There's a hole in his memory.
Something is missing and he knows it is, he can feel it, theres something that is supposed to be there, a name?, a face?, something that he knows he should know but he can't remember. It almost as if someone had gone in there and taken those names and faces out and left only that of a blank space in their wake.
He wants to remember, more then anything, he wants to remember those names and those faces that go with it.
"Raphael."
Torn from his thoughts he turns to face him, Michael, his oldest brother, he always gives him that heart broken look so full of guilt and shame that he almost wants to ask him why he always gives it whenever they speak but as soon as it comes to mind to ask such a question, it's gone.
"Yes brother?"
"There has been a ping of grace in the lower point of Alaska and I wish for you to go investigate it."
"Yes brother."
Michael stares at him for a long moment and waves him off.
"Report back as soon as you gain knowledge."
Raphael nodded once, stiff and calculated, and he was off to do as ordered like the good little brother he was.
No questions asked.
...
It had been nearly three whole weeks since Lucifer had fallen and Gabriel had all but disappeared and everything was slowly continuously falling apart around them still. Michael had yet to make an appearance to the Host, the only other Archangel having to put his own mourning on the back burner as to ensure that his younger siblings did not begin to get concerned.
They needed someone to be strong for them in this time of pain.
Raphael was their rock that they needed, providing them with soft words of comfort and gentle touches.
Groomings and soft hummed songs.
Things had started to get better, slowly and ever painstakingly, but they were starting to get better and that was when Michael came out of his solitude.
...
There was something here that he knew, he doesn't quite know where he knows it from, but he knows it.
And then his hand is around their neck and he's staring into a set of golden eyes that make his insides roll in some sort of protective need he hasn't felt in so so long. There's finger nails scratching at his hand trying to dislodge it from its grip.
"R-Raphy-cant-bre-breath!"
"Don't speak my name traitor."
His grip tightens and and the other chokes and sputters.
"Pl-Please-big-bro-brother-!"
He knows this voice, this voice and this face, he knows it. Come on mind catch up and figure it out who this face is?
"Gabriel."
"Go-Good bye-Cruel-Wo-World!"
This is Gabriel. He knows Gabriel. This is Gabriel. He's hurting Gabriel. The other archangel is gasping for breath and still trying in vain to get him to release his grip around his neck.
...
The fledglings are laughing, he's smiling at the little ones as soft spoken jokes are exchanged, and it absolutely sets Michael off. He comes in red hot grace flaring dangerously, so much so that it burns a few fledglings as he moves passed them.
They cry and he yells at them to shut up.
They only cry harder.
"Michael what is wrong with you!"
He's taken by the scruff of his robe and banged back agaisnt the wall when he tries to aid them and soothe their burns.
"Let them feel it, they must learn, and you must know your place."
"My place? Do you hear yourself?"
...
Something hits him on the back of the head, hard, and it hurts for an instant and then he's face down on the ground and the last thing he hears is Gabriel snapping out at someone and hands gently rubbing at his head as if trying to find the spot that was attacked.
Then everything's black.
Peaceful, oh so welcomed darkness.
...
"Michael! Michael you can't do this! I'm your brother, you can't do this!"
He's struggling to get free, pulling so hard against the cuffs that it leaves marks around his wrists. Naomi has never looked so terrified as she did when Michael grabbed her instruments and steadied her hand before his brothers face.
"Do as your told or you will be next."
...
Everything is all fuzzy, he feels all warm and cozy, and his head doesn't feel all cloudy anymore.
"You awake big bro?"
His eyes are like mud and it takes him a while to open them to look up into those golden eyes that even though he'd tried to choke the life out of still hold so much love for him.
"Gabriel?"
"Hey big guy!", Gabriel's tone is soft and his throat is bruised, he reaches up weakly to touch it, "How do you feel?"
"You should not be the one asking me such things, did I do this?"
Gabriel grasps his hand and he feels warm lips press to the back of it.
"Let's not talk about it, my friend, her name is Eir, she noticed something off almost immediately. I told her all about you and when she noticed that you weren't exactly being your kind and compassionate self she stepped in. How's your head feel?"
He shook his head softly and grimaced, "It is painful. It hurts."
Gabriel made a sound of understanding and rubbed hand over his neck in thought, "Yea she said it would take a moment for the pain relief to kick in."
Raphael hummed softly and leaned back into the pillows, shutting his eyes to the light shining dimmly down on him, his brother gave a yelp as a hand latched onto his shirt and yanked him down. Gabriel went stiff as that arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him deep into his brothers side, just like he used to when they were younger and he would have bad dreams and go to seek comfort.
A thumb rubbed against his cheek, "Does your throat hurt?"
"It's no problemo Raph, seriously, don't worry about i-"
"Of course I will worry, you are my youngest brother, I will always worry about you."
Gabriel huffed and just barely kept himself from uttering about how he was not a baby anymore, but he wasn't feeling up to fighting it out with his older brother who would inevitably win over him, and so he let it slide. Waiting until Raphael drifted of into a numb healing slumber before slipping off himself. It felt good, somewhere in the back of his mind deduced, to be in this position again.
And the older brother felt this calm sort of comfort in finally having that missing piece back in his life. Having his beloved baby brother back at his side again. To be able to hold him and have him near once more.
There was still so much damage to fix though, and deep down, both Archangels knew it.
They still had to repair all that Michael had done.
Raphael vowed to protect Gabriel even if it meant with his life.
But they'd cross that bridge when they got to it.