Chapter Text
The day started like any other. With Roman being late. Logan was looking at the clock in his office from his desk when he'd heard a small crash outside. He made a small sigh before summing the door to open, and gave only the slightest glance to the angel crumpled on the floor outside of it.
"Late again Roman?" Logan gave a little tsk. You'd think after the first thousand years in the same job the guardian angel could have learned to be on time at least once.
"Hey there specks!" Roman gave him a lopsided smile while dusting himself off, and straightening his sash. "Which lucky human is my assignment today?"
"None" Logan said quite short, if not a bit frustrated.
Roman blinked. He must have misheard.
"Haha very funny Logan. I'm serious who's my assignment"
"I'm being serious Roman. You've been late one to many times, and the higher ups are starting to notice"
Roman let out a scoff at that. What did his lateness matter? He was clearly the best guardian angel in Heaven. He had the record to prove it! Why should his time card even matter when he was good at his job.
"We'll see about that!" Roman turned dramatically heading for the door before it slammed shut in front of him.
"Roman please don't cause a scene"
That somehow made Roman more annoyed. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised that Logan would be on Gabriel's side. Everyone always was. What made Gabriel so much better then Roman anyway? His trumpet? Big deal Roman knew how to play Happy Birthday on the harmonica but you didn't see him showing that off.
Logan gave another sigh. Clearly the souring look of the other angel's face told him that Roman wasn't understanding just how serious this all was.
"Roman" The tie wearing angel took a minute to try collecting his words in a way the other could understand "Your work is good. We all see that, but you're just not showing that-"
"That what?" Roman asked rather defensively .
"That you're reliable"
That actually got Roman's attention. He seemed rather caught off guard as he crossed his arms looking down at his golden sandals.
"All because I was late a few times?"
"It hasn't been just a few times Roman, and that's not all that you've done. Yes you've gotten the objectives complete, but you can't take just any means to get them done."
"THEY do it!" Roman was still scowling at the floor.
"Well we aren't them. We're angels, and how we do things matter"
Roman gave in just letting his face fall feeling dejected.
Logan may have been all about authority, but the other always seemed to have ways of softening him just the tiniest bit.
"We'll put you on spotting for a few weeks, and if you can manage to do that without messing up" Logan hesitated "I'll see if I can get you back on guardian duty"
That lit up the brown haired angel with excitement, and well...hope. Something that was equally important. Logan didn't understand it, but he knew Roman was no good at what he did if he felt hopeless.
"Promise?" Roman asked with a twinkle in his eyes. He looked like a small child.
"Promise. Just try to stay out of trouble?" Logan requested earning an eager nod from the other. "Good. I'll send you your station. Remember if you see anything-"
"Report it, and call for back up I know" Roman waved off Logan before practically breaking through the door with his excitement. Pfft. Roman was so easy to please.
A few hours later Roman found himself at the edge of some human town or another just looking for any suspicious activity that might be one of THEM in disguise. Demons. The thought of one made Roman's ethereal skin crawl. The monsters had a way of tempting the humans away from the light, and into the darkness, stealing their souls before the humans had a chance to realize the mistake they'd made. Often what the had gambled their soul for wasn't even worth it. Demons were liars, and cheats. Every last one.
It almost made Roman glad they had angels who's entire purpose was to rid the world of demons. That's what his brother did, and Roman often thought if he hadn't been so good with humans, he himself might have followed the same path. Alas, he was just too kind.
He wandered through the village with his pristine white, and golden cloak to cover his wings. Though most humans didn't recognize the garments of angels, they could always tell Roman was someone important, and would almost always clear the way for him. He'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy it quite a bit, and that it made him beam with pride thinking the humans instinctively knew he was a hero here for them.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, Roman returned to the edge of the village, where there was a large meadow with one singular oak tree.
"I see no reason I shan't be able to watch the village, and rest for a small spell" He said convincing himself that it was a good idea.
With one small leap, and a tiny bit of help from a flap or two of his wings, Roman found himself lounging on a hidden branch in the tree looking out over the village. He watched for awhile as the townsfolk went about their daily business. Buying here. Selling there. Nothing terribly exciting, but Roman watched none the less as the hours ticket by. Until eventually he found himself nodding off into his dreamland.
He woke with a start when he heard voices.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" a gravely voice asked from somewhere below him.
All that came as a response to the question was a muted yes.
Humans. Must be haggling over something. Now to get back to that lovely dream about David.
"Alright then repeat after me. I Riley"
Riley, he assumed repeated what the gravely sounding person had told them to say.
"Pledge one soul to the demon-"
Roman's body reacted before his brain could at hearing the cursed word. Before he knew it Roman had launched himself out of the tree, and landed on top of the demon penning them to the ground with a thud. Who he assumed must have been Riley took off in surprise towards the village. Maybe that'll teach them better then to trade something so valuable to such a low life creature.
"It's not wise to trade souls under the nose of an angel. You're lot never was very clever though" Roman hissed into the ear of the demon he had captured.
"A-Angel?" the voice questioned back much lighter then he had sounded a minute ago....wait!
Roman flipped the body over of his capture only to see it had been the human he caught, and he'd let the demon get a head start.
"For Christ sake! The coward!" Roman gave Riley a quick apology before opening up his cloak to reveal his wings, and speeding off into the night after the demon he had just let escape.
He'd surely have to fix that mess with revealing himself to a human later, but that would all be worth it if he caught his target. He was on the chase now, and that...that could be fun!