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[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Date: Febuary 6th, 2001 (immediately following Berith's arrival)
Setting: Berith's room, Raguel's room
Status: Private - Berith, Raguel [Complete]
Summary: Did you forget how it began? I haven't.

Planning to spend the entire day in one's room did absoutely no good if the thing that you wished to remain separated from was obviously close by. And he was. Berith could feel him, the edges of his consciousness, the finality of his voice, the blank watchfulness of his gaze.

He sat himself down on the edge of the bed, set his elbows on his knees and placed his head in his hands. He did not need this. None of it. He would have stayed in London, he would have kept his head down, he would be giving Aziraphale a piece of his mind the next time he saw him....

Berith didn't think about heaven for prolonged periods of time. It was a rule of self-preservation more than a feeling of loathing. He left it alone in that part of his mind where things could scar over and dull.

It didn't take long for angels to learn the idea of quarrelling, and once they had, they took to it like anything. The idea of disagreeing with each other became far too fascinating of a concept to pass up. Baraqiel didn't like it. Too much noise without much reason. Waste of time.

Which was why when a disagreement broke out between a common angel and the head of the Heavenly Choir, he set his mind to putting a stop to it.

"I will not hear of any new songs. We have our own songs. We will keep to them, for they were given to us when we were created."

"But surely if a song comes from my thoughts, it was given to me by Our Lord? I see no reason why other music should be unacceptable."

They had been going at it for time past reckoning. Baraqiel stepped between them and put up a halting hand.

Comments

[weary-justice.livejournal.com]

It wasn't hard to recognize the presence for what it was. Certainly it had been a long time since he had last felt it. Certainly it was changed, in some ways, from that which he had known. It mattered little.

In the stillness of that which he was rapidly coming to think of as his room, Raguel sat quiet and still, and if his heart wished to race or his breathing to catch, he carefully forbade them to alter any of their placid pattern.

Raguel's job was never ending, and although, sometimes, he felt as though his purpose was greater than the mediations to which he was constantly set, it was nevertheless true that he was very busy. For this reason he had already taken an assistant and was considering choosing one or two more. Tsadkiel was already proving a great help in dealing with smaller disagreements and complaints, leaving Raguel greater time to properly tend to larger matters.

Such as the disagreement that had broken out amongst the choir.

Raguel arrived, set to question and seek resolution for the disagreement, he found that another had already taken the initiative to do so. He paused, waiting, watching the other as he spoke.

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

The voices went quiet, and Baraqiel set to work.

"The answer is simple. Antares will not sing the song in the presence of the choir, as it is not his business to do so. But you cannot stop him from singing it on his own; God gave him a voice to do with as he would. You have no say in how he uses it."

It was all too simple really; why could they not see it?

And as a murmuring broke out over the group, Baraqiel caught a pair of eyes on him and quickly bowed his head. He was about to be scolded, surely, and he was not pleased with himself for it. Everyone knew what Raguel's arrival meant in any sphere. It was not his place to act in Justice's stead, and he had not meant to.

[weary-justice.livejournal.com]

It was a fair decision, one which Raguel would most likely have given himself, although what impressed Raguel more was the ease with which it was spoken, the grace of it. Neither disputant found quarrel in the judgment, but also they found no quarrel in how it was given, or by whom.

Raguel stepped forward lightly, offering a smile of greeting to the other angel.

"That was well spoken," he said. "I could hardly have done better. May I ask your name?"

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

"Baraqiel," he answered instantly, his eyes still lowered. Wait, he was being reprimanded? It sounded rather that he was being... complimented? How did that follow?

"My judgement could hardly be sound as your own, for it is not my function," he told the Archangel. And when he finally looked up he found that smile to be... jarring. He had not known it was possible for Justice to smile for he had never heard tell of it. Yet it was a comfort and he could not help but smile back slightly.

[weary-justice.livejournal.com]

"Perhaps," Raguel answered. "But it is given to us to be more than solely one purpose. We should be very flat personalities indeed were this not the case, and it seems He has seen fit to bestow in us more than that." His smile, still friendly, took on a hint of mischievousness. "After all, though it is not my function I, too, can sing."

He considered Baraqiel a moment, then added.

"In fact, I have been given permission to take on a few assistants, if I wish, for I find myself with more work than cane really be handled by one angel, function not withstanding. I am impressed with how you mediated that situation, and thought perhaps to offer a position to you, if you would be interested, Baraqiel."

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

"Ah, but can you sing well? For the ability does not make it a talent," Baraqiel teased for he knew a joke when he heard one, no matter how heavily veiled.

It was then that he realized the there were many sets of eyes on their exchange and it was vaguely uncomfortable to be pressed into such a situation, even though his answer was not one that needed consideration. "It would be an honor," he said, bowing his head once more, his wings folding in at his back.

[weary-justice.livejournal.com]

Raguel blinked once, and then laughed softly. It was not often he found another willing to joke back with him so easily.

"As well as some," he conceded with a dip of his head. "Though not so well as others."

Sensing Baraqiel's sudden discomfort, Raguel raised his gaze to the other angels around them. He'd hardly noticed their presence; he was quite accustomed to being stared at, as he had been almost unceasingly since he was created. Still...

"The matter has been settled," he told the watching crowd. "Do you not have something to be practicing?"

Turning to Baraqiel he said "Walk with me, if you will Baraqiel."

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Assisting Raguel was very different from any of the other tasks that he had been given before. But he found the work satisfying in an indescribable way. As though his mind was being challenged and put to appropriate use.

It was far from easy, however. Raguel was every bit as demanding as he seemed to be outwardly. All the same, Baraqiel wasn't bothered by it.

He did notice that the Archangel had a tendency to sit by himself while others mingled. In fact, when he was without his assistants (there were three of them now), he seemed to do everything on his own. Baraqiel understood the stigma of having what might be viewed as a foreboding or unpopular job, but really, it was ridiculous. He looked like he could use the company.

And so one day, when he saw Raguel sitting off by himself once again, he came and sat next to him. He did not speak, but he remained. And it seemed right enough.

So Baraqiel would do it again the next time he saw him alone.

[weary-justice.livejournal.com]

It was good to have help. It seemed that every moment a problem of a new sort or a stronger disagreement had developed, and while some had rules already set which defined Raguel's actions and those of his assistants, many others had to be examined and addressed in entirely new ways. More and more Raguel found it necessary to speak to his superiors before acting, and more and more he found himself grateful for the help and quick thinking of his assistants, especially Baraqiel.

There was something about Baraqiel which Raguel found refreshing, and he encouraged the other angel to speak his mind and enter into discussion with him. Baraqiel seemed to enjoy their conversations as much as Raguel did.

Nevertheless, the first time Baraqiel came to sit with him Raguel was surprised, especially when he did not speak. But he was not unwelcome, and Raguel chose not to comment on it, neither the first time nor those which followed.

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Time passed strangely in Heaven, for it could not be measured. They had words for measurement, surely, but they meant little as they stretched and shrank with little thought to anyone's agenda. Ineffable as always.

It was a Long Time, though, before Baraqiel thought to say something to Raguel as they sat.

"I never asked you if you preferred sitting alone." Perhaps he had gained a little wisdom, seeing as he had now thought to ask the question in the first place, but truly the idea amused him. He was curious what the answer might be.

[weary-justice.livejournal.com]

Raguel frowned and looked up at him.

"I... hadn't given it much thought, actually," he confessed, surprising himself with the words. In all honesty he hadn't considered his preferences one way or another. It was simply that he had never felt that his presence was particularly desired by others. It didn't really matter to him.

"I enjoy your company," he said finaly.

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Baraqiel's brow furrowed at that. "Depressing, don't you think?" Granted, an angel was never truly alone, per se, but it seemed a morbid thing to do.

The second response brought him up short; he had not expected something so direct, even though Raguel had a tendency to be just that. "Ah. Good." It was really what he had been wondering. He did not wish to remain if he was an annoyance. And since he was not, he would stay.

[weary-justice.livejournal.com]

Raguel smiled.

He hadn't gone back, hadn't given himself the luxury (if it could be called that) of remembering, in a very Long Time. He didn't want to taint the memory of Baraqiel with...

But then, it had been already.

Raguel drew his wings closer about himself and sat alone.

[smokes-and-lies.livejournal.com]

Berith's fingernails bit into his temples. He knew well that punishment to the physical form did nothing to expel images in the mind, but it was a help to feel anything on the plane he currently occupied. Sobering.

It made no sense for him to be here. Justice had not been to Earth since the first light of Creation. Something was happening here, something that Aziraphale and Adam had not mentioned, unsurprisingly. He would have left, but that carried too much meaning with it, and he could not afford to back down the other's presence. It did not mean he had to go looking for him, though.

He stood, lit a pipe and went to the window. The sill turned gold before he had chance to think of it, and he cursed the lack of control. Changing it back to its boring off-white, he watched the smoke drift out the window and waited for silence.