Terminal (Terminal trilogy #1)

21: Pretty boy

You know, I didn't leave.

Michael told me to get moving, and I just stared him in the eyes for a little bit longer, and sat down on the couch. He blinked at me a few times, and then joined me, just inches away.

I put my legs up and curled into a ball, and then I thought for a bit until Gabriel came through the door.

"He..llo," He was clearly unsure what to do, and mouthed something at me. I don't understand people who think I can read lips. I mouthed 'it's okay' back, and he rolled his eyes and went to the fridge.

They had a fridge, and there were pizza boxes on the floor. There was a CD player on the table, and board games on the shelf. Gabriel sat down on one of the other couches and cracked open a soda.

"What do you do around here?" I asked him. Michael had yet to acknowledge his brother.

"All the actual work."

"Still?" I said. Michael glared at us, the first real drop in his saccharine attitude.

"You're coming up from Hell, right Ella?" Gabriel said, "Any news to share?"

"Please don't call me Ella. Percial went ahead and committed manslaughter, but half of it is my-"

"Per ruined his task!" Michael exclaimed, suddenly interrupting, "And now we have to try diplomacy all over again. Of course, I have to wait to see if poor Perce even gets back alive."

"I think he will," I said, "They wouldn't dare piss you off."

"Do they know who we are, though?" Gabriel asked.

"You know, I doubt it. I think they get there's some angel named Michael though, and they might not like the sound of that. But only because the idea of an archangel is a tad frightening."

"Don't you?" Gabriel said, finishing up his soda. He went back to the fridge to get another, "Hey, Ell, you want anything?"

I was going to answer, but I could see Michael twitch a little, ready to jump in again. I just nodded, and Gabriel returned with a slice of cold pizza for me.

"Demons hate angels, angels hate demons... it's the natural order of things," Michael said, with an educational air.

"I have to get back to Hell pretty soon- do you want me to put in a word that you'd like Percy back immediately?"

"That sounds-" Gabriel started to say.

"Who cares." Michael loudly cut him off, "It's just Perce. Old minor canis. Little dog, barely even a dog- who gives a fuck what happens to him?"

"You...?"

"No, he's probably happier burning up in the pit with you and his ariem girlfriend. Everyone up here hates him, you know. They call him the lapdog of the Seraphs, always following at our heels and begging for approval. Too curled up in my lap to make friendly with anyone else."

"He's your fifth guy though."

"Oh." Michael's face fell for half a second.

"We could use him back, Michael," Gabriel said slowly.

"Of course we could." He nodded slowly.

Another square of time passed quickly, Gabriel eventually leaving to take care of business and Michael not budging from the couch. I ate my way through the fridge, and settled onto another couch to take a nap.

I was awoken a little better rested by Raphael, the next younger brother of Michael. He was nudging me on the shoulder with great worry, and when I got up, he gave a friendly smile.