Het Vogellied- The Birdsong

This alternate-reality fic is NOT for the ideologically sensitive! It deals with religious themes and may be found offensive. If you think you may be offended by this, please consider reading another fic. You are, of course, free to flame as you see fit- But that will only give me the satisfaction of knowing I pissed off someone that neglected to heed the warning.

Moving on, because this is AU, the characters may seem a little off. Robin especially. His personality is much more subtle at the beginning but his motivation to "save the world" is the same. I like to think his stubbornness and strength become a little more apparent in part 2. Oh, also, I know absolutely nothing about the German language, other than the fact that I like it. So translations may be a bit... unstable..

Oh, And I own neither the characters nor the church, damn the luck.

Notes: (This is the key that will help you translate things that are happening in the story)

(1) reiner junge: basically translates as "pure boy" (If you have a better title for him, please share!)
(2) Rhein River: The Germanic version of "Rhine" which most of you will probably associate with France, although the same river runs through multiple European countries.
(3) Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria :OR: Kölner Dom: A gorgeous and GIANT gothic style cathedral in Cologne, Germany.
(4) Virtues: An Angel in the second (or third, depending on the source) sphere of the Angel Hierarchy.
(5) Richard: I was delighted to find that "Richard" is a name of German origin. It is pronounced as "RIKH-ahrt"
(6) Sehr erfreut: I'm pleased to meet you.
(7) Heiliger Gott… Bitte… Können Sie mir helfen?: Translates (roughly) as "Holy God… Please… Can you help me?"

"I've never been one to believe in miracles, but if ever I've seen one, this was it." Slade's ears perked at the sound of the half-drunk man, babbling to anyone that would hear. "His voice is truly a gift from God. I fell to my knees before him and confessed all of my sins… after that… I felt… one cannot describe it with words, really. I felt new. This boy who sings with such a heavenly voice, I've no doubt he was sent to earth as a gift from God. If anyone can save us from our sins in this hellish world, it will probably be that (1) reiner junge."

Slade took a long swig of his ale and then set an assortment of coins on his counter. A boy with a heavenly voice? Interesting. Maybe even worth a look… He pulled his hood over his head and stepped out into the rain. It was a lovely evening for someone like him. Dark, cold, wet. He grinned as he made his way through the streets until he came to the banks of the (2)Rhein. He stood there a moment, enjoying the view of the (3)Hohe Domkirche St. Peter und Maria. The newly completed cathedral towered over the city in an overbearing display of dominance, probably a reminder to the city's inhabitants that God was always watching. Was God watching him? He wondered and then laughed. That's all the great being ever seemed to do. Just watch. And that was fine, in Slade's opinion. If God wanted a show, he could just sit back and watch this…

The rumors, for once, proved to be true. Slade was delighted. He could hear the choir singing from inside the thick and heavily ornate walls of the great church and just above their trained voices was something different. Inhuman. He rubbed his chin and gave a small lick at his lips. He knew a (4)Virtues when he heard one. There was an angel singing in that church. He sat in the rain and listened intently, daring to hum along to the songs he knew. Even demons, it seemed, knew when to appreciate something beautiful.

An hour passed and soon the visitors of the church began to file out. Their voices could be heard over the droll of rain, chatting excitedly about the boy with the angelic voice. Slade listened intently and soon discovered that the angel, called (5)Richard, would make his usual public appearance tomorrow morning before the great Cathedral.

Slade waited longer, hoping to catch a glimpse of the boy himself but there was no such luck. Not surprising, really. The Archbishop would hardly let a gift like that escape him. Richard was no doubt a very lucrative asset to the cathedral and money always did speak louder than God- especially in church.

He placed his hand against the stone walls and felt the vibrations run through them. Yes, undoubtedly the boy was there. He could sense his voice, softly echoing off the walls and deeper into the stone. Slade smiled as he monitored the movement of the vibrations, following them as they moved through the church and then finally settled in a higher corridor. He licked his lips and gave a short little hum. That would likely be the boys' dorms.

He waited until the vibrations of the stone nearly died, indicating that most all the inhabitants were asleep or at the very least resting. And then he moved, pulling off his long coat and groaning when heavy, long wings grew from his back and a thick leathery tail coiled slightly at the cold when it hit the wet ground. He took a moment to preen the scales on his wings, soothing them down before bending his knees and taking off into the night.

The rush of wind against his face stung pleasantly as he climbed higher and higher into the sky, skimming past the complicated skeletal structure until he was at the approximate location of the dorm. Flying was always risky in a city like Cologne. Too many eyes in too small a space, he had to be careful if he wanted to stay unseen. Luckily, the night was on his side. He hovered quietly before a window, grabbing hold of one of the many stone outcroppings to steady himself as he peered inside to the darkness. Seeing nothing but rows of young boys tucked into their beds, Slade lifted the black leather patch away from his right eye and peered inside. Still, nothing. He glanced around at more of the windows and smiled when his right eye spotted what he was searching for: a glow that radiated warmth, even into the cold rain of the night.

He shimmied over the structure, beating his wings with swift, tough strokes to keep too much weight from resting on the stone notches. He peered inside the window and smirked at the sight of the Virtues sleeping soundly. Leave it to an angel to sleep like an angel. The boy didn't even stir as Slade opened the window and peered inside. It was a small room, but Richard was alone in it. It was obvious the bias of the church prevented their little money angel from the dregs of communal living.

The larger creature stepped into the room soundlessly and walked over to the young, sleeping form. He closed his left eye and looked only with his right, studying the angelic light that circled above the dark and slightly curly locks of the boy. Slade studied him. He wasn't so much a boy as he was a teen, but his features made him seem younger. The soft pink skin and the long dark lashes… he probably had stunning eyes. Most angels did.

Slade smirked and covered his right eye with the leather patch. It wasn't his, really. He'd stolen it from an angel as retribution. An eye for an eye. The angel had started the fight, claiming it was all for God's glory, but Slade finished it and took the eye in name of his own honor. Not many demons were strong enough to withstand the heavenly aura of an angel's body, but Slade reveled in its power and used it to his own advantage. With it, he could see things that demons and humans could not, confirming their claims that Richard was indeed a heavenly being.

He gave a teasing caress through the covers and the teen made a short sound, tensing slightly in his dream. Slade smirked and slid his hands under the thick down blanket, sensing the warmth of the body just before his hand pressed against Richard's clothed form. It was a simple cotton nightgown, thin enough to distinguish the nice details that were under the cloth.

Slade became a little more daring as his hand moved over the teen's stomach and then down over his groin. He gave a small sigh of relief. At least he knew the boy wasn't a eunuch.

The angelic being moaned very gently and his eyelashes shuddered. The larger creature froze and watched, waiting for the teen to awaken, but he did not. Slade withdrew his hand and decided he'd had enough fun- for now.

He gave Richard one last glance before sprouting his wings and leaving out the window.

Slade was one in a crowd of many when the morning came and he was waiting outside the cathedral. It seemed saints, sinners, and skeptics alike gathered to hear the little angel sing. There were murmurs and speculations whizzing about the mouths of the gatherers.

"I hear that he has even healed the sick with a song."

"He is so beautiful."

"Is it true that he simply appeared one day?"

"I refuse to believe it until I see it for myself."

"How old is he?"

"I cry every time that I hear him. It's as if he can lift away my sins with one verse."

"He's only been at the Cathedral for three months."

"No one really knows where he came from. The Archbishop will not say."

"I hear the boy himself does not remember."

Slade smiled from under his hood. It really was amazing how much you learned if you only knew to listen. His steely eye rose when the crowd erupted into a sudden frenzy. The doors had opened and a great choir proceeded onto the steps. Last to come into view was Richard, held close by the Archbishop who had his hand on the young boy's shoulder.

Richard gave him a sweet smile before walking to the front of the choir. For a small moment, the world seemed quiet, the gatherers waited in awe of the pretty young man before them. Slade, despite himself, was gawking just as much as the rest of them. Richard's eyes were as lovely as his song, a deep and hypnotic blue that seemed endless and too pure for their own good.

Then the choir began to sing. Richard himself was silent for the first few versus but then he opened his mouth and, for a brief moment, it seemed as if time itself had stopped. Slade watched with morbid fascination as the sinners around him began weeping. They were nearly silent, most of them. Or maybe Richard's voice overpowered their wails. It was almost as if his song was the only thing in the world.

The teen didn't flinch when people rushed forward, kneeling before him, washing his feet with their tears and spouting out everything and anything they had ever done in sin. Richard sang through all of it. His voice carried over the sinner's repents and Slade himself found he had to wipe away the blood that was leaking from his under his eye patch.

The angel's eye was crying. He smiled, fascinated.

When he looked up, he found that Richard was staring at him, as if waiting. His face was kind and his song continued. He didn't judge. That was not his place. He only offered salvation.

The Archbishop stopped Richard when he took several steps forward, towards the strange man in the tattered hood. Slade understood. Richard was a pretty bird in a holy cage, allowed to sing but never leave. The cathedral was the only place for him.

The young man settled instead to reach out his arm and sing more sweetly than before, as if to coax a wild beast to his side. Slade admitted that he found the offer tempting, but not for any purpose the young angel would admire. Demons like Slade never felt guilt and never wanted to repent. They were what they were, and very much pleased about it, thank you.

The boy's sweet smile faltered slightly in confusion when Slade turned his back and began to walk away. That had never happened before… Ever… Why didn't the man come to him? Why didn't he confess? Richard knew he had sinned, he could sense it… Why didn't the man want to find salvation in his songs?

He sang until the crowd began to ebb, trying to find solace in the sinners that clung to his choir robes and cried their hearts out. Then the Archbishop gently placed his hand on Richards shoulder and led him back inside the safety of the great cathedral.

Slade watched from afar as Richard was taken inside. He knew the boy was probably frustrated. Angels rarely knew what failure felt like. Some of them fell from grace just after discovering what it was. Richard likely wouldn't, the failure was discouraging but not devastating.

He waited, watching the crowd disperse fully before he stood and prepared to leave. Just then, he noticed something in the bell tower. He lifted his eye patch and glared through the bothersome sunlight. It was Richard, standing next to one of the large bells and, if Slade wasn't mistaken, singing.

He grinned and moved quickly towards the Kölner Dom.

It was easy enough to enter the church unnoticed. And sneaking up the tall tower was simple with wings, he hid in the maze of stone scaffolding when he heard anyone passing by. Soon enough he had reached the top where he found Richard, singing softly under his breath while he faced the city.

"Sehr erfreut, Richard." Slade smiled at the boy and Richard turned with widened eyes.

"You…" he began quietly. The teen was astonished that the man was there, but not unhappy. Surely, this was a blessing from God. He could save the one he failed to save before. "I… I can help you."

"Please do," Slade stepped closer but Richard seemed to relax. If he wanted a song, that meant he wanted salvation.

Richard opened his mouth and began a low hymn. Watching the man as he stepped ever closer. He was a strange man who looked older than he probably was. His face was not terribly worn, but his hair was a strange white.

He was glad to have seen the man again, he wanted to help. Someone with sins this heavy needed the love of God if they ever hoped to reach Heaven. He wanted so badly to clean this man of his sins. Richard felt an immense wave of relief when the man sank to his knees before him. This was good. Normal. Richard kept singing. The man was probably going to cry. All the better, he needed to purge his sins before he could be healed.

Richard's voice was interrupted by a shallow gasp. Slade's steely eye glanced up and he saw the teen covering his mouth with the back of his hand. He smirked and let his wet tongue press against the boy's robes even harder, rubbing against the boy's groin through the white linen.

The angel took a deep breath and tried to resume his singing, finding it impossible because suddenly his voice was shaking beyond control. He didn't understand… his songs never made anyone react that way before… The man wasn't crying at all… what was he doing?

"Aah… it's…" Richard gasped and his eyes began to water. "It's hurting."

"I can make it better," Slade promised, letting his hand slide under the choir robe and up the boy's leg. He gave another lick at the now hardened mass under the fabric and whispered, "Lift your robes."

"I…" the teen stammered, unsure of what to do. He'd never felt anything so strongly before, there was a tightness in his thighs all the way to his waist, and he was startled to find that the appendage between his legs was suddenly very interested in what was happening. Slade lifted the robe slightly higher, pressing them against the boy's hands until, shaking, the teen took the fabric and lifted the white fabric, exposing himself and the anomaly that was occurring in his groin.

He let out a gratified whimper when the man's lips closed around the head of his penis and then slid closer until the whole thing was in his mouth.

"(7)Heiliger Gott… Bitte… Können Sie mir helfen?" Richard whispered frantically and his legs began to shake.

His body felt warm. Too warm. Almost like his blood had turned to fire. There was a terrible aching as the man's head began moving, his lips and tongue sliding over the shaft as he sucked hard at the erection. It was terrible. The worst part was that Richard liked it… the heat and the ache… It was more powerful than any song he knew and he nearly felt as if he was drowning in it. He gasped for air and felt his hips move on their own, making the man sucking on him chuckle. He didn't understand why.

"Ahh.. something… something is…" he cried out, hips jutting forward into the man who fought a grin as the angel came into his mouth.

Richard grasped hard at his robe, watching the man pull back and lick his lips.

"What… what happened?" he asked, a hint of fear in his voice. His eyes were wide and teary, making the blue seem even deeper.

"We traded sins," Slade answered. Wiping the blood from his right eye before it began to drip. Richard didn't notice as he realized the man's words.

"Traded?…" he gasped, a streak of panic shooting through those words, "but… but I…"

"Some men's sins are too great to be simply dropped at one's feet. In order to save me, you had to take the sin into yourself to destroy it."

"So…" Richard looked afraid, but somehow happy. "I have cleansed you of your sins?"

"Of some," Slade answered. "To cleanse my soul would take more effort. But I thank you for your help." He gave the boy a sad smile and then turned his back, grinning when he heard the Richard's voice call after him.

"Wait! Please wait!" the angel said frantically. It frightened him that anyone could walk away from his song without feeling healed, without praising him and God for their love. "I can help you, please… if I sing again… maybe…"

Slade's grin became demonic when he realized the position he was in.

"Your songs are beautiful, dear child. But they cannot save me. You can only trade more of my sins. I cannot ask such a thing of you."

Richard lowered his head, "But you must… I was sent here… God wants me to cleanse the wicked… God wants me to save you… to save everyone… I'm meant to be the world's hero… If I cannot… what good am I?"

Slade trained his face into an even expression before turning back to the teen. "How can I allow such a pure soul to be near me? I have done bad things… but to ask you to give me twice what I have already taken."

Richard gave the man a solemn smile and lifted his robes once again. "What good is a gift that cannot be used. I think God would hate me less if I took your sins to save you."

Slade formed his mouth into a frown.

"Please…" Richard grasped the fabric of his choir robes in earnest. "Let me save you."

"You don't understand, child…" Slade stepped closer and gently lowered the boy's hands. You would have to take the sins from me this time…"

Richard looked confused but then he realized what the poor sinner meant. "I… would… have to…."

"You see why you cannot save me? It is too much to ask from one as pure as you." Slade gave the boy a gentle, knowing smile as he placed his hands over the boy's shoulders. "I will go now. Stay pure, my pretty singing bird."

The young man held tight to the man's cloak, "I… please let me…" he begged, desperate to fulfill his mission from God. He didn't want to fail. He didn't know what would happen if he failed and that fact terrified him. "I have to save you…"

Slade allowed the boy to timidly part his cloak and untie the sting that held up his trousers. They fell to the floor with a soft sound and Richard gave a small gasp at the man's length. It was longer than his… much thicker too… dripping something thick and pearly from the very tip as it stood erect. It twitched slightly when Richard took it into his hands and the boy jumped.

Slade fought the urge to laugh… and smirk… and above all, gloat. He gave Richard a serious look and gently said, "You must take it into your mouth."

The teen nodded, kneeling down before the man squeezing his eyes shut. His tongue flicked at the tip, timidly. Then his lips slowly pressed against the head, as if he were giving a very chaste kiss. Slade watched with a smirk as Richard's lips parted with a soft breath and he took the entire head into his mouth, his teeth grazed the skin slightly as he began to suck, trying to move further down as the man had done but finding it nearly impossible to do. He pulled back with a cough but kept his lips locked around the head.

Slade watched a single tear escape from the corner of Richard's eye, reminding him to wipe away the blood that was dripping from his stolen angel's eye. Poor boy, he mused, trying so hard to save the very soul that would sooner drag him down into damnation.

"Use your hands," Slade suggested, making his voice sound urgent and pleading though the smirk on his face was very evident. It was a good thing the boy refused to open his eyes. Richard did just that, sucking and licking at the tip while his hands caressed the man's shaft and balls, occasionally sliding behind to tap at his perineum. "Good, move your tongue in a circle. Yes."

Richard gave a small whimper, sending a pleasing vibration through Slade. He smiled when he realized he was wasting a very valuable asset. Waste not, want not, the thought made him want to laugh. His tail slowly formed at the base of his spine, curling up behind him before he grabbed it in his hand and then sucked it into his mouth. He let plenty of saliva wash over it before letting it fall back behind him. From there, the tail curved, cautiously sliding under the robe and lifting the fabric until it brushed against Richard's groin.

He clenched his eyes tighter and sucked harder at the man's tip, feeling that strange tightness return to his body. He wasn't entirely sure how, but he thought the man had lifted his robes again, rubbing the tip of his finger against his penis and trying to wiggle it between his thighs. Not liking the strange tickling, he parted his legs slightly.

Slade grinned as the boy stiffened and gasped when his tail slid between his legs and circled at his entrance. He gave a full and fearful moan when the leathery appendage began to push inside. His body was shaking, but he didn't stop licking the man, trying to clean away his sins with his tongue.

He gave an unintentional buck of the hips, clenching down on the tail as it traveled further up inside him. This was followed by a short yelp when it pushed against his prostate. Slade grunted unhappily when the boy's teeth became a little too friendly with his crotch and withdrew his tail partially. He wiggled the appendage and Richard seemed to relax a bit, urging him to press the leathery thing back against the prostate.

This time, to Slade's delight, Richard seemed better prepared for the intrusion and did not bite down. Quite, the opposite, really, he let out a long moan and let his tongue circle around the tip more lazily. The demon smirked and moved his tail back and forth a bit faster, making Richard quiver slightly as he neared another orgasm.

He panted and sucked, tears streaming down his cheeks as his hips bucked again and he felt an extreme heat and tightness pooling in his groin. He pulled back, gasping for air as he came yet again, spraying cum down the inside of his choir robes.

Slade was about to move faster when he felt a strange vibration coming from the floor. Someone was coming. He pulled back, letting his tail melt back into his body and grabbing his trousers. Thinking quickly, he reached between the boy's legs and scooped away the cum, smearing it away on the inside of his cloak and standing to leave.

"Thank you, Richard, you've done enough. I am always in your debt."

The teen opened his eye and gasped, and rushed his eyes to Slade's face, "You're bleeding!" He had felt the warm drops hitting him during… that… but he didn't realize it was blood. He thought it was merely tears…

"It's alright, calm down, I'm fine." He urged. "Listen, someone is coming, you must not let them know what happened."

"But…" Richard clasped his hands in worry, smearing blood between them.

"You mustn't. They'll know your sin if you tell them."

"But ,I-!"

Slade's head turned quickly as a bird flew by Richard. He grabbed it midflight and simply snapped its neck.

"NO!" Richard cried out and grabbed the bird from him, holding it to his chest and crying.

"Say nothing!" Slade gave him a last warning before dashing behind one of the many pillars and seemingly disappearing.

"There you are Richard, I- Mein Gott! What happened, boy?"

Richard clung desperately to the bird and tried to explain but nothing close to words came out.

"Oh, it ran into the bell, eh? That happens, child; it's nothing to be so upset about." The Archbishop took the bird from him and tossed it aside. "Dear boy. Your heart is too good. You worry over the life of one little robin. Come now; let us clean away this blood."

Richard nodded dumbly and let the man guide him down from the bell tower.

Slade stepped out from hiding and lifted his eye patch, grinning widely when he saw the large white feathers that the angel had dropped along the way.

This was originally intended to be a one-shot only. Due to my schedule, I've decided to split it into different parts. I'll keep working on part 2, which will probably be the end of this story. My friend and occasional Beta-reader Dameon-grey says he might continue with where I leave off. However, he's in the same academic boat, so I can't say when he'll have time to do it. As a special treat to my frequent reviewers, I'm going to post the draft of part 2- and the rough draft for the next chapter of Sladomasochism. It's not much, I'm afraid, but it's all I have ._.

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