Ira

Malachi felt the presence before he saw him so when he turned around and saw Ira standing there, he couldn’t help but scoff. “Lost your little friend? I don’t care.” @ira-guardian

~

“My little - oh you mean Sydney. I haven’t lost  - you really don’t know how guardians and wards work do you?” the question was a rhetorical one. “Unless you are referring to Pari, in which case I don’t know where she is at the moment, but I haven’t actually lost her.” 

justice: favorite color of rose?

oh well, i do believe that all color of roses are beautiful, but if I had to choose my favorite then white and purple

No, I can’t say that I do. I don’t really involve myself in those kinds of things. It’s already something that isn’t exactly looked fondly upon for my kind to have, and also I never know when it is I will be assigned somewhere else, so it just doesn’t make sense to me. 

“Oh, Ira.” She sighed, “But what do you mean? Love comes in all different forms anyway, Baby. You all think we’re so different from humans but it’s just not true. In fact, we’re very similar in a lot of ways. We just choose to pretend like we aren’t and I don’t – I never – understood why…”

Maybe this was an important conversation that was being interrupted.

Pari could look after herself, and she might have said something more but was… Relieved when Ira stepped in. “…I don’t believe they stuttered, did they love?” Her free hand found her hip, “Jump. Frog.” before snatching her arm away. Obviously, she wasn’t worth this gentleman’s time after all. She waited for him to cross the street before exhaling, “Thank you.” Slipping her hands into her pockets, eyes narrowing as she watched his back. At least when these things happened she could gauge something from it. “I’ll make sure to check in on his wife… – Oh, right. Your gift…” turning it over between her fingers, “Like I said, it’s just a little something.” She had the othe half of their gift — a scarf — at home, she could slip that in their bag later. This, she wanted to give to them personally. Pinning something to their lapel, “It just felt right. Like it made sense for me to buy you it when I saw it.” A soft smile, “You’ve stuck by me for this long after all.”

~

Ira watched the man, not taking their eyes off of the other until Pari’s words caused them to turn back towards the cherub. They caused an expression of concern as she’d mentioned the man’s wife. The guardian watched as she pinned something on his lapel, able to see it now when she’d pulled her hands away. “It’s perfect” they looked from the pin, recognizing it from a movie the two had watched two wards ago in another place. “Thank you” they leaned down to give her cheek a kiss.

Oh, Sydney knew being around him was work, that was fine.

“And why me? Did you pick me out of the ‘poor sod’ hat..? What was my number?” A pause when Ira reached out to touch him. “…Sorry. I don’t mean to be brash… You’re doing your job, and I am grateful for that. I just…”  Inhaling deeply, then exhaling: “It’s rotten work.” glancing at them, “Helping me. You do know that?”

After a moment of consideration, Sydney closed the tea box. His eyes found the ceiling, “I don’t know what’s worse, Ira: working so much I don’t have time to think or thinking too much I can’t work.” Grabbing his jacket, a light laugh falling from his lips, “Can’t imagine what a 10 might’ve been.” he slipped his hands into his pockets, “Unfortunately, I don’t really have one place that relaxes me… People, maybe… What about you, then? What relaxes an angel? Maybe I’ll take a page out of your book.”

~

“That’s not exactly how it works.” Ira was a little interested in why the other thought they drew wards from a hat. “Why you? Well, because you needed someone. I don’t get to pick who my ward is, but when I’m told where I’m needed I go. Normally, I’m given the assignment in heaven, but with the way things are that’s not possible. I wasn’t even sure I’d get another assignment, but then I did. It was just a feeling and four words. Wildemount, England and Sydney Shange. I don’t see it as rotten work”

Ira was glad when Sydney closed the tea box as it seemed the other was going to take their advice. What relaxed them? That was something the angel had never thought about before, and they took a moment to try and imagine things that relaxed them “Oh well, cooking is one, and organizing things gets me pretty relaxed. Oh and doing nails. I could give yours a treatment.”

Gabriel nodded and smiled. “Oh, boy. The cemetery?” He shook his head. “That’s interesting. I mean, I wouldn’t find myself there on a regular day but I hope you two meet up outside that place.” He joked. After a moment, he sighed. “Look, this is going to be awkward, Ira… I’m just.. I just recently agreed to be the guardian to a young woman named Elena. I’m a little lost and… well, confused. I haven’t had someone to look after in over a century.” He sighed. “If you have the time, I’d love some help.” 

~

“Don’t worry I act as his guardian everywhere not just the cemetery” Ira didn’t mind the place, though they could understand why someone wouldn’t particularly want to constantly meet up at the place. “Of course I have time. What has you confused?”

Abaddon didn’t dislike Ira. In fact, at times they found them quite charming (not that they’d ever let Ira know that). Other times, however, they found them quite grating. Today it was the latter. Abby had lost track of the void’s analytics – there were too many spirits to keep track of and the number climbed every day the veils were ‘under maintenance.’ “Shit.” They slid the IPad they had been working on away from them in frustration, exhaling,

“Right. Lettt meee ask you a question, Ira: D’you ever stop?” Abby’s hands rose to run over their face. “It’s all fucked, mate. You do know this isn’t your responsibility, yeah?” They raised their brows, “Seriously. I know you angels have your ‘conventions’ but have you considered pickin’ up a hobby? Or drinking? Or a dating app – It doesn’t matter. You’re going to burn yourself out.” A pause, 

“…But if you must file my grievances away anything but Death is fine… It’s not her fault there’s no bloody place to put people, is it?” they rested their chin in their hand, “Can’t imagine how shit she must feel.” 

~

“Do I ever stop what?” Ira asked, tilting their head to the side. “Oh I do have a hobby. Well hobbies, technically, since it is more than one. I enjoy cooking very much and baking, though I wouldn’t say I’m as skilled a baker as I am with cooking. Dating apps are certainly out of the question, though. Drinking I’m not entirely sure about. I could consult Raziel on the matter and see what he says.” Burn themself out? That was something Ira couldn’t afford to do. People depended on them. That was the whole of their existence. Being someone people, usually very specifically one person, could depend on.

“Oh I meant the entire concept, though I do realize now how that could be confusing and bring unwanted blame down onto her.” they moved to erase the option of ‘Death’ from the list. “Have you spoken to her since you’ve gotten here? I keep meaning to find her, but I’ve found myself with fewer hours in the day than I need sometimes.”

@ira-guardian·

“Right. Listen, Ira.” He buzzed past the man, tossing his protective goggles onto the side of his desk a the funeral home. He was working overtime. Again. It kept him from being alone with his thoughts. “– I know you’re insistent on checking up on me but I’m fine.” Lucian had patched him up, he might have needed stitches but refused to go to the hospital. He’d make do with gauze over the cut on his brow. “…This is just…” He waved a hand, “It happens every now and then. Since I was a child.” He dipped into the box of tea, hoping to make himself something to calm his own nerves, “Nothing’s to be done about it. – Christ, why is everything in here poison?! I’d offer you tea but it’s noxious.” closing the box in frustration, 

“…You’ve been around for a long time, my life is objectively not normal, is it? On a scale from 1-10, 10 being the worst you’ve seen where do I fall? Be honest.”

~

“It’s my duty to check up on you” Ira explained. They never used the term job when it came to speaking to their wards about being their guardian. While technically that’s what it was, Ira didn’t quite like using the word as they never wanted them to feel like being around them was work. “Of course something is to be done about it, that’s why I’m here. To help you.” they reached out to touch the side of Sydney’s arm at the man’s frustration regarding the tea. “Why don’t we go somewhere that will help relax you. Work can wait. I already know you’ve been working overtime a lot recently. You need a break.” they pulled their hand back.

“As for a scale of 1 - 10, I’d say in all the years I’ve been doing this you fall somewhere in the 7 or 8 category. I’ve been the guardian for many many people whose lives weren’t objectively normal.”

Gabe nodded. “Yeah… It’s me.” He smiled at the angel. “Ira, right?” He asked. Gabe hope he was right. “You uh… You’re a guardian, right?” He smiled at them. “You have a ward here?” Gabe asked. 

~

“Yes to both” Ira nodded, “Well, actually yes to all three. I’ve only recently been assigned to this ward around the past holidays. He works over at the cemetery” they added, wondering if the other angel knew him.

Pari paused to meet Ira’s sweet blue eyes with her deep brown. Their question was one she had been actively avoiding. In reality, Pari didn’t know anymore. “What…I want..?” She hoped Ira wouldn’t notice she was stalling. Their next comment was the perfect distraction, forcing Pari to lean her head back and groan in playful irritation. “Oh, please, Ira, don’t bring the moon into this… The inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circle orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.”

She blew a curl off her forehead, sighing, “I suppose I just don’t understand what’s not to understand. It’s not like the two are all that different. — Well… Alright, that’s not true…” Turning to look at them again, “I love you, specially, unlike I love anyone else. We’ve known eachother for so long… Do you really not feel that..?” This time, now completely distracted by their conversation she did bump into someone: a man who was more than happy to catch and hold onto her, “— I’m so sorry. Thank you…” she attempted to yank her arm back, “This is the bit where you let go.”

~

Ira did notice the stalling, and then as she changed the subject at their mention of the moon. “I feel something, though I don’t know if it’s the same kind of love that humans feel towards one another.” they admitted, not sure if they were explaining it right. They were about to go on when Pari had managed to bump into someone. 

“Excuse me, I believe she said to let go” Ira said looking down at the man who was still holding onto her arm. “I would hate to have this situation escalate when there’s no need for it, but if you don’t do as my friend here requests I will exhibit no problem in removing that hand for you.”

“I don’t want anyone to get hurt,” Noah assured him. “It’s being taken care of. I just wanted you to be aware that there could be danger. I think things are going to get better, though. At least, I hope they are.”

~

The two had often shared the same sentiment when it came to not wanting anyone to get hurt. Even if it did sometimes contradict with what they were in different ways. Ira had sometimes had to hurt people and Noah, being a reaper, had to handle the unfortunate aftermath that sometimes came when people had been hurt. “I hope they are too” they reached out to put a comforting hand on Noah’s shoulder.

“Gabriel?” Ira raised a brow. They couldn’t quite remember the last time they’d seen the other. Decades for sure, but centuries weren’t out of the question either. They supposed it made sense to run into the other here of all places though, as it seemed that Wildemount was a hotspot when it came to their kind among others.