Chapter Text
Another day, another battlefield, another group of demons to kill. And still not a single Commandment. Not even a slight challenge. Sariel would have complained, if it was actually worth complaining. The Commandments wouldn't be anywhere near where any of the Four Archangels were. Each of the Four Archangels were as strong as two Commandments. They'd have fled as soon as they'd saw an archangel. If Ludociel was right, they were no more than animals. They wouldn't care about their weaker comrades dying in battle. Their comrades were just weaker animals. A lion cared not if it stepped on an ant, after all.
“Sairel, where'd you go?” Tarmiel's voice interrupted his musing. Probably a good thing.
“Somewhere more interesting than this battlefield.”
“Well, anywhere would be more interesting than this battlefield. I don't think any of the Commandments were ever here. At least they'd provide a slight challenge.” Tarmiel's comment made Sariel smile.
“You reckon we could take all ten of them at once?” Sariel asked.
“Well... if you want to bet about it.” Tarmiel smirked.
“The bet would be who beat the most.” Sariel informed him.
“Sir Tarmiel, Sir Sariel! There's trouble over that way. A sudden surge of demons came through a portal.” A goddess had come flying over at high speed from just over the hill. She appeared rather worried.
“So, they are paying attention then. One of them must have called for reinforcements.” Tarmiel shrugged, before flying off over the hill. Sariel was quick to follow him, not wanting his larger comrade to kill all of the demon reinforcements before he got there. He should have perhaps been more careful just flitting off over the hill. He didn't notice the little hidey hole that the Commandment watching the battlefield was hiding in. At least, until something shot out from it and knocked him down. It was a cheap shot, but it had worked.
“Sariel!” Tarmiel came flying over, ignoring the demons. The other goddesses could handle those small fries now that he'd dealt with the few big ones. Sariel was only vaguely aware of his friend's voice. The shot had clipped him right in the back of the head and... he was struggling to stay conscious. The world around him started to fade and he hoped to the Supreme Deity that those other demons didn't find him.
XxX
Sariel was aware of two things when he came around again. All of the demons had gone and he couldn't feel the tips of his left wings. He then noticed why all the demons had gone.
“You with me, Sariel?” Tarmiel was hovering around him, keeping him safe.
“Tarmiel... did you see what or who hit me?” Sariel felt a twinge of pain in his wings from underneath him. He'd landed on his side.
“I sent The Selflessness packing. He shot an arrow into your head which made you black out and forget how to fly I'd guess. You landed pretty badly on your side.” Tarmiel told him, lifting a hand to heal him. Sariel felt warmth flow over him as Tarmiel cast Be Well. The pain in his wings didn't go away though.
“Better?” Sariel shook his head, making Tarmiel worry.
“My left wings still hurt.”
“Alright. Can you sit up?” Tarmiel nervously looked him over. Sariel sat himself up and that made the dull pain in his wings turn sharp. He shrieked, and moved to try and hold his wings.
“Right. That looks like broken wings.”
“B-broken?” Sariel shuddered. And bit his lip so he didn't scream again. Gods it hurt.
“I'll carry you back, alright? Then we can get you to a healer. They'll know what to do.”
“I can't have broken wings... I'll be out of action until they fix.” Sariel sounded worried.
“Come on. Worry about that later. We need to get out of here before The Selflessness comes back with some more friends.” Sariel knew Tarmiel meant well, but he was focusing on being stuck out of action... and having to walk everywhere... gods his cheeks were heating just thinking about it. He'd be a laughingstock.
“I'll be gentle, alright?” Tarmiel scooped him up and Sariel once again bit his lip so he didn't scream. He wasn't going to let the lower ranked goddesses hear him scream.
“We're leaving. The demons have either fled or can't flee.” Tarmiel shouted to the other goddesses. Some of them were holding limbs as well, possibly broken by The Selflessness' meddling just like Sariel's wings might have been. Sariel wasn't going to believe it until the healer told him they were. It was only then he realised how Tarmiel was carrying him. He saw the other goddesses whispering and his cheeks flushed again. He knew what they were saying. Like he hadn't saw Ludociel carrying Mael about like this when they were younger. It didn't mean anything. Did it? The other goddesses flew off first, Tarmiel following behind them at a more sedate pace.
“You going to get there today?” Sariel asked, trying to ignore the pain. And the slight warmth he got from being carried like this.
“Trying not to jostle those wings. I've been there. It's not fun.”
“You can go a bit faster Tarmiel. I'm not that fragile.” Sariel bit his lip as Tarmiel did as he asked. He shut his eyes, not wanting to think about his friend carrying him the way you'd carry a woman you'd wed.
XxX
“I can say for definite those are broken. You'll need them splinted and wrapped.” The healer told Sariel. Tarmiel was hovering nearby. His larger friend wasn't looking at him. Sariel was lying on his stomach, so the healer could investigate his wings. The pain had dulled again, thankfully. It might have been from that cream the healer had rubbed into them.
“The Supreme Deity will have my head if I'm out of action for too long...” Sariel worried.
“She won't, you need to stop worrying. Mael, Ludociel and myself can handle things while you recover, alright?” Tarmiel reassured. Sariel didn't appear reassured, but noted a flush on Tarmiel's cheeks.
“What?” He asked. Tarmiel had been watching him for a while, with a strange look on his faces.
“Nothing! Can't I check to make sure you're alright?” The other archangel snapped, his cheeks turning darker red. Sariel shook his head, before lowering it down. The healer had said something about splinting his wings, and he'd probably need to be still for that.
“Sir Sariel?” The healer spoke to him. He lifted his head up and looked at her.
“I need you to drink this. It'll put you to sleep so I can splint your wings. Is that alright?” She asked. Sariel nodded, sitting up to drink the sleep potion in her hand. Him sitting up had made Tarmiel avert his eyes. That was interesting.
“See you later, Sariel.” Tarmiel headed off as Sariel drunk the potion. It started to work quickly, much to Sariel's annoyance. He'd wanted to maybe get Tarmiel to stay. And try and figure out why his friend was acting the way he was. His last thought before he went under was how what the other goddesses might have been saying affected Tarmiel.
XxX
Why did I flee like that? Tarmiel pondered. His cheeks were flushed, though he wasn't sure why they'd flushed like that. Surely not from seeing his best friend only in shorts. He wasn't going to try and work out why his heart had started racing when he'd saw that. His mind kept supplying that Sariel was attractive and that thought didn't belong in his head. Sariel was his best friend! He couldn't... he couldn't be feeling this way about him... could he?
“Sir Tarmiel?” He jolted, realising he'd been lost in his thoughts. He looked towards the voice and saw it was a couple of the goddesses who'd been out on the battlefield with them earlier.
“Can I help you?” He asked, a little annoyed.
“Just curious how Sir Sariel is doing. He looked pretty bad when he went in there.”
“He's fine. Broke both of his left wings though, so he won't be fighting for a while.” Tarmiel answered.
“Did he like being carried by you?” This goddess had a rather cheeky looking grin on his face.
“I'm not sure what you're trying to imply.”
“We saw you blush while you were holding him.” Tarmiel glared at the goddess who'd spoken.
“Stop it, Gabriel! Sir Tarmiel's worried about his boyfriend.” Boyfriend?! He wondered what the other goddess was getting at with that. Two words I hope.
“Oh, that explains why he was carrying Sariel bridal style.” That's what... is that how you'd carry a woman you'd wed? Why'd I... it seemed like the best idea not to jostle those wings of his...
“Bet you'll take good care of him once he's out.” The goddess, Gabriel if Tarmiel remembered correctly, winked at him. The female goddess with him giggled.
“Is there a purpose to you pestering me or...?” Tarmiel glared at them once more.
“Confirming the rumour. And you reacting like that only confirmed it!” Gabriel and his female friend flitted off, leaving Tarmiel to ponder what rumour they were referring to. He headed off to his quarters and then saw his cheeks were flushed in the mirror.
Did... did them suggesting Sariel was my boyfriend cause this? His cheeks went red; apparently he liked 'Sariel' and 'boyfriend' in the same sentence.
Or... was it caused by seeing him half naked? Tarmiel's mind chose that point to provide an image of a fully naked Sariel on his bed and his cheeks blazed.
Am I... Am I attracted to him? It would explain why I liked holding him like that... and seeing him topless... Tarmiel tried to push that image to some corner of his mind, and wasn't sure he was successful. Besides... this was his best friend he was thinking about like this! One he was sure wouldn't like him that way, for a start.
Focus on being a good friend for now. He doesn't need you complicating matters. His mind provided, now pushing that image to some corner of his mind to forget about. He'd think about these feelings later. When he wasn't worried about whether Sariel would be able to fly again.