"Goodnight all my children, now, you must lay down your heads.
You wouldn't want the sun to catch you missing from your beds.
I wish that we could stay here. I wish with all my heart.
But to the earth we've been committed, and now we must depart."
My entry for @allaboardthezariman 's Contest! More below~
Listen I'll scream about this fic to anyone who will listen, I am actively grabbing you and shaking you and telling you that if you like angst, you have GOT to read this fic
Look here's a link right here! Look at that! Read that!
Okay, now onto the explanation part.
SPOILERS AHEAD!
A certain void angel is mentioned over and over. Sometimes it's Drifter, sometimes it's a familiar face, a brother, sometimes it is just an angel.
Either way, angels are supposed to protect you, aren't they? Being young and adventurous is tiring, a nap won't hurt. Just a little rest with a guardian angel...
synopsis: you go on a blind date with Harry at your best friend's insistence and enjoy it much more than you expected.
wc: 3.9k
a/n: i hope you guys enjoy this! i haven't written fic in a hot minute, so let me know what you think! this will likely have a part 2 where the exciting stuff happens, but writing even this much took me forever so i wanted to share before the Christmas mentions became irrelevant, lol!
The streets of New York City are beautiful this time of year. Christmas lights twinkle in nearly every retail storefront, some even including a dusting of ripped-up cotton balls and other snow-like materials. Just ignore the grey sludge coating the streets.
You were never one for holiday cheer, and today was no exception. Despite thinking the same of every single day, youâve had what you would consider the longest day of your life. Your first meeting ran late by just a few minutes, but even this was enough to push your calendar so far off that you needed to reschedule your final call with the client youâd been waiting almost a month to meet with.
There was nothing more in this world you wanted to do than curl up in bed with a bottle of wine and a silk eye mask. But, here you were, trudging down the streets of New York City in your slightly uncomfortable heels, trying to dodge puddles, slush, and other mysterious substances on the sidewalk, on your way to a blind date. Emma had set you up with a friend of her boyfriendâs, and sheâd made you promise youâd give him a chance.
Your last relationship had ended with a bang after you went to his apartment to surprise him after getting out of work early one afternoon, only to find him in bed with a blonde girl you never did learn the name of.Â
You could easily find a man to wake up to the next morning, but after years of running your own business, it wasnât as simple as walking into a bar to meet Mr. Right. Youâd dated enough men with little ambition; you needed someone who had driveâ had success.
All you knew about your date for the night was his name was Harry, he was a record executive, and, according to Emma, he was hot.
The pit in your stomach only grew as you approached Bella Napoli. It didnât help youâd spent the last six blocks trying to lift your dress and nearly-floor-length coat high enough to keep it out of the puddles.
The little blue location dot on your maps app glided closer to the restaurant with each step you took, nearly there - mist ghosted over your nose with each exhale, doing nothing to keep it warm in the frigid weather of the city, and you couldnât wait to get inside.
Finally, you spotted the marquee sign affixed to the small brick building half a block up, signaling the end of your journey. The glass-front double doors opened easily under your hasty pull, eager to feel the heat of the brick buildingâs furnace.
âGood evening, maâam,â the hostess greeted from behind her podium. She appeared to be in her early twenties, with long blonde hair and prominent cheekbones.
âGood evening, I have a reservation under (Y/L/N),â you brushed stray snowflakes off of your wool coat. Emma had ensured she would let Harry know the reservation would be under your name, and you hoped she hadnât forgotten.
âAh, yes, table for two? Right this way.â The young woman stepped from behind the podium and began heading toward the main dining area. You followed her as she snaked around the tables full of affluently dressed couples and businessmen in suits, reaching a small archway leading into a more dimly-lit section of the restaurant.Â
She led you to a booth in the corner with velvet seats and matching curtains, held open by small hooks on either side - out of sight from most of the other patrons in the section, who didnât seem to be paying any mind to you anyway. A small candle sat between two menus, adjacent to a traditional silverware layout and an empty highball glass on either side of the booth.
You slid onto the bench facing the roomâs entrance as the hostess filled each glass with ice water. She nodded as you thanked her and informed her a man by the name of Harry should be arriving soon to join you. Just in case Emma had forgotten.
The menu was short but obviously well-curated. The wine list was almost twice the length of the food menu - just how you liked it. You skimmed the offerings, deciding on a merlot of the second-highest price point. Your anxiety still made itself known in the way your stomach was twisting. You checked the time. It was 5:58 pm - still two minutes early. You hoped the wine would drown the butterflies (or maybe moths) in your stomach.
Your eyes returned to the restaurantâs food offerings but were again drawn upwards as another person sauntered into the secluded section of the restaurant. His pale grey, half-unbuttoned silk shirt settled just under the gold cross necklace grazing the indent between his pecs. A blazer of a much darker grey draped his shoulders, matching the straight-legged trousers just long enough to only allow the front of his patent-leather black loafers to peek out from under them.Â
The air suddenly felt heavy, like you couldnât get a breath in. Who is the lucky lady heâs here with tonight? Your eyes darted around the section, trying to find his date, but coming up empty.Â
Shit, is this Harry?
Your fears are confirmed as you realize the hostess had entered the room a bit ahead of him and was leading him to your booth. The poor girl looked entirely flustered.
âHere you are, sir. Your waitress will be over shortly to grab your drink orders,â she squeaked, turning on her heels and scurrying away as quickly as possible.
You smiled at him as you shuffled out of the booth and rose to your feet, trying to seem much more confident than you were. You reached about the height of his shoulder in your heels.
âYou must be (Y/N),â he spoke with a slight smile, glancing at your attire before returning his eyes to meet yours.
âThat would be me. And you must be Harry.â You smiled back at him, subconsciously smoothing out the part of the dress resting on your hips.
Harry took a step toward you with arms extended, pulling you into an easy hug, His arms wrapped tightly around your shoulders and yours around his waist. He smelled like an intoxicating mix of vanilla, patchouli, and musk. Expensive. Even just brushing your fingers across his suit jacket as he pulled away, the feel of the fibers suggested it had also not been cheap.
âYou look stunning. I love the color of your dress,â he complimented, pulling back slightly with his hand hovering over your waist. âIt looks great on you.â
âThank you, it was actually a gift from my mother.â Compliment-taking was not your forte.
âWell, she has great taste. Shall we?â He motioned toward the set table, waiting for you to take your seat before sliding into the bench on the opposite side. âHave you been here before?â
âI havenât, but Iâve heard great things. Have you?â His ring-clad fingers picked up the beverage menu in front of him as you spoke.
âI have, itâs one of my favorites.â That must have been why he suggested it.
âIs the Merlot any good? Thatâs what I was thinking of ordering, but Iâm open to suggestions.â You played with the seam of your dress under the table absentmindedly.
âNow that, I havenât had. Iâm more of a white wine guy myself. Iâm a fan of the Riesling.â
âReally? My first guess would have been whiskey, honestly.â There exists a pattern in these kinds of men - they always drank some very expensive whiskey they needed to tell you all about, as if it didnât taste like smoke-flavored lighter fluid.
âI tend to prefer a sweeter taste,â his eyebrows twitched as he raised the glass of water to his lips. You nodded before the two of you fell into a comfortable silence, taking time to browse the food menu.
It wasnât very extensive, with a few choices to pick from each protein category. You settled on a grilled chicken tagliatelle with a cream sauce, hoping it would pair well with the wine.
âHi, my name is Danielle and Iâll be taking care of you this evening,â a voice burst your bubble of concentration, âhave we decided on what weâd like to drink?â
You recited your wine order first, with Harry following shortly after. The waitress jotted down your selections in her notepad before exiting the room with a promise to be back to take your food orders shortly.
âSo, Emma said you work in marketing?â he spoke slowly. His accent was thick, only further drawing you into the conversation.
âPR, actually,â you replied, âI have my own firm, with a few employees. I love it.â
âThatâs amazing,â he sounded sincere. âHow long have you been in PR?â
âAlmost a decade, but Iâve had the firm for a little over 3 years. At first, it was just myself operating out of my apartment, but weâve been able to build up some clientele and move to an actual office space. Emma said you work for Atlas Sound, right?â you shifted the conversation away from yourself, curious about what exactly came with being a record executive.
âThatâs right. Iâm mostly in charge of production but I help out with some of the publishing aspects as well.â
âAh, so no talent scouting? I was hoping this could be my big breakâŚâ you mused, narrowing your eyes at him. Harry chuckled, flashing the smile youâd found yourself dead set on seeing more of.Â
âNo, no, unfortunately, thatâs not me, but I may know some people who could help. Let me guess, rap?â
You almost choked on the water youâd just taken a sip of, but managed to swallow it before the laugh burst from your throat. It caught you off guard - Harry honestly didnât look like he would even know what rap is. A silly notion, given his career, but true anyway.
âYou have a beautiful laugh,â Harry stated sincerely, and your heart just about stopped.Â
Before you got the chance to respond, a full wine glass was placed in front of each of you. You hadnât even noticed the waitress had come back. âHere are those drinks. Did we decide on what weâd like to eat? I can make some suggestions if youâre not sure what to getâŚâ
It appeared as if sheâd forgotten you were even in the room with the way she was staring directly at Harry. You couldnât blame the girl - youâd been staring too - but she could definitely tell the two of you were on a date, so she could have at least been a little more subtle.
Harry smiled politely (and briefly) at her before turning his attention back to you to confirm you were ready to order. You both relayed your choices to the waitress, and you appreciated that Harry did not seem like he was interested in entertaining her advances.
âAnyways, where were weâŚâ he smiled again, and your heart lurched.
Conversation flowed smoothly between the two of you, aided by the wine in your glasses. You found yourself getting less and less nervous about him not being the right fit, but more and more nervous you were somehow making a fool of yourself.Â
The story of how one of your interns accidentally jammed the copier so badly you had to buy a completely new unit made Harry laugh loudly. It was one of many stories you had from your job that were definitely funnier in retrospect than they were as they happened. You were aware youâd talked a lot so far, but you couldnât help it. The way Harry spoke was attractive, but the way he listened was even better. He seemed genuinely interested in the stories you told, maintaining eye contact, nodding in the right spots, and asking thoughtful follow-up questions. It had been a while since youâd had a date genuinely listen to you, and it was refreshing.Â
He asked more about your job, and you found yourself telling him how as much as you like being âin chargeâ and able to have control over your firm, sometimes it was incredibly stressful, especially in emergencies. He could see the stress that followed you home every day seep back into your expression, despite you trying your best not to let it show.
His ring-clad hand slid across the table, fingers gently entwining with yours and giving them a quick squeeze.
âYou know, I think youâre brave for taking that risk. You should be proud of what youâve built.â The eye contact he made with you as he spoke was intense, with sincerity behind his words. His hand was warm, contrasting the cool feeling of the metal rings, and you subconsciously squeezed it back in an attempt to keep it where it was. Luckily, your hands stayed intertwined for another couple of minutes as you expressed your appreciation for his kindness and shifted the conversation back to his job until your food was in front of you.
The meals were delicious, just as Harry had promised. Heâd ordered a mushroom risotto that looked delicious, and your pasta tasted perfect with the wine youâd chosen. Good job, self.
Soon, you found your plate nearly empty and your body warm from the alcohol. Your thoughts felt slightly fuzzy, and you caught yourself staring a little too long at the rings on Harryâs right hand, as well as the fingers adorning them. The muscles flexed as he moved his hands while speaking, and you couldnât seem to tear your eyes away. You knew how his hand felt in yours, but how would it feel touching your cheek, against your back, gripping your -Â
âDid you save room for dessert? The tiramisu is incredible.â Harryâs voice broke your train of thought, and you quickly averted your eyes back to his. What seemed like a slight smirk played on his face, but you couldnât tell if it was because heâd noticed the staring, or if the alcohol was just affecting him as well. You prayed for the latter.
âThat sounds great, but I can probably only take a few bites. Would you want to share a piece?â you suggested, much too full for an entire dessert to yourself.
âIâd love to.â Harry absentmindedly tapped his fingers against the table in a rhythm you couldnât place, not helping your attempts not to stare. âSo, tell me more about that yoga class?â
The conversation flowed again, with Harry ordering dessert when the waitress stopped by. Of course, you were just as interested in his words as he was in yours, hanging on his every accented sentence. He was a captivating storyteller and his facial expressions were no different - you loved how his eyes lit up at the good parts and narrowed at the bad in the story. The slight scruff on his face complimented the way his mouth moved as it formed words, drawing you closer. How would they feel against your own lips, you wondered?Â
You could hear the words he was saying, but you werenât fully listening as he continued telling you about the time he got a little too drunk at a friendâs birthday party and ended up volunteering to give a speech he had in no way prepared for. It was a great story, very funny, but your mind was otherwise preoccupied. Wine always made you⌠flirty.
Soon, the tiramisu was in front of you. This, too, looked delicious - Harry was right again.
âWould you like the first bite?â He offered, picking up one of the small forks laid out on the plate and scooping a bite of the dessert onto it.
âWell, ladies first I suppose,â you joked. You parted your mouth slightly as you leaned forward, waiting for him to place the fork on your tongue. What you werenât expecting was for his other hand to reach out and lightly grasp your jaw, thumb on your chin to hold your mouth farther open. A choked gasp escaped your lips at the same time the sweet cake hit your tongue, but you could barely taste it, too distracted by the skin contact. Again, his eyes didnât leave yours as he allowed your mouth to close and pulled his hand away from your face.
âWell? How is it?â he asked, with a definite smirk this time.Â
You tried to compose yourself before answering, swallowing the dessert and the lump that had formed in your throat. âItâs good⌠really good.â Your voice came out breathier than you intended, and you blinked heavily a couple of times, trying to kickstart the part of your brain that could think of anything except what youâd like to do with the gorgeous man sitting in front of you.
Harry took his own bite next, letting his eyes flutter shut as his mouth closed around the fork. His long eyelashes rested atop his strong cheekbones, the same ones you almost had to physically stop yourself from reaching over to brush your fingertips over. His lips were a stunning, dark shade of red, still slightly wet from the wine heâd been enjoying.
His Adamâs apple bobbed as he swallowed the bite, slightly brushing against the collar of his shirt. Seafoam green eyes made contact with yours as he opened them again, and a small smile graced his face as he realized youâd been watching him intently.
âYouâre right, it is really good.â Your heart raced under the fervency of his gaze. He was staring into you like he wanted to read the thoughts echoing in your brain. âWould you like another bite?â
âSure, but I can feed myself this one if you like,â you attempted to lighten the intense mood that had befallen your booth so you might actually be able to catch your breath,
âThat wonât be necessary, I was quite enjoying myself,â Harry mused, refusing to break eye contact until you did. He scooped another bite onto the fork, reaching over to brush a stray strand of hair behind your ear before resuming his grip on your jaw and returning the fork to your lips. He felt your jaw flex as you chewed and swallowed the bite, but didnât take his hand off of your face. Instead, he brought his thumb back to your lips and brushed below them gently, careful not to smudge your lipstick.Â
He brought his thumb back to his mouth and slowly closed his lips around the pad of it, a half-smile tugging at his lips at your bewildered expression. âSorry, you had a little something there. I figured Iâd get it for you.â
You nodded, taking a deep breath instead of attempting to utter a response.
He took another bite himself before offering you another, which you obliged with little hesitation.
âYou know, Harry, you need to be careful feeding me like this or Iâll get used to it.â Another feeble attempt to ease the tension and stop acting like a flustered teenager.
âI wouldnât mind that,â he murmured, voice sincere and slow, laced with something that sent a shiver down your spine, âif it means I keep getting to see your cheeks flush.â
Heâd noticed how your body was responding to him, whether or not you tried to hide it. Your face burned again, sinking further into the booth behind you in slight embarrassment.
âWell, it doesnât help that Iâm on a date with an attractive man whoâs feeding me tiramisu. I think thatâs every womanâs dream.â
âSo itâs working?â His face glowed in the candlelight, a smirk on his face but a subtle vulnerability behind his eyes.
You knew what he was implying, but wanted to regain some of the power youâd lost by being so flustered. âMaybe.â
âThatâs not good enough for me. I need a yes.â He needed confirmation that you were on the same page.
âAnd what exactly am I saying yes to?â A sip of wine ran down your throat as you awaited his response.
âTo letting me walk you home after this,â Harry stated bluntly, scanning your face for your reaction. You couldnât help the way your face flushed, but you held your composure, leaning back casually against the booth behind you as you pretended to mull it over. You already knew what you wanted.
âAlright, Harry,â you smirked, bringing the wine glass to your lips once more, âletâs see where the night takes us.â
- - - - - - - - - -Â
âGod, itâs freezing out here,â you groaned, dodging patches of ice. You were nearly home, your apartment building visible up the street.
Harry had grabbed your hand under the guise of keeping it warm a few minutes ago, something you were grateful for now as you gripped it tightly, trying to navigate the snow-covered ground in heels with little traction. Heâd offered to call an Uber, but you wanted some more time with him without a driver listening in on your conversation.
As you approached the building, your imagination ran with thoughts of getting him upstairs, into your apartment, into your living roomâŚÂ
Before you could get too far, you were at the front door. Your free hand patted over the pockets of your jacket to ensure that you had your keys and found them in your left pocket.
âI had a great time with you tonight, Y/N,â Harry turned to face you, not letting go of your hand. âIâd love to do this again, sometime, if youâd be interested.â
A slight flush now graced his face, glancing at the ground as he awaited your response.
âI had a lovely time. Iâd love to see you again,â you confirmed quickly, not letting him worry for too long.
He was beaming now, allowing you to admire his prominent dimples. Your heart skipped a beat and you couldnât help but smile right back at the sight.
âThereâs that beautiful smile again,â he quipped. His free hand reached for your jaw, cradling it again as you both continued to grin at each other for a few moments. A silence fell upon you again, and Harryâs eyes searched yours for a second before flickering to your lips, which had slowly returned to a resting state. As he moved his gaze back up, your eyes gleamed with the reflections of Christmas lights and were swimming with the need for more contact with him. He inhaled slowly, nervously, before exhaling sharply. âCan I kiss you?â
You nodded quickly, gripping his collar to pull him closer before his mouth met yours. Electricity sparked between the two of you, his luscious lips colliding with yours over and over again, like he couldnât get enough of you. The kiss started slow, but quickly became deeper, more desperate, as he gripped your waist tightly and pulled you close to him. Your hands searched for solace, moving from his collar to his cheeks before lightly running through the hair at the back of his neck.
He tore his lips away from yours but didnât stray far, pressing his forehead against yours as you both tried to catch your breath. You could see both of your small pants in the air as they fogged due to the cold. A small smile played on each of your lips, and you just knew your lipstick was half-gone because you could definitely see some of it on Harry.
âYou know,â you pulled away, straightening your stance confidently, âI have a bottle of wine upstairs if youâd like to help me drink it.â
There ditys challege @jeepp_joop and Artworks transformers art for @melspyrose47 @jeetdoh @iwillfightcod @startheskelatonđđâ¨đ @startheskelaton
So I do hope no one takes offense when I say this, but the resemblance is simply uncanny. Lucifer, for all his grandeur and pride, carries himself with the unmistakable air of a cockatiel. You know the sort elegant little creature, head held high, feathers always impeccably arranged, and a flair for dramatic displays. The hair, for one, has that charming crest-like quality, always seeming just a touch too styled to be accidental. One could almost expect it to fluff up with his moods.
Then there is the confidence. Cockatiels strut, preen, and demand attention in a room without uttering a word, and Lucifer does precisely the same. He glides into a space and suddenly the atmosphere bends around him, as though everyone has agreed without speaking, that he is the most important presence there. It is not arrogance exactly, more an instinctive regality. A bird who knows its perch is the highest.
And the sounds! Cockatiels are known for their whistles and musical little calls, are they not? Lucifer, likewise, has a voice that carries a tune, smooth and bright, often lilting with amusement. He speaks as though every sentence might turn into a performance. I half expect him to break into a jaunty trill when particularly pleased.
Most amusing of all is the temperament. Cockatiels are affectionate when they choose to be, aloof when they do not, and prone to mild dramatics if ignored. Tell me that does not sound familiar! Lucifer enjoys attention, enjoys admiration, and yet pretends indifference when it suits him. It is a delightful contradiction.
Do not misunderstand me, this is not mockery. Cockatiels are charming creatures, clever and vibrant. If anything, it is a compliment. To resemble such a bird is to possess color, presence, and personality. Still, I cannot look at that golden hair and those expressive manners without picturing a proud little crest and a flutter of wings.
Yes⌠the King of Hell as a cockatiel. Regal, radiant, and just a touch theatrical. The comparison fits far too well for my liking.