Falling For You

Chapter 12: The Crack in the Rose Colored Glasses

“I don’t think that’s necessary, Cassiel,” I needed to distract him, “How about we go see how Earth has progressed? Things seem to have changed greatly since I last visited.”

“Please, I’m more than happy to help you. We can start with where the human died,” Cassiel smiled enthusiastically, refusing to be swayed.

Looks like I’ll just have to drag things out by distracting him when we get to Earth. Actually, now that I was thinking about it, maybe Earth and all our creations could be a very good distraction. I found his hand and interlaced my fingers with his. Smiling warmly, I nodded my head.

“Okay, but only if we can make a few stops first. I want to take a stroll down memory lane,” I smiled mischievously.

He was more than willing and and before I knew it, he had swept me off my feet and was kissing me yet again. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. His kiss was warm and soft, but urgent. I knew I had been gone in Hell for a long time, but how long was the question.

When we came up for air, I realized he had flown us to our first assignment on Earth together. The meadow was as beautiful as I remembered it. There were flowers of all colors, shapes, and sizes everywhere. It was the perfect time of year to visit too; it wasn’t too hot or too cold. There was a soft breeze that played with Cassiel’s beautiful brown hair. It was dark, but accented the smolder in his eyes perfectly. And the light from the sun created a halo above his head, making me think back to the first days of our work together. A soft smile came to my lips.

“You remember what we said when we finished?” he asked me fondly, as he set me down.

“It had better be like this for eons or we shall have to keep rebuilding!” I laughed, remembering that moment with such love and affection. “That was the first moment I felt different… about you,” I admitted shyly.

“That was the moment I hoped we could be more,” he said, tilting my chin up to look into my eyes.

His honesty shocked me and moved me.

“I had no idea you felt that way. I always thought you were too busy to notice me,” I told him honestly, blushing with shame for even thinking about these things. “I never thought you would feel… this- for me. Seraphina-”

“Don’t speak her name,” Cassiel cut me off. “She is the reason we weren’t together sooner.”

“What? I don’t- I don’t understand,” I asked, shocked, slumping down into the field of flowers.

Why were we even speaking about her? I thought we were talking about us. We were getting along so well, but now… Why was he reacting like this? Seraphina had nothing to do with our relationship. Right?

“She constantly whispered seeds of doubt into my mind and yours,” he answered tersely. “I saw her on many occasions talking to you while looking strangely towards me. Didn’t it ever feel like she was poisoning the idea of us?”

“I- I just thought she was being honest with me. She said that you-” I stopped to contemplate.

What had Seraphina said about Cassiel and I? She had said so many things over such a long time it all seemed like a blur. I scrunched my nose in disgust as I began to slowly unravel the thread. Seraphina began to notice my crush on Cassiel the same evening we had finished our first meadow. The memory slowly formed in the forefront of my mind.

“What may I ask makes you so happy this fine evening, Azrael?” she asked, as she wrapped an arm around my waist, escorting me to watch the sunset for the second time ever.

“Oh, it’s nothing, Sera. I am simply proud of mine and Cassiel’s accomplishments today, that is all,” I smiled, oblivious to the world around me.

“Really? What did you do together?” she asked, trying to be innocent, but I knew now she was jealous.

“We created a meadow, I mean, it was nothing, really. I just felt that Cassiel and I really connected today,” I blushed, a bit embarrassed by my confession to her.

“Cassiel? Connecting with you?” Seraphina’s smile stiffened. “Are you sure? He is so- rigid. Surely, there are others, such as myself, that would be of better company?”

“He’s not- rigid. He’s not distant and cold towards me when working together. He’s been- sweet and- thoughtful,” I smiled, thinking about our shared joke in the meadow just hours ago.

Seraphina frowned, “He’ll never love you the way I do, Z. He’ll never be closer. He’s too obsessed with becoming Father’s favorite. He wants power more than anything else. Haven’t you heard the rumors?”

“Rumors? No, I- I didn’t know,” I replied, disappointed.

The rose-colored glasses seemed to begin cracking now that I was looking back on my memories. I hadn’t thought about it before, but now I realized Sera’s smile hadn’t been because she was excited for the sunset. She was excited that she had swayed me to stay away from Cassiel. She was slowly trying to win me over. She wanted to steal me away from him.

“She- she did turn me away from you,” I said slowly, “but I thought it was because you wanted other things. I thought you wanted Father to appoint you to more prestigious positions,” I tried to reason. After all, he still seemed to be worried about Father’s grand plan.

“I did want that, but I also wanted you- to be by my side, always,” he whispered, his confession so softly I thought I heard him wrong at first.

“Really?” My delayed response made him chuckle.

“Really. My sweet Azrael,” he whispered into my ear, before nipping at it softly.