✓ | DALLIANCE → madwheeler

seventeen

LIMERENCE ( noun. )
the state of being infatuated with another person.

THE BLACKNESS UNDERNEATH Mike's eyelids was slowly disappearing as a bright light filled his gaze. He was cowering, sure this was Ace coming back for more, when it faded. After a couple seconds where nothing happened, Mike dared to open his eyes.

He blinked in the harsh light, shielding his gaze until he became used to it. As he did, he realized it wasn't a light- it was an angel. And not just any angel; one of the Arch Angels. Uriel, the captain of the guard, was hovering. His golden eyes were piercing, and the outlines of him came back into focus as Mike's vision finally cleared.

"Fuck," Was the first thing he gasped, and then clamped his mouth shut. "I mean- Uriel. What-what a surprise."

Uriel had been one of the first to call for his banishment from the heavens, and he was most definitely the last person Mike had expected to see.

He smiled weakly at him, his hands shaking again as he realized he had been too long without his anxiety pills. "You're too late. Casper already ripped them out. Sorry you couldn't finish the job."

"I'm not here to rip out your wings, Michael." Uriel sounded exasperated, as if he remembered fully how much of a hassle Mike had been in Heaven.

Mike opened his mouth, and then shut it again. "Oh. Well, send me to Hell then. I've thwarted the sides long enough."

Uriel put a hand to his temple, rubbing it. He dropped his hand, looking at the boy lying in front of him. "I'm not here to punish you either."

Mike stared at him. "Then, excuse my language, but what the fuck are you doing here?"

Uriel simply surveyed him, and it took Mike a few seconds to realize he was waiting for something. He looked all around him, looking for glowing objects or an opponent for him to fight, when realization shot down his spine.

He craned his neck around to see his back, and saw nothing on his shirt. No blood, no slashes, no sign of injury anywhere. His eyes widened with astonishment, and he whipped back around, blinking up at Uriel.

"Gabriel sent me to do the job." Uriel smiled forcefully. "Congratulations, Michael. You are an officially reinstated Arch Angel of the Heavens."

Mike's mouth dropped open, his mind reeling. "But- what? I was banished- you saw, they ripped out my wings- why would you-"

Uriel held up a hand to stop him, saying cooly, "Gabriel has been watching the Fallen Angels for a long time. He has heard of their treachery towards you and the mortal. He realized, with great shock, that he had made a mistake in your banishment. When Casper ripped out your wings, I was sent to give you your spiritual matter wings of Arch Angel. We- the six in charge of voting your banishment- hope this is repayment enough for our poor choices."

The words sounded rehearsed, but Mike tentatively moved his spine, and realized that the wings were in fact there. Uriel waved his hand, and a pill bottle appeared on the floor next to him.

"You will be needing those," He said lazily. "Your hand are shaking. And that mortal- the one you claim to care about so much- she is in peril. I fear she will soon be dead at the hands of Charlton and Casper."

"What about Foster?" Mike said, scrambling for the bottle and swallowing two pills dry.

Uriel shook his head. "Casper may have lied about a lot of things, but his hatred for Foster is as real as ever. He did not lie when he said Foster had fallen for the girl. He is less loyal to their side, and Charlton knows that. I do not know what will happen to him, but I know for certain if you do not get there in time, the girl will die."

"Can't you help me?" Mike said desperately as the last pill made its way down his throat. "Any of you?"

Uriel shook his head. "This is your fight, Mike. You're the only one that can save her."

Mike pocketed the pills, slowly getting to his feet. "And you're sure about Foster? You're absolutely positive?"

Uriel nodded, and stared at Mike hard. "Listen to me, Michael. It is not Foster you need to worry about. It's Casper."

Mike's face twisted in bewilderment. "It's Ace. He's a piece of shit, but he's not as dangerous as-"

"Listen to me." Uriel hissed urgently. "You do not understand. Casper is a psychopath, Michael. He has no morals, no values. He does not care about right and wrong, because they do not exist in his mind. He has no boundaries. He can pretend too. He can pretend to feel remorse or love, but he is not really feeling it. His capability of emotions is nonexistent."

He placed a hand on Mike's shoulder. "He has already taken advantage of the mortal, Michael. He has torn her apart. She is drowning in her tears at night, and he will use that to his advantage. If he wants too, he can bend your mind. He can tear her limb from limb in front of your eyes and feel nothing when she sobs beneath him. I have seen the thoughts that run through his head, Michael, and they are horrific. He wants to kill. He wants to see her afraid, always running, always in fear of him. He will try to break her. You would be wrong to assume the least of Ace Casper."

He let go of Mike's shoulder, who was standing silently. "Do not provoke him into doing something you will regret."

With this warning clearly finished, Uriel opened up the doors along the corridor with another wave of his hand. "They are in the power plant on South Street. You don't have much time, so I suggest you hurry."

"Wait," Mike said suddenly, his mind racing with everything Uriel had just told him. "My new wings- what do they mean? Am I a guardian angel? Is that it?"

Uriel turned to face him again, the light outlining his wings glowing. "You are not just any guardian angel. You are Max's. Your job now is to keep her safe."

"What if I can't?" Mike said, his voice rising desperately. "I'm not good enough for this- what if I can't keep her safe? What if Casper breaks my mind and I end up killing her?"

He looked away, his dark bangs hitting his eyes. "I won't be able to live with myself if I do that."

Uriel looked at him, his gaze pitying. "Michael. You were made her guardian angel because you feel the most strongest emotion a human, Arch, or Fallen Angel alike can feel. You love her. You feel as though you will die from the pain of losing her, and being without her is not an option. Ace Casper can never get through the strength of that."

And in a flash of bright light, he had gone.

sorry about the long update (writer's block is such an ass) but we're almost at the end (':