Diego’s Dance with Death - 8. Two Brothers in Hiding

Sablo had almost finished packing when his brother arrived. He was collecting the four or five pictures of him and Theliel which stood or hung in the apartment, fearing his partner might be angry enough to destroy them. Diego walked through the front door in combat gear, but without his weapons, and the two brothers stared at each other for a long moment.

“You ready to go?” Diego’s clipped tone revealed nothing of his thoughts.

“Almost. Let me just walk through the place to see whether I forgot something.”

Sablo picked up a few bits and pieces—his coffee mug with Bad Ass Angel inscription, a new deodorant (both gifts from Theo), a couple of hair ties, and the brush his lover had used—and ended up next to their bed. In a spur of the moment decision, he stripped the bed linens off, rolled them up, and set them aside. Getting out fresh sheets and pillow covers, he remade the bed. Diego came in as he was finishing.

“OK, I’m done.” Sablo picked up the bundle of bed linens and waved his brother out of the room ahead of him.

“Aren’t you going to dump them in the wash?”

“Nope, I’m taking them with me.” Sablo shifted some stuff from one duffel bag to the other and to his backpack to make space for the bundle.

“Why?”

“They smell of Theo.” He zipped the bag, shouldered the rucksack, and picked up the duffel.

“Right.” Diego grabbed the other duffel and opened the front door.

They walked out, and Sablo shut and locked the door. He stared at his key for a second, shrugged, and put it in his pocket. Theo could ask for it back, if he wanted.

“I’ve booked us a hotel room in New York, so we don’t have to time it.” For convenience, their realm kept Zulu time*, and ignored the foolishness of Daylight Savings Time.

“Fine. Lead the way.”

Moments later they popped out in an alley behind the hotel. The sounds and smells of a late N.Y. evening hit their ears and noses. Diego led the way into the hotel, which was pretty standard, and the receptionist didn’t bat an eye when he paid cash for the room.

It was on the sixth floor, far enough from the road to mute the traffic noise to a hum, unless you opened the window. Sablo dumped his bags on the floor and collapsed onto one of the twin beds.

His brother sat on the other bed and said, “Spill.”

“Apparently, I didn’t pay enough attention to Theo.”

“For real? Dude, you worship the silly Cupid.”

“No, I meant to his work and what it means.”

“Go on.”

“Theo told me getting shot by an arrow doesn’t make you fall in love immediately. It only creates the opportunity. You still have to act on the attraction, make it happen.”

“Are you saying I can’t feel attracted to or date Azrael, without getting shot by a silver arrow? That’s rubbish.”

“I know, but Theo says your chances of finding true love with Azrael are in danger, because you know about the matching auras. When I said you wanted to tell Azrael, he went ballistic.”

“OK, repeat the whole conversation from the top.”

Sablo did his best to recall the heated discussion word for word. When he’d finished with Theo slamming the door, he hung his head to avoid the look in his brother’s eyes.

“For fuck’s sake, bro. How could you tell him you resented being shot?”

“Well, you don’t want it to happen either. What’s the difference?”

“The difference is you weren’t planning to hang out with Theliel after that joint mission you had. You said yourself you only met in the bar to celebrate it was over. Getting shot forced you to admit you two were a perfect match, if you could get over your prejudice about Cupids.”

“Well, perhaps I would have been better off­—” Sablo began, but Diego cut him off.

“Don’t be stupid. You’ve been happier the last five years than I’ve ever seen you, and it’s all due to Theo. I can’t count the number of times you’ve praised his cooking, his skills in bed, his saucy attitude with authorities, his looks. But you never mention his abilities as a Cupid. Do you talk about his missions?”

“Well, he would tell me about them, occasionally.”

“Meaning you never asked, but indulged him if he wanted to talk about his job.” The biting sarcasm made Sablo wince.

“Does he ask you about your missions? Encourage you to share?”

Eyes down-cast, he could only nod. Red-faced, Sablo twisted the edge of his T-shirt.

Diego sighed. “I think Theo is probably more upset about your lack of understanding of his work than about me knowing about the auras. Give me his number; I’ll send him a text.”

Sablo dug out his phone and opened his contact list. “What are you going to tell him?”

“That I won’t say anything to Azrael, and I’m happy for Theo to hit us with silver arrows. I’ll even tell him where I plan to take Azrael on our first date.”

“Thanks, bro.”

“It’s only the first step. The next one will be up to you. It’s not gonna be easy, you know that, right? You’ve been taking him and your love for granted.”

“Yeah, I know. But at least he won’t be angry with you too. And Ayil will have no reason to punish him.”

***

Theo stumbled after landing in his boss’ office with an inelegantly loud ‘pop’. He was lucky he didn’t land on his ass considering how amateurishly he’d ‘ported there. Chest heaving, he leaned against Ayil’s desk, and looked around the dark and empty room. His life was in shambles. He’d thrown Sablo out, his love, and screwed his perfect work record over, because he hadn’t adhered to protocol. Ayil would never forgive him. He’d make him a permanent receptionist, delegate him to train with nestlings during his breaks, and scrub CC until everything gleamed, in his free time. ‘You did fantastic, Theo,’ he congratulated himself silently.

“What are you doing here in the middle of the night, Theliel?” A lamp was switched on behind him.

Theo turned around so fast, he lost his footing. “B-boss! I thought—I didn’t.... I…I— What are you doing here?”

“I always liked the graveyard shift, back in the day, when I was still a simple Cupid, and sometimes I take it when I have no one to discipline.” Ayil scooted his chair closer to the desk and picked up a tablet while Theo got back on his feet.

The Cupid Commander frowned. “Do we have an emergency I am not aware of? That would be the only reason I can think of for you ‘porting directly into my office in the middle of the night.”

“I tested two auras, and they match!” Theo pulled his test kit from his messenger bag. He brandished it at Ayil, who had to lean back so as not to be hit in the face.

“And why is this an emergency? Testing auras is part of your job description, if I remember correctly.”

“I tested the auras of two angels. Is that in my job description too?”

“As you are a full Cupid now, yes. Not that I expect it to happen often.”

“Oh.” Theo needed a moment to collect himself. “I saw their auras, and I knew immediately they matched. They were so beautiful together.”

“I still can’t detect anything that would merit being called an emergency.”

“Sablo didn’t want me to tell you, and I almost agreed with him!”

“I see. Whose auras did you test?”

“The Guardian Diego’s and the Angel of Death’s.” Theo whispered the last word.

“Azrael! How come you saw both together?”

“They came to dinner. Diego is Sablo’s brother.”

“I know. Do you have the exact numbers?”

“Of course.” Theo rattled off a long line of numbers.

“They are a perfect match!” Ayil exclaimed.

“I know, right? The problem is I told Sablo, and he told Diego.”

“What is it with those ignorant Guardians! It must have something to do with their impossible commander. He, too, disregards proper protocol!”

“What are we going to do now?”

“I will report your findings. Do you recommend silver arrows?”

“Normally I would, but Diego doesn’t want to be shot.”

“That isn’t his decision.”

“And he said he would tell Azrael!”

“I think Azrael might have a hunch by now. He’s been around for a long time.”

“So we’re going to wait for them to make a decision?”

“Certainly not. After seeing them together during the last mission, I also recommend silver arrows.” Ayil frowned. “Thinking back, I realize Sablo was probably trying to distract me, so I wouldn’t notice those matching auras.”

“You’ve got to be fuck…em I mean, what did he do?”

Ayil snorted. “He did this ridiculous rescue stunt, probably unauthorized, and then he jumped on the railing of the boat right next to me. Just as Azrael appeared, he puked on my feet.”

“Sablo really hates boats. Even the smallest waves make him seasick.”

“Still finding excuses for him, I see. Of course, nothing touched me, but he went into this absurd performance of apologizing profusely and telling me how he’d been feeling nauseated for the whole mission, and begging me not to tell anyone, because it was so embarrassing.”

Theo was torn between laughing and being even angrier with Sablo for underestimating Cupids, especially the boss. “I’m sorry, Ayil.”

“I’m sure he thought he did a great job of distracting me, but behind him, Diego and Azrael were staring at each other, and their auras did a fantastic display, almost like northern lights.”

“It’s really special, right?”

“Yes, just like you and Sablo.” Ayil walked around his desk until he stood directly in front of Theo. “Do you think I made a mistake?”

“What? When?”

“When I shot you and Sablo with the silver arrows?”

“Um... No.”

“Good. So why do I sense anger radiating off you as well as deep sadness?”

Theliel looked down. “He just made me so furious. He’s completely disregarding my work, always belittles Cupids. He even told me he wishes you hadn’t shot us. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I told him to move in with his brother.”

“Guardians are arrogant assholes.”

Theliel stared wide-eyed at his commander. “Uh...boss?”

“What? They think because they are big and badass they are God’s gift to Earth—or humankind. It’s all that elitist Roman. He hates us.”

“He hates us? Why?”

“Er... Let’s not discuss him. Let’s talk about you. Do you love Sablo?”

Theliel abruptly stopped the inner ranting he had running in a loop in his head. Thinking of himself without Sablo, he felt ice-cold.

“Yes, I love Sablo.”

“Then I suggest you tell him right about now and clear your issues, before I decide you’re perfect to teach the nestlings—”

Theo jerked then patted his pants pocket.

“Did you just get a message?”

“Yeah.”

“Well? Aren’t you going to look?”

“No. He was texting me every two minutes after I left.”

“Theliel. I already picture you among the nestlings, serving them juice and A.I. cookies.”

Rolling his eyes, Theo fished for his phone, as slowly as he dared.

“You’re pouting.”

“Am not.” Theo activated the screen. “It’s a text from Diego.”

“Oh?”

“It says he won’t tell Azrael about their matching auras. And he is okay with being shot with a silver arrow.”

“How generous of him. Guardians! Always wanting to call the shots.”

“He is even willing to tell me where he’s taking Azrael for their first date.”

Ayil scoffed. “He doesn’t know anything about Cupids, just like his brother. As if we would need his help. We’ll probably know before them where they go for their date.” They grinned at each other conspiratorially.

“I’ll get those silver arrows authorized. Go home and get some sleep, Theliel.”

“Yes, sir.”