Chapter 20
Levi
Levi couldn’t stop glancing over at Gabriel.
He should be focused on messages, especially since some demonic messages were starting to come in, and they hadn’t done any work yesterday afternoon.
They’d spent the rest of the day lounging in bed, snacking, reading, and playing some video games.
They’d gone out and watched the sunset, then they’d taken a night swim, floating on the water and stargazing.
They’d ended up making love again, then falling asleep afterward, cuddled together.
Making love.
Because Levi’d had plenty of sex over the centuries. He enjoyed pleasures of the flesh, and there was nothing wrong with that, but he had never, in all his time, felt like he did with Gabriel.
He’d seen it in humans. Oh, he’d seen plenty of lust, but he’d seen love, too.
Enduring love. It was different from the lust and all-consuming love of an early relationship.
It was calmer. It was soft, gentle glances they sent each other.
Little smiles. A brushing of the hand. It was routines, and knowing the other person, and occasionally even being exasperated at their silly little habits.
Gabriel was staring at his tablet, mumbling to himself as he typed away. Levi reached a hand out and ran it along Gabriel’s arm, and the angel looked up and smiled at him, grabbing onto his hand and squeezing it before he turned back to the tablet.
This. This was what love felt like. Levi could imagine an eternity of mornings just like this. The routine of it, and yet enjoying every moment of each day, even though it was so similar to the day before.
“It looks like I have a few messages to deliver in person. What about you? Do you see any we need to attend to personally?” Gabriel asked, glancing up.
Levi stared for a moment, struck by the fact that Gabriel so casually assumed they would both go to deliver their messages.
The angel quirked an eyebrow at him, looking slightly worried. “You okay? Are you bored with messages for now? I could always take over if you want a break.”
Levi smiled, and he wondered if Gabriel could see the love in his eyes, and if the angel would recognize it for what it was. “Nah, I’m fine. We’ll both take a break together when we’re done.”
Gabriel blushed, even though Levi hadn’t meant it in that way. He couldn’t help the smirking tilt of his lips, though. He loved that Gabriel thought about sex with him.
He loved so much about the angel, and wasn’t that sort of crazy?
He brushed those thoughts aside, though.
His angel wanted to get work done, and he could focus on that.
He had plenty of time to sort through all these feelings.
Plenty of time to make Gabriel love him right back.
The angel was already incredibly fond of him; he knew that.
He didn’t think it would be that far of a reach for Gabriel to love him.
If all else failed, he’d just ply his angel with sweets. Wasn’t there a human saying about the way to someone’s heart being with food?
“Ah, yes, okay,” Gabriel murmured. “We’ll take a break together later.”
Levi looked down at his tablet, attempting to focus again. “I do have one message that looks like it’s supposed to be delivered, although I’m not exactly sure what it is. It’s all very vague, so let’s do yours first.”
Gabriel smiled, and then he stood and was donning the white suit he wore for message delivery.
He’d taken to wearing white linen pants and a white linen button down shirt when it was just the two of them (or three of them if Hachi were there).
It was still adorably buttoned up, yet it had a slightly casual feel, and that made Levi feel happy.
He didn’t think his angel ever got casual, yet here he was dressing down.
Levi donned a black bespoke suit, and he enjoyed the flare in Gabriel’s eyes.
“Oh. You look lovely.” Gabriel paused for a moment, clearing his throat. “Very professional, I mean.”
Levi grinned, going over to wrap his arms around Gabriel. “Take us to deliver our messages, Buttons.”
“Are you absolutely sure?” the woman asked, for perhaps the tenth time.
Levi had to refrain from rolling his eyes. Gabriel had so much patience, but Levi was quickly running out of his. They had done the chorus of angelic voices and trumpets, for fuck’s sake. Gabriel’s wings were out and everything. He was haloed in a spotlight. What more did this human want?
“I just can’t imagine…” she started, trailing off.
Before Gabriel could reassure her again, Levi cut in. He couldn’t help it.
“Listen, lady, this is the archangel Gabriel, the Divine Herald, and we can’t spend all day reassuring you that the guy who called you is not, in fact, a doctor.
He is not treating your firstborn son, who is not in the hospital.
He did not get hit by a bus, he is not in a coma, and his insurance did not lapse.
He had his phone stolen. So before you hand over all your banking information, maybe you can think of another way to get in touch with your son? Hmmm?”
Gabriel was staring at him, but Levi just shrugged. It was kind of ridiculous at this point. Scammers should not be more persuasive than suits, wings, a chorus of angels, trumpets, and a freaking spotlight.
The woman huffed. “Well, I can see why you’re obviously on probation, wearing black and designated not to talk. I hope you get demoted over this. Angels shouldn’t be cursing.”
Levi did roll his eyes at that. “Lady, can you just call your son’s work or something? And trust that the guy with freaking wings isn’t the one who’s lying?”
The woman huffed again, but she took out her phone, starting to mutter to herself. Levi made a motion to Gabriel, who obviously took the hint, because the light disappeared, and his wings wrapped around them, transporting them away from the difficult mortal.
“You have the patience of a saint,” Levi muttered, noticing that they were at the beach. He looked around, but he didn’t see anyone. “Who are we delivering a message to here?”
Gabriel took a deep, slow breath, and Levi followed his example without thinking too much.
“I just thought you could use a nice view for a moment,” Gabriel finally answered, a slight tilt to his lips.
“Are you laughing at me?” Levi asked.
Gabriel’s smile grew bigger. “Maybe a little.”
“She was really annoying.”
Gabriel did laugh then. “She was… difficult, and my own temper was fraying. Seeing you handle it took my aggravation away, though. So thank you for that.”
Levi gave his own little laugh then, wrapping an arm around Gabriel’s shoulder and looking out to the ocean. It was a lovely and calming view.
Gabriel didn’t look at him as he spoke, but he did wrap an arm around Levi’s waist. “You made that encounter infinitely more pleasant, Levi.”
They stood together, arms around one another, and enjoyed the view for a few moments. Eventually, Gabriel gave a small sigh, and Levi knew his angel was thinking of work again.
Levi gave him a squeeze. “How many left?”
“Just one, and hopefully it isn’t nearly as difficult as the last one. How many do we have to deliver for you?” Gabriel asked.
“Just one. So only two left. We got this, Buttons. Let’s get it over with so we can have some fun.”
With that, Gabriel enfolded them in his wings, and they ended up standing in front of a young man.
They were in a bedroom, and the man was wearing sweatpants and a tshirt, sitting on his bed and looking at his phone.
There were posters on the wall—various musicians and the like, which reminded Levi that they hadn’t done a concert yet, and that was one of the items on their bucket list. There was a desk littered with books and papers, and clothes were scattered across the floor.
If Levi had to guess, he’d go with college student on this one.
The man hadn’t looked up yet, so Gabriel must have been hiding them from sight for now. He handed the scroll over to Levi, and Levi looked it over.
Devon Carmichael, do not go forth and terminate your relationship with Skye. The parting of ways will have deleterious effects on your psyche. Skye is not the cause of your dissatisfaction, and with honest discourse thou wilt find thy way forward.
Levi sighed. “Ok, do we know who Skye is to Devon?” he asked Gabriel.
Gabriel was staring at the young man, and Levi looked over, noticing for the first time that the man appeared to be crying.
He was silent about it, but tears were occasionally running down his cheeks, and his face was distraught.
As Levi watched, he wiped his face with his sleeve and sniffed, still not taking his eyes off his phone.
“His mate,” Gabriel finally answered. “They’re dating. He’s about to break up with Skye, and he isn’t supposed to.”
“Well, that makes a lot more sense then.” Levi snapped his fingers, making them appear to the young man.
He looked up, startled, and he self-consciously wiped at his face. Gabriel cleared his throat, a white light appeared, and he read the scroll to the young man.
The guy didn’t look so sad anymore. Instead, he just looked confused.
Levi breathed out and sat on the bed next to the kid, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, man, what’s going on?”
The guy sniffed again, a tear leaking out of one eye.
“I just… my parents want me to get a job, and I can barely keep up with my studies as it is, because chemistry is fucking killing me. But I need it for my major, so I have to pass. I’m so fucking stressed out.
I can’t sleep. I feel completely overwhelmed.
I just want to lay in bed and do nothing, and I can’t do that.
I feel like everything is slipping away from me. You know?”
Gabriel sat down on the other side of the kid, obviously willing to follow Levi’s example.