Michael nipped Gabriel’s lower lip, rocking against him, and Gabriel cried out softly at the delicious friction of their cocks sliding together. “I want you to take me,” Michael panted as Gabriel’s hands slid down his body to knead his ass. “Please, Gabriel.”
“Fuck yes,” Gabriel gasped, rolling them again and pinning Michael to the bed with the weight of his body. “Michael… Michael.”
Michael’s legs wrapped around Gabriel’s hips as Gabriel shifted between Michael’s thighs, and Michael’s hands rested on Gabriel’s shoulders. Slicking his cock with a thought, Gabriel positioned himself and slowly thrust into Michael’s body, inch by inch.
Michael arched into the penetration, a low, inhuman keening noise coming from deep in his throat, a sound that was pure Archangel, primitive, otherworldly. Gabriel gasped as Michael clung to him, his muscles flexing around Gabriel’s cock, and Gabriel rolled his hips, his wings flaring as Michael’s hands slid down to his wing joints. An angel’s wings were the most intimate part of their anatomy, and it was a symbol of ultimate trust to allow another being to touch them. There were erogenous zones throughout the span of an angel’s wings—every angel was different—but a deft touch or caress in the right place could send a shockwave of pure pleasure through an angel like lightning.
“P-please, Gabriel,” Michael begged, rocking into each slow thrust. “Harder.”
“Sure?” Gabriel was amazed that he sounded coherent.
“Positive.” Michael rubbed the soft down on Gabriel’s wing joints, his fingers moving to the base of Gabriel’s wings, and Gabriel growled, the sound echoing with the timbre of his true voice. Michael whimpered, intensifying his attentions, and Gabriel thrust harder, faster.
Short, low moans came from Michael each time Gabriel was balls deep in him, and Gabriel knew he wasn’t going to last very long. Not with such stimulus, the pleasure of Michael clenching and flexing around his cock, Michael’s hands on his wings, Michael’s hard, warm body pressed against Gabriel’s own. The noises Michael was making skipped Gabriel’s ears entirely and went straight to his cock, and Gabriel worked his hand between them to wrap around Michael’s own cock and stroke.
His thumb smearing precum over the head and teasing the slit, Gabriel kissed Michael hard, artlessly, all tongue and teeth as he fucked him. Michael made almost constant noises into the kiss, a hand sliding up to tangle and tug in Gabriel’s hair as they moved together, rutting, fucking, animalistic pleasures surging. They were so wrapped in each other, Gabriel fuzzily realized, that spots of their power were shimmering around them—gold around Michael, silver around Gabriel. He could see the light behind his eyelids and the knowledge that it was he, Gabriel, doing this to Michael and that Michael was doing this to him, made Gabriel whimper as he thrust hard and deep, stroking Michael’s cock in time with his thrusts.
One more hard thrust and Gabriel broke the kiss and arched taut like a bowstring, crying out wordlessly as he came. Still stroking Michael’s cock as his own cock twitched with the strength of his orgasm, Gabriel felt the hot splash of come on his hand as Michael cried out and came several moments after Gabriel.
Panting, he pulled out of Michael’s body, slowly coming down from the high that was his orgasm. Gabriel collapsed half on the bed and half on Michael, chuckling weakly as Michael pulled him on top of him again.
“That were amazing,” Gabriel said after a moment. He was sweaty, sticky with come, and breathless, but he didn’t care. He ran a hand slowly down Michael’s side and up again, humming softly as he felt Michael’s arms wrap tight around him.
“You are amazing,” Michael murmured. “Will you… I know I have no right to ask this of you, and yet… will you stay tonight?”
Gabriel pushed himself up on one arm and gazed down at Michael fondly. “You have every right to ask me. And I would like that, very much.”
Michael smiled shyly, reaching up to touch Gabriel’s cheek. “Thank you.”
Turning his head so that he could kiss the palm of Michael’s hand, Gabriel smiled in return. “I’m being entirely selfish, y’know.”
Michael blinked in surprise. “How do you mean?”
Gabriel smirked. “Well, if I stay, right, we can have sex again sooner rather than later.”
Michael instantly blushed. “As you say, then.”
“I do say, then.” Gabriel kissed Michael’s cheek. “More practically, though, we’ll hear from Raph at the same time, and I won’t have to come and find you. I’ll be right here.”
Michael’s hold tightened. “I confess I prefer you being right here.”
“So do I,” Gabriel admitted. “You should rest a little, Michael. You look exhausted.”
Michael wrinkled his nose. “I will rest later.”
Gabriel rolled off him and onto his back, shifting to get comfortable. Tugging Michael into the curve of his arm, he smiled to himself as Michael curled up around him, a leg thrown over Gabriel’s and an arm slung over Gabriel’s chest as Michael rested his head on Gabriel’s shoulder.
“Comfortable?” Gabriel asked.
“Yes, thank you.” Michael let out a slow breath. “Gabriel?”
“Aye?”
“I… have not felt this for a very, very long time,” Michael said slowly, “and I do not want you to wonder or leave it unsaid. It is important to say it, I feel, especially as we do not know what may happen.”
“Oh?” Gabriel shifted a little so he could look into Michael’s eyes.
“Yes. Gabriel, I… I love you.” The last three words were said in a rush.
Gabriel smiled at that, running his fingers over Michael’s shoulder and arm, over the tattoo of the phrase “I am a shield and I am a sword, I protect and I serve” in Hebrew that stood out in black ink against Michael’s olive-hued skin. “And I love you, Michael.”
“You do not have to say—” Michael began, but Gabriel cut him off.
“Hush. I know how I feel, and I love you. Deal with it.”
Michael huffed at that. “Fine. I shall deal with it, as you say.”
Gabriel started laughing. “You’re adorable.”
“I disagree.”
“As is totally your right.” Still laughing, Gabriel pulled Michael even closer, so that Michael was half on top of him, and wrapped his arms around Michael, holding him close. “Get some rest.”
Michael hummed and nodded once. “I think I will. A short nap. You will be here?” The hopeful note in his voice was not lost on Gabriel.
“Aye, I’ll be here. I’ll always be here.”
Michael smiled at that. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Gabriel felt Michael stir a few hours before dawn. “Hey,” he said softly, slowly stroking his fingers through Michael’s hair. “I’m going to have to go soon, go and take care of my kids.”
Michael stretched and yawned, rubbing his eyes with the heel of one hand. It was an almost childlike action, and Gabriel couldn’t help but smile.
“As you say,” Michael agreed.
“I was thinking, though, that maybe you’d like to come with me back to mine? You could get to know my kids a bit better, and they could get to know you—and we could spend more time together?”
Michael smiled at that. “I would like that very much, Gabriel. Do we have time for a brief shower before departing?”
“Aye,” Gabriel leaned in to press a soft kiss to Michael’s forehead. “It’s not yet dawn. We got a few hours.”
“Good.” Michael stretched again, like a big cat. “Thank you for staying, da bao.”
“Da bao?” Gabriel raised an eyebrow. “Big treasure?”
Michael looked away. “It seemed fitting. You do not mind?”
“No. I don’t mind.” Gabriel kissed Michael’s forehead again. “I like it a lot.”
“As you say.” Michael sat up, running a hand down Gabriel’s chest. “Let us bathe, da bao.”
Gabriel smiled and nodded. “Aye.”
“Thank you both for staying with ’em,”
Gabriel said, shaking Remiel and Samael’s hands.
“It was no trouble, Gabriel,” Samael said. “I enjoyed the opportunity to spend time with your children.”
“Shateiel and his bonded stopped by,” Remiel put in.
“Really?” Gabriel’s eyebrow shot up. “Why?” Shateiel was mute, but able to communicate telepathically with angelkind and those sentient beings who had the ability of telepathy.
“Shateiel only said to let you know he’s finished up with the assignments you gave him earlier, so he’s available if you need him for anything, and Agrat offered her services if you can think of a way they’d be of use. Then Shateiel got all stony faced grr-angel, and Agrat patted his arm a few times while he huffed in beatific silence, and then they left.” Remiel grinned. “It’s a good thing she doesn’t mind the silence. I teased her about that. She said he’s plenty loud in her head for her not to notice the silence, and then he blushed red like a tomato and stared at the ceiling.”
“Now, now, Shateiel’s a good officer,” Gabriel chided. “Although,” he added, grinning, “I ain’t never seen him blush, but now I think I have to. I’ll mention that when I see him.”
“He’s creepy sometimes.” Remiel shrugged. “Which I suppose is the point, seeing as he’s the Angel of Silence and Soldiers. How on earth he scored Agrat is still a mystery to me.”
“Mayhap Raziel can answer it for you.” Samael chuckled.
“Or mayhap we could cease gossiping entirely,” Michael said. He had a small frown on his face. “What the whore and Shateiel choose to do—”
“Hey, hey, hey, just a moment there, Mike,” Remiel interrupted him, “Agrat’s title is the Angel of Prostitution and Sex, but that doesn’t mean you get to belittle her because she was made that way. If Jesus can treat with whores and prostitutes as equally as with nobles and holy men, then so can you, First Archangel of God.”
Gabriel and Samael exchanged a long look of surprise as Michael’s expression changed from a frown to an expression of pure astonishment.
“Forgive me,” Michael said after a moment of uncomfortable silence, “but I fear you have misunderstood me, Remiel.”
“Oh?” Remiel’s expression remained profoundly skeptical.
“She is God’s Whore,” Michael said slowly. “It is her title and her reason for being made. It is not meant as a slur—Agrat bat Mahlat is the Whore of God. She has been slurred and maligned by history more than enough as it is. Her title is no more an insult than yours, Remiel. You are the Archangel of Mercy, she is the Angel of Prostitution and Sex. She inspires couples to copulate and bear offspring; she helps human women who have been mistreated and abused, who are trafficked by sexual predators; she runs halfway homes for these women and for men who have suffered such torments and many more such havens and shelters for children who have been abused or are homeless. It is the children who grieve her the most, Remiel, and I know this for she has spoken to me often on the subject, and I have helped her with them whenever I could. So no, I do not call Agrat ‘the whore’ out of malice, but out of respect. As she herself asked me to do, when thousands of years ago, I sought to relieve an odious human male of his hands when he groped her in an unseemly fashion in the marketplace in the city of Pergamon.”
There was a silence after that, for it was an unusually long speech for Michael and unusually passionate. It was clear to them all that Michael was fond of Agrat and protective of her.
“So… you think of her sort of as a little sister, then?” Remiel asked.
Michael considered that as Gabriel wondered if Remiel was reading his mind, for the same thought had occurred to him.
Michael nodded. “Yes, I suppose that is an accurate way to describe it.”
“Okay. Well. Good.” Remiel nodded, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand in an awkward gesture that spoke louder than words that he felt that he’d made a fool of himself and been suitably chastised for it. “Now, I have to go to Uri, and give Raph some mercy by taking Uri out of his hearing. His complaining sets Raph’s teeth on edge.” Remiel grinned a little sheepishly at Samael and Gabriel, then added, “Sorry for doubting you, Mike.”
“It is no trouble—oh.” Michael sighed as Remiel disappeared.
“He likes Agrat.” Gabriel shrugged. “They’re good friends. And she and Shateiel are very well matched. Gossipin’ ain’t nearly as harmful as passin’ judgment, after all. And I think he’s a bit embarrassed he got the wrong idea from what you said in the first place, so that’s why he took off so fast.”
Michael cleared his throat. “As you say, then.”
“I must go also,” Samael said. “I am needed in the Congo. I will speak with you both later.” He gave a shallow bow, clapped Michael and Gabriel’s shoulders firmly with his large hands, and then he, too, vanished, just as Remiel had.
“So,” Gabriel said into the awkward silence that fell between him and Michael, “why don’t we go into the living room and wait for the kids to surface?”
“Of course, Gabriel,” Michael nodded. “Lead on.”
Gabriel grinned at him and led the way from the kitchen to the living room. It was not yet nine, and he doubted that either of his children would rise before ten. He was therefore more than a little surprised when, not five minutes after sitting down on the sofa with Michael beside him, John hurried into the room, looking nervous and rushed.
“Oh hey, Pops, Michael.” John ran a hand through his hair. He was wearing a suit, and Gabriel stared at him, astonished.
“John,” he said, “why’re you wearing a suit, pray?”
“I got a job interview,” John said, patting his pockets. “Okay, so, I’ve got my keys, wallet, right, I’m good. Wish me luck.”
“Good luck. Where’s the interview?” Gabriel asked as John moved toward the door.
“At the local feed store. I probably don’t need to wear this suit, but it helps, right? Right. Okay. Good. I’ll, um. Be off.” John rushed out of the house before Gabriel could say another word.
“Well, there goes my son,” he said, turning back to Michael, who was smiling. “Here for all of ten seconds.”
“And this is your daughter, for another ten seconds.” Mira’s voice came from the doorway. “I’m going over to the diner on the Esplanade to see Katie and Jazz—you know, the girls I made friends with when we moved here? We’re having lunch and going shopping. I don’t know when I’ll be home.” Wearing faded blue jeans and a light, rose-pink, peasant-style top, her blonde hair streaming down her shoulders, Mira looked more relaxed than Gabriel could remember her being for quite a while.
“Okay.” Gabriel nodded. “Got your phone and your keys and your purse?”
“Yes, Papa.” Mira grinned and waved to him. “I’ll see you later.” With that, she was gone.
Gabriel rubbed his face with both hands, shaking his head ruefully as he looked at Michael. “How quickly they grow up.”
“They do,” Michael agreed.
“It seems like only yesterday they were toddlers.” Gabriel sighed. “Now they’re goin’ off to be with friends and get jobs and soon, probably, get married. I feel very old.”
“Da bao,” Michael said, sliding his arm around Gabriel’s shoulders, “it will be all right. And… you are very old.”
“Thanks awfully,” Gabriel drawled, grinning at the answering grin on Michael’s handsome face. “You’re older.”
“Indeed. And now it seems that you and I both are at a loose end this morning.”
“Aye. And we do have to stay in pairs until we’ve been given our shots by Raph and Raz.” Gabriel shifted and sat on Michael’s lap, straddling his hips and pinning him to the sofa.
“That is true.” Michael’s hands moved to Gabriel’s hips as he looked up into Gabriel’s eyes, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Did you have something in mind, da bao?”
“Maybe.” Gabriel drawled the word as he lowered his head to nuzzle Michael’s neck, one hand slowly unbuttoning the black shirt that
Michael wore.
“Oh?” Michael’s voice sounded a little breathy to Gabriel as he kissed his way up to Michael’s ear.
“Mhm.” Gabriel’s tongue snaked around the cartilage, and he purred into Michael’s ear, “I wanna mate.”
“Gabriel.” Michael’s voice was rough, and his hands slid beneath Gabriel’s shirt to stroke the small of Gabriel’s back. “Please.”
Giving Michael’s earlobe a nip, Gabriel sat back and gazed down at his body. Michael’s chest and stomach were muscled and well defined; a light dusting of dark hair on his pectorals trailed away and resumed just above his navel, leading downward to Michael’s waistband. Gabriel wanted to follow that treasure trail with his tongue, wanted to lick between each well-defined muscle, caress each ab and oblique, nuzzle every inch of that washboard stomach. The dark gold of Michael’s tanned-olive skin made Gabriel want, and a growl slipped unnoticed from his lips.
“Should we move to the bedroom, da bao?” Michael’s fingers were making short work of unbuttoning Gabriel’s own shirt, and his voice was a little breathless.
“Hm? Oh right, yeah.” Gabriel didn’t even bother with standing up—he used his power to move them both straight to the bed. As soon as they were on top of the blankets and soft, dark-gray sheets, Gabriel kicked off his boots and socks and pushed Michael back.
Still straddling him, Gabriel licked a slow path along Michael’s collarbone, purring in satisfaction as Michael whined hungrily in response. Gabriel’s hands slid over Michael’s chest, his fingers tracing around Michael’s nipples. Swirling his tongue in the hollow of Michael’s throat, Gabriel purred low in his throat, a rough, primal sound.
Beneath him, Michael shivered, shoving off Gabriel’s shirt. Gabriel tossed it aside, then slowly began to kiss his way down Michael’s body as Michael’s hands moved to his shoulders. He felt one hand slip into his hair, gently tugging, as he teased one of Michael’s nipples with the tip of his tongue, and Michael’s other hand found Gabriel’s wing joint and rubbed.
Gabriel hissed with pleasure, pausing his ministrations for a moment as Michael rubbed the soft down toward the strong, fuzz-covered base of Gabriel’s wing.
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