He’d left the… Soul? Ghost? Astral being? Well, whatever it was, he had left it with Aunt Ro. He couldn’t think at home, with all that misery and doom everywhere. You got used to it after awhile, but it was still disconcerting, and it made Cass listless and weary.
He knew he needed to think, so he’d come to the shop. His mood had improved as soon as he’d left the house, but a few hours later and he was no closer to understanding any of it, which was troubling. Cass was not used to being unsure or confused. He usually saw things quite clearly, but this wasbeyond his knowledge. Aunt Ro had no ideas either, saying she had never seen such a thing before.
Afterlifers had five options. Well, most did, anyway. The underworld, or hell, wasn’t usually an option—it was more of a mandate. Still, he knew there were some tricks to getting around it for those who were borderline hell-bound. Obviously they weren’t going upstairs, or to heaven, which was an option for many souls.
There was Limbo, where quite a few souls took up residence while they made their final decision on afterlife placement. Limbo wasn’t meant to be a permanent residence, but he knew some souls treated it that way.
Then there were the two other paths for afterlifers—reincarnation and ghosthood. This was where, sometimes, a borderline hell-bound soul could skirt the system and choose one of those options. Reincarnation was of course a more permanent decision, and Cass hoped those souls changed their ways enough to not get sent to the underworld.
Ghosthood, however, like Limbo, was meant to be temporary. It was a way for souls to work through trauma or unfinished business, or even just to keep an eye on loved ones until they too passed on. Cass had dealt with a hell-bound ghost once in his lifetime, and it was one time too many. It had been extremely unpleasant, and he’d eventually sent the soul on against its will. If it had been borderline hell-bound before ghosthood, it definitely deserved it after a few years as a ghost. The man had been petty, vengeful, and cruel, and he’d used his ghosthood to continue those traits.
The point was, however, that afterliferschoseto be ghosts, and they were capable of making that decision. The soul in his house was barely even a complete being, and he had no idea how that could happen. It was also dark, which is why he kept thinking of the underworld, even if he kept seeing glimpses oflight amongst the darkness. But there was no way for a soul to choose ghosthood from hell. It simply wasn’t possible. Those in the underworld stayed in the underworld.
So what could fragment and injure a ghost so thoroughly? Cass had no idea. It defied everything he knew about the universe, and Cass knew quite a bit thanks to his abilities and the teachings of those who came before him.
His rambling thoughts were interrupted by the bell on the door, and he looked up to see the gray angel—Kushiel, the angel had said—walk into the shop.
Well, finally.
Cass stood up and waited. He didn’t want to muck this up a second time.
“Uh, hello. Cass?” Kushiel asked nervously.
“Yup,” Cass replied, smiling. His smile slipped, though, when he thought about things. Could this angel have something to do with the damaged soul? Could he be responsible for its state of incompleteness?
If so, Cass didn’t think he could help the angel, no matter what the messenger of god had told him. Anything that could hurt a being like that… Cass couldn’t abide cruelty.
But then he looked again, and gray or not, the angel shined inside, bright as ever, those gold tendrils swirling inside him around a core of such light that Cass had to look away for a moment.
Kushiel faltered in his walk to the counter, and Cass realized he had been scowling. Shit. The two of them just seemed destined for awkward meetings, because now the angel seemed frozen in indecision.
“Can I help you with something?” Cass asked, softening his face.
“Umm… perhaps?” Kushiel replied unsurely.
He looked kind of like a kicked puppy, and Cass sighed. This was partly his fault, he knew it, and he felt like an ass. Not that his little human scowl should be enough to make any angel or demon nervous, especially if they were unaware of his gifts, but he had clearly made Kushiel feel very unsure of himself.
Cass knew he was super powerful, but he also knew he looked young and “cute” with his shorter stature, his messy hair, and his freckles. He liked being underestimated. It made it easier for people to talk to him, and in his line of business (both at the coffee shop and in his other role), he needed to be approachable.
He came out from behind the counter and noticed that Kushiel tucked his wings in closely, almost defensively, as Cass walked by him to the door. He turned the lock and flipped the sign to closed, then turned around, unsure how to proceed with a skittish angel.
He motioned to a table off to the side, and Kushiel went and sat, and Cass followed, being sure to give him space since he was obviously somewhat leery of Cass.
They sat for a moment before Kushiel said, “You called me angel.”
Cass couldn’t help smiling. “I did. I didn’t realize until my shop manager came out how it all sounded a bit like a pick up line. But that isn’t what I meant. I do know what you are.”
Kushiel looked up at him then, almost like he expected Cass to say something. He waited another moment, then he asked, “You are not surprised by my appearance?”
Ah, he must have gone full angel on Cass. Oops. Cass didn’t like to let afterlifers know he saw them in their true forms, so he just shrugged in response, replying, “I’ve seen lots of angels and demons, so no, you don’t surprise me.”
Kushiel looked surprised again, and a little bit of the kicked puppy look left his face. Cass did remember then that he was a gray angel, which he had never seen before. Perhaps Kushiel wasused to a more extreme reaction for that. Angels were a bit of a stuffy bunch, and he couldn’t imagine being the odd man out with that crew.
“You are, I think, someone who is supposed to help me. Or perhaps you will know someone who can help me,” Kushiel said unsurely.
Cass looked at him. How much to share? He was used to hiding his abilities, not putting them out there. Still, this angel was so hesitant that they’d never get anywhere if they danced around each other.
“Gabriel showed up about a week ago and told me I’d help a gray angel with something. He didn’t specify what, exactly, so yes, I’m apparently the one to help you, although I have no idea what exactly I’m helping you with. You know how Gabriel can be, I’m sure,” Cass said, rolling his eyes with the last statement.
