Azreal's Favor

By Yai-tzu Hin

Warning: No part of this story or cast of characters may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the author, Yai-tzu Hin. If you do, dogs will wake you at 3:00 am in the morning, your hair will go gray at an early age, all you pens will run out of ink at the most inconvenient time, and your computer will always freeze up in the middle of the best part of a fic.

“Well, that sure was exciting.” Keien said slumping down in his chair.

“At least you found out about Dante and Azreal.” Eros commented bringing him a glass of water.

“Yeah, but I had to fight Dante first.”

Eros propped himself on the edge of the couch. Psyche set a platter of crackers and cookies for the guys to munch on. It nudged over the two empty glasses and pitcher of water that Eros had brought in a few minutes before. With a sigh, it sat down in the leather chair.

Yatsurugi and Keien had arrived home only a few minutes before looking worse for the wear. Yatsurugi had slipped off to his room to change, while Keien was so exhausted he just didn’t care what he looked like. So his clothes smelt of sweat and were slightly singed. So what?

“At least Azreal said that the thread was still there. Now all we have to do is figure out how to transfer the powers.” Psyche said cheerfully. “I’m sure we can do that.”

“Hopefully it’ll be soon. I’m sure you two are used to it, but these wings are a bit of a nuisance sometimes.”

Psyche giggled.

“I suppose they take getting used to.”

“That they do.” Eros chuckled. He hopped off the couch arm and began pacing in a circle about Psyche and Keien. “Did Azreal really say the that Red Thread of Fate bound you two?” Keien nodded.

“You don’t have any idea what the Red Thread of Fate is do you?” Keien asked. “I mean I’ve heard the term, but I’m not sure exactly what it is.”

“Oh, let me tell him.” Psyche said waving its hand in the air as if it were a student and this was an oral quiz. Eros nodded. Psyche grinned and turned to face Keien. “The Red Thread of Fate is a small red thread that is attached to your pinky finger.” Psyche held up its pinky to demonstrate. “Normally we can’t see them, only very special mortals and angels can.”

“Like Azreal.” Keien interrupted.

“Yeah. Like Azreal. Anyway, the thread is supposed to attach to the pinky finger of your intended. The person you are to spend the rest of your life with, in other words, your soul mate. In this case, your thread connects with Yatsurugi’s meaning that you and him are soul mates. Do you understand now?”

“Yes.” Keien said. “That’s pretty much what I though it was. I remember Meiko talking about in junior high. Girls always seem obsessed with fate, love, and boys at that age.” Psyche just shrugged its shoulders.

“And what else is there at that time. They’ve just discovered hormones and the world is their oyster. You know, before responsibility crushes their dreams.” Psyche muttered reaching for a glass of water. Taking a long drink, it waited for Eros to chide it for being sarcastic. He didn’t.

“I wouldn’t say responsibility crushes dreams,” Keien said snatching a cracker. “Just makes them realize how hard it is to obtain them without work.”

“True.” Eros commented. “Take your sister Haruka for example. I know she still dreams of having a nice husband and children. Yet she understands that things don’t fall into her lap, she has to make her dream come true.”

“A lot of good it has done recently.” Keien said sadly. “She’s been dumped more often than I can count. Most of them wouldn’t last past the first few weeks. I’ve had longer lasting relationships than she has. I also know that Mother and Father have been putting pressure on her because she is the oldest.”

“She told you this?” asked Eros.

“No, Kayumi volunteered in the information during a rant after they came over to dinner one evening. I think my father is expecting Haruka to admit she’s a lesbian someday.”

“Don’t worry.” Psyche said patting him on the knee. “She’ll find her mate eventually. These things take time. It’s not like your soul mate drops out of the sky.” Keien and Eros both gave it a look. Psyche smiled sheepishly. “Oh, yeah. Well, most of the time.” Hurriedly it took another gulp of water.

“I think I’ll go check on Yatsurugi.” Keien said at length, finally finding enough strength to get up off the couch. “Do you two think you could start dinner?”

“No problem.” Eros and Psyche said in unison. Keien wandered back towards Yatsurugi’s room. Knocking on the door, he heard a voice mumble “come in”. Opening it slowly, Keien stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

“Yatsurugi?”

“Mm?” came the reply. Yatsurugi lay diagonal on his bed, feet hanging off so they almost touched the floor. His right arm was draped across his face in an effort to shut out the light.

“I have a question for you.”

“What?” Yatsurugi muttered as he considered exactly how much his body ached after this afternoon’s adventure.

“Did you expect the Red Thread of Fate?”

“Hum?” Yatsurugi sat up wearily and blinking a couple times focusing on Keien.

“Azreal’s answer for leaving you.” There was a long pause before Yatsurugi answered.

“No. I didn’t expect the Red Thread of Fate to be involved. To tell you the truth, I don’t think about it that often. I have other things on my mind.”

“Now that you know though,” Keien didn’t finish the sentence letting Yatsurugi fill in the blanks.

“Now that I know, it makes no matter. I have an answer and I understand why he left me, but it wouldn’t have mattered if he never told me. I still care for you and plan to go on doing so. This changes nothing, we simply incorporate this new data to the definitions of who we are.”

“That’s what I was thinking too.” Keien said. He walked over and lay down next to Yatsurugi. “You don’t mind if I crash next to you. I’ve had a hard day too.” Yatsurugi chuckled.

“Never. Just no snoring.”

“Fine.”

Two days later there was a knock at the door. Keien opened it cautiously to find Azreal standing there.

“May I come in?” he asked quietly. Keien stepped back and let the archangel enter.

“What brings you by?” Keien inquired in an attempt to be friendly. Azreal took off his shoes and set them down next to the door.

“I came to apologize for Dante’s behavior again and to offer my assistance in returning Yatsurugi’s powers to Yatsurugi.”

Keien nodded and shut the door. He offered Azreal some refreshments, but he declined. Instead he took a seat on the couch and motioned for Keien to sit in the chair.

“I take it you’re the only one home?”

“Yes, the others have gone out for some groceries.” Keien told him watching the archangel carefully.

“When they get back, I’d like to start the ceremony.”

“Ceremony?” Azreal nodded.

“Yes, the ceremony to transfer Yatsurugi’s powers back. I know how to perform it. I witnessed when Bartleby was given back his powers from Maria.” Keien gave him an odd look.

“Bartleby and Maria?”

“Yes, Bartleby is the last angel who transferred his powers to a mortal to protect them. Maria was a young merchant’s daughter in Renaissance Italy. Bartleby was her guardian angel, he fell in love with her and assumed mortal form to save her from a marriage that would have left her battered and broken. A water spirit that lived in the river near her villa believed that he alone could love her and attacked them. Bartleby gave his powers much like Yatsurugi did and Maria found herself the angel. Then Bartleby had to tell her the truth, but she didn’t care. I was asked if there was anyway to reverse it and amongst Bartleby, Maria and myself we found a way. Now I am here to help you and Yatsurugi do the same thing. As soon as he gets back.”

Keien didn’t know what to say except thank you.

“I am somewhat the cause of this, I better help rectify the situation.” Azreal informed him.

Yatsurugi opened the front door to find Keien and Azreal swapping stories about him. He didn’t know what to do first, stand there in shock or smack Azreal for revealing some very embarrassing moments that he’d liked to forget.

“Azreal.” Psyche breathed. The archangel stopped and turned to look at the newcomers.

“Hello Psyche, Eros, Yatsurugi. I’m glad to see you’re back. Nakabori and I were wondering if you were ever coming back.” With that he stood up and dusted off his slacks. “This means we can get started.”

“Get started?”

“Azreal knows how to reverse what happened to us.” Keien told Yatsurugi.

“NANI? WHAT? You’re serious?” Yatsurugi gasped nearly dropping his bag of vegetables. Azreal nodded and flashed him a smile. A smile that once made Yatsurugi’s knees weak now sent his heart leaping for joy. “Thank you Almighty!”

“Here, I’ll help you put the groceries away so that we can start.” Keien said. Yatsurugi smiled. Eros and Psyche headed for the kitchen with Keien and Yatsurugi in their wake.

“Now do it exactly how I told you.” Azreal said sternly. “One wrong word or movement and we have to start over. Understood?”

“Hai sensei.” Yatsurugi and Keien chimed. Psyche snickered, Azreal shot it a discouraging look and it silenced.

“Ready?” he asked. The two participants nodded their heads. “Good, let us begin.” A magical mandala, a circle of runes set in a certain pattern in order to create a spell, had been superimposed on the carpeting of the living room. The furniture had been pushed to one wall in order to make room. Yatsurugi and Keien stood in the middle and began to recite the words they’d been taught. Walking opposite each other in a clockwise manner they silently prayed that this would work. As the circle they walked grew smaller they stopped and joined hands. Lifting their heads to the ceiling they finished the last word together and felt the currents of energy flow around them. Suddenly a great energy slammed against Keien nearly knocking him over, but he held his ground. Not letting go of Yatsurugi’s hands, he waited for the pressure to vanish. It did as suddenly as it had appeared and both men dropped to their knees as one. Keien felt weak and tired. No sound escaped his lips as he passed into unconsciousness. Yatsurugi remained as he was shaking badly.

A moment later his entire body was wracked with a burning fire from within. It spread throughout him and concentrated in his should blades.

From where they stood at the perimeter of the circle, Psyche held Eros’ hand tightly in expectation. Azreal let out the breath he’d been holding in since the moment they’d dropped to the ground. Tiny white wings with black tips poked out from Yatsurugi’s back and grew until they were full size. Psyche squeaked happily and broke from its position. Running to the center it flung its thin body around Yatsurugi laughing and muttering words of relief. Eros hurried over with Azreal and together they picked up Keien and moved him back to his own room. Laying him on the bed, Azreal made sure that he was comfortable. Eros went to rescue Yatsurugi from an overenthusiastic Psyche leaving Azreal alone with Keien. Azreal leaned over and kissed Keien on the forehead.

“Be good to him.” he whispered knowing full well that Keien would. “Don’t worry about Dante, the Almighty has already decided on a punishment. He won’t bother you anymore.”

“What happened to him?” asked Keien in a weak voice without opening his eyes.

“He is to be reborn as a mortal.” Azreal replied quietly. “Once his time has been served, he will allowed back as an angel.”

“What about you?”

“Me? I plan to wait for him.” Azreal said. “Now get some rest. I’m about to go tell Yatsurugi to do the same.” With that he left closing the door softly behind him. Keien wondered if Azreal’s red thread attached to Dante and hoped it did.