Chapter Text
Krioni ran a hand over his head, fingers tangling in his hair as he watched Triskal unsteadily make his way back. He turned to the other two angels; Tal had his arms crossed and lips pursed, while Scion shook his head.
“Ye ken, he already felt th’ regiment treats him loch our wee bairn,” he admonished gently.
Tal let out a huff of amusement. “It would help if he didn’t act like one.”
Krioni felt a flicker of irritation. “He’s been through a lot. It should be expected that he might lash out as he’s processing it.”
The captain held up a hand. “I know, Krioni. I didn’t mean to be glib. He just has a tendency to chafe when he’s reminded to take care of himself, or when he thinks he’s being coddled by the others. And his present circumstances are not helping.”
Scion snorted. “Ye kin say that. Afore ye came, I asked if he should be oot o’ bed ’n he was quite crabbit wi’ me.”
Krioni sighed, a smile tugging at his mouth. “Well, I’ll keep that in mind as I check on our crabby comrade.”
***
“I think it should be just another day until you’ll be able to walk unsupported, and the day after that you could be in the air again,” Krioni commented, putting away the dressings. Triskal’s wounds no longer required bandaging, having stitched themselves together in days thanks to the angel’s own healing power.
Days, however, that felt like eons to an angel in the midst of a war, who rarely received wounds that left them out of commission for more than a few hours. Usually, an angel that received that much damage in a battle didn’t make it out alive.
Krioni grimaced, wondering again why Triskal had been allowed to live. Tal seemed to think it was a message to him from Rafar. He hated to think of Triskal being used as a mere pawn in this fight between the two archenemies, but Rafar did hold a grudge against Tal for beating him some millennia ago and was hellbent on a quest of personal vengeance. Tal, he thought, tried not to let his feelings influence his tactics, but Krioni knew from his earlier experience with Morbash that it was difficult not to rise to the bait.
He was brought back to the present by a small breeze ruffling his hair and tunic as Triskal slowly moved his wings up and down.
“How does it feel?”
“Sore. It hurts more on the upstroke, but I think it would take a harder wingbeat to cause real damage,” Triskal assessed.
“Good. Can you try folding them?”
Krioni watched attentively as Triskal eased his wings up, folding them against his back. Triskal’s blond head tilted in thought. “I haven’t used those muscles in some time. It feels… strange. But satisfying.”
Krioni smiled. “I think it would help for you to try moving them every hour, just like you’ve been doing now. I don’t want you spraining anything.” He paused. “If you want, I can, um, help. With the muscles.”
Triskal inclined his head back to look at Krioni curiously. “What do you mean?”
Why did he suddenly feel uncomfortable? He just wanted to help his friend. Right. He swallowed. “Um, I can just… show you. May I touch you?”
Triskal faced forward again and nodded. “Of course.”
Krioni reached out to lightly touch where Triskal’s left wing met his shoulder. “Let me know if it hurts,” he said, and watched for Triskal’s quick nod before pressing his thumbs in, kneading the area as he slowly increased pressure. He felt Triskal loosen underneath him, sagging forward.
“That feels… good,” Triskal breathed.
“Good,” Krioni echoed softly.
He worked slowly, carefully, as he massaged Triskal’s back and shoulders, and then the wing joints. He could feel Triskal grow more and more relaxed underneath his fingers, and as the blond head began to nod he stopped to help the other angel lie down.
Triskal opened one eye sleepily and smiled at him. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Krioni smiled back and absently tucked a lock of golden hair behind Triskal’s ear. “Anytime,” he murmured back, and meant it.
***
Krioni wanted to stay with Triskal forever, but he had other duties. Guilo wanted to check out the meeting of a campus group they suspected was under demonic influence, and requested that Krioni go with him to provide any context about the college and students as needed.
They dropped into the study room where the group was meeting. Several smaller demons were there, hissing and shrinking back as the angels entered, but they seemed to be the usual, run-of-the-mill demons one would find hanging around a campus. Gluttony, Lust, Cheating… none of Rafar’s stronger forces. Krioni and Guilo shrugged at each other, and decided they might as well make quick work of the vermin anyway.
“You know,” Guilo remarked casually as they cleaned up, “I’ve fought beside Triskal for several centuries. He’s always had a special place in my heart.”
Krioni couldn’t suppress the jolt that ran through him, and he knew Guilo noticed. “Why are we talking about Triskal?” He asked cautiously. “Is this about what happened yesterday?”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Krioni’s face flushed and he averted his gaze. “I’m very sorry I disobeyed your orders, and then you had to save me on top of that. I swear it won’t—”
He cut himself off abruptly when he felt Guilo’s hand on his shoulder.
Guilo’s face was serious. “You’ve already apologized for that, and I know that you’ve learned from it. I wanted to talk about why that demon was able to get to you.”
“Triskal is my friend. And I couldn’t stand by if anyone said those things about him, much less a demon.”
“So you would have reacted the same way if it was been me he was talking about? Assuming I count as a friend, too.” Guilo didn’t sound judgmental, only curious.
Krioni frowned. “Of course you’re my friend.” He paused. “I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Guilo.”
“Ever since I met you, I’ve observed that you’re a fierce defender of those under your protection, those you’re close to. I don’t think either of us could really say what would have happened if the situation had been different. But I do know that in ten days you’ve become closer to Triskal than any of us who have served in the regiment with him for centuries.”
Krioni could feel his heart beating in his throat. “I… I was just the one who happened to be there when he needed help.”
The other angel shook his head. “You’d already gotten close before Triskal’s ordeal. And you didn’t need to continue being his caretaker when you returned to the headquarters, but you did.”
Guilo paused, tongue darting out to lick his lips, and then nodded as if he’d come to a decision. “I first met Tal long ago, before this regiment was formed.” Krioni blinked, confused at the abrupt change in topic. A slow, fond smile crept onto Guilo’s face as he spoke. “He was in many ways the same as he is now. Brash, stubborn, a brilliant tactician… We butted heads all the time, if you can imagine. And then he became the leader of his own regiment and requested me, of all people, as his second-in-command.
“I was shocked, to be honest. I didn’t think he thought that highly of me. When I confronted him about it, he told me that he felt that I made him a better warrior—and a better person, even, by holding him accountable to his words and deeds. He appreciated it, and never had viewed me as an enemy or rival at all. I felt so embarrassed, but also… touched.” He smiled softly at that.
Krioni tilted his head, understanding dawning. “You love him,” he said simply.
Guilo nodded. “I wanted to talk to you about this because I can understand how you might be feeling. If it had been Tal…” he shook his head. “I could lose myself in my need for revenge.” He leveled a piercing gaze at Krioni. “But that’s the last thing Tal would want from me. And if I know Triskal, that’s not what he would want either. But I think you should ask him for yourself. You both may learn a lot if you do.”
Krioni nodded. “Thanks, Guilo. I will.”