Annoyed Trek to Earth
The door clacked open and her ear twitched because the sound was not as smooth as usual. Not an urgent, fast opening and not a smooth slide of the mechanism in the lock. It was off and-
… she probably had spend too much time in those rooms to make such assessments.
She closed the book silently and took a careful look over the edge of the couch. Steps on this floor weren’t a real indicator for anything, but he was indeed alone.
But grumpy, judging by the scowl and the twitching corner of his mouth.
That was new?
Unfortunately, Asmodeus was on the way to the whiskey shelf - something she only knew from snooping. He had not yet resorted to that in her presence and…
“Welcome back home!” Raphael gathered her limbs – mostly feathery ones - and got off the couch.
He turned, annoyance still firmly lodged in his features until he recognized her – very fast, changed while stopped in his step and faced her - and put on his signature smirk: “Raphael, so pleasant to see you.”
Tilting her head, she pursed her lips and took a breath: “That… ah, thank you…”
He looked her up and down, then grabbed her by the shoulders, turned her in the direction he came from and started walking, somehow maneuvering around her wings: “You’re presentable. And welcome. Now, lets go. I need some air. And company.”
Her feet followed the indicated direction with only a minimal amount of resistance: “I… certainly look less presentable than you?” Currently shorts and one of his shirts were the only pieces of clothing at her disposal.
“You are ideally dressed for being led out of my bedroom and being an angel.” He sing-songed, opened the door and slid an arm around her waist, walking at her side.
Even after the last five weeks, she had to try – and fail – to calm down her heart beat at that “I… not what I meant. You… you look official today.”
His hand slid lower down her waist: “I assure you, I am much more ‘officially’ me the way you are used to seeing me.” He said, carrying a more playful tone. They continued to walk.
“And I do not doubt that,” Raphael said, looking around – this was hell. She was walking through hell, and there were demons – even some sinners – staring at them. With a wide variety of expressions. They also did their hell proud.
She shook her head and continued: “Did you… by any chance… meet with Lucifer?”
When his hand twitched and his smile froze the tiniest bit, she nodded once. Some things did not change, after all.
“… the bastard had the gall to chew me out for ‘not making my quota’, can you even believe that?” Asmodeus hissed through his teeth, less than pleased.
Raphael blinked a few times. Being open about it did change, then. “Really! Well, ‘no’ on so many levels, but… uh… how ‘official’ are you two, then? Right now?” A bit of an awkward question, but… better to know, before this universes Lucifer got angry at her.
The uncomprehending stare that looked back at her might did nothing to help her, after a few more seconds – walking slower, too -, he did answer: “I… am… officially the king of lust in his hell? But you knew that?”
“Uhm. I. You see. At my place. You- you two. Lucifer and you… you were… an item. Actually.” – Asmodeus brows wandered higher up on his forehead – “An exclusive item, actually,”
“Hah!” He barked out. And could apparently not help a laugh. After he calmed down, he wiped a tear from the corner of his eye: “You… you can’t be serious,”
“… ahm… I… I am, though,” it was quite a significant thing, even.
“Aw, angel. I mean… the ‘item’ is… remembering his old charisma? Maybe not entirely impossible, but the ‘exclusive’? Come on.” At least the mirth was back in his eyes. So it really was that ridiculous to him?
“You two never had… a bond?” Was it just a secret here?
Asmodeus snorted: “Oh. Please. Sure, he ‘sought me out’ regularly in hell’s early hours. Once blew smoke in his face after he told me that he was ‘proud I finally stopped with the cigarettes’. He ‘had always said so’ with a smug grin. And then he ran off in a childish tantrum.” He rolled his eyes: “And the tantrum continued, so… I’m glad he isn’t as horrific with politics.”
“Uhm.” It didn’t sound entirely unlike the Lucifer she knew. “… you… took on the majority of politics in my home. Co-Ruler and all.”
“Sounds stressful.” He scrunched up his nose.
“It is. Really. You did a great job, though. Whole of hell was following you due to charisma and politics.”
“Mmmmh,” he made a thoughtful noise, then leaned over, kissed her temple und slipped his hand under the hem of the shirt; “Seems like I made all the right decisions, then.”
She opened and closed her mouth, looked at the hidden hand on her skin and back at him and said: “Ahm… don’t you want to know…?”
His fingers ran along the hem of her shorts and he smiled: “No. Sounds awful. The whole ‘exclusive’ business made me miss out on you, too. Terrible mistake. Don’t want to hear one more word.”
And even though it was just empty words, she did feel terribly flattered… and her face hot: “Also my choice.” He nosed along her neck with a hum. “… and this is for show on the trek through your hell, isn’t it?” She still tilted her head to give better access.
“Two birds, one stone and all that.” He looked over to the portal of his hell. Lust was one of the light sins, earth might actually not be that far. “Enjoy it juuuust fine.”
The doors swung open to show the passage. Actual dirt. It WAS rather earth adjacent. And when they swung closed… and no curious eyes were looking anymore, he did not stop and her neck received a light nibble. It was terribly difficult to concentrate on walking: “Ah… where are we… going, actually?”
“Mmmmh?” He placed one last kiss before he let the disheveled angel recover a little: “Told you, need some air. We can see where the wind tells us to go on earth. That’s your thing, isn’t it?”
“It. Well… it is. Yes.” She looked over at him. “You are stressed out. You don’t need to make sure I’m good.”
With pity in his eyes, he snorted and said: “Angel… don’t overthink it. Just enjoy the time. I’ll also enjoy it more that way.” And he booped her nose. “… you angels don’t have free will since that long, do you?”
“… well… I have it since 13 years.” But with so many more memories.
He ruffled her hair: “That’s not that long. You’ll learn soon enough. Explains the reluctance, anyway. You don’t have to hold back. But… I’ll reassure you as much as you need, promise,”
And once again, it got way too close to her heart, so she said: “That’s a talent of yours, isn’t it? Saying exactly what a person needs to hear?”
“Well… after 6000 years, you have seen quite a lot, angel… 13 years don’t give you too much complexity. I could feel and do what I wanted the whole time. And… it’s not like I didn’t mean it.”
With the deepest blush yet, she accepted that she was terribly attracted to this… and shrugged: “Alright then. Thank you. And… how far along is it, still? I think a bit of air is good for both of us.” Even if he might get quite some amusement and distraction from the naïve angel already. Ah, it could not be helped.
“Just around the corner, now. One more portal and you can set foot on this universes’ earth. Welcome to a little bit less brimstone.”
She smiled. As much as she was used to being cooped up, it would be very nice to get a nose full of fresh air.
Almost without meaning to, she walked faster, somewhat dragging an amused hell lord with her.
For atmosphere – supposedly – he waited one more second before he snapped his fingers and the two wide doors opened themselves into a nondescript… tundra. From what it looked like, it should not exist, since there were no rock formations or something alike, it was simply… doors. In the middle of nowhere. Metaphysical things, surely: “Fun?” She pointed outside.
“It needs to be hidden somehow, humans can’t see the door.” Asmodeus shrugged. It was nothing special to him.
Glad to finally be able to feel the air around herself, she actually wriggled out of the slight hold her companion had on her and stepped eagerly toward the opening, all steady until she reached the actual limit and stepped into… light.
To turn into some unfeeling, blind, deaf and tasteless being without a sense of smell, only to be aware of everything a second later in a too intense fashion.
Raphael tried to blink the sensation away, which was not possible without eyes. Those… came back in the very next second. And these blinked. And the surroundings smelled of dry, sandy air (mixed with cologne. And musk. and the slightest bit of smoke.) Everything tasted new and coppery. The head felt full, but at least pain free. The last sense was hearing.
“Well, look at that.” Asmodeus said. The voice could be pinpointed. The source of voice could even be felt, with a sense completely forgotten for the last five weeks.
Turning towards the strong – so very strong – but contained aura was still obligatory.
Asmodeus walked in circles, looking with open and appreciative eyes.
Raphael looked down on Asmodeus, to see this. And that meant… he looked down on himself. Ah. Right.
Looking at the situation, he was back in his original form. Tall. Willowy. White (unnaturally so). Long, braided hair. Currently wingless – he could feel them, though. Thankfully also no halo in sight. And apparently clad in a toga. It came into existence with this body. Might as well happen.
Suddenly irritated, he looked around for the loaned shirt and moved a hand to let the wind bring it up into his hand. He closed it around the fabric. Which was… more difficult than summoning a gust of wind.
With a weak sigh, he returned his attention to Asmodeus, who still circled him without judgement, or at least thinking about it, before he made one. He did stroke his chin. And leaned his head this way and that.
“Is this not your preferred form?” He asked at last, slowly reaching out to take the angel’s hand in his own, thumb grazing lightly across his knuckles.
“I… well… it’s useful in some cases. It’s my default?” Once again, he was too sensitive to his touch. Unfortunately, his complexion certainly allowed for an easier read this time around. “… ‘m a proper angel again. ‘She’ … touched me. It’s very effective, regarding communication.”
He looked a bit miserable, and his hand twitched around Asmodeus’. Everything was a bit too sensitive. And at the same time didn’t feel alive. He could see the point of sometimes forgetting you are an angel… a bit more.
"... at least there is air and it's... a bit entertaining?" Right?