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While many of the denizens of Heaven had their own experiences from the mortal world, having experienced a life before ascending to their new eternal home, Emily was not amongst that population. She was Heaven-born, moreso created, in her case, and only ever knew a life behind the pearly gates. Given her curious nature, she adored hearing of the stories Winners wanted to share. Some were to keep the memories of other loved ones - usually those who ended up not passing divine judgment - alive, some to tease those who passed with them or eventually joined them, others to feel a sense of nostalgia, etc. etc. Either way, Emily liked hearing those stories.
Emily especially liked hearing how each human celebrated their own beliefs and religions, and how they would share appreciation to the Almighty himself. All their traditions and customs warmed her heart to hear the faith the Winners had when they were humans. Some were definitely interesting, and while she wasn’t sure what exactly allowed a soul to pass divine judgment, she was sure some of those beliefs weren’t part of that…but to each their own, she assumed!
The utmost precious thing the mortals did was create songs and music to praise the Heavens (some even to the angels, which made her feel so special!). Certainly, it wasn’t the only thing that allowed a soul to get their name on Heaven’s roster, but, adorable nonetheless. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Amazing Grace…all of those songs were just so cute! She already loved music, and singing was an ability she was gifted with during her creation. Angels were known for singing, too, apparently, according to some of the other stories they were told.
One of her favorite songs they created was The Little Drummer Boy. If Sera was around, the younger seraph would never admit why. If anyone was around, she’d be much too shy to admit it! Which was rare, considering Heaven’s joy bringer could be extroverted even on her worse days - also, which barely existed. Heaven wasn’t known for its bad days. Either way, the reasoning was enough to make a golden tint heat up her freckled cheeks. It made her heart race, her thoughts run a liiiittle too wild, and just so…weird! Even when she listened to that stupid song!
The younger seraph considered herself to be just…weird, because who the heck gets all shy and flustered over a holiday carol? It couldn’t have been a crush, no, that did not exist for a highly ranked angel such as herself. The nuances, trials and tribulations of romantic love were foreign to Emily. A high ranked angel should not engage in sexual or romantic relationships, it was forbidden! At least, according to Sera, it was. Emily wasn’t sure whether or not it was just her sister’s overbearing nature or a real rule.
“Emily~!”
The voice had interrupted Emily from her thoughts and actions. She had been tending (playing, but tending sounded more important) to some of the animals in one of the gardens not far from Heaven’s castle where only the high-ranked angels lived but all were welcomed. The white bird that had been in her hand stayed relaxed in her hold.
“Abel! Gosh, you could’ve scared the dove away,” The younger seraph teased before a giggle escaping her lips. The dove was slightly bigger than average.
Abel landed beside her, his golden wings relaxed on his sides similar to how his father relaxed his. He had his usual smile on his face, his blonde hair slightly messy as he joined Emily on the grass that was neither itchy nor left stains on his marching-band like uniform.
The first man’s son was a lot of things. He hated conflict, was so gentle and kind, so talented in music, specifically his drums and singing…there was a lot to describe him! He was almost the complete opposite from his father, which was a good thing. Adam thought being named the ‘biggest dick in Heaven’ was an honor, while everyone else understood the true meaning of that sentiment. Abel would never win such a title. He was like gold and sunshine, in looks and personality.
“Right, sorry, but I didn’t. Neither dove here got scared away, did they?” Abel asked, once more snapping Emily out of her thoughts.
Ugh, why was it harder for her than it was to focus on any of Sera’s boring lectures?!
“There’s only one dove, Abel,” Emily stated as a matter of factly. She released the white bird out of her hold, letting it fly away into the distance. She watched it until it got much too small for her to see, an excuse to not make eye contact, even though she really wanted to.
Angels were perspective by nature, some more than others. Emily was definitely more intuitive, given her gift to spread joy. She hoped, however, that Abel was as perspective as she was at the moment - not a lot, considering she somehow didn’t even sense him coming along. Otherwise, he’d be able to tell how she was getting that same warm, yet somewhat anxiety-inducing feeling again.
Abel let out a laugh, “Now, there’s only one.”
Oh…oh! It finally clicked to the seraphim.
“Abeeellll, I’m not a dove, silly,” Emily said, scooting slightly closer to him without realizing it.
Abel couldn’t help but hover his hand above hers, something he often did without knowing why, before opting to settle both his hands on his lap. “I know, I know. I’m just teasing you. But, you have such fluffy white wings, it’s hard to not mistake you for one.”
Emily rolled her eyes playfully, “Doves are tiny, and super cute! And have beaks, and-”
“Em, calm down! I’m just teasing you again,” Abel assured her with another laugh. Oh, for someone who would be so insistent that she was nothing like her big sister, she could take things so seriously.
If only she knew how difficult it was for him to have pointed out one word she described doves as that he saw her as too.
“Oh…right, I knew that!” An awkward giggle escaped from Emily again, feeling slightly embarrassed that she didn’t recognize that. Oh, was her mind never straight when she was around him.
“Uh-huh. Anyways, Dad’s in a meeting with your sister. I figured that meant you weren’t exactly busy, and I’m not busy, so I came to bother you,” Abel mused. It was an incomplete reason for why he actively sought her out. He liked finding ways to spend time with her.
Emily cocked her head to the side, “A meeting?”
“About whatever happens each year, or something,” Another incomplete reason, but he knew that if she found out the full answer, she’d be heartbroken. He’d never let tears spill from her eyes at his doing. That’d be wrong, she was the angel of joy! The topic needed to change, and fast. Abel knew of her curious nature, he liked that about her, too. “Are you ready for it to snow again soon?
The weather in Heaven always worked so strangely. There were seasons, but nothing was unbearable. No blistering hot summers, no shovelling of snow - everyone assumed it was for aesthetic purposes only, or for a sense of normalcy for the Winners.
“Mhm! I love the snow. It’s pretty. Probably my favorite thing about the season," Emily said.
Suddenly the snow became Abel's favorite thing about the wintery season too.
If only she knew how yet again Abel struggled to reel in his thoughts of what else was pretty.
The seraph then perked up slightly, that curious look on her face again, gosh, did Abel think it was so cute. “Did it ever snow when you were alive?” She asked.
Abel tensed slightly but tried to not let it show, “Ummm…not, that I remember at least. Which is good, I don’t think the sheep would have liked that.”
“You would have to give them little sweaters. But, I remember you told me you could make sweaters with their wool, so would they have been like, double-wooled?”
“...” Abel seemed to consider the thought before starting to laugh, which in turn made her laugh, “Maybe, maybe they would be, Em.”
She was always so creative with her silly ideas.
Abel felt a strange, warm feeling inside him as he sat besides her in comfortable silence. For some reason, whenever he was with Emily, his own mind went wild, his heart would race, and his own cheeks would hold a golden tint when he would just look at her. He wanted to always spend time with her if he could, visit her quarters, and how desperately he wanted to hold her!
He preferred to not talk about his time as a human, but would for her sake, given her curious. He understood, as he enjoyed hearing her stories and learning how different it was to actually grow up in Heaven. Envy was a sin, and while he wouldn’t necessarily describe himself as jealous or anything, she was certainly blessed to not have to have seen or even felt death.
How Abel felt towards the seraph was apparently extremely obvious. His father would tease him about it, encouraging him to confess his feelings. To Adam, Emily would have been like a trophy for his son. It wasn’t everyday, or any day, really, that an angel could get that close to a seraphim. Emily was no trophy though, not to Abel. She was so precious and pure. She was so kind, always full of joy and positivity. Even on his worse days, she always managed to make him smile again. A gift only she could be blessed with. She was just so wonderful!
He’d call her an angel if she wasn’t one already.
“Abel?”
Emily’s voice cut through the silence, and snapped Abel out of his own thoughts. It was her turn to snap him out of his thoughts. “S-Sorry, yes, Em?” He was admittedly very distracted. Was he staring at her?!
“Don’t be sorry,” Emily giggled. She was distracted too. How neither of them noticed that they had been staring at each other, quite literally locking eyes with one another was beyond them. “The birds are back. There’s two now! They’re us!”
Indeed, a yellow canary had landed beside a white-feathered dove a few feet away from them. The dove was smaller than the other one.
“Oh! You’re right. Hey, they kind of are like us,” Abel hummed in thought as they both watched the birds.
“Which do you think is cuter?”
It took less than a second for Abel to answer. It didn’t require much thinking on his part.
“The dove, easily. They’re my favorite bird.”
Emily may have not understood why The Little Drummer Boy was her favorite Christmas carol, but Abel knew why doves were his favorite birds. He knew why he loved seeing them perched on his windowsill, or in the gardens, especially when his thoughts were on something specific. They were like little signs of her! The nuances, trials and tribulations were understood by Abel, given he had witnessed his parents being romantically involved at one point. Things were different now that his mother seemingly had never ascended, but they were in love at one point.
He longed for that sort of love with Emily. He wished he could confess it. He could, right now! But he held back. She was a seraphim, and though the son of an archangel, he knew better than that. Besides, if she didn’t feel the same, perhaps she would flee away but never return unlike the doves and other birds that would visit the gardens.
Emily’s words that broke the silence again made Abel’s face flush.
“I think the canary is sliiiightly cuter. But, don’t tell the dove that, please!”
Her anxiety caused Abel to laugh again.
Gosh, was she just so cute…
“I won’t, Em, I promise.”
The two continued their trivial chatter, missing every longing side glance they gave one another. And how their hands almost connected several times. It was easy for them to embrace in public, yet in private, the physical affection rarely occurred. It was much too difficult when one didn’t understand her feelings, and the other understood but was too scared to make a move.
“Em, I have to go now. Dad wanted me to practice music again after he was done meeting with Sera. I’m sure he’s got out of the meeting by now. And you know how he can be,” Abel’s words sounded sadder than they should have been.
Emily looked sadder than she should have been, pouting her lip and all, “Oh, already? Awwww, I’ll miss you, Abel.”
A small confession that Abel assumed meant nothing more.
“Are you practicing your drums today?” Emily asked as she got up from the grass. No need to brush herself off.
“Mmm, probably. Guitar’s kinda my dad’s thing, and he’s kinda frustrating to learn from,” Abel snickered, but even that laugh fell flat. He stood up, looking down at the seraph who seemed just as sad as he was. Maybe she was just sad that she’d have to deal with Sera now.
The source of light Heaven had was growing dim, indicating it was the equal to sunset.
Both looked at each other but said nothing. For being the joy-bringer, she was sure making Abel sad. But, it'd only make their next hang out so much more exciting.
Emily had to break the silence a third time, “I’ll get going then! I’ll see you around, okay, Abel?” Her wings drooped slightly.
“O-oh, okay, see you around, Em..,” Abel might be sad at leaving her, but he didn't have to force his smile.
“Bye, Abel!” Her drummer boy.
Emily fluttered away, her angelic glow getting smaller in the distance as she went back to the castle.
Abel stayed put, watching her leave. Their destination was the same place, as they both lived in the castle. He wasn't going to make their goodbye awkward. She was pretty to look at, anyways.
“Bye, Emily.” His dove.
Abel gave himself a few more seconds before he took flight himself. Despite being shorter, Emily was faster. No doubt she'd be in her quarters already.
The small dove and yellow canary stayed put, nuzzling against one another in the perfect grassy garden.