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reveverending · 3 years

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Do You Hear What I Hear?

Characters: Mikhail & Jophiel (Angel OCs belonging to @majahallar) Theme: Friendship & Platonic Comfort Editing Status: Very Roughly Edited Word Count: 1.2K CWs: N/A AO3 Link: N/A

Being labeled a lone wolf had its perks. Being left alone without constant disturbances when seeking solitude was certainly one of them. And it was a perk Mikhail had become increasingly familiar with over the millennia. Shifting the blue banded wings from where they tended to cover his good eye, Mikhail found himself staring out past the veil and into the land of men. Ah… So this is where he had wandered to while lost deep within his own mind.

Pausing, he kept his head-wings tucked close but away from his left eye to allow sight then shifted his weight slowly from foot to foot, rocking. To stay or not to stay... that really was the question now. He was well beyond the gates, at the outskirts of heaven; and that left many things to be desired now that Heylel--. Shifting his gaze away from the veil, he huffed out a gust of wind carrying all the weight of righteous anger and disgust before pushing away the lingering bitter thoughts. Now certainly wasn’t the time.

This was as good a place as any, he supposed. Certainly not a place many would come looking for him. So he scoured the area for a soft place to rest his paws, and upon finding it settled there pulling a book from the folds of his clothes. Folding his wings back over his good eye, he made sure to keep the damaged one tucked beneath the other in their resting place. Always good to be sure even that blemish was covered. Then he flipped the book open, allowing his fingers to trail the pages. Braille… A wonderful invention by the ingenious creatures he cared for so much in the world below. Plus, that Radueriel so easily acquiesced to convert this small human text and many others before it into something more befitting of his own large hands was a gift-horse he had learned to stop looking in the mouth, even if it had been a hard lesson to take to heart. In the end, these things had become a comfort for him, especially after his sight was damaged and came at the price of showing his shame.

Occasionally, despite his love for the book and perhaps because of it too, the dark thoughts returned. They clouded his judgement beyond the reach of the prose trying to keep his mind’s eye occupied. In every scene he pictured the shadows grew large, shapes moving in the edges of them whispering words and doubts he could remember so clearly. Whispering both his own words and those of another, unbidden.

Each time he paused, breathed, and tried to keep himself out of that dark’s grip.

Each time it became less successful, yet still he pressed on.

It was during one of these such moments, that he overlooked the approach of another, much smaller, angelic being. The newcomer was duller compared to his companion. Not in the way of an angel losing their holy light, simply grayscale in nearly his entirety. Only the eyes fixed on Mikhail’s back showed any color, a burning orange.

Quietly he padded across the distance, careful to keep himself concealed.

The mismatched, uneven wings paired with the spiraling gold horns betrayed the blond’s identity. But the tension in his shoulders, betrayed his state of mind.

Carefully, the black haired angel, crouched behind the other, his wings slowly stretching out then sweeping down slowly. Chimes. The sound of chimes filled the air just around Mikhail’s head; the tension slowly bleeding away from his form. He continued the gentle beating of his wings until all the tension was gone, and the other acknowledged him. “Jophiel..” The seated angel’s voice was a soft timber, as he said the name; and it was greeted with a chuckle. Some may question how by the quiet chime of his wings alone, the younger could be recognized, but he had long grown accustomed to it.

“Hello, Mikhail.” As he swung around to sit beside his friend (and charge), his beaming smile came into view if only the other would look. Truly seeing Jophiel without one was a rare day, luckily today was no such day. “You seemed in need of a reminder.”

A spoken reminder of exactly what was not needed, they both knew how Mikhail could fall into his own mind and doubts - though it was not something easily brought to light. Instead, they simply sat in silence: one occupied with returning to his book, the other watching through the veil the lives of morals while quietly guarding a companions peace. And in these moments no longer did the dark thoughts descend upon Mikhail, the prose of a nearly forgotten work now able to keep his attention perfectly.

After the passing of many moments like these, time held little meaning to those such as them so it could have been a minute or a decade down below, Jophiel once more spoke. Leaning close, to brush shoulder to shoulder, black wings fluffing out to brush just barely against bluejay ones, “Why don’t you start over, read aloud for me? I’d like to hear what it is you pilfered from down there last you visited.” His smile only grew wider as the elder of the two only shook his head in exasperation and turned the book back to page one. No protests was a good step in the right direction… Trust was a hard thing to learn how to give again after being shattered to pieces.

But before he could begin reading, Mikhail paused face pulled into a bit of a grimace. “Are you sure? It’s not much of a story with grand descriptions and epic heroes off to slay dragons. It’s not even a romance of starcrossed lovers this time.” He turned his head to face his companion, though his visage remained obscured by feathers. Said companion only hummed, a cue to go on, to explain.

“It’s a story that men act out, left to the imagination to those who only read it. Told through the speaking and reflection of characters… Though I’ve been told this one includes as much betrayal as love, and it does-” He cut himself off. The smaller one waited, quiet and patient as he knew was needed, only letting his wings fluff out once more with a soothing brush against Mikhail’s. “It does seem to be delivering.”

Barely a beat passed before the rumbling chuckle of Jophiel became audible once more. Many mortals would liken it to thunder, ironic considering the book laying in Mikhail’s lap open to the first of many storm filled pages. But, unlike mortals and thunder, for Mikhail this held no such awe-striking power, only contentment found residence in this sound. “I will trust your judgement, my friend; my request still stands. Please read.” So he moved closer, bringing the protective circle of his presence even tighter in. And finally with a sigh, the blonde gave in. Leaning back into his companion - his friend - his fingers slowly dragged across the page and soon he began to read aloud.

“Act One… Scene One… On a ship at night, a tempestuous noise of thunder and lightning are heard. Enter a master and a boatswain.”

#writing #original writing #drabble #revvin_in_words #angels #angel characters #writing for people #the tempest (mentioned)#reveverending

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