lt_safe_house | Beneath the Shadow of His Wing

Date: May 12th, around ten PM
Place: First Raphael's room, then Michael's
Status: Private (Michael, Raphael and Rose)
Summary Raphael, terrified of Belial, sneaks off to Michael's room

Beneath the Shadow of His Wing

Raphael clutched tightly at his pillow, pressing himself further against the wall, terror surging through him. He could feel Belial down the hallway and was morbidly afraid that he would come while he slept and reduce him to angel goo.

He could hear Fella's soft chewing and see the large golden owl eyes of Pudge shining in the darkness.

Whoooo? the owl purred, rustling its wings.

He couldn't take this anymore.

Scooping up his now-confused bunny and taking the owl from its perch to sit atop his shoulder he quietly opened his door and, shooting a glance at Belial's door, he shimmied across as quickly as possible and dashed up the stairs two at a time.

Standing before Michael's door he hesitated a moment, the owl making irritated purring noises and the bunny restlessly trying to wriggle free and get back to its carrot. It was very difficult for him to ask for help, feeling as if he were a burden or a drain on resources ans energy. Should he really impose on his brother? He and Gabriel had done so much for him, how could he ask-

He stiffened, another surge of fear roaring through him.

It was a mouse, skittering by quickly as soon as it sensed the owl.

Swallowing hard he turned back to the door, knowing perfectly well he must appear as a poor abandoned puppy on the doorstep.

He knocked quietly, in case Michael was asleep.

"Michael? It... It's me... Can we stay with you tonight?"

((•))

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"Yes, Gabriel seemed very protective of you. I don't know Michael that well. He caught me once as I jumped out the window though."

The last sentence was just a murmur, but better she told Raphael now than to wait for Michael asking him why he was friends with the crazy girl who jumped out windows at night.

"I like your Fella much better like this. Last time someone dropped him into my arms he scratched and kicked with all his strength to get away from me..."

Raphael gave a gentle nod, green eyes full of understanding. He knew how difficult it must be for her to be here instead of with her pack. He knew what it must be like to be forced to hide who she truly was. Raphael let his wing curl a bit more around her, wishing so much he could help her somehow.

"I found him in an alley," he told her. "Poor thing just looked so miserable and wet, I couldn't help but take him in. I'm thankful h survived the long walk over here. And so am I," he added quietly, smiling gratefully at her. Joe's words still rang through his mind, one of the humans who had saved him that fateful night. A total stranger, soaked and bleeding. "I've been very selfish lately." It was more of a statement than a confession, gently stroking his pet. "I wish I could do something to show everyone how grateful I am."

Rose snuggled a bit closer to Raphael, enjoying the feeling of being enveloped by the soft wing.

"I'm sure, Fella is grateful that you picked him up and took him with you."

She looked up into Raphael's green eyes, smiling.

"It wasn't selfish to help me, Raphael. It wasn't selfish to keep my secret and offer me protection. It wasn't selfish to keep Fella with you and keep him safe. And at least I am just glad that you are here and that you are well and that you are my friend..."

Raphael felt as if he was going to melt at those kind words. He couldn't help but pull her into an embrace, taking care not to crush her or the bunny in her arms (despite his weakened prsence he was still quite strong physically). "I'm glad you're my friend, too Rose," he rasped quietly, meaning evey word.

Rose enjoyed the embrace and rubbed her face against Raphaels chest before she made to hand Fella back to him.

"It's quite late and I think we should both go to bed before your alpha can scold me for keeping you up late, hm?"

She was still smiling and she would have loved to stay with Raphael for a while longer but she had to work the next morning and he surely needed some rest as well.

Raphael gave a nod. She was right, they both needed to get some sleep.

Embracing her tightly one last time he pulled away and slipped back into Michael's room. He set his bunny down at the foot of the bed and made sure Pudge had a place to perch for the night. Folding his wings against his back he crawled into bed and beneath the covers. For a moment he just lay there, then he rolled over and pulled Michael into a snuggle, planting an affectionate kiss on his brother's forehead. Oh how he loved his brothers... His family...

He fell asleep with a content smile, lightly stroking the Warrior's blonde curls and remembering how much he had been helped since his arrival. He wished he could heal whatever was happening to Gabriel and Michael; it was like a painful open tear that just seemed to hurt them. Maybe someday... Someday soon... The Warrior and the Messenger will be able to help each other in the same way they had helped him.

Pudge ruffled in the window, twin golden moons watching against the night.

Rose waited until Raphael was back in the room and had closed the door before she went back to her own room to go to sleep. It had been a long, long day...

Michael, asleep but really liking the head rubs, curled up around Raphael.

Hopefully Michael wouldn't kick Raphael in his sleep, but hey, that was Raphael's problem now, not his. Everyone has to make sacrifices here.

Sometime, a few hours before dawn, Raphael rustled in bed and grabbed his battered Composition Book and pen beneath his pillow. For a moment, he just watched his older brother sleep and thought about the many times he had healed him when he was bloodied and beaten to within an inch of his life. Michael would often insist he did not need help and Raphael remembered that deep longing to help. To heal...

He let out a sigh. I'm just as stubborn, if not worse...

Am I really still an angel?

He let his beautiful wings curl around him as he began to write, one hand still gently stroking the blonde curls on the pillow beside him.

Beneath the Shadow of His Wing

'first floor' is one flight of stairs up. The one at the bottom is the ground floor ;)

Oops! Well Raphy was pretty incoherent at the time XD

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Alright, with this post I'm out of the thread ;)

Re: Alright, with this post I'm out of the thread ;)

This'll be Raphy's last post in this thread unless you want to continue it :3