Jump to content
    Timothy M.
  • Author
  • 1,730 Words
  • 2,967 Views
  • 42 Comments
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Diego’s Dance with Death - 12. Two Very Different Meetings

A Diego chapter. Italics are thoughts.

Diego finished putting his room in order and checking to make sure Sablo’s bags were ready for him to collect. His brother had a tendency to leave stuff lying around, and he’d been in a hurry to get ready for his confrontation with Theo. Thank Heavens Rahmiel had been able to confirm his friend was present at Cupid Central, although it had taken him awhile to cajole the cupid to talk to him, let alone admit he knew where Theo was. Diego finally resorted to a spot of bribery, and he had the feeling Sablo wouldn’t be amused if he found out someone else knew about the tattoo.

After the drama of the past twelve hours, he felt exhausted and wanted to collapse on his bed. But as he got back to GC, after helping Sablo over to CC, and finally turned on his phone, a notification had appeared.

Guardian Angel Diego Fuentes. Prep meeting for award ceremony. Commander Ariel’s office. 1500 sharp.

With this meeting less than an hour from now, there was no way he’d get any rest. Or was there? Time to test a theory.

“Azrael. I need you. Please.”

Moments later there was a knock on his door. Heart wildly beating, Diego strode over and opened it.

Dark, compassionate eyes and a soft smile made his breath hitch. “T…thank you. I hope it we...was OK?”

“Any time, any place.” Once again the sensual voice made him shiver.

“Can we go to your garden? Please?” Diego stepped back, and Azrael followed him inside.

As soon as he shut the door the Angel of Death took his hand, and before he could utter a word of thanks, they were among the flowers and trees. A comfortable-looking recliner stood in the grass, and Diego folded himself down onto the cushioned surface with a sigh.

“Sorry about taking advantage of you like this.”

“Shush, sleep as long as you need. If I’m not here when you wake, simply say my name.”

Diego wanted to express his gratitude, but he slipped into a deep slumber before he could open his mouth.

When he woke, Azrael was sitting on another recliner next to him, but in an upright position. Diego pulled himself and the chair up too, and the Angel of Death motioned to a box next to him, which held a jug of water and a full glass.

How does Azrael always know exactly what I need? Although, in this case guessing I’d be thirsty probably wasn’t so difficult.

After downing two glasses of the best water he’d ever tasted, he finally felt fully awake.

“Just what I craved, both the sleep and the drink. You may have saved my life, or at least my sanity. I don’t want to face Commander Ariel when I’m zonked out from exhaustion and dealing with Sablo.”

“You’re welcome. Ariel isn’t the easiest person to consort with, even when he’s in a good mood.”

“You can say that again, and he seems to have been exceptionally grumpy the past few weeks.”

Azrael nodded, but didn’t elaborate. Diego was learning to see the signs of topics best left alone.

“It wasn’t the kind of return to this garden and your company I’d hoped for, but maybe, now that I’m here, we could discuss where to go on our first date?”

“I like all your ideas, so I’ll leave it up to you completely. My only stipulation is that you’ll wait for me if I need to attend to a death. I can be called away at any time when I’m on Earth.”

“Another good reason not to go to a restaurant or to the movies. I’ll bring a packed lunch, and hopefully we’ll have time to enjoy it before duty calls.” Or before we get hit by silver arrows.

“We can always return here, if we want to be undisturbed.”

“You mean, nobody can enter this garden unless you bring them?”

“You may from now on, but no one else. Simply say the words Azrael’s Garden and will yourself here.”

“Wow, that’s pretty cool.” Convenient too. I wonder if Azrael has a house here…with a bed, maybe a shower? Of course, I wouldn’t mind making love right in this spot with all the flowers and trees.

The Angel of Death suddenly stood up, and Diego thought he saw a slight blush. Ooops, can they read my mind? Or perhaps only when we’re in this place.

He got to his feet, and carefully keeping his mind on the beautiful garden and the melodious bird songs, he strolled over to Azrael.

When the Angel turned to look at him, Diego took both their hands, leaned forward and kissed the tempting mouth, briefly and chastely.

“Thank you for your trust and for saying yes to go on a date. I hope you won’t regret it.”

The delighted surprise on Azrael’s face was priceless. There was a sparkle in their dark eyes, and a small pouting of their lips almost called for another kiss.

In a blink of an eye they were back in his room. Azrael leaned forward and ghosted warm lips over Diego’s cheek to his ear.

“My dear Guardian, I shall never regret meeting you.”

Then he was alone, and his phone was going crazy with incoming messages. A quick look at the clock on the wall reassured him there was still plenty of time to get ready for the meeting. But first he needed to wipe the infatuated grin off his face.

***

“Enter,” Commander Ariel called as soon as Diego knocked on his office door. He went in, closed the door behind him and took the seat the Senior Guardian pointed to.

“As you may have noticed, the announcement of the time and place for the award ceremony was posted an hour ago. This is a briefing on what you can expect.”

Diego nodded and did his best to keep a neutral expression. It was too late to object to GC proclaiming his achievement to all and sundry, but he was utterly disgusted about not having had any say in the matter. Most of the messages on the phone had been from Guardians either praising or pitying him for those special missions, and he didn’t need the insincerity of the former or the veiled glad-it’s-not-me attitude of the latter. The only welcome messages had been a short text from Sablo saying Mission accomplished and a short video clip from Rahmiel showing Theo rushing out of Cupid Central to embrace his partner.

“The ceremony will take place tomorrow at fifteen hundred in the park behind GC. I will give a short speech, at the end of which I shall ask you to approach. The certificate will be presented to you, and the assembled Guardians will salute you by raising their swords. Please wear your official Guardian attire, and yes that includes boots. Any questions?”

“Is it possible to have a closed ceremony?”

“What do you mean?”

“Since I apparently can’t avoid having a ceremony, I’d like to have the audience limited to invited guests only.”

“I see.” Ariel made a note on the open file in front of him. Cupid Central may have embraced modern stuff like tablets, but Guardians stuck to good old-fashioned paper as cheaper and safer. “And who would you like to invite?”

“Sablo, Theo, and Azrael.”

“The Angel of Death will be there in any case.”

“In that case, limiting the list of attendees may be prudent, since Azrael dislikes the way people cringe around them.”

“This is no social gathering, but an official Guardian event. I expect everyone to behave appropriately.”

“So there is no reception afterwards? The ceremony ends after the salute?”

“I thought you didn’t want anything elaborate?”

“Yessir, I simply wanted to be sure. May Sablo bring his partner?”

The commander raised an eyebrow. “I expect Commander Ayil will bring the Cupid as his adjutant in any case. Why do you ask?”

“I thought it was a Guardian ceremony, apart from Azrael.”

“It’s still a public event, but unlike the CC bunch, the other Department Heads usually limit their retinue to a few people.”

“Are all the Commanders attending?” Diego felt like puking at the thought of being stared at by a bunch of superior beings.

“I doubt more than two or three will appear, but for courtesy’s sake I have to extend invitations. The head of the A.I. team usually shows up for these occasions, and I also expect the Captain of the Celestial Guards.”

Diego bit back a curse and mumbled, “At least it will be over fast.”

“I shall make a note to remind me to ask any future award receivers for their preferences. You’re the first Guardian to not want widespread recognition and celebration of your achievements.”

“Did any of them get their awards for the same kind of special missions?”

“At least two, if I recall correctly, but you have a point.”

Ariel closed the file, and Diego began to stand up.

“Before you go…” the commander gave him a sharp look, and Diego gulped and stayed seated. “I’d like to know the reason you and your brother were unavailable earlier today. I sent you the text about this meeting at zero eight hundred hours, but it wasn’t delivered until shortly after the lunch hour.”

“Um, do you know about Sablo and Theliel having a spot of trouble?”

“Unsurprisingly, all sorts of crazy rumors were going strong all morning. Those cupids have nothing better to do than create drama and gossip when they’re not shooting arrows at unsuspecting victims.”

“Well, my brother was pretty devastated, so I decided to take him on a retreat and talk things through. Luckily, when we came back he was able to patch things up with his partner, so we should both be fit for duty after tomorrow.”

Ariel gave Diego another penetrating stare, but he had years of experience as both human and Guardian Angel in keeping a straight face in front of suspicious superior officers.

“Very well, I guess no harm was done by you being AWOL, but don’t do it again. I’ll see you tomorrow. Dismissed.”

“Sir, thank you, Sir.” He walked out with dignity and only celebrated the narrow escape when he got back to his room.

“Fucking Hell, bro. You owe me for this one. Jeez, I need a beer.”

Special thanks to @Valkyrie for doing a great beta job as well as editing.
AWOL: absent without official leave
Copyright © 2019 Timothy M., aditus; All Rights Reserved.
  • Like 9
  • Love 17
Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
You are not currently following this author. Be sure to follow to keep up to date with new stories they post.

Recommended Comments

Chapter Comments



Well, Diego and Azrael are getting to know each other better. Az has all sorts of interesting tricks – and quirks. I like the idea of being able to escape time to get extra sleep – I could use that during Frameline43 at the end of June, I never get enough sleep during the festival.
;–)

I hate bosses who think you need to be on-call 24/7. Why do they think they’re more important than a personal life? Don’t they have a personal life of their own or do they work 24/7?

Link to comment

Sometimes, you just have to endure things like ceremonies. I hope Diego can find his inner zen and not let all those eyes bother him. Maybe he can think of Azrael's garden? 

  • Love 5
Link to comment
12 hours ago, droughtquake said:

Well, Diego and Azrael are getting to know each other better. Az has all sorts of interesting tricks – and quirks. I like the idea of being able to escape time to get extra sleep – I could use that during Frameline43 at the end of June, I never get enough sleep during the festival.
;–)

I hate bosses who think you need to be on-call 24/7. Why do they think they’re more important than a personal life? Don’t they have a personal life of their own or do they work 24/7?

You called him Az! 

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
15 minutes ago, droughtquake said:

My typing fingers got tired!
;–)

I hear you.

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
15 minutes ago, droughtquake said:

…And Az rhymes with Jazz!
;–)

I'm done with rhyming for a while, thank you very much!

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
26 minutes ago, aditus said:

I'm done with rhyming for a while, thank you very much!

Poetry doesn’t have to rhyme.

Oh, the rain in Spain

It falls mainly on the plains

(Terrible haiku)

It doesn’t have to make sense either…
;–)

Link to comment
38 minutes ago, droughtquake said:

Poetry doesn’t have to rhyme.

The rain
in Spain
stays mainly in the plain

(Terrible haiku)

It doesn’t have to make sense either…
;–)

In Danish:

En snegl på vej'n
er tegn på regn
i Spanien.

:lol:

Edited by Timothy M.
  • Haha 3
Link to comment

Why are Danish snails reporting on the weather in Spain? I could understand why Dutch snails might find a historical reason for the Spanish weather reports. But Danish snails should have absolutely no reason to concern themselves with Spain at all!

Besides, a Danish Snail on the road just means someone dropped their pastry!
;–)

DPH%2Bicing%2Bsnail.gif&f=1

Link to comment
27 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

In Danish:

En snegl på vej'n
er tegn på regn
i Spanien.

:lol:

All right. Now you have to endure one of my limericks. :P

 

Peter

Drink up and toast to Peter.
For a month he wrestled with meter,
For a day, he bought roses and whiskey too
All from dipping his wick into
Where it doesn’t belong, the cheater.

 

Three weeks he sleeps on the floor
His back is terribly sore
His junk is infected
He still is rejected
And finally shown the door

  • Haha 5
Link to comment
19 minutes ago, droughtquake said:

Why are Danish snails reporting on the weather in Spain? I could understand why Dutch snails might find a historical reason for the Spanish weather reports. But Danish snails should have absolutely no reason to concern themselves with Spain at all!

Besides, a Danish Snail on the road just means someone dropped their pastry!
;–)

DPH%2Bicing%2Bsnail.gif&f=1

We call them plunder, lol.

  • Haha 4
Link to comment
3 minutes ago, aditus said:

We call them plunder, lol.

I didn’t realize food insecurity was still so severe in Europe! I thought that was only a problem in Third World Countries and the US! I guess I can put a care package together so you don’t have to pick up pastries off the road!
;–)

Link to comment
28 minutes ago, droughtquake said:

Why are Danish snails reporting on the weather in Spain? I could understand why Dutch snails might find a historical reason for the Spanish weather reports. But Danish snails should have absolutely no reason to concern themselves with Spain at all!

I'm pretty sure those snails are Iberian. :lol:  and they are probably slugs and not snails (it's the same word in Danish). They've been introduced to Denmark, and they're disgusting. If you ride your bike on roads through areas where they are common, after heavy rain in the summer, you can't help running them over. And they're cannibals, so more of them congregate to eat the dead slugs. :puke:

I applaud you for actually finding a picture of a proper Danish wienerbrødssnegl:worship:

Edited by Timothy M.
  • Haha 3
Link to comment
38 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

The rain
in Spain
stays mainly in the plain

(Terrible haiku)

Your editing isn’t even haiku!

Link to comment
1 minute ago, droughtquake said:

Your editing isn’t even haiku!

No, but it's the correct text - I looked it up. ;) 

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
1 minute ago, Timothy M. said:

I'm pretty sure those snails are Iberian. :lol:  and they are probably slugs and not snails (it's the same word in Danish). They've been introduced to Denmark, and they're disgusting. If you ride your bike on roads through areas where they are common after heavy rain in the summer, you can't help running them over. And they're cannibals, so more of them congregate to eat the dead slugs. :puke:

We raise the finger to the French since they are the ones who inflicted snails on North America due to their love of escargot!

Link to comment
1 minute ago, Timothy M. said:

No, but it's the correct text - I looked it up. ;) 

I adapted the song lyrics into bad haiku (5 syllables, 7 syllables, and 5 syllables). It was faster than trying to work up something using Az and Jazz…
;–)

Link to comment
18 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

And they're cannibals, so more of them congregate to eat the dead slugs. :puke:

Are you sure they’re not congregating to memorialize the dead? They might be having a snail grok ceremony. They might be Martians…
;–)

Link to comment

Cannibal slugs, pastry snails and rainfall distribution in Spain... don’t ya just love thread drift!

Great chapter. Azrael is really coming over as kind and compassionate- not what you might expect for the angel of death. I am looking forward to Diego’s ceremony and the possibility of silver arrows flying. Also the interaction between the department heads. Is the reason Ariel is in such a strop something to do with someone we haven’t heard of before: the Captain of the Celestial Guard? My guess he is cute, blond, wears a (sports) vizor and is surrounded by sparkles........ dammit, did you have to introduce us to SATW comics?

  • Haha 3
Link to comment

Re-read this. Love the interaction w. Azrael in their garden, and missed what has to be a rarely granted gift -- allowing Diego to go there at any time he wishes. 💖

  • Like 1
  • Love 2
Link to comment
10 hours ago, aditus said:

All right. Now you have to endure one of my limericks. :P

 

Peter

Drink up and toast to Peter.
For a month he wrestled with meter,
For a day, he bought roses and whiskey too
All from dipping his wick into
Where it doesn’t belong, the cheater.

 

Three weeks he sleeps on the floor
His back is terribly sore
His junk is infected
He still is rejected
And finally shown the door

These. Are. Awesome. Hurrah for your Limericks!

  • Like 1
  • Love 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
  • Site Administrator
11 hours ago, droughtquake said:

Your editing isn’t even haiku!

Neither is your original ;)

  • Haha 1
Link to comment

View Guidelines

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Newsletter

    Sign Up and get an occasional Newsletter.  Fill out your profile with favorite genres and say yes to genre news to get the monthly update for your favorite genres.

    Sign Up
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Our Privacy Policy can be found here: Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue..