datadiving | I'm gonna punch you until I'm hard okay go

"Imperturbable as always." Not that Gabriel had ever tried to get under the other angel's skin before, but Cassiel's even and cool temperament was well known. Of course even a sideways jab at their pride would do absolutely nothing, but then again, the line wasn't necessarily for them to react to.

Indeed, the obvious interest of the crowd pleased Gabriel quite a bit, already glowing with pride once more because of it. Let it never be said he was a difficult creature to please.

Cassiel tanked the hit better than Gabriel expected, though perhaps that was on him for not putting more faith in their endurance, all things considered. He went with the push, easily pulling into a far too showy tumble and righting himself once again. Considering how the angel moved, the next course of action looked to be an immediate, brutal return to the fray, giving Cassiel a split second to decide what they were going to do before he'd actually lunge back in again.

Cassiel exhales in a slight laugh, their mouth quirking up at the ends. "If you're looking for a show of emotion, you'll need to find one elsewhere."

It's nice, to see Gabriel so pleased. They've never been one for strong displays of emotion, affection being among them, so they simply think that it's nice - that it warms them in a way that's probably nothing to do with the intoxicating air - and their introspection stops there.

Besides, the warm fuzzy feeling is easier to think about than the last time they had seen each other.

They process the situation and lower their stance, leg sweeping out in a kick as they make a spirited attempt to knock Gabriel off-balance. It's somewhat awkward - they're used to using their bare hands for combat, not mortal play-fighting - but they're trying their best not to fall into old habits and treat this like an actual brawl.

As amusing as that would be. There's standards to maintain in front of mortals, after all; they shouldn't frighten them with their idea of a close-combat match. (Cassiel's idea of what is frightening to mortals is skewed, but they're probably not that wrong in this case.)

It's certainly not what Gabriel is used to either. Mortals were one thing, even taking care not to use any powers he'd been more than a match for every single one of them. Another angel however...

The leg sweep actually caught him, sending him to the ground with a grunt. Inelegant, unexpected, and judging by the burst of laughter this slip up caused, very entertaining. He'd never actually had to fight with a handicap before, self imposed or otherwise, and it came with a whole host of new things to consider and problems to deal with.

Like not getting pinned, Gabriel moving to try and get up and back on his feet before Cassiel could take advantage of his momentary loss of balance. Now look who's on the defensive.

Crouched and coiled to spring, it's an odd situation in which to realize that he doesn't know that much about Gabriel. No more than everyone did, at any rate, despite working together for such a long time...well, for a given value of together, at least.

They suppose they can ask questions now. It's not as if they hold rank over him any more, and indeed, if the hierarchy had been as the Father had originally established, Gabriel would be the higher.

(His sin has always been that of curiosity. His fascination with machines, with Hell and demons, was something not to be discussed in polite company, or any company at all.)

"I've never seen you spar unarmed," Cassiel muses out loud, taking full advantage of Gabriel's new position to leap on him and try to pin him to the ground. Of course, they don't expect this to work, but they can't be faulted for trying. "You've always used weaponry."

Does Gabriel have much experience with unarmed fighting? They actually don't know. They suppose they'll find out.

Their hair falls over their shoulders, framing their face. Their eyes are aglow with familiar excitement.

Edited 2025-06-10 05:22 (UTC)

How funny then, that Gabriel could admit the same of Cassiel, and finding himself pondering the very same question no less. The other angel's skill with Havoc and Ruin were well known, their aerial skill almost unmatched, but with both of them confined to the earth and naught but their hands... Well it brought up a few interesting topics.

With Cassiel the first to speak of it no less, how nice. No the attempted pin didn't quite work, as Gabriel hooked a leg behind theirs and tried to immediately turn it about. Slither free and lose the grapple right out, or try to hold out against the archangel's strength? It was their choice!

"I could say the same for you." Breathless laughter touched the response, lending it an edge of heat. "I believe this might be untrod ground for both of us." They both got to learn how good they were at unarmed combat! How exciting!

No, really, extremely exciting, Gabriel's own expression almost a mirror of Cassiel's.

That draws a laugh from Cassiel in turn. They know better than to get into a contest of strength with Gabriel, so the practical thing is to slither free; they relent so they can jerk their leg out and put some space between them.

"I only used it against demons, and that was long ago. I am very much out of practice." Such a mention may bring to mind, for Gabriel, V1's penchant for aggressively punching everything. Cassiel has no idea, of course. "Its application is limited when it comes to wrestling, however, so I suppose we will indeed learn together."

All that said, they rearrange themselves so they can try to get Gabriel in a leg lock anyway. They are very enthusiastic about this, so much so that their face is alight with it; almost unrecognisable from the serious Council bodyguard that had seen him off most times.

The Machine's wild, unpredictable punches were in fact the first thing that popped into his mind. It would have been funny if he hadn't been on the receiving end of them so goddamn often, and how many times did a wildly flung punch result in him getting smacked with his own goddamn spear? Fucking robot-

Gabriel immediately utilized his free leg, going into a roll to slip free of the lock. That much he could do, more instinct than anything else as he scrambled to get some distance again between himself and Cassiel. Very interesting, he really was on the back foot here for once.

"I will admit, I've never utilized any of these methods before." He'd never had to, it'd all been swordsplay and magic. Unarmed combat was just something that never happened; even if he'd found himself without Justice and Splendor, he still technically had weapons at his disposal. Gabriel sounded equal parts curious and excited at the very idea, once more forced to circle Cassiel to consider his next move.

"This is quite enlightening."

It's interesting, exciting even, to be in a situation where he can even attempt to put Gabriel on the back foot about anything. It's not something he expected, but then when has he ever really expected?

Had faith, you mean? says what they've buried deep inside, and they flinch away from that like a wild animal might leap away from the first breath of a wildfire's smoke.

"I suppose when you have your arsenal of weaponry, you need not worry about such things." If they cast their mind back, they can almost feel the surge of strength they'd needed back then, simply to handle the full weight and might of Maelstrom.

But this isn't that, is it. They pull their mind back to the present to consider their approach for a scant moment before lunging forward again to get close, dropping low as they do so and trying to grab hold of Gabriel's leg to get him off balance again.

Cassiel's comment prompted a chuckle, and perhaps one might even imagine it almost sounded humble. Almost. Maybe. It was hard to tell.

"It's never been necessary, you're correct." He couldn't lie, for once the thought of not knowing something didn't spark frustration or anger. He wanted to know more, even if it was just for this. A strange thing to hold in his mind and think about; that he wanted to learn something 'irrelevant' for once.

"I trust that you'll be more than willing to impart what you've learned?" Oh, he barely even had to ask that though, did he? Not with Cassiel lunging at him like that. The angel danced out of the way, darting left in an effort to snag the younger angel's arm before they could slip away from him again. Fast, yes, but not precisely elegant.

As Cassiel has never really interacted with Gabriel in more than a formal capacity, they have a limited ability to tell in the first place, but they do think it sounds a bit less haughty than usual...that's probably fine, though, since it's not accompanied by an outburst or some manner of upheaval.

They do, however, look surprised at the request, if only for a moment. "If that's what you want, I won't refuse." They owe him that much, after all. (They owe him much.)

Rather than resist being pulled towards the other angel, Cassiel simply goes with the movement, that caught arm going around Gabriel's shoulder as they twist in his grip to put their back to his chest. That done, they drop to a kneeling position and attempt to flip their opponent over their shoulder and back - and onto the ground - in one smooth movement.

They've usually done this with far larger creatures, but Gabriel may as well be comparative in weight given the gap in their strength. It feels quite a bit like trying to lift a boulder.

For the first time asking for 'irrelevant' information, that had been surprisingly easy to do. And to receive a positive answer for as well, though maybe that was less of a surprise, considering who he was speaking with. Still, it was oddly pleasant in such a seemingly inconsequential way. Maybe he ought to ask questions like that more often...

"Of course, who else here would be better for the task?" The mortals? He just kicked their ass, every single one of them. Clearly Cassiel was the best possible option, considering they seemed to be in the process of turning the tables here.

Oh it had been too easy, hadn't it? He felt a brief surge of victory at first as Cassiel simply moved with him, but it didn't take long for that to turn into surprise. Just startling enough to catch him off guard, the flip would be completed though not without an obvious degree of difficulty as just barely too late, he tried to yank himself away.

With a grunt he hit the ground, immediately trying to grapple for the other angel's arm and drag them down along with him. No, there was not much by way of technique here, he was trying, but well. You don't know what you don't know, right?

The impact seemed to actually shake a sudden bark of laughter from him, bright and wild in spite of his less than advantageous position. Fun? This was fun? This was fun.

Edited 2025-06-11 05:57 (UTC)

Cassiel, for their part, is just...pleased to be useful. It's nice. Despite the absurdity of the situation, it's not terrible?

Or maybe that's just all the strange air they've breathed in. Oh well. It still feels good, they'll take solace in that.

What else feels good: managing to flip Gabriel. They let out a breathless little laugh of triumph right before the other angel grabs their arm - still recovering from their exertion, they can't react in time to pull themselves away, so down they go with an undignified yelp of surprise.

Almost on top of him, as it happens.

On reflex, they twist themselves to get their shoulder to the ground, trying to lock their free arm around his neck to keep him there before he can recover.

"Enjoying yourself?" They sound breathless, but they seem just as energetic, so the same question could be asked back to them.

Edited 2025-06-11 10:42 (UTC)

Gabriel had barely even given thought to the strange quality of the air. After a few moments of appraising the situation before engaging in the festival, he'd decided it probably wasn't that big of a deal. He wasn't dead, he could breathe just fine, in fact the strange scent in the air was rather pleasant. Invigorating, even. Why would he bother to question that?

Whatever tact Gabriel had displayed prior to this moment, it was almost gone by this point, left metaphorically flailing for what he was supposed to do next. At this point it was more like watching two teens rough house on the playground rather than two fully fledged and dangerous adults have a serious fight. At least one of them though had any idea of what they were doing, and Gabriel let out a soft gasp as they locked their arm around his neck.

Gabriel chuckled, gripping at their arm as he struggled to slip free. "You have no idea." Breathless, hot, more aware now than ever of the closeness between them and unable to find any immediate issue with that. "I don't think I'm the only one." After all, he'd never heard the other angel sound so... happy before.

Cassiel has something of a suspicion that it's to do with how most of this strange mortal festival seems to have a carnal element to it, but they're not especially bothered. It's not poisonous or deadly in any way, so it's probably fine.

Well, they thought so, at least. They lock their arm around Gabriel's neck and he gasps and they feel a very sudden shock of electricity down their spine that makes them very aware of how close together they are, all of a sudden.

Which is.....fine. Good, even. It's not as if they're in Heaven any more, and even if they were, Cassiel is dead and therefore not supposed to exist anyway so it was just...not their problem. They've put aside far more important things as not their problem before, but this one doesn't even seem worth worrying about...

Oh, Gabriel's trying to get out, that won't do. They shift their weight, using their hips to keep him pressed, their feet hooking around his ankles to try and force a more complete submission.

The comment, though, ekes out another laugh from Cassiel. "I'm too curious for anyone's good," they say, in an almost affectionate tone, like that's not a flaw, a sin, that's been tormenting them since their creation. It just doesn't seem to matter here. It may as well be told in confidence (as if they were ever close enough for saying things in confidence. But that bond between them, caused by blood spilled, that seems to be enough - tenuous and frail as it is.)

"It's interesting to be able to keep up with you for once. It's a side of you I've not seen before."

Edited 2025-06-11 17:20 (UTC)

Oh no, this was perfectly fine, Gabriel saw no reason to question it at all, though that was unsurprising. It felt good, and he knew no temptation, so that must mean it was if nothing else, morally neutral, right? ... Right?

Well Cassiel wasn't stopping so that was all the reassurance he needed. His breath caught in his throat as the other angel shifted against him, well aware of what the other was doing. Any longer like this and he'd have to tap out, wouldn't he? Couldn't keep this little position up for much longer, for... multiple reasons. Losing being the biggest one, of course. Of course. He'd not forgotten the crowd here, he couldn't just quit now could he?

"Commit it to memory, Cassiel~." The wings flickered out. "Who knows when you're going to see it again." That tone was decidedly playful, almost mischievous. And for a damn fucking good reason, as both wings suddenly erupted again beneath the angel pressed against his back. A shame, it really did feel so good.

But you know what also felt really good? Fucking winning.

At this point, Cassiel is having enough fun (and...other feelings in the mix, which are distinctly not for the love of friendly competition, but it's fine, it's fine, it's fine) that winning or losing is a distant priority. They don't have much of a competitive streak - they left that sort of thing to others - and so the only thing that's at stake is their comparatively small amount of pride.

Which is about to take a beating if he doesn't move. He realizes a split second before it happens what Gabriel is about to do, forcing him to loosen his grip so that the force of being launched doesn't dislocate his arm.

Maintaining the pin is out of the question. Gabriel flat-out launches him and the best he can do is fall gracefully, manifesting his wings himself to right himself in the air and land lightly on the ground once more. Once again, they're back to neutral positions, more or less.

"So you want to fight me in the air now? I don't think that will improve your odds, Gabriel." It's a joke, mostly.

Success! Gabriel is quick to hop back to his feet the very instant Cassiel is no longer atop of him. There had been some consideration that he could have done a decent amount of damage, had Cassiel not been as clever as they were. But that was the thing: they were that clever, so clearly there wasn't any threat of real injury to begin with.

The wings spread, all in shifting shades of blue and gold, the archangel positively radiant as he laughs. Hey, he thought it was a good trick, and by the sound of it so did the audience, it made for a great spectacle. Something he found was genuinely quite thrilling, there was a certain measure of joy to be had here, in this silly little no-stakes tussle, all for the sake of entertainment and nothing else.

"What? I needed the space." With his language getting even more casual and easy by the second too, one might almost imagine Gabriel was becoming somewhat intoxicated from the combination of battle and ambient aphrodisiac. "If you didn't want to go flying, you should have positioned yourself better." Taunting!

"By the way, that's not happening again, just a warning." Reset and round two, with Gabriel rolling his shoulders and ready to resume.

"If you needed space, you shouldn't have chosen a wrestling match," Cassiel huffs, pushing their hair back over their shoulders once more. The aphrodisiac is certainly loosening their tongue; they too are speaking with a much more casual pattern, as if they were friends. If either of them had been friends. If friends were a thing Heaven's higher echelons concerned itself with.

Despite the huffy tone, the intensity of their wings betrays them, blue bordered with gold. They're enjoying themselves quite vicariously.

"Come, then," Cassiel says, with a wild grin, beckoning to the other angel with a careless gesture of their hand. They can't help but be reminded of more violent days, though unlike now they had taken no joy in it; they can't help but be drawn to Gabriel's joy and enthusiasm, infectious as it is. (A moth drawn to the hypnotizing light of a flame...well, they had already been consumed once. Perhaps this time they can hold to it without being burned.)

"Make good on that boast, if you can."

It was a familiarity that he couldn't help but lean into a little, despite it's oddity. He'd never really known Cassiel, they'd only ever been another council member, an occasional ally in Hell and Heaven, though in muted and distant ways. In a way this moment paralleled that fateful fight at the doors of the council, and perhaps it made sense that only in another world could something like this ever happen. No sadness, no fear, no guilt.

A moment of connection forged in battle, and this time, without an eternal end waiting for them at it's finale.

It's the smile on their face that strikes him the most. He'd never heard one in their voice before, not really, and to see it now, reckless and free, kindled such a fire in him. What a joyous expression, how well it suited them.

Gabriel lunged for them once more, a full bore tackle to try and take them right down to the ground. No finesse, no thought, just a bull rush right for Cassiel in what would seem just shy of an embrace.

Cassiel, as usual, overthinks things. Gabriel had been well-loved in Heaven, they knew, but they don't recall him really having friends, or relationships, or anything outside his work. It had been similar for Cassiel, though; perhaps they simply hadn't paid enough attention.

They had both had their roles, and despite how diminishing that seemed, it had been...enough. Gabriel had been sated in his duty, Cassiel had curled up and hidden within theirs, on and on until the end of time, or the end of their life in this case.

Strange to think there was anything more than that. Anything more than death. It's not a chance they deserve, not something they looked for (the weariness of centuries is hard to shake off), but if it brings Gabriel comfort, they won't begrudge it.

Besides, it's fun, they suppose. They've never had much reason for fun in their life. They may as well start.

The younger angel doesn't flinch at Gabriel's approach; in fact, they think it's perfect. Rather than charge to meet him in return, they grab his arm when he gets close and then fall with their full weight, aiming to flip him over their head and onto his back for another takedown.

The past was terrible, and there had been no future. Whatever joy he'd once found in his position was irrevocably tainted by the knowledge of what reality had actually been, and the promise of an inevitable death had been less of a looming dread and more of a welcomed relief.

Here though, now though, an uncountable distance away from home and Hell and his and the Council's crimes where none of that mattered, it was all just so much dust in the wind. This felt good now, he was learning about Cassiel now. What had been and what would be simply did not matter.

Perhaps this reckless, wild acceptance of the absurdity of their situation and dedication to living within the present moment was why he felt, behaved, so unpredictably now. Like say, grabbing Cassiel as he was flipped over their head to just haul them along for the ride. All to the sound of the archangel's uninhibited, delighted laughter.

Life had been little more than a holding pattern for them, waiting for their flaws to be exposed. If necessary, they would hide for an eternity.

It's funny, that impending death had broken them open so cleanly. What else was there to do or say in the face of oblivion than to fall freely? And yet again, they'd been caught, tangled in the net of a place where it seemed none of those things even mattered. It's a relief. It's such a relief.

Cassiel yelps again in surprise as they're suddenly grabbed, helpless to do anything but go along with it. There's no reflex action that can help them here; they're simply tumbled together with Gabriel for a moment, though when the flurry of movement ends it's now the archangel on top.

Gabriel had told Cassiel that the prior moment would not be happening again, and he meant that. The two of them roll across the earth, only to end with Gabriel on the top. Where he belonged, if one were to ask him. The smile on his face was as stunning as the sun, smug, self assured and most of all, victorious. Why yes, he didn't think Cassiel would be able to reverse this situation actually.

His heart hammered in his ears, he'd never felt so light and so warm before. Alive? Was this the correct word for it? He felt alive, and it was just as intoxicating as the sweet, heady air of the festival. A sensation he needed more of, and without thinking he rolled his hips downwards and against Cassiel, his breath stuttering for a moment.

"Yield."

It's a stunning effect in more than one way, still reeling from the physical impact of their little tumble; Gabriel is beautiful, after all, something they'd always taken as an objective fact.

From the way they're running hot at the sight of his smile, though, they suspect that fact isn't quite so objective as they thought it was. All it took was a truly extended amount of close contact, it seems.

And whatever was in the air, they certainly never felt this nice in Heaven. It's not a problem, though, not even the audience is a problem. This is what they wanted, wasn't it? If there was an actual issue, they would have been told to stop.

That command earns another breathless laugh, though certainly it's tempting to submit. It's essentially what they've done their whole life, after all, and Gabriel's command is pleasant to be on the other end of, especially when he moves like that.

"You'll need to pin me to make me do that," Cassiel reminds him, flashing another brief grin as they make a spirited attempt to destabilize Gabriel's position atop them by knocking his hands out from under him with their own. Whether he or they end up winning is of no concern to them at this moment; they simply want to keep chasing that bright, heated feeling that's burning in them, to be closer.

They can't let Gabriel do all the work, right? That would be silly.

Edited 2025-06-12 16:58 (UTC)

Exactly, no one had told them they were going too far. Everyone seemed incredibly invested actually, judging by the sound of the crowd this was objectively the correct thing to be doing at the moment. Cassiel wasn't telling him to stop, the crowd wasn't telling him to stop and even moreso, Gabriel wasn't telling Gabriel to stop. This just felt right and who was he to question that?

He'd expected submission, of course. Regardless of what Cassiel's station had been prior to their fight, the fact of the matter was that this was of no importance here. And Gabriel had been fairly comfortable in his inevitable victory. So comfortable that he'd not actually even bothered to pin the other angel. He won, he was on top now, he didn't have to pin him.

He did, actually. There was a brief moment where he regretted tossing the mallet, it would have been useful in keeping his ass off the ground. As it was, with a yelp of surprise he tumbled off to the side, scrabbling for Cassiel as he went in an effort to try and catch up their hands.

"Hey!" NOT FAIR. Not that he sounded particularly angry, the exclamation was marked by a startled laugh even as he went over.

At the very least, his ever-present fear of punishment had not instilled in him any shame about this kind of fervent longing and desire. It would be a lie to say he'd ever really thought about it before (perhaps it would have made the long years more entertaining), but it would be a lie, too, to say that he doesn't want it now. All he's concerned with is whether Gabriel wants it too, and if his responses are anything to go by, he certainly does.

They take advantage of the opening they've made, not staying far from Gabriel for long. They tangle their legs with his, rolling on top of him as they try to pin his wrists. They, too, are laughing.

They want, they want...they don't know what they want, exactly, sexual desire is nothing they've ever indulged in before. But they do know that it feels good. They do know they want to make Gabriel feel good. They want that so badly that it almost hurts.

"I told you I'd make you work for it."

The feeling was similar to something he'd experienced before, that much he could say. Though while his battle with V1 had been charged, to say the least, it still had not quite reached this level of... Well, he couldn't quite put a name to it. Arousal? Arousal would work. Ramped up to eleven, turning his thought processes into a hazy cloud of want, though no longer fed by the desire for destruction and violence, oh no.

Wrists pinned, legs tangled, he felt his face grow hot at both the feeling of the other angel atop him and the sound of their laughter. Bright and warm and welcoming, a sound Gabriel never knew he ever needed to hear so badly.

The urge to throw the other off was little more than an afterthought, though he still went to buck up against them, a parody of any actual attempt to remove them. No, more of a desire to feel them move against him, press as close as he could to the body above him and lose himself in that intoxicating feeling.

"Looks like I underestimated you." The words came hot, hotter than he'd expected, and he swallowed as if surprised by the sound of his own voice. "You have me now, don't you?" Could he throw him off? ... Did he want to, was the better question perhaps.

Cassiel's breath hitches as they feel Gabriel move under them, another bright shock of pleasure crawling up their spine. They're learning so many new things about themselves today, it seems.

They press their forehead to Gabriel's, their face just as flushed, just as hot, for a brief moment. (They think about kissing him and wonder at the thought, but they don't act on it yet.)

"I never thought I'd hear that from you." Their voice is affectionate, sweet even, that usual temperate distance long flown.

It's likely the strangeness in the air that leads to such informality, but they chase that closeness anyway, fleeting though it might be. It's hard to remain so open, so raw, the sunlight too bright for the wreck of them to bear for long, but at least this makes things simpler. It's something to be thankful for.

"I do have you, it seems. What should I do with that?" They keep him firmly pinned down, solidifying their hold. If that happens to mean they rock their hips against him in return, rubbing up against him for pleasant friction....

Well, that's just how it's working out right now.

Gabriel heard that catch in their breath, immediately responding by rolling his hips upwards against them once more. He had to hear that again, he needed to. If their laughter had been like a warm light, that sound was akin to a raging inferno. Gabriel found himself entranced by it, desperate to see how much more he could get from Cassiel.

Not once had he ever been so close to someone before, and that desire to press a kiss to the other angel's lips surged to the forefront of his mind. Gabriel could feel their breath across his face, almost taste them he was sure, if he tried. How strange, how beautiful, to experience that new note to their normally cool tone. Perhaps it was just his own ever present pride, but Gabriel imagined he might be the very first to be treated to that side of them. He'd like to, anyway...

"I would never withhold praise where it's due." The confidence was still there of course, though it certainly clashed with the stuttering, surprised moan that slipped free of him as Cassiel rocked against him. The archangel squirmed beneath them, trying to pull his legs free, not to kick the other away but to wrap them about the other. He needed it. He needed it!

"Th-that! That that- Do that." Very eloquent, but if Cassiel had been hoping to make Gabriel happy, it seemed they'd found precisely how to do so.

Gabriel's efforts are near-instantly rewarded by another stutter of breath, a heated gasp. Everything is almost too much, the way arousal pulls their mind fully into their body, makes them feel too aware of everything and especially of Gabriel - but the sword-edge they balance on, that bright slice of pleasure and the threat of prickling overstimulation...it's so deeply, intoxicatingly pleasant that they can't, wouldn't, give it up.

If it's a sin to feel this happy, then they'll gladly be a sinner, is their hazy thought, quickly hidden away. They'll think about it later. Later. There's more important things to do right now.

It's right, in some terrible way, that Gabriel is the one to break them open like this, an echo of their last meeting. As he did before, he does so again, and they show him facets of themselves they've never shown to anyone else.

"That command, I'll gladly follow," Cassiel murmurs breathlessly, staying still so Gabriel has an easier time repositioning himself. Daringly, one hand lifts from pinning Gabriel's wrist to run their fingers through his hair, their fingers skating against his bare cheek. They move their hips again - faster? They should do it faster, closer - and again against him. The noises that friction is beginning to work out of their throat, those breathless hitches and little moans, are something they're barely aware of.

It's warm, it's hot, tremendously so. They're burning again, in the most pleasant way - and isn't that right? Gabriel, for all that's happened, is still the sun.

Edited 2025-06-13 05:50 (UTC)

Gabriel chased that feeling the second he could comprehend it, hungry for more without even bothering to question why. It felt good, it felt new, he felt alive, what better reason could he possibly want? Cassiel's body pressed against his, their breath on his skin, their hands on his face and in his hair, that's what he wanted.

And he would have it. Allowed the freedom to do so, he would wrap his legs around the other angel, and as Cassiel released one hand to trail their fingers through his hair, he'd lift it to grasp at the back of their head. As they ground their hips against his, Gabriel would yank them downwards, demanding, needy, seeking to catch their lips in a searing, starving kiss. Just as in battle, he threw himself in without hesitation or care, submitting wholly to the overwhelming sensation of it all.

"Please..." He mumbled against their lips, breathy, wanton. "Please, please, please..." What he was begging for, he couldn't quite think of. More? Faster? Harder? It was so much, almost too much, every sensation new and exhilarating. It was impossible to focus on just one, or which he wanted more of. All of it, preferably.

He keeps moving against Gabriel, shifting his position, trying to figure out what suits their mutual desires best, chasing further pleasure - something sharper, something more. (He has some idea, but it's hard to carry out those ideas when his hands are thoroughly occupied.)

It's good, it's good, so much better than good. It feels exhilarating to be carried away, to be able to have something that can carry him away. He doesn't have to think, for once, he only has to feel, as overwhelming and terrifying as that is.

That doesn't stop them from thinking anyway, though. It feels like their heart is squeezing painfully in their chest at Gabriel's neediness, that begging; it's not something they would have ever expected of him. But perhaps that, too, is their own fault; it's not as if they know Gabriel well.

Perhaps they can correct that now.

Their breath catches in their throat at the rough kiss, and they gladly submit to Gabriel's command this time. Their kiss is clumsy but unmistakably passionate, a newfound desire but no less welcome for it. Their fingers tighten in his hair as they press into the kiss like there's nothing else that could possibly be more important, the other angel made the full focus of their attentions and affections.

Each movement elicited soft noises of pleasure and approval between the kisses, mumbled words of gentle praise and encouragement slipped in clumsily, but with pure earnestness. Did he have any idea what he was doing? Fuck no! But that wasn't going to stop him from going with whatever felt right.

It was of the utmost importance that Cassiel knew what they were doing right, that they were doing right, and he pulled his hand free from the pin with what was perhaps at this point not-so-surprising ease. With Cassiel's hands in his hair he took the liberty of exploring the other angel's body, gripping them, holding them, tracing over the lines of muscle and sinew with motions that bordered on reverence. "Good... so good, you're so good..." Gabriel couldn't be eloquent right now, not with the jumble of feelings and sensations piling up between his ears. But he couldn't tolerate the idea of not saying anything. They had to know.

His hands slipped to their waist, pulling them in tightly as he ground upwards against them with a fervent, demanding air. In this he found something that shot through his spine like a bolt of lightning, and he broke the kiss to gasp into Cassiel's ear. "Fuck-"

That had been perfect, he wanted more of that.

Neither of them really have much idea of what they're doing, it seems, but Cassiel is more retiring and thus goes along with Gabriel's ideas in the end. As long as they're both feeling good, that's what truly matters.

They shiver at the way Gabriel's hands run over their body, their breathing ragged, a whine escaping their throat at the other angel's words. They're doing well, they're doing well, it's fine, it's good...

"Good," they manage to gasp. "That's what...that's what I want."

Being touched is a strange feeling after so long being numb to their own body. It's overwhelming, but they don't want it to stop - they'd swallow their discomfort if needed. It feels good to be touched. It feels good to be looked at, to be seen, as if what they wanted was important for anything. They could drown in it.

Still, Gabriel's demanding, pointed movements get a fond little laugh from him; he's more than happy to oblige, to move as he's commanded to. It doesn't take him quite as hard, but he feels Gabriel jolt underneath him, feels the sharp spark of answering pleasure and knows he should definitely do that again.

He frees one hand from Gabriel's hair, drawing it down his body, grasping at his hip in turn. Adjusts himself to see if he can recapture that position, something just right, and grinds against the other angel in such a way that those sharp, bright spikes of pleasure are far more consistent for both of them. It's almost too much - he'll fall off the edge, lose his balance, soon enough - but the sheer intensity of the sensation is enough to make it worth it.

Then you're doing it perfectly. It was what he would have said, if he'd half the brain enough to do it. As it stood presently though, Cassiel's reassurance came in the form of shaking, heated breaths and increasingly noisy sounds of pleasure. As always, as ever, Gabriel wasn't the kind of person to hold anything back. Why would this be any different?

As if he were trying to make up for so much lost time, Gabriel couldn't get enough of Cassiel. Indeed, he seemed intent on instilling the notion that the other was wanted, was important, because why wouldn't they be? He didn't need a better reason than that, as far as he was concerned. He buried his head in the crook of their neck for a moment as if hungry for them, breathing deep of their scent, savoring the feeling of soft skin against him. This kind of intimacy was beyond that which he'd ever experienced, and now that he got to, he couldn't keep himself from indulging to it's fullest extent. As if he might never feel it ever again. Perhaps he wouldn't, how was he to know?

Their laughter, the sound of their voice, the feeling of them against him, their hands on his body, all intoxicating, addictive. Was this why mortals sinned so? If he'd the mind for it he'd have thought regrettably of Minos once more. How could this be a sin?

"Y-yes ther-there there-" He would adjust in turn, needing to show Cassiel the same grace that they'd shown him. There, like that, and Gabriel with no intention of even attempting to drag this out. If Cassiel stood upon the edge of a cliff then Gabriel was rushing to knock them both off the side into the crashing ocean beneath. He needed this, he wanted this, and he had to make sure he took Cassiel along with him.

Cassiel does not believe in anything, not fate, not the idea that certain people were made for one another - the Father did not carve them for such fickle and frail bonds. Angels were made to serve. It makes the way they move against Gabriel even sweeter, in a strange way; they know it's their choice to do this, to serve another angel the way they should have shown devotion to their duty.

If this is a sin, it's one I chose for myself. It feels so good that maybe they are doing something wrong, but they're past caring. Heaven doesn't have to look.

Gabriel presses his face against their neck and elicits a low, soft moan from them; it's overstimulating, near-unbearable, wonderful to be laid bare this way, to be wanted so clearly. It's terrible in its simplicity. Their hand tightens in his hair, tugging sharply before they remember themselves and loosen their fingers.

The other angel is overwhelming as always. It's something that engenders a deep affection in him, made even more pronounced by how closely they're tangled up in one another; that outpouring of strong emotion and strong sensation is almost effortless, something that yet again the other angel pulls out of him as if there was no weight to it at all.

Crossing that breaking point, where pleasure and passion ignite into white-hot brilliance, is ultimately easy for all the work it took to get this far. Gabriel drags him off that precipice with his usual suddenness, his desperate movement, and then they're falling, crashing, together.

The metaphor thoroughly breaks down at this point, as does Cassiel's ability to describe even to himself the kind of pleasure he's feeling, but given the kind of loud noises he's making he's enjoying himself very much in climax while it lasts. At some point he does kiss Gabriel quite thoroughly, he remembers that much. It's...very nice.

Fingers in his hair, pulling, tugging, the sudden sharp burn only serving to add a delicious edge to this soft cloud Gabriel found himself in. It elevated the pleasure in a way that seemed so contrary, and though they loosened their grip soon after he still gasped to feel it, jerking his hips upwards into the hot body atop him. It had no right to feel so good! He stopped just short of digging his nails into Cassiel's body, though the blunted tips of them still dragged upwards along them, from the base of their spine right to the nape of their neck.

"Please...!" He was so close! With shaking hands he clutched Cassiel to him, his embrace powerful and needy, slurring praise and pleas alike into their ear as the pressure and pace built higher and higher.

The sudden release was nothing short of bliss, pure and boundless catharsis. Clinging to Cassiel, his hips worked heedless of his own command, riding that peak all the way down with their name on his lips like a prayer. He'd barely realize how his eyes stung, tears gathering in them, dampening white and gold feathers and running down his face in such intense, overwhelming relief.

Cassiel gasps at Gabriel's nails on their spine, burying their face in the other angel's neck as they hold onto him. They let themselves sink into those sensations, the way both their bodies meet and the way it feels, the way Gabriel clutches onto them.

It's intoxicating, really, to see Gabriel like this, a facet he's never seen before. It's something fascinating, something new, something brilliant and beautiful. He'll savor it while it lasts.

The crying, too, is new, though it isn't as pleasurable. They're not sure if it's release or upset or something else; it's not something they can quite understand the impulse to do. Gabriel is passionate, and they are not. While that distance isn't as insurmountable as they once believed it was (and how easy it is, for that perception to change so quickly), they're certainly not the same.

Unsure of what else to do, they simply run their fingers through his hair again, somewhat dazed from their experience. Their breathing is ragged as they fight to catch their breath, still recovering from that blazing, blissful height.

It was an embrace that was as hungry for them as it was protective. An apology, a promise, a plea all in one. For one glorious moment nothing mattered, they were simply one, and he felt so whole. Bathed in such intense love that he'd never once even come close to, not even the affection of The Father could compare to it.

Gabriel fought to catch his breath for a moment, forcing himself to breathe slowly inwards and out once more as he cradled Cassiel to him. Their touch was soothing, and though the tears he shed were far from misery, he still sought their hand out all the same, leaning his head into their hand as he calmed himself.

It was tragic, how as the glow faded, and his senses returned to him, that he remembered things. Like where they were, for instance, tangled post coitus in the middle of a wrestling ring with an audience. Among so, so many other things, all suddenly starting to fire off in his head at the same time. What had happened. What had he done? It wasn't as if he didn't remember, he knew, he made a choice-

"O-oh..." Oh he didn't want to pull away, but the feeling of Cassiel against him, the bliss he'd felt- Had he dragged them with him? Oh- He shifted, regretting. Regretting pulling them into this, regretting pushing them away. Having not refused, having asked this of them, having made demands that-

"I... I'm sorry I need- I need some time to think." About what, well... He wasn't sure yet. There was a lot. This had been a lot. The telltale glow of an oncoming teleportation was already gathering around him, unable to even bring himself to meet their gaze. What did he do to them?

And just like that, he was gone. Nothing but motes of light where the archangel had once been.

Edited 2025-06-19 05:40 (UTC)

It's peaceful, for at least a moment. They hold onto that, even as Gabriel shakes himself into awareness, into...

They simply let out a breath they weren't quite aware they were holding when he moves, dropping their hand to make it easier for him. As for themselves, as the glow fades they realize how much effort they'd put into all of this, and that pleasant feeling betrays a deep exhaustion as it fades.

They blink erratically as they get up, picking up discarded clothes (they do have to stifle an exhausted laugh at the fact Gabriel didn't even take his clothes with him; they'll have to return them later). Unlike Gabriel, they're not so concerned for themselves, but they are very much concerned with his feelings....they're too tired to follow up on it now, however.

I'm gonna punch you until I'm hard okay go

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