It started with Tyrael, as most of Izual’s issues typically did. His Archangel was going on about this-that-and-the-other, and Izual nodded along, listening best he could whilst trying to get his paperwork done. Fortunately, he’d become quite good at multitasking when it came to Tyrael.
As the aspect of justice, Tyrael frequently became upset by that which he perceived as unfair, or things that he could do nothing about.
“I have spoken to him many times about this! But he refuses to stop, even when given punishment details.” Tyrael crossed his arms, wings twitching fitfully.
“When have punishments ever deterred your brother?” Izual offered, signing off on a page and starting the next. He thought he heard Tyrael snicker, but when he looked up the angel was glowering crossly. Hm. Odd.
“It’s not just him though. He’s recruited Balzael to his side, and the two of them are a terror! A menace!” Tyraelwas gesturing broadly to try and convey his upset. “I can scarcely get anything done with them trying to startle me at every turn. I can’t even enter my chambers anymore without first checking for one of them.”
“So long as Hadriel is not working with them, you should be safe.” Focussing on the words was getting difficult with Tyrael’s resonance so frazzled.
Izual knew that part of the problem was that Tyrael would rather be chasing his sibling about in this odd game of hide-and-scare. He knew how little Tyrael cared for being stuck in an office working, and how much of a siren call this was for him. This was part why they worked so well together - Tyrael could always be relied upon to dive into things, and Izual would cover the paperwork and organize the troops behind him.
Inarius and Balzael were taunting him. How unfair.
“Perhaps you could interest them in another target?” Izual didn’t regret the words the moment they were out of his mouth. But later, after Tyrael had finished his rant and been on his way, he got the distinct sense that he had just invited more trouble upon himself than he needed.
It wasn’t so much that he had forgotten about Tyrael’s rant, and more that he simply hadn’t given it much thought. Inarius-and-Balzael getting up to shit was not exactly a new occurrence.
Out of their little group, they were the most prone to getting stir-crazy. Izual could easily deal with the times between battles, as they allowed him to catch up on things. He suspected Hadriel actually enjoyed being cooped up, for they more often than not had to drag him into socializing.
Firmly in the middle was Tyrael, a satellite caught between fits of rambunctiousness, and stoic adherence to his position as Archangel.
Tyrael had complained long and at length about his brother so many times that Izual had at no point bothered to count. Balzael was almost equally so, although Tyrael was less likely to be as hostile about their mutual friend as he was Inarius. Izual was used to the complaints, and used to their being tension between those three.
He had assumed, quite wrongly, that it was just another rant, and not a warning of things to come.
Izual nearly decked Inarius when the other appeared abruptly behind him and clapped him on the sides. The other angel skittered back when he lunged, and then he was charging after him, cursing and shouting the whole way.
While he (most admirably) managed not to assault the advisor, he did chase him all the way out of the Courts. Inarius cackled the whole way, and Izual decided that he was simply too joyous to really do anything about. It was nice, sometimes, seeing the increasingly-frustrated-and-disinterested-Inarius so lively.
He’d put it out of his head as simply another attempt to rile him. Inarius was awfully good at riling after all, and it was a skill he applied liberally wherever he saw fit.
Keeping the advisor at bay was simple enough, so Izual didn’t worry too much about it.
Then it was Balzael, startling him while he was in the middle of cleaning Azurewrath, and with a shout Izual had swung the blade in a wide arc at his friend. The other dove out of the way with a yelp and a, neatly missing having his wing shorn off.
“You stupid prick, I could’ve swept that head from its idiot shoulders.” Izual grumbled. Balzel laughed breezily, hands going to his hips and wings flicking in a challenge.
“Ah, but you were so open my dear!” The other angel declared. “I simply had to take such a ripe opportunity…”
“Yes well, then you’ll have to indulge me on this opportunity to kick your ass.” Izual grabbed him by the neck armor, and started for the training grounds. With a squawk, Balzael was tugged along. There was no animosity between them though, and their sparring was light-hearted.
Odd behavior from his friend, but not malicious. Izual decided not to worry about it.
A week later, when he was trying to rest in his personal quarters, Izual decided he probably should start worrying about it.
“How in the hell did you even get in here?” He demanded, pinning Inarius down. Balzael was frozen to the nearby wall, and grumbling while he melted himself free.
“I have been studying magic.” Inarius giggled. “Once you know how to teleport, getting in and out of things is pretty-” zoop and the angel vanished out from under him. “-simple. “
Izual grunted as he fell a short distance, and stood to find Inarius aiding Balzael with the ice-predicament. Crossing his arms, the angel shook his head.
“I would apologize, but you are the ones who startled me awake.” He sourly commented. “What do you two have to say for yourselves?”
They both favored him with innocently-sunny looks. Inarius pulled Balzael free, and they both stood before him like the unruly children they were. Arms behind their backs, wings cast down in the perfect mockery of submission.
“Aww, we’re sorry lieutenant.” Balzael cooed, wings wiggling suggestively. “It won't happen again! Please don’t punish us…”
“We promise to be good.” There was nothing goodly about the way Inarius stared at him. Izual just shook his head, and settled his wings from theway they were starting to poof up. Stupid bastards.
“Why are you even- you know what, I don’t want to know. Go on, get out of here.” He pointed towards the door. “And don’t come back. Seriously, stay out of my room.”
To his vague surprise they floated easily out, although Inarius was smiling wickedly at him the whole way. The door shut on them, and Izual was very sure they would not be obeying his command to stay out.
He supposed it wasn’t so bad. Annoying, but not bad.
Outside of the lieutenant’s quarters, Inarius looked at Balzael. Balzael looked at Inarius. They shared conspiratorial grins.
It wasn’t that Tyrael had directed them to harass their grumpy friend. But of course, when they had heard how much he was complaining, they’d had to back down (much fun as pranking the Archangel of Justice was.) It had been unfair to taunt him when he was busy.
Finding a new target had been Izual’s idea after all. And he was a most entertaining target.
