the safe house was an unassuming little cottage tucked away in the middle of nowhere, girdled by an endless copse of trees.

the hushed, covert retreat seemed to be little more than a cage for you—this was certainly reinforced by the presence of your personal guardian angel. who, at the moment, was scowling at you from the doorway as though you’d just done something entirely catastrophic.

rhydian black, archangel and your god-appointed babysitter, stood with his arms crossed over his chest—apprehensively watching your valiant efforts to coax a stray feline into the house.

“you’re going to lure it inside with food?” he inquired for the umpteenth time, as though it was undeniably the most ludicrous thing he’d ever heard. he flexed his unbelievably large wings in a motion that almost seemed uneasy; the twilight feathers rustled irascibly with each trepidatious flutter.

“you are so unbelievably foolish,” a comely hand lifted to his curl covered head; he grasped his dismal halo and adjusted its placement. “you are trying to lure vermin into a safe house—our safe house—where no one is supposed to find us.” rhydian’s disapproval was tangible.

“tell me, how do you plan to explain in the afterlife if that cat is actually a terrible demon in disguise and decides to rip out your throat while i am in the other room?” with great effort, he folded his wings; a bid to gather his composure.

he then exhaled audibly with exasperation, swiping a hand over his face; his expression was pinched with agitation.

before you could launch yourself out the window to commit the heinous act of catnapping, rhydian grasped your shoulders with gloved fingers and steered you away from the windowsill. “do not be so certain it won’t bite you,” he chastised lowly, pressing his leather-clad thumbs into the slope of your neck. “the way things have been going lately, i wouldn’t be surprised if it did.”