A new strategy
Softened by the drapery that hung from the canopy, the morning light touched Aiden’s skin in a caress, adding a glow that made it seem golden. A hand brushed over Aiden’s back, fingertips tracing the spot where his wings should’ve been—perfectly sutured. He’d never get over that.
His heart squeezed, knowing he couldn’t lie in bed all morning, holding Aiden in his arms like this. In his absence, Aiden would probably go back to the dark district, chasing another futile attempt to forward time, spending it with strangers until Nathaniel’s return, late as usual. It happened every time; he’d go in for one reason, but would ultimately end up bouncing from place to place, letting himself get carried away, a statement against the fact Aiden came before everything else. Ideally, he’d be back for lunch, but that was wishful thinking. In the quiet of the room, a nice breeze blew in, and thin shadows moved across Aiden’s skin, mirroring the curtains. He had to come up with a plan.
Aiden had mentioned feeling empty and aimless without him around, just how he used to feel away from Ben, so if he had a list to check off before Nathaniel’s return, he might begin to feel important again. By no means was Nathaniel a therapist, or any kind of mental health professional, and honestly didn’t think just giving Aiden some errands to run would fix everything, but it could be a start. He’d need Ophelia to actually work on this. Perhaps fencing could be one of the items on the list, since it was obvious Aiden wouldn’t see her on his own. He could even start this morning, first thing, and then what? Swimming, tennis, golfing, yoga? Nathaniel would have to check with the front desk for an activity schedule, or an agenda of some sort.
With Aiden’s day sufficiently busy, Nathaniel now had to assess his own schedule, and hopefully incorporate the two a bit, so Aiden wouldn’t be alone for too long. A possible idea would be to bring some of the paperwork across the valley and work on it with Aiden hanging around, coming in and out of the room throughout his many therapy sessions. That way, they could still see each other while getting work done. For that, he’d first need to get his affairs in order.
Aiden stirred in his arms, breathing in deeply, eyes squeezing a little bit. A hand came up to touch Nathaniel, fingertips light on his skin, tracing the curve of his pecs, Aiden’s undivided attention on them, entranced. A small lean forward and Nathaniel pressed a kiss to the top of his head.
“Good morning,” he whispered, nose buried in golden curls, cedar wood deep in his lungs.
“Are you leaving soon?” Aiden asked, small, with eyes that refused to look up.
“I’ll be back for lunch,” he promised, knowing full well that now he’d have to keep it.
Aiden glanced up at him then, and the surprise in his eyes, mixed in with delight, tugged a smile out of him, mirrored on Aiden’s face. A warm feeling spread across his chest and wrapped his heart in velvet, pushing it deep into his rib cage, hidden away for safekeeping, protected. He touched Aiden on the jaw, fingertips featherlight on his skin, along the shape of his lips. Deep inside, he knew Aiden had changed the very nature of who he was. Holding Aiden’s jaw, he kissed him as softly as a summer breeze ruffling through an angel’s hair, but with his heart beating on the bed of his tongue.
“There’s just one thing I need you to do for me,” he whispered, lips brushing together.
“What is it?” A matching tone, inconspicuous, as Aiden reached around the back of his neck and touched him there, fingertips grazing through his undercut.
“Promise me we’re on the same side,” he spoke just before pressing a kiss to the side of Aiden’s face, followed by another on the angle of his jaw.
“What’s in it for me?” Aiden asked, playful, putting a smile on his face and on the kiss pressed against his neck.
Without another word, Nathaniel traveled down.
As expected, the reception desk had all kinds of flyers and brochures advertising every activity The Resort had to offer, including a schedule for the daily highlights. He asked the receptionist for one of those and checked the lineup for today: horseback riding and painting in the morning, archery and martial arts in the afternoon, pottery and swimming at night. Since Aiden had already agreed to take fencing this morning, he’d miss horseback riding, but could still make it to painting class. Folding the flyer in half to hide its contents, he wrote a note on the back.
See you outside the studio at noon.
Catching the receptionist’s eye again, he passed the flyer back to them.
“Can you please give this to Mr. Yorke for me?”
“Sure thing.”
Normally, the trajectory from The Resort to the office didn’t even come close to The Court, or the mountain where it was located, but today, he made a point to fly over it first and check the Oracle’s temple just to see if the soldier was there. Thankfully, he was, and offered Nathaniel a brief wave as he landed.
“Good morning, Dave. Have you been here long?”
“Since dawn, sir. Julian has the night shift.”
“Have either of you seen Blaz lurking around?”
“No, sir; it’s been rather quiet so far.”
Hm.
“If you see him, explain that the Oracle is no longer receiving any visitors and invite him to stop by The Court for a little talk. If he dissents, make him do it.”
“Permission to strike if he makes it difficult, sir?”
“Granted. In fact, I’m sure he will. We should get backup for you and Julian, actually, so Blaz will be outnumbered. I’ll arrange it right away. Let Julian and your new companion know of what I just told you.”
“Roger that, sir.”
After making the necessary arrangements at the military base, he stopped by Charmaine’s office, landing on a crystal path just before the glass atrium. Charmaine watched him from her chair, leaning back with some papers in hand, which she promptly put down. He swore the impassiveness on her face had a hint of delight to it.
“Have you calmed down?” she asked, one eyebrow slipping under her bangs. “Cosmo told me you invaded his office like a madman yesterday, demanding for the Oracle to be locked up. Don’t you know she’s already in jail?”
“Yes, I know, but she’s been receiving dangerous visitors. I wasn’t going crazy; I was just worried.”
“When it comes to you, those two get confused quite a lot. Visits are well allowed in prison.”
“But not treason. She’s plotting a grand escape and has co-conspirators all over Paradise; it’s a disgrace. We placed a couple of soldiers by the door.”
“Sounds like you’ve got it covered.”
“For now, but we still don’t have a visual on Blaz. He could be anywhere.”
“Find him, then.”
Their eyes met. The slight smirk on her face told him that, for as much as she meant it, the simplicity of her words wasn’t supposed to be taken seriously. Tutting, he took a seat across the desk. “Any news from The Abyss?”
“Not yet, but I have a sneaky suspicion they’ll be calling me soon, like they always do.”
“Well, of course.” He leaned an elbow on the arm of the chair, eyes down at the papers on her desk. “Are you going to need me this afternoon?”
“Need you in what sense of the word?”
“If I happen to be across the valley after lunch, how badly are you going to miss me?”
Charmaine grinned, blue eyes sharp. “I’m not sure I’ll make it without you, quite frankly. Is Mr. Yorke asking that much of you?”
“He’s not doing very well. I don’t know what the gods were thinking when they assigned him to me right after the war, but he’s not the low-maintenance project I was promised. He’s lost, aimless. He needs me around.”
“I thought he was passionately looking for someone. Has that reached its natural end?”
“Yes. Apparently, that someone was me, but he only came to that conclusion after speaking with the Oracle, who immediately tried to use him against me, you know, for good measure. If Justice knew, I don’t think she’d be very happy about it.”
“What was the Oracle trying to do? Get him to take a lunge at you? She might be bitter, Nathaniel, but she’s not petty.”
“Honestly, at this point, I just don’t know. Maybe she is petty; maybe nothing’s above her. A ridiculous course of action to catch me by surprise.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, Mr. Yorke is a man of tight deadlines and high demands, so why don’t you give him that? Boss him around a bit, make him think he’s still in the business. Give him something to do, so he won’t go crazy. The Resort is always available if the situation becomes unmanageable.”
“He’s already there. This has been going on for a minute.”
Blond brows raised, hiding under her bangs. “Have there been any improvements so far?”
“Not particularly; it’s damn near impossible to make him do anything without some sort of reward system involved. When I left yesterday morning, he did too; I found him downtown and had to bring him back like cattle. He’s deeply reliant on my presence and won’t do anything unless there’s a substantial payout. I’m trying something new today. Hopefully, it’ll work.”
“A classic case of trial and error. Haven’t you always wanted children?”
“Absolutely not.”
Charmaine scoffed, red lips curled into a sharp smirk. “Surely, the trials and tribulations that you so willingly have been going through must have shown how deeply you care for this assignment, or does he still think you’re heartless?”
“I’m starting to believe those two things are mutually exclusive. Maybe I’m just a soulless monster who cares.”
Charmaine laughed, high-pitched and boisterous, shoulders bobbing and shaking with her enjoyment. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard her laugh like this, but it put a smile on his face anyway. “I’ll miss you terribly this afternoon, so expect a letter or two from me,” she concluded.
“Make sure to keep me informed on the calls from The Abyss.”
“I always do.”
Back in his office, he took the folders from his desk and a few blank pages too, writing a quick note to Jean, so he’d come by later to take the books away. Added to the bottom of that note was an inquiry regarding Aiden’s private talk with him yesterday, which Jean could very well opt out of responding if he didn’t see fit. That would definitely imply something else, though Nathaniel kept his own suspicions out of the letter.
Today’s goal was to work on some of these files, mainly the ones that had been sitting on his desk for a couple of days now, but he doubted Aiden would give him much peace. A bribe might work; he wasn’t sure. It’d all depend on whether Aiden had followed his instructions this morning, or if he’d just left for the dark district again. In all his career, he’d never dealt with someone so stubborn before, and briefly wondered if that was how the other board members felt about him at meetings, since no one had managed to change his mind about the horses yet. Perhaps the gods’ lesson here was to make him stare into a mirror.
With the folders secured beneath an arm, he started down the mountainside. Narissa’s office slowly came into view. It was easily the most strategic of them all, overlooking the majority of this side of the valley, while the others were mostly turned to peace, quiet and privacy. This location was perfect for the Representative of Focus. He wondered if she’d update him on Blaz if he stopped by.
He found her by the railing, looking out at the streets below and the mountains that surrounded them both, where angels walked, and flew, and went about their own business. Her golden locks shone in the sunlight, cascading down her back in ringlets, parted over a shoulder to rest over her dress, cut just before her wings. The railing of her office was made of half-walls, and the two ends of the room opened into the sides of the mountain, similar to his office with two rows of columns instead of any doors, except this one looked more like a long balcony than a Roman temple.
“Any suspicious activity?” he asked in lieu of a greeting, approaching her on the balcony to glance down the mountainside.
“Not particularly. If you want to know of Blaz’s whereabouts, I can’t help you.”
Off to the left, he could see The Court and its long marble stairs, but not the entrance to the Oracle’s temple, which was on the opposite side of that mountain. Still, the branching path was well within view and any angels that happened to take flight were immediately noticed.
“The extra guard you’ve stationed at the temple has been there for a while now,” she added.
“If you see Blaz, or Striker, or anything suspicious, will you let me know?”
Before answering, she turned, glancing at the folders under his arm. “Are you crossing the valley?”
“Yes. I’ve got an assignment to take care of.”
“So I’ve heard. Perhaps you could keep an eye out during the flight, in case Blaz happens to be hiding among the humans. It seems unlikely, but it’s only diligent that we cover all our bases.”
He’d never considered that before.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.”
“Of course.”
At the reception desk, he was informed that Aiden was, indeed, at the painting class, just as expected, which released a breath out of him, shoulders relaxing. Finally, he’d managed to get through to him. Even the most stubborn of men had their price.
Waiting outside the art studio, Nathaniel watched humans trickle out in groups of twos and threes; some with canvases in hand, others without. They passed him absent glances on the way out. Soon enough, Aiden showed up, with big eyes that found him right away and a smile that cut wide across his face. Not seeming to be part of any groups, he broke off from the crowd and walked over. A smile curled Nathaniel’s lips, body leaning away from the railing for a proper greeting. He noticed Aiden wasn’t carrying a canvas, but let that thought slip into the back of his mind as Aiden approached, stepping into his personal space, hand touching him on the waist. Reflexively, he took Aiden’s wrist and pulled it away, keeping a hold on it, hidden from view. Round eyes stared at him, expectant, holding a breath, but all he did was let go of Aiden’s arm and step away from him, making to leave. Aiden followed, although Nathaniel couldn’t find it in himself to glance back at him right then.
“I’m surprised you actually showed up to paint still life with a bunch of people you don’t know,” he commented, walking along the scarce string of students that made up the tail end of the stream.
“You drove a hard bargain this morning. Thought you’d bite me if I didn’t.”
Very consciously, he refrained from commenting on that, heart jumping in his chest. He changed the subject to today’s menu instead—salmon. Aiden’s interest in cuisine allowed them to talk of piccata the whole way over.
The most popular restaurant in The Resort offered a spacious indoor area, where most people gathered, and a cozy outdoor one that went mostly ignored. Small, two-people tables filled the balcony outside in neat rows, enclosed by a densely ornamented white lattice fence that plants couldn’t help but climb. The second floor covered the balcony and provided a nice, cool shade where they both sat, hidden away in a corner that allowed for relative privacy and a nice view of the pools, water sparkling under the sun.
Aiden ordered today’s special and a glass of wine, while Nathaniel stuck to a tall glass of cold water. Angels didn’t eat and he’d never particularly enjoyed it anyway. In the distance, he watched humans swim in the pool and walk down the shaded hallways, where one of them caught his attention, and reminded him of what Narissa had mentioned earlier.
“How many angels have you met so far?” he asked, watching the residents that came and went.
“Counting you, I guess five or six. Every coach and teacher around here is an angel. Actually, every staff member is an angel.”
“Have you seen a tall one with gray hair, a full beard and a skeptical look on his face? Kind of how I’d look in forty years.”
Aiden furrowed his brows, leaned all the way back on his chair. “Man, you could be talking about anyone right now. You’ve just described, like, half the angels here.”
An exhale left the depths of his lungs. “His name is Blaz, but he could be going by any other name right now. He’s—”
“Oh, that guy.”
Staring straight into Aiden’s face, he felt his eyes double in size, blood curdling into ice. “You know him?” His voice was so frail it barely existed.
“No; you mentioned him yesterday. Friends with the Oracle, right?”
Holy shit. The breath that left his lungs took the rest of his soul with it. “Right, yeah.” He’d completely forgotten about that. “I’m looking for him. He has two sets of wings and looks like the statues of Poseidon you have on Earth.”
“Wait, two sets of wings? I thought you could only have one.”
“Some angels have two. Some angels have more halos too; it’s arbitrary. Have you seen him at all?”
“Uh, maybe. I don’t know.”
Great help there. It took all his willpower to keep from rolling his eyes right now.
“Why? Is he missing?” Aiden asked.
“Yeah, I guess you could say that. It’s been a minute since we’ve seen him.”
“I thought you knew everyone’s locations all the time. You always know where I am.”
“It doesn’t work like that with other angels. I only know yours because I have a connection to you. I’m allowed to look you up.”
“Huh.” Aiden seemed thoughtful, with a slight scowl on his forehead. “Well, I’ll help you find him. You said he looks like Poseidon?”
“No, don’t; it’s fine. I was just wondering. Don’t actually do that; I’m sure he’ll come around eventually.”
Aiden gave him a brief look, but didn’t exactly question that, or push him for any more answers. Finally, he was learning to behave. “You sure you don’t want some of this salmon? The sauce is really good,” Aiden tried, steering the conversation somewhere else.
He had no doubt the food was delicious, but it just wasn’t for him. He turned the offer down, plucking the wine glass off the table for a quick sip. Aiden watched that without a single word; one eyebrow up, the ghost of a smirk on his lips.
It was clear that Aiden was just trying to have a good time, avoiding any awkward topics or the kind of conversation that’d get under his skin, so he matched that energy and tried not to start anything himself. He listened to Aiden tell him about the painting class and how terrible he was at it, making an awful piece that had been trashed as soon as it was done, despite the teacher’s plights. It’d be a marker of progress, the man had explained, except, to Aiden, it’d just become a marker of failure when, in a month or so, he still wouldn’t be any better.
“That doesn’t sound right,” Nathaniel chimed in, casually drinking Aiden’s wine. “There’s no way you’d practice for a whole month and still not make any progress.”
Aiden shrugged dismissively and, as a waiter passed by, asked for another glass, eyes pointedly fixed on Nathaniel’s face. He tutted in response, but ultimately kept to himself—there was nothing to be said. Aiden was right, after all.
A wide smile cut through Aiden’s face as the waiter left. Conversation resumed with pointless topics and non sequiturs that didn’t lead anywhere, but were delightfully entertaining and even managed to pull some laughter out of Aiden, strangely melodic. Smiling, Nathaniel tried to make Aiden laugh more just so he could keep listening to it, heartbeats resonating across his chest.
Room 201 had a desk in the warmth of the afternoon sun that drifted in through the sliding door, which Nathaniel claimed as a makeshift office while Aiden was busy. It was strange not having the delicate burble of the running stream for background noise, but he found it just as easy to concentrate without it, quickly losing himself in the reports that had been neglected for a good few days now. Most of them didn’t require a reply, updates on the security of Paradise’s various corners sent by his appointed generals. He was only one angel, after all. The same way he kept Salus informed without making him come down from his mountain, his generals kept him informed without making him cross all of Paradise for inspection.
Three letters reached him throughout the day, slipped under the door not to cause a distraction—Jean was that considerate. They remained unopened for the rest of the afternoon, however, lest he got too carried away. Other than Friday’s report, he managed every single deadline. The fear of missing another one combined with the determination to keep his excellent track record heightened his attention.
At half past six, the door behind him opened, breaking his concentration like a spell. With Aiden in the room, he wouldn’t be able to work on absolutely anything and dropped the file in hand mid-analysis. The stack of folders on the left corner of the desk, the one he had yet to assess, was down to half of its original size, meaning that, if he kept today’s performance, he’d be all caught up by the end of tomorrow.
“Man, I didn’t know karate took so much out of you,” Aiden started, speaking a few feet behind him, out of view.
With every file in its respective stack, Nathaniel turned around, catching the front door closing after Aiden, softly, not making a sound. In an all-white karate uniform, Aiden continued talking, his cheeks a dark crimson. His hands unfastened the belt around his waist as he walked over, a certain absence of mind to it.
“I feel like I should’ve taken it years ago, when I was a kid and had the energy for that. It might have helped me become less impulsive over time.”
Hands pulled the belt off and tossed it on the bed, allowing the jacket to loosen and naturally peel away from Aiden’s chest, lapels shifting with the movement of his arms, flashing some skin, a visible contrast against the white of the fabric. It made Nathaniel’s pulse skip, eyes glued to that sliver of gold down Aiden’s stomach.
“Yeah, I doubt that, but I guess we’ll never know,” Nathaniel commented, half-absent, half-there, leaned all the way back on his chair, eating up every inch of Aiden’s body.
Aiden pulled the jacket open and shrugged it down his arms, shoulders gleaming with sweat, chest tinted red, featherlight across his skin. For the first time, Aiden seemed distracted while undressing in front of him, tossing the jacket on the bed without holding the stare or watching himself be watched. Was he not doing it on purpose? Knowing him, that was a wild claim to make, but his lack of acknowledgement forced Nathaniel to reconsider it. Maybe Aiden had really just gotten comfortable around him, and for the first time, wasn’t undressing to get a rise out of him.
A brief flashback of their first night at The Resort came back to him, down the stone steps to the hot springs, when Aiden had turned around to undress, hiding from him. Had things changed that much between them since? The way they’d been with each other that night—had it changed everything?
“Are you busy?” Aiden asked, without a trace of malice in his voice, sincere and thoughtful. “I’ll be quiet if you are.”
“No, I’m done for today,” Nathaniel reassured him, watching him tilt his head a bit, demure, curls bouncing with the gesture, some glued to his forehead, sweat adding a shine to his face.
“Wanna shower with me?” A throwback to last night, asked with the same innocence, same sentimentality that had touched Nathaniel’s back and pressed a kiss to the nape of his neck. It tugged on his heart strings, twisting them for some reason; an invitation that was impossible to decline, even if he wanted to, which he absolutely didn’t.
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