Dury could practically feel Simon's pain when he left his sister's home. Even if he felt weak, Dury forced himself to send words of encouragement, to ensure his lovers that he was watching over them. He didn't want Simon to give up, or to come here without making up with Susanne. She meant too much to Simon, and a bond like that was too valuable to foolishly sever.
Every time, Simon and Luc heard him. At first, Dury had his doubts as to whether he should continue on this path, but he didn't have any other choice. Pushing Simon and Luc aside wouldn't help now. He needed to support them and hope for the best.
As Simon waited for Susanne to calm down, he and Luc settled legal matters, making sure their money would end up in safe hands once they were gone. Every step taken made everything that much more real to Dury, more so since his humans seemed to be taking everything in stride, as if preparing for death was just another task.
Perhaps the thought that they would meet Dury once again gave them strength, but with every moment that passed, Dury felt more and more amazed at their affection. He had no idea what he'd done to deserve something like this.
They'd spent so little time together, a few days with Luc and even less with Simon. And yet, he felt a connection with the two men, something he could not even begin to explain. He thought that maybe the two humans felt the same way.
Luc went to see Dana, ensuring her of his happiness by Simon's side. He tried to ask about Joshua, but predictably, the woman refused to give him any concrete information. Dury wished he could offer Joshua and Chance some angel help of their own, but he wasn't the one making the decisions. These days, he could barely move his wings, let alone assist humans with their troubles.
And then the day came when Simon and Luc visited Susanne once again. This time, she received them, even if she still glared at Luc as she did so.
"Hello, Susie," Simon greeted.
"You took your time in coming back," the woman muttered morosely.
"We figured you needed some time to calm down," Simon explained.
Susanne gave him a dark look. "I am very calm. I just don't want you to get hurt again. I remember how much you suffered when that bastard left you."
Luc cleared his throat at her words. "I'm right here, you know."
"Don't remind me," Susanne shot back.
Simon let out a sigh of exasperation. "Look, Susie. I want you to hear me out once and for all. I love Luc. Our breakup was as much my fault as it was his. I should have explained it better the first time, but I felt too hurt to think about it."
"Please, Susanne," Luc said. "In your heart, you know how much I care about your brother. I don't want this to separate the two of you. I miss the way things were before."
"That's all well and good," Susanne snapped. "But you can't expect me to believe all the nonsense you're spouting. What about the little slut that was hanging around you recently?"
Dury recoiled at the hatred in her tone. Sure, he'd known she didn't like him, and his eccentric outfits hadn't helped. Being called a slut wasn't pleasant, though, particularly since a part of him wondered if it could be true.
"Don't even think about it," his mother whispered. She always watched the crystal with him, knowing he needed all the support he could get when seeing the hardships Simon and Luc passed through. "You know you're nothing like that. You love those men, and that's all there is to it."
Her words made him feel better, but Susanne's insult still hurt. Simon and Luc must have felt it, because Luc took a deep breath, as if trying to overcome a silent pain. Dury bit his lip, hoping he wouldn't make things harder than they already were.
Simon's expression darkened as well, and he glared at his sister. "Don't talk about Dury like that."
Susanne gave Simon a look of disbelief. "Pardon? I think I didn't hear you right."
"You heard me just fine," Simon replied. "Dury is a very special person, for both Luc and me."
Susanne looked like she was going to faint. "I'm not sure I even want to know how that happened."
Luc and Simon briefly met each other's gazes and Dury wondered what they intended. It would be so much easier for them to deny any sentimental involvement with Dury. Granted, it would also be a big, fat lie, especially given the circumstances, but Dury didn't know if Susanne could understand the extent of the connection between him and the two humans.
"We love him," Simon said simply. "Both of us."
"This is insane," Susanne replied. "Since when are you into threesomes, Simon? Is this some sort of method to convince this jerk to come back to you? It's beneath your dignity to act like this."
"I'm surprised at you, Susanne," Luc shot back. "You should think more highly of your twin. He wouldn't put himself in a humiliating situation, nor would he settle for anything. He and I fit that way, and Dury fits with us both."
Susanne shook her head, obviously shocked. Still, she gestured for them to sit down. They obeyed and took a seat on the living room couch. After a small hesitation, Susanne plopped down of the armchair in front of it. "I really don't know what to say," she began. "A few months back, you didn't even know this Dury person, and now you claim to love him."
Simon sighed. "If you knew him, you'd love him too. He's just… I can't explain it. Just amazing."
Dury didn't think he was all that special. Perhaps if Simon and Luc met other angels, they'd consider him bland, weak, and pathetic. He did not have his father's powers, and he tended to be much more soft-hearted than others of his kind. During his beginning years, it had rendered him unable to finish his missions. What would they think, though, when they learned he was a Death Angel? Would they understand it?
Susanne snorted. "A cross-dressing boy like that? I really didn't see anything amazing about him."
Dury saw Luc's anger rising. Taking a deep breath, he focused on Luc and Simon's image and sent his humans a message, "It's okay. She's right, in her own way. Don't be upset. You didn't go there for arguing."
It was getting easier to contact Luc and Simon. It now drained Dury less, and even if his emotions still sapped him of his energy, he could speak to them in their minds more often.
Both men froze, then Simon reached for Luc's hand and squeezed it. "Anyway," he said, "we didn't come here to argue. I want you to understand my feelings, to accept that I'm back with Luc because I so desire. We broke up because I pushed Luc for more in an entirely inadequate way."
Luc nudged Simon with his shoulder. "Hey, it was my fault. I never should have let a damned writer's block come first."
Simon covered Luc's mouth with his hand. "Let me speak. It's true that Luc neglected our relationship. You already know that. But I didn't tell you that in my hurt and anger, I almost cheated on Luc. I wanted to force his hand to break him out of that damn trance of his. I thought he'd fight for us, and the opposite happened."
Luc shook Simon's hand off. "It was Dury who made us see what we'd lost, how mistaken we were."
Simon smiled at his twin sister. "Susie, I love you," he said. "I want us to be a family, me, your husband and kids, Luc, his parents and brothers, and Dury. What do you say?"
Susanne jumped into her brother's arms, nearly knocking Simon over. "Of course I want that, too. But, on one condition…" From Simon's lap, she turned to glare at Luc. "If you ever hurt my brother again, you won't live to see the next morning."
Luc's eyes flickered slightly and Dury knew what his lover was thinking. Neither he, nor Simon would live that much longer in the first place. Pain shot through Dury once again. In the mortal realm, Simon paled, and Luc brought a hand to his mouth, as if nauseous.
Susanne immediately concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked.
"A glass of water would be nice," Luc said weakly. "We must have eaten something bad before we came here."
Susanne nodded and shot to her feet. She rushed to the kitchen and poured some bottled water into two glasses. Returning to the living room, she offered Luc and Simon the glasses. The two men sipped the water as Dury struggled to hold his
emotions in check.
Finally, his humans seemed to recover. "Thanks, sis," Simon said, returning the glass to Susanne.
"No problem," the woman answered.
She glanced at Luc, who offered her a small grin. "And here I thought you didn't care about me."
Susanne's lips twisted in an answering smile. "Don't get excited. I'm still angry."
Luc laughed, and Dury breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the tension in the room dissipate. Susanne returned the glasses to the kitchen, and called out, "So where is this Dury? When can I meet him?"
She obviously still felt uncomfortable about the whole thing, but was willing to try to understand. More than ever, Dury regretted not being able to offer Luc and Simon a real life on the mortal realm.
Luc hesitated slightly. "We figured we needed to talk to you first. You'll meet him soon, of course."
Dury hoped not. He didn't want to meet her, at least not in an "official capacity". He guessed that he'd soon be reinstated as a Death Angel, although one could never tell with these things.
Susanne came back to the living room and sat down on the armchair once again. "So tell me about him. What does he do? Is he a student or what?" Her eyes widened. "Oh my God, is he even legal?"
Luc choked a little at that. Obviously, it had never occurred to him that such a thing could be a problem. Dury couldn't help a small giggle at that. "I'm older than you three put together," he sent to his men.
At that, Simon's gaze shot to the ceiling in the disbelief. "What?" Susanne asked. "What is it?"
Simon seemed to listen for a few seconds, but then shook his head. "I thought I heard something. I don't suppose you have rats in the house," he teased.
"Of course not," Susanne said, outraged. "And don't change the subject."
"I'm not," Simon answered. "Yes, he's legal."
"He doesn't have a job, per se," Luc continued. "He's the son of a pastor, and he mostly helps out at the church with various activities. Organizing events, charities, or simply helping with day to day stuff."
Dury was surprised at Luc's swift answer. He wondered if his human had already known what to tell Susanne, or if he'd come up with it on the spot. "That's how we met, actually," he continued. "I felt terrible and randomly went to the church. He approached me and, somehow, I found myself relying on him."
Susanne looked doubtful. "Seriously? Which church?"
"The one next to the publishing house," Luc replied. "I forget the name."
"Although I think the pastor was only visiting and he might leave in the near future," Simon offered. Wow, they really had thought about everything.
Susanne looked puzzled. "But Dury will stay if his family leaves?"
Luc nodded. "We've discussed it with him. He also wants to be with us."
Before Susanne could say anything else, the door burst open and four children bounced inside. "Uncle Simon! Uncle Luc!" they said in unison. A dark-haired man entered the house after them. "Hey, guys," he greeted.
Dury smiled as he watched Susanne's family engulf his humans in a flurry of embraces and affection. Susanne's husband, Karl, was actually her high school sweetheart. They'd married shortly after graduation, since Susanne had already been carrying the twins. Karl had loved the idea, though. He'd been planning to marry Susanne anyway, and the children were a bonus.
Simon and Susanne's parents hadn't been so thrilled. Her marriage had been the last straw and it made them push her away as well, like they'd done with Simon.
But Dury knew it had been worth it. The twins, Mitchell and William, were amazing and talented boys. Their only daughter, Eliza, was their princess, so sweet she could give even a dentist cavities. The youngest child, Karl Jr, was quieter, but took most after his father.
Dury felt both happy and sad to know that they'd all accepted Luc and Simon as a member of their family. It was another thing Simon would have to leave behind upon his death. He'd started to accept it, but in moments such as these, the guilt often overwhelmed him.
Luc and Simon ended up staying for dinner. The twins showed them their latest paintings and Eliza played a few songs on their small piano. It was a beautiful evening, and when Luc and Simon said goodbye, Dury felt just a bit warmer inside.
Finally, his lovers got into the car and drove off. "It went well," Luc told Simon.
"Yeah," Simon answered. "She's great, and her family wonderful."
And then, a flash of light came from the back seat, somewhat dimmed, and not as powerful as in the church. "I assume that means you're ready for your passing," Michael said.
Dury cried out as realization struck. He had not expected this, not today, not so soon. Simon and Luc still had so much to give to the world. It would be a sin to take that away.
But he could do nothing to stop it and he powerlessly watched as the events unfolded on the mortal realm.
Part Four:
The Guardians
Chapter Ten
Simon swallowed nervously as the archangel's words penetrated his consciousness. Sure, he'd in a way accepted his impending death. They'd been preparing for it for months now, seeking closure with their families, ensuring all the legal and financial matters had been dealt with. Simon left everything to Susie's children, in equal parts, whereas in Luc's case, Taylor would inherit most of the fortune. His new books had been selling particularly well and Simon's sculptures were also more and more popular. Perhaps due to the knowledge of their demise, they'd put more effort into their work, to compensate in a way, for what they would not be able to do. But now that they'd actually reached the moment, he felt fearful and uncertain.
A small cry sounded in his mind, and Simon instantly recognized it as Dury's voice. "No!" his lover said. "Don't die."
For the past few weeks, Simon had been able to hear Dury in his head. If not for the fact that Luc could hear the angel too, Simon would've thought it his imagination. Then again, why should he even be surprised? After all, he had an archangel sitting in the backseat of his car.
His hands started to tremble, and his breathing became labored. Suddenly, driving didn't seem like a very good idea. He pulled over and stopped the engine. In the darkness, the archangel's eyes burned him.
"Now?" Luc asked, voice slightly unstable.
"If you want to," Michael replied, "we could postpone things. Or we could cancel the entire thing, if you'd rather. Your choice."
He sounded cool and composed, and Simon wondered what the archangel really thought about the entire situation. Were family relationships the same in the angel realm or was Michael's bond with Dury of a more symbolic level? Truth be told, they did look alike, to a certain extent. Perhaps some people couldn't tell, but Simon could see it in the shape of their faces, their lips, the high cheekbones. For all he knew, though, these were distinctive features of all angels.
"I have a question, if you don't mind," he said, turning toward Michael.
"Of course," the archangel replied. "If I can help in any way."
"Are you really Dury's dad?"
Michael looked somewhat surprised. "Why is that important?" he asked. He didn't seem upset, but Simon thought he could detect a trace of unnamed emotion.
"Don't answer a question with a question," Simon shot back. He didn't have a particular reason and curiosity sounded a bit too trivial to delve into something like this.
Michael smirked at him. "And isn't that exactly what you're doing? Ah, humans…" Sighing, he finally said, "Very well. Yes, Duriel is my son. I have a bonded mate, Duriel's mother, Jezebel."
"Wow," Luc answered. "Angels have family structures?"
Michael nodded silently.
"You must really hate our guts," Luc continued.
Simon hid a smile at the thought that his lover had been thinking the same thing as he. Truth be told, the entire situation was somewhat disturbing. They were sitting in his car, in the dark, with their sort-of-father-in-law who in a few minutes intended to end their lives.
Michael made an "ah" sound, as
if he could now see where they were going with their line of inquiry. "I am beyond petty acts such as vengeance," he said. "On a personal level, I admit I don't like you very much. You've caused Duriel a great deal of pain. However, I do acknowledge his bond with you both, and the fact that you love him."
It hadn't really occurred to Simon that Michael might want to punish them. Perhaps the entire thing was a ruse and they wouldn't be taken to Dury. After all, how could they be so important as to be allowed into the heavens?
Michael's gaze pierced him, although he didn't comment on the silence in any way. "I'll leave you alone for a while," he said. "Just call my name if you wish to go through with it."
Simon nodded, and in a flash of bright light, the archangel vanished. Simon shielded his eyes, and turned away from the back seat, uncertainty swirling in his heart.
"What do you think?" Luc asked as the light faded.
"I'm not sure," Simon admitted. "I feel uneasy about the whole thing."
Luc nodded. "It seemed a bit easier when we actually had a purpose in the short term. But now…"
Now all those tasks were pretty much completed. They could very well leave with Michael with the knowledge that they'd said their goodbyes. At the same time, they could wait to watch Susie's children grow, and live their lives here on Earth. Simon wasn't sure he wanted that.
"Well, we have three choices," he said, taking a deep breath. "First, we can delay this, perhaps a few more years until things are more stable with our families. Second, we can give up on it, and Dury. And third, we can do this now. Thoughts?"
"I don't want to give up," Luc immediately said.
"Me neither," Simon agreed. Secretly, he thought that if they didn't do it tonight, they would lose their nerve altogether. Everything seemed so surreal still, but he knew that once morning came, they would fall into habit once again. Luc would start another book, and Simon would work on a new sculpture. They'd have barbecues with Susie and her kids, and visit Luc's brothers on weekends. Before they knew it, the years would fly, and the decision would be taken out of their hands. He doubted that in that moment, they'd be given the same opportunity as now. Perhaps they should ask.
The Plot Bunny Page 11
