The Lev n Fax Saga

Interlude: Silas, part One

This is a brief step back, to look at one of Levant's exes. He shows up again in the future, so I thought it best you learned more about him and why he was so important to Lev's past! This is a two part interlude, as it got so very long!

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Zuriel had tried, he really had. He was at a loss of what else to do with the angel. He wanted to do right by Levant, both as Levant's mentor, sure, but also because he honestly cared about the skittish fledgling. Levant had potential, if he could stop jumping at every little thing, and bursting into tears at every frown in his direction. He had the lineage, and he had the power, and he had the status, if he was willing to take advantage of it. He just needed a helping hand to get to where he needed to be.

That was why he snagged Silas as the angel was walking out of a training room, and pulled him to the side. Silas arched his brow at the forward action, the piercing through it glinting faintly in the hallway light, but let himself get led to an empty hallway. "Can I help you, Zuriel?"

"Hopefully." Zuriel rocked back on his heels, rubbed his jaw. He wasn't sure if this would really work; Silas was a tall, broad shouldered man, with a stubborn set to his jaw any given time and a dark tattoo crawling along his shoulder and up the back of his neck. Another wrapped around one side of his torso, and with as much time the angel spent training and conveniently shirtless, there was no avoiding it. Levant was skittish enough that Zuriel worried Silas' unapologetic appearance might give the fledgling a heart attack before any good could be done.

"Sometime today would be nice, Zuri, unless you're going to continue admiring the view." Silas' electric eyes crinkled as he grinned.

"You know how I agreed to mentor Raziel's grandson?" Zuriel asked, ignoring the wink Silas threw his way. "I'm not... getting anywhere with him. It doesn't help that my magic is water based. I can teach him, technically, but I've never had someone so very easily disheartened. I thought, if someone who knows how his power works, or at least close enough to get him to understand."

Silas blinked. "My father has high hopes for him," he observed, and his other brow rose. "Raziel is one of the best, and her son was a prodigy."

"He has potential, but I'm having trouble getting through to him. I hoped, either because of your magic, or being closer to his age, you might be able to connect a bit better." Zuriel resisted the urge to rub his face tiredly. "I want to see him succeed. For all the fear, I see so much in him, if I can just get him to get past that..."

Silas gave a small hum as he brushed his dark hair from his face. Zuriel knew better to push him as he thought about it. "I mean I can try," Silas offered as he leaned back against the wall. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try."

"Thank you," Zuriel said fervently. "Thank you. He deserves a chance, and I want to give him every bit of help that I can. It's a lot of pressure they've put on him, and I don't want him to snap before he's reached where he could be."

Silas frowned slightly, before giving a shug. "I said I would. Send him my way tomorrow." And with that be was gone.

God, Zuriel hoped this worked.

---

Lev had arrived early. He knew this. A full hour early, and yet... he was all but thrumming with anxiety as he shuffled in the corner of the training room. Why Zuriel thought extra training with someone he didn't know was a good idea was beyond Lev but he was desperate enough that he showed up, and he hadn't started hyperventilating yet, so he had some hope, at least.

About fifteen minutes before he was actually supposed to be there, the door opened, and a rather rumpled looking angel strode in, yawning as he rubbed the back of his neck. He paused when he noticed Lev, who had already frozen.