Hey! I've been reading and writing fanfiction for a long time, but I never published any of my work. During quarantine I finally got the guts to do it, so I hope you like it! Also, I tend to write lengthy stories, so please bear with me. (Disclaimer: I do not own any of Susan Ee's characters, though I do insert some of my own ocs.)
Anyways, this is the second chapter to the first chapter, and they are both set after the End of Days.
Penryn and Raffe stayed in the cottage until the first whispers of dawn began to creep across the sky. They had spent much of the night exploring one another's bodies, sometimes not even going into the full throws of sex. They simply wanted to touch one another, to taste the sweetness of their skin under their lips, to hold one another in their arms. For so long they had deprived each other of this freedom, and finally they were free to do whatever they desired.
Between the moments with which they explored each other, they told stories of their lives before the Invasion. Raffe told her of the worlds he had traversed, the sights he had seen in his conquests. His stories were always tinged with a hint of sadness, as he remembered all he was now deprived of. But then he would be comforted by the girl in his arms, the one he secretly admitted to himself that he would do anything for.
Penryn told of the unravelling of her family, as these memories were the only thing that dominated her life. Everything else was her escape from the dark chaos of her home. Even her training was all for the eventual actions she would have to take against her mother when she would descend into her madness. Her lack of happy stories was not due to her lack of trying, though. She told Raffe of the first guy she had ever kissed, who after being kissed by a girl for the first time, threw up all over Penryn's lap in excitement.
When he wrinkled his nose in disgust, she laughed in his face.
"Our first kiss wasn't much better." she chided. "Right after, you told me that you didn't even really like me. So you can't judge."
"I was doing it for your own protection." he said, glaring up at her from his spot on her stomach. "I never threw up on you."
"Yeah, well, the rejection hurt just a teeny bit more."
At this, he fell silent. Penryn bit her lip, staring straight up at the ceiling.
"I'm sorry." he said. "I hadn't realized then what I do now."
"And what is that?" she asked quietly.
"That love is more important than duty."
"Hmm." she replied. This was the second time he told her that he loved her, and her heart fluttered at the words. "Is that so?"
"Don't let that get to your head, Penryn." he grumbled.
"Let what get to my head?" she murmured, her heart stuttering though her voice was steady. She idly twirled a lock of his hair around her finger.
"That I love you." he replied, his voice almost inaudible.
Closing her eyes, Penryn smiled at the confession.
"I love you too, bird brain."
He sighed in relief, and that was all that was said for a long time.
Too soon, the time came to leave. Raffe stood over her, buttoning his pants up. The subject of Penryn getting dressed was an entirely different matter. She sat cross legged on the floor, examining her shredded clothes disdainfully and trying to make something work. But Raffe in his haste, had torn them to complete shreds.
"What's the problem?" he asked, sitting beside her.
She glared at him, throwing the remnants of her decimated shirt at him. "That is the problem."
He stretched the scraps of fabric out before him. "I see no problem here." he remarked with an all too innocent tone.
"Oh, don't put up that act with me." Penryn snapped.
"I prefer you just as you are, right now."
"I am not returning back naked."
"I could just drop you off at your window." he offered.
"And flash my sister? I don't think so."
"You know that Paige will be dead asleep."
"You're not being very chivalrous, Raffe." she sighed.
She glanced at him watching her, and bit the corner of her lip. Reaching forward, she gripped his belt with her fingers. He smiled cheekily, leaning forward to kiss her. She grimaced back, and with one quick swoop, unraveled his belt, the leather whipping with a snap against his skin.
Backing away from him, she stood and wrapped one of the sheets tightly around her before belting it securely against her. Below her, Raffe sighed through his nose in disappointment.
"This isn't much of a deterrent." he said, reaching under her sheet dress and squeezing her thigh.
"Stop." she snapped, slapping his hand away. "We really have to go."
"But this is so much more fun." he whined.
She said nothing in return, only making her way around the circle and snuffling the candles, though she sent him a heated glare.
"When will we be able to do this again?" he wondered out loud.
"Never, if you don't get up and fly us back."
"Buzzkill." he grumbled.
"So sue me for not wanting your Watchers to know that we slept together." Already she could hear the jokes, especially from Howler, who would probably make loud moaning sounds whenever he would see her. The thought alone made her grimace in embarrassment.
"Just a few minutes ago, you were calling out my name so loud that the whole world could hear."
Penryn felt her cheeks heat, and she ducked her gaze. "Raffe…"
He looked at her through hooded eyes. It was at once a lazy gaze, but one that was also slowly drinking her up. She could feel the heat of his gaze at it travelled up her body, making her skin tingle with the feel of than anything she wanted to go and kiss him, but the logical part of her battled just as fiercely.
"Let's go." he said finally, rising up from the floor.
He scooped her up in his arms, walking confidently out of the bungalow. With two powerful sweeps of his wings, he had them airborne. Penryn clutched him tighter to her, always slightly scared of falling despite having flown with him many times. Raffe in turn, tucked her head under his chin, his muscular arms clenching her to him protectively. There was no place safer for her than in his arms, no threat able to penetrate through the protective layer of his body.
Soon, they were back. Raffe set her down lightly, though he held her for a moment longer. He touched his forehead to hers, their breaths mingling.
"I'm going to fly a little more." he tells her.
She nods, biting her lip slightly. He kisses her lightly before stepping back and soaring back into the air. Penryn stands watching him for a moment, watching as his form grows smaller in the wide expanse of sky. Without a word, she turns and walks back into the house, trying to not make a single sound.
Some of the Watchers have sprawled out over the living room, Howler taking up the couch and Cyclone resting in an armchair opposite of him. In the middle of the floor lay Little B, blocking her path. Swallowing heavily, she maneuvered her way across the floor, sneaking past the couch as quietly as possible.
"Oh Raffe," a voice moaned. "Oh, oh!"
Penryn spun, glaring down at Howler, who looked to be lost in a heavy slumber. Knowing better, Penryn ripped the pillow out from his head, making it smack loudly against the arm of the couch. She hit him as hard as she could with the pillow. He grabbed it, hiding his face as his body shook with laughter.
Hurriedly, Penryn jumped over the last Watcher and headed up the stairs, shooting one last glare at Howler who was already deep in sleep.
A few hours later, Penryn was on the beach, teaching Paige some fighting techniques. High above them, the angels swooped and wrestled, practising their warrior formations. Penryn flipped and rolled, demonstrating a defensive technique. Paige followed after her, though her form wasn't as tight nor as limber.
"Remember to use your size as an advantage, Paige." Penryn instructed, showing her how to better tuck her limbs in. "You have a lower center of balance than most of your enemies, and your smallness makes it so that you are hard to hit or pin down."
Paige nodded, a determined look on her face. She tried it again, and though it wasn't perfect, it was getting there.
"When is mom coming back?" she asked.
Their mother had decided to part ways with them momentarily. Her fragile mind could not take so many 'demons' around her, so she had left to lead the cult for a while. Penryn and Paige had both asked her to reconsider and stay, but she then backhanded her oldest daughter and ran as fast as she could into the woods. She had come back to check on her daughters though, as she left rotten eggs in the most confusing of places for them to find. Penryn couldn't tell if this was a good thing or bad thing.
"I don't know," she answered honestly.
Paige nodded, though her scarred face twisted in sadness. Pain flitted in Penryn's heart, and she gently stroked her baby sister's hair. The small girl had always had a different relationship with their mother, one that Penryn never had the ability to partake in. So it was harder for Paige whenever their mother left than it was for her older sister.
One of Paige's pet locusts came hovering by, making whimpering sounds. Still uneasy around them, Penryn walked away, leaving Paige to comfort her pet. She walked down the beach, Pooky Bear settled comfortably in her scabbard against Penryn's back. Some of the Watchers flew down, tumbling in exhaustion onto the sand.
"Maggot slayer!" Cyclone called out to Penryn in greeting.
Penryn suppressed the groan that arose in her from the nickname.
"Cyclone." she said.
"I've been meaning to ask you," he began. "Could you introduce me to some new Daughters of Man?"
"Why?" she asked. "You had no problem doing that before."
"Well, the women have obviously changed from when we first roamed the earth. Your customs and mannerisms are unfamiliar to me, which means that my old game won't work any longer."
"Oh, what a shame." she replied dryly.
"Come on Penryn," he groaned. "An angel has needs, needs that I am sure you are familiar with."
Penryn fought the red hot blush that creeped up her neck.
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"Oh, really?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows at her. "Then what was that business of you and the Commander running off in the middle of the night?"
"Nunya, that's what it was."
"What?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Nunya, as in nunya business." she explained.
He looked at her dumbly for a second, trying to figure out what she had just said. The moment that he understood, his face lit up and he laughed, slapping his knee as he guffawed.
"Nunya, like none of your business!" he laughed.
Penryn resisted the urge to smile as Cyclone took in this information eagerly, like a child.
"Now do you see what I mean? I don't have the modern knowledge with which to woo women. I need you to teach me!"
"I think you'll be just fine, you're like a puppy. Women love that."
"So now I am being compared to an animal?!" he asked, outraged.
"Be glad that I didn't compare you to something much worse." she retorted. "A puppy is sweet and cute and energetic, just like you. There's no shame in being compared to one."
"You think I'm cute?" he smirked.
It was at that moment that Raffe flew down and made his presence known.
"Are you hitting on Penryn, Cyclone?" he asked quietly, his arms crossed over his chest, standing protectively in front of her.
Cyclone held his hands up in surrender. "Wouldn't dream of it, Commander."
"That's what I thought."
"Now Penryn, on the other hand, I can not speak for." he said.
"In your dreams." she scoffed.
"And how sweet those dreams must be."
"Cyclone," Raffe practically growled. "Get lost."
Cyclone snapped his feet together, and brought his hand up in a salute. "Yes sir!"
Penryn chuckled as he marched off, his back rigid and his movements stiff. Raffe glared after him, huffing slightly.
"I need to teach him a lesson about respect." he snapped. He looked back at Penryn, his eyes stromy. "Don't hang out with him until I do."
"Why?" she asked, confused.
"I don't want you giving him any more encouragement."
Slowly, Penryn smiled in realization.
"Are you jealous?" she asked quietly.
A muscle worked in his jaw as he shot her a glare.
"I'm an Archangel, I don't get jealous."
"Oh, really?" she teased. "So you won't mind if I go teach Cyclone some more tricks about how to seduce a modern woman?"
She started walking towards the direction where Cyclone had just marched off, only to be stopped by Raffe, who grabbed her arm and pulled her close to him. Smiling triumphantly up at him. He glared down at her, pulling her tighter to him.
"I thought that Archangels don't get jealous?" she asked.
"I'm different" he grumbled, before lowering his head and kissing her.
He quickly broke away though, with the introduction of more Watchers.
"Commander, angel scouts are approaching fast." Howler says gravelly, not even taking time to make fun of the pair.
"Could you see who they were?" he asked, immediately tensing.
Howler shook his head no. "But I'm guessing they're from Michael."
Raffe nods, letting go of Penryn. "Let's go meet them. Penryn, you stay down here."
"I'm not really sure where else I can go." she replied.
He stoops down and kisses her once more, before flying up to meet the scouts. Penryn pulled out her sword, holding it securely in her hand just in case. With her eyes glancing up at the sky frequently, she quickly made her way back to the house, calling Paige to join her. Of course, Paige could do more harm to the angels than they could her. In fact, Penryn was the only one who was really at risk, which angered her beyond words. She was the only vulnerable one out of the whole group, the only one who couldn't really help herself in times of trouble. It was tiring, always having to ask for someone else's help.
She crouched in the doorway, her sword pointed in front of her. Paige huddled behind her, her small hands grasping her big sister's arm.
"What do they want Ryn-ryn?" she asked.
"I don't know sweetheart." she replied. "But Raffe and the Watchers are going to find out."
"Is there going to be another war?"
Penryn's breath hitched in her throat. The worry in Paige's voice hit Penryn right in the heart, and she struggled to keep down her tears. Already the little girl had been through so much, and had been forced to fight for her survival so many times. The world could not stand another attack, civilization would be brought down to their knees and completely wiped out.
So Penryn watched the skies with increasing worry, watched to see if the Watchers would fly into attack. For nearly an hour and a half she waited, her eyes glued to the sky, before the whole flock of them descended on the beach.
"Paige," Penryn said. "Go upstairs and wait for me in the bedroom."
"No." Paige snapped. "I want to protect you."
Penryn looked at her sister in surprise, who in turn glared right back.
"I'm stronger and faster than you." Paige said. "And my teeth are sharp. You just have a sword."
Never before had Paige spoken out like this. Her mouth was set in a firm line, her arms crossed over her chest in a resolute posture.
"Paige-" Penryn started.
"NO, Penryn."
Before Penryn could argue anymore, Little B and another Watcher named Storm, entered the house. Their mouths were set in a grim line, and both of them had a serious look on their face.
"What's going on?" she asked. "What do they want?"
"They want to talk to you Penryn." Little B said.
"Why?"
"It's better if you ask them."
"That's not ominous or mysterious at all." she said.
"You should really listen to what they have to say," Storm says, his grey eyes intensely focused on her. "And don't worry, we'll be there to protect you."
"Okay." she relented
She walked out with the two Watchers and her little sister. Pooky Bear was sheathed, though she was unobstructed and ready for Penryn to lash out at any moment. The rest of the Watchers were down at the beach, some lounging on a fallen tree, and others stood in a crescent shape around the two scouts.
The scouts were identical twins, even more identical than DeeDum. They had light blue wings, and both were lanky and tall, though this did not diminish their muscular stature. Their eyes were quite interesting, with both of their left eyes being a startling shade of green, and their right eyes a deep brown. Being angels, they were of course handsome, but in a more quiet and understated sort of way. Upon seeing Penryn, they both walked to her simultaneously.
"Greetings Penryn Young, Daughter of Man." they said at the same time.
Well, that's creepy. Penryn thought.
"My name is Daniel." the one on the left said. "And this is my brother Micah."
"Hey." she replied lamely, not sure what else to say.
"We have come to you on behalf of Michael, to relay a message and offer you a proposition." Micah said.
"Michael wants to acknowledge your part in the fight at the bridge. He commends you on your superior fighting tactics and victory." Daniel says.
"But I was fighting against your kind." Penryn states.
"And Michael knows that, but he can admit when someone has proven themselves in a battle. And this, you have done, exceeding all expectations." Micah replied.
"Cut to the chase, thing one and thing two." she snapped. "What do you want from me?"
"Michael wants you to join an elite group of humans from across the globe. You have been proven as one of earth's most valuable fighters, and he wants you to join a coalition of like minded leaders." Daniel replied.
"Through our most accomplished physician, you will be given the tools with which to defend your planet, and the people you love." the other twin angel said.
"What kind of tools?" Penryn asked.
"Your body will be enhanced, and you will be given all the abilities of an angel. Even wings if you desire."
Penryn grew silent, her heart pounding wildly in her ears. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, waiting for her to speak.
"Bullshit." she snapped. "You mean to tell me that after invading my planet, after killing millions of people, your kind suddenly wants to make amends?"
"Not amends." Daniel replied. "An insurance policy."
"One that will keep angelkind from becoming too powerful." Micah finishes.
"I've seen what you angels have done to humans." Penryn said, the reminder of it right behind her in the form of her sister. "That's not necessarily something I want."
"Laylah, though a great physician, will not be operating on you. Michael has made sure of that." Daniel assured.
"What a reassurance." Penryn said sarcastically.
"Ninety-five percent of the operation will be non surgical." Micah stated. "You will not have many scars, and you will heal quickly."
"Penryn," Raffe interrupts, bringing her attention to him. "Think about all that you could do with this new power."
Penryn fell silent, her eyes fixated on the twin angels. They in turn, stared back with their ethereal gaze.
"We realize that our words will not solely convince you." Daniel sighed.
"That is why we are offering you to meet with the other individuals who have already undergone this operation." Micah followed.
"Come to Alcatraz tomorrow night, and we will introduce you."
After this, they bow low to me, before swooping off into the air, even their wing movements identical. Penryn watched them disappear, her heart hammering heavily inside her. She turned to Paiige, who looked hopefully up at her.
"What are you going to do?" Raffe asked, and Penryn suddenly noticed that all the Watchers had left the trio alone on the beach.
"I don't know." she said truthfully.