Chapter Text
The days that followed fell into a semblance of normalcy for the Archangel and Alex. Alex did his guard duty at House Wheele in the daytime. But he had to spend more time in the barracks including sleeping there. Michael meanwhile, still dealing with the repercussions from the incident with Azazel had to increase his patrols along the Western cradle. Until one day out of the blue, early in the morning Michael called him in, in his office at the Archangel Corps barracks. Michael had caught wind of a nest of higher angels and lowers in a town called Henderson, close to the outskirts of Vega. Michael suspected it was a form of human trafficking or Gabriel's version of it.
" This is strictly reconnaissance, to assess any threat against Vega."
Alex stood at attention. Michael was being all "official". He can do "official". " I understand."
Michael gave him one of his harder stares.
Alex swallowed. "Sir." Shit. This is going to be difficult.
"Permission to speak, candidly, Sir."
"Go ahead."
"Do you really think we should go off by ourselves again. Maybe we should take Noma with us for protection. And by the way I missed you! Where the hell where you? " Alex could not help himself as he went off. He took a deep breath. "Sir."
Michael's neutral expression turned to dumbstruck, he turned his head slightly away from Alex. The soldier could see Michael's lips seemed to be upturned. He turned to look at Alex again, his gaze held a certain amusement.
He folded his arms across his chest, deliberately. "To answer your questions: Yes, we should. No we can't. I missed you too." Michael suddenly seemed to find his boots interesting."Very much," he whispered.
He grabbed Alex and kissed him full on the lips, uncaring about being official now.
They came apart, reluctantly. "Let's leave now and get this, done." The way Michael said "done" sent shivers up Alex's spine.
"Yeah, ok, let's."
That was three hours ago. He had been hiding inside a gas station across the street for an hour now. He was getting impatient. He was too hot and too sweaty. Finally, Alex saw a truck pull up. Alex watched it with his binoculars. People. Alex counted fifteen. All of them young and able bodied. Some pretty ones, probably for his harem, Alex thought. They were all tied and blindfolded. Scared. Sobbing. Anger began to boil in his gut. As if feeling what he felt, Michael 's voice came through the comm.
"Alex, maintain your position. There's another truck heading down the road."
"Roger that!" He shifted uncomfortably where he stood. Maybe if he concentrated the tattoos would cool him, now that would be useful. Suddenly he heard screams, snarls. And that was it. "I'm going in." He yelled at the comm as he ran towards the side of the warehouse.
"Alex!--" The signal cut off. Alex had turned off the comm.
The young soldier, snuck in through one of the side doors. He climbed up one of the narrow metal staircases, hoping to get a good vantage point. The warehouse was a maze of cargo holds and freight boxes. He reached one of the rafters and inched his way along the ceiling. Fifty feet away north of his position, he could see the glow of the fluorescent lighting. The screams and the shrieks were coming from there.
He was intent in maintaining his balance and getting across the building as fast and as quietly as he could. Suddenly he was yanked violently off the rafters. He gasped, as his lungs struggled for air. A higher angel had grabbed him by his vest. It tightened around his neck choking him. He struggled, he twisted his body till he could grab a knife from his belt. He waited till they were over a tarp. He closed his eyes and hoped that if he was truly important, he wasn't going to end up worse than a bloody mess on the floor. It was now or never.
He swung as wide as he could upwards and caught the angel's arm, who hissed in pain then let him go. Alex had kept the knife he pulled out from Michael's back, Lucifer's knife, he knew that little sucker was going to be useful. He landed hard on what felt like sacks of grain. Up ahead he could see a black mist hanging above the prisoners. He guessed those were the lowers about to take hosts. On one side of the room was a 10x12 holding cell with about a dozen eight balls. Quickly and entirely on impulse, he hurled a flash bang grenade behind the two two highers before they could get to him. Another one towards a pile of wooden crates. That set fire immediately.
It was a shit storm of a mess. There was yelling everywhere. Screaming and crying. Some of the prisoners tried to run but ended up trampling on each other. He could hear the sound of wings over him. He ducked as low as he could, hoping fervently he doesn't get grabbed by one of those bastards again. The smoke from the fire provided some cover. He ran blindly towards the direction of the prisoners. He grabbed the nearest one and untied him.
"Help the others!" He yelled over the din.
Suddenly he felt something grab his leg. The highers had released the eight balls! He fired point blank and managed to sprint away from him.
In all the confusion he heard a voice, speaking the language of angels. A voice that carried the absolute authority of the Prince of the Heavenly Hosts. Alex understood that Michael was sending the incorporeal lowers away. The unearthly shrieks and howling stopped, it was replaced by short, quick thwacks of a sword cutting through flesh.Through the haze of the smoke he could make out Michael, taking down the eight balls. He saw one of the higher angels lying still on the floor, probably stunned. He could not see the other one. And weren't there others?
He tapped his comm,"Michael!"
"Get them to Vega! Go!" Alex nodded, trusting that Michael can take care of the rest.
Somehow as soon as everyone realized what was happening, they quickly followed him into the truck. Alex drove, his sides hurt like hell and he knew he had hurt his right leg when he landed on top of the tarp. He drove like mad, looking up constantly, half expecting one of the highers to just swoop down and destroy them. Finally they reached Vega. He dropped his head on the steering wheel out of sheer relief and exhaustion.
The survivors were shepherded onto a quarantine room to be processed. As Alex watched them the sharp pain that lanced his side earlier was just getting worse. And his entire right leg burned more. And where was Michael? He wondered irritably, it has been an hour at least since he last saw him.
"You're hurt." Michael was suddenly standing next to him. Relief flooded within Alex, the Archangel didn't look any worse for wear, except for a black smudge on his right cheek. Alex resisted the impulse to reach up and wipe it off.
"I'm fine--"
"No you're not. You didn't listen. Again."
Alex shot a look at him and determinedly hurried away from him, which wasn't easy since he found out rather painfully, he couldn't much bear weight on his right leg. Somehow he made it out into an inner yard at the side of the building. He stopped, and leaned against a post, cold sweat broke on his forehead.
"You are injured. Though your injuries are not quite severe. You can manage with medical attention."
Yeah, Michael's idea of being an asshole.
"That's fine I never expected you to heal me anyway all the time. You can go now, I can take care of myself." Alex swallowed through the pain, but still managed a spiteful tone. A part of him didn't really want to deal with Michael's anger right now. While another part of him was just confused, again.
Michael glared at him and without any warning picked him up bridal style. "Why do I even try?" the young soldier sighed in resignation.
Minutes passed neither one of them spoke finally Alex laughed ruefully,"I guess you're not talking, huh?"
"It doesn't matter, you never listen to what I say."
"Michael--"
"Save your strength, we're here."
Alex was brought to the hospital, where he was treated discreetly by a doctor, a higher angel. One of the few trusted by Michael. After a couple of X-rays He put a binder around his torso. It was bruised but nothing was broken or dislocated. He had soft tissue injuries on his knee and ankle and pulled muscles.
"You lucked out, kid. Bed rest for three days and pain medication. No jumping out of high places for at least a week." He chuckled then winked at Alex. "Swing by here after five days, I want to check the leg again.
"Thank You!"
"Archangel." He gave Michael a nod.
"Thank you, Jose." Michael picked him up winged back to the Stratosphere again in silence.
At the Stratosphere Alex took off his clothes down to his boxers and settled on the bed. Meanwhile Michael just stood, a stone statue as he stared out the large windows. Alex had resigned himself this will take awhile, the silent treatment. The pain medications he received was making him drift off to asleep. He let his body soak into the drug induced stupor.
"Alex when we are out there, I am your superior officer." He said as he continued to stare out the window. The full lips that kissed him earlier were now pursed in disappointment.
" Michael, even before this I was never good at following orders." He answered not hiding his annoyance that Michael choose to talk now, when all he wanted to do was sleep.
"I know and this relationship is not helping."
"Relationship!?" He forced himself upright but barely succeeded. "I'm sorry, what relationship? The one where you fuck me when you're tired of the others."
Michael turned quickly, a slight frown on his face, but said nothing.
As soon as he said those words, Alex regretted them, he guessed that wasn't really fair, since neither of them "defined" any relationship. He decided to go back to the issue on hand, wincing as he splinted his side, he shifted to a more comfortable position and added more pillows behind him. Great, this really brings up the intimidation factor, he thought. He grunted. "How am I supposed to lead if I can't make my own decisions.
Michael continued to study him with cold and dark eyes,"I have to leave and take care of another nest." He moved towards the window swiftly to fly off. He turned slightly towards Alex. "I'm sorry."
Alex felt his whole world fly off with him. He was too tired and too miserable to go back to his quarters so he stayed in the Stratosphere.
Alex woke up. The clock read 8pm, but the desert sun was still high in the sky. He moved around slowly, testing his muscles, still slightly sore but actually he felt better than he expected. He wondered if it was some angel mumbo jumbo again or the tattoos. At this point nothing should surprise him. Michael was nowhere around. On impulse he hobbled towards the window babying his right leg and looked out just in time to see Michael -- The Archangel, Protector of Humanity--landing on a ledge barefoot, just wearing his black silk pajamas and shirtless. Again, he shouldn't be surprised. He rolled his eyes and sighed.
"This is new." Then."Maybe not."
"Should you really be doing that?" He called out. The Archangel tilted his head, he opened his wings again and hovered by the window.
"You're going to drive your Archangel groupies crazy."
Michael smirked. "It is one of the few things I do to indulge myself."
They regarded each other for what seemed like an eternal minute, suddenly unsure of what to say,"Come here." Michael said in his quiet but firm voice.
"Seriously?"
"You should be used to flying with me by now."
"No, thanks. I prefer walking or occasionally running."
The angel simply held out a hand in response, as he drifted closer to the window.
"Hang on a sec." He grabbed a shirt and pulled it over himself. "I know you're mad at me. This is not a plan to just throw me off the side of the building, right ?" Alex said, as he ducked down and accepted his hand. Michael place an arm around his waist, then with a slow and steady beat of his wings, he flew up.
"No, if I wanted to do that. I don't need any pretense."
"Huh. Ohh..kaaay. That's good to know."
Michael settled on the topmost circle of the Stratosphere. It was wider, but it didn't make it less frightening. They were really up there. Some of the panels had fallen out. Michael picked out an area, where the metal rails held sturdy. After helping Alex, he sat down next to him. Both their legs dangled at the edge. Thankfully the wind that had beat around them on the way up had settled.
"If you wanted my full attention, you know we could talk somewhere less...high. Like a couple hundred feet lower would work."
"Alex, I'm right here, where I'll always be."
There was a tone to Michael's voice. Of course Alex knew he wasn't just talking about being 800 feet off the ground and not letting him fall.
"There are no others like you Alex."
He sighed deeply and looked up at his mentor. "Look I'm sorry."
Michael looked at him his gaze intent. "Although your actions were unwise, you saved all those people." Then his eyes casted off suddenly, far away,remembering. "When the war started I heard the cries of thousands upon thousands, I could not save everyone, Alex. City upon city fell, burned to the ground by Gabriel and his hordes, while the human survivors were taken over by the lower angels. I was alone, none of the higher angels wanted any part of it. I did everything within my power, I could not save everyone. My only hope was to save you. A time will come you too will be faced with the most difficult choices."
"Michael I know you care." Frustration and agony, he felt it as Michael had felt it. All this time he should have known. Sometimes it was hard to think of what Michael went through and what he goes through everyday. Solid and stoic. As old as the Earth, himself a force of nature. An Archangel, who lost his Father, his home and now fights against his own kind.
"There is a storm coming. This war will take a course that will further test all of us. I just wanted you to be ready, hence all that."
"I didn't know you could...see the future."
" No, I can't. There was a time I could to an extent, but with Father gone, we are limited in what we could do. Right now it is more of a portent." He said softly.
Alex sighed. He realized how hard must this be all for Michael. Becoming more human for someone who who did not start out human.
He followed Michael's gaze at the vast expanse of the Mojave dessert. Out where the horizon met the sky. Alex felt very small, that and the thought of being the Chosen One, filled him with ice cold terror, once again. He must've have shivered involuntarily.
"You're cold. Let us go back." He placed an arm around his waist and drew him closer to his side. The Archangel's warmth began to comfort him.
"We don't have to. It's kinda nice here. And this is nice." He said as he leaned further into Michael's arms, as he looked at Vega. Seeing as how Michael sees them. Vega, with its various odd shaped buildings leftovers from a more carefree time. When people used this buildings for pleasure and entertainment and not as a means of survival. The desert beyond it a beige carpet dotted by an occasional green. The mountain range, where Michael almost died. He shuddered at the thought.
Michael looked at him and smiled one of his rare smiles. His eyes not dark ---the light of the setting sun making them a bluish green. He opened his wings, and wrapped one around him.
"Hmm" Alex closed his eyes in pleasure. "Your wings smell nice."
A brow arched in surprise. "And how do they smell?"
"Like fresh bedsheets." He extended a hand to the part that curved around him, his eyes asking for permission to touch them.
Michael nodded slightly and chuckled. "Fresh bedsheets." He huffed. " You do realize, I'm my Father's Sword. Heaven's most feared weapon."
Alex smiled at the sheer incredulity of it. "Do they hurt when you put them away." He trailed a hand along the cartilage down the longer feathers.
Michael closed his eyes and gave a short "hmm". Alex paused, and wondered if he should go on.
The Archangel sensed his anxiety. "It's fine Alex. Go on."
Michael curved his wing closer around Alex. "And to answer your question it doesn't hurt. Think of it, like having to keep your arms on your side all the time. It does not hurt, but the time comes when you want to stretch them out, use them and feel their strength."
Alex nodded, he stroked a feather in between in his fingers. They were tough yet somehow felt as soft as one of those pillows reserved only for the V6. They savored the quiet for a couple of minutes.
"Are we going to be ok?" His brows furrowed, his voice tinged with the worry that suddenly coursed through him, as he thought about Michael's words.
Michael opened his eyes and studied him with his unflinching gaze. "You must have hit your head harder than I thought, have you lost your confidence, your impertinence?"
Alex looked at him. After a minute he actually started laughing. "You're joking, behind all that was a joke." He waved a hand in front of his face. And for the second time in the space of a few minutes Michael smiled again.
"Have faith, Alex. Especially in yourself."
"I have faith in you."
"You could've fooled me." Michael gave him a sideway glance and another smirk.
Alex leaned further into the Archangel. He felt the heat of his skin, the hard planes of his muscles. The smooth bare skin of his torso.
"Maybe you could show me what else your wings can do. And explain things."Alex dragged his fingers through the soft, shimmery feathers of the underside of his wing. His sky blue eyes lifted up at him, hoping, expecting.
The wing trembled slightly under his touch. Another pleased hum escaped his lips. Michael's enigmatic green eyes gazed at him. The start of a mischievous smile formed at his lips."If you're a good boy...maybe."
FIN
DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
Sorry for the delay. I had to rethink and refocus my ending chapter. I made the decision to focus it on these two, since yeah Malex! And besides needed to finish this before running off to do another fic. Season Two finally on full swing! Thank you to everyone that read, left kudos and comments.
My tumblr: cryptmirror