He presses a finger to his lips in the universal sign to keep quiet, and the Gardener returns the gesture, chuckling softly as he turns back to his work. He steps along the path quietly, as to not disturb the little ones in the mischief they are making, having come to seek them out after they missed their scheduled appointment for their checkups. It's a common game they play, they don't usually come to their appointed appointments, leaving him the task of hunting them down where ever they may be.
It's no trying task. The two of them are little fruit thieves. More then not, they can usually be found in the Garden, hiding under the Gardener's quiet care, away from those who mean to make them go to their appointed appointments. It's not a task that angers him, he enjoys these days, the both of them are delightful, quite an adorable set of twins.
They manage their way out of trouble quite easily.
Their giggling gives them away, as it usually does, as he creeps up behind them. He bends to snatch up from the ground about the waist and straightens up to catch the little partner in crime about the waist right off the trunk of the tree.
"Hello, little ones."
"You found us!"
He chuckles, bouncing the little one on his left arm. "I find you every time."
"Rapha I can't reach it!"
The boy on the right points up at the apple hanging above them. One of the few who can eat from the Tree of Life and not perish, a fitting treat seeing as he was created to guard the thing, he was always climbing between the limbs for the beloved tasty treat.
"Only good little angels get tasty treats, are you a good little angel, Eli?"
Little Elijah leans up to kiss his cheek sweetly. "I'm a very good little angel, Rapha."
"Are you, little Elijah? He bounces him on his right arm, and he giggles brightly. He turns to the other one. "How about you, Ezekiel, are you a good little angel?"
Little Ezekiel leans up to kiss is cheek too. "I'm a very good little angel too, Rapha."
"Are you now?" He turns them around, away from the tree, heading them back down the path. "Do you know what good little angels do?"
Elijah reaches up and around to poke his cheek, giggling happily. "They eat tasty apples."
"No." He shakes his head, smiling at the Gardener as they pass him on their way out. "They come to their appointments like the good little angels they are."
They walk down the Axis together, the little fledglings waving at every that passes them, the others wave in return, chattering excitedly between each other as two good little brothers do.
"We like keeping you in shape, Rapha."
Elijah giggles at his brothers statement, and the Healer makes a show of it, mouth hanging ajar, eyes wide, he comes to a halt as he looks down at the giggling fledgling. Ezekiel giggles up at him, a little finger reaching up to poke him in the cheek.
"Are you trying to say I'm unfit?"
"Nooo!" He shrieks when he dugs his fingers into his waist, squirming in his hold. "We keep you fit!"
"It's like playing hide and seek!"
He chuckles, bouncing them both, and they shriek with excitement. "You two are lucky I'm so fond of you."
The archangel chased the fingers that tapped against his lips, pressing a kiss to them after a moment, glancing down at the playful fledgling.
"Yes, little Eli?"
"No ouchies?"
He shakes his head. "No ouchies. Just a regular look over."
"Then apples?"
The Healer chuckles, taking the first step up to his Infirmary. "Yes, and then you can have your apples."
Both fledglings cheered excitedly, causing the ones around them to turn and look, Oren turns with them at their cheering, smiling in greeting. "There you two are, we've been looking everywhere for you."
"Ori!" They both chime together, reaching out for the Captain of the Virtues, he chuckles softly and reaches out in return. Little Ezekiel pokes him on the nose as his little partner in crime leans back against his arm. "What you doin here, Ori?"
"Who do you think was going to help with your checkups?"
The Virtue carries them over to an empty bed, setting them on their feet, he steps back and crosses his arms. "Alright you two, we're going to do this and do this right, you hear me?"
Both boys giggle, playfully saluting him. "Yes, sir!"
Raphael chuckles at the pair of them, stepping up next to his Captain, crossing his arms loosely. "You take one and I'll take the other?"
He nods. "That sounds like the perfect plan." The Virtue points at the two of them. "Which one do I want?"
They both raise their hands because they're just so cheeky.
"No, no, I can only take one of you."
Little Ezekiel raised his hand higher. "Me!"
"I'll take you!"
"Okay." Despite him saying he was only taking one of the, he clapped his hands to both, and they stood at attention. "Show me your muscles." He raised his arms, flexing in the manner he wished for them to, and they mimicked him.
Raphael chuckled as his Captain leaned forward, giving each little muscle a playful squeeze, a playful mock of surprise crossing his features. "You guys are strong, aren't you?"
"We're tough!"
"Like the Powers!"
"Alright, let's check those reflexes." The Healer stepped up beside the Virtue. "Show me your bellies."
Both fledglings lifted their little maroon tunics and he reached forward swiftly to wiggle his fingers over their little bellies. They giggle brightly, falling back on the bed, tugging their tunics back down again to halt any further attacks.
It worked, if only for the moment.
Oren held up his hand. "Let's check those eyes, how many fingers?"
"Five!"
"A hundred!"
He kneels before Ezekiel. "Did you just say I have one hundred fingers, Zeke?" The fledgling giggles, nodding in affirmation, squealing brightly when he digs his fingers into his belly. "I had five, mister."
The Healer shakes his head in amusement as he stands back up, crossing his arms lightly. "All done."
"Done?"
"No more?"
Both little fledgling hop off the bed, one coming to hug the Virtue around the waist, and the other the Archangel, both looking up at them with the most practiced expression of puppy eyes they've ever laid witness to.
"Apples now?"
"Yes, we can get apples now."
