Who: Michael and Metatron What: An angelic chat When: Thursday Afternoon Where: A street in NYC
Often during his lunch break, Michael would walk the streets of New York. It calmed him down and he was free to think without the business of keeping New York safe in front of him. As he walked, he thought about speaking with Metatron. So much was going on with his brothers and the saints, and Michael simply wanted to speak with someone whom he saw as an authority figure.
As he thought of how to go about finding Metatron, he looked up and saw the angel standing across the street. How it happened, he wasn't exactly sure, but God worked in mysterious ways. He refused to ask why, and instead he stepped across the street and he moved over to the other angel's side. "Metatron," he said softly.
Metatron tended to get lost. Which was to say he got put on a road and never did know where he was going to end up. Apparently today he was meant to be across from Michael and he blinked at the voice.
The conversation with Raphael stuck out but he managed to only smile, "Michael. It seems you rang." He glanced up, "cosmic cookie trails lead me interesting places. But it is very good to see you Sir." Michael was the general and Metatron was the youngest, despite being Voice, and Metatron respected that. "How are you?"
Michael smiled at Metatron, genuinely pleased to see him. "Today I am your cosmic cookie, or is it the other way around?" he asked, amused. Michael liked cookies. "I was hoping to speak with you actually." While Metatron was the youngest, he was the Voice of God. Michael respected that immensely.
He chuckled lightly, "I think it's both. It generally tends to be. I know I've been meaning to come and say hello to you. I figured I'd run into you sooner or later." He nodded and motioned to a bench, "of course. I hear I'm a good listener." He moved to the bench and sat down, "what's on your mind?"
Michael moved to the bench and he sat beside the other angel, letting himself calm by just being in Metatron's presence.
"The situation in New York concerns me," Michael admitted quietly. "I have been here for decades and I have always done my part to help the citizens of God here in this city. I have done so under the radar, as I believe we were sent here like this to blend in. I have been here alone for decades, doing what I believe to be God's will." He was an angel. God's will was all he could do. "And now the Fallen have arrived and I fear what that means for New York. I believe I may have brought them here with my presence."
While Michael spoke, Metatron listened. He was pretty adapt at hearing what was also not said, yet at the end of it he raised a single eyebrow. "Michael with all due respect that's a load of bullshit. I've no doubt that you do good work, that you are meant to be here but thinking like that is a bit...vain." He motioned around them, "this city is different somehow, and don't ask me how I just know it is as little birdies aren't very forthcoming on that, and a very big target for elements like Lucifer. It is possible that both him and his counterpart were here before you, because the city has enough sin for it to draw them both out."
He shrugged, "They are more active now, no doubt, and I'm sure in some way this is Lucifer lashing out at his former brethren out of spite but I very much doubt it's you that brought them here. They won't leave because of their own pride, but say they weren't here before you. Why not go to another city, away from you, if they hadn't been here before and out of your reach?"
"I didn't mean to be vain," Michael said, feeling ashamed. "I simply know Lucifer has a dislike of me that is very personal. It isn't hubris on my part to know Lucifer would like to see me suffer. And he has to know harming people in front of my eyes would cause such a thing." Michael didn't often admit to feeling pain or sadness. Certainly not to Gabriel or Raphael. "You are right, however. It is possible they were here and only now made themselves known. And I apologise for my vanity."
Michael thought in Metatron's words and he heaved a heavy sigh. "The saints worry me as well. It is not my place to intervene, but I worry that they damn themselves by their actions."
Metatron smiled and set a hand on Michael's shoulders. "Oh I have no doubt that if Lucifer could he'd string you up and pluck out your feathers, and no doubt enjoys seeing you wounded when he hurts someone. I only know Lucifer the Fallen, not what he was before." He released Michael's shoulder and waved his hand, "we're all allowed to go 'mirror, mirror' sometimes Michael. You have a right to worry if Lucifer is head of the club of stalking Michael."
He tilted his head, "what actions? People keep mentioning the Saints and I'm constantly wondering what I'm missing there. What are they doing?"
Michael didn't feel it was right to judge who loved whom. He removed himself from that argument completely, but he still had his opinions on what being a saint meant. "Two of them are married and I believe some others are together. I always believed that being a Saint meant giving yourself to others and having nothing for yourself. I worry for them." He wondered if Metatron might know whether or not the saints would suffer for having things for themselves. He wouldn't let anything keep him from them, but he did not want his saints to lose themselves to sin.
He did not want the saints to renounce their faith as Patrick nearly had.
"One of them nearly renounced," Michael said quietly. "He nearly became a pawn of Hell."
He leaned back as Michael explained, just a little surprised. Not that he could blame the Saints. Being loved and loving in return was a wonderful thing. He frowned at the last bit.
"The lot of Saints is to forever doubt and aspire to be better. The fact that one doubted enough to look to Hell for an answer is new but not unexpected. Yet, it didn't happen. This Saint is still amongst us, and his faith rewarded." He shifted, "the way I understand it is that Saints have to be better then most humans. They will undergo trials and have rewards for their faith and share with others what they have learned through their experiences." He smiled then, "but despite that Michael, they are still human. I have no doubt that they do as they've always done, but they do need love. All humans do. Being loved by God is immense and beautiful, but it doesn't compare to having someone o curl up with at night and wake up with in the morning. Someone who is there for you. Always. It is a relief."
He sighed, "and it's the Bible that confuses things Michael. Father never said hide nor hair about people loving each other, and before you bring up Sodom and Gomorrah that was excess and lust. Not love. Love is a beautiful thing Michael, precious and painful and so very worth it. The Saints have seen so much pain. A bit of love won't do them wrong, not the true love that brings clarity and joy. Lust is trickier." He looked at Michael, "you walk amongst humans Michael but you aren't one of them. You can't know what it's like. Not until you love for yourself, but that means getting closer to them. No Angel can truly be human, but we walk here now which means we can try and walk similar roads." He smiled, "do yourself a favor. Fall in love sometimes, even if it ends poorly. You'll get it then."
Metatron's words soothed Michael more than he could possibly say, until the end. Michael could love. He did. He loved his saints and he loved the people eh protected. He loved his brothers.
He couldn't fall in love could he? Surely not.
"You believe I should fall in love? But surely it is not an angel's place to do such a thing?
He raised an eyebrow to that, "says who, exactly?" He let Michael think of that for a moment. "Why can't we fall in love? We don't have rules to stop that, or even discourage that. Part of our beings is love." He shrugged, "as long as we do not father nephilim we are allowed to love."
Michael did think on it, though he wasn't sure he was any closer to an answer by the time he spoke again. "I suppose I spend so much time thinking of everyone else. I forget how it would be to think about myself. I do not have the time to love like they do. Not in that way, though love is the reason I do not have the time. If that makes sense."
He nodded and smiled, "it does make sense. But I still think it might benefit you. Raphael said you wanted to get closer to humans, fit in a bit more. Nothing like romance." He smirked, "but this is my opinion. Not Voice advice."
Michael chuckled and he patted Metatron on the back. "I'll keep that in mind," he said with an easy smile. "Your opinion means a lot to me, brother. I appreciate that you will tell me what you think." He did feel sometimes that others were too afraid to do just that. Though he didn't blame them. He knew he could be standoffish.
"Yes well, that's the downside of me. I can't really keep my mouth shut all the time," He grinned, "no honesty is key Michael. Don't get me wrong you scare me to bits by being all you and you intimidate the crap out of me, but I don't think you'll smite me for being honest."
"Never," Michael assured Metatron. "I'm not really all that in to smiting. I only did as I was told." Then he arched an eyebrow at Metatron. "I intimidate you?"
He gave Michael a surprised look at that, "Michael you are the General of the Army, so yes of course I'm intimidated by you. I'm just a mortal that God loved enough to make Angel, I kept feeling like I was intruding Up There." He smirked, "doesn't stop my bad sense of humor though."
"You were not intruding," Michael said, looking slightly amused. "And I never meant to be intimidating. Only to do my job. It's alright. I have no sense of humour. You are lucky."