Bible fic (Asmodeus/Raphael): An Easter Story, part 3
Nothing says blasphemy like angel slash about Easter posted on Easter. ;3 Also, it's soooo high time I finished this, geez! So here it is, part 3 of 3.
Part 1
Part 2
Title: An Easter Story - Part III: A Discordant Alleluia
Fandom: the Bible (Book of Matthew in the New Testament)
Pairing: Asmodeus/Raphael
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It's Easter morning in Jerusalem, and Raphael stands serenely by Jesus's empty tomb. Asmodeus, who has been lurking nearby, decides to join the angel.
Notes: Any Biblical references here were derived from Matthew's rendition of the Resurrection. Time period set around 33 AD.
Asmodeus was like a smear of spilled ink against the fresh spring landscape that had spread out from the epicenter of Christ's tomb. The demon lord was not especially familiar with seasonal rhythms in this part of the world, so he wasn't certain if this lushness was natural or if it was a result of the Resurrection. Either way, everything was so sickeningly alive and hopeful.
And Raphael... The benevolent expression on the angel's face rankled the demon's nerves even more.
Asmodeus had been making plans for Raphael. Perhaps it was high time the demon gave them a try.
***
The smooth breeze whispered in the air, caressing Raphael's fair face and ruffling his downy wings. The sun shown full and golden up above while white wisps of cloud flowed across a sapphire blue sky. It was beautiful, but not as beautiful as what had happened that morning.
Raphael, eyes closed, inhaled the heady yet innocent scent of spring. Flowers waved with the passing wind as the archangel stood happily atop Jesus's unoccupied tomb. He'd seen Him. He'd seen the risen One. Joy and grace moved him almost to tears. Nothing could dampen such glory.
Almost nothing.
A muted string of vulgarities and a sudden chill in the air bade Raphael turn around. "You're standing on the burial place of Jesus Christ. The least you could do is show respect," he admonished.
"Ah, yes, the Christ has risen," Asmodeus glared about at nature's spring finery in condescending disgust, "and all his loyal angelic lapdogs are fluttering about bring love and joy," he sneered as though such holy acts were obscene and not to be spoken of in polite conversation. For good measure, the Marquis spat upon the sacred ground.
"I'm surprised you're not back in hell licking your wounds with Lucifer and the rest of his minions," Raphael replied coolly. It would take much more than Asmodeus's sullen brooding to upset the angel right now.
Asmodeus smirked. "Oh, be reasonable, Raphael! We both know nothing has really changed. The majority of humans will always be witless vermin too wrapped up in themselves and their delusional little worlds. Most of them don't want to be saved."
Raphael shook his head exasperatedly. "You know nothing of humanity and its strengths."
"Nothing?" the demonic let out a condescending bark of laughter. "Those worthless wretches nailed the Son of God to a tree!"
The archangel sighed. "That's how it was written. Don't tell me you came here hoping to discuss philosophy?" he added with more than a hint of sarcasm.
Asmodeus's amusement subsided to a few chuckles. "Oh, my naïve little angel, as tempting as it would be to engage in such passionate debating, that's not why I'm here."
Tendrils of darkness slunk through the vibrant green grass, dulling and wilting the life in it. The shadows undulated against the hem of the archangel's robe, and he had to resist the urge to recoil in disgust. A shower of sparks from the angel's hand sent the shadows slinking back. However, that was not enough to dispel Raphael's growing sense of unease, and was it just coincidental that a cloud slid through the sky overhead and hid the sun? The breeze picked up, cold without the sunlight, as Asmodeus drew closer, and whatever his intentions were, Raphael doubted they were anything good.
Raphael looked up at the taller being, green eyes stony calm. "I do not fear you."
The shadows slithered closer again, and Asmodeus smiled, showing his fangs. "Then you are unwise to underestimate the forces of darkness."
"Good is clearly the better choice." Raphael's voice came out in a whisper, but his words were full of conviction. He loathed being this near Asmodeus even as a traitorous part of him longed for it, missing the angel Asmodeus had once been.
"And what of the poor wretches still down Below, hmm?"
Raphael's lips pursed together unhappily, but even to Asmodeus, he would try to give an honest answer. "While I grieve for the souls cast into the Pit and still languishing there, I trust that our Father's plan is just. As for the Fallen," the angel added sternly, "you made your choice."
Asmodeus's laugh was a cruel, oily thing. "You're so cold, Raphael," he purred, reaching out toward the angel.
The healer's eyes narrowed warily as he drew back. "Do not play your games with me."
"I'm not going to hurt you, Raphael."
For a second, the sincerity on that pale face reminded Raphael of his lost friend, and the healer couldn't quite shy away as the demon touched his hair. To his credit though, Raphael regained himself quickly and swatted the demon's hand aside.
"Oh Raphael, don't be so sulky." And before Raphael had a chance to make a retort, Asmodeus had taken advantage of their proximity to steal a kiss.
To his surprise, it actually wasn't that awful. Raphael had expected the kiss to be rough and demanding, but instead Asmodeus's lips were soft as his hand gently cupped the angel's face. Slowly their lips separated before pressing together again.
It wasn't Lust that made the angel's knees weak though. More like a precursor perhaps? The feel of lips and hands on him sent an odd tingling through Raphael's body, a closeness which actually felt very nice. (Which reminded him of a dark-haired angel he'd once known...)
At least, it felt nice up until the point when Raphael reached out to steady himself against the side of the tomb and found he couldn't lift his hand.
"What-?"
Where his gloved palm pressed against the cool shadowed stone, tendrils of darkness had wrapped around his hand and wrist. Trying to free his left and only ended with the right being stuck as well and shadows creeping up both the angel's forearms.
Raphael was dimly aware that Asmodeus had stepped aside to let the little drama play out, and despite the sinking sensation in his stomach, Raphael focused all his energy on a burst of light directed at the makeshift ropes. To his horror, the shadows strained, fraying, but still held. "What trickery is this?!"
"Do you like them?" the demon grinned, and there was nothing even remotely pleasant about him now. "I modeled the binding spell after your own."
"Still sore that I so handily defeated you back in Media?" Raphael snapped, stalling so that he could gather his energy and try to break the ropes again.
With a flick of the wrist, Asmodeus shoved the angel hard against the tomb wall. More shadows leapt up, arcing over Raphael's chest and pulling tight. "You're hardly in a position to be testing my limited patience, don't you think?"
Raphael winced at the uneven stone digging into his back. "How can you even use this magic right now? Christ has- I thought your powers were too weak."
"Shadows are everywhere, even in Heaven. Since they're not an evil force but rather a neutral one, I can use them." Asmodeus stroked casually at the angel's hips, fingers searching for a way to undo the white robes. "My intent makes it demonic, but the spell itself is not."
Raphael twisted in the demon's grip, trying to throw his hands off, but a sudden press of claws stilled the angel's panicked squirming. Trying to catch his breath, Raphael glared up at Asmodeus's smirking face. "You-you said you wouldn't hurt me..."
"Foolish angel," Asmodeus murmured, leaning closer and flicking his forked tongue against the healer's ear. "I lied."
"Stop-!"
The demon moved to steal another kiss when a soft voice called out, "Asmodeus."
The Archdemon turned his head to the side, glancing behind him, and Raphael was just able to peek over Asmodeus's shoulder as a young man swiftly approached them. He would have been indistinguishable from any other human except for the nail marks in his hands and feet and the uneven cuts along his forehead. Raphael could feel warm breath brush his skin as the demon swore, but he did not move away from the captured angel.
***
The Christ brat-trust him to interfere! Asmodeus unsheathed his claws, but did not attack yet even though Jesus was getting closer. Would it be worth the trouble to fight...? Almost certainly not.
"Release him," Jesus said fiercely, coming to a furious halt a few meters away from the tomb.
"You are cruel towards him now, but-" Asmodeus dropped Raphael roughly and stumbled away from the healer, the binding dissolving. His claws retracted as he half-crouched, half-fell to his knees. Suddenly his head was pounding, and the demon shook it violently, trying to oust the strange voice saying words he didn't understand.
Though narrowed eyes, Asmodeus watched Raphael flutter back to stand behind his Lord.
"Go back to the pits where you came from," Raphael ordered.
Though the pounding in his head subsided, Asmodeus knew he had lost, but he forced a smirk, masking his frustration as he glided elegantly to his feet. "Next time then?" he taunted. The open relief on Raphael's face infuriated the demon, but he consoled himself that there would be a next time-and when that time came, the shadow master would make sure that no third parties could interfere.
"Oh, yes, and one other thing." Asmodeus dissolved into a puddle of inky shadows before reappearing right in front of Raphael. "I did come here to congratulate your beloved savior."
Jesus took a few steps closer, brown eyes stern and lips pursed in a thin, unhappy line. "Marquis Asmodeus..." he warned.
The demon grinned, his forked tongue flicking out to taste the air. "Alleluia," he sneered at Raphael although his red eyes glanced cautiously to where Jesus stood. "Goodbye, angel."
-fin-
Part 1
Part 2
Title: An Easter Story - Part III: A Discordant Alleluia
Fandom: the Bible (Book of Matthew in the New Testament)
Pairing: Asmodeus/Raphael
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It's Easter morning in Jerusalem, and Raphael stands serenely by Jesus's empty tomb. Asmodeus, who has been lurking nearby, decides to join the angel.
Notes: Any Biblical references here were derived from Matthew's rendition of the Resurrection. Time period set around 33 AD.
Asmodeus was like a smear of spilled ink against the fresh spring landscape that had spread out from the epicenter of Christ's tomb. The demon lord was not especially familiar with seasonal rhythms in this part of the world, so he wasn't certain if this lushness was natural or if it was a result of the Resurrection. Either way, everything was so sickeningly alive and hopeful.
And Raphael... The benevolent expression on the angel's face rankled the demon's nerves even more.
Asmodeus had been making plans for Raphael. Perhaps it was high time the demon gave them a try.
***
The smooth breeze whispered in the air, caressing Raphael's fair face and ruffling his downy wings. The sun shown full and golden up above while white wisps of cloud flowed across a sapphire blue sky. It was beautiful, but not as beautiful as what had happened that morning.
Raphael, eyes closed, inhaled the heady yet innocent scent of spring. Flowers waved with the passing wind as the archangel stood happily atop Jesus's unoccupied tomb. He'd seen Him. He'd seen the risen One. Joy and grace moved him almost to tears. Nothing could dampen such glory.
Almost nothing.
A muted string of vulgarities and a sudden chill in the air bade Raphael turn around. "You're standing on the burial place of Jesus Christ. The least you could do is show respect," he admonished.
"Ah, yes, the Christ has risen," Asmodeus glared about at nature's spring finery in condescending disgust, "and all his loyal angelic lapdogs are fluttering about bring love and joy," he sneered as though such holy acts were obscene and not to be spoken of in polite conversation. For good measure, the Marquis spat upon the sacred ground.
"I'm surprised you're not back in hell licking your wounds with Lucifer and the rest of his minions," Raphael replied coolly. It would take much more than Asmodeus's sullen brooding to upset the angel right now.
Asmodeus smirked. "Oh, be reasonable, Raphael! We both know nothing has really changed. The majority of humans will always be witless vermin too wrapped up in themselves and their delusional little worlds. Most of them don't want to be saved."
Raphael shook his head exasperatedly. "You know nothing of humanity and its strengths."
"Nothing?" the demonic let out a condescending bark of laughter. "Those worthless wretches nailed the Son of God to a tree!"
The archangel sighed. "That's how it was written. Don't tell me you came here hoping to discuss philosophy?" he added with more than a hint of sarcasm.
Asmodeus's amusement subsided to a few chuckles. "Oh, my naïve little angel, as tempting as it would be to engage in such passionate debating, that's not why I'm here."
Tendrils of darkness slunk through the vibrant green grass, dulling and wilting the life in it. The shadows undulated against the hem of the archangel's robe, and he had to resist the urge to recoil in disgust. A shower of sparks from the angel's hand sent the shadows slinking back. However, that was not enough to dispel Raphael's growing sense of unease, and was it just coincidental that a cloud slid through the sky overhead and hid the sun? The breeze picked up, cold without the sunlight, as Asmodeus drew closer, and whatever his intentions were, Raphael doubted they were anything good.
Raphael looked up at the taller being, green eyes stony calm. "I do not fear you."
The shadows slithered closer again, and Asmodeus smiled, showing his fangs. "Then you are unwise to underestimate the forces of darkness."
"Good is clearly the better choice." Raphael's voice came out in a whisper, but his words were full of conviction. He loathed being this near Asmodeus even as a traitorous part of him longed for it, missing the angel Asmodeus had once been.
"And what of the poor wretches still down Below, hmm?"
Raphael's lips pursed together unhappily, but even to Asmodeus, he would try to give an honest answer. "While I grieve for the souls cast into the Pit and still languishing there, I trust that our Father's plan is just. As for the Fallen," the angel added sternly, "you made your choice."
Asmodeus's laugh was a cruel, oily thing. "You're so cold, Raphael," he purred, reaching out toward the angel.
The healer's eyes narrowed warily as he drew back. "Do not play your games with me."
"I'm not going to hurt you, Raphael."
For a second, the sincerity on that pale face reminded Raphael of his lost friend, and the healer couldn't quite shy away as the demon touched his hair. To his credit though, Raphael regained himself quickly and swatted the demon's hand aside.
"Oh Raphael, don't be so sulky." And before Raphael had a chance to make a retort, Asmodeus had taken advantage of their proximity to steal a kiss.
To his surprise, it actually wasn't that awful. Raphael had expected the kiss to be rough and demanding, but instead Asmodeus's lips were soft as his hand gently cupped the angel's face. Slowly their lips separated before pressing together again.
It wasn't Lust that made the angel's knees weak though. More like a precursor perhaps? The feel of lips and hands on him sent an odd tingling through Raphael's body, a closeness which actually felt very nice. (Which reminded him of a dark-haired angel he'd once known...)
At least, it felt nice up until the point when Raphael reached out to steady himself against the side of the tomb and found he couldn't lift his hand.
"What-?"
Where his gloved palm pressed against the cool shadowed stone, tendrils of darkness had wrapped around his hand and wrist. Trying to free his left and only ended with the right being stuck as well and shadows creeping up both the angel's forearms.
Raphael was dimly aware that Asmodeus had stepped aside to let the little drama play out, and despite the sinking sensation in his stomach, Raphael focused all his energy on a burst of light directed at the makeshift ropes. To his horror, the shadows strained, fraying, but still held. "What trickery is this?!"
"Do you like them?" the demon grinned, and there was nothing even remotely pleasant about him now. "I modeled the binding spell after your own."
"Still sore that I so handily defeated you back in Media?" Raphael snapped, stalling so that he could gather his energy and try to break the ropes again.
With a flick of the wrist, Asmodeus shoved the angel hard against the tomb wall. More shadows leapt up, arcing over Raphael's chest and pulling tight. "You're hardly in a position to be testing my limited patience, don't you think?"
Raphael winced at the uneven stone digging into his back. "How can you even use this magic right now? Christ has- I thought your powers were too weak."
"Shadows are everywhere, even in Heaven. Since they're not an evil force but rather a neutral one, I can use them." Asmodeus stroked casually at the angel's hips, fingers searching for a way to undo the white robes. "My intent makes it demonic, but the spell itself is not."
Raphael twisted in the demon's grip, trying to throw his hands off, but a sudden press of claws stilled the angel's panicked squirming. Trying to catch his breath, Raphael glared up at Asmodeus's smirking face. "You-you said you wouldn't hurt me..."
"Foolish angel," Asmodeus murmured, leaning closer and flicking his forked tongue against the healer's ear. "I lied."
"Stop-!"
The demon moved to steal another kiss when a soft voice called out, "Asmodeus."
The Archdemon turned his head to the side, glancing behind him, and Raphael was just able to peek over Asmodeus's shoulder as a young man swiftly approached them. He would have been indistinguishable from any other human except for the nail marks in his hands and feet and the uneven cuts along his forehead. Raphael could feel warm breath brush his skin as the demon swore, but he did not move away from the captured angel.
***
The Christ brat-trust him to interfere! Asmodeus unsheathed his claws, but did not attack yet even though Jesus was getting closer. Would it be worth the trouble to fight...? Almost certainly not.
"Release him," Jesus said fiercely, coming to a furious halt a few meters away from the tomb.
"You are cruel towards him now, but-" Asmodeus dropped Raphael roughly and stumbled away from the healer, the binding dissolving. His claws retracted as he half-crouched, half-fell to his knees. Suddenly his head was pounding, and the demon shook it violently, trying to oust the strange voice saying words he didn't understand.
Though narrowed eyes, Asmodeus watched Raphael flutter back to stand behind his Lord.
"Go back to the pits where you came from," Raphael ordered.
Though the pounding in his head subsided, Asmodeus knew he had lost, but he forced a smirk, masking his frustration as he glided elegantly to his feet. "Next time then?" he taunted. The open relief on Raphael's face infuriated the demon, but he consoled himself that there would be a next time-and when that time came, the shadow master would make sure that no third parties could interfere.
"Oh, yes, and one other thing." Asmodeus dissolved into a puddle of inky shadows before reappearing right in front of Raphael. "I did come here to congratulate your beloved savior."
Jesus took a few steps closer, brown eyes stern and lips pursed in a thin, unhappy line. "Marquis Asmodeus..." he warned.
The demon grinned, his forked tongue flicking out to taste the air. "Alleluia," he sneered at Raphael although his red eyes glanced cautiously to where Jesus stood. "Goodbye, angel."
-fin-