Another installment for our favorite Archangelic charge!

Replacement:

It had come as a shock to him, when Michael had agreed to take on another apprentice, another student, the last being Gadreel himself and they all remembered how that one had ended. In fact it was still a sore spot that they avoided as much as they could.

Secretly Gadreel had hoped beyond hope that it was going to be him.

He'd been training as hard as he could even with the clear limitations in his movements now, he could still out maneuver the best of them. Upon Michael's declaration that he was looking for a new protege to the host, every angel who wanted to be known had shown up to strut their stuff. They all arrived with the utmost respect for the four Archangels and their charge, bowing and boot-licking with the best of them.

Now, though he was present, Gadreel didn't get a say in who it would be that Michael would pick, that was completely up to the archangel himself. Though he did rely on the opinions of his fellow Archangels, it was ultimately his decision.

Michael was anything if not observant; he followed from form to move, throw to pull, swipe to jab to block, his eyes tracking every movement no matter how insignificant.

And he sat in the back, behind them, in a smaller but equally as comfortable chair, chin resting in hand as he grew increasingly irritated that he was prohibited from trying his skill in these tasks. None of the hopeful contestants were good enough in his opinion and he was annoyed that the elder continued to keep him from trying his own hand and allow these hopeful but mistaken wannabes become more then they were.

Gadreel held his tongue though, part out of guilt for thinking such things about the few who had become his friends, and another part out of being smart enough to keep such things to himself.

But then Michael had declared that his decision had been made and all the hopeful, expressive or not, sat on baited breath to hear his word.

Even Father was silent for such a declaration.

It was not everyday that Heaven's Viceroy found someone he wanted to train personally, after all.

"Agad."

A small, wry, thin little angel with a shock of rebelic blue hair paled as his name was called. The flock mates all cheered at the accomplishment and pushed him towards the elevated platform that the thrones sat on. Gadreel sat up straight, the shock just as evident on his face as it was on everyone else.

And his fists clenched as the shy angel stepped up on shaky legs to take Michael's offered hand.

He was much too small, the archangel should not have to bend over so low to grasp his arm like that, and much to thing and wry. He was just above a cupid!

The cheers and applause were interrupted when the Charge stood from his seat at Gabriel's right, his face completely blank, and shouldered through the Viceroy and his knew protege.

"Gadreel."

Lucifer sat up in his throne, eyebrows having met, and eyes taking on a tint of warning. But the younger ignored him, stepping down to the ground below, and the crowd parted as he walked through.

Murmurs were cast among them as they watched him walk off, becoming smaller and smaller with every passing moment.

Gabriel and Raphael exchanged quick looks, this was so unlike their passive kindhearted fold mate.

Michael watched him go with slightly heated eyes, not liking the sudden flare in defiance and this token of appalling attitude, but his smile returned a moment later not wanting to ruin this aspiring warriors moment.

"We shall feast!"

He knew that his leaving wouldn't be the end of it, not in the slightest, but he had sort of hoped that it would take longer for one of them to come for him.

"Okay kiddo, what was that?"

"What was what."

Gabriel raised an eyebrow at the sass, "Okay, for starters, you can drop that attitude right here right now, and second, that little show you put on? You wanna explain that?"

He stood, arms crossed, leaning against the doorway. Ceremonial robes had been exchanged for leisure wear and his sandals left somewhere in the middle of the floor where one of the elders would undoubtedly trip over them.

Gadreel stared at him, and Gabriel gave him that sort of stern glare that told him to 'try it' and he gave a soft huff and turned away from him sourly.

"Shouldn't you be with the new Protege? I heard there was going to be a feast, isn't an all the archangel's presence required."

That settled into the Messengers mind, his eyes narrowing slightly as he thought it through carefully and thoroughly.

"Your jealous. Not just that though, no, you're throwing a temper tantrum."

Gadreel sent a heated glare in the elders direction before turning his back back around to face him.

"Go away."

"Fine. I will, and you, you can stay here, in your room, like the fledgling you seem to think you are, and you can sit here all night and think about that attitude of yours. Perhaps a night without a meal will help you figure out how to curb it."

The door shut behind him and Gadreel screamed, louder then he has in a long time, and stood rapidly, throwing the frame from his bed side table at the door. It didn't open again, and he didn't get a reprimand for it either.

Breathing harshly he fell back onto his soft bed, fists clenched at his sides, and tried to think through the cloud of jealous rage where he was able to have been replaced.

And so easily.

He lay curled in his blankets, the sun having long since set, stomach grumbling softly from hunger, when the door opened softly, a gentle tint flowing over him from the light in the hall. Someone padded across the floor softly and his bed dipped as they sat down.

A warm hand wrapped around his shoulder and gave it a soft light shaking.

"Gaddy, I know your not sleeping," and of course it had to be the one person he didn't want to see, "I thought you might be a bit hungry so I brought you some food from the feast."

That had him sitting up and turning around, Michael was smiling that soft little knowing smile at him as he swiped the plate and wrapped it up protectively balanced in his lap.

"So, you want to talk about anything? Anything you want to get off that chest?"

Gadreel grumbled, turning away slightly with his plate of warm food, a hand snaked out and wrapped around the edge of the plate.

"I had thought we could talk like the responsible angels we are, civil and such, however, if you wish to act like a fledgling I would be more the happy to treat you as one as well. Fledglings who misbehave do not get supper before bed."

"Why?"

"Why, what? Why don't they get supper before bed? Its a te-"

"No! Why did you so readily replace me?"

That threw Michael for a loop, though Gabriel had mentioned to him that Gadreel had exhibited such fears he had not thought that they were true, surely Gadreel must know how special he was to him by now.

In the beat of silence that followed it only stood to solidify his fear more.

"You don't truly believe that, do you?"

Gadreel huffed again and scooped a fork full of potatoes onto his fork.

"Is this why you have been pushing yourself so hard? You think you are going to be replaced?"

The silence to such a question was the only affirmation he needed to know the truth to the issue at hand, and it couldn't be more untrue.

"Where ever did you get this idea stuck in your head?"

"Why else would you be looking for a new student! I am useless to you, I can barely lift a sword high enough for any sort of maneuver other then that of a defensive strike. I can't do anything! I'm an embarrassment!"

Michael pursed his lips and snapped a hand out to snag him by the chin, forcing his head around to peer into those watering eyes.

"That's enough. No more of that talk, do you understand me little brother. You are not being replaced in any sort of way. There is nothing left for me to teach you Gadreel, that is why I did not choose you, you know all of my teachings and you will always be my most cherished student."

Letting go of the chin he reached instead for the empty plate, "As for the rest, you will get there, one day at a time, and you best believe that I will be at your side every step, and then some. You are not going anywhere. I am afraid that we have become quite attached to you and do not see ourselves letting you go so easy."

Gadreel looked up at him with slightly wet eyes, having gotten used to such things being said to him, but even still it was such of a unknown feeling to be told such loving things was something that always rolled his emotions. Though it was becoming so common in his life now it was still something he had to get used to.

"Really?"

"Of course, have we ever given you reason to believe otherwise, would we stay with you after you have those night terrors? Make it our mission to make you smile at least once a day? I am afraid you are stuck with us now little one, stuck with our rules and our coddling and our constant tickle attacks on those little toes of yours and that little spot right about, here."

Gadreel giggled when a single finger wiggled into a spot right above his left hip and he twisted away.

"We adore you, our little moon stone, you won't being going anywhere nor your station changing."

He settled down as the finger withdrew itself from his hip there and Michael brushed a knuckle under his chin.

"However, our love for you aside, your behavior was absolutely appalling and needs to be rectified so it does not happen again."

Gadreel remembered being taken over Raphael's knee after word had spread that he had killed that prophet. And though Kevin Tran had since forgiven him for such a deed it had not stopped him from being punished for it.

"Are you go-"

"No little one, though your behavior did resemble the behavior of a fledglings, your bottom will be spared this time. No I think it more appropriate, that you are here by grounded to your quarters for a year, an early bed time will give you plenty of time to reflect and gain a few extra hours of rest."

Michael smiled softly, "So I would imagine it is best you get yourself ready for bed," he scratched his cheek softly, "Because you new bedtime is quickly approaching."

Happiest:

It was easy to say that Gadreel was only happiest in one sort of moment.

He was only truly happiest when all four Archangels were off duty and it was a day of rest and they would all go to the Garden, they would have a picnic and enjoy their company. Lay out in the sun on soft blankets and tell stories of childhoods gone by laughing and carrying on, some how Gadreel always ended up under the four of them, a squirming, kicking, shrieking mess who was way too ticklish for his own good.

And who apparently had a laugh that was just too adorable for his own good too.

Then they'd all settle down, Lucifer's voice a soft smooth sound in the background, singing gentle enochian lullabies. Gadreel would always end up turned onto his stomach during the one sided tickle torture, and Michael would scratch at his back softly, in slow soothing circles that they knew he liked so much.

Gabriel would sit at his head, running gentle fingers through his hair and Raphael would work his fingers into the knots on his shoulders.

He'd purr and make other unmanly sounds of contentment and they would all end up cuddled together and napping in the afternoon sun like they were a little pack of fledglings all tuckered out from a day of playing.

Those were the moments he liked most.

Sensitive:

The thing about his scars, the archangels were more sensitive to them then he was, Gadreel had grown long since used to seeing them in the mirror whenever he removed his shirt, when he got undressed to bath, or it was plainly a hot day.

He did not mind them anymore, not as much as they did, they were a part of him in his opinion and being so sensitive about them would not change the fact that they were there. He'd learned to grow with them and move on like he should, stronger then ever.

Gadreel didn't mind others seeing them, but what he was sensitive about was when they would point and whisper. He was not some sort of zoo exhibit. He was not an amusement park attraction to point and talk about as if he couldn't hear you.

Michael still went silent at the sight of them, guilty over an action that had happened thousands of years previous.

He didn't often walk around without a shirt on as his older brothers were prone to tickle attacks when he did, but there was certain days when it could be seen.

The sun was shining bright this warm sunny day, it was a lazy day today as well and that was what made this even better today, after having just taken a shower and his hair still dripping slightly Gadreel walked into the atrium calmly and sleepily.

His four older brothers smiled at him brightly and ushered him over with their hands. Gabriel was sleeping, back from a mission on earth that had lasted longer then it should have, head cushioned on Raphael's lap. He dropped down between Michael and Lucifer and they shared a smile as they reached for him.

Gadreel was their light, they made that clear every day.

Michael gave a sad small sigh and reached a finger up to trace over the wave like scars, he giggled lightly at the feeling and twisted slightly, his older brother smiled airily and stopped his tracing a moment later pulling him back into a comfortable lounging position. Lucifer scratches as his shoulders and his upper back.

"You should take a nap too, you've had a very exciting week yourself, I saw you training last week. None stop training is dangerous even for a well seasoned warrior such as yourself."

"We could force you."

"Oh yes, we know very well how to get you to sleep."

He's pulled back between them both, fingers massaging in and made nice and comfortable, "Let's get you all nice and cozy here."

Fingers scratched at his upper back and were working the knots out of his shoulders.

"Get all of those little spots that always make you purr like a little kitten."

He slept for a long time that afternoon and well into the night. Gabriel even woke up at some point and made a comment about him being so 'freaking adorable' and though he had wanted to go off and cause trouble but Raphael refused to let him go to do so and soon he was back to slumbering softly like the fledgling he hadn't been in a very long time.

They talked well into the night, all three petting their respective little ones heads and scratching little circles on their shoulders and backs, Gadreel shifted once and it was only to turn more into his oldest brother's leg as the night was coming in cool and Michael was naturally warm.

A hand pet back his hair softly, "That's it, there you go, you rest up little one."