(Untitled)

[gilded_voice]

Date: March 18, 2003(?)
Status: Public (Gabriel, Phanuel) [Complete]
Setting: Tadfield Manor, restaurant
Summary: Dinner.

Comments

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel's stomach rumbled, and he started before realising what it was. Oh yes. These bodies could be quite demanding. He hadn't eaten anything the whole day.

He set aside the books and after a quick check to ensure that the place was tidy, left the library, waving his hand to make sure there were no traces of dust on his T-shirt and jeans.

Gabriel slowly pushed open the door of the restaurant, looking around for a small table near a window, when he caught sight of a head of reddish brown hair. He frowned faintly, trying to place the aura. Phanuel.

He walked softly towards the table and smiled. "Good evening, Phanuel."

[gilded_voice]

Phanuel hadn't really been paying attention to his surroundings- possibly a mistake, though he hadn't been expecting anyone to really give him a second glance-, so Gabriel rather startled him. He looked up, mind drawing a blank as he tried to work out what to do from here. He'd really thought he'd mostly managed to leave out clues to his identity, but of course nothing was perfect save Him. And Gabriel was the Messenger, besides. Of course he'd be able to identify people. "Ah… good evening, Gabriel," he said, trying to muster up a smile. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Er… would you like to take a seat?" He motioned to the other chairs. Looking up at people could be quite awkward for one's nerves.

[cattygabriel]

"Thank you," Gabriel smiled, pulling out a chair next to Phanuel and sitting down. The other angel seemed slightly nervous. Why did everyone seem nervous around him? First Aziraphael, now Phanuel.

"It's been a while indeed. How have you been?"

He glanced at the menu; the waiter appeared, and he ordered a pasta dish.

[gilded_voice]

He wasn't feeling any more settled now, either, but they were going for small talk. That was fine. He was more worried about larger subjects. "I've been all right. Nothing really out of the ordinary." If he discounted whoever he'd managed to get riled up, at any rate. "And you?"

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel shrugged. "Nothing out of the ordinary either, just performing my function as usual. There were a couple of problems to help smooth out with, you know, the event that didn't happen," he waved vaguely in the air, still a little unsure of how to refer to it, "And now I'm on a break, of sorts. I was in Heaven for almost a century, and I must say this place has changed quite a bit."

The waiter brought them water, and he sipped from his glass. "So what brings you to this little town?"

He hadn't seen Phanuel in quite a while. "Nice hair, by the way," he added, remembering that Phanuel's natural hair colour was brown.

[gilded_voice]

Phanuel nodded. "I hope they weren't too much trouble to deal with," he said. He'd been quite happy to put his sword down again, but others had seemed a little more reluctant. And some of the problems that could crop up… well, he was quite happy wandering the Earth rather than trying to deal with politics. "I can't imagine that anyone would begrudge you one." He nodded, reaching for his own glass. "It's been quite astonishing. So many changes in all this time… I suppose that when people see an opportunity they're entirely willing to take it

[cattygabriel]

"Not too much trouble, no. Although Michael's forces... well, I'm quite glad to get away from them. They're a bit too disappointed," Gabriel laughed.

He nodded; when the Earth had still been young, he had loved travelling for its own sake. He'd wandered through the lands, stopping at inns for refreshment and occasionally a room if the weather was bad, and doing good in small ways in return. He missed sleeping in the open under the stars. Maybe I'll try it tonight.

"Oh? Where have you been, then?"

The waiter brought Phanuel's order, setting it down in front of the redhead. It smelt delicious.

Gabriel smiled. "It suits you." He reached towards the other's hair. "May I?"

[gilded_voice]

"I suppose they would be," Phanuel agreed. "I hope they managed to find an outlet, though.

"Most recently I've been in France. Some parts… are not quite what they were. I'm sure that they'll be doing their best to improve matters, though," Phanuel said, mood moving back towards general optimism for the world- probably helped by the smell of dinner.

He blinked at Gabriel's comment, though, and flushed a little. "Ah, good," he managed, trying to calm himself. "It wouldn't do to have hair that didn't look right, would it?" Thank goodness mullets hadn't stayed around, really. "Ah, I don't see why not?" He stayed as he was, not quite sure what Gabriel intended. This was decidedly awkward.

[cattygabriel]

"If training doubly hard can be considered a proper outlet, then yes, I suppose," Gabriel murmured. "I still don't think it's healthy, though."

"I'm sure they will. Humans seem to have a remarkable talent for getting themselves in the worst sort of trouble imaginable, and then finding a way to set things right, or as right as can be possible after major changes." Humans had fought two major world wars and several smaller ones, and yet today the world was - mostly - healed.

His lips twitched at the angel's flush. "Indeed. Although red hair is nice, I think I myself would look rather odd as a redhead. I'll leave that to you and Raphael," he smiled, reaching towards Phanuel's reddish-brown hair and gently taking a lock between his fingers. It was soft - angels, after all, didn't get split ends or anything of the sort - and the warm colour, strangely, reminded him of the ancient desert lands he had loved. The light caught it, sending a red gleam racing up and down

[gilded_voice]

"If they're out of people's hair, though, I'm sure that's a help," Phanuel said, with possibly more cheer than was needed.

He nodded. "It's a good thing, to be able to rebuild," he said. "Even when important things are lost…" He stopped for a moment. "It's good," he repeated.

He shifted awkwardly as Gabriel examined his hair. It wasn't exactly close, but it felt rather like it. It wasn't something that happened often. Ignoring his flush as best he could, he said, "A-ah, thank you. Um… Perhaps it might be that it would take a bit of time to get used to."

"Bon appetit," he repeated, and began taking apart his pie.

[cattygabriel]

"Quite frankly, I'm thankful for assignments that take me away from them," Gabriel confided in a mock-whisper.

He stared unseeingly at the pasta for a moment, running his free hand through his own hair. "You have to rebuild. Life, or existence, goes on regardless of losses in wars. Sitting around mourning does not help. Activity, though, helps you forget, for a while."

Gabriel smiled suddenly. "I did try red hair once, in Ireland, I think. I stuck with it for about a week before returning to black hair." He took a bite. "Mmm. Delicious."

[gilded_voice]

Phanuel smiled. "It's good to have a change from things," he agreed.

Another nod. "Grieving forever helps no one," he said quietly, and picked up a carrot and a piece of pie.

"Did you?" He turned his head and smiled, tone lightly teasing. "Did anyone happen to see?" He ate the food he had on his fork and nodded. "Mm!"

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel tilted his head, remembering. "A young warrior named Finn Mac Cool and about half the Fíanna he commanded. I was trying to spread the cardinal virtues, and to introduce Christian values, and somehow ended up in the army of the High King at Tara. I didn't want to be there long, though, so I was a little more careless than I should have been in a skirmish." He shrugged. "They were honourable men, but true to their animist faiths. There was little I could do." He didn't mention that they'd also been wondering why a young warrior with good prospects had no wives.

He took another bite of pasta, smiling. The food really was good.

[gilded_voice]

Phanuel listened, intrigued. "What was it like, to be there?" he asked.

He would have agreed again, but really, the best part about good food was appreciating it, and he was quite ready to set about doing that.

[cattygabriel]

Gabriel smiled as he remembered Ireland. "Ireland, or Erin or Eire as it was known then, was beautiful. You could see why they worshipped nature spirits, with such beauty surrounding them. The Celtic language reflected it too; it was melodious, like music but spoken." He ate another mushroom. "Of course, they lived life to the full too. I wish you could have seen one of the royal wedding feasts. Celebrations would carry on well into the night." He frowned slightly. "And there was the Fíanna, a band of roving fighters, but they developed a strong sense of honour and discipline under Finn."

He sipped some water. "And there was their mythology. They believed the Túatha De Danáan to be everpresent, watching them. Finn himself believed his first wife was one of them. And I don't blame him; when those bards struck up their instruments and began singing, you could almost believe in it yourself." He sighed. "It's hard to describe an entire culture; it has to be experienced. There were times I wished they had more seasonings for the meat and

[gilded_voice]

"It sounds wonderful," Phanuel said softly. "Perhaps I shouldn't, but… I feel sorry that it is gone."

He laid his cutlery down for a moment, thinking. "I'm not quite sure, he said. "There've been so many places I've been, over the years… I've always have a fondness for the White Cliffs, I suppose."