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moosestories2025-06-17 07:42 am
nyc_merlin) wrote in moosestories2025-06-17 07:42 am
Entry tags:
Angel AU - The Magician
01. The Magician - a character takes action; a character is putting on a performance for another
—
Mobius sat back in his desk chair and turned to look out the little window behind him. It didn’t have the best view. Those were saved for the sanctuary itself but he could catch a glimpse of the community garden and a hint of the park. Just a corner.
It was a brilliant summer day with a background hum of cicadas. Bright sun and a brilliantly blue sky. He took a moment to wonder at the majesty of creation before getting back to the thoughts that plagued him.
Phil was… better. The heart medication and careful attention of his angel were helping. The other priest couldn’t overwork himself anymore. If he tried to stay up too late or lift something too heavy Clint would intervene. Or one of the other angels that sometimes frequented St. Amandus. They hovered and frustrated Phil but it was helping the man recover.
Still, Mobius had known his fellow priest for a long time. They’d cared for this church together. They cared for each other. They were good friends who believed many of the same things except for this.
Phil insisted in a few months he’d be fine and all this fuss would be amusing to look back on. Everyone worried about nothing. Plenty of their parishioners had heart problems and none of them had an angel looking out for them. None of them had a friend who insisted on taking over more and more services.
Mobius noticed Phil needed more pauses and moments to catch his breath during service. His arms got tired holding the communion cup. Even if his friend couldn’t see it Mobius could because he knew Phil.
The demon… his heart… Phil just wasn’t the same and it wasn't a weakness to admit it. It was simply reality. Something Phil would have to face eventually. He wasn’t the same man anymore health wise.
A shame, certainly, but not the end of the world. Certainly not the end of his career as a priest. No, Mobius had a feeling Phil had a few years left in him before he would be truly willing to retire.
The trick was how to make those years the highest number possible. How to make sure that Phil got to serve as long as he wanted.
He had an idea and he was certain Phil wouldn’t like it. That was becoming more and more fine with Mobius as he sat looking out his little window. It wouldn’t be the first argument they had. The trouble with two stubborn priests was the stubborn part. They didn’t butt heads often but those stalemates could last a while.
Mobius rarely threw his weight around as the older priest and the one who served at St. Amandus longer but he was going to now.
He picked up his phone and dialed the central office to make his case. St. Amandus was doing great and they could use a little help. A younger priest, one to connect to the younger families moving into the neighborhood. One to help around the church because Phil’s heart issues and Mobius felt maybe a touch of arthritis in his knee.
An extra set of hands at St. Amandus would be a big help. Surely the church had a young priest looking for his first appointment they could send. He and Phil would polish the young guy up in no time and he’d be ready to take over when one or both of them retired.
He had a list of names and CVs a few days later that he made sure Phil didn’t see. He told Loki of his plan because the fallen angel would nag him otherwise. He also swore him to secrecy. Just to be on the safe side but Loki liked having secrets. He’d keep it to himself and crow about knowing before everyone else.
There were plenty of good candidates. Young priests with long records but the one Mobius liked was a younger man who’d left law school to become a priest. Sure, he was blind and that meant St. Amandus would need a few changes to accommodate him but Mobius had a good gut feeling about Father Murdock.
It was another brilliant summer day when he dropped the young priest’s file on Phil’s desk and announced they were getting help.
—
Mobius sat back in his desk chair and turned to look out the little window behind him. It didn’t have the best view. Those were saved for the sanctuary itself but he could catch a glimpse of the community garden and a hint of the park. Just a corner.
It was a brilliant summer day with a background hum of cicadas. Bright sun and a brilliantly blue sky. He took a moment to wonder at the majesty of creation before getting back to the thoughts that plagued him.
Phil was… better. The heart medication and careful attention of his angel were helping. The other priest couldn’t overwork himself anymore. If he tried to stay up too late or lift something too heavy Clint would intervene. Or one of the other angels that sometimes frequented St. Amandus. They hovered and frustrated Phil but it was helping the man recover.
Still, Mobius had known his fellow priest for a long time. They’d cared for this church together. They cared for each other. They were good friends who believed many of the same things except for this.
Phil insisted in a few months he’d be fine and all this fuss would be amusing to look back on. Everyone worried about nothing. Plenty of their parishioners had heart problems and none of them had an angel looking out for them. None of them had a friend who insisted on taking over more and more services.
Mobius noticed Phil needed more pauses and moments to catch his breath during service. His arms got tired holding the communion cup. Even if his friend couldn’t see it Mobius could because he knew Phil.
The demon… his heart… Phil just wasn’t the same and it wasn't a weakness to admit it. It was simply reality. Something Phil would have to face eventually. He wasn’t the same man anymore health wise.
A shame, certainly, but not the end of the world. Certainly not the end of his career as a priest. No, Mobius had a feeling Phil had a few years left in him before he would be truly willing to retire.
The trick was how to make those years the highest number possible. How to make sure that Phil got to serve as long as he wanted.
He had an idea and he was certain Phil wouldn’t like it. That was becoming more and more fine with Mobius as he sat looking out his little window. It wouldn’t be the first argument they had. The trouble with two stubborn priests was the stubborn part. They didn’t butt heads often but those stalemates could last a while.
Mobius rarely threw his weight around as the older priest and the one who served at St. Amandus longer but he was going to now.
He picked up his phone and dialed the central office to make his case. St. Amandus was doing great and they could use a little help. A younger priest, one to connect to the younger families moving into the neighborhood. One to help around the church because Phil’s heart issues and Mobius felt maybe a touch of arthritis in his knee.
An extra set of hands at St. Amandus would be a big help. Surely the church had a young priest looking for his first appointment they could send. He and Phil would polish the young guy up in no time and he’d be ready to take over when one or both of them retired.
He had a list of names and CVs a few days later that he made sure Phil didn’t see. He told Loki of his plan because the fallen angel would nag him otherwise. He also swore him to secrecy. Just to be on the safe side but Loki liked having secrets. He’d keep it to himself and crow about knowing before everyone else.
There were plenty of good candidates. Young priests with long records but the one Mobius liked was a younger man who’d left law school to become a priest. Sure, he was blind and that meant St. Amandus would need a few changes to accommodate him but Mobius had a good gut feeling about Father Murdock.
It was another brilliant summer day when he dropped the young priest’s file on Phil’s desk and announced they were getting help.