lt_safe_house | Michael is a difficult patient

Date: May 3rd
Place: Michael's room, the lobby, and back to Michael's room
Status: Private (Gabriel, Michael) - Complete
Summary: Gabriel leaves for a short while and returns to check on Michael, only to find him missing.

Ms Hodges had been quite understanding about letting Gabriel have a few days of unpaid leave to take care of Michael; she'd offered to have a doctor look at him, but Gabriel didn't feel like explaining the wings or the sword wounds. He was staying in Michael's room most of the time, returning to his own room only to sleep, feed the cats and shower.

Running a hand through still-damp hair, he pushed open Michael's door and paused, staring at the empty bed.

"Michael?" he called, but was unsurprised when no answer came. Sighing, he stepped out of the room.

I need to find Michael. And he knew that Michael was at the bottom of the stairs leading to the first floor. Taking the steps two at a time, Gabriel ran down. He paused at the sight of Michael sitting on the bottom step, huge golden wings drooping limply.

"Michael, you should be in bed."

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Had he been in a better frame of mind, he would have laughed at Gabriel's question. Instead he just grinned and said, "Because... you're you, and I'm me, and that's the way it is and should be, 'n' whether we're together or not, y' need t' be you and I'm gonna be me."

Gabriel's lips curved up very slightly. "You're not making much sense. In fact, you sound like you're trying to sing."

Michael blinked again. "Huh? Ohhhhhhhh, y' dodgin' the issue 'gain. 'K. Fine. Jus' drop it. But I get t' call y' a moron."

Gabriel flushed, releasing Michael and looking down again. "Go ahead. I just..." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I suppose you can't just forget it."

Finally sitting up was proving to be nearly impossible, and so he relaxed and fell backwards, laying spread out on the stairs. He closed his eyes. "Point. Point is. That if lovin' y' is a sin, I'd be s' Fallen already. 'n' twisted with jealous rage 'n' stuff. 'm hardier than that, 'n' so are you. We're the Hands of God. S'metimes." He giggled. "Depends on how Father's feelin'."

"I don't trust myself," Gabriel said quietly. He leaned back, supporting himself on his elbows. "Sometimes I wonder if you were right when you questioned my name, back when we were created."

Michael turned his head and smiled at Gabriel. "Nyah. It fits you. Strong of spirit 'n' all that. I got the muscles, you got the brains." He giggled a bit. "But then 'gain, your name could mean Obliviousness of God." He giggled more. "Paranoid of God! Fall f' love. That doesn't happen, Gab'l, it just doesn't. Moron," he finished fondly.

"Look at Raphael and Hadassah," Gabriel pointed out, biting his lip.

"Don' remember why Hadassah Fell but I doubt it was 'cause she loved Raph'l," he retorted.

"He was too busy to spend enough time with her. She wasn't very happy about that." He wrapped his arms around himself. "I don't trust myself. I haven't for a long time."

Michael fondly sighed at Gabriel. "An' yet, here y' are, on a mission from Father, bein' a good little angel. Y' don't trust y'self, right, so y're less likely t' do something really bad. Cautious is good."

"You could have chosen someone not tainted." Gabriel stared ahead resolutely, a deep blush rising to his cheeks. "That shared dream. The kiss. I enjoyed it. I shouldn't have."

He'd never thought Lust was something he needed to worry about.

Michael may have been weak from bloodloss and demonic tainting, but he still managed a fairly good hysterical laugh.

I cannot believe I admitted that.

Gabriel finally turned to look at him. "I fail to see the humour."

Michael felt elated. "I think y' need to go talk to Haniel, or Chamuel."

Gabriel returned to scrutinising the carpet. "Funny, I've almost been expecting Uriel. Look, I didn't admit that to amuse you." He bit his lip, bare feet tapping against the bottom stair. "Of all the angels in Heaven, why choose one who was tainted?"

Edited 2010-07-17 13:52 (UTC)

Michael sighed. This whole talking and focusing on being awake thing was starting to affect him even though he was laying completely limp on the stairs. "Bec'se y' not tainted." He paused. "Y' are pretty stupid, though, sorry Gab'l. 'n' y' pretty paranoid. If kisses felt bad n' one would do 'em. And I said Han'l 'n' Cham'l 'cause they're all about love."

Gabriel ran tense fingers through his hair. "I'm not in love. And you need to get back before you pass out on the stairs. Come on."

He turned to Michael, sliding one arm beneath his shoulders and pulling him up.

Michael shook his head and pushed him away.

Gabriel had said it himself that he considered them very good if not best friends. The kiss implied he also found him physically attractive. Affection + interest = love or at least the foundation of it!

"G' 'way 'n' come back when you figure out what the crap y're feelin', Gabe. It's one thing t' say y' not in love, it's another to say it when y' pretty much are."

Gabriel simply stared at him; his expression was almost comical, eyes wide and lips parted slightly in shock.

Either Michael was delirious, or... no. He didn't. He couldn't.

"At least let me help you back to the room," he murmured.

Michael pointedly rolled so he was facing the wall. "Nope. Bye."

Gabriel touched his shoulder softly. "Michael, please, I can't just leave you here. Let me bring you back to your room, and I'll... speak to someone and sort things out after that."

"I'm sleepin'," he replied.

There was silence for a moment.

"You don't talk in your sleep, and you sound lucid," Gabriel pointed out. He was trying to focus on this, on the fact that Michael should be resting and mundane tasks like remembering to refill the cats' water dish later; it was easier than thinking about their conversation.

"Look, let me bring you back and I'll go talk to someone about... things."

Edited 2010-07-18 02:29 (UTC)

"Y' say that, but I'm sleepin' right now," Michael informed him.

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