This is just some holiday fun, as I put off working other things. Thanks to Haru, as always, for doing the instantaneous beta-chat thing. And Happy Holidays to the Tenshi Gakuen ML! And thanks to Haru for drawing a fantabulous picture to go along with this, here.
Exhibit A was the Metatron, whose mouth was set in a delicate pout as he walked in. He sat down and gracefully swung his legs up on to the conference table, which made Gabriel's jaw clench, and made everybody else suck in a collective breath.
The high-heeled Mary Janes were positively sedate in comparison to the rest of the Metatron's shoe collection. He had entire rooms devoted to footwear in the Palace, which made for some really stunning variety. Raphael was also pretty sure that it wasn't the garters peeking out from the miniskirt that were responsible for Gabriel's furious expression. After all, robes had long been in fashion, and besides that, the Metatron had spent the entirety of the eleventh and twelfth centuries in drag. Something about floopy sleeves, if Raphael remembered correctly.
No, it was probably the fact that the miniskirt was red velvet, trimmed with white, the top was matching and midriff-baring, and the Santa hat was perched artfully over ringlets. The Metatron narrowed his eyes at Gabriel's look of displeasure, and the gauntlet was thrown.
Although, it probably was Gabriel's fault in the first place for going on and on and on at the last meeting about returning some sort of moral value to Christmas and other holidays. The Metatron, naturally, had firmly been on the side of parties and celebration, capitalist or not. Gabriel had called him an irresponsible hedonist, and a great many other things as well, and Koe-kun had finally stomped out in a huff.
"That is so wrong, I don't even know where to begin," Gabriel said finally, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Well," Uriel said helpfully, "the good thing about garter belts is the easy access. Wouldn't you agree, Mikael?"
Mikael had obviously spent too much time around Uriel – he was becoming so desensitized, he didn't even bother to blush. "I wouldn't know, since I've never worn such a thing," he said coolly. His Sandalphon impression was entirely too apt.
"I was talking about Raphael," Uriel said slyly.
I look good in white, Raphael thought to Mikael.
We're in a meeting, Mikael snapped.
Gabriel cleared his throat. "As I was saying – " a pointed look at the Metatron " –with Christmas approaching, you will all be expected to put in overtime. With the seasonal increase in prayers, there is a very high potential for falling behind, and that will not happen." Gabriel's tone suggested that if it did, he would dismember first and ask questions later, which was really entirely too reminiscent of Azrael for Raphael's taste.
"I have a request," Ardouisur said from the opposite end of the table.
"Yes?" Gabriel said, looking faintly surprised. Ari rarely spoke up at meetings.
"Could you assign some students to the Gardens for the next few weeks? It would be much more convenient for me," she said.
Gabriel blinked. "Convenient for what?"
Ari just looked at him, and ensuing snickers brought back the stick-up-his-ass look to Gabriel's face.
"Right," Gabriel said primly. "I'll assign you four young men, if that will suffice."
"A short refractory period would be best," the Metatron said.
Gabriel scowled at him. "And how would I know if they had one or not?"
Uriel raised his hand.
"Have you been sleeping with students again?" Gabriel demanded.
"No," Uriel lied. Raphael had heard interesting noises coming from his office last week.
"I think we should have a party of our own," the Metatron said. "It's been years since the last one, Gabby."
"That's because at the last one, you cornered me under the mistletoe," Gabriel said icily.
"That was so not my fault! I was drunk, and the Most Holy took possession of my body!"
"A likely story," Gabriel sniffed.
"Okay, everybody else who doesn't have bizarre chastity issues, are we up for a party?" the Metatron asked.
"I'll bake," Suriel volunteered.
"I'll mix drinks," Azrael said.
"Like hell," Uriel muttered. "That shit will kill me. Again."
"Raphael-sama and I will decorate," Mikael said.
Oooh, volunteered by the missus, Uriel teased.
Bite me hard, Raphael sent back cheerfully.
"I think we need costumes," the Metatron said, making a minute adjustment to his hat.
"It's Christmas, not Halloween," Ari objected.
"How about a fancy dress?" the Metatron wheedled. "C'mon, Ari honey, don’t you deserve a new dress? I bet that girl of yours would like it."
Raphael and the others were treated to one of the few times in memory when Ardouisur actually blushed. It was rather becoming.
"Well, maybe," she said.
"Excellent! A proper party, with food and drinks and fancy clothes!" the Metatron said, nearly clapping his hands with delight.
Gabriel had a look of abject horror on his face, as though he could not quite comprehend how control of the situation had gotten away from him so quickly. "We're not having a party."
"Oh really?" the Metatron cooed. "Want to have me call a certain Someone, just to be sure?"
Gabriel blanched.
Point, set, and match. "Party at my place next Friday!" the Metatron said.
"Meeting dismissed," Gabriel said weakly.
On their way out, Mikael suddenly thought at him, White, hmm?
I might actually already have one. And matching stockings, Raphael said, trying to recall where he might have stashed them.
Mikael's look of interest was a little surprising, but nonetheless delightful.
"Hey, Raphael, got a minute?" Uriel called.
"Sorry, no, off to have mildly kinky sex," Raphael said, steering Mikael toward their house.
"Yeah, okay," Uriel said. Someone tapped him on the back, and he turned around.
The Metatron smiled at him. "How about I sit on your lap, and you tell me what you want for Christmas?"
"It's a long list," Uriel said, inching a hand up the hem of the red skirt.
"Oh, do tell," the Metatron purred.