Chapter 4: Not for Hell, my ass!

Tagas looked around the apartment. It was full of white and black motives. He turned to stare at Harry.

"Did you arrange it?" Tagas asked, as he went and sat on a black love seat.

"With all the power your older brother gave me, it was easy," Harry boasted, and then went to sit on the couch next to the love seat.

"He will have all that power back, eventually," Tagas spoke. "So, don't get too comfortable with it."

"Party pooper," Harry pocked his tongue at Tagas, who chuckled. "Are you hungry? I have Chinese food in here."

"I am an angel, I don't really need to eat," Tagas might be kicked out, but he was not stripped of his grace. This was more of a timeout period for him. It would end, and Michael would welcome him back.

Yet, Tagas found himself dreading that. He didn't want to miss the chance to be with Arthur. They were soulmates. That was rare. To be cherished, handled with care and devotion. If the angel left to go back home, then he would need to wait for Arthur to die and come up when his time came. Those would be lonely days.

"Something on your mind?" Harry asked, and Tagas turned to look at him.

"I have a soulmate, who thinks me a demon," Tagas breathed a long sigh, and relaxed in his seat.

"Well, that is the kink of some people, you know? You showed him your wings. I am certain that things will be straightened out, in due time," Harry winked at him, and went to the kitchen area of the apartment, and took too containers with food and two forks. "You should eat. It is ordered and not made by me, don't worry."

"You wouldn't poison me, Harry. Something tells me that you going to Hell was an accident," Tagas took one of the containers and the fork, and opened the paper lid. There was rice with big black mushrooms inside. He grinned, and dug in.

"I would have preferred potato stew," the angel blurted out. "I wonder if he will save me my plate?"

"Your lover-boy?" Harry asked, and Tagas nodded.

"I think he will make sure it is waiting for you. You did tell him you are coming back bright and early," Harry chuckled, when Tagas's mood lifted somewhat.

They finished eating in silence, and then Harry led Tagas to the angel's room. The bed was big and had on bed covers the same shade of blue as the angel's wings.

"Harry," Tagas stopped the demon, when he turned to leave.

"Yes, Tagas?" Harry turned around, and then he was swept into a hug.

"Thank you for all that you have done for me," Tagas then patted the demon on the back, and released him. Harry just nodded, a bit startled, and went to his own room, which was next to the angel's.

The next morning, Tagas was up and about in the kitchen before the sun was up in the sky. He was making pancakes, and packaging them in a box. The angel wanted to gift them to Arthur and Beth. There was a plate already full of the breakfast food on the table. That one was for Harry.

The demon came out of his room, his eyes clouded with sleep. He saw the plate on the table, and the almost full box on the counter.

"Is the plate for me?" Harry asked, and Tagas smiled at him.

"Help yourself. There is cream in the fridge," Tagas told him. "I went shopping while you slept."

"Blue wings, don't do that. How am I supposed to protect you, if you run off?" Harry whined. Tagas just laughed.

"I don't need protecting, Harry. Didn't you see what I did on the battlefield?" Tagas's chest puffed up, and Harry rolled his eyes.

"There are all kinds of people out and about after dark. Your karate chops won't help you against a gun," Harry warned. Mortals were more advanced than demons in that regard.

Something told the demon that it was unfair that they were not allowed to use guns and the like by Lucifer, but he figured that it was not worth it to argue. Not unless he wanted to take another lava bath. Those hurt a lot.

"I'll be fine," the angel insisted. "Eat your pancakes."

As Harry piled his breakfast heavy with cream and strawberries, Tagas finished the frying of the rest of the pancakes. He fished out a silk ribbon from his shopping bag, and closed the box and tied the ribbon around it. Now, it looked like the perfect gift.

The angel went to sit by the table, and Harry turned to him. The demon rolled up one pancake in half, and handed it over. Cream falling on his fingers.

"Have something. You will be working the entire day. You should put some fuel in the tank before lunch," Harry insisted, and Tagas took the pancake. He began to eat it and found that he had made the perfect balance. Not too sweet, not too salty. Extra fluffy, and with a nice beige surface. Arthur was sure to like the pancakes.

Harry stared down at his cream covered finger, and then shrugged and licked it clean. Tagas's breath hitched at that, and he watched as the demon's tongue darted around the digit.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Harry asked, when he caught the angel's stare.

"No, I was just thinking about stealing another pancake from you," Tagas hid the unease he was feeling about noticing the movements of the demon behind teasing. As was his custom.

"Here you go," Harry took another pancake, and handed it over. More cream got on his finger. As soon as Tagas took the pancake, the demon began licking his finger. Then, he swallowed it whole, and Tagas began to feel an uncomfortable tightness in his pants.

"You spoil me rotten," Harry all but purred, as Tagas tried to hide the bulge in his pants. "What would it take to have you make breakfast tomorrow as well?"

"Come to the farm with me," the angel blurted out. "I am sure they will take you, as long as you keep the hat on."

"As you wish," the sly smile that the demon gave the angel convinced Tagas that maybe, just possibly, Harry knew what he had just done, when he had sucked on his own finger.

Harry licked his lips, staring straight into Tagas's eyes, and the angel was convinced that the demon's story about not belonging in Hell was a false one.