Dum vita est, spes est

This is a continuation to As Right as Rain, one of the other MBS prompts from this set.

⌊ As stubborn as a mule ⌉

( That one time in heaven when the unstoppable force met the immovable object. )

⌊ As cute as a button ⌉
Watching with a grin as the pup took off after the stick, a small herd of dirty, laughing children following in its wake, Raphael marveled at life's ability to carry on even in the face of great adversity.

⌊ As quick as a wink ⌉
Two feathers lay together on the table, a silent promise for a quick return.

⌊ As right as rain ⌉
Gabriel stilled in his pacing, head jerking up when the door cracked open. He said nothing, but his expression spoke volumes. Shock, fear and grief screamed loudest, chased by guilt and sadness, while anger and betrayal whispered faintly in the background. Raphael took it all in at a glance, cataloging the emotions as he crossed the room, arms going around his brother to pull him in a warm embrace. Not all of his healing was done on the battlefield or in a sterile operating room. It was here in the aftermath when he was most needed, where felt he truly lived up to his name, his purpose.

When Raphael spoke, his voice was low and warm, projecting peace. "Given time to rest, he will be fine. I promise."

Gabriel's fingers tightened on Raphael's shirt as he closed his eyes, bowing his head to rest on the shorter angel's shoulder. He took one shuddering breath, then another. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

Raphael held his brother closer for a moment, warm hands rubbing soothing circles across his back until he felt the muscles under his fingers finally begin to relax. Long moments passed by in silence before Gabriel finally released his hold on Raphael's shirt. Only then did Raphael step away, holding Gabriel at arm's length. The healer smiled, his grin bright and infectious despite the weariness that was starting to creep up on him. "Do you really think anything could keep him down for long? Near-fatal wounds or no, I give him two days before he starts complaining about being bed-bound. In a week, I will probably be begging you to get him out of my infirmary. Worry not, all will be well."

Gabriel's answering smile was thin, but at least it was a smile. And in amongst the grief and doubts, Raphael saw a new emotion blossoming. Hope. That, a healer could work with.


( author babble )

Half of the latest round of prompts from musebysentence.  One of these is well more than a sentence; any complaints can be filed in my trash bin.

⌊ Summer ⌉
Summer in the desert was a brutal thing, seemingly endless days of scorching heat and blowing sand broken up only by skirmishes with the insurgents who sought to use the barren land as a route for smuggling supplies and equipment.

⌊ Mystery ⌉
He played his part well, acting confounded by the soldier's recovery from what should have been fatal wounds, tossing around the words "mystery" and "miracle" with the other soldiers in his platoon over a late dinner of barely-edible MREs, writing up purely clinical evaluations for his supervisors, but at night he turned his face to the sky and thanked his Father for the gift he had been blessed with.

⌊ Refreshed ⌉
Standing at the edge of the cliff, Raphael looked out at the endless blue sky rather than down at the ground below. A faint breeze blew up along the rocky face, brushing against his skin, beckoning him. Without thinking, he dove into the wind, letting the air rush past him, through him. At the last minute he let his wings snap open, gliding inches above the ground at breakneck speed before pulling up, catching a warm draft, spiraling toward the sun. Wrapped in his element, he reveled in the perfection of the moment, delighting in the cool slide of wind through his feathers, exulting in the brief moment of freedom he had been granted before moving on to his next task.

⌊ Suspicion ⌉
Raphael worked his bruised jaw carefully, idly surprised by the force of the blow, while Uriel slipped into a more defensive stance, open hostility fading into wary distrust.

⌊ Bedroom ⌉
Raising an eyebrow as he surveyed the mismatched collection of pillows and blankets, Raphael's voice resonated with mirth as he spoke, "I asked if you had a bed, but this looks more like a nest."