✔ || Save Me [[SEQUEL to DISTRACT ME]]

Chapter 44

{A/N: A real quick note about the three voices in Raphael's head - The one that says "fire" is referring to Uriel's flaming sword that was used to cut off Raphael's wings. That was a traumatizing experience, and that voice is the manifestation of Raphael's PTSD.}

{The one that says "six" and "one down, six left" is talking about how one of the seven archangels has fallen, and now there are only six left. That voice in particular wants total anarchy in heaven, and is the main catalyst for Raphael's desire to overthrow the other archangels.}

{The one that calls him a disgrace and repeatedly asks "can't fly?" and "an archangel who can't fly?" is the embodiment of Raphael's shame and anger for being one of the only two archangels who have fallen, especially after believing he was untouchable and would never face any consequences for his actions.}

{I hope that clears it up a little for you guys! If you have any questions, please let me know!}

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Fire.

Six.

A disgrace!

His mind was a broken minefield. There was no such thing as a wrong step - not when every step was wrong. Every thought was an explosion, popping like a sadistic firework. Shattering the fractals of his consciousness.

"I wasn't going to say this," Lucifer laughed madly, "but you look like shit. Goddamn."

Raphael only blinked at him. Unamused.

His once shining brown hair hung in limp, stringy clumps on his sallow forehead. The stumps on his back were coated in black decay. He covered them with a robe, but even that was stained and tattered. His eyes were sunken into his skull. Holding the light of a once-beautiful man now reduced to a rotting corpse.

Fire.

Sir.

He smiled. That was a new voice. It had appeared a couple days prior. It was warm and familiar. It was raspy and deep.

It was his voice.

I want to please you, sir.

"You will, little one."

"What?"

Six.

"I wasn't talking to you," Raphael snapped.

"Ah," Lucifer grinned in understanding, tapping his temple. "Your little friends, right?"

Raphael didn't respond, so Lucifer continued, "I wonder what yours say. Mine aren't very helpful. One of them just repeats all the names of the people I've killed." That was, apparently, incredibly funny. "Can you imagine that? I mean, shit, I don't even know how many people I've killed! I'll probably hear that fucker until the planet implodes."

"Probably," Raphael offered dryly.

Fire.

Can't fly?

Let me please you, sir.

Lucifer was still talking, but Raphael didn't care enough to listen. Instead, he stopped focusing on the conscious world, his eyes crossing slightly to catch sight of something far more interesting.

If he focused, he could see him. His eyes were picked out of his skull, their empty sockets leaking dark crimson blood, but it was him.

It would have been horrifying if he wasn't so lovely.

"Come here, little one."

He didn't obey. Raphael would have to punish him for that once he had him back. And have him he would. And the human would be in Hell at the mercy of Lucifer.

"Do as I say, little one," Raphael ordered fruitlessly.

Taehyung giggled, blood pouring at an alarming rate out of his boxy smile.

I want to please you, sir.

The other voices didn't have faces. Not in the traditional sense. Sure, he could see them. But they had blank masks instead of features. They weren't pretty. Not like him.

"Don't make me come get you," Raphael warned.

Fire.

An archangel who can't fly?

Taehyung grinned, cocking his head to the side. Suddenly, his neck snapped with a sickening crack, and his head fell limp against his chest. But still he laughed, for why wouldn't you laugh at something like that? He brought his hands up and lifted up his own head, balancing it back on his spine, and giggled. The blood streaming out of his mouth drenched his billowing white shirt. Stained his skin.

Are you pleased, sir?

"Not yet, little one. Not until you come to me."

You're a disgrace.

Taehyung grinned cheekily, but before he could respond, Lucifer waved his hand in front of Raphael's face. The eyeless boy disappeared in a cloud of scarlet vapor.

"Earth to Raph. You there, ugly?"

Raphael glared at him. "Obviously."

Lucifer spun, lifting his arms to turn his twist into a shabby excuse for a pirouette, and laughed rancorously. "Your friends must be noisy! You'll have to learn to ignore them, though."

"Why?"

Six.

Fire.

"Because, silly," Lucifer patted his cheek, "you can't talk to them when you have Taehyung! He'll get jealous." He shrugged, "I assume that's how infatuation and," he wrinkled his nose, "love works. Right?"

Raphael squinted, and Taehyung reappeared. His cheeks were caked with dried blood.

I want to please you, sir.

Fire.

"Right."

Lucifer shuddered, "I still don't get you, but whatever! Not my problem. Any other things you want to get ready?"

Raphael hesitated, considering. "No."

Lucifer giggled, clapping his hands happily. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

With that, he skipped off, whooping and flapping his horrifying tattered wings. Raphael rolled his eyes at the display.

Fire.

Sir?

Raphael smiled at his mind's version of Taehyung. "Soon, little one. We'll be together soon."

The boy smiled, his cheeks pushing up into the two empty holes where his eyes were supposed to be, and a glob of blood fell out of his mouth.

I can't wait to please you, sir.

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{OMG. I HAVE TO GUSH BECAUSE OMG. YESTERDAY I MANAGED TO GET TICKETS TO LOVE YOURSELF. YOUR GIRL IS GOING TO SEE OUR BOYS. I'M SO EXCITED I COULD SCREAM.}