On a wing and a prayer

[the_baking_vampire]

This isn't the first charge he's ever had as a guardian angel, so it's not exactly as if he's new at his job. He's never broken the rules before or failed in his task. He's always followed strictly to the rules and protected his charges with the utmost care and diligence.

He never thought things would be so much different with John Grimm.

As a boy, he'd lost his parents, and Seere had been tasked to him without any real explanation of why. Sometimes, that's how it goes; an assignment without a reason. It's never bothered him. All he knew was that he needed to protect the boy, and by extension, that usually meant protecting his twin sister, as well, inseparable as they were.

For years, Seere watched him grow, a sad, shy, and reserved child who turned into a handsome young man.

It was difficult when John entered the military. Seere can't fix mental anguish. How does one protect against that sort of thing without keeping a soul from gaining the necessary experiences to benefit from having lived? So, he watches as John struggles through bootcamp, watches as he struggles with the deaths of his friends, with the guilt that comes with it. He wants to help, but there's nothing he can do. He can't protect everyone. Only John.

Seere is wary when John gets selected for the RRTS. It's such a dangerous squad. Protecting him becomes a full-time task, flitting in and out of John's vision, exploiting those fractional blind spots that all humans have to subtly change the trajectory of bullets or nudge him away from a falling object or protect him from an explosion.

During these years, he's grown closer to John. He knows he shouldn't get attached, but John is such a sweet, loyal person, Seere can't help but care for him. He's gentle and protects those around him, gives everything he's got to try to keep his friends safe. He's grown into a man that Seere is proud to watch over, even if it's become dangerous to do so. Angels aren't allowed to love.

Still, his job goes well up until John is in his 26th year -- and he suddenly disappears.

Seere tracks his last signature to the point where it disappeared. It's a portal to Mars. Seere knows this, but he can't go. He can't leave the sphere of influence that Angels have on Earth. He can't travel to Mars with him, can't protect him. For once in his eternal life, Seere is afraid he will fail. He's not afraid of the punishment for it, he's afraid for John.

So, he heads back to Heaven to wait, and never have two days seemed so long for someone with as much patience as he has.

As soon as John's familiar tug reappears on Earth, Seere seeks him out.

He finds him at the hospital, beside the bed of his sister, and he immediately looks the both of them over for injuries. John is perfectly healthy, as far as Seere can tell, but Sam seems as if she has been wounded. Not fatally so, thankfully.

He breathes out a sigh of relief. He is so glad to see his charge is safe.

Comments

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere comes back over to help him stand up, thinking perhaps maybe John has hit his head. "Yes. I am an angel. I have wings."

[beautifulanimal]

"But... you're so..."

Watch him turn beet red as he pulls himself together and then pulls himself back up on his feet.

"And you're sure no one can see you?"

[the_baking_vampire]

"Unless they're like you, they will not be able to see me." He's never had this problem before, of people being able to see him. There's no other records of this happening, so Seere is fairly certain John is an anomaly and that he will be the only person who can unexpectedly see him.

[beautifulanimal]

"I'm pretty sure anyone who would be like me is long dead..."

And there goes the rest of his little bubble of awe and curiosity. They're going to enter the base now, so he's pretty sure he can't talk to him either as he makes his way down to the medical center for his appointment.

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere walks with him, unnoticed. Not even the security systems will pick him up. Not cameras or motion detectors or pressure sensors. Absolutely nothing.

He's glad that John pretends he's not there. A one-sided conversation in a medical center would be... ill-advised.

[beautifulanimal]

Not that it does him much good. Eight hours later, after a full de-brief and every psychological test he can think of, John leaves the base with a stack of papers that all basically say he's NOT fit for fight.

So now he's got nothing to even busy himself with to hide from the pain and the people haunting him, and on top of that, he has to fucking walk home because someone jumped him out here without his bike. Great.

[the_baking_vampire]

He doesn't have to walk home. Seere's waiting for him, even after those eight hours, and as soon as they're clear of the building and out of sight, John's getting whisked back home.

"I'm sorry. It seems like that was a tough day."

[beautifulanimal]

"Youfuckingbastard!!"

He might be- No, he's DEFINITELY still clinging after they land. Still doesn't think moving that fast is something living beings should do. Still trembling like a fucking baby.

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere might have... forgotten about John thinking that's scary, but now that he sees the poor man shaking like a leaf, he enfolds him in a tight hug. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's okay. We've arrived. You're alright."

He feels like a terrible being.

[beautifulanimal]

"I know. I know. I'm fine. Yeah. No problem. That was... interesting."

He's still clinging, though. It might take a second or two before he finds the strength to let go.

[the_baking_vampire]

"I'm sorry." Can you tell it's in his nature to apologize? "Angelflight allows us to circle the globe nearly instantaneously. I could... I could go slower next time?"

He'll cling right back to John for as long as the man needs it.

[beautifulanimal]

"I'm not supposed to be able to even feel the trip, am I? It's because I'm like this?"

[the_baking_vampire]

"Yes. It seems you have better senses than a human, a better perception of time. That's why you can see me and that's why you can feel it when we fly."

[beautifulanimal]

"Lucky me," he rasps out. Finally he manages to let go and squirms out of Seere's arms. The guy seriously needs to stop carrying him around like he's some chick.

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere sets him down and then steps back, letting John have his space. "Do you need anything?"

[beautifulanimal]

A change of underwear, probably.

"No, I'm fine. I'm gonna sleep, I think."

He heads for the bedroom knowing that he probably won't get much sleep, but pulling the covers over his head is literally the only thing that seems somewhat endurable.

[the_baking_vampire]

"Okay." And Seere will renew his vigil from the hallway. It's not as if he needs to eat.

[beautifulanimal]

30 minutes of trying to pretend he can't FEEL Seere in the hallway passes before John pulls down the covers and looks out at him.

"Really? We're staring again?"

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere's just resting his head against the wall with his eyes closed, but he looks at John when the brunet speaks. "Staring? No. Listening."

[beautifulanimal]

"Still. Monitoring. Watching me like a hawk. It's unsettling."

[the_baking_vampire]

"Why is it unsettling?" It doesn't seem that way for Seere. He's done this countless times in the past, keeping watch over John.

[beautifulanimal]

John turns to him and props his head up, and stares at him. And he'll keep staring until he gets his point across.

[the_baking_vampire]

Seere's not at all perturbed by it. He just smiles serenely and goes back to resting his head against the wall.

[beautifulanimal]

"Asshole."

His patience only lasts so long before he gives up and turns to try to sleep again. Or stare at the other wall. It's all the same, really. Better than trying to pretend, at least.

[the_baking_vampire]

"Do you need help sleeping?" The offer stands from the last time he asked. Seere doesn't like watching John struggle to get rest.