heaven's light

This was all… so… new for Raz.

When you simplified things down to a human level understanding the best friend of the girl he was seeing didn’t like him. Probably hated him. And you know, that was fair. There were surely whole tv dramas about that, right? And Raz knew Ruby was upset. They had fought more viciously over text than they had since they made up.

Maybe it hadn’t been that long, fine. But that didn’t mean Raz liked that they reverted. In fact, he hated it.

This was important.

So he exhaled through his nose, leaning against the closed door of her bathroom.

“Ruby… Can I come in?” A pause. He could feel her stewing inside, he wouldn’t be surprised of the bath water was literally boiling, “I’m not here to fight with you. I want to apologize.” Try to at least. He waited for a response, “I’ll do it from out here if you want.”

@theoneandonlyruby

-

She thought the bath might calm her down because she was practically shaking with anger. She doubled down against her own friend to prevent from outing her relationship in public and he went and made everything she did pointless. So yeah, Ruby was pissed but even as she lay there glaring a hole in the wall opposite her chest ached. 

It ached because the bubble had burst so soon. 

It ached because she and Raziel were fighting already. 

It ached because of the look Ori had given her before walking away. 

Ruby looked over at the door as she heard him. He could be in here in a moment if he wanted to so the fact he had allowed the door to be between them was something to consider. She didn’t consider it much though and to try and vent some frustration threw the soap at the door.

“I refused outright to confirm anything Ori was saying because I wanted to protect you! I was vague and dismissive so I didn’t have to risk us. Regardless of the fact she crossed a line trying to force me to out us, you made everything worthless by CONFIRMING what she thought she knew!” She shouted before turning to settle her back against the tub, water sloshing at her sharp movement. 

“Am I the only one who has to deal with the negative consequences of this? I just breathe and the whole fucking town suddenly knows my business despite not giving two shits before. For fucks sake come in so I can at least shout at you to your face.”

“I wasn’t expecting an altercation, Ruby. I didn’t go looking to fight with her. I was looking for you and then... things spiraled.” That was another thing they’d have to discuss: just how Raz got there in the first place. “The whole town doesn’t know. As of right now the three of us are the only ones who know specifics. She’s your friend, Ruby. She was... looking out for you.” Still didn’t make Raz like Ori anymore but he knew if all came from a place of care. He didn’t know how much Ruby had told Ori about their past. Regardless, it wasn’t a pretty one. Ori’s reaction to him was fair. Ish... — It was understandable. Raz ~got it.~

Hand on the doorknob he tried for a gentle tease, “Are you armed?” But didn’t wait for a response before entering. “I’m sorry. I should have walked away. I don’t want you to have to deal with ‘negative consequences’ at all much less alone.” Picking up the soap and daring to approach, “I was disorientated. When I first ran into her I didn’t even stop to think about who she was. — It’s not an excuse.” Handing the now pristine, like new bar of soap back to her. “I’m just trying to explain what happened.”

He hesitated, then reached out a hand to brush the hair away from her face.

///

He held up his hands in defense, “That’s right. I forgot you had gotten married. I’m sorry.” Raz thought he was being more than reasonable, he already had everyone and their mother’s information jammed up in his head, excuse him for forgetting one demon’s husband. And though he now knew Ori to be a friend of Ruby’s (which held weight) he couldn’t help the roll of his eyes when she continued, “Well, Mrs. Velnias-Arkwright, you dislike me. I figured you’d be happy to end this conversation.” A quirked brow, “Or did you want me to wait for you to dismiss me?”

Everything was going as well as Raz expected; He wasn’t naive enough to think Ori would enjoy his presence. But when she touched him – grabbed him – that changed things. Raz stiffened at the thought of a hug from someone he knew. The only person he let touch him whenever she wanted was blocks away.

This is Ruby’s friend. This is Ruby’s friend.

“Ohhh.” he exhaled, eyes still fixed on her hand, “You really don’t want to do that.”

This one demon was also the best friend of the woman he was seeing.  So yes, Ori expected better from him.  “Regardless of my feelings towards you, Ruby is still fond of you and so we have things to discuss.  Unless you want to turn tail and run like a coward, then by all means, I won’t stop you.”

She cocked a brow at the other.  “Or else what?” she challenged him.

When he finally looked up at her his eyes were a piercing blue. One by one he willed her fingers to unfurl from his arm, her hand up to one side as if she was making a vow. For both of their sakes, they needed distance between them, skidding her back a few paces and cementing her red bottoms to the concrete. And there, like a statue, she would stay.

“Let me make something very clear, Mrs. Velnias-Arkwright. You don’t have to like me. I don’t expect you to like me. You could want my head delivered to you on a platter...” A slow shake of his head, “But you don’t get to touch me. I don’t like it. It’s one of my things.”

He exhaled through his nose, “So I’m going to let you go now. And you can say your piece. And then? It’d probably be best, if I went one way and you went the other.” With an exhale the glow of his eyes faded and Ori could move around as she pleased, “What is it that you want to tell me?”

@michaeltheglorious​

Oh, he knew Michael would come looking for him eventually. At least he had found some form of common ground with Mal and Lucifer (and was in the midst of exploring his relationship with Ruby whenever and however she wanted) as well as spoke with Michele so, like, Raziel was a step closer to gucci for the first time since he got to Wildemount.

“Michael.” He called, “I hear you were looking for me. Not that you couldn’t have easily found me yourself but forget about it! Always happy to come to you.” Was he particularly happy about interrupting his day for this? No. But playing nice enough with good ol’ Mike was important, “Make anyone cry today?”

-

Michael turned slowly, taking his eyes off of the shop front he’d been inspecting. “Well last time I appeared unannounced you complained. So I figured I’d try the mortal way. It’s ineffective and very slow.” He slipped his hands into his pockets. “Still, you’re here so I suppose I’ve gotten somewhere.” 

He walked to meet Raziel half way. “You and your little jokes. Are you aware you have a grown cambion walking around this town?” He asked, getting straight to the point. “I assume that’s under investigation. Clearly this place is quickly becoming a cesspool. The stench of demon is everywhere. I can sense my brother. No doubt he’s had a hand to play in making this place such a den of sin. I spoke with Malachi. I don’t like seeing one of my best so far fallen. I had high hopes for him but now he’s resigned himself to… indulgence. I assume you’ve been formulating a game plan to fix things here. Do I need to bring in reinforcements?”

“That’s fair. — Please don’t patronize me, Michael. It’s been a long day.” He’d just gotten yelled at by MRS. VELNIAS-ARKWRIGHT and would be happy to not talk to anyone for the rest of the day. But alas, such is life.

As far as the cambion was concerned there was another one. Much smaller but much less stable. Raz was more worried about her, even under Lucifer’s supervision, “She hasn’t done anything to warrant interference. In fact, she’s only just learned what she is. There are far better uses of our time.” He made sure to keep his face in check and choose his words specifically. “There’s a lot you don’t know about this town Michael. But, yes, I’m working on getting things in order. I’m assuming you’ve met Michele?” Waving a dismissive hand at the mention of reinforcements, “You’re always too eager to bring out the troops. We have no way to get into Heaven at the moment. That should be our priority.”

He had been waking to the Univeristy, expecting to see the campus when he turn the corner, instead running right into a stranger on the complete other side of town.

“I’m...” glancing at their surroundings in genuine confusion. Had he teleported here? “—I’m sorry. Let me buy you another coffee. Please.” He was so discombobulated that he almost hadn’t noticed he knocked the coffee out of her hand, “I guess I wasn’t... looking where I was going...”

Ruby had been here. He could feel her.

“...Random question: has a woman about this tall been this way?” He asked, holding up a hand to demonstrate her height, his free hand holding a handkerchief out to the stranger, “Wavy brown hair, she has a scar over her eyebrow...” Beautiful brown skin, deep eyes he could go on.. then realized he probably sounded as crazy as he looked lost. So he shook his head, “— Never mind. It’s been a long couple of weeks. Forgive me.”

Ori pursed her lips, about to tell this angel where exactly he could shove that coffee when something clicked.  She was all too familiar with that look of being absolutely smitten.  “You just missed her,” she stated simply.  This was the guy Ruby was involved with?  Really?  “Next time you should just try calling,” she said with a bite.

///

Her tone focused him.

“Well, Ms. Velnias, it’s clear you already know who I am. And I already know you. So, there’s no need for introduction.”

In an instance gone was the dropped coffee and any stain that may have splattered onto her shoes. In her hand now, a cup of whatever she had been drinking.

“New coffee.” Stepping aside now he pulled out his phone.

[txt >> Red]: Did you need me for something?

[txt >> Red]: Met your friend.

///

“You’ve forgotten about how our first run in in Wildemount went already, have you?” But there was no malice behind his tone. Maybe that was ~character growth…~ how he could look back on Mal slamming him up against a brick wall a with a hint of nostalgia. “I don’t blame you.”

He followed Malachi to the kitchen, leaning against the wall, “Things haven’t been easy on you either, I understand that.” A pause, gentle exhale escaping from between his lips, “I’m not trying to be a nag. I just know she views us differently.” He pressed a hand to his chest, short laugh falling from his lips, “She calls me coach. our relationship is a bit more academic, for lack of better term. You’re her friend. Not just a mentor. – No, thank you.” 

Meeting then holding Malachi’s gaze at the question, one shoulder lifted into a half shrug, “Our relationship was built on the foundation of me chasing after you and for what? Loving someone? Wanting more? Those are pretty bullshit reasons to punish someone.” He ran a hand over the side of his face, “…I won’t go into detail but, uh… I realized recently that we aren’t as different as I thought we were. And that I’ve hurt a lot of people – you, the one person I care about, shit, myself, even. I’m going to have to stop compartmentalizing and actually work through that self harm eventually…” Today was not that day, “I didn’t deserve what happened to me, fine, but you didn’t deserve what I did to you either. What we did up there was suffocate people and then get angry when they looked for air. Like hands around your neck were meant to be a blessing. It’s frankly embarrassing how long it took me to realize how wrong I was. I’m sorry it took me this long. I’m sorry it took remembering that something happened to me to realize that how wrong this was instead of just… Trusting you. I should have just listened.” He cleared his throat, “Like I said. I’m not going to stand here and expect you to accept this. I’m not entitled anyone’s forgiveness. But you had to know before we embark on… Whatever this mission to take Heaven back is together. And that I mean it sincerely, despite our differences. That’s all.”

-

Malachi shrugged. “You are the angel who took my memories from me, Raziel, what were you expecting? A hug, a kiss and a handshake?” He gave him a look, he wasn’t quite ready to forgive him for that.

He put the cup away and just made himself a cup of coffee instead as Raziel spoke of Michele, he sighed softly. “I know, as I said, I will invite her over and talk about things. I’m not avoiding it, you know? I’m trying my best because I didn’t ask for any of this.” Mal put his cup down a bit too hard on the counter. 

“Yes it is because you followed orders blindly without pausing to think hey maybe it fucks him up. Because of you, I have no idea who I am!” He pointed at himself with an heavy sigh. “I’ve had to put my life back together since coming down here, I have no idea what I did before now because it’s all one giant blank. Do you know how that feels, Raziel? Not knowing who you are besides some soldier who runs on automatic?” he shook his head a little. 

“That’s fine, Malachi. I don’t need — I don’t want anything like that from you. This doesn’t exonerate me. I don’t want a cookie. I’m going to leave and I’ll go ahead and assume we’ll both still feel pretty shitty.” a shrug, “Look. I don’t expect us to be the best of friends — ever — but I owed you an apology regardless. What you do with it is up to you.”

That out of the way... on to much, much bigger topics.

“Well, obviously we aren’t going to send you on some suicide mission alone. For this to work we have to do this together.” His brow furrowed, examining the fallen angel’s face for a moment, “You need time. I understand that. What I don’t know is how much time we have. I’m just trying to be realistic here.” He snapped his fingers to summon his shoes back onto his feet, preparing to leave, “We don’t have a lot of options. But I’m not going to force you to martyr yourself, Malachi, you have... A life.” Raziel knew that, he knew about Peyton and Edgar and Gravi and all the other beings Malachi surrounded himself with.

He thought of Ruby. Then thought of how bad things would be if Michael, for example, managed to reinstate the veils and Heaven as they were prior.