Chapter 9: An Unsung Dream
All that night, Lapis couldn't get the memories of the romantic day she had out of her head. In her sleep, the butterflies in her belly had fluttered their way into her dreams. The young angel often envisioned dreamy scenes of her and Peridot cuddling, kissing, and dancing with each other.
The following morning, Lapis had a quick daily dose of Holy Nectar and flew back down to Earth at breakneck speed. There, she found her beloved Peridot and the two of them reunited with a brief but passionate kiss. And then, they went hunkered under their secret weeping willow to chat about their lives.
"Let's each share a secret about ourselves." Lapis suggested as she lay across the demon's chest.
"Alright, you go first." Peridot said.
"Well, I get nervous when I'm in big crowds of angels." the young angel confessed. "I especially don't like being the center of attention for those big crowds."
"Why wouldn't you like anybody looking at you?" the demon wondered aloud. "You're so beautiful."
"It's just that having so many angels staring at me makes feel so uncomfortable." she explained. "I feel like they want to spend eternity watching me because I look like some frail porcelain doll."
"I can't say that I blame them." Peridot chuckled as he petted his beloved's head.
"Alright, now it's your turn." Lapis giggled. "What's your secret?"
"Okay, I've never told anybody else this but, I always wanted to go to Heaven." the green demon admitted.
"You do?" the young angel said. "But why? I thought demons hated Heaven."
"You can only handle living down in a subterranean realm for so long." Peridot replied, rolling his eyes. "Give me plush clouds over rivers of lava any day."
"Do you ever wish that you were an angel instead of a demon?" the young arrival asked.
"Sometimes." the green demon answered. "Unfortunately, it's not up to me which being I end up as. But, I can make it so that I look like an angel to all who see me. That way, I'll at least be able to get through Heaven's barrier and visit you."
"How?" asked Lapis.
"With this." Peridot reached behind him and revealed a pendant in the shape of a roaring fire that hung from a black chain. "This is the Amulet of Trickery. It's one of the Seven Sinful Artifacts of Tartarus."
"What does it do?" the young angel wondered.
"Whoever wears the amulet can disguise themselves as anyone of their choice." the demon explained to her. "It'll let me shapeshift into an angel. And then, the barrier won't be able to keep me out of Heaven anymore."
"Where in the three realms did you get that?" she inquired.
"I, uh, stole it from a secured fortress in Tartarus." Peridot answered sheepishly, noticing that Lapis was not very fond of him for doing that. "But now, I'll get to come see you in your home realm."
"Everybody else might be able to see you an angel, but I'll still see you for what you really are." the blue haired angel told him.
"Yeah, the guise can't really deceive those who are pure of heart enough see the wearer on the inside." the demon nodded.
"I still can't believe that you can come to Heaven to see me now." Lapis smiled, hugging her demon.
Peridot wrapped his arms around his precious angel as well and said, "I'm excited too, but for now; let's savor this time we have here. Would you like me to give you a massage?"
Lapis felt a little unsure at first, considering how sharp the demon's claws looked. She feared he might accidentally scratch her.
"I promise I'll be gentle." he assured her.
"Okay." the angel finally said.
Peridot started rubbing the back of her neck and worked his way down to her shoulders and lower back. Lapis was surprised by how well the demon's fingers worked into her skin. It was like there was magic coursing through his hands that put the young angel under a relaxing spell. She let out steady moans of pleasure. And when Peridot's left hand started massaging the space of skin between her wings, Lapis fell completely into a sleepy submission; willing to do anything her beloved asked.
The green demon noticed that his soul mate was starting to nod off so he asked, "Do you want to lie down? You seem kind of drowsy."
"Yes." the angel droned in her comatose trance.
Then, Peridot gently lay Lapis down on the carpet of grass that willow's branches crowned over. The green demon lightly kissed the slumbering angel on the lips and joined her where she was resting.
"I love you." he whispered as he hugged her tenderly. "I will always protect you from anything cruel in this world."
The green demon continued to watch his dearest sleep for a while. But then, he closed his own his; taking comfort in knowing that Lapis was safe in his embrace.
A few hours went by and Peridot opened his eyes to see that the sun was going down. He gazed upon Lapis who was still fast asleep.
"Lapis, time to wake up." he said, giving her a gentle shake. "You need to get home."
The young angel shifted, but didn't awaken from her drowse. She must've been deeper under from that massage than Peridot thought. Luckily, he had what he needed to solve this predicament.
Back in Heaven, Rose was a worried state because Lapis had not come home and it was starting to get dark out. The motherly angel was about to consider conducting a search party when she heard a knock at the door. She opened it to find her young charge all curled up and sound asleep at the caretaker's feet. A little note was lying right beside her. Rose unfolded it and read it out loud.
Lapis was too tired to fly back to Heaven on her own. So, I delivered her home; safe and sound.
- Signed, a very good friend
The angel caretaker looked around, but there was no one in sight for her to thank. Regardless, she picked up the sleeping Lapis and carried her off to bed.
Meanwhile, Peridot who was disguised as an angel watched from afar. Maybe one day he would have the courage to approach the real angels while he was masquerading as one. But for now, he settled for his beautiful angel to be safe and cozy in her home.