believe a murderous demon?"

Church seemed to contemplate that question for several moments before making a decision on what he wished to say. 

"Because, human, I am the one in charge of all the demons in this city. I hunt to keep them from doing so. They feel the urge and channel it to me, through me. I mutilated those people to keep them from going on a rampage through the streets."

Michael swallowed, unable to form another response. What Church was saying made no sense, but he knew that there was some sort of hierarchy in the demon world. He just didn't understand how it worked. There was little time to ask a demon, either, when you were taught to just kill it without hesitation. 

Church released his wrists with a slight wince after a moment, making Michael look down at the demon's slightly burned hands.

"You would do best to think before doing something so stupid again. When I am gone, this city will be as well."

Michael's body slid to the floor of the shower as Church stepped out and dried off, wrapping one of the clean white towels that had been hanging across from the toilet around his waist before opening the door to scoop Hanna up.

"Chesh!"

"Hey there. Did you behave for Mr. Michael?" he asked as he rustled the boy's hair with his free hand. 

"No!"

Church laughed, the sound growing quieter as he walked into the kitchen with Hanna in his arms.

Michael eventually got himself up and turned the shower off, stripping out of his now-soaked clothing and changing before finding his way into the living room. By that time Church was sitting on the sofa in a pair of Michael's boxers from the clean laundry he'd forgotten near the front door after coming home from the laundromat. 

Hanna was in his lap, a bowl of fruit on his knees. Church looked nothing like the demon he had behaved like in the shower as he lifted a small blueberry and pressed it against Hanna's tongue when the boy opened his mouth with a giggle.

Why is it just him? He is a demon, but the boy will trust no one else.

"Will you eat for Mr. Michael?"

Hanna shook his head, making Michael scowl on the inside.

"Please, Hanna?" Church replied with a small smile. 

The little boy looked up at Michael, then back to Church with a quiet whine.

"Hanna, don't give me that look. It won't work."

The child pouted, but when Church looked up at Michael and nodded, he took a deep breath and walked over, sitting down next to them on the sofa. It felt awkward after having just burned the man so badly, but he knew that he wouldn't act aggressively in front of Hanna.

"Here."

He was abruptly handed the bowl of fruit, and with a mental shrug, reached for a blueberry.

"Not that one. He doesn't like eating the same thing he'd just had."

Michael's brows furrowed, but he switched his target and instead grabbed a small piece of cut-up banana. It took a minute of holding it up before Hanna finally leaned over a little and let him put it in his tiny mouth. Of course, he immediately shrank back against Church to savor the fruit... but then he sat back up and eyed the strawberry Church had cut in half near the side of the bowl.

Taking the hint, Michael offered it up and Hanna took it eagerly. While he chewed, Michael looked back down and grinned.

"Oh, an apple slice with peanut butter? I think I actually want that."

He saw Church raise an eyebrow as if to say really? You're going to take the treat away from him? but when Michael began lifting it toward his own mouth, Hanna suddenly slid into his lap from Church's and grabbed his right hand, stopping the apple just before he was able to take a bite.

"Chesh... saids... is to me," the boy mumbled shyly, his eyes downcast nervously. 

A grin slid onto Michael's lips as he leaned forward a tiny bit.

"Can we share? I get a little bite and you can have the rest?"

Hanna looked shocked as his eyes darted up to meet his, then to Church's, then back to his.

"Here, look."

Michael lowered the piece of apple and carefully snapped it in two, offering Hanna the much bigger piece.

"Share?"

He raised the small piece he had claimed to his lips right as Hanna took a bite of the bigger piece he'd given him.

"Mmmm?" 

"Nn..."

Hanna reached over with his free hand toward Church as he finished his apple slice. Church took the hint and reached over with a smile, taking the little boy back into his arms with a soft kiss to his forehead.

"Good boy, Hanna."

The rest of the night went on with Church and Michael taking turns feeding Hanna small pieces of fruit. He stole a couple for himself, too, since he was pretty hungry, but neither seemed to care. Michael didn't really remember what happened as the bowl got low, leaving only a few remaining pieces of banana and a blueberry, because his eyes closed without permission, taking him into a dreamless sleep.

(Hanna's name is pronounced Honn-uh)