I do not own Angelfall, Penryn & the End of Days OR any of the characters included in this fanfic. Penryn & the End of Days is owned by Susan Ee. Wanted to do something on Angelfall because there's such little fanfic left, and Josiah is an awesome character. ^-^
One-shot. Written from Josiah's perspective. A Thing Two Production.
X
"And don't insult our rats. They have a right to be here. Unlike you."
Silence.
Josiah's red eyes widened in horror, just as Laylah's narrowed with hate. Her hands clutched the armrests as though she were imagining them around the Daughter of Man's throat. Raffe glanced towards the bedroom and then at the wall... perhaps wondering which position he should mount his wings in. The tension was so thick Josiah could have cut a chunk out with his sword and eaten it like a burger if he'd wanted to. Then again, his angel sword was so sharp, he probably could have done that on a normal day anyway.
Well, Josiah, time for some expert bomb-diffusion.
"Okay," he said, quietly, calmly, and not how he felt at all. "Let's just take a time-out here and focus on what's important. Raffe needs his wings back. Now all we need to do is figure out what Beautiful Laylah can get out of this, and we'll all be happy. That's all that matters, right?"
Despite what Raffe thought, Josiah was definitely the one with the most to lose. If he didn't get Laylah and Raffe on civil terms again, and Raffe's wings reattached, he was screwed. And, though he hated to say it... what was so bad with being an Archdemon?
Becoming Fallen had to be every angel's worst nightmare (unless your name was Beliel) - besides maybe Nephilim and guns - but if it had to happen, wasn't being an Archdemon best-case scenario? Or maybe he was just thinking that because Josiah would never be one.
Josiah looked at each of them individually. Damn, the Daughter of Man did not look happy. Josiah desperately willed her not to say anything. When she didn't, he carried on. "Great, so Laylah... what can we do to make you happy?"
Laylah cast her eyes down, but she was wearing a coy smile. "I'll think of something." Directed at Raffe: "Come to my lab in an hour. It'll take me that long to prepare. I'll need the wings now."
Raphael hesitated, then went into the bedroom. After a second, the Daughter of Man followed him. Josiah supposed she was pretty - though that red dress had looked much better on her when she'd been made up and sans a mouthful of food - but in a very human way. Not like Laylah at all.
Who was still smiling. Woah, not good.
"What?" Josiah muttered. Laylah turned her cornflower blue eyes on him, golden plumage rustling softly.
"Hm?"
Josiah raised one pure-white eyebrow. He knew Laylah and Raphael's history. "Why are you doing this? First it's Raffe better not show his face here I'll kill him myself how dare he do this he's probably Fallen oh Heavens he's Fallen Nephilim Nephilim argggh and now it's yes Raffe no Raffe three bags full Raffe?What are you hiding?"
"I don't trust her," they both heard loud and clear from the bedroom, almost as clear as if the girl had been standing in the room with them.
"They can hear you." Raffe.
"I don't care." Girl.
Laylah's eyes were unreadable, but there was something in them that Josiah didn't like. It made him uncomfortable. He was a straight-up soldier; he didn't go in for all the manipulation of angel politics. Ugh, why did he let Raffe talk him in to this? Why didn't he just ignore him in the restroom and raise the alarm? Because he had debts to pay, that was why.
"You'll see," Laylah purred. Josiah would have been much happier if she'd just said 'nothing'.
"You'll have no leverage then." Girl.
"I have no leverage now." Raffe.
The two partnered angels listened to them quarrel. Raphael came out first, holding a bundle of towels - his wings inside - as though he were holding the body of Jesus itself. He looked at them wistfully, hopefully, and opened his mouth as though he were about to tell them to be careful with them - then he stopped. Laylah took them from him and nodded, gentle as if she were clutching a baby.
But that calculating look behind her considerate masquerade was still there. Unfortunately, Josiah knew it all too well. He had a bad feeling about Raffe handing over his wings... or maybe it was just a low rumbling feeling of bitterness over watching their exchange. Despite what Raffe thought, Laylah always had a double-agenda that suited her. Josiah was pretty sure that the only reason that Laylah was remotely interested in him was because Raphael had cold-shouldered her. To add insult to injury, he'd turned up with a human female in tow. Ouch. But Josiah had seen the way she had looked at Raffe, the way she was looking at him now; as though he were a meal to be devoured in his near-nakedness, and who wouldn't want a luscious bite of Archangel compared to a withered, dry portion of freakish-looking demon-thing like him?
Alas, but Laylah held the ultimate leverage over him - his looks. They'd been on and off for a while, but then:
"Josiah, why are you doing this? Do you really think you're going to find someone better than me? Who else could love you the way I do?"
Laylah had conveniently left out what they had both thought: "Who else could love you... at all?"
X
~ Hope you enjoyed. Kind of sketchy... I'm not really a fan of this piece of fanfiction, but Josiah has always been my favourite character! ~