#Islamic holiday | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

primusdemoniccreatrix · 2 years

Text

Month of Angels (Gabriel May x Reader)

RAMADAN MUBARAK LOVELIES!!!!

Okay okay, so my Muslim self is fasting rn as it is Ramadan, and I felt like doing a nice little holiday series starting off with the man of the hour with electric power (who's been giving me severe brainrot for the past few weeks), some bonding with a Muslim reader!

If anyone has questions, feel free to ask!

Warnings: some cursing, mentions of menstruation, religious misconceptions and talk, mentions of death and kidnapping

Malignant: Gabriel May x Muslim! Reader

Footsteps. Shuffling down wooden stairs.

They stepped on a creaking floorboard and all doubts were out the window.

Someone was sneaking around inside the house.

Gabriel May had always been a light sleeper. Since his...child years, having to protect Emily from other nasty kids and generally being protective of himself from both the kids and adults that were supposed to care for him, he was always on guard, even in his dreams.

It wasn't Emily, as his sister was still attached to the same body he was, meaning it had to be someone else.

This wasn't the first time someone had tried to sneak around the house to full off a heist. He'd had to break a few bones last year of some stupidly cocky burglar, leaving him with the lesson to never try and rob the May house ever again.

So who was it this time? A friend of that bastard's?

Gabriel huffed as he slipped out of bed, the nightlight near Emily's bed turning brighter at the power surge it got from Gabriel's abilities; electrokinesis, he remembered someone fond to him tell him that.

He was groggy enough it took a moment to remember their name, but knowing that they could be in danger, he woke himself up in order to react to the potential threat as quickly as possible.

Easing himself off the bed, he walked on unnaturally silent steps, listening through the door and make sure they passed the first landing, as he wanted to use the element of surprise. Hearing the footsteps as far as he anticipated the landing itself to be, he turned the knob and opened the door.

Darkness peered from where the lower landing would be, only the cold dim light of the streetlight outside shining in on the hardwood floor shined to perfection.

Then yellowish light chased the darkness of the landing away and Gabriel was on the move.

Leaping into some siding on the wall he installed with Emily's permission so he could spider-jump using the walls and surprise his victims. Spread eagle along the walls, Gabriel used his feet to hold him up on the sidings as he began to walk downstairs along the walls, using his hands and feet to hold him up. Nearing the stairs, he carefully placed his feet on the bannisters and slid down the wood, expertly keeping his balance with the grace only an experienced master of kinesthetics could. Having slid down the bannister, he slid down the second railing before finding a corner that would hide him, right behind an ottoman that Emily used when she put on those ridiculous high heels on nights out with Sydney.

Skulking in the shadows, he peered around the ottoman to see if he could scope out what was happening and how to prevent it.

Gabriel's scheming came to dead halt when he observed what was actually going on.

The yellow light was coming from the fridge, and in front of it stood a person's shadow, far too soft to be some hardened or overeager criminal. Hunched back with sleep, hair messy from waking up, arms clumsily gathering food that was stored in tupperware. He'd seen them make it just last night.

Why were they eating it now? He'd heard of a midnight snack but this was too early, it was almost 4 in the morning-

They turned from the fridge, the door closing as they walked over to the stove, and turned on the light, their features glowing in the soft light.

Gabriel was so shocked he couldn't feel his heartrate slow down as he realized there was no threat.

What were you doing up at this hour?!

Gabriel huffed to himself before stepping out of the shadows just as you sat at a table, gathering a spoon to eat what was in the tupperware. He recognized the food as a Butter Chicken curry, something you once made for Emily after she left the hospital. The rice was fragrant, jasmine and lemon which you'd made just the other day, and there were some steamed coconut gravy veggies you made along with the rice. You sat down with a glass of orange juice, said something he couldn't understand and began digging into your food.

Okay, enough was enough. Gabriel had to know what was going on with you!

He stalked out from behind the ottoman and walked towards you, hoping you could hear him approaching (Emily did say his footsteps sounded like some monster pounding from downstairs) as he crossed his arms behind you, waiting for you to turn to him.

One...

Two...

"What are you doing up at this hour?"

You let out a small shriek of surprise, and Gabriel couldn't help but congratulate himself on being sneaky enough to frighten you. You had the cutest little squeak, didn't you?

Putting down your spoon, you turned to him. You eyes were slightly pink from the redness of a disturbed sleep, he noticed, and you smiled up at him tiredly, in a way that made him want to send you straight back to bed and make sure you slept well, but alas, not before he found out what you were doing eating at this hour.

"Sorry, Gabriel, it's just Suhoor time, so I have to eat now-"

..."What the fuck is Suhoor?"

You shook your head, messing your bedhair up even more. "It just means a pre-day meal before fasting" you explained, turning back around to enjoy your meal, from the pleased hum coming from your throat.

"Why are you fasting?" He knew what a fast was, to refuse food, but for what possible reason would you have to not eat? You better not be on some diet in the hopes of losing your mass for weight loss, cause he wasn't even sure that worked, and you're be risking your health.

You seemed to pause in thought before turning to him. The look in your eyes made him want to pretend he knew just so you'd stop looking at him like he was stupid as hell but he needed to know, and he was a grown man and would ask about anything he wanted to know.

"Gabriel, it's Ramadan". Another pause from him. "Do...you know what Ramadan is?"

"Not really". He didn't know at all.

Seeming to catch on or just avoiding his ignorance altogether (which he'd really appreciate if that was what you were doing), you explained to him in between bites of food what it was:

"Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar- where Muslims around the world fast for thirty days in order to purify their bodies and minds from worldly desire and also feel sympathy for the poor as they are bereft of food unwillingly. This month is basically about self-betterment, empathy, and reconnecting with God" you explained, locking up the tupperware as you were done with your meal. You put it back into the fridge, not willing to do the dishes when it was time to pray and then sleep. You did have work tomorrow.

Gabriel's voice sounded over the radio as his electric voice asked: "And what's Suhoor, then?"

"Oh, Suhoor is just the name for the pre-fasting meal. See, if you eat earlier in the day then your body can digest it overnight and give you energy throughout the day so you can function while you fast".

Interesting, he thought. "And if you get hungry, you bear it?"

"Yep, that's the point, after all".

"Even when you have health issues or are about to die or in danger without food?"

"No, no!" You seemed quick to react. "No, people with health conditions, or who need emergency food, or are menstruating can't fast. You can only fast if you are able-bodied, but if it will harm you to not eat then you shouldn't fast, you can just make it up some other time or they might not have to fast at all in some cases" you revealed.

"Why a cap on menstruating? Aren't you healthy?" He had heard some cultures in the global south were misogynistic and regarded women as dirty during natural bodily processes (though a lot of men and boys in the West were still like that, which should have resulted in their birth certificate being an apology for being unworthy of oxygen), and he really hoped this wasn't like that. No one deserved that.

You seemed almost unsurprised, and almost disappointed in him which he'd never forgive himself for if he made you feel that way but you answered him calmly, telling him: "It's because the body loses a lot of nutrients and can be in physical pain so the menstruating person needs rest and nutrients, which are often in food. If they are deprived, it can have ill consequences on the body and Allah doesn't want his believers to suffer too much in trying to earn his love". You closed the fridge door and grabbed the glass of juice you'd poured while talking to Gabriel, and downed the sweet liquid, following up with some water as you looked at the time.

You nodded to Gabriel as you turned and went to the nearby lower level bathroom, washing up.

You walked back upstairs, bidding him goodnight as you climbed up the steps with watery hands and feet and water dripping down your chin and shining on your head, as you closed yourself into your room.

Gabriel took a look around the now empty kitchen before walking back upstairs as well, his black slippers making no sound as he reached the second floor. His room was across from yours, and as he laid down in bed, he heard you shuffle around before your bedsprings alerted him you were sleeping once more. He took a while to sleep.

The next morning, you were gone at 9:30 A.M., and Emily waved you out the door as you left for work, the same job but with a promotion you'd had since you first moved into the May house, a few months after him kidnapping you and a year after you'd first arrived to town for educational placements where you'd met Emily.

With Emily working a small day job from home, she finished her piece for her new job and had a relaxing few hours before you came home. You'd come back just a little after sunset, at 6:45 P.M.

You entered the house to find Gabriel dominant at the moment, his gloved hands at his sides, hair cascading down his shoulder in a loose braid you'd seen Emily put it in just this morning. His leather coat with his dagger at the belt shined in the dying sunlight and the bright halogen lights overhead. He seemed to be waiting for you.

He must have noticed the question in your mind as he nodded his head towards the kitchen, walking before you so you could follow. Taking your shoes off and dropping your bag on the floor, you jogged up behind him and followed his lead before he stopped, stepping to the side to show you the view, a hand open to behold.

You gasped as soon as you saw it: the table was laden with multiple dishes, each of which were from traditionally Eastern cuisines, with samosas, some vegetable dishes, some noodles from Chinese takeout, some hummus and chips with some sauces in the middle of the spread. Dessert in the form of cheesecake sat off to the side.

The smells were mouthwatering.

"Gabriel...?" Your awed whisper grabbed his attention and he couldn't fight his giddiness at your silent praise.

"I did some research with some free time and found some traditional dishes for you to break your fast with this evening" his voice echoed around the house.

"You did this...for me?" you asked, and once more was he lost in the moment of your attention. This time however, he could only find it in himself to nod back.

You beamed a dazzling smile at him as you looked over the table, complimenting his work- "it smells so good, it's even better than any Muslim store I got food at before"- "This looks so good I can't wait to try it!"- before a sound interrupted the space.

It was loud, a male voice, that spoke in a language he didn't understand but seemed to sing in verse, and it stirred his attention. The only thing that broke the slight trance was hearing your stomach gurgle.

You bit your lip and smiled apologetically, clearly embarrassed at the sound before you approached him.

Gabriel was taken by surprise, his eyes widening as you took your hand in his, warming the skin through the leather with your own warm touch, and warmed his heart with your grateful eyes as you once more smiled at him like he just made your dreams come true.

"Thank you, so much, Gabriel. You have no idea what it means to me that you did this. Thank you" you squeezed his palm, and his fingers gave a gentle squeeze back, broadening your smile.

You suddenly turned and removed your hand from his own, and he was concerned for a moment he'd done something wrong when you pulled out a chair and nodded to it, your gaze fixed on him.

"Sit with me, and eat- if you can" you added, seeming to remember he couldn't digest as he didn't have those organs, but you invited him to sit with you. "I'd like to share my Iftar, my fast-breaking meal, with you" you added, and Gabriel's feet were already on the move, moving towards the table.

Standing next to you a moment, he grabbed a plate where he had already piled some food on, still warm and waiting for you.

He held it out to you, an offering.

"Ram-ad-aan Mu-bar-ak" his voice enunciated every syllable, attempting to get the Arabic pronunciation right, just for you. Blessed Ramadan.

Your hands wrapped around his own as you too grasped the plate, warmth seeping into the backs of his hands sheltered by your own as you greeted him in turn:

"Ramadan Mubarak, Gabriel".

He didn't know if you could tell, but had he the face he wished, you would see the fondness in his smile that he may or may not have hoped you'd see.

That night, two friends conversed into the nice evening, sharing a meal and company, for the first of many more days to come during the blessed month of Ramadan.

Bonus:

After Iftar, you were doing the dishes while Gabriel dried them with a towel. It would have been ludicrous to think that the man who was using his sister's body to commit serial murder just months ago and kidnapped you was now here, being domestic and helping out with chores. During the meal, you'd talked to him and explained more about the timing of the fast and other facets of Ramadan, and now the meal was finished, with leftovers for the next Suhoor. You were currently drinking a glass of some fizzy drink in a fancy wine glass, facing Gabriel as you both basked in one another's company after the chores and meal.

A thought entered your mind and Gabriel watched your eyes sparkle with mirth before he saw your gaze flick to him and then flick down to your glass, you chuckling as you downed the drink.

"What's got you laughing like that?"

You gave an acknowledging hum before putting down the empty glass, leaning back on the counter and he watched in a slight trance as your skin seemed to shimmer under the halogen light.

"I just thought of, how in Ramadan, it is said that Allah locks up the Devil himself in Hell so as not to cause havoc during this blessed month, and that would probably mean that angels don't have to compete much to keep a person guided. I thought of angels and I remembered that there is an angel called Jibreel, which in English is your name, Gabriel, arguably perhaps the most favoured and important of Allah's angels. I suppose its the month of angels, and I just realized someone with the name of an angel brought me food to break my fast, so thank you, angel" you teased, and Gabriel watched as you walked across the tiled floor and wrapped your arms around him. It took him by surprise but he hugged you back.

What shocked him to the core was your lips pressing gently upon a part of his face that was not bloodied or sensitive like raw musculature, pressing a kiss to where his cheek might have been.

You bit your lip at how frozen he looked, and with a nervous smile, you washed your glass and put it away, bidding Gabriel goodnight as you walked up for praying as you said you had to do after you broke your fast.

It took Gabriel several moments to tilt his head upward to the top of the stairs where he'd heard your footsteps go over and lead you out of his sight. His shared heart with his sister beat furiously as his mind kept replaying the sensation of being kissed on the cheek, a gesture of affection he'd never felt before but holy fuck did he like it.

Gabriel didn't believe in a god, not after all he'd been through in what he could consider a godforsaken childhood. But he knew that if there was such a thing as God, the existence of you was proof of him.

Note: Hey all, so to Non-Muslims reading this, there is more towards this month and Islam in general that I have not covered as this oneshot is specifically addressing only a few rudimentary facts of Ramadan and Islam and only some select facts to make the story work. For both Muslims and Non-Muslims, this is based on how I as a Muslim behaved, i.e. I am more open with affection and some religious beliefs but this is not the case for all Muslims, please do ask about people's preferences if you want to know but this is based on my Muslim identity, it does not mean every Muslim is this open.

Hope y'all enjoyed, thank you for reading!

48 notes · View notes